The Toy Prince

10. Niklaus

Ursula had left a long time ago. Exactly where she'd gone he couldn't be sure but he suspected it was back to Konigreich. The door to it was open anyway. He could just make out the edge of the doorway from his position on top of the tree.

He was surprised when he saw movement coming through the door. He half expected to see Ursula but the stooped over figure that came shuffling forward was definitely not her. It was his Uncle.

"Are you still in there?" his Uncle called out in a small voice that just underlined how frail he'd become. Niklaus almost winced at having to watch his Uncle Axel slowly creep forward so that he stood directly in front of the Christmas tree. He was leaning heavily on a walking stick and was extremely unsteady on his feet. A gust of wind would knock him over.

"I can sense you. You're still in there."

Axel was talking to himself, confirming that Niklaus was still trapped. Had Ursula mentioned his name and that was why he was here?

It would have been so tempting to appear behind the man who'd sentenced him to this living death and just shove him over. It was petty but it sure would have given him a moment of happiness in what had turned out to be a very crappy day. He settled for projecting himself behind his Uncle.

"What are you doing here?"

It was with some sense of satisfaction that he managed to make his Uncle jump. Again a petty joy but he didn't care.

"How are you...?" Axel looked from him to the nutcracker. "You can project yourself out here. That is a remarkable feat."

Niklaus snorted. "I'm glad you think so."

Axel hobbled over to the sofa, sinking down with a grateful sigh. Niklaus stayed standing. He wasn't sure what to make of his Uncle's visit. He was certain that he didn't trust him. He doubted he ever would again.

"When Ursula told me you'd been the one to save her I couldn't believe it. Now I see you standing here, as real as myself, I have no choice do I?"

"What do you want?" Niklaus snapped. He didn't have the patience for his Uncle's prattling.

Axel sighed heavily. "I have come to set you free."

"Why?"

"Because I am dying." His Uncle gestured at himself. He did appear to be in ill health but Niklaus didn't believe his reasoning for a moment.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Is it so hard to believe that I realise I was wrong? I have treated you shamefully and before I die I need to make it right."

"So you've come to ease your own conscience."

Axel's face took on a hurt expression. "Yes. I suppose you're right. I am not being entirely unselfish by choosing to help you."

"And don't expect me to forgive you either. I can never forgive you for what you've done to me." Niklaus was getting angry now. The long, pent up rage he'd felt towards his Uncle was finally getting an outlet. "I have been stuck in that small, suffocating, dark place for over forty years! I was driven to the brink of madness and to save myself from that I have done some things that I will never forgive myself for. I can't wholly blame you for my choices but I do in part. You are as much a monster as I and my Father are."

"If you were really a monster then you would have let Ursula get taken. You wouldn't have given her the journal and you wouldn't feel so ashamed about what you did to her."

It didn't surprise him that Axel knew about the stalking. Annelie had probably told him about it but he'd been smart enough to figure out it was him. Well, Niklaus had as good as told him.

"You can't change what you've done but you can still do some good. I think Felix is working for Conrad and this is a trap to get the one who got away. They want Ursula and you because then all the power is in Conrad's hands."

Ursula was in trouble. That was all he heard and he knew he had to act. She could carry on hating him all she liked but only once she was safe.