Chapter 11 - Tea Time
The three cohorts looked at each other in panic as they dodged Sophie's projectiles.
"Tea time! Tea time! TEA TIME!" she yelled in feverish delight.
Calcifer tried to shrink himself into the smallest chip in the log. "Well, Howl? You said calming her would be easy. So - CALM HER!"
Howl gave a quick efficient nod. He rushed up to Sophie and grabbed her hands in his. He put his face close to hers, his hair flying in the well-practiced waves of beauty. "Sophie," he whispered, while hoping his ploy would work. "Of course it's tea time. Just give us a few minutes to prepare the feast you deserve." Her wide eyes and the slight blush on her cheeks gave him a burst of hope.
Quickly, he thought, I must get her seated while my charm is still working. He gallantly led her to the table, clearing it with a sweep of magic. "Please, my love. Sit." He bowed slightly and then looked up through his hair. "Markl will be right with you." He swept back to the fire place, leaving Sophie smiling at the table.
Markl looked at his master with wide eyes. "Wow, Master Howl. That was amazing! How you got her to ... Wait a second." He said in horror. "What do you mean I'll be right with her?"
Howl looked at Markl with an insolent grin and raised eyebrows. "Surely you didn't think I would serve tea to her? I have to work on an antidote, just in case. Besides," he said with a wide spread of his hands, "I'm the master."
Markl looked at Calcifer for help.
"Don't look at me!" the fire demon protested. "No hands."
Markl had lived with the two long enough to recognize defeat when it hit him. He shuffled over to the mess of food and tea leaves, his heart beating wildly with fear at the prospect of facing Demon Sophie again.
He efficiently prepared a plate full of scones and muffins. He sniffed in a brief moment of self-pity as he remembered Sophie teaching him etiquette. He grabbed a tea cup and headed over to the shelf full of scattered tea.
"I guess she's getting a bit of everything," he muttered as he swept a handful into the cup. "I sure hope that love spell numbed her taste buds." He shuddered to think of what this Sophie's reaction to bad tea would be like.
He was so distracted by the horrid images swirling through his mind that he did not notice the faint sparkle of something decidedly not tea-like in the cup. A quick pour of hot water and the sparkle was gone, dissolved into the hot mixture.
Markl hummed a soothing tune as he carefully approached the scary Sophie. She sat in her chair, posture perfect and feet crossed daintily at the ankles. A silly smile was pasted on her face. It sent chills down young Markl's spine.
Slowly her head turned. Towards him. His feet stalled as he froze, caught in her gaze. As they stared into each others' eyes, Markl thought he saw a glimpse of something familiar ... of something like the true Sophie. The spell was starting to wear off! It gave him the courage to take another step. For Sophie, he thought grimly. He would play his part until this awful spell was lifted.
As Markl battled through sickly sweet smiles and blank stares towards Sophie, Howl busily ran around the fire and the cabinets, grabbing scrolls and ingredients. Since he had told Markl he would be making an antidote, he may as well. Besides, maybe Sophie would remember him hard at work when this whole mess ended. Maybe it would win him a chance ... a chance to make things right.
Howl reached for a vial of frog mucus. He kept it right next to the power enhancer spell and the leftover ... His hand stilled as dread snaked its way into his stomach and tightened its hold. Right next to the leftover love spell.
Where was it? Where was the test tube of sparkling love spell?
His eyes quickly found the tube, tipped over. The seemingly innocent concoction sparkling from the mixture of ... of ... tea leaves. Tea leaves with the imprint of a small hand where it had scooped some of the mixture into a ...
Howl spun in horror in time to see Markl handing Sophie her cup. He didn't even take the time to register that Markl had acted almost as gallantly as he, the Master of Gallantry. It was insignificant to the scene unraveling before his eyes. He reached out a hand towards his lady love in desperation as she lifted the tea cup to her petal pink lips.
"Sophie!" he yelled. "Nooooo!"
Too late. The cup was empty - its contents traveling through her system.
Sophie looked up with a glint in her eye.