Hey everyone! Thanks so much for reviewing! Ah, college is completely killing me, all the science has taken over and there's no room left for creativity!
There's a bit of love blooming in my own life at the moment; I'm experiencing a real relationship for the first time in my whole life. The guy's really sweet and an animal lover! I'm so happy I've found him. I hope things work out with him! Keep your fingers crossed for me please!
*Hoki- Japanese for 'dust'
And here's the next chapter!
The trees were starting to grow denser and Shouko's hands were sore and cold from gripping onto Midorin's reins. She had never seen the mare looking so frightened before. Neither had she rode this deep into the forest until this night. She was sick with worry about what might have happened to her father. He had never been good with directions. All she could hope was that Midorin wasn't blindly following a path that would get them hopelessly lost.
"Woah!" Shouko wrapped her arms around Midorin's neck as the mare halted without warning, almost causing Shouko to fly head-off the horse.
"Is this where papa is?" she asked while dismounting.
The horse nervously stamped her feet against the ground and looked over at a clump of tall shrubs. Taking the signal, Shouko walked over to it and beat back some of the prickly stems.
"My word…"
Towering over her was the same mansion Midorin had run from. Shouko's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
"There's such a grand looking place out here in the woods? Why would papa come here? Midorin are you sure about this?" she asked turning back to the mare.
Midorin snorted in impatience.
"Ah, of course, you're always sure about things. You've never gotten lost once have you?"
"Neigh! Snort! Whinny!" (Of course not! Your father may have poor directional sense but I don't!)
"Well then…if you're sure…" But Shouko hesitated in her step. The manor, despite having a grand demeanor was giving a very eerie and creepy aura. All the lights were off and the house had a weary abandoned look.
"Come now Midorin, we must find out where papa is." Shouko reached out to grip the reins. Trembling, Midorin very unwillingly took a step forward and followed her owner. Shouko, with some difficulty, managed to get through the foliage and tied Midorin to a tree. Midorin sputtered nervously again.
"All right don't worry," Shouko said reassuringly, stroking the horse's mane. "The knot's very loose all right? If anything dangerous comes to get you, just run. You know the way back home right?"
Midorin gave a consenting snort and the young woman patted her flank before making her way to the large door. Trembling slightly, she raised a dainty hand. A strong gust of wind chose to blow at that moment and to her surprise, the door creakingly opened; it hadn't been locked at all. As quietly as she could, the teal tressed girl walked inside.
"Hello?" she called out timidly into the gathering darkness. The atmosphere inside was very formidable. Would her father come here of all places?
A soft tink issued from a point to her right. Startled, she jumped in the direction but couldn't see anything. They became louder and louder and the girl froze on the spot. Without warning, a burst of light filled her eyes and she was knocked flat on her back to the floor.
"WHA-!"
"Ssh…please don't make any loud noises!" whispered a voice directly above her face.
Opening her eyes, Shouko saw something that almost made her faint. She was looking into warm, glazed eyes that belonged to a candleholder. It was balancing itself on her chest while the body bent ever so slightly to peer into her face.
"You!" she blurted, getting up so suddenly that the object toppled off her and landed with a clink onto the dusty floor.
"I do beg your pardon!" muttered the candleholder as he picked himself up.
"You…you...you're candleholder! How is it possible that you can talk?" Astonished, Shouko maintained her distance from Tsuchiura as she gaped at him.
"Yes, very observant of you miss," he said in a rushed voice. "But no time for idle chit chat! Please get away from here!"
"What? Why?"
"This place is cursed! And the master is already in a foul mood today please just get yourself as far away from this place as you can!"
"I can't leave! Not yet!"
"Why ever not?"
"You have to go right now Miss!" said another much younger sounding voice from near her feet.
"Huh?" Shouko looked down to see a small teacup next to her slipper.
"What on earth?"
"There's no time! Please just listen to me and go!" insisted the candleholder.
"I can't leave until I find my father!" shot Shouko back at the object.
"Father?" questioned the teacup. "Hey wait a minute…" He leaned back as far as he could to take in her eyes.
"Hey, I recognize you now…Tsuchiura, she's the daughter that Mr. Fuyumi kept on mentioning! Look, her eyes are exactly like his!"
"Good stars…you're right Kazuki! But still, there isn't anything we can do…"
"You know my father?" Ignoring her initial astonishment, Shouko knelt in front of the candleholder. "Where is he? What is this place?"
"We have to hurry!" exclaimed Kazuki-the-teacup as he gave a quick hop. "The Master's gone out again! If we hurry she can get Mr. Fuyumi out of here! Master won't be happy of course, but it'll spare that poor man's fate!"
"Spare his fate?" Alarmed Shouko scooped up the teacup into her hands. "Is Papa on any danger? Where is he?"
"No time to waste!" Tsuchiura's candles suddenly flared with determination. "To the dungeon! You miss, must get him out any away from the mansion immediately got it?"
To which Shouko nodded dumbly. She had no idea what was going on but from the sound of things her father was in some sort of danger.
"Quickly! Make haste!" And Tsuchiura took off into a dark hallway.
"Hurry miss!" Kazuki said in a rush as he took off behind Tsuchiura.
"Wait!" Shouko scrambled to her feet and gave chase behind the light that was dashing quickly ahead of her.
"Why is my father in such a place?" she puffed as she tried to keep pace.
"Our Master got angry because he entered without permission." Replied Kazuki as he tinked his way with her. "He locked him up in the dungeon!
"A dungeon?" Shouko felt a prick of fear stab her gut. Just who owned this place anyway?
"Turn right here!" the teacup suddenly said and Shouko obeyed. A chill crept up her spine. She had appeared in front of an open door which led into what appeared to be a black unseen cellar. Cold air kept on caressing her arms and she stalled in making her way down.
"No time to hesitate miss! Keep going!" urged the cup and he jumped on ahead of her.
Gathering courage, Shouko stepped forward and placed a foot on the uppermost step. Gooseflesh bloomed on her arms as she made her way downwards, following the soft sounds made by the animate objects.
Just where in goodness have I ended up?
The descent seemed to take forever. A lone light greeted her as she got off the last step.
"You have brought a horse with you I assume?" questioned the candleholder as he continued to move on seeing her approach.
"Yes I have…but what is this place actually?" Shouko questioned again as she followed the illumination.
"That mademoiselle, is a very long tragic tale which shouldn't reach your delicate ears. For now, content yourself in knowing that you can save this poor man from an unfortunate fate."
They walked in silence until Shouko chose to break it.
"How much farther?"
"Not long my dear, not long. Ah, Hoki*!" Tsuchiura called suddenly as he leaned back to look up a towering wall. "Would you mind throwing that key down here? It appears Mr. Fuyumi has a savior!"
Shouko had assumed she had seen all things queer that this life could offer. However, she stood stock still and thunderstruck as she saw a long broom hanging from a hook suddenly give a shake and reveal hairy eyebrows and dark eyes.
"A savior eh?" questioned Hoki and the broom swung itself like a pendulum, expertly knocking a ring of keys off an unreachable hook.
"Thank you my good man," Tsuchiura said and rapidly he took off through the long path.
"Wait!" Shouko called after him before running.
"We must hurry Tsuchiura," Kazuki said between puffs of breath. "Already 2 hours have passed since the master left. We don't know when he might return."
"Yes yes, I'm aware of that Kazuki, stop reminding me!" the candleholder said in a slightly snappish voice. "Ah, here we are!"
He halted in front of a high set of bars. Shouko felt her senses sharpen to make up for the sudden gathering darkness.
"Mr. Fuyumi! Come here fast, I think you'll be delighted to see who's come!"
"Tsuchiura? Who's that now?" called a voice from inside the cell.
Shouko felt relieved at the sound of her father's voice.
"Papa!" she exclaimed.
"My stars, Shouko! How did you get here? But Shouko, you must get out of here! The master of this place is a beast!"
"Yes Papa, I know he must be or else he wouldn't have locked you up in here!" Shouko was too content in seeing her father unharmed to observe his tone.
"No Shouko I mean it, he's really a beast! He's tall, and hairy…and…and…"
"Never mind what he looks like papa. Let's just get you out of here."
"Here is the key," offered Tsuchiura as he balanced it on one of his candle branches.
"Thank you so much, both of you. Tsuchiura was it? And ah… Kazuki?"
"Not a problem Miss!" Kazuki said in a rushed voice. "Now get him out of there and leave as soon as possible!"
"Yes, that's true. Come papa, let's go home." Shouko extended her arm and inserted the key into the lock.
"Just who gave him permission to leave?"
Shouko's hand stilled in turning the key. Tsuchiura gasped and Kazuki suddenly cowered behind him. Her father's skin paled like fresh milk.
Shouko's head turned to take in the voice's owner. Her screams echoed off the dungeon walls as the animal before her let out a terrible snarl.
Cliffy! So Shouko and Yunoki finally meet! Lol, not exactly how one might picture to meet a prince wouldn't you say?
Hoki is an OC I created. There was no broom in the original Beauty and the Beast as far as I remember. So…how was it?
Review please!