The Princess Bride story isn't mine. It belongs to William Goldman. However, Blossom, Michael, Gabriel, Nettie, and Crazy Benjy are mine. :) :) :)

(Excuse any mistakes you see. Thanks.)

Chapter 6

No one says anything at first. We all stand still. My brain is running with a million ideas all at once. Could we sneak out the back and make a run for it? Was there some way we could stall them? There had to be something that we could do.

Nevertheless, I didn't have to worry. There was no time for that, because the next thing I know Crazy Benjy is screaming.

"You rotten Guilders! You'll never take me alive! Never!" Benjy shouts. And with that he pushes us all inside and slams the door.

"What is he talking about?" Nettie whispers in my ear, "Those aren't Guilders."

"He's a little touched in the head. He's living in the past, when we were fighting the Guilders in this forest thirty years ago. He thinks the fight is still going on."

"Benjy listen to me." I hear Michael say. "The princess is in great trouble. You have to help us escape from the guards."

Benjy isn't listening to a word we say. He continues with his ranting, "So they have finally come to get me have they? Well they won't take me prisoner. I know nothing! I'm innocent!"

"Benjy! You've got to snap out of this! Guilder is gone. The Florin guards are out there. Florin!"

"What do they want from an old geezer like me? Do they think they'll get a miracle out of me? Well that will never happen! They'll have to kill me first!"

"They're not after you!" Michael shouts at a last attempt to explain to Benjy, "They want Princess Blossom. Remember? You helped her out before?"

Crazy Benjy takes a long look at me in silence. "Yes, I remember you. You're the one who wanted to know about the Revenge ship and all."

"Yes, yes!" I say getting excited, "Now do you see? I'm following you plan. I'm running away, but the Florin guards they have found me out and they are trying to take me back to the palace. Do you understand? They don't want you, Benjy; they want me. They war between Guilder and Florin is over. Guilder doesn't want you."

Benjy stares at me for a while then he whispers into Michael's ear, "What's wrong with this girl? She's obviously a little insane."

"Insane? Me?" I scream in frustration.

"Yes," Crazy Benjy repeats, "What would Guilder want with a little thing like you. It is so clear that Guilder has come here for me. They've been after me for the longest time."

I start to pace in frustration.

"It's hopeless." Nettie says her hands cover her face, "He's gone mad. He can't help us."

"I'm afraid you're right." Michael utters as he rubs his temples trying to think of another way out.

The Florin guards would come and take us in a matter of seconds because, lets face it, this place isn't really hard to break into. The little cottage was barely standing on it's own. We had only a short amount of time to think up a new plan. I came up with an idea first. It was kind of stupid, but it was worth a shot.

"You're right, Benjy. There's no fooling you is there? Those are the Guilder guards."

"What are you talking about?" Nettie questions me.

"Just follow my lead." I whisper.

"I knew that all along." Benjy said, "I may be an old geezer but there is no fooling me. I can tell you that."

"No, there isn't. So what are you going to do now? Are you just going to let Guilder take you?"

"Absolutely not! If they're going to take me at all they are going to take me dead!"

"So you're going to fight back right?"

"This is my home, my property. And they can't take me off of it!"

Crazy Benjy gets up and starts picking up different bottles and what not from all over the room.

"What are you doing?" Michael whispers to me.

"I'm getting him to fight back."

"But-"

"Who cares if he believes they are Guilders? Let him believe what he wants to believe. Just as long as he's fighting back."

"But he believes they are after him."

"Yeah. That way he'll fight back even harder."

"I'm giving you three seconds to hand over the Princess before anyone gets hurt!" Sir Yellin, captain of the guards, hollers.

"What is talking about?" Crazy Benjy asks.

The three of us shrug our shoulders.

Crazy Benjy walks over a cracked window. "You're mistaken! We have no princess!"

"Don't toy with us!" Yellin replies.

"We don't!"

"One!" Yellin shouts starting the count down.

"What is wrong with everyone?" Benjy asks us, "Has everyone gone mad?"

We shrug our shoulders once again.

"Two!" Yellin continues.

"I don't understand the world anymore. How can enemies come to your house and demand for things you don't have?"

"Benjy! Do something! Quick!" Nettie pleads.

"Three! That's it! We are-"

Benjy opens the door.

"Benjy, are you nuts? Come back in here!" I scream.

Stupid Benjy keeps walking out, ignoring me completely.

"He's going to get us all killed!" Nettie screams.

Benjy pauses as he steps out side his cottage. "Take this you pests!" and Benjy throws a little bottle on the ground in front of the guards feet.

There is a sudden loud boom. The air around us fills up with foul thick smog. Breathing in becomes more difficult with each breath. I find myself choking and coughing, but it isn't just me. The guards out side the cottage are coughing and wheeze as well. The noise sounds like the roar of the sea.

"Breathe through this!" Michael shouts over the sea of panting. He hands me one of his handkerchiefs, "I think the gas may be poisonous."

I breathe through the handkerchief as I try to search for Benjy through the smog. "Benjy!" I cry, but no one answers. "Where did he go?"

"I don't know. I can't see a thing." Nettie replies.

"He'll be alright." Michael assured us, "but we've got to make a run for it while we still have the chance."

Michael takes my hand and I grab Nettie's hand. Sadly, that's as far as it goes. The smog is too thick for us to see what's ahead and we have trouble finding the back door.

"Search the wall for a knob." Michael tells us and we do just that.

My fingers glide over the stone interior of the wall. I strain my eyes trying to see what lay ahead of me. Everything seems to be gray. I feel myself getting weaker. Was it the gas?

"I can't find it!" Nettie proclaims in despair.

"Neither can I." Michael confesses, "I was afraid of this. The only clear way out is through the front door."

"We can't go that way."

"We might have to. It's the only way out. I just hope that the smog is deep enough to keep us hidden."

Go through the front door? No way! Yellin would spot us. I just knew he would. No, there had to be another way, a safer way than that. My fingers continue to glide over the stone and wood. Still I felt no knob. Where could it be?

"Wait!" I shout suddenly realizing my stupidity. "The cottage is made out of what?"

"Stone and mud." Michael replies.

"Then this wood part must be the door."

"Where?"

I search for Michael's hand and I place it on the door. "Do you feel it?"

"Yeah, but there no way of opening it. No knob."

"But then-"

Bam!

The door suddenly swings open and slams right into my nose.

"Ow!" I scream in pain. I immediately drop the handkerchief and hold my nose. I can feel drips of blood fall into my hands.

"Get out of my way!" I hear a familiar voice shout at me, "What a foolish girl! Standing in front of a doorway! You could have hurt me you know."

"Hurt you! What about me!"

"Little girl would you please grow up."

"Benjy?" Nettie asks, "Is that you?"

"Well of course it's me. Who else?"

"Where did you go?"

"To get more supplies. Now stop asking me stupid questions and get out of my way. There is work to be done."

Benjy pushes his way past us. I hear a flicker and suddenly the smoke starts to disappear from inside the room.

"What is that?" Nettie asks.

"It's a special candle I created. It helps rid the air of the smoke." Crazy Benjy runs over and shuts the front door. The room begins to clear slowly and we are finally able to see.

"Princess!" Michael shouts.

At first I was unaware of what he was screaming about. Then I remembered my nosebleed. The blood was now running down my hands and on to my dress and the floor.

"I'm alright."

Michael rushes me to a chair. "Hold your head back. It'll stop the blood." He takes another handkerchief out of his pocket and puts it over my nose grasping it with his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so." I say, although I was actually starting to feel a little lightheaded.

"Forget the girl and her bloody nose!" Crazy Benjy cries, "We have bigger fish to fry."

Michael opens his mouth to retaliate, but I stop him. "He is right." I say, "We got to get rid of those guards. You go ahead and help him I'm fine." I hold the soaked handkerchief and Michael rushes over to help Benjy and Nettie.

Benjy starts calling out all of these weird ingredients like toad tongues, lizard eyes, and camel hump. Once he even asked for a giant's toe. As the list became more gruesome and gory, I slowly and carefully walked to a window. Both of my hands cover my nose.

Benjy barks at me, "Get away from there! You'll blow the whole thing!"

"The smog is clearing!"

"What!"

"The smog is clearing! We have to hurry!"

"Give me that!" Benjy growls as he snatches something from Nettie. He starts to mumble to himself. I wasn't sure if it was some kind of spell or recipe or maybe he was jut cursing at himself. I can never be quite sure. Finally he says, "Alright! Open the door!"

"Are you sure?"

"Don't question me!"

"Fine!" I open the door and I jump back out of the way.

Some of the guards lay dead on the ground due to the poison but the majority of the guards was up and ready for a fight. A knot builds in my stomach.

"Have you had enough?" old man Benjy questions the Captain Yellin.

"Charge!" was Yellin's response.

Just like that, Benjy threw down another bottle on the ground just as he had done before. The guards duck and take cover. An array of green haze fills the air. Unlike the first one this haze last much shorter, and within seconds I can see again. And now I can see what Crazy Benjy has done. He turned the first row of guards into frogs.

The soldiers stop in amazement as they see their fellow mates croak, ribbit, and hop right into the unknown forest. At first no one knows what to do, but Yellin doesn't seem swayed one bit. "Charge!" he shouts.

No one moves.

"I said CHARGE!"

The guards reluctantly press forward.

"Stand back!" Benjy cries, "I'm warning you." But they don't listen so Benjy throws two more bottles. A red smoke and blue haze come together to make a purple cloudy affect. It's almost as if it is all a dream.

The dreamy state soon clears and Benjy has turned two more groups of guards into crickets and flies. Now the frogs were eating their fellow officers.

"These are such lame tricks." Nettie whispers in my ear, "Can't he do any better than frogs and flies?"

"No," Michael responds, "Remember he's crazy. He's not as good as used to be. Miracle Max has most of the skill, not Benjy."

"We're doomed." Nettie says and I can't help but agree with her.

"Benjy! Is that the best you got?" I ask in desperation. He hadn't even got rid of half the guards yet.

"Could you do any better? No? I didn't think so. So if you can't help at least keep quiet."

I was tired of Benjy snapping on me, but what else could I do? There was nothing I could do to help. All I could do was hope the Benjy had a clue to what he was doing.

The guards didn't stop this time. They continue to come towards us.

Benjy starts to panic. "Get a handful of those bottles and throw them out the window!" he instructs us.

We dare not to question him and we begin to throw different potions out the window. The haze builds up into a big mess and it becomes harder to see.

"Keep throwing! Keep throwing!" Benjy voice rises at us.

"We can't see!" Michael responses.

"Don't let that stop you! Keep going!"

"What will all these potions do?"

"I have no idea, but keep throwing them."

And that's what we did until finally Nettie says, "I can't see if we have any more bottles left!"

"We'll wait until the smoke clears." I tell her.

It took a second or two. The air was filled with pinks, oranges and yellows. The fog was thick and my heart beats faster. I couldn't hear the troop anymore. Had they run? Where they coming in from the back?

I wait but still nothing. The fog soon drifts away and we can see outside. No wander it was so quiet. They were gone! Or should I say that they were still there but not in their natural form. They were now snakes, lizards, and goats. The different potions had contained a bit of everything. There was mayhem in Crazy Benjy's front yard.

"It looks like a wild kingdom out there." Nettie said, which was exactly what it looked like.

"How will be sure that we got them all?" I asked Michael.

"We won't. Anyone could have gotten away while we were waiting for the smoke to clear. I guess we'll just have to hope for the best."

"Oh, we got them all alright." Benjy said with such confidence, "No one can escape old Benjy's wrath."

I roll my eyes. Some wrath. He turned a few guys into some flies and frogs and now he's all-powerful. "Whatever, you say Benjy. Now what do we do?"

"First we clear the yard." He replies. Benjy leaves the house out through the back and walks over to a shed. He leads a pack of dogs out of the shed and to the front lawn. The dogs run around the property barking and growling at the snakes, frog, sheep, and what have you. "Now my work is done. I think it is time that I had a victory drink."

"Hold on a second, Benjy." Michael said, "We still need your help."

"My help with what?"

"We are traveling through the Twisted Gallows and we need your help."

"I told you that I was tried when you first knocked on my door. I am even more tired now. Come back another day."

"We can't!" Nettie shouts at him.

"Besides," I add, "We just helped you defeat the Guilder army. The least you could do is give us a few items that might be helpful in the Twisted Gallows."

Benjy thought about this. "Fine, fine, fine. Just as long as you promise not to show your trouble causing face again."

"Trust me. I have no plans on ever seeing you again." I say gripping my now sore nose.

"Good. Follow me."

We follow Benjy out the back door and into the laboratory out back, the one I helped build with Michael. "You can come in." he told us, "but don't touch anything."

We agree and we follow him inside. It smelt of feet and ashes, just like his cottage. Jars of goop, cups of powder, and small boxes seemed to be everywhere. More glass bottles, books and candles stood on bookshelves. The lab had plenty of windows but it was as if the sun refused to shine in.

"Exactly who plans on traveling into the Twisted Gallows?" Benjy asked as he flipped through a book.

"The three of us." Michael replied.

"Oh no." I say, "You have to stay here with your family."

"He can't do that." Benjy said, "Guilder saw him. Their spies know he is here. If he doesn't leave they'll catch him."

"He's right." Michael sighs.

"Michael," I whisper, "The man is crazy. You can go home."

"But what if one of the guards escaped and goes back to the king? They'll find me for sure." I hadn't thought about that. I had put Michael in a greater danger than I realized. Michael continues, "It'll be safer for my family if I went away for a while. Maybe later I could come back"

A huge amount of guilt swells up in my heart. Now I was taking Michael away from his family too. "But-"

"So it's for three than." Benjy says, "That's just fine. I think I have what you'll need." Benjy searches his shelves for a minute. "Aw, here it is!" He hands Nettie a book.

"Foliage for food and medicine?" Nettie questions him as she reads the title of the book allowed.

"Yes, eventually you are going to run out of food. You'll need to know what types of plants to eat. And there are lots of diseases you can catch deep inside this forest. You'll need to know how to cure them. And this is for you." Benjy gives me a box of jewels.

"Benjy, these are rubies."

"Yes. Sapphires and a few emeralds too."

"Why would I need a box of jewels in the Twisted Gallows?"

"You never know." Was all he said. He then gives Michael a sword, "You'll need this in order to keep these loud mouth girls from getting into trouble."

"Excuse me? You have no right to-"

"See what I mean?" Benjy chuckles his old man chuckle. He coughs then chokes. At that moment I particularly wouldn't have mind if he had dropped dead. "There. That's it. That's all I can give you. I think you have been rewarded well."

"Yes we have sir. Thank you so much."

"Good, good, good. Now get out of my laboratory. I have work to do."

"Could we have a second sir, in your cottage? I think we need to check on her nose."

"Whose nose?"

I point to my bloody hand covering my nose.

"Oh sure, whatever. Just leave as soon as possible. And don't let her blood drip everywhere."

Back at the palace…

"What is taking them so long?" Humperdink asks his butler.

"I don't know your highness. Shall we inform the guests of the delay?"

"No. They've already been waiting for almost two hours. I'm sure they are aware that the princess is gone by now."

"So what shall we do your highness?"

"Wait, I presume."

A minute of silence rolls by. Prince Humperdink, who loves to hear himself talk, begins to chatter again. "I mean really how hard is it to find a girl? I could possibly understand the long delay if she were a man, but a girl? It's ridiculous isn't it?"

"Whatever you say your highness." The butler replies.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Yes. Who is it?"

"Aw…Captain Yellin sir."

"Well it's about time. Come in."

One of the guards comes into Prince Humperdink's chambers. Prince Humperdink continues to look at himself in the mirror. "Where is my princess Butter- I mean Blossom? In her chambers?"

"Not quite your highness. You see, we have a bit of a problem."

"Problem? What type of problem?" Prince Humperdink turns around to face Yellin, but is surprised to see that he is not there. "Yellin? Where are you?"

"Here your highness."

"Here?"

"Yes here your highness."

Prince Humperdink glances around the room. "I don't see you. Stop playing games. This is a serious matter."

"I wish I was playing games your highness. But I'm right here."

"And where exactly is here?"

The guard that entered Prince Humperdink's chambers steps forward and holds out his hand for his highness to see. The Prince gasps like a girl, and then composes himself once more. "Dear God man, what has happened to you?" He asks the rather different Yellin.

"It was Crazy Benjy. He attacked your guards, turning them into different animals and…he turned me into … a newt."

"Yes, I can see that. Are there any guards left? Human ones I mean."

"Only this one here who is currently…escorting me."

"Hmm…" Was all Prince Humperdink said.

"What are we to do now your highness?" questions Yellin, "That Crazy Benjy has the princess and they are sure to have escaped by now."

"Into the Twisted Gallows I imagine?"

"Most likely."

Prince Humperdink looks out the window with a sly smile on his face. "So she wants to play, huh? She wants a chase, a game of hunting. That's fine with me. I love to hunt." Humperdink then sinisterly laughs while rubbing his hands together.

"Your highness." The butler says, "What about the guests of you wedding?"

"I'll go deal with them right now." The prince gets up and exits the room.

"But your highness." Yellin whimpers, "What about me?"

"What about you?" And with that Prince Humperdink leaves.

Hidden in the back of the chapel amongst the wedding guests…

"What do you mean she isn't there?" Inigo demanded, "She has to be?"

"Please don't yell at me, Inigo. I looked hard just like you told me to."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound angry Fezzik. But Princess Blossom has to be in the castle. Did you look everywhere you could?"

"Yes. I searched every wing except Humperdink's. She wasn't in any of them."

"Well I guess that would explain why the wedding has been delayed for so long."

"What are we to do Inigo? If we don't bring her back Buttercup will cry and if Buttercup cries the man in black will become angry. I don't want to make him angry. He is very good with a sword"

"I know. Something just isn't right here."

Trumpets blaze as the presence of Prince Humperdink is announced.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you terrible news. Someone has kidnapped my Princess Butter- I mean Blossom. Yes, Princess Blossom."

The crowd gasps.

"Yes, yes I know. We aren't sure who the culprits are as of yet, but we do have some information that tells us that Crazy Benjy is somehow involved."

The crowd begins to whisper and utter to each other.

"But fear not great people of Florin. I personally, along with my army, will track down the kidnappers and save our future Queen. And from our sources the devil-hearted men are headed through the Twisted Gallows with Blossom as we speak."

The crowd gasps again.

"I know. It will be dangerous. It will treacherous. It will be lethal. I could easily die a tragic death in that forest. But I will do what ever it takes to get my princess back!"

The crowd goes wild with a sea of applause. Prince Humperdink takes a bow and waves at the people.

"Come on Fezzik." Inigo says to his buddy, "We have to get to Princess Blossom before he does."

Back at Benjy's house, at the end of his property…

My nose was taken care of and all our supplies were carefully tucked away. This was it. There was no turning back now. I lean against a tree looking into the Twisted Gallows. For a moment it seemed so simple, but now my fears were coming to the surface. No goes through the Gallows and for a good reason. No one ever comes out, at least they don't come out sane. I stare into the darkness. I could already feel the damp, slow breeze causing a crawling sensation all over my body.

"Princess?"

I jump a little bit. "Yes?" Michael sparkling green eyes seems to give me some relief.

"Are you ready?"

Hoped you liked this one.

Review me pretty please!