CHAPTER SIX
Phoebe blinked, then realized what was going on. She remembered everything Cole had told her and, while Lawrence was still looking the other way, kicked him in the stomach and scrambled to her feet.
Lawrence dropped the dagger and doubled over in pain.
"I know your plan!" Phoebe said.
"That's nice." Lawrence said, picked up the dagger, then stood up straight. "But it really is time for you to die now."
"No! As Princess, I place you under arrest and order you to drop that weapon!"
"You really thought that was going to work?" Lawrence asked and grabbed Phoebe by the wrist. He had an iron grip.
Lawrence then felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Andy, but then he didn't see much else. Andy punched him in the face and he went sailing to the ground.
"That is for putting me to sleep." Andy said, then picked Lawrence up by his shirt. "And what you're going to get for all of this kidnapping business is going to be much worse."
"Really?" Lawrence said and smiled wickedly, then he stabbed Andy in the shoulder. Andy screamed and let go of Lawrence.
Lawrence wasted no time and ran to his horse.
"Farewell!" Lawrence yelled, then rode off in the direction that he came. The scene that Andy and Phoebe saw next was one that they felt was almost poetic.
Prue and Piper raced by on their horses, then followed a few seconds later by a screaming mob, then followed by that was the army on horseback. Lawrence had no chance.
* * *
Cole stared up at the sky and realized it was all over. His vision was severely blurred and he felt very, very dizzy. Then he heard voices in the distance. Actually, they weren't distant. Cole's senses were just impaired from his blood loss.
"Over here." He heard a man say, then he heard horses trotting over to him.
"Oh my." He heard a woman say. "My, my, my."
"Will you be able to help him?" Another man asked.
"I don't know." The woman answered. "Look at all this blood. I just don't know."
"Hey!" A new voice called.
The three that were around Cole turned and saw Leo running toward them.
"Listen, you three go up the road and help the angry mob with the Count." Leo said. "I'll take care of him."
"An angry mob doesn't need much help." One of the men said.
"Then just go and join in the celebration." Leo said.
"You're sure you can handle it?" The woman asked.
"Absolutely." Leo said.
The three agreed, then Cole heard them walk away. He groaned and tried to look toward Leo, but it was impossible.
Leo kneeled down next to Cole and put his hands over his wound.
"I know who you are." Leo said. Cole just grunted in pain. "I'm only going to heal you because I believe it could be, somehow, possible that you are meant for Phoebe."
Leo healed Cole, well, half of him anyway.
* * *
Prue, Piper, the angry mob, and the army made it back to the castle by the afternoon and all were considerably cheery. Phoebe was safe and Lawrence was captured.
Lawrence sounded another 'Ow!' from behind the crowd. He had been laid on a mat that was tied to Prue's horse and was slowly dragged along. He knew if he moved an inch, the angry mob would tear him to shreds, so he stayed on the mat and endured the bumpy ride.
Once at the castle, Prue, Piper, and Phoebe dismounted from their horses and faced the huge crowd.
"Tonight, there shall be a banquet for you all!" Prue announced, then over the cheers, she and her sisters went inside.
Andy stood over Lawrence, holding his shoulder wound, and smiled.
"The men want to play 'pin the tail on the traitor.'" He said. "Have fun."
With that, Andy went inside and the mob and army surrounded Lawrence.
* * *
Cole sat up and thanked Leo for the fourth time.
"So, you know about me?" Cole asked.
"Yes." Leo said. "I know what you are."
"To be fair," Cole said and stood up. "I'm only half."
"I know that." Leo said. "And you seem to be different."
"I never wanted any of it." Cole said. "My mother trained me since I was a child. I had no choice and when she was killed, I knew how to do nothing else. But, today something inside me changed."
"Love, perhaps?"
"I don't know." Cole said as he and Leo began walking away from the forest. "I've never loved before."
"If you're so confused, then it probably is."
* * *
Andy winced as Prue cleaned his wound. Phoebe was now telling them the whole story and they were very involved. Andy was only wincing because Prue wasn't paying a lot of attention.
"Ow!"
"Ssssh!" Piper hushed.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
"Be quiet, you big baby." Prue said and put the washcloth down, then she picked up some bandages and began to dress his wound.
"If you had a big hole in you and someone was scrubbing at it, you'd be owing too." Andy told her.
"Phoebe, finish the story." Piper said.
"Okay," Phoebe said. "Then I woke up and there he was, standing over me. I was ready to panic, but I realized that he didn't know I was awake, so I kicked him and got up. Well, he grabbed my wrist and was about to do me in when Andy came and punched him. Somehow, Andy got stabbed, but then Lawrence got it good and ran off. Next thing Andy and I saw was you two racing after him with an angry mob and the army in tow."
"All the exciting stuff always happens to you." Piper said.
"Ow! Too tight! Too tight!"
"Lord, for someone who's gotten sliced before, you sure are sensitive." Prue said to Andy and loosened his bandages.
"I'm only sensitive because it's happened before."
* * *
Cole and Leo walked along the road. They hoped to get to the castle soon, but they didn't have horses so they didn't expect to get there soon.
"So, you think I'm in love?" Cole asked.
"Well, it seems like it." Leo said.
"Do you think Phoebe thinks I'm dead?" Cole asked.
"I have no idea." Leo said. "Probably."
"Look, since we both know what both of us are, do you think it'd be okay if we got there...a little quicker?"
"I don't see why not." Leo said and orbed out.
Cole shimmered out after him.
* * *
Phoebe had left her sisters and Andy about half an hour ago and was just moping in her room. She was lying on her bed, on her stomach, just thinking about nothing. Cole drifted through her mind once and while, but she found his death too painful and quickly moved on.
There was a light knock at the door, then Prue entered the room.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
"Pretty horrible." Phoebe said.
Prue walked over to Phoebe's closet and took out the dress that would have been her wedding dress, then she laid it on the bed next to Phoebe.
"Why don't you put this on."
"Prue, why?" Phoebe asked and sat up. Prue began to look angry.
"Phoebe, just put the dress on and meet Piper, Leo, Andy, and I downstairs as soon as you get cleaned up and dressed! And that's an order!" Prue said then stormed from the room.
Phoebe picked the dress up, then buried her head in it and began to sob.
* * *
Prue walked into the room where everyone was waiting and they all looked at her, hoping for her to tell them something.
"I had to be a little harsh, but she's coming." Prue told them then got in her place.
"Are you sure she's going to come?" Piper asked.
"She may be sniffling when she does, but that'll disappear once she sees what's going on." Prue said.
"I've got to say, you two really come up with some crazy ideas." Andy said.
"I just hope it works." Leo said.
"It's going to work." Prue said. "It's so crazy, it has to."
* * *
Phoebe looked at herself in the mirror, then wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. She wasn't sure what they all had planned, but she was positive that it couldn't be good. Not good at all.
She sighed then left her room. She was positive something horrible was waiting for her. Maybe they were going to force her to marry someone just because she had to; maybe they didn't care about soulmates anymore.
Phoebe opened the door to the room where she knew she was expected to be and was instantly stunned. She blinked back tears, but not because of sorrow, these were tears of joy. For, before her own eyes was Cole, alive and well.
And what really shocked her was that the scene happened to be her own wedding.
Phoebe blinked, then realized what was going on. She remembered everything Cole had told her and, while Lawrence was still looking the other way, kicked him in the stomach and scrambled to her feet.
Lawrence dropped the dagger and doubled over in pain.
"I know your plan!" Phoebe said.
"That's nice." Lawrence said, picked up the dagger, then stood up straight. "But it really is time for you to die now."
"No! As Princess, I place you under arrest and order you to drop that weapon!"
"You really thought that was going to work?" Lawrence asked and grabbed Phoebe by the wrist. He had an iron grip.
Lawrence then felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Andy, but then he didn't see much else. Andy punched him in the face and he went sailing to the ground.
"That is for putting me to sleep." Andy said, then picked Lawrence up by his shirt. "And what you're going to get for all of this kidnapping business is going to be much worse."
"Really?" Lawrence said and smiled wickedly, then he stabbed Andy in the shoulder. Andy screamed and let go of Lawrence.
Lawrence wasted no time and ran to his horse.
"Farewell!" Lawrence yelled, then rode off in the direction that he came. The scene that Andy and Phoebe saw next was one that they felt was almost poetic.
Prue and Piper raced by on their horses, then followed a few seconds later by a screaming mob, then followed by that was the army on horseback. Lawrence had no chance.
* * *
Cole stared up at the sky and realized it was all over. His vision was severely blurred and he felt very, very dizzy. Then he heard voices in the distance. Actually, they weren't distant. Cole's senses were just impaired from his blood loss.
"Over here." He heard a man say, then he heard horses trotting over to him.
"Oh my." He heard a woman say. "My, my, my."
"Will you be able to help him?" Another man asked.
"I don't know." The woman answered. "Look at all this blood. I just don't know."
"Hey!" A new voice called.
The three that were around Cole turned and saw Leo running toward them.
"Listen, you three go up the road and help the angry mob with the Count." Leo said. "I'll take care of him."
"An angry mob doesn't need much help." One of the men said.
"Then just go and join in the celebration." Leo said.
"You're sure you can handle it?" The woman asked.
"Absolutely." Leo said.
The three agreed, then Cole heard them walk away. He groaned and tried to look toward Leo, but it was impossible.
Leo kneeled down next to Cole and put his hands over his wound.
"I know who you are." Leo said. Cole just grunted in pain. "I'm only going to heal you because I believe it could be, somehow, possible that you are meant for Phoebe."
Leo healed Cole, well, half of him anyway.
* * *
Prue, Piper, the angry mob, and the army made it back to the castle by the afternoon and all were considerably cheery. Phoebe was safe and Lawrence was captured.
Lawrence sounded another 'Ow!' from behind the crowd. He had been laid on a mat that was tied to Prue's horse and was slowly dragged along. He knew if he moved an inch, the angry mob would tear him to shreds, so he stayed on the mat and endured the bumpy ride.
Once at the castle, Prue, Piper, and Phoebe dismounted from their horses and faced the huge crowd.
"Tonight, there shall be a banquet for you all!" Prue announced, then over the cheers, she and her sisters went inside.
Andy stood over Lawrence, holding his shoulder wound, and smiled.
"The men want to play 'pin the tail on the traitor.'" He said. "Have fun."
With that, Andy went inside and the mob and army surrounded Lawrence.
* * *
Cole sat up and thanked Leo for the fourth time.
"So, you know about me?" Cole asked.
"Yes." Leo said. "I know what you are."
"To be fair," Cole said and stood up. "I'm only half."
"I know that." Leo said. "And you seem to be different."
"I never wanted any of it." Cole said. "My mother trained me since I was a child. I had no choice and when she was killed, I knew how to do nothing else. But, today something inside me changed."
"Love, perhaps?"
"I don't know." Cole said as he and Leo began walking away from the forest. "I've never loved before."
"If you're so confused, then it probably is."
* * *
Andy winced as Prue cleaned his wound. Phoebe was now telling them the whole story and they were very involved. Andy was only wincing because Prue wasn't paying a lot of attention.
"Ow!"
"Ssssh!" Piper hushed.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
"Be quiet, you big baby." Prue said and put the washcloth down, then she picked up some bandages and began to dress his wound.
"If you had a big hole in you and someone was scrubbing at it, you'd be owing too." Andy told her.
"Phoebe, finish the story." Piper said.
"Okay," Phoebe said. "Then I woke up and there he was, standing over me. I was ready to panic, but I realized that he didn't know I was awake, so I kicked him and got up. Well, he grabbed my wrist and was about to do me in when Andy came and punched him. Somehow, Andy got stabbed, but then Lawrence got it good and ran off. Next thing Andy and I saw was you two racing after him with an angry mob and the army in tow."
"All the exciting stuff always happens to you." Piper said.
"Ow! Too tight! Too tight!"
"Lord, for someone who's gotten sliced before, you sure are sensitive." Prue said to Andy and loosened his bandages.
"I'm only sensitive because it's happened before."
* * *
Cole and Leo walked along the road. They hoped to get to the castle soon, but they didn't have horses so they didn't expect to get there soon.
"So, you think I'm in love?" Cole asked.
"Well, it seems like it." Leo said.
"Do you think Phoebe thinks I'm dead?" Cole asked.
"I have no idea." Leo said. "Probably."
"Look, since we both know what both of us are, do you think it'd be okay if we got there...a little quicker?"
"I don't see why not." Leo said and orbed out.
Cole shimmered out after him.
* * *
Phoebe had left her sisters and Andy about half an hour ago and was just moping in her room. She was lying on her bed, on her stomach, just thinking about nothing. Cole drifted through her mind once and while, but she found his death too painful and quickly moved on.
There was a light knock at the door, then Prue entered the room.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
"Pretty horrible." Phoebe said.
Prue walked over to Phoebe's closet and took out the dress that would have been her wedding dress, then she laid it on the bed next to Phoebe.
"Why don't you put this on."
"Prue, why?" Phoebe asked and sat up. Prue began to look angry.
"Phoebe, just put the dress on and meet Piper, Leo, Andy, and I downstairs as soon as you get cleaned up and dressed! And that's an order!" Prue said then stormed from the room.
Phoebe picked the dress up, then buried her head in it and began to sob.
* * *
Prue walked into the room where everyone was waiting and they all looked at her, hoping for her to tell them something.
"I had to be a little harsh, but she's coming." Prue told them then got in her place.
"Are you sure she's going to come?" Piper asked.
"She may be sniffling when she does, but that'll disappear once she sees what's going on." Prue said.
"I've got to say, you two really come up with some crazy ideas." Andy said.
"I just hope it works." Leo said.
"It's going to work." Prue said. "It's so crazy, it has to."
* * *
Phoebe looked at herself in the mirror, then wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. She wasn't sure what they all had planned, but she was positive that it couldn't be good. Not good at all.
She sighed then left her room. She was positive something horrible was waiting for her. Maybe they were going to force her to marry someone just because she had to; maybe they didn't care about soulmates anymore.
Phoebe opened the door to the room where she knew she was expected to be and was instantly stunned. She blinked back tears, but not because of sorrow, these were tears of joy. For, before her own eyes was Cole, alive and well.
And what really shocked her was that the scene happened to be her own wedding.