Broken Ever Afters

Part 2 - Chapter 5

The first moments before my eyes flutter open, my mind still fuzzy, I reminisce how vivid and confusing my last dream was. Talking to Rumpelstiltskin, a strange fairy tale imp sent me chasing after two men who, historically, have been dead for over three hundred years and being chased down by hungry wolves. Yet it all comes back to me when straw pricks my arms and I'm shaken awake.

"Quinn, wake up," the low key of Jacob Grimm brings me back to reality. My eyes have a little trouble adjusting since the room is flooded with light. He walks in the room, straight towards the open window and shuts it, throwing the room into darkness.

"We have to get going."

"Good morning to you too," I reply groggily while sitting up and stretching. Jacob goes through the stack of books on the shelf before rushing back out of the room.

"What's the rush?" I ask as I hurriedly get off the bed and leave the room. Yesterday things weren't frantic. Where are we going? Doesn't he live here? Since when do I have to follow him around? I want to return home as soon as possible and I can't do it without putting William in the equation. Deep down I know my expectations are too high – finding both brothers together on the first day would have been too easy.

When I walk out of the bedroom, the cottage is illuminated and the front windows flood sunlight through the room. Fresh air wafts through an open window, bringing along a sweet scent of flowers. Jacob's makeshift bed is still set up. He was kind enough to concede me his spot last night.

I notice a large scroll splayed on the table and Jacob is nowhere in sight. I will admit that one of my greatest faults is that I can be extremely nosy when something intrigues me. The map is the last thing I saw while falling asleep last night. From what I read, eight main regions surround a larger ninth one, each separated by various lakes and forests. Several random spots are also marked with a cross.

"It won't bite, you know," Jacob teases as I slowly reach out to touch the parchment, making me jump. He walks out of another room, opposite the bedroom. My hand immediately flies back to my side. For how long has he watched unsuspecting me? Is he as creepy as people say he is? I haven't exactly let my guard down around him though he did earn some credit when he saved me from the wolves.

"What do these crosses mean?" I ask trailing on Jacob a he flits through the room, closing the window wickets and bolting them shut.

"They're places I've lived in until now," he explains as he walks over and points at one of the many crosses on the map. "These are the major realms of the land. Each realm is the domain of a story. However, this one, vast islet in the middle is the main kingdom. The Enchanted Kingdom."

"How is it you've lived in so many places?" I ask, noticing now these crosses are marked near forests but never in a realm. Are you exploring the land little by little or are you unhappy with your work?"

Silence creeps in between us. Is he thinking up a lie? Or is he considering whether to let me in on a secret? I don't blame him. After all, he hasn't heard my entire story yet.

"Why are we leaving?" I insist.

"From what you told me yesterday, our stories are popular in your world even though they messed up our endings. Well, sometimes, the evil characters are simply what they are. Evil. The Queen of the Enchanted kingdom unfortunately is the evilest of them all."

Who are the evil female characters from the fairy tales I know of? The Evil Queen from Snow White and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty come to mind. Each story has a villain and they all have their faults. How can I determine which one is the evilest of them all? Jacob must have imagined for one to stand out more than the others in her evil ways.