They found a cart that was also heading in the direction of the next village. Wolf had a feeling which one it was, but he couldn't know exactly where they were without a map. The Disenchanted Forest had gotten him turned around. They were all riding in the cart on soft hay, immersed in Wolf's self-help books.
I am on the final page of the final chapter of my final book, Wolf thought triumphantly. I now totally understand women, top to bottom. He kept sneaking glances at Virginia, who was reading her own book. She had tied a piece of cloth around her hair to hold it out of her face. I have perfected a technique of not looking at her all the time. He looked back at his book. It's very difficult, but I think I've succeeded. I have managed to stop my tongue from lolling when she arouses me. He grinned shyly to himself. I have transformed myself into a new man. Soon, she will be mine. He glanced her way again, his tongue lolling of its own accord. He realized what he was doing and brought his hand up to his mouth. He hoped Virginia hadn't seen. Raring his arm above his head, he tossed his book into the field of grass. The feeling of triumph washed over him again and he smiled proudly. He leaned back and got comfortable for the rest of the journey.
He noticed that Virginia's frowned deepened the further she got into her own book. Tony seemed relaxed, for once, but his usual agitation flared up when he gave Prince looks that reminded Wolf of a child's impatience with a parent. Wolf was glad they had all helped him escape the stake. He looked at them fondly, even Tony, and he could no longer resent the Prince's prejudices against wolves, though he still didn't think it was right. He did save a wolf when he didn't have to, after all. And then there was Virginia. Sweet, creamy Virginia. As usual he was having trouble not staring at her, but he focused on other things, as his self-help books had taught him to do.
The weather was perfect. If they hadn't been trying to track the mirror down, Wolf would have suggested a picnic. The sun was out and a breeze was blowing softly, wafting scents of honeysuckle and pine needles. Wolf took a deep breath and sighed contentedly. They may be going to find a mirror to transport Virginia and Tony back to their land soon, but today was perfect. Today he was alive.
To add to his euphoria, Wolf heard distance sounds of a harp. Could it be? What luck! He sat up, seeing for the first time where the cart was taking them, and smiled. Virginia and Tony noticed his posture and looked around themselves. Heart-shaped balloons floated above their heads in all directions. Happy chatter, laughter, and romantic music played throughout the streets, which were lined with rows of little cottage-type shops, which were labeled things like "Kissing Lessons."
"Um. . . where exactly are we," asked Tony, confused. Wolf could sense his discomfort, but he didn't care. Wolf looked around, his heart racing. Maybe the magic here will make Virginia love me. For the first time he had real hope.
"We have entered the most romantic town in the whole of the Nine Kingdoms," he replied, taking in the sights, "the Kissing Town. The town where everyone falls in love." He ended his explanation by looking at Virginia. Her creamy skin seemed to glow more than usual here. It was making it hard for Wolf to concentrate on anything but her. "Truly fate has led us here." Virginia rolled her eyes and gathered her things.
"Dream on," she said. Wolf only smiled.
"You'll see," he told her, hopping out of the cart.
"Yeah, well, we didn't come here for that. We came for the mirror, alright," said Tony. Trust him to take all the fun out of romance. No matter. I will find a way for us to be alone, he thought as he took Virginia's hands to help her down. She didn't flinch from him anymore. Her hands were so soft and delicate. She had hay on the back of her jacket so Wolf helped brush a bit of it off before walking down the street after Tony and the dog. Just then, a little blonde girl in a Cupid's costume skipped up to them.
"Hello," she said brightly. "I've been looking for you all day! I see love and fortune coming your way." Virginia raised her eyes and made an approving noise, looking to her father. Tony, however, looked skeptical.
"Well, it's 'slice the fruitcake time,' again," he said in a mocking tone.
"Dad," scolded Virginia under her breath. The little girl was not deterred.
"Great romance, great wealth, before this very night is out," she said.
"Ah. . .and which one of us makes the money," asked Tony while Virginia chuckled.
"Your aura is cloudy," said the girl. "Just give me a couple of coins." Tony frowned as Virginia reached into her bag.
"Oh, it's the old 'cloudy aura' bit. What are you doing," he asked when he noticed Virginia. "You are such a soft touch!" Virginia handed the girl a couple of golden Wendells kindly.
"Yes," Wolf agreed, "a soft, sensuous," he paused as Virginia's jacket hit him in the face, "creamy touch," he finished.
"Now, if you look over there," the girl pointed, "you might find what you're looking for. Bye!" She skipped away down the street. The three of them looked in the direction in which she had pointed.
"Wait," said Tony excitedly. "Look, that's the pig wagon! The one the mirror was in. It was, wasn't it?"
Virginia was looking down the street after the girl.
"How did she know that," she asked, confused. Wolf rolled his eyes at their lack of Nine Kingdoms knowledge. Didn't they know that there's magic everywhere? You only have to look for it.
"Come on," Tony exclaimed to the others. Wolf rushed over to the pig cart, moving around the straw in search of the mirror. It's not here, he thought. He didn't know whether to be happy or sad about this. On one hand, if they found the mirror now they could enjoy their time in Kissing Town and use it later. On the other hand, he didn't want Virginia to leave, and that's what she was likely to do if she found it. A man came up behind them.
"Is this yours? Where's our mirror," demanded Tony. Wolf swallowed hard, worried. The man looked positively ashamed as he defended himself.
"I didn't know it was yours, now, did I," he replied.
"Where is it," asked Tony.
"You wouldn't want it now anyway. It's covered in pig swill," said the man.
"Where is it," yelled Virginia, taking the man's jacket in both fists and shaking him. Her eyes were open wide with madness.
"I don't rightly know," admitted the man. Virginia was visibly crushed. Don't worry, my succulent lambchop. We'll find it, he thought. "Fellow gave me five coppers for it this morning." Virginia let go of his lapel and he began to prepare his wagon for the journey back.
"What fellow?" asked Tony.
"I don't know. He was passing through with a wheelbarrow full of bricky-brack. Probably came from the Antiques Market," he said, pointing the way.
"Bricky-brack," said Tony to himself.
"This place is full of old things," said the man as he climbed onto his cart. "You'd do best to split up." Now's my chance! "Shame you won't have any time for romance, though." Wolf's eyebrows flew up in surprise, and just as quickly came back down again in an angry frown. He growled softly at the man, glancing at Virginia. She hadn't taken notice. The man looked over his shoulder at Wolf and gave him a small smile. Wolf was determined to make time for romance if it was the last thing he did. He ran off in search of bricky-brack. Instead he found a cart with a man who was announcing a trip to the top of the hill. Wolf smiled.
He had thankfully been paired with Virginia because Tony was the only one who could understand Prince. It gave him the perfect opportunity to sweep Virginia off her feet. He had called Virginia over to the cart and convinced her to take a ride with him.
"Wolf, do you really think we're going to find the mirror here? I think we should go back to town." Wolf didn't let this deter him from his mission. Instead, he turned his body toward her and began to tell her a story.
"Remember when Snow White swallowed the poison apple and everyone thought she was dead?"
"Mm-hmm," replied Virginia.
"Well, the seven dwarfs, they brought her here and put her in a glass coffin –" Virginia interrupted, "Here?" Wolf continued, "– in the hopes that someone might be able to bring her back to life."
"In this town," asked Virginia. Her eyes were shining and she was smiling.
"To the top of this very hill! Prince's Grandmother." The cart stopped and let them off.
"Oh, my God. Look," said Virginia as she crossed under a large arch with a heart on it that said Snow White: True Love Never Dies. "Is this the real glass coffin?" She let out a soft laugh. "I don't know what it is. . . I just feel so good!" Wolf smiled. He loved it when she was happy. Her smile could pale a thousand suns. He was relying on the magic of Kissing Town to keep her that way.
"You really do," he replied. "Everyone does in the Kissing Town!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the coffin, where an artist was painting portraits of couples as Snow White and Prince Charming. Virginia positioned herself in the coffin while Wolf put on a Prince's cape. He knelt beside her to continue his story.
"Right. So. Miss White is lying here for years and everyone thinks she's dead." Virginia looked up at him. "Close your eyes." She did. "Now slow down your breathing so your chest almost isn't moving at all. That's nice." He put his hand out above her chest, but didn't touch her, and retracted it. "And all these – these handsome chaps come along and they try to bring her around, but none of them were good enough for her. You know what I mean?" Virginia chuckled, her eyes still closed. Wolf wished the story could be about them. "Then one day, this drop-dead gorgeous prince comes past," Wolf's heart was racing, "and he stops, thinks, 'what a quirky girl. What a sweetie pie,' but she's frozen, cold," Wolf knew he was talking about Virginia now. Hadn't he thought she was quirky the first time they met? "She resists his every call with her frozen countenance." Virginia was no longer smiling. It was time. "And he realizes that the only way he can melt this Ice Queen is to," he held his fingers gingerly over Virginia's mouth, "massage the life back into her soft, creamy lips. . . with a kiss." He was quite close to her when she opened her eyes. Her lips parted slightly and he took that as permission. He leaned in, heart racing. For the first time since he met her he felt like a man who loved a woman. His wolf was curled up in the background, sleeping. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, Tony ran up the hill, yelling.
"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Will you two stop clowning around? I found the mirror! Come on." He didn't even mention the almost-kiss he almost gave his daughter. Wolf's chest seemed to deflate. Virginia looked at him in stunned silence and immediately got up from the coffin, leaving Wolf kneeling beside it in a Prince's cape. What just happened? He was momentarily stunned, rooted to the spot. Couldn't Tony have waited two more seconds?