NOTE: Thank you for waiting so long for this chapter, I'm so sorry it has
been aaaages, had exams lately and more to come so I'll be doing updates as
much as I can so plz bear with me!
If you've read the story before and can't remember what happens in the
first 7 chapters, don't wanna read it all again and want a summary, I
totally understand! email me at: ClucksDaDuck@aol.com and I'll send you a
summary!
Chapter 8
*ESCAPE*
As they reached the end of the dark prison tunnels, screaming and yelling could clearly be heard. Marguerite could feel Gemma's hand tighten around hers. She bent down to her level. "Don't be scared," she said, remembering Challenger's words. "You're going to be fine, we all are." Gemma smiled and Roxton smiled at her kind words, slipping an arm around her waist.
Marguerite turned to Roxton. "Where's Veronica?"
"She was taken from me, being kept somewhere safe as a hostage. She's the Protector."
"Damn it, there's that plan gone. When did that happen? And how on earth did you two get here in the first place?" she whispered with a clear sense of urgency.
"Long story, tell you later. Look, we have to get out of here."
"The ever observant Lord Roxton," came Marguerite's sarcastic comment.
"Glad to have the old Marguerite back."
Roxton peered around the corner at the village. There were blazes everywhere. Houses and carts were burning. People were running to fetch their belongings before making for the forest as their last chance of survival.
"We have to save Veronica. She's what these people live for, to protect her. If they think they can save her by giving their lives to Pentanious, they will."
"And how do you intend on doing that Marguerite? No one even knows where she is."
"Well, we thought she'd be in there with you, but obviously not." She paused. "Look lets just get out of here. The army are waiting around there as a distraction. They thought I'd be coming out with Veronica." She picked up the child and stepped out of the tunnel into the moonlit square.
"Marguerite, what the hell are you doing, trying to get yourself killed or something?" cried Roxton as he pulled her back in.
"They have to have a signal John," she replied patronisingly.
Slowly, Roxton could hear the army advance into the square. People ran furiously to get out of the way of the battle. As they passed the cave, Marguerite made a sudden run for it, leaving Roxton in the entrance to fend for himself. He realised he had no choice but to follow Marguerite into the death zone.
"Nice of you to let me in on the plan, Marguerite," he said as they reached the shelter of the large house nearby.
"It's called instincts Roxton." She smiled. "Being a strong, muscular, handsome hunter, I thought you'd have realised that." Without waiting for a reply, she turned to Gemma. "Now to get you home," whispered Marguerite, looking down at the little girl who was staring at the scene in the square. Marguerite pulled her closer and turned her round. "Lets go inside shall we?"
"Ok," replied the girl, hypnotised through her tears, by the blinding fires.
The three walked in through the door and were met by Marguerite's anxious parents.
"Did you find Veronica?" they cried urgently.
Marguerite shook her head slowly. "She's being kept somewhere special, as a hostage, but no one knows where." "Don't you know all the places here?" she added.
"Well, yes, but where to start, there are a million places they could have taken her, maybe even out of this village," sighed Elita. "The armies from our neighbouring villages will be here soon. They all believe in the cycle too. It's just Pentanious who doesn't, and his army. We should be alright once they all arrive." She said with optimism. She looked down at the bundle in Marguerite's arms. "Where did you get this little thing?" she asked, touching the girl's back lightly.
"Her name's Gemma," replied Marguerite with a smile. "We found her in Roxton's cell. Her father's been taken. She must have been thrown in there for the sake of it."
"They are cruel, I warn you, they'll do anything for success, even if it means killing innocent children, doing the unthinkable." She shook her head with contempt.
"Well we're safe now aren't we Gemma? We'll have to get you home soon won't we?" reassured Roxton.
"You can't go out tonight, I'm afraid," remarked her mother. "Seeing as our attempt to save Veronica has failed, I think we should stay here for the night and let the armies do the work. We'll take her back in the morning when things have calmed down a little."
Marguerite was unsure of her mother's planning skills but could see how unsafe for the village it would be for her to venture out. If she were to be killed, everyone would die. This power was over whelming in her thoughts but she would not let it to her head. She was here to save the people, she meant something to someone, and her life was no longer a nothingness. She was loved. "Ok, so you're stuck with us tonight I'm afraid," she said smiling at Gemma in an attempt to cheer her up.
"So who is this gentleman?" asked Elita, vaguely recognising his face.
"This is Lord John Roxton," she announced, smiling at him. "He was part of the Challenger expedition too." She held his hand affectionately.
Marguerite's mother looked at her warily. She could see the feelings these two people shared. She thought of Marguerite's imminent wedding. Elita broke her thoughts for the reality of the moment. "Well we'd better get some beds ready for these guests then."
They marched upstairs and entered Marguerite's room. A small bed was dragged from one of the walls. "Is it alright if Gemma sleeps in your room? We don't want her getting scared."
"Yes please ma'am," cried Gemma excitedly. Marguerite smiled at the little girl's loyalty to her family.
They entered back onto the landing. "Now then Lord Roxton, we have a spare room in here," pointed Elita as they wondered down the wooden floor.
"Oh, no it's all right, Roxton can sleep in my room," stated Marguerite, biting her smile away as she saw the look on her mother's face. She had missed this growing up, tormenting her parents would be so much fun!
*~~~~~* Hopefully, hopefully Chapter 9 coming shortly, that is if anyone wants me to continue! xx
Chapter 8
*ESCAPE*
As they reached the end of the dark prison tunnels, screaming and yelling could clearly be heard. Marguerite could feel Gemma's hand tighten around hers. She bent down to her level. "Don't be scared," she said, remembering Challenger's words. "You're going to be fine, we all are." Gemma smiled and Roxton smiled at her kind words, slipping an arm around her waist.
Marguerite turned to Roxton. "Where's Veronica?"
"She was taken from me, being kept somewhere safe as a hostage. She's the Protector."
"Damn it, there's that plan gone. When did that happen? And how on earth did you two get here in the first place?" she whispered with a clear sense of urgency.
"Long story, tell you later. Look, we have to get out of here."
"The ever observant Lord Roxton," came Marguerite's sarcastic comment.
"Glad to have the old Marguerite back."
Roxton peered around the corner at the village. There were blazes everywhere. Houses and carts were burning. People were running to fetch their belongings before making for the forest as their last chance of survival.
"We have to save Veronica. She's what these people live for, to protect her. If they think they can save her by giving their lives to Pentanious, they will."
"And how do you intend on doing that Marguerite? No one even knows where she is."
"Well, we thought she'd be in there with you, but obviously not." She paused. "Look lets just get out of here. The army are waiting around there as a distraction. They thought I'd be coming out with Veronica." She picked up the child and stepped out of the tunnel into the moonlit square.
"Marguerite, what the hell are you doing, trying to get yourself killed or something?" cried Roxton as he pulled her back in.
"They have to have a signal John," she replied patronisingly.
Slowly, Roxton could hear the army advance into the square. People ran furiously to get out of the way of the battle. As they passed the cave, Marguerite made a sudden run for it, leaving Roxton in the entrance to fend for himself. He realised he had no choice but to follow Marguerite into the death zone.
"Nice of you to let me in on the plan, Marguerite," he said as they reached the shelter of the large house nearby.
"It's called instincts Roxton." She smiled. "Being a strong, muscular, handsome hunter, I thought you'd have realised that." Without waiting for a reply, she turned to Gemma. "Now to get you home," whispered Marguerite, looking down at the little girl who was staring at the scene in the square. Marguerite pulled her closer and turned her round. "Lets go inside shall we?"
"Ok," replied the girl, hypnotised through her tears, by the blinding fires.
The three walked in through the door and were met by Marguerite's anxious parents.
"Did you find Veronica?" they cried urgently.
Marguerite shook her head slowly. "She's being kept somewhere special, as a hostage, but no one knows where." "Don't you know all the places here?" she added.
"Well, yes, but where to start, there are a million places they could have taken her, maybe even out of this village," sighed Elita. "The armies from our neighbouring villages will be here soon. They all believe in the cycle too. It's just Pentanious who doesn't, and his army. We should be alright once they all arrive." She said with optimism. She looked down at the bundle in Marguerite's arms. "Where did you get this little thing?" she asked, touching the girl's back lightly.
"Her name's Gemma," replied Marguerite with a smile. "We found her in Roxton's cell. Her father's been taken. She must have been thrown in there for the sake of it."
"They are cruel, I warn you, they'll do anything for success, even if it means killing innocent children, doing the unthinkable." She shook her head with contempt.
"Well we're safe now aren't we Gemma? We'll have to get you home soon won't we?" reassured Roxton.
"You can't go out tonight, I'm afraid," remarked her mother. "Seeing as our attempt to save Veronica has failed, I think we should stay here for the night and let the armies do the work. We'll take her back in the morning when things have calmed down a little."
Marguerite was unsure of her mother's planning skills but could see how unsafe for the village it would be for her to venture out. If she were to be killed, everyone would die. This power was over whelming in her thoughts but she would not let it to her head. She was here to save the people, she meant something to someone, and her life was no longer a nothingness. She was loved. "Ok, so you're stuck with us tonight I'm afraid," she said smiling at Gemma in an attempt to cheer her up.
"So who is this gentleman?" asked Elita, vaguely recognising his face.
"This is Lord John Roxton," she announced, smiling at him. "He was part of the Challenger expedition too." She held his hand affectionately.
Marguerite's mother looked at her warily. She could see the feelings these two people shared. She thought of Marguerite's imminent wedding. Elita broke her thoughts for the reality of the moment. "Well we'd better get some beds ready for these guests then."
They marched upstairs and entered Marguerite's room. A small bed was dragged from one of the walls. "Is it alright if Gemma sleeps in your room? We don't want her getting scared."
"Yes please ma'am," cried Gemma excitedly. Marguerite smiled at the little girl's loyalty to her family.
They entered back onto the landing. "Now then Lord Roxton, we have a spare room in here," pointed Elita as they wondered down the wooden floor.
"Oh, no it's all right, Roxton can sleep in my room," stated Marguerite, biting her smile away as she saw the look on her mother's face. She had missed this growing up, tormenting her parents would be so much fun!
*~~~~~* Hopefully, hopefully Chapter 9 coming shortly, that is if anyone wants me to continue! xx