Thanks Tigerlion for my review!

Thanks again for reviewing FeatherWind!

I don't own the Princess Bride in any way.

Blossom, Michael, Gabriel, Nettie, and Crazy Benjy however are my own characters. :) :) :)

(Excuse any mistakes you see. Thanks.)

Chapter 8

Early morning in the Weeping Weeds…

I woke up with the fresh sun shining in my face. The weeds were once again laughing.

"Do you hear that?" Nettie asks me.

"Oh, good morning Nettie. I didn't know you were up. How did you sleep?"

"Do you hear that?" Nettie repeats ignoring my question.

"Hear what? I only hear the laughing."

"And it sounds the same to you? Doesn't it sound… different?"

"No."

Nettie doesn't say anything. She just gets up and looks up at the weeds. "They don't seem the same to me."

I listen more closely. "You're probably just tried of them. We've been listening to them for a long time."

"Hmm… maybe that's it."

"Yeah, you're probably just annoyed of them by now. Just do what Michael said. Try not to listen."

Nettie nods her head and that was it.

We get packed up and situated. After we had finished our breakfast we were walking once again. We were all pretty tired from being up so early, so there wasn't much talking. Michael walked beside me as Nettie trailed behind.

"We'll be out the field of weeds soon."

"Oh." I say with a little disappointment.

"What's wrong Princess?"

"I was hoping we would be in the field a little longer than that. I hate to have to go back into the forest again. It's much too dark."

"I have a feeling it's safer in there than out here."

"But so far we haven't been in any danger."

"I know. That makes us lucky not safe."

What could I say? I was sure Michael knew more than I did about the Twisted Gallows. "Maybe." I say, "When do you think we'll be out."

"If we hurry we'll be out before the day is done. We can make camp outside the field."

"Okay." I turn behind me to see Nettie walking further behind, "Did you hear that Nettie? We'll be out soon, alright?"

"Yeah."

"What wrong with her?" Michael asked.

"She doesn't like listening to the weeds anymore. They are starting to become annoying."

"She shouldn't be listening in the first place." He said in a firm tone.

"Don't worry. I told her to ignore them. She'll be fine as soon as we're out."

Michael seemed more determined than ever today. We skipped our lunch break in order to keep going. It seemed extremely hot today, much hotter than it was yesterday. The weeds gave us some shade, but it felt as if the sun was following us. We were baking in the heat.

A hard breeze passes over the top of the weeds, causing them to rattle and laugh. This time it was unusual. They were laughing but the intensity of the laugh was different. They weren't laughing out of joy anymore. They weren't really laughing with us, but at us.

I look up at the weeds and I can almost see their faces. I could see their big gory eyes. I can see their agape mouths that reminded me of large black holes. Their tiny leaves points to us like waging fingers filling me a guilty numbness. I finally understood what Nettie saw this morning. Things were changing. I follow Michael's advice and hum to myself, which seemed to help.

The sun was going to kill me. I just knew it. I couldn't take too much more of it. Laughing or not we were going to have to sit under some of the weeds for a second. Michael didn't put up a fight. He was extremely tired as well. He had been carrying all of our heavy cargo for us. I sit beside him and Nettie sits away from us.

"I'm worried about her." I told Michael.

"I know. We should be worried. She doesn't look so good."

Nettie was rocking back and forth on the ground clutching her knees. She hadn't said very much all day. I was hoping that maybe she was just sleepy and would be more awake later on in the day. It didn't seem like that was going to happen.

"Are you alright?" I ask Nettie.

Her head bobs up and down and she says no more.

"How do you feel Princess?" Michael asks me.

"Good. Or as good as I'll ever feel. Who ever knew that running away would be so much work."

Michael laughs at me and I start to feel a little stupid.

"Did you think it was going to be easy?" He asks with a wide smile on his face.

"No. I wasn't thinking. I was so focused on the getting away part I just figured that the rest would be easy."

"It'll be easier as soon as we are out the Twisted Gallows and in Devons. Until then we have to stick together and keep our cool."

"Sure. Michael?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think Prince Humperdink is looking for us? He didn't search for Buttercup when she ran and he loved her, if that's even possible for him to love someone. Do you think he'll search for me? I mean he doesn't even like me that way."

"He might. I'm sure he has a bruised ego now. He's lost two queens in a matter of weeks. That won't look good in the royal records. Especially if the one of the queens were as beautiful as you are."

I try not to blush but I can't help it. I feel my cheeks burn red.

Michael continues, "But don't fret. If Humperdink does come after us, we'll be able to get away. I'm positive of it."

Michael had a way of making me feel completely safe even amongst these weird weeds.

"I'm glad you're with us Michael. I mean I'm sorry you are away from your family, but I'm glad that you're here with us; to protect us. You know what I mean? Right?"

Michael smiles at me again, "Yes, Princess. I know what you mean. I'm happy to be here as well."

On Jameston Island…

It's been days since Inigo and Fezzik left to rescue my sister Blossom. There was still no sign of them. My dear Westley had already told me a thousand times that it may be weeks before we hear anything from them. I know the distance from Florin to Jameston is great but it doesn't matter. I still agonize over it all. This is my fault after all. I should have just taken Blossom with me. What kind of sister am I?

I was sipping from my coconut cup filled with coconut milk when Westley finally came back to the inn.

"Good afternoon darling." He says with a grin. He kisses me, but I feel nothing. Westley notices how distracted I am. "Buttercup, you've got to take your mind off of it."

"How can I? For all I know Blossom could already be married to that idiot and I'm just sitting here with my feet up, drinking from a stupid coconut."

"There is nothing we can do now. Fezzik and Inigo are going to bring her back. They may not be the best of men but they are very devoted. All we can do as of now is wait."

"Well I for one can't wait."

I drop my coconut and get up from the table.

"Where are you going?" Westley asks me.

"I don't know. I'll… I'll just take a walk." I slip into my shoes and I leave our little suite. I stride down the stairs and out the inn, which rested on the beach. Westley wasn't too far behind. The island was filled with loud and rambunctious men, not a good place for a woman to go anywhere alone.

"Wait for me!" Westley calls.

I generously stop and wait for him to catch up with me.

"Westley, I refuse to just sit here and wait for who knows what to happen to Blossom. I just can't do it."

"Let's just go into town. Maybe a drink will settle your mind."

I knew the drink was more for his mind than mine, but I don't argue. I was probably driving him batty as it was. He most likely needed a drink bad.

We find a quaint pub in town. We stop in for a drink.

"You have nothing to be afraid of." my Westley informed me for the hundredth time, "Inigo and Fezzik will keep their word."

"I'm sure they will. I would just feel better if I was there finding her too."

"Well, that won't be happening." Westley says as he talks a gulp of his whisky. He has become more protective over me, which is a good thing…most of the time.

Westley continues to try and comfort me but I tune out. I focus on a group of loud men further down the bar.

"John," a fat man says, "Where have you been? It's been months since you've stopped by."

"I've been in Devons." John replies, "There are a lot of good salons in Devons. They're a million times better than this old place."

"Women they may got." Said the bar owner, "But we've got the best rum and beer."

"Aye, that be true. Give me another Bill."

"So what's the latest news from Devons?" the fat man asks.

"Listen to you Rod." One of the men in the crowd says, "You sound like a old gossiping woman."

"Shut your mouth! I wasn't talking to you!"

"Alright, alright." John says calming his buddy down, "There's been a lot going on in Devons."

"Like what?"

"A lot of pirates have been put to death. Did you hear about poor Jimmy Long Legs? It's a shame. What's this world coming to with all these good hearted pirates being but to death?"

"It's a bloody shame. That's what it is."

"Yeah, well the king of Devons just had another baby girl."

"Another? Ha! That makes eight girls and no sons. That means no heirs."

"Aye. He thinks that the queen is having all these girls on purpose. He trying to divorce her and marry some young milkmaid."

"A milkmaid?"

"Aye. A beautiful thing she is. Some say she's already pregnant with his baby. They aren't even married yet. He hasn't even divorced his first one yet."

"Ha! The men in Devons surely work fast don't they?"

"Aye mate they do. But there is more."

"Really? Come on then. Out with it."

"Buy me another drink first."

The fat man tells the bar owner to give them another round of drinks.

"It's not about Devons." John says, "It's news from Florin. You know that stupid Prince lost his queen, the first one."

"Buttercup? Yes, I heard that."

I lower my head down just incase they recognize me.

"Well, I heard that he lost his second queen, Blossom, before she even came to the ceremony."

The fat man bursts into laughter. I sigh a sigh of relief. Blossom wasn't married.

"That idiot!" The fat man proclaims, "A prince that can't even keep his own women? What a fool!"

"It gets worse. Word has it that the Miracle man, Crazy Benjy, kidnapped her. When Humperdink sent his army after him, Benjy turned the army into frogs and goats and flies!"

The fat man laughs harder.

"It gets better, mate. That Crazy Benjy took the future queen and they are fleeing through the Twisted Gallows."

The man stops laughing to think, "That makes no sense. That old goof isn't strong enough to drag anyone through that forest."

"I know and that's exactly what I said to the gent that done told me. The gent said that Crazy Benjy turned the queen into a butterfly and put her in a jar!"

I jump up from my seat.

"What's wrong?" Westley asks me standing up too.

My mind is frantic. Where were Inigo and Fezzik? Why didn't they save her?

"Buttercup? What's wrong?"

"My sister is a butterfly trapped in a jar by some crazy miracle man, traveling through the dangerous Twisted Gallows. That's what's wrong! And it's your fault! I knew I should have gone with Inigo and Fezzik! It's obvious that they couldn't do it! They couldn't rescue her and now my sister is a flying bug! I have to save my baby sister and you're not stopping me!" Buttercup marches out and heads back for the inn.

Westley stands there, stunned.

Nightfall in the Weeping Weeds…

We finally made it to the edge of the Weeping Weeds just as the sun began to set. The weeds started to disappear with fresh open air. Suddenly we are facing the gloomy woods with its tall trees and heavy mist. I didn't want to step foot in the woods, not now, not at this time of night. Michael went into the woods first to make sure it was alright. He started to make a camp for us. I stayed in the weeping weeds a little longer with Nettie.

We were both pretty beat. We lay on the grass under the weeds.

We didn't talk much. The weeds did the talking for us.

I could still hear my mother's laugh and Buttercup's laugh, but it was changing. It sounded wicked now and I didn't understand why. What made it change?

"Do you hear it now?" Nettie asks me.

"Yeah. They sound mad don't they? It's like an evil laugh. What's it called?"

"Sinister. Yeah, I know. I've been hearing it all day."

"It's just so strange don't you think?"

"Yeah."

We go back to listening to the weeds. I've never heard my father laugh with such anger in his voice. It was quite disturbing.

"Blossom?" Nettie whispers in the dimming light.

"Yes."

"Do…do you think I'm pretty?"

"Of course." I say wandering where all of this was coming from.

"And smart?" She adds.

"Absolutely. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know…I've just been thinking. It's nothing really…I just feel a little-"

"Sad? Depressed?"

"Kind of."

"I'm telling you it's just the laughing getting to you. Try to keep it out you mind."

"I'll try."

I struggle to keep up for as long as I can, but my eyelids can't stay open forever. In my dreams I hear the voices of my family talking to me.

"Blossom." My mother's voice whispers, "Blossom. What have you done? You're going to kill them. You're going to kill your friends." My mother's voice says. She repeats it over and over again.

Then I start to hear my father's voice rise over mother's whispers, "You should have made them stay. It's your fault."

"Blossom." Buttercup murmurs, "How could you?"

It keeps going. This is what they tell me over and over again. I beg them to stop. I tell them I'm sorry but they refuse to hear me. I awake panting with my heart racing.

"You alright?" Nettie asks me.

I'm not sure. "It was nothing just a nightmare. I'm okay now."

I thought I was fine until I heard it again. My father utters, "You should have made them stay. It's your fault."

I pinch myself. I was wide-awake; this wasn't a dream. Why could I still hear their voices?

"I think I've had enough of all of this." I tell Nettie trying not to sound too frightened, "I'm going into the woods with Michael. You coming?"

"In a minute. I'll be right behind you."

I get up and sprint out of the weeds as I hum a tune.

I find Michael under a tree already eating his portion of supper. "What has taken you so long? I already started eating."

"I know. I'm sorry. We fell asleep."

"Where's Nettie?"

"Oh she's coming."

Michael had already built a fire. I sit on one side as he sits on the other. That dream had caused me to lose my appetite. I simply take a handful of dried fruit to sustain me. The sun was gone now, but the moon and the stars were very bright out the woods. I could see the open field from here. Of course, in the wooded area everything was dark. In fact the only light we had was the fire.

I struggle not to but somehow my mind starts to meditate on what my family said in my dreams. It was true of course; I knew that for sure, but did Nettie? Did Michael?

"Michael." I whimper shamefully.

"Yes, Princess."

"I just have to tell you how sorry I am."

"For what?"

"For making you go through all of this with me instead of being with your family."

"Not this again Princess. We've discussed this. It's all right. You don't have to worry about that. I promise."

It was true. I had already apologized earlier today and a thousand times more before that. I had apologized more than I actually needed to, but something didn't feel right. I felt like I needed his approval, his forgiveness. "I understand. I just feel so bad about it all."

"You don't have to be Princess. It was my choice. I chose to go with you."

"Why would you do that?"

Michael doesn't say anything at first. "Princess, do you believe in fate or destiny?"

"Yes."

"I believe my destiny is with you."

My heart jumps for joy a little. I wanted to ask him what exactly did he mean but he changes the topic before I could. "Why are you constantly saying you're sorry anyways?"

"I don't know……."

Michael waits for me to continue.

"I've just been hearing these voices in my head. I'm not crazy. It's just-"

"Voices? You've been hearing voices in your head? When?"

"Tonight."

Michael suddenly starts to get angry. He stands up, "You've been listening to the weeds haven't you?"

I've been caught. I hang my head in shame, "Maybe."

"Maybe? Princess, don't lie to me. I told you not to listen didn't I. Didn't I?"

"I'm sorry. We couldn't help it. We didn't find any harm in it."

"We? Nettie is still listening."

"Kind of. I've stopped though. I think something wrong with them. They aren't laughing the same. They sound evil and then I started hearing the voices in my head."

Michael takes a lantern from our supplies. He lights it with the fire and marches past me.

I follow him, "Michael! Michael, I'm sorry! Don't leave!"

"I'm going to get Nettie before it's too late." Michael tells me without looking back.

"Too late? Too late for what?" I make it to Michael and I tug on his arm, "Stop! Stop and tell me what's going on. Please!"

Michael takes a firm grip and pulls me into the weeds with him. As we march faster he speaks to me harshly, "That's how it starts. At first all the weeds do is laugh. They do it to grab your attention. Then once you start laughing with them and you let your guard down, that's when it changes. They start to laugh at you, mock you."

"That's exactly what happened."

"And the voices you heard. They weren't in your head. It was the weeds. After awhile they start to whisper to you, making you feel depressed and lonely. It only takes so long before a person starts to cry."

"So that's why they are called weeping weeds."

"Yes."

"But you said they were deadly. I've never heard of anyone dying from a lot of tears."

"Weeping is just the beginning Princess."

A breeze passes over the weeds and I hear my mother whisper, saying, "Nettie is in trouble and it's your fault. She'll die and it will be your fault."

Oh God, what if Nettie did get hurt? It would be my fault. Mother's voice screams in my head.

"Michael, they're talking to me again." I tell him.

Michael stops, grabs both of my shoulders and shakes me a bit. "Don't listen. You can't listen to what they are saying. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." I say, realizing how important this all is.

I start to sing a little. I'm not the best singer in the world but it helped. Michael joins in and we sing Mary had a little lamb together. We come back to the spot where I left Nettie. She isn't there.

"I was afraid this would happen." Michael said, "Nettie! Nettie! Where are you!"

"Michael." I whisper, "Ssh. You hear that?"

It was crying. Nettie crying.

We follow the sound. Michael breaks out into full running speed. I hike up my dress and I try to keep up. I still didn't understand. What would happen if Nettie continued to cry?

Michael suddenly stops up ahead. He must have found her. When I finally make it there I'm trying to catch my breath. "Nettie are you okay?"

She wasn't. She was crying none stop. From the light of the moon I could see how pale she was. She looked awful. One of her hands ran through her hair making it a mess, her other hand clenched to her dirty dress. She had covered herself with dirt and mud. She just sat on the ground in despair.

"I hate me. I hate you. Just leave me alone. Stop talking." She repeats over and over again. She continues to mutter to herself. She closes her eyes tight and rocks back and forth.

"Nettie, stop that." I demand but she won't listen to me. I turn to Michael, "What's going on? What's happening to her?"

"That's what the weeds do. They make you angry with yourself so you'll consider suicide. That's what they want. The weeds want us to die. Nothing ever survives amongst them."

I feel like such a fool. I should have listened to Michael. Why hadn't I listened?

We edge closer to Nettie. She stumbles back. "Stay away from me!" She shouts, "Leave me alone! Just keep away!"

I get on the ground and I crawl over to my best friend, "Nettie, don't do this. Don't listen to them. It's going to be okay."

"I hate you! I hate me! I hate everything! So just leave me alone! I want to be by myself!"

"You don't mean that." I say touching her hand.

She snatches her hand back, "Yes I do! Yes I do! I don't need you! I don't need anything!"

"Nettie," I utter becoming more terrified, "What's that in you're hand?"

Nettie hides her hand behind her back. "Nothing."

"Nettie, give me your hand."

"NO!"

I launch at Nettie. I tug at her causing her to grow even more furious. It wasn't such a good idea, but I had to see what was in her hand. Michael gets a hold of her and grips her hard. She can't move and I'm free to look in her right hand.

I gasp.

"What is it?" Michael asks me.

"Nightshade berries." In the moonlight I could see the red and black berries clearly, "The deadly ones." I grab Nettie's head and I force her to look into my eyes, "Tell me you didn't eat these. Tell me you didn't!"

"I did." She said with a creepy smile, "And I'd do it again."

"Nettie," Michael says, "Listen to me. You don't mean that. It's the weeds talking. Stop listening to them."

"No! No!" she screams, "I hate me! I hate this life! I don't want to live it anymore!"

"You don't mean that."

"Yes I do! Don't tell me what I mean! I know how I feel." Nettie keeps crying but now she is angry. She lowers her voice and she sounds spine chilling, "Why should it matter? I lost my family. I can never go back home. We may never make it out the Gallows alive. I'll have nowhere to go once you go back with your sister. I'll be all alone. So why shouldn't I die? I have no idea what I'm going through. And no one cares! You don't care. I don't care. Why shouldn't I just end it?"

Mom was right. It was my fault. My mother starts to whisper to me again. I step back from Nettie. I can't believe what I have done to my best friend. I can feel myself coming to tears.

"Sing, Princess. Sing!"

I curl up in a ball and I sing Mary had a little lamb to myself. I can hear Michael talking to Nettie, trying to calm her down. I don't know how much time pasted. The whole moment felt too eerie to be real. When the whispering has left me I turn my attention back to Nettie. She was still crying, but crying less at least.

I edge over and touch her hand. When she doesn't flinch I take her hand in mine. I remember what she had asked me earlier. "Nettie, you are beautiful and smart and brave. You can't give up now."

"Why can't I?"

"We need you. You can't make it through the Gallows without you. We have to stick together."

"No."

"I care Nettie. I care so much. You're my best friend. I love you."

Nettie shakes her head.

"We love you Nettie, Michael and I both. We love you. We are here for you."

"Come on now." Michael chimes in, "You're too strong for this. You can't let a bunch of weeds lick you. You're so much better than this."

Nettie doesn't reply. We can't wait for her to stop; we have to move her now. Michael and I lift her to her feet. She's a bit shaky at first but she manages to stand. We both start to pull Nettie's hands and guide her out.

I can hear Nettie murmur softly, "Help me. Make them stop. Make them stop talking to me."

"Don't worry, Nettie. It'll all be over once we are out the field."

Michael starts to sing, but the laughing drowns out his voice. We scream Mary had a little lamb on the top of our lungs as we run out the weeds.

Mary had a little lamb,

Little lamb, little lamb,

Mary had a little lamb; its fleece was white as snow.

We all take turns tripping on the exposed roots of the weeds. We stop and help each other up but we never stop singing.

And everywhere that Mary went,

Mary went, Mary went,

And everywhere that Mary went; the lamb was sure to go.

We run as if the devil himself is coming after us. Once we were out of the weeds one of us were still in danger. Nettie told us that she had eaten a handful of the poisonous Nightshade berries. That's when I remember Crazy Benjy.

"The book! Crazy Benjy's Foliage for food and medicine book!"

We take the book out of Nettie's bag and sure enough there is a remedy nightshade berries. It took forever to find the foliage for the antidote in the gloom of the Twisted Gallows. We finally found everything and mixed it up for Nettie. She drank the goop and slept the poisonous effects away. I fell asleep soon there after. I assume Michael stayed up to look after the both of us.

The next morning we didn't sit and rest. Even though Nettie was still under the weather we packed up everything and continued further. Michael wanted us as far away from the weeds as possible. Michael led the way. Nettie and I followed.

We continued in quiet until Michael says, "I guess you two will be listening to me from now on. Right?"

We hang our head down in shame. We had gotten ourselves in trouble with the weeping weeds. "Right." The two of us say in unison.

Our feet once again continue with the normal pattern through the muck and mud.

Squish, Squash, Squish, and Squash.

I hoped you liked this one. I hoped everything made sense. Tell me what you think. Review me PLEASE!