Chapter 16

Tony struggled against Burly and Bluebell as they drug him from the castle into the Beanstalk Forest. He tried to yell at them but was still gagged. Tony kicked Burly, Burly clubbed Tony on the forehead and knocked him unconscious. Burly and Bluebell only went a few yards into the forest. Burly wanted to get back to the castle, to Reilly. Bluebell tied Tony to a large beanstalk and they hurried back to the castle, it was just beginning to get dark when they arrived.

Chapter 17

Channon and the two soldiers had ridden for hours. They arrived in Beantown as it began to get dark. They stopped at a small abandon farm. They put their horses in the barn and went into the house. Curiously Channon noticed that something smelled vaguely familiar. They walked into the house, it had been ransacked and the front door had been ripped off its hinges. Channon thought he smelled Reilly when they entered. He shook his head, the moon was causing his blood to boil again, and the smell of Reilly only increased his aggravation. Channon went upstairs, he told the soldiers to stay downstairs in the living room by the fire, he did not want to be disturbed unless it was an emergency. He went into the first room he found. There were men's and women's clothing spread all over the floor covered by some portraits. The people in the portraits looked slightly familiar. Channon rummaged through them until he found a portrait of Reilly. He realized then he was in her family's home. He searched the other rooms until he came to a smaller room at the end. It was on the sunny side of the home and had a huge window. Channon knew before he took a sniff that it was Reilly's room. The furniture was all broken, the curtains had been ripped down, and her clothing had been strewn all over the room and destroyed. He checked in the closet. The clothes were all ripped and the items on the shelf had been damaged by small animals. Just as he was leaving the closet he saw a metal box in the corner. He pulled it out in the main room. It was locked, he pried the lid off. Inside was a small velvet pouch, he opened it and pulled out a wide gold band, big enough to fit a man. Inside it was inscribed 'My love always goes with you, Reilly.' Channon realized it was Thelen's wedding band that Reilly would have given him. He put the ring back in the pouch and put it the breast pocket of his vest. He hoped someday Reilly would feel that way about him. Underneath the ring pouch was a knife. It had 'Thelen Roberts' inscribed on the scabbard. Channon put the knife in his pocket. He looked for anything he could take to give her when he found her, but everything that was not destroyed by Trolls had been damaged by weather and small animals that had been inhabiting the home since the family had been gone. He pushed what was left of the dresser in front of the door and pulled the mattress under the window so he could see the moon. He pulled the piece of gown out of his pocket. It smelled as much like him as it did Reilly now, but he took a deep sniff before placing it back in his pocket. He fell asleep dreaming of Reilly.

Chapter 18

Reilly fell into a fitful sleep. She had a nightmare that Tony was eaten by a giant and she was mother to Burly's ugly little troll children. Something pulled on her chains. She woke up, Burly was in the room with a small lantern. Reilly sat up, and tried to scream. Burly clamped his hand over her mouth.

"Suck an elf." He pulled his knife. "Don't make any more noise understand Princess." He sneered.

Reilly shook her head, Burly released her mouth. She tried to scoot away from him, he pulled her chains. He tried to kiss her but she turned her face away. She put her arms up to block him, just as he was going to pull her arms down and try again, Boar walked in. He cuffed Burly upside the head, knocking him to the side.

"Get out now and I will let you live but I do not want to see you up here again, until I have Wendell." He yelled. "This was your last chance. Get out of my sight."

Burly knew better than to say anything, he scurried from the room. Reilly put her arms down. Boar grabbed her chain and pulled her to her feet.

"Now you will tell me where Wendell is, why was he not in the carriage with you." He pulled her closer, "you have one night to comply or I will do to you what Burly was trying and then I will give you to him." With that he threw her to the ground and stormed out of the room.

Reilly began to shake, she didn't know what to do. She tried to sleep again but was afraid, she cried out in despair. "Channon, where are you?" She yelled at the window. She prayed that he could hear her by some magical force. She began to sob uncontrollably.