"What camp?"
Again, their questions were ignored and the house marched on, thumping and bouncing with every step. Sabrina couldn't be sure, but she felt as if it might be running at a full sprint.
*
The camp was really a fortress surrounded by high walls made of logs. It was built in the shape of a square, with four tall towers at each corner. The towers had lookouts and each was equipped with a large cannonlike weapon that had water dripping from its barrel. Long hoses ran out of the back of the weapons and down the inside of the walls. Sabrina watched from a window of Baba
Yaga's house as an immense gate swung open to allow them to enter the compound. Once the witch's house was inside, the gate was closed again and then reinforced with beams to prevent it from being opened from outside.
Inside stood a dozen tiny cabins made from stones, a small farm, a pen for cattle and chickens, and what looked like an elaborate obstacle course. Men and women rushed through it while a small man barked orders at them.
The house trotted over to a well and awkwardly dropped to the ground. Sabrina noticed the long tubes attached to the cannons ran down into the well, and she understood that the weapons in the towers shot water, probably at approaching dragons.
A moment later, the fairy who claimed to be Puck opened the door. Waiting outside was an elderly man wearing what appeared to be a burlap sack he had fashioned into a shirt and pants.
"How goes it, Faithful John?" the fairy asked, taking the man's hand and shaking it vigorously.
"All is quiet, so all is good," the man said with a smile.
"Where's William?" the woman with the scar asked as she stepped outside.
"He's on patrol but should be back soon," Faithful John replied. Just then, there was a loud trumpeting. "I guess that's him."
The doors swung open once more and a great white horse charged through. A rugged man, dressed in purple slacks and a white shirt, sat atop the horse. His hair was long and dark and he held a sword in one hand and the horse's reins in the other. Sabrina and Daphne had to jump out of the horse's path for fear of being trampled.
"The Hand has a platoon of card soldiers by the river!" the man shouted. "Tell the general that we might be able to attack at dusk."
Faithful John nodded and raced toward a tent on the other side of the camp.
As for the man on the horse, he leaped off while the great doors of the camp were once again secured. Sabrina took a closer look at him. He was shockingly handsome, despite his unkempt beard, long hair, and filthy clothing. There was also something very familiar about him, though she couldn't be sure just what.
The man sensed her looking and turned and stared at the girls for a long moment. Then, without warning, he wrapped them up in his arms and cried with happiness.
"Girls! How did you get here?"
Sabrina pulled herself away. "Uh, hello, personal space!"
"It's me. Prince Charming!"
"Nuh-uh," Daphne said, but Sabrina wasn't so sure. She studied his face using her imagination to cut his hair and shave his beard. It didn't make sense, but soon it was clear that the man was telling the truth.
"Where did you come from?" he asked, reaching out and shaking them happily.
"We were out in the woods with Mr. Canis and--"
"Canis! Is he here too?" the prince said hopefully. Sabrina had never heard Charming speak of their family friend with anything but disdain.
"You have to help us," Sabrina said, struggling to believe that she was asking the notoriously grouchy prince for his assistance. "These freaks kidnapped us before I could warn Granny and Uncle Jake about what is going on."
"Yeah, the town has gone mucho crazy-o!" Daphne said.
The former mayor's face sank. "No. No! No! No!" he said as he shook his head.
"Charming, we have to do something. Mr. Canis has turned into the Big Bad Wolf and there are dragons everywhere. The whole town is in danger."
"You don't have to worry about Mr. Canis. Everyone's better off where they are," Charming said as he ran his hand through his dusty hair. "In the past."
"Not you, too!" Sabrina groaned. "I've had it with this practical joke. What do you want me to say? I believe you? You've fooled me? Well, forget it. It takes a lot to pull a prank on me."
"It's not a prank," the blond warrior said. "Ferryport Landing has been like this for almost fifteen years."
"That's impossible!" Sabrina exclaimed as she felt her sister slip her hand into her own and squeeze tightly.
"Sabrina," the woman continued. "I'm you. I'm twenty-six years old. In two days I'll be twenty-seven." She turned to the dark-haired woman she called her sister. "And this is Daphne."
Sabrina studied their faces. She had to admit the dark-haired woman did look like Daphne, but without all the light and happiness of her sister's face.