Chapter Eight
Buster lay unconscious, fastened to a wooden table by hevy metal restraints on both his arms and legs. A scraggily haired albino pig entered the room carrying a tray containing bread, and what was likely water. He descended two sets of stone steps, quickly reaching Buster. He sat the tray on a small table next to the one Buster was on, then picked up a stethoscope from that same table, and began listening to Buster's heart beat like a doctor giving a checkup. This, of course, woke Buster.
"Where am I?" Buster asked.
"The pit of Despair." The pig hissed in reply. "Don't even think-" He started, briefly pausing to clear his throat. "Don't even think about escaping." He continued in his normal, hiss free voice. "The chains are far too thick. And don't dream of being rescued either. The only way in is secret. And only the prince, the count, and I know how to get in and out.
"Then I'm here till I die?" Buster asked.
"Till they kill you." The pig replied.
"Then why exactly am I getting a checkup?" Buster asked as the pig picked up one of those things doctors use to take people's blood pressure from the table.
"The prince and the count insist on everyone being healthy before they're broken." The pig replied as he put the thing around Buster's arm.
"So it's torture, huh?" Buster said. The pig gave a nod. "I can deal with torture." Buster said. The pig shook his head in disagreement, looking almost amused at the thought.
"You don't believe me?" Buster asked.
"You survived the Fire Swamp. So you must be very brave..." The pig said as he continued with the checkup. "But nobody, withstands the machine." He added with a sinister grin.
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Dot walked the lonely halls of the castle in a sullen mood, passing both Max and Salazar at an intersecting hallway without noticing them.
"She's been like that ever since the Fire Swamp." Max said. "It's my father's failing health that's upsetting her." He added.
"Of course." Salazar replied.
The king died that very night. And before the following dawn, Dot and Max were married. At noon, she met her subjects again. This time, as their queen. Max stood atop the very same balcony he had announced their engagement from to introduce her once again.
"My father's final words were...
"Love her, as I loved her, and there will be joy." Max said.
"I present to you, your new queen! Queen Dot!" He announced. The crowd turned to regard Dot, just as they had done during the announcement of her engagement to Max. They bowed respectfully as she passed along the red carpet, adorned with her newfound crown. Then, unexpectedly, a series of boos rang out from a single heckler among the crowd.
"Boo! Boo! Boo!." The lady shouted.
"Always a critic..." Dot muttered to herself. "Yo lady! Why you harshin' my vibe!?" She asked.
"Because you had love in your hands, and you gave it up!" The lady shouted, much to the dismay of the crowd.
"First off, I am not touchin' that one. And second, that was a life or death scenario! Gimme a break!" Dot exclaimed.
"Your true love lives, and you marry another!" The lady continued to shout. "True love saved her in the Fire Swamp, and she treated it like garbage!" She said, facing the crowd. "And that's what she is, the Queen of Refuse!" She shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Dot. "So bow down to her if you want! Bow to her! Bow to the Queen of Slime! The Queen of Filth! The Queen of Putrescence!" She exclaimed, gesturing emphatically.
"Boo! Boo!" The lady exclaimed, stalking towards Dot. "Rubbish! Filth! Slime! Muck! Boo! Boo! Boo!" She yelled, resuming her chant of boos as she continued drawing closer. Dot remained unfazed.
"Look, lady, you're gonna have to come up with somethin' better than that if you wanna scare me." Dot stated flatly. The lady paused for a moment.
"Very well then, I'll leave you to your wedding night with the prince." The lady said.
"Wedding night? With the prince!? As in... wedding night, wedding night!!?" Dot said with mounting anxiety.
"That's right toots! As of sun set, you're all mine!" Max said as he held up a pocket watch displaying the time. The sun rapidly dipped out of sight and was replaced by the moon as the hands of the watch spun at an unnatural pace. Max laughed as Dot simply screamed.
It was then that Dot woke to find herself back in her bedroom at the castle. It had all been nothing more than a dream. In reality, it was ten days till the wedding, and the king still lived. But Dot's nightmares were growing steadily worse. She quickly climbed out of bed and threw something on over her nightgown, then marched down the hall to Max's chamber.
"It comes to this. I love Buster. I always have. I know now I always will. I don't care if you do kill me! I'll never marry you!" Dot announced vehemently.
"Ok. Consider our wedding off." Max responded passively. He then stood, turning his attention to Salazar. "You sent the rabbit back to his ship, right?" He asked.
"Yes." Salazar replied.
"Then we'll just call him back here to pick up his girl. Assuming he still wants you. You did drop him like a bad habit back in the fire swamp. And even you said he probably couldn't be trusted." Max said.
"I said he couldn't be trusted not to cheat on me! But I'm sure he'll come for me!" Dot exclaimed. Max paused.
"Right..." Max said, trailing off a bit. "But let's make a deal. You write four copies of a letter, I send my four fastest ships out to find him and deliver it. If Buster wants you, then good riddance. If not, you marry me. Deal?" He asked.
"Deal." Dot replied. "But only cause I know he's coming." She added.
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Later, possibly that same day, prince Max and count Salazar were out walking somewhere out in the woods.
"Your princess is really quite a winning creature. A trifle odd, perhaps, but her appeal is undeniable." Salazar said as they walked.
"Yeah. The people really seem to like her." Max said, coming to a stop as they reached their destination. "It's funny, I thought I was being clever when I hired that mouse to kill her on our engagement day. But it's gonna be so much better when I off her on our wedding night. Once Guilder is blamed, the people will be outraged. They'll demand we go to war." He said, thoroughly pleased with himself. Both he and Salazar grinned from ear to ear.
"Now, where is that secret knot?" Salazar said as he turned away from Max. "It's impossible to find." He muttered as he tested various parts of the tree in front of him. "There it is." He said as the secret entrance opened up. "Are you coming down into the pit?" He asked as he started to enter. "The rabbit has his strength back. I'm starting him on the machine tonight." He said, turning back to Max.
"Sal, you know how much I love watching you work... But I've got my country's 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder, and Guilder to frame for it. I'm swamped." Max said.
"Get some rest." Salazar said, placing a hand on his shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "If you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything." He said. They both smiled, then parted ways.
(A.N) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
