AaBack's Grimm: Dark Fantasy Fairy Tale #2 Friends Reunited: The Janus Beast, The Rose Beauty, And The Cursed Duckling

by Michael D. Britton

  Chapter Two

  The Recurring Dream While In Grimm

  For the first time ever, Jane's recurring dream changed. The colors, sounds, and sensations of touch in the world of her mind fancy became more vivid and alive than they ever were before. She experienced the dream the same way as before, seeing each scene as if seeing them for the first time.

  Even the start of her dream differed. Jane held the hand of her foster mother as she took her to the neighborhood playground. It was a Saturday and many children played there. A little girl and a little boy who were four like her, made fast friends with her, and they played for a good while, longer than young Jane could ever remember playing. Her little heart filled with joy at making new friends who lived very close to her foster parents' house. The little girl even complimented that she liked the white swan on her black t-shirt. The little girl and little boy ran over to a sand box to make castles and Jane joined them, but in the middle of making a huge castle, the children forced Jane to leave the sand box. They told her they didn't play with children they didn't know. Jane ran to her foster mother to be comforted, but the woman forgot she was under her care and kept insisting Jane find her own mother, so young Jane fled to the nearby woods heartbroken. Adult Jane remembered this event from her past.

  Young Jane ran through the woods for a long time and then came upon a bronze door that was opened out a crack. Jane walked around the door, but there was nothing on the other side but the woods, and the same door that opened in. She went back to the other side and opened the door the rest of the way out and as soon as she did that, the bronze door and her woods disappeared. Young Jane stood in a dense scary forest she didn't recognize with loud and boisterous animals squawking and roaring all around her. Every where she turned, the direction seemed to take her toward a darker and more dangerous path. Jane didn't know which way to go and decided on the path that was the least scary. She slowly made her way through the thick underbrush for hours and began to believe she'd never find her way home. Jane came upon a large root and sat on it, giving up. She was tired, thirsty, and hungry and just wanted to go home. She was near tears when about three dozen little fireflies appeared. She realized they weren't little, but a great distance off and flying her way through the darkness like tiny candle lights of blue.

  The fist size fireflies flew around her as they sang to her, taking away her fear, loneliness, and despair with their enchanting song. The chorus they sang out was filled with meaning, but there were no words as if their souls somehow touched her soul. The song was called Saah'Mee which meant Soul Heart in the fairies language. If Jane could have remembered the time when her life began as a baby, she would have said the song reminded her of being held in her mother's arms. She watched them as they danced about in the air, then their song changed, and an amazing thing happened. They started playing lightning tag. Blue currents surged around one of the flying creatures several times, then it shot the charge to another firefly, and the charge circled the new firefly and then shot to another. Six to eight charges in different shades of blue surged about at the same time. It was a wonder to behold. Jane wanted to play too, but she was afraid the currents would hurt her, so she tried to stay out of their way. One of the currents struck her hand and it tingled a bit, but it didn't hurt. Jane giggled as the neon-blue swirled around her fist, then she pointed at a firefly, and the current leapt to the next participant of the game. The lightning tag went on for about ten minutes, then one of the fireflies came really close to Jane, so she stretched out her hand, and it landed on her palm. Jane gasped in awe once the creature was close enough for her to get a good view of it. She peered at the tiny female creature which wasn't a bug but a fairy. The fairy flew up to her face and peered into one of her eyes, and Jane held very still as she did this. Jane didn't even blink. The female fairy pulled away and flew up a short distance, then she and the other fairies flew ahead of Jane, heading toward a small bright light that broke through the dark canopy. The fairies beckoned her to follow them to the light, so Jane climbed her way over roots and pushed her way through shrubs and bushes until she broke free of the forest.

  She shielded her eyes in the bright sun as her eyes had become accustomed to the darkness, and once her eyes adjusted, she turned back to the forest, but only one fairy remained, hovering just between the trees and the clearing. Jane walked back over to the female fairy.

  "Thank you," Jane said. "I couldn't find my way out. Do you know what direction I should go in now?"

  The fairy pointed behind Jane, she glanced in the direction, then turned and faced the fairy.

  "I wish I could play some more with all of you. Maybe I can come back tomorrow, and we can play. I would like it if we could play again. It's hard for me to make friends."

  The fairy flew over to Jane, kissed her on her right cheek, and then flew back into the forest. Jane felt a tingling sensation on her face as she stared at the forest, wondering if the fairy would return. The fairy never came back, so Jane turned and walked in the direction the fairy had told her to go. She came upon a small pond and gazed at her reflection. Dirt and leaves covered her from head to toe, and the way the forest debris covered her made her look like a little mud elf with pointed ears. Another thing caught her eye. On her cheek where the fairy kissed her was a black tattoo of a swan like the one on her t-shirt. The tattoo sparkled blue and then faded away. Jane rubbed her cheek, but the tattoo never reappeared.

  The sound of laughter caught her attention, and Jane followed the voices through the clearing, past a large oak, and beyond a small stone fence. The air smell clean like mountain air, and the song the fairies sang to her played in her mind's ear as she hummed the tune aloud. She walked over a hill and into a small meadow valley. A little boy and a little girl played there on grass so green it seemed fake. The memory of being shunned by the previous girl and boy still lingered, so Jane started down the hill near tears. She stopped and stood still as the boy and girl turned to her. They stared at her for a long time as if trying to figure out what she could be, and Jane feared they would run away or even worse, pretend she didn't exist. Their appearance gave her a sense that she peered into the world of a picture book as the boy and girl stared at her equally as curious. Jane looked down at her dirty self and wondered if they could even tell she was a girl. Jane wanted to run to them, but feared repeated rejection, so the endless game began again. Would they let her play with them? Would they forget her in the end?

  Adult Jane took notice of the blond boy who had the air of a prince and also something familiar about him. She spotted a medallion around his neck of some sort of beastly creature. Jane looked closer and saw that the beast was chimera-like, consisting of a lion's head and body with three sets of eagle's wings and four talons. The creature gripped a crown in its teeth. Adult Jane wondered if this boy could be the Beast and if it was him, did she meet him when she was younger?

  Fearing the worse would happen, young Jane nearly turned around and started back up the hill, but the girl with long black hair and a flurry white dress with red roses vining all over it, called to her as she held out her hand.

  "Come here, little elf. Come here and play with us. There is nothing to fear."

  The boy also held out his hand as he said, "Yes, come play with us. Come play with us and teach us a bit of your magic."

  The tears wrought with dejection that had been ready to flow, trickled down her cheek as one single droplet of immense joy as young Jane ran down to them and grabbed hold of their hands. She was so happy, she couldn't speak. Jane turned to the girl and noticed a mark under her left eye similar to the one she had seen on herself when she looked in the pond. Jane's mark had been a black swan and the girl's blue mark was in the shape of a double lightning bolt. Jane pointed to the mark, and it made the girl shrink back a bit as she covered it with her hand.

  "It is awful, is it not?" the girl questioned.

  Jane shook her he
ad as she found her voice and replied, "Pretty."

  The girl turned to the boy and told him, "She is so cute, we must keep her. Speak to your father."

  "I will think about it," the boy told her. "First, let us see what this elf can teach us."

  He moved to a different part of the meadow and bided them to follow him. Jane gladly did as she held onto the little girl's hand, and they ran after him. A small throne was set up there along with what looked like a tiny royal court. The boy sat in the throne and the girl with Jane in tow, went and stood before him. The little girl released Jane's hand and curtsied to him.

  "Now you do it," the little girl told Jane. "Bow like the males do."

  "But I'm a girl," Jane told her.

  The little girl took a step back from her, examining her unusual clothing.

  "I guess you cannot be the knight then," the girl told her.

  "I can still be a knight," Jane replied. "I'll be a girl knight."

  "It will be up to the prince," the girl said, then turned, and faced the boy, waiting on his decision.

  The little boy leaned on his elbow which rested on his tiny throne as he mimicked what he had seen his father do. He eyed the little elf carefully and then he declared, "I have never heard of a girl knight before, so I will be the first to have one!"

  The little girl cheered and so did Jane, and soon the boy joined in.

  "What does a knight do?" Jane questioned them once they all stopped celebrating.

  "A knight of the realm is a protector of the kingdom," the boy told her.

  "Can a knight have friends? Before I completely agree, I want to make sure I can still be friends with both of you?"

  "You wish to be friends with us?" the boy questioned. "I have never had a friend before."

  "Isn't she your friend?" Jane questioned him as she motioned to the little girl.

  "Her?" the boy uttered as he turned to the girl. "She is my court sorceress. My father has a wizard and his father before him had a battle mage. I chose a sorceress. She is to amuse me and protect me."

  "I am only a sorceress in training," the girl added. "I have many years of training before I can take the title sorceress."

  "Oh..." Jane spoke, thought about it, and then she said, "What you are isn't important. What's important is that you're friends. I saw how well you played together. You're friends."

  "I guess I have always had a friend," the boy said. "Now you are asking me if I want to have two?"

  Jane grinned at him as she spoke, "Maybe I'm asking you to be my friend." She went over and grabbed the girl's hand, "I believe us girls are already friends." She turned to the girl and asked, "Am I right?"

  "You are so cute," the girl said and then she answered her, "Yes, little elf. We are friends."

  "So..?" Jane inquired as she faced the boy. "Do you also want to be my friend and in return, I'll be your friend?"

  "I understand now," the boy stated. "A friend is not something I possess but something I share. My mother told me I should try to share more. Yes is my answer. I will be your friend and you will me mine."

  "Come here," Jane told him. "We need you if we're going to do a group hug?"

  "Group hug? All right, I will come and try this group hug," the boy told her.

  He came down from his throne, and Jane grabbed both of them in a loving bear hug as she instructed them to do the same. They stood there for a few seconds, and Jane got a sense of the family she always longed for. She had a big brother and a big sister who would always look out for her.

  The children continued to play and when the girl sorceress and Jane were hiding from the princely boy as they sat among the tall dancing flowers, the girl sorceress examined the little elf more closely.

  "You are very ordinary. Your appearance has nothing that stands out for good or for ill."

  "Why did you say such a thing to me?" Jane asked as unintended cruelty tainted the joy she experienced that day.

  The girl sorceress said, "My mother once told me, speak the truth always."

  Jane stated in return, "You're right. We should always speak the truth, but sometimes it shouldn't be uttered."

  "What do you mean?"

  "What you said to me was very mean and hurtful," Jane replied.

  "I only spoke the truth," the girl sorceress insisted.

  "Did you mean to make me feel bad? Did you mean to say you don't like the way I look? Did you mean to say we're not friends anymore because of how I look?" Jane asked as she turned and peered at her with her big brown eyes. Her lower lip curled up in a pout, and near tears, Jane added, "It's how it sounded to me."

  The girl sorceress peered at the little elf as she considered what Jane told her, and then the girl sorceress replied, "I did not mean to hurt you. We are friends." She thought about it some more and then she said, "My mother and you are correct. The truth is always to be spoken, but sometimes it does not need to be uttered. I am sorry."

  The girl sorceress reached over and gave the little elf a hug. Jane in returned hugged her back. They continued playing as Jane forgave the girl sorceress for making her feel bad. Joy again overshadowed everything within Jane's heart as she played with the princely boy and the girl sorceress. The part of her recurring dream that had always been fuzzy was now clear. The boy and girl accepted her, and young Jane wished with all her heart that she could stay in those joyous moments forever. The neighborhood she stumbled into wasn't that far away from her own. A forest separated them, but maybe if she convinced her foster parents, they would drive her over here to play with her new friends. The boy and the girl were her friends and in a sense, they were also her family. Jane believed they would never forget her as others did. Jane believed she would never fade from their memories as she had countless times before with everyone she encountered. She was also knight of the realm and that gave her a sense of purpose. Jane would always protect her friends.

  They played a mock version of the kingdom's court for a long time. The boy called in servants and had them pretend to be evil warlocks or trolls, and he even made one pretend he was a fire breathing dragon. The girl acted like she used her magic against their adversaries, and Jane and the boy attacked with invisible swords. Later, a few servants came out and set up a small table, and they served the children sandwiches and tea. The girl sorceress commented on how much she enjoyed the tea, so Jane asked if they could have more and the prince granted her wish. Once they finished, the prince decided he wanted to be adventurous, so he led the two girls beyond the meadow valley and found a patch of dancing wild flowers. The dream moved on and the girl gave Jane the flower ring which turned into a silver ring, and the boy stole a kiss from her lips, making her heart flutter. Their love and affection flowed into her so much, Jane thought her chest would burst open, and it made her believe wholeheartedly that their bond couldn't be broken by time or distance.

  A storm forced the children to seek shelter, and the dream moved rapidly from that point on. They walked around the temple like structure and saw all the statues within, then Jane scuffed her knee, and it slightly bled. A trickle of red plasma ran down her leg and with it, the love and affection she felt from the boy and the girl vanished. The girl grabbed the boy's hand, and the boy turned and dragged the girl after him as they fled from Jane into the storm. The image of their terrified faces haunted her as Jane woke, screaming.

  "Don't leave me!"

  The dream didn't fade, but stayed with her. Jane also remembered that she had the earlier version of the dream every night since that day she met the princely boy and the girl sorceress. She felt like crying for the child version of herself who lost so much when her friends turned their backs on her. Adult Jane couldn't understand why they were so afraid of her. She hadn't done or said anything that she could remember. The more she thought about the dream, the more Jane realized. She hadn't been in another neighborhood but another world. Jane still couldn't get her head around the fact she was som
ehow transported to the World of Grimm. She glanced around the large soft canopy bed she lay in as an invisible servant carried a wooden box with bandages hanging out of it and left the bedroom. Jane turned to the window and saw tiny birds sitting on the ledge singing to the morning sun as if she was in the Snow White fairy tale, and somehow she accepted her situation as if this was the norm.

  She went back to her thoughts. Jane couldn't believe how many times she had the dream over the years. She experienced a lifetime of heartache and pain, but there was also joy and affection within the never ending cycle. For the few moments she was able to hold on to the dreams in the past, she had longed to return to the world she had visited even with its suffering as long as she was allowed to relive the fun and happy moments with her friends. Adult Jane now believed she had returned to that world and that the Beast was the boy in the dream. The Beast was the prince who made her knight of the realm. The medallion was the proof. She only had to compare the boy's with the Beast's, and she would have her answer, but she didn't know what she would do if the Beast was him.

  Jane glanced around her room again and wondered how she had gotten there. Last she remember she... She must have fainted. Jane did have a vague recollection of being picked up in strong arms that were soft and she also remembered the smell of the forest. The Beast must have carried her to the bedroom, but who bandaged her arm?

  The door to her bedroom opened, and a female invisible servant spoke to her, "Good morning." A tray seemingly floated in and landed on a night stand beside Jane and then the female servant stated, "I was told to tell you that the master who roams the night knows what you are." The female servant sounded a little nervous as she continued, "He and I will keep your secret as long as you leave after you have had some breakfast. Do not return to this castle and the occurrence last night will not be spoken. The master is grateful that you rescued the Beast from Enchantress Ceress, but being the thing that you are, the master wishes for you not to associate with the master who monopolizes the light. The master who roams the night grants you your life and believes he has repaid you for the bravery he witnessed when you rescued the Beast."

  "I'm not sure I understand," Jane told her. "Is the Beast the master who roams the night or the master who monopolizes the light or is he neither of them? What secret do you refer to? And did you call me a thing?" she questioned and then the door to her room opened and it shut as Jane finished with, "I have... no... secrets..."

  She waited on a reply and when none came, Jane questioned, "Is anyone there?"

  No one answered, so she picked up the tray and ate the breakfast of eggs, toast, and tea. Jane got out of bed when she finished, found a water basin and towel, and freshened up. She examined the bandage on her left arm and as she moved the appendage about, she found that the arm didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. Jane found her backpack, the clipboard and quill, and the club which was no longer a snake, sitting on a chair. She grabbed her things, left the bedroom, followed the hallway to a set of stairs, and then went back to the dining room she had been in the night before. She saw no one within, and she didn't hear anyone within. Jane followed the hallway and peeked in several rooms till she came upon a study with shelves full of books and the Beast lounging in a chair beside a fireplace. He wore a princely garb of purple, red, and gold, and the book he read was entitled Narcissus, Love Of Self. She stayed at the entrance and knocked on the open door. The Beast looked up from the book he was reading, and Jane noticed something she hadn't noticed before. His mane seemed shorter and not as full as it did last night. Small patches of white feathers stuck out of it, and smaller versions of the white feathers speckled his fur here and there. His eyes also seemed different. They were blue and eagle-like.

  "You caught me reading one of my favorite books, but more importantly, you are awake and not only that, you are not trembling before me in terror. Are you blind or perhaps near sighted?" he questioned her.

  "Someone asked me a similar question, and I'd have to say that's an unusual question to ask me," Jane said and then she replied, "I'm neither."

  "Are you perhaps cursed with rose-colored perception? I did come across a fair maiden once who was and let me just say, that relationship did not work out in the end. Curses are funny things."

  "My view of the world isn't distorted in anyway," she answered.

  "The other nice thing about curses is the one who is cursed cannot speak of their affliction, so I can at least believe what you say since you are able to say it."

  "Huh?" Jane uttered and then she spoke, "I'm not sure I understand. It kinda sounded like you were talking about Fight Club."

  The Beast inquired, "Is that some sort of gladiator tournament? I do not allow such barbaric rituals in my realm."

  "I was referring to the first and second rule of Fight Club, but never mind that," she said and then she asked, "Did you tell one of your servants to pass along a message to me from you?"

  "What makes you believe I have servants?" the Beast questioned as he lifted both hands, gesturing around himself. "Do you see any?"

  "No, I don't see them," Jane replied. "I have only guessed that they're invisible after I saw you dueling with one yesterday."

  "You were quick to pick up on that fact." He noticed she had her things, and he questioned her, "Are you leaving?"

  "I am," she replied. "I hate to ask this of you..."

  "Ask me anything, up to half my kingdom, and I will grant it to you," he told her with a grin which made her think he was lying.

  She took a few steps into the study, lifted the clipboard and quill, and asked him, "Could I get your signature? I know technically I didn't make the delivery and now that I think of it, I'm not sure where the pastries ended up."

  The Beast laughed at her as he held out his clawed hand, and Jane placed the clipboard in it. She peered at his medallion as he reached up, and saw the beastly creature was of an eagle with three sets of wings holding the sun in its beak. A surge of disillusion flooded her soul. The image was different. Maybe he wasn't the prince of her recurring dreams.

  The Beast signed the clipboard with the enchanted quill, returned it to her, and said, "Up to half my kingdom and this is what you asked for."

  "I'm easy," Jane said and blushed, realizing the other meaning associated with the phrase. She hoped such phrases weren't used in his world and tried to think of something else to say to move away from her self-embarrassment. Jane spoke with a smile, "If you're in the giving mood, maybe you could give me a good tip."

  "Somewhat bold. I like that," the Beast spoke, then raised his voice, and ordered, "Get her a good tip."

  A pouch soon materialized, and Jane took if from the air.

  The Beast stood, set his book on the chair, and bowed to her as he said, "I also give you my gratitude. I wish there was more I could do."

  "Maybe you could answer one of my questions."

  "Ask," he commanded.

  "Who is the master of this castle?"

  "I am, of course," he replied with a hint of mischief and then he inquired, "Did you think otherwise?"

  "I wasn't sure," she told him and then gazed at him again with the fondness she always had for the drawings in her scrap book. He may not be the prince from her dreams, but he was bits and pieces of the one she had drawn. Jane wondered if she somehow created a Frankenstein Beast, and then she chuckled to herself over the silly idea.

  The Beast felt a bit uncomfortable under her searching gaze. Most people wouldn't dare look him in the eyes, and he could no longer see the faces of his servants, so her gaze was terrifying and yet tantalizing.

  "Well, I better be off," Jane said. "My boss probably thinks I've been turned into something or I've been eaten. If I don't hurry back, he may give my job and home away."

  "I would like one thing from you," the Beast told her as he moved close to her, took her chin tenderly into his clawed hands, and leaned in close. He wasn't about to let her leav
e with such a hold on him.

  "Umm..." she uttered as she melted in his touch. Jane thought surely he wasn't going to kiss her, but that's exactly what he appeared to be doing. She questioned him as her heart pounded in her chest, "What's that?"

  "Tell me your name."

  "It's Jane."

  "Jane," he said with a smirk. "The name suits you well."

  He released her chin, went back to his chair, picked up his book, and sat, going back to his reading. The enchantment she seemed to have over him was broken as he put a spell of his own upon her.

  Jane stood there a few seconds, then turned, and strolled out as if walking on air. She was giddy all the way to her bike. Jane placed the clipboard and quill in her backpack, mounted the bike, and headed toward AaBack. Maybe it didn't matter that he wasn't the prince from her dreams. Maybe he only had to be the prince from her imagination.

  The Beast lifted his gaze once she left, wondering if he should have questioned her while she was there. The swan tattoo he saw last night was no longer visible, but he was sure he saw it; he was sure he witnessed the sign of hope. He needed to find a way to have her return again without exposing his desperation.