Happy Birthday, Sky!!!!! :D *hands her 20 birthday cupcakes*
Hope you have an awesome day filled with cake and ice cream, and more cake :D :D
Her leg wasn't broken as originally suspected, but she still had to have a cast on her leg and needed crutches to walk around.
Four days passed before she was finally released from the hospital.
She'd spent that time being completely stressed, equally because of what her life has become, and because she was worried about her brother, who was in a medically induced coma because of his head injury.
When they could get ahold of the doctor, he told them that Harry had a concussion, and that there might be a more serious matter, and that he was in the coma so that they could more efficiently run more tests, and hopefully prevent any permanent brain damage.
Their mom was a wreck. She didn't understand what had happened, just that her daughter has a broken leg and her son is in a coma.
And throughout all of this, Sally had not seen any sign of Bram.
Every morning before she would visit her brother at the hospital, she would go to the park where she first met Bram, and wait. But there was nothing.
She was getting increasingly angry with Bram for not visiting, for ignoring her attempts to summon him, as she had on the day she accidentally teleported herself into the realm of a monster.
Disheartened and angry, she left the park again, heading for the hospital.
Whilst, unknown to her, a figure was watching from the trees.
* * * *
"There has to be an explanation here somewhere!" Bram said, frustrated as he looked upon all of the books he had collected.
"Calm down, Bram, we'll find something." Aerton said, setting down the book he had been reading and picking up another.
"I can't calm down when that girl and her family is possibly in danger!" He said, sitting down in a huff. And it's all my fault.
"Bram, you need a break." Coarson said. "You're focusing on this too much."
"I can't help it." Bram replied, picking up another book and flicking through it, and, finding nothing of importance, again, he slammed it back onto the table. "You would think that with an infinite library such as this one we'd be able to find a helpful book!"
"Well, this one is helpful," Coarson said, holding up a strange looking book.
"What is that?" Aerton asked, leaning closer.
"Apparently a book on how to properly care for a labradoodle." He said, looking puzzled. "What is a labradoodle?"
Bram rolled his eyes as he looked through another book, falling upon a chapter named "The Portal's of Syien", curious he started skimming it.
"Who is this Syien?" He asked, looking up.
His two companions froze.
* * * *
She sat dozing in a chair while her mother ran down to the cafeteria to get some coffee and food.
"Sal?"
She jerked awake at the sound of her brothers' voice.
"Harry!" She said, relieve overwhelming her and she fought back tears.
"What happened?" He asked, looking around the room. "Why am I in a hospital?"
"You don't remember?" She asked.
He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to remember. "I remember.. getting thrown into a... into a... what are those weird brick walls called anyway?"
She laughed. "I don't know."
He shrugged. "Well, I got thrown into that and then I woke up here." He paused. "Wait, there was that man, you said his name was Bram, why you're hanging out with Bram Stoker is beyond me, but, if that's how your friends treat people, I would consider getting new ones."
She smiled. "It wasn't Bram, I don't know who that was."
He frowned, and then he looked around the room again, as if a thought had just occurred to him. "Where's Sylvia?"
"She didn't want to come to the hospital." Sally replied, inwardly cringing at the thought of bringing this argument up again. "She said, and I quote: 'I don't need an amnesiac falling in love with me today, just tell him to call me when he's better'."
He just looked at her for a minute. "She said that?"
"Yeah."
He opened his mouth to speak when their mom walked through the door.
Seeing her son awake, she dropped the tray of food she'd gotten and ran over to him, hugging him tight.
"Mom," he laughed. "I can't breathe."
She stepped back and they could both see the tears streaming down her face. "Sorry, sweetheart, I'm just so glad you're OK."
"I'm sorry I scared you, mom." Harry said, and they hugged again.
There was a knock at the door, and the doctor peeked her head in.
"Hi there," She said, walking in. "I'm glad to see you're awake, Mr. Jameson."
"Hello Doctor Stiles." Their mother said.
"Hello, Mrs. Jameson." Doctor Stiles said, smiling. "I have some good news, we just got the test results back, and you are in remarkably good shape for someone who had brain trauma."
"So does that mean I can go home?" Harry asked.
"Soon," She said. "It's hospital policy to keep people who have had brain trauma for at least a week, and you have only been here for four days."
"So, he can come home at the end of the week?" Sally asked.
"It appears that way." The doctor said. "I have never seen anyone recover as quickly as you have, Mr. Jameson, it's quite remarkable."
"Thank you, I have been told that I'm remarkable before." Harry said, putting his arms behind his head.
"Yourself doesn't count." Sally retorted, making the doctor laugh.
"We will still be monitoring him for any changes, but it looks like he'll be ready to go at the end of the week."
"Thank you, Doctor." Their mom said.
"You're welcome." She said, and left.
Their mom turned to them and grinned. "Well, I knew you guys healed fast, but wow." She said.
They laughed.
* * * *
"What did you say?" Aerton said.
"I asked what the Portal of Syien was." Bram said, confused.
"Don't say that name." Coarson said, his voice taking on an edge.
"But who is Sy-"
"Don't!" Coarson and Aerton said in sync.
"Why?" Bram asked.
"Why do we never speak the names of the creatures to which you are caretaker?" Aerton said.
"Because to speak the name is to summon them." Bram said. "So you're saying that to say that name of this person is to summon him?"
"Yes." Coarson said.
"But who is he?" Bram asked. "And why did you get strange when I mentioned his name?"
"She was the first queen of the realm." Aerton said. "And trust me, you do not want to summon her."
"Why haven't I heard of her before?" Bram asked.
"Because she was erased from all but the memories of those who lived during her reign, who passed on the stories to their children, who passed it onto their children." Coarson said.
"For good reason, her reign was considered the Dark Times." Aerton said.
"She was that bad?"
"She was a tyrant," Coarson said. "She wasn't content with ruling this realm, she wanted to conquer all of the realms."
"Enough of this talk." Aerton said, standing. "We do not need to invite more malcontent into our lives than talking of the First Queen."
"Aerton is right, Bram." Coarson said, also standing. "Perhaps we should call it a day, we have been at this for hours."
"You're right." Bram said.
"I think I hear a stew calling my name." Aerton said, picking up his hat where it lay on a bookshelf and putting it on and heading out the door.
"I think I'll join you." Coarson said, following him. "Coming, Bram?"
"Maybe later," He said. "I think I'll stay here for a while, look through a few more books."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, you go ahead, I'll catch up." Bram said, picking up a book that had been underneath a few others.
"Alright," Coarson said, and left.
Bram put down the book he had picked up and instead picked up the book he'd been reading, flipping through the pages until he found the chapter he was looking for: The Portals of Syien, and started reading.
* * * *
Three days later, Harry was released from the hospital, to the joy of Sally and her mother.
They had set up a Welcome Home banner in their living room, hanging above the entrance to the kitchen.
It was cliché, Sally had to admit, but it was necessary, even if she knew her brother would make fun of it once he found out that it had been her idea.
When he walked through the door and saw the banner, he started laughing hysterically, like she knew he would, and she smiled quietly to herself. Everything was back to normal.
Her leg was healing well and quickly, which surprised her doctor, who said he hadn't seen a leg heal that fast, especially since he had declared the leg broken only to be proven wrong by x-rays.
After her brothers Welcome Home party, and she was able to sneak away for some time to herself, she finally allowed herself to think the thoughts that had threatened to overwhelm her since the incident outside her house.
She sat on her bed and confronted the memory of what had happened, allowing the memories to flood her.
Why had she mistaken him for Bram? She had at first thought it was because they were of the same height and build, and while that was true, it was more than that. He had had the same feel as Bram, and that weirded her out.
She nodded to herself, there was only one way she was going to get the answers she needed.
She had to talk to Bram, but how would she find him? She tried to think back to how she had called him the day they met, but it was fuzzy. She groaned in frustration and laid back on her bed and draped an arm over her eyes, when a thought occurred to her. She had summoned the... she stopped herself from saying the things name, by picturing it, and she could recall picturing Bram in her head just before he had saved her, and he had said that she'd summoned him. She sat up and slid off of her bed, and sat on the floor, and cleared her throat.
If Bram wasn't showing up in her world right now of his own accord, she would just make him.
*
After the fifth time, she all but screamed in frustration. She covered her face in her hands, taking deep breathes to calm herself.
"This can't be that hard." She said, pushing her strawberry-blonde hair back off of her face.
She took a deep breath and sat in the position she had seen numerous times in movies, then she shifted as searing pain shot up her leg.
She closed her eyes and cleared her mind, attempting to draw an image of Bram into her mind, she saw him as he had saved her from the creature she had accidentally summoned and felt that same kind of mental tug she had just before he had saved her, again (this was becoming a recurring theme, she noticed grimly), from the creature, but it felt different this time and when she opened her eyes, she was no longer in her bedroom, but in a library, bursting with books that looked so ancient, she thought that if she touched one, it would crumble in her hands.
She got to her feet and began wandering.
There were symbols on the side of the bookshelves.
"A numbering system?" She thought aloud, her voice echoing around her. "Okay, this is seriously creepy."
She kept walking, feeling as though she was wandering the labyrinth and that the minotaur was about to leap out at her at any moment, and once that thought had occurred to her, she started getting incredibly jumpy, starting at every little creak and crack that she heard, which, in the logical part of her brain, she knew to be the library settling (after all, it did look ancient), but the illogical part of her brain turned the sounds into the minotaur sharpening his claws, getting ready to gut her.
She shivered.
Sometimes she hated her imagination.
She saw a candle in the distance and relief flooded her, maybe she could ask a friendly librarian the way out.
Or maybe that librarian would just turn on her and have her for lunch, or maybe dinner, she wasn't sure; she didn't know what time zone she was in now, it could be breakfast for all she knew.
She paused in her step and almost giggled. That thought train got derailed quickly, didn't it? She thought as she approached the candlelight, taking great care to walk quietly, lest it actually be a hungry librarian who would want to have her for breakfast-lunch-whatever.
She stopped walking when she got close enough to make out the area surrounding the candle.
It was a table, piled high with books, and sitting at one of the four chairs surrounding it, was Bram.
He was reading an old looking book with strange lettering that she couldn't quite make out; and she found that when she looked harder at it to try and figure it out, she started getting nauseas, so she stopped and focused instead on Bram, who was oblivious to her presence.
"Bram?" She said and couldn't help the laugh that escaped her as he leapt at least three feet in the air.
He looked around for who had spoken and his eyes widened when he spotted her.
"Sally?" He asked in disbelief as he stood.
She waved at him. "Hi."
"How did..., what are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you." She said, walking closer to the table.
"Why?" He asked.
She looked at him incredulously. "Seriously? My brother and I were attacked, Bram, in front of our own house! And you're surprised that I was looking for you? The one person who might actually have answers for me?"
"Oh."
"'Oh'?" She repeated. "That's all you have to say? Where have you been all this time?"
He motioned around the room. "Baking cookies." She glared at him.
"You know what I mean." She looked around the room. "What are you doing in a library, anyway?"
"I don't know what you do in a library," He said, sitting down again. "But I'm doing research."
"Research? What do you need to do research for?"
"Well, research is something that one does when you need to learn more about a subject." Bram explained.
She glared at him again, then sat in one of the chairs. "I know what research is, nimrod, what I meant was, why do you need to do research."
"I'm flattered that you think that I know everything there is to know about virtually everything, however, the truth of the matter is, I do not, and so, I need to do research."
"Okay, you can lose the condescending tone, Mister."
"Mister?" He said, flipping through a random book he had picked up. "And we're getting away from the main point: What are you doing here?"
"Already answered that one." Sally replied, picking up one of the books.
"Okay," He took the book from her and placed it near him. "How did you here?"
"Well," She cleared her throat. "I'm not entirely sure."
"How can you not know how you got here?"
"I don't know how I teleported myself to another dimension that is apparently a prison for a monster that can be summoned just by picturing it or saying its name, so how on earth am I supposed to know how I got here?"
"That's.. a good point." He said. "What were you doing right before you appeared here?"
"Well, I was thinking about all the weird stuff that has been happening around me lately, and I figured you'd have an idea of what is going on."
"Unfortunately, I don't." Bram admitted. "I don't know who it is that attacked you, and I don't know how you managed to teleport yourself to the Albertron's realm, or here, for that matter."
"Wait, how can you say it's name without it appearing?" She asked.
"I'm the Caretaker of Creatures." Bram said, as if that explained everything.
"Could you be a tiny bit more specific?" Sally asked.
"I have mental locks in place to prevent my saying its name acting as a gateway." He said.
"Okay then.." She said. "Anyway, I thought back to when I was in Voldemort's realm and how you said I had summoned you, so I thought I'd give it a try. What?"
Bram had gotten a confused look on his face. "Voldemort?"
"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Sally said.
"Thank you, that'd cleared everything up." He said, and she smiled at him.
"Now you know how I feel." She said. "Voldemort is a character in a book series, and since he is typically called He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, I thought it was a fitting name to call the thing that only you can say that name of."
"I see." He said, though he clearly did not. "We seem to have gotten off course again."
"I noticed that." Sally said. "Anyway, I thought I'd at least try it, and the next thing I know, here I am, in this really creepy library."
"What was going through your mind?" He asked, and when she gave him a confused look, he clarified. "Sometimes, if you are thinking hard about something or someone, but another thought appears in your head, it can shift the original summons."
"Oh, well, I was just thinking that I really needed to find you and thrott- I mean ask, you about the weird things that have been happening, and when I opened my eyes, I was here."
She thought she covered that up nicely until she saw the glint in Bram's eyes that told her he knew what she had been about to say.
"So now stray thoughts wandered into your head?" He asked.
"No."
He sat back in his chair, thinking, and Sally's eyes strayed to the book he had been holding when she first spotted him.
"What's this?" She asked as she picked it up.
"It's a book." he said absently.
"Really? I thought it was a pigmy goat." She said as she examined the cover.
It had one of those odd symbols on it, she ran her hand over it and felt a strange tingling all over as she opened the book.
A shock wave knocked her and Bram off of their seats.
"Sally? Are you alright?" He asked, as he got to his feet.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She said as she sat up, she rubbed her head. "What happened?"
"I don't know." He asked as he helped her up.
"All I did was open that book and..." She trailed off as she saw the expression on Bram's face. "What?"
"What's on your arms?" He asked and held up her arms.
Covering her arms, were symbols, similar to the one on the book cover.
"What is this?" She asked, attempting to wipe them off, to no avail.
She glanced to her left and caught her reflection in a suit of arms and gasped.
Her face was covered in swirling symbols.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Chapter 37
"What are you looking at?" She demanded, but got no response from the two boys staring at her in surprise. She sighed. "I see you've gotten a new job as a fly catcher."
"What?" Finn asked.
"You're going to catch flies with your mouths open like that so you may as well shut them." And they did. "Good boys."
"Miss, how can I help you?"
"I'm here to help you find your daughter." She said simply.
"You," The king hesitated, wanting to know, but fearing the answer. "you know where my daughter is?" he asked.
"I know where she's not." She said. "The duke doesn't have her, and he doesn't know where she is. When he captured me, thinking that I was Marianna, he thought that she was on her way back to you."
"Where was she?" Cayle asked.
"She was visiting her friend, a nice girl she met when she was incognito once." The king said.
"What is her name?" Finn asked.
"And where does her friend live?" Deanna added.
"In one of the travelers towns, she runs an inn with her family, Marianna stayed there once while passing through, and they hit it off."
But Deanna heard nothing past 'she runs an inn.' "Your Majesty, what is the girls name?" Though she suspected she already knew.
The King looked at her a moment with a confused expression. "Harriet, her name is Harriet."
* * *
"My deepest sympathies." Nieson, the blacksmith said again as he paid for his meal. "I know how close you and your father were."
"Thank you," Harriet said.
"How are you holding up?" He asked.
She shrugged. "I suppose I'm still processing it all."
"If you need anything. you know where to find me." He said, a warm smile on his face.
"Thank you, Nieson." She said, returning the smile, which she promptly dropped once the door closed behind him.
She rolled her eyes. "Idiot."
She locked the doors and cleaned up the tables, dumping them in the kitchen for Marguerite to take care of, before heading downstairs to the basement.
She lit the lantern and carried it over to the storeroom where they kept their food and opened the door, smiling at the girl cowering in the corner.
Setting the lantern down on one of the shelves, Harriet walked over and took the gag from her mouth.
"Please, Harriet, let me go." The girl sobbed.
"Sorry, Marianna." Harriet said. "But your going to make me rich. I'd get some sleep if I were you, you're going on a trip soon."
The girl started crying again as Harriet stuffed the gag back in her mouth, grabbed a few things of food, setting it down on the table outside the storeroom, before going back in, picking up the lantern and, after a final wave at the captured princess, closed the door and locked it.
"What?" Finn asked.
"You're going to catch flies with your mouths open like that so you may as well shut them." And they did. "Good boys."
"Miss, how can I help you?"
"I'm here to help you find your daughter." She said simply.
"You," The king hesitated, wanting to know, but fearing the answer. "you know where my daughter is?" he asked.
"I know where she's not." She said. "The duke doesn't have her, and he doesn't know where she is. When he captured me, thinking that I was Marianna, he thought that she was on her way back to you."
"Where was she?" Cayle asked.
"She was visiting her friend, a nice girl she met when she was incognito once." The king said.
"What is her name?" Finn asked.
"And where does her friend live?" Deanna added.
"In one of the travelers towns, she runs an inn with her family, Marianna stayed there once while passing through, and they hit it off."
But Deanna heard nothing past 'she runs an inn.' "Your Majesty, what is the girls name?" Though she suspected she already knew.
The King looked at her a moment with a confused expression. "Harriet, her name is Harriet."
* * *
"My deepest sympathies." Nieson, the blacksmith said again as he paid for his meal. "I know how close you and your father were."
"Thank you," Harriet said.
"How are you holding up?" He asked.
She shrugged. "I suppose I'm still processing it all."
"If you need anything. you know where to find me." He said, a warm smile on his face.
"Thank you, Nieson." She said, returning the smile, which she promptly dropped once the door closed behind him.
She rolled her eyes. "Idiot."
She locked the doors and cleaned up the tables, dumping them in the kitchen for Marguerite to take care of, before heading downstairs to the basement.
She lit the lantern and carried it over to the storeroom where they kept their food and opened the door, smiling at the girl cowering in the corner.
Setting the lantern down on one of the shelves, Harriet walked over and took the gag from her mouth.
"Please, Harriet, let me go." The girl sobbed.
"Sorry, Marianna." Harriet said. "But your going to make me rich. I'd get some sleep if I were you, you're going on a trip soon."
The girl started crying again as Harriet stuffed the gag back in her mouth, grabbed a few things of food, setting it down on the table outside the storeroom, before going back in, picking up the lantern and, after a final wave at the captured princess, closed the door and locked it.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Happy Birthday, Kal!!!
Happy Birthday, Kallie! Here is the continuation of your birthday story, I hope you like it!
Have an epica birthday! I love you, sister!
*hands her 19 birthday cupcakes*
"Alice!" Aliandra shouted as she ran in the house. She heard distant sobbing. "Alice?"
She followed the sound to Alice's bedroom, where she found the girl sobbing on her bed.
She knocked on the partially open door as she walked in.
"Go away." Alice said between sobs.
"I'm sorry, Alice, but I can't." She replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I know this is shocking, and I didn't mean to spring it on you like this, Malark needs sensitivity training."
Alice laughed as she sat up. "How could you lie to me? I thought we were friends."
"We are friends, Al, but things have been set in motion that aren't supposed to happen for a few years."
Alice didn't respond.
"I was trying to protect you, that's all I've ever been trying to do."
"Were you ever my friend? Or were you just following orders?" Alice asked bitterly, turning to face her.
"Yes, and I really do think Jason McCormick is a hottie." Alice laughed. "My only order was to watch you. not let you become my best friend."
Alice smiled, finally losing the cold stare she had adopted.
"Now, ask any questions you have, I'll answer them all honestly."
"Promise?"
"I promise on all things sugery and sweet that I will answer truthfully." Aliandra replied, raising her hand and placing the other over her heart.
"Okay," Alice thought for a moment. "Am I really a princess?"
"Yes."
"I'm from another dimension?"
"Yep."
"Okay, I'm not sure how to respond to that."
"Didn't expect you to." Aliandra said with a smile.
"And you're from there too?" Aliandra nodded.
"Okay, so, why can't I know anything abou-" Alice began, but was interrupted by the sound of her 'mother' calling her name.
"We're up here." Alice said, her voice tight.
Mrs. Darwin entered the room soon after, smiling when she saw Aliandra.
"Hi Ophelia, what are you doing here? And why is there a strange boy moaning in pain on my porch?"
Aliandra smiled but didn't respond, only glancing at Alice, who got to her feet.
"Why did you lie to me?" She asked.
"About what?" Her mother asked, looking confused.
"About you being my mother." Alice replied.
"I never lied to you about anything!" Was the reponse.
"You're lying to me right now!" Alice said.
"What is going on with you?" Just before Alice could speak, Aliandra interrupted.
"She knows, Pria, you may as well drop the act."
Alice watched her mother as her shoulders dropped in defeat. "Alright."
"Why did you both lie to me about this? And what couldn't you tell me at the forest, Aliandra?" She said Aliandra's name with bitterness.
"Really? We're back to being ticked?" Aliandra responded before taking a deep breath. "There is a prophecy that, when the time is right, the Lost Heir will return to reunite the Feir Kingdoms. You're that Lost Heir, but you weren't supposed to know until you were 20."
"Why?"
"Because that's when the Prophecy said you were to return 'On the morning of the Lost Heirs twentieth year, the dawn of the new Feirs will rise.'"
"Seems really specific for a prophecy."
"Yeah well, our Oracle is really good."
"So what happens now?" Alice asked after a moment.
"I'm not sure." Aliandra admitted. "I wasn't expecting this to happen so soon."
"Guess your Oracle isn't so good after all, huh?"
"Watch it, Princess." Aliandra said, though there was a lightheartedness to her tone.
Suddenly, Malark burst into the room.
"Hey!" Alice shouted. "Get out!"
"We've got trouble." He said, ignoring Alice completely.
"What kind of trouble?"
"Grenra's cousin trouble."
Aliandra cursed in a language Alice had never heard before. "That's big trouble."
"What's a Grenra and why don't you like his relatives?" Alice asked.
"No time to explain right now, but in short, big monster that will eat you alive." Aliandra said quickly, grabbing Alice's hand and dragging her out of the room and towards the stairs when they heard a loud roar that literally shook the house.
Alice grabbed the railing for balance.
"That was the monster." Aliandra said unnecessarily.
"Well I didn't think it was a kitten!" Alice retorted as they ran out the back door, and stopped dead as they caught sight of a massive monster, easily standing 9 feet tall, with mis-matched skin of blue and black, it looked like a massive bruise.
They ducked as it swung at them, and Aliandra pushed her to the left as she leapt to the right, the monster turning to go after Alice as she crab-walked backwards.
A rock bounced off of its head and it paused, and reached its hand out to grab her, and another rock hit it on the arm with such force that Alice heard it snap; it hung limply at the monster side as it turned to face Aliandra, who was tossing a rock the size of a baseball in the air and catching it like she did at softball practice, and threw it, smacking the monster in the face with such force that it stumbled, but quickly regained its footing and cocked its head at her, studying her, and then a creepy thing happened, even creepier than a nine foot bruise: it spoke.
"Aliandra, you are interfering."
Aliandra looked as shocked as Alice felt.
"You can talk?" They said at the same time.
"This beast? Of course not, it is simply a tool." The monster said. "Too stupid to figure out how to use its vocal cords, but what it lacks in brains, it makes up for in being a brilliant assassin."
"Who are you?" Aliandra demanded.
"Now, now, Aliandra, don't go ruining my fun." It said, and the beast turned back to Alice. "Now back to business."
"Stay away from me!" Alice shouted as it reached for her. It didn't respond and she rolled out of the way, got to her feet and ran over to where Aliandra stood.
"Aliandra, you may want to snap out of it now." But she still stood there, staring at the monster. "Ophelia!"
Aliandra jumped and snapped back to reality, grabbing Alice's hand and running.
"How do we beat it?" Alice asked as they ran to the woods. She heard Malark behind them, shouting insults at the monster, and throwing what looked like fireballs. "Why can't you do that?"
"We can't beat it, it's a member of the Grenra family, they can only be contained, and we don't have the right equipment to do so," She answered. "And I'm a little busy trying to keep you alive."
"Can't you multi-task?" Alice asked. "Duck!"
They ducked just as the monster threw a small tree at them.
"Malark!" Aliandra shouted as they rolled away from the monster that was now stomping towards them. "Any time you want to help!"
"I'm working on it!" He shouted back. He had been weaving his hands in intricate patterns and muttering to himself.
They started running again, but Alice tripped over a stray tree root and hit the ground. She tried to get up, but was grabbed by the monster, who held her at arms length above the ground.
She tried swinging punches, but she was facing away from the monster, its claws digging into her back the more she struggled.
It suddenly dropped her, and she landed hard, her ankle twisting and she cried out.
Aliandra ran over to her and knelt beside her, checking the damage on her ankle.
"It's not broken." She said. "You just sprained it."
"What happened to the monster?" Alice asked between clenched teeth.
"Malark finished his chant." Aliandra said simply. "He took control of the creature and told it to stop."
"Didn't mean for it to drop you that hard though, sorry." Malark said as he approached, though he didn't sound all that sorry.
He turned to the monster and closed his eyes, standing perfectly still.
A light appeared behind it and it stepped into it and vanished as Malark opened his eyes and turned back to them.
"What did you do?" Alice asked.
"I told it to join the circus and it left to find a costume." He said.
"How do you know about the circus?" She asked. "You aren't even from here!"
"We're not forbidden from coming here, you know." He said, then dismissed her and spoke to Aliandra. "What do we do now?"
"I'm not sure." She said. "There isn't exactly a manual for this."
"Do we take her home?" He asked.
"I'm right here, you know." Alice said, waving a hand at them.
"Sorry, Alice." Aliandra said. "We can't take you back to our dimension yet."
"And why not?" Malark asked, crossing his arms. "At least there we'd have the home court advantage."
"Figures you'd be a basketball fan." Alice said.
"Where were you when we were being attacked by the giant monster?" Aliandra said. "It's certainly not from here, it was sent, from our dimension; and that means that there are enemies trying to kill her, and prevent her from getting there."
"Wait, if there are people trying to prevent me from getting to this oh so wonderful dimension full of all kinds of nightmares and killers, why not just go there if that's what they don't want?" Alice said.
"Because you have to have certain skills in order to cross over the dimensional borders, a skill you haven't developed yet." Aliandra replied. "We have to train you before you can move between worlds, and then we can really mess with them."
Alice grinned. "I get to learn magic?"
Aliandra nodded. "Yup."
"This day is turning out better than I thought it was." She said. "When do we start?"
Have an epica birthday! I love you, sister!
*hands her 19 birthday cupcakes*
"Alice!" Aliandra shouted as she ran in the house. She heard distant sobbing. "Alice?"
She followed the sound to Alice's bedroom, where she found the girl sobbing on her bed.
She knocked on the partially open door as she walked in.
"Go away." Alice said between sobs.
"I'm sorry, Alice, but I can't." She replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I know this is shocking, and I didn't mean to spring it on you like this, Malark needs sensitivity training."
Alice laughed as she sat up. "How could you lie to me? I thought we were friends."
"We are friends, Al, but things have been set in motion that aren't supposed to happen for a few years."
Alice didn't respond.
"I was trying to protect you, that's all I've ever been trying to do."
"Were you ever my friend? Or were you just following orders?" Alice asked bitterly, turning to face her.
"Yes, and I really do think Jason McCormick is a hottie." Alice laughed. "My only order was to watch you. not let you become my best friend."
Alice smiled, finally losing the cold stare she had adopted.
"Now, ask any questions you have, I'll answer them all honestly."
"Promise?"
"I promise on all things sugery and sweet that I will answer truthfully." Aliandra replied, raising her hand and placing the other over her heart.
"Okay," Alice thought for a moment. "Am I really a princess?"
"Yes."
"I'm from another dimension?"
"Yep."
"Okay, I'm not sure how to respond to that."
"Didn't expect you to." Aliandra said with a smile.
"And you're from there too?" Aliandra nodded.
"Okay, so, why can't I know anything abou-" Alice began, but was interrupted by the sound of her 'mother' calling her name.
"We're up here." Alice said, her voice tight.
Mrs. Darwin entered the room soon after, smiling when she saw Aliandra.
"Hi Ophelia, what are you doing here? And why is there a strange boy moaning in pain on my porch?"
Aliandra smiled but didn't respond, only glancing at Alice, who got to her feet.
"Why did you lie to me?" She asked.
"About what?" Her mother asked, looking confused.
"About you being my mother." Alice replied.
"I never lied to you about anything!" Was the reponse.
"You're lying to me right now!" Alice said.
"What is going on with you?" Just before Alice could speak, Aliandra interrupted.
"She knows, Pria, you may as well drop the act."
Alice watched her mother as her shoulders dropped in defeat. "Alright."
"Why did you both lie to me about this? And what couldn't you tell me at the forest, Aliandra?" She said Aliandra's name with bitterness.
"Really? We're back to being ticked?" Aliandra responded before taking a deep breath. "There is a prophecy that, when the time is right, the Lost Heir will return to reunite the Feir Kingdoms. You're that Lost Heir, but you weren't supposed to know until you were 20."
"Why?"
"Because that's when the Prophecy said you were to return 'On the morning of the Lost Heirs twentieth year, the dawn of the new Feirs will rise.'"
"Seems really specific for a prophecy."
"Yeah well, our Oracle is really good."
"So what happens now?" Alice asked after a moment.
"I'm not sure." Aliandra admitted. "I wasn't expecting this to happen so soon."
"Guess your Oracle isn't so good after all, huh?"
"Watch it, Princess." Aliandra said, though there was a lightheartedness to her tone.
Suddenly, Malark burst into the room.
"Hey!" Alice shouted. "Get out!"
"We've got trouble." He said, ignoring Alice completely.
"What kind of trouble?"
"Grenra's cousin trouble."
Aliandra cursed in a language Alice had never heard before. "That's big trouble."
"What's a Grenra and why don't you like his relatives?" Alice asked.
"No time to explain right now, but in short, big monster that will eat you alive." Aliandra said quickly, grabbing Alice's hand and dragging her out of the room and towards the stairs when they heard a loud roar that literally shook the house.
Alice grabbed the railing for balance.
"That was the monster." Aliandra said unnecessarily.
"Well I didn't think it was a kitten!" Alice retorted as they ran out the back door, and stopped dead as they caught sight of a massive monster, easily standing 9 feet tall, with mis-matched skin of blue and black, it looked like a massive bruise.
They ducked as it swung at them, and Aliandra pushed her to the left as she leapt to the right, the monster turning to go after Alice as she crab-walked backwards.
A rock bounced off of its head and it paused, and reached its hand out to grab her, and another rock hit it on the arm with such force that Alice heard it snap; it hung limply at the monster side as it turned to face Aliandra, who was tossing a rock the size of a baseball in the air and catching it like she did at softball practice, and threw it, smacking the monster in the face with such force that it stumbled, but quickly regained its footing and cocked its head at her, studying her, and then a creepy thing happened, even creepier than a nine foot bruise: it spoke.
"Aliandra, you are interfering."
Aliandra looked as shocked as Alice felt.
"You can talk?" They said at the same time.
"This beast? Of course not, it is simply a tool." The monster said. "Too stupid to figure out how to use its vocal cords, but what it lacks in brains, it makes up for in being a brilliant assassin."
"Who are you?" Aliandra demanded.
"Now, now, Aliandra, don't go ruining my fun." It said, and the beast turned back to Alice. "Now back to business."
"Stay away from me!" Alice shouted as it reached for her. It didn't respond and she rolled out of the way, got to her feet and ran over to where Aliandra stood.
"Aliandra, you may want to snap out of it now." But she still stood there, staring at the monster. "Ophelia!"
Aliandra jumped and snapped back to reality, grabbing Alice's hand and running.
"How do we beat it?" Alice asked as they ran to the woods. She heard Malark behind them, shouting insults at the monster, and throwing what looked like fireballs. "Why can't you do that?"
"We can't beat it, it's a member of the Grenra family, they can only be contained, and we don't have the right equipment to do so," She answered. "And I'm a little busy trying to keep you alive."
"Can't you multi-task?" Alice asked. "Duck!"
They ducked just as the monster threw a small tree at them.
"Malark!" Aliandra shouted as they rolled away from the monster that was now stomping towards them. "Any time you want to help!"
"I'm working on it!" He shouted back. He had been weaving his hands in intricate patterns and muttering to himself.
They started running again, but Alice tripped over a stray tree root and hit the ground. She tried to get up, but was grabbed by the monster, who held her at arms length above the ground.
She tried swinging punches, but she was facing away from the monster, its claws digging into her back the more she struggled.
It suddenly dropped her, and she landed hard, her ankle twisting and she cried out.
Aliandra ran over to her and knelt beside her, checking the damage on her ankle.
"It's not broken." She said. "You just sprained it."
"What happened to the monster?" Alice asked between clenched teeth.
"Malark finished his chant." Aliandra said simply. "He took control of the creature and told it to stop."
"Didn't mean for it to drop you that hard though, sorry." Malark said as he approached, though he didn't sound all that sorry.
He turned to the monster and closed his eyes, standing perfectly still.
A light appeared behind it and it stepped into it and vanished as Malark opened his eyes and turned back to them.
"What did you do?" Alice asked.
"I told it to join the circus and it left to find a costume." He said.
"How do you know about the circus?" She asked. "You aren't even from here!"
"We're not forbidden from coming here, you know." He said, then dismissed her and spoke to Aliandra. "What do we do now?"
"I'm not sure." She said. "There isn't exactly a manual for this."
"Do we take her home?" He asked.
"I'm right here, you know." Alice said, waving a hand at them.
"Sorry, Alice." Aliandra said. "We can't take you back to our dimension yet."
"And why not?" Malark asked, crossing his arms. "At least there we'd have the home court advantage."
"Figures you'd be a basketball fan." Alice said.
"Where were you when we were being attacked by the giant monster?" Aliandra said. "It's certainly not from here, it was sent, from our dimension; and that means that there are enemies trying to kill her, and prevent her from getting there."
"Wait, if there are people trying to prevent me from getting to this oh so wonderful dimension full of all kinds of nightmares and killers, why not just go there if that's what they don't want?" Alice said.
"Because you have to have certain skills in order to cross over the dimensional borders, a skill you haven't developed yet." Aliandra replied. "We have to train you before you can move between worlds, and then we can really mess with them."
Alice grinned. "I get to learn magic?"
Aliandra nodded. "Yup."
"This day is turning out better than I thought it was." She said. "When do we start?"
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Happy Birthday, Sky!!!
Happy Birthday, Sky!
Sorry for the wait, I hope you like it! :D
Hope you have a very shiny birthday :D Happy 19th!
*hands 19 birthday cupcakes*
Sally sat at her desk, absently tapping her pencil, thinking over everything that happened.
When she'd gotten home the previous week, her mother and brother had acted like she hadn't been gone for 2 days, and she decided not to question it. She really didn't need to be grounded.
She briefly wondered how long her mother would have grounded her for leaving the current dimension and laughed to herself at the expression she imagined her mother would have.
"What's funny?" Harry asked as he walked in, eating an apple.
"Nothing," she said, snapped out of her thinking. Her brother looked at her strangely, but said nothing.
"Have you finished the History homework yet?" He asked instead.
"Why? You need to copy it?" She asked.
"Nah, maybe next time when your not so day-dreamy." He said, sitting on her bed.
"What's up?" She asked, setting her pencil down.
"Nothing."
"Oh yeah right," She said. "You don't normally come in my room unless you wanted something, and you certainly don't eat apples."
He looked confused for a moment before looking at the object in his hand with an even more confused expression which quickly turned to horror and he screamed, throwing the apple at the wall, where it hit, imploded a little, leaving apple insides on her wall, before sliding down and landing in her clothes hamper.
She clamped a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing as her brother hunched over her trashcan and started dry heaving.
"What on earth is going on in here?" Their mother said as she peeked her head in. "Harry, what's wrong, sweetheart? Why are you retching in your sisters bin?"
"Ate...apple..." He choked out.
"Oh for the life of... It's just an apple, it wont kill you." She said, rolling her eyes at her son. "They're good for you."
"That's... what... they... want you... to think." He said.
"You are so strange," She said, shaking her head. "Sally, I'm going to the store, do you want anything?"
"Some more orange juice would be nice," she glanced at her brother, still with his head stuck in her trashcan.
"I'm... good." He said.
Their mother laughed as she closed the door behind her. A minute later, Sally heard the car start and pull away.
"Okay, I think you puked out all the apple, you can relax now." She said.
"I doubt it." He said, but he sat back anyway. "I can't believe I ate a fruit."
"Well, I think you've made it very clear that it was an accident." She replied. "What has you so upset that your eating healthy?"
"All right already, I'll tell you." He said. "It's Syl."
She sighed. "Why do you get so worked up over that Drama Queen?"
He gave her a look that only an older brother can give. "I love her, Sal."
"Why? There's nothing likeable about her." She said. "She treats you like dirt, treats me like I'm less then pond scum, and flirts with any man with a pulse. She's a snob who cares more about her makeup than you, and that's my nice description of her."
He sighed. "I know, but I can't help it. She puts up a front for everybody because she's scared to let anybody in, her mother left her when she was 3 and her dad remarried to an dis-inherited heiress who was always mean to her."
"Wow, she's got you fooled, doesn't she?" Harry's face darkened and he stood.
"Look, I know you don't like her, but I know the real her, ok? So stop acting like some big know-it-all and mind your own business!"
"Hey, your the one who came in here, remember?" Sally said, getting to her feet to face her brother. "You wanted my advice, and here it is: break up with her. She's rude to you and everyone else, she tells lies left and right like its no big deal, and she is dumber then a post! She's not good enough for you, Harry, why can't you just see that?"
"Forget it, ok? I'm sorry I brought it up." He opened the door, but paused in the doorway. "Why can't you just be happy that I'm with someone I love, other than you, who chases boys away like their flies." And he left.
She stared after him, tears in her eyes.
* * *
Bram tapped his fingers as he read through the tome. There was nothing useful in it, only obscure references, and he was getting frustrated.
He put his head on the book and sighed. Why did no one document anything useful?
Suddenly there was a sharp pain in his head, and he jerked his head up, thinking he laid his head down on a quill or the edge of the book, but the pain continued.
He massaged his temples and suddenly there was a wave of emotions that were not his.
Hurt, sadness, and anger. He blinked and he was no longer looking at dusty old book shelves, he was looking at a girl sobbing on a bed.
He stared at her. "What in the realms...?" He muttered.
The girl looked up, startled. It was Sally.
She jumped to her feet. "What are you doing? Spying on me?"
"N-no," He said, he was too confused to form coherent thoughts.
"Just go away!" She shouted and he was back staring at bookshelves.
"What just happened?" He asked them, and, naturally, they ignored him. Typical shelves.
* * *
Sally sat back down on the bed, wiping the rest of her tears away. Seeing Bram hadn't helped things, she didn't want him to see her cry.
She was the girl that faced the... She cleared her head before she could picture or think its name, she didn't know how she'd explain a monster that shouldn't exist suddenly appearing in her bedroom, anymore than she could explain a strange boy she'd met only a few days ago showing up.
She sighed, and picked up a Kleenex and blew her nose before going to her mirror to see how bad she looked. The last thing she needed was her mother freaking out on her.
Deciding she looked fine, she left her room, pausing briefly on the stairs to make sure she wouldn't burst into more tears when she heard her mothers voice, and continued into the kitchen, where her mother was making something that smelled foreign.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
Her mother spun around at the sound of her voice and smiled at her. "Oh, hi Sally, you startled me, I thought you were at Jordan's."
"No," Sally replied. "And don't dodge the question, what are you doing?"
"I'm cooking." Was the answer.
"Cooking?" Sally said, incredulous. "You never cook."
"I cook you breakfast every morning." Her mother countered.
"You put a pre-made meal in the over for 30 minutes, doesn't count." She said. "The last time you tried to cook, you almost burned the house down."
"Oh, shut up, I did not."
"We had to redo the whole kitchen!"
"Sally Elizabeth you stop talking right now." Her mother said, but she couldn't hold back her smile for long and she laughed. "It's a new dish I heard Margaret talking about, she gave me the recipe weeks ago and I decided 'what the heck?'"
"What kind of food is it?" Sally asked, peering curiously at the pan on the stove.
"It's something to do with curry, I think."
"Oh that's comforting." Sally responded.
"Hey mom," Harry said, coming down the stairs. "I'm heading over to Mi- what is that smell?"
"It's a new curry dish, she thinks." Sally answered.
"Curry?"
"Don't ask."
"Okay then..." He said. "I'm heading over to Mike's, and I think I may eat there as well."
"Fine, but you know they call that cowardice in some countries, right?" Their mom replied.
"I'd heard the rumor." He said, he glanced at Sally, opened his mouth, and then closed it again. "Later." He didn't wait for a reply and walked briskly out of the house, Sally right behind him.
She caught up just as he hit the lawn.
"Harry," She said. He paused mid-step and turned to face her. "Are you really going to Mike's, or did you say that for my sake?"
His face darkened. "What, now I'm not allowed to spend time with my friends? And whenever I do, I must be lying right? Where do you really go when you say you're going to Jordan's?"
"Harry, please, I didn't mean it that way."
"Sure, you did." He spun around and stalked off.
"Harry," She called. "Harry come on, we need to talk about this."
"No we don't," he called over his shoulder.
"Harry Robert!" She screamed. "You stop right now!"
He froze before turning on her. "How dare you use my middle name, you have no right to pull that card when you're the one in the hot seat!"
"We need to talk about this." She said as she caught up with him. "You're overreacting to the fact that I don't like your girlfriend, and I don't know why, you've never yelled at me like this before and I'm worried."
He opened his mouth to retort, but closed it and sighed. "I know."
"What?"
"I know, you're right." He said. "I don't know what's happening, but I can't help myself."
"You need to break up with her, she's toxic."
"I know, but... who's that?" He said, staring over her shoulder. She turned and saw Bram walking towards them.
"Bram?"
"Bram Stoker?" Harry asked.
"No, no Stoker, he's someone I met in the park... wait, that's not Bram." She said as the man got closer, he had the same height and build as Bram, but this guy looked meaner.
He paused in his stride and smirked at them before he waved his hand and they both went flying.
Sally landed on something hard and felt something crack, she looked up and had to fight the blackness that was threatening to take over her vision. She glanced at her leg and had to fight the urge to vomit, she didn't think it was supposed to bend that way.
She looked over in the direction her brother had went and saw him unconscious, his head on one of the brick wall things that no one knows the name off that their neighbor, Mr. Pressley, loved. He wasn't moving.
"Harry!" She screamed, trying to move towards him, but every movement sent a wave of pain into her brain.
The man was leaning over Harry like a vulture.
She blinked back more darkness and saw that he wasn't like a vulture, waiting for the prey to die so he could dine, he was studying her brother's head and the, she gulped, and the blood that was running out, almost curiously, like he'd never seen it before.
"Leave him alone!" She shouted, trying to get him away from Harry.
The man glanced at her and smiled, but it was a smile without amusement, it was the kind of smile you give someone when you're trying to be polite about them ticking you off.
"Poor little mouse," He said, he had an accent that she'd never heard before. "Your caught in the trap, can't get out, only one thing to do, to end the pain." He brought out a large knife from his boot and ran his finger along the edge. "Don't worry, I'll help." He stepped towards her and she screamed, which just made his smile grow. "Scream all you want, little mouse, no one can hear you."
"We're in plain sight, you psycho!" She shouted.
"Not in the time bubble, all time stands still, beautiful isn't it, my little mouse?"
She suddenly remembered the supposed bond she shared with Bram, and she sent all of her emotions through it, calling for help that seemed so far away, while the danger was oh so close.
She closed her eyes so she wouldn't see the final blow, but it never came. She heard a grunt and opened one eye to see Bram grappling with the psycho.
She breathed a sigh of relief but sucked it back in as Psycho appeared to be gaining the upper hand. "Look out!" She screamed as Psycho swung with the knife he had retrieved, after Bram had sent it spiraling.
Bram ducked and kicked out with his leg, connecting with Psycho's knee, making it buckle. Psycho used the momentum provided by gravity and launched himself at Bram, tackling him to the ground and punching him whilst holding the knife to his throat.
Sally looked around for something to throw, but there were no convenient rocks lying near her, which was very inconsiderate of them, she instead pulled off the shoe of her good foot and threw it.
It bounced off of his arm, but distracted him long enough for Bram to get out from under the knife and punch him.
Bram rolled to his feet and chanted some words that Sally could barely hear, and a portal opened up behind Psycho, who glanced at it and smirked.
"Until the next time, Sir Knight." Psycho said with a small bow, before turning to her. "And to you, little mouse."
He pulled something out of his pocket and crushed it in his hand, disappearing just as Bram ran forward to push him into the portal.
Bram landed with a solid thud in the flower bed. "Well that hurt." He said, sitting up.
Sally crawled over to Harry and checked his pulse, which thankfully was still beating and he was still breathing, she could have fainted right there.
Bram crouched next to her and put his hand on Harry's head, checking the damage. She punched his leg.
"Ow!" He said. "What was that for?"
"You're late!" She said.
"I got here, didn't I?" He said.
"Eventually." She said. "Who was Mr. Psycho?"
Bram was silent as he examined her brother's head. "He needs medical assistance; call for your mother."
"But who was he?" She demanded. "And Psycho said that no one could hear me call for help."
"And now he's gone, and so is his barrier, now call for your mother." He said. "Your brother has a concussion."
"Mom!" Sally called. "Mom, come quick!"
Her mother appeared in the doorway. "What's with all the..." She said, her voice trailing off. "Harry!"
She rushed over. "What happened?"
"Uh," Sally said, trying to think of something. "Would you believe we got attacked by a psychopath from another dimension?"
"Honestly, Sally, this is no time for games." She said. "What happened?"
She glanced at Bram, and did a double take. "And who is he?"
Before Sally could answer, Bram did. "My name is Bram, yes, I know, my parents thought it would be funny." He said, cutting off her mother's comment about Bram Stoker. "I was walking by and I saw the whole thing, your son tried to balance on the bricks here and slipped."
Her mother looked skeptical but didn't comment. "I'll go call for an ambulance." She said, getting to her feet and running to the house, and a few minutes later, Harry was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance, accompanied by Sally, because her leg had finally been noticed by her mother while they were waiting on the ambulance, and her mother.
Before she was taken away in the ambulance, Sally pulled Bram aside, and by that, she simply motioned him over and shooed away the paramedics, seeing as how she was now strapped to a gurney.
"You never answered my question," She said. "Who was Mr. Psycho?"
He hesitated. "You shouldn't worry abou-"
"Shut up, he attacked me and my brother, my brother, now who the heck was he?" She said; he didn't answer. "You don't know, do you?"
"Not at present, but rest assured, I am going to find out." He said, motioning over the paramedics and walking away before she could say anything else.
Sorry for the wait, I hope you like it! :D
Hope you have a very shiny birthday :D Happy 19th!
*hands 19 birthday cupcakes*
Sally sat at her desk, absently tapping her pencil, thinking over everything that happened.
When she'd gotten home the previous week, her mother and brother had acted like she hadn't been gone for 2 days, and she decided not to question it. She really didn't need to be grounded.
She briefly wondered how long her mother would have grounded her for leaving the current dimension and laughed to herself at the expression she imagined her mother would have.
"What's funny?" Harry asked as he walked in, eating an apple.
"Nothing," she said, snapped out of her thinking. Her brother looked at her strangely, but said nothing.
"Have you finished the History homework yet?" He asked instead.
"Why? You need to copy it?" She asked.
"Nah, maybe next time when your not so day-dreamy." He said, sitting on her bed.
"What's up?" She asked, setting her pencil down.
"Nothing."
"Oh yeah right," She said. "You don't normally come in my room unless you wanted something, and you certainly don't eat apples."
He looked confused for a moment before looking at the object in his hand with an even more confused expression which quickly turned to horror and he screamed, throwing the apple at the wall, where it hit, imploded a little, leaving apple insides on her wall, before sliding down and landing in her clothes hamper.
She clamped a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing as her brother hunched over her trashcan and started dry heaving.
"What on earth is going on in here?" Their mother said as she peeked her head in. "Harry, what's wrong, sweetheart? Why are you retching in your sisters bin?"
"Ate...apple..." He choked out.
"Oh for the life of... It's just an apple, it wont kill you." She said, rolling her eyes at her son. "They're good for you."
"That's... what... they... want you... to think." He said.
"You are so strange," She said, shaking her head. "Sally, I'm going to the store, do you want anything?"
"Some more orange juice would be nice," she glanced at her brother, still with his head stuck in her trashcan.
"I'm... good." He said.
Their mother laughed as she closed the door behind her. A minute later, Sally heard the car start and pull away.
"Okay, I think you puked out all the apple, you can relax now." She said.
"I doubt it." He said, but he sat back anyway. "I can't believe I ate a fruit."
"Well, I think you've made it very clear that it was an accident." She replied. "What has you so upset that your eating healthy?"
"All right already, I'll tell you." He said. "It's Syl."
She sighed. "Why do you get so worked up over that Drama Queen?"
He gave her a look that only an older brother can give. "I love her, Sal."
"Why? There's nothing likeable about her." She said. "She treats you like dirt, treats me like I'm less then pond scum, and flirts with any man with a pulse. She's a snob who cares more about her makeup than you, and that's my nice description of her."
He sighed. "I know, but I can't help it. She puts up a front for everybody because she's scared to let anybody in, her mother left her when she was 3 and her dad remarried to an dis-inherited heiress who was always mean to her."
"Wow, she's got you fooled, doesn't she?" Harry's face darkened and he stood.
"Look, I know you don't like her, but I know the real her, ok? So stop acting like some big know-it-all and mind your own business!"
"Hey, your the one who came in here, remember?" Sally said, getting to her feet to face her brother. "You wanted my advice, and here it is: break up with her. She's rude to you and everyone else, she tells lies left and right like its no big deal, and she is dumber then a post! She's not good enough for you, Harry, why can't you just see that?"
"Forget it, ok? I'm sorry I brought it up." He opened the door, but paused in the doorway. "Why can't you just be happy that I'm with someone I love, other than you, who chases boys away like their flies." And he left.
She stared after him, tears in her eyes.
* * *
Bram tapped his fingers as he read through the tome. There was nothing useful in it, only obscure references, and he was getting frustrated.
He put his head on the book and sighed. Why did no one document anything useful?
Suddenly there was a sharp pain in his head, and he jerked his head up, thinking he laid his head down on a quill or the edge of the book, but the pain continued.
He massaged his temples and suddenly there was a wave of emotions that were not his.
Hurt, sadness, and anger. He blinked and he was no longer looking at dusty old book shelves, he was looking at a girl sobbing on a bed.
He stared at her. "What in the realms...?" He muttered.
The girl looked up, startled. It was Sally.
She jumped to her feet. "What are you doing? Spying on me?"
"N-no," He said, he was too confused to form coherent thoughts.
"Just go away!" She shouted and he was back staring at bookshelves.
"What just happened?" He asked them, and, naturally, they ignored him. Typical shelves.
* * *
Sally sat back down on the bed, wiping the rest of her tears away. Seeing Bram hadn't helped things, she didn't want him to see her cry.
She was the girl that faced the... She cleared her head before she could picture or think its name, she didn't know how she'd explain a monster that shouldn't exist suddenly appearing in her bedroom, anymore than she could explain a strange boy she'd met only a few days ago showing up.
She sighed, and picked up a Kleenex and blew her nose before going to her mirror to see how bad she looked. The last thing she needed was her mother freaking out on her.
Deciding she looked fine, she left her room, pausing briefly on the stairs to make sure she wouldn't burst into more tears when she heard her mothers voice, and continued into the kitchen, where her mother was making something that smelled foreign.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
Her mother spun around at the sound of her voice and smiled at her. "Oh, hi Sally, you startled me, I thought you were at Jordan's."
"No," Sally replied. "And don't dodge the question, what are you doing?"
"I'm cooking." Was the answer.
"Cooking?" Sally said, incredulous. "You never cook."
"I cook you breakfast every morning." Her mother countered.
"You put a pre-made meal in the over for 30 minutes, doesn't count." She said. "The last time you tried to cook, you almost burned the house down."
"Oh, shut up, I did not."
"We had to redo the whole kitchen!"
"Sally Elizabeth you stop talking right now." Her mother said, but she couldn't hold back her smile for long and she laughed. "It's a new dish I heard Margaret talking about, she gave me the recipe weeks ago and I decided 'what the heck?'"
"What kind of food is it?" Sally asked, peering curiously at the pan on the stove.
"It's something to do with curry, I think."
"Oh that's comforting." Sally responded.
"Hey mom," Harry said, coming down the stairs. "I'm heading over to Mi- what is that smell?"
"It's a new curry dish, she thinks." Sally answered.
"Curry?"
"Don't ask."
"Okay then..." He said. "I'm heading over to Mike's, and I think I may eat there as well."
"Fine, but you know they call that cowardice in some countries, right?" Their mom replied.
"I'd heard the rumor." He said, he glanced at Sally, opened his mouth, and then closed it again. "Later." He didn't wait for a reply and walked briskly out of the house, Sally right behind him.
She caught up just as he hit the lawn.
"Harry," She said. He paused mid-step and turned to face her. "Are you really going to Mike's, or did you say that for my sake?"
His face darkened. "What, now I'm not allowed to spend time with my friends? And whenever I do, I must be lying right? Where do you really go when you say you're going to Jordan's?"
"Harry, please, I didn't mean it that way."
"Sure, you did." He spun around and stalked off.
"Harry," She called. "Harry come on, we need to talk about this."
"No we don't," he called over his shoulder.
"Harry Robert!" She screamed. "You stop right now!"
He froze before turning on her. "How dare you use my middle name, you have no right to pull that card when you're the one in the hot seat!"
"We need to talk about this." She said as she caught up with him. "You're overreacting to the fact that I don't like your girlfriend, and I don't know why, you've never yelled at me like this before and I'm worried."
He opened his mouth to retort, but closed it and sighed. "I know."
"What?"
"I know, you're right." He said. "I don't know what's happening, but I can't help myself."
"You need to break up with her, she's toxic."
"I know, but... who's that?" He said, staring over her shoulder. She turned and saw Bram walking towards them.
"Bram?"
"Bram Stoker?" Harry asked.
"No, no Stoker, he's someone I met in the park... wait, that's not Bram." She said as the man got closer, he had the same height and build as Bram, but this guy looked meaner.
He paused in his stride and smirked at them before he waved his hand and they both went flying.
Sally landed on something hard and felt something crack, she looked up and had to fight the blackness that was threatening to take over her vision. She glanced at her leg and had to fight the urge to vomit, she didn't think it was supposed to bend that way.
She looked over in the direction her brother had went and saw him unconscious, his head on one of the brick wall things that no one knows the name off that their neighbor, Mr. Pressley, loved. He wasn't moving.
"Harry!" She screamed, trying to move towards him, but every movement sent a wave of pain into her brain.
The man was leaning over Harry like a vulture.
She blinked back more darkness and saw that he wasn't like a vulture, waiting for the prey to die so he could dine, he was studying her brother's head and the, she gulped, and the blood that was running out, almost curiously, like he'd never seen it before.
"Leave him alone!" She shouted, trying to get him away from Harry.
The man glanced at her and smiled, but it was a smile without amusement, it was the kind of smile you give someone when you're trying to be polite about them ticking you off.
"Poor little mouse," He said, he had an accent that she'd never heard before. "Your caught in the trap, can't get out, only one thing to do, to end the pain." He brought out a large knife from his boot and ran his finger along the edge. "Don't worry, I'll help." He stepped towards her and she screamed, which just made his smile grow. "Scream all you want, little mouse, no one can hear you."
"We're in plain sight, you psycho!" She shouted.
"Not in the time bubble, all time stands still, beautiful isn't it, my little mouse?"
She suddenly remembered the supposed bond she shared with Bram, and she sent all of her emotions through it, calling for help that seemed so far away, while the danger was oh so close.
She closed her eyes so she wouldn't see the final blow, but it never came. She heard a grunt and opened one eye to see Bram grappling with the psycho.
She breathed a sigh of relief but sucked it back in as Psycho appeared to be gaining the upper hand. "Look out!" She screamed as Psycho swung with the knife he had retrieved, after Bram had sent it spiraling.
Bram ducked and kicked out with his leg, connecting with Psycho's knee, making it buckle. Psycho used the momentum provided by gravity and launched himself at Bram, tackling him to the ground and punching him whilst holding the knife to his throat.
Sally looked around for something to throw, but there were no convenient rocks lying near her, which was very inconsiderate of them, she instead pulled off the shoe of her good foot and threw it.
It bounced off of his arm, but distracted him long enough for Bram to get out from under the knife and punch him.
Bram rolled to his feet and chanted some words that Sally could barely hear, and a portal opened up behind Psycho, who glanced at it and smirked.
"Until the next time, Sir Knight." Psycho said with a small bow, before turning to her. "And to you, little mouse."
He pulled something out of his pocket and crushed it in his hand, disappearing just as Bram ran forward to push him into the portal.
Bram landed with a solid thud in the flower bed. "Well that hurt." He said, sitting up.
Sally crawled over to Harry and checked his pulse, which thankfully was still beating and he was still breathing, she could have fainted right there.
Bram crouched next to her and put his hand on Harry's head, checking the damage. She punched his leg.
"Ow!" He said. "What was that for?"
"You're late!" She said.
"I got here, didn't I?" He said.
"Eventually." She said. "Who was Mr. Psycho?"
Bram was silent as he examined her brother's head. "He needs medical assistance; call for your mother."
"But who was he?" She demanded. "And Psycho said that no one could hear me call for help."
"And now he's gone, and so is his barrier, now call for your mother." He said. "Your brother has a concussion."
"Mom!" Sally called. "Mom, come quick!"
Her mother appeared in the doorway. "What's with all the..." She said, her voice trailing off. "Harry!"
She rushed over. "What happened?"
"Uh," Sally said, trying to think of something. "Would you believe we got attacked by a psychopath from another dimension?"
"Honestly, Sally, this is no time for games." She said. "What happened?"
She glanced at Bram, and did a double take. "And who is he?"
Before Sally could answer, Bram did. "My name is Bram, yes, I know, my parents thought it would be funny." He said, cutting off her mother's comment about Bram Stoker. "I was walking by and I saw the whole thing, your son tried to balance on the bricks here and slipped."
Her mother looked skeptical but didn't comment. "I'll go call for an ambulance." She said, getting to her feet and running to the house, and a few minutes later, Harry was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance, accompanied by Sally, because her leg had finally been noticed by her mother while they were waiting on the ambulance, and her mother.
Before she was taken away in the ambulance, Sally pulled Bram aside, and by that, she simply motioned him over and shooed away the paramedics, seeing as how she was now strapped to a gurney.
"You never answered my question," She said. "Who was Mr. Psycho?"
He hesitated. "You shouldn't worry abou-"
"Shut up, he attacked me and my brother, my brother, now who the heck was he?" She said; he didn't answer. "You don't know, do you?"
"Not at present, but rest assured, I am going to find out." He said, motioning over the paramedics and walking away before she could say anything else.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Chapter 36
"Well that's just brilliant." Cadman said. "THAT'S JUST BLOODY BRILLIANT!"
Cayle and Finn flinched at the volume. "Hey, Cadman, neither one of us has any desire to be deaf, but thanks for trying." Cayle said.
Cadman glared at him and then stormed off towards the camp, leaving Cayle and Finn to follow.
* * *
She slowed Krennan to a stop and dismounted, intending to lead him, but he wouldn't move.
"Come on, Krennan." She said. "We've got to go."
He shook his head and pulled back, taking the reins from her hands and backed up.
"Krennan, no, we can't go back." She said, reaching for the reins, but Krennan trotted backwards again. "Krennan, they'd arrest me for the money, you know that."
He snorted and pawed and the ground. She sighed.
"You're not going to let me leave, are you?" In response, he shook his head and trotted back up the road again before pausing and looking at her expectantly.
She just couldn't win with that horse.
* * *
"Was the mission a success?" The king asked as the group were escorted into one of the larger tents.
"Yes and no." Cayle said after a hesitation.
"What does that mean?" The king asked.
"Well," Cayle started. "We rescued her."
"But then she ran away." Finn finished.
"Why would she do that?" The king asked.
Cayle opened his mouth to reply when there was a commotion outside the tent.
"This is the King's tent." One of the guards said.
"No, really? And I thought it was the bathroom." A voice replied. "Let me through."
"You cannot enter armed." The guard insisted.
"Do I bloody look armed?" There was a hesitation.
"You cannot enter without the King's permission."
"Well then, go get me permission." was the answer.
There was a pause and then one of the guards walked through the entryway and bowed respectfully to the King.
"Your Majesty, my apologies, but there is a woman who is insisting on seeing you." He said.
"Allow her in." The King said; the guard bowed and left and a moment later, Deanna walked in.
"You really need to get better help." She said, Cayle and Finn stared at her.
"What?" She demanded.
Cayle and Finn flinched at the volume. "Hey, Cadman, neither one of us has any desire to be deaf, but thanks for trying." Cayle said.
Cadman glared at him and then stormed off towards the camp, leaving Cayle and Finn to follow.
* * *
She slowed Krennan to a stop and dismounted, intending to lead him, but he wouldn't move.
"Come on, Krennan." She said. "We've got to go."
He shook his head and pulled back, taking the reins from her hands and backed up.
"Krennan, no, we can't go back." She said, reaching for the reins, but Krennan trotted backwards again. "Krennan, they'd arrest me for the money, you know that."
He snorted and pawed and the ground. She sighed.
"You're not going to let me leave, are you?" In response, he shook his head and trotted back up the road again before pausing and looking at her expectantly.
She just couldn't win with that horse.
* * *
"Was the mission a success?" The king asked as the group were escorted into one of the larger tents.
"Yes and no." Cayle said after a hesitation.
"What does that mean?" The king asked.
"Well," Cayle started. "We rescued her."
"But then she ran away." Finn finished.
"Why would she do that?" The king asked.
Cayle opened his mouth to reply when there was a commotion outside the tent.
"This is the King's tent." One of the guards said.
"No, really? And I thought it was the bathroom." A voice replied. "Let me through."
"You cannot enter armed." The guard insisted.
"Do I bloody look armed?" There was a hesitation.
"You cannot enter without the King's permission."
"Well then, go get me permission." was the answer.
There was a pause and then one of the guards walked through the entryway and bowed respectfully to the King.
"Your Majesty, my apologies, but there is a woman who is insisting on seeing you." He said.
"Allow her in." The King said; the guard bowed and left and a moment later, Deanna walked in.
"You really need to get better help." She said, Cayle and Finn stared at her.
"What?" She demanded.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Chapter 35
(Sorry this is late, but I finally felt like writing, yay! :D Hope you enjoy!)
Cayle began to take off the armor, grateful to be free of it. He rolled his neck to loosen it, those helmets were heavy. He glanced at Deanna, who was now free of the clothes she had disguised herself with, but had stripped a piece of cloth from one of them and tied her hair back off her face. She had her eyes closed and her face raised to the sky.
"When do I get my horse back?" She asked.
"When we get that ankle taken care of." He said.
"I can take care of my ankle, but I want my horse."
"Ankle first." He said, glancing over at the kings' camp, where he saw Cadman walking back.
"Send one of your flunkies to go get him." She said.
He looked at her with an eyebrow arched. "'flunkies'?" he repeated.
She shrugged as Cadman walked up and handed her the water and a bandage. "Thank you." She said as she took them and began to fix up her ankle.
"Wow, she has manners after all." Cadman said, which earned him a glare in return.
"Cadman," She said, as she poured the cold water over her ankle, flinching from the cold. "Could you go fetch my horse for me?"
"Why?" He asked. "You can't go anywhere."
"And why not?"
"Because we have to claim the reward." He said and Cayle could have punched him.
Deanna looked up from her task of wrapping her ankle. "What?"
"You heard me."
"You, for lack of a better term, rescued me for the reward?" She said.
"Why else would we do it?" He said.
"Cadman, shut up." Cayle said, but he knew the damage had been done. Deanna looked back and forth between them and then slowly got to her feet, flinching when she accidently put weight on her ankle.
She glared at them both before she looked around until she saw the stables and began walking towards it, picking up her back and boots as she passed where Cadman had dumped them.
"Hey, where do you think your going?" Cadman called after her.
"Getting my horse." She said.
Cayle punched Cadman in the arm.
"What?" He demanded, rubbing his arm. He had removed his own armor while in the camp.
"You moron! Why did you do that?" He said.
"What? I'm supposed to not claim the reward simply because you've got a thing for her? She's a criminal, Cayle, whether you like it or not, and justice has to be given, that's how it works."
"But you didn't have to bring it up like that." Cayle replied.
"What would have preferred? Lying to her? Cayle, I didn't think you had it in you." Cadman said as he started off after Deanna.
Cayle fumed for a moment before following.
* * *
Deanna reached the stable and heard a familiar whinny and smiled. He was here.
Relief spread through her as she reached the stable and saw him there, waiting for her. She dropped her things and hugged him.
She stepped back to make sure he was ok and he head-butted her as if to say "You know I can take care of myself, don't worry".
She smiled and patted his neck.
"You know I'll always worry about you." She said.
"Deanna!" She heard Cayle shout and she rolled her eyes and turn to face him as he came running up, right behind Cadman.
"Now what do you want?" She demanded, picking up a riding blanket and putting it on Krennan's back.
He opened his mouth to say something when they heard someone shouting. They all looked towards the camp to see a figure running towards them.
"Finn?" Cadman said.
Deanna set about getting Krennan ready to leave while they waited for Finn to catch up. When he did he almost passed out.
"Whoa." Cayle said as he steadied the swaying boy. "You alright?"
"Yeah," He gasped. "I'm fine; came to tell you that the soldiers are back, and the King has ordered everyone to pack up. They're leaving in an hour."
"The ruse worked?" Cadman said, and Finn nodded.
"The King has requested that we accompany him, for our protection." Finn said.
Deanna secured her pack to Krennan's saddle and leaned up against the stable to pull her boots back on. She unlocked and opened the stable door and led Krennan out before mounting.
"Well, have fun with that." She said. "Better luck next time, boys."
She kicked Krennan into a run and left the three boys in the dust.
Cayle began to take off the armor, grateful to be free of it. He rolled his neck to loosen it, those helmets were heavy. He glanced at Deanna, who was now free of the clothes she had disguised herself with, but had stripped a piece of cloth from one of them and tied her hair back off her face. She had her eyes closed and her face raised to the sky.
"When do I get my horse back?" She asked.
"When we get that ankle taken care of." He said.
"I can take care of my ankle, but I want my horse."
"Ankle first." He said, glancing over at the kings' camp, where he saw Cadman walking back.
"Send one of your flunkies to go get him." She said.
He looked at her with an eyebrow arched. "'flunkies'?" he repeated.
She shrugged as Cadman walked up and handed her the water and a bandage. "Thank you." She said as she took them and began to fix up her ankle.
"Wow, she has manners after all." Cadman said, which earned him a glare in return.
"Cadman," She said, as she poured the cold water over her ankle, flinching from the cold. "Could you go fetch my horse for me?"
"Why?" He asked. "You can't go anywhere."
"And why not?"
"Because we have to claim the reward." He said and Cayle could have punched him.
Deanna looked up from her task of wrapping her ankle. "What?"
"You heard me."
"You, for lack of a better term, rescued me for the reward?" She said.
"Why else would we do it?" He said.
"Cadman, shut up." Cayle said, but he knew the damage had been done. Deanna looked back and forth between them and then slowly got to her feet, flinching when she accidently put weight on her ankle.
She glared at them both before she looked around until she saw the stables and began walking towards it, picking up her back and boots as she passed where Cadman had dumped them.
"Hey, where do you think your going?" Cadman called after her.
"Getting my horse." She said.
Cayle punched Cadman in the arm.
"What?" He demanded, rubbing his arm. He had removed his own armor while in the camp.
"You moron! Why did you do that?" He said.
"What? I'm supposed to not claim the reward simply because you've got a thing for her? She's a criminal, Cayle, whether you like it or not, and justice has to be given, that's how it works."
"But you didn't have to bring it up like that." Cayle replied.
"What would have preferred? Lying to her? Cayle, I didn't think you had it in you." Cadman said as he started off after Deanna.
Cayle fumed for a moment before following.
* * *
Deanna reached the stable and heard a familiar whinny and smiled. He was here.
Relief spread through her as she reached the stable and saw him there, waiting for her. She dropped her things and hugged him.
She stepped back to make sure he was ok and he head-butted her as if to say "You know I can take care of myself, don't worry".
She smiled and patted his neck.
"You know I'll always worry about you." She said.
"Deanna!" She heard Cayle shout and she rolled her eyes and turn to face him as he came running up, right behind Cadman.
"Now what do you want?" She demanded, picking up a riding blanket and putting it on Krennan's back.
He opened his mouth to say something when they heard someone shouting. They all looked towards the camp to see a figure running towards them.
"Finn?" Cadman said.
Deanna set about getting Krennan ready to leave while they waited for Finn to catch up. When he did he almost passed out.
"Whoa." Cayle said as he steadied the swaying boy. "You alright?"
"Yeah," He gasped. "I'm fine; came to tell you that the soldiers are back, and the King has ordered everyone to pack up. They're leaving in an hour."
"The ruse worked?" Cadman said, and Finn nodded.
"The King has requested that we accompany him, for our protection." Finn said.
Deanna secured her pack to Krennan's saddle and leaned up against the stable to pull her boots back on. She unlocked and opened the stable door and led Krennan out before mounting.
"Well, have fun with that." She said. "Better luck next time, boys."
She kicked Krennan into a run and left the three boys in the dust.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Chapter 34
The soldiers walked into the throne room with their load, setting it down in the middle of the room. The duke still sat upon his throne, looking smug.
Fools, he thought to himself, if only they knew what I have planned.
He motioned for his Captain of the Guard to open the chest, and when he did, the duke smiled at the sigh of some of the most precious treasures in the land.
"Thank you, this will do nicely." He said. The head soldier bowed. "I suppose now you wish to bring the Lady Marianna home?"
When the soldier nodded, the duke addressed his captain.
"Go and fetch her for us, would you?" The captain bowed and left through the side door.
The duke motioned for his men to move the chest closer, and he smiled when he saw the precious stones and money up close. They were the most vibrant colors.
The captain came running back through the side door, startling the duke. He was accompanied by two more guards.
"My lord, the girl is gone!" The captain declared.
"WHAT?" The duke screamed, standing. "How?"
"The window was open, my lord, she must have climbed out."
"There was a guard posted below!" The duke said. "How did she get past him?"
"I've sent men down to investigate, my lord, we'll find her."
The duke seethed. "Your men are useless. You are useless! I ordered you to keep her in her room, was that so difficult? She was not meant to leave, you imbecile!"
"Is there a problem, duke?" The soldier asked. The duke closed his eyes and silently cursed his outburst. He had forgotten about the soldier.
"No." He said, trying to regain his composure. "Not at all."
"I would certainly hope not." The soldier said. "I will send my best men to scour the countryside for her, if you could send yours to investigate the castle grounds. Do we have any idea how long she's been gone?"
"No," The captain said, looking at the duke cautiously. "But she couldn't have been gone long."
"Then I suggest we get right on that." The soldier said, and turned to his own men. "The Princess Marianna must be found safe, go gather the troops, I will be with you shortly."
The soldiers bowed and then rushed from the room. The head soldier turned back to the duke.
"Is there any where in the town she could hide? Any nooks or crannies she could fit? If she believes her life is in danger, she will do her best to keep hidden, and the Princess is highly resourceful. It would also be good to make sure your men are not armed, at least not visibly, to make them seem more approachable."
The duke seethed silently. How dare this, this commoner tell him what to do, yet he smiled and nodded to his captain. "Do as he says."
The captain bowed after a moments hesitation. "At once, my lord."
"If you do not mind, duke, I will rejoin my men." The soldier bowed and walked out, leaving the duke alone in the throne room, his fury growing with each heartbeat.
* * *
They dragged her until they were as far out of sight as they could manage. "I think here's a good place." Cayle said, letting to of Deanna's arm, while Cadman did the same.
Deanna fell onto the ground, hard.
"Ow!" She said, then raised herself up on her arms and turned over so that she was sitting on the ground instead of being face first on it. "Isn't it bad enough my ankle is sprained? You have to try and break bones?"
"Sorry," They both said, but she could tell they were hiding grins.
"Morons." She muttered and flinched as her ankle started to throb. She unwound the makeshift bandage around her ankle and groaned inwardly when she saw it was beginning to turn purple. "Terrific."
"That doesn't look so good." Cadman said and she gave him a look.
"Wow, really? I hadn't noticed, I am so glad you are here Captain Obvious." She said. "It would have been fine if you hadn't been dragging me over all those rocks; it took all of my willpower not to scream."
"Not my fault." Cadman said.
"No, it's both of your faults." She said. "Get me some water."
"Well, aren't you full of demands," Cadman said. "Cayle I can see why you like her."
Cayle punched him on the arm, hard. But Cadman was still wearing the guards' armor and just smiled.
"For my ankle, you buffoon." Deanna said. "If I wrap it in cool water it should help the swelling, now off you pop."
He rolled his eyes but walked over to the Kings' camp nonetheless.
Fools, he thought to himself, if only they knew what I have planned.
He motioned for his Captain of the Guard to open the chest, and when he did, the duke smiled at the sigh of some of the most precious treasures in the land.
"Thank you, this will do nicely." He said. The head soldier bowed. "I suppose now you wish to bring the Lady Marianna home?"
When the soldier nodded, the duke addressed his captain.
"Go and fetch her for us, would you?" The captain bowed and left through the side door.
The duke motioned for his men to move the chest closer, and he smiled when he saw the precious stones and money up close. They were the most vibrant colors.
The captain came running back through the side door, startling the duke. He was accompanied by two more guards.
"My lord, the girl is gone!" The captain declared.
"WHAT?" The duke screamed, standing. "How?"
"The window was open, my lord, she must have climbed out."
"There was a guard posted below!" The duke said. "How did she get past him?"
"I've sent men down to investigate, my lord, we'll find her."
The duke seethed. "Your men are useless. You are useless! I ordered you to keep her in her room, was that so difficult? She was not meant to leave, you imbecile!"
"Is there a problem, duke?" The soldier asked. The duke closed his eyes and silently cursed his outburst. He had forgotten about the soldier.
"No." He said, trying to regain his composure. "Not at all."
"I would certainly hope not." The soldier said. "I will send my best men to scour the countryside for her, if you could send yours to investigate the castle grounds. Do we have any idea how long she's been gone?"
"No," The captain said, looking at the duke cautiously. "But she couldn't have been gone long."
"Then I suggest we get right on that." The soldier said, and turned to his own men. "The Princess Marianna must be found safe, go gather the troops, I will be with you shortly."
The soldiers bowed and then rushed from the room. The head soldier turned back to the duke.
"Is there any where in the town she could hide? Any nooks or crannies she could fit? If she believes her life is in danger, she will do her best to keep hidden, and the Princess is highly resourceful. It would also be good to make sure your men are not armed, at least not visibly, to make them seem more approachable."
The duke seethed silently. How dare this, this commoner tell him what to do, yet he smiled and nodded to his captain. "Do as he says."
The captain bowed after a moments hesitation. "At once, my lord."
"If you do not mind, duke, I will rejoin my men." The soldier bowed and walked out, leaving the duke alone in the throne room, his fury growing with each heartbeat.
* * *
They dragged her until they were as far out of sight as they could manage. "I think here's a good place." Cayle said, letting to of Deanna's arm, while Cadman did the same.
Deanna fell onto the ground, hard.
"Ow!" She said, then raised herself up on her arms and turned over so that she was sitting on the ground instead of being face first on it. "Isn't it bad enough my ankle is sprained? You have to try and break bones?"
"Sorry," They both said, but she could tell they were hiding grins.
"Morons." She muttered and flinched as her ankle started to throb. She unwound the makeshift bandage around her ankle and groaned inwardly when she saw it was beginning to turn purple. "Terrific."
"That doesn't look so good." Cadman said and she gave him a look.
"Wow, really? I hadn't noticed, I am so glad you are here Captain Obvious." She said. "It would have been fine if you hadn't been dragging me over all those rocks; it took all of my willpower not to scream."
"Not my fault." Cadman said.
"No, it's both of your faults." She said. "Get me some water."
"Well, aren't you full of demands," Cadman said. "Cayle I can see why you like her."
Cayle punched him on the arm, hard. But Cadman was still wearing the guards' armor and just smiled.
"For my ankle, you buffoon." Deanna said. "If I wrap it in cool water it should help the swelling, now off you pop."
He rolled his eyes but walked over to the Kings' camp nonetheless.
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