Chapter 3, Part A

Eh, so I figured that its almost been a week since I said I would post. Sorry, things have been crazy. Planning 3 suprise birthday parties and two going away ones along with finals can drive a person kinda looney if you get my drift. Anyway, heres the first part of chapter 3. I'll do my best to get the next one up sooner. Now that schools done you would think I would have more time... :(

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Chapter 3

The darkness was everywhere. It was complete, utter, stifling darkness that pervaded everything. Holly walked along the tiled floor, feeling her way through, as long thin hair-like roots matted against her head and face. With one hand she felt ahead of her in the darkness and with the other she guided herself with the wall. She walked on until she felt a dusty rough wood door in front of her. Pushing on the door, she heard the ancient hinges creak as light flooded her eyes.

Holly was standing in a small stone room. High above her a single small window let in a thin shaft of white light that fell across the wooden door, the straw covered floor, and the rusted shackles. She was in a prison cell. Walking over to the door she pushed it open easily. In the antechamber she was in she saw five doors leading in different directions. She tried three of them and found them locked. The fourth had a passage similar to the one she came out of. The last one led to a long stone hallway lined on both sides with torches. She followed it to another large door, this one with metal studs across it.

She stepped out of the door into a side courtyard. Across the green she saw the huge castle’s main building. Surrounding the green was large walls with various buildings attached to them. She heard voices from behind her and quickly ran into the main building. Her leg wasn’t hurting as much anymore, but when she exerted herself she felt it throbbing again. She looked around and found herself in a large columned hallway. The columns were capped in gold and large paintings hung on the walls. The carpet was lush and red and trimmed with gold. At the far end of the hall was a dais with a gold floral throne. She heard a door open next to it and she quickly ducked into a door on her side.

She found herself in a long room with an equally long table set with fine silverware and linen napkins with many candlesticks spread around the clean white room. She walked to the other side and through a passage that led to the kitchen. There were many people bustling about and they didn’t seem to even notice her as hurried calls were made to prepare the Queen’s dinner.

She walked past the busy people and into the next room. There she found an equally long room, but this one was dirty, low lit, and full of servants eating and laughing. She snuck along the wall still not drawing any attention. She walked out quickly and found herself on the opposite side of the main building standing in a similar courtyard. A door to her right began to open and she lept into the nearby bushes, biting down hard to stop from crying out from the pain in her leg.

She crawled into an adjacent building. It was dark but she found her way to another doorway. By this time she was thoroughly lost. She saw she was in the servant’s quarters but had to retreat hastily when she heard people coming from all directions where ever she turned. Back in the dark room she found some flint and tinder quickly lit a wall sconce. She was in the armory and heard voices behind both doors. She was trapped.


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The faded red cart pulled up to the castle gates. The large looming red gates were set a foot deep in the wall which meant the wall was probably three times that thick. Goodwife Aconite sat on the bench surrounded by her doves. She smiled her toothless grin as she looked up at the soldiers on the wall with her clouded eyes.

“Good afternoon Mother.”

“’An to ye me sonny.”

“It’s a good thing you came. Her majesty has been asking for you the last few days. Her fencing tutor seems to have caught some kind of sickness an’ has been in bed the last few days. Oh, and the cook broke his arm again.”

Aconite’s smile broadened, “Oh aye. I did forsee he’d pay no heed to me warnin’s.”

“That and the cows aint been giving us much milk lately.”

“Well, it seems I’d best hurry in then.”

“Is all your magic dispelled yet? You know the doors won’t open unil you do.”

“Oh that’s right. One last thing.”

She tapped her long white cane against the cart floor and two of the doves flew over next to her and in a burst of white smoke transformed into people. Both were dressed in long white robes with red bell shaped hats. Each one wore a chalky white mask with large round eyes and an elongated bird beak.

“I’ll be needin’ Pom an’ Pokko to aid me wit yon cows.” She said as the gates opened and she rode in with her cart.

Aconite pulled her cart up in front of the large decorated doorway of the main building. She got off and directed the two figures to take the cart away as she hobbled up the stairs leaning heavily on her cane. She talked merrily with one of the guards and was soon joined by the hearty cook who gave her a kiss on each cheek and like everyone else called her mother. A scrub girl ran up to tell the cook about a mysterious person she had spotted passing through the kitchen. The three left for the kitchen as the two white figures pulled the cart into the stable against the far outer wall.

“That was close.” Said Klaus, taking off his mask and dropping it in the hay.

“Careful! Someone might see us!” Ivan yelled jumping on top of him and pushing him into the heap of hay.

“Get off of me.” Klaus said trying to stand up.

“Then put the mask back on.” Ivan insisted.

“Fine.” Klaus complied. “ But I don’t see why we have to wear them constantly.”

“Because,” Ivan said getting up. “ apparently everyone around here knows that Goodwife Aconite’s birds are ancient. If they see us without the mask and our cover is blown we’ll be thrown in the dungeon and will be no help to Bella.”

“Lets think of a plan then. This castle too big for us to search from top to bottom.”

“Hmm. What if we split up? We’d cover more ground that way.”

“I don’t know. If we get in a dangerous situation we’d be best off together than apart.” Klaus said pensively. “but I guess it does make sense. You take the left side, I’ll take the right.”

“Right. Lets meet back here by nightfall if we don’t find anything.”

The two left the stables and began walking along acting as if they had important business to attend to. Klaus entered a room that was nicely decorated but not too fancy. A few maids were making beds with sprigs of lavender tucked between the sheets. They noticed him and bowed. He asked for directions to the dungeon. After a long series of jumbled and difficult directions he walked on. Ivan also found himself in the guest quarters. He simply kept walking, having no idea where he was going.

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The Captain held his head as it felt like a hundred nails were running down chalkboards. Of course there were no nails or chalkboard, no there was something far worse. Bella had not closed her mouth since they had first picked her up. He had thought there would be no easier task then taking the young girl the Queen had ordered arrested to the dungeon. But they had to stop five times on their way for bathroom brakes and water stops. And then there was the talking, whining, screaming, and complaining. He was sure she hadn’t taken a pause to even breathe since they had left.

“My puppy better be okay. Did you ever have a puppy? I bet you didn’t ever have one or else you wouldn’t have hit Silver like that. Only mean people would hurt a poor defenseless puppy like silver. Only mean people even hit to begin with. My Granny says that hitting is bad and only bad people hit. That makes you a bad people. Granny also says-”

“Enough! I can’t take it anymore! If you say one more word about your mangy mutt I’ll cut you into a million pieces!”

“No you won’t! The Queen wanted me alive. Burt told me so.” She said motioning to one of the other gaurds. “And besides you’re not big or strong enough to cut anyone into a million pieces. That’s not muscle, that’s fat.”

As she giggled and a few of the gaurds suppressed smiles, they Captain grew more red by the minute. He stared straight ahead as they kept going acting as if he couldn’t hear her. That just made her talk even more and even some of his dimwitted soldiers were getting in on it. He gave a few dirty looks but one in particular didn’t get the message and in an instant the Captain smacked the back of Burt’s head hard, the metallic sound echoeing on the path.

“What did I say about hitting! When we get to the castle I’m telling the Queen about that. Then you’ll be sorry. She’ll make you eat broccoli or carrots or squishy icky green peas. And she’ll send you to bed with no dessert. And give you a bath with ice cold water. And she’ll make you clean up the stable poop. And she’ll-”

“If you don’t shut your mouth right now I’m gonna toss your runt into the pond when we get to the castle! So be quiet!” The captain yelled steaming.

However this threat of his had a new and entirely unforeseen consequence.

“Waaaaaa! Waaaaaa! You’re mean! Waaaaaa! Silver can’t swim. She’ll drown! Waaaaa! Waaaa! My poor puppy! Waaaaaa! Waaaaaaaa! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!”

And so it went until they finally came to the castle. It was late afternoon when they arrived and not even the sight of the spectacular castle up close could stop Bella’s crying for her dog. They entered by the side gate and made their way around the circular green.

“What do you want us to do with her captain?” Asked the dimwitted Burt.

“Throw her into dungeon until the Queen has time for her.” The captain said smiling, relieved at the thought of getting rid of the nuisance.

“But Captain, it’s much too drafty in the dungeon. She could get a cold.” Burt said worriedly.

“Don’t talk back to me! I’m the Captain! Put her in the south cell, that one doesn’t get any drafts.”

“Um, well actually we’re busy renovating the south cell. It wasn’t completely up to code so…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Said the captain, smacking his forehead for the umpteenth time that day.

“I guess that leaves the royal cell…” Burt said hopefully.

“What! The royal cell is only for imprisoning nobility in the finest comforts.”

“Or we could ask the queen to stay in the royal cell and put the girl in the Queen’s chambers.” Came the dimwitted reply.

Sometimes the Captain couldn’t believe how moronic his troops could be. “Don’t be an imbecile! Put her in the royal cell. But throw the mutt in one of the dungeon cells.”

The Captain and the rest of the guards took their horses to the stables. As they were putting them away, the captain noticed the chalky white residue on some of the straw that had been pushed down. He was about to inspect it when he was called by a page who summoned him for the Queen.

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Holly decided to try and act as if she had a reason to be in the armory. Taking a blunt training sword off the wall she unlatched the door and stepped out looking at it intently as if she knew what she was doing.

“Ah, excuse me miss.” Came the tall thin page’s calls.

“What? Can’t you see I’m very busy? I need to inspect all the swords today to make sure they haven’t caught rustiatis.” Holly said toughening her voice.

“Rustiwhat? Never mind. You must be the substitute sword instructor the Queen requested.” The page said hopefully.

“Why yes! Yes I am. That’s me Cidrek Von Skouwselhuimer. I have arrived!”

“This way please.”

She followed the attendant looking nervously for a way out. They went back out to the green on the opposite side from the stables and there was a party of attendants and maids. In the middle stood a young girl probably 16 or 17 with long black hair and deep brown eyes. She wore a fencing uniform like Holly, and by the look of determination in her eyes Holly knew she must be Holly’s “student”.

“So is this the one that has come to replace my instructor?” She asked.

“Yes, Princess Alexi. This is, er, um…your substitute tutor.” The page muddled.

“Well, let’s see how well you can do.” The princess said, lowering her mask, saluting with her sword, and calling, “En guard!”

The two went at it. They were both apprehensive at first neither sure about the other. They started of with a few basic thrust and parries as they circled one another. Then they went at it. Steel gleamed in the dusky air as the biting blades hummed through the air. They met with clashes that echoed around the castle. It seemed the two were equally matched. The second round started and as they went on, it seemed Holly was getting the upper hand. She was even beginning to enjoy it. However, each time she put her left leg down it send pain up her side causing her to loose focus. Still, soon the princess called for a repast.

As both took their masks off to drink some water, the princess was surprised by Holly’s age. She asked her about it as they rested before the next and final round.

“Oh, I was a child prodigy. I learned many things the many years I was on my own.”

“Well in that case if you don’t mind, I’d like you to stay on as my person tutor, and maybe even friend.”

“I would like that, but unfortunately I have to leave soon. I’m actually looking for my friends.”

“Well, stay with us then for at least a few more days. I heard the Healer arrived today. She can take a look at your leg. If this is how you fight with a twisted ankle I don’t want to know how well you truly are with the steel.”

“Um. Sorry to intrude your majesty but the Captain of the guard is here. He wishes to speak with you. Alone.” The page said nervously.

“Alright. Tell him to come here. In the meantime, one of the servants will show you to your quarters my new friend.”

Holly left and entered the main building again. A man covered in armor passed her on her way through the columned hall. She quickly slipped away from the servant girl and decided to go look for Bella. As her leg throbbed with pain again she sat down and caught her breath. After a few seconds she decided that maybe seeing the Healer might not be such a bad idea.

The Captain walked up to the princess who was pulling off the last of her cumbersome padding. A woman dressed in a plain brown dress two sizes too small had just finished speaking to her. He saluted but before he could say anything she interrupted him, “I actually don’t have time for your report right now captain. I was just informed that some of the plans for my grand ball need adjusting. Apparently the red flowers will not match the purple ribbons. You can talk to my nurse if there were any pressing concerns today.”

As she walked off followed by attendants, the captain turned to the large plump lady in the faded brown dress.

“As the Queen ordered, we found the girl she had foreseen and we captured her. She is in the royal cell right now.”

“Oh, is good. Yous half alvays bean goot capten.” The nurse said in her heavy accent. “Is okay. Queen vill see yous reel son. Den she give yous much revard for ketching girl.”

“Thank you. I’ll go and see to the night watches before dinner.”

“Many tanks. We sleep safe wit yous her.”

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Ivan was hopelessly lost. He had wondered up and down passages and everything looked the same. He rounded one corner only to face another. Then the next thing he knew he was standing in front of a large mahogany door with curly gold script running around it. He pushed it open and there he found himself in the largest library he had ever seen. Books lined the shelves going from bottom and disappearing in the darkness far above. The faded leather spines spoke of millions of subjects and topics. He was in heaven.

As he walked forward he remembered Bella and Klaus and Holly. He should be looking for them. But then again. He was hopelessly lost already. If he looked around he might find an atlas or map of the castle. Besides, he would only be in there for a few minutes. He stepped in and closed the door behind him.

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