"I don't know why you invited him to come. He will kill us in our sleep."
Alex was getting annoyed with Hawk. For some reason he wouldn't trust her. "Hawk," Alex sighed, "Please trust me."
Gregory spoke for the first time all day, "I'm afraid I must agree with hawk, wolves are dangerous."
"Gregory, I thought you of all people would agree with me!"
"I'm sorry Milady. I was silent through out the meeting last night in hopes of understanding why you trust him, but I cannot see it. While Wendell may have thought wolves we good, many have proven him wrong. They just can't be trusted."
Alex lowered her head. This was a loosing battle. "When I was young a wolf saved my life. I've never harbored any ill will towards those creatures, and I won't start now. There is no reason we shouldn't trust Kip. You do not have to come with us, but Kip will rise with me and that is the end of that."
When they reached the edge of the swamp they set up camp. Everyone but Alex and Tori seemed nervous. The swamp looked scary. Alex had never seen a more foreboding place. It was well over grown. "Will we be going in there?" Alex pointed into the swamp.
Hawk looked at her like she was mad. "No, we will be going around. It'll be another day's ride, then we should be at the castle."
"But if we cut through the swamp it'll be quicker."
"No, it won't. The swamp is too dangerous. We will be going around."
As much as Alex wanted to get to the castle quickly she knew better then to go against Hawk in this. If he said the swamp was too dangerous, then it probably was. So Alex resigned herself to another days ride before hitting the castle.
It was another moment when all the events in the past few days hit Alex. What was going on? She thought. Why did she feel as if this was all natural? It wasn't of course. People don't just fall into fairy tale land, or do they? Alex remembered her mother telling her stories about a place like this, or was it this place? She seemed to remembered someplace like this land, like she had been here before. Maybe she had. Her mother had been here before, had she taken Alex with her? And what about her father? Had he been here? If he had, where did he go and why has no one talked about him? Maybe he wasn't as important as the fair Virginia. Maybe he died. "Huff, puff," Alex sighed. That was weird she thought, with a small smile. "Great, now I'm using old phrases I haven't used in years." Alex was talking to herself. Alex shook her head to clear her thoughts.
Alex was still thinking of her parents when she fell asleep. Her dreams were strange at best. There was a mirror that that showed her reflection, but it didn't act as if it should. Instead of following her movements, it moved on its own. The mirror cracked and a wolf jumped out. It turned into a man, her father. Then her mom came. She was so lovely. She had a basket full of apples and was wearing a crown. She gave an apple to Alex and Alex was about to eat it when Virginia screamed and died.
Alex woke up screaming. The sun was coming up and the others started to tear down camp. Alex helped and they saddled up the horses. Gregory had Tori perched on his head as they headed around the swamp. As she passed it, Alex heard a faint melody. "Strange," She whispered, "that sounds like Dark Side of the Moon's morning."
Kip heard her, "There is no moon out. It is morning."
Alex smiled, "No, it's a song title by the Floyds. I love it. My mom would play it sometimes. She said it was my Grandfather's favorite record."
Kip shook his head. He just didn't understand, but Alex didn't expect him to.