Disclaimer: I don't own Septimus Heap.
Author's Note: Hey, thanks to all who reviewed. I am always glad to hear your opinions. Okay, the action picks up again in this chapter a little. I apologize to all those who don't like it. I don't really have a lot to say now. This chapter is for Karen, who makes the best suggestions in the world. You're practically my sister, girl, I love you.
Chapter Six
The news of the Queen's sudden disappearance spread through the Castle quickly. The town gossips were telling the story to everyone they knew. It was the juiciest gossip any of them had heard in many, many years. Not only had the Queen vanished, but her daughter had too and now apparently, her husband was dead. The townspeople were a bit nervous as well. They had no idea who to place on the throne in Jenna's place. The last time an event even remotely like this had occurred was when Queen Cerys, Jenna's mother, had been killed and no one knew where the baby Princess was. But now, the situation was even more dire than it had been then. The witches had promised to return and when better to return than during the absence of the Queen? The thought of the witches returning to the city was enough to make many of the citizens of the Castle shiver in their shoes.
Far away, The Queen of the Castle was standing in a large airy room next to the glass she had recently come through. She turned, eager to see the person who had dared to kidnap her. When she faced him, her expression changed quickly from one of anger to one of shock, and finally, to one of horror. "Merrin Meredith!" she spat, "How in the world? Nicko killed you, I watched him do it." Jenna was beginning to think that maybe her grief was causing her to go crazy. "Go away!" she shouted angrily, "You're dead, you're supposed to be dead."
"But I'm not, my dear Queen. Remember though, I promised you through the glass that I would be your friend. I intend to keep my promise. I only want to help you recover from you…terrible loses."
Jenna laughed, mockingly, "Do you expect me to believe you? After all you've done to me and to my family you honestly expect me to believe you? Well, let me tell you something, I will never listen to anything you say to me. You say you want to be my friend. Ha! What a great story that is! I'm not stupid, Merrin, I'm not one of the little whores you doubtlessly keep around to amuse yourself. I have no intention of giving you access to any part of me. You've got one of the sickest minds I've ever encountered. If you touch me, I'll kill you with my own two hands."
Merrin smiled, a little amused by Jenna's reaction to all of this. "I'd like to see you try. But luckily for you, I have no intention of touching you. I've learned my lesson, your Majesty." Jenna winced at the tone of his voice when he spoke these words. He was certainly making fun of her. "I only touch women whom I perceive as sleazy. You are not. In fact, you're a woman of real quality, I haven't got a clue why I never noticed it before now. I dare to say that time has only made you more beautiful, that's rare in women, you know. Age usually destroys beauty." As he spoke these words, Merrin reached up to stroke Jenna's cheek. Jenna jerked away from him. Merrin pulled his hand back. "Oh yes," he continued, "I promised I wouldn't touch you and I won't. Relax, let me show you to your room."
Jenna gasped. "My room? Let me explain something to you right now, Merrin Meredith. I have no intention of staying here, not even for a night. I've got to get home to the Castle. I will find a way to do that. You cannot stop me." With that, she stubbornly headed for the glass. Merrin just watched her.
Jenna pushed against the glass with all of her strength but to her dismay, it would budge. She felt her heart sink in her chest. There was no way out.
Jenna had intended to keep fighting Merrin until he gave let her have her way, but now, Jenna was too exhausted. Grief and sorrow began to flood over her again and she sank to her knees, scarcely caring that Merrin was there. Jenna buried her face in her hands and burst into hysterical sobbing.
Merrin took in the sound of Jenna weeping and tried to remain indifferent. But after a few moments, it was hard. Merrin was cross with himself. Why should he feel sorry for Jenna? She was just another woman. Merrin had seen plenty of them in his lifetime. Yet, Jenna stirred something deep within him, something he couldn't remember ever feeling before. It unnerved him. During the nine years since he and Cliff lost the war with the Castle, he had been unable to completely push Jenna from his mind. Sure, he had had relationships with other women, but he had never forgotten Jenna. She was like a bad disease, the kind of virus no doctor can cure, no matter how hard he or she tries.
Merrin approached Jenna slowly, taking in every detail of her form. "Listen, my Queen, for the last time, I am not going to hurt you. But you may not return to the Castle. Soon, things will not be good there, You'll be better off with me."
Jenna looked up, her eyes blotchy from her tears. "How would you know anything about the future of the Castle? Just because you've got that despicable two faced ring doesn't mean you are any more talented than you have ever been. And if the Castle really were in trouble, which it might be, the place for me to be would be within its walls with my people. I am their Queen, I must defend them."
Merrin's voice softened. "It's okay." He whispered. Jenna didn't answer, things were not "okay." In that moment, Jenna had just realized where she was. She was in the Observatory, the place Simon Heap had taken her in the badlands when she had been a mere child. She didn't have fond memories of that trip at all.
Merrin had chosen to take Jenna to the Observatory for a reason. He had left Clarissa and Delilah behind in the old abandoned house they had been sharing together. He knew that, if Clarissa had the baby Princess and he had the Queen. They would have a chance to completely overthrow the Castle. And in the meantime, if Clarissa's spell worked properly, he would earn Jenna's affection.
At last, Jenna began to recognize that she wasn't going to get out of the Observatory that night. She would have to figure out an escape plan in the morning. Reluctantly, she let Merrin show her where she was to sleep, which unfortunately, was the exact room Simon Heap had given her all those years ago. But after a moment, Jenna realized that this was not so bad. At least Merrin wasn't trying to move onto her. She was a little surprised that he wasn't.
Just as Jenna was sitting down on her bed, Merrin walked back into her room. She felt very afraid. Merrin was a rapist, she knew this. Why had she been stupid enough to get into a bedroom with him? But Merrin surprised her again.
"Don't look so upset. I just want to show you something. Come, follow me, it will only take a second." Jenna followed, him, fearing what he would do to her if she didn't. When they reached the room at the end of the long hall, Merrin stepped inside and allowed Jenna to go in first. At first, the room seemed quiet and peaceful. It took Jenna a moment to realize what was inside the room. Once she did, she cried, "Oh, oh my God! My God!" then she looked away from the frightening scene before her, and vomited.
Back in the Castle, Septimus was pacing through his room in the Wizard Tower like a lion in a cage. Marcia was sitting on his sofa, trying to talk some sense into him. But Septimus wouldn't be consoled.
"Someone's taken her!" he was shouting, "I don't know who, but someone has kidnapped Jenna, Marcia. She's in danger. I've got to leave here and go and search for her. What if something happens to her? If it does, I'll never forgive myself. I want to kill whatever bastard has taken her. I'll bet it's that Merrin! Marcia, I've been trying to do a find spell all afternoon, but neither Jenna nor Merrin is showing up. I know he's done something to trick me, but I can't imagine what. "
Marcia regarded Septimus with a disapproving look. "Septimus, you are most certainly not leaving the Castle to search for Jenna. The last time Jenna and I were out of the Castle at the same time, DomDaniel just walked in here. I can't afford for that to happen again. Only this time, I think those repulsive witches will come and take over. Septimus, you can't leave. The whole Castle will a stake if you abandon us now. Can't you see Septimus? You'll endanger all of us."
Septimus sighed, exasperated. "Marcia, Jenna's life means more to me than all of the Castle. Who really lives here anyway? A bunch of old gossips and sleazy men, that's who! I'm getting rather tired of this place, no one here really matters. I'd rather see them all die than see Jenna die."
Marcia was horrified. "Septimus! You're the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. It's your job to support the Castle, whatever it takes. You know very well that most of the people who live here are perfectly good. What you're saying about them is a load of rubbish! Besides, you said no one hear matters, what about you mother, what about Romulus, what about me? Septimus, I don't think you're thinking clearly at all."
"We'll agree to differ on that." He replied, his voice cold and angry.
Marcia could contain her fury no longer. "Septimus, do you think going to find Jenna is going to make her love you? Are you that blind? She's not over Beetle, she loves him and part of her always will. She will never you in the same way, no matter how much time you waste trying to win her over. I see the way you try to get her attention every time you see her. It's extremely pathetic, Septimus. She's moved on, and you need to as well. Wake up and realize she's over you and start acting like a leader."
This was the final straw for Septimus. "Marcia, you don't have any idea what my relationship with Jenna is like, no idea at all. It's just like you to act like an authority on something you don't know anything about. You're not stopping me from going anywhere, go to hell."
Marcia was through arguing. She wasn't going to take that kind of disrespect any longer. "Fine." She said, sharply. "Get out of here. But don't come crying to me when you need help. You're on your own from now on."
Septimus didn't answer her, he just walked through the door to his bedroom and slammed in behind him, leaving Marcia behind him.
Nicko was nearly as angry as Septimus, but for an entirely different reason. He had just discovered a strange pair of underwear underneath his bed. He knew it was a man's underwear, but it was definitely not his. Nicko knew that could only mean one thing.
As he was examining the underwear, his son, Theo, walked into the room. Nicko addressed his child. "Hey, Theo, have you ever seen these around her before? They're not mine."
Theo knew he had promised Snorri he wouldn't tell his father anything, but he just couldn't keep his promise. He had a feeling his father needed to know. So right there and then, little Theo spilled the whole story of night he had seen the other man with Snorri. The more Nicko listened, to angrier he became. He was going to have to have a very serious talk with his wife.