“I will accept this Oath of Protection on one condition.” She decided.
“Anything my princess.” He bowed again.
“Okay, that’s it, if you ever call me that again, and especially if you keep bowing, I get to smack you upside the head...twice.” There was no way she was going to deal with bowing too. Even the guards at Castle White hadn’t bowed every time they spoke to her. Granted she was just a teenager, but still...
A huge grin split Mercury’s handsome face; she was always threatening to slap him.
“I’m still her best friend.” Cindy asserted with a thumb jerk towards her own chest.
“Of course you are.” Snow responded quickly. Good grief, how could Cindy think that of all things would change. “Let’s just pretend you all don’t know, like I never told you okay?”
“Not happening.” Cindy muttered; Mercury nodded in assent.
“Snowy, explain to me why you don’t think the Rylakian physician recognised you. He could have recognised you and not shown it outwardly you know.” Uncle Doc zeroed back in on his line of questioning, to which Snow was eternally thankful. Enough princess talk already, but this was where the story got tricky.
“He did not recognise me because a...a friend procured a spell for me that masks my aura. No one from Rylak could recognise me. I’m not sure about the actual parameters of the spell, or very much about how it works but I believe it is quite powerful.”
Cindy and Mercury exchanged shocked looks. Both knew to which friend she was referring, but neither had known about the spell.
“It would have to be, to do as you suggest.” Uncle Doc commented, clearly shocked as well. “Who is this friend that can create a spell of this nature?”
“Oh, he didn’t create the spell, he procured it.”
“Then who is this friend, have I met him?”
Well, Snow reasoned, if Uncle Doc could accept a werewolf as one of her good friends, surely he could accept a vampire. She hoped. “His name is Manuel. He’s a vampire.”
“Surely you can’t mean Manuel, The Vampire Guard in The Lonely Forest.” If Uncle Doc was shocked before, he was speechless now.
“Well, I think he did say he was a guard when we first met him, why? Do you know him too? He’s...umm...he’s pretty something.”
They say it’s a small world after all...don’t they? Wouldn’t it be that much easier if Uncle Doc knew and liked Manuel? That might be taking it a bit far; who knew Manuel and actually liked him.
She did. Damn. She liked him; but there couldn’t be many.
But the world wasn’t quite so small this time; Uncle Doc quickly shook his head.
“By reputation only. So how is it that The Vampire Manuel came to procure a protection spell for you? Vampire’s aren’t, and Manuel most certainly isn’t known for his...generosity.”
“That was my fault Doc. The full moon was approaching and I needed someone to watch over the girls for me while I was...sick. Manuel knew of the girls, and I trusted him; well I hoped I could trust him, but I felt I didn’t have another option. It sounds like he did his best to keep them safe to me.” Mercury looked just a bit nervous under the doctor’s scrutinizing blue gaze.
Uncle Doc took his glasses off, polishing them before setting them back on his nose. Crossing his legs he reached over to his drawer and removed his pipe. Slowly he lit it and sent a few puffs up experimentally. He then trained his sharp eyes on the kids; Uncle Doc rarely, rarely missed a thing.
“I have known for some time that you were keeping something from me. I have been telling myself that you would come to me when you were ready and that I should give you the space a teenager needs to grow. And I think now is as good a time as any for you to come to me. I would hear the rest of this story, particularly the part that requires not only a werewolf but a vampire as well to serve as protection.”
Snow gulped and exchanged looks with Cindy, who merely shrugged in return. Apparently she was quite content with allowing Snow to take the lead in all of this; conveniently forgetting that it had been her idea in the first place. Snow bit her lip and plunged right in. If this didn’t ground her, she didn’t know what would.
Uncle Doc listened in silence, right up to the part where they had used the rope ladder, fashioned by Cindy to break their friend out of the tower.
“You crept through The Lonesome Forest after dark and coerced an innocent teen to sneak out at night?” He asked incredulously.
“Umm, kind of. Yeah, it does sound that way, I guess that’s kinda what we did.”
“Snow Rutherford, how could you! Have you any idea how dangerous that was?” Uncle Doc sounded completely shocked and more than a little angry. “Do you have any idea what lurks in the forest after dark?”
“Werewolves?” Cindy offered in a small voice that no one acknowledged.
“Snow, I thought you had more sense than that.”
“Oh but Dr. Rutherford, she is so lonely! She never gets out of her tower! It is so cruel to leave her there, we just couldn’t! She is so sad! Besides, it was my idea, I made Snowy help me. I would have done it all by myself, but you know how she always has my back! Please don’t blame her! And don’t tell my Father either.” Cindy added as she threw herself upon Uncle Doc’s mercy, big tears welling in her jade green eyes and running down both perfect cheeks.
“The Mother Goethal says she has Hoglas disease. That’s why she is locked in her tower. Have you ever heard of it?” Snow asked.
Uncle Doc thought hard for a moment. “No Snowy. I can’t say that I have. What are the symptoms?”
“That’s just it, there aren’t any. At least none that Rapunzel has ever noticed.”
“Hey Doc? I don’t smell anything on her. I suppose there are some illnesses that wolves might miss, but I’ve never heard of any. And I don’t think Manuel can smell anything either.” Mercury offered.
“Uncle Doc? I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to lie to you, I was planning on telling you, I just never...” She trailed off. “I didn’t know how.” She finished somewhat lamely.
“Me too. Sorry that is about keeping secrets, but not about breaking her out. She’s dying alone up there. ” Cindy offered.
Uncle Doc sighed deeply. “Here’s what; I will research what I can on Hoglas disease. When you are better, you will take me to Rapunzel’s tower, introduce me to this Mother Goethal, and I will examine her myself. And there will be no more traipsing through the woods without anyone’s knowledge, that applies to both of you. I cannot tell you what to do Mercury, but I will hold you partially responsible if the girls sneak out like that again. Do you understand me...all of you? Have you ever considered how upset her mother would be if she woke up to find her only daughter missing?”
True, Snow thought. The Mother Goethal probably would be very upset to find Rapunzel missing, but she feared it would not be for the reasons Uncle Doc assumed.
~~*~~
Partially hidden in the depths of the dark and tangled forest, off the coast of the Northern Sea, stood Diablo’s Diamond; as rough and lawless a place as you could ever find. How many devious plots and underhanded deals had been birthed inside these simple wooden walls, no one will ever know. Pirates, ogres, assassins, anyone who dealt outside of Lonstasian law, frequented the hotel tavern, and its reputation was as violent as it was legendary. Diablo himself, long deceased, had harboured a unique distaste for conventional society, and had created this safe refuge for those deemed “undesirable”. This was created in direct response to what he had seen as Aristocrat Fascism. But even in his wildest, most secret dreams, he could never have foreseen what his simple tavern would eventually become.
On any given night at Diablo’s, you could be sure of two things, one: that someone would be pounding out a terribly off tune song on the dilapidated piano in the corner while a crowd gathered and sang along equally off tune, and more often than not, drunken voices. And two: that everyone, right down to the barmaids were heavily armed. The only rule
was, “You break it, you buy it.” So, on this particular night, the drunken and exceedingly dangerous crowd was singing at the piano, an ogre was involved in an arm wrestle with a goblin who, incidentally was wanted in two of the four main kingdoms, and a very high stakes card game was commencing in the back room.
The great entrance door was flung open with a flourish, and as the cool night air rushed, in the bar went uncharacteristically silent. The newcomer stood there in the doorway, silhouetted in the moonlight, his head bowed, long dark hair covering his features. Slowly he raised his beautiful head revealing the porcelain skin and piercing eyes of a vampire.
The vampire silently surveyed the room, bottomless black eyes taking in every minute detail. Not a sound was heard. Even the drunken hob-goblin at the old piano had frozen mid pound. With deadly intensity the vampire scanned the room, finally focusing on a rogue elf with sleek purple tinted hair tucked neatly behind pointed ears, and dark purplish traveling clothes, sitting in the corner nursing an ale. Silently he glided up to her; she sighed deeply and looked down at the table. Several patrons got up and moved to a more inconspicuous table, not wanting to be anywhere near should the situation erupt with this particular vampire.
“Come on Manuel, I only stopped here for a drink, I will be leaving immediately.” She whispered not daring to look up and meet his eyes.
“Have you not realised how pointless it is to lie to me sweet Magella, you arrived two weeks ago and have been contracted out by yonder pirate for some nefarious plot, that will, I assure you, not work out quite as planned. But that is not why I am here.” Manuel spoke in a soft melodic, yet somewhat dark tone.
“I haven’t been anywhere near your precious gypsies, I’ll never make that mistake again, trust me. You were quite...persuasive.” She shuddered slightly.
The group by the piano started up again, cautiously tossing intermittent glances at the vampire and elf.
Manuel gave her the brightest of smiles, making him heartbreakingly beautiful...unless you looked in to his eyes. Manuel’s eyes, outwardly perfect in their inky black depths, were the eyes of a predator; the elf was nothing more than prey. Magella resolutely turned her head to avoid looking at them.
“I know. What I need from you is information, nothing more.”
“I don’t know anything about anything.” She shook her head.
Manuel slowly reached out, cupping her slightly pointed chin in his white hand, and ever so gently turned her face until it was facing him directly. “I do not have time to waste. You will find out everything there is to know about a crone going by the name of ‘Mother Goethal’. She takes residence in The Lonesome Forest. I am especially interested in anything you can uncover about the child, Rapunzel. No detail is too small.”
“I am already contracted out. The pirates would kill me before releasing me to you.” She whispered nodding towards the glowering, swarthy pirates seated at the bar.
Even for Pirates, these two looked menacing, each had several swords and knives strapped to their waist, one even wore a skull on a chain around his neck. They were really disagreeable looking men in need of a bath, true villains, and that was saying something considering the company they were in. Truth was, they would probably kill her anyway once the job was done.
“Don’t worry about the pirates; I will take care of them.” Manuel replied with a small smirk.
And she knew he would. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin. What dangers am I facing?” She whispered back plaintively, though clearly relieved by the prospect of not having to deal with the truly murderous pirates, she was still somewhat suspicious of Manuel. He never did anything without a reason.
“Right now I am the biggest danger you face, Magella my sweet.”
At that she shut her eyes and shrunk back in to her chair unsure as to whether she was in fact better off or not. Manuel could be a very fearsome danger indeed, should he choose to be.
“Magella, you have been up to much trouble.” Manuel made a tssking sound, running his finger along the solid wood table and looking faintly disgusted as he viewed the dust and crumbs.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” She lied automatically.
He sighed. “I want you to give me the crystal that you stole from the Oracle’s favourite muse last week.”
“Why on earth would you want that?” She asked with surprise and more than a hint of desperation. Her buyer was not known for his benevolence.
“It has no value to you. Unless you have a truly extraordinary buyer...” she trailed off questioningly.
“I am going to give it back.” He responded simply.
That she wasn’t expecting. She shook her head in confusion. Manuel rarely made sense to her; she had long since ceased trying to understand him. Past encounters with the lovely vampire had created a need to avoid him...at all costs. It appeared her luck had run out.
“Two reasons, the first being that it belongs with the muse for a reason, you upset the very balance of creativity by removing it, have you any idea what this might mean if the imbalance is not corrected and soon? No, of course you don’t; you’re almost as bothersome as a human, and the second...the muse will be so relieved to have it returned, that she will grant me a private audience with the Great Oracle. So I repeat: I want you to give me the crystal.”
“There is a very conniving gnome meeting me here shortly, and he will not take lightly to the explanation that I gave the crystal to an obnoxious vampire because he asked for it.”
“The gnome no longer waits for the crystal.” He shrugged casually as if he had never heard the insult.
Horrified she gasped. “You didn’t!”
“It seems the gnome you procured the crystal for, has suddenly remembered a wife and gnomlettes back in the Sarrilian Outback, and has returned home immediately to care for them.” Manuel replied with open amusement. “He too thought I was obnoxious...at first.”
She simply stared at him in shock, unable to ascertain exactly what happened to the gnome, she hoped he had truly fled back to Sarrilia to care for his family, but a part of her remained unconvinced. Still she had been paid half upfront, so she still would come out on top...
“I negotiated quite a sum with the pirates for my services, what do I get in exchange for working for you instead.” Ever the practical business woman, she heard the words emerge from her mouth unconsciously.
He leaned in close to her and looked her dead in the eye. “Your life; they are planning on killing you as soon as the job is completed.”
She gulped. Manuel was seldom wrong. Perhaps she could have won a fight with the pirates, she was an excellent fighter, perhaps not; but now she would not have to bother. This would be the second time Manuel, one of the most dreaded vampires in this part of the country would save her life. She didn’t know whether to be grateful, or frightened that he had taken such an interest in her. She decided to give him the crystal; simply put, he scared the hell out of her.
~~*~~
With the crystal in his possession, Manuel began the long journey back to The Lonesome Forest. Moving much faster than any human ever could, he would have been able to make the journey in a single night. But Manuel, being Manuel, couldn’t help but stop in at various locations, just to make his presence known; after all, he did have a reputation to feed.
Nothing travels faster than a juicy secret, and the rumoured fate of the Diablo pirates had spread like fire on dry leaves, often reaching a party before Manuel himself arrived. Just as Manuel knew it would, he had timed it perfectly.
This delayed trip home also served another purpose; it provided the vampire with time to consider his next move. Returning the crystal to the proper muse would require that he find some way to attract many creative muses to a single, corporeal location. Supported by her sisters, the crystal’s proper owner could borrow the energy required to attend; she had to, attendance meant survival for her. This would prove very challenging as currently all creative energy was in
a state of unbalance. He would need something big, something very big.
Manuel loved a challenge.
~~*~~
Sitting gingerly on the edge of Snow’s fluffy white bed, Cindy slowly shook her golden curls.
“She’s just so lonely. I feel awful, I left her the latest copy of ‘The Lonstasian Eye’, you know, the one with the all jousting pictures, but I almost feel like that makes it worse. She’s in that round room day after day...I would throw myself out the window.” She lamented sadly.
“I know. I don’t know how she does it. We can’t leave her there forever, we have to figure out something.” Snow agreed with a hint of frustration. She had been working on Uncle Doc for days, but he was unwilling to commit to anything until he had met the Mother and examined Rapunzel himself.
Mercury stretched impossibly long legs out as he relaxed in the chair close to her bed. His hands up behind his head, he had that same dopey smile on his face again. The girls couldn’t help but smile back at the big gorgeous wolf; it was always like that when he saw Red. This time he had been accompanying Cindy to the Rutherford cottage when they had accidentally ran in to the infamous redhead. She had been startled and dropped her bag, navy blue eyes wide and innocent as she took in all six feet four of him. Mercury had been more than happy, much, much more than happy to reach down and hand it to her. She had composed herself rather quickly, thanking him nicely and carried on her way. Only Mercury had looked back to see her turn away quickly not wanting to be caught looking back at him. She had looked back too. His heart soared. And who could blame her, he was gorgeous. Reliving the moment, Mercury was lost in a sea of sensory overload.
“Even Manuel has abandoned her apparently.” Cindy shook her head. “He hasn’t been by in days.” Neither one of them, not in their wildest dreams would have ever imagined that Manuel would have lost interest in their lovely friend like that. Snow had half a mind to give him a very large piece of hers, but still it was highly unusual for the arrogant vampire to give them more than a day or two of peace; and he stood outside Rapunzel’s tower every night. Not anymore. Something was up.
Evermore: The Rylakian Heir Page 14