Chapter Twenty Two

Wickedly Clever Little Witch

~~

Witch’s Shack, Pitsville, Morning, 673, 28th, October

Rorik woke gasping at the sight of the hag, “Who are you?” Now he feared that most of the night, he had been pleasuring this at least sixty-year-old woman, who did not even look good for that age. He felt used, as she just cackled mocking him, “Did you think the glamor would last once I fell asleep? Besides, I prefer to use my charmed choker.”

She mocked, “Surely a Rambler male has enough magic to see the mist about me and knew I was wearing a youthful version of myself? I took my choker off once we were done.” He shook his head admitting, “I have never heard of it.” She groaned, “Come cuddle with me.”

Prince Rorik was sick to his stomach, and worried his mum would contact him again, seeing him. He panicked, quickly saying, “I can stop here on my way back to the camp. My mother was expecting me last night. While I really appreciate you and our evening together, I must go right now. My sister and Mother are in trouble.”

Rorik told her the truth, “A vampire took my mum and he is hunting my sister.” She was unsympathetic, shaking her head, she held out her arms to him. Rorik put his arm around her, closing his eyes. It did not help hide the odor; he tilted his head away and kept his eyes shut.

The hag groaned her displeasure, “Give me a proper kiss or I will not be gettin’ up, to open that door until a reasonable time, like noon. You seem to forget ya woke me at four!” She got a vicious sneer in her tone, “And now you want more of my energy on a Dark Door?”

She snorted, “Not happenin’ til I get what I want!” He felt doomed to disappoint his mum, as he tried to pretend that she was someone else. Rorik closed his eyes, kissing her, yet he had a hard time not grimacing as she smelled and tasted moldy. He had noticed it last night, still seeing her made it worse. She was disagreeable, and her manners were horrible.

Getting up, he found his clothes, putting them on. Rorik saw she had not moved. He neared begging for some empathy, “I must use your Dark Door. I might not be in time to save my sister. We really do not want to anger the queen; it might be my one chance at finding and rescuing her too.”

She was unmoved and so he added, “I have been waiting over four years for this moment! Mother can be quite vindictive, if I do not obey her when she is in need.” He hoped fear would get her up. It seemed to work as she sat up releasing gas with a boom, and then belched, as loud as any male. Rorik coughed to cover his mocking laugh.

Then he asked, “Um, I forgot. Where am I?” She huffed, “Ya cannot smell it? This is Pitsville, named for the pits that are left behind ya nearly fall as they roll under yer feet.” The Witch yawned, stretched, and scratched at a boil on her ass, “We have an abundance of fruit bearin’ trees, the smell is the rottin’ fruit, no one eats it as it is poisonous.”

She yawned again, “So they let it drop.” Rorik had thought the scent was all her, and said, “Oh, that smell. I wonder why they do not burn them down.” She cackled, “They are superstitious of its wood too. One stood too close to the fire and the smoke made him ill.”

He asked, “So why do you stay here?” Her reply was smug, “I sell the poison. It is easy to ignore the scent of rottin’ fruit, when ya are makin’ good coin off it.” She pointed at a shelf the only clean spot in her entire shack. Prince Rorik saw neat rows of small ampules.

Next to them, he saw a row of the empty wine bottles. Why did she bother to put only a few there, when so many were on her floor? She added, “I also found another benefit in the area.” Rorik was not listening as he tried to remember if he drank anything that might have had some of her poison in it. Then he sighed, as he decided he had not and felt fine.

His foot rolled, as he stepped on one of the empty wine bottles, which covered her floor mocking, ‘I see she wastes all her coin on wine.’ She stood slowly stretching; her delays were making him angry. He took out his frustration on a few of the bottles, as he kicked them out of his way when he came around to the foot of the bed, pulling his boots on.

She turned gruffly saying, “Hey, watch it!” Then she warned him, as she sternly added, “Do not damage my stock!” Rorik grumbled, “They were empty.” The old witch glared at him, “Shows what ya know.” Rorik foolishly thought she would move quicker to get him out, if he kicked another. He took out his annoyance of being stuck there on it.

Except this empty wine bottle hit the bedpost, and shattered the glass, the witch huffed, “Now that will cost you!” She grabbed what looked like a bent old twig, and she waved it at him,

saying,

“Bound to me until I say,

ya earned the sum.

For what ya broke ya pay

threefold and then some.

Ya will dig up coffins

pull their nails for me.

Fill bags with graveyard dirt,

and refill the graves for me.

Then there will be one more time,

to give me pep, in me bed.

After ya will not speak, nor tell

any of the graveyard, nor bed.

If ya try to harm me

or think of runnin’ off,

Yer balls will shrivel up,

and yer pecker falls off.”

Prince Rorik found he could not move, as he felt a strap about his throat, which had a mist chain going to her twig of a wand. Then he felt his belt with two rows of daggers disappear. Rorik grumbled, “Damn second crazy witch with a wand! Never again! I will not ever save my mum at this rate!” She huffed at him, “Ya have not seen crazy yet. Test me boy, and ya will!”

~~

Blackstone Castle Gate, Morning, 673, 28th, October

Grekan’s information surprised the guards, when he saw this Grekan quickly questioned Heg, “I wonder who was guarding the gate last night, he should have entered her leaving, into the log, so you did not need to rely on me.” Heg asked in a less certain tone, “When will she be back?”

Sighing with annoyance, Grekan stated, “She told me she hoped to be back to assist her father with the quarterly Territorial Leader’s meeting.” The Captain nodded. Now the whitehaired guard grabbed Grekan’s arm as he neared the gate demanding, “Where are you going?”

Grekan’s fear of confrontation turned to anger, “Anthony has hired me to be his scribe and clerk, I also organize his libraries, and on occasion I purchase rare books for him. If you must know, I am heading to buy books. It is likely to be a few weeks.” The Day Captain Heg said to Whitey the guard, “Let him pass.”

The guard glared at the scribe, and Grekan scoffed up into his face, “I doubt the High Lord will take kindly to you questioning me any further on his business. And I am quite certain that he did not hire me to inform you of his daughter’s whereabouts either.” Whitey the guard released him snorting, “You are nothing but an insignificant mouse.”

Grekan hissed back at him, “Good then you can let me pass by, boar.” He pulled his arm from him, and went out the gate, hoping he gave enough detail that they believed him, he was glad Sidonia had shared what she wrote in the note to Kolo. It had kept him from coming up with a less believable answer, with only a moment’s notice.

At first, it felt like a relief to be exiting the castle grounds, until they slammed the gate

closed. Grekan felt a sudden rush of sickness in his gut, as the sound had felt too final, telling him that he was on his own now. Paranoia and fear poured over him, just as he noticed a group of guards who were hanging around the front gate by a coach.

It annoyed Grekan that he failed to pay attention to the details of Kolo’s carriage. Regrettably, all coaches looked alike to him; other than, some are new and some are shabby.

~~

Viktor woke in his hiding place, a small hidden room off the family’s private sitting room, down by the underground pool. He had a bed there, allowing him to sleep peacefully. Yet, he felt something was wrong. Going through the hidden passages, he peeked into his room.

No one was there so he went in and saw the new book Sidonia left. Grabbing it, and some fresh clothing, he went to thank Sidonia. Quietly he went back in the hidden panel to come out in her bedroom. Gasping in shock as Viktor saw her empty room. He could not believe she took everything and left without saying goodbye.

He saw a letter on the window seat and put it in his new book. Seeing her wastebasket, Viktor found it was clean and nearly empty other than a few crumpled papers, He placed his armload in the basket on top of the papers. Then he heard the outer door unbolt and knew someone was opening it. Next, he heard their maid say, “This is her room.”

~~

The whitehaired guard ran over to Kolo’s carriage telling him, “The clerk is going to buy books for Anthony. Grekan claims Sidonia left last night for Witch Island in the Mystical Realm, something about helping her school, and she intends to return before the December Quarterly meeting. We however, have no evidence of her leaving last night.”

Kolo groaned, “Well that was the lie she used days ago!” Thinking on it Kolo said, “Send a few men to follow the scribe; find out where he is going he might lead them to her if she has left. Tell them to grab her and bring her back, but keep her hidden at my cottage and report to you. My men can collect her and then bring her to me.”

The whitehaired guard nodded, “As you wish sir.” He rushed over to Gareth and Emmett, telling them, “Go follow Grekan on horses, see if he leads you to Sidonia.” To Hanis he said, “Go find out where Grekan is going, and how many tickets he buys, if she shows up grab her before she gets on the coach. Then come tell us.” The three men ran off.

Mumbling Kolo asked, “Would Sidonia have been foolish enough to have told the clerk about me or the book?” Kolo scratched his head he muttered, “Why would she tell that sort of secret to a scribe? No, I must have instructed her to speak of it to no one, each time I compelled her.”

Kolo sighed with relief and no longer looked upon the clerk as a threat. He felt irritable and ready to leave, yet something was nagging at him. Now Kolo said aloud, “How did the clerk know of the lie that was in the letter?” Luke, a guard in his coach, replied, “I guess she told the same lie to anyone she could not trust, not wanting them to know either.”

Agreeing Kolo sighed, “Yes that seems likely. He would not know her true intentions. I still doubt that she would go on a ferry. It just seems very unlikely.” Luke agreed, “I would think she would hire a carriage.” Whitey ran back to Kolo’s window, “I have Hanis following Grekan; he will tell us how many tickets he buys and where he is going.”

Kolo was about to tell him to forget it, the scribe was no one. Whitey interrupted Kolo’s tired thoughts as he said, “The other two will grab the princess if she shows. If not they will follow Grekan on horses, to see if he meets up with her.” Kolo only nodded, thinking it did not hurt to let

them follow the scribe. Now Kolo said, “One more thing.”

Perplexed Kolo said, “Check the castle stables and see if a horse or carriage is missing. If not you should do the same with the village’s stable. I just do not believe she would go on the river.” He added in a snobbish tone, “Only poor people need to risk drowning, and Sidonia is not foolish.”

Whitey nodded running off. Kolo fell asleep while waiting. He woke when Whitey returned, gasping, “There is one missing horse.” Shaking his head, Kolo said, “I do not see her going alone. And the village?” Whitey replied, “I have a man running to see if a woman rented one.”

Then he pointed, “Here he comes now.” The guard Elsbert shook his head, “No female rented a horse nor any carriage.” Kolo sneered, “Did a man? I suspect she had one do it for her!” The guard ran back, as Kolo stated, “She will head for the Realm Gateway and then Witch Island.”

Luke said, “You believe her lie?” Kolo puzzled over it, “Perhaps or she just went to one of her father’s other two castles. Likely Wolf Mountain, no one goes to Skull Island.” Kolo now asked, “Whitey, I want you to bribe a night guard.” He nodded, as Kolo added, “A vampire guard, to go at dusk and find out if she went through the Realm Gateway.”

Whitey took the small coin bag Kolo offered, and rushed off. Kolo fell asleep again. The guard Elsbert came back, “A man left this morning at dawn in a carriage.” Kolo nodded, “Get a horse, and go after it. If Sidonia is there bring her back. Report to Whitey.” Elsbert rushed off.

Coming back, Whitey reported, “I have a vampire willing to go tonight. Is there anything else?” Kolo said, “Elsbert is going after a carriage.” He nodded, as Kolo said, “I also want you to hire a few men from the village. Have them on the road along the river, until they catch up with the ferry.” Whitey asked, “Do they travel on the ferry?”

Kolo replied, “No. Make certain they have some level of intelligence; I do not what any who are dumb as rocks. They need to check if the princess is on the ferry, so make certain you give these men good details of the Princess.” Whitey said, “Yes master, I know a few men.”

Smiling Kolo added, “If they do not catch up to her at the first dock, then only one will stop. Have the two hurrying on ahead. Give that one the bag of coins, he will ask those who got off the ferry and any local fishermen.” Whitey asked, “You wish to spend that much coin?”

Kolo nodded, “Yes. They need to ask all if they saw her and if they are reluctant, he should offer them coin for where she went and an additional reward if they locate her.” Whitey nodded, “Yes master.”

He added, “I want every fisherman looking for her. This way if they do not find her on the way down to the ferry’s final stop, tell them to check back with each offering more coin, on their way up here.” The Evil One groaned as he gave him a good sized bag of coins. Kolo said sternly, “I trust you to give this to the smartest of them.”

His guard Whitey told him, “I have a guy, Murky. I trust him.” Kolo said, “If they fail to return, we will hunt, and kill them. If they come back, we pay double. If they return with her or even a clue that will lead to her, they will each be rewarded with more coin than this bag can hold!”

The whitehaired guard nodded, “That should keep them from running off with it.” Kolo replied, “Exactly. As well as motivate them, to find her!”

~~

Viktor rushed towards the panel, with the basket, as the maid’s voice said, “I do not think

Princess Sidonia will like you having me open her room. She is very private.” Peck the day guard responded, “Open it now. I need to see if she is here.” Prince Viktor barely latched the panel as the maid knocked then opened it.

The prince stood silently listening to the guard and maid; express their dismay at Sidonia’s empty room. Now Viktor felt it was suspicious that they had entered it, and began to understand why Sidonia had secretly left and did not take him with her. Still it all made him feel ill, with bad butterflies in his gut, and a shiver up his spine.

He placed his things in the pool sitting room, then snuck out into the underground pool and locked the only other door coming into it. Viktor took a long swim. It always helped him feel better, when upset as it helped him think about what was wrong.

~~

Quickly walking towards the village, Grekan told himself it was just paranoia and Kolo could not be healed so soon, nor out during the day, in his carriage, sitting right in front of the castle gate. As he crossed the bridge, he heard the footsteps of at least two men behind him. Now he increased his speed to a jog. It was hard for the little man with his bags.

Grekan glanced over his shoulder at the three behind him, and assumed they were Kolo’s men. He told himself, ‘I should be glad. This needs to be my part in helping her escape. I have told them she is on Witch Island and that should send a few to the Mystical Realm. And now I will lead a few more away from Sidonia’s direction.’

Yet, Grekan could not help but feel that he was not the right man for this plan to work. If he had more time to think on it, he felt he would have talked himself out of doing something so rash. Maybe even hired a few guards, and yet who could he hire that was not already reporting to Kolo? He shook his head feeling something bad was going to happen, and this time it was most likely going to happen to himself.

~~

Peck, a Human guard, came out the front gate heading for Kolo’s coach, and huffed, “We opened Princess Sidonia’s door. Her room was empty! Not even one stick of furniture was in there.” Whitey scoffed at Peck, “How is that possible? You must have looked in the wrong room!”

Kolo nodded. The guard Peck assured him, “No. I said the same to the maid and she about slapped me as if it were an insult to her.” Imitating the maid in her tone, Peck said, “Do you think I do not know my way about? I have been cleaning these rooms for years and none of them is without furniture! This is Sidonia’s room.”

Peck agreed with the maid’s comment, “I do not know how the princess did it, nor got herself and all that past the front gate; with none of us helping her, nor seeing her leave!” Kolo groaned, “Wait, what of the prince, a-a Viktor right? Find out what he knows.” Peck nodded, “I will go see if his nanny or anyone knows where he is.”

~~

Grekan paid for his travel to the coast and heard one of Kolo’s men, Hanis as he informed Emmet and Gareth, “He only got one passage.” The driver just finished hitching up fresh horses to the coach and was now loading baggage. Grekan pushed past Kolo’s men to give his larger case to the coachman who placed it on top with the others.

Then Grekan heard one of Kolo’s men, Emmet, ask, “Do we grab him?” Hanis scoffed, “No, just the princess and she is not here. Go get a couple of horses from the stables and follow him. He might lead you to her. I will watch for the princess, and take her to Kolo if she shows.”

Grekan boarded the carriage, with his smaller bag. His palms were sweating as Kolo’s man Hanis was staring at him.” The coachman called out, “Back off from the carriage, we are leaving.” Now Hanis rushed back to inform Kolo. As the coachman cracked the whip, Grekan’s carriage lurched forward taking off.

The poor clerk was near passing out as he sighed with relief. Grekan then realized he had been holding his breath. Now he hoped Kolo’s men would get lost before they managed to catch up with him.

~~

Rorik walked with the hag for a mile grumbling, “It is too damn early for a hike.” She scoffed, “Ya were the one wakin’ me, at first light. Since I am up, I might as well be gettin’ my supplies, and not risk the sun goin’ down, before I can get back.” Rorik scoffed, “Risk what?”

The hag laughed, “Fallin’. I cannot see so well in the dark.” She saw him eye the nearly abandoned village with dislike, as they were walking by. The Witch snorted, “That is all that is left of Pitsville. They started to fear the poison was seeping into their ground water.”

He stopped demanding, “I have had enough. Let me go right now, or you will regret it!” She snorted, “Whatcha gonna do about it? Huh dearie?”

~~

The guard came rushing back from the Village and Hanis now told his master, “Emmett and Gareth are getting horses to follow the carriage. Grekan the scribe is going towards Greece, and I watched, as he only bought one ticket. I did not see Sidonia getting on the coach either.”

This infuriated Kolo as he tried to imagine where she would have gone. Kolo seethed at the whitehaired guard, “You get those three riders on the fastest horses you can find, and have them going down to those docks looking for Sidonia, or I will have your head!”

Angered Kolo tried to calm himself, “I should have sent more men with Elsbert, if he is not back within a reasonable time, send someone after him. I bet she is in that carriage. It is important that the vampire guard you bribed goes tonight to the Gateway to grab her or find out if she already went through it.

The guard Whitey nodded, “Yes master. I will make it so.” Kolo knocked the roof of his carriage with the head of his cane and yelled, “Get me home, now.” Whitey hurried towards the castle stables and grabbed three horses. Now Kolo rode in silence thinking of any clue that Sidonia was capable of disappearing like this.

How did he miss this side of her? Kolo fumed at the guards riding with him, “The little strumpet out foxed me!” Richard agreed, “How did the little Princess get past us.” Tad said, “And with her furniture?” Kolo sneered, “She acted so helpless. It seems I might have underestimated her and Sidonia could be a wickedly clever little Witch.”

~~

~~