The Mouseking's Tale: Chap 6

Chapter Six: Dreams and Notions

The tunic and cape dressed mouse stood in the mist, his paw readied for his sword. His opponent could not be seen; only the young being's ominous laughter echoed in the foggy nothingness. The Mouseking withdrew his weapon from his belt; no longer could he stand the taunting laughter.

But the laughter was soon silenced by loud rumbling. To the Mouseking's horror, he was surrounded by dozens of rising pillars; which had busts of the old, eye patch wearing magician. Suddenly, the sculptured heads began to cackle in unison as they fell towards the royal rodent… one by one.

The mouse dodged the mocking pillars as they crashed down. Unfortunately, the last column fell right behind the Mouseking. He screamed in agony as he pulled out his badly bent tail from underneath the heavy wreckage.

The cracked bust that damaged the mouse's tail resumed laughing.

Drosselmeier bust: (Sarcastic) YOUR TAIL!! YOUR TAIL!! YOUR PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS TAIL!! (Laughing)

Fuming from the insults, the King of Mice lashed his sword numerous times, till the mocking sculpture was nothing more than dust.

After the Mouseking caught his breath, he caught a glimpse of his foe; the one that started the pillar avalanche. Furious, the growling mouse pursued the silhouette towards a Christmas tree that the doll size figure began to climb.

When the rodent arrived at the tree's base, an auburn haired girl flung slippers and sweets at him. The tossed items suddenly became engulfed in fire! The alarmed mouse dodged the burning objects that began to singe his tail and cape. Screaming, he pats himself off and has no choice but to go up the tall tree after his assaulter, as the flames surround the largely decorated Douglas fir.

Tired and scorched, the Mouseking finally made it to the tree top. He raised his sword once more, but to the rodent's dismay, his attacker had already given the first strike. The Mouseking felt the terrible blow in his chest and lost his grip on the branches.

As gravity unnaturally and slowly pulled the wounded mouse towards the awaiting flames, he witnessed talking, derisive, wooden tree ornaments that were eerily familiar…

Marie ornament: Oh, such a simple-minded brute!

Pantaloon ornament: CROOKED TAILED COWARD!! CROOKED TAILED COWARD!!

Trudy ornament: You are an unfit king! What would your parents say?

The groaning mouse, holding onto his crown, gasped at the two other wooden decorations…

Father Mouseking ornament: Worthless waste of life! Such incompetence!

Mousequeen: (Cackling) Ha! Even with my crown, you're nothing but a stupid boy! A stupid, stupid, STUPID BOY!!

Everything around the slain Mouseking began to swirl; his paw managed to grasp onto a balcony; belonging to a candied and baked good castle. He averted his eyes from the water far below him; in which a huge whirlpool had manifested itself into a slamming drawer. The grunting mouse held on to his bleeding chest; while clinging to his expiring life on the slowly cracking ledge.

Two figures came into view, glaring down at the large, dangling mouse. He quickly realizes who they are. Pointing and laughing, Clara snatches the crown from the helpless mouse and hands it to her suitor. The Nutcracker Prince smirked as he replaced his soldier's cap for the rodent's prized crown. Others gather around the rosy cheeked doll and unusually small girl.

Other toys and mice: (Cheering) Long live, King Nutcracker! Long live, King Nutcracker!

The Mouseking's eyes widen fearfully as the Nutcracker raises his cap up high…

Nutcracker: (Sarcastic) Hip, hip, hooray!

King Nutcracker whacks the mouse's face with his cap, but the mouse still hung on.

King Nutcracker: You relentless rodent!

The King of Dolls stomped his black boots and the gingerbread ledge crumbled into nonexistence. And with that, the ailing mouse plunged into the violent water's depths below the castle.

As the former King of Mice sunk further and further into the cold, watery darkness, he closed his eyes from the pain and sheer disgusted thoughts of himself.

Mouse: (Thinking) I'm worthless… I'm stupid… I… am…

Voice: (Softy echo's) Special.

Floating in the soon-to-be watery grave of the rodent, a big and bright glowing form approaches. The mouse opens his eyes. The Anglican being ascends around him, lifting the surprised rodent out of the water.

Anglican being: (Speaking softly in echo's) You are special, so very special.

The gentle being places a hand over the mouse. He is now completely dry, his wound fully fades away.

The angelic form takes him into the clouds, far away from the mouse's tormentors.

Anglican being: (Speaking softly in echoes) No worries. You're safe now. I'm taking care of you.

The beautiful being hums melodically, as he feels his head being caressed. In relief, the relaxed rodent embraces his savior's arm…

*

Bianca is humming Silent Night as she strokes the sleeping mouse. The child had awoken from the animal's tension and coaxed him to relax. When his slumber was at ease again, she also fell asleep.

When the melody waned down… the mouse partly opened his pink eyes. He was fully conscious, not at all incoherent, but still felt weary. He squinted his sights around the dark and quiet room; the only sounds that could be heard was the soft, ticking pendulum of a little wall clock, the ice storm hitting the window's glass, and his own deep breathing which was neither gasping nor raspy. Also the pain within his chest was no longer tremendous.

The mouse didn't have a single notion on how he came to be at this peaceful place and was even more perplexed regarding the warm, resting person beside him; whose arm was still being clung on by the mouse's own brown paw.

But the rodent's tired thoughts concluded that he must be still dreaming. He would have his answers… when he truly wakes up.

So being comfortable, the mouse closed his heavy eyelids. And for reasons unknown to him, for the first time in his life, the mouse drifted off feeling safe… and special.