...Wow. This story is almost done! Only one more chapter after this one. Enjoy and review =]

Level Ten: Oh, You Tricky Knave

When Jenny woke up, there was a cream puff stuck in her hair, and she had the Headache from Hell. One of the little "Drink Me Vials" was wedged in the cleavage swelling from her corset.

"Cute, Julian, real cute," she grumbled, taking the vial and hitching up the corset. She examined the vial's luminescent purple liquid before shrugging; she'd already been drugged once, so what did she have to lose? Jenny uncorked it and sipped. All of a sudden, her headache was gone, and she felt rejuvenated.

This, Jenny thought as she hopped of the table, is good stuff.

Now she could see the blue dress and pinafore lying ripped and tea-stained on the ground. Jenny had never been particularly fond of the outfit, so she didn't count it as any great loss. She groaned, however, upon remembering what she was left wearing.

I look like the ingenue in a bad, softcore porno, Jenny lamented, looking down at her pearly white corset, frilly bloomer shorts, striped stockings, and garters (also frilly!) Then, Jenny caught sight of herself in an upturned silver platter and was shocked. She looked...kinda hot.

Maybe I could keep this get-up for Halloween or something, Jenny mused, with wings and a halo, I could be a sexy angel.

The thought was irrelevant and nonsensical, but it rose Jenny's spirits as she set off down an unmarked path that had materialized in the clearing. Jenny knew she ought to feel guilty, embarrassed, upset, disgusted, or something about what had just happened, but really she couldn't muster up any emotion besides anger at being drugged. Technically, she and Tom were broken up, and to say that Jenny had enjoyed her last encounter with Julian would be putting it lightly—Jenny wasn't going to go to the trouble of lying to herself about that. And, well...

"It is only a dream," Jenny muttered as she made her way down the trail.

OoO

"You roofied me," Jenny accused Julian when she next caught sight of him.

"Hardly," the Shadowman replied, not bothering to hide his smug grin, "Grande Wormwood has been known to reduce inhibitions in some cases, and large doses can have hallucinogenic effects, but I didn't use nearly enough to cause that sort of reaction."

"I passed out," Jenny said flatly.

"Hm, yes. You are a lightweight," Julian frowned, "are you seeing pink elephants? Unicorns? The ghost of Oscar Wilde?"

"That's so not the point." Despite her best efforts to stay angry, Jenny's mood lightened. "So, what is this now? You're a...gardening knight?"

The path Jenny took had opened from a woodland trail into an expanse of rolling hills before becoming restricted once again, this time by tall rose bushes lining either side. When Jenny came upon Julian, he'd been trimming one of the bushes with a long, white spear that came to a sharp red point on one end and a pair of crimson shears on the other. He was wearing white chain-mail and shiny red leather pants, along with white metal knee spikes and boots. His mouth twitched up at Jenny's question.

"Not quite. Why don't you follow me? The game isn't over yet."

"Do I really have a choice?" Jenny sighed as Julian started walking. The Shadowman just chuckled in response and kept going.

"So I guess I won't be doing any painting, then?" Jenny asked, dodging thorny vines as she jogged to keep up with Julian on the narrow, rose-bush lined path. The floral scent was overwhelming.

"I'm sorry?" Julian returned, amused.

"You know, 'Painting the Roses Red,'" Jenny elaborated, "I guess you couldn't think of an interesting enough way to interpret it, so you're just cutting the scene?

Julian paused to look back at the blonde, "Oh, on the contrary. If you would like to take a break, I could show you a very interesting interpretation for 'painting a white rose red.'"

Jenny frowned, then she got it. Her nose wrinkled. "Gross."

Julian nearly bowed. "Well, I am the Knave of Hearts."

Jenny rolled her eyes. Times like these reminded her that Julian was a guy—an evil, immortal guy with magic powers, but a guy nonetheless. As she thought this, Jenny nearly bumped into Julian, who'd stopped walking. They'd reached the end of their path and come face to face with a thick, wrought-iron gate. When she looked up, Jenny could see the shimmering red and black spires of a distant castle.

"Well, here we are," Julian said, pulling out a key and unlocking the gate, "The Castle of Hearts."

Jenny smiled—finally, this ordeal would be over. She felt a surge of triumph.

Creeeeak

The gates pulled away, and Jenny stared, momentarily speechless. Between her and the far-off castle was a labyrinthine maze of rosebushes. "This is insane," she muttered, scarcely believing the situation.

"You didn't honestly expect me to make it easy for you, did you?" Julian asked, smirking.

Jenny turned for a retort, but Julian had already disappeared.

Bastard.

Level Ten Complete