Page 8 of Return of the Nutcracker Prince

Elation filled him as she slowly nodded.

“Yes.Yes, I will help you.If I can...”

He leaped to his feet and cupped her face with both hands.Her doe eyes were wide, the sweet curve of her lips tempting him.“I can hardly believe this; I have dreamed of you for so long…” But as he bent his head, she slipped away.

“Klaus… I am to marry Berengar.Our parents will announce our engagement in one week’s time.I must return by then.That’s… all I can give you.”She looked away, her free arm wrapped around her middle.Did she actually want the bastard?

The tearing sound he heard was surely his heart ripping in two.“As you wish.”

An awkward silence descended, and Klaus could have heard a pin drop.

Or… paws scrabbling on marble floors.

Their heads shot up as they realized the enemy had discovered them.Klaus grabbed her hand as squeaking erupted in the walls, the mouse language impossible to interpret.Clara blew her candle out and dropped the candlestick on the marble floor as they bolted to the grandfather clock.The door opened and Klaus jumped through, pulling her behind him.

Blue lights surrounded them as they fell down the portal Uncle Ludwig had left behind.Gingersnaps!It had opened up several feet in the air!Klaus turned to face her, wrapping his arms around her.

“Klaus!”She tried to push away.

“Trust me!”Seconds later, his back slammed into the ground.Klaus shook his head.When his vision cleared, they lay among the ancient pine trees of the Enchanted Forest.A neutral zone, with no one but the stag and fox to rule.Clara scrambled to get off him, then he rose himself.

“I just didn’t want you to get hurt.”He raised his hands.“I apologize.”

“Thank you.”Her eyes were full of wonder as she took in their surroundings.“Where are we?”

“The Enchanted Forest.Uncle Ludwig said he’d send horses for us.”He took a deep breath of the winter night air.Only slivers of moonlight broke through the trees here.A whinny ahead of them drew his attention.

“Pepper!”Tied to a tree further into the forest was Klaus’s beloved horse Peppermint, a black stallion.Next to him was Tinsel, a familiar mare.She was a horse in the royal stables, usually used for training.She’d be the perfect horse for Clara to ride.

Klaus plodded through the snow and turned back to see her shivering as she followed.“Wh-why do you call it the Enchanted F-forest?”

“Because of its magic.Here, let me show you.”He called out to the trees.“We need a warm coat for Clara.”

“P-please.”

“Please,” he added.Funny, he’d never thought about manners when addressing the forest.But then he’d grown up here.Asking the Enchanted Forest for something you needed was commonplace.The trees would provide if they could.

The branches above them rustled, and down dropped a fine woolen cloak in midnight blue.Clara’s mouth dropped open.“Th-thank you!”Then she struggled to wrap it around herself with her shaking hands until Klaus stepped in.He tied it fast under her chin and flipped the hood up over her golden hair.She was the absolute vision of a winter beauty.

And hehadto remember she was betrothed to another.

Stepping back, he led her to the horses, who pranced back and forth on their hooves, probably eager to get going.“Here, this fine girl is Tinsel.Let’s get you mounted —”

Just then, a bullet shot from the darkness of the forest and landed on Tinsel’s rump.With a frightened neigh, the brown horse reared and bolted.

“No!”

“Hurry, get on Peppermint.We’re out of time.”

Klaus lifted Clara into Peppermint’s saddle, her legs dangling over the side, then drew his sword.She clutched the reins with white-knuckled hands.In the shadows of the forest, a small troop of four human-sized mice in blue coats and tall black hats rammed bullets down their rifles.Their leader, dressed in puffy pants and a vest, advanced on Klaus with his cutlass drawn.

Back in the drawing room, she decided she must have fallen asleep instead of going after her Nutcracker.Now, she was amidst the strangest dream of all.Godfather Drosselmeyer must have planted the seed of it in her mind at that party.It all felt so real; the bite of the snow through her slippers, the wind rustling the branches of the trees.The warmth of Klaus’s cheek against her hand.

From her vantage point atop Peppermint, she realized the riflemen were merely back-up.The mouse wielding the cutlass was doing all the work.Peppermint’s rear end danced away from the fight as swords clashed.She watched in helpless fear as the strange blade nearly overwhelmed Klaus, clutching the reins and her cloak to her chest.This might be a dream, but she still cared about him!If he died, would she wake?

His saber slipped over the cutlass’s curved blade and right into the captain’s shoulder.The mouse released an indignant squeak.Then Klaus was on the attack, pushing the captain back into the forest.His sword sang and the riflemen chattered, unsure where to aim their guns.

But the mouse captain had not finished yet.With a mighty kick from his huge back foot, Klaus flew into the clearing and landed on his back with a grunt.As he rose, the soldiers lowered their rifles to aim right at Klaus.

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