Disclaimer: I just recently discovered that you don't need to have
disclaimers every chapter! Apparently the first one in the first chapter
was enough! This is probably good a thing, seeing as I was beginning to
run out of creative ways of saying I didn't own it.
WARNING: For details on overall warning, see Chapter One. I can't even remember what the general warnings were anymore, but I'm sure they were good.
Author's note: Terribly sorry to everyone about the length of time it took to update, but I'm back at last, with a nice long chapter to compensate and drive you all insane with hopefully. Though I will again have to apologise in advance - I returned home to discover I'm (actually, everyone in the building) being evicted in a few weeks to tear the place down. I mean, I knew I was living in a dump, but I didn't really think it warranted itself as a write-off. Thus, in the midst of packing and moving (again) I might not have time to write as much. I'll still be trying to update on a fairly regular basis, but I'm not making any promises for quick updates. Please try to be understanding. I want my bond back, dammit!
Response to Reviewers! (A record number of reviews! For a chapter I was completely unsatisfied with too! Thanks everyone!):
Serenity-Wheeler: Thanks for the great review, and I'm glad to see you're still reading. Short but sweet, my favourite.
Truewind: A lot of people don't agree with my portrayal of Duran, but I'm pleased you're so understanding about it. He'll probably change a bit throughout the story, anyway, for plot purposes. I also agree with your rebuttal (the Reviews have turned into a forum! That always excites me when that happens for some reason) but I should make it clear that I won't necessarily be changing appearances or necessarily attitudes with class changes, or at least, not intentionally (though my subconscious does like to haunt me. No, I will not jump off a bridge! Shut up, brain, you'll get us killed!) Anyhow, thanks for the review, as always.
Rosa-Aquafire: I rushed the magic simply because I feel it's an area that's been visited far too much as it is, so I only skipped over it. I'll have to give that fic a squiz sometime. LOL - As if I didn't get your vote for Rogue to begin with. Please don't cry! People might vote differently! (Wrings hands desperately - we need a psychiatrist here!) Thanks for the opinions, I'll look into it (really, I will!), and as always, thanks for the review.
Duran the Gladiator: Ack, you're still reading! Glad to see it! I'm surprised you'd be happy to see your favourite charcter as a moron, but hey, if you like it I'm not complaining.
Cookie Pixie: Actually, I'm not sure if I made it clear but I will be taking votes on EVERYONE, not just Hawk for the final class changes. It'll probably be another couple of chapters before we get there anyway, so I'll probably put it in the next author's note or something. 'Pink Typhoon', yuck, the colour pink should be erased from the spectrum. Heh heh.
Kurai-Jaugen-Doragon: I seriously didn't think the fic was that funny, usually people don't get my sense of humour, but if you guys like it then hooray! I'll look into the battle scenes, I won't be writing out every battle scene in detail though, so I thought I'd keep them simple for the time being. I don't want the characters near death and coming up with some amazing way to defeat the monster at the last minute every time - though I could get sarcastic or satirical about it, I suppose (strokes chin thoughtfully.) I'll keep your ideas abot Koren's portrayal in mind. Thanks very much to one of my favourite psycho-authors.
ChibiCharizard: A new reviewer! Hello, and welcome! I did warn you about Duran, so nobody can flame about it! A lot of people complain though, which is fair enough, I don't expect everyone to like everything. I haven't had the chance to do anything too spectacular with Kevin yet, I think I'm avoiding it because I can't make up my mind..... Heh heh, if I made all of your classmates think you are insane, then my life is now complete. Thanks for the review. I'll try and drop by 'Way of the Hunt' sometime.
Wingnut: The reviewer who always manages to be funnier than the author in less space. (So jealous....) The train sucked, though I did convince my seatmate I was a stunt woman who had spent her high school years in a mental institution in Sydney. Hours of fun, right there.
Solarious: I didn't intentionally ignore your review - you reviewed while I was in the middle of posting. I was briefly tempted to ignore this review just to be funny but..... you know, Rabites of Doom and all..... Just you wait, as soon as my pet Mana Beast grows to full size..... Sorry, but Riesz isn't staying, the main party will remain strictly Hawk, Duran and Angela because too many characters all the time ruins the story. Don't worry, the others will still be getting plenty of screen time, though. I was also considering maybe completely omitting Kevin from the story just to drive people mad, but I broke under pressure. Anyhow, I've dragged out the Response to Reviewers far too long already this chapter, so thanks for the review, and welcome to this humble try-hard fic.
Sorry about the length of response to reviewers this time, but I felt it was all important to say (well, maybe not, but....). I'll have to watch myself, my tendency to warble may yet come back to haunt me... as if that voice in my head wasn't enough. Thanks for your reviews!
_______________
Another Witchmaker
Chapter 10 - Escape from Jad and the Psychotic Child
By Sinnatious
************
What time was it? Heck, what day was it? And the most important question of all - where was she?
Angela of Altena opened her eyes, images slowly coming into focus to reveal what she could only deduce was a prison cell. Oh, that really sucked. Okay then, time to start using her powers of instant-memory recall and deduction. They'd been pushed off an impossibly high cliff-edge down into a waterfall by the Beastmen. Shouldn't they be dead?
Apparently not. Probably Wisp's influence, and the water cushioning the fall might've helped too. The Beastmen must have dragged them off - Jad was their most likely current position, since it was the only place not too far from the Cave of Waterfalls that both had a dungeon and the Beastmen were currently occupying. At least it proved the Beastmen weren't completely heartless animals to leave them there. Well, more likely they didn't want them creating any more trouble, but still.....
Now that issue was all taken care of, the Princess sat up, pushing her violet hair out of her eyes. Next to her, she saw Duran was awake, too, apparently only just so.
"You okay?" he asked seriously. Angela nodded in reply, too tired to bother turning the simple question into an opportunity for flirting. "Good. The Fairy went and checked around, and apparently we're in Jad."
That thought in mind, Angela was immensely disappointed at having being transported here unconscious. She had secretly been hoping that she might get to see whether or not that suppposed cleaning fairies really had cleaned everything up. If nothing else, she would have liked to prove the little deity wrong.
Standing and stretching, she thought she could hear someone over in the next cell. "Anyone there?"
"Is that you Princess Angela?" a vaguely familiar voice floated back over.
"Princess Riesz?"
There was a brief silence, then..... "Why did you leave me in Jad?! Tell that moron thief Hawk that his hide is mine for getting me that drunk! I got caught trying to get out of Jad because of him!"
It was an entertaining idea to hand over Hawk to a very pissed off Riesz, but there were more important matters going on. "Are you the only one there?"
"Well, no, there's some little kid here still sleeping. Cute thing, blonde hair and all."
Angela felt her blood freeze. No, it couldn't be..... It wasn't Carlie, was it? "That it?"
"No, there's a Beastman in here too!"
"Gah! Kevin going to be in big trouble with Beast King," an unidentified voice added.
Angela was still stuck on the possibility of the demonic little elf-girl being asleep in the next cell to take much notice of what the anonymous Beastman had to say. Trying to take her mind off the possibility, she turned to Duran. "Why is Hawk still asleep? Wake him up!"
Duran shrugged. "I already tried, but he's out cold."
Not believing it, she reached over with her foot and gave the thief a generous kick. No response whatsoever. Oh. Wait a minute, Wisp would be able to help with this sort of thing, right? There was no point of having an Elemental of Mana hanging around if you weren't going to use him. Plus, she at last had magical powers! She'd been waiting her whole life for this, it wasn't going to go to waste. "Yo, Wisp!"
To her delight, the entity of light materialised a moment later. "How can I help you out, Angela?"
"Wake up Hawk for us, okay? There's no way he's having a nap while I'm trying to solve the problem to our current dilemma!"
The Elemental of Light wafted over to the unconscious thief and disappeared. Moments later, the Fairy decided this was as good as time as any to make her grand entrance after her brief excursion from Duran's head - again. "Wisp sure is taking his time."
That was for sure. The Princess tapped her foot impatiently. Finally, Hawk awoke. Blinking groggily, he sat up and stared at them all briefly.
"Welcome back, Hawk," Angela said.
From the next cell over, Riesz prepared to start flinging out insults at the Navarrian again. "THAT WAS SO NOT A NICE THING TO DO!"
Wincing at the volume, the thief put a hand behind his head in a gesture of embarrassment. "Riesz is here, too, huh?"
"Yeah, and can you blame her for being pissed? We're in a prison cell. It's not going to be easy to save the world from here! Oh, Duran, where's our weapons?" Angela asked as an afterthought, sweetening her voice to talk to the Knight.
Pointing through the bars, he indicated the treasure chest sitting against the opposite wall. "I think they're all in there. We can't do anything until we get them back."
"Then try and reach it! Come on, Duran, you know you can do it!" Angela urged.
To his credit, he actually tried to reach through the bars, though he obviously fell far short of even touching the chest. It probably had been stupid to even try, but the Princess had never prided herself on depth perception. Somewhere in the next cell the anonymous Beastman mumbled something about them thinking the Beastmen must be complete idiots if they'd leave weapons within arms reach of a cell, but everyone courteously ignored him. "Well, this is a problem."
Hawk decided it was time to throw in his two cents worth. "Angela, you should be skinny enough to fit through the bars, right?"
Angela raised her hand, then remembered her beloved staff wasn't in it. "I forbid you to ever try and comment on my weight! Keep your useless ideas to yourself from now on!"
Riesz added from the next cell over - it was so irritating that they couldn't see her, "That sounded like a compliment to me, Princess Angela."
"No need to get jealous, Riesz! I think you're beautiful too!" Hawk called over.
An uncanny silence followed from the other side. Riesz was known for beating up her suitors, so she probably didn't get too many comments on her beauty.
"Stop your flirting and help us get out of here!" Angela hissed. Rolling his eyes, the Navarrian messed with his hair for a minute, then withdrew a pin, making his way to the bars. After a few seconds of fiddling with the lock, the barred gate swung open.
Everyone was left speechless and mouths hanging open in a most undiginifed fashion.
Duran, interestingly enough, was the first to react, clapping Hawk on the back. "Alright Hawk! There are some places my Aunt keeps locked up in the house that I must get your help with."
"Anytime, Duran," Hawk said, coughing and trying to regain his breath after Duran's friendly whack. The Knight certainly didn't know his strength.
Riesz was glaring at them from the other cell - now they could actually see her. "And how, mister Hawk, did you do that?"
"Busted out of your fair share of prisons, have you?" Angela remarked.
Hawk shrugged, and grinned engagingly. "I keep telling everyone, I'm a thief, it's what I do. Why are you all so surprised?"
"Gah, stealing is bad," the Beastman commented, rubbing a hand through his thick mane of hair. He seemed a little more human looking than the rest of them.
Suddenly remembering her manners, or what passed for them, Riesz said, "Oh, this is Kevin. He says he's the Prince of the Beast Kingdom, but is currently in exile. Dead dog or something."
"No speak about Karl like that! Karl great friend! Must get revenge for Karl! That why Kevin is here," the Beastman protested.
Raising an eyebrow, Angela murmured, "You don't say...." He talked a bit like Carlie, come to think of it, though she had already decided he was less annoying and probably more intelligent.
The Fairy, still out and about, landed on her shoulder to whisper in her ear. "Angela, you and Riesz aren't twins, are you? You're both incredibly violent and insensitive!"
"We're nothing alike, not even how we act! Now shut up or we'll leave you behind," the Princess hissed back.
"Hey, isn't that Carlie sleeping in there?" Duran pointed out.
There was a long silence, even Riesz and the newly-introduced Kevin turning to look at the sleeping bundle of blonde hair and pink clothes. Not wanting to stare at the sight just in case she started to go soft at all the cuteness, Angela went over and motioned for Hawk to work his magic on the chest with their weapons in it. Seconds later, it was open, and she began to pawn through their weapons, and sure enough, there was that distinctive morningstar. She held up the heavy weapon for everyone's inspection.
Hawk nodded. "It's Carlie all right."
"I think we should destroy it before she tries to use it one of us again," the Fairy added.
"That child is stalking us, I am convinced," Angela agreed. She dropped the weapon with a clang, still not waking the sleeping child or bringing the obviously deaf guards running, and swearing as the chain landed on her foot. Even when the kid was asleep her possessions were out to get her!
"Hey, guys, don't you think it's about time you let us out?" Riesz said impatiently, tapping her foot and no doubt itching to get her hands on her lance so she could teach Hawk a lesson or three about leaving drunk royal Princesses behind in Jad.
"We were going to but now that you have THAT in there with you I'm not so sure," Angela replied, handing Duran's sword to him and reclaiming her beloved and thankfully undamaged staff.
"Besides," Hawk added, "I'm not so sure if I want you on this side of the bars with a big pointy stick. Maybe if we were in private...."
This time the staff connected, though not as hard as the Princess would have liked. Hawk rubbed his head, wincing. "Were you born this much of a pervert or do you just do it to annoy everyone?"
"Gah. At least let Kevin out?" The Beastman asked hopefully.
Riesz, even without her beloved lance, quickly used her fist to display her thoughts on that idea. "You moron! Either we all leave this cell or none of us leave this cell!"
"Are all Princesses so violent and temperamenal?" Hawk wondered.
"I'm not sure, I don't think King Richard has a heir to compare with," Duran replied.
Eeeek, that was right! This was not at all a good display to be subjecting her beloved Duran to! Her darker sides of her personality would be best kept a secret, surely a noble Knight such as him wasn't interested in a rough-around-the-edges, violent, weapon-wielding Princess! Angela paused, thinking that perhaps she may have just described Riesz, quickly stopping that thought before the Fairy could read it and relay it onto her fellow female companion. Anyhow, this was the time to display some compassion..... "Hawk, let them out, but everybody is FORBIDDEN from waking up Carlie, understand?"
"What's the problem? She's so cute!" Riesz complained.
Duran just nodded his agreement - he had grown quite fond of the young girl, saying something along the lines of she reminded him of his little sister, but Hawk's face twitched at the idea of being constantly referred to as 'pervert man' and Angela almost had a fit at the idea of having to put up with Carlie for more than two minutes. "Rabites are cute too! Until they try to eat you!"
"Fine, fine," Riesz agreed impatiently. "We won't try to wake her up. Just let us out!"
"Do you promise?" Angela pressed.
"I promise, okay? Do you want it in writing?"
"Do you have a piece of paper?"
The Amazon slapped a hand to her head in frustration. "That little girl can't possibly be that bad!"
"Oh, she is," the magician assured her as Hawk began fiddling with their lock. Moments later, the cell door swung open, freeing the inhabitants. Kevin bent down and scooped up the still-sleeping High Priest's granddaughter, and Riesz busied herself by grabbing her lance and a fistful of Hawk's tunic.
"Why, hello, Hawk," she said sweetly.
The thief waved a hand nervously. "Hey there, Riesz! Long time no see!"
"The only thing you're going to be seeing now is stars, buster!" Riesz jerked him for good measure. Angela sighed, considering whether or not to interfere, but fortunately Kevin saved her the trouble.
"Gah, should hurry. Guard is coming," he interrupted, clenching his fists in anticipation.
"Uh oh. We shouldn't hang around here, this city is still crawling with Beastmen who'll recognise us," Riesz informed them, dropping her prey. "I heard right before I was caught that there's a boat leaving Jad for Maia very soon. We'll have to take out the guard and make a run for it if we want to make it!"
Angela rolled up her sleeves - or rather, pretended to, seeing as a dress as skimpy as that didn't really have any. "Right, you can leave this one to me. Wait here."
"Princess, are you sure you'll be okay?" Duran asked, concerned.
Well, she ought to be flattered that he was showing concern, that was some progress. But he was still calling her Princess! What was WITH that?! Why couldn't anyone just call her by 'Angela' anymore? "I'll be fine. Be right back!"
Smoothing out the creases in her dress, she gripped her cane and determinedly strode towards the sound of a single pair of approaching footsteps - no doubt the guard coming to check on them. Hurrying to meet him on the stairs, Angela did her best to feign happy surprise when she made eye contact with the guard.
"Wow! A real Knight of the Beast King? How amazing!" she said, clasping her hands together in fake admiration. She sure hoped this work, otherwise she was shishkabob.
The Beastman was so perplexed by her reaction that he didn't do much more than mutter, "Uh....." Perfect. He'd obviously forgotten that it was extremely suspicious for anyone to be down here. And if the way she was standing worked on him the way the way it worked on just about any other male, then both his eyes and thoughts were lost somewhere in her cleavage rather than pinning her face to that of a prisoner.
Using the opporunity to grasp his arm, she put on her sweetest and most innocent face and voice, so sugary that she doubted even Carlie in a good mood could out-do it. "I've so been dying to meet one of you! Wow, feel these muscles! I know this is terribly forward, but do you want to have a drink? I hear the pub in Jad is really fantastic!" Such a brutal lie, the alcohol there had been strong, but not terribly fine.
"Uh, okay....," the guard said, obviously just deciding to go along with what had to seem like unusually good fortune. She was terribly lucky that the Beastmen weren't amazingly quick thinkers, or very skilled in the art of creative lying, either.
She had him. Now for the 'look-afraid-and-stare-at-some-amazing-evil-in- the-other-direction' move. Gasping dramatically, she shrieked, "What's that?"
Reflexively, the guard turned to see what it was this fair damsel was so distressed over. She couldn't believe he fell for it - the oldest trick in the book! Raising her cane she swiftly brought it down on the Beastman's head with a satisfying crack. Smiling sweetly, she backtracked past the now unconscious guard. "So sorry. I just decided that I don't condone inter-species romance."
Making her way back to the others, she was in the middle of saying, "Okay, guys, the coast is clear, let's-" only to be cut off most rudely by having to duck a distinctive flying morningstar.
"Uh oh," she said emphatically. Apparently, Carlie was now awake. And very angry.
"Carlie thought Duran was friend! Why let bad pervert man do that? Leave Carlie behind like so? Slutty girl too! You be sorry!"
Riesz muffled a laugh at their nicknames, immediately earning herself a glare from the terrifying tyke. Angela used this brief moment of distraction to make their escape. Grabbing Duran with one arm and Hawk with the other, she ran for the exit. "We have to get out of here! Now! Or we'll never be rid of her!"
Suddenly she realised that she was actually pulling Hawk along with her, wondered why, and quickly let go, but he was as anxious to get away from the kid's scary morningstar and high pitched voice as much as she was. "It's pointless, Angela! She'll just turn up again, even angrier than now!"
"I don't care, we have to run!" she shouted back. Duran was running with them now too, though why neither of them were sure because he had previously befriended the girl just fine. They blew past a couple of Beastmen guards, and made straight to the port. The boat was just about to leave the dock as they ran up. Hawk gave Duran a leg up over the side, just about threw Angela in, then leapt over the railing himself as the boat began to pull away. They all collapsed, out of breath, Angela too puffed to even berate Hawk for throwing her around like a sack of potatoes. They all stood as the boat pulled away from the dock to see Riesz, Kevin and a now-teary - maybe the kid was actually fifteen, she certainly had the mood- swings of a teenager - come running to the edge.
Riesz was stomping the ground in frustration at missing their one ticket out of there, but present enough to stop Kevin from jumping into the ocean to try and swim to catch up to the boat. Carlie, though was crying out to them as they pulled away. "Friend Duran! No leave Carlie here with Scary Lady and Beastie Man! Come back! Carlie will even forgive Pervert man and Slutty Girl!"
They could faintly hear Riesz's indignant "What did you just call me?!" in the distance.
"Does the child have a complete inability to call anyone other than herself and Duran by their actual names?" Angela complained, gritting her teeth and grappling to contain her immense feelings of relief for having at least temporarily waylaid Carlie and trying to replace them with sympathy for a now stranded Riesz and Kevin. Even more sympathetic for them as now they had to contend with an unpredictably moody claiming-to-be-a-fifteen-year- old girl who could switch from demonically angry to insufferably sweet in .25 seconds.
Hawk, though, was cheerfully waving goodbye to the three stranded on the edge of the pier. The Fairy, having obviously vanished into Duran's head for most of the fun, reappeared and took her favourite spot on the Princess's shoulder. "Maybe I was wrong, Angela. Hawk just might be more insensitive than you."
"Let's see if he's sensitive to an impact with my staff!" Angela suggested, raising her weapon in the air gleefully. Sadly, her excitement at getting rid of Carlie (again), and Duran's earlier concern for her safety far outshone any sympathy she had for the stranded trio.
Hawk dodged the swipe, reappearing in his usual eerier fashion on the other side of her. "Let's not and say we did, hmmm?"
"You just insist on exisiting, don't you?!" she fumed.
"Just as much as you insist on jumping Duran," he replied casually.
That was the second time he'd dare mention her obvious attraction to Duran aloud in public! That did it! Still, she didn't want to humiliate herself by trying to hit him with her staff and miss again. Hey wait, she had magic now, didn't she?
Hawk backpedaled nervously as she turned to him, grinning maniacally. "Um, Angie?"
The Princess raised her staff again. "HOLY BALL!"
______________________________
Please don't forget to review! Cheers.
WARNING: For details on overall warning, see Chapter One. I can't even remember what the general warnings were anymore, but I'm sure they were good.
Author's note: Terribly sorry to everyone about the length of time it took to update, but I'm back at last, with a nice long chapter to compensate and drive you all insane with hopefully. Though I will again have to apologise in advance - I returned home to discover I'm (actually, everyone in the building) being evicted in a few weeks to tear the place down. I mean, I knew I was living in a dump, but I didn't really think it warranted itself as a write-off. Thus, in the midst of packing and moving (again) I might not have time to write as much. I'll still be trying to update on a fairly regular basis, but I'm not making any promises for quick updates. Please try to be understanding. I want my bond back, dammit!
Response to Reviewers! (A record number of reviews! For a chapter I was completely unsatisfied with too! Thanks everyone!):
Serenity-Wheeler: Thanks for the great review, and I'm glad to see you're still reading. Short but sweet, my favourite.
Truewind: A lot of people don't agree with my portrayal of Duran, but I'm pleased you're so understanding about it. He'll probably change a bit throughout the story, anyway, for plot purposes. I also agree with your rebuttal (the Reviews have turned into a forum! That always excites me when that happens for some reason) but I should make it clear that I won't necessarily be changing appearances or necessarily attitudes with class changes, or at least, not intentionally (though my subconscious does like to haunt me. No, I will not jump off a bridge! Shut up, brain, you'll get us killed!) Anyhow, thanks for the review, as always.
Rosa-Aquafire: I rushed the magic simply because I feel it's an area that's been visited far too much as it is, so I only skipped over it. I'll have to give that fic a squiz sometime. LOL - As if I didn't get your vote for Rogue to begin with. Please don't cry! People might vote differently! (Wrings hands desperately - we need a psychiatrist here!) Thanks for the opinions, I'll look into it (really, I will!), and as always, thanks for the review.
Duran the Gladiator: Ack, you're still reading! Glad to see it! I'm surprised you'd be happy to see your favourite charcter as a moron, but hey, if you like it I'm not complaining.
Cookie Pixie: Actually, I'm not sure if I made it clear but I will be taking votes on EVERYONE, not just Hawk for the final class changes. It'll probably be another couple of chapters before we get there anyway, so I'll probably put it in the next author's note or something. 'Pink Typhoon', yuck, the colour pink should be erased from the spectrum. Heh heh.
Kurai-Jaugen-Doragon: I seriously didn't think the fic was that funny, usually people don't get my sense of humour, but if you guys like it then hooray! I'll look into the battle scenes, I won't be writing out every battle scene in detail though, so I thought I'd keep them simple for the time being. I don't want the characters near death and coming up with some amazing way to defeat the monster at the last minute every time - though I could get sarcastic or satirical about it, I suppose (strokes chin thoughtfully.) I'll keep your ideas abot Koren's portrayal in mind. Thanks very much to one of my favourite psycho-authors.
ChibiCharizard: A new reviewer! Hello, and welcome! I did warn you about Duran, so nobody can flame about it! A lot of people complain though, which is fair enough, I don't expect everyone to like everything. I haven't had the chance to do anything too spectacular with Kevin yet, I think I'm avoiding it because I can't make up my mind..... Heh heh, if I made all of your classmates think you are insane, then my life is now complete. Thanks for the review. I'll try and drop by 'Way of the Hunt' sometime.
Wingnut: The reviewer who always manages to be funnier than the author in less space. (So jealous....) The train sucked, though I did convince my seatmate I was a stunt woman who had spent her high school years in a mental institution in Sydney. Hours of fun, right there.
Solarious: I didn't intentionally ignore your review - you reviewed while I was in the middle of posting. I was briefly tempted to ignore this review just to be funny but..... you know, Rabites of Doom and all..... Just you wait, as soon as my pet Mana Beast grows to full size..... Sorry, but Riesz isn't staying, the main party will remain strictly Hawk, Duran and Angela because too many characters all the time ruins the story. Don't worry, the others will still be getting plenty of screen time, though. I was also considering maybe completely omitting Kevin from the story just to drive people mad, but I broke under pressure. Anyhow, I've dragged out the Response to Reviewers far too long already this chapter, so thanks for the review, and welcome to this humble try-hard fic.
Sorry about the length of response to reviewers this time, but I felt it was all important to say (well, maybe not, but....). I'll have to watch myself, my tendency to warble may yet come back to haunt me... as if that voice in my head wasn't enough. Thanks for your reviews!
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Another Witchmaker
Chapter 10 - Escape from Jad and the Psychotic Child
By Sinnatious
************
What time was it? Heck, what day was it? And the most important question of all - where was she?
Angela of Altena opened her eyes, images slowly coming into focus to reveal what she could only deduce was a prison cell. Oh, that really sucked. Okay then, time to start using her powers of instant-memory recall and deduction. They'd been pushed off an impossibly high cliff-edge down into a waterfall by the Beastmen. Shouldn't they be dead?
Apparently not. Probably Wisp's influence, and the water cushioning the fall might've helped too. The Beastmen must have dragged them off - Jad was their most likely current position, since it was the only place not too far from the Cave of Waterfalls that both had a dungeon and the Beastmen were currently occupying. At least it proved the Beastmen weren't completely heartless animals to leave them there. Well, more likely they didn't want them creating any more trouble, but still.....
Now that issue was all taken care of, the Princess sat up, pushing her violet hair out of her eyes. Next to her, she saw Duran was awake, too, apparently only just so.
"You okay?" he asked seriously. Angela nodded in reply, too tired to bother turning the simple question into an opportunity for flirting. "Good. The Fairy went and checked around, and apparently we're in Jad."
That thought in mind, Angela was immensely disappointed at having being transported here unconscious. She had secretly been hoping that she might get to see whether or not that suppposed cleaning fairies really had cleaned everything up. If nothing else, she would have liked to prove the little deity wrong.
Standing and stretching, she thought she could hear someone over in the next cell. "Anyone there?"
"Is that you Princess Angela?" a vaguely familiar voice floated back over.
"Princess Riesz?"
There was a brief silence, then..... "Why did you leave me in Jad?! Tell that moron thief Hawk that his hide is mine for getting me that drunk! I got caught trying to get out of Jad because of him!"
It was an entertaining idea to hand over Hawk to a very pissed off Riesz, but there were more important matters going on. "Are you the only one there?"
"Well, no, there's some little kid here still sleeping. Cute thing, blonde hair and all."
Angela felt her blood freeze. No, it couldn't be..... It wasn't Carlie, was it? "That it?"
"No, there's a Beastman in here too!"
"Gah! Kevin going to be in big trouble with Beast King," an unidentified voice added.
Angela was still stuck on the possibility of the demonic little elf-girl being asleep in the next cell to take much notice of what the anonymous Beastman had to say. Trying to take her mind off the possibility, she turned to Duran. "Why is Hawk still asleep? Wake him up!"
Duran shrugged. "I already tried, but he's out cold."
Not believing it, she reached over with her foot and gave the thief a generous kick. No response whatsoever. Oh. Wait a minute, Wisp would be able to help with this sort of thing, right? There was no point of having an Elemental of Mana hanging around if you weren't going to use him. Plus, she at last had magical powers! She'd been waiting her whole life for this, it wasn't going to go to waste. "Yo, Wisp!"
To her delight, the entity of light materialised a moment later. "How can I help you out, Angela?"
"Wake up Hawk for us, okay? There's no way he's having a nap while I'm trying to solve the problem to our current dilemma!"
The Elemental of Light wafted over to the unconscious thief and disappeared. Moments later, the Fairy decided this was as good as time as any to make her grand entrance after her brief excursion from Duran's head - again. "Wisp sure is taking his time."
That was for sure. The Princess tapped her foot impatiently. Finally, Hawk awoke. Blinking groggily, he sat up and stared at them all briefly.
"Welcome back, Hawk," Angela said.
From the next cell over, Riesz prepared to start flinging out insults at the Navarrian again. "THAT WAS SO NOT A NICE THING TO DO!"
Wincing at the volume, the thief put a hand behind his head in a gesture of embarrassment. "Riesz is here, too, huh?"
"Yeah, and can you blame her for being pissed? We're in a prison cell. It's not going to be easy to save the world from here! Oh, Duran, where's our weapons?" Angela asked as an afterthought, sweetening her voice to talk to the Knight.
Pointing through the bars, he indicated the treasure chest sitting against the opposite wall. "I think they're all in there. We can't do anything until we get them back."
"Then try and reach it! Come on, Duran, you know you can do it!" Angela urged.
To his credit, he actually tried to reach through the bars, though he obviously fell far short of even touching the chest. It probably had been stupid to even try, but the Princess had never prided herself on depth perception. Somewhere in the next cell the anonymous Beastman mumbled something about them thinking the Beastmen must be complete idiots if they'd leave weapons within arms reach of a cell, but everyone courteously ignored him. "Well, this is a problem."
Hawk decided it was time to throw in his two cents worth. "Angela, you should be skinny enough to fit through the bars, right?"
Angela raised her hand, then remembered her beloved staff wasn't in it. "I forbid you to ever try and comment on my weight! Keep your useless ideas to yourself from now on!"
Riesz added from the next cell over - it was so irritating that they couldn't see her, "That sounded like a compliment to me, Princess Angela."
"No need to get jealous, Riesz! I think you're beautiful too!" Hawk called over.
An uncanny silence followed from the other side. Riesz was known for beating up her suitors, so she probably didn't get too many comments on her beauty.
"Stop your flirting and help us get out of here!" Angela hissed. Rolling his eyes, the Navarrian messed with his hair for a minute, then withdrew a pin, making his way to the bars. After a few seconds of fiddling with the lock, the barred gate swung open.
Everyone was left speechless and mouths hanging open in a most undiginifed fashion.
Duran, interestingly enough, was the first to react, clapping Hawk on the back. "Alright Hawk! There are some places my Aunt keeps locked up in the house that I must get your help with."
"Anytime, Duran," Hawk said, coughing and trying to regain his breath after Duran's friendly whack. The Knight certainly didn't know his strength.
Riesz was glaring at them from the other cell - now they could actually see her. "And how, mister Hawk, did you do that?"
"Busted out of your fair share of prisons, have you?" Angela remarked.
Hawk shrugged, and grinned engagingly. "I keep telling everyone, I'm a thief, it's what I do. Why are you all so surprised?"
"Gah, stealing is bad," the Beastman commented, rubbing a hand through his thick mane of hair. He seemed a little more human looking than the rest of them.
Suddenly remembering her manners, or what passed for them, Riesz said, "Oh, this is Kevin. He says he's the Prince of the Beast Kingdom, but is currently in exile. Dead dog or something."
"No speak about Karl like that! Karl great friend! Must get revenge for Karl! That why Kevin is here," the Beastman protested.
Raising an eyebrow, Angela murmured, "You don't say...." He talked a bit like Carlie, come to think of it, though she had already decided he was less annoying and probably more intelligent.
The Fairy, still out and about, landed on her shoulder to whisper in her ear. "Angela, you and Riesz aren't twins, are you? You're both incredibly violent and insensitive!"
"We're nothing alike, not even how we act! Now shut up or we'll leave you behind," the Princess hissed back.
"Hey, isn't that Carlie sleeping in there?" Duran pointed out.
There was a long silence, even Riesz and the newly-introduced Kevin turning to look at the sleeping bundle of blonde hair and pink clothes. Not wanting to stare at the sight just in case she started to go soft at all the cuteness, Angela went over and motioned for Hawk to work his magic on the chest with their weapons in it. Seconds later, it was open, and she began to pawn through their weapons, and sure enough, there was that distinctive morningstar. She held up the heavy weapon for everyone's inspection.
Hawk nodded. "It's Carlie all right."
"I think we should destroy it before she tries to use it one of us again," the Fairy added.
"That child is stalking us, I am convinced," Angela agreed. She dropped the weapon with a clang, still not waking the sleeping child or bringing the obviously deaf guards running, and swearing as the chain landed on her foot. Even when the kid was asleep her possessions were out to get her!
"Hey, guys, don't you think it's about time you let us out?" Riesz said impatiently, tapping her foot and no doubt itching to get her hands on her lance so she could teach Hawk a lesson or three about leaving drunk royal Princesses behind in Jad.
"We were going to but now that you have THAT in there with you I'm not so sure," Angela replied, handing Duran's sword to him and reclaiming her beloved and thankfully undamaged staff.
"Besides," Hawk added, "I'm not so sure if I want you on this side of the bars with a big pointy stick. Maybe if we were in private...."
This time the staff connected, though not as hard as the Princess would have liked. Hawk rubbed his head, wincing. "Were you born this much of a pervert or do you just do it to annoy everyone?"
"Gah. At least let Kevin out?" The Beastman asked hopefully.
Riesz, even without her beloved lance, quickly used her fist to display her thoughts on that idea. "You moron! Either we all leave this cell or none of us leave this cell!"
"Are all Princesses so violent and temperamenal?" Hawk wondered.
"I'm not sure, I don't think King Richard has a heir to compare with," Duran replied.
Eeeek, that was right! This was not at all a good display to be subjecting her beloved Duran to! Her darker sides of her personality would be best kept a secret, surely a noble Knight such as him wasn't interested in a rough-around-the-edges, violent, weapon-wielding Princess! Angela paused, thinking that perhaps she may have just described Riesz, quickly stopping that thought before the Fairy could read it and relay it onto her fellow female companion. Anyhow, this was the time to display some compassion..... "Hawk, let them out, but everybody is FORBIDDEN from waking up Carlie, understand?"
"What's the problem? She's so cute!" Riesz complained.
Duran just nodded his agreement - he had grown quite fond of the young girl, saying something along the lines of she reminded him of his little sister, but Hawk's face twitched at the idea of being constantly referred to as 'pervert man' and Angela almost had a fit at the idea of having to put up with Carlie for more than two minutes. "Rabites are cute too! Until they try to eat you!"
"Fine, fine," Riesz agreed impatiently. "We won't try to wake her up. Just let us out!"
"Do you promise?" Angela pressed.
"I promise, okay? Do you want it in writing?"
"Do you have a piece of paper?"
The Amazon slapped a hand to her head in frustration. "That little girl can't possibly be that bad!"
"Oh, she is," the magician assured her as Hawk began fiddling with their lock. Moments later, the cell door swung open, freeing the inhabitants. Kevin bent down and scooped up the still-sleeping High Priest's granddaughter, and Riesz busied herself by grabbing her lance and a fistful of Hawk's tunic.
"Why, hello, Hawk," she said sweetly.
The thief waved a hand nervously. "Hey there, Riesz! Long time no see!"
"The only thing you're going to be seeing now is stars, buster!" Riesz jerked him for good measure. Angela sighed, considering whether or not to interfere, but fortunately Kevin saved her the trouble.
"Gah, should hurry. Guard is coming," he interrupted, clenching his fists in anticipation.
"Uh oh. We shouldn't hang around here, this city is still crawling with Beastmen who'll recognise us," Riesz informed them, dropping her prey. "I heard right before I was caught that there's a boat leaving Jad for Maia very soon. We'll have to take out the guard and make a run for it if we want to make it!"
Angela rolled up her sleeves - or rather, pretended to, seeing as a dress as skimpy as that didn't really have any. "Right, you can leave this one to me. Wait here."
"Princess, are you sure you'll be okay?" Duran asked, concerned.
Well, she ought to be flattered that he was showing concern, that was some progress. But he was still calling her Princess! What was WITH that?! Why couldn't anyone just call her by 'Angela' anymore? "I'll be fine. Be right back!"
Smoothing out the creases in her dress, she gripped her cane and determinedly strode towards the sound of a single pair of approaching footsteps - no doubt the guard coming to check on them. Hurrying to meet him on the stairs, Angela did her best to feign happy surprise when she made eye contact with the guard.
"Wow! A real Knight of the Beast King? How amazing!" she said, clasping her hands together in fake admiration. She sure hoped this work, otherwise she was shishkabob.
The Beastman was so perplexed by her reaction that he didn't do much more than mutter, "Uh....." Perfect. He'd obviously forgotten that it was extremely suspicious for anyone to be down here. And if the way she was standing worked on him the way the way it worked on just about any other male, then both his eyes and thoughts were lost somewhere in her cleavage rather than pinning her face to that of a prisoner.
Using the opporunity to grasp his arm, she put on her sweetest and most innocent face and voice, so sugary that she doubted even Carlie in a good mood could out-do it. "I've so been dying to meet one of you! Wow, feel these muscles! I know this is terribly forward, but do you want to have a drink? I hear the pub in Jad is really fantastic!" Such a brutal lie, the alcohol there had been strong, but not terribly fine.
"Uh, okay....," the guard said, obviously just deciding to go along with what had to seem like unusually good fortune. She was terribly lucky that the Beastmen weren't amazingly quick thinkers, or very skilled in the art of creative lying, either.
She had him. Now for the 'look-afraid-and-stare-at-some-amazing-evil-in- the-other-direction' move. Gasping dramatically, she shrieked, "What's that?"
Reflexively, the guard turned to see what it was this fair damsel was so distressed over. She couldn't believe he fell for it - the oldest trick in the book! Raising her cane she swiftly brought it down on the Beastman's head with a satisfying crack. Smiling sweetly, she backtracked past the now unconscious guard. "So sorry. I just decided that I don't condone inter-species romance."
Making her way back to the others, she was in the middle of saying, "Okay, guys, the coast is clear, let's-" only to be cut off most rudely by having to duck a distinctive flying morningstar.
"Uh oh," she said emphatically. Apparently, Carlie was now awake. And very angry.
"Carlie thought Duran was friend! Why let bad pervert man do that? Leave Carlie behind like so? Slutty girl too! You be sorry!"
Riesz muffled a laugh at their nicknames, immediately earning herself a glare from the terrifying tyke. Angela used this brief moment of distraction to make their escape. Grabbing Duran with one arm and Hawk with the other, she ran for the exit. "We have to get out of here! Now! Or we'll never be rid of her!"
Suddenly she realised that she was actually pulling Hawk along with her, wondered why, and quickly let go, but he was as anxious to get away from the kid's scary morningstar and high pitched voice as much as she was. "It's pointless, Angela! She'll just turn up again, even angrier than now!"
"I don't care, we have to run!" she shouted back. Duran was running with them now too, though why neither of them were sure because he had previously befriended the girl just fine. They blew past a couple of Beastmen guards, and made straight to the port. The boat was just about to leave the dock as they ran up. Hawk gave Duran a leg up over the side, just about threw Angela in, then leapt over the railing himself as the boat began to pull away. They all collapsed, out of breath, Angela too puffed to even berate Hawk for throwing her around like a sack of potatoes. They all stood as the boat pulled away from the dock to see Riesz, Kevin and a now-teary - maybe the kid was actually fifteen, she certainly had the mood- swings of a teenager - come running to the edge.
Riesz was stomping the ground in frustration at missing their one ticket out of there, but present enough to stop Kevin from jumping into the ocean to try and swim to catch up to the boat. Carlie, though was crying out to them as they pulled away. "Friend Duran! No leave Carlie here with Scary Lady and Beastie Man! Come back! Carlie will even forgive Pervert man and Slutty Girl!"
They could faintly hear Riesz's indignant "What did you just call me?!" in the distance.
"Does the child have a complete inability to call anyone other than herself and Duran by their actual names?" Angela complained, gritting her teeth and grappling to contain her immense feelings of relief for having at least temporarily waylaid Carlie and trying to replace them with sympathy for a now stranded Riesz and Kevin. Even more sympathetic for them as now they had to contend with an unpredictably moody claiming-to-be-a-fifteen-year- old girl who could switch from demonically angry to insufferably sweet in .25 seconds.
Hawk, though, was cheerfully waving goodbye to the three stranded on the edge of the pier. The Fairy, having obviously vanished into Duran's head for most of the fun, reappeared and took her favourite spot on the Princess's shoulder. "Maybe I was wrong, Angela. Hawk just might be more insensitive than you."
"Let's see if he's sensitive to an impact with my staff!" Angela suggested, raising her weapon in the air gleefully. Sadly, her excitement at getting rid of Carlie (again), and Duran's earlier concern for her safety far outshone any sympathy she had for the stranded trio.
Hawk dodged the swipe, reappearing in his usual eerier fashion on the other side of her. "Let's not and say we did, hmmm?"
"You just insist on exisiting, don't you?!" she fumed.
"Just as much as you insist on jumping Duran," he replied casually.
That was the second time he'd dare mention her obvious attraction to Duran aloud in public! That did it! Still, she didn't want to humiliate herself by trying to hit him with her staff and miss again. Hey wait, she had magic now, didn't she?
Hawk backpedaled nervously as she turned to him, grinning maniacally. "Um, Angie?"
The Princess raised her staff again. "HOLY BALL!"
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