***** ******* ****
Ella POV
******* ***** ***
Charming was nowhere in sight as I prowled through the darkness. I did not like the shade of the gardens. There were too many walls and flowers. Walls could trap you even without your consent, and some flowers could turn out to be deadly. (We can thank the cursed fairies for THAT) I tread cautiously, searching for him.
I ended up on a large set of stone steps, flanked on both sides by open fields of gorgeous wildflowers. Charming stood at the base of my perch, his white tunic stained with a darker shade.
I raced down the stairs, lifting my skirts delicately. The scent of jasmine and lavender drifted lazily into my nostrils, tempting me to lure him into the fields and forget what I saw. Charming stared up at me, and his eyes were wide with horror. Piper was standing beside him, fists clenched in anger. She looked up at me, and her face was livid with rage.
Jocelyn whimpered from where he lay on the stairs. She looked compassionately down at him. He was bleeding very badly, and an elaborate dagger - weasels, it was awfully elaborate - protruded from his stomach. She grabbed his shoulder and dragged him to his feet. He yelped in pain as she draped his arm round her shoulders. "Calm down, I'll tend that for you. It'll be fine. It isn't a bad wound at all." My eyebrows shot upward, and I turned to Charming, who shrugged, mouth twitching like he would vomit. "Don't bother," Jocelyn replied, hunching over and clutching his stomach, "He'll do it again." Just who in the kingdoms of mole rats was "he"?
Piper sighed. "I have a secret for you, Jocelyn. The pipe isn't exactly what it -" Suddenly, a dozen royal physicians came streaming down the steps. One of them ripped Jocelyn from Piper's firm hold, and they all streamed down the stairs in an animal stampede. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Piper howled, clenching both fists as she hollered. They ignored her and threw Jocelyn roughly on the ground. He yelped a Hyrene curse that I won't translate, but they were all surrounding him, backs to us.
"Get off him!' Piper shrieked, flailing her arms madly. Not a one of them paid her any heed. She glowered at their impassive backs, eyebrow and upper lip both twitching in unison. "Time to get help."
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A/N: Slight cliffhanger, eh? I hope you enjoyed your loverly double dose of chapterage, and you guys rock my socks! (The socks with sheep on them, of course, in honor of Mary and Bo. hehe)
Ella POV
******* ***** ***
Charming was nowhere in sight as I prowled through the darkness. I did not like the shade of the gardens. There were too many walls and flowers. Walls could trap you even without your consent, and some flowers could turn out to be deadly. (We can thank the cursed fairies for THAT) I tread cautiously, searching for him.
I ended up on a large set of stone steps, flanked on both sides by open fields of gorgeous wildflowers. Charming stood at the base of my perch, his white tunic stained with a darker shade.
I raced down the stairs, lifting my skirts delicately. The scent of jasmine and lavender drifted lazily into my nostrils, tempting me to lure him into the fields and forget what I saw. Charming stared up at me, and his eyes were wide with horror. Piper was standing beside him, fists clenched in anger. She looked up at me, and her face was livid with rage.
Jocelyn whimpered from where he lay on the stairs. She looked compassionately down at him. He was bleeding very badly, and an elaborate dagger - weasels, it was awfully elaborate - protruded from his stomach. She grabbed his shoulder and dragged him to his feet. He yelped in pain as she draped his arm round her shoulders. "Calm down, I'll tend that for you. It'll be fine. It isn't a bad wound at all." My eyebrows shot upward, and I turned to Charming, who shrugged, mouth twitching like he would vomit. "Don't bother," Jocelyn replied, hunching over and clutching his stomach, "He'll do it again." Just who in the kingdoms of mole rats was "he"?
Piper sighed. "I have a secret for you, Jocelyn. The pipe isn't exactly what it -" Suddenly, a dozen royal physicians came streaming down the steps. One of them ripped Jocelyn from Piper's firm hold, and they all streamed down the stairs in an animal stampede. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Piper howled, clenching both fists as she hollered. They ignored her and threw Jocelyn roughly on the ground. He yelped a Hyrene curse that I won't translate, but they were all surrounding him, backs to us.
"Get off him!' Piper shrieked, flailing her arms madly. Not a one of them paid her any heed. She glowered at their impassive backs, eyebrow and upper lip both twitching in unison. "Time to get help."
*****************
A/N: Slight cliffhanger, eh? I hope you enjoyed your loverly double dose of chapterage, and you guys rock my socks! (The socks with sheep on them, of course, in honor of Mary and Bo. hehe)