Dark One's Daughter *Book Two*

Tallahassee

A/N

I'm feeling generous so here is another update. Enjoy.

We finally reached the bottom of the beanstalk and were now all looking up at it.

"It's a little freakier than I remember from the story," Emma commented.

"Reminds me of death," Mulan added.

"Brilliant," I muttered. "That's encouraging."

"Well, your compass awaits. Shall we?" Jones said before walking even closer to the beanstalk.

"Wait. If these beans... create... portals, why not just pick one and go home? Why the compass?" Emma asked.

"Because there are no more beans in this land, trust me on that," I told her, thinking back to how Jones stole my only way to find my brother.

"Whatever story you think you know, my dear, is most certainly wrong," Jones added.

"There was a guy named Jack and a cow and something about an evil giant with a treasure and a golden goose. Or harp," Emma explained.

"Sounds like a lovely tale, but the truth's a bit more gruesome," Jones said. "The giants grew the beans, but rather than use them for good, they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack was a man who fought a terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil giants. The beans were destroyed by the giants as they died. If they couldn't have their magic, nobody could. It's really very bad form."

Emma looked over at me and I just shrugged. I mean, that was what I had been told but I always thought that it seemed a bit bias.

"Evil giants who made magic portal beans? Why doesn't anyone just go up and grow some more?" Emma asked.

"Because one giant survived--" I began, but got interrupted by Jones.

"The strongest and most terrible of them all. And we'll have to get past him to--" Jones said, but I cut him off this time.

"The magic compass," I smiled.

"Indeed," He muttered. "The treasure remains, and amongst it is the compass. Now it will guide us to your land. Cora has the means to open a portal with the wardrobe ashes, but she can't find your land without the compass. Once we get it, steal the ashes from her, and we're on our way."

"How do we know you're not just using us to get the compass for Cora?" Mulan asked.

"Because you five are far safer company. Well, maybe not Amie, but the rest of you are," He said, causing me to roll my eyes at him. "All I need is a ride back. I'll swear allegiance to whoever gets me there first."

"Then we'd better start climbing," Emma replied.

"Right. So... I failed to mention that the giant enchanted the beanstalk to repel intruders," Jones told us.

"Alright, so how do we get up there?" Emma asked.

"I've got a counter spell from Cora, if you'd be so kind," He gestured to his tied up hands.

I--being the closest one--undid them roughly, glaring at him the whole time.

"Thank you, milady," He winked at me. God, this guy is so sickening.

He shrugged off the rags that he had over his usual leather outfit, and pulled down his right sleeve to reveal a sort of bracelet.

"I've got one more of these. Cora was to accompany me. So... which one of you five lovelies will take her place? Hmm?" Jones asked. "Go on. Fight it out. Don't be afraid to, you know, really get into it."