Fairy Tale Blank, Part 14

As the horse plunged further into the woods, Charles wondered if this was a good idea. The trees were little more than blackened spires against the deep purple sky. Long-fingered branches rustled against the soft wind. Hooves clip-clopped over beds of dry, gray leaves.

“Are you sure these are the Summerlands?” Charles whined. “Feels more like winter's coming. I thought it was early fall.”

“Not here.” Brett shivered. “It's what Malade does. She strips the beauty and warmth from everything and turns it into energy for her and her trolls.”

They saw the tall spires of the castle even before the horse drove them up to the rusting iron gates. Gargoyles leered from blackened stone towers, keeping watch over moss-covered walls. An eerie howl cut across the bracing air. Richard started to jump out, but to everyone's surprise, the heavy gates creaked open. The screeches from the rusty hinges scraped across Charles' soul.

Gene's mouth dropped open as they drove through the gardens. “Would you look at this? I heard people talk about the Summer-Winter Garden, but I never thought I'd have the chance to see it for myself.”

To their right was the most beautiful green spot Charles ever saw. Deep red roses mingled with brilliant pink zinnias, sunny white daisies, frilly white hollyhocks, and golden sunflowers as big as houses. A row of trees bore ripe cherries and peaches amid glossy green leaves. Snow fell from heavy dark clouds, blanketing everything. The trees were as bare as the ones outside the cobblestone walls.

“This is amazing.” Charles put his hand out to feel the soft, frozen flakes. “That's snow, all right. It's really snowing in one place.”

Marcia frowned. “This is exactly like the garden Will described to me in the letters. He said he lived at the Summer-Winter Castle. Wonder if he was a member of the court?”

“Well,” Richard reminded her, “we won't find out if we can't get in.” He nodded at the heavy oak door bolted from the inside. “That doesn't exactly look friendly.”

“I think I can take care of that.” Marcia closed her eyes, focusing intently on the door. She raised her hand...and a blue light darted under the thin crack. A minute later, it creaked open, revealing a dark hall.

Gene waved his wand, making the glowing on the tip brighter. “Thank you, Marcia. Shall we enter? I'm starting to feel the chill from the winter side of the garden. Not to mention, it's late. We need to find Bill Cullen and get out of here.”

Stiffing mustiness enveloped them all as they make their way down a dimly-lit hall. Stone and wood archways with spiny pieces like teeth rose over their heads. Books, thick velvet chairs, and rosewood tables shown in the dim light with fresh polish. Moonlight filtered through stained glass windows depicting local folk tales filled with knights and dragons. Faded portraits in tarnished gilded frames showed Summerlands rulers going as far back as two hundred years. A fire roared in a fireplace, but no one reclined in the big velvet seat and warmed their hands.

“That's strange.” Brett frowned. “I swear I hear people talking, but there's no one in this room but us.” A pear floated from a bowl and onto a tray. Sliced cheeses and sausages appeared from thin air. Four mugs of steaming cocoa settled on the table with no one lifting them. “Ok,” she croaked, “now I know there's something wrong.”

“Thank you!” Some unseen person handed Charles a steaming mug, which he sipped with a grin. “I didn't think ghosts were such perfect hosts! This hot chocolate is delicious.”

“Oh, I feel awful!” Brett closed her eyes, dropping on the heavy leather chair. “The black magic...it's like pea soup in my head. I can't think. I think I might throw up.” Velvet pillows behind her fluffed themselves; a metal pot appeared next to her.

“This room is really too clean for an abandoned castle.” Gene ran a finger along the mantelpiece. “Not a speck of dust...and castles are notorious for being drafty and dusty.”

Marcia turned in time to catch the glimpse of a fluffy dark brown tail and furry behind disappearing through a stone door in the back of the hall. “Bill?” She managed to get the door open, revealing the furry end pattering down steep steps. “The wolf! What's he doing here?”

“He said he was going home.” Gene lit up his wand again. “This must be his home. I think,” Gene added, helping Brett down as rickety wooden stairs creaked under them, “he's the key to finding out what Malade did to the inhabitants of the Summer-Winter Castle. I'm fairly sure they're under some terrible curse.”

They descended into a pitch-black dungeon. Four narrow cells stood on either side of them, but only one held occupant. Bill Cullen huddled on dirty piles of hay behind iron bars. “Why did you do it?” a familiar voice growled. “Why did you steal my rose? And you seemed like a nice guy!”

“I didn't know I stole it!” the bookshop owner broke in. “I thought the building was empty. All those roses were just growing there. I only took one.” His voice broke as he nearly coughed up a lung.

“Those roses are all I have now. They're mine!” The small wolf paced in the shadows, glaring at the shop owner through the bars. “It's not nice to steal from other people, even a wolf. I'd call the Sheriff, but I don't want him getting...her...involved. You'll have to stay here until I decide what to do with you.”

“No!” Marcia jumped between the wolf and the bars and brandished her torch at him. “Lay off him! So he took a rose. Like that would kill you. There's thousands out there.”

“Marcia,” Bill whined, “what are you doing here?”

“Mr. Cullen was late, so we came looking for him.” She gulped and looked over her shoulder at the book shop owner, then turned back to him. “I'll stay. Let him go.”

Richard nodded. “If she stays, the rest of us stay.”

“Now, wait a minute,” the wolf began, “this is my place...”

An unseen hand dropped the keys in Gene's open palm. “Thank you.” He unlocked the iron bars and freed the limping store owner. “Are you all right? I could take you home and come back.”

Bill Cullen nodded, leaning heavily on the taller wizard. “I think it's best if one of us went back to town. I'll round up wizards from other courts, including ones who went into hiding after Malade invaded their lands.”

Marcia got on her knees by the wolf's side. “Everyone knows you were attacked. You're the only one who hasn't vanished into thin air. Where's the rest of the household?”

The wolf's eyes went down to the stone floor. “They're...invisible,” he finally admitted quietly. “My valet is probably down here with us.”

“They treated me like royalty when I arrived! Cakes and sausages on a tray and a pillow for my feet.” Bill Cullen made a face and rubbed his bad limb. “This terrifying howl spooked my horse. It reared up, knocked me off the carriage, and ran out.”

“I, er, might have done that.” The wolf' managed to blush under his fur. “I guess I felt frustrated over still being stuck like this when I got in. Didn't mean to scare you!” He frowned. “But I still want Marcia to stay. Even if I do howl a lot. And shed. I can't help it. It's warm, and I'm hot, and all this fur itches...”

Marcia grabbed his muzzle. “Enough! We get the picture. Ok, we stay. Mr. Cullen goes to get help. And I or one of those invisible people of yours needs to give you a trim, before more than that bit on top of your head goes bald.”

He lead the quartet upstairs and to the second floor as Gene helped Bill Cullen back to his horse and carriage. “You'll be in the main suites. I've already told Cook to make my guests a special dinner for their first night here. We'll eat in the dining room. You know, the table's so long, I can call from the front of the room and not hear myself way in the back? We...they...used to have a lot of big functions in there. They got kind of boring, other than talking to people. I can tell great jokes! You should hear the one about the jester and the two nuns.”

“Maybe another time.” Marcia petted him as a door opened behind her. “I will never get over that. How do they know?”

“Oh, I was just in the hall!” said a cheerful voice from nowhere. “I'm Ann, the upstairs maid.” A rag waved in a sprawling pink and gold room. “Will this be fine for the ladies?”

“I think it'll do. Tell Jo Anne to put out their dresses.” Bill nodded. “This is your stop, girls.” He pointed a paw down the hall. “And you gentlemen will sleep in the green room across the way. If you need anything, just ask. And don't be scared when your stuff moves. It's just the servants.”

Charles stopped him as Richard entered their room. “Bill,” he said quietly. “you were the one who wrote Marcia, weren't you?”

The little wolf's tail drooped between his legs. “I like her, Charlie,” he said in barely a whisper. “I like her, but I can't tell her. And I can't write her again. I tried, but it's tough to hold a quill in your paws.”

“Then don't write her.” Charles scratched his back. “Show her. And we can help.”

“How?”

“Why don't you could finally have that date? I'll provide the music, and Gene can do tricks.”

“We have musicians.” Bill's tail wagged. “They're practicing in the music room downstairs. You can't see them, but you can probably hear them. They wouldn't mind you joining in.”

“Come on.” Charles nodded towards the bedroom. “Why don't we get the others and talk to the servants...at least, the ones we can find...and we'll get this going? We could decorate the room, make it look pretty.”

“Yeah!” Bill leaped into the air before leading Charles to the men's room. “This will be fun! You know, I haven't done anything like this since I...well, in a long time. You know once that room downstairs hosted one hundred visiting dignitaries? And none of them knew even one good joke! Stuffiest party I ever went to. This won't be like one of those. This will be different...” Bill's rambling could still be heard down the hall, even by the invisible servants.

~*~*~*~*~*~

They spent the rest of the evening turning the dining room into a wonderland. Unseen hands arranged baskets of roses into garlands that perfumed the room with their sweet fragrance. Tiers of crystal plates held fruit from the orchard covered in sugar. Brett bullied and badgered the plates and dishes moving around her into the perfect intimate dining experience. Gene used his wand to light the golden candles in polished pewter candlesticks.

Brett accompanied Marcia downstairs. Roses in white and red wreathed her coppery curls. Fabric roses trimmed a yellow silk gown with lace on the skirt and at her thin shoulders. “I even dug up the family jewels!” the soprano voice behind her trilled as diamonds and rubies jingled on her slender neck. “Oh, and I'm Jo Anne. I'm usually the upstairs maid and a singer with the band, but our master asked me to tend to the ladies while they're with us. Don't they look ravishing? I always did like this dress. It belonged to the master's mother, years ago.”

Marcia grinned ear to ear. “I haven't worn anything like this since I left Nerdocrumbesia. His mother had good taste.”

Charles nudged Bill, who stood by his chair with his mouth hanging open. “Say something nice!” he whispered furiously.

“I...uh...oh...” Bill tried giving her a smile, but it looked more like a silly doggy grin. He'd been scrubbed and brushed until his glossy brown fur almost glowed. Gene tied a loose blue velvet sash and diamond pendent around his neck in place of the collars he refused to wear. “You look really..uh...nice. Mo...the queen would have been proud.”

“Aw.” She leaned over and stroked the top of his head. “You're sweet. Shall we eat?” He managed to tug the seat out with his teeth far enough for her to sit. An unseen hand helped him into his.

“You know,” Bill started as bowls of steaming hot tomato soup appeared by themselves, “I want you, and all of you, to be comfortable here. Feel free to explore anywhere you want. Just leave the flowers outside alone. Let the gardeners handle those. They're delicate, and they're special. That's why I got so angry at your book shop owner friend. As long as they're blooming, that half of the garden will stay summer. I guess I'm sort of attached to them, you might say, and they're sort of attached to me.”

Brett and several of the transparent housemaids brought them roast beef with fresh vegetables from the garden. Charles played “It Only Takes a Moment” and Brett sang along with him. Both wore their best, him in bright red with a jaunty flowered scarf at his neck, her in green velvet and pearls. Musical instruments twittered behind them, seemingly moving on their own. Gene, now back in his orange and blue wizard's robes, waved his silver wand and made tiny fireworks and glittering sparkles appear over their heads.

“Wow.” Marcia grinned. “That's amazing.” She pushed her plate aside. “This is delicious Bill, really, but I don't think I'm that hungry. I hope Cullen's all right. You were kind of rough on him.”

“I didn't mean to shout, but those roses mean a lot to me.” Bill climbed off his seat and went right to Marcia's side. “Princess...Marcia...” He placed his paw on her hand. “I...I'd like to marry you. Will you be my wife?”

“I almost wish I could.” Her fingers wrapped around his paw, giving it a squeeze. “Look, I'm sorry, but I can't marry you. For one thing, at least right now, you're a dog. And even if what I suspect is true and you're a human, I don't know you. Besides, my heart already belongs to someone else. Maybe you knew him. He told me his name was Will.” She sighed. “I guess the trolls got him after Malade invaded. None of the maids will tell me anything when I ask about him.”

“I...knew him. He's...not here. Not really.” He frowned, shaking his head. “I'm going to leave you to dinner. I've kind of lost my appetite. Have fun. They'll give you whatever you want. You only have to ask. You...I...I, er, have to go.” Marcia had no time to reply before he dashed out the door, past Brett, Charles, and Richard, who'd been listening through the keyhole.