Well ya'll are just too kind :D I'm going along with the original idea I had, so thanks for the feedback!
So... I have another question. I've got, like, three or four other stories that I'm working on right now. I'm trying to decide if I should wait until I've completed them, or if I should just post them right now. Or if I should wait until this one is done. If I started posting more than one, I promise it wouldn't slow down my updating. I mean, I update pretty darn slow as it is and I'm going to write them anyways so... your call! I'm just wondering if it's a good idea or not.
Seriously though, thanks for reviewing you guys! You make me all happy and stuff. ^.^
Chapter 4: Choosing
Sabrina glanced at the alarm clock in her bedroom. It was one thirty in the morning, the perfect time to run.
After the family's visit to Bunny, things had been rigid. Uncle Jake had been tight-lipped, his shoulders tense and his blood-shot eyes ever-staring forward. Henry had glanced towards the back seat of the car on the way home constantly as if to make sure Sabrina hadn't played Houdini and disappeared. Daphne held a firm grip on Sabrina's hand for most of the day but wouldn't look her in the eye, and Puck… gosh, Sabrina didn't know what was going on in his head.
When she would look at him he would be lazily slouched in his seat like he was indifferent to the whole thing. But when her attention was elsewhere she could swear she saw him staring at her in the corner of her eye. That wasn't what made him so elusive; it was his expression. He seemed nervous and alert like he was waiting for something to happen. At first Sabrina had chalked it up to the problem with his leg but the more it happened the more she realized that it was the way he looked at her, not in general. She'd never seen anything else in his green eyes other than mischief. Now she saw… she didn't know what it was. Was it worry?
Still, none of that mattered. Whatever her family thought of her, whatever they expected her to do, Sabrina was on her own mission and she was determined to succeed. She would save her grandmother, she had to.
Sneaking down the stairs in her black jeans and t-shirt (the perfect clothes for any stealth mission) she blindly searched through the dark shadows of the living room for the map she had written down that lead to Bunny's house. She was the Queen of Sneaks, she'd searched through dark places more times than she could count, but the Grimm house was littered with family journals, magical weapons, toys, and other trinkets that disoriented her senses. It was difficult, she kept knocking into things and slipping on the clutter of books that had ended up on the floor, but eventually she found it.
She folded the paper, slipped it into her pocket, and looked up the stairs to see if anyone had heard the noise she'd made. With a sigh of relief at the fact that no one had investigated the clamber, she headed towards the door but her foot slipped on one of Elvis' chew toys. She started to fall back, holding in a yelp, but all of a sudden two hands came up and caught her.
Sabrina looked up at Puck; his hair cast shadows over his eyes due to the small flashlight he had, but she could still see their green tint as he looked back at her. Embarrassed, she looked away and pushed off of him while she regained her footing and tried to control the blush that had rushed to her cheeks.
He waited for her to gather herself and then and put the light between them so they could see each other. An eyebrow raised and his shoulders sagged in some form of communication that Sabrina couldn't understand. He didn't say anything and neither did she, so they stared at one another warily, in awkward silence. One minute passed, and Sabrina found that making eye contact with the solid gaze of Puck was beginning to become harder and harder.
Finally she broke, "What are you doing up?"
He shrugged, "I could ask you the same question." He had a point and, quite frankly, she didn't want to tell him what she was up to.
Changing the subject she replied, "You should be in bed."
"So should you."
"Your leg needs to heal." She started to gently push him towards the stairs.
He stopped her, smirking, "If you're thinking about doing anything stupid then I'd better be there. Where are you going?"
Sabrina ran a hand through her hair. "If I tell you will you try and stop me?" Puck replied with a shake of his head. She sighed heavily. "I'm going to see Bunny and convince her to make me the new guardian -and maybe find out what's wrong with you, since you won't tell me and she seems to know everything."
There wasn't a witty comeback like Sabrina was expecting, nor did he insult her.
"Forget about me. I'm an Everafter, I'll be fine. But this guardian thing... are you sure you want to do this?" He asked her.
She nodded, "I have to, Puck."
"No you don't," he said moving to grip her hand tightly. "This isn't your responsibility, Grimm. You don't have to do anything you don't want to, especially if it means sacrificing yourself."
Startled at the sudden intensity in his voice, she shook him off, her blue eyes staring defiantly back at him. "I want to."
"Then," he gave the same defiance back to her, "I'm going with you."
She almost told him that he couldn't. She was tempted to just run our the door and forget about him, but she had a feeling he would follow her and wake up her entire family. Looking at him carefully, the set of his jaw, the stance of his legs, she knew she didn't have a choice.
"Fine." She pointed a finger at him, "But if you cause any trouble…"
He flashed her a smirk as the glint returned to his eyes. "I am trouble." With Puck acting more stoic than he usually did, Sabrina actually appreciated his cockiness and couldn't help but quirk a little smile of her own.
The two slipped out of the house and followed the back roads to the Queen's mansion. Sabrina was praying that she could get what she wanted and, secretly, Puck was praying that she didn't.
~Sisters Grimm~
Sabrina rapped her knuckles on the old wooden door to Bunny's house. She pulled her arms tightly around herself as the wind started to pick up. So maybe a t-shirt wasn't the best idea.
It took a moment, but soon the two teens could hear shuffling behind the door. It swung open and the Queen stood before them. Her hair was down, which was different, and she had traded in her long dress for a more practical nightgown, but she still looked as perfect and put-together as ever. Her deep brown eyes gazed with disdain at the two.
"What?" She snapped, a finger going to rub her temple.
"I don't care what my family says," Sabrina told her. "I'm becoming the new guardian, if you'll help me."
Bunny let a fine eyebrow raise slightly. "Defiant," she appraised, "I might actually be able to tolerate you." She turned her gaze to Puck. "What about you, fairy? Can I help you with anything?"
Puck shook his head. "No, I'm just the babysitter." The Queen observed for a moment longer, then stepped back and allowed the two to enter.
The woman's movements were fluid but quick as she moved down the hall. Sabrina found herself practically jogging to keep up as she followed the Queen down the stairwell and into the large, gilded room.
"I don't think you understand the magnitude of what you're singing up for," Bunny said calmly seating herself behind her large desk.
"Yes, I do," Sabrina confirmed. "I'm willing to do anything to save Granny Relda and the rest of the world."
Bunny shook her head, "But to what extent?"
Sabrina slammed her hands on the desk, the thundering clap that resounded shaking the mirrors on the walls. "I'd sacrifice my life."
"No doubt," Bunny said calmly pushing her hair behind her ear. "But…" she leaned in closer, lowering her voice as a dark glint flashed in her eyes, "Would you sacrifice his?" She pointed to Puck.
Puck frowned, "What does my life have to do with anything?"
Bunny ignored him, her dark eyes boring into Sabrina. "That boy is going to die unless you do something about it."
Sabrina blinked, startled by her words. "Die? Because of his leg?" Her throat tightened and she looked at Puck in panic. He seemed confused as she and shook his head.
"That's gotta be some kind of mistake. It's just a stupid bite," Puck said quietly. "I'm fine…"
"You and I both know that's a lie," Bunny snapped.
"Cave annulo ignis, ardet animus.
Beware the ring of fire, for it burneth the soul
Cave annulo ignis, aut tu solvere moderamine.
Beware the ring of fire, or you'll lose all control
Cave anulum ignis, innocuumque videtur et tamen.
Beware the ring of fire, harmless it seems and yet,
Cave annulo ignis, vos ad mortem.
Beware the ring of fire, it shall bring you to your death."
She looked accusingly at Sabrina. "So what do you do now? Do you save his life or your grandmother's?"
Sabrina stared at the boy next to her. She took in his disheveled blond hair, his deep green eyes, the way his arms slightly hunched when he shoved his hands in his pockets, the discrete wooden sword that was ever-hanging from his waist, the woods like smell he had… everything. And after finally coming to terms with the fact that they might be married in the future, and after accepting it with just a bit of anticipation, was she willing to loose him? It felt like Puck was always there, constantly saving her from evil. Could she save him? Was she prepared to watch him die? What about Granny Relda? What about Atticus and Mirror destroying the entire world? What was she supposed to do? How could she choose between the two?
"I… does it have to be me?" Sabrina squeaked. "Couldn't someone else save Puck?" Puck winced beside her, probably due to the detachment in her voice, and she added, "I don't want to choose between them."
"You're the only one. The two of you are connected and a link that strong can effect you both. If you become the guardian it'll only speed up the deterioration process. The longer he's around you, the longer he has to live," Bunny said with a cold smile playing on her lips. "Of course, if you take the responsibility of the guardian then you'll be an Everafter, not a human, and his type of energy wouldn't be compatible to your new type. On the other hand, if you don't save your grandmother, and Mirror gets what he wants, the whole world could very well end, especially with Atticus on his side. If the world is destroyed I don't see what purpose your little boyfriend will serve."
Sabrina felt winded as she stumbled back a bit from the woman shaking her head fiercely. "Is there a way to save both?"
"Possibly… if you saved the fairy first. Still, I can't guarantee you'll survive that endeavor."
"Survive?" Her eyebrows knitted, "What exactly do I have to do?"
"Do not let your decision be swayed by the difficulty of the task, for both will take their own toll. Instead, make a decision on how you feel and who's blood you'd prefer to have on your hands, who's death you'll be able to sleep with at night." The Queen spoke with conviction, almost wisdom, as if a previous trail she'd gone through provoked such curt words.
"How am I supposed to be able to decide?" Sabrina felt panic flutter in her stomach at the thought of her decisions and actions killing a member of her family.
Bunny shrugged, "Who do you love more? The fairy, or your grandmother?"
Sabrina closed her eyes tightly. Puck or Granny? Puck or Granny?
Puck seemed to sense her anguish. He spoke up for her. "She'll save her grandmother."
The girl's eyes flew open as she made her decision. "No! I'm saving you, Puck."
"Don't be stupid, Grimm," Puck turned to her. "The old lady's more important to you and to everyone else. If you don't save her it could start a war and not just with your family. The world could be destroyed!"
"I don't care," Sabrina bit back. "I'm not ready to lose you."
Puck grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her slightly, his voice cracking in desperation. "I've lived for over four-thousand years, idiot. You don't need to save me!"
"And I've only lived for fourteen but I want to save you."
Puck seemed ready to demur and his mouth opened slightly to sway her but she didn't back down. He, sensing that the battle was over, let his arms fall to his side. His eyes pleaded with her to reconsider but she'd already made up her mind.
She turned to the woman who's cat-like gaze flickered between the two of them. "So what do I have to do?" There was a slight pause, no longer than a heartbeat of hesitation from Bunny Lancaster, followed by a hard swallow and a heavy push of air from the Wicked Queen's chest. She nodded at them and stretched out a forced smile, scaly and grim, before letting it fall and standing from her seat.
Bunny moved to the bookshelf, her finger quickly scanning the titles, until her hand rested on a red and black book. She gave the spine a tight yank and the shelf slid to the side with a horrible grinding sound, revealing a dark and shadowy looking passageway lit by weak torches and haunted by odd smells. The Queen hooked her finger in the motion for them to follow her and then started through, leaving the two hesitant teenagers to catch up after they'd gotten over their fear.
~Sisters Grimm~
It was a strange gift that he had, the sense of premonition. It was one of the many things that was special about him.
Jake knew they were gone the moment he opened his eyes. It was a feeling, a yanking in his heart, that made him sit up straight midst fitful sleep. He stumbled out of the bed quickly, moving to the room of Sabrina and Daphne, and yanking open the door. Daphne was snoring loudly and Sabrina's side of the bed was bare, the sheets ruffled in her absence.
He cursed, running to Puck's room and opening the door. Thankful that no prank had spilled down on him, he stumbled through the dry grass and wilting trees and into the clearing. There was no fairy. He didn't need magic to know where they'd went, and he berated himself for not predicting Sabrina's stubbornness to lead to this.
He rubbed at his eyes, his shoulders heavy. "I don't need this now, Sabrina."
Veronica appeared next to him, her motherly instincts probably leading her there, and frowned. "Jake, is everything okay?"
"Sabrina and Puck are missing," he said, already moving towards the door of the enchanted room.
"Missing… as in someone's kidnapped them?"
"Hardly," Jake murmured. He stumbled down the stairs quickly, accidentally tredding on Elvis' tail and earning a startled yelp from the Great Dane, Veronica on his heels.
"You don't think they went to see that woman, do you?" Veronica asked, jogging to keep up with his purposeful stride.
"I hope not," he said no with conviction. "But I know Bunny well. She's not the best person, but she wouldn't hurt them unless they could give her something." He grabbed his coat and pulled it on over the clothes he'd worn to bed. "Tell the family and start a search party. If they're just out there roaming in the woods, the Hand might get to them."
Veronica's fist clenched. "Those kids… when will they learn?"
"They won't. Ever." He moved to leave when Veronica put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
"Be careful, Jake," she said with genuine concern. "Watch your back, and come home in one piece. Okay?"
He pecked his brother's wife on the cheek. "Don't worry about me, Ronnie. I'll be fine."
That was another thing special about Jacob Grimm. Even when he was lying through his teeth he could convince anyone, even himself, that it was the truth.
~Sisters Grimm~
The woman wasted no time descending into the labyrinth of dark tunnels, trick doors, and rat infested halls.
The air was musty and thick, a cold draft biting at Sabrina's heels as she jogged to keep up with the Wicked Queen. She tried to keep track of how they got in, just in case they needed to get out on their own later, but it was dizzying. A right here, a left there, a fork in the path, four rights that should have made a circle but, instead, brought them to a bridge they'd never passed before. She wasn't quite sure where they were going, but whatever the Queen was leading them to must have been pretty important for her to go through all the trouble of locking it up like so.
"This is crazy," Puck whispered to her, breathing labored from exertion and probably pain. "You don't even know where she's taking you." He was right. This was crazy. She didn't even know if she could save him, but if it was definite that he would die without her help then she had no choice.
Bunny's path gave way to a dead end. A square shaped figure was covered in cloth with un-lit candles lining the stone walls. The Queen gave the drape a hard yank and let it fall to the floor, revealing a plain, full-length mirror. It was unimpressive to say the least, and Sabrina blinked with confusion. Almost everything that the witch owned was over-extravagant and practically celestial, but this mirror was set in a simple wooden frame, its surface cloudy with age.
Bunny whispered the words: "Erimentha, spun of gold, show me the book holding secrets of old." And then backed up quickly, almost stumbling away from her reflection. The mirror's surface rippled, and then a thick book appeared.
"This is the Acus," she explained. Her eyes started to shine as she looked at the book and her voice faltered for a moment before she continued. "It is my book of spells. Unfortunately, I caused a bit of turmoil with it and it was taken from me and hidden. The epitome of my carrier vanished in an instant." She snapped her fingers in emphasis and the book's image withered away. "In here is the cure for your friend. I need you to find it, and bring it to me before it's too late."
Sabrina's shoulders relaxed. That didn't sound too hard. "Alright," she nodded, "where is it?" Again, Bunny turned to the old mirror.
"Erimentha, I humbly call, show me the world in which you rule all."
A beautiful pasture scene emerged from the mirror, a trickling river and even the cliché dear bounding through the field. The sun was high in the sky, there were yellow mountains in the distance, and Sabrina could practically hear the chatter of birds and small animals. It didn't look like a place of death and destruction, so why was the atmosphere around it so tense?
Bunny seemed perturbed. "You must travel to the end of her world and defeat her for the book."
Puck spoke up, "Her? Who is she?"
"The natural guardian of this mirror. She…" Bunny tensed, but quickly composed herself. "She's been trapped in an inhuman body. Hair made of gold, skin of pure diamonds, lips of ruby's, eyes of sapphire… in almost every since of the word, she is perfect. Her father is Midas, I'm sure you've heard of him, and her mother no more than a common witch, so foolish that she fell in love. Erimentha was their love child. But Midas didn't want anything to do with her, he wanted no more children, and the witch was murdered when Erimentha was only seven. Midas auctioned her off, sold her to the highest bider. She was supposed to be a Birthday present for a Prince, but he didn't want her and chose a peasant girl to be his bride instead. The kingdom didn't know what to do with her, so they gave her to me and I made her the guardian of that world.
"There's a prophecy that if she can destroy two people, a male and female child, that she can gain their life in return and become an actual human." Bunny's eyes were dark as she continued. "She'll try and kill you. You'll need to be prepared."
Puck shook his head. "Grimm, something isn't right about this." He narrowed his eyes at the Queen, "She isn't telling us everything, and I've got a gut feeling that this isn't all flowers and bunnies."
The moment he spoke, the mirror started to shake. It was a quiet rattling at first, a simple tremor that shook the mirror and bended its images, but then the whole earth started to tremble. Sabrina and Puck were knocked to their feet, the Queen backing up several paces but maintaining her balance. The candles around the room all caught alight, blazing so brightly that Sabrina winced against their light. When the fire died down, she realized that in the mirror had appeared a young woman.
She was absolutely beautiful. Blonde hair, bright blue eyes, flawless skin, pearly white teeth, red lips, and a perfect figure. To Sabrina she looked human enough; clothed in a simple white dress, her feet were bare and her hair was hanging down.
She appraised the two of them carefully, seemingly turning them over in her mind. "Are these Destiny's children?"
The Queen spoke, her voice powerful but her eyes conveying fear. "No, they are not. Leave them be, Erimentha, they are on an errand for me."
"For Puck," Sabrina corrected. The Wicked Queen looked absolutely terrified, and that didn't make any sense. Sure, the woman before them was gorgeous, but she didn't look like she could hurt a fly.
Erimentha looked at her sharply when she spoke, her eyes narrowing. "You have no sense of propriety, do you?" Her gaze abruptly softened, "Have you any idea who I am?"
Puck got to his feet and pulled Sabrina up with him. "You might have skipped the usual formalities."
The girl in the mirror smiled with an old-fashioned politeness that was sweeter than sweet and undeniably kind as her voice flittered throughout the room like a soft blanket of warmth. "I'm your enemy, Daughter of Destiny. I'm all the demented and sick things people dream about. I'm all the sadistic ideas left out to dry, all the musings of the tortured and insane. I'm the monster in your closet, the demon under your bed." She laughed abruptly. "I am the spider, and you are the fly. Welcome to my web of lies."
"Enough," Bunny spoke softly. She turned to Sabrina. "It isn't safe for you to go in there, and I understand if you refuse. The prophecy doesn't leave much room for hope, I'm afraid, and there isn't much I can do to prepare you."
Sabrina cast a wary look towards the smiling figure in the mirror. She had no intentions of backing down, not when things were this desperate, not when they made such little sense. That title, 'Daughter of Destiny'... Sebastian had called her the same thing. She needed answers... and this 'Erminetha' was the one to give them to her.
"And what does this prophecy say, exactly?"
Erimentha's image faded and words appeared in her place.
"For Destiny's daughter and Destiny's son,
Though many battles they have won,
Will fall and tremble in the wake
Of fevered dreams and twisted fate.
And when their heads and blood a-tumble
The earth will shake, the ground will rumble
And precious stones will turn to flesh
As life will come through violent death.
Until this day the mind will rule
The truth made weak by crimson jewels."
"Well, that's cheery," Puck mumbled. He made eye contact with Sabrina. "I really don't like this, Grimm. It feels all wrong to me, like we both aren't going to make it out alive." Puck had started to sweat. Just a few drops on his brow, flushed cheeks, sunken eyes, and the tremor of fever shivering through him as the corner of his eyes crinkled in a pain he was too proud to admit to.
"But if I don't do this then what happens to you?" She protested.
Puck bit his lips, eyes downcast for a moment in thought before looking back at her, "Maybe someone back home in Faieree can heal me. Maybe…" He swallowed hard, eyebrows scrunching and breathing becoming slightly labored. The Wicked Queen was right, Puck wouldn't last long.
Sabrina shook her head, "I don't like 'maybe', Puck. If I do this quickly enough, we can get out and then save Granny Relda. It's a win win."
"Who's to say she's not lying?" Puck persisted. "About me dying, about the book, about the Old Lady... everything."
"And if she isn't? I've spent a lot of time distrusting people, you know that better than anyone, and a lot of people I care about have gotten hurt because of it. I won't take the chance." She turned to Bunny, determined. "How much time do I have to do this?"
Bunny replied without hesitation, "Three days, nine hours, and thirty four minutes."
"What happens when I run out of time?"
Bunny looked at Puck. "He'll die."
Sabrina winced at the curtness of her words. "I don't think I'll be able to keep track of the time in the mirror," She explained. Bunny reached out and turned over the girl's palm. The tingle of magic graced through her fingertips and into the tendons of her hand. She yanked back her hand as the witch's grip started to burn, then dark numbers shimmered and appeared on her wrist. "3;9;34" The last number wavered slightly and changed to "3;9;33"
"And you promise that if I can get it to you in that time you'll heal him?" She could've sworn she saw the queen wince.
"I promise nothing, but I shall do my best."
"No offense," Puck spoke up with dark eyes and a leery glare at the Queen, "But your best doesn't sound very good to me."
Bunny sneered coldly. "My best is the best you've got."
~Sisters Grimm~
Bunny Lancaster stared at her reflection in the mirror. In the beginning her fascination with mirrors was simply born out of vanity. She liked to look at herself –and why shouldn't she? She was beautiful, after all. But now as the Queen appraised herself –the thinning face, the blood-shot eyes, the graying hair –she didn't feel the comfort of her own appearance. She felt dread.
Atticus was coming for her, that was fact. He had said as much the last time she'd seen him and now that those little Grimm brats had let him out of his bondage he would make good on that threat.
Bunny pawed absentmindedly at her neck as the thought of Atticus wringing his hands around her flooded through her mind. That boy was out for blood, and with the rage that fueled his delusional mind he would get it. He would get her.
Of course, she deserved it. She was the one who made him into the monster he was.
He had run away from home. After his brother, William Charming, had been married Atticus felt neglected. He traded his rubies and his rhinestones for the rot and ruin of the real world in a feeble attempt to find his purpose and, instead, found her. He'd wandered into her domain completely clueless as to the history between her and his brother's wife, Snow White. And she, like an idiot, had been too egocentric to pass up a chance at making others pay for her distress.
Bunny rubbed at her eyes as she stared at the face in the mirror. He'd been so innocent then, so impressionable. Their first encounter flashed through her mind.
~She had been strolling through the manicured gardens of the castle, breaking off flowers that were anything less than perfect, when she'd heard a twig snap. For some reason the simple sound made the hairs on the back of her neck erect. She immediately whipped around, her hand hovering by her magic, and came face to face with a boy. He was thin and gangly, his cheeks were sunken and his burning blue eyes were bright and electrifying, his red hair was strewn with leaves and dirt. In his hand was a small dagger, the sunlight slightly bouncing off of it. He was staring at her, his fingers changing their grip on the knife nervously.
"Put that away," Bunny spoke in an authoritative tone. The boy didn't listen, his eyes darting around as if looking for a way out. He seemed to steel himself and parted his dry lips to speak.
"I d-demand gold!" He had yelled with a crack in his voice.
Bunny waved her hand dismissively, "I don't care what you demand, put that away before you get hurt."
He shook his head, fingers tightening around the blade. "Not until you give me-"
"Gold? Fine," Bunny took off the pouch hanging from her waist and threw a sack of gold coins at the boy. He jumped back surprised and the money scattered across the ground. Feverishly he dropped the dagger and got on his knees, desperately grabbing at the pieces.
Bunny rolled her eyes, as the boy looked back up at her tentatively. "T-thank you," he stuttered as he picked himself up off of the floor.
"You aren't very good at this robbing thing, are you boy?" Bunny asked, her eyebrow raising slightly. The blush that tinged the kid's face made her smile. There was something endearing about this innocent child that made her think twice about having him hung for his crimes.
"Your name?"
"Atticus," he murmured, now nervous. "Atticus Charming. Please don't kill me, I just-"
"Are you hungry?" She interrupted him. She knew well of his parentage and the wheels of revenge were spinning quickly in her head. When he nodded she motioned for him to follow her.~
That was how it started. Her kindness had been a façade, of course, as it always was. Her real motive was to use the boy as a tool for her revenge. She'd poisoned him, ever so slightly, to become the monster she needed him to be. The fabled poison apple she'd become so famous for rearing it's ugly head once again. The whole time he was painfully oblivious to the small bits of bad magic, and also to her manipulation of his good nature into something darker and sadistic. She would send him back to the Charming's and he would take the throne in her name, making Snow White pay for all she'd done to destroy her.
But the magic had done its job all too well. Atticus had become a thing of fiction, and impossible for her to control. He'd began killing the innocent and making a joke of it. He made the whole kingdom cower in fear. So, she'd locked him up with Mirror in an attempt to squelch his evil until it suited her best and Atticus hated her for it. Atticus was smart, however, and he twisted Mirror's mind and soul to be just as evil as he. He convinced the man to hate the world and to hate being a prisoner. He and Mirror bonded, if what the two did could be called that, and Mirror pledged his allegiance to Atticus.
That was what began everything. That was why Mirror had gone so far out of the way to free Atticus, that was how this whole foolish notion of a war had begun. That was why Bunny's world was crumbling around her. When Atticus escaped and killed Charming in the original story Bunny had to face what she had done. She and Snow White had locked him up inside the Book of Everafter in an attempt to hide what had truly happened. Atticus might have been out of her world, but never out of her mind. The last words he'd spoken to her were haunting:
~Atticus gave a roar and tossed over a bookshelf, its magic contents spilling and colliding, creating a noxious gas that foamed and rose into the air. Bunny fell back into the wall, her sleeve snapping up to her face as coughs racked through her body and her eyes started to burn. It was too late. The spells had already been cast and were taking effect. Atticus' form shimmered and flicked before her as the Book took him captive and tried to burry him within its pages. He looked at her, his intense blue eyes glowing white hot as betrayal and anger flashed within them.
"Mother," he said –because that's what she had become to him after all those years –"you would do this to your son? A son that has shown nothing but allegiance to you since the beginning?"
"You…" Bunny coughed again, "You are not my son." The moment those words left her mouth she saw something break in Atticus. Perhaps it was the last string of sanity in him that she'd just snapped, or perhaps it was just her imagination, but his entire aura changed in an instant. Atticus' wavering form reached out and grabbed her by the neck.
"So be it," He growled at her. "When I return, remember this. You denied me, not I you, and for that I will spare you nothing."
And then he was gone.~
Bunny looked past her reflection in the mirror and looked towards the two children had just passed through. When she thought of the fairy she felt a twinge of guilt. She didn't particularly want him to die, but she was powerless to stop it with or without the book. The book was for her, to protect herself from Atticus. There was no spell that could save him; and if there was, she didn't know about it.
Of course, Jacob Grimm knew her intentions. She'd tried to play on all of her old charms and flirtatious tricks to keep the sharp-minded man off of her scent. It had worked; not as well as she would've liked, but it worked nonetheless. He still trusted her about as far as he could throw her, but she didn't pose a threat to him anymore. She had manipulated him and his family just like she'd manipulated Atticus: for her own selfish purpose. She hadn't learned her lesson, and people were about to pay for that with their lives.
Bunny shook her head absent-mindedly. No, guilt didn't become her. It was their own fault for being so naïve. To think a wicked Queen had your best interest at heart, to think she was so easily smitten... that was their fault alone.
She moved back through the tunnel system and into the room of mirrors, a strange feeling yanking at her stomach. Pulling her hair back into its tight bun she debated going back to bed, but her spirit was too unsettled. Instead, she pulled out a book and started to read.
Those two children had better not fail. Her life was depending on it.
My, that was long. So, if you've read one of my Sisters Grimm one shots "Basketball" you might've heard about Barney. He's my friend's pet chinchilla. Well, he got stung by a scorpian, so now he's at the vet. Prayers for Barnery please! I love that little guy :(
Oh, I almost forgot. I'M A BETA READER NOW! I'm so excited! So if you want anything beta'd and what not, you know who to call! :D
PEACE! GOD BLESS! iizninja