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And so the great adventure begins! ;] I'm drawing more from the book now, kinda going for Goldman's style here...book-influence is pretty much equal with movie-influence now. Great book, if you haven't read it. Anyway. Keep a-readin'....
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Fezzik was getting hungry. Already this morning had been such an eventful one for him, what with his friends being missing and everything, and breakfast smelled so good, but for some reason Inigo---
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"Grandpa, wait."
The old man was quite used to these interruptions, and he looked up, not at all surprised. Bit exasperated though. "Yes?"
"Lemme see if I got this right." The boy leaned forward. "Westley and Buttercup got kidnapped."
"Sure did."
"And Waverly dressed up as Westley and snuck out to go rescue 'em."
"Looks that way."
"And Fezzik's thinking about breakfast?"
"What? He's a very big guy."
"Grandpa..."
"Look, do you want me to read you this or not?"
The boy looked down. There was no denying it, he was way too involved in the story now; to stop here would mean restless nights for a week. "Yes."
"All right then." The old man sat back, brought his finger to the page. "Now, where were we..."
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But for some reason Inigo wasn't serving it, or even paying any special attention to cooking it anymore. He looked more distracted than Fezzik had ever seen him before. And Fezzik didn't like being the rational one. It unbalanced things.
"She does not take this long getting dressed," Inigo muttered all of a sudden.
Vest, Fezzik thought. Rhymes always made things better. "What do you mean?" Clean.
With no warning Inigo turned on a dime and stalked out of the kitchen, full of purpose, and Fezzik followed him. His mind was going twenty miles a minute. "She's gone after them," he declared without turning.
"After Westley and Buttercup?" There were no rhymes for that; he'd have to think of one later.
"Of course Westley and Buttercup; who else is 'them?' No one else has been taken."
Shaken. "Are you sure?" Lure.
Inigo reached the door to Waverly's chamber and threw it open. She wasn't there. Without a moment's hesitation he turned, went for Westley and Buttercup's room, and threw that door open too. No Waverly. He found the letter lying on the bureau and held it up for Fezzik to see. "Positive. What more proof do you need than that?"
Frustrated, Inigo put a hand to his brow and dragged it down his face, and when that wasn't enough, he kicked over the remains of the chair. After a good long sigh, he held up the letter and read it aloud.
"'I am sorry. Please do not follow me. I'll be all right. Love always, Waverly.'"
He stewed over that for a second, and then like a roll of thunder Inigo was off again, carving a new path through the house.
Fezzik kept on his heels. "Where are you going?"
"We're going after her."
"I thought she just said not to."
"You'd listen to a fourteen-year-old girl?"
"I listen to most people."
They were back in their own room now, and Inigo dragged a knapsack from under the bed, tossing things into it here and there. He was silent for a long time, until finally, quietly, he said, "I am to blame."
Shame. "Don't say that, Inigo..."
The Spainiard shook his head. "I failed him." Then, figuring he'd better elaborate: "Westley. He first spared my life, then saved it, he helped me defeat Count Rugen and avenge my father, and what do I do? I let him get captured and send his daughter escaping out the window."
"But Inigo, you didn't---"
"No time for talk," he interrupted, a new determination taking him over. There was no other way. Not now. "The Montoyas are no failiures. You take Falcon, Domingo is mine, grab only what you can and meet me at the stables."
Inigo turned to go one last time, and there was a fire in his eyes now, and Fezzik saw it, and that comforted him somehow. The Spainiard was back, and a grin spread over Inigo's face. "Prepare yourself, Fezzik: we ride within the hour."
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Now all our favorite heroes are in action...except for one...and where is he? You'll just have to keep reading to find out, won't you? ;] Love the reviews.
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