The group was on the run again just before daybreak.
"Did we have to leave so early?" Gourry yawned.
Lina stopped in her tracks to look at him. "Unless you want to get caught, yes."
Gourry wasn't convinced. "But Lina, there haven't been any guards or anyone after us."
"I'm not going to give them the chance." Lina resumed her brisk pace.
"Where do you intend to go?" Zelgadis asked.
"Anywhere that's not Seyruun. As I said last night, we need some kind of plan before we go back." Lina replied.
"Miss, if I may, what are you intending to do with me?" Marcus spoke in a very hushed voice, as if he were afraid Lina would torch him for even existing.
Lina glared back at the man. "Get some information out of you, of course. For starters, what's the deal with Phil?" She looked like she'd annihilate him if he didn't respond.
Marcus cringed, but answered, "Er, that's more Cedric's area of expertise than mine. All I know is he's under a mind control spell."
Lina sighed, her suspicions confirmed.
"Hey, Lina," Gourry spoke up, "weren't we supposed to get some kind of hood stuff?"
"Hood? What are you..." Lina gasped as realization hit. She had totally forgotten about the Wolfsbane! She scanned the nearby flora. "It's not here. I thought it grew in the foothills?"
"What does, Lina?" Then Zelgadis realized it as well. "You don't suppose it's out of season?"
"Down here? It can't be!" Lina turned back to Marcus. "So what do you know about Wolfsbane?"
"Th-that it's used to kill werewolves?"
"Good." Lina sounded mildly amused. "Now then, any idea where we can find it?"
Marcus gulped as he responded, "Y-you won't find any, it's a-all gone."
"What?! What happened to it?!" Lina shot up in his face.
"Th-the boss had us re-remove it!" Marcus was stuttering, he was so frightened.
"Impossible! That would take months to eradicate it all!" Zelgadis couldn't hide his shock at the news.
"Not when a large group of people do it. The prince has a lot of influence." Marcus replied, glad to pass the blame on.
"What did they do with all of it?" Lina asked.
"I'm not sure. The boss did have a huge bonfire, but I thought he was just celebrating." Marcus ducked his head.
"What do we do now, Lina?" Gourry asked.
"I'll kick his butt! He'll wish he never dared cross paths with Lina Inverse!!" Lina raged as she stomped forward. "Why, when I'm done with him he-EEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Lina let out a cry of surprise as her foot was jerked out from under her and she was left hanging, by a rope looped around her ankle, above the ground. The sheer quickness and force caused her to lose her grip on Amelia, who crashed to the ground below.
"Lina!" Gourry dashed forward to free her from the trap, only to have a net come down, trapping Zelgadis as well.
"Who's there? Show yourself!!" Lina swung her fists in rage.
"You really should watch where you're going." Cedric, followed by ten guards stepped out of his hiding place.
"You again? How'd you find us?" Lina snapped back.
Cedric smiled. "You did, by capturing my dear friend, Marcus."
"How's that?" Marcus scratched his head.
Cedric stepped over to Marcus and freed him from his bonds. "I had figured you'd get lost, so I put a tracer spell on you."
"Oh." Marcus blushed in embarrassment.
"Bring them in for questioning!" Cedric barked at the guards, who quickly responded in detaining the three.
"Hey, you've got it all wrong! They're the bad guys!" Lina protested as her wrists were bound behind her back, making spell casting useless.
Cedric wasn't going to take any chances. "Better take extra precaution with these two," he pointed at Lina and Zelgadis, "they know magic."
The guards gagged Lina and Zelgadis.
"Back to Seyruun! The prince will want to question them personally, I would think. Oh, and Marcus, keep up this time."
Lina and the others were led a small distance away, to where the guards had left their horses. The prisoners were put on horseback, then the group took off toward the city.
Amelia had scrambled to safety the instant she hit the ground, and now watched in horror as her friends were taken away. Long after they were out of sight, she could still make out Lina's muffled cries of protest. She had to do something! She tottered after them for a moment before losing her balance and falling down. She had to do something about her pint-sized proportions...
Unable to use magic in her current form, and being unable to speak, Amelia couldn't actually deactivate the amulet. She would have to use force, and hope it worked! She pawed at the collar, but wasn't able to grip the amulet.
She moved on to removing the collar itself, using her hind legs to try and push the collar over her head. She was able to get it up around her ears, but then it got stuck. Knowing the peril her friends were in, she grit her teeth and pushed as hard as she could. Success! The collar finally slipped over her ears, and off of her head.
She was given a nasty shock for her efforts, and fell in a daze to the ground. She came to her senses a moment later, and to her relief she was her normal size again. She shook off the paralyzing pain in her muscles, then dashed off to Seyruun.
"Hey Ted, what do you think: tame or wild?"
"What are you talking about, Rich?"
"That dog there."
Two guards stood at the outer gate of Seyruun , currently debating on the nature of a fast approaching 'dog'.
"Kind of hard to say, what with the way he's running. Think someone lost him?" Ted replied.
"I don't see a collar." Rich noted.
Amelia ran toward the gate, but saw that the guards were watching her. She slowed down and approached them, her tail wagging to show she meant them no harm.
"I'd say tame. Odd looking dog though. I wonder what breed it is?" Ted said.
"Yeah, he looks more like a wolf, other than the coloring. Think he got lost?" Rich replied.
Amelia cocked her head somewhat in wonder. The guards must be stationed out here too long! As they debated with each other about her breeding, she entered into the city. Concerned with the safety of her friends, Amelia broke into a run straight for the palace.
Dodging wagons and countless startled citizens, Amelia was able to get to the center of town in record time! There was something to be said about having four legs...
She cautiously crept into the square in front of the palace, wary of the guards. She had to figure out a way to get into the palace.
"Hey!"
Amelia yelped in surprise and looked back. Sure enough, a guard had spotted her! She took off toward the palace.
"Hey! Get back here! You're not supposed to be here!" The guard gave chase.
Amelia ran like crazy across the palace grounds until she entered the gardens. Spotting a nearby shrubbery, she dove in and froze in place. She could hear the guard approaching, so she lay as low as she could and held her breath. Anything not to be seen.
"Great, where'd that blasted beast get to? Who'd let their stupid animal out without a leash? I'm going to get busted..." The guard muttered to himself as he searched around the area.
"Paul, what do you think you're doing? We're needed inside!"
The flustered guard, Paul, shot up and saluted the newcomer. "Nothing, sir! What's going on?"
"They caught Lina Inverse. She and her cohorts are on trial right now, as we're needed for backup, just in case she tries anything." The older guard replied.
"Lina Inverse? But the prince always spoke so highly of her, I still can't believe she would kidnap the princess." Paul sighed. It was so hard to find good people these days...
"I know, but you know the law. I don't think she'll ever leave this city again."
Paul gasped. "You don't mean?"
The older guard nodded his head. "She's been accused of murdering Princess Amelia."
Paul sighed and shook his head as he followed the other guard back toward the palace.
Amelia was in shock over what she'd just heard. She wanted to jump out from her hiding spot to let the guards know she was still alive, but knew they wouldn't recognize her, or even understand her as she was now. And now Lina...
No! She cannot let them die for a crime they didn't commit! Amelia had to do something, even if she had to sacrifice her own life to save them!
So impassioned and distraught as she was, Amelia didn't feel the gut-wrenching pain until it had already overcome her. She howled out in pain, this being more intense than anything she had ever experienced before.
The two guards, still nearby, jumped in fright at the sound, spooked as it started out as a wolf's howl, but ended in a very human cry of pain. They searched for the source of the sound.
Paul peered into the shrubs and gasped. "The princess! And she's na..."
The older guard pulled him back, knowing full well what he was about to say. "Stand back man, give her some respect!"
Paul blushed and backed away. "What do we do?"
"Quickly, go find something to keep her decent. We need to get her inside. Quickly now! I'll stand watch." He shooed Paul away.
Paul sped off into the palace.
The older guard stood watch, facing away from shrubbery in respect. He jumped when he heard a gasp.
"Princess, don't worry. You're safe now."
Amelia looked up in surprise. The guard was addressing her, but how did he know it was her? She gasped in horror when she realized she was naked, but also joyful that she was human again.
"We need to get inside, we've got to save Miss Lina and the others! Daddy as well!"
"Princess?"
Amelia took a breath, knowing she'd have to tell him everything. As she waited for the other guard to return, she relayed everything she knew about Alexander's plotting...
I AM ALIVE!!! (Believe it or not.) I had wanted to update this before I spent a week in Idaho (with no access to the outside world at all), but I ran out of time, then spent a week there without my story! (I was so bored!) When I got back I spent the next week making up lost days at work, which left me very drained, and not wanting to even think of proper grammar and the like. Well, I'm finally caught up with all that, and now I'm back to posting! I hope to have this whole story resolved in a few more chapters, but I don't have it all written out, so anything's possible.