Disclaimer: I do not own the 10th Kingdom. This is merely a fanfiction.
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The cold dank stench rose up into her nostrils. She was standing in the doorway of a cellar, the stairs leading down into … blackness …
She had been here before … months ago? Or was it weeks? Days seemed to blend together now. She swallowed tightly as she took her first step down. Then another. And another.
Her feet hit the hard concrete. Green and purple lights danced … the cellar led underground … underneath the rancid ponds of the swamp. Her pulse tightened as she approached another door. She grasped the handle and turned. The rotten wood groaned as she opened the door. The wood was moist and caving in.
She was now in a circular room. A bier lay in the center, the green and purple haze descending on it like a dark cloud. She reached the edge of the bier … lying on the top, grey fingers folded … lay the Swamp Witch.
Virginia retched at the smell of decayed flesh. The once lustrous hair of the former beautiful queen was thinned and falling out. The once plump lips were peeled back over rotten teeth that now appeared much too large for the papery skin hanging over it. The sunken eyeholes … this is what the "fairest of them all" had been reduced to. This is where her vanity, her powers and her cruelty brought her.
What she was on the inside, was now and forever reflected on the outside.
Will I become just like her? Viriginia thought. Oh, what am I doing here?
But she had no choice, she knew. She would have to follow in her mother's footsteps and ask the Swamp Witch for advice. For help. Only one evil sorceress could destroy another … and if Virginia had to become the Snow Queen to destroy the Snow Queen – then so be it.
For Fen.
"Are you lost child?"
The voice of the Swamp Witch issued from her peeled back lips. The head turned – ever so slightly. "Are you lost?"
"Yes. Yes I am."
The corpse of the Swamp Witch stared up at the ceiling. "I was wrong … you crushed her …"
"I did …"
"But then … maybe not all is lost … I sense much anger in you, a desire for revenge … perhaps our goals are not exclusive. Perhaps I can give you the power to stop the Snow Queen …"
"In exchange for?"
"You will carry on my work in your mother's stead. You will help me destroy the House of White!"
"No …" Virginia was backing away. "No, I won't! I won't betray Wendell!"
"But you will betray your son …? Will you allow your future self the chance to harm him?"
"I …"
"The decision remains yours, My Child. But the question you must first ask yourself is – do you weigh the life of King Wendell more than the life of your own flesh and blood?"
Silence filled the cellar. Virginia turned away. Her shoulders slumped. "And you can give me the power to destroy her …?"
"I will give you all my power …"
Virginia turned. Every fiber in her being, her own very soul screamed at her that this was wrong – this was the woman who helped destroy her mother. The woman who poisoned Snow White. The woman who was the cause of all her misery and motherless childhood –
No – another voice spoke. It was you. All you. Only you. You became the Snow Queen. You destroyed your mother. It was all you. Will you destroy Fen now? Will you allow your future self to have him, to hurt him? You almost lost him to Rumpelstiltskin … will you risk him again?
"What do you want me to do?" Virginia finally asked.
"Kneel."
She felt invisible hands on her shoulders – like iron – pressing her down to the floor. She obeyed. She no longer felt as though she had free will.
"Seal the vow with blood." The skeletal arm slowly crawled towards her – a dagger in its dead fingers.
Virginia nodded. Hand trembling, she took the handle of the dagger. She raised her left hand, palm open. She pressed the edge of the blade against her soft flesh. She closed her eyes. Then she pressed her fingers tightly around the blade. Blood seeped through her fingers. It flowed like a waterfall.
"And now … the final pact …" The Swamp Witch's other hand slithered towards Virginia, something clasped in the rotten fingers. Something red.
An apple.
"One bite … and all my powers will be yours … Take it … consume it with your own blood …"
Ignoring the searing pain of her sliced flesh, Virginia clasped the apple in the palm of her bloody hand. She squeezed, the blood running between her fingers, saturating the apple. She raised the fruit to her mouth. Her lips parted, touching the apple's skin. Her teeth pressed against the ripened fruit as she prepared to take the bite that would bind her fate forever …
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Earlier That Same Day
"Dad – whatever you do – do not eat the mushrooms!"
Virginia was yelling at Tony as Fen was crying from the satchel across her chest. Leone was trying to hand him a pacifier. Virginia waved him away and reached over, pulling the baby out of her carry-on, rocking him. They were in the middle of the swamp. The journey from the Third Kingdom to the Fourth Kingdom had been a long one; they were exhausted, especially the baby. Prince's ears were drooping and he was beginning to whine for a break.
Tony was bent over a mound of moss. Mushrooms were growing out of it – mushrooms with faces. "Come on – eat us. We're delicious!"
"Dad – you remember what happened last time?"
Tony paused. His fingers were centimeters away from a smiling mushroom. Memories flashed of them passed out in the swamp, vines growing over them. It was only the fortuitous timing of Wolf that had saved them. Tony withdrew his fingers. "Oh, right. Good point." He turned to his daughter. "Hey – does anyone hear A Lighter Shade of Pale?"
"No Dad!" Virginia stomped past him, her hand on her chin. She did a full survey of the trees. "Now if I remember correctly, the Swamp Witch's hut was over there."
Tony squinted. "Are you sure it wasn't over there?" He pointed in the opposite direction.
"How can anyone tell – it all looks the same!" Leone sighed.
Three green lights flickered through the trees and landed. Three tiny little fairies appeared before them on a leaf and were giggling.
Tony rolled his eyes. "Oh no – no these three broads again."
"Broads? We are dignified fairies," the blonde one said, folding her arms indignantly.
"You three shouldn't be wandering around in the swamp," the dark haired one said. "Everyone thinks they can handle the swamp – but they all end up in the hands of the Swamp Witch -."
Tony waved them off with a hand as he began walking away. "Yeah, yeah – we heard all that before last time. Anyhoo -."
Virginia shushed her father, before turning back to the three green fairies. "Speaking of the Swamp Witch – can you point us in the direction of her hut?"
"Point us in the direction?" Tony's eyes popped. "Do you remember who you're talking to?! Have you got amnesia?! Don't you remember what they did last time -."
"Dad -." Virginia gave him a glare, before turning back to the three fairies. "So – the Swamp Witch."
"Oh, you don't want to go over there …"
"Mmm – yes I do." Virginia struggled to maintain her patience.
"She's been awfully grumpy as of late," the dark-haired fairy said.
"Very grumpy," the blonde one added.
"Well that's great – I've been very grumpy too. So she and I can be grumpy together. Now – the way to her house?"
The three fairies drew each other into a circle. Tony tried to lean in to hear what they were whispering. They laughed behind their hands as they turned around.
"Let's all three of us be naughty!" the blonde fairy shouted.
"No, not again!" Tony yelled as the three magical creatures waved their fingers together. Flowing beams of light flew out of their fingertips, encircling the travelers in the center of the swamp.
And then they were gone.
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"You know – this is getting really old!" Tony yelled to no one. He found himself sitting in a green pond. He sighed – his slacks and sweater were soaked. He stood up and was suddenly splashed – Prince was shaking the water out of his fur.
Tony's heart suddenly raced. "Fen! Where's Fen?! The baby!"
"I got 'im," came Leone's voice. Tony turned to see the former mercenary carrying the baby. "Now shush with that yelling – you'll wake him!" Leone was rocking the child.
Tony looked around as he crawled out of the pond. He sat on a stump as he scratched Prince's ears. "Where's Virginia?"
"The fairies separated us -."
"They did that last time we were here. Sent her right over to the Swamp Witch's house."
"Think that's where she is?"
Tony shrugged. He motioned for Leone to hand him the baby and took the sleeping child in his arms, rocking him. Leone whipped out a knife and hacked away at some foliage. He twisted some vines and leaves, creating a makeshift cradle. He gently scooped the baby up and placed him into it. Fen's face wrinkled in his sleep, before a chubby hand reached out, tugging on the swaddling, pulling it up closer around his face. His cheeks relaxed as he continued to snooze on.
"Look at him," Tony remarked. "A miracle of life. Hard to believe Wolf can produce something so pure and innocent -."
"Hard to believe your daughter could either," Leone answered, puffing on a pipe as he sat on a stump.
Tony spread his arms. "Hey – lay off her, okay. She's going through a lot -."
"She's going to sell her soul and you know it. And what are we doing to stop her, eh? We've been complicit in the whole thing."
"Yeah, well – you try to talk sense into Virginia when she's got her mind made up. She's always been like this – she gets it from her grandmother!"
"The she-wolf?"
"No, the she-vulture." Tony sighed as he sat on a stump, Prince curling up around his legs. He felt a warm draft. Sleepy. No – he remembered – he could not fall asleep in the swamp. To do so would be a death-wish. He was only saved last time by the arrival of Wolf … Wolf …
Tony played with his fingers as he stared through the bright green foliage. "Who am I kidding – this is all my fault. Even from her childhood. I mean – I tried. I really did! To be both mommy and daddy -."
"You must've looked real funny naked," Leone chortled.
"Oh ha ha." Tony rolled his eyes and looked down at his hands. "In many ways – Virginia was the one who always had to mother me."
Leone narrowed his eyes, puffing on his pipe.
"Always get me up for work while she worked at that lousy grille! Always rushing to get a quick dinner ready for me. She had to make sure I was taking my allergy pills and blood pressure medicine – heck, if she didn't make food I probably would have starved -."
"I find that hard to believe," taunted Leone.
"Again – ha ha."
Leone blew smoke into the air. "Well – now's your chance, Tony. Your chance to right all those wrongs. Are you really going to let your daughter follow this self-destructive path?"
"I -."
"Are you really going to let her become the Snow Queen – or worse?! You already lost your wife to the Swamp Witch – will you lose your daughter too?!"
Tony thought for a second. Then his brow furrowed. "No. You're right – I can't! I won't!"
Leone stood up. "Then stop beating yourself up and let's go smack some sense into Virginia!" He stopped when he saw Tony give him a warning look. "Talk sense into Virginia -that's what I meant. Talk."
Tony flexed his fingers. "I'm gonna be a father for once! I'm gonna wear the Big Daddy britches and I'm not going to let my daughter sacrifice her soul! Prince – Leone – you with me?!"
Leone nodded and Prince barked.
Tony nodded back, then turned – and stepped right into a giant pond. He went down into the water up to his stomach. He flailed around – the water suddenly began to harden and turn into a thick, goopy pudding. The thickening water then began pulling Tony down – like quicksand.
"Oh crikey!" Leone paced back and forth along the sides of the pond. Prince's tail was between his legs.
"Ummm – somebody wanna get me outta here!" Tony demanded. "You know – before I get sucked down!"
Prince barked.
"That's right boy – you gotta find something to throw to me to pull me out."
"Where are we gonna find something?" Leone demanded.
Tony flailed his arms in annoyance. "I dunno – maybe one of those giant vines dangling from the trees?! You know – surrounding us! Because we're in a swamp!"
"Oh. Right." Leone blushed. "We'll be back in a jiffy!" He grabbed the baby-satchel and slung it over his back. He then gently picked up Fen and – trying not to rouse him – gently placed him into the sack hanging from his back. He then turned and ran towards the foliage, Prince at his heels.
Tony sunk down a centimeter. "I'll be here!" he called. "Not going anywhere …" He sighed. "This can't get much worse …"
A bird swooped down from a tree and landed on his head.
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Virginia's face rose, dreamlike. As she took in her surroundings, a familiar feeling washed over her. She had been to this part of the swamp before. Yes – there it was! Nestled in the vines and brush – the hut of the Swamp Witch.
Readying herself for the horror that awaited in the cellar, she slowly approached the front door …
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"That's a little short Prince, but nice try!"
Prince sat on the edge of the pond, a twig in his mouth, his tail wagging. Tony had sunk down another centimeter. He gesticulated with his arms. "Larger! Do you understand me?! Larger!"
Prince cocked his head.
"How about this one?!" Leone appeared out of the brush, Fen still snoozing on his back.
"Oh Leone, thank goodness!"
Leone knelt at the edge of the pond and threw a long, green and brown vine into the muck. "Grab hold, Tony!"
Tony wrapped his fingers around the end of the vine. It felt unusually smooth – and it happened to be moving. Tony looked down at it – a wide mouth with fangs was open, yellow eyes mounted on an upturned snout. Tony screamed and tossed the snake away. The snake wriggled on the surface of the pond, hissing furiously.
Tony turned back to Leone. "A snake? A snake?!"
"It's all I could find!"
"In the middle of a swamp and all you can find is a snake!"
Several feet away, the snake tunneled downwards into the goopy muck. Tony folded his arms. "Great! Now it's in here with me. Slithering somewhere." He shuddered.
"Do you want to get out or not?" Leone asked.
Tony pointed back into the clearing. "Go get me something that won't bite me!"
"Yeah, I'll get you something," Leone grumbled under his breath as he returned to the thick foliage.
With a bounce of his snoot, Prince tossed the little twig into the pond and then sat back down and wagged his tail. The twig landed next to Tony who sighed. "Thanks Prince."
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Virginia stood atop the stairwell leading into the cellar. She took a deep breath and descended. The stench of decay hit her like an iron force. The overwhelming power evil emanating from the cellar threatened to crush her.
But with equal iron resolve, she pushed her way through.
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"Am I talking to a wall?! A vine – something long!"
Tony had sunk further down into the pit. He was up to his elbows.
Prince had dropped a toad on the edge of the pond and barked, his tail going from side to side furiously.
Tony tried to motion with his hands to demonstrate length. "A long stick! You know – stick! Like to throw! Fetch! A vine – oh, where is Leone? Go get Leone!"
His tail still wagging furiously, Prince picked up the toad which croaked in annoyance and pranced back off into the swamp.
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"Are you lost, child?"
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Virginia stood in the center of the cellar, the corpse of the Swamp Witch lying on the bier before her. The decayed fingers produced a knife. "Seal the vow with blood."
Hand trembling, Virginia took the knife.
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Tony was now neck-deep in the Swamp. He was calling out for help. "Prince! Leone! I appear to be – uh – doomed! Helloooo?!"
He was met with no response.
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A dead hand pressed a red apple into Virginia's hand. She stared down at it. If she did this – there was no going back from it. She closed her eyes. For Fen.
She opened her mouth and lifted the apple to her lips. Her teeth touched the skin as she prepared to take a bite ...
