Hmmm..I haven't been on the internet in a while. Wow. Anyway, I had the sudden urge to write again. Yay! Oww.. Bruised finger.. Anyway, thanks for the review Avatar! Hehe. La! Oh yeah, don't forget to review please! I likeys reviews! Hmmm... Now without further ado, I give you Chapter 3 of 'This Prodigy'.

Disclaimer: I no own thingies in this fanfic! AHHH!

The feeling of just standing there in the doorway of 'The Wolf's Den' was worse then the acrid smell of the place and the drunken, weary gazes focusing on us drowsily. Luckily for me and Audrey, the occupants of the pub cared no more about our presence than they did for their own lives. Audrey boldly led the way to the counter behind which stood a large, rotund, balding man, whose apron seemed decorated in unrecognizable, ancient stains. He seemed to belong perfectly in this gloomy, dank place of alcoholism and waste, perched behind the worn wooden counter. A nearby candle illuminated his bloated features to a grotesque degree. The man's face, carved from the darkness by the candle flame's crimson blade, loomed curiously closer to examine first Audrey then me.

As we two sat each on a crooked stool, ignoring the drunken gazes boring into our backs from behind, the bartender spoke, his putrid breath fouling the air in a thick cloud. Crooked, black teeth greeted us as he spoke. "Now what do we 'ave here? A coupl'a young'uns looking' fer a pint, eh?" His fire-lit eyes shifted to my companion. "And the beautiful child of the rich Baker blood too!"

Audrey lurched over closely to the barkeep's face. "Oh please sir!" she exhaled hurriedly, her wavy locks falling over one eye. "Please don't-"

"Settle down, settle down lass," his boorish chuckle filling the air. "I won't tell yer pap. Besides if it means business fer' me, then you're welc'm anytime."

"But we don't have any -" I interjected, then paused, seeing the glint of silver at Audrey exposed wrist. She slipped four coins from her sleeve. Oh what a scheming, mischievous girl! I sighed, my hopes that she really wasn't going to spoil her pure self, destroyed. Snatching the coins greedily, the barkeep faded back into the darkness, leaving us in silence. Behind us, the sharp laughter of men rang out from a table near the door, the clanking of glasses sounding from another table near a large fire roaring in a fireplace to my left. The heat, mingled with the stench of the place and loud voices, made my head swim and I admit, I was probably the more worried of us two. Audrey seemed to be enjoying herself, swaying happily on her stool. She finally noticed my uneasy stare and returned it in a warming smile. I could've told her we weren't supposed to be here, that we weren't even supposed to be out this time of night, that we would be in serious trouble if we ran into people who weren't as 'distracted' as the avaricious bartender. But I knew it was useless, nothing could get to Audrey when she became determined. And usually, I was always around when that determined streak took hold of her.

In silence I waited, further avoiding Audrey's attention. In my silent anxiety, my fingers ran along the smooth, unclean surface of the counter and came across some grooves in the wood that I hadn't noticed before. My finger felt along what looked oddly like a scrape resulted from nails dug into the wood, as if the cause of this had tried desperately to hang on to the table for fear life. My hand followed it until it stopped at the edge of the counter. Strange...

A loud thunk startled me and brought me back to my senseless contemplation. I realized our drinks were here. I heard the scruffy bartender mumble something like "Enjoy" as he disappeared back wherever he'd gotten the drinks, as if he only desired to step into light if a paying customer waltzed in through the pub doors. Audrey beamed inwardly as her slight, delicate fingers met the cool surface of her glass. I myself shuddered inwardly. I wasn't sure if I could stomach it, but I wasn't about to let the one girl of my dreams know either. As my fingers grasped the hilt of my cup, something strange happened, the third for today.

My eyes closed, and behind my lids played a scene of horrific proportions...

A woman screams. The place is as it was now, only outside, rain spatters heavily outside. Vicious torrents waiting to sweep up any prey it could find. Thick, putrid rain.

More screams. There is blood on the table. That table, nearest the blazing fireplace. Blood spilling¼ She is lying on her back, crying...

The fireplace illuminates her, crimson stars in the tears streaming down her face. The rest of the surroundings are blurred.

Suddenly, the door bursts open, a chilling influx of air gushing in, bringing about more screams from others, gathered around the woman. "You can't be here!" someone shouts defiantly at the door. Fire engulfs my entire vision. I can feel the heat brushing my cheeks, the invading cold chilling my bones...

"Ibel? Hey, Ibel." While I'd been off dreaming, I'd failed to notice three imposing men step in through the door, silver blades clinking in the hilts at their waists, whom which Audrey was currently warning me about. She seemed positively terrified of them. That was when I recognized from their garments that they served the Baker's. A wealthy family's servants out to look for a stray child. I said before that Audrey's lineage was rich, but did I mention her father was Lord of the entire land?

I knew that if they had even the slightest idea that I'd perhaps taken Audrey hostage or against her will, the guards would not show even the slightest sympathy for me as they ran six inches of finely polished steel through my gut. Danger realized, looked toward Audrey.

"You'll have to drain that fast Audrey or you'll never have the chance," I said, taking one of her hands. She nodded briefly and took a huge swig from the glass before we crouched and led ourselves to a dark corner of the room, ducking behind the various tables and the garrulous drunkards. From our vantage point in the corner, I spotted a side door that led outside from what I could tell. "That way," I whispered. 'All this for a drink.' I sighed as we made a beeline to the door, hidden at the back of the pub. Here old dishes crusted with long neglected grease and dirty cloths were heaped near the door. An old witch-like woman leered at us from the back kitchen, wooden spoon poised at the edge of a bubbling pot. From the corner of my eyes I could still see the guards at the front of the door, scrutinizing the first of many drunken faces.

Relief. We were outside.

"I see my father's missing me already," Audrey stated smartly, her curving outline outlined in silver moonlight. "Perhaps it is wisest now to depart, my friend."

I nodded in agreement. The wisest thing would have been never coming. I watched as Audrey's form became dimmer, swallowed up by the hungry shadows of darkness, until she rounded a corner, heading for the castle that lay good walk away. I began to regret having left her alone, but it wasn't as if she'd asked for my company anyway. I, too, began my way back to the house, dreaming up suitable ways to slip past my father's acute hearinf even while asleep. But I still couldn't shake the fact that Audrey was walking home, alone, in the middle of the night.

I knew it in my bones. Something was sure to happen. And it did.

I heard Audrey scream...

Okay. So this chappie was short. Unbearably short but, it's better then nothing right? Hehe. Anyways, please remember to review! I love reviews! They are my life source! Gah! I'm dying! X.X Mwahahahahah. Peace. :P