12
"I don't care. They have been gone too long, something must have happened to them! How could you let them go there and not tell me?" Will's voice had risen as he spoke and now he was nearly shouting at Angelika as they stood in her workshop.
"Because you would have stopped them going," replied Angelika. She was trying to keep her voice steady in the face of Will's anger. He had been upset when he had learnt that Lotte and Carl had gone to the tower and had only been placated when Angelika had pointed out that they would be back soon, after all there was actually very little at the tower and Lotte was too sensible to stay there long. But as the day had passed and they had still not returned his anger had steadily risen again.
"Yes, I would have. That forest and tower are dangerous, I thought you would have know that."
"I do. But as you seem not to have noticed, Lotte likes him. She seems to be happier when he is around and she looks forward to his visits. They may have other reasons for not coming back so soon."
Will stared at her. "You think that she wants to spend time with him?"
"What's so wrong with her finding someone she likes and settling down? She can't follow you around Germany all her life!"
"But him!"
"If she likes him and he shares her passion what does it matter that you don't particularly like him? It's the fact that Lotte likes him that counts."
Will had simply never thought of Lotte meeting someone and settling down. It wasn't that he didn't like Carl, he didn't know enough about him to decided whether he liked him or not, and that was what concerned him. When he thought about it he actually like the idea of a few little Gimms running around, maybe one of them would be like Jake and he would get to see what his brother might have been like had he grown to be a man.
"I'm sorry Angelika. I'm just concerned for Lotte, she is the only family that I have, and I know I can be overprotective at times. But I am still going to find them, it's getting late and being alone at night in that forest is something I wouldn't advise for anyone."
"Then I'm coming with you."
"Thanks." And he smiled at her.
"You know, you're actually quite handsome when you smile."
"Really, no one has ever called me handsome. I'll have to remember that for the future!"
Angelika rolled her eyes at Will and then followed him to the stables to get their horses.
They hadn't been riding for very long when they became aware that there was someone coming towards them and finally Carl's horse came into view slowly walking towards them. Carl was riding with Lotte in front of him and her head was resting on his shoulder as if she was sleeping. Will immediately spurred his horse forward.
"Lotte!" He cried as he came level with Carl's horse. He reached out and gentle touched her but her eyes remained closed and she did not stir.
"What have you done to her!" he demanded.
"Will. I'm sorry I don't know what happened. We were looking at the tower and she was explaining how you defeated the Queen when we heard a sound coming from the pool in the edge of the clearing and we went to see what it was. The next thing I remember I was waking up in the clearing and she was beside me. I've tried to wake her but nothing has worked! I'm sorry, this is all my fault! If I hadn't asked her to take me there this wouldn't have happened."
But Will wasn't listening to him. All he was concerned about was Lotte, he just wanted her to respond to him.
"Lotte, its Will. Can you hear me? Please…just give me a sign that you can hear me!" All the time he was gently stroking her hair. He continued to do this until Angelika stopped him.
"Will we need to get her back to the village. Come on, we aren't going help her here."
"You're right. I need to get her back and we can send for a doctor." He reached toward Lotte to take her from Carl.
"No, Will. Lotte has come this far safely with Carl and he'll get her the rest of the way as well. We don't know what's wrong with her and the quicker we can get her back to the village the better. Will, you know what I'm saying makes sense, so let him take her."
"But she is my sister and I need to protect her!" Angelika could see the anguish and fear in Will's eyes and knew she needed to get through to him.
"Look, Will. We need to get back to the village." She gently took the reins to Will's horse and turned it back towards the Marbarden and then they all started back.
"Carl," she called back to him, "are you okay?" After all what had struck down Lotte had also effected him and she didn't know what they would do if he passed out again.
"I'll make it, don't worry about me." But there was a tiredness in his voice that Angelika didn't like. She led them back to the village and to her house by the back route, as she didn't think that Will was up to dealing with anyone tonight as he was clearly only concerned with his sister's safety.
They reached the village without any further incident. When they arrived Will quickly dismounted and Carl gently lowered Lotte into her brother's arms and Will then carried her into the house. Fortunately Angelika had left her sisters in Gregor's care before she left and she knew that they would be safe with him and Sasha for the night, so they had the house to themselves. Will carried Lotte into Angelika's bedroom and gently put her to bed. During all that had happened she had not stirred and Will was deeply worried. He turned as Angelika came to join him.
"Thank you for this. I don't know what I would have done without your help, and the loan of your bedroom."
"That's all right. Try not to worry, her breathing and pulse are good and Carl doesn't seem to have suffered any ill effects for his encounter. She'll probably wake up tomorrow morning and be annoyed at you for coming after her!" She smiled at Will, but he didn't return it.
Will didn't mean to be like this; it was just that Jake had been like this before he died. After the accident he had never woken up. He just lay there, sleeping, until his heart stopped. Looking at Lotte brought back too many bad memories.
"Do you know where Carl is? I want to ask him some more questions about what happened."
"I left him looking after the horses, but he said he would come back here afterwards."
"I'm going to find him. I promise that I won't loose my temper with him. I just want to talk to him, he might know something that could help us now that he has had time to think about it."
"Well, don't be too long. I don't want Lotte waking up and you not being here!"
Will went to his sister and kissed on the forehead. "I want you awake when I get back, okay." And he left to find Carl.
When he reached the stables Will could see their horses but there was no sign of Carl.
"Carl, are you there? It's Will." He heard a sound behind him and turned to see a faint light coming from the last stall. Will approached it. He could see Carl crouched in the stall he was staring at something in his hand.
"Carl?" Carl quickly placed what was in his hand in his bag and turned to face Will. His face was flushed and he seemed breathless.
"Will… I didn't hear you come in. How is she?"
"There's been no change. Is there nothing more that you can tell me about what happened? Anything you can remember that help her?"
"Will, I can't think of anything more to tell you. We were looking around the tower and heard a noise from the pool. When we went to look something fell into the water and the air seem to thicken and I couldn't breath. I think that Lotte must have fainted as she was suddenly falling towards the water, I reached for her and the next thing that I remember is waking in the clearing with Lotte next to me. Then I got her on my horse and we were returning when we met you and Angelika."
"That's not quite what you said earlier."
"I'm sorry, I must have been confused. I just wanted to get Lotte back to the village and safety."
"Something falling into the water and the air thickening around you. That sounds like magic! Why didn't you mention that before?"
"I must have just remembered it. But now that Lotte is away from the source she should wake up. I woke up in the clearing so the magic can't have been that powerful."
"Let's hope so."
Carl picked up his bag and moved passed Will, heading toward the stall that housed his horse.
"Where are you going?" Will asked as Carl started to saddle his horse.
"I will be back to see Lotte first thing in the morning, I promise."
"My sister is ill because of you and you are leaving!" Will voice was starting to rise.
"I made a promise to my host to return each night. It would cause considerable problems if I didn't. Besides, it's probably best if Lotte has her family around her while she is sick." Carl moved to lead his horse out of the stables, but Will blocked his way.
"I really don't care what problems it might cause. Lotte was attacked by magic because of you and I don't know when she is going to wake up. But you seem to have come out of the whole experience without a scratch. Why is that?" Will was now shouting at Carl as they stood in the stable.
"Look, Will. I'm sorry about what happened, I really am. I would give anything for Lotte not to be hurt. But I have my books back at my lodgings and there maybe something in them that could help. I will be back first thing in the morning."
"Lotte has a very extensive range of books that you could use. I thought that if you cared for her, even a little bit, you would want to stay until she is well. If I were in your shoes there would be nothing that would make me leave until she was well!"
"Will. I want to stay, but I have to go…"
"I DON'T CARE!" The next thing he knew his fist was connecting with Carl's chin and Will watched as he fell to the floor, his bag falling from his hand as he did son, and lay still
"Carl…Carl, are you all right?" He did not respond.
Will just stood there staring at him. He had never done anything like this before. He crouched down beside Carl and gently touched his face; his fingers came back covered in blood. A shiver ran through him, had he seriously injured the man? He rolled Carl over and discovered that he was unconscious and had a cut on temple; he must have hit his head on something when he fell. The cut was bleeding but didn't look too bad and he could see no other injury. Will looked up at Carl's horse at it stood there calming looking at it's unmoving master, he rose and moved it to another stall. Next, he moved Carl to the pile of new straw at the back of the stall. The cut had already stopped bleeding and his chest rose and fell steadily.
"Look, I'm sorry," he said to the man who was oblivious to his words, "but you did provoke me. Those it looks like you will be spending the night in the village, after all. Let's get you comfortable."
He went to fetch a blanket from the store at the back of stables and covered Carl. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully enough and there was some colour in his cheeks. Will knew he should move him to the house but he couldn't face the questions Carl's condition would raise, not tonight. Anyway, he would be safe enough in the stable until the morning. Will closed the stall and went outside.
He started back towards the house, but stopped. He needed time to think this through. He sat on the edge of the well and ran his fingers through his hair. He had just attacked the man that Angelika thought Lotte might be thinking about having a more lasting relationship with. He hadn't meant to he had just lost control. It seemed everything about the man made him uneasy, it wasn't anything he could put his finger on, but there was something definitely not right about him. He needed to speak to Angelika, she would know how to handle this. To put a "this was all a big brother being over protective, didn't mean to knock you unconscious" view on the whole event, but she was with Lotte he didn't want the first thing she heard when she woke up was him trying to explain to Angelika that he had just knocked Carl out cold!
