Ch. 17: The Plan Begins

"When do we start our plan?"

"Tonight."

Gabriella learned her father went for another game but in another town, about a day or so journey. She was glad that she didn't have to worry about her father hassling her but when she looked down at her ring, she always remember Tristan. I miss him so much, she thought to herself as she sat with Lucille.

Gabriella's return was a surprise to Lucille, she never thought that her best friend would return after their fight but there she was sitting by her bedside. Lucille took her hand and Gabriella looked down at her, she smiled at her, "It's okay, Lu. You are safe with me."

Instead of another saying, Lucille immediately said softly, "I'm so sorry, Gabby." Gabriella smiled back and kissed the top of her friend's head. Lucille smiled back and laid back, knowing that Gabriella had forgave her a long time ago.

Gradually in the few days that passed she was able to sit up and talk with her friend, noticing her expression always to seem very sad even when she try to hide it behind a smile. Lucille watched as Gabriella brought her dinner, handing it to her before she turned to look out at the night sky. "You miss him, don't you," Lucille wondered. Gabriella gave a sad nod before sitting next to her friend, "Why don't you just go back?"

"I can't," Gabriella simply answered.

"How come? You miss him and I'm betting he's missing you."

"He doesn't want me to for my safety and so I can be free."

Lucille touched her friend's hand gently, "But is this freedom? Gabriella, I haven't seen you smile once since you came back. You give fake smiles that are not convincing and I know you want to go back to him." Gabriella sighed as Lucille made her face her. Lucille smiled and held her hands saying softly, "Gabby, you found love in the most unlikely way." Gabriella felt the tears build up as Lucille moved the tray aside, letting her friend climb into the bed, crying on her shoulder all the sadness and heartache she felt.

"Tristan," Abby quietly peered through the door. Tristan's room was darker; more desolated and as the days passed everyone noticed how isolated Tristan became. It broke his heart when he had to tell Luka that Gabriella was gone.

B&B

Tristan told them that Gabriella the moment dawn came due to magic he requested. There were no goodbyes and Abby would chide Tristan for not giving them that opportunity to say bye to her but seeing his look. His eyes were sorrowful and painful, Abby knew Tristan became a wolf and howled so long. All his pain was right there.

Suddenly they heard footsteps coming down; they all looked up to see Luka came walking into the main room, smiling with Snowball beside him. When he entered, he looked around seeing the sad expressions on everyone's faces. "What's wrong," the little boy inquired.

Tristan stood up and walked over to Luka. He bent down in front of the little boy touching his shoulder. "Luka, this is going to be hard to tell you this," he told the little boy, "Gabby had to go back home."

"What?"

"Her friend was really sick and she needed to go."

"You promised," Luka backed away.

Abby stepped forward, "Luka…"

However, Tristan stopped Abby watching as Luka backed way from them. "You promised she would stay," he told Tristan. "You told me that she would stay and you two would live happily ever after like the stories." The little boy then ran off before Tristan could say anything.

Abby touched his shoulder but he shunned it off as he sighed softly, "I told you I was never sure." He then left, disappearing to his bedroom.

B&B

Luka and Tristan stopped talking to each other; well Luka stopped talking to Tristan. Abby tried everything to convince her son but she could see that both were in pain for the same reason: Gabriella left.

Abby sighed as she entered Tristan's room. She looked for him seeing that his table and bed was a mess, things were all over the floor from papers to clothes. She then looked up at the mirror to see it shattered. "Why does everything seem to hurt now," she quickly looked up to see Tristan sitting in a corner.

He stood up, coming out of the shadows to see Tristan's clothing slightly torn from his transformations, his hair slightly messy while his eyes seemed darker. She knew what was happening; his curse was slowly taking over him right in front of her. "Tristan, come out for dinner," Abby pleaded softly.

"Not hungry." Suddenly he clutched onto his forehead rubbing the temples. Since Gabriella's leaving, Tristan's curse became worse. On the night when the moon was not gone, he couldn't even remember the night. He was becoming a reflection of his former self right before them.

Before Abby could speak, Aaron came running in panic in his eyes. Tristan turned around to look at him as Aaron panted, "The forest…Shadows….Andrew…"

"What," Tristan turned back to the balcony. He ran to the balcony with Aaron and Abby behind as he watched the forest slowly shift, the Shadows within slowly began to walk out with Andrew leading them with a black horse. The Shadows slowly began to morph into dark armored men and some turned into wolves. Tristan felt his heart race and felt his body strike in pain, he clenched his side as he looked over at Aaron, "Warn the General. Grab Luka and prepare yourselves. The Castle is getting attacked."

Andrew looked up seeing Tristan rushing back into the Castle, he lifted his sword as he yelled, "Take over the Castle but leave the Duke's son to me."

For a long time, Gabriella laid with Lucille but after a lot of thinking Gabriella made her mind up. "I'm going to go back," Gabriella told Lucille, "I have to see him."

Lucille nodded, "I kind of figured, sweetie. You better get going then."

Gabriella smiled and hugged her friend enthusiastically before they heard a loud thud. "Gabby," she could hear her father calling her. Gabriella stood up and left the room slightly confused. She walked down the staircase to see her father standing at the doorway his expression very frightened as he looked up at her, "Gabby, come down."

Be careful, Gabriella could hear Tristan's voice suddenly say to her.

Gabriella cautiously walked down the stairs; she looked over to see her father sweating profusely with Brandon standing behind him with a knife against his back. Brandon gave a sweet smile to Gabriella, "Hello Gabby."

Tristan ran to each door shutting them tightly. He groaned in pain as a sharp pain went in his chest and his head began to pound harshly. He could hear the windows break below while he ran to a room that had Luka inside with Abby. Luka looked up at him, "What's happening?"

"Andrew is back for me," Tristan told him.

"You don't have much time," he looked his shoulder to see Zelda looking at him. Tristan approached her as she touched his hand, he cringed slightly, "Tristan, you are changing and it will turn you to a wolf. You won't be a man anymore."

"Give me time," Tristan begged.

"I can't," Zelda shook her head. Suddenly Tristan cringed in pain again as he felt his claws began to show, he looked over at Luka and Abby who ran over to him. They clutched onto him as they laid him back as Zelda bent down, "Tristan, you are slowly changing painfully. You can use this to your advantage to defend the Castle but Andrew has another plan also…" Slowly she opened her hand to show Gabriella being approach by Brandon with a knife while Lucille and Arthur tied up.

Tristan sat up quickly before he yelled, "Gabriella…"

"He's attacking you so your father could have his youth back."

"What?"

Zelda looked down, "I took away your father's youth while I took away your beauty. You seem to cope better than your father but he learned somehow that if you die, his youth returns."

"Lovely," Tristan cringed.

Luka looked back and forth from Zelda and Tristan. There was chaos and panic before there was another shatter of the window, Abby stood up seeing a Shadow's hand trying to break through while Tristan groaned. Luka clutched his fists as he stood up, "I'll go and save Gabriella."

Tristan looked up at the boy, "What?"

"I can do it," Luka told him. Tristan shook his head but Luka went over to his best friend, "Let me do this, Tristan. I can do this!" Tristan looked at Abby who looked back at him.

Tristan jerked again as he looked as his hand slowly began to change. He looked up at Luka before pulling his medallion off his neck, holding it up to Zelda. "Put a protection spell on it for him," he ordered the witch. Zelda looked at him hesitantly before waving her hand over the medallion; it gave a small glow before Tristan placed it over Luka's neck. He touched the boy's chest, "Go Luka and protect her. If anything happens to me, you take the name of Duke."

The window did another shatter before Tristan slowly stood up, pushing the door open for Luka. He then looked at Snowball, "Watch out for him, Snowball." Slowly Tristan turned around with Luka watching as Tristan growled loudly before he ran at the Shadows at the window turning into a wolf in mid jump, crashing through the window.

That was Luka's cue to run as fast as he could. The little boy knew he could reach the stable without being caught. He ran down to a secret passage, pushing the door open in one of the walls that were in his bedroom before he ran down the stairs. The passageway opened from the floor as he climbed out with Snowball behind him. They ran over to Tristan's horse with Luka jumping on while he began to ride off with Snowball running along side.

Don't worry Gabriella! I'm coming!

Have no fear, Marx's here! Who wants to guess what's next?! Review, PM etc. See you guys can't hate me especially when I update so fast. :)