Then someone else stirred. Suddenly the Dog Prince sat up.
“I’ve had too much champagne,” the Dog Prince said.
At the other end of the room, two twin sisters came to. “What’s happened?” they asked in unison.
Suddenly there was movement everywhere. People were waking up as if they had been in a long sleep. Tony leaned back to watch.
Virginia sat up, stunned.
“Why aren’t you all dead?” Tony asked.
“Troll dust,” Wolf said. He was holding Prince Wendell, undoing the muzzle and chain. “I swapped the poison for a pinch of Troll dust, just to make it look convincing.”
That was the best thing Virginia had heard all night.
Wolf finished undoing Wendell s chain. Then he let Wendell go. ‘ ‘Go for it,’ ’ Wolf said.
Prince Wendell bounded across the room and leapt into the arms of the startled Dog Prince. Wendell shifted first. For a moment, it looked as if he were holding himself. Then he stood as the Dog Prince’s arms turned into paws, his face changing back into that of a dog.
Within an instant, they were back in their true forms.
“That should do the trick,” Wolf said, smiling.
Wendell felt his human body in obvious relief. “I’m back,” he said. “I’m back. I’m back.”
Meanwhile, the Dog Prince, back in his dog form, barked excitedly and wagged his tail so hard, it looked like it might come off.
“Wolf,” Tony asked, “you were on our side all the time?”
Her father sounded relieved.
Virginia knew she was.
All around them people rose. The woman wearing glass slippers, who had to be Cinderella, said, “I knew it. There was something wrong. I knew it.”
She was pointing at the dead Queen.
“It’s her,” the beautiful Elf said. “Prince Wendell has saved us from the wicked Queen.”
Wendell advanced toward his stepmother and crouched. He touched her skin gently. She was really and truly dead. He raised his gaze to Virginia.
She recognized those eyes. She had seen them for over a week on a dog who had originally followed her home.
He had heard everything, seen everything, understood everything.
And he still did.
There was great sadness in his eyes—and even greater relief.
Chapter Forty-Six
Virginia stood at the tower window, looking at the vast forest below. The mountains were silver in the distance. She felt as if someone had hollowed her out. At least she wasn’t tired anymore.
She was wearing the gown that Wendell’s people had dressed her in. It was long and pretty, and someone had woven flowers in her hair. They wanted her below in a little while, and she wasn’t sure she could do it.
There was a soft sound behind her, and she realized that Wolf was there. He came up to her shyly and handed her a bouquet of wildflowers.
They were beautiful.
‘ ‘I sat outside your room waiting for you,’ ’ Wolf said softly. “You have slept for almost two days.”
“I didn’t realize how tired I was.” She sounded calm, but she wasn’t. She turned away from him. Her body shuddered, and despite her efforts to stop them, tears flowed down her cheeks.
“I killed her,” she said.
He put his arm around her. “It was not your fault. It was—”
“It was my destiny.” She had told herself that a hundred times, but she still didn’t understand it.
“You have done a great thing,” Wolf said. “For her as well as everyone else. You have to forgive yourself.”
“This whole journey,” she said, wiping the tears off her face, “none of it made sense, and then, when I found out the Queen was my mother, I thought I understood. I was going to he reunited with her. But this seems so cruel, so much worse than never finding her at all.”
“This is not the end of the story,” Wolf said. “It is just a chapter.”
“That’s just words,” Virginia said.
He stroked her face. There was such tenderness in the gesture that Virginia felt the tears well again.
“Go and say good-bye to her,” Wolf said. “Let her go.”
“I can’t,” she said. “I can’t.”
She pulled away from him and walked off on her own.
Already someone had repaired the glass ceiling on the ballroom and cleaned the blood off the floor. But Virginia still looked at the place where she had last seen her mother’s body. It was as if the spot were still marked.
There was a great crowd around her, and they were already celebrating. Her father stood beside her, wearing a beautiful suit, and Wolf stood beside him. Wolf looked more handsome than she had ever seen him. He gave her a tentative smile. She didn’t smile back.
A trumpet fanfare sounded, and then King Wendell entered the ballroom. Everyone applauded, and in the back someone cheered. He was wearing his crown—it looked quite good on him—and he had a maturity that she hadn’t noticed before.
He immediately started into the ceremony. He invited Virginia, Tony, and Wolf onto the stage. Someone brought the dog, whom Virginia still called Prince, to Tony’s side.
One of the courtiers lined the four of them up: Virginia’s father first, then Prince, then Wolf, and finally Virginia. She looked out at the audience. There had to be a couple of hundred people crowding the ballroom floor.
“And now,” King Wendell said, “for the greatest bravery imaginable, for courage in the face of relentless and terrible danger, I award my dear friends the highest medals in my kingdom.”
The court erupted into applause. Virginia made herself smile.
King Wendell stopped in front of her father. “Firstly,” he said, “my temporary manservant, Anthony. My people, look upon my friend. No longer is he spineless and wallowing in self-pity.”
“Thanks,” Tony said.
‘ ‘No longer is he an overweight, useless coward, who would rather run than fight.”
“I think they get the picture,” Tony said.
“No longer is he selfishly driven by envy and greed.”
“Just the medal, please.”
‘ ‘He is heroically transformed. What braver man could exist than Anthony the Valiant!”
Her father looked taller than usual. The courtier opened a velvet-lined box filled with medals, and Wendell took one out. He pinned it to Tony’s chest. Her father turned to Virginia and grinned. He looked quite proud of himself.
She was proud of him too. This adventure had been very good for him.
“For this long-suffering dog,” King Wendell was saying, “I have a special collar medal. From this moment henceforth, this confused canine will live in a golden kennel next to his very own mountain of bones. He may urinate and defecate wherever he wishes, and my courtiers will follow him around cleaning up.”
The courtiers in the front row winced. Virginia repressed a smile. King Wendell bent to give the dog his medal and then froze.
He said softly to the courtier who was helping him, ‘ ‘Perhaps it is better if I don’t touch him. You never know what might happen.”
The courtier fixed the medal on Prince’s collar. The dog barked and wagged his tail.
King Wendell gave the dog a wide berth and went to Wolf. Wolf stood tall and proud, waiting.
“For this wolf, however,” Wendell said, “I have no medal.”
People gasped. Virginia felt herself grow cold. Wolf looked furious.
“Huff-puff, that’s typical,” he muttered.
“Instead,” King Wendell said, “I have a Royal Pardon for all the wolves everywhere throughout my kingdom. From now on, wolves will be known as heroes. For it was a noble Wolf who saved the Nine Kingdoms.”
Wolf beamed and waved at the crowd. “That’s wolves for you,” he said. “Good guys.”
Finally, King Wendell turned to Virginia. His gaze softened as he looked at her.
“As for Virginia,” he said, “how can I ever reward you for
what you have done and what you have lost?”
He took something from his pocket. It was a dried flower. ‘ ‘This flower was given to me by Snow White when I was seven years old, on the day she left our castle forever. She said that one day I would meet her again, though she would never return. I understand her words now.”
Virginia took the flower and smiled. Her gaze met Wendell’s, and the specialness of the moment they shared in that cave made this moment even more poignant. She couldn’t think of a better reward for all those horrible days.
“A dried flower?” Tony whispered. “I thought you were definitely on for some of the Crown Jewels.”
“Shhh,” Virginia said to him, cradling the flower in her hand.
“Now, bring in those disgusting Trolls.”
The three Trolls were brought in, manacled together by the wrists and ankles. All three looked terrible. Frightened, sad, and completely without hope.
“Oh, Your Majesty,” said Bluebell, “we’re extremely sorry about the mix-up.”
“Mix-up?” King Wendell asked. “The penalty for trying to kill me is death.”
“Is it really?” Burly said. “Suck an Elf, that’s stiff.”
“We claim diplomatic immunity,” Blabberwort said.
“You will be beheaded,” King Wendell said, disgusted. “Take them away.”
They groveled and begged for mercy. Even Virginia was beginning to feel sorry for them. But, to her surprise, her father stepped forward.
“Your Majesty,” Tony said, “what you see before you are three abused street kids from the wrong side of the tracks. This is a day to forgive and forget. A day for new beginnings.”
King Wendell studied the Trolls as if he were looking at them from a new perspective. “I am moved by what you say,” he said. “But not much. They’re still Trolls.”
“The Troll Kingdom has no leader,” Tony said. “Send these three back to restore the monarchy. Give them another chance.”
King Wendell sighed. “Very well, you are pardoned. Take them away.”
The audience cheered as the Trolls were led away. Virginia couldn’t tell if that was because Wendell had spared them or because they were leaving.
“I’m going to sit on the throne,” Burly was saying to his siblings.
“You couldn’t sit on a toilet,” Blabberwort said.
“I can read without using my finger,” Bluebell said.
They continued arguing as they were dragged out of the room.
King Wendell clapped his hands together. “Now I think it’s time to eat.”
While the others moved to the banquet hall, Virginia slipped out of the crowd. She went to the mausoleum. The room was huge and made of stone. The tombs of many people lined the walls. It was cold here and smelled faintly of dust.
In the middle of the floor was an open glass coffin. Her mother’s body lay in it.
Virginia placed the dried flower that Wendell had given her in her mother’s hand. Then she kissed her mother on the forehead.
As she knelt down, sunlight pierced the great room from a window high above and bathed the coffin in light.
“When I was little,” Virginia said softly, “you had this fur coat, and you’d come into my room and I could smell your perfume. You would brush the fur backwards and forwards against my face and I knew you really, really loved me.”
Tears ran down her face. This time she didn’t try to stop them.
“I just want to be your little girl, and for you to love me.”
She leaned against her mother’s body and let herself cry. She cried until she had no more tears inside. Then she stood up to leave. She looked down at her mother one last time, and then she smiled.
The dried flower she had placed in her mother’s hand had already started to bloom.
Virginia washed her face and combed her hair before returning to the banquet hall. She was feeling a lot better.
The meal was already under way. She wasn’t really hungry, but she didn’t want to be alone either.
Wolf was sitting beside her father. They both saw her, and Wolf waved his arm. “Over here, miss.”
He scooted his chair sideways, forcing people along the extremely long table to make room for her. As she sat down, he said, “What would you like to eat?”
Virginia shrugged.
“Yes,” her father said. “You must eat something.”
They were both getting into this celebration. She supposed they all deserved it.
“Well,” she said, smiling, “I’ll have a bit of fish.”
“Fish, fish, fish, yes,” Wolf said. “Waiter, bring fresh fish immediately.”
A waiter set a plate down before her. On it was a fat, well-cooked trout. She cut into it and saw both her father and Wolf watching her.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Really.”
She pulled a flaky bit of fish out with her fork and was about to eat when she stopped. There was something inside that fish, and it was ... singing. She looked down. There was a ring in the fish’s belly.
“Let me linger, on your finger,” the ring sang.
Wolf clapped his hands together in delight. ‘ ‘It’s my engagement ring. You made it.”
“Of course I did,” the ring said. “A singing ring never fails to get his girl.”
“It’s destiny,” Wolf said. “Put it on. Put it on.”
Virginia looked at it, speechless. The ring was even more beautiful than she remembered.
“It’s come an awful long way,” Tony said.
She took out the ring and looked at Wolf. “I’m just trying it on, okay?” she said. “I’m too young to get married, and I don’t believe in marriage anyway.”
‘ ‘Me neither,’ ’ Wolf said, laughing, ‘ ‘but put it on anyway.’ ’ “I’m a modern girl,” Virginia said.
“And I’m a new man. Widely read and ready for action.” She slipped the ring on. It sparkled, and a shower of tiny stars exploded around her finger.
“What a creamy knuckle,” the ring sang.
Her father chuckled and turned away, talking to the person next to him, recounting his heroic exploits.
Virginia looked at the sparkling ring and then back to Wolf. “It’s lovely, but I’m not ready to—” She tried to take it off, but it was stuck.
“I’m on,” the ring said. “I’m not coming off now. Not ever again.”
“I’m not getting married,” Virginia said.
“ ’Course you are,” Wolf said. “Our baby’s got to have a father.”
“I don’t intend to have any children, thank you.”
“It’s a bit late for that,” Wolf said, beaming at her.
She froze. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve got a little wolf cub growing inside you,” Wolf said.
“Ha,” Virginia said. “In your dreams.”
“Just you wait and see,” Wolf said. “A little furry chap, just like me, only much smaller. Believe me, I’m a wolf. I know these things.”
He smiled and ran his hand gently across her belly. ‘ ‘I just know it will be a magic baby.”
Virginia shook her head slowly. This was all too much.
“We’re having a baby,” the ring sang. “We’re having a baby.”
And slowly, Virginia smiled.
It felt odd to be in the Queen’s bedroom. But the sense that Virginia had had when she first came here, that sense of evil, was gone.
She crouched in front of the Traveling mirror and hit the catch. In it, she saw King Wendell, Wolf, her father, and the dog reflected.
Virginia stood.
“You’re really staying?” she asked her father.
“Why not?” Tony said. “What am I going home to do, be shouted at by Murray? Be a janitor? And don’t forget, I’m still wanted for armed robbery back there.”
He patted the dog. Her father had always wanted a dog, and now he had one. A very good one. The dog wagged his tail and grinned a doggy grin.
“Don’t worry,
” her father said. “I’ll just stay for a few weeks and then come back.”
Virginia didn’t believe him at all. “Is it to be near Mom?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
The mirror began to clear. King Wendell peered into it as if he were astonished that his memories were real.
Virginia watched as the mirror showed first the Statue of Liberty, then the island of Manhattan, with its tall buildings.
She turned to her father. She didn’t want to leave him. He was giving her a goofy, sad little grin.
“Anyway,” he said, “you need to have a bit of time away from me.”
She bent down and patted the dog. It was easier than looking at the warmth in her father’s eyes. This would be the first time they would be apart.
She rose. “I’ll see you soon,” she said. “I really love you, Daddy.”
His eyes filled with tears. “You haven’t called me Daddy since you were a kid.”
She kissed him and then hugged him.
He squeezed her so hard, she thought her ribs would crack. Then she eased out of the hug and took Wolf’s hand.
“See you soon, Grandpa,” Wolf said.
He walked with Virginia through the mirror.
As everything around them turned momentarily black, Virginia heard her father say, “Grandpa?” and she smiled. That would keep him worrying for a while.
An instant later, they emerged from the mirror’s liquid into Central Park. It was dusk, and no one was around. The path was empty.
She slipped her hand through Wolf’s arm as they sauntered out of the trees. “I was always frightened of walking through the Park at night, but not anymore,” Virginia said.
She led him to a park bench. They sat down, and he put his arm around her.
The lights of Manhattan looked alien to her. They didn’t flicker like the lights of the Nine Kingdoms. This world was new again. And yet, she had missed it.
Wolf smiled at her. “What are we going to do now?”
She smiled back.
“Nothing,” she said. “Nothing at all.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder. Happy Ever After wasn’t a prediction. She had learned in her journey through the Nine Kingdoms that Happy Ever After was really about something else.
The 10th Kingdom Page 43
