Ever After Ends Here

I sensed the moment he entered my land. Despite my exhaustive efforts to prevent the humans  from discovering our sacred world, he managed to find a way through. I could feel the power the young man held, and knew he needed to be eliminated as quickly as possible. I am Queen Carolina. 

When I was a young girl, my mother died at the hands of the previous king. Distraught from the loss of his one true love, my father took me away and we were hidden in the mortal world. As I grew up and my mothers' features became more enhanced in my own appearance, my father again grew bitter. He was thirsty for revenge on the kingdom, and revealed stories of my past in hopes I would feel the same anger as him. 

In time, I too was hungry for my mothers' death to be avenged. My father pushed up to follow the hatred in my heart, and by my 20th birthday, I ad overthrown the kind and taken the crown as my own; as Queen. I knew the Outcast King still had the trust of his followers, and nothing I could do would break that trust. In hopes of showing the people the crown was rightfully mine, my first order of business was to deal with the kings' adopted daughter, Porcelain.

I knew she considered me an enemy, for obvious reasons, so I invited her to dinner to "settle our differences". Through my childhood I had learned to be quite cunning, and poured a magic elixir in her drink. She was soon unconscious and under my mercy. I stole her heart and ordered my guards to cast her out of the kingdom, and carefully locked her heart up in my toy box.

Now I live in the tower atop the factory where I continuously created more toys, soldiers for my army. Over the years, I had accumulated many things I stored in my box. I had the hearts of almost everyone in the kingdom, the magic that used to be produced generously in the Forgotten Forest, and the portal leading to the human world. I couldn't help the growing curiosity inside me about how the mortal boy found himself in Toy Land.

I knew that the Outcast Kin, Porcelain, and the Stuttering Wise Man were still out there. Somehow the Outcast King and Porcelain still managed to hold onto their sanity rather than fall into the same trance-like state my heartless soldiers had. As for the Stuttering Wise Man, he has managed to evade me, and his heart remains his own. 

I walked into my sleeping quarters where I had fashioned a "magic mirror" of sorts that informed me of the happenings across the kingdom. I focused in on the boy and was dismayed to find him already talking to the Outcast King. The young man was very tall and dressed quite strangely. I shrugged it off; I hadn't kept touch with the fashion of the mortal world since I left. I cursed as I overheard the Outcast King telling the boy of my "evil" doings. I wasn't trying to be feared as queen, but there was no other way to go about running the kingdom. I cringed when he called me heartless. I may seem like the evil queen, but I still have feelings and crave for love and companionship. 

The boy was beautiful, his hair falling into his eyes in a black and blue curtain. His shoulders were broad and his limbs were long. He was perfect. Fit to be king. My king. I knew that with him by my side I would have that companionship I had always craved, no matter him being a mortal. I could change him, make him love me; steal his heart if I needed to. I jerked back into reality as I noticed the boy walking away, a strong look of determination on his face. I knew he was off to try and find Porcelain; after all, she held half of the key he needed to go home. I kept a close eye on him all night, hoping I would be able to influence him on joining me before he found Porcelain.

He drifted off when the stars began to light the night sky of Toy Land; even his strong will couldn't push him into continuing any farther without rest. I unlocked my toy box and reached for the portal. I imagined my destination as I walked through the shimmering blue portal and was engulfed in the warm glow.

I kept my form shifting, lest he see my true image. Years of "bad magic" took a toll on my once beautiful face. I asked him to join me; I told him that no one would have to know. We'd keep it our dirty little secret. My voice dripped with seductiveness as I informed him I would fulfill his greatest dreams if he stayed here with me. In a flash I was beside him, whispering in his ear how I wanted him to be my new king. Humans were easy enough to sway, so I wasn't surprised when he stood there frozen, trying to come to a decision. I was surprised, however, when he turned me away.