To Love A Nutcracker

Chapter 19

"What do you mean he wasn't frozen when you found him?!" Vox raged at the mice when they reported back with the bad news. "With the storm I whipped up, he shouldn't have been able to walk, let alone escape all of you!"

"I...I...I don't know what else to say sir." The captain said nervously. "When we found he was moving just fine and he had made it to Flower Valley."

"But how?! How could he have possibly survived the snow storm unaffected?!"

"Maybe because he's made of wood now." Velvette pointed out.

"Oops." Vox said. "I guess I did overlook that little detail."

"Ya think?" His sister replied sarcastically.  "I tried to tell you earlier, but you wouldn't listen. And another thing you overlooked was that girl being of flesh and blood, and she would have surely perished in that storm if her friends hadn't of found that cave."

"Friends?" He said. "What friends?"

"Oh yes, she and nutcracker have quite the entourage now. A snow fairy, a former servant, and a flower fairy."

"What?! They have fairies with them now?! Ugh!" He scoffed in revulsion. "Those sickeningly-sweet pests! I hate them almost as much as I hate the nutcracker! They're so playful and friendly and good-natured! They make snow that's not cold or hard and they grow those useless flowers!"

"Then of course there's the whole uprising that the other toy turned people are talking about."

"Uprising?! They dare to plan an uprising against me?!"

"And that's not even the best part."

"Then what is? And how do you know all this stuff anyway?"

"You're not the only one who can use Mother's spell book. I cast a spell that allowed me to spy on the nutcracker so I could watch that snow storm plan of yours fail." She chuckled. "And not only did you fail at freezing the nutcracker but it looks like you're going to fail at getting a bride too."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well I hate I tell you this, actually I don't. You may have a rival for that lovely girl's affections."

"You mean there's another man in the picture?"

"A wooden one to be exact."

"The nutcracker?!" He shouted in furious disbelief.

"Yes, from what I've seen she's taken quite a shine to him and vice versa. Why they may already be head over heels in love."

"Nonsense! How could he possibly compare with me? He's just a block of wood. A loser-kid in a tree stump. I on the other hand am a king. I rule this entire land, I have an endless amount of riches. What does that nutcracker have, that I don't?"

"A brain." Velvette said.

"I have a brain!"

"That's up for debate." She began using her fingers to list more qualities. "Not only does he have brains but talent, charm, wit, personality."

"I have all of those and more."

"He's got nothing on you in the looks department if you ask me." The captain said.

"Yeah right." The lady mouse said rolling her eyes. "Here's a thought Vox, why don't you stop chasing after human girls and try pursuing a female in your own species? I'm sure if you lost a few pounds and fixed those teeth of yours, you could attract one desperate female mouse."

"Shut up!" Vox snapped at her.

"Oh, did I strike a nerve?" She teased.

"Well it's clear to me now that I've underestimated that puny wooden-headed twit and I can't rely on my troops or my magic in this situation." Vox declared. "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."