As Virginia walked to the balcony, she looked at the beautiful forests of the 4th kingdom. How strange that these forests, which once filled with trolls, huntsman, sorceresses, death and destruction, were now the homes of pixies, birds, and fairies that danced in the trees like a thousand twinkling Christmas lights. The dark purple sky was filled with stars that seemed to be shining down on the happy partiers that continued to flood Prince Wendell's palace. Virginia listened as Prince Wendell began to announce the grand finale. It seems as though Tony finally found an invention that not only pleased Wendell, but was proving to be very profitable and popular in the 4th kingdom, fireworks. Wendell counted down the fireworks as thousands of on- lookers watched the skies. Suddenly a high pitched whistling noise was met with shrill screams from the people of the 4th kingdom. The fireworks exploded into streams of green, pink, and blue, and screams were replaced by laughter and applause from all except the emperor with no clothes who was still unconscious. Virginia couldn't help but smile; they have all had so little to smile about over the last few days.
She placed a protective hand on her belly and imagined what her baby would be like. Would the baby look more like her Wolf? Secretly she would love to have a baby girl. Just then she felt a pair of arms wrap securely around her waist. Wolf buried his nose in her hair and taking in her scent. There was a proud smile that came across his face as he rubbed her belly.
"Huff, puff Virginia, a baby! I swear I will be a good father. I've already started reading all the latest books like, The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for Dads-to-be, DON'T JUST STAND THERE: How to Be Helpful, Clued-In, Supportive, Engaged, Meaningful, and Relevant in the Delivery Room, and What to Expect When Your Wife Is Expanding."
Virginia stood on her toes and pecked Wolf on the cheek. Wolf simply closed his eyes, not quite believing his luck that this delectable cream puff was actually his. They stood there watching the fireworks for quite a while when Wolf noticed that Virginia was singing to herself. Virginia could still remember how it felt to lie in her canopy bed, caressing her mother's fur coat as her mother sang the lullaby. Wolf clasped his hands together and looked pleasingly at Virginia. With a heavy sigh she began walking toward their bed. Wolf scooped her up in his arms and carried her, setting her down so gently. He crawled under the covers and waited as Virginia began to sing.
I'm wishing on a star
To follow where you are
I'm wishing on a dream
To follow what it means
And I'll wish on all the rainbows that I see
I wish for all the people who dream a dream
I'm wishing on a star
To follow where you are
When her song was done, Virginia looked down to see Wolf with tears in his eyes. He gave her a kiss and pulled her close to his chest. Soon they were both falling into a peaceful sleep and Virginia could not recall the last time she felt more content.
Virginia awoke the next morning with a small smile on her face. Her entire body felt weightless. Her muscles had finally relaxed allowing her to enjoy a full night's sleep. She dressed in her tights, skirt, and pale blue jumper, ready to go back home to New York. As she went down the winding staircase of Prince Wendell's palace, she thought of what she would do when she returned to the city. Her job and her old home would certainly not be waiting for her. She went to the kitchens and found her Wolf busy preparing bacon sandwiches for their "long journey".
"Huff, puff" exclaimed Wolf "you're awake! Hello my wife"
Wolf scooped up Virginia in his arms and kissed her soundly, quite theatrically on the lips, then he whispered a quiet hello to her belly.
"Good morning to you to Wolf. Where is my dad?"
"No idea, but I have been busy making us some breakfast. Now come on Virginia, you have to eat, especially in your condition."
Virginia scanned the room for Tony, but could not find him anywhere. She went off to search for him, leaving Wolf to finish the breakfast. She found Tony sitting in the ballroom where Wendell's coronation took place. He was sitting on Wendell's throne, his legs crossed, and his right hand slightly cupped and waving to all the imaginary subjects.
"Thank you, thank you. Oh no please, Emperor, I couldn't possibly accept all this gold…"
"Well it's nice to know that you've finally gotten over your obsession with money and power Dad"
Tony gave out a small yelp and jumped off the throne so quickly he nearly fell off the steps.
"Virginia! I didn't hear you come in, how long have you been standing there?"
"I came to say goodbye, Wolf and I will be going home soon." She went to her father, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a last hug.
"You can't go yet Virginia. For once we have everything we ever wanted, and no one is trying to kill us."
"I can't stay here …"
Virginia's eyes instantly fell on the spot where she watched her mother die in her arms, and by her daughter's hands. Tony could see the tears welling up in Virginia's eyes and he ran to her. He held her and stroked her hair, just like when she was a girl. He tried to find the words to tell her how much he loved her, and how he desperately wanted to give her the world. He tried to remind her that she was loved by her mother. Even through the cloud of all sickness and grief, in her dying moment, she recognized Virginia as her little girl.
"It's alright Virginia. Look at me; this was not your fault. Your mother was very sick but she loved you Virginia. I love you. I know I haven't always done my best, but I've always tried. I just wanted us to have everything. I just wanted us to be happy. And I have always been on your side, no matter what…"
Virginia kissed Tony on his cheek. They both jumped back at the sound of a loud whimpering sob.
"Oh huff, puff! Come here big guy!"
Wolf ran up to pull both Virginia and Tony into a big bear hug. Virginia allowed herself to be hugged by both her dad and Wolf, but Tony just stood there stiff as a board, with a look of pain on his face. Finally he patted Wolf on the back and was released from the hug.
Wendell walked in shortly after, followed closely by his advisors, dignitaries and of course Prince, the royal Labrador, and looked at the three heroes in front of him. What a strange group of misfits we make, he thought to himself.
He instructed his servants to bring the magic mirror into the ballroom. He turned the circular engraving on the upper right corner of the mirror and revealed to the group of astonished spectators the winkling lights and evergreen woods of the 10th Kingdom.
"Look, that's it. That's where I went!"
His advisors could only stare into this wonderful unknown.
Wendell couldn't help but smile as he recalled the moment he first traveled through the mirror and entered that strange magical world. His advisors could only stare into this wonderful unknown. Virginia knelt down and gave Prince a kiss, and then turned to her father.
"Are you really going to stay here? You can come with us."
"Yeah, I'm going to stay here. Besides what am I gonna do. Go back to New York and be a janitor. Remember, I'm still wanted for armed robbery."
"Yeah, I almost forgot about that."
Tony laughed; he would miss his little Princess, "I'll stay for at least a few weeks, then who knows…"
Virginia wrapped her arms around her Dad's neck and hugged him, tears already threatening to fall from her blue eyes. She finally let go and looked into her father's face,
"I really love you daddy."
Tony could no longer hold back the tears, "You haven't called me daddy since you were a little girl."
Suddenly Wolf pulled them both into another hug. He kissed Tony on the cheek, while Tony simply patted Wolf on his cheek in response. Virginia and Wolf turned to go through the magic mirror. As the passed through the portal, Wolf looked to Tony over his shoulder and shouted, "See you soon….Grandpa!"
"Grandpa!" that was the last thing Tony could manage to stay before the pair disappeared through the portal.
Wolf and Virginia arrived back in New York. They walked through Central Park and finally came to a bridge where they sat and reflected on the tumult of their pasts and the wonderful uncertainty of their future. Virginia felt at peace when Wolf cradled her stomach. There could have been no man happier or more proud than Wolf at that moment. He was back in the 10th Kingdom with his beautiful creamy wife, and his child.
Virginia suddenly became very concerned as she realized they had no place to stay for the night. Wolf reassured her and ran along the paved roads, pulling Virginia along with him. Virginia was about to Colin when finally Wolf stopped outside the hotel he had been looking for. Virginia felt the breath knocked out of her as they stood outside the Ritz-Carlton.
Before Virginia could protest at the ridiculousness of Wolf's choice, he pulled her through the doors, stopping only to thank and praise the door man for his manners. Wolf sat Virginia down on a sofa in the lobby and then made his way over to the concierge desk. A petite red-headed young woman working at the desk noticed the handsome man stalking his way through the lobby and began to adjust her form fitting blazer and skirt. As Wolf approached her, she flashed him a big toothy grin and welcomed him to the hotel. Wolf looked down at the young woman and returned her smile.
The woman was cordial and extremely accommodating to the tall dark stranger, bending over every so often, confident that she was exposing a fair amount of skin to the man in front of her. Her smile fell when Wolf requested the Central Park Suite for himself and his wife. She followed Wolf's eyes and saw Virginia sitting on the sofa watching the both of them.
The young woman instantly dropped her coy acting and became very cold and business-like, typing furiously on her keyboard as she checked for Wolf's reservation.
"Well our suite will be $1,000 a night."
"Yes of course," Wolf reached into his coat and pant pockets pretending to look for his wallet. The young woman was becoming more and more frustrated by the minute. Wolf seemed to drop a small walnut sized shell onto the floor in front of the woman.
"Oh apologies ma'am, would you mind reaching that for me."
"Not at all sir" said the woman with a fake forced smile on her face. As she bent down to pick up the small shell, it suddenly cracked open and bright golden specks of dust began to pour out. The fumes filled her nose, and her eyes began to turn from a blue-green color to a golden amber color. She stood up and looked vacantly at Wolf.
"Now, you were saying about the Central Park suite. I believe if you check your records, you will see that we already have a reservation, under the name Wolfson."
The young woman clicked a few keys on her keyboard, and then handed Wolf the keys to the suite, "You're right sir, my apologies. Here are your keys, and I hope you and your wife have a wonderful stay at the Ritz-Carlton."
"Thank you"
Wolf grabbed the keys and made his way back to Virginia. She stood with her brows drawn together, hands crossed across her chest. Wolf huffed and puffed holding her hand as her guided her to their room.
"What did you do Wolf?"
"Whatever do you mean my dear?"
"Wolf, how did you get those keys?"
"The young lady gave them to me."
"But how did you pay for the room?"
"Oh huff, puff Virginia! Just trust me!"
"This is coming from the wolf that gave my father a magic bean that resulted in my father becoming an outlaw wanted for armed robbery."
"Oh Virginia, it's our honeymoon! Now come on, let's go up to our romantic suite where we can eat ourselves silly and you can sing some more for me and our little cub."
Wolf carried Virginia up to their suite and straight into their bed. He instantly began prowling the room, picking up all manner of gadgets. He finally settled on preoccupying himself with the mechanisms of a DVD player while Virginia was on the phone ordering a raw steak and glass of warm milk for Wolf and a well-done burger with French fries, green beans, and lemonade for herself.
After they had eaten, Virginia decided she was in desperate need of a bath. She walked into the opulent white, pink, and gold bathroom. She let the warm water run in the bath and threw in some salts and lavender oil for good measure. Virginia stripped off all her clothes and wrapped one of the fluffy white towels around her.
Virginia couldn't help but laugh as Wolf quietly stalked his way into the room. She took off her towel and placed it on a hook as she dipped her body into the water. Wolf's eyes bulged out of his head, like one of those cartoon wolves that she used to watch as a kid. She immersed herself into the bath until only her head could be seen poking out from a sea of pink bubbles. Wolf stood leaning against the door frame gazing at her for quite some time. A few minutes later Virginia felt the water rise, and pair of strong, furry arms wrap around her middle. He touched her soft delicate face in his big hands and bringing his lips down to hers. Virginia turned so she was sitting with her back against Wolf's chest. Her eyes fluttered shut as she as she smelled the coconut shampoo and felt Wolf's fingers massages the cream into her hair and scalp. After he rinsed the shampoo out, he picked up the wash cloth and began to lather the body wash onto Virginia's arms, legs, torso, and back. Soon her fingers began to prune and the water was starting to get cooler. Wolf got out of the tub and extended his hand to help Virginia out as well. After he dried himself and Virginia off, he picked her up and carried her to their bed. Virginia's eyes adjusted to the darkness as she listened to the strong heart beating against her. She was filled with thoughts of her baby and the unfortunate reality of her very short pregnancy. In two months she would be a mother. Joy should have been her primary feeling but Virginia couldn't help but think of her own mother.
Catherine wasn't born evil; she molded and formed by expert hands. In her deepest moments of depression, anger, and disappointment in her own life, she was seduced by power. She was a sweet girl who despite being a beautiful, eligible, and very desirable debutante, married a poor janitor out of love, and she showered Virginia with affection.
"You're not going to be like her Virginia."
"How did you know that is what I was thinking of?"
"It's only natural. You will be a wonderful mother Virginia. I love you."
"I love you too, Wolf."
Virginia held on to the man at her side and felt her eyes grow heavy with sleep. Soon there hearts began a slow rhythmic dance as they drifted off into their own worlds.
Wolf dreamed of chasing his little cub around Central Park, with his beautiful Virginia, bathed in the warm sunlight, watching them with big a smile on her face. Virginia on the other hand, dreamt of ice and snow. She was standing on a misty snow covered mountain. Her teeth chattered, her hands face, and lips turned to pale blue, and ice framed her hair and face. She suddenly felt a warmth radiating from within. As she turned to look behind she gazed upon a set of golden amber eyes framed by dark burgundy spikes, a long sharp nose, glistening white teeth, and the unmistakable majesty of a dragon.