The Nutcracker Prince and The Mouseking

Chapter 2: The Nutcracker

"One snowy December evening, I was performing in the ballet-" Drosselmeier starts,

"Wait! You were in the ballet?!" Clara exclaims,

"Yes, I was. My part was rather ironic as I played Herr Drosselmeier. Now then, back on track," He replies, smiling at Clara's agape expression,

"We had just concluded the performance, everyone was backstage, clapping each other's backs and whispering congratulations but the directors had another surprise. One of them had found this branch from a walnut tree which was full of ripe nuts. They had brought it to me earlier to appraise, they told me something was different about these nuts, they were a much yellower colour. After a bit of reading, it turns out that this branch was from a mystical magic nut tree. And however, only one was fully ripe.

"They thought that these could make peculiar mementos for the audience and so on this night which our story takes place, they called all the young ones up onto the stage to see if they could be the proud owner of a magic nut. All of them lined up, eager to try to find the magic nut. Only one of them however, managed to crack one open. A dark-haired lad with a long braid. From what others told me, he had used his back teeth to break it, not like everyone else. And in his hands was a glowing, golden magic nut!

"Yet unbeknownst to everyone on stage, a particular group of mice had been watching with peeled eyes. I assume after seeing the young man break the nut, they flooded the stage and started to scurry around everyone, their noses twitching, sniffing for something," he pauses at Clara's expression,

"I say assume because I wasn't on stage. These events I knew nothing about until I found out later.

"Anyways, apparently the poor lad took too many steps backwards and trod on a mouse. This mouse was their Queen and in vile retaliation she curses the boy to become a Nutcracker. The very one in your arms. The Queen and her son left after giving a terrifying speech, threatening to see the Nutcracker killed if the Queen was to die from her injuries and they would take back the magic nut they were supposed to have. I tried to explain that magic nuts choose their owners, and they are not likely to change. The horrid prince of the mice said that it was even more reason to kill the Nutcracker and hurriedly scampered away.

"The poor boy...his family saw the entire ordeal, once I was rushed to the stage, I could see the fear drawn dark on their faces. So, then I made a pledge. I swore to keep him safe until the curse was ready to break or I wasn't a Drosselmeier! So, I've kept him and the nut safe for a year; I've found a way to break the curse, so take care of him, won't you?" Drosselmeier finishes, placing his hands on his knees and glancing down at Clara, a bizarre, worried frown across her face. She holds the Nutcracker in front of her and hugs it tightly,

"I will more than take care of him after hearing that story! He shouldn't have been cursed over an accident! How was he to know that the Mousequeen was there?" she exclaims,

"I thought you might sympathise with him, yes, and I agree completely with you," Drosselmeier says, confidence in his tone, "now then, do you want to figure out how he works, or do you already know?"

"I know how Nutcrackers work, Uncle," Clara laughs and grabs a nut from the bowl on the coffee table. She gently uses the lever on his back to crack open the nut, mutter her thanks and eats the walnut. A shadow falls over her and there is Freddie, with a massive grin on his face,

"Can I have a go?" he asks. Just as Clara looks up at him, he snatches the Nutcracker, causing Clara to cry out, and rams his mouth full of nuts,

"Freddie don't-" Clara yells as Freddie pulls down on the lever and there is a loud crack. The unbroken walnuts fall out as the Nutcracker's mouth as it swings open, hanging on one side. Freddie backs off and runs away. Dropping the Nutcracker on the floor with a thud,

"Freddie! I will get you back for this!" Clara growls between gritted teeth. Freddie has a nasty habit of breaking things that weren't his own things: vases, other dolls, and toys, and now the Nutcracker,

"Uncle Drosselmeier...Freddie broke the Nutcracker!" she says dismayed, cradling him in her arms. Drosselmeier turns around in his seat and frowns,

"Oh, that boy needs to learn some respect," he grumbles to himself, reaching out to take a look at the Nutcracker," looks like it's not too much to repair. I can have him fixed by tomorrow evening, my dear," he finishes. Clara sighs heavily and takes the Nutcracker back into her arms. She gingerly straightens all his joints and takes a closer look at all the fine details. His dark eyes had a strange saddening look to them, as if his emotions were almost breaking through. His gloves and belts made from the same tough, white leather, two belts criss-crossing over his torso. A small white, silk scarf peeking through the collar of his jacket. His pauldrons had each strand a separate piece of thin, orange ribbon and it all moved with his shoulder; on a ball joint like his legs. His knees, elbows and ankles were all hinges. It wasn't perfect moveability but just enough.

Clara crosses to the toy cabinet and gently places the Nutcracker on the large toy bed inside,

"Get a good night's sleep, Nutcracker. Drosselmeier will fix you tomorrow, goodnight!" she whispers, hoping no-one heard her talking to her toys again. She always was teased for pretending that they could understand her as a child, and at times she still does. Closing the large glass doors, the music picks up again into a swirling waltz and Clara finally joins the dancing till the night runs long.