The Nutcracker's Queen

THE JAMES (L/N) OBSERVATORY. That was what was written on the Plaque I was tracing, hammered into the wall. Clara rushed to a nearby door only to find that it led nowhere but a very tall drop. One where we could watch the Tin Soldiers march into the Fourth Realm. Similarly, Phillip lifted me up so that I could stick my head through a window...no success there either. Just a whole stinking, pile of nothing. 

"There's no way to escape." I tell Phillip as he lowers me back down, catching me when I fall a little. Our noses brushed and we both turned scarlet before he put me down. "Get your hands off of me! Don't touch me!" The familiar voice of Hawthorne bellowed what I assumed to be the guards shoving him into the observatory. Shiver was quick to complain with him as they climbed the stairs to where the three of us were waiting. 

"Alas...you're here as well, my dears." Shiver tells us as we both look at the two other regents. Hawthorne is quick to demand what the hell was going on. But I was still getting sidetracked by my father's name written on the side of the room. "It's all my fault." Clara says, wishing to take the blame instantly, drawing me back to earth. I rushed over and shook my head at Clara as I stroked her hair softly. 

"No, it isn't. It's Sugar Plum's." I promise her as Phillip jumped in, promising her like I was that it was because Sugar Plum lied to us. "But I gave her the key...and now she's going to use it to destroy the other Realms." She insisted and I shake my head but there was no stopping the awful thoughts filling Clara's head at an alarming rate. But she was also alarming quick to bring Phillip into this, saying she had wanted to home but he had stopped her.

Clara stormed away from Phillip and he looked so disheartened. I pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and smiled. "Don't worry about her. Let her breathe." I tell him and he nods before I walk over to her, adjusting my corset a little bit. I gave her five minutes before I went over to Clara. "You know, before Marie passed, she showed me that music box." I tell her as I sit on my knees in front of her, a soft smile on my face. 

"And she told me that everything I would need is inside, before she showed me the secret of that little box." I inform her as I wrap my hands around her own. She looked at me eagerly as I smiled before I flipped the top part of the music box to reveal a small mirror.  "And then I understood. Everything I would need is inside of me. The silly little egg only plays magic." I promise her, squeezing her hands a little bit. 

Her eyes widened in the mirror before she looked at me. Then she stood up and rushed over to Phillip, with me hot on her heels. "Captain. I'm sorry for blaming you." Clara apologizes to him, giving him room to stand while she talks. She accepts the blame that she pushed on him before promising that she was going to fix it. "Will you and (y/n) help me?" She asks us, turning a little to look at me as well. 

I smile and nod quickly while Phillip lets out a sigh. But I watched him melt a little as I gave him a wonderful set of puppy dog eyes. "Of course I will. Besides, your aunt has a pretty set of eyes and Nutcrackers are very loyal." He says, flirting with me. This earned him a bright blush from me and a laugh from Clara. I shook my head at him, giving him a small shove before I looked at Clara, waiting for her plan. 

And with that, the plan unfolded as Clara and Phillip took down the chandelier. "I'm Sorry." Phillip apologizes and I shake my head. "I'll replace it later." I promise him before I join Clara in removing the thick brown rope holding the thing up. Soon, I found myself inching across the neck of one of the swans poking out from the side of the tower. Clara had wanted to do it, but I wouldn't let her as it was too dangerous. 

Better I be dead if this goes bad than Clara. Because Mr. Stalhbaum with kill me. But I trusted Clara. "Ready." Clara says and I nod at her, taking a deep breath in and out, trying to soothe myself. I look over at Phillip and give him a smile as I look behind me. "Go!" I shout before stepping backward off the swan. And I was free-falling until I stopped, about an inch from the floor that had been below us.

Clara and Phillip both rushed down after me and Clara took off immediately. Phillip however grabs my face to check for any wounds. "I'm fine." I laugh a little and he shuts me up with a kiss. I closed my eyes as we stood there before Clara broke the wonderful silence. "We don't have all day, so quit kissing." She says to us and we both turn to look at her. I grin at her and rush after her. "I could have died if it went wrong. Give me some leeway." I joke.

She shook her head at me, a smile on her face as Phillip caught up to us, blushing fiercely. It didn't take us very long to get to the main hall that led to all the other areas of the Castle, including the realms. "There she is." Clara whispers to us as we all peer around a corner. She was talking to her awful Tin Soldiers who were doing exactly what she demanded of them. Out with the old, in with the new as she ordered them to gather at the gate to the Fourth Realm.

And also to wait for her command. She looked a right mess. Her normally neat hair was a fluffy mess and her sleeves had fallen from sitting on her shoulders to sitting mid-upper arm. Without her there, the Tin Soldiers looked lifeless. "I have to get to the Engine room and stop this." Clara whispers as Phillip states the obvious that we couldn't get in that way. But I had another wonderful Idea. 

"Hello, Mouserinks." I say, kneeling down to let the little creature rush up to sit on my palm. Phillip reached out to swat him away from me but I pulled him closer to my chest, batting his hand away. "He's only here to tell us something." I scolded him before once again holding Mouserinks out. Mouserinks pointed and I placed him back onto the floor, allowing him to lead the way. I grabbed Phillip softly before he could pass me though.

"Play nice for a couple of hours, for me?" I beg a little and he sighs before giving me a nod. In a single file, we follow Mouserinks until we all stop where he was waiting for us...by a fancy Manhole cover. Very kindly, Phillip lifted the cover for us before lowering Clara and myself into the sewer before he joins us. I hold out my hand so that Mouserinks has a comfortable landing while Phillip closes the grate. 

"Thank you for your help." Clara says to the mouse in my hand who nods at her before letting out a happy little squeak. Then I have a wonderful idea. "Can you get us to the Engine room?" I questioned Mouserinks as he stood on my open palm. Before Mouserinks can say anything Philip stepped in. "Are you sure we can trust him?" He questions me softly and I look up at him and sigh softly.

"My mum sent him. What choice had we got?" I ask him softly.