An: Ok! I finally figured out where I want my second chapter to go!!
Yay! And it will not be anywhere near as long as the first chapter (sorry).
After spending over five hours discussing what was wrong with Stefan, Liews and Pesu finally came to the conclusion he was insane. They didn't quite know yet what they were going to do about it, but at least now they knew what was wrong.
"But what did he mean by I'm the cause of his pain? That's the one part that still bothers me." Pesu said, setting down her glass of water on Liews' finely scrubbed table.
"Who knows? He could have been thinking a number of things lass, assuming he was thinking at all." He said setting down his class of warm tea. "We have to keep him contained. He can't go out or he'll get caught." He said with a sigh. Pesu looked at him from across the table.
"It's awfully quiet up there."she said looking up at the ceiling. Liews, too, looked up.
"Do you suppose we should check on him?" He asked, twitching his nose. But Pesu was already on her way up the staircase. Just as she reached the top she heard a terrible noise, somewhat a mix between a man screaming and a dog barking. Then she heard a terrible voice, like icy nails going down a blackboard.
"You have failed me, I gave you the gift you so much desired and now.I'll rip it from you bit.by bit." It drawled. Pesu stopped dead in her tracks. And as though a great wind was inside the house, her skirt started fluttering, her hair started coming undone beneath her bonnet, as a draft was calling her inside. She reached out to the door handle. It shook violently, and Pesu listened breathlessly as the icy voice spoke, sounding slightly pleased.
"Ah, my second guest has arrived. Maybe I'll shall spare your life, you mangy beast. You do have some good you can do for me." And a large boom sounded in the room. Pesu started to back away as Liews approached her. He grabbed her shoulders as Pesu let out a scream. He covered her mouth.
"Shhhh.he knows you're here." He whispered in her ear. The door handle continued to rattle until it finally shook open. Tears swelled in Pesu's eyes as she saw what was on the other side of the door. Stefan was tied to a chair, hanging in loosely in the rope that was binding him. He had a black eye and he was bleeding all over, and clearly visible through the back of the chair, was a gray tail. Pesu ran in and started untying Stefan while Liews started slapping his faces gently, trying to get him to regain conciseness. Once Pesu had successfully untied him he fell straight into Liews' arms.
"Looks bad lass." He said leaning over to investigate the tail. "I think he might be a werewolf." He said. Pesu leaned over, looking at the gray bush with a mixture of confusion and worry. Then she looked out the starry window.
"It's not a full moon." She said noticing the crescent moon hanging in the sky. Stefan made a barely audible gasp and Pesu spun around to see what was wrong. Liews was trying to force him into a standing position. He was hanging strongly on Liews and was trying to say something.
"Pesu, run downstairs and you'll see a large green cabinet, inside are some herbal shells. Bring as many as you can up." Liews shouted. Pesu wasted no time in running downstairs. As she reached the bottom she could see just to her left the green cabinet. She opened it and found a jar of herbal shells. She grabbed them and was about to run back up the stairs when a voice stopped her in her tracks.
"You go help the beast. It's just what he wants. Why spend your time here? Doing absolutely nothing, making no difference. Why not come with me? Come to me my little pet, I can tell you who you are." The voice called. A large shadow appeared to her right. It loomed over her while she was rooted to the spot. It outstretched a hand and pulled a strand of red hair from Pesu's face.
"I can tell you the one thing you've been wondering all your life, I can tell you who you are." It whispered in her ear. Pesu dropped the jar with a crash.
"Yes, that appeals to you. You want to know who you are, so when you look in the mirror you don't see a stranger. So you don't see a small girl with no past and no future." It spat. Pesu shivered.
"I'm right aren't I? Just one little word that's all you have to say. Am I right?" It teased. Pesu closed out the tears that were flooding her eyes. This was worse than when she was whipped, this was the highest torture.
"Pesu don't answer!" Liews shouted from the stairs, obviously worried when he heard the jar break. The shadow disappeared with out a trace. Liews ran down the stairs and hugged the now petrified Pesu.
"Yes." she said covering her face with her hands. Liews looked confused but said nothing; he simply picked up the herbal shells. After picking them all up he ran upstairs to heal Stefan, but Pesu just collapsed to the floor, unable to move. Finally, she regained the strength to go upstairs.
When she opened the door to the bedroom she noticed that Stefan looked remarkably better. He was lying on the bed, Liews next to him applying the shells. He still had the black eye, but he wasn't bleeding anymore and except for a gash on his shoulder he didn't' have any visible scars. But all Pesu could think of was what Stefan had said earlier, and looking down at him, she noticed he was right.
"I am the cause of his pain. That creature that attacked him, it was after me." Liews shook his head and motioned for Pesu to have a seat next to him. Pesu obeyed.
"Lass, that creature was not just some evil thing come to get you. You remember my telling yaw about the good wizard and the bad wizard?" Pesu nodded. "I believe that shadow that haunts you is that evil wizard. Have you not wondered why everyone at the castle made such a fuss about that unique scar you carry? That was a sort of.trademark. Each wizard has a special sign and that sign can be inflicted on others."
"So this is the sign of the bad wizard?" Pesu interrupted. But Liews again shook his head no.
"That is the sign of the good wizard. I don't know yet why you have it but the fact that you carry it is a sign that you are someone of great importance. In fact." here he paused. He sighed, showing just the slightest sign of stress. He had great bags under his eyes and his hands were worn.
"In fact, I believe you are the lost Princess Loriana. I think somehow you are her." he said. "You carried the old symbol, only royalty were allowed those. You are the right age, you do not know your parents.it all fits." Pesu just sat there, completely ensnared by what Liews was telling her. She couldn't think, she couldn't move, she just sat there, staring at the Genie. He took her hand in a fatherly way.
"And because so, I think we should go to the King." But this Pesu understood and she jumped up in alarm.
"No! No! Don't make me go back to him. He is and evil man!" she screamed. Liews looked up at her.
"He wasn't always evil. He used to be a kind hearted man, his wife too. But once the Princess died they're hearts turned to ice. It is believed by some that they were taken over by the evil wizard." At this he chuckled. "They weren't always wizards, they used to be Sorcerers. But they quarreled so much they were demoted. The old building that used to be the good wizards lab still has his Sorcerer title on its side. Professor Edward Sorcerer Unlimited." Again Liews laughed. "He did used to hold the highest power a Sorcerer could get, until they started bickering. The council didn't see it fit that such an immature man should hold the unlimited title, so it was taken from him when he was demoted." Pesu sat down again just as the first light of day was casting its glow across the bedroom. The effect the rays had on all the bottles was quite amazing. The whole room would turn green, then orange, then red, depending on what section of colors it hit. Though some of the bottles were broken from Stefan's fight, it was breathtaking.
Pesu was brought back to reality when Stefan started to move. He opened his eyes groggily and stretched.
"What the hell did I do last night?" He asked with a yawn. Pesu and Liews gawked at him. Once he had fully opened his eyes he jumped back, swearing.
"Dammit! Don't you know better than to.lean over a man while he's sleeping? Nearly gave me a 'eart attack!" he screamed. Liews grabbed his shirt and pulled him up.
"We were wondering just how much of a man you really are." He said. Stefan looked down, Liews slapped him.
"The tail man! The tail!" then Stefan turned around, trying to get a good look at his fluffy tail. Then he turned around, a red tinge in his ears.
"The tail.right. Well to make a long story short I'm a wolf." He said stretching and walking to the door as though it were completely normal for him to be a wolf. Pesu closely followed him and Liews her. Stefan slid down the stairs and sat down at the table where Pesu and Liews' drinks still sat unfinished. Pesu took a seat to his right, Liews to his left. His eyes darted between the two of them, clearly confused. He picked up Liews' cup of tea and sniffed it, then made a face and sat it back down. He looked at Pesu who eyed him and then at Liews who twitched his nose.
"Alright so I'm a wolf! Big deal!" He snapped after a while.
"Well, you clearly aren't a werewolf, yesterday wasn't a full moon." Pesu began reasonably. Stefan rolled his eyes.
"Did I say werewolf?"
"Aei! The lass is just trying to sort things out. If you're a wolf how are also a human, and if you aren't a werewolf." Stefan sighed.
"While I was a wolf the one thing I wanted to be was a human. I roamed the forests looking for someone with the power to make me human. I found that person and now I wish more than anything I hadn't." he sighed again.
"Well, who'd ya find?" he asked. Stefan glared at him.
"The dark one. The same shadow that haunts her haunts me. That is why I cannot stand to be confined; my wolfish instincts are just too strong. He came to me with a proposal; he would turn me human if I swore to always be his servant. Of course I accepted and now he unleashes his anger on me at not being able to capture the girl." Liews now looked worried.
"So you work for him? I cannot have you in this house if you are going to bring harm to this girl." He said. Stefan laughed.
"I work for no one." He said standing up. He went to the coat rack and grabbed his jacket. "Aye, I need a pint." He said opening the door.
"Wait! You tail." Pesu laughed as Stefan rolled his eyes and stuffed his tail down his pants. Liews looked at Pesu.
"Well we best get ya dressed. You'll want to wear something a little more, formal." He said. Pesu sighed. She really didn't want to go see the king. As far as she was concerned he was a cruel man who deserved no love.
Liews chose a pale pink dress with lots of frills. He had to force Pesu into it. "You don't seriously expect me to wear that do you?" she said backing away from Liews who was holding the dress.
"You wore dresses like this when you went to the school." He said plaintively. Pesu rolled her eyes.
"Well yeah but not pink." She said. "Come on! How about that green one?" she said pointing to the forest green dress that was still on the rack.
"This will bring out the nice red in your hair." He said as Pesu reluctantly took the dress to the closet to change, all the while complaining about how it was pink. Liews smiled. When she finally changed into it she looked like a real Princess. The dress framed her delicate body and showed everyone of her many curves. It was just the right shade of pink to make her flaming red hair look even brighter. It had frills at the waist and at the bottom. Pesu sighed as she spun around for Liews to see. He grabbed her hand and sat her down at a chair and started putting up her hair. He left to chunks to frame her face and lay against the dress, but the rest he out in a tight bun. He gave her white gloves to wear and dainty pink heels. When he was finally satisfied he took her hand and walked her over to a mirror, wiping a single tear away. As Pesu stood in font of the mirror, all dressed up, she almost cried. This girl in front of her was even more alien to her than the ordinary Pesu.
It was with a heavy heart that she walked up the steps of the castle. Liews kept going on and on about how she should look forward to being the Princess. But the only thing Pesu wanted was to be in Max's arms, safe and sound. As they approached the door a guard stopped them. Pesu recognized him as Michael. Liews whispered something in his ear and Michael let them pass. They entered the great hall which was decorated with dark green velvet. The man with the little yellow hat came up and greeted them with his squeaky voice.
"The King and Queen are expecting you." He said bowing. Liews returned the bow and they followed him into a room laden with red velvet and two highly adorned chairs where the Kind and Queen sat. She was wearing a simple blue dress that just barely out did the one Pesu had been wearing earlier. He was wearing a tunic of the same deep red as the curtains in the room. Pesu curtsied and Liews bowed. The King acknowledged them with a nod of his head. He snapped and the little man with the yellow hat came up carrying something. The King took this and Pesu saw at once what it was.
"My necklace!" She said surprised. The King looked at her, bemused.
"My dear lady, I happen to know this belongs to an ex-prisoner. Is that you?" Pesu nodded her head. The King smiled.
"I also happen to know there is only one in the world and that belonged to my daughter. I have spoken with Witch Evergalde and she says you were found with it. She also gave me this." He snapped his fingers again and the little man brought forth a blanket which the King took.
"She says you were wrapped in this, and she assumed it was your name. come and get it child." And Pesu walked up to the King and took the dirty blanket. Marked clearly on the side was P.E.S.U. the king looked down at her.
"Do you know what it stands for?" he asked. Pesu was remembering what Liews had told her.
"It must stand for Professor Edward Sorcerer Unlimited." She said slowly. The King nodded his head.
"Very good. As you know from your visits to the school, that that was the last place my daughter was known to be." He looked down at Pesu.
"Welcome home, Loriana."
After spending over five hours discussing what was wrong with Stefan, Liews and Pesu finally came to the conclusion he was insane. They didn't quite know yet what they were going to do about it, but at least now they knew what was wrong.
"But what did he mean by I'm the cause of his pain? That's the one part that still bothers me." Pesu said, setting down her glass of water on Liews' finely scrubbed table.
"Who knows? He could have been thinking a number of things lass, assuming he was thinking at all." He said setting down his class of warm tea. "We have to keep him contained. He can't go out or he'll get caught." He said with a sigh. Pesu looked at him from across the table.
"It's awfully quiet up there."she said looking up at the ceiling. Liews, too, looked up.
"Do you suppose we should check on him?" He asked, twitching his nose. But Pesu was already on her way up the staircase. Just as she reached the top she heard a terrible noise, somewhat a mix between a man screaming and a dog barking. Then she heard a terrible voice, like icy nails going down a blackboard.
"You have failed me, I gave you the gift you so much desired and now.I'll rip it from you bit.by bit." It drawled. Pesu stopped dead in her tracks. And as though a great wind was inside the house, her skirt started fluttering, her hair started coming undone beneath her bonnet, as a draft was calling her inside. She reached out to the door handle. It shook violently, and Pesu listened breathlessly as the icy voice spoke, sounding slightly pleased.
"Ah, my second guest has arrived. Maybe I'll shall spare your life, you mangy beast. You do have some good you can do for me." And a large boom sounded in the room. Pesu started to back away as Liews approached her. He grabbed her shoulders as Pesu let out a scream. He covered her mouth.
"Shhhh.he knows you're here." He whispered in her ear. The door handle continued to rattle until it finally shook open. Tears swelled in Pesu's eyes as she saw what was on the other side of the door. Stefan was tied to a chair, hanging in loosely in the rope that was binding him. He had a black eye and he was bleeding all over, and clearly visible through the back of the chair, was a gray tail. Pesu ran in and started untying Stefan while Liews started slapping his faces gently, trying to get him to regain conciseness. Once Pesu had successfully untied him he fell straight into Liews' arms.
"Looks bad lass." He said leaning over to investigate the tail. "I think he might be a werewolf." He said. Pesu leaned over, looking at the gray bush with a mixture of confusion and worry. Then she looked out the starry window.
"It's not a full moon." She said noticing the crescent moon hanging in the sky. Stefan made a barely audible gasp and Pesu spun around to see what was wrong. Liews was trying to force him into a standing position. He was hanging strongly on Liews and was trying to say something.
"Pesu, run downstairs and you'll see a large green cabinet, inside are some herbal shells. Bring as many as you can up." Liews shouted. Pesu wasted no time in running downstairs. As she reached the bottom she could see just to her left the green cabinet. She opened it and found a jar of herbal shells. She grabbed them and was about to run back up the stairs when a voice stopped her in her tracks.
"You go help the beast. It's just what he wants. Why spend your time here? Doing absolutely nothing, making no difference. Why not come with me? Come to me my little pet, I can tell you who you are." The voice called. A large shadow appeared to her right. It loomed over her while she was rooted to the spot. It outstretched a hand and pulled a strand of red hair from Pesu's face.
"I can tell you the one thing you've been wondering all your life, I can tell you who you are." It whispered in her ear. Pesu dropped the jar with a crash.
"Yes, that appeals to you. You want to know who you are, so when you look in the mirror you don't see a stranger. So you don't see a small girl with no past and no future." It spat. Pesu shivered.
"I'm right aren't I? Just one little word that's all you have to say. Am I right?" It teased. Pesu closed out the tears that were flooding her eyes. This was worse than when she was whipped, this was the highest torture.
"Pesu don't answer!" Liews shouted from the stairs, obviously worried when he heard the jar break. The shadow disappeared with out a trace. Liews ran down the stairs and hugged the now petrified Pesu.
"Yes." she said covering her face with her hands. Liews looked confused but said nothing; he simply picked up the herbal shells. After picking them all up he ran upstairs to heal Stefan, but Pesu just collapsed to the floor, unable to move. Finally, she regained the strength to go upstairs.
When she opened the door to the bedroom she noticed that Stefan looked remarkably better. He was lying on the bed, Liews next to him applying the shells. He still had the black eye, but he wasn't bleeding anymore and except for a gash on his shoulder he didn't' have any visible scars. But all Pesu could think of was what Stefan had said earlier, and looking down at him, she noticed he was right.
"I am the cause of his pain. That creature that attacked him, it was after me." Liews shook his head and motioned for Pesu to have a seat next to him. Pesu obeyed.
"Lass, that creature was not just some evil thing come to get you. You remember my telling yaw about the good wizard and the bad wizard?" Pesu nodded. "I believe that shadow that haunts you is that evil wizard. Have you not wondered why everyone at the castle made such a fuss about that unique scar you carry? That was a sort of.trademark. Each wizard has a special sign and that sign can be inflicted on others."
"So this is the sign of the bad wizard?" Pesu interrupted. But Liews again shook his head no.
"That is the sign of the good wizard. I don't know yet why you have it but the fact that you carry it is a sign that you are someone of great importance. In fact." here he paused. He sighed, showing just the slightest sign of stress. He had great bags under his eyes and his hands were worn.
"In fact, I believe you are the lost Princess Loriana. I think somehow you are her." he said. "You carried the old symbol, only royalty were allowed those. You are the right age, you do not know your parents.it all fits." Pesu just sat there, completely ensnared by what Liews was telling her. She couldn't think, she couldn't move, she just sat there, staring at the Genie. He took her hand in a fatherly way.
"And because so, I think we should go to the King." But this Pesu understood and she jumped up in alarm.
"No! No! Don't make me go back to him. He is and evil man!" she screamed. Liews looked up at her.
"He wasn't always evil. He used to be a kind hearted man, his wife too. But once the Princess died they're hearts turned to ice. It is believed by some that they were taken over by the evil wizard." At this he chuckled. "They weren't always wizards, they used to be Sorcerers. But they quarreled so much they were demoted. The old building that used to be the good wizards lab still has his Sorcerer title on its side. Professor Edward Sorcerer Unlimited." Again Liews laughed. "He did used to hold the highest power a Sorcerer could get, until they started bickering. The council didn't see it fit that such an immature man should hold the unlimited title, so it was taken from him when he was demoted." Pesu sat down again just as the first light of day was casting its glow across the bedroom. The effect the rays had on all the bottles was quite amazing. The whole room would turn green, then orange, then red, depending on what section of colors it hit. Though some of the bottles were broken from Stefan's fight, it was breathtaking.
Pesu was brought back to reality when Stefan started to move. He opened his eyes groggily and stretched.
"What the hell did I do last night?" He asked with a yawn. Pesu and Liews gawked at him. Once he had fully opened his eyes he jumped back, swearing.
"Dammit! Don't you know better than to.lean over a man while he's sleeping? Nearly gave me a 'eart attack!" he screamed. Liews grabbed his shirt and pulled him up.
"We were wondering just how much of a man you really are." He said. Stefan looked down, Liews slapped him.
"The tail man! The tail!" then Stefan turned around, trying to get a good look at his fluffy tail. Then he turned around, a red tinge in his ears.
"The tail.right. Well to make a long story short I'm a wolf." He said stretching and walking to the door as though it were completely normal for him to be a wolf. Pesu closely followed him and Liews her. Stefan slid down the stairs and sat down at the table where Pesu and Liews' drinks still sat unfinished. Pesu took a seat to his right, Liews to his left. His eyes darted between the two of them, clearly confused. He picked up Liews' cup of tea and sniffed it, then made a face and sat it back down. He looked at Pesu who eyed him and then at Liews who twitched his nose.
"Alright so I'm a wolf! Big deal!" He snapped after a while.
"Well, you clearly aren't a werewolf, yesterday wasn't a full moon." Pesu began reasonably. Stefan rolled his eyes.
"Did I say werewolf?"
"Aei! The lass is just trying to sort things out. If you're a wolf how are also a human, and if you aren't a werewolf." Stefan sighed.
"While I was a wolf the one thing I wanted to be was a human. I roamed the forests looking for someone with the power to make me human. I found that person and now I wish more than anything I hadn't." he sighed again.
"Well, who'd ya find?" he asked. Stefan glared at him.
"The dark one. The same shadow that haunts her haunts me. That is why I cannot stand to be confined; my wolfish instincts are just too strong. He came to me with a proposal; he would turn me human if I swore to always be his servant. Of course I accepted and now he unleashes his anger on me at not being able to capture the girl." Liews now looked worried.
"So you work for him? I cannot have you in this house if you are going to bring harm to this girl." He said. Stefan laughed.
"I work for no one." He said standing up. He went to the coat rack and grabbed his jacket. "Aye, I need a pint." He said opening the door.
"Wait! You tail." Pesu laughed as Stefan rolled his eyes and stuffed his tail down his pants. Liews looked at Pesu.
"Well we best get ya dressed. You'll want to wear something a little more, formal." He said. Pesu sighed. She really didn't want to go see the king. As far as she was concerned he was a cruel man who deserved no love.
Liews chose a pale pink dress with lots of frills. He had to force Pesu into it. "You don't seriously expect me to wear that do you?" she said backing away from Liews who was holding the dress.
"You wore dresses like this when you went to the school." He said plaintively. Pesu rolled her eyes.
"Well yeah but not pink." She said. "Come on! How about that green one?" she said pointing to the forest green dress that was still on the rack.
"This will bring out the nice red in your hair." He said as Pesu reluctantly took the dress to the closet to change, all the while complaining about how it was pink. Liews smiled. When she finally changed into it she looked like a real Princess. The dress framed her delicate body and showed everyone of her many curves. It was just the right shade of pink to make her flaming red hair look even brighter. It had frills at the waist and at the bottom. Pesu sighed as she spun around for Liews to see. He grabbed her hand and sat her down at a chair and started putting up her hair. He left to chunks to frame her face and lay against the dress, but the rest he out in a tight bun. He gave her white gloves to wear and dainty pink heels. When he was finally satisfied he took her hand and walked her over to a mirror, wiping a single tear away. As Pesu stood in font of the mirror, all dressed up, she almost cried. This girl in front of her was even more alien to her than the ordinary Pesu.
It was with a heavy heart that she walked up the steps of the castle. Liews kept going on and on about how she should look forward to being the Princess. But the only thing Pesu wanted was to be in Max's arms, safe and sound. As they approached the door a guard stopped them. Pesu recognized him as Michael. Liews whispered something in his ear and Michael let them pass. They entered the great hall which was decorated with dark green velvet. The man with the little yellow hat came up and greeted them with his squeaky voice.
"The King and Queen are expecting you." He said bowing. Liews returned the bow and they followed him into a room laden with red velvet and two highly adorned chairs where the Kind and Queen sat. She was wearing a simple blue dress that just barely out did the one Pesu had been wearing earlier. He was wearing a tunic of the same deep red as the curtains in the room. Pesu curtsied and Liews bowed. The King acknowledged them with a nod of his head. He snapped and the little man with the yellow hat came up carrying something. The King took this and Pesu saw at once what it was.
"My necklace!" She said surprised. The King looked at her, bemused.
"My dear lady, I happen to know this belongs to an ex-prisoner. Is that you?" Pesu nodded her head. The King smiled.
"I also happen to know there is only one in the world and that belonged to my daughter. I have spoken with Witch Evergalde and she says you were found with it. She also gave me this." He snapped his fingers again and the little man brought forth a blanket which the King took.
"She says you were wrapped in this, and she assumed it was your name. come and get it child." And Pesu walked up to the King and took the dirty blanket. Marked clearly on the side was P.E.S.U. the king looked down at her.
"Do you know what it stands for?" he asked. Pesu was remembering what Liews had told her.
"It must stand for Professor Edward Sorcerer Unlimited." She said slowly. The King nodded his head.
"Very good. As you know from your visits to the school, that that was the last place my daughter was known to be." He looked down at Pesu.
"Welcome home, Loriana."
