Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter of my Christmas story! I swear this is my favorite story to write right now. I watched the Barbie movie again and I am seriously excited for the ending. It's so sweet and amazing and… AH! I love it! Plus I just got back from seeing my favorite performance group, the Young Americans', Christmas show. I swear they get better every year. So, I hope you all like this chapter!
Jack had to get Katherine out of there. He couldn't stand the thought of her getting hurt because of him. And she needed to find the Sugarplum Princess to go back home. Though it felt like one of the Delancies' arrows in his heart to even think of her leaving him, it's what she wanted. He would take a thousand arrows if it meant she was happy. He figured that's what it felt like to be in love. He liked the feeling. Especially when it was directed at the one and only Katherine Pulitzer. But he couldn't get lost in thought. He needed to get her out there if she was to survive long enough to search for the princess. Just the thought of the Delancies even laying a hand on her caused him to tighten his grip on his sword. He grabbed her hand and led her and the boys out of the cell into the tunnels of the dungeon. Turning a corner, he froze as he came face to face with ten mouse guards. Jack unsheathed his sword as Davey stepped up beside him. No matter how much of a pain in the ass he was, his little brother's protection always came first if he could help it. Even if he didn't show it.
Suddenly, Katherine was yanked away by another guard appearing out of the shadows. "Katherine!" Jack exclaimed.
With the distraction, he didn't notice the guard knocking his sword to the floor. When he turned to the guard, he was kicked in the chest, sending him flying into the wall across from Katherine. "Nutcracker!" Katherine yelled. He could hear the slight tremor in her voice. Was she actually scared for him? The possibility of it gave him the courage to face the guards head on.
Davey took a few of them, but most came straight for Jack. Katherine's eyes followed his movements while the guard restrained her. He managed to duck before they rushed him and was able to retrieve his sword. He blocked every attack with the grace of a dancer but his eyes held the intensity of a soldier. Katherine had never seen something more powerful. She thought she couldn't fall for him anymore than she already had, but he proved her wrong.
A grunt could be heard from the other side of the room. Katherine turned to see Davey struggling against a guard's hold. "Davey!" Les shouted. He rushed forward towards his brother but the guard caught him before he could. But the kid was a fighter. He was kicking and screaming the entire time in a fruitless effort to free himself.
"Davey, Les!" Jack cried. The guard closest to him took the distraction and slammed his shield into Jack's head. Another guard came and restrained Jack. Katherine couldn't help but notice that the intensity and strength in his eyes never died. "Sugarplum Princess or no Sugarplum Princess, those rats have to be stopped." He said under his breath. Katherine smiled at his bravery that showed through even in the worst of times.
The group were led up to the courtyard where the entire village was gathered. In the center was a giant pit with wood stacked up high. Katherine swallowed hard. All that was running through her mind was images of Jack, her nutcracker, her prince, reduced to ashes. The thought itself caused tears to burn at the back of her eyes. She never wanted that to become reality. She would never survive. "Ah. You're just in time for your party." Morris sneered. He pointed his scepter at the wood and a red beam shot from it. The wood erupted into brilliant orange and red flames.
Jack's eyes narrowed as the mouse kings stepped towards him. He looked to the side. Following his sight, Katherine saw Romeo and Racer fighting against two mouse guards to get to her and Jack. "Is this any way to run a kingdom, Delancies?" Jack exclaimed, bringing her attention back to him. He was starring daggers at the two brothers, "There's more to being a king than having a crown!"
"And suddenly you're an expert?" Oscar smirked. Jack's jaw clenched. They were getting to him. Katherine didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "We don't need their loyalty. We don't even need them!" He raised his scepter to the peasants, "Those peasants who do challenge me, living statuary be!" Within seconds the entire courtyard was turned to stone. Katherine let out a sob as Romeo and Racer were frozen in time.
Jack let out something of a growl and elbowed the guard restraining him. The mouse doubled over and Jack stole his sword off of him. He swiped the sword at the mice restraining Katherine and the boys and scared them off. The Delancies just watched the scene with amusement in their eyes. "I guess we underestimated you, little nutcracker." Morris mused. "With the brawn of twenty and six, we'll smash our enemy into sticks."
The Delancies grew to ten foot tall giants. While Katherine's eyes widened in fear, Jack stood his ground. No one could ever hope to be as brave as he is right now, Katherine thought to herself with a slight smile. But it was for nothing. With one sweep of the scepter, Oscar knocked Jack onto the ground next to the fire pit. He moaned in pain and Katherine could see that he could barely move. Worry immediately grew in her. "Nutcracker!" She shouted in fear.
She rushed to his side and kneeled down beside him. "We'll give you a choice, Nutcracker." Morris challenged from above them.
"Dismemberment or barbeque." Oscar finished with an evil grin.
"No!" Katherine cried, standing up to face the brothers herself. She felt a burst of courage when they started threatening Jack. No one threatens her nutcracker.
"Did you just say no, little lady?" Oscar said through clenched teeth.
"You two are nothing but cowards!" Katherine continued, "Hiding behind magic wands! Afraid to fight your own battles!"
Morris' grip tightened on his scepter. "Obviously I didn't shrink you small enough." He said in a tight voice. "Your mouth is still way too big!" Jack sat up slightly in fear for Katherine. She wouldn't be harmed if he was still breathing. "To the one who vexes me," He pointed his scepter at Katherine, the ruby at the end starting to glow.
"No." Jack whispered, sitting up fully now.
"Smaller, smaller you will be!" Morris continued. The glow grew brighter. With Katherine's life on the line, Jack used his last bit of strength to stand up.
"No!" Jack shouted. Just as the red beam was shot, he was in Katherine, blocking the curse with his sword. The beam deflected off the sword and hit the Delancies instead. Jack was thrown back against the fire pit, collapsing on the ground and dropping the sword.
"What?!" The Delancies shouted together. In only a few seconds, they were the sizes of what they truly were. Mice. The crowns dropped off their heads and landed right next to them with a clang along with their scepters. The brothers looked at each other in fear and fled to the nearest exit… a sewer grate.
Davey let out a laugh as he and Les looked down into the grate. "Back to where they belong, the sewer!" He and Les high-fived before he pulled Les into a tight hug.
But Katherine had other things on her mind. She kneeled down next to Jack and took his hand in hers. Tears rolled down her cheeks at the sight of Jack in so much pain. Jack couldn't stand to see her with tears in her eyes. He hated the sight and wished he could do something about it, but unless he could get better magically, she was going to suffer. "Oh." She said softly through her tears. Even choked up with emotion, her voice was still as beautiful as a siren's call to him. "My poor nutcracker."
"Don't worry, Katherine." He said weakly, "I'm just wood, remember?"
He let her hand trace his jaw, her fingertips lighter than feathers on his bruised, wooden skin. She lock eyes with him as she said, "You and I know you're much more than that." She took a chance. She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Prince Jack Kelly."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Jack was covered in a light pink glow. Katherine dropped his hand and leaned back a little, slightly scared to touch the one she had fallen for. The glow enveloped him and as suddenly as it had come, it vanished. What it left behind took Katherine's breath away. It was Jack… as a human. He was around her age with the same mess of brunette hair and chocolate brown eyes. As soon as Katherine locked eyes with him, she knew it was him. The curse had been broken. He was the prince again.
"It's Prince Kelly!" Les exclaimed. Davey's eyes widened. Not in shock or happiness, but fear. He had said some pretty nasty things about the prince.
Katherine helped Jack to his feet. Suddenly, she was enveloped in the same glow as Jack. When it vanished they both could hardly believe their eyes. Katherine's hair was a tumble of auburn curls with a glittering silver tiara on top of her head with a dark purple jewel in the center and she was dressed in a magnificent dress. It was spaghetti strap with a sweetheart neckline. The bodice was covered in silver sparkles. The skirt was a royal purple taffeta, matching the jewel on the tiara. Her feet were covered in purple ballet slippers with ribbons that wrapped up around her legs to mid-calf. The midnight blue flower Jack had given her was now pinned to the spot where her left strap met the bodice.
Jack's eyes lit up when he saw her in this form. The girl he had fallen in love with had just gotten better. "Of course." He breathed. "The princess has been with us all along!"
"What?" Katherine asked, confused.
"Katherine, it's you! You're the Sugarplum Princess!" Jack exclaimed. Katherine touched the delicate tiara on her head. "It all makes sense. You saved me from the Delancies in your parlor. You rescued us from their dungeon, your bravery has led to their defeat and your kiss has broken the spell. Katherine, don't you see? You are the Sugarplum Princess! Look!" Katherine turned around. A pink glow seemed to cover the entire castle. The walls turned from gray and dreary to pink and colorful. As the glow passed over the villagers, they returned to living beings. Romeo and Racer gasped when they set eyes on Katherine. The bonfire was transformed into a fountain, the water sparkling like diamonds in the sun. "You've broken all the Delancies' evil enchantments."
Katherine looked at him and gently grasped his hand, squeezing lightly. "And now you're free to take your rightful place as king."
Jack turned sheepish at the comment. "Well, that's for the people to decide." The pair looked at the crowd.
Les' voice broke through, "Three cheers for Prince Kelly!" All the villagers started cheering for Jack and Katherine smiled at him. The garden fairies flew over their heads, dropping rose petals over the couple. He led her over to the archway as Romeo and Racer took the stage. They started doing spectacular tumbling acts. Katherine and the villagers cheered for them as Jack wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her close to him. When Romeo and Racer were finished, Les and Davey came up and started their Russian dance. Davey stumbled over his feet and bumped into Les, knocking them both to the ground. Katherine gasped in fear but soon relaxed when the brothers stood up to take their bows. When they exited, Jack offered Katherine his hand.
She gently took it and he led her to the middle of the pavilion. They moved into a fluid ballet dance. Katherine moved with grace along with Jack. It felt right. She finally found where she belonged. Right here. With Jack. He was the one she was meant to find. As he twirled her, the pink glow returned and spread to the rest of the kingdom. Everything the Delancies had destroyed returned to its former glory. The garden fairies and snow fairies showered the couple in petals and snowflakes together as they finished the dance. The crowd erupted in applause as Jack and Katherine took their bows. (A/N Okay. I'm about to write my absolute favorite part! Get ready!)
Jack silenced the crowd with a lift of his hand, still keeping one hand locked with Katherine's. "Thank you all." He spoke, "As your king, I will let the wisdom of my father be my guide." The crowd let out a cheer. Jack smiled and turned to Katherine, taking both her hands in his. "None of this would've been possible without you, Katherine. Will you stay… and be my queen?"
Katherine stopped for a moment. She had been waiting for this question. But with one look in Jack's molten chocolate eyes and her answer was clear. She looked down and gently touched the golden heart locket. "This locket was supposed to take me home," She looked up, cupping Jack's cheek in her hand, "But in my heart, I feel I'm already there." (Didn't you just love that line? I know I did!)
With that, Jack grabbed her by the waist and crashed his lips to hers. Katherine wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping his lips against hers. Both felt the heat, the sparks, the feeling of electricity running through you with this one single kiss. They could hear the crowd in the distance, but none of it mattered. When air became necessary, they pulled away, leaning forward so their foreheads touched. Katherine's hands slid down to his shoulders as his grip on her waist tightened slightly.
A shrill voice shattered the happy moment, "I absolutely despise happy endings!"
Oooh. Another cliffhanger. Aren't I just the best? Don't worry. You only have to wait like a week for the next chapter. You'll survive… maybe. That's up to you. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please, please, PLEASE R&R! Reviews are like early Christmas gifts to me!
Quote of the Day: Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful –Norman Vincent Peale
Song Suggestion: Happy Xmas (War Is Over) –John Lennon