Hiram Berry drove through the dense wood, straining to see the map in front of him. He came to a cross roads, and gently dismounted and shed his lantern's light onto
the sign there.
"Damn these old roads" he muttered. "I can't read a thing."
He clambered back up onto his cart and picked a path, guiding a nervous Phillippe down the darkened road. Phillip's keen hearing noted a wolf's howl in the distance, and
he startled as several more joined in. He bucked, sending Hiram flying, and galloped off into the night.
"Phillippe! Hiram cried, panic setting in as darkness engulfed him with the horse's retreating figure in the distance.
Sprinting away from the howls of the wolves, Hiram saw an imposing gate and ran towards it as rain started to fall. As lightning flashed around him, he saw the wolves
closing in, and flung the gate open and slammed it back, kicking away the wild dogs as he did so. Safe within the wall, Hiram wondered the gloomy looking castle before
him. Entering, he called out a tentative hello.
"Hello? Is anyone here? You see, I've lost my horse and the storm's growing worse…I only need shelter for the night."
He grabbed a nearby candelabra, and went to search further, until he discovered the candelabra was alive! Assuming he was delirious from panic and cold, Hiram listened
to the candelabra as it explained.
"Why hello there, good sir! You're absolutely shaking from the cold! Come in, come in! I am Blaine, and this is Kurt."
As he introduced "Kurt", Blaine pointed to a nearby clock. Hiram picked up the clock, astounded.
"Amazing", he said.
"Sir, If you'll please! Put me down at once! You'll ruin my perfect varnish!" the clock said.
"Now Kurt", Blaine said, "Be kind. This man needs shelter and warmth, let us welcome him!"
Blaine led Hiram into a nearby parlor where a fire roared.
"Master won't be happy about this!" Kurt exclaimed. "Not at all! We have to get him out of here!"
Ignoring Kurt, Blaine had already set Hiram down in a chair by the fire and had Mercedes (a teapot) bring him a cup of tea to warm him.
Not the Master's chair! Kurt thought. But it was too late. He saw Master lurking in the shadows and knew it wouldn't be long.
Hazel eyes flashed, seeing an elderly man sitting in her chair.
"Too old" Quinn thought. "What is he doing here? In my house? He must leave. He can't help me. He'll never break the spell!"
Infuriated, she stalked over, until she was right beside the chair. The fire was blown out by a loud roar, and Hiram shook, looking around for the source of the noise.
Piercing eyes met his own and their owner growled out, "Who are you? What're you doing here?"
Hiram suddenly found himself suspended in the air, being carried by this… this beast. Minutes later he lay down, shivering, in a dungeon cell and wondering how he wouldreturn to his daughter. To his dear Rachel.
Meanwhile, Finn stood outside the Berry cottage donned in his best. He smiled at his best friend, Noah Puckerman, and the crowd that had gathered there.
"Thank you all so much for attending my wedding day", he boomed. "All that's left now is to well…ask the girl." He smirked, and sauntered up to the cottage's door.
He gave two rough pounds against the door, and was greeted by a hesitant Rachel. She tried to hold him at the entrance-way, but Finn pushed past her.
"Ah, Rachel", he said. "It's going to be such a special day for you."
"Why is that, Finn?" Rachel asked, wishing the man would leave her home.
"Because, today is the day that you'll get to fulfill your dreams...and mine," Finn countered. "Today, you'll get to begin your future. A girl as special and beautiful as you shouldn't dream of something bigger than me."
With this, he gestured to his stature, and added "In fact, you couldn't ask for more."
"Oh, but Finn, I….I don't deserve you," Rachel said, shocked that the man was demanding her hand in marriage. Him! This boorish, brainless, arrogant giant? He knew nothing of her, and wouldn't be able to provide anything she wanted, much less help her escape this town! She leaned against the door and watched as he leered at her, leaning heavily against her. He leaned ever closer, pressing his body against her. It was like being smothered by a sweaty sack of potatoes, Rachel thought as she turned the knob. She held on to the door, and watched as Finn stumbled forward, and promptly fell into a deep mud puddle. She slammed the door behind her and quickly locked it, feeling safer now that a barrier was between her and the now fuming Finn.