Clair's POV
I woke up to something heavey being tossed on me. I opened my eyes to find morning sunlight shining in through the small inn window. Nutcracker was refilling the backpack that we had gotten from Celia's.
"What are you doing?" I asked, sitting up and rubbing my eyes
"Packing" Nutcracker said "We need to keep moving"
"When are we leaving?" I yawned, rubbing my eyes
"Right now" Nutcracker replied "Common on put your boots on, lets go"
He straitened up, slinging the back pack over his wooden shoulder. He reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of bed with extreme strenth. I yelped at the sudden movement and reached out to cling to anything that would stop me from tumbling to the ground.
I found myself clinging to him.
Nutcracker chuckled
"Come on" he said "Hopefully we will be some where warmer by tonight"
I grabbed my boots and pulled them on quikly. Grabbing my thick parka i followed him out of the room. Well he was certainly in a better mood then he had been yesterday. I would have asked him why the sudden change but i figured i wouldnt poke there bear. I would just see how things turned out.
Stepping out of the inn i found myself emerged in bright morning sunlight. It was breathtaking. From the path leading away from the inn i could see that we were on a large hill. Far below and far away in the distance i could see a large expanse of gree and then bright blue, like water.
"Is that the ocean?" I asked, pointing into the distance
"Yup" Nutcracker said "Havent you seen the movie before kid?"
"Yeah" I said "But in the end the Nutcracker is a prince, you said your not a prince"
"Im not" The Nutcracker replied
"well then this has nothing to do with the movie" I said
We walked for a few minutes, from somewhere in the tree's a bird started to whistle. It wasnt like those anoying birds that you want to throw a rock at, it was a nice musical melody that made me feel like i was in a magic land.
Okay i was in a magic land but thats not the point.
Nutcracker began whistling along with the little musical creature. He was actually really good at it. I smiled and started to giggle.
"What?" Nutcracker asked
"Nothing" I said quikly, blushing and looking away.
Nutcracked stepped in front of me
"Tell me" He demanded playfully
I looked away, feeling my nose sting with embarresment.
"Kris whistled" I said "It reminded me of when he used to whistle when we were little"
I stepped around him and started walking quikly, the nutcradker kept up with me easily though.
"Why did he whistle?" He asked
I shrugged, still not looking at him
"I dont really know" I said "Sometimes he would do it when he was concentraiting really hard. Like when we were working on homework together he would whistle. I would always make fun of him for it but i honestly thought it was cute. Then he would just do it sometimes, i dont really know why. But it was one of those sounds that made me feel better about stuff. One day when i was ten i fell off of my bike and scraped my knee. Kris held onto me and whistled to me until i stopped crying."
I trailed off then, thinking about that time. Just remembering the feel of his hands on my shoulders and his voice soothing me, i had never realised before how badly i had missed that.
"Sounds like he was pretty protective of you" Nutcracker commented
"He was" I said "You know, until he decided i didnt matter and pieced out. But before that he was always there, he never let anyone hurt me"
I said that last bit softly, wishing that he would care about me like that again . My main goal right now was just finding him though. Nutcracker was silent for a moment, looking over i saw a thoughtfull expression on his face.
"Maybe he will again" He said "You know, when we get him back"
I shrugged
"Who knows" I said "Maybe he wont"
Nutcracker's face was grim, but he didnt say anything. Instead he reached over and took my hand without stopping walking.
"I guess we will have to wait and see" He said
We walked in silence for a long time, just hand in hand. Something about the feel of his hand over mine felt really nice and naggingly familiar, like a repressed memory.
"Look" Nutcracker said, pointing ahead of us with his free hand "No more snow"
Looking ahead i saw that he was right, we were walking straight into what looked like a fairytale forest. Everything was green and there were flowers everywhere. Letting go of Nutcracker's hand i ran to the green grove. Though my fingers oddly missed being clasped around his, i couldnt help but relish in the feel of the warm sunlight bouncing off of my, the smell of the trees. It made me wish i had a summer dress and not this big parka and these big boots.
"Its to hot here" I said, ditching the jacket and kicking off my boots, i twirled around, letting my toes slide though the soft green grass.
I felt so free.
Laughter, unbarably familiar stung me. I turned to see Nutcracker leaning against a tree and watching me with amused eyes.
Kristopher?
No, no way. Nutcracker was taking me to save Kris, i was probebly just going out of my mind in missing him.
"Something wrong?" Nutcracker asked
"N-no" I stuttered "I just thought i heared something...familiar"
Nutcracker's smile faltered but harldy
"I think your starting to hallucinate princess" He said "Lets keep on moving before you turn into snow white and ditch me for seven midgets"
I giggled
"Your my only hope buddy" I said "Im not guna be ditching you anytime soon"
"I would hope not" Nutcracker said, gripping the straps of the backpack and keeping pace with me as I walked "Cuz that would mean i drug your princess ass here all for nothing"
I smirked and nudged him with my shoulder.
Sometimes it was like i known him for years.
Walking through the forest i ended up ditching my sweater to, leaving me barefoot and in my lacey tank top. Dancing around i felt like at any moment i could turn into a fairy and fly away.
I felt so free.
"How are you not tired?" Nutcracker asked warily "Two days ago you were bitching about wanting to stop about now"
I turned around and smiled, cocking my head to the side.
"Whats the matter tough guy?" I asked "Getting tired"
Nutcracker snorted.
"I dont get tired" He said "Not like that at least"
"But you do sleep though right?" I asked, dancing along beside him as he walked
"Yes" Nutcracker said "Next to you every night"
I flushed, duh
"How are we supposed to break this curse?" I asked, trying to change the subject, also i was curious.
Nutcracker didnt answer, he starred ahead determendly
"Nutcracker" I said, taking him by the hand and forcing him to stop "How do we break this curse?"
He hesitated, looking down at me i could see the termoil in his eyes.
"Love" He said "You have to pledge your love to the person who is cursed, and they have to love you back."
He walked around me and started walking away at a quik pace, leaving me standing right where i stood completely stunned.
Say What?
