Skeletons in the Closet

[Fox of Hearts]

Wendy had always envied the master and mistress for having such a spacious bedroom. The room was about one and a half times her small apartment room back in Charleston. After tonight, she doubted she'd ever want to stay in such a big room ever again. The lovely room morphed into a nightmarish funhouse where pain and (possibly) tetanus awaited the unfortunately souls traversing the floors. The very idea of contracting tetanus sent a shiver down her spine as she tried her best not to fret over the pins digging into her arms and shoulder blades. Even though she couldn't see it, she guessed they were thumb tacks. Needles usually lay flat on the ground and goodness knows how many times she had helped madam mend Miss Ella's torn dresses.

The bears bouncing on her stomach weren't really her main concern right now. She was so afraid of driving the pins further into her flesh that Wendy chose to remain very still. Light peeled away the unending darkness allowing the incapacitated maid to see the shadowy outlines of the dolls lurking around the room. They darted away to avoid being seen but her ears managed to hear the telltale pitter-patter of their small feet. Eventually, the light fell directly on her and blinded her. Wendy was only starting to snap out of her daze when Jace hauled her to her feet.

She gripped Jace's arm to steady herself. "Th-thank you," she gasped, wiping away her remaining tears. A ghost of a warning hovered at the back of her mind; the words refused to come to her lips. She clutched the bottle of holy water close to her chest as she struggled to piece her message together.

Adding to her confusion, she noticed one of the kids on the floor not too far from her. She started shuffling towards him, unconsciously mimicking Marten's technique of crossing the floor. One step, two steps. She was about to take step number three when two things happened at the same time. Firstly, yellow light flooded the room making her recoil. She staggered backwards and nearly tripped if she hadn't steadied herself in time. Secondly, Ethan yelled about grabbing the katana.

"Wh-what katana?" she blurted out before she remembered the sword Ethan was carrying earlier. Torn between embarrassment and panic, Wendy spun to her right then her left rapidly. There! Two care bears lifted it proudly over their heads as they skipped towards the desk. The tacks stabbing their feet didn't seem to bother them at all.

Luck was on their side this time! The two jubilant bears didn't notice the grunette close by. Wendy wasn't so oblivious. She waved her arms wildly to get Marten's attention before pointing to the bears. "Grab it! Quick!"

Angry squeaks came from the mini pumpkin. He got to his feet and waved to the bears at the foot of the desk. He didn't have to wait long before a basket filled with golf balls was pushed onto the table beside him. Raspberrying loudly, the pumpkin started lobbing ball after ball at Marten in an attempt to thwart her. He wasn't going to fail now that they were so close to claiming that sword as theirs.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Charlotte was a wallflower. She preferred hanging back while others rushed headfirst into new territory, which resulted in the Mother Superior calling her a "languid individual who could afford to be more lively". This time her hesitation paid off. As soon as Jace switched on the lamp, Charlotte was about to get her bearings. She committed every detail of the room to her memory. It didn't take her very long as she was quite familiar with this room. She was in-charge of maintaining Madam's extensive wardrobe.

The doors of sides of the wardrobe remained in hidden in the shadow, but Charlotte knew that the Master's side of the wardrobe was closer to the wall. Aside from clothes, she remembered that he kept a set of golf clubs, spare umbrellas and a tennis racquet. She believed the golf clubs and the tennis racket would come in handy. Not only were they great makeshift weapons but they could be used to knock away the marbles, jacks and thumb tacks to clear a path. Miss Ella could also be hiding inside one of the wardrobes.

Feeling confident about her decision, Charlotte leaned against the wall and started cruising towards Paul's wardrobe. She paused every now and then to check if the dolls spotted her. Thankfully, no one noticed her seeing how the pumpkin doll and his friends were focusing on Marten and London. The latter was unfortunate enough to have gotten caught in the pumpkin's onslaught. Reaching the door, she flung it open only to reel back in horror. Inside the cupboard was a legion of troll dolls armed with tennis balls. Charlotte's eyes went very round as she brought her arms up to shield her face quickly.

"Help! Golf clubs tennis racket here! Get them!" she yelped in a frenzied staccato.

She continued enduring the hits as she believed that the dolls would run out of ammunition sooner or later. When that happened, she planned to rush over and grab the Master's golf set. The golf bag lay inside the cupboard so tantalizingly within reach.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Castor was in a lot of pain. Despite freeing himself, he had accidentally stepped on a thumb tack. The dog winced slightly and kept his injured paw in the air. Having to endure such excruciating pain made him twice as cautious. He scanned the area only to realized that he was trapped. There were jacks and thumb tacks everywhere! He couldn't do anything other than growl and snap at the dolls whenever they got too close.

What kept him going was the fact that he was surer than ever that Ella was close by. Her scent was very strong inside the room which mean that she had come in not too long ago. He didn't know where exactly she was hiding but he was very confident he could find her. "Grrrrr," he growled as a pink furby shuffled towards him.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Collab between @Impudimp and @Cartoonicat

"Just peachy," she answered Jace, the words coming out with unintended venom. Well, intended for the pumpkin, at least. Puta de pumpkin, little dirtbag-

Something sharp pricked her palm when London threw another handful of marbles through the air. She glanced down at her hand, finding not a scratch, but beyond her fingertips she noticed several upright tacks on the floor. Suddenly, she blanched; I could have landed on those. The thought cleared her head some. She needed to be careful.

A loud thud across the room forced her to look up. Swivelling her flashlight, she spotted Jace on the floor. Winced for him, because ouch. He brushed off falling on the tacks relatively well, though, for in the next few seconds he reached a lamp that washed the room in a dim light. Then hell broke loose - though, some could argue it had already.

Ethan fell next, London pulling a face because, again, ouch - but also because her katana was lost to the fray. She pocketed her flashlight and shuffled towards it. Paused, realizing only then that Ethan was defenseless: "Ethan!" London spun around and placed the salt bowl on the floor. Slid it in his direction before turning back towards the slew of stuffed animals.

A flying golf ball blindsided her, slamming into her arm. She scowled. Another golf ball connected with her thigh. London raised her arms, trying to block the onslaught. Each time a golf ball flew across the room, she grew angrier. Not to mention, she'd lost sight of the katana.

Where is-... there! Her precious cosplay prop was held aloft by a pair of pain-in-the-ass Care Bears who dared touch her stuff. It was just within Marten's reach. "Marten, my sword!"

What the hell is this?! Golf balls? Why did it have to be golf balls?! It couldn't have been ping pong balls or something similar but less brain damaging?! The grunette thought frantically as she began dodging as best she could with her back against the wall. There were dolls everywhere, and she was paranoid about leaving her back open in any way.

It was a tough plan to stick to, but she managed. Who hadn't grown up playing dodgeball after all? She'd contort and shimmy to avoid the more worrying strike, blocking a few with Milton's bat as well; however, since they were so small, the bat wasn't as effective as it could have been.

The hits she did take were certainly going to bruise something fierce. Even paintballs hurt less… slightly. They were pretty bad after all.

But of course it was perfect for smashing dolls! The calls to grab London's didn't go unheard. In the midst of her jiving Marten would use the tool to extend her reach, knocking away one of the bears holding up the toy sword and effectively giving the other a hard enough time of carrying the weight that she could shuffle her way over.

"Oh no you don't you little cavity!" She'd growl well enough to make Castor proud, simultaneously wrenching the sword from the bear and bopping it on the head with her bat!

Taking the katana from Marten, London felt a wave of relief fall over her. It stung a little to curl her bandaged hand around the handle, but not enough to deter her from fighting. Bashing Care Bears and evil dolls was so worth it. The impact of another golf ball - this time on her side - interrupted the good feelings: They weren't done here. Not by a long shot.

London swung the katana and watched, chest swelling with pride, as it flung a random Care Bear out of their path. That's for touching my stuff! Paul's desk was still quite the distance away and the golf balls were relentless, but London felt confident with Marten at her side.

One of the toys grabbed the end of her katana and London pursed her lips. Then inspiration struck. She yanked the sword upwards, launching the toy towards Marten. "Batter up!"

Hearing those attention-grabbing words, Marten would think fast lifting Kindall's bat and putting her eyes on the airborne toy before swinging as hard as she could. The resonating crunch was satisfying to the ears in the same way that stroking velvet or ripping velcro was viscerally pleasing to some folks. Her smile was wide as she laughed, "Home run!"

Keeping her soles flush to the floor she'd set her green gaze on the pumpkin bumpkin perched on his throne of derelict playthings saying, "I'm coming for you next you orange menace!" London had her back swinging this way and that with her sword while she had a smashing good time, swinging every time something caught her eyes and womping everything else in range with vehemence.

Who would have thought her life would one day depend on her proficiency at Whack-a-Mole? She'd always liked that game, but this was ridiculous. Nonetheless, she shuffled and swung, shuffled and smacked inching her way toward that deviant, pumpkin patch-reject, even eventually getting close enough to Castor to knock a few of the landmine tacks away from the poor creature, leaning down briefly to inspect his damaged paw and remove the offending sticker. Poor guy.

 

[Haru Nyan]

"H-Huh?" A confused Ethan exclaimed, hearing London cry out his name and found the bowl of salt that she was snacking on and weaponized earlier, he nodded in her direction, grabbing a handful of the salt and lobbing it at the devious dolls who continued to dare hurt him and his friends. He watched as they helplessly tried to shield themselves with their soft, plush hands as the salt worked its magic. Ethan grumbled, however, he was in a position that didn't really allow for much mobility. Between the marbles, the jacks, and the tacks, it was basically walking through a mine-infested battlefield, and one small misstep could easily cause a domino effect that not only would affect his well-being, but most likely everyone else in the room's as well.

It was when an all-too-familiar did Ethan's worries grew. He threw a menacing-well the most menacing he could, anyway-glare at the little pumpkin bastard. Where did he even come from?! Had he been following them this entire time?! He let out an exasperated groan, proclaiming to the orange menace to just back off and leave them alone for one goddamn moment. If one were to think about it, a lot of the things that have befallen them is largely due in part of small doll's action. Ethan couldn't wait for the moment where he and everyone else get a chance to squeeze the life out of it. Literally. The thing had the gall to start throwing golf balls at Marten and London.

He wondered at what he could do at this moment, the edges of the jacks and tacks almost seemed to be taunting him to show off his bravado to see how he could save the two. A yelp came from Charlotte's mouth and Ethan's eyes darted to see her being hailed with dozens of tennis balls. He looked down at his feet, he needed to get over there quickly to try and aid her! With cautious steps, the young man slowly trudged his way to help the maid ward off the ensuing assault of the dolls were imposing upon her. Balance was never Ethan's forte, it felt as if he was walking on a tightrope wire all the while. He gulped as he felt the sole of one of his shoes nearly made contact with the tip of a tack. The fact that he was still holding the bowl of salt certainly added to the difficulty of the whole ordeal. When he successfully made it through, the toys were still reloading, and Ethan took it upon himself to sprinkle some more of the magic salt in their direction, hoping that it would keep them at bay long enough.

Seeing a pink-furred Furby slowly make it's way towards Castor, Ethan dashed to the rescue once more, excusing himself from Charlotte. Watching the defenseless canine make a futile stand, the young man made another journey among the various hazards, his foot actually making contact with one tack this time. Trying to endure the pain and resisting the urge to let out a pain-induced scream, Ethan let out a fistful of salt on the furred abomination, and in its blinded panic, lifted the thing up and threw it halfway across the room. The danger gone for the moment, he took the time to remove the tack from his shoe. Sighing in relief. He made eye contact with Castor, and carefully removed some of the dangerous toys that were obstructing the dog's path.

 

[Ashi]

​

The light, while warm and golden, was dim. It was certainly better than blundering blindly through the large room in the dark; however, the light did not reach every corner of the room. There were still some places shrouded in shadow, places for dolls and other evils to hide. Jace squinted against the light, bright as sunlight compared to the previous darkness, and surveyed the room in a series of quick glances. Little details came back to his memory from earlier that evening when he, Ethan, and Milton had bathed in the master bath. The doors to the bathroom, which were near the wardrobes, were closed. Hadn't they been open earlier? He remembered meeting Michael there, shining "the master's" shoes in his closet.

Crack! "What the fuck?!" Jace exclaimed angrily, reaching a hand up to rub at the back of his head. The miniature pumpkin and his army of Care Bears were throwing golf balls, one of which hit him. "I've had just about enough of that little shit.." He spoke through gritted teeth as he got to his feet. Charlotte had made her way to the wardrobe where there resided a bag of golf clubs, from which the golf balls undoubtedly came, and a tennis racket. Ethan tip-toed his way over to sprinkle salt on the trolls, which halted their assault for a moment. Jace shuffled his way to the wardrobe, the tacks embedded in the thick soles of his shoes scraping on the floor. Reaching back for the rolling pin, he gave it a backhand swing. He managed to hit a couple of the golf balls that flew his direction amidst his advancement towards the wardrobe. Once he got close enough, he brought it down on the trolls' fuzzy heads for good measure and snatched the golf bag and tennis racket out from under them.

"Wendy! Ethan!" He called, tossing the tennis racket to her. He then tossed the rolling pin to Ethan. Wasting no time, he marched - or rather shuffled with purpose - to the bathroom doors. If the one wardrobe had dolls in it, it was likely the other did too. It didn't seem likely that Ella would hide in either one of them, anyhow. A child who was afraid of the dark was not going to hide in the dark. He cleared his throat and placed his hand on the door handle.

"Ella?" Jace called softly and pushed the door open. "Ella, are you in here? It's Jace and Charlotte." The door swung slowly open, revealing not the light and airy bathroom from earlier that night, but Hade's personal on-suite. The bath was dimly lit by torches, their red glow casting eerie shadows. They passed the shower and the once-gleaming toilet and stepped behind the curtains that separated them from the tub. The walls once depicting scenes of Greek mythology now depicted Dante's Inferno. The large tub that looked like heaven now looked like the black lagoon, filled to the edge of the floor with dark water. In the middle of the bilge, was Ella, bound and gagged on a rowboat. The boat floated freely, no rope tied anywhere to keep it from floating away.

"Ella?!" Jace was baffled. Who - or what - had done this to her? The poor girl had to be terrified. If this was like the creek, Jace would have jumped in; but it was't. The water wasn't clear enough to see to the bottom. For all he knew, there was something terrible lurking beneath the surface. "W-we're gonna get you out of there. Don't worry. You'll be alright." He said, hoping his unsteady voice didn't sound as unconvincing to Ella as it sounded to his own ears. He looked around, desperate for anything that could help. They didn't have a rope to pull the boat in, so what could they use? A thought occurred to him then. Jace pulled a golf club from the bag, which he slung over his shoulder, and inspected it. Maybe, just maybe it would be long enough.

"You're going to have to get the boat." Jace told Charlotte, a serious look in his eyes. "Lean out over the water as far as you can. I'll hold on to you so you don't fall in. I'd do it, but I don't think you could hold me. Just hook the club over the side of the boat and pull it in. Can you do that?" He held the golf club out for her to take.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Collab by @Cartoonicat, @Impudimp, @Fox of Spades and @Fox of Hearts

Life as a police dog taught Castor to be wary of strangers. He had seen enough during his stint to know humans were the worst of the worst. They maimed, tortured and killed for no apparent reason. His experience made it extremely hard for him to trust anyone other than his human partner and the man's immediate family.

Staying in Henbard didn't help him with his trust issues. A creature lurking in the shadows wanted separate him from his partner's child. His suspicions were confirmed when Ella disappeared in the forest the other day. She never willingly left his side ever since they arrived at Henbard.

The consequence of being under so much stress made him twice as irritable and suspicious, so he couldn't help shrinking back when Marten approached him. The doberman bared his teeth warning her to stay away, however, she stood her ground. Taking his injured paw into her hand, she removed the offending tack.

Castor scrutinised Marten for a long time before he bumped his head against her leg to thank her. That was the only form of acknowledgement she'd get from him until he managed to size her up. Ethan, being too far away, got a small grunt of appreciation.

Spotting movement out of the corner of his eye, Castor pulled away from Marten and turned to look in that direction. He noticed Jace and Charlotte entering the bathroom where he suspected Ella was hiding. Hot on their heels were a big group of dolls. "Bark, bark!" he alerted Marten and Ethan.

His barks caught Wendy's attention and she looked up just in time to Charlotte disappear into the bathroom. She was tempted to follow after Charlotte, but Wendy knew it was too late. The dolls were blocking the half opened door. Their tiny bodies jostling against one another as they fought to squeeze inside.

Thinking quickly, she turned to London. "Let's give them back up!" she instructed. "I think Ella's in the bathroom."

Castor gaved a gruff snort then bounded ahead. He stopped when he reached another area filled with thumb tacks. Craning his head, he narrowed his eyes at Marten and Ethan. Unfriendly as his glare was it was very obvious that he wanted them to hurry over and clear a path for him.

As much as London wanted to keep going - keep trucking through the toys on her way to her long-awaited pumpkin smashing contest - her grip on the katana loosened at Wendy's words. She was torn: On one hand, she could get the revenge on the little dirtbag she'd been yearning for; on the other, her friends were in danger. Swallowing thickly, she shot the pumpkin a glare.

There was no competition: Despite her anger, her friends would always come first.

"Yeah," she nodded, solidifying her decision. London began shuffling towards the bathroom door. Working alongside one of the Henbard residents so easily after throwing a fit because of them was… weird, to say the least, but they were on the same side. In the chaos they'd become, to some degree, allies. "Let's do this."

London's eyes fell on the bathroom door and, despite her typical sluggish-slowness and short legs, she took long shuffling strides. Knocked any straggling dolls out of the way with a scowl. With each doll knocked away, she counted heads in the room: Herself, Marten, Wendy, Ethan, and Castor. She hadn't seen anyone head into the bathroom, but she could only assume it had been Charlotte and Jace - hopefully Ella, somewhere, too. The thought of one her friends squaring off against a horde of evil, dangerous dolls, made her shuffle faster. Charlotte was their ally, yes, but she wasn't them. People were naturally inclined to take care of their own above all else, and Jace wasn't Henbard.

Approaching the bathroom door, the gravity of the situation suddenly hit her: There were a lot of dolls. She shot Wendy an apprehensive look before shuffling forward, swinging her sword down like a golf club and sending a spray of toys back into the bedroom.

There was way too much going on for Marten to be put off by Castor's little show of bravado. Of course in the back of her mind she knew that as a doberman, he could quite easily and painfully rend her flesh from her bone should he choose to do so… But that was just a technicality. After all he didn't seem so much needlessly aggressive as he was just being protective of his charge. She could respect that he was a naturally grumpy puppy.

Grumps deserved affection too. So, of course she simply smiled at his light nudging knowing he was being grateful in his own doggy way. It was a nice moment in the midst of chaos. The green girl was quick to continuous her doll murdering rampage. SheHulk smashing and stomping anything in her way that wasn't organic.

At Wendy's behest, she was calling, "You got it!" Shuffling her way towards the bathroom as quickly as she could considering more and more automatons materialized every few moments. Who the hell had this many toys in their house?! It was a mansion, but this shit was ridiculous. If she didn't have the killer arms of a softball player by the time they got out of this God-forsaken place, she was going to feel jilted!

In the chaos of it all, Jace had handed her a tennis racket. She was disoriented and worse for wear, but having the cold steel wrapped tightly between her fingers gave her an extra ounce of courage. Keeping pace with London, she swung at any of the dolls who so much as approached her.

Castor, Ethan, and Marten were bunched together and it seemed as if the large boy was already clearing the way for the stranded doberman. The three of them were going to be okay, for now she and London had to focus on clearing the way for Jace and Charlotte.

Speaking of the two, she could hear them talking to Ella.

Ella was safe.

"They found her," Wendy whispered underneath her breath. She could feel tears of joy prickling the corners of her eyes, could feel the giddy rush of relief wash throughout her. They had found the young miss. The battle was far from over, but it was certainly a victory. "They're trying to get her out of there!" Charlotte called out to everyone else outside the bathroom. "We need to clear a way for them then get out of here."

Gathering every sliver of strength she had left, she began swinging like a madwoman on a rampage to save her child. Care Bears and dolls were sent flying across the room, and for a moment, it looked like the wall of enemies would give way. "Help me!"

Ethan was the first to spring into action, with a primal growl, he began pushing himself. Picking up dolls and lobbing them across the room. He kicked and fought as if he were competing for the Wrestling tournament at the university.

Their combined efforts were working.

"We're doing it!" Wendy shouted. "We're pushing them back! We should make our way to the ballroom after they've saved Ella. It's the only place Ma'am Adelaide would forbid the entrance of toys. It should be easier to defend ourselves there."

Nodding, London smacked another round of dolls away from the bathroom door before standing in front of it, sword poised like an angry guard. Some of the toys had slipped inside, unfortunately, but she stayed there to keep any more from breaking through. "Oh no you don't!" She swung her sword, successfully flinging several more dolls and Care Bears away from the entrance.

As the mob of angry stuffed animals thinned out, the inside of the bathroom became clearer. What had once been the epitome of luxury had turned into something straight out of horror novel. There was a small boat in the distance and Charlotte and Jace were frantically trying to save a stranded Ella.

He'd hurt plenty and plenty of people, but Wendy had never seen him lash out at the family like this before. If they didn't come out of this triumphant, they would all pay dearly… perhaps they would all become a permanent part of the garden.

Much to her relief, Charlotte and Jace managed to rescue the young miss. Relieved, Wendy watched as Charlotte took the trembling girl into her arms.

"They've rescued Ella," she mumbled. "Clear a path for them please!"

And with that, she returned to what they were doing and struck at a stray Care Bear with her tennis racket. She sent it flying into the air and Castor promptly caught it, snapping his jaws shut and digging his teeth into fur and foam. As his teeth pierced through the doll, black ooze began pouring from the puncture holes. Castor spat out the doll and began to gag.

It was time to leave.

 

[Ashi]

[Collab @Fox of Hearts; @AkikoYukito]

Hade's En Suite: Jace, Charlotte and Ella ​

​

Before Jace and Charlotte entered, the world was in complete darkness. The silence was absolute. Ella's fear drove deeper into her psyche and soon she had a hard time distinguishing between reality and her own demons. She swore she heard low moans coming from beneath her. The same groans she heard whenever she visited the hospital with her father.

She remembered walking slowly by his side while a nurse pushed his wheelchair down the corridor. Sometimes Mommy would be with them, but later it would be just the two of them and Castor. Mommy had to work, Daddy explained. Things would be different now.

She didn't understand why her parents seemed so sad. Daddy stopped smiling after a while. He spent most of his time sitting in his hospital bed staring at nothing. She'd sit quietly on the cot beside his bed and wait for him to notice her again.

This was when Mr. Teddy came into her life. A kind nurse with greying hair explained that he used to belong to her granddaughter. Ella didn't like him one bit. He had a weird smile and the creepiest eyes she'd ever seen. The eyes looked like marbles with a blue blob floating inside.

"He's gonna be your friend," the woman said.

That was a lie! Ella felt that he hated her. She caught him staring at her many times late at night. He would greet her with his crooked smile each time she stared at him. His smile was the same smile Sammy had when she lied to Mrs. Clements about taking an extra brownie. It made her hate him even more.

"Ella, I'm gonna get you," a gruff voice crooned.

Ella felt a chill run down her spine. Mr. Teddy? She recognized his voice immediately. No, it can't be him! He was back home sitting on a chair at the foot of her bed. She tied him up with her skipping rope before church. She did it so he wouldn't find out about her plan and stop her.

"You've been a naughty girl."

Ella shook her head. She wasn't. She wasn't really. She ran off, because she promised Daddy. He said it would make him happy again and that would make Mommy happy too.

"Why did you run? Were you afraid of me?"

Denial turned into pleading. Pleading led to despair and finally tears. Ella's tears streamed down her cheeks wetting her gag. She wanted this to end so bad, but Mr. Teddy won't stop.

Her eyes were red and puffy by the time Jace called out to her. She stared in disbelief at the two people in the room. Were they real? People never appeared in her nightmares before. It was always her and Mr. Teddy. Two of them forever playing tag.

-x-x-x-x-x-​

​

Charlotte shook her head upon hearing Jace's suggestion. The black waters filling the tub reminded her of the Styx, the boundary between life and death. She felt far too anxious to step closer to the edge.

"I - I can't," she stammered. "It - I can't swim. I don't want to fall in."

It was a half-truth. Charlotte couldn't swim but she knew how to float. Guilty as she felt for lying, she couldn't bring herself to step forward. There was something about the water that left her feeling uneasy. She couldn't help believing that it was a trap!

Catching sight of Ella's tear stained face made Charlotte suck in her breath. Her immense guilt started twisting her heart and the woman fought to set aside her inner misgivings. She wanted to do it for Miss Ella! The poor girl looked so frightened that it would be wrong to leave her there.

Drunk with fear, Charlotte lurched forward with a dazed look on her face. Her private battle apparent from the stiffness of her jaw and the clenching of her hands. The maid was now so close to the water's edge that the tip of her shoe touched it. She was considering what to do next when she felt a sharp tug at her feet. Jumping back, Charlotte managed to free herself. Her right shoe wasn't so fortunate. The dark waters engulfed her shoe before swallowing it.

Charlotte's hand found Jace's and she gripped it tightly. "We need to avoid the water…" she trailed off. She wasn't sure if this discovery would change Jace's plans but she hoped it did. Seeing her shoe disappear like that made her worry even more.

​

"You won't fall in; I won't let you. I promise. But you've got to try." Jace encouraged, a sense of urgency in his voice. He stepped up behind her, prepared to hold on; however, something odd happened. Did the water just try to pull her in? Jace stared at it, eyes wide, baffled. He gave Charlotte's hand a light squeeze, not even realizing he was doing so. So many times he had done that with Ana over the years. He couldn't remember a time he'd ever shared the gesture with Kelsey. The last time was probably when they were children, if ever.

"Okay, um…" Jace scowled, brow furrowed. How could they get close enough to Ella without getting close to the water? He looked around, searching for ideas. His eyes drifted down to their feet and an idea struck him.

"Stand on my feet." He told her. "I'll stand here. You stand on my feet, that way you don't have to get closer to the water. I'll hold onto you. Lean out as far as you can and use the club to pull the boat in." He paused then to look at the club. It was likely not going to be long enough. "Hm.. Maybe we can fasten two of them together? Are there any wire hangers? Maybe some belts in Paul's closet?" Jace asked. He had no belt to spare, as his was still around Salem's arm. The thought of using shoe strings crossed his mind but only briefly, as they would not likely be strong enough.

The Master had those items in his wardrobe, naturally, but Charlotte felt that they didn't have that much time to spare. Knowing these dolls, they might be trapped inside already. She clung to Jace's hand as she braced herself for the inevitable. "Let's try first," she insisted.

She pulled him as close to the water as she dared then indicated she'd like him to put down the bag. As he did so, she removed the ribbons in her hair allowing it fall like a ginger curtain passed her shoulders. "Should we try tying the two longest clubs together?" she asked in a very shy voice.

"It might do the trick. If we need more … um we could use the laces from my corset. They are sturdier than our shoelaces."

A faint blush tainted her cheeks at the thought of asking Jace to remove the ties of her corset. It wasn't like she didn't trust him but it felt a little immodest. She was a sister in a convent and they were supposed to mind their behavior. "I mean … um … let's try first?" she sputtered as her cheeks grew warmer once she realized how audacious her suggestion was.

Jace shuffled closer to the edge of the great tub, boots squeaking on the tile floor. In the case that something did happen, his boots ought to give him enough traction to resist slipping and falling. He eyed the water warily a moment and nodded to Charlotte.

"The two ought to be enough." He said, pulling a second club from the bag and allowing the bag to flop on the floor. He lined the club end of one up with the grip of the other and wound the ribbons as tightly around them as he could. It helped that he knew how to make a strong knot, courtesy of his wilderness lessons growing up. To test its strength, Jace gave the combined clubs a swing. They didn't budge.

"This should do fine." Jace felt himself blush a little at the thought of unfastening Charlotte's corset. He didn't even like to look at women's underclothes while passing them in the store. It always made him uncomfortable. The idea of touching them, especially while being worn by a woman, was out of the question.

"Er..here," Turning Charlotte's back towards him, Jace nimbly and quickly braided her loose locks. He rolled the braid into a bun and tucked the end in. "Just in case." He offered a meek smile. Long hair could get in the way at the best of times, which he knew from years of experience.

Charlotte's cheeks redden even more. She looked down at her shoes and began twisting the hem of her apron between her fingers. "Um thanks," she whispered. Her smile was barely visible from Jace's angle.

Awkward as she felt, Charlotte knew they better hurry. There was no telling what other horror lurks among the endless toys supplied by Him. She motioned for Jace to get back into position while she waited with the "golf club pole" in hand. Once he was ready, she climbed onto his shoes as instructed.

They ended up in a very intimate embrace. Her body inches away from his and his arms were wrapped around her waist. She could practically feel his body heat washing over her. Charlotte's embarrassment might have resurface had she not been so distracted. She realized that her feet - one shod and one bare - were sinking deeper into Jace's boots. She winced. Considering how he was supporting her body weight on his feet, it must hurt a lot!

"I'm s-sorry," she stammered. "I wish I was lighter so you won't hurt so much."

Jace hardly noticed the state of his boots or the discomfort of his feet. He was preoccupied with keeping his arms securely locked around Charlotte and keeping an eye on their extended golf club to make sure that it didn't fall apart.

"You're light as a feather, Charlotte. Don't worry." He gave her a reassuring half-smile. Even if the top of his boot sunk in a little beneath her feet, the toes were steel. They were the least of his worries.

Ella's face remained downcast. She didn't want to believe that she was being rescued. She feared it was another of Mr. Teddy's tricks. Her tears have long dried up but she continued sobbing. Why was Mr. Teddy so mean?

Charlotte found it strange that Miss Ella hadn't looked in their direction. She knew that the little girl was a little shy but this was very odd even for Ella. Charlotte's heart plummeted. Was that really Miss Ella? The poor girl must be so frightened to shut down like that!

Seeing how far the row boat was from the edge of the tub, perhaps it was best they get Ella's attention. Charlotte doubted they would succeed without their Ella's cooperation.

"Miss Ella! We're trying to pull to you towards us. Wendy and Castor are waiting for you."

Castor? Miss Wendy? Ella felt a pang of longing. She loved more than anything to be by their side again. Miss Wendy's hugs and lullabies made her feel safe. It was as good as sitting in Salem's lap or having Adelaide cuddle her. Should she believe them? She promised Salem she would be careful and she didn't worry to worry him.

"Miss Ella?"

​

Ella tried to imagine what Salem would do. She believed he'd try and find out if that was the real Miss Charlotte. Her sobbing stopped abruptly as she focused on the best way to get her answer. Then, it hit her! The real Charlotte and Wendy would know the secret password!

The ballroom had always been the safest place at night, because Adelaide refused to have any toys in there. Tamtam was the one who realised this and led her there two nights in a row. She'd camp there with Tamtam close by before sneaking back to her bedroom after dawn. Salem found out about her hiding place because he went to wake her up for breakfast.

That night, the two of them hid inside a tent in the ballroom with Castor. It was a lot of fun sitting inside with all their pillows and reading Winnie the Pooh and Harry Potter the whole night. Salem had even drawn a salt circle around the tent as an added precaution. He told her it would ward off the dolls.

Around five in the morning, Charlotte and Wendy had entered the room and discovered the tent. They kept asking her and Salem to come out and go to bed, but Salem didn't trust them. He insisted they tell him the secret password. He stepped outside only after both of them whispered the password in his ear. Once he knew it was safe, he asked her to come out too.

That was their first and last time camping in the ballroom. The door was always locked after that. Not even Adelaide knows why. Salem believed Mr. Teddy's boss didn't want Tamtam to help them.

Charlotte turned to Jace. "Do you want to try? I don't know if she could hear me."

"Er.." Jace was unsure at first whether she would respond to him, but it was worth a try. "Ella? It's okay. Miss Charlotte and I just want to help you." He projected his voice without yelling, fearing the dolls might come in if they spoke too loudly.

Ella's voice was very soft. "Miss Charlotte, tell me the password please." Hearing how soft she was, the nine-year-old took a deep breath and shouted. "Miss Charlotte! Tell me Salem's password please! His password for Miss Wendy."

Charlotte frowned. Password? Wendy? She didn't recall …. oh right! Salem loved locking the library door whenever he was inside. They were allowed to enter if they told him their password. Hers was "Canterbury" and Wendy's was "Peter Pan".

"Peter Pan, Miss Ella," she shouted back. "That's Miss Wendy's password."

There was a short pause before Ella asked a second question. "What's mine?"

"Rainbows End."

Charlotte noticed that Ella seemed more relaxed. Trust Master Salem to teach Miss Ella something like this,she reflected. It was good to be cautious now that He knew they were helping the kids.

"Okay, Miss Ella! Please try and move the boat towards the us. We'll pull you in!"

Charlotte strained against Jace's arms. Her hands gripped the very end of the golf club handle while her arms stretched as far as they could. She struggled to steady the golf club attached to hers. Beads of sweat dotted her brow. She felt her concentration waiver every now and then which caused the golf clubs to shake. She exhaled. Even with Ella trying to move the boat, their pole was too short.

"I need to lean further," she explained, turning back to Jace. "Will you be able to manage?"

​

"Damn." He cursed under his breath when the club didn't reach. It was only short by a little, which made it all the more aggravating. Ella probably wasn't heavy enough to really make a difference in moving the boat; and if she was, it was likely that the boat would only end up lurching away farther away.

"Y-yeah." Jace spoke through gritted teeth as he maneuvered his arms to get Charlotte closer. He intertwined his fingers, hands clasped together as tightly as he could grip them, and extended his arms at the elbow. Charlotte was at nearly his full arms' length, supported with Jace's clenched hands across her waist. He let his weight rest on his heels and tightened his abs to keep his balance.

Those extra inches made the difference though as the club hooked over the side of the boat. As the bow met the edge of the tub, Jace moved one arm around Charlotte to steady her as she stepped off of his boots and grabbed the extend-a-club with the other hand to hold the boat in place. Once clear, he grabbed the side of the boat and pulled it until the back end hovered over the water.

"Are you alright?" He asked Ella as she was lifted from the boat. He wondered briefly if she even remembered him from earlier that day, since so much had happened since the creek. Regardless, Jace put on as much of a big brother smile as he could muster to try and comfort the child. He would do his best to keep her safe; he wouldn't fail her like he did Ana.

Ella stared at Jace. She wasn't ready to deal with strangers at the moment. She really wanted someone familiar to be with her. Slowly, she turned towards Charlotte and stared pleadingly at the maid.

"Sorry about Miss Ella. She's usually very shy and the stress made her more withdrawn," Charlotte said. "On her behalf, thank you."

The maid clasped her hands in front of her stomach and bowed. "We're in your debt."

Turning back to her mistress' daughter, Charlotte squatted in front of Ella and gripped the little girl's shoulders. She had so many things to tell Miss Ella but she didn't get a chance to say anything. Ella threw her arms around Charlotte and gave the maid a tight hug. "There, there. It'll be fine," Charlotte reassured the young mistress.

Realizing that Ella probably won't let go, Charlotte got to her feet and started carrying the girl. Ella might be light for her age but it was too much for petite Charlotte. "Let's go find Wendy?" she asked Ella.

Ella continued burying her face in Charlotte's shoulder. "Yes and Castor too."

"Alright. We'll look for Madam after that. She and Master will keep you safe."

"No," Ella muttered. "Gone … they're gone."

Charlotte froze. "How?"

"Paul took her. He asked me to wait here. He promised to come back."

Charlotte didn't need to ask where. She had a feeling she knew where the couple were and why the Master took their Madam. This didn't bode well for all of them.

"Don't worry, Miss Wendy and I will keep you safe. Castor will keep all of us safe."

"Lenore too."

"Right you are, Miss Ella," Charlotte spoke as cheerily as she could.

Deep down, an impending sense of dread was gripping her. He was trying to lead them down the rabbit hole. That place was as deadly as the garden. Only she and Kitty have ever gone down there before.

"Let's go," she mouthed to Jace.

Charlotte hugged Ella tightly to her chest and broke into a run. Time was against them once again. Tarrying would reduce the children's chances of surviving the next puzzle. Her determination to increase the group's odds gave her the strength to run faster than she ever would with Ella in her arms.

"Wendy!" she yelled desperately for her friend. "Wendy! Master and Madam have gone down the rabbit hole."

"Don't worry about it." Jace muttered with a slight shake of his head. Something felt off; although, he couldn't say what or why. It wasn't dread or guilt, but something else. Without further word, he slung the golf bag over one shoulder and followed Charlotte out of the bathroom, wondering...

"Rabbit hole?"

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Collab by @AkikoYukito, @Cartoonicat, @Impudimp, @Fox of Hearts and @Fox of Spades

Run

Wendy's arms were starting to ache terribly. They'd been whacking away at dolls and taking hits for awhile now, and she could already tell that it was taking a toll on all of them. Even the ferocious Castor was starting to move at a more sluggish rate.

"Just a little more, everyone."

It was the only thing she could say to try and encourage them. Everyone fought hard, and then it finally paid off. She could see Charlotte and Jace emerging from the darkness bathroom with Ella in their arms. "Charlotte! Young miss!" Wendy wanted to throw her arms around them, but the hopeful spark in her eyes was snuffed out the moment Charlotte mentioned the rabbit hole.

No… this was really happening. Wendy's heart was heavy with grief. First the young master then the young miss, now the madam. If she could tear Him apart with her own hands, she would. She honest to God would. But she, and everyone else here, were powerless. Wendy took in a deep breath.

One by one, he was going to toy with them and destroy them all, like a child plucking off a butterfly's wings or taking a toy apart.

Nothing good would come of this, but there wasn't any time to feel sorry for anyone. She would mourn later, for now, she would focus on helping them and atoning for her own part in this dreadful game.

"Charlotte, we should go." Steeling herself, Wendy shot Jace a thankful look before forging ahead with her tennis racket raised. "Through here, we should go before they overwhelm us."

Castor didn't need to be told twice. His partner's daughter was safe, it was time to leave this place and head somewhere else. The Doberman barked loudly to garner the attention of the (somewhat slow) humans, before bolting out the half open door.

The strange black goop left a terrible taste in his mouth but he had his priorities figured out - get Ella somewhere safe and them help the remaining members of his family.

"Follow Castor!" Wendy commanded.

Ethan let out a growl as he tossed two Care Bears. The bears flew past London and the green one grabbed her hair. He reached out and pulled his purple friend to safety. The purple Care Bear wasted no time climbing up her hair while the green one whistled to the nearby Care Bears. As Marten was nearby, she ended up getting boxed inside the multi-coloured circle of doom too!

A horse started neighing loudly. There was a persistent clickety-clack that sounded like rockers mashing furiously against the bedroom floor. Lo and behold, Mini P appeared. He sat on a rocking horse that had eyes the color of smoldering coals. His steed snorted out a stream of flames as it dismounted from the rockers.

Mini P adjusted his Confederate officer slouch hat, as he cackled evilly. Blowing his bugle, he began summoning more troops from beneath the bed. Antique dolls with porcelains faces, Barbie dolls and a clown car emerged from their hiding spot. The car zipped quickly towards Jace and circled around him. It pulled away in the nick of time to avoid getting smacked.

As it screeched to a stop, the doors flung open. One gigantic foot emerged from the car and stomped out of the car. A squeaky noise resounded throughout the room as the clown began pulling itself out of the vehicle. At first, it looked like the clown was around their size, but when it emerged it was small doll with comically large shoes. Laughing, it pulled out what appeared to be a water gun and began to chase after them.

It looked like the circus had arrived!

Tiny plastic animal figurines and bigger animal plushies began making their way towards the group standing in front of the bathroom door. Circus music began playing from an unseen gramophone. The upbeat tune was occasionally muffled by the sounds of a cracking whip by the Ringmaster doll and the occasional hiss of flames coming from Mini P's horse.

"Joder!"

A sharp yank in her hair and a yelp of pain later, London had two Care Bears attached to her head. The green one grabbed onto her knotted, messy bun like King Kong on the empire state building and beckoned it's purple friend to follow suit. Desperate, she curled her fingers around the ankle of the fuzzy climber and pulled hard.

The bear didn't budge. Instead, it pulled her hair with it. She yelped again, anger rising with the tenderness of her scalp: "Puta de Care Bear!" London dropped her hand and whipped her hair forward. She'd never been into metal music that much but if there was ever a time to head bang, it was now. "Get. Off. Of. Me!"

If her hair wasn't a hopeless mess of tangles before, it certainly was now.

It was all too familiar, Charlotte's proclamation of debt and the look of thanks in Wendy's eyes. Salem had said the same thing earlier that day. It was Stilton Creek all over again. Jace just smiled uncomfortably; something still felt off. There was a pervading emptiness in spite of the bittersweet relief that came with Ella's safety. It ached in his chest in random, infrequent pangs, similar to hunger.

Jace paused as the tiny car sped in donuts around him. It reminded him a little of the toy car that Nita had for her dolls as a kid. He lifted a foot and attempted to stomp the car a couple of times only to miss then swung the golf club at it. The club narrowly missed. He scoffed, thoroughly aggravated, and stepped toward it. He scowled when the gun-weilding clown doll emerged, laughing; he hated clowns. The circus music didn't help, either.

"Shit," Jace hissed, forced backward as the toy animals advanced towards him, Charlotte, Wendy, and Ella. "Fore!" He smacked a few of the plastic toys away with the golf club, sending them flying towards the tiny pumpkin and his fire-breathing steed. As much as he wanted to smash the little douche, he did as Wendy said and followed the Doberman.

She was starting to feel those damn golf balls. A few of the stricken parts of her body were beginning to swell with inflammation as blood rushed to try and relieve the damaged areas. Consequently her stamina was flagging, which was a total pain, "Shit… take this you freaks!" She'd growl under her breath swinging and whacking away at their stuffed and assembled foes.

Her brow was slick with sweat from her exertion, but Marten wouldn't let up, not with her friends' live were at stead. A happy feeling warmed her when Ella's perilous rescue was complete, but she could hardly enjoy it with the eerie cranking of circus music changing the atmosphere sinisterly. Oh it was definitely time to go.

With renewed effort, the grunette redoubled her efforts to clear out some of the next wave of dolls. However it wasn't going to be as effective, as she was hoping. "London!" Marten moved toward her poor friend tugging at the care bears in her hair. What the hell! These dumb plushies were supposed to be made of love, innocence and naivety. Not pure evil!

Another sling of her head forward, one of the carebears flew out of the dark-haired girl's tangled locks and fell into a nearby approaching doll. The green one still held on tight, yanking and pulling in a desperate attempt to hold on tight. "Marten..." London slowed, bringing her hands up to hold her own head, appearing dizzy. "...ungh, I shouldn't… have done tha-Ow!" The green care bear was at it again.

She'd watch Castor dart away into their only route of escape. He could have at least helped out with the new influx of dolls! Lazy dobe!

"Forget about them," Wendy stated breathlessly. While the group had managed to fend off the majority of the doll's attacks, more were coming and they couldn't waste more time dealing with the reinforcements. Their current priority was clear - leave and make it to the ballroom before they were overwhelmed. It didn't help that a clown was hot on their heels now. "Follow Castor! He should help clear a way."

Wendy whacked at any demonic doll that got too close, leading the charge out of the master bedroom and back into the hall. Funny, how a lifetime ago, she'd been a kind hearted animal rights activist. She'd always had a certain fire inside her, but never in her lifetime had she pictured herself fighting tooth and nail against… whatever this was.

One by one, they poured out into the hall.

There was no time to sneak around and the dolls gave chase. "We need to get somewhere safe." Wendy thought aloud.

"The bedrooms are out. Attic?" Charlotte suggested.

Charlotte shook her head. She had assumed that earlier and headed there straightaway to look for Miss Ella. "No, not the attic," she insisted. "Somewhere else."

"Cellar?" Charlotte asked, ducking at the last moment. She narrowly avoided the flames coming from the torch. The person holding it was a doll suspended by a balloon.

"No!" Wendy rejected the idea too. Her response rang loud and clear as she smashed away the offending doll with her racket. "Get lost!" she yelled again. This time she delivered a beautiful smash that sent the balloon into the wall.

Pop! The red balloon hit one of the torch brackets and burst. The dolls carried by it fell to the floor and broke. Wendy breathed a sigh of relief.

As her mind cleared up, she realised her initial suggestion of heading to the ballroom was their best choice. It was theoretically the safest room in the house. She turned back to the rest and motioned to them. "Follow me! I know where to go!"

Charlotte nodded. Adjusting Ella in her arms, the sister quickened her pace. She felt a sudden rush of energy filling her veins and it gave her the strength to continue carrying the shivering little girl.

Jace was close to the back of the group, bringing up the rear while Wendy led at the front. He paused a moment as Charlotte readjusted her hold on Ella. He wondered if it wouldn't be more efficient for him to carry Ella, but he didn't want to take away what little comfort the child still had. "You okay?" He asked and placed a hand on her shoulder to urge her forward.

"Don't worry about me," she reassured Jace. "I can manage."

She was very touched that he slowed down the moment he noticed she was lagging behind. With him by her side, Charlotte knew she didn't need to worry about the dolls getting too close to them. Thankfully, they were the last three in the group. Wendy was way in front of everyone, whacking any doll that dared to block their path. Marten and London were steadily catching up with Wendy.

"We're almost at the stairs. Be careful while running down! There are a few dolls that love lurking there." Charlotte warned the leading group.

Ella buried her face against the nape of Charlotte's neck. Her frail arms clung tightly around the maid's shoulders. She whispered. "They're there."

Castor was waiting for them by the landing before the staircase. Impatiently, he began barking for them to hurry up and follow him. Once the slow humans noticed, Castor raised his head haughtily and disappeared down the steps.

London grabbed her messy bun with one hand and the last offending toy with the other, working carefully - but quickly - to separate the two. "Hold on London, I got you!" Marten had worked her way closer to her poor friend trying to carefully work her fingers through the rat's nest to no avail. "Shit, this thing is really in there…" Each time she made to pull it away, it tangled its fuzzy arms deeper into her hair. It took London several heartbeats to realize it'd wrapped itself in her hairband.

Two can play at this game, she thought, lips pursed. Grabbed the elastic and tugged it up, around, and over. The Care Bear flailed its arms, seeming to realize it had no more leverage, and then London was chucking it across the room, hairband in tow. Her horribly messy hair dropped past her shoulders, a complete wreck.

The grunette resolved herself to damage control looking out for more plushie invaders as the group worked their way out the door after Castor. It was going to be such relief to leave this hellhole. But listening to Wendy made her wonder if a rabbit hole was any better...

She would have to deal with that later, though.

She straightened just in time to see Wendy knocking the balloon away, the following explosion taking out several dolls. Unable to help herself, London grinned. Alright, she thought, glancing at the maid who minutes prior she'd found nothing short of irritating, that was pretty epic. While London may not have liked the Henbard residents, she knew a badass when she saw one. Hopefully Wendy would keep it up; they could use her spark.

As they headed out of the room, towards the stairs, London caught Charlotte's warning. Amelia Earhart and Phineas Fogg from earlier popped in her head. She scowled, tightening her grip on her katana. By this point, she'd grown accustomed to the mild sting on her knuckle. "Yeah, we know who you're talking about," she told Charlotte, exchanging a glance with Ethan. The little pyromaniac with the blowtorch nearly melted her friend's face off the first time.

Determined not to give the dolls a second chance to rectify that, London hesitated as they approached the stairs. Looked left, right, up, and down. She didn't see anything but, with Castor barking, it wouldn't be long before they attracted unwanted attention. Panicking, London frowned at Castor: "Shh!" The doberman didn't seem to care much for her shushing, however; once they made it to the first downward step, he began his descent.

Careful but quick, London followed him.

As Castor disappeared down the steps, the group followed. Wendy clutched her flashlight close to her chest, frowning the whole way. It was far too dark to see clearly, and danger undoubtedly lurked at every corner. "Stay close to one another, please." They didn't need more people going missing. Thinking back on what happened to Ana… it was far to easy for someone to get grabbed and taken without anyone else knowing till it was too late.

Panicked footsteps echoed down the hall as they reached the second floor. The group had barely managed to reach the second floor landing when a balloon floated into view.

"Ah crap," London hissed knowingly.

"What in the world?" Wendy - ignoring the thudding of her own heart - lifted her flashlight and switched it on. A second balloon was drifting towards them. It was red like the other one. Unlike the dolls supported by the first balloon, she recognised them as Adelaide's Amelia Earhart and Phineas Fogg doll. Madam claimed she found them at a flea market at Maplewoods last fall.

The pilot doll nudged the balloon out of her reach. Wendy wasn't able to do much but stare helplessly as the balloon taunted her from high above. She glared at the smiling Amelia doll one last time then turned to Marten and London. "Ignore it!"

Dolls were closing in on all sides, if they stopped to fight every last one, they'd be cornered in no time. Without waiting for complaints or protests, Wendy continued darting after Castor through the darkness of the hallway. She immediately took to the steps, and judging by the sound of footsteps behind her, the rest were following without question.

Once they reached the first floor, it was a clear dash toward the ballroom.

As soon as the last person skidded inside, Wendy - with Charlotte's help - slammed the oaken double doors shut. It wouldn't hold forever, but it would give them time to rest. "Please catch your breath! We don't have much time. Is everyone here and accounted for? Charlotte, is the young miss okay?"

"Yeah," she breathed, "we're all here." London chewed the inside of her cheek, then, realizing with a pang to her chest that it wasn't technically the truth. Ana, Kindall, and Kelsey were gone. It was difficult not to worry over their wellbeing, but she needed to focus. Needed to get her head in the game.

A thought struck her and she looked to Jace, brows pinching. "Your back," she stepped behind him, flashlight searching for any leftover thumbtacks. If another boss fight was around the corner - hopefully nothing so terrifying as Salem's bird form - Jace needed those things out. "Erm… from your fall. Earlier. You fell on the thumb tacks and… at least, I think you did. Um. Okay, I-I'm just going to remove these now."

She plucked a total of four thumbtacks from the back of his jacket, likely having dislodged from his back during the chaos, and stepped away in a hurry. Not knowing what to do with the tiny, sharp objects, London pursed her lips and looked around. Maybe there was a potted plant she could toss them in, or something.

Marten really didn't want to. She knew that balloon… that red balloon. They needed that! They needed that for Ella, but damnit a torch really. The group was forging ahead but the grunette was hard pressed to follow at the moment. Her grip tightened. She had a bat damn it! Just one good swat…

Biting her lip and steeling her eyes on that hellish doll-torch combo, she made up her mind, there were too many of those damn things to falter for long and she already knew that she wouldn't forgive herself for passing up the chance a second time! "Fuck it!" She growled launching herself at the marionette and swinging as hard as she could to dislodge it from the balloon string.

God please let her hit it! She didn't want burns! Not to mention the precarious nature of stairs in the first place, she was amazed to have landed soundly on one. And when she looked around, she couldn't tell if she had managed to grip her prize in her hand. No matter, she had tried and she was also behind. So she cut the loss for now dashing madly after the group toward their next place sliding in true baseball style just as the door slammed into its housing. Pleasantly surprised at the balloon gripped so tightly in her palms her knuckles were turning white. Her cheshire grin was not going to wiped from her face any time soon, that was for sure!

 

[Fox of Spades]

Collab Between @Fox of Spades and @Fox of Hearts

Beyond the white wooden doors trimmed with gold was a room designed for Elsa's ice castle. There were glass and crystals as far as the eye can see. Cathedral windows with their graceful domes lined the walls running left and right from the entrance. Sleek, white marble pillars separated each window. The blue-grey lines of the marble were reminiscent of frozen streams in the deepest winter. A gleaming floor ran from wall to wall. The marble tiles were so smooth that they seemed to be made of ice.

Five chandeliers descended from above. The most opulent one, spanning a fifth of the entire ceiling, reached down towards the floor. The two small ones hanging on either side were about sixty inches in length. Their oval shape provided a lovely geometric contrast that pulled the eye towards the huge chandelier. Bathed in soft moonlight, the pièce de résistance was a full moon on a winter's night. The tinier crystals of the oval chandeliers sparkled like stars in the Milky Way.

On the opposite side of the entrance, tucked in corner, was a stage. A grand piano stood on it. Behind the piano was a harp and a number of music stands. The instruments had been meticulously sorted out into the different sections and placed on the stools behind each stand. There were more than enough instruments on the stage to form a full orchestra.

This room had to be the grandest in the entire mansion. It spoke of incredible wealth way beyond any human comprehension. Even the curtains looked like they were made from the finest silk. The craftsmanship was well beyond the skill of the best human artisan.

Charlotte's arms hugged Ella even tighter. The serene beauty of the room made her feel uneasy. Aside from Easter and Christmas, this room was left untouched. This meant the room hadn't been cleaned for over six months, but instead of being caked in dust, the whole place was very pristine.

"He's been here," she whispered.

Ella turned her head to look. The little girl's eyes went wide. Miss Charlotte was right! She and Salem spent the night in a dusty ballroom before Christmas. Stacks of chairs with dust covers were scattered here and there. This was so different! Eventually, her eyes fell on a curious shape that materialised in the center of the dance floor. The shadowy shape was big and pointed with sloping sides.

The girl pointed towards it and asked. "There. What's that?"

"I don't know," Charlotte hesitated.

Charlotte's words echoed inside the vast room. As the last syllable faded away, multi colored fairy lights turned on. The winking cords trailed along the floor like trellises and revealed the tent in the center of the dance floor. The entire tent was made from the same silky material used for the curtains, allowing the group to see what lay inside. It was a queen-sized bed covered with a frilly pastel quilt! A wreath made of wild flowers and ferns had been placed on the pillows. Unlit tea candles formed a circle around the bed giving the setup a sober, ceremonial air. Castor crouched forward and growled.

He was taunting them. Make her sleep if you can. Charlotte felt cornered. The game of hide-and-seek had turned into a battle for a little girl's soul. If they were to lose the fight tonight, Ella would be taken into the garden for eternity. Charlotte bit her lip.

"God Almighty, please be with us. Give strength as we fight off the evil here in the mansion. Send your angels to watch over Miss Ella. Watch over us all."

Knock, knock!

Wendy let out a relieved sigh. Things weren't looking great, but London's words had done well to ease her momentary worries. No one else had been taken. The young adults were all present and accounted for... at least, the ones who were now under her care. She couldn't say the same for the two who'd been whisked away into the painting, or the girl who'd been dragged off to who knows where, but the little victories were enough to keep her sane for now.

The relief was short-lived. Wendy's eyes went wide the moment London began fretting over Jace's wounds. "Was anyone hurt badly?" She called out. So far, it didn't seem like anyone was bleeding to death. Her eyes began adjusting to the darkness, and she noticed the grunette with her red balloon and Charlotte with Ella in her arms.

He's been here.

Wendy's blood ran cold at the exchange between the young miss and the ex-nun. Only then did she notice the large shape in the center of the room, the beautiful bed that seemed so very out of place.

What was He trying to do?

"Stay alert," Wendy warned as a soft knocking began to resound throughout the empty ballroom. It sounded like it was coming from one of the windows. Wendy strayed away from the group, checking with all the frantic nerves of a worried mother hen. She noticed a face on the other side of the window.

Castor calmed down the moment the knocking started. He sat down calmly, gazing intently in the same direction as Wendy. A girl no taller than Ella stood behind one of the windows near the garden. Her pupiless eyes looked in their direction as she pressed her tiny nose against the glass. Her knee-length dress appeared to be woven from grass and leaves. Beneath the jagged hem, a spiked tail protruded. It waved around lazily, as the fae rapped the glass again with her tiny fists.

"Tamtam!" Ella exclaimed with delight.

The little girl wiggled free of Charlotte's grasp and dashed towards the window before anyone could grab her. Ella kneeled against the glass and pressed two hands against the cool surface. Tamtam mirrored Ella's actions. Charlotte stared at it. She couldn't help noticing that the leaves and wild flowers threading the creature's hair was the same as those used for the wreath.

"Wendy! Pssst Wendy!" she hissed. "Those flowers!"

Knock, knock! Knock!

Tamtam knocked the glass again. Slowly, she pointed a spindly finger towards the handles of the window. Ella's gaze followed it. She knew what her friend wanted but she knew she was far too short to reach it.

"Can someone help me please? Tamtam wants to come inside. She wants to talk to us."

As Charlotte called out to her, Wendy struggled to keep stay upright. Ella's imaginary friend was real. She'd always dismissed Tamtam as an imaginary friend… a way for the young miss to cope. "Charlotte," Wendy's voice was shrill and laced with fear. "Y-You see her too, right? I… am I imagining things?"

"Why else would I mention the flowers?" Charlotte asked in a puzzled tone. "She looks as real to me as she does to you. I don't know …" she added.

"This is the first imaginary friend I've seen." The last bit was spoken in a hushed voice like Charlotte was embarrassed having to admit that. "She doesn't look like a doll."

"Should we let her in?" Wendy was distraught. "What if it's another trick?"

Charlotte shook her head. She didn't know what to do anymore. She felt so stressed and confused at the moment that anything was possible. Was He trying to wear them down too? She gave Wendy a sidelong glance. If that's true, they need to leave by tonight too. Wendy, Miss Kitty and Hans.

 

[Ashi]

​

Jace stayed at the rear of the group after that, making sure no one fell behind. He wouldn't let the same thing that happened to Ana happen to anyone else. If they lost another person, if he lost another friend, he would surely break. On that note, Jace kept an eye out for dolls. Any that came from behind the group, he whacked with the golf club; however, only the ones that were close enough to attack. He wasn't going to waste energy going after every single doll. The stairs made this difficult. Luckily, it was a straight shot to the ballroom once they got to ground level and they were able to shut the doors before any dolls could get in. For a moment, Jace was able to relax.

"Oh, yeah.." Jace craned his neck to look behind him at London. The tacks he had fallen on were the farthest thing from his mind until she brought them back to his attention. In the chaos, he'd become numb to the sharp stinging the tacks inflicted. The feeling instantly returned, as if it had only been waiting for the opportunity. He winced but stood still as London plucked the tacks free. "Thanks." He gave a half smile and pulled a couple from his arm and his thigh. After a brief inspection, he concluded that that was all of them and shoved the tacks into his pocket for lack of a better place to put them.

He arched his dark brows as his eyes scanned the room. It reminded him of that annoying Disney movie that people were raving about for months after it premiered. Oddly enough, there was something that didn't fit in the glorious ballroom, a strange shadowy shape in the center of the room that Ella pointed out. Jace stepped carefully towards it as the lights cut on, revealing it to be a tent. There was a bed inside surrounded by candles. It looked dreamy, exactly like something a little girl might enjoy; but it was an incredibly unnerving sight in this mansion. Was Butzy the one who had put it there? Shivers crawled up Jace's back. Then, came the knocking...

Jace turned his head slowly to follow Wendy with his eyes as she neared a window. In a very horror movie type fashion, a face appeared on the other side. No, not just a face.. "A girl?" It was a little girl about Ella's size; however, something was wrong about her. Her eyes were strange, unlike any eyes Jace had seen on any living thing before; and she had a tail. What little girl had a tail?! None. She was not a little girl; she was something else. The dress of grass and flowers, if not the tail and eyes, indicated that much at least.

"Er... Ella, I don't think.." He began gingerly. The thought of letting Tam Tam in made his stomach lurch. As if looking for reassurance, he looked to Castor. The Doberman, who had been growling at the tent, seemed to relax in Tam Tam's presence. Was she truly good like Ella said at dinner? Or was she perhaps good only to Ella? He turned to the others, wondering what they thought. His instinct told him to be wary of her, but didn't indicate one way or another as to whether they should let her in. It was almost as if his instincts were confused. It was clear that Tam Tam played a key role in all of this. The question was the nature of that role. What did she have to do with all of this? Why were her flowers and fronds on the wreath inside the tent? The only real way to find out seemed to be to let her in.

"Guys?" He eyed each of his friends, searching their faces for answers. His gaze lingered on Marten the longest. The grunette looked so happy, having caught the red balloon, that Jace didn't have the heart to tell her that he didn't think the balloon was Ella's "key." He was certain that her key would have something to do with a rainbow. After the upheaval over Ana, he decided to let her have this victory.

 

[Haru Nyan]

Ethan gazed upon the majestic interior of the room, awestruck. Such decadence and opulence were things that he had only seen in pictures or fairy tales. "W-Woah..." Were the only words that left his mouth as he took in the sight of the frigid castle. Were they trying to save Ella or motherfucking Elsa? At least it wasn't goddamn freezing like in the movie, that would've taken away the whole beauty of the thing. It was when Ella pointed at something did Ethan's eyes follow. And before he could even make out what the girl pointed at, a barrage of rainbow-colored lights were upon them.

The way they would move and trace along the floor almost made it feel like a majestic light show, y'know, to go with the whole Frozen theme the room was going for. They ceased their movements and shone a light on a tent that was in the dead-center of the dance floor, itself just as extravagant as everything else in the room was. Castor didn't seem to be entertained nor impressed by it however, he had probably seen better.

"Agreed." Ethan nodded in response to Wendy's cautious behavior. The young man was on high-alert trying to steel himself from whatever creature was about to pop-up and get all in on their faces next. His hair stood up on end when a knocking sound echoed throughout the room, a cheap scare if there ever was one. And when Ella exclaimed what sounded like another dog's name, Ethan could only repeat it, mystified. "Tam...Tam?" He cocked his head to the side briefly, like a dog trying to decipher what their owner wanted them to do. He followed Ella to the window, and much to his surprise, what he met with was a figure he and London had encountered very briefly before. It was the little nymph and/or fey-like creature they saw earlier! So she was...imaginary? If what Charlotte and Wendy said were anything to go by. Ethan mused a though...so imagination can become reality in Henbard, eh?

She seemed harmless enough, and if someone was going to vouch for her then Ethan wasn't going to pass up the opportunity. "I say we let her in." Before anyone else could even react, Ethan put his hands up and told everyone that he could explain. "Me and London sorta saw her before, she kept on tapping a window and led us to a clue. A cross and a rainbow to be exact, isn't that right, London?" He asked. Besides, what was the worst that she could do?

 

[Impudimp]

Returning a slight smile, London handed Jace the four tacks she collected, figuring he'd want those, too, if he were pocketing the rest. With that immediate concern out of the way she had time to take in the appearance of the ballroom. It reminded her of winter, an icy fortress. It may not have been cold in there, but the aesthetic alone raised goosebumps on her arms despite Adelaide's windbreaker. Think warm thoughts, think warm thoughts.


In the center of the room was a tent - the details made more clear by the lights turning on overhead - and London frowned. The set-up looked entirely too out of place, a failed juxtaposition of ice caps and summer forests. Whoever put it there had meant to unsettle them. Growing colder at the thought, London wrapped her arms around herself.


Knock, knock, knock.


Whipping her head towards the source of the sound, a nearby window, London lifted her brows. She recognized that face from earlier. TamTam. Not seconds after Ella hurried towards the window, London was hot on her heels - not to detain the young girl, but to get some answers. She didn't even notice the correlation of matching flowers. Hardly heard her friends' inquisitive tones, resulting in a delayed and distracted "Yeah..." intended for Ethan.


Standing at the window, London looked into TamTam's eyes. There she was: A real fae. Well, assuming she was real. London needed an interview to confirm this for certain, though. Would TamTam agree to such a thing? Perhaps now wasn't the time but, still, London yearned for knowledge. "You-... you told us to run, before." She didn't know why she restated the obvious, nor why it came out sounding like a question. "Why? I mean-... I mean why did you care?" Another, albeit unspoken, question danced in her eyes: What are you?


TamTam pulled away from the glass and got to her feet. The fae girl cocked her head to the side in a bird-like manner then smiled a crook smile. There was no innocence in that expression only wisdom, a knowing that seemed older than the trees in Whittle Grove. The forest spirit pressed a finger against the pane. She appeared to be pointing in London's direction.


A voice that rustled like leaves frolicking in the wind spoke inside London's head. Come. Come here. I show you.


London tensed, eyes blowing wide. Telepathy? She hadn't heard the voice with her ears, much less even seen TamTam move her lips. Thinking back to when she first met TamTam, London didn't register the voice in her head but, then again, things were pretty chaotic during that time.


The vacant eyes turned towards the Hispanic girl. Hurry. He's coming. TamTam removed her finger and pressed her left hand against the glass instead. Follow her. The voice instructed as a finger pointed at Ella.


"She wants you to press you hand against the glass," Ella explained. There was a knowing look in her blue eyes which gave London the impression the little girl heard the voice too. "That's how she talks to me."


Serene silence returned to the room. The peaceful feeling drove away the sinister vibes that lingered after the tent appeared. It was the same welcoming feeling that caused many hikers to take a blissful nap in the woods. Was this the creature behind their disappearance?


Chewing her lip thoughtfully, London between Ella and TamTam. It was an odd sensation, that feeling of comfortable security, to have in the midst of a nightmare like this. She wanted badly to trust TamTam, for the fae seemed like she'd be a very powerful ally should she genuinely care about their welfare. But, they'd trusted once before and look where that landed them.


TamTam waited patiently for London to approach her. Her smile remained on her scraggly lips. Don't scared. He can't come. I'm here.


As TamTam coaxed London towards her, an earthy perfume wafted into the room from the windows. It was the warming scent of mid-Summer. The lighter nodes boast of blooming flowers, musky fern and a strange spicy whiff that wasn't familiar to most people. Ella inhaled deeply, finding solace in it. Castor appeared more relax after he breathed in the perfume too. Plodding slowly towards his mistress, the doberman lay at her feet. His intelligent eyes stared at the fae in the window.


London didn't recognize the perfume, but it wasn't bad. She'd never been a fan of fruity smells, often preferring, during the times Beth forced her into formalwear, to wear something with a sharper scent. Raising her hand, she stepped towards the glass, lips pursed and a thousand thoughts running through her head: If this goes South, it's my fault. But… we have to try.


Charlotte held her breath when she noticed the faint perfume. However, she wasn't able to do so for very long. She gasped loudly, gulping down an extra large breath. "It smells familiar," she commented.


There was a faraway look in her eyes as vague memories came back. She recalled walking in the woods. She had gotten lost after dashing into the woods to find that screaming child. It must have been midday then. White light filtered through the canopy overhead but she couldn't bring herself to relax. There was this eerie stillness in the area. She didn't remember hearing any birds, insects or squirrels. It was so strange!


She was about to turn towards the direction of the creek when a strange fragrance caught her attention. It was very pleasant smell that made her so sleepy. She must have sat down and dozed off.


Her memories ended there. Charlotte shook her head, trying her best to snap out of it. "The first time I smelled it was in the woods when I was walking past Stilton Creek."


Ella turned around and stared at the nun with big eyes. "TamTam mustn't want you there. Polly lives at the Creek and she's mean! TamTam said she drowned a little girl there. TamTam knows because she lives in the trees there."


There was a short pause then Ella added. "She followed me here. We met the day I found her sitting on the branch above my swing."


Having heard their stories, London decided. She pressed her hand to the glass, just as Ella and TamTam instructed.


Memories began flooding London's mind. The first memory took her into a strange forest. Towering animals roamed the area feasting on the vegetation. London had only seen the fossilized remains of these giants up close. She scanned the area slowly. Sure enough, she spotted TamTam up in the trees. The little girl looked no different than she did in the present.


Time raced forward. The prehistoric animals disappeared and the vegetation began changing drastically. Humans started living in the area. Small tribes of Native Americans, the real first settlers in the American wilderness. In a blink of an eye, white settlers arrived in the area. They started off with several wooden log houses. Soon there was a town within the forest. As it expanded, the forest spirits and fae good and bad fled the area, moving deeper and deeper into the woods.


I was curious…


The stream of memories trickled to a stop and the last few pictures in London's head faded away. Slowly

the darkness paled into the familiar color of the nighttime sky. There was enough light from the moon for London to realise she was floating two stories above the ground outside the chateau. To her right was a circular window.


As she peered inside, she found herself staring straight at a memory of herself. She and Ethan were on the staircase leading to Ella's room.


There's danger here. He moved into the forest and took the humans. You must leave to survive. Stay and your soul stays too. You cannot die.


TamTam's voice had no sympathy in it. She was simply stating facts. The fae seemed to care about one thing, satisfying her curiosity. The human lives meant little to her as they die far too quickly for her to have any attachment to them.


I come and go. Ella stays here. She calls me her friend so I call her mine.


Again, there was the same detachment in TamTam's voice. She played at being Ella's friend because the concept piqued her curiosity. A friend helps another. I follow the rules Ella tells me. I have to help you play His game so you can help Ella.


Feeling a little light-headed, London removed her hand from the window and placed it on the wall to steady herself. All those images had flashed through her mind as if they were her own memories, yet she knew the truth: They were not. They were TamTam's.


Gathering her bearings, she lifted the latch on the window with a clammy hand. Even though TamTam didn't care for them on a personal level, the concept of friendship had piqued the fae's interest. They could use that to their advantage while it lasted. Had to, because TamTam seemed to be here before Henbard Chateau even existed. Peter, Butzy, or whoever he was had many tricks up his sleeve but, assuming TamTam would remain on their side, so would their little rebellion.


"Come inside, then," she welcomed her in.

She had stood and brushed herself off long before the appearance of the… What exactly was TamTam? She looked like a wood nymph? And while Marten wouldn't have been inclined to believe in such a thing before this night… well, a wood nymph TamTam was going to be until otherwise stated.


However as she held her well gotten balloon, she felt a strong wave of protectiveness wash through her when it seemed to be her fellow sophie that got called out. London? They had been through so much… Lost Ana, and Kindall and Kelsey, too. It was hard not to call out to her friend trying to save her. So she bit her lip, just hard enough to draw a bead of blood as she watched everything play out.


It seemed everyone was being forced to grow in this situation. Bravery in the face of doom, but if they had gained another ally, maybe they weren't quite as doomed as they had been in the beginning at least?

 

[Fox of Spades]

It was that scent. Wendy couldn't quite place her finger on it, but like Charlotte, she'd recognized it from somewhere a lifetime ago. She closed her eyes as an overwhelming sadness welled up inside her. They were in too deep now, He had made his anger known by taking away the young master and threatening them with a new challenge. The princess-like bed in the middle of the room spoke volumes, even though Wendy wasn't quite sure what He was trying to say.

He had always been cryptic, had always tested them in the cruelest of ways.

She'd given up on escape long ago, the same way the others had. The young master had kept the dream alive through his actions and secret plots but right now, she felt as if they had no future. To make matters worse, some forest spirit was trying to reach out to them. Ella seemed to trust Tamtam, but everyone else was skeptical.

Ethan finally broke the silence.

Tamtam had helped them? Of course, it could have been a ploy. Hesitantly, she watched as London approached the window. Wendy wanted to call out and stop the girl, but she stayed still. An imaginary friend was their only hope. They truly were in a horribly piteous situation. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

"We really don't have a choice," she whispered as London opened the window.

Tamtam was quick to slip inside and Wendy spent a moment simply gaping at the childlike Fae. "Please help us save the young miss. She... she trusts you." It was hard to ask the forest spirit such an important favor, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Wendy turned to the young miss. "We're going to try and keep you safe."

Wendy wanted to say more, but they were running out of time. Black wisps began seeping in through the gaps underneath the doors. Shadowy tendrils spilled into the room, rising up to coil against the brass handles of the oaken doors.

"They'll be inside soon." Wendy's tone was frantic.

Sure enough, the doors were flung open and an army of dolls led by Mini P on his steed, started pouring into the room. Ella screamed as Wendy flicked on her flashlight and prepared for the worst. "I'm not sure if it will work, but I think if we can put Ella to sleep, the nightmares will go away." It was the last bit of advice she could give before the dolls were upon them.

 

[Ashi]

​

Jace eyed Ethan, that slight squint of his dark eyes and downward tilt of the corner of his mouth suggesting he didn't quite trust his friend's judgement. He gave London the same skeptical look, before turning his gaze to Tam Tam. That off-feeling that he couldn't quite put a finger on was overwhelming now, but in a different sense than it had been earlier. It wasn't dread Jace was feeling, but he wasn't sure he could call it suspicion either. Whatever it was was niggling at the back of his mind, small enough that he could choose to ignore it yet still prominent enough that it would be difficult to do so. Before he had time to form any objections, London was already at the window.

"London?!" He watched on, incredulous. How could she, who had been so adamant in not trusting the Henbard residents, so readily trust Tam Tam? There was no telling exactly what she was or what she could do or even if she was really on their side. If she was on anyone's side, it was likely only Ella's. Or perhaps it wasn't trust, but curiosity that drove her? Tam Tam was a strange being, like the things London wrote about in her Cryptodex and hunted for with Kelsey. Jace watched, mystified as London seemed to connect with the Fae through the glass pane of the window. As questionable as this fairy was, he was curious enough to approach the window.

"What did you see?" Jace asked London, his voice hushed. A strange but pleasant scent wafted by, following Tam Tam through the window and surrounding her. It was an earthy smell, one that reminded Jace of mornings after rain and camping and hunting trips with his dad. It had a dreamy affect that made his eyes feel heavy. He shook his head to clear it of the sensation and focused on the doors.

The shadowy wisps were coming up from under the doors, putting force on them. They wouldn't hold much longer. Grabbing the holy water from the backpack, Jace poured the water over the golf club in his hand, then tossed the club to Charlotte. He did the same for a second club, which he kept. The doors flung open. Jace stood protectively in front of Ella.

"I'm not sure if it will work, but I think if we can put Ella to sleep, the nightmares will go away."

Jace blinked. Was that what the tent was for? Did he want Ella to sleep or was it a challenge? He recalled what was said before, about the dolls possibly being linked to Ella's fears and her being too frightened to sleep. He glanced at her over his shoulder. There wasn't time to think it over. In one smooth motion, he turned, scooped Ella into his arms, and marched to the tent. It was a little difficult to get in with the stuff he was carrying, but Jace managed. He let the golf bag and backpack slide off his shoulders and sat down on the princess bed. The golf club he set beside him on the floor; Ella he laid on the bed beside him.

"It's alright, Ella. I won't let anything happen to you." Jace said softly and offered her a smile. He fished for his flashlight and flicked it on, giving it to Ella to hold. The added light helped to minimize shadows cast on the tent walls from outside. "You know what? My dad used to take me camping when I was your age. Just like you and Salem, we'd huddle up in a tent. I used to get scared, being out in the woods after dark. My dad would always fall asleep first, so I'd be awake by myself, listening to all the nighttime sounds." He reminisced with a chuckle. "My grandma told me a trick to help me not to be afraid and to sleep. She told me to think about a place that I wanted to go - even if it was imaginary - and think of all the good things about it and the things that I would do there. Then, she told me to pick a song that I liked and sing it from beginning to end. Before I could finish the song, I would fall asleep." He looked at the child with a warmth he hadn't felt all night, a warmth that he felt for family and for Kelsey and Ana.

"Think of your favorite place, Ella. Think of all the happy things about it." Jace said, grabbing the blanket and tucking it around her. "You know, these little lights all over kind of remind me of fireflies. Do you like fireflies? I know a song about them." He mused and petted her head, starting to hum the first two measures. He sang it softly, though not so soft that the noise outside would drown it out, and slowly, so Ella could sing too if she wanted. When that song finished, he sang another. He wouldn't give fear a chance to creep up on her.

 

[Cartoonicat]

What could she say? That she'd seen the world, past and present? It sounded like how people described a bad LSD trip or something and, while she was certain her friends would believe her after everything that had happened in Henbard, she still did not know how to make it any more palatable. They were dealing with an ancient creature here; a creature of probably infinite wisdom. "I..." saw everything. She stepped away from the window and looked to her friends. Watched as the door swung open, an army of dolls on their midnight horizon.

It should have reassured her that TamTam was on their side and, to some point, it did. But TamTam's aid was temporary. She'd likely abandon them after freeing Ella or, heaven forbid, something happened to the young girl. As her short dizzy spell began to fade and chaos erupted, London shot TamTam an expectant look from through the open window. Help us.

Gripping the handle of her katana tight, London left the fae at the window.

"I'll cover you!" She told Jace as he scooped up Ella and retreated to the princess bed. London couldn't sing to save her life - only trying to would likely end up with Ella being kept awake - but she'd grown accustomed to swinging her sword over the course of this never-ending night, not to mention several LARP events and spectacles. She would protect those who tried to lull Ella to sleep. Situating herself several feet in front of the tent, she snarled at the incoming dolls. Her eyes landed on a particular miniature pumpkin. Yet, the itch under her skin that begged her to leave her post to pummel it had quieted some. She'd get her chance. Maybe not now, but she would.

Good things come to those who wait, Abuelita had often told her whenever London expressed impatience as a child and young teenager. A concept like that was hard to swallow when angry, but as London swatted away an incoming doll, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't angry anymore. Sad, yes. Terrified, yes. Hurt and worried and constantly on the cusp of wanting to give up, but not angry.

A doll latched onto the laces of one of her shoes and tugged, making London stumble some. With a roar, she kicked the toy into the air and swung, muscles screaming, only to completely miss batting it away in a blind rage. It grinned a creeping grin as it stuck the landing. A second later, the wooden blade of her sword smacked it into the ground.

Okay, she was definitely angry - just not enough to be too much of a reckless hothead.

As she fought off any dolls that had made it far enough into the room to be a threat to Ella, London caught sound of singing from the tent. Owl City? Not bad. She split her attention between the battlefield and Jace's voice. Not for the music - though that was a bonus, if only she could enjoy it without worry of evil dolls flanking her - but to keep an ear out in case she was needed.

Salem, she feared, was not the only beast they would face tonight.

 

[Haru Nyan]

As soon as London opened the windows to let TamTam in, Ethan felt...at ease. There was a strange smell wafting in the air as the nymph came in, the scent making him feel a tad light-headed. It didn't feel bad per se, just...odd. They were always in imminent danger in the Chateau and feeling like this...it felt out of place. Hopefully whatever TamTam just released in the air wasn't some sort of sleeping gas or something. The trance broke however, when Wendy muttered something about they would be inside soon. And Ethan was prepared for the worst.

And just like that, the Orange Menace was back with his army of dolls, ready to cause terror and wreak havoc. He shook his head, this little pumpkin never knows when to give up, does he?! Talk about a regular nemesis...Wendy let out a terrified scream, saying that they needed to lull Ella in to sleep ASAP. That shouldn't be too hard, right? Apart from the dolls trying to kill them and everything, how hard could it be to try and put a little girl to sleep? Sure enough, Jace already sprung into action, Ella in tow and all. Humming a tune that he thought was deader than disco at this point.

He cast an amused glance at Jace, as if to say "Really, dude?" He shrugged, whatever works, he supposed. Ethan began to think, as quick as he could. What were things that helped kids sleep? Stuffed toys? The young man took a glance at the dolls that were slowly starting to pour into the room, that was definitely out of the question. Cookies and warm milk? Sure, it worked for him, but Ella is another kind of story. Bedtime stories? Is any one of them good at telling them?

And before he could think up of any other kind of measure to lull Ella into her dreamscape, the fucking pumpkin was on his high horse-literally, charging into the fray and leading his troop of dolls into battle, directly at Ella and Jace. Crap. Ethan didn't even have to think twice before jumping into the action.

"Hey, ugly!" He called out, running into the opposite side of the room. If acting as bait was going to help Ella sleep, then goddamit Ethan will try to be the best goddamn bait he ever has been. Sure enough, he got the attention of the pumpkin and his armada of playthings. Not a moment too soon, he grabbed a handful of salt and threw it on the little bastard and his tiny friends, for a while he was sure that he could have heard them growling in frustration. Ethan's voice began to drip with insincerity, "Oooh, did I do that? Sorry, fingers slipped."

It wasn't long before the pumpkin was directing the dolls to attack him, immediately. Ethan began to sprint to the other side of the room, throwing in dashes of salt whenever he could. "Jace, please tell me she's yawning or something!" Ethan called out, the toys still hot on his trail as he ran from each side of the room to the other, trying to resist the pain their lobbed weapons were dealing to him.

 

[Impudimp]

Well TamTam smells nice. Marten didn't have time to think much else. The fae was slightly creepy but not wuite so much as all the other things that were creepy about Henbard or its inhabitants or the woods at night in general. If they were gaining a helper then she was all for it! Especially when the creaking collapse of the door behind her announced the entrance of the doll army from hell. Moving away from the entrance swiftly and toward the larger gathering of the group, the grunette prepared for round... What was it now? Three? Four?

"I'm throwing away every damn doll I own when I get home..." She muttered angrily under her breath as she brandished Kindall's bat like the weapon it was. She tied Ella's balloon to the belt ring above her back pocket so it wouldn't get lost in the ceiling. The bat still managed to be slightly encrusted with salt which pleased her and made her wonder slightly how it hadn't been knocked off in the prior engagement. Also whether or not it was working in the first place.

As she swung, she took as good of a count as she could and it seemed like there were just as many dolls as before. So what, we're just playing keep away with these stupid things?! Jace's voice was soft, but she heard it. Despite everything, she smiled. She really liked that song. "I'd like to make myself believe~ That planet earth turns, slowly~" She piped up in smooth, light alto. If it'd help then darn it she was helping out. She could hold a tune as well as anyone else. And combined with the forest scents filling the room actually did manage to bring a sense of calm about the room. She didn't even feel as petrified as before. Leave it to Owl City for both a lullaby and impromptu battle music.

 

[Fox of Spades]

The group was quick to act, with Jace leading the charge to keep Ella safe. Wendy watched worriedly as he scooped the young miss into his arms and disappeared into the tent-like structure. The others didn't have to be told twice, London, Ethan, and Marten all reacted quickly and sprang into action as soon as the enemies breached the barricaded ballroom.

This was their final stand here. Wendy uttered a silent prayer before she turned away from the combat and follow after Jace. Ella would most-likely be calmer in her presence, she would have to trust Charlotte and the others to keep the dolls and the mini Pumpkin occupied as she, Jace, and (hopefully) the fae did their best to lull Ella to sleep.

"Tamtam?" She called out hesitantly as she closed the distance between herself and the bed. "Can you help the young miss calm down? It might be difficult for us to put her to sleep in these circumstances." She didn't wait for an answer, merely said her piece as she arrived by Ella's side. Jace was already trying his best, singing a whimsical song about fireflies and dreams. The lyrics were quite enchanting, and in other circumstances, she would have dwelt on what they meant.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Wendy noticed Tamtam had followed her.

"Are you going to help the young miss?" She whispered.

Tamtam merely nodded.

As the chaos grew worse around them, explosions of sound errupted all over the ballroom and the grunette himed in and started singing as well. She had a pleasant voice that melded well with the boy's deeper one.

Please God, grant them the strength to fend off the dolls... just a little longer, just until the young miss falls asleep.

"Young miss," Wendy's voice was soft and comforting despite the fear and uncertainty that gripped at her heart. "I'm right here." She reached for Ella's tiny hand and began stroking her hair gently. "I'll stay beside you until you fall asleep, okay? I know it's scary right now, but just focus on his voice and try. The dolls will go away if you sleep, then we'll be able to help Sir Paul and Ma'am Adelaide too, just like the young master planned, okay?"

She stopped herself and stroked Ella's hair once more.

Ella nodded her head slowly. The nice boy had promised not to let anything happen to her, and something about the way he said things, made her trust him. He wasn't merely saying things to comfort her, but instead, seemed to say things with conviction... the same way Salem often did. "Okay," she whispered. Having Wendy by her side helped reassure her some more as well, making Jace's previous reassurances a lot more effective. She held on tightly to the flashlight he'd given her before she noticed Tamtam standing behind the other two. The fae had shut her eyes in concentration, and that was when Ella noticed what Tamtam was doing. Small firefly-looking lights began to appear around Tamtam, first one then two then a dozen.

It was a mesmerizing sight, and somehow, the warm glow of the lights made Ella feel just a little bit safer.

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to follow Jace's advice, to think about her favorite place in the world. She pictured rainbows in the park on sunny days, of frolicking in the grass with Castor, of the walks she took with her father before he was always sad. The good memories helped, and for a moment, the sound of fighting and yelling seemed to grow distant.

Jace's soft voice coupled with the warmth of Wendy's hand helped her remove herself from the frightening situation they were in. If she kept focusing on what he told her to, maybe... just maybe this would work.

***​

As the others attempted to lull the young girl to sleep, Mini P stood atop his horse with an utterly devilish scowl. The large boy had thrown a handful of salt into his face, and the two annoying girls, were giving his army hell. The miniature pumpkin hadn't expected them to last this long against his forces, and yet, here they were… surprising him with each passing moment. Ah well, the harder they fought, the more fun he would have.

Unfortunately, constantly chasing after them wasn't any fun. Scaring them out of their wits in the basement had been the highlight of the evening, and the miniature pumpkin wished to somehow replicate that moment of fright before the evening was through. For now, he'd have to settle for less. Mini P brought his fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle, before Ethan could do anything, two stuffed snakes slithered out of the darkness of the room and began wrapping themselves around his ankles. The snakes crept higher and higher, pushing into his shirt so they tickle the air out of his lungs. If Ethan chose to try and pull them off, a care bear was waiting on top of a box, poised to jump on Ethan as if it were the next wrestling super star in a big WWE Smackdown episode.

London and Marten weren't any luckier, despite how hard they fought, it was easy to see that the dolls would only pick themselves back up. Every Care Bear they knocked down would swiftly be replaced by a barbie and furby working in tandem. The only thing that seemed to be remotely effective were the flashlights Wendy had brought them. Each time a bright beam was pointed at a possessed toy, the toy would screech and stumble as black wisps seemed to pour out of their very being. It was almost the same as the black ooze the poured out of Salem before he'd turned into a monster - almost as if the dolls were made of the same thing.

While the flashlights helped deter the onslaught, it still wasn't enough.

If Jace and Wendy couldn't put Ella to sleep soon, they would be overwhelmed and it would be over for all of them.

Charlotte shuddered as thoughts of the garden came to mind. "We need to keep the dolls away from Ella," she reminded as she kicked at angry Furby. It soared across the room. Castor was standing beside her, snapping his jaws at all the dolls that came within biting distance. He fought with a frightening fury, but it wasn't enough.

Two care bears leaped onto his back before three others joined in. Castor eventually hit the ground and when Charlotte rushed in to help the dog she was tackled and overwhelmed as well.

Mini P burst into laughter.

The dolls had stopped attacking relentlessly and had instead focused on teaming up instead. A dozen of care bears encircled both London and Marten, each of them moving toward the girls at a menacing pace. The circle grew smaller and smaller.

"Don't get caught!" Charlotte yelled as she struggled to free herself. "Use the flashlights if you can!"

 

[Fox of Spades]

Collab by @Fox of Hearts, @Haru Nyan, @AkikoYukito, @Cartoonicat, and @Impudimp

Ballroom Brawl
[London, Ethan, and Marten Ft. Charlotte, Furbies, and the Care Bears]​

Ring-a-ring o' roses. Here we stand among the roses. A salt circle, a salt circle. Safe for now. TamTam's voice echoed inside Ethan, London and Marten's heads. Use the salt. A salt ring keeps you safe. Don't waste the salt.

The fae knew there wasn't much time for them to puzzle over her words, so she shared another memory with them. In their mind's eye, Marten, Ethan and London saw Salem running towards the attic with Ella in tow. He clutched a small bowl against his chest. Their only source of light was the flashlight Ella gripped in her hand. Castor ran beside them. The next scene showed Salem struggling to draw a large salt circle around them while the attic door shuddered violently. He finished drawing as the door crashed to the floor. The three of them stood very still inside as the dolls tried to get closer. There seemed to be a barrier keeping them out. The final scene showed Salem, Ella and Castor fleeing once the salt circle turned black.

You have time. Fight when the salt turns black.

TamTam didn't seem to be communicating with Charlotte at all. The maid continued whacking dolls left right and center without pause. Castor stood by her side, ripping off the heads of any dolls that dared to get too close. The black ooze on the floor gathered into writhing puddles that moved in an amoeba-like fashion towards one another, merging together rapidly. Once the puddle was big enough, a random toy would emerge from it. The ooze entered the newly formed toy and puppet it towards one of the combatants. It wasn't long before the tent guards began to fatigue.

Ella. She's important. Use the salt to keep safe. Take a break. TamTam advised again. You cannot win. Humans grow tired too soon.

Before Ethan could even get a response from Jace, he fell flat on the ground with a loud THUD. His large body making impact with the floor, his vision reeling momentarily and the bowl of salt he was wielding plop uselessly a fair distance away from him.

Trying to sprawl up again on his feet, the young man was surprised when he felt a creeping sensation slither up against him, he looked down to see plush snakes making their way up his body, and before he could shout at them to get the hell away, he was gasping for air.

He thrashed about, trying to get a sure grip on one of the toys only stopping when he heard a guttural noise emanating from slightly above him. Glancing below him was a stuffed bear, its soft paws trying to crack its knuckles-or their lack of thereof-ready to deliver an elbow drop on him if he even dared to escape his captors.

The words of TamTam echoed in his head as he helplessly struggled to get free, the wind in his lungs slowly trickling out by the second. I'D USE THE FUCKING SALT IF I COULD, YOU FUCKING FAIRY. Ethan wasn't sure if what he was thinking could even be transmitted back to Tamtam, but all he knew now was that if someone didn't save him soon, it'd be the end of his story.

Meanwhile, alongside Marten, London swung her flashlight left and right. It was an effective weapon against the dolls, though the longer she let it linger on one area the more vulnerable she was in others. Stepping back until her back touched Marten's, London's lip quivered. She was tired - so, so tired - but stopping would only result in a horrendous Game Over.

"I- I gave Ethan my salt," London said. She swivelled the cone of light in the direction she'd last heard her friend's voice only to choke on his name: "Eth-Ethan?!"

Marten nodded her head in affirmation. "Got it.. Ethan has the salt and-- What? What's wrong with… Ethan?! Shit!" The grunette thought out loud because it helped her mind keep order. It got little too crowded when a mystical being was using your stream of consciousness as two-way. If she didn't have a headache from the overwhelming, chaotic sense of dread… She'd pin the head pain on impromptu telepathy.

Snakes. There were snakes wrapped around him, squeezing tight and making him gasp for air. London felt her hands shake at the sight, not having yet realized they were stuffed; it was hard to tell from the distance, movement, and poor lighting. Ethan was being strangled to death by snakes and she couldn't find it in her to move.

Why wasn't she moving!? She hated snakes, but she had friends to protect! Where had the snakes come from, anyway? Weren't they supposed to be fighting toys? Did Ella also fear creepy crawlies? London felt sick; it'd only be a matter of time before they snuffed out Ethan's light and slithered across the room towards herself and Marten. Stupid CareBears and Barbie dolls she could deal with, but this…

A thought occurred to her, then: The snakes were likely part of the shadow show, too, and would disappear in the light. All she had to do was angle the flashlight just so, and… "They're stuffed!?" London nearly smacked herself in the face, the chilling terror dissipating to something more manageable once she realized they weren't real. Of course they were stuffed; anything but wouldn't make sense! Quickly, she illuminated the Care Bear threatening to dive bomb her friend on the floor just enough to send it falling back, shadows seeping out of the fluffy fabric.

"Keep up the light, okay?" The swimmer used her land legs on this one, darting as fast as she could considering she was trying to watch London's back as well as get to the downed man. Her bestie couldn't possibly shine a light and fight at the same time. Not for long at least. She got to her wrestler buddy and went to work trying to pull away snakes but heck if the damn things wanted to come off. "Fuck, this isn't working…" She growled.

In the dimness she managed to make out the spilled salt a little ways away. Would it work on things trapped inside it? She may as well find out. Do I need a big circle? No, it'll take too long to form. Standing with her waning energy she grabbed up some and went to work, encapsulating Ethan in his own personal ring, though she supposed if he actually sat in it comfortably another person could fit as well. "One down." She smirked, taking the bowl and its remainder to London who hopefully could keep the light on Ethan. If the bears disappeared like they should he would be safe to catch his breath at least.

"London! He's okay! Keep them away from the bed just a bit longer." She'd run and talk heading toward said sleeping place. She would heed TamTam and get a circle around it so that Ella could end this thing.

"Got it-Ah!" Something grabbed London's leg and, with a yelp, she swivelled her flashlight in its direction. A Barbie doll with bright blue eyes and a entirely too cheery smile stumbled away from her, shadows flailing. She needed to keep the dolls off of the bed and herself but control was slipping too quickly from her grasp.

Heart hammering in her chest, London took a shaky step back and swung her katana into the dark, hitting several small toy bodies and sending them away. Meanwhile, her flashlight illuminated her left side, keeping her from getting flanked best it could.

Another doll leapt at her feet and she kicked it away, nearly stumbling from the fatigue. "H-Hurry up with whatever you're doing," she panted, hacking the wooden blade yet again into the darkness. "I can't keep this up m-much longer!" And it was true; London relied on the temporary high of adrenaline to give her strength, not actual stamina and muscle.

---

Singing a Lullaby
[Wendy, Jace, and Ella]

Ella's eyes opened suddenly. She turned her head to the side and stared at her fairy friend surrounded by rainbow coloured lights. Salem didn't trust TamTam like she did even after she told him about the pinky swear. TamTam tried to keep her safe since the day they met. It was because of their pinky swear. They swore they would be friends.

"TamTam said promises can't be broken. I made her promise not to leave and be my friend," she whispered. "She said she couldn't leave after that." The little girl squirmed guiltily under the covers. "I feel bad making her stay. She likes the forests. Will she go home after I leave?"

"Leave, Miss Ella?" Wendy asked softly. Her hand stopped stroking Ella's hair as she stared at child on the bed. "We are home."

Ella shook her head. "Not here. Home home. Salem said I can see Papa and Mama again when I fall asleep."

"Then you should try to sleep."

Wendy understood what Salem meant. She hated having to lie to Ella like this, but she didn't want to hurt the child. No one leaves Henbard. Their souls lingered in this purgatory waiting to be freed. Once they leave, they needed to move on. Their souls didn't have a body to return to anymore.

The child shook her head again. "I want to see a rainbow," she insisted. "It makes me brave. It chases the scary things away. Lightning, thunder … monsters."

Ella yawned a little as she allowed herself to sink deeper into the pillow. "I promised Daddy too. I told him I'll find a rainbow and put some of it into a jar." She smiled at the memory of her last promise to her ailing father. "He loves them. He remembers them. They're important to him."

"Why?" Wendy couldn't help asking. This was the first time she heard Ella talking about her other life. She suspected that the sleepiness made it easier for the child to open up to them. Ella was always too shy and reserved. "Why do they make him happy?"

"He can't remember," Ella answered with tiny frown. "Mommy said seeing a rainbow makes him feel loved. They met on a rainy day. There was a rainbow in the sky after the rain stopped. She said they knew they had to be together."

The little girl sat up and stared earnestly at her nanny. "Mr Teddy hates rainbows too! I saw it in a dream once. He ran away when the rainbow appeared in the sky. These dolls are Mr Teddy's friends. They must hate rainbows too."

Jace's singing quieted a little as Ella spoke up, reduced to humming as he thought. He stole a sideways glance at TamTam. Why would Ella feel badly about TamTam staying? It was TamTam's choice to engage in the promise with her, her choice to stay by her side. It was no fault of Ella's. Then, perhaps Ella didn't understand that. She was only a child after all, a child who believed in the magic of rainbows, friendship, and monsters. Jace frowned a little, but quickly put his smile back on for Ella's sake.

"It's like you said, Ella. TamTam is your friend. Friends don't leave friends; they help them." He tried to explain, hoping that his words would reassure her. She needed to sleep, not concern herself with TamTam's feelings. He took up humming again, wondering what else could be done to make Ella more comfortable. His eyes drifted down, landing on his jacket, then the lightbulb turned on.

"Here," Jace slid his jacket off and laid it over Ella. It was known that heavy blankets in colder temperatures were most favorable for sleeping. Maybe the heavy leather jacket would offer the child more security?

The warmth felt odd against her skin. Ella pulled up her arms from beneath the jacket and stared at the ceiling above. She admired the many crystals glistening overhead. They reminded her of ice in winter. Long, thin ones that hung from the branches of trees.

"Thank you," she whispered. "The jacket is nice. Daddy has one like it. He was wearing it when we went out to see the snow."

Sleep wouldn't come. She felt wide awake all of a sudden. It was the same feeling she got when she knew Mr Teddy was around the corner. He was an evil bear with mean eyes and sharp teeth under that smile. She squirmed some more.

"I think Mr Teddy is nearby." She murmured. The little girl rolled onto her belly and pulled the blanket over her head. "I know he is. He comes when all his friends are here."

Jace frowned again, humming stopping entirely. 'Ella's key has definitely got to be a rainbow.' He thought as a feeling of helplessness set in. Where in the hell were they supposed to get a rainbow? Rainbows were a result of water, usually mist, and light. It was still the middle of the night and there was no getting outside of the mansion. How did one even get a rainbow in a jar?

Wait! Couldn't that be made with food coloring? Would a rainbow made with food coloring in a jar be sufficient to release Ella from this hell hole? And couldn't you make a rainbow with a glass of water, a piece of paper, and a light? Jace thought hard and reached round for the glass bottle of holy water. He wasn't sure if this would work, as he didn't have a piece of paper, but the sheets on the bed were pale enough. He gestured to Wendy for her flashlight and positioned the bottle beneath it. It took some shifting of the bottle and the flashlight to get the proper angle, but a small, faint rainbow was cast on the bed.

"Ella," Jace beckoned her to peek out from under the blanket. "I know it's not a proper rainbow, but it's a rainbow."

Ella nodded mutely as she stared at the rainbow in wonder. She knew this rainbow wasn't like the one in the sky but it was good enough. Gratitude shone in her eyes and she leaned over to give Jace a hug.

"Thank you, it'll make Papa happy when I show it to him. And, and Mr Teddy won't dare come near me tonight too."

For the first time in years, Ella was able to relax. She knew she could trust Castor, Miss Wendy, Miss Charlotte and the wonderful big brothers and sisters to keep her safe. She stifled a small yawn while Wendy coaxed her to lie down again.

"D … do you think I can see Salem in the morning?" she asked sleepily. "I want to spend one more day with him, Adelaide and Paul before I go home. I promised we'd go on a picnic before it snows." Her eyelids began to droop. "I'm so happy. Peter promised I can go home after I wake up. Back when I first came to Henbard…"

Ella's words trailed off. She was drifting between blurry between consciousness and sleep. It was very warm. She loved a lot, because it made her think of the many rainy nights she spent in bed with her parents. Everything was safe. Castor would be there too at the foot of the bed. They were always happy together, one loving family.

Her tiny hand continued clasping Jace's. He could feel the warmth ebbing away as her flesh began turning to stone. There was a funny sensation where their palms met. He hadn't noticed it earlier but Ella had been clasping a tiny pin in her hand. When he withdrew his hand, he noticed it was a rainbow-shaped pin. One half of a rainbow pin to be exactly. It was a colourful brooch with a silver base similar to the ones sold at Mr. Marigold's vintage curio shop.

 

[Fox of Spades]

The Rainbow Connection
​

Slowly but surely, grey flecks of stone began creeping up Ella's pale skin. Soon enough, her fate would resemble that of her brother's - a statue bound to eternal slumber. If it was any consolation, the girl believed wholeheartedly, that she would one day wake up and return home. Peter could be cruel, but he wasn't a liar. He was almost childlike in his sincerity.

The stone curse continued to encase living flesh, until Jace was holding onto a cold hand of stone. Ella was gone completely now, the only thing that remained of her was the incomplete emblem in Jace's hand. Similar to Salem, it seemed as if the other half had been hidden away somewhere in Henbard Chateau.

Wendy's eyes shone with unshed tears. Ella had finally escaped Peter's clutches, but she would never get to go home. It was the harsh reality of the situation they were in - there would never be a home to go back to. Henbard or nothingness, or Peter's garden. Wendy's lips pressed into a sad smile as she watched the light fade from the young miss' eyes. She was completely encapsulated in stone now, and Wendy didn't know whether to be happy or sad. It was a strange mixture of both feelings.

Slowly, she reached for Jace's shoulder. "Thank you, that meant a lot to her. I'm sure you made it a little less painful for the young miss to pass over." He had a kind heart, helping them after all they'd done. "You have my utmost gratitude."

It was around that time, that Wendy noticed Tamtam had vanished. As soon as Ella had gone to sleep, the fae - who had been duty bound by friendship - slipped back out the window and into the darkness of the White Woods. The window remained open, revealing the forest path, but if anyone tried to follow after Tamtam, it would end the same way their earlier ordeal at the front door had ended. Tamtam didn't have to follow Peter's rules, but they were unfortunately not exempted.

As Wendy and Jace lingered by Ella's side, the onslaught of dolls grew weaker and weaker with each passing moment. What had been an attack fueled with ferocity, turned into something laughable. One by one, each of the care bears and furbies fell flat on their faces. The dolls tried to resume their attacks, but found themselves to weak to move. They hit the ground, most falling into an unceremonious heap before black ooze began seeping out of them.

It was over.

Charlotte stood panting as the care bears that surrounded her dropped one by one. It took her a moment to understand the situation they were in, but when she realized Wendy and Jace had succeeded, a weary smile tugged on the corner of her lips. "They did it," she whispered breathlessly, as if she couldn't believe her own words.

They were all a little worse for wear, but as her eyes landed from London to Marten to Ethan, she knew they would be alright. The boy was lying a little dazed in one of the salt circles his friend had made, but the snakes from earlier had already turned to ooze thanks to the protective property of the blessed salt. She said a quick prayer beneath her breath then closed the distance between herself and the three others. "We did it. Thanks to the three of you, they managed to put Ella to sleep."

Bless them. When this was over, she would pray for forgiveness for her own part in luring them here.

Charlotte took a moment to catch her breath before she spoke once more. "Is everyone alright? Not too injured, I hope?"

As everyone focused on catching their breath and Ella, a certain miniature pumpkin took the opportunity to escape and disappeared once more. He would flee for now, but later on - mark his words - he would return with a vengeance.

Two Left

1.

Ding, dong, bell,
Pussy's in the well.
Who put her in?
Little Johnny Thin.
Who pulled her out?
Little Peter Stout.
What a naughty boy was that,
To try to drown poor pussy cat,
Who never did him any harm,
But killed all the mice in the farmer's barn.

2.

Mary had a pretty bird,
With feathers dark and yellow,
Slender legs - upon my word,
He was a pretty fellow.
The sweetest notes he always sang,
Which much delighted Mary;
And near the cage she'd ever sit,
To hear her trapped Canary.

3.

Tell Tale Tit,
Your tongue shall be slit;
And all the dogs in the town
Shall have a little bit.

4.

Es tanzt ein Bi-Ba-Butzemann
In unserm Haus herum, fidebum,
Es tanzt ein Bi-Ba-Butzemann
In unserm Haus herum.

Er wirft sein Säcklein her und hin,
Was ist wohl in dem Säcklein drin?
Es tanzt ein Bi-Ba-Butzemann
In unserm Haus herum.

​

---

Meanwhile in Ella's Room...

Joseff sat as stiff as a board. The Shiba Inu was acting unlike his usual lazy self and was treating his designated job as "Keeper of the Painting" with utmost seriousness. He was focusing as hard as he could when something in the air shifted. Two bodies - Kindle's and Kelsey's - were propelled out of the art piece. There was a loud thud as they bodies crashed into the ground.

Joseff leaped up, sniffing at the air to make sure it was them.

Sure enough, they were back. He started barking happily and eagerly approached.​

 

[Ashi]

​

Jace was taken aback by the hug, so much so that for the first few seconds all he could do was stare at Ella in surprise. It was the last thing he ever expected, given that she only just began to truly trust him. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her in a brotherly embrace. His heart felt light and, if for just a moment, he was happy. This moment was likely the most rewarding one he would have all night, right up next to being reunited with Kelsey in the cellar.

"You're welcome," He said softly and released Ella from the hug so she could lay down again. The atmosphere in the tent had changed entirely, the tension replaced by an almost sleepy calmness. If the stakes weren't still so high Jace might have been able to take a nap. "Of course you can. I'm sure they're looking forward to it." Jace soothed, giving her hand a light squeeze. The warmth was steadily leaving her as flecks of stone formed on her skin. "You sleep now. Everything will be better in the morning." A knot formed in his throat and his eyes burned and stung as the warmth and light left her pale face.

"Good night, Ella; and sweet dreams." The words were little more than a whisper as Jace pulled his hand away, fist curling around the half of the rainbow pin. He pulled his jacket back on, tucked the pin away in his pocket, and adjusted the blankets over Ella. It was a bittersweet feeling knowing that Ella was free, yet at the cost of her life. She hardly even had a chance to live before having to suffer in fear for over a decade. At the same time, she was finally free of fear and could go on to a better place. Jace turned his head slowly towards Wendy. It was apparent that she felt the same way. Unsure what to say, he merely nodded.

After a moment, Jace emerged from the tent, adjusting the backpack and golf bag on his shoulders. He looked round at his friends and Charlotte with a sad smile before his gaze drifted downward. He fished the pin out of his pocket and held it out for them to see. "Half of a pin, just like Salem." He muttered and looked up again, this time focusing on London. She still had Charlotte's and Wendy's items. The question he was silently asking her was whether or not they should go ahead and give them back.