Little Match Girl's Story

On the stairs leading to the fourth floor of the castle, there was suddenly a fleeting patter of sound. Soft leather-clad feet slapped lightly against the stone; their owner was running rapidly to the top. However, as the person reached the landing, she was torn from her rush and jerked to a stop. The hood that had been pulled up and obscuring her face in shadow fell back to her shoulders, revealing a fleeting look of disgust crossing her face. From the lingering smell of things, she knew at least one person who was already inside the war room.

Impatiently, Adeen used her left hand to brush away locks of straight blond hair from her face. Her right hand, with its missing finger stayed by her side but with a small flick of her wrist, a thin blade shot out and she pressed her palm against the flat of it. The fact that the meeting involved the queen and her closest generals in the war room left little doubt in her mind about the reason for the gathering. A corner of her mouth twitched upwards at the thought. If rumors were to be believed, she would soon get her chance to go out and hunt the rebels. Adeen began moving forward again, but kept her pace calm as she strode down the hall towards the entrance to the room. Her right index finger trailed down the cool surface of the blade and she shivered. Soon she would be able feel the thrill of the hunt, watch the flames cover the rebels' bodies in a magnificent blaze, and hear their screams... Watch the pain as their bodies crumpled to ash.

She shook herself out of her thoughts and withdrew the blade back into its respective arm guard. First she would have to go into the war room and learn where she was to be assigned. Adeen paused at the edge of the doorway when she heard the end of what Goldilocks was saying. I suppose the meeting isn't over yet, she noticed. The air was even more pungent right up close to the Prince, but Adeen only squinted her vivid blue eyes for a moment and then entered the room. She kept herself unobtrusively at the back of the group, drawing in her presence by shrinking down. Her shoulders hunched ever so slightly and her head bent down as well. But she kept herself straight enough that she would be ready to stand at attention should there need be. Her eyes roved around, looking around the room for any sign that she would be needed. But other than that, Adeen didn't move.

She kept quiet and settled down to wait.

The War Room

The wicked queen calmly sat at the head of the table, lavishing her attention on none of the beings that sat before her. Her head was held high upon her long, stark-white neck, her brown eyes half-lidded beneath a thick fan of lashes. She listened first to Goldilocks’s pet and replied facetiously, “I do hope so. We can’t have a war without soldiers now can we?”

Fool. Only an employ of one of her generals would make such an obvious proposal. “Goldie, dear; please don’t bring your pets to the table next time.”

A soft and proud smile curled at the rose-red lips of the queen. She was a cold woman and expected only clever suggestions in her War Room. The Wolf was next. He seemed overprotective as usual. The castle and its regions were nowhere near in danger. The uprising was hardly what it sounded to be. Goldilocks seemed to echo similar sentiments as her pet.

The queen closed her eyes and opened them in a matter unlike a normal, swift blink.

“I would like to see this uprising,” the wicked queen said. “Mirror; my love; my darling; come here please.”

From the thick shadows behind the queen came the sound of heavy footsteps. The light from the candelabras hanging above the conference table flashed across the glossy face of a full-body mirror. The mirror approached the table on four lion paws sculpted from white marble and stopped once it was next to its master. The queen scooted back in her chair and turned to face the creature. She rested her fingers upon its back, lightly stroking its spine.

The mirror was beautiful, burnished, and without a sharp or jagged edge. She found herself caught up in its touch. The stone was eerily warm as though it was flesh and she wrapped her black lace-covered arms about its mane. Her breasts squishing against its flank as her black satin gown pooled at her feet.

“There are creatures who seek to oppose me. Mirror, show them to me so that I may destroy them,” the queen asked.

She released the mirror and slid back into her seat. The mirror leapt onto the conference table as its weighted landing resonated throughout the room. A few frogs had tumbled from the table, due to the vibrations and startle. The lion mirror stood in the presence of The Dark Court. Its marble tail flicked about as though it were living before it settled upon its belly. It raised its head, directing its long, oval face toward the ceiling. It then sank into the table until its glass face could be seen by all who sat around the table.

The mirror flashed and presented a small army of beasts led by a black unicorn marching through the Fairy Woods. There had to be one hundred, and they were advancing on Goldilocks’s animal slave camps to free their brethren.

The black unicorn stopped. His red eyes were wide and triangular ears perked in alert.

“What’s wrong my lord?” a buck questioned.

The black unicorn’s nostrils flared as he snorted uncomfortably. “There’s…there’s a disturbance…”

The buck spread his own ears and turned his head left and right, listening to the woods. “I hear nothing.”

The black unicorn’s hoof stomped the earth. “It’s magic. We’re being watched.”

His horn then began to turn black before a black orb began to fill the mirror, blinding the arcane eye of The Dark Court. The wicked queen frowned and rose abruptly to her feet. She couldn’t believe the magic of a unicorn was able to block the all-seeing eye of her mirror.

The wicked queen looked to Goldilocks, her eyes glinting with accusation. She pointed a manicured claw across the table at her and said ominously, “This is your problem. Do what you must to fix it, but you will bring me the unicorn alive. If not, bring me his horn!”

She lowered her hand. “The rest of you do as you wish…”

The queen then noticed Adeen in the back and she regarded the girl in momentary silence. Her painted lips then curled into an impish smile as she crossed her arms beneath her bosom, gazing at Adeen with much interest.

“Goldie, dear, be sure to take Adeen with you. She loves to burn things and what better to set fire to our enemies…and their home (Fairy Woods).”

The mirror climbed out of the table and approached its queen. She rested her hand upon its shoulder, petting him tenderly.

“My poor baby…did he hurt you? He won’t do so for long. We’ll get him,” she cooed to her mirror. As the mirror hopped down from the table, the queen turned her back to those in meeting. “This meeting is dismissed.”

She and her mirror then eluded into the shadows, vanishing from the room.

The frog prince gazed at Goldilocks and smirked. He knew how she always detested him and his frog servants. How he had control of all the frogs in Fantasia. He knew that she had tried to win the loyalties of his servants once, but she was not a frog. He was their only prince. She had often flaunted how she had control of all the animals in Fantasia, but here they were revolting.

“Your power is waning,” the prince taunted. “Little girls should stick to their toys and let the adults handle adult problems. I would have that unicorn’s head on a platter and his army in my belly.”

Because you are our prince! a frog chirped.

Yes, our powerful prince! croaked another.

The queen should have sent you, Sire!

Frosch grinned arrogantly at Goldilocks, flaunting triangular rows of teeth.

---

The horned frog that had been watching Vivian hopped after her as soon as he saw her flee. He stopped before a mouse hole, gazing down at the hole that he was too big to even attempt to squeeze inside. Upon hearing the praises of his prince, the frog turned and hopped away back towards the conference table.

The mirror's appearance and subsequent movement onto the table did not cause Adeen to stir. Her only movement were her eyes flicking over the glossy surface and skimming over its features. However, when the mirror's face shimmered and revealed the black unicorn and his followers, she leaned forward slightly to get a closer look. He cantered forward in strong, even steps and the power that lay throughout the animal was evident - more so when he broke the sight of the Queen's mirror.

Adeen sat back, pondering about the unicorn and the growing amount of rebels but keeping an eye on the queen and an ear open to her orders. Only moments after, she saw the queen's eyes gaze on her and she immediately focused on the present, standing at attention. "Goldie, dear, be sure to take Adeen with you. She loves to burn things and what better to set fire to our enemies... and their home." At those words, Adeen's eyes gleamed with suppressed eagerness and her lips curled up into a small smile. Soon she would be able to put some rebels to the flames. Finally, she would be able to do something. She bowed her head as the queen left and then turned her scrutiny to the frog prince and Goldilocks.

"Excuse my interruption," she said, her voice in a quiet volume she preferred, but uttered in a way that carried her voice clearly to the intended recipients. "But Her Majesty's mirror showed that those animals were nearly at the camp. I believe we should be going rather than sparing time to talk about who might be better?" The faster they got there, the faster she would be able to watch the lives join together in one magnificent flame. She would be able to watch the rebellion bleed out of their eyes, to become nothing but cold ashes. Soon. First they had to actually leave the castle and head out.

Adeen flicked her wrist. A blade shot out like a shot from her armguard quickly with only the barest of whispers; the light flickered on its surface, making it gleam. She moved her hand again and the blade sheathed itself. She drew and withdrew the blade and it was not unlike a snake's tongue as it flickered in and out quickly. Shhnk. The blade was out again. Another whisper and it was sheathed. Silently, Adeen let out a small sigh, standing up straight from where she had been resting against the cold stone of the castle wall. She was outside by the training grounds, watching various guards drill - and probably making them more than a little nervous with her less than hidden presence. She had decided not to go through too much work and blend back in the shadows, but rather play with a little ball of flame and then with her blades.

But even those had lost her interest rather quickly. She wanted - needed - to do something now. Burn a forest, hunt down rebels, anything. Adeen slipped through the paths winding around the great sprawling gardens surrounding the castle, many times wandering off the path, ignoring the prickle of watchful eyes coming from a few of the beasts lurking around. They did not attack. Adeen walked lightly through the growth, barely disturbing them until she reached the exit where she came to a stop.

Well, it looks like someone's back, Adeen mused as she gazed at the Piper expressionlessly.

When Adeen saw Piper, she saw a flicker of movement as Gren'del dove into Piper's pocket frantically. Correctly guessing that it was an action of fear, she put it aside, letting her gaze meet Piper's. She did not tense as Piper let his hand rest against his rapier and reach the other towards his pipe, but her palms tilted minutely away from her body, ready to call out her blades. She would not attack - Piper was another of the Dark Court, and so an ally against the rebels - but she would not stand if he decided to attack her.

The tension did not reach the threshold of any sort of danger and passed like a light wind. It had been nothing more than a breath of awkwardness - wariness. Gone. Piper spoke, a light touch of humor coloring his voice. "Good day Adeen... It is nice to see you -so- eager to welcome me home..." He bowed.

The edge of Adeen's lips curled upward slightly. Deciding to play along, she widened her smile and her eyes so they shone cerulean in the light. "Indeed," she said brightly. She had no dress, but she reached out, grasping invisible cloth and answered Piper's bow with a mock curtsey. "The castle inhabitants have missed your presence so much, that we all had to come and welcome you back with open arms."

Adeen straightened and she dropped her bright grin, settling for the more comfortable almost expressionless face with just a faint remainder of a smile. She could stand only so much wide, bright-eyed innocence, especially when it wasn't necessary... for other means. Her eyes, while not as open and bright, still gleamed with quiet, half-hidden amusement as they regarded Piper and Gren'del's head. "I know you have been... 'busy' staying at Hamlin," she said evenly. "But I don't suppose you might have caught anything regarding the growing rebellion?" Any information would be helpful, after all. And of course, she would be able to inform him of what had happened during the meeting earlier. Maybe the Queen would even let them both go deal with the strange black unicorn and the attempt to free the animal labor camps. Adeen was feeling twitchy and wanted - no, needed - something to do. Now.

Inwardly he studies her in silence, watching her for physical reaction. Checking to see if this is the same, twisted little girl he remembers. She was tense, and slightly edgy, eager to do something, anything... twitchy. Yet she maintained her Demeanor, she didn’t show much worry as he reached over the pipe, he hadn’t expected it, few among the Court could truly understand the power held the the instrument, and if he had his way, they never would. Her voice and smile only cause him to grin softly.

"Indeed," she had said with mocking joy. Answered his own bow with a mock curtsey. "The castle inhabitants have missed your presence so much, that we all had to come and welcome you back with open arms."

He straightened up slowly his hand falling down to rest at his side, the right hand remaining formally on his blade as he speaks aloud, thickening his German accent simply to amuse himself as he speaks. “What joyous news. Sound the horns, the bells, the drums and the choir. Clear the halls, ready the guests, and start cooking the feast, for the Piper has returned.” He speaks the words with -deep- sarcasm, but there is little meaning behind it all, little voice. Softly rolling his eyes as he says it, he is under no impression that he was really missed. Her next words cause him to blink, and Gren’del to softly poke his head from the pocket of The Pipers Coat.

"I know you have been... 'busy' staying at Hamlin," she said evenly. "But I don't suppose you might have caught anything regarding the growing rebellion?" At first, it was mention of Hamlin that caused him to blink, rarely was it mentioned in his presence, the slaughter of every man, women, and child. The stories and rumors that fallowed. Few spoke of it without disgust, or fear, let alone in his presence, then again, she was of the Dark Court, chances are, she had done her fair share of slaughter as well.

He blinks softly and tilts his head to the side, speaking with soft curiosity as he starts to take a few steps closer, ending the formality of their distance.

”What rebellion, among the people? No... they would never have the wit or the power to challenge the queens rule.” He pauses and thinks for a moment, before a small and coy smile crosses his lips. Possibly... just maybe.... the Toad has lost control of his flock?” The Frog Prince, or Toad has the piper called him. Was not a creature the piper enjoyed the presence of, drowning in his own power, corrupt and greedy. He had once held the vermin of these lands under his control. Like he did all animals, but they had left him for the Piper, a man who many of the rats and mice, viewed as a king in his own right.

Despite his humor. a cold, and dark seriousness resides in the mans deep eyes, and expression of cold Who are we going to have to kill to fix this? that anyone who knew him would know.

Adeen kept her gaze on the other as he stepped closer and answered with quiet curiosity. So he had not heard or seen anything about it. His path through the forest probably missed crossing any of the labor camps or the path of the black unicorn then. Piper's expression changed and he acted as if he were trying to hide eager anticipation in asking, "Possibly... just maybe... the Toad has lost control of his flock?" His eyes told of something different though. They were serious and understood that, whatever the rebellion, their expertise in killing would be needed. Adeen inclined her head in response.

"The animals," she half-agreed. Then, clearly and concisely summarized the events of the meeting. "They seem to have found a leader and are currently going to attack Goldilock's labor camps in order to free their brethren." Adeen's lip curled minutely. Not that more animals on their side would help the rebellion that much. Still, defeating them even on something as simple as an attempt to free labor camps would make their growing despair something quite delicious. She would get to And any damage to the forest would only lead back to damaging those animals' homes. Just another good thing to add to the list. "I think it will be quite entertaining to go help defeat that sad attempt at a rebellion..."

"Don't you?"