CH 2 - Safe Passage
Savin stopped dead, her eyes widening in the darkness but to no effect.
"What are you doing here?" A suspicious voice echoed through the space between them. The blurry figure took a step forward and Savin jumped only to hit her back against the flimsy ladder.
'This stranger,' she thought, 'is supposed to be here. And I am definitely not..'
She started to breathe heavily, thinking through everything the Witches might have mentioned for help.
She sighed, the Wendron's were not a huge help in any situation.
Still nothing came to mind, "I.. What are you doing down here?" So instead Savin used the one thing that had saved her many times before, her witty tongue. If she could have in that moment, she would have kicked herself.
"What are you ta- Wait, what was that?"
Savin heard the footsteps faintly loom over her, far above her head the guards were bound to find the hatch.. She was dead, that she knew for sure.
She quickly turned her attention back to the shadow in front of her, "you are very fluent in questions, are you not?"
A marvelous chuckle boomed against the walls "I suppose, but was that not a question also?"
She sighed, the footsteps were becoming closer, "this is going no where. Show yourself."
After a tense moment, followed by the sounds of the figure searching his pockets, a light was lit.
Savin blinked, her eyes adjusting to the sudden change.
She looked up as he was revealed.
A man stood before her, dark curly hair swaying above his shoulders, an amused expression on his face, which quickly turned to one of concern. His tall stature shadowed across the light, which settled between the darkness and illuminated his dark eyes one again.
"Your a woman..?" He shifted in his deep red and black robes.
"You speak as though you haven't seen one for years." Savin noticed the golden symbols sewn upon his clothes, 'something strange is going on down here, and I'm going to find out."
"Huh. Well I certainly haven't seen anyone down here in a long time." The hatch made a hollow thump, the guards were passing over the wooden trap door.
Savin suddenly shuffled through the dark over to the candle light, not wasting any time to put more distance between her and her death.
"I know I shouldn't trust you, but I'm going to anyway. Now please, just show me the exit to this place." He seemed too pause for a moment, 'a moment too long' Savin thought.
"Your standing beneath it, and it seems that you've already entered through it. Which is curious.."
"Oh, and how so?" She wanted to move this on as quickly as possible.
He lifted the light higher to see her face, "precisely, how did you see it?" It was in that moment that he saw the blue sheen from her eyes and (quite rudely, might I add) stared open mouth for some time.
"Your a witch.." His deep voice turned to a whisper.
"You don't know who I am then?"
He looked uncertain, "perhaps, now follow me." He turned on his heel, a constant tapping vibrated up the walls and Savin suddenly feared the guards would hear the sound of his boots. And what strange red boots they were.
But he pressed on, "pray what is your name?" Savin did not answer, thinking of an alias was not exactly hard for Savin, if you were looking for a witches name that is. Either way, she didn't think it would quite get past him.
"There's no point in hiding, I won't hand you over to the guards. It sounds like they left either way." She quietly thanked her luck, "my name is Savin - Juniper, that is."
"Pleased to meet you Miss Juniper, I am Marcellus Pye." He briefly turned to smile at his unwelcome guest.
Watching his every footstep, Savin did not notice the elaborate carvings on the walls shimmering in the light as she was to concerned with finding her footing in the dark.
After many twists and turns the extensive labyrinth tunnels seemed to slowly get wider. Savin's attention was maintained on the flip of Marcellus' robes as he mumbled to himself around a corner and finally came to a halt. A large archway split into two ahead, though without a thought they continued to walk through the left corridors and into a large open space.
There was a loud gasp, "it's beautiful.." The room sprawled with its lapis lazuli blue walls shone with gold emblems and strange symbols (similar to the ones she had unknowingly passed earlier). The stone floors were lined with tall desks and various shelves were filled with different coloured bottles and potions.
A great many papers and concoction bottles still lay about the ground from earlier use. Savin's curiosity peaked, who was this strange man helping her? She looked to him for Unspoken answers, knowing brown eyes greeted her and confirmed he was not a wizard..
He sighed, "if you want help, then you'll have to stay here until the fuss in the castle dies down. Otherwise you'll never get out."
"Why are you helping me?" She looked at him closely, expecting to find some preposterous condition on his pale lips.
"Perhaps in exchange, you'll teach me a bit about your coven?" And preposterous is what she got.
"Are you just trying to get me turned into a toad? Because honestly I don't need your help with that." She shivered and saw the silly smile on Marcellus' face, "don't laugh, the Wendron's actually do that you know." And then he too shivered, (holding back a slight giggle of course).
Savin turned back to glance behind her, the beautiful walls looked so gloomy from whence they had came.
"Fine. I'll help you, on one condition."
Marcellus smiled as if to ask 'yes?'
"Safe passage out."
His smile suddenly vanished.