Note: Warning: This chapter contains adult situations, animal abuse, and over dramatic scenes. Sorry!
Ch. 19: The Dying Otter
Duke gasped, finding it hard to breathe. Ironically, Arla dropped Duke underneath the tree where he hid the rings, and she and Wade waited for him to die. However, they soon left. Wade wanted to get out of Duke's clothes, while Arla went to deal with Duke's animal friends. Duke could hear Arla's soldiers battling all of his animal friends. Duke felt tired and began to close his eyes . . .
"DUKE!"
Duke opened his eyes wide, and lifted his head up. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Jennifer?"
Jennifer, her face stained by tears, her dress ripped, ran to the otter, lying underneath the tree. She picked up Duke when she reached him, just as her legs gave out. Jennifer held Duke close to her.
"Oh, Duke, you're so cold!" Jennifer exclaimed and began crying. "You're dying, aren't you? This is all my fault!"
"I don't blame you," Duke said, even though he knew she couldn't understand him.
Jennifer shook her head. "Arla and Wade said they'll kill Vince and Dave if I didn't marry Wade. I . . . I didn't want them to die! I couldn't do it! Now you're dying of a broken heart! I'm sorry!"
"It's okay, Jennifer," Duke said, and attempted to slip out of her arms. "It was great to see you before I die, but I don't want you to see me die."
"Duke, no," Jennifer said, trying to hold onto Duke, who was still struggling to leave. She was so upset she didn't realize she could actually understand Duke now. "I'm not going to leave you."
"I'm not that selfish to ask you to stay with me until my last breath," Duke said, trying to wiggle out of her arms. "I don't want your last memory of me be of me dying."
"No, Duke, I'm not letting you die alone," Jennifer said and hugged him and cried. "I love you! I told you I'll be by your side, remember? I want to be with you until the end!"
Duke felt Jennifer's tears on his fur. He looked at Jennifer to see her crying.
"I don't want to upset you," Duke said. "You can stay."
Duke then licked away her tears.
"I'm going to stay here, okay?" Jennifer said. Duke rested his head on her shoulder, and let Jennifer cry into his fur. "I'll protect Rouge Pond from now on! We all will! Audrey . . . Nathan . . . all of us!"
"You're too kind," Duke said and sadly smiled. "I want you to live, Jennifer. Don't die because of me. Live and be happy."
"I'll promise I'll live," Jennifer said. "I'll always love you, but I promise I will move on! I'll escape Wade and marry some good man. I'll tell my children and my grandchildren about you, Duke! My family will know you! You'll never be forgotten, Duke! Never! I'll always remember you!"
"You're too sweet," Duke said, and licked her lips. He then rested his head against her chest. "Thank you."
"I love you, Duke," Jennifer said again, holding him close.
"Aww, isn't this nice? It's so sweet that's it's nauseating," Wade's voice said.
Jennifer looked up to see Wade, now dressed in his own clothes and with his sword by his side. Jennifer frowned and gently placed Duke back under the tree before she stood up, standing protectively in front of the otter.
"Save Duke!" she demanded.
"I didn't curse him," Wade said. "But I could talk to Arla to removing the curses . . . if you marry me."
"Don't, Jennifer!" Duke protested as he crawled forward. "Don't sacrifice your happiness for me! I'm not worth it! Run and live a happy life."
"I'm not going to, Duke," Jennifer said, as Wade looked confused. "Even if I said 'Yes,' Wade could still go back on his word and never tell Arla."
Duke weakly smiled; proud of Jennifer.
"Well since you're unwilling to help, perhaps Duke will be less stubborn," Wade said and looked at the otter. "Tell me, Duke, who do you love more? Charlotte or Jennifer?" Wade then noticed Jennifer's hands. "Did you lose my ring already? Don't worry, I'll get you another one, but I think it's time to consummate our marriage now."
Before either Duke or Jennifer could react, Wade lunged at Jennifer, forcing her to the ground, and held her down. He took out the Crocker knife and pressed it against her throat, as her tiara fell off and landed on the grass.
"Who do you love more, Duke? Charlotte or Jennifer? I'll let your actions speak your thoughts," Wade said, as he began to undo his pants.
"NO! Duke—" Jennifer stopped talking as Wade pressed the knife closer to her skin. Jennifer struggled, but Wade was too strong.
Duke knew what Wade was doing and that enraged him, and somehow that gave him strength to move.
"I love Charlotte and Jennifer," Duke said as he stood, not knowing if the humans heard him. "Charlotte has given me many gifts, but she didn't give me the greatest gift!"
Duke shot towards Wade and bit down hard on his wrist which made him drop the knife. Wade screamed and tried to shake Duke off, but Duke just bit down harder. Finally, Wade did shake the otter off, tossing him aside.
"You're too weak to defeat me," Wade said and went back assaulting Jennifer.
"Maybe I am, but I'm still smarter than you," Duke said, seeing the Crocker knife.
Wade was about to rip open the lower half of Jennifer's dress when he screamed in pain. Duke had successfully climbed onto Wade's back and jabbed the knife into his neck. He then bit down hard on the other side of Wade's neck. Wade actually got up, flinging his arms around, trying to remove either the knife or Duke. Meanwhile, Jennifer slowly stood up, pulling herself together over the horror.
Duke held on as hard as he could, but since otters are not adapted to kill prey larger than themselves, Wade was able to grab him. He threw the otter him to the ground, near the edge of Rouge Pond. Duke didn't get up.
"I don't care what Arla says. We'll try another way to get the Spirit of Rouge Pond," Wade said as he removed the knife and took out his sword. Jennifer ran to Duke's side. "This has gone on for long enough, Duke!"
He then charged at Duke, his sword aimed at the otter.
"NO!" Jennifer screamed, using her body to shield Duke, as she held him close.
Before Wade realized it, he thrusted his sword into Jennifer and Duke. As he pulled his sword out, their bodies fell into Rouge Pond.
"Jennifer!" Nathan exclaimed, as he and Audrey arrived at Rouge Pond, just in time to see Wade attack Jennifer and Duke.
Wade appeared shocked by his actions, but when he saw Audrey and Nathan looking horrified, that feeling soon vanished. Their eyes then met. Audrey and Nathan drew their swords as Wade headed towards them . . . but after two steps, he collapsed from blood lost.
Audrey and Nathan then heard something behind them and saw Dwight walking towards their direction, but he had trouble moving. They could see the hideous damaging injuries on him. Before either Audrey or Nathan could move, Dwight collapsed, breathing hard; Arla then teleported in-between them. In one hand, she held Claire by the neck, half of her feathers were torn off, and one of her wings looked broken. In her other hand, she held Tommy, who looked like he got run over by a wagon. Arla released the animals and they fell to the ground, but they were still breathing. She then noticed Wade.
"He was rather impulsive, but useful," Arla commented. She then looked at Nathan and Audrey. "Guess you two still want to fight."
Arla flung her arm out, palm forward, and an invisible force threw Nathan against a tree. When she lowered her arm, Nathan landed on the ground, unconscious. Audrey then charged at her, hoping she had the advantage with her immunity to magic. However, just as her sword was about to hit Arla, she teleported away. Audrey then felt someone yank her hair back, and knocked her blade out of her hand. She then saw Arla pressing a surgical blade against her throat.
"You will be perfect for my new skin," Arla said and got ready to deal the killing blow.
Suddenly, a tall fountain arose from Rouge Pond, and when it diminished, there stood Charlotte. In her arms was Jennifer, who was still holding onto Duke.
Arla dropped her weapon and released Audrey, and took a couple steps forward as she watched Charlotte in awe. Nathan soon regained consciousness and saw Charlotte stepping onto land. As he stood up, Charlotte noticed them. Audrey stepped forward and studied Charlotte.
"MOM?!" Audrey exclaimed, incredulously.