Nutcracker [Discontinued]

12 River Manor

Fritz~~

Standing over me are a Chinese man and a Spanish woman.

"Fritz, how are you feeling?" the woman asks as the man holds his fingers to my wrist.

"Dazed."

She purses her lips and nods. "Understandable."

Behind their heads is a marble roof. I hear water trickling from behind me.

Maria appears, her face filled with relief even though it's made of wood. No, porcelain. She's changed out of her red dress and into a white, long sleeve shirt and a matching tulle skirt. She seems so underdressed. "You're so stupid."

I rub my head. "Why?"

"For going into that storm after me."

"I couldn't let you face the Ice Queen alone."

She crosses her arms. "Why would you care?"

She has a point. She's a doll. She can't die. I'm a human who can. "I don't know."

The corner of her lips twitch upward, looking so odd against her porcelain skin. "Thank you. You saved me."

The man and woman continue to examine me with a stethoscope and thermometer.

"Where are we?"

Maria sits down on the edge of my bed. I feel it dip under her weight. "River Manor. If you're feeling up to it, I'll show you around before dinner."

"That would be a very good idea." The man notes something on a roll of paper. "You mainly just need to get blood moving through your legs."

Maria stands. "Do you feel up to it now?"

I nod, pushing myself up.

River Manor is one of the most beautiful buildings I have seen. It's clear as Maria shows me around she's been here many times. A river runs through the building. In the middle of each hallway, water has its own path. The manor is made of marble, and lush foliage grows along the walls.

"How many people live here?" I ask as we turn a corner.

"About a hundred. River Manor is like a small town. You've met the doctors already. My Aunt Gingiber is the Leia."

"Leia?"

"She's the one in charge." Running her hands over a fern, she smiles.

"Where's Eira?"

"In her room. She doesn't feel welcome here."

A small batch of anger bubbles inside me. After all she's done? People need to accept her. "Is she coming to dinner?"

"No. I'll bring her some later."

"Could I come with you?"

She stops and tilts her head to the side. "Why of course."

We walk along in silence, nodding our head to the people we pass, all of whom bow to the Nutcracker. Some are Chinese and Spanish while others are Russian, Danish, and Arab. A few wear their country's clothing.

Once out of sight of any of them I stop. "How did they get here?"

"Hmm?"

"All those people from the countries in my world."

"Oh... yes, I see you probably should be rather confused. A long time ago, people from your world found portals like the one we went through. Those are their descendants."

"Why didn't they go back home? Were they not able to?"

Maria starts walking again, and I follow. "No." She shakes her head. "They just didn't want to. They fell in love with Animara." She gives me a pointed look. "Most who come, stay."

"I'm not staying here. I have a family."

"I know. And my father can get you back."

"Is he like you? A nutcracker?"

"No, he's human as you are."

"The rest of your family?"

She rubs her arm. "Human." Her voice sounds bitter.

"Why aren't you?"

Her head snaps toward me. "Because I'm not. Some people just turn out different. Why can't you just accept that?"

We both stop. The sound of the stream of water doesn't comfort us.

I frown. "I'm sorry for asking."

She lays a hand on her forehead. "No, I'm sorry for snapping. I think I'm just hungry. Why don't we hurry along to dinner?"

She walks ahead but I remain where I am.

"You know, you used to look like wood to me, but now you seem to be made of porcelain. Why is that?"

She stops, her back to me. "I was always porcelain. You just must not have good eyesight." She sounds stuffy. Her skirt bounces as she continues walking.