Frozen Heart Chapter 09.
Several days passed since the Huntress vanished for everyone's great relief. Well... almost everyone's relief.
Since that day Zuritan didn't come out from his room and locked the door from inside. The others tried to call him out, but the boy stubbornly refused any kind of gesture.
"Leave me alone! I don't want to see you anymore!" once he shouted out furiously.
Mickey almost lost his temper and broke in to teach him some respect, but a hand hold him back. It was Mina, shaking her head slowly.
"It just make things worse." she said then called a ghost to take a look inside.
It nodded and vanished in the wall. The spirit's head reappeared on the other side and took a look around. Zuritan sat on his bed hugging his knees, his cheeks were messy by the red tears. He sniffed and seemed so sad.
"So Ezra, what did you see?" asked Mina after the ghost returned.
"Oh, my lady... If I would have a heart then it must be broken." lowered her head the spirit "I never see the young Prince like this."
"I'm wondering why..." rubbed his head Mickey confused. Someone tugged his hand and he noticed Emily looking upon him concerned.
"What's it Emily?" he asked. The girl fidgeted nervously.
"Daddy, there's something... we didn't tell... I... we talked with Molly..." she muttered shyly "I know you forbid us, but I just brought her dinner, and Zuritan accompanied me, because I was scared. But we realized she's not that evil as we thought and we tried to befriend her, and she and Zuritan talked a lot about things, and..." Mickey needed to touch her shoulder to stop her rapid speak.
"Slow down, my angel." he said.
"I'm sorry, daddy. I just wanted to help." pouted the young girl. The Count sighed and patted her head.
"It's okay, I'm not angry at you." Emily blinked upon him, then hugged.
In the next moment they heard wings flapping and two ravens landed nearby. From their back Bernard and Bianca hopped down.
"Ah, finally you returned. Did you find something?" turned to them Mickey.
"Yes, my lord." nodded Bianca a bit tired "She's alive... at the moment."
"What do you mean?" the Count picked up the mice "Tell us everything."
"Just... give us a minute... to breath." panted Bernard on his palms.
Mickey nodded and he and the others went to the throne room. Emily slowly left to the other way with the ghost. Inside the great hall the Count sat onto his throne and allowed the mice to talk.
"We flew down the river as you ordered," started Bernard "when..."
The river rumbled down below, as the two mouse followed it's way. They've searched after the Huntress for a few hours, but they didn't find any sign about her.
"It's useless Bianca!" shouted through the rumble Bernard "Better if we go back to the castle."
"Just a bit more... Bernard look!" pointed down Bianca.
They saw footprint in the snow as someone crawled out from the raging water. The prints, after a while rest headed into the forest. The mice followed the track, flying between the ancient trees.
Evening had come when they finally found the owner of the footprints. Small fire illuminated the nearest pine trees, giving them a warm, welcoming aura. Right next to the fireplace Molly sat, rubbing her arms as she tried to warm up and watched as a small squirrel fry above the flames. Bernard and Bianca landed on a branch further, but they had a nice view at the camp.
"Brrr... I'm cold..." trembled the male after a while.
"Me too... but you not want to be busted, right?" whispered his partner shivering. Suddenly they heard a voice.
"Better if you come here! The nights are chilling in the wild."
They let out a yelp, then noticed Molly glaring at them, leaning her back against a tree.
"H...how...?" started Bernard.
"You're too loud." sighed the cat and gestured "Settle down next to the fireplace." said and went back to the camp.
The mice changed a confused look. The cat was already eating the squirrel, when they landed on the opposite site of the fire.
"Oh much better." sighed Bernard as he warmed his tiny hands.
"Hungry?" Molly offered her meal.
"Eh no thanks..." they grimaced a little.
"You not attack us?" asked Bianca on little voice, staring at the cat.
"Why should I do? The hunters' first law don't kill if it's not necessary or it's not ordered. So chill down, I'm not eating mice."
"Fine then..." there was a short silence before the mice asked "How did you survived the fall? There's no mortal that can stay alive after a jump like that."
"I'm a heartless, a creature without heart." explained Molly "My body is strengthen by magic and it's hard to kill me. I die only when my heart is destroyed."
The others stared at her surprised.
"So that's why..."
"Yes... Now better if you go back. I bet they want to know is I'm dead or not." Molly curled up next to the fire. Bernard and Bianca hesitated.
"If you not mind..." said then the female "We'd like to accompany you."
"... as you wish." sighed the cat after a moment thinking "... eh come here or you will get a cold." lifted up her bushy tail, so the mice could crawl closer to her body, warming each other and they fell asleep.
The group traveled for a day, heading to the south-eastern side of the country. The view was the same wherever they went, dark clouds, snow, creepy looking forests. But when they slowly reached the Queen's territory, the forests were gone, everything was dead and empty. Right ahead a dark, ominous castle grew out from the landscape, it's many towers were like deadly thorns. On the bridge strange figures stood, creatures flew in the sky around the castle.
"What a horrible place..." moaned Bianca scared.
"Better if you two not come any closer. They will sense your presence." Molly pointed at the floating demons with her head.
"You will be fine, right?" asked Bernard.
"Yeah..." the cat made a few step ahead, then stopped "If you go back to the Cont, please do me something."
"And what it would be?"
Molly glanced back with a tiny smile.
"Please reassure the boy I'm fine." said and continued her way toward the deadly castle.
The two mouse looked after her concerned, but staid as she told them. As Molly approached to the bridge, she noticed a smaller group arriving from the other side. They were a bunch of zombies led by a muscled human, who wore the hunters' uniform.
"I didn't expect a heartwarming welcome..." spoke Molly on her serious voice "... especially from you, Gaston."
"Well, well, the great Molly Mountain has returned." greeted her Gaston mocking "How was your hunt? Oh let me guess... you failed!"
"Oh what a genius you are!" frowned the cat.
"I know I am!" smirked the human "But the bigger news is that you made the Queen disappointed."
"Yeah, yeah, but I have a reason why." Molly passed Gaston, when suddenly she was kicked on the back from behind. She yelped and fell down, the zombie warriors laughed.
"The Queen not like the weak servants around. She asked me to take care about you. Finally, how much I waited for this!" an evil grin crept across his face and kicked her again "You will beg for your death, bitch. Take her!" ordered Gaston whereof two soldier grabbed Molly rough and dragged her into the castle, while the man laughing followed them.
Bernard and Bianca watched the scene with shock.
"This is horrible. We must inform the Count about it." muttered the female.
"I agree with you Bianca. Let's go hurry!" said her partner and they flew away.
"... now we're here." finished the story Bianca back in the Dragul castle.
Mickey and the others listened the mice carefully. There was a big silent before the Count sighed.
"...she deserve it..."
"Mickey?" glanced upon him Mina.
"I mean it, dear. That female was a treatment."
"But my lord, she's not that evil like you think." tried to speak Bernard "She just did what the Queen ordered."
"She almost killed my family!" bellowed the Count.
"But she didn't. She betrayed the Queen by refusing her order to kill your children."
"I don't care! They can kill her if they want!" frowned Mickey when they heard another voice.
"We do care!" in the door the two kids stood.
"Emily, Zuritan. You heard..." started Mina.
"...every single word." nodded Zuritan. He glared at his father with red eyes "You must save her!"
"Bah, and why should I do that?"
"Because we ask it." now Emily stepped ahead "Daddy, we know you hate her for those she had done, but Molly is not that evil. She befriend with us..."
"Only to fool you!" cut her word Mickey "She just used you..."
"No, she didn't!" shouted Zuritan "She not fooled any of us, but she was the only one who understood me. Father! I never asked anything from you because I never deeded, but now I want you help and save Molly. Please, I beg you!" for everyone's surprise the boy knelt down and deeply bowed. So did Emily next to her.
Mickey was out of guard, didn't know how to react on the kids' action. He changed a confused look with Mina, hen sighed sharply.
"Oh great... Fine. I help. Bu don't think it changes anything."
"Yay thank you father!" cheered up the kids.
"I go with you if you want." Ozzie placed a hand onto his shoulder.
"Thanks, I'll need every help. Your one either." glanced Mickey at the small mice.
"We will do our best, my lord." nodded Bernard and Bianca.
"Then saddle the fastest horses! We go immediately!" ordered the Count to his servants.
Few minutes later two black horse were waiting for them outside the castle. Mickey and Ozzie vault and the two rode away to save the Huntress from the Evil Queen.
To be continued...