Hiya! I'm back! Still sick and dying, but back!
Opal almost wasn't sure what to do. She was admittedly panicking. The poor girl let out another scream and dove out of the way as a vase of glass came hurtling in her direction, before smashing into a million pieces against the wall. Apparently, her Lady's family had volatile tempers similar to hers, and resorted throwing things when they were angry. And discovering their crew mate was engaged and dead… well, Opal had much reason to fear.
"Eek!" a particularly large diamond almost took her head off, scraping against the wall. "Oh please stop! That's priceless! It took me three days to carve that jewel! And you'll scratch the polish!" they ignored her, and a scepter of pure gold and topped with an emerald went sailing far above her head. Opal squeaked and dove down, burying herself into the mound of gold coins, pulling a chalice over her head.
She'd taken Raz's family to one of the many vaults that housed Zalim's many, many riches, one of the most secure places in the world. Squint had suggested they be locked up when they broke the news to them- and he had been right. Now they were both trying to hide. This particular vault was huge, a large cavern with a twenty foot ceiling, torches on the wall for light. Under them were piles of gold, silver, and jewels of all sort, glittering in the dim light. Now the two rabbits were trying to escape their wrath.
"Wooooooaaaaaah!" Opal jumped as poor Squint went sailing overhead in a silver bowl. The shiny trinket crash landed into a nearby mound of mostly sapphires and emeralds, sliding for several moments and sending up a shower of shiny blue and green gems.
"Oh my goodness!" Opal rushed over, picking around the pretty jewels and looking for her new acquaintance. "Are- Are you alright?!" Squint lay sprawled on his back uncomfortably top a particularly large topaz, groaning.
"Ugh… this sucks."
Opal hovered over him. "Are you ok? Do you need a doctor?!"
"Nah" he hoisted himself up, rolling his sore shoulder. "I'm good- been better, but I'm good."
"Can't you stop them?!" she cried out, watching with despair as a pretty pearl the size of a fist disappeared over a mound of platinum. "That pearl is priceless! I got hypothermia and a cold diving for it! I was sick for weeks!" Opal wailed. "They're destroying my life's work!"
"What, all this stuff?" he knelt down and selected a flat circle of gold, an inch in diameter and engraved with an image of the sun. "You mean…?"
She nodded. "Much of these riches are of my design. Lord Zalim fancies jewels, gems, precious metals- and in return for keeping me alive, once my purpose was to serve, polish, and design them to perfection. And- and I find it offending that your family is destroying what took me years to do!"
"Wow… you seriously need a- DUCK!"
"I need a wha-?" she didn't get to finish as Squint suddenly lurched forward and sent them both sliding down the slope in an avalanche of valuables and a sapphire the size of a human toddler, assumably the cause of the sudden outburst.
"Ow…" they were sprawled out on a stiff bed made of one entirely huge diamond, hammered down to be but half an inch thick, wide and circular, three feet across.
"Ok, seriously" Squint complained, peeling himself off the hard surface. "Who in their right mind needs a giant shield made of… what is this stuff?"
"Ugh, diamond." Opal groaned, having landed on her stomach. She got up, rubbing an arm tenderly cross her chest. "Dang it all… I hate this new body…" muttering crassly to herself, she stretched. "Stupid things, sore from impact… I hate being a teenager!"
"Yeah, guess it does kinda suck…"
"Yeah, I am really not enjoying this. I wish I was still a little kid…"
Squint shrugged as they crouched under a small overhang made by a previously broken box of obsidian. "Well, I think it looks good on ya."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever." Opal was honestly surprised at the sass in her voice.
"Na, I'm serious. You make a much better teenager."
"Oh please."
The destruction went on awhile longer, with the two rabbits trying to avoid being mutilated by flying valuables, before, all at once, the door exploded.
The force sent Opal reeling, knocking her head against a gen of some sort- ironically, a shimmering white opal- and her vision grew high pitched md squealed.
"WHAT" Zalim yelled, and everyone looked to him. "In the precious name of my bride is going on in here?! It sounds like the great Cosmic War all over again!"
"My- My Lord!" Opal squeaked, herring to kneel, her head still spinning. "I deeply apologize, you see-"
"Silence, dear child." His voice wasn't threatening, but rather… indifferent. "I am not angry with you." His tone now was clam but laced with irritated malice. His ruby eyes glowed and burned, and the doe swore she could see fire flickering in them. It wouldn't surprise her.
He rose a hand, palm flat, and all of her angry… companions, were lifted into the air. "I will say this once, mortals" he seethed. "So listen closely. Disturb me in my grieving once more and I'll add your skulls to my collection, feast on your meat, and use your bones to sharpen my teeth." He dropped them. "Am I clear?"
No one moved, not daring to oppose him. Either that or they were still paralyzed- she remembered the first time magic had touched her body. For those that weren't used to it, it could often result in temporary paralysis the first time around.
Zalim took their silence as a yes. "Good. Opal" she gulped.
"Y- Yes My Lord Zalim?"
He nodded to the door. "Come with me, my dear. We must talk."
And there you have it! Remember to review! Sorry this took a little while- I'm still sick and wasting away… reviews make me feel better though… ;) and if that's still not enough incentive… here! Have a cookie if you review! (::)