Page 137 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

understand the next morning – when Mother Stahlbaum read them the riot act and gave them extra lessons to learn for the next three weeks. But they took it all in stride, for they were always getting in trouble for half the things they did. And half the time they couldn’t remember what those things were – and when they did remember – what all the fuss was about. So, they just chalked up this new punishment as part of being a boy. And they all knew that boys were horribly picked on, and could never do half the things they wanted to do – and none of the things that they found the most interesting.
Drosselmeir, however, watched them go upstairs with a heavy heart, and a suspicion that was growing every second – and an urgency that was making his heart pound. He was sure the boys had been enchanted to destroy the Nutcracker. That could only mean one thing – the Mouse Queen was up to her old tricks, of having someone else do her dirty work, while she sat back and sipped cocoa. He had to leave immediately and go back to the Land of Sweets. Even if it meant he’d have to fight her and Krakatuk alone, he had to keep Clara and Franz safe – until Clara found a way to break Franz’s spell.
How did Drosselmeir know Clara could break the spell? Every wizard worth his weight – even if he’s a mechanical- clock wizard – knows that love breaks almost any spell known to man ... or mouse. And he was counting on Clara’s love, which brought Drosselmeir screeching back to the moment at hand. Franz! They had thrown Franz off the balcony!
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