BTW: I added the chapter titles as being Episodes since an Awesome reviewer -and you probably know who you are- mentioned that the first chapter reminded them of a show called Tudors. And Aku is really random like that.

Really short, but this is kinda an interlude thingy.

Warning for this chapter:

A Ghostly Trembling Trio, a Spaniard with a Lisp, and A plot being afoot.

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Okay... No warnings except the lisping Spanish.

Episode Two:

The Ghostly Trio

Toris looked out of his hiding place, trembling and invisible. Toris hovered in place before flying out of his hiding place and looking around frantically.

"Eduard! Raivis!" Toris called out, voice trembling with fear.

"You saw it too then," Eduard faded into view slowly. He adjusted ghostly spectacles and sighed, "This is quite problematic. It is bad enough that the dragon has kept us in his hoard for so long, but to bring another into this kind of life is just plain cruel."

"I-I don't like it one b-bit!" Raivis whimpered, his trembling form fading into view. Toris nodded in agreement.

"W-we can't let this go on. We need to get help." Toris said, wringing his hands together. Raivis whimpered again.

"Ivan won't like it...H-he won't like it one bit..." Raivis said nervously.

"We can't travel far from the cave," sighed Eduard softly, adjusting his spectacles. They would have to act quickly before the dragon remembered that they were here and that they didn't approve of him hurting others by trapping them with him... Even in death, "Maybe a passing foreigner might help us."

"But what are the chances someone will be passing by, let alone be willing to help?" Raivis asked despairingly.

"We'll just have to try." Toris replied, already heading toward the cave entrance despite his full-body tremors.

"The chances of either occurring will be slim," Eduard said simply, looking at him and shaking his head, "You go with Toris; I will be here when Ivan arrives with ... His new captive."

Raivis nodded at Eduard and flew after Toris quickly. The two made their way to the main road and waited there nervously for someone to come.

Antonio hummed cheerfully as he drove the cart along. Being a traveling merchant had its perks he mused, leaning back and enjoying the nice day. His trusty axe was next to him, the handle longer than normal to indicate its status as a weapon of war rather than a tool for chopping wood.

Toris looked down the road, hearing a noise and gasped loudly before pointing eagerly.

"Look Raivis! Someone's coming!" Toris cried excitedly. Raivis looked to where he was pointing and saw a man in a horse-drawn cart.

"D-do you think he'll help?" Raivis asked uncertainly.

"At the very least, he can go for help. We need to try or I fear Ivan's captive will meet the same fate we did." Toris told him solemnly. Raivis nodded in agreement, worry in his features.

"How do we get his attention?" Raivis asked hesitantly.

"I...I don't know." Toris replied, his voice filled with despair.

Antonio continued to hum, though he had the unsettling feeling of being watched. He didn't look like a merchant, his clothing somewhat scruffy and dusty. But there were always highwaymen that would go after peasants too, "hola~ Who'th out there?"

and Raivis gasped in surprise. The man could sense them! This was their chance. Toris tried to make himself as visible as possible.

"Please sir! Help! You have to help him! He will die, the beast has got him!" Toris rambled as loud as he could, hoping the man could see or at least hear him.

"The dragon Ivan has an innocent within his grasp!" Raivis wailed as well, trying to help.

"Please go to the cave! The cave up the mountain, the beast holds him there!" Toris cried flying close to the man and pointing in the direction they came. Raivis flew over to the man as well.

"Please don't let what happened to us happen again!" Raivis begged the man.

"aie, dioth mio! Què lathtima!" Antonio gasped, holding his hand against his heart. How terrible that an innocent was being held captive. The ghosts were extremely worried, anxious that he go up there. He just hoped that whoever it was could hold on. He frowned thoughtfully, "I do not have equipment necessary to help him with me. I will return and rescue your friend. Until them, please try and keep him safe."

Toris almost sobbed with relief, and Raivis was actually beginning to cry.

"Thank you! We'll do our best to keep the dragon occupied." Toris agreed quickly.

"Please save him...He doesn't belong there..." Raivis sobbed, disappearing to go back to the cave. Toris began to fade as well, heading back for the cave.

"I promithe to return thoon," he said solemnly to the fading spirits before turning his attention to the cart path and snapping the reign sharply.

Toris and Raivis flew back into the cave, flying to where Eduard was to tell him about the man they had met.

"Eduard! Eduard there is someone coming! Someone that will save the boy!" Toris cried.

"He'll be saved..." Raivis agreed tearfully.

"When will he be here?" Eduard asked, looking out of the cave hopefully, "soon right?"

Toris nodded quickly but at the question, he hesitated, his face falling again into worry.

"He told us to do our best to protect the boy until he came..." Toris told him.

"He promised to come soon." Raivis told him, trembling with concern.

"Then that is what we shall do," Eduard sighed, looking away, "Ivan is probably going to be finished bathing the knight fairly soon. He will be arriving back at any moment. We must not let him suspect we are plotting anything."

"How do we help him without making Ivan suspicious?" Toris asked worriedly. Raivis moaned in despair, tugging at his hair as tears streamed down his face.

"He'll be back any minute!" Raivis whimpered.

"We shall just have to be careful," Eduard sighed, rubbing his temples, "in the meantime, we pretend we don't have anything to do but act the way he wishes. Like usual."

"I-I hate this." Raivis sobbed, vanishing back to his hiding place.

"I don't like this either." Toris moaned. "But we can't let the poor child suffer this life."

"I do not as well, but there is little we can do when we are bound to earth by the Dragon's magic," Eduard sighed, shaking his head, "We will have to wait till Ivan leaves tomorrow to hunt before Approaching the boy."

"I just hope he can hold out until then." Toris mumbled wringing his hands with worry. None of this situation sat well with him. Toris flew back over to his own hiding place.

"For now we should stay out of the way and hope for the best." Toris sighed.

"It's all we can do," Eduard agreed softly, fading away to wherever it was he went. Toris had been Ivan's favorite before the new one came. But now that Ivan was so focused on the new one... And he would have to find out the boy's name. He doubted the knight would appreciate being referred to as sunflower since he had had flashes of discontent written across that expressive countenance.

And I'm probably gonna alienate all youse guys that love RUS...

but fear not my loverlies!

There will be much more RUS before the end of this story.

Much. MUCH. more~

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