Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I only own my character, Alexandra Nell, and Sami only owns her character, Charlotte Nell.
Thanks to my awesome PT and co-writer, kurounue13!
Cavaldi opened up the carriage and there were now two small cells there. "In Grimmy." he said and Jake and Will were the first as they reluctantly got in the cages.
"How are two people supposed to fit in those small cells?" Alex asked as she looked at Jake and tried to get in to get him out. "No, no, no. Lady Grimmies, you ride in the seats. You iz a ladies." he said as he politely sat them in the coach seats with plush cushions. "Well why do we get these seats and Jake doesn-and Jake and Will don't?" she asked as she sat next to her sister. "Sister," Charlotte said. "Please, for once, don't argue."
"It's not fair to them." she said quietly as she looked at Jake. "Oh, I don't know." Will said. "Actually it's rather comfy in here." his voice was strained as the door closed and the carriage was off.
Alex sighed as she got up and went to the bars of Jake's cell. "I'm sorry about this, darling, I tried." she said. "It's no worry, darling." he said and Alex smiled as she reached her hand into the cell to hold his. "Is there some way to get you out of there?" she asked. "I don't believe so, dearest. Cavaldi has the key." he said. She looked down at the floor of the carriage. "I wish I could do something to help you, Jake." she said softly. "You are here with me, my beautiful princess. That is enough." Jake said. She smiled as she looked up at him. "My charming prince. Even while you're imprisoned you still know how to put a smile on my face." she said lovingly. Jake smiled and held her hand. "I'll stay with you until you're out of here." she said. "I promise."
"I know you will." Jake said before he looked at Will and Charlotte, both were silent, but they seemed to know what the other was thinking. Their hands linked and they looked at each other with that look in their eyes, whether they knew it or not. Alex smiled at Jake. "I think this shall be one interesting adventure we're embarking on, darling." she said softly. "Indeed it shall be. We shall all face it together." Jake said. "Every step of the way. And after this adventure, who knows what awaits us next." she said. They sat like that, all four of them, for hours till they finally reached their destination.
By the time the carriage had stopped both sisters were holding the hands of their respective Grimm brother. Charlotte in her chair while she slept and held Will's hand while Alex and Jake's heads were almost together if it weren't for the cell barring them from each other as they held each other's hand as they slept.
Cavaldi opened the cage and pulled the Grimms out. Both flinched as they felt their sore spines and necks re-align. Alex's head hit against the cell when Jake's hand was ripped from hers. "Oww.." she sighed as she rubbed her head.
"Good people-oh." Will started to say as his back loosened. "Long trip. Good people of Marbaden." he said. "Is anyone there?" Will called out as Alex and Charlotte came out of the carriage, both just as sore as Will and Jake.
"Brother, why don't you take a look around for any French soldiers? We wouldn't want to run into any French!" Will called out as Jake opened a window and got a gun in the face. "Ah, hey. Good morning, I uh.." he turned around and started to run. "Will, Will there's a!" soon there were all sorts of guns being pointed at the two.
While Charlotte stayed near the carriage, Alex was already off after Jake as he almost slipped on the muddy ground.
"Who are you?" one of the men of the village said. Charlotte went to stand by Will. "Please, we are not here to hurt anyone." She said politely. "We are the Brothers Grimm." Will said as Jake and Alex went to stand by Will. "They don't know who we are." Will muttered.
"Papa! Papa!" a child's voice was heard. "What?" Jake muttered and Alex looked at him as she smiled and took his hand. A child ran up to his father. "It's alright. They're the Brothers Grimm. People talk about them, they're famous." he said. "Right you are, son. We're the famous Brothers Grimm. Look at this strapping young man." Will said and the father of the child spoke up. "He is my daughter." he said and Jake and Alex looked away as they tried not to laugh.
"And a fine wife he will make for some lucky man." Will said, slightly embarrassed. "They kill trolls and giants, papa." the girl said and Will nodded with a charming smile. "Of course we do, darling. Me, Jake, Charlotte over here, Alexandra over there." he looked back at Cavaldi and the others. "The team." he said before looking back at the child. "Team Grimm, at your service." Will said and Charlotte smiled as did Alex.
As the town was clearing away slightly, one of the main villagers came up to Jake, Alex, Charlotte, and Will. "We have a matter of terror to discuss. There will be a meeting tonight in the town hall, just there." he said, nodding towards a tall building. "Be early. Which means around seven or eight in the evening." he said before he hobbled off.
There was a pause of silence before Alex spoke up. "So, are we free to do what we want for the day then?" Alex asked with a smile. "Because I need to talk to you." she mumbled to Jake. "Yes, dear sister, we are free for the rest of the day." Charlotte said happily. "Good. Thank you, sister." she said.
Alex then looked over at Jake and smiled as she took his hand and the two walked off. "You know, darling, I noticed a little something earlier." she said. "And what was that?" he said as they walked. "Well, you remember when that little bo-um girl came up to her father and explained about The Brothers Grimm being famous?" she asked. "Yes, I do." he said. "Well, did you notice that when she came running and yelling for her father that you...well you kind of almost answered her with a mutter of 'what?'" she asked. "I did?" he asked as he almost hesitated in his step. "Maybe we should sit down." she said as she led him to a stone bench as they sat down. "I think I was the only one that noticed it since I was closest to you at the time, but yes." she said. "I wonder why I did that." he said. "I don't know." she said as she smiled. "Neither do I." He shrugged. Maybe I was just in my head too much., he thought.
I wonder if he's starting to change our relationship from friends to..., her thoughts trailed off as she looked over at Jake. "So, what shall we do while we've got the free day?" she asked. "I don't know. What do you want to do?" he asked. "I want to finish the telling of Snow White." she said, smiling brightly. "I thought we did?" he said with a smile. "Not completely. Remember? We were at the very end, almost to my favorite part. The 'Happily Ever After' part." she said. Jake smiled. "And the prince and Snow White rode off into the sunset together. And they lived happily..." He began to lean in closer. "Ever..." closer. "After." their lips touched.
She smiled as they were the closest to kissing they'd ever been before there was a loud screeching bird. "Oh my goodness." she said. "What on earth?" Jake asked as the two looked around. There was a large black crow flying around a small portion of the town. "I swear, I can't stand crows." she said as she covered her ears from the loud screeching of the bird. Jake held her close as they sat there and watched the crow fly away. Alex sighed as she rested her head on Jake's chest and she wrapped her arms around his neck once all was quiet once again.
"Perhaps we should go inside. So as the crows don't bother you." he said. "No, we can stay outside if you want. They seem to have quieted down and flown away for the moment." she said. Jake nodded. "Have I mentioned how beautiful you are in that dress?" She smiled. "Thank you, Jake." He kissed the side of her head and held her close. What am I to do? What if this time it is real?, he thought.
It feels so nice to be around Jake., she thought as she looked up at him and kissed his chin softly.
Jake smiled and held her close. "Jake, can I ask you something a bit personal?" she asked. "Sure." he said. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to or if it's too personal," she stuttered a little. "but...what do you dream of when you sleep?" she asked. He paused before looking at her. "You..." She looked at him. "Me?" she asked softly. "I see you in my dreams. Asleep with a rose in your hands...I kiss you and you awaken." he said and she smiled. "And what happens after that?" she asked. "Your eyes open and you smile. I help you up out of a bed of flowers and we walk together into the setting sun." he said and that only made Alex's smile brighten. "That's absolutely beautiful, Jake. Is there anything else?" she asked with a hint of a giggle in her voice as she scooted a little closer to him. "That's really it." He said as he blushed. She giggled as she kissed his cheek. "Well it sounds like a beautiful dream, darling." she said softly as she hugged him a little closer.
He smiled and laid his head against hers. She was silent for a minute before she spoke up, feeling a surge of courage run through her. "I dream about you as well." she said. "I was hoping you did." He said, smiling. She smiled at him brightly as she softly kissed his nose. "I do." she said. He smiled at her, his cheeks still flushed. "Would you like to know what we do in my dreams?" she asked. "Perhaps." he said as he pecked her on the cheek.
She smiled and rested her forehead against his before she took his hands in hers. "I dream about the two of us living a home life together. On a beautiful farm with garden and animals to take care of and we spend the entire day with each other, writing about whatever pops into our heads. And those are my normal dreams, sometimes I dream of our stories. We're the characters and we go on these amazing adventures that we've only written about, but I do hope that we get to experience them soon enough. For real though, not in a work." she said as she smiled and kissed his cheek again.
"Sounds wonderful." Jake said. "It is wonderful. Charlotte used to tell me when I was little that I had a special mind, that with it I could create any kind of world I wanted to." she said softly to him. "Sounds like your sister was right." he said. She smiled. "In a way, she was. I've written probably hundreds of stories that come from my own special world. I call my mind and my imagination Wonderworld. I know it's kind of strange to name your imagination-" she started. "Not really." He smiled at her. She giggled. "I guess not. Remembering the things I've written, I guess there's really no way I could be more strange than I already am. You know, I didn't grow up with the best childhood...and I think that's what motivated me to turn to story writing. But I would turn around and write about good things instead of bad whenever my life got too rough and complicated for me to deal with." she said, turning serious as she scooted closer to Jake until their legs were touching and she closed her eyes a little before opening them again and looking at him for his reaction.
Seems we are more alike than we thought., he thought as he leaned her head up and kissed her forehead.
She smiled and kissed his forehead as well. "You know, I once wrote about a little girl that had a magic blanket. It could do anything she wanted to. And when she was scared she would wrap her blanket around herself and command it in a whisper to turn her invisible, and when she was happy she would command it to fly after she laid it on the floor and sat on it, and when she was sad she would hold it around herself and command it to turn into different colors and when the colors would change she would imagine happy things and happy stories." she said, thinking out loud. "Sounds like a wonderful story." Jake said. "I'm going to let you read all of my stories when we get back home. I'll bring every single one. The trick is trying to get them to fit in my bag and to get them in order first." she said with a laugh. He chuckled slightly at the thought. "I always said I was going to invent a bag. A bag of normal size, like ours, but you could put absolutely anything into it, no matter the size or the shape. It would all fit into the bag and you could pull it out when you needed it. It would be endless so you could fit an entire house full of items into it and the weight of the bag wouldn't change. It would be light enough to carry on your shoulder." she said before she and Jake got up to walk around the town some more.
"Now that would come in handy." Jake said. "It would indeed. Especially for writers like us. We could put our papers and books and writing utencils. Everything we need in a bag like that." she said as she held his hand before she looked up at him. "I wonder if there's a nice field around here. I don't know why, but I've always loved laying in the grass. Even when it's raining." she said with a smile. "The only thing here seems to be the forest. And I wouldn't want to get stuck in there." He said, eyeing the forest. "Gives me the willies." Alex looked over at the forest. "It does seem kind of dark and eerie, doesn't it? I say we turn back around." she said as she held on to Jake's hand and Jake quickly led the two of them away from the forest.
Charlotte found herself wandering slightly. Will was not far away. His hands were behind his back as he walked and he would glance up at her every few moments.
Wife? She's my wife. Good job, Will, now you've probably scared her off for good., he scolded himself in his thoughts.
She blushed slightly as her gaze caught his. She had to admit the thought of being Will's wife, it made her heart race, in a pleasant way. Will smiled politely as he looked at her. I probably blurted out wife not only not to get her into trouble, but also because of what my dreams have been of lately., he thought.
He looked at her, her hair blowing softly in the breeze. The way she looked in her dress. I could marry her right here and now., he thought as he tried not to stare at her, but for him it was hard not to.
Finally they drew closer to where Will could see the blush on her cheeks. "You know, blush looks quite nice on you, Miss Charlotte." he said, smiling. "Please Will, call me Charlie." She said. "If you must call me something then please call me by my nickname. It's much more non-formal."
"Charlie it is then." he said with a smile. "You can still call me Will. I don't have a nickname, so there it is." he said with a bit of a laugh. She blushed again as they walked closer to each other. "As you wish Will." she said. He smiled. "I really think that blush looks good on your cheeks though." he said. Charlotte laughed, but her foot caught and she slipped in the mud and fell against Will, who instantly put his arms around her. He picked her up before she fell in the mud. "I thought it was a bit muddy out here." he said, smiling his infamous charming smile. "Indeed." She said as she stood up straight. "Thank you for that Will." she said and he smiled at her. "It's not in me to not help a lady when she needs it." he said. "And I thank you, kind sir." she said. "And you are very welcome, dear lady." he said. "Would you like to go inside somewhere for a while?" he asked. "If you want to." she said as they linked arms. "Well, let's find somewhere before you trip again." he said.
She giggled as they walked into the inn. "Doesn't smell nearly as nice as the other inn, but it's somewhere to sit, I suppose." Will joked before he and Charlotte sat down at an empty table. "And it's quiet enough to enjoy one's company." she said as she looked at him. "For now, maybe." he said. "Unless Jake and I get drunk enough, it won't be quiet anymore." he said with a laugh. "Let's pray that doesn't happen." she said with a smile. "Let's." he said with a smile.
"Not much to do around here, is there?" he asked after a moment of silence between the two. "Well, we can talk. If I'm to be your wife, Wilhelm, I would like to be able to have conversations with you." she said with a smile. "Oh, about that. I'm sorry if I frightened you off with that. Would it help if I said it was Jake's idea?" he asked. "You didn't scare me Will. In fact...it made my heart race." she said. "It did?" he asked, smiling. "Yes..." she blushed. "Even now thinking about it, it still makes my heart race." she said. "Well then...I'm glad it was my idea." he said, smiling.
She giggled and then covered her mouth as it escaped her. "What? Is it against the law to giggle?" he looked around the inn. "I don't see anyone rushing in here." he said with a smile. "Sorry." she looked away. "Force of habit, I guess." she said. "Well it shouldn't be, I like your giggle." he said, smiling. She smiled again, but kept her eyes overted. He smiled and gently turned her chin so she was looking at him. "Giggle again, please?" he asked. Her smile twitched at her lips and a small giggle escaped her. Her hand went to reach for her mouth, but Will's hand stopped it. He held her hand in his and her other hand went up, but Will's other hand caught hers and he smiled at her.
His hands caressed her arms as he moved closer to her. He looked down instantly as he felt the rough yet smooth feeling of scars beneath his fingers. "Can you please explain these scars to me?" he asked. Charlotte quickly tried to cover them with the sleeves of her dress. "Please, don't. I want to know." he said seriously as he looked at her and stopped her hands once again. Charlotte tried to gulp down the knot forming in her throat as tears formed in her eyes. "If it's too much-" he started. She gripped his hands. "No..." she looked him in the eyes. "I...I..." she took a breath. "You should know." she said and he nodded. "Alright." he said.
"I..." she started, but hesitated. Will felt her shiver beneath his hands. "I won't judge you." he said softly. "My...my father...he was a horrid man. I was 14 when it started. I let him do the things to me, so Alex wouldn't be hurt." She started trembling again as the memories came flooding back. Will held on to her hands tighter as he listened. "I would send my sister out to the barn where she would hide. My father would come into my room...as he did those things to me. He called me his Little Lottie...a name I would rather forget...as well as the memories." she started. Will looked down at Charlotte's hands before looking up into her face. "Will, my sister doesn't know half of the things my father did. I want to keep it that way,...but know this...these," she gestured to her arms and the back of her neck. "They aren't the only scars I bear." she said. "Charlotte, I'm so sorry." he said sympathetically as tears formed in his eyes.
She gently wiped away his tears before they fell. "No woman should have to go through that." Will said. She cupped his cheek in her hand and caressed it with her thumb. "I can't tell you enough how sorry I am." he said. "You have nothing to be sorry for Will, but thank you." She kissed his cheek. "It's nice to know someone cares." she said. "I care deeply, Charlotte." he said. The blush returned to her cheeks as their hands held one anothers. "I want to care for you, Charlotte." he said softly. "And...I want to care for you as well, Wilhem." She cupped his cheek with her hand once again. He smiled and cupped her cheek with his hand as well as their faces got closer. Charlotte could hear her heart beating heavily in her ears as Will inched closer and closer to her face. Finally their lips touched as they kissed for the first time.
Her heart nearly shot out of her chest as Will's arms pulled her closer to him. Soon the two were standing as Will pulled her into his arms as they kissed. Will felt her moan against his lips for the first time. It sent shivers throughout his body.
I'm glad this wife idea was mine., he thought as he deepened the kiss. They held one another as close as possible.
Jake and Alex walked in and saw the two. Alex looked up at Jake and he looked at Alex, then both looked back at their elder siblings who were liplocked. Alex then smiled and shrugged as she put her arms around Jake's neck and kissed his cheek. "Why do they get all the fun?" she asked in a whisper as she giggled softly. "I think it's because they are older." Jake said and both sighed in unison. "Well, we're not exactly children." she said suggestively. Jake cleared his throat and caught the attention of the two love birds. Alex smiled at Jake as she started to take her arms from around Jake's neck. "But if you rather not...I understand." she said softly.
Will and Charlotte slowly turned their heads and both blushed when they saw Jake and Alex. "Um..." Will said, his voice a tad high at the moment. "How long have you um..." he trailed off. "Shh.." Charlotte said when she realized Will hadn't caught the attention of Jake and Alex yet. The two slowly walked into another room, tiptoeing as to not disturb Jake and Alex.
"We don't have to, Jake. I just thought..." she trailed off as she removed her arms from around Jake. Jake held her in his arms. "It's not that. I just...I want it to be special...and have it be right when it happens...does that make sense?" he asked. "That makes perfect sense, Jake." she said, smiling as she kissed his cheek. "Good." he kissed her cheek. "Hey, where did they go?" he asked when he looked up and Alex turned her head and didn't see her sister or Will anywhere. "Oh, I'm not sure." she said then she turned her head slowly as she looked back at Jake. "You don't think they went upstairs for anything, do you?" she asked with a cute weirded out look on her face. "I don't think they would." Jake said and Alex nodded. "Neither do I." she said.
The thought then came back to Jake's mind and he shook his head, trying to get it out. Alex giggled as she took Jake's hand and led him to an empty table. "Come on, maybe a few drinks will get those images out of our heads." she said. "Here's hoping." he said and she smiled as the two got a few pints and Alex smiled as she and Jake put their pints together. "Cheers." the two said with a smile as they sipped their drinks. "Cheers, darling." Jake said as he took a huge swig. The two then drank just one pint before they both spent the rest of the day together outside.
That Evening...
Charlotte and Alexandra sat quietly in the church along with Jake and Will. They listened to the testaments of the missing girls' families.
Alexandra smiled as she watched Jake write down every important detail and every story from every father of every missing girl. By all accounts this seemed like a well funded person or persons doing these hokes. Alexandra smiled as she watched Jake and she held her shoulder bag closer to her.
Everyone was then brought to silence by Will taping on the gold cross.
Alexandra saw Charlotte smile as she looked upon Will. "Now, who is willing to take us into the forest?" Will asked. Everyone quieted down before one of the village men spoke up. "Seek the cursed one!" the man shouted. "None of us will go in that godforsaken place! The cursed one is your only hope." he said. "The cursed one?" Charlotte asked. "He's the only one who will help you." the man said. "Alright where do we find this cursed one?" Will asked.
They told them where the cursed one lived and the four were on their way.
As they walked through the village, Alex was walking next to Jake as she smiled at him and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked. They arrived at the cursed one's home and Will looked in. "Hello."
A woman looked up at him before she stood from the table she was sitting at and walked off into her house.
"Cursed." Will and Jake said before spitting.
"Jacob." Alex said and at the same time Charlotte scolded to Will. "Wilhelm."
"What?" they both asked, looking back at their ladies. "No spitting." the two said together. "Why not?" Will asked. "It's what-" he started before Charlotte interrupted. "Do you see us spitting? Hm?" she asked. "No, but you are...ladies." Will said. "Yeah, and I'm sure it doesn't look too attractive when we would do that either. Would it, Alex?" Charlotte asked and she shook her head before Charlotte smiled and Alex giggled a little before both of them simultaneously spit just as Will and Jake just did. "What do you say to that? We can do just what you can." Charlotte said. Will shook his head and tried to reason with the woman.
Alex smiled as she looked over at Jake for his reaction.
Remind me never to say that they are just ladies again., Jake thought before following his brother.
Alex smiled at Charlotte before they both followed the brothers as Will tried to charm his way into getting a word out of the mysterious cursed one.
"Can you please come with us into the forest?" Will asked, trying to persuade her. "No." the woman refused coldly and quickly. "Why?" Jake asked this time. "I have my reasons." she said, looking over at Jake before she skinned an animal that was hanging and Jake and Alex all but gagged as they looked away. It didn't bother Charlotte in the least. She had done all the hunting during the winter to provide for Alex and herself. Will had his face now covered with a handkerchief.
Will nudged Charlotte a little as he nodded towards the difficult woman.
"Miss, please. We need a guide to take us in the forest." Charlotte tried. "Girls have been getting caught there for weeks now. You and your sister will be next if you go into the forest. I can't let you lose each other. Four of the girls that are lost were my sisters." she said as she looked at Charlotte. "If we don't do this..." she was cut off by a dagger zooming by her face and hitting the dead rabbit.
"What in the world was that?" Alex asked as she looked around.
Cavaldi then came inside the home of the cursed one and Will was none too happy. "You bastard! You could've cut Charlotte!" Will said before he looked over to see a small cut on her cheek and he then stormed over to Cavaldi. "YOU DID CUT HER!" he yelled. "Will, calm down." she said softly as Cavaldi went to retrieve his dagger, getting very close to the woman. "I won't calm down, he cut you. You should be more upset than I am." Will said as he inspected her cheek. "I'm fine." she said as she used her own handkerchief to dab at the small amount of blood. "I swear it doesn't even hurt." he said. "You're lucky he didn't cut off your head. He wouldn't have one right now if I had a knife around here somewhere." Will muttered to himself. She held his face and kissed him, which shut him up instantly.
Alex giggled softly as she shook her head then looked over at Jake. "Does he always overreact like that?" she asked quietly. "More often than not." Jake said. "Hopefully Charlotte will be able to help him with that." she said.
"Will you help us or not?" Charlotte asked again. "Once. I will only take you into the forest one time." she said. "That's all we ask." Charlotte said. "Tomorrow afternoon. Meet me here." she said before she went into the back of her house. "Thank you." Charlotte said as she pulled Will along.
Jake and Alex both followed Will and Charlotte out of the house. "We didn't even learn her name. Wouldn't that be useful instead of just saying 'you'?" Alex said mostly to herself. "We will find out tomorrow." Charlotte said. Alex nodded as she, Jake, Charlotte and Will followed Cavaldi back into town.
They arrived back at their inn and settled down for the rest of the evening.
Alex was next to the fireplace by herself as she looked at the fire as she took Jake's book he had given her and admired the front and back of the book and the pages inside as she thought of the day's events.
"Penny for your thoughts?" she heard his voice. She smiled as she looked over and smiled at Jake. "Hello." she said happily. "Hello." he said as he sat down by the fire, joining her. "What are you up to?" she asked as she smiled at Jake. "Nothing much just wanted to join you." he said. "I'm glad you did. I was starting to miss you." she said, smiling. Jake leaned over and placed a sweet chaste kiss on her cheek. Alex smiled as she looked over at him and scooted closer to him. He wrapped his arm around her, holding her to him.
"Jake...can I tell you something?" she asked. "Anything." he said. She smiled. "I really liked sharing the bed with you the other night." she said. "I did too." he said. She smiled as she reached over and held his hand. "We're really going into the forest..." she trailed off. "You know we must." he held her hand tighter. "I know. It is a bit dark and eerie...but with you I know I'll be safe." she said as she smiled at Jake. "We just have to stick together. All of us." he said.
"Jake, I want to play." she said playfully with an adorable smile.
Jake smiled. Could she get anymore adorable?, he thought.
She crawled on his lap. "I wish I would've brought my stories." she said. "It would have helped." he said as he held her. "It definitely would have." she said as she held him. "Well we can always make up new ones." he said with a smile as he continued to hold her in her place on his lap. She smiled as both she and Jake talked for the rest of the night until both fell asleep, Alex still on Jake's lap as they slept together in front of the fireplace.
Charlotte had changed into her night clothes and sat on her bed. A blanket wrapped around her as she looked out the window at the forest.
"Quite frightening that place looks, hm?" Will asked as he walked into her room. "Indeed. Gives me goosebumps just thinking about what could possibly be out there, lurking in the dark." Charlotte visibly shivered. Will smiled as he wrapped his arms around her as he sat down. "It'll be alright, darling. I'll be beside you tomorrow. You'll be safe as long as I'm around. I'll make sure of it." he said. She smiled and caressed his hand with hers.
"It just seems so odd though. These people doing this...they are either well funded and far more skilled to pull off this hoax, or..." she looked at him. "There is also the possibility that this is all real." she said. "If anything the project in there is probably handmade, if anything. Or, like you say, very well funded, but who would have that kind of money and spend it on such a childish prank." Will said. "And dangerous. Abducting innocent children." Charlotte said. "That as well, that's the cruelest part of this entire joke." he said.
Charlotte jumped when she heard a distant wolf howl. Her grip on Will tightened. Will held on to her as he pulled her closer to him. "Shhh, it's fine, Charlotte. I'll stay right here if you want me to." he whispered to her. "Sorry," she said softly. "bad experience as a child with wolves." she said. "It's alright. I'll stay right here with you tonight. Is that alright?" Will asked. "Please." she said. "Of course. No problem. I was ready for bed anyways." he said with a smile. She smiled softly at Will before cuddling against him. Her head on his chest. He smiled as he held her in his arms as the two drifted off to sleep.