Hey guys! Did you miss me? College at its finest, what can I say? But here's the new update at last, ready for all of you! Please leave me a comment, I give spoiler rewards to reviewers.
This one, in all honestly, took me a while to write. Not only was it difficult to find time, but I had a hard time trying to make the characters do what they needed to do to finish the chapter. They all have minds of their own, after all, and not a single one of them wanted to do what I had planned. (sighs dramatically) But we finally came to a compromise that left everyone happy, I'm glad to say.
Oh, and sorry this is so long, but one more thing. I'm working on a few drawings of the characters and I wanted to know what scene do you guys favor for the cover picture? I think the cover characters should be Rhonwen and Emile, but any scene in the story between those two you'd prefer me to use? I'd be glad of your imput.
Ok, you can stop listening to me and read the story now. Thanks guys!
Rapunzel was awake in the early morning in her and Eugene's room. They were in the little inn they had stopped at in the neighboring village after leaving Osimandias. It was the day after they had burned the cloak and then made tracks towards the children's location. They had made time and had stopped for the night to sleep in a bed for the first time in over a month. Rapunzel had felt guilty knowing that she would be comfortable in a bed when her daughter was goodness knows where, but Eugene had made the valid point that it was no use to the children for them to sleep in the bushes, and not smart with and inn nearby anyway.
Rapunzel rolled her feet out of the bed and turned to glance at Eugene, who was nearly comatose beside where she had been lying. Odd, she thought, he's usually awake well before I am. Still, it was good to see him looking so peaceful. He laid facing away from her with his hands curled up under his head. Smiling at her sleeping husband, Rapunzel decided not to disturb him and went to check on Belle across the hall. She was worried for her friend, who had said very little beyond the necessary since they had burned the cloak. She heard quiet from the room within and knocked on the door gently. Nobody answered, which was strange because in the little time she had spent with the newly healed Vincent she had learned that he was an infamously light sleeper. Infamous because if you woke him he did not wake up happy. Rapunzel figured it was just that they were comfortable, but instinct told her to knock again. She couldn't explain it, but she knew something was not right. She rapped on the door again with her knuckles, louder this time so that she was sure it would wake Vincent. Silence answered her.
Now with enough evidence for worry, Rapunzel opened the door slightly to check on her friends. They were laying very still, their arms wrapped around each other. She didn't want to intrude, so she knocked again on the now open door, sure that this time she would be heard or she would at least see a reaction from the couple. When they didn't move at all, Rapunzel opened the door fully and walked over to them, to make sure they were breathing. She could see the gentle rise and fall of their chests, but on closer inspection she knew something was seriously wrong. They were pale, as if their bodies were only doing the very minimum to keep them alive. And they didn't move at all. Not a twitch of the eye, not a slight shift to become comfortable, nothing. Rapunzel turned and walked hastily back to her own room, worried now about her husband's unusually late slumber. She jumped onto her bed and took his face in her hands, saying his name.
Eugene didn't respond to her at all. He was chilled and pale like the others, but still breathing. Rapunzel shook him, slapped his face gently, waved smelling salts under his nose, and sprinkled his face with water to try to wake him, but he reacted to none of it. Rapunzel then ran to the room where the two servants from Vincent's household were staying and knocked frantically on the door. She heard and mumbling sound from within and knocked again, encouraged. The elder, named Lumier, came to the door and opened it with a patient but drowsy look on his face. When he saw his visitor, and nodded his head in a small bow and addressed her cordially.
"Queen Rapunzel," he said drowsily, "What might I do for you?"
"There's something wrong with my husband and Vincent and Belle!" Rapunzel said quickly, "I need you to go and check on the other two then come to my room to tell me if they are the same."
"Of course, madame," he said, immediately awake, "Henri, wake up!"
She turned and ran back to her room as she heard the servants having some sort of discussion in French. She found Eugene exactly as she had left him, still as death. She banished that thought from her mind and ran to the bed, lifting his head. She sat where his head had been and lifted him slightly so that he rested with his head on her shoulder. Then she wrapped her arms around him and held him close to her, trying to feel the small bit of warmth that still came from his body. She took comfort in each breath that she felt and soon she found herself clinging to him with her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his chest, her face pressed against the right side of his neck where she could feel his pulse. Tears blurred her vision and she strove to drive them back. He was alive. That was what was important for her to remember, she couldn't panic because he was alive and he needed her. And so did Belle and Vincent, and possibly Philip and Justinian, not to even mention the children. She couldn't let herself lose control of her reason.
Eugene, she thought as frantically as she could allow herself, please wake up!
She didn't know what it was in her that registered the difference, but in that moment something changed. It was an infinitesimal difference, hardly noticeable unless you were looking for it, but Rapunzel's hair stood on end and the shiver up her spine told her more than the suddenly bright sunshine coming through the window.
"If you did this, I won't let the children come anywhere near you," Rapunzel said with a dangerous calm tone, her voice clearly displaying the protective instincts that were flowing through her body, "I will kill you myself."
A laugh was the reply to her comment and Rapunzel changed her position as quickly as she could, so that Eugene's unconscious form was behind her and she could shield him. She had no weapon, but she knew a decent amount of hand on hand and she was prepared to fight tooth and nail.
"I'm afraid you're too late to keep her away from me," the accented voice said at last, and Rapunzel spun to the sound, as it came from right beside her.
There was Circe, stunning as ever in a brilliantly glowing gold dress, her hair cascading down one shoulder and braided up over the other. She smiled wider when Rapunzel saw her. Rapunzel didn't give her a spare moment to do more than that, however. She lunged towards the woman's throat. She would have made contact too, accept the woman's throat simply wasn't there. Her hands went right through her neck and she almost fell to the floor ungracefully, but she forced herself to regain balance so that her husband would not be unprotected. Circe smiled again, looking like she might almost laugh, and Rapunzel's face burned with embarrassment and fury.
"You really think I would come here in person after a spell has been placed on your companions, mortal?" the voice said firmly, her eyes narrowing, "I knew you would blame me, as you have no reason to do otherwise. But, unlike you so obviously believe, I am not here to cause you or your mate any harm."
Rapunzel redoubled her position, knowing that there was little she could have done against the woman in the first place but not wanting to put on the appearance of surrender. The witch smiled broader again, amusement plainly evident, and adjusted herself into a better position to face Rapunzel fluidly.
"I was made aware of the little problem the royals now have," Circe said, gesturing to the unconscious Eugene.
"Don't you even look at him," Rapunzel scratched out threateningly.
"Please," Circe said, smiling indulgently, "I have no interest in your pet man. I just thought I should inform you that the rest of the royals are in the same condition."
Rapunzel braced herself as if to try another strike instinctively, and Circe saw the gesture and raised a hand delicately.
"I am not the one responsible," her voice said quickly, "And I know you don't believe that so I will make the rest of my little message brief. You are the only one who can help the other royals, and therefore your daughter. She and her party have not been affected, but all the other royals have fallen into a similar dilema. Am I clear?"
Rapunzel thought of the information that was just given to her. All the other royals? Why did she put such emphasis on…Rufus! Rapunzel's eyes shot wide and the woman beside her smiled triumphantly.
"What did you do to my son!?" Rapunzel almost screamed.
The witch sighed in a put upon way and murmured something about family resemblance before she answered.
"For the last time, mortal," she said, smiling rather mockingly, "I did not do this. But yes, your precious offspring is in danger. Both of them. And it is up to you to save them. Use the power that only you possess. And you must find the other royals as well, as many as possible. The better of your two pups is in danger, and she may need you and the other parents to come to her rescue."
And at that, without another word, Circe was gone and the brilliant sunlight vanished. Rapunzel could have screamed with frustration, but just then the two servants knocked on the door. She pulled herself into a less frantically protective position and bid them to enter.
"Are the other two the same way?" Rapunzel asked.
"Yes Madame," the younger, Henri, answered her, "What are we to do? Is it an illness?"
"No," Rapunzel said, standing and stepping towards them, "There is an enchantment upon the royalty of the kingdoms."
"Madame, I beg your pardon?" Lumier began, "If there is an enchantment here, upon royals of every kingdom, then why are you not also under its spell?"
"I think I know," Rapunzel said, grabbing and chewing on a piece of her hair in thought.
"You know why you are left untouched?" Lumier asked.
"No," Rapunzel said, looking up with resolve, "I know what to do."
Emile knew something was wrong as soon as he saw Rhonwen. The first thing he noticed was that she looked tired, as if she had just been doing something very hard that had taken hours. The second thing he noticed was all the strange things she was now carrying, objects in each hand and a dangerous looking golden dagger on her hip. He saw what looked to be a gold version of the mirror the witch had given his father in her right hand and a small bottle of some sort in her left, and he knew what had happened.
He looked back up to meet her eyes with a single question on his mind. Was she alright? Had she been hurt in any way? But the green eyes didn't answer him as they usually did. They were clouded with something, and while he saw worry and resolve in her facial features, her eyes seemed distant and hidden. After a moment she looked down pensively and the expression was hidden from him entirely. Not satisfied with what he saw, he stepped forward and placed a hand gently on her shoulder, as if she was something very fragile and oh so precious.
"Rhonwen," he said, trying to get her to meet his eyes again, "Are you alright?"
Green eyes met blue again, this time with a little light of surprise peeking past the strange cloud that had sullied them before.
"I'm…fine?" she said, accidentally ending it as a question but starting her next question with a more focused look in her face, "Aren't you going to ask me what happened?"
The fur on the back of Emile's shoulders bristled and she noted it quickly, and then focused back on his eyes.
"I know what happened," he said, his tone gentle but urgent, "The witch appeared to you again, didn't she?"
She didn't ever answer that with words. She just stared back into his eyes, as if she hadn't seen them in weeks, and nodded. He placed his other hand on her opposite shoulder, his ears flicking back and his brow furrowing with worry.
"Did she harm you?" was the first thing out of his mouth, followed swiftly by, "What did she say this time?"
Rhonwen smiled, a small, sad little smile, and leaned towards Emile gently. Emile's eyes widened a little bit as she pressed her face against his chest and wrapped her arms around one of his. She pulled herself closer to his arm and leaned her back against his chest. Emile was stunned, and all his mind could process was that he felt her small shoulders against his chest with each breath she took. She stayed there for a few moments, just holding on to him, before his mind caught up with reality and he placed his other hand on her shoulder worriedly again.
"Rhonwen?" he asked softly.
"Thank you for being the same," Rhonwen said quickly, holding his arm tighter instead of letting go like he thought she would when she spoke again.
Still incredulous but at least partially mentally functional now, he pulled the hand from the arm she was holding up, so that his arms was now as wrapped around her as she was it.
"Why would I have changed?" he asked gently, trying to sound comforting.
"Because everything else has," Rhonwen said softly, and Emile could tell that she was either crying or about to start by the tightness of her voice.
He pulled her closer, and for a moment it was just the two of them, Rhonwen grasping his arm with all her might and Emile holding her securely, stroking her head gently with his other hand. That moment was perfect, and in ended far too quickly for Emile. He would have liked to continue on like this forever. But Rhonwen and he both heard the footsteps on the sand coming from the other side of the rocks, and both of them loosened their grips on the other simultaneously. Rhonwen stepped away gently, letting go of Emile's arms as she did. She turned and smiled in that strange and sad way at him, an alien expression on her features. Then she turned towards where the footsteps were now growing close and Emile stooped to pick up the objects that had been in her hands, which he had just realized that she dropped when she reached out to hug him. He brought them to her as the footsteps' owner came around the rock, and wasn't he just the last person either of them wanted to see now.
Ahmed stood well up onto the shore, a smart-alecky smile plastered on his faced and all over his posture. And, upon seeing the two of them walking towards the shore just as he arrived, the smirk grew to a full out grin, catlike and irritating in its perceptiveness. Emile felt strongly tempted to roll his eyes, but knew that would only encourage him.
"So, we have yet another pair of lovebirds do we? Suspicions made valid?" he said, leering at Rhonwen's wet dress as he did it.
Emile came then to the conclusion that simply breathing encouraged Ahmed, and so he rolled his eyes anyway. Ahmed chortled.
"You two need to stay within sight of the main party," he began in a mocking tone, obviously repeating a speech he had repeatedly heard himself, "There will be no touching of any sort. You will not speak in hushed voices, you will not be seated beside of across from each other at dinner, you will not…"
"Ahmed, shut your mouth and use your eyes for once," Rhonwen said in a quiet voice, so serene despite what she was saying, "I've been visited again by the wi…by Circe, and I need to get everyone gathered to the shore as quickly as possible."
If the situation hadn't been so serious, Emile would have laughed out loud at the look on Ahmed's face. Rhonwen had never been so short with him. Emile would have considered that in itself to be a miracle, had he ever seen Rhonwen be short with anyone. Instead, Emile glanced worriedly at Rhonwen. Something more had happened then she was going to tell, he knew it. He'd have to ask her when he found another moment alone with her. Maybe she could share the burden she had obviously taken on if it was just him. Something had changed about the way she was carrying herself, and it worried Emile.
Ahmed turned on his heel and walked towards the other brothers, who were in the process of daring each other to touch the water. Walking like he was the king of the world, probably as some consolation to his bravado for the recent hit it took from Rhonwen, he strode up to them and announced his message in a loud voice.
"HEY!" he yelled, getting everyone's attention, "Rhonwen has supposedly had another meeting with the witch, so everyone get here now!"
Everyone looked over to Rhonwen for confirmation and saw her walking quietly across the beach towards where Ahmed was, Emile trailing just behind her. They all stopped their frolicking in the water immediately and each walked towards the shore. Augustine offered a soaking wet Red his overcoat when they reached their belongings, which she ceremoniously scoffed at and continued towards Rhonwen. Augustine smiled slightly and followed after her. Melody looked reluctant, and glanced once more out to the water before stepping again on the land, where Akram strode up and walked beside her to the group, both vividly aware of how their hands almost touched. Edward and Diana walked hand in hand towards the party. They all came to stand beside each other, each staring at Rhonwen expectantly. Rhonwen had her hand wrapped around her waist, and one hand went up to her head, running through her hair nervously. Emile held out the new items to her and she took them, glancing at him gratefully. He figured it might help her to have a visual aid.
"Ok, so I was just running around in the water with you guys when I ran behind this rock over here and Circe…" she began, but the universe seemed set on making this explanation the most difficult it could be, because that was as far as she got before a deafening sound of a wave interrupted her.
Emile started in surprise, the fur standing off of his shoulders. She saw all the others do likewise, with a few of the brothers even looking like they might run to take cover. All but Melody, who turned towards the sea, beaming. Emile looked at the ocean next and found that it wasn't a wave, but a giant swirling cylinder of water shooting from the surface of the ocean. And riding that cylinder, which swirled and formed around him, was a man. Or, rather, half of a man. Emile could just see his waist where his skin turned to the blue green scales of a fish. He wore a crown, sharp and commanding, and his white hair flowed down around his shoulders, melding with the long beard that spread across his chest. Despite his obvious age, he was muscular and imposing, holding a large golden trident in his right hand. There was no doubt as to who this was.
King Triton had arrived.
Leave me a comment, be it about the chapter or the cover! I love hearing your thoughts!
