Chapter 5

Wiccan felt like an idiot. Refusing a request from his captor couldn't possibly do anything to make his situation better. He should have just said yes, whether he wanted to or not, and made the Beast happy. At least then he stood more of a chance of getting out of here if he was cooperative and maybe gained the man's trust. But instead his stupid stubborn nature had made things worse. Speed did always say Wiccan must have a thing for getting himself into trouble. Usually it was things like diving headfirst into very dangerous situations to help strangers, victims of robberies, hostages, people trapped in a burning building, that sort of thing. Wiccan always believed it was the hero in him, but now he was starting to think that maybe it wasn't bravery but plain stupidity.

He wiped his face and stood to continue his escape plan when he heard a rumbling noise and walked back over to the window. Across the castle he saw several pieces of one of the towers crumble and fall away from the main structure. He wasn't too sure what was going on, but if this place was falling apart then he really did have to get out of here. He took the pile of clothing he'd tied together and tied one end to the bedpost before tossing the rest out the window.

Well this is something he'd never had to do before, he thought. Living with his parents he'd never snuck out of the house. Only after he'd gotten his powers and started superhero-ing did that start and even then he levitated.

When the makeshift rope finished unraveling he leaned over the windowsill and tried to get a good idea of how far down he'd managed to make the line. It was almost pitch black outside now so it was hard for him to tell where it stopped. But it was enough that it would help get him out of the tower, he'd eventually have to jump but he prayed the snow would cushion that fall, or he'd have enough power to float the rest of the way.

Just as he was about to take a deep breath and climb through the window there was a knock at the door. He turned and called, "I'm still not coming to -"

"Don't worry. It's just Cassie." Came a new voice. He didn't remember meeting a Cassie yet but she couldn't be any worse then the Beast.

"Just a minute!" Wiccan called as he threw the green velvet curtain closed to cover the window and his escape route. Then he stood beside the bedpost and used himself to block the rest of it, mentally patting himself on the back for giving himself a cape back at the start. "Come in."

One of the double doors opened and a girl with black glasses and her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail walked in. The frames were thick but complimented her face nicely and she wore a black uniform with a red jacket over it that looked similar to a chef's coat with a high collar.

"Oh Kate was right! You are a handsome one." She said with a bright smile as she pulled a cart behind her with a kettle and some cups. Wiccan didn't know how to respond to the compliment and looked down at his feet as he blushed. He didn't realize in time that Cassie had come so far into the room that she saw around him and the tied together clothing that led to the window.

"Oh dear." She muttered and Wiccan felt his heart leap into his throat. Would she tell the Beast? Was she obligated too? She did work for him after all.

But then her next statement surprised him, "That's a long way down. And a long journey after that. How about I set you up before you go?"

Wiccan smiled in relief as Cassie took a cup and poured something hot into it from the kettle.

"I find that problems seem a little smaller once you've had a warm drink and something to fill your stomach." Cassie continued as she passed him the cup and he began to sip at it slowly. Then she walked back over to her cart and on the bottom shelf pulled a metal top off a tray and brought it over. It looked like small appetizers of meat and melted cheese on bread. Wiccan's stomach growled at the sight of food but he had to decline it.

"Sorry, I can't." He said apologetically and Cassie looked at him confused. He shrugged, "Kosher."

"Oh!" She exclaimed in realization, "You're Jewish?"

He nodded and she returned the tray to the cart.

"Well I'm sure we have something in the kitchen we can fix for you, come on." She offered and he hesitated.

"I thought he said I could starve?" he asked remembering the argument he and the Beast had earlier through the shut door.

Cassie looked over her shoulder at him and smirked, "He also said that 'if you refused to come out of your room then you were refusing to eat.' Well, if you come with me that's not refusing is it?"

He smiled and shook his head as Cassie waved him over to follow her and he kept sipping at the drink she gave him as she showed him the way to the dining hall.

Even knowing he should be terrified of running into the Beast Wiccan couldn't help but get distracted by the beauty of the castle. The marble was carved and polished to perfection and felt smoother then anything Wiccan had ever felt before. There was gold trim on almost everything but paired with the ivory it somehow didn't become overbearing. Anything made of wood was stained and polished to the point it reflected the light from both the lit candles on the walls and the chandeliers hanging overhead. It became darker as they entered the foyer, the chandelier above was off letting only the candles and the fireplace light the room with a softer cozier glow. As Cassie led him down the stairs and past the fireplace Wiccan couldn't help but look over his shoulder at the branch of steps that led to the opposite side of the castle. He figured the Beast must reside there, but even the thought of the horrifying man didn't stop the curiosity Wiccan felt pooling in his stomach.

.

.

"He's coming!" Kate shouted to the kitchen staff, "Final checks, everyone!"

"Kate, if Prince Dorrek finds out you violated his orders he will blame me." Eli grumbled following her around.

"Yes Eli, I will make sure of it." Kate said with an unnecessary amount of glee on her face. "One way or another this boy is our chance to break the spell. I am sure of it!"

"You know he'll never help Dorrek." Eli continued negatively, "With the temper Sire has, Kl'rt was the one who made the alliances, along with my help. But he died before Dorrek could properly learn and the years under this spell – it hasn't made his temper any easier Kate. Wiccan will never help, he'll never call Dorrek a friend."

"Maybe not." Kate agreed but the smile on her face suggested what she was thinking.

"Out of the question." Eli disagreed, "If they cannot even find common ground for a mutual friendship then love is out of the question."

"But did you hear how he stood up to the Prince?" Kate asked him, "The tension in that hall even made me a little turned on! And there's such a fine line between the intensity of hate and the passion of love!" she exclaimed as she burst through the doors to check that the dining room was ready.

"You've cracked." Eli grumbled even though Kate was gone, "You've been locked in this castle too long and have absolutely cracked."

"Here you are dear." Cassie said as she led Wiccan into the room and pulled out a chair for him. She then walked along the table removing silver tops from trays and bowls. Certain things that she knew he couldn't eat she grabbed off the table and passed to the other servers who were hanging around as she muttered to herself.

"No, no, not that one. Absolutely not." She said getting a small glance at a few steamed red lobsters that she immediately put the cover back over before passing it off and the servers took it back to the kitchen. Wiccan stood resting his hand on the chair Cassie had pulled out as he looked with wide eyes at the table. Even after Cassie had taken several of the dishes away there were still over a dozen silver platters. Various pastas and sauce combinations, bread in slices, rolls croissants and baguettes. There were meats like lambchops, venison, and a plate with several whole chickens with golden brown skin. There were fish dishes, some in portions soaking in sauce while others were the entire fish with slices of lemon and herbs over its skin.

"Ah! Wiccan!" Kate's voice reached him as she entered the room eagerly. It had been so long since she'd been able to fulfill her duty as the event coordinator and entertain a guest that she was glowing with the prospect of entertaining again. Her usual greetings were engraved into her mind and she gestured to the table of food encouragingly since Wiccan seemed a bit hesitant to just dig in.

"Please sit, relax. It's our great pleasure to serve you tonight. Pull up a chair."

Wiccan sat down as Kate folded her hands in front of her and looked like she was in her element as she greeted him. It made Wiccan feel a bit uneasy having so much attention solely on him so he tried to direct as much of it at Kate since she was the only one in the room who seemed willing to engage him in conversation. The other servers were either bustling into the kitchen with the platters Cassie had given them or were standing along the wall waiting to jump in and serve him.

"Thank you." Wiccan replied politely remembering that Kate was the reason he wasn't in a cell anymore.

"No need to thank me. After all with you here we finally have a guest to serve." She said beaming. "It's been years since we've had anybody here. Forgive us for being a bit obsessed."

She chuckled at her own statement to ease any tension and Wiccan joined her as he started to pile things onto his plate.

"How long has it been?" he asked cautiously not wanting to cross a line.

Kate sighed, her hands still folded together in front of her. "It feels like an eternity. We used to have hundreds of guests here at a time, countless parties. A dinner here was never second best to anyone, we have a knack for serving with flair." She winked.

Wiccan smiled at her as he chewed, with the flavors that were exploding across his tastebuds he had no problem believing what she told him.

When he swallowed he asked another question, "So you enjoyed your job here?"

Kate nodded, "Very much. We all did – we still do. Things are just different now. It's hard to be a servant who can't be serving. There were good days when we were more. . . useful. Everyone enjoys using their skills. It gets boring laying around a castle. Eli was getting a tad flabby fat and lazy."

"Kate!" Eli shouted as he came through the door with a scowl on his face clearly having heard her. He stormed past and stood in front of the nearest mirror and began fixing his perfect military uniform. Kate knew it was a façade so he could listen in on what she was telling Wiccan, so he could interrupt when he thought she'd overstepped.

She turned back to Wiccan and rolled her eyes at Eli's behavior, "But Cassie was thrilled to prepare a banquet again. If you're stressed, it's fine dining she'll suggest. It gives her a chance to show off her culinary work."

In the kitchen Cassie was among the clattering of pots and pans as she also gave out orders to the kitchen staff.

"Thank the Lord I had the napkins pressed." She said to herself fixing her apron, "With dessert we'll need to serve tea. Get it brewing. Is that a spot!"

Quickly she grabbed a towel and threw it at the assistant who immediately started wiping things clean and double checking all the teacups and saucers.

"Clean it up! We want our company impressed." Cassie scolded grabbing a piping bag and adding the finishing touches on all the small cakes and cookies for dessert.

Back in the dining hall Kate was still answering Wiccan's questions as he finished up his meal.

"The Master isn't so bad once you get to know him." She said in response after Wiccan had asked how they deal with living alone with that Beast.

"I don't want to get to know him." Wiccan mumbled under his breath. Then dropped his voice even lower, "I don't want anything to do with him."

"Well. . . given the circumstances." Kate tread carefully, "Well, you might just find he's not as bad as he appears."

It got quiet as Wiccan thought that over. Then Kate cleared her throat and clapped her hands together.

"In the meantime, we'll clear that for you." She snapped her fingers and a server came and took his dirty dishes, "I'm sure Cassie will be bringing out dessert momentarily."

Wiccan groaned and leaned back in the chair, "I don't think I can fit another bite. The dinner alone was incredible."

Kate smirked, "We always aim to please. And my aim is flawless."

True to her word Cassie came out shortly after with staff following her. Many swept away the dinner platters onto their empty carts while others placed her trays of cookies, cakes, tarts, even ice cream sundaes and sandwiches piled high. Small bowls of every topping you could imagine from hot fudge and sprinkles to mini marshmallows and crushed churro.

When everything was in its place they vanished as quickly as they had appeared. Wow, Cassie ran a tight ship.

Eli left with them and once he was gone Kate leaned across the table and swiped some whipped cream off a dessert with her finger before popping it into her mouth. The action drew Wiccan's attention to her green hand. Last time he'd seen her the green tint and scales were only in the back of her hands. But right now it seemed that hue had spread. She'd been honest with him so far so he decided to see how far he could push it.

"Do you mind if I ask you about that?" he gestured to her hand and Kate examined her finger. Her mismatched eyes turned sad and she looked back up at him silently. He had his answer – she couldn't talk about that. And it looked like it hurt her to even think about explaining it.

"Never mind." He said returning his gaze to the table and grabbing a slice of chocolate cream pie.

"Thank you." Kate muttered and gave him a tiny grateful smile.

He ate a few bites silently before picking a question that was hopefully an easier subject for her.

"So, why is there a castle in the middle of nowhere?"

Kate chuckled which he took as a positive sign. "The Master is a . . .foreign dignitary, you could say. He doesn't actually command or rule people here. This place is more of an embassy then a palace."

"Wow." Wiccan's brows lifted, "Nice embassy."

Kate gave another chuckle before stealing a bit more whipped cream. The door to the kitchen opened as Wiccan was finishing his pie and Kate quickly thrust her finger into her mouth to dispose of the evidence of her whipped cream snatching.

It was Cassie who came in however and Kate looked relived that it wasn't Eli. However, that relief was short lived.

"Eli is asking to see you in the kitchen." Cassie informed her and Kate rolled her eyes.

"About what?" she asked.

A smile tugged at Cassie's lips, "You know what."

Kate sighed and turned to head into the kitchen.

"What did she do?" Wiccan asked as the door shut and he licked the last bit of chocolate from his fork.

"Wiccan it would take less time to list the things Kate hasn't done in this castle." Cassie giggled, "Though most of it started with her desire to push Eli's buttons."

He joined her laughter as he stood up and they exited the dining hall. Behind them the staff began to clear the table and hustle back into the kitchen.

"Why are you all being so kind to me?" Wiccan asked as he and Cassie walked through the foyer, the clinking in the dining room fading as the others cleaned up the feast.

He knew from living with Speed that his brother would tell him that when people were this nice to you - especially under the circumstances - they wanted something from you. His twin was distrustful like that.

"That was a very brave thing you did for your brother, everyone thinks so." Cassie explained, "And you don't deserve to be locked in one of those awful cells."

"Your master seems to think so." Wiccan muttered.

Cassie sighed, "Dorrek can be. . . impulsive, and led by his anger. But if he really wanted you suffering in the tower then that's where you'd be. But you're not. Please don't be too harsh on him for what he does out of frustration, he just has a temper that's all. When you know him like we do, well, it makes more sense."

Cassie brought him to the bottom of the main staircase before she stopped, "Now get some rest you've had a long day. Straight to bed now."

"Thank you again." Wiccan told her politely.

Cassie smiled, "Goodnight."

She headed back to the kitchen and Wiccan started his way up the stairs. After the first flight he stopped. There was a sudden feeling in his chest, a feeling he knew well. Magic. It called to him, tugged at his core and he turned around to the stairs that branched in the other direction. He'd never felt magic like this and before he knew it he was following the tugging into the opposite part of the castle.

At first it was like an exact replica of the side of the castle he'd become familiar with but then it became darker and the walls became cracked, with stone pieces missing and plaster that had fallen off other parts now lying in crumbled piles of white dust along the floor. The pillars and ceiling were in the same condition and at one point even half the stairway had fallen away onto the floor below. As eerie as it was that tug of magic kept pulling Wiccan further and further into the west wing until he approached a set of huge double doors. They looked like they'd been burnt, like there had been a fire and it had left black scorch marks and grey soot everywhere.

He should have turned back, he knew that much, but something inside him brought his hand to the door and pushed one open as he stepped inside. Within, was the largest most luxurious bedroom he'd ever seen, it made even the suite he had look plain, even in its shambled state.

Lots of the furniture inside was broken or smashed to splinters entirely. One chandelier had dropped from the ceiling and now rested leaning on the wall in an angled swirl, the gold refusing to break though it had bent roughly out of shape.

Wiccan gasped, almost choked at the sensation in his chest as it grew stronger and he felt something radiating to his left. Turning his head he saw a balcony that overlooked the courtyard, on it was a single table with a flower floating under a glass case. Without hesitation he walked over to it completely entranced. He left the dim warm lighting of the candle lit bedroom and stepped out into the blue glow of the moonlight. When he got close enough he could see the flower was a bright red rose and below it were several dead petals. The flower held more power then Wiccan had ever felt before and he raised his hand and let his fingertips glide along the glass. He could feel the magic warm his palm as if -

Something suddenly blocked the moonlight and a shadow fell over him. He didn't notice however until there was a roar, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

A huge figure leapt down to Wiccan's right. He jumped back as Dorrek examined the flower then turned on Wiccan with rage in his blue eyes. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO IT?"

"Nothing -" Wiccan tried to explain as he backpedaled.

"DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE?" Dorrek shouted turning back to the flower in concern and fear.

"I -"

"GET OUT!" Dorrek yelled turning back to Wiccan and swiping at him to keep him back from the flower. But Wiccan felt adrenaline rush through his body at the almost strike as he leapt away dodging the sharp claws. His eyes were wide and he knew without his powers to deflect the blow claws like Dorrek's could tear through him like a knife through butter. His fight or flight instincts kicked in and he backed away as fast as he could before turning around and bolting through the ruined bedroom and out the door.

Dorrek approached the rose and examined it looking for any sign that it was in danger as he ran a hand through his blonde hair. He had no idea if anything could harm the rose, but he wasn't about to risk anything happening to it. Would a single touch make a petal fall? Or make the flower collapse and die like so many of its petals already had? Thus erasing any time he had left? He didn't want to find out.

He turned back and looked at the door Wiccan had fled through. He sighed. He didn't mean to roar at the young man but the rose was just too important and. . . and he'd been scared. He'd been terrified the mage might have done something. He sighed again and rested his head in one hand.