5
Sabrina Grimm stomped through the camp with Puck in tow. The night sky was dark and they used just the moon to navigate through the neat rows of tents. It was hard to tell the difference between the tents. Finally, after much searching, Sabrina found their tent. She opened the flap to turmoil. Five different lamps had been turned on in the frenzy, making the inside of the tent a blinding light. Henry was shouting at Uncle Jake. Uncle Jake was shouting at Mr. Canis. Mr. Canis was shouting at Red. Red was shouting at Veronica. And Basil was screaming at everyone. The cots had been turned over and the sleeping bags were in dishevel.
Puck slipped in behind Sabrina and whistled shrilly. The group looked at the couple in wide-eyed wonder for a few moments before Henry stepped forward.
"Sabrina, where on Earth have you been?" Henry shouted angrily.
Sabrina looked abashed, realizing that the turmoil had been caused by Puck and her's disappearance.
"I. . . had a hunch," she mumbled apologetically. Puck, for the first time in his life, was looking at the ground, avoiding everyone's gaze.
"No note! You didn't even wake one of us up and let us know you were going! For all we knew you could have been kidnapped by the Scarlet Hand! I am so ashamed of you! We've all been so worried. Worried out of our minds! We were terrified! And you prance on back as if you have done nothing wrong!" Henry ranted, completely ignoring Sabrina's vague explanation.
"Henry - relax. She obviously didn't mean to upset us - upset you so much. She must have had to do something important." Veronica sided with Sabrina. She put a hand on his shoulder. It had a calming affect on the angry man and he instantly relaxed.
"Now, Sabrina-" Veronica took her steady gaze and placed it on Sabrina, who instantly averted her eyes. "-the next time something so important arises, at least leave a note."
Sabrina swallowed and nodded her head in acceptance.
The tent was silent for a moment until a timid voice asked, "Just what was so important?" Red said shyly, before backing into the shadows once more.
It was Puck who promptly answered.
"Sabrina - I mean Grimm - had a clue which 'apparently' couldn't wait until morning because she has short-term memory loss. So, she dragged me up out of bed at two-in-the-morning because apparently she is also afraid of the dark and needed someone brave, strong, and handsome to help her. Now, I was against it - after all, a king really does need and use his beauty sleep. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes, Sabrina - I mean Grimm's - many fears, problems, and phobias. Well, her whining voice was truly grating on my nerves so (in a fit of minor insanity) I said I would help her. So, we raced out of the tent (in all of the whining Grimm forgot to leave a note) and went in search of Snow's tent. Anyway, once we successfully found Snow's tent (because it turns out that Grimm is also slightly blind) we raced inside and what do you think we found?"
"What?" Veronica asked, soon realizing that Puck's recap wasn't exactly, completely "truthful".
"Her tent had a flat screen TV! With cable! An she had fresh baked cookies! And a bedroom, with bathrooms! That had plumbing! Not like the smelly out-houses we have to use!" Puck exclaimed, crinkling his nose in disgust.
"Anyway. . . where was I? Oh, of course: how much our camp stinks. We asked Snow something. Ummm. . . I believe it was about that dude, Atticus?" he looked to Sabrina for a confirmation on the name. Once she nodded, he continued. "Well, she told some long-winded story about nothing in particular. After she told her story we raced back here and that is where you find us."
Sabrina rolled her eyes. Puck's story was untruthful and vague. It was obvious that the rest of the family was confused. So, Sabrina told the rest of the story in detail.
After Sabrina had clarified the tale the family looked unsettled. The truth was, Sabrina was unsettled as well. Snow's information had helped them by clarifying major points of the fairy tale but, in fact, the new tale brought them no closer to stopping Mirror. In fact, it brought them right back to Mirror.
You see, the wizard that had "created" Atticus did eventually die, as he was not told in the story. For safe keeping, he wrote down a log or journal of his magical abilities and put it into the Hall of Wonders, letting Mirror be kept in charge of it. Along with all of his magical abilities (wands, rings, trinkets, etc…).
"That is one thing I am positive that Mirror collected from the Hall of Wonders before he left!" Veronica had replied to the news as so.
Uncle Jake's reaction was a queer one. He ran his fingers through his hair and his face became very pale, nearly turning a light green color. He mumbled something to himself. And then sat down with a loud thump.
Henry looked as if he was boiling with anger, to the point of him exploding and spattering across the walls of the canvas tent.
Red looked shocked but showed little move in emotion. Her face hardly changed from its usual shy, queer expression.
Mr. Canis casually grunted. He showed no emotion to the news. Sabrina noticed, though, a fear lurking in his eyes.
But Sabrina saw something else, an expression, that masked everybody: confusion. So, once again, Sabrina spoke in a clear, calm voice. Giving directions with ease.
"Okay. We need to work fast. I am positive that the Scarlet Hand is preparing for an attack as soon as possible. Probably in two weeks, or so. And, if my hunch is correct, it will be their strongest attack yet. So, I think we should split up. Uncle Jake, you and dad need to find a cure to wake up Daphne from her magic coma. Mom, and Red, help Nurse Sprat organize the medical tent and prepare for a whole lot of injuries. Mr. Canis, you need to talk to Prince Charming and help ready the troops for battle. Immediately!" She looked around, pausing a moment to catch her breath.
"What about you and Puck?" Veronica asked.
"We're going to check the perimeter of the camp and the water towers." Sabrina explained calmly, a pink blush creeping up her cheeks.
Then, the Grimms decided it was important to be well-rested. Especially with the tasks that lay ahead. So, they rearranged the sleeping bags and cots. The lamps were extinguished and soon the group was sound asleep.
With a calm, clear eye, the elderly woman surveyed the army that lay before her. Hundred, possibly thousands, of magical creatures sat before her clad in thick leathern armor. Just a few adjustments and they would be ready.
Adjustments! Just the word made her gag. When Bunny had been brought before her to give her a remedy she looked down at the elderly woman with a cold, sinister glance and then smirked.
"You're body is just making a few. . .adjustments." She had said. That was all. She was then returned to her cell. No remedy, no magical numbing medicine! Not even an aspirin! She had left the body writhing in pain on the floor. The carelessness some people had with their own creation.
The woman had finally stopped twisting and writhing in pain as the temporary "adjustments" concluded. And now she was standing on a platform overlooking an army. All the army stood perfectly still. All was calm. From the outside appearance. The woman's face was gray and wrinkled. Her eyes were little black dots, twitching from one figure to the next. Her mouth was a line, topped with a thin layer of lipstick that was gradually wearing off. Her hair was graying, with streaks of it's original color, a fire-hydrant red. She was wearing a brown tweed skirt and a green turtleneck sweater, the same outfit she had worn for nearly a week.
And all was calm.
Except for the soul inside - the desperate, angry, evil soul that desperately wanted to be free. The soul that asked for this elderly prison. Mirror.
Sabrina had woken up just as the sun rose up over the pine forest. There was a brief glimmer of pink and baby blue shimmering across the morning sky. The dewy grass sparkled like emerald-colored gems. Sabrina crept from the tent. She walked past all of the tent, the mess-hall, and the water towers; no one was up.
She found a small alcove. It was a rocky cave nestled in between a few small rocks. Unlike the rest of the camp, the soil hadn't been turned and this particular area seemed quite natural.
She sat down and looked around. She could see most of the camp but the spot was partially hidden. And she began to think.
She was scared.
All of a sudden she felt everything fall upon her and her shoulder's sagged. She wouldn't cry. She resisted the sudden urge to curl up into a little ball and sob her eyes out. Yes, she was stronger than that. Much stronger.
Sabrina stood up to her fullest height. She puffed out her chest. She was Sabrina Grimm! She could beat all of the boys at the orphanage at arm wrestling, she wasn't afraid of spiders, and she would not cry!
"You're not alone, ya know," Puck said.
Sabrina whirled around in anger to find herself face to face with Puck.
"What?" she demanded, suddenly very annoyed.
"You, Sabrina Grimm, are not alone. The world does not rest upon your shoulders. Yes, I know you have been alone before, but not anymore. You have a mother and a father (no matter how mean and unjust he can be). And a sister who is crazy about you, even though she is in a magical coma. And an Uncle who helped you get addicted to magic! And a loving grandmother. . . well, sort-of. And you have Mr. Canis, Red, Snow White, Prince Charming (maybe). And you have. . ."
"And?"
"Uh. . . a lotta other people," he replied, shifting back and forth.
"That's not the point!" he continued hastily, "The point is you are loved. And surrounded by people who love you. I wish, for once, people cared about me. Not because I am a king and I throw a big fit if I don't get my way! No, I mean people who actually cared about me. Loved me, truly loved me!" he almost shouted.
"But, no. I am the Trickster King. I make enemies, not friends. I tease, I humiliate, I laugh! And no one has once told me they loved me. Not my father, not my mother, not my brother! Just that homicidal maniac, Moth! I've never even wanted one before. A family, I mean. I suppose I always just thought it was a waste of time! But when I saw your family together, whole. Your mother and father and sister and Uncle and Grandmother and all of your friends. I was envious. I've never had anything close to that. I have an insane mother, a younger brother, a dead father. And they all hate me. I've let them down, one way or another. No one loves me. No one ever shall."
"But, Puck-" she started.
"What?" he asked, hopefully.
"Nothing," she mumbled quietly. Averting her gaze to the ground where she grew a very keen interest in a little brown pebble.
A few awkward moments passed, filled with antagonizing silence.
Suddenly, Sabrina looked up and began they're usual tactics. "-Stinkpot, why are you here, anyway?" She asked angrily.
"I was just. . . ummm. . . well, you see," he mumbled. His reply, though, was interrupted by a loud screeching as the big gate was opened. Sabrina and Puck looked at each other, they'r eyes wide with fear. They both took off running and reached the gate in a few moments. They were just in time to see a chicken pass the threshold.
The chicken in question was a big, fat bird with large yellow wings and a speckled brown tail. His beak was yellow, his eyes were black, and his face was full of fear. He was hopping up and down; first on his right leg, then on his left leg, and then on both of his legs.
It took a few moments before Sabrina was finally able to calm the poor, clucking create down.
She finally was able to, though, and asked, "What's the matter?"
The bird replied in a wobbly, wavering voice, "I just heard word from the Scarlet Hand. They're going to attack in four days!" The chicken's voice then wavered, and he dropped down on the ground.
He had passed out from fear.
A/N: Oh my gosh! I am soooooo extremely sorry about not updating in forever! Along with school and art class it's been really hectic! I've been sitting on this chapter for a long time and I finally published it. Sorry if there are any corrections but I just wanted to update. I'll look over it and edit it if there are any.
And don't forget to REVIEW POR FAVOR! Everyone of you reviews help so press the button underneath! I want at LEAST five reviews for the next chapter! So review!
Cheers,
ManMenDude