Entry #23

October 23'rd, Tuesday

I woke up to a rat scratching my face. It scared the blood out of my toes. But it turns out it was Fenrir, in his shape-shifting talent that comes in handy. I'm a bit envious of that power, I admit. I asked him why he couldn't just shape himself into the jail keys, but he answered that stealth was sometimes better than freedom. Peter and Jack are still in their cages. He left them there, knowing that if he let them out they would just cause trouble. That's Fenrir all over. I asked him how we could help my mama, and he said something mentioning a plan, but before he could give me the details, my 'lady-in-waiting' walked in. Fenrir hid in my hair, which has been let down from their normal braids. It feels weird to me. I think the length has gotten a bit longer, too. And the folds in the dresses I have to wear feel like a million pounds. I went along with him in my hair to morning breakfast, and another entire brigade of books waited on the study desk after that. Fenrir literally took a nap bunched up like that in my hair like it was some kind of nest. I hope nobody saw him, though they all seemed pretty oblivious. He wouldn't reveal anything more about the 'plan' to me, though he had plenty of chances to. He always has to seem so mysterious, that it constantly bugs me.

At evening the 'Queen' called me into the throne room, where she sat on that red cushion like a bag of potatoes. She smiled at me(I hate that smile) and waved her queenly staff. A short, skinny little man with a stubbly shaved chin, greasy hair, and a mischievous ill-boding face who looked to be in his late forties popped up from behind the throne(what in the heck was he doing there?). I didn't like the look of him straight off. And then 'Queen' announced my betrothal to this man. I think I could've committed suicide right at that moment. Fenrir stirred in my hair. The 'Queen' and 'Rumpelstiltskin' (the foul-smelling mans name) smiled out at me with pumpkin grins. I think I felt something close the loathing at that time. And the reason(as miss 'Queen' said later) was because she made a deal with him trading me for a way to get to the clouds where the giants roamed. This gets worse and worse. Somehow we have to stop this all. The "plan" is taking place tomorrow. Apparently, this betrothal complicates things according to Fenrir. I'll say it complicates things. The only comfort is the bouncy bed. I think I cried a few tears onto the pillow. Fenrir changed back to a wolf; shape-shifting takes magical power, and it doesn't last forever. Well, I'm glad he's with me for now.