Remember Me: A Nutcracker Story | ✔

II. The Land of Sweets

The Land of Sweets was beautiful place, and if Mary had been a much younger girl she would have wanted to sit and stare at the place forever.

The ground was white, and Mary soon found out that it was made of marshmallows rather than snow or clouds. The streets, as she thought at first, were like cobblestone paths, but when she looked closer, they were made of gumdrops and crystal candies in different colors and shapes. The houses all around them were the same things she would have found in the story Hansel and Gretel, only much more colorful and made with more sweets and licorice and candy canes. 

There were people walking up and down the streets wearing what looked like different sorts of candy on their clothes, and when they saw her, they would pause and stare, and sometimes even point at her. It made Mary feel rather uncomfortable as she picked at her out-of-place clothes.

"Why are they all looking at me like that?" she whispered.

Gielgud looked around before replying, "They've all heard of you, of course. His Highness, the Prince, used to talk so highly of you."

"'Used to'?" asked Mary, dread beginning to fill her up once again. "Gielgud, just tell me what's going on here."

"The Sugar Plum Fairy will be able to explain better than I," was all he replied.

Soon they came in sight of a crystal palace. It seemed to have been made from rose-hued glass, but no one can really tell unless they were the architects or engineers behind its construction. It glittered under the early morning sun, and turrets and towers rose high into the sky. The gates opened for them to enter, and Mary found herself standing in a crystal courtyard. She walked carefully from then on, fearful that the floor might shatter under her. 

Tinker saw this and smiled.

"Worry not, Miss Mary. If the floor could hold me, it would hold under you too," he said kindly, making Mary feel better and less jittery.

Soon they were walking into the throne room. The seat of power was made of candy canes gilded and twisted into a delicate-looking throne, and on it sat a young woman in a fluffy pink dress that glittered under the morning light. When she stood to greet them, Mary saw that her dress wasn't just pink; it shimmered and shone deep blue, rich purple and fuchsia as well. Behind her, almost invisible, were gossamer wings, glistening like a spider's web adorned with dewdrops.

"Welcome to the Land of Sweets," said the woman as she opened her arms to welcome them, and when she smiled Mary saw what a beautiful woman she is. "It is well met. I am the Sugar Plum Fairy."

Tinker, Sticks, and Gielgud fell on their knees, and so Mary started to kneel as well. But then the fairy queen extended her arms toward her, and Mary stopped.

"It does not do for a lady to kneel, Mary. A curtsy would do very nicely," she said. And Mary did so.

"My friends said you wanted to see me, Your Majesty," said Mary politely. "To what do I owe the pleasure and honor?"

The Sugar Plum Fairy smiled. "You speak well. You are a very charming young lady, aren't you? Very well, walk with me, dear, and we shall talk."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The Sugar Plum Fairy led Mary through the castle, and soon they were out through another gate into the palace gardens. The ground was different there: grass grew for miles and miles, and clusters of flowers dotted the fields. When Mary bent down to take a closer look, she found a single, delicate gem in its center.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" said the Fairy with a wistful smile. "My nephew, NC, helped me create this garden when he was a boy. It was before the Rat King overtook his own city."