Draculaura stretched her arms above her head, blinking the tiredness away with a yawn she pushed open her coffin lid to a horror. Screaming in fright she began to throw anything she could in defense.
Cadfael easily dodged the flying projectiles maintaining his slimy smirk, "Worry not, Your Highness, I mean you no harm"
Draculaura glared at the barred windows, the cell dressed up to look like a suite from home. How had Cadfael gotten past the guards? How had he managed to smuggle her coffin, with her sleeping inside of it, without being caught? One glance outside the window revealed the magical greenery of Avalon. She was indeed too far from home to try an escape.
"Aren't you going to ask why you're here?" Cadfael sat in a conjured chair as she lost steam.
"I don't know where Christina is and even if I did I wouldn't tell you"
"I know you don't sweet Laura but you are the perfect trade, Christina couldn't bear if anything were to happen to you or your sister-"
Now, Draculaura rushed forward to attack only to smack against a magical shield, "WHERE IS SHE?!"
"Oh, I don't have her, I wouldn't know where to look, rest now, knowing that you'll soon be reunited after all, Christina wouldn't abandon you"
"YOU MONSTER!"
...
"Now, Now Sibella," Drew flashed a fanged smile, "No need to worry, I'll not harm you, you're simply breaking the room in for Christina"
Sibella watched her captor murderously, "You're going to regret this! My parents won't let you rest until I'm safely returned"
"I'm sure they won't," Drew left locking the door behind him with a dark chuckle.
Sibella screamed beating the door with all her might. Her coffin, with her sleeping inside it, had been stolen from home. Now, she found herself in an absurdly dark room, the only light source a pair of candles on the wall. There was no window. Only a bed turned down and a rug on the floor. What kind of a prison was this? Did Drew intend to drive Christina mad in here? The thought made Sibella shudder, sliding down the wall to crumple on the floor.
...
"They're vere no break-ins, Majesties," The head guard mumbled, his face pressed to the floor as he shook like a leaf, "No veak spots, I don't understand"
On their thrones, Dracula seethed with barely contained rage while trying desperately to comfort his sobbing queen.
"FIND THEM, FIND THEM NOW!" Dracula thundered, dismissing the sniveling guard.
He barely had time to take a breath before the doors to the throne room flew open again. Radu rushing in alongside Alissa.
"We came as soon as we could," the dark fae declared, "What's happened?"
"The...The...girls...have been taken!" Vana wailed anew.
"T-Taken?" Radu sputtered in disbelief.
"Coffins and all," Dracula nodded gravely, "Last night"
The two royal families, sans Vana, stared in morbid quiet as they contemplated their next move. There was no doubt this tied back to the ongoing war but the question was who, which prince, and where? What was the best move? What would best protect the girls from harm? How long before the demands?
What now?
...
Christina stared out the window, unmoving, silent and it was beginning to unerve Shaggy. She'd been like that since waking that morning. Merely pushing her breakfast around on the plate before abandoning it completely.
"Christina? What's the matter?"
"Something's happened. I can feel it" she finally spoke, "It's bad and I can't do anything..."
"You are doing exactly what you like, need to by staying put remember?"
"Somethings happened," the hybrid repeated, his words falling on deaf ears, "I can't do anything,"
"Christina..."
"I-I-I can't-can't-can't"
Shaggy could see her magic trying to flare, sparking only to sputter and die on her fingertips. She was able to do what she had explained as domestic magic, cooking, cleaning, and basic aid but nothing too big or powerful. Such were the limits imposed by the barrier. The limits to keep her safe.
"I NEED TO DO SOMETHING!" she wailed launching herself from her chair and out the door. Running until she hit the barrier, pounding her fists against it in desperation. Over and over and over again, screaming with tears pouring down her face, "I CAN'T JUST STAY HERE ANYMORE!"
With a shattered heart, Shaggy seized her by the waist, easily lifting her struggling form and hauling her back indoors.
"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!" she fought against him every step of the way but he prevailed, setting her on the sofa, still in a tight bear hug until she cried herself to sleep against him.
"She gets like this sometimes," Jade spoke quietly, "She won't remeber when she wakes up I think her mother might have set a spell in place after the first time"
"Like, what do we do?"
"There's nothing we can do," Thunder grumped, head on his front paws, "We've tried every distraction availble, I just wish this war would end so we could all go home!"
"Ditto," Fluffy agreed.
Carefully as not to wake her, Shaggy untangled himself from Christina, laying her back on the sofa and covering her with a warm blanket before he went to the kitchen to get started on an early dinner.
...
"My poor baby," Alissa stared at the mirror tears running down her face, a hand pressed over her mouth to muffle the sobs that were fighting to escape, "We're trying, Butterfly, we're trying, I'm so sorry"
...
"And what now?" Drew questioned the smirking fae in the mirror, "Why can't I beat that human loving twit into giving up Christina's hiding place?"
"Because they don't know where she is," Cadfael replied, "But now their parents will pull back their armies-"
"-They'll come knocking at our door you dolt!"
"No, just wait, dear Drew, just wait and see"
...
Cadfael waved the vampire away, his face breaking out into a devious smirk as the mirror cleared. The fool had no idea what tricks he had up his sleeve, and he wouldn't until it was too late.
Far too late.
...
Yes, it's a short, teeny, tiny, baby chapter but I'm inching along here with half an idea and a handful of vague plot points. Sue me.