Chapter 11:

"So, you want to know about the Great Storm?" Hatter began as he cleared some papers away from the coffee table.

"Yes, Sir," answered Raven. "We wondering what you knew about it since Maddie said you know quite a bit,"

Hatter turned around and went to the bookshelf, rooting through it. "Well, there's a book right here that has information on it, which is where I first discovered the story. It's very interesting, though many in both Wonderland and Ever After deny that it ever happened in the first place!"

"Really?" asked Frankie, intrigued. "And why's that?"

The kettle shrieked from the kitchen, and Hatter turned his attention to the noise. "I'll explain everything once I've served you all some tea. Sit tight, now!"

When Hatter left the room, Heath looked up and realized that the girl who'd been sitting across from him was now lying face first on the floor, motionless. "Uh..." Heath grimaced. "Hey, I think your friend is dead,"

Apple looked away from the window, confused. "What do you mean-?," she then noticed the girl on the floor. "Oh, for Pete's sake! Briar, come on!" Apple knelt down beside Briar and shook her gently. "Briar," she began in the fakest, sweetest voice possible. "Briar, we've talked about this! The last time this happened, you hurt yourself," there was a long pause, and then Apple reached into her dress pocket, pulling out a little bottle of peppermint oil. She unscrewed the top, flipped Briar onto her back, and then proceeded to pour a copious amount of oil on Briar's forehead.

Briar gasped loudly and sat up quickly, looking around wildly. "Hello!?"

"You were sleeping," explained Apple curtly.

Briar was quiet, and then she reached up and wiped the oil from her forehead. "It's not like I can help that," she muttered bitterly.

Apple just patted her shoulder. "I was looking out for you. Ever since you feel asleep while walking down the stairs last week, I've just been trying to protect you,"

Hatter returned momentarily with a tray of steaming tea cups and passed them out among the guests. When a cup was placed in front of Heath, he pushed it away just a bit.

"I don't really like tea," Heath admitted.

Maddie spun around and gasped in horror, but Hatter raised a hand to silence her. "That's not necessary, Madeline. Come on, young sir, you'll like this tea. I got it in the mountains- it's ginger and pomegranate flavor," he pushed it back towards Heath. "Go on, give it a taste!"

Heath hesitantly reached out took the cup, taking a sip. He seemed to enjoy it, and once everyone was quiet, Hatter sat down in his big armchair and set his teacup on the bookshelf. He retrieved the book from earlier and flipped to a page.

"Many, many years ago," he began, sitting up straight. "These worlds were connected, and the people were divided up into groups based on what they could or could not do. There was a whole network of kingdoms that controlled everything, and one of the kingdoms was a tribe of wolves,"

"Wolves?" Draculaura perked up, looking surprised. "You mean...werewolves?"

Hatter just shrugged. "The book just says 'wolves', but they could be whatever you're referring to. Anyway, the leader of the wolves was the Alpha Queen, and she tried to keep the wolves away from the villagers because she hated the reputation the wolves had among humans,"

When he said this, Draculaura quickly texted Clawd. "do you know anything about the alpha queen?"

Hatter continued. "One day, a wolf named Isengrim destroyed everything that the Queen had worked so hard to achieve by terrorizing the village in a murderous rage. No matter what the villagers did, Isengrim never seemed to die. They shot at him all they wanted, but he'd always turn up alive the next day,"

"He was the first Big Bad Wolf, right, Dad?" Maddie chimed in.

"Right!" affirmed Hatter, turning the page. "And the Alpha Queen finally had enough of him. She told the human villagers not to worry, and that she would face Isengrim alone on the mountainside. They both went up to the mountains that morning to battle, but not long after that, the Great Storm hit. A whole village went with it, half of that wolf tribe disappeared, and Isengrim and the Queen haven't been seen since,"

Draculaura looked down at her phone to see that Clawd had responded. "What brought this up? that's part of a really old religion almost no one follows anymore."

"Well, that religion may have something to do with that storm!"

"Does anyone know what happened during that altercation?" Darling inquired, interested.

Hatter shook his head. "This book doesn't say, but I have heard a few theories regarding this story. Many think that the Alpha Queen tried to banish Isegrim to a different realm, but the plan backfired. Others believe it was Isengrim who banished the Alpha Queen, but since no one was actually with them, we cannot say for certain,"

Deuce tapped the side of the teacup in thought. "Then...how do you know they even had anything to do with it? They could have just picked a bad day to fight,"

"That is a possibility," Hatter shrugged, setting the book down. "However, both wolves completely vanished after it happened, so perhaps that's why everyone pins the blame on them. Isengrim's own wife didn't even know where he went,"

"I have a question," Apple spoke up, looking a bit skeptical. "Why didn't any of the teachers ever teach this in our history classes?"

Maddie scoffed at her. "Well, duh! Headmaster Grimm got rid of every book about it, that's why! It's a big conspiracy..." she trailed off when she saw the look her father was giving her, and she rolled her eyes. "Oh...sorry. I forgot that we're not allowed to say anything bad about Milton Grimm, even if it's true,"

"That's certainly not the case, Madeline," Hatter assured, though the look in his eyes gave away the fact that he felt the same way. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but we don't want to go spreading rumors about your Headmaster," he took a sip of tea and re-composed himself. "To answer your question, Ms. White, the Great Storm was thought of as some silly old legend, until now. There will probably be more discussion about it in your classes now that this has happened,"

There was a pause, and then there was another question: "Does anybody have any idea about where the wolves went?" it was Raven. "They have to be somewhere,"

Hatter thought about it. "Well...some believe that both of them are dead, now, which is a possibility, but I've also heard that Isengrim got trapped somewhere between our worlds and is cursed to wander forever. As for the Alpha Queen..." he trailed off, and he turned and looked out the window behind him. "There's a chance she roams Nowhere's Land, which is way out there," he pointed to an island that was across the water, far away and masked by heavy fog. "It's on that island, right behind Covet's Cove," he was referring to a large cave on the water.

"Can you take us there?" Frankie asked hopefully. "Maybe we can find her and-"

When she said this, Hatter quickly stood up and shut the curtains. "No, no!" he stated firmly, though he seemed nervous. "I can't do that! There's...there are monsters there,"

Heath looked almost offended by this. "But we're monsters!"

"Wait..." Dexter lifted his head up, his eyes wide behind his thick-rimmed glasses. "If Isengrim was trapped between the two worlds, and now they're connected, then...he's free, now. Isn't he?"

"Please don't worry yourselves over this!" Hatter pleaded, looking upset. "Now, let's not discuss this anymore, and I will get some dinner started for you. The mountain goats gave me some soup and bread as a gift, and I will prepare it for all of you. Please do not stress over this. Maddie, would you boil some water, please?"

As Maddie trailed after her father, Cupid watched them go and hoped to the Heavens that no one would blame her if Isengrim attacked.

Briar fell asleep on her plate.

Elsewhere, three figures walked around the premises of Ever After High. Steel, an MHU agent, was receiving an outside tour of the school from two students known only as Helga and Gus (they'd refused to give him their last names).

"And if you stand right here," Helga explained, standing beside a back window. "You can see right into the gym! They'll be in there the most, I'm thinking,"

Steel rubbed his chin in thought. "And you're sure they won't see me filming them?"

"Why would they?" Gus shrugged. "Most students here haven't seen technology such as yours before. If they see you, however..."

"You'll be fine," Helga assured Steel quickly. She folded her hands pleasantly and rocked back and forth on her heels, batting her eyelashes innocently. "So...do you have our payment?"

Steel sighed and produced a small, fishnet bag filled with shiny gold coins. "How's this? Good?"

Gus snatched the bag and tore it open, showing the contents to Helga. When they exchanged gleeful glances with one another, Steel cleared his throat.

"Well, I'm off, I guess. Thanks for the help, kids," yet, when Helga and Gus began to leave, Steel had a thought. "Actually...Helga, stay here for a minute,"

Both teenagers stopped, and Helga turned around and trotted over to Steel. Gus's expression turned to a worried one, and he crept behind the building so he could keep an eye on the situation.

"Yes?" Helga asked sweetly, looking up at Steel with her big eyes.

Steel suddenly reached forward and put a hand on Helga's cheek, smirking at her. "Meet me Monday afternoon at three," he told her huskily. "Alone,"

Helga's mouth fell open in surprise, but then a smile spread across her face and she winked at him. "Okay, Mister Steel!"

As she met up with Gus inside the building, he turned to her, concerned. "I didn't like what I just saw," he told her, upset. "I'm afraid he'll hurt you,"

"Oh, hush!" Helga snapped, reaching into the bag and pulling out a coin. "You wouldn't know a good time if it looked you in the face,"

Gus looked away and was silent for a few seconds, before asking timidly, "Is it worth it?"

Helga peeled the foil off the coin and took a bite of the chocolate inside. "Yes,"