Disclaimer: I do not own the 10th Kingdom. This is merely a fanfiction.

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Virginia rolled over in bed the next morning, expecting to find Wolf's warm body gently snoring away beside her. Her arm found nothing but empty bedding. Maybe he's up early, she thought. Or sulking after our fight. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, wrapping herself in a nightrobe.

"Wolf?"

No response.

She rubbed her eyes as she entered the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of juice. "Wolf, are you home? I want to talk to you about last night …"

No response. Yup, he's definitely sulking somewhere. She shrugged and downed her glass of juice.

There was a knock at the door. That must be him now. She unlatched the door's lock and opened it. "Wolf, I'm sorry about last night but we need to talk – oh." It wasn't Wolf. It was Grandma Nessa. "Grandma, sorry, I thought it was Wolf."

Grandma Nessa smiled kindly. "I just wanted to check on you. You left in quite a huff last night. Evelyn and Jeannie decided to get a hotel and spend the night. I wanted to come over first thing to see if you're alright."

"I'm fine," Virginia answered, letting Nessa in. "We just … had a fight is all." Virginia sat down on a chair, hands on her knees. "It's just hard – you know. I love Wolf, I'm excited for the wedding … but getting the loan for my restaurant shot down and Wolf going behind my back when I asked him to keep things cheap. I'm sorry I stormed out last night."

"Oh, it's alright hon'. You were clearly distressed. Glad to see you calm down, it's not good for the baby."

"Yeah, I know –." She paused, her hands going to her belly. "How did you know I was -."

Nessa smiled kindly. "Call it grandmother's intuition. I could smell a baby a mile away! I'm happy for the both of you."

Virginia sighed. "But why don't I feel happy?"

"Pre-wedding jitters. Your Ol' Pop got 'em before he married me. Course I practically carried that man across the threshold. When Grandma Nessa smells something she wants, she grabs it and doesn't let it go!" She kneeled down next to her granddaughter. "Everything will be fine. You'll see. Right now, you just need to make up with him."

Nodding, Virginia stood up. "I will. Thanks Gran. And if I know him, he's out at the park watching the ducks." And thinking of eating them, she thought. She turned to the kitchen, putting the juice carton away.

CRASH!

THUD!

The window shattered, raining broken glass down on them both. Nessa, dove, tackling Virginia, protecting her body with her own. They lay still for a few seconds. No further sounds came.

"What the hell was that?" Virgina demanded. They stood up. Broken glass from the window littered the floor.

"Sounded like someone threw a rock or somethin'," Nessa said. "Am I gonna have to crack some skulls?"

"Why would someone smash my window?"

Nessa stood next to the refrigerator. Her eyes fell on the door. "It wasn't a rock. Someone sent you a message."

An arrow was embedded in her refrigerator door. An arrow embedded in the body of a crow, impaling it to the door. And attached to the arrow was a handwritten note. Shaking, Virginia unfurled it.

"What's it say?" asked Nessa.

Virginia gulped as she read the note aloud. "We've got your mangy fiancé. He's been unharmed – as of yet. Do not call the police. Tell no one. You are being watched at all times. Come to the abandoned loft in the Meatpacking District by sundown. Come alone. Or you'll find a wolf corpse dumped at your doorstep next."

Virginia stared down at the letter, her eyes welling. Then, fierce determination crossed her face. She stomped into her bedroom to throw on her day clothes.

Nessa picked up the letter, trying to make sense of it. Her eyes fell on the bleeding corpse of the crow, its dead eyes staring unseeing back at her.

~0~

~0~

"Ya' should've told me you released the Snow Queen, ya' lump!" Mother Holle was holding the reigns of a donkey as their cart tottered along an old road. The ground was lightly frosted with snow. The worst of the blizzard was over.

Tony was leaning over the side of the cart, holding his mouth as he coughed over the cart's side. "I did tell you!" He yelled back at her over his shoulder. "At least thirty times!" His stomach lurched and with a heave, he coughed up another toad onto the roadway.

"That's a good lad, get 'em all up. How many is that now?"

"Twenty-five."

"Aye, you're a quarter of the way there!"

Tony turned around and lay on the cart's seat. "You could just remove the spell, you know!"

"Aye, that I could but it would be a pinch less fun for me, wouldn't it?"

"You're a sick, twisted old hag!"

"I can add another hundred if you like!"

Tony put on a fake smile. "You know, in this morning light, with the snow gleaming off your grey hairs -."

Prince sat next to Mother Holle, wagging his tail as she scratched his ears. "The doggie knows how to treat a lady, ain't that right boy?" Prince licked her hand.

"Cute," Tony remarked. "In any event, how much further till we hit the town?"

"Another ten minutes as the crow rides, I'd say."

"And they can get me transport to the Fourth Kingdom?"

Mother Holle shrugged. "It's a port town in the southern Eighth Kingdom. But things have been different as of late. Not too welcoming to Fourth Kingdomers, I'll wager. Towns round these parts ain't too trustful of any strangers …"

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Tony tried to keep the contents of his stomach down as the cart toddled through the town. Many small boats were docked on the shores. The laborers tipped their hats and waved to Mother Holle. They shot Tony dirty looks.

"Boy you weren't kidding about not being too welcoming," Tony remarked as one ship laborer made a rude gesture at him.

"It's their nature. The Eighth Kingdom's been cut off from the others for years. Far too long I'd say."

Tony looked at the ragged clothing of the people and the rundown buildings. "Are they not wealthy?" he asked.

"Only a few. The governor, for one. And … the Leather Barons."

"The what now?"

"Them Leather Barons. Their great-great-great-great –"

"I get the idea," Tony interrupted.

" – grandfather struck it rich, I say. Had him some help from the little folk. Made him some nice leathers night after night."

They reached the town square. In the center was an old, rusted statue of a shoe with two little elves.

"Wait, I remember this!" Tony exclaimed. "The Elves and the Shoemaker! That was here?!"

"Aye," Mother Holle nodded. "And for a while, the town became very prosperous. The Shoemaker was quite generous and opened several new factories. Got most of the people jobs. But over time … his descendants weren't quite as noble." She pointed – in the distance were factories. Huge factories. Billowing smoke darkened the sky. "The grandkids found cheaper labor."

"What do you mean?"

"They went elf huntin'. Caught them a bunch o' elves. Work 'em to the bone. And that put the rest o' the town outta work. Most of their business comes from the other kingdoms."

"I thought you said they were distrustful of the other kingdoms?" Tony asked.

Mother Holle laughed. "That they be! But when there's money to be had – oh, they charge 'em top dollar too. And the royals pay it! The Shoemachers as they be known now are a bunch o' cutthroat devils, but their elf slaves make a fine product they do."

The cart rested in the center of the town square. "This'll be your stop, then. Go talk to the port authority at the docks. Tell 'em Mother Holle sent ya'. They owe me a favor."

Tony hopped out of the cart with Prince. He hocked up another toad, before smiling at the old woman. "Well … it was … awkward … to meet you. Thanks for the ride. Oh, and for saving my life earlier!"

"Ain't nothin'."

"Any chance of removing that curse?"

Mother Holle cackled in his face. "Only seventy-four left to go!" And with a flick of her reigns, her cart turned and began disappearing down the cobbled path.

Tony took in his surroundings. There were lines of stores. All with the title: Shoemacher's Shoes. Lines and lines of shoe stores, all owned by the Shoemachers. The poor townspeople didn't look like they could afford the stores, but there were some of the town's nobility shoe-shopping. And several nobles from other kingdoms. The townspeople may not have liked outsiders but money is still money.

Shrugging, Tony and Prince made a beeline straight for the docks. Several workers were mending their nets and sneered at Tony as he approached. "Uh, hey – excuse me," he said. "I need transportation to the Fourth Kingdom."

The workers continued on their nets.

"Hey, I don't think you guys heard me -."

"Oh we heard you," one worker said. "It's just you ain't getting a ride."

"What? Why not? Oh, I get it, it's because I'm not from the Eighth Kingdom, is that it?"

The worker spit at his feet. "It's cuz nobody leaves without the permission of the Shoemachers. They own these docks. And these boats."

"And our lives," another worker added.

"We get by fishing, but even then we get taxed by the Shoemachers. Only ships they let leave the area are leather imports and exports."

Tony puffed out his chest. "Well, I would like to speak to the Shoemachers."

"That ain't hard. The Leather Overlords already know you're here."

"The who?" Tony demanded.

He spun around as two men in fine leather shoes and leather coats and hats blocked him with two spears. "The outsider," one Leather Overlord said.

"Probably here to steal some o' our shoes," the other Overlord said.

"What? I am not!" Tony protested. "I am trying to get back to the Fourth Kingdom! The Snow Queen is awake and –."

"Save your lies, Outsider. You can tell them to the Head Shoemacher. He'll put you to work." They grabbed the protesting Tony, dragging him off, Prince trotting alongside them.

"That twisted old hag," Tony said to Prince as the guards led them away. "She probably knew this was gonna happen!"

~0~

Tony and Prince were forced into the largest of the shoe factories. The two Overlords towered behind them, jabbing Tony's backside with their spears. They were on a walkway overlooking the main factory. Below, dozens of other leather-clad Overlords were standing guard as hundreds of tiny elves sat at tables, assembling vintage leather shoes.

Below, two elves started arguing. "Suede does not go on leather! What are you, mashugana?!" The guards smacked both of them on the heads. "Back to work!"

Up above, the two Overlords led Tony to a grand door with a door knocker in the shape of a shoe. One guard rapped it twice. "Enter!" came a voice from inside.

The doors parted and they were in a grand office. At the far end was a giant fifty-foot tall painting of the original Shoe Maker. And below, at a grand oak desk, sat an older man in fine leather clothes. A beautiful middle-aged woman stood beside him.

The Overlords shoved Tony and Prince forward. "We caught these two Outsiders snooping around, Mr. Shoemacher. They came with Mother Holle."

Mr. Shoemacher stood up and circled his desk, observing the two. "Mother Holle, eh? That old bitty's always in everyone's business. Well, let's take a look at you. Ah, male. Older. Somewhat round in the belly."

"I am not!" Tony protested.

"I say let's keep him around," the woman – Mrs. Shoemacher said. "I need something nice to look at." She winked at Tony. Both Tony and Mr. Shoemacher shot her surprised looks.

"We could feed them both into the leather stretcher," one Overlord suggested. "Make them into shoes."

Tony's eyes widened with revulsion. "Into the leather stretcher? What is it with you people? Between crazy old ladies and toads and psycho axemen named Juliet beheading people – is there something in the water, I swear -!"

"We need some extra muscle around here," Mr. Shoemacher said after thinkin a moment. "Put the man to work in shipping and receiving."

"And the dog?"

Mrs. Shoemacher interjected. "I'd always wanted a pair of Labrador boots."

Tony stared shocked at the woman. "And who the hell are you, Cruella DeVille?"

"Enough," Mr. Shoemacher said. "Put the dog to work with him. We need a beast of burden to pull the carts. Send them down to shipping and receiving, let the new recruits have them."

"N-new recruits?" Tony protested as the Overlords grabbed his arms. "Listen to me – I am a very important man."

Mr. Shoemacher stepped forward, their faces inches from each other. "Is that right?"

"Yes! I work for Prince We – gag! Prince We –" He never got to finish his sentence. He gagged and a slimly toad popped out, landing right on Mr. Shoemacher's leather boots, trailing slime all over them.

Mr. Shoemacher looked up at Tony, revulsion and anger etched on his face. "Oh dear, you're really going to wish you hadn't done that …"

~0~

Tony was thrown headfirst into the shipping area. Prince trotted in after him. It was hot and dank and smelly. Three figures were already hard at work loading boxes full of leather. Tony staggered to his feet as he heard the three arguing.

"No! I'm in charge of overseeing you two!"

"Nuh-uh! Mr. Shoemacher put me in charge!"

"You couldn't be in charge of a ballet slipper!"

"Why don't you come over here and say that to my face?!"

"I would if your head reached above my chest!"

There was something familiar about those voices. Tony had a sinking feeling as the three laborers acknowledged him.

"Well whaddya know! The fat guy's a prisoner here too!"

"I am not fat!"

The three trolls – Burly, Blabberwort and Bluebell stepped into the dim light.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" Tony protested.

"Looks like our workday just got a whole lot better," Bluebell grinned.