They were walking across the courtyard of the Dark Castle, heading for 
the great gate with its twelve locks, when suddenly the evil Queen appeared 
before them, as tall as a giant, wreathed in lightning and thunderclouds! 
Tears gushed from her eyes and turned to blood as they rolled down her cheeks. 
"You have taken him away from me!" she cried. And Nell understood that this 
was a terrible thing for her wicked stepmother, because she was weak and 
helpless without a man. "For this," the Queen continued, "I shall curse you 
to remain locked up in this Dark Castle forever!" And she reached down with 
one hand like talons and snatched the keychain from Princess Nell's hand. Then 
she turned into a great vulture and flew away across the ocean toward the Land 
Beyond.