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

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" … and so it is with a heavy heart that I bring this news. Lord DeConte is dead."

A hush fell over the room. The Fourth Kingdom's Royal Council sat at their conference table, all of their faces aghast. Wallace stood at the head of the table, arms behind his back.

"I knew he was a power-hungry mad-man," Viscount Lansky was saying. "But to think – he was conspiring with the Snow Queen …"

Wallace nodded sadly. "But that's not all – I regret to inform you that Virginia Lewis was also conspiring with the Snow Queen and working with Lord DeConte."

Gasps fell across the room. Lansky slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "What? !How can that be?! She was a hero -."

Old Retainer narrowed his eyes. "This is a very serious accusation against the Savior of the Nine Realms."

Wallace drew in his breath. "I saw Miss Lewis with DeConte in Sleeping Beauty's Tower. She burned the Devil's Thorn to ash."

"And what has become of her?" Old Retainer asked.

"DeConte attacked me. He gave me no choice. As I fended him off, Miss Lewis attacked me from behind. In our struggle, she … fell out the window into the moat."

Lansky cleared his throat. "Is there any chance she could have -?"

Wallace shook his head. The Council was silent. Old Retainer wiped his eyes. "This is a tragedy. And a shock. Who would've thought Virginia Lewis -."

"I have a hard time believing this," Lansky admitted.

"Lord Wallace has shown himself upright and honest in all his dealings," Old Retainer rebutted. "He defended our lines against the Southern Renegades. He was the one who freed me from prison and worked to stop DeConte's grab for power. I vouch for his honesty."

Lansky steepled his fingers. "Well, the lines of succession are clear. Per the terms of the updated Nine Kingdoms Treaty, Lord Wallace is now acting head of the military. And … in times of crisis, he is acting war chief for all Nine Kingdoms."

Wallace held his head proudly. "I prefer not to see my title as such an oppressive role. This is, after all, a democracy. 'Lord Protector of the Nine Realms.' And as I said, this is not a dictatorship. I will only take the position if the Council and the other Nations are willing. I leave it up to a vote."

"You have mine," Old Retainer instantly uttered.

"And mine," Lansky acknowledged.

"And mine!"

"Mine too!"

Lord Rupert stood up. "A ceremony! We need something to celebrate during this time of war and betrayal! Kings and dignitaries – everyone who came to the War Summit will all be invited! A ceremony to install Lord Wallace, the Lord Protector of the Nine Realms!"

The Royal Council raised goblets and cheered in unison. "All hail the Lord Protector!"

Wallace bowed in mock humility, barely able to disguise the grin creeping at the corners of his mouth.

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"Oh, my head! I feel like I was hit by a truck."

Tony sat up, his fingers on his temples. He looked around. The broken bodies of guards lay strewn about the hallway, mauled beyond recognition. Tony felt his stomach wrench.

Then he felt something wet at his face. A pink tongue flicked out and ran up his cheek.

"Prince!" Tony was overjoyed as he grabbed the dog's mane and scratched behind his ears. "You alright boy? Where's Virginia?"

Prince sat down and whined.

"Prince … where is she?"

Prince turned and trotted off, his tail down between his legs. Tony staggered to his feet and followed after the canine.

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"You stay away from me!"

Virginia lay sprawled on the grass by a riverbank as Leone towered over her. Leone folded his arms. "Well this is the thanks I get from pulling you out of that river."

"Is that why you saved me? To kill me here?"

Leone stroked the silver blade of his dagger with his fingers. "Don't think that the thought hadn't crossed my mind. One slice, a severance of the arteries, a spray of blood – but it seems fate decided to play yet another cruel joke on me. As much as I want you dead, now I need you alive more than ever."

"This is a trick!" Virginia staggered to her feet. She was suddenly overwhelmed with pain in her stomach. Her hands went to her belly, and she began panting.

Leone didn't seem to notice. "You think I wasn't there last night, in that tower? I've been hot on your tail since you left the forest! I had you in my sights last night, was ready to strike the blow – when DeConte and Wallace entered and fought. And I overhead the whole thing. Wallace will point the finger at DeConte as his scapegoat, take his place at the head of the military and rule the Nine Kingdoms. And the Snow Queen with him. And who do you think he'll point the finger at as being DeConte's accomplice?"

Virginia was hunched over. She breathed in and out. "Me …" She grit her teeth through the sudden pain. "And what do you care?! You're in league with the Snow Queen yourself!"

"No!" Leone's voice was sharper than any blade. "I used her to track you down, but I had no idea what her plans were. I was only using her anyway. After I had done away with you I would've set my sights on her." He clenched his fist. "After all, it was she and your mother who made me what I am! But now that her plan is clear, I need you alive – to reveal to the Nine Kingdoms Wallace's deception before he dooms us all to the Snow Queen's icy rule!" He chuckled. "Ironic, isn't it?"

"I … agh!" Virginia cried out in pain and fell down on all fours.

Leone turned to her, eyebrow raised. "What's with you?"

"It can't be …" Virigina's breathing was racing. "It's too soon …"

"What's too soon?" His eyes fell on Virginia's belly and then he realized. "Oh no …"

"The baby! The baby's coming! It can't – it's too soon!" But then she remembered Wolf's admonition – wolf cubs gestate at a much faster rate than normal humans. No … I can't give birth without Wolf here to see it! He can't miss this!

She fell backwards, rolling on her back, holding her stomach. Leone stood there, unsure of what to do. Virginia screamed out into the morning sky.

"Shush that, will you? Do you want the rest of the kingdom to hear you?!"

"You carry a ten-pound half-wolf in your belly and then you can complain about screaming!"

Leone's fingers opened and closed. "What do we do?"

"I … never thought I'd say this … I … I need you … to deliver the baby …"

"Heck no."

"DO IT!"

Leone kneeled down next to her. "I don't know how -."

She grabbed the front of his shirt, her teeth clenched. "IF YOU DON'T GET THIS WOLF SEED OUT OF ME RIGHT NOW, I'LL BE THE ONE MOUNTING YOUR PELT ON MY MANTLE! GET IT OUT!"

Leone stared down at her sweating face in an utter panic. "I … I … I …"

"Looks like you all could do with a spot o' help."

Leone turned. There, in a tiny boat riding along the river, sat a dwarf.

Virginia managed a small smile. "Acorn …"

Acorn the Dwarf climbed ashore. "I thought you'd get yourself into a spot o' trouble when you left me back it the Second Kingdom, so I followed you out to these parts." He rubbed his hands together. "Oh, a baby coming, eh? Good thing in addition to being a De-Juicer, I'm a certified midwife."

"A what?" Virginia was confused.

"And I'll need a nurse to help." He pointed at Leone. "You – you'll do as assistant midwife."

"How did I fall into this?" Leone asked as Acorn knelt next to Virginia, wiping her sweaty forehead with a handkerchief.

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Wolf was a broken half-wolf. He walked, shell-shocked, as Hebro and Dynaman forced him towards a mirror. Fiona followed them, smiling like the cat that got the cream. They walked through the mirror in Sleeping Beauty's Tower. Wolf barely registered that he was traveling between realms. His body barely detected the icy cold that was now piercing his flesh, the ice and snow crunching beneath his boots. Nor the statues of ice surrounding him.

"So long have I been trapped in an eternal sleep. So long did I have desires unmet, hunger unfilled, thirst unslaked. For so long did I go without my child, my infant. Do you know what it's like, to lose the one person you love most in this world? To have your greatest love suddenly and violently ripped from you?"

Wolf remained silent as the three half-wolves marched him through the Snow Queen's palace.

"Oh – but of course you do. First your parents, then – your bride-to-be. Both at your own hand."

The Snow Queen was descending the frozen steps from her throne. She reached the bottom. "That is where you and I share pain. My own son – stillborn in my arms the moment I delivered him. And then – the Prince of Darkness came to me. He offered to take my pain away." Her white fingers grazed the stubble of Wolf's chin. He shuddered, not even looking at her.

"Just kill me," he begged.

The Snow Queen pretended not to hear him. "He promised to turn my broken heart to ice. The numb the pain of loss. And now – I can do the same for you."

"I want nothing of what you're offering." Wolf's eyes were downcast.

"My dear, I know you. You don't mean that. Tell me – what is it that you want right now - more than anything?"

"To die."

"No! That is the incorrect answer. You don't wish to die at all! A Wolf is stronger than that! The desire to survive, to endure – that is the mark of a wolf!" The Snow Queen was circling him. "I know what it is you want right now, more than anything else in the world. More than even the sweet release of death. You want the pain to go away. The memories of what you've done to not haunt you. To forget – her."

Wolf closed his eyes.

The Snow Queen offered her hand. "Come. Will you gaze into my Mirror?"

"No."

"And why not? What else do you have to lose?"

"My soul."

"Your soul faces torment in this life with the memories of what you've done. The pain, the agony – it is in your soul! Would losing it really be so horrible?"

"The Devil speaks through you," Wolf spat. "I see through your lies!"

The Snow Queen smiled. "The only lies being told here – are the ones you are telling yourself. For the first time in your life, tell yourself the truth, Wolf. Be willing to be honest with yourself. You desire to forget, to have the painful memories erased. You desire to be like you once were. I can give you that peace."

"At what cost?" Wolf remained defiant.

"To serve me – as you once did the Evil Queen. You promised to serve her because she freed you. I can free you from the true prison, the prison that you put yourself into. You want out, you're screaming to be set free, to run and leap, to bound, to roam, to hunt and kill without the pain any longer. You don't need me, you don't need Fiona – you only need yourself to set you free. You only need to give yourself permission."

Wolf stared at her outstretched hand. "Permission … to forget …?"

"Give it to yourself. Give yourself the gift of freedom."

The Snow Queen turned and walked towards the Devil's Mirror at the other side of her throne room. Fiona nudged Wolf in the back. Every instinct told him not to follow, that this was wrong.

But he knew that the Snow Queen was right. He did want to forget.

The Snow Queen stood in front of the Devil's Mirror and was joined by Wolf. "What will I see?" he asked.

"Horror," she said simply. "Your horror. The pain and regret of all you've done will be shown to you – but if you're willing to forget, then those memories will be sealed away in the Mirror, to never be seen again."

She stepped aside and Wolf stared at his reflection. The glass suddenly rippled – he no longer saw his reflection. He saw Virginia screaming his name as a wolf leapt on her. He saw blood and a wolf devouring flesh. He tried to close his eyes, but he couldn't.

The image grew more violent, more bloody. He cried out Virginia's name without even realizing his lips were moving.

And then – a splinter shot from the center of the mirror, straight into Wolf's eye. He cried out, holding his face.

There was nothing there. He stood up, holding his eye. He could feel no splinter.

Fiona was next to him. "Wolf? Wolf, what do you remember?"

Wolf was silent, his head lowered.

Fiona touched his back. "Wolf?" she asked.

Wolf spun around – his eyes were yellow and his teeth jagged. "I remember … I remember … the lust of blood!" And he reared his head back, howling at the ceiling.

Fiona smiled. Wolf would be hers now – forever.

The Snow Queen stared solemnly at Wolf, before she sighed, gathering her sparkling cloak. Wolf had forgotten his pain. But she – she would never forget. She ascended back up the stairs to her throne, sitting on it, watching Wolf roaring as Fiona, Hebro and Dynaman joined in.

The fools – no one ever forgets …