The darkness was oppressive, surrounding them, pressing in. not even her wand could cast a sufficient light, flickering softly in her hand.
"There's a light ahead," Shaggy spoke for the first time since they'd entered the mouse hole.
"Are you certain?"
"I am"
"I hope so," Christina shivered, it was freezing, the entrance was long gone behind them. There was no turning back now.
It wasn't too much longer before Christina saw the light herself, a mere pinprick at first but growing larger, closer. Close enough for her to snuff out her wand. Unfortunately, it appeared Drew's army had suspected they'd follow because the entrance to the cave they found themselves in was blocked, covered by thick ice, shutting them in.
"Here, let me," Christina conjured a flame in her free hand, holding it to the ice wall.
The ice began melting but it was rather slow not helped by the fact that she was still shaking. Shaggy drew his sword, mindful of the flame he started cutting away the weaker ice bit by bit until they were able to break through to the other side. Well, Christina fell out, flame extinguishing in the snow. Shaggy reached for her but she got to her feet, staying a safe distance away because of the embers that drifted from her hand. Only when the last fizzled out did she return to his side.
"Like, are you alright, Christina?"
"Yes, I'm okay, are you?"
"I'm like, made of wood, the cold doesn't effect me, "
"It's...not cold anymore...how?"
"Welcome to The Land Of Sweets"
Despite its name not everything was candy as the name implied rather the sugary sweets grew on trees and from the ground. The two stood at the edge of a great forest with a colorful variety of trees some of which Christina knew while others bore gumdrops and candy canes with trunks made of dark chocolate. There was fine snow at their feet, covering the land so that it looked like powdered sugar.
"Where to now?"
"After Drew cursed me I was like, told the one who could lift the curse resided on an island across the sea"
"So how did you end up-"
"Magically banished, it all goes black until earlier"
"I'm sorry, it was rude to ask," they'd entered the forest, stepping carefully.
"It's okay, I like, don't mind explaining"
The duo fell into silence, Christina still trying to wrap her mind around everything and take in her surroundings Shaggy meanwhile was both scanning for danger and covertly trying to get a better look at his traveling companion. He hadn't had the chance to really look at her.
"I can feel you staring, is something wrong?"
"No, no, no, I-I-I-"
"Yes?"
"You're very….beautiful, I'm sorry, I like, I um…."
why was he so flustered?
"Thank you," Christina could feel her ears burning.
The duo was so distracted they failed to notice the spy flying swiftly away.
…
In the castle he'd so ruthlessly taken, Drew was being patched up by a flurry of nerve-ridden nurses in stiff white dresses, with curls peeking from under their bonnets. They collectively jumped when the nearly human sized bat swooped into the room.
"Leave us," Drew barked, twirling the scepter, it flashed briefly reverting the bat to its proper, human form.
Felix, scrawny as ever in nothing but threadbare pants fell unceremoniously onto his backside with a long exhale. It was unnatural not to mention unpleasant to be stuck in bat form.
"Well? What news do you have, Brother?"
"Nutcracker's back and he's brought a girl"
"The wooden mutt was enough of a fool to bring her along?"
"Who is she?"
"Who she is isn't as important as what she is"
"And what would that be?"
"My future bride," Drew zapped Felix who was just getting to his feet, "Keep an eye on them, every move they make, every word, every breath, keep track of it"
After Felix had left Drew rose from the throne, striding across the great hall which echoed with his footsteps he opened the doors to the balcony. Although the sun was much too bright and the air much too sweet, he smiled in satisfaction at the imprisoned workers below. An army of servants at his beck and call who were currently building the biggest pyre anyone in the land of sweets or beyond had ever seen.
Shaggy would burn.
….
Traversing the woods Christina and Shaggy were not immune to the destruction left beyond by the mouse armies. Houses torn to pieces, once glorious gingerbread creations hardly standing. Dead crops, empty barns, barren fields. Sights that made Shaggy wonder just how long it had been.
"I don't think I can take much more," Christina sniffled, the destruction made her heart hurt.
"I'm like, sorry you have to see it this way," Shaggy quietly apologized.
"What was it like before?"
"The town my family lived in was very close to the capitol, we like, lived in this big house on top of a hill, some houses are only made to look and smell like gingerbread, that was like, our house, Mother kept a peppermint garden outside, Candy canes growing right out of the ground, licorice in the trees, during the day like, everything was quiet but at night when the moon and stars came out there would be dances, festivals games, every single night, sometimes if we were lucky the snow faeries would join us…."
"Snow fairies?"
"The fairies here are little, small enough to fit in your hand, the snow fairies are blue and they look like snowflakes when they dance"
"It sounds magical"
"It really was"
Eventually, they came to the edge of the forest and the smashed remains of another town stretched before them, half-hidden by snow drifts.
"Which way?"
"Forward but we like, have to be careful"
"I miss my cloak".
The progress was slow-going, the snowdrifts were laced with ice which caused Christina to slide backward on several occasions, and while it wasn't cold, it was wet, the snow seeping into her slippers and coating her bare ankles. There was nothing to see, nothing except a cloud-filled sky that merged with the snow. Nothing at all until they smacked into an unseen barrier which sent Christina falling again.
"What was that?" she rubbed her head indignantly.
"It's a barrier of some kind," Shaggy poked it curiously with his sword watching it ripple.
"What do you think it's protecting?" Christina got to her feet, dusting herself off.
"I don't know but I like, think we should find out"
"What if it's a trap?"
"True but it's like, directly in our way and unless we keep a straight path will get lost"
"And it looks like it's going to storm"
Shaggy looked up with a growl, "Drew"
"You're telling me he controls the weather?"
"The scepter is supposed to be used to keep order but…."
"Explain later," Christina's wand lit up, "If the barrier's magic I should be able to get past it"
Making a sweeping arc with her arm, the barrier glowed amethyst for a moment before beginning to wobble like jello.
"How did you-"
Christina quickly hauled Shaggy through the barrier before it could solidify again.
Felix, blinded by the sudden onslaught of snow hit the barrier spiraling to the ground out cold.
…..
"What is this?"
"Intruders!"
"Do something," Christina hissed at Shaggy, wand raised in defense against the swords, axes, and spears that surrounded them.
"Please," Shaggy stepped forward, "Like, we mean you no harm there's a storm brewing out there, we like, only seek shelter"
One by one the weapons clattered to the ground, a collective gasp going through the colorfully dressed crowd.
"P-please forgive us," the apparent leader a tall man with a full red beard in a double-breasted coat with many, many medals bowed deeply, "We did not realize it was you, Prince Shaggy,"
"I'm not Prince, not yet," Shaggy would've turned red, had he been capable.
"No, not technically but you are the true heir," the leader straightened extending his hand, "I am General Pantaloon, I was the head of the royal army when Drew seized control I gathered what people I could and sought a safe place, "
"You have my thanks"
"Of course but, who is she?" Pantaloon regarded Christina skeptically as if she were a spy.
"Like, this is Christina she like, comes from the world I was banished to, a victim of Drew's magic just like me"
"Pleased to meet you, Miss, forgive me, one can never be too careful," Pantaloon apologized with another bow, "I would be most honored if you two would join me at home, we can discuss a course of action over a bracing cup of tea"
….
The haven was made up of several large tents and hastily built houses made with scavenged materials. Pantaloon's modest house sat at the very center marked by the gumdrops framing the doorway and the chestnut mare tied to the post. After the crowd dispersed, resuming whatever they'd been doing he led his guests inside with a cheerful whistle, "Trudy dear, put on the kettle, we have company'
"Why, I'll be," the pleasantly plump woman in a faded red dress dropped the plate she'd been washing in a hurry to curtsy, "Your Highness"
"No, no, please," Shaggy was already embarrassed.
"Of course-of course," Trudy busied herself, "Sit please sit, make yourselves comfortable"
Shaggy sat in the closest chair, wincing at how his wooden joints creaked. Christina, however, remained standing near the door, her nightgown was still damp with snow.
"Mother?" from the spare room came a gray-eyed redhead in a long-sleeved work dress, her cap hung to the side, "Oh goodness, why didn't you warn me?"
"Marie, come help," Trudy instructed.
Marie stepped farther into the room, spying Christina in the corner, "My goodness, let's get you into some dry clothes, Miss"
"Thank you"
Ten minutes later the two girls returned, Christina having traded her damp nightgown for a faded green dress, only then did she take a seat, Marie sitting beside her until her mother's gaze forced her to the stove.
"Now, how exactly do we dispose of the usurper?" Pantaloon questioned Shaggy as Trudy poured cups of tea.
"I have no idea," Shaggy shook his head, "I like, have to get this curse removed first"
"How do we do that?"
"The court magician said the only one capable lived on an island across the sea-"
"Surely you don't mean the Sugar Plum Fairy?"
"I do"
"But-but-but no one has ever seen her!" Marie exclaimed in shock, nearly dropping the teapot.
"She like, has to be out there," Shaggy insisted, "She's our only hope if I'm to like, ever be King and Christina is to ever get home"
"Very well, than I shall accompany you," Pantaloon declared.
"But, you're needed here, Father," Marie replied.
"No, your mother is more than capable of handling things in my stead"
"But-"
"Marie!"
"Yes, Father," Marie quieted, it was no use arguing with the man.
"The storm's getting worse," Trudy noticed, "I don't think you're going to be going anywhere for a little while"
"All the more time to plan"
"Perhaps you should take the young solider with you, hm?"
"You don't mean Cal Candy?"
"Yes, Cal, such a sweet young man"
"He's a bumbling klutz"
"He just needs a chance to prove himself"
"Lacks training..."
"This is a perfect chance then"
"I respectfully disagree"
"Ahem," Christina coughed, the argument was getting old fast, "Forgive me but maybe you could ask him?" she gestured to Shaggy.
"Excellent idea!" Trudy clapped, "I'll fetch Cal" and she was out of the cottage before Pantaloon could object again.
She returned shortly with what appeared to be a tall teenage boy, dressed in dirty coveralls his bronze skin streaked with ash making him look a bit raccoon-like, with a head full of unruly black curls and the beginnings of a beard.
"Isn't he handsome?" Marie practically swooned.
Christina shrugged.
Cal fell onto the floor when he caught sight of Shaggy so surprised Trudy had to haul him up by his collar.
"Candy," Pantaloon stood, "We will shortly be going on an expedition in search of the Sugar Plum Fairy and despite my protests, our Prince wishes to meet you, see if you have the right stuff to go along, do try to behave"
"I-I apologize for my appearance," Cal stammered, eyes glued to the floor, "I-I was helping my Pa repair the stove, it broke but, but I would be most honored to accompany you"
"I like, don't see why he can't come," Shaggy decided.
"Then it's settled," Trudy said with a triumphant grin, "You'll set out in the morning, after the storm clears"
...
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST THEM?" Drew banged the base of the scepter on the ground, "I gave you explicit directions!"
"Yes, but you also caused a blizzard and made me lose my way," Felix bravely protested.
When he woke the storm was still raging, as it was now, causing him to turn his tail back to the castle. Not an easy feat when snow pushes one every which way. But, Drew who had been contentedly lounging on the throne until his arrival refused to take any blame for the anomaly outdoors.
"I should turn you into a lawn statue!"
"But then who would spy for you, Brother?"
"I hate it when you make sense, those fools would flee at first chance but you, you Felix can't run, not with your abilities so messed up," Drew laughed, "To think you thought that poorly planned revolt would work"
"It should have"
"Ah, but it didn't, I've always been one step ahead of you. NOW FIND THEM!"
...
Short, yes but I had to fill out the cast a little or we couldn't have a proper adventure. Please, review!