Alllllrrrrriiiigggghhhhttt! I'm so happy I finally go this chapter done! Finally the true plot begins! Trust me, during my french class, I went totally crazy with ideas for the next couple of chapters! I'm so proud of them, and I got excited just writting them! I really hope you guys will enjoy them...if not...I might just to suicidal (sp? see I'm alreayd going crazy) and jump off a building...it will be a one st. building ok! Anyways, the guys are finally leaving the damn village and Silvertounge and his family will no longer be a part of it. They werent exactly a major part of it, but necessary to the plot. But, things will finally start changing for Ann and Dustfinger (especially in the next one) and Capricorn begins will begin his planning. But thats the next chapter, sorry. This one though will be cute in a way.
Ok, enough of my blabbing, enjoy the chapter!
Dustfinger, Silvertounge, Meggie, Resa, Elinor, and Ann all sat in the middle of the church, huddled and surrounded by the black jackets. Meggie was settled in between her father and mother, both holding her hands in a comforting way but Meggie couldn't help but feel hopelessness as she looked around her. Elinor on the other hand felt nothing but anger, and decided to let the black jackets know that as well.
"I hope you know you damned idiots that if you intend to use those guns of yours that you won't have a reader to get you back into that god-damned book."
The men had teased Elinor earlier in the day and had prodded her with the butts of the guns. They were shoving everyone with them. One of them even managed to prod a bit too hard on Resa and Mo almost killed the man. But the black jacket only laughed and pointed the gun at the bookbinder, telling him to get moving.
One of the men laughed and walked up to Elinor. "That doesn't mean we cant use the guns on 'you' or the girly over there." His gun pointed towards Meggie. Mo and Resa both pulled their daughter closer to them, as if to shield her incase he decided to use the weapon.
"You touch either of them and I will not read a word from the book. That includes harming Dustfinger and Ann." But Mo knew that they could've just disposed of him and use Meggie as a reader then. Seeing as the last time they were in the Village, Meggie had found out that she had her father's talent of reading things from stories. But Capricorn had told them that he intended on using 'Silvertounge' because he knew how to use his talent more than his daughter.
Speaking of the two fire eaters, they were sitting behind Mo. Ann sat in Dustfingers lap, his arms around her and his chin on her head. They had been silently talking to one another ever since they arrived in the church. Most of it was about Silvertounge.
"So…all he has to do is read a page from a book and things pop out from it?!" Ann asked in a shocked tone.
"Yep. That's all. Just a couple words from any book in this world and 'bam' something comes out of it!"
Ann stared at him as if expecting him to say 'just kidding', but after he just smirked at her for a while she finally knew he wasn't kidding.
"That's ridiculous, I can't believe that all he has to do is read a book and then we will be back home. There's no way that can happen. Besides, I don't think someone who looks like him will be able to have that power to do all of that."
Dustfinger looked surprised, "How do you think we got here!? Granted we don't know who the reader was that brought us to this world, still Silvertounge was the one that brought me in this world a couple years ago. And what do you mean 'looks like that', what do you think he should look like?"
Ann shrugged and averted her eyes away from Dustfingers dancing eyes full of humor. "I dunno…old, wrinkled, and mean. Just look at the scribes in our world. The ones that we saw from Ombrea were just vile old men that shouted at us for being around them. But he…he reminds me of father."
Dustfinger looked down at Ann, her eyes had a far away look to them. She was probably thinking of the Black Prince. It had been almost a year and a half since the last time she saw him. He knew that he probably missed Ann more than anything else in the world and was worried to death that something bad had befallen her. But he knew that Ann missed him just as much.
"Do you think he misses us?" She asked.
He laughed, "Of course he misses you, and I dare say he is glad that I'm gone. After all, I set his bears fur on fire so many times that the thing should be bald. He's relishing the absence of me."
"Oh shut up," Ann playfully punched Dustfinger on the arm. "You know he misses you. You're like a brother to him."
The fire eater merely laughed and ruffled her hair.
"I guess your right. Hey, how are your wounds? I'm sure their still pretty sore from a few days ago."
They're fine. My wrist is pretty much all better but my ribs are still a bit sore. I have to keep bandaging them to keep the from healing the wrong way."
She lifted her shirt a tad bit to let Dustfinger see the white cloth of the wraps. He couldn't help but blush a little bit looking at her flat stomach, but Ann didn't notice the sudden red tinge on his face.
"Other than that everything is fine. The bruises and cuts are all healing nice." She said, lowering her shirt once more and leaning back against Dustfinger, relishing in his warmth.
Ann thought about the times she spent with Dustfinger. That every time she did she would get a weird feeling in her stomach and she would constantly blush at everything he did or said. But now, after spending so much time away from him, she finally realized that he was a big part of her life. He was there when she first talked, walked, tried her first taste of fire honey, and so much more. Not having him there was like loosing air or something like that…
He would never feel the same way. I mean he's known me since I was a baby. He probably thinks I'm like a little sister or something…I just wish—
Ann was brought out of her thoughts by Dustfinger wrapping his arms around her and holding her as close as he could. She knew that his actions when he was around her were something that people usually never saw, and he was like a closed book. But, when he was around her it seemed like he opened up a little bit.
"I'm glad. I'm glad your not hurting anymore Ann. I can't stand to see you in pain, cause somehow it makes me feel like I'm hurting. I care about you so much that I would do anything to keep you from harms way. Ever since the day me and your father found you, I vowed that I would try with all my might that I would keep you safe. But, it's because of me that you end up hurt most of the time."
His voice was so sad, it almost made Ann cry that he would blame every thing that had happened to her all on himself. Anger over came her.
"Dustfinger, if I ever hear you blame yourself because I get hurt, ever again, I will personally make sure that your fingers will be broken and you will no longer have your hair. Oh! And once we get back, I will make you wear something with the color pink on it, maybe even keep your hair to dye it pink. Ya got that!"
He laughed and hugged her tighter. It amazed him how she could change peoples moods.
"Yea, I get sweetheart."
Mo had been watching the two and smiled when he saw Dustfinger laugh at something the girl Ann had said and it made him happy. He had never seen the fire eater smile and look so cheerful.
Meggie had seen her father looking over his shoulder at the two.
"Don't you think coming all the way here was worth it Mo, coming here to save Ann?"
Mo looked down at Meggie, her blue eyes shinning even after all they and been through. Sitting for several days in a far away house in the mountains with nothing but bugs, mice, and their guards to keep them company. Of course they got an earful from Elinor and how she was sick and tired of being yelled at and a gun pointed at her chest. But he was glad that Resa had been able to keep Meggie and Elinor entertained for a period of a time. Mo too enjoyed the tales she told with her hands and sometimes Resa and him would play a game, where one starts off a story and the others had to fill it in. It was all they could do to keep their minds off of the terror that they were experiencing again.
Elinor of all people immediately warmed up to the girl Ann when she saw how miserable she was in the village and how the girl ran/limped into Dustfinger's arms after they all were put inside of the church. And Resa introduced herself (with the help of Meggie) while Meggie said hi shyly, but the girls soon were acting as though they were sisters. Mo smiled and shook her hand, telling her how nice it was to meet her. Ann shyly shook his hand back and told him that it was nice to meet Dustfinger's 'friends'.
"Yes Meggie, it was worth it. Though I'm sorry you had to go and experience all this again. I never wanted you, your mother, or your aunt to have to ever do this again in your lifetime."
Meggie shook her head.
"No Mo, don't be sorry. I chose to go with you and Resa and now look. We're having another adventure! It's just like being in a book again, or at least in a book where men look like crows. Though I think Elinor could've done without another adventure. At least one where she wasn't constantly poked with a gun, or put inside dingy old houses." Meggie looked over at her aunt, who was now poking her finger in a black jackets chest and cursing loudly.
"Silvertounge, I think you better control the fat woman or one of them might just 'accidentally' shoot her." Dustfinger chuckled. Though he truly didn't mind the fat woman anymore, it didn't mean that he enjoyed listening to her talk.
Silvertounge nodded and got up to pull Elinor away before she really did get shot like Dustfinger had said. When Mo got up, Meggie and Resa stood and went to go and sit next to the two fire eaters while her father did about his business.
"Dustfinger, what's it like in your world? I've asked Resa, but reading it from her hands and writing isn't as realistic as actually hearing it from someone who lived there. She says that the only reason she couldn't explain it as well as you was because from what you told her when Mortola had her, was that she was in the bad part of the Inkworld."
"Your mother was stuck with Mortola? When Dustfinger was here?"
A lump grew in Dustfingers throat as he recalled the years when Resa was a maid for Mortola and he had a 'slight' attraction to her. It was the one memory, he had at one point, that he held used to hold dearly. But now realizing that he loved Ann, he wanted to put the memory at the very back of his mind.
"Yea, my mother used to be a maid here about two years ago. Of course when Mo, Elinor, and I were brought here, we had no idea that she was back out of the Inkworld. But some lousy reader was the one to bring her back, but he brought her back mute. So when we found her, her and Dustfinger had already known each other. She ended up in the Inkworld in the first place because when I was a baby, Mo was reading 'Inkheart' and she was read into the book, while Capricorn, Basta, and Dustfinger were read here. All of us eventually ended up here…but Dustfinger-
"I had made large mistake and fixed it in the end. Which Silvertounge was kind enough to read me back home and back to you."
Ann noticed how quickly Dustfinger had wanted to end that conversation and didn't pester him for more answers. She already knew of what Dustfinger had done on his first trip to this world. How he had betrayed Silvertounge in order to return home, only to be duped by Capricorn. This was why he helped Silvertounge in the end. She didn't think any less of him. Ann thought to herself that she might have done the same thing in his position if that meant that she would've been able to return home and back to her family.
"-ou just have to calm down sometimes Elinor. I know your upset, but you shouting and yelling at those men is not going to make this predicament any better. There's no point on making things any worse than they already are."
"Oh I know Mortimer, its just I cant believe that we're back here again for the match stick eater and his," Elinor looked at Ann, who had now found entertainment from some matches that she had found in Dustfinger's jacket. She was playing with them and not paying a bit of attention to anyone else. Dustfinger was starting deeply at the girl in his lap, and not even causing a glance towards the others. "Friend."
He expression only softened for a bit before she was back to her old self.
"Mo? How much longer do you think their going to keep us here? We've been here all morning and I'm-
A loud growl erupted from Meggie's small stomach which caused her to blush and wrap her arms around her stomach as if to muffle the noise.
"I agree with your grumbling tummy Meggie, my dear." Elinor said. "We've been here long enough. All of us are starving and all we've done so far is sit here and listen to those men who sound just like annoying twittering crows!"
"I car assure you that after today you will no longer have to wait for us to feed you or become a part of your lives any more. I promised Silvertounge that no harm would come to him and his family from this day. After all, how can we bother you all when all of us will be back in the book?"
Capricorn had somehow come into the church and was now passing by his men, who bowed as their leader passed.
"As soon as we are gone from your world, you Silvertounge, may leave with your family without any worries of a trap or any harm befalling you."
"What about Ann and Dustfinger? What will happen to them?" Silvertounge asked. As much as Silvertounge found it hard to believe, he actually still cared about a man who had almost taken his wife and his life away from him. But he knew that Dustfinger had only done those things to return to his life back in the Inkworld. And Ann and Meggie had become such fast friends that it hurt him to think that harm would come upon the girl whom they had come to save.
"What happens to these two in none of your concern as of this moment."
Silvertounge looked distraught while Meggie almost looked as if she was going to be brought to tears. Resa had to hold her daughter close to keep her strong. Elinor, of course, was not satisfied with Capricorns reply to Mortimer's question.
"The hell its not! The only reason we came to this place was to save this girl. I'll be damned if we leave this place without her and the matchstick eater."
"Then I guess, Madame, that you are damned. Flatnose, Cockerell, grab Ann and Dustfinger and bring them up here. Mortola, give Silvertounge the book. The reading begins now."
Flatnose and Cockerell both made a move towards the two fire eaters, but all of a sudden Basta, who no one noticed like when Capricorn had entered, grabbed Ann instead one of the other men. Dustfinger unfortunately was caught by Flatnose while Cockerell merely looked to Capricorn to see what he was going to do about the one 'rouge' black jacket.
"My Lord, please ally me to redeem myself. I know I have done wrong and I can assure you that it will never happen again. Just allow me to watch over the young miss." Basta gripped Ann with his one good arm and held her in a tight grip. Not too tight that Ann would've been in pain thankfully.
Ann looked at Basta. He looked a little better than the last time she saw him, but his arm that he wasn't using was wrapped up in a makeshift cast. His eyes though, they were still a bit dull looking.
"No! How can you even consider letting him watch over her if he was the one that caused her to be in such a bad condition last time!?
Basta glared at Dustfinger.
"Actually Basta. I've decided that I will be the one to look over her until we are in our world once more. Then, you might be able to redeem yourself and become on my 'good' side once more."
Capricorn walked down from his throne and took Ann's arm and started to drag her away from Basta.
"W-wait! I wanna stay with Dustfinger! I haven't got to see him since he too me to the church for my wounds! Please, I just got to see him. At least let me stay with him till we are back home." Ann looked at Capricorn pleadingly.
Capricorn was enraged. After all he had done for her, she chooses to stay with the matchstick eater. The one who left her with him, who caused her to feel alone the nights she stayed in the village.
"No! As I said, you will remain with me until we have returned to the book. Am I understood?" He gripped her arm harder than necessary. She winced and nodded.
"Yes Capricorn."
Dustfinger could only watch and stand next to Silvertounge as Ann was forced to stand next to Capricorn, who seemed to have a smug look on his face as he saw Dustfinger look and glare at him.
"Now, Silvertounge. I have the book that you are to read. Basta," He turned to look at the silent knifeman. "You are to stand besides him and make sure that he reads what he is supposed to."
"My lord, I would but…none of your men, including me, knows how to read."
Ann knew it would come to this. Capricorn had forbade any of his me from ever having to learn to read, incase they decide to get smart and revolt against him. It was all going to backfire on him now.
"Sir, why don't you get the little wench to make sure that he reads it right? She wants to go home, and the reader wants to make sure nothing happens to her. Why not her?"
Flatnose could be awfully smart sometimes and it only made Ann want to punch his face. If his nose wasn't already pressed to his face she probably would've done it.
"You think that I would risk letting you take and torture more of my friends and family just to get back at you? I want you out of this world just as much as you do!" Silvertounge said, Meggie, Resa, and Elinor stood by his side looking apprehensive.
"I'll do it. Even though I know he isn't going to try anything. If I were him I would want you out of here as soon as possible too."
Ann shook off Capricorns hand from her shoulder and walked in between the black jackets to the circle that had been formed around the others.
Dustfinger made no move towards her as she walked up to Silvertounge and suddenly embraced him and whispered something in his ear.
"Thank you. I wish I would've gotten to know you and your family better before all of this happened. I'm sorry that you had to go through all of this again. Meggie told me of how your wife was pulled into my world when she was a baby and how you tried to bring her back. If she was with the Motley Folk, I might have met her before she was read back. I'm just so sorry that all of this had to happen to you, Meggie, Resa, and Elinor."
Silvertounge could only smile and hug Ann back gently, taking care to watch her still healing ribs.
"There's nothing to be sorry for."
He patter her on the back as she walked away to go and hug Meggie, who in such a short time became like a sister in a way. Both girls cried silently when they hugged, and Resa made rapid hand movements when Ann went to hug her. She was telling Ann that she hoped all went well, and that she felt like a daughter to her. The three hugged all together, then Elinor and gave all of them a giant squeeze, making Meggie and Ann laugh.
Dustfinger still hadn't made a move over to Ann, but silently watched as she hugged Silvertounge's family goodbye, a family she only met a hour ago. But when she looked his way he smiled, she knew that he too wanted to embrace her, but kept his distance in case Capricorn suddenly took her back.
"Enough with the goodbyes. Its time that we return to the book and you return to your boring bookbinding likfe Silvertounge. Now read!"
Capricorn snatched something from the silent Mortola's hand, and tossed a green, plain, hardback book. It wasn't particularly big, but Ann felt a strange sensation from standing so close to the thing.
"I would much rather be a boring bookbinder than a murderer." Ann heard Silvertounge mumble. Then, very discreetly, he took a small flimsy piece of paper out of his pocket and put it on the page of the book, where Capricorn couldn't see it.
"What is that Silvertounge?" Ann whispered.
"Please, call me Mo. I swear I might just as well adopt the name Silvertounge, seeing as the only people that don't are Resa, Meggie, and her aunt."
Ann laughed quietly. "Ok Mo. What's that paper?"
"There was an author, the writer of your world where you came from. His name was Fenoglio. We met him on our last encounter with Capricorn. I found out that Dustfinger had asked the man to write a small part that had your name in it, so that when he was returned to the book, he would immediately go to where you were. I didn't know about it until Dustfinger showed up at my door step explaining some read you and him into the world again. The only thing that he didn't know whas who the person was that read the two of you here, but he also cant remember who read him back in. I didn't know how to at the time, so it wasn't me. But we do need this paper in order for you to be able to return with the others."
Ann nodded. She understood it now, well most of it anyways.
"Enough with the whispering Silvertounge. Start reading, before I start killing. Beginning with the fat woman."
"Alright, alright." Mo said. He then cleared his voice, and everything that Ann saw in the church suddenly disappeared when he began to read from the book in his hands. Resa, Meggie, Elinor…All of them vanished, and the sounds and colors from her world flooded her mind. Mo's voice was so clear and loud, it sounded beautiful to her ears. She noticed though, that Dustfinger and the black jackets had the same expressions on their faces when he read. One of awe and amazement. Then, as quickly as it began, it was all over. Only, Mo and his family were no longer with them.
Everyone opened their eyes (they couldn't remember when they had closed them) and looked around them. As soon as their eyes adjusted, the bright light seeping through the trees shone the river, the blue sky, and every familiar thing came rushing back to Ann in a almost knee-buckling excitement.
They were home!
You know what they say, THERES NO PLACE LIKE REVIE-I MEAN HOME! lol, I'm like super hyper/crazy right now and I havent even had my three redbulls
But review, and maybe I will be influenced to post the next chaper up faster! After all, I have a damn notebook filled with the ideas for Inkfire, and with your help I just might make it even better!