Although Fakir appeared confident, he dreaded being back here. Before him, the Raven King sat on his stolen throne. To the king's left was a stone altar, and resting on it, wrapped in thick tree roots, was the prince. To the king's right was a large red crystal where the princess was trapped inside. To Ahiru, she hid in horror to not only see the creature who haunted her nightmares, but even worse, the victims on either side were Mytho and Rue. She did her best not to be noticed as Fakir marched forward.

A hand appeared from under the Raven King's cloak of black feathers. He leaned his head on his fist as he watched the nutcracker enter the throne room. "Humph. I was wondering how long it would take you to get here. After all the trouble you caused me in the Land of Snow and now here, I was starting to get rather irritated."

"I make no apologies." Fakir growled.

"So I've noticed. But now, you've come back to me. Did you forget what happened last time you faced me, nutcracker?"

"My name is Fakir! And I will stop you this time!"

There was smirk behind the Raven's beak. "I was too generous to you before. Now," he said standing up, "I'll be sure to finish the job." He held out his arm from under his cloak as a staff materialized in his hand. Fakir unsheathed his sword. "You won't get the chance!"

(March)

Fakir launched off his feet to meet the Raven head on. Keeping in close and not letting the Raven act, Fakir made many strikes. One after another he swung his sword, but every time the Raven would block it with his staff. Ahiru watched as Fakir kept striking wildly, as if this time he could hit him. Ahiru was no battle master, but even she knew this couldn't be the way to defeat the Raven. In the back of his mind, Fakir knew it too. The real reason he was being so reckless was to keep the Raven King from casting another spell. Had any of the others come with him, this would have been a lot easier. For now, he was holding off and hoping one of the others would come bursting through the doors soon.

The Raven grew tired of this tactic. In his hand he created a small ball of red light and slammed it into the nutcracker's chest. He flew back from the force of the blast. The Raven opened his hand to make another ball appear and tossed it at Fakir. Getting to his feet, Fakir waited until the ball was close enough to him. At the right moment, Fakir swung his sword, batting the ball back at the Raven King. The Raven dispelled the ball when it was close enough to his hand.

"Hmmm, perhaps you have learned a thing or two from our last battle." He said. He tapped his staff twice on the ground before making more balls of light appear. He swung his staff behind all of them and made the balls scatter throughout the room. Fakir was quick to dodge one and hit the next back at the Raven. However a few would sneak up on him and blast him across the room. He tightened his grip on his sword and stood back up. He couldn't give up. Not now.

Getting a second wind, Fakir charged at the Raven. This time though, he made more decisive strikes. The Raven didn't think much of it. As casually as before he blocked each strike. That was what Fakir was hoping for.

His opening came, and Fakir made a mighty slash at the Raven's face. The Raven King dropped his staff. He stumbled backwards as he covered the wound with his hand. He cawed angrily. "You DARE strike me?"

Fakir held up his sword to guard from the Raven's next move. The Raven's eyes grew frenzied. The nails on his hands spiked into talons. The Raven leaped in close to claw at the nutcracker's chest like a rabid animal. Fakir did his best to block as much as he could, but the Raven was just too fast.

Ahiru watched fearfully as she could see splinters of wood fly from the nutcracker's chest. She wanted so desperately to help, but she wasn't sure how. Pique said she would know when, but she didn't understand at all! Still hiding behind a column, Ahiru could see Fakir became overwhelmed by the Raven's attacks. He dropped his sword and fell to his back. His chest was almost torn completely to pieces. The Raven King stood over him. He held out his hand for his staff to return to him. He tapped it on the ground twice then aimed the tip at Fakir's open chest. The end began to glow a fiery red. "I should have done this to you sooner! Now burn!"

Ahiru's eyes went wide. That horrible nightmare was about to come true unless she acted now! Ignoring her fear, Ahiru ran in front of Fakir shouting "No!"

(Stop)

Fakir was too weak to stop her. He watched as she stood in front of the red blast of fire. However, when he expected the worst, it didn't happen. The red glow shined momentarily and very slowly turned to a gentle shade of pink. The pink light enveloped Ahiru as her form began to change. When the light disappeared, Ahiru was still standing, but she looked different. Her hair was wreathed in evergreen branches with holly berries and flowers of different colors. The same evergreen rested on her shoulders and waist. Her rose colored dress shortened in the style like the other fairies, while her shoes were replaced by pointe shoes. She stood in bewilderment at her sudden change in appearance.

The Raven King cawed furiously. "I should have known you were following him, Sugar Plum Fairy!"

(Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy)

Fakir and Ahiru were both stunned at the Raven King's words. Ahiru shook her head quickly and started to move from the Raven King's next attack. There was no time to think it over, but if she was the Sugar Plum Fairy, that meant she had the power to stop his magic.

Remembering Lillie saying that fairy magic was strongest when dancing, Ahiru began to prance. Keeping on her toes, she continued to twirl and leap around the Raven King's attacks. As her dance continued, the darkness that seemed to loom over the castle began to dissipate. The Raven became much weaker in his attacks, and perhaps, a lot more desperate in his tactics. He simply couldn't land a hit on Ahiru. As her magic grew stronger, Ahiru made her way to Fakir. She wrapped her arms around him before helping him stand. At her touch, Fakir's chest mended back together. She held his hand as she looked at him with eyes full of relief. However, after doing so the Raven blasted Ahiru, knocking her down.

"Ahiru!" Fakir shouted. With a new surge of energy, he turned to the Raven and charged after him.

In the meantime, Ahiru stood back up and continued to dance. She had to keep going. Her magic was weakening the Raven after all! She knew what she wanted to do next. She leaped to the throne and pas de chated to the right where the large red crystal was. She fuettéd before the crystal, then placed a hand on it and lifted her leg in an arabesque. The crystal disappeared instantly, freeing its prisoner. The Raven King howeled but couldn't do anything as Fakir took another swing at him.

"Thank you." Princess Rue said. Ahiru nodded and leaped to the prince. With a grade jeté entrelacé, Ahiru coaxed the tree roots to fall away from Mytho, allowing him to be awakened by a kiss from his princess. The Raven King was furious now! His magic was weakening and there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. With the Prince and Princess freed, he didn't have much left to lose.

Ahiru cast her eyes back to the heat of the battle. She leaped to Fakir's side. She hoped this idea would work. She traced his dominant arm from his shoulder to his hand with hers. She tried to send the magic through him and into his sword. She squeezed his hand as he held the sword. Fakir could feel the exhilaration of her power.

"Good luck." She said from over his shoulder. Fakir's sword shined with her magic. In that next instance, Fakir had stabbed the Raven King in the chest. When Fakir expected a great wail in pain, instead was more of a slow release of breath. As the light faded from the Raven's red eyes, Fakir's form began to change. The man of pure wood began to shrink down to normal size, as the wood began to morph back to flesh and blood. Fakir was human again!

(Stop)

It was pretty obvious to the citizens when the Raven King was defeated. Light and life returned to the Land of Sweets. Shortly after that, Prince Mytho and Princess Rue addressed their subjects. This time as their king and queen.

"My people! It is good to see you all once again." The crowd cheered in response. The king raised his hand to silence them. "And I know we have our brave knights to thank! For they fought and led bravely during our troubled times." The crowd applauded the knights. "But we have also to thank my old friend, Sir Fakir and the Sugar Plum Fairy, who has finally returned to us!" He gestured behind him where Fakir and Ahiru stood. Fakir bowed while Ahiru curtsied to the crowd. Many more cheers erupted from the people.

"In their honor, I ask tonight we celebrate! For their unrelenting courage and restoring our beautiful kingdom to its former glory."

The king had need not ask. His people were more than happy to celebrate this day.

The celebration was held in the ballroom of the castle, and what a royal party it was! Feasting, music and dancing! Who could ask for anything more? Well perhaps Ahiru could. It was exhausting having to dance with everyone that asked, and even more disappointing it wasn't the one she was hoping to have asked. She didn't know how she managed it, but Ahiru slipped out of the ballroom. She found a bench in the hall and took a seat. "I almost miss being overlooked by everyone." She said out loud.

"I think I know how you feel."

Ahiru felt her heart jump at that voice. She turned her head to Fakir. "May I sit with you?" He asked. She nodded. He smiled and sat next to her. She hadn't realized how nervous she was until now.

"I can't believe it's over." She managed to say.

He looked down at his hands as he clenched and unclenched his fists. "I know."

"What will you do now?"

He looked up, "As far as the future is concerned, I don't know." He looked at her with a warm smile, "As for right now, I believe I have a promise to keep." He stood up and offered his hand to her.

(Sugarplum Fairy and a Cavalier)

"Will you dance with me?"

Ahiru's cheeks colored a bit. "Really? Here?"

He chuckled, "We can go back to the ballroom if you want."

She giggled, "It doesn't matter to me."

"Well you still haven't answered my question. Will you dance with me or not?"

"I will." she said, taking his hand.

He led her out to the center of the hall floor. He twirled her once, twice, three times. Taking his hands for support, Ahiru extended her leg for an arabesque. Continuing on, Fakir waltzed with Ahiru. It was exciting to finally be able to feel the warmth of her hands. He kept his eyes on her, not only for how happy she was to be dancing, but because there was something about her that made him want to keep looking at her. 'Fairies can be bewitching like that.' he thought half jokingly. He knew that couldn't be it. He had noticed this feeling before they knew who she really was. So what was it? He pondered as they continued.

Ahiru was drowning in emotions. She was overjoyed to be dancing again, but she was nervous to be dancing with Fakir. He was so close to her now. what if she messed up? Every step, every move almost took her breath away. His hands slipped to her waist for a lift, Ahiru thought she might faint. He lowered her back down to the ground. He twirled her three times again. When she stopped, they were facing each other. She was overwhelmed getting a really good look at his human face. She thought he was handsome as a nutcracker, but to see his real face made her heart race. Now she could see his real smile, so genuine and kind. Oh, and those incredible green eyes she could get lost in!

He stared into her deep blue eyes. He was taken away by that warm smile she always had for him. Being alone with her, after everything they went through, he understood it now. This feeling he was wondering about. He should have known, the moment he first felt it. He was halfway in before he even realized.

"Ahiru, I… I need to tell you something."

"Yes?" He was so close to her she almost couldn't breathe.

"I-"

(Stop)

The door swung open. "Fakir? Are you… here?" Mytho had walked in. Although realizing what he walked in on he quickly turned around. "Sorry…"

The two stepped away from each other, turning a little red.

Fakir cleared his throat. "It's fine. What is it?"

"I uh… I need to talk with you for a second." Mytho gestured for Fakir to follow him. Fakir looked at Ahiru. "I'll be right back."

She nodded as he walked away. She was alone again in the hall. As she sat down, she felt something come over her. She yawned heavily. Why was she suddenly feeling so drowsy? She began nodding off. She fought as best as she could to stay awake, but eventually sleep overtook her.

When her eyes shot open, Ahiru was back in her room. Her fairy dress was gone, instead was her party dress from before, completely intact. In her hand was her handkerchief, back to normal size. She looked at the cloth. 'Was it all a dream?' She looked out the window. It was dark out. She looked back at her handkerchief. 'But if I have this… where is my nutcracker?' she wondered

(Finale)

She got up quickly and headed down the stairs. When she got to the ground floor, the party was still going. She looked around frantically. Everything was as it was. All the lights had returned to the candles, the fireplace and even the Christmas tree. All the guests were back to how they were before. No fairies or a Snow Queen. No Land of Sweets or Raven King. Ahiru was even back to normal size. However, her nutcracker was still missing.

She went to the parlor. The grandfather clock chimed eight. Had she been asleep for an hour and a half? As she looked around she noticed Drosselmeyer by the front door.

"Mr. Drosselmeyer? Have you seen my…"

She trailed off when Drosselmeyer stepped away from the open door to reveal a young man Ahiru did not expect to see. The same young man she had dreamed about, Fakir. This time however, he wasn't in his nutcracker knight garb. Instead he wore a plain brown and black suit. The two stared at each other, unable to speak. Drosselmeyer grinned, and maybe chuckled a little. "Ms. Ahiru, I would like you to meet my grandson, Fakir." He gestured for her to approach. She did slowly, still not believing her eyes. "I was afraid he got lost, but he seemed to have found his way here in one piece." He looked to his grandson, "Don't be rude, Fakir. Say hello."

Fakir quickly shook his head then offered his hand to her. She smiled and took it. "Hello, Fakir."

He smiled and kissed her hand. "Hello, Ms. Ahiru."

"Ah!" Drosselmeyer said, "I think I need to check my magic case. Excuse me." And he hurried off.

The two were alone in the parlor.

"Was it all a dream?" Ahiru asked quietly.

"I don't know." He squeezed her hand, "But I'm happy I found you again."

"Me too."

They took each other's hands and smiled. "So, what were you going to say before you left?" She asked.

Fakir paused as if planning what he would say next. His hands slid up to her face, and without warning he kissed her. If Ahiru's heart could burst from joy, it would have. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. Nothing could make them happier in that moment. When they broke apart, they rested their foreheads on each other.

"Merry Christmas." She said.

"Merry Christmas." He replied.

She took his hand and began leading him out of the parlor.

"Where are we going?" He laughed.

"It's only 8 o'clock, and I want to dance with you again." She teased, leading him to the main hall.

A/N: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Thank you for taking the time to read this story, I really appreciate it!