AN: Hi~ Sorry that it took me longer to upload this time, but I had to do all homework & assignments fort his week at the weekend. My carnival break is also over and therefore it can take a little bit more time for me to upload. But I'll try to update every three days.

Have fun reading and don't forget to review^^

Chapter 21:

Ready to fight or jump out of the way Chrno stood there glaring at the shapeshifter looking like Rosette. The smirk in her face faded into a crooked grin. (AN: A grin like the woman in the marionette train) The fangs grew long and sharp. The orange light coming from the lamp gave her face a creepy look. Chrno let out a loud growl and bent his claws ready to attack if it was necessary.

"Tse, tse, tse." The false Rosette said with a faked innocent voice. "What do you want with those claws? I hope you don't want to hurt me with them." She covered her mouth with her right hand. In her eyes was a gloatingly expression.

"We'll see." Chrno hissed and took one step towards her. "Give the right Rosette back or I'll kill you."

The girl let out a short laugh. She didn't even think it would be necessary to get up from her sitting posture and then she crossed her legs.

"I'm warning you." He growled louder now in his own language.

"I don't think so." She bared her sharp fangs while smirking.

More anger came over Chrno. He threatened her and she was just fooling around. Didn't that shapeshifter knew who he was?! "Enough is enough." He lifted his claws. They blinked in the dim light of the lamp. Faster than he had expected, Rosette got on her feet and waved with her index finger in front of his face.

"Ah- ah- ahhh. No, no, no, little demon." She whispered still in this innocent manner. "My 'father', the king," she enjoyed saying that. "He wouldn't be very pleased if you kill his oh so beloved daughter. He would announce war immediately and you would be dead as well…" She came closer and played with one of his shoulder long purple hair strands. "One false movement of yours and I scream to wake up the whole castle. They'll come to rescue me and I guess you know what happens to nasty little demon in this country, don't you? "

F*ck. The little witch was right. He hadn't thought about that. So he forced himself to stay calm. Man, this situation was really not good. Now at this moment he wanted to rip that human pretending shapeshifter apart. It would have been easy. She didn't seem so strong, but she controlled the king and his followers. Angry he ground his teeth.

"Good boy." She purred. Then she pulled his face down to her and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Good choice, my dear." She cooed and brushed past him. Giggling she went into the next building.

"ARG!" Chrno shouted while tearing his hair with both hands. Abruptly he turned around and went into another building. The others had to know about that. Before entering the part of the castle which belonged to the royal family he stopped. Was it even a good idea to tell them? Or would they think that it was only some sort of trap? ARG, what should he do now?! Searching the real Rosette alone? That should actually be no problem with his sensitive nose. He should be able to follow her scent.

Hehe, that was easier said than done. Nowhere in this damn castle, he was able to find her scent. He began to worry about her. She couldn't be far away, could she? Directly tomorrow he would look for her in the area around the castle. If he didn't find her there he would send a messenger to Aion to tell him that the armistice was signed instead of going back himself. Then Chrno would have enough time to save her. And so was it.

Even five kilometres around the summer residence there was no trace of her. Chrno explained Vinsent that he had to go immediately. It was urgent. He also wrote a letter to Aion and sent it. Chrno would fly, but he was afraid of missing or later losing the trace of her scent. Thus he got on his horse and followed the way he had come from as he arrived here. Rosette had had to take the same way.

Somewhere he would find her scent. He came through a little village. Still no scent. But finally after 5 hours searching he found something. Chrno reined his horse on a little clearing where Rosette and her guards could have stopped. Next to it was a brook. Rosette's scent led him over the brook and far away from the clearing. It led into a total different direction. The purple head guessed that he was now riding to the east side of the country.

The demon cursed. At some parts the trace wasn't clear enough anymore. But that got better after the next day. Now there was only one way leading in the right direction. Here and there was a little village, but Chrno wasn't interested in them. He galloped by them, happy that his shadow-horse didn't need to rest. Soon the land seemed abandoned and he saw only one village on the third day. Shortly he slowed down his speed to orientate himself again. A young woman came along the path as well. He asked her where the path he went on was leading to. The woman, a blonde with long her and light blue eyes, watched him carefully.

"It doesn't take long anymore until you find the one you are looking for. Follow this path and it will bring you to this person. But be aware of the moorland. Many men got already lost there. Take the way around. Then you will find her and bring her back. But take care. This is not the only trouble you will get into. This is only the beginning." She said and starred at him with glassy eyes.

"Uh, thanks, I guess." Chrno looked puzzled down at her. "But where did you know from that I'm looking for someone?"

From the distance came a call over to them. "Mary!"

The woman, whose name was obviously Mary, looked for the one who called her. When she turned around again she smiled at the demon in human form. "Well then. I have to go. Goodbye, Chrno." With that she hurried off.

Hu? Where did she know his name from? "Strange girl…" He muttered to himself and started to gallop along the path again.

--

Everything was dark… Only darkness. A slit of light… The slit got wider as Rosette opened her eyes slowly. Where was she? What happened? Uh, she had a terrible headache. Carefully she sat up and looked around. She was in something that looked like a cave. Big stalactites were growing out of the ceiling. On the ground were smaller stalagmites. Some of them were breaking the light and here and there Rosette could see some little rainbows.

The place where the blonde sat was upholstered with hay and straw. Not really comfortable to be honest. Behind her the cave went on further into the mountain or what ever it was. Rosette wondered how long the cave really was. But it was too dark to see it. Only on one side (directly 7 meters in front of her) was the exit. Some dimmed daylight shone into it. Let's have a look outside, Rosette thought. She got up on her feet. Then she looked forwards, but all of a sudden a scary old female face was directly in front of her.

The old woman's breathe touched Rosette's skin and made her flesh creep. Shock and with wide eyes Rosette stared at her. Then she screamed and wanted to turn around to run away from the creepy woman, although that meant that she would have to run deeper into the cave. Unfortunately she didn't have a chance to do so. Another woman appeared directly in front of her again and blocked her way. Once more the girl screamed and turned to her left.

One after the other more woman appeared until Rosette was trapped in a circle built of nice creepy woman. They all wore dark blue robes with the hoods covering their hair. Each of these robes was padded on the inside. But not all had the same pad. Every pad was made of another sort of animal coat. Then the witches stroke up an old song in an ancient language Rosette didn't understand. Everything was spinning around in the blonde's head and she started to remember.

Flash back:

Soon they would finally arrive at the summer residence. This was the last stop. Rosette stretched her arms and yawned as she got out of the carriage. She had asked earlier if she was allowed to ride on one of the horses. That wasn't as boring as being in the carriage. But of cause she wasn't allowed to because it was "inappropriate for a young lady". Rosette rolled her eyes. Stupid etiquette rules.

At least now she was able to stretch her legs. She went to a close brook not far away. There she washed her face and arms. Her guards prepared the meal or haunted something that they even HAD something to eat. Soon it was time for Rosette to return again. One last time she checked her looking in the mirroring water surface. Suddenly a creepy woman's face appeared behind her in the reflection on the water. Terrified Rosette spun around. Nobody was there except for some squirrels in a tree.

The girl breathed heavily out. Her fantasy had played a trick on her. Just in that moment gnarled hands closed around her mouth. She couldn't breathe and fainted. The last thing she heard was a harsh female laughter.

Flash back end

So these old witches were her kidnapper. No, wait. Some of them didn't seem so old. Some of them were younger as well, but her hoods hid their whole face and Rosette could only see some parts of them.

"Wodan, our all-father, has chosen you, young girl. So come with us and begin your examination." The youngest of these strange women said.

"What? What examination?" Rosette shrieked. "And who's Wodan?!"

All her protesting didn't help. To witches had gripped her arms firmly and dragged her further into the cave. Also her struggling didn't have a use. The other seven cloaked persons held torches in their hands and lightened up the way. Further and further into the cave they went. The PLOP PLOP of the water drops falling from the ceiling was their permanent companion.

--

Meanwhile Aion sat behind his desk and drummed with his fingers on the hard wood of the table. What did Chrno take so long? He was now gone for more than two weeks. What happened to him damn? His brother could have sent a messenger at least. Just in this moment one of the employees knocked and entered his room. He bowed and gave a letter to Aion. Then he of cause bowed again and left.

"Aha, finally!" Aion shouted and broke the red wax seal at the back of the letter. In the letter he could read in Chrno's fine clear writing that everything was okay. They had the armistice. (AN: I can't see the word armistice anymore -.-") Chrno also told him that it would take a little bit longer until he would return. He had some important business of his to do before he returned. Aion grumbled lightly. The meeting with the other Lords was tomorrow and Aion didn't want to be alone there. They would tear him apart if they learned about his and Chrno's plans. Fortunately he had prepared everything well. The talk he would tell the other Lords was already finished in his mind. Hopefully it worked. Like Aion knew his luck, it wouldn't. He sighed heavily and scratched his neck. Deciding that he needed some fresh air Aion got up and exited his office.

--

Another scent was now mixed with Rosette's the further he came. Chrno sniffed the air again. He could smell Rosette and some other people. But the purple haired demon couldn't tell how many they were. The only thing that was for sure was that they were all females. The scents grew stronger. Soon the smell of old water was in the air as well and the ground got muddier. Chrno guessed that he was now close to the moor. Then the way branched in front of him. The girl earlier had told him to take the way around. Chrno didn't know why, but he guessed that it would be better to follow her advice. Nevertheless he stopped shortly and looked into the direction of the moor. Was it him or were there voices coming from? The devil shook his head and listened again. Hm, no it was only the sound of the wind brushing against some trees. He pushed his heels at the flank of the horse and it began to gallop along the safer way.

As soon as he was out of side a hand came out of the mud. An arm followed; then the head and the shoulders. Leaning the head on the hand the creature smiled evilly. "A new victim." It smirked and its smile faded into a smirk. All of a sudden the creature was gone again.

AN: hm so…. I don't really know what to say here… please review I guess…

I'm a fan of that old Nordic religions and Gods… pretty interesting. I thought I could make them part of the story. Wodan (or Wotan, it can be spelled both ways) is the main God I think…

*goes and does researches*

Please review^^ It always makes me happy