The Lightning Thief
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No one open!!!
message 601:
by
Ruby
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rated it 5 stars
Jul 18, 2014 02:33PM
(okay, I gotta go, talk to ya tomorrow)
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"the only thing thats important is diago...huuuuuuu!"
(well i can talk for like 2 min.)I nodded my head and said,"You should really meet him, Michael is amazing."
"Hey look! They're talking to each other! Let's go!" I jumped up and ran over to where Michael and Diago stood, chatting.
I walk over to michael and diago. "why hello" michael says to me with a small bow "who is this beautufl young lady. i feel diago stiffen beside me "this is Zaynah. Zaynah Michael." "oh..hey" i say awkwardly.t"UMMM...Ruby...a word"
ruby.."michael...he's...he's not human...im not sensinga nyhting humane about his blood...he..he doesn't have a heart beat"
ruby.."michael...he's...he's not human...im not sensinga nyhting humane about his blood...he..he doesn't have a heart beat"
"Mae?" I look around, searching a familiar face. "Zaynah?" My partner left me to get refreshments, and I'm seriously regretting my Louboutin's.Then I see Zaynah and Ruby standing near some really good looking guys. I walk over, and hear Zaynah say something that makes absolutely no sense. A serving boy comes by with snacks. I take one. They're delicious.
"Pardon me, may I borrow the girls? This is our song." I give a big smile, and drag Ruby and Zaynah out onto the dance floor. Ruby somehow managed to get a hold of Mae, so she is dragged out as well.
Another snack tray is passing by, and we all take one. We continue to dance, even though there seems to be no more music. We don't care, we're the princesses of the ball. Our night.
We're all getting swept away by courtiers, wanting to dance with us. Of course we don't deny them. I see Zaynah and Ruby with their men, not really enjoying themselves, but I don't think about it.
Guy after guy after guy asked me to dance. None seemed to really seem to click with me. But I felt like I was floating. So much affection. So much caring. I sucked it all up like a sponge. But something felt strange. There were more boys asking me then there was in the room. Each one different in their own way. I felt drawn to each one, but not enough. Like something missing. I start saying no to there constant requests. I looked around for Maj and Zaynah and Ruby, but they were no where to be seen. More and more requests for a dance came, and I had to deny each one. I pushed through the sea of boys, looking for anyone I knew.
I finally had the last straw. "Leave me alone!" I scream at the boys. They looked at me, shocked, but then their faces twist into rage. They each drew a blade of some type and poised them to strike me. "Aw crap." I mutter. I reach behind me to take out my secret dagger hidden in my dress. When I can't feel it in my dress, I risk turning my head to search for it. I look behind me, trying to find were I put it. I finally see it, and reach for it. Before I can grip it enough to fight, I feel a cold blade at my neck. I look back to see a tall man, thin man sneering at me. He had a bronze, 2 foot long sword at my neck, just above my necklace. "Who are you?" I whisper, putting on a brave face.
"No one." he whispered back, face curling into a cold smile. A flash of pain went off in the back of my head. I let out a pained cry. Then the world got darker and my eye lids heaver. I collapsed, dagger clattering to the floor. The thin man stood over me, smiling an evil smile. Then it was pitch black.
I finally had the last straw. "Leave me alone!" I scream at the boys. They looked at me, shocked, but then their faces twist into rage. They each drew a blade of some type and poised them to strike me. "Aw crap." I mutter. I reach behind me to take out my secret dagger hidden in my dress. When I can't feel it in my dress, I risk turning my head to search for it. I look behind me, trying to find were I put it. I finally see it, and reach for it. Before I can grip it enough to fight, I feel a cold blade at my neck. I look back to see a tall man, thin man sneering at me. He had a bronze, 2 foot long sword at my neck, just above my necklace. "Who are you?" I whisper, putting on a brave face.
"No one." he whispered back, face curling into a cold smile. A flash of pain went off in the back of my head. I let out a pained cry. Then the world got darker and my eye lids heaver. I collapsed, dagger clattering to the floor. The thin man stood over me, smiling an evil smile. Then it was pitch black.
I screames and pulled ruby away from michael. Ruby look i shout. Mae was sprawled on the floor blood pooling around her head. 5 boys, all the same height and size as michael were edging towards her. Michael too left from his position beside diago and walked yowars maes limp body. "over my dead body" i mutter to myslef. I grab the pistol from my dresses waist band and point at michael. I shoot. Nstead of blood a shower of gold sparks rained down on us. Not like anything wed ever seen almost alien. I shot 4 more boys and the rest went dowm the same. Maj and ruby each pulled out daggers and threw it each hitting their own targets. U laugh and turn then freeze. Diago stood there his friendly dazzling handsome smile repalced with a smug grin of mock surprise. In his hand was a knife at mae's throat. " the girl will die.... Unless she comes with me. We need her powers to bring back medusa. The power of three of the most powerful gods of olympus will surely bring her back and who better than the daughter of athena hades and zeus herself. Her magic will bring back our mistress" he dug the blade deeper the sharp wdge nearly cutting her but not yet. " yout pretty little friends need not get hurt, just put fown your weapon first thwn come with me"
I closed my eyes. Then opened. Hesitently i took a step forward " ok. But put her down" diagos eyes tightened. " im not one to play games girl and im not stupid iether " fine i say. I put my gun down and take one more step forward. I am infront of maj now. Slowly i stretch out ther hand behind my back. I feel her inhale shaprly and then force a cold balde into palm. I exhale and take one motr step. " i' ll come. Take a step forward and retrieve me. He did and then...
I closed my eyes. Then opened. Hesitently i took a step forward " ok. But put her down" diagos eyes tightened. " im not one to play games girl and im not stupid iether " fine i say. I put my gun down and take one more step forward. I am infront of maj now. Slowly i stretch out ther hand behind my back. I feel her inhale shaprly and then force a cold balde into palm. I exhale and take one motr step. " i' ll come. Take a step forward and retrieve me. He did and then...
I nearly fainted when Michael, Diago, and some other boys nearly killed Mae. I was sort of watching in a dream. I only managed a "No." before I did pass out.
I don't remember how I got it, but somehow my bow has ended up in my hand. My quiver is hanging from my waist, as I pull out an arrow and aim.No, no, no, Z. You idiot. Stop being so bloody good! It's OK to be selfish for a change! I think as I launch an arrow aiming straight to the guys head. And then his heart. And his kneecaps. And again his head. And an other arrow. And another... And another...
i see the blood. too much blood gushing from diago's everywhere. And then i feel the blade plunge into my stomach. my head spins, the floor gives way beneath me and the world goes silent and dark...i hear no more!
Zaynah is just laying there. Why is she laying there? It doesn't make sense. My bow and quiver have vanished into thin air, but I hardly notice. I just stare at Zaynah. Why isn't she moving? Why isn't she-I can feel someone guiding me away, back to my chambers, but I don't bother saying anything. My maid helps me out of my dress, into a silk nightdress and into bed.
I wave in and out of consciousness. When I went down, I felt the blade in my stomach. Now I was lying on a hard surface. i was boiling hot, a sheen of sweat plastered to my face. my back was stuck too my shirt and i my stomach was agonizing. i raised my head slightly and it was like lifting a boulder. i saw bandages, wet and sticky with scarlet blood plastered on my stomach under my ripped shirt. Shirt? I was wearing a dress though?
I sat up and then immediately regretted it. i screamed. the pain, it was no ordinary blade wound. I wanted to call out...for daniel...for maj and mae and ruby...maj had been there when i hate fainted....where was she...was she okay....were the other ok...aah the pain...I fell back onto the hard surface and my eyes close again. they didn't reopen.
I sat up and then immediately regretted it. i screamed. the pain, it was no ordinary blade wound. I wanted to call out...for daniel...for maj and mae and ruby...maj had been there when i hate fainted....where was she...was she okay....were the other ok...aah the pain...I fell back onto the hard surface and my eyes close again. they didn't reopen.
I'd woke up in a dark room. "It was a naturally formed cave. Made of..." blabbed my instincts. "Shut up." I growl to my own mind. It was too dark to see. For an average human. I focus and the dark and it seems to light up to the point where I can make our some features. I start to get up put I am pulled back. I look down to see my hands tied in a thick, scratchy rope behind my back. "Cheap-o." I grunt. Basic rope, level 18 not. Easy-peesey. Before I get to work escaping, I look to my surroundings. Simple cave, some boulders here and there. It seemed to be an under-ground cave. No life around except for a few bats sleeping above. "Time to get out of here." I whisper to myself. I feel around in my now tattered gown for my favorite dagger. When I find nothing, I curse and look around for something sharp. I found nothing within reach. "Aw, come on! Why did ya have to disarm me?!" I groan in frustration. I feel around in the little stream behind me, seeing if there were any sharp rocks. Nothing. I feel around in the dirt, looking for a soft spot in the rocks. Yes! I found on and lied my fingers on top of it. I focused as hard as I could on the ground, and soon a small sprout came out of the earth. I snapped the small twig and sharpened it the best I could on a near by rock. Now it was like a spear the size of a pencil. I went to work sawing at the ropes, which soon broke. I rubbed my rope-burned wrists as I looked around. I had been captured, and thrown in a cave. Great. I rubbed the back of my head were I'd been hit. "Hello?" I shout, the sound echoing off the walls.
I open my eyes qgain. I am ina differnet room, in different clothes, a loose t shirt and line trousers. my feet and hands are chained to a wooden table. my stomach is agonizing. it's so painful i try to fight the cuffs but to no avail. tears stream down my face from the pain of the wound. is scream and shout in frustration, in pain. I scream for ,maj, for Mae, for Ruby... i want to know their safe, to know that daniel is safe. i turn and the table rickets. the corner of the table digs into my wound and i gasp. my breath seems to stall and for some seconds i cant breath. is struggle to allow air to enter my lungs but they don't. then the door opens and everything changes...
I hear pained cries and screams echoing off the walls, far off. "Hello?" I shout again, hoping someone will hear me. I start walking towards the direction of the sounds. I trip over my torn dress and fall onto the rocks. "I. Hate. This." I grumble as I get up. I tear off the extra fabric from my dress so it was up to my knees. "Thats better." I sigh. I start walking toward the screams, ready for a fight. I see some light off in the distance of the tunnel. I try not to make a peep as I sneak towards it.
I hear footsteps entering the room but do not see anything except for the blurry tears that stream down my face. i try and breathe but breaths don't come...i gasp and scream again....the wound is ifectign and spreading...soem sort of poison must have been on the blade to pull this much pain
As I sneak in I see a figure lying on the ground, chained to the table. "Zaynah!" I cry as I kneel beside her. My mind was rushing with so many thoughts, I thought my head would explode. "Uh... ooh. This isn't good!" I shriek in panic. I take a deep breath and try to calm down. I carefully grasp the knife sticking out of her stomach. She moans in pain but doesn't budge. I yank out the knife as fast as I could, like ripping off a band-aid. No blood seemed to pour out of the wound. "Oh Zaynah! Why!" I shout. "Its infected. Poison, no doubt. Your body is clogging up and the blood isn't able to travel to the wound and but the white blood cells to help it heal." I babble. I realize that no one was listening and time was short when she gave another pained moan. I try to figure out a cure, but my head is throbbing. "Aw crap. Here goes nothing!" I say, pulling out a piece of bark from my dress belt. I pop it open with my thumb and look at the goo inside. I empty it out into the injury. After a few breathless seconds Zayanh took a sharp breath in and her eyes fluttered open.
my eyes open and i see mae keeling beside me. "oh mae." i try to sit up but instead i fall back from the weight. i pull the hem of my..well wohesever it is...shirt up and i look down at the wound. i inhale a sharp intake of breath. the wound has stopped bleeding but it's blue and the skin is cracked and split. nausia rises in my mouth and i fight to keep the last meal i had down. "mae toucjes my head "shit zzaynah, i think you ahve a fever " she says to em panicked. "i...i need to get you soemwhere... no doctor can fix this...that brach goo could make you stand an dperhaps walk but thats it..." she helps me upa nd we walk oiut the room
Meanwhile, I woke up laying on the cold ground. I looked around and it thought, "Oh great, back to Edom's maze." I got up and brushed myself off. I looked around once more, confused. "What happe-" Suddenly I'm overcome with a memory. The dresses. The ball. Michael. Zaynah, hurt. I nearly fell over. I looked down at myself. I still had on my green dress, but it didn't look so pretty anymore. It was dirty, I was missing on golden shoe, and my hair was a mess. I looked around yet again and, seeing that Zaynah, Maj, and Mae were no where to be seen, I came up with a quick explanation. "What if we were all knocked out, tied up, and carried in a cart or something here. This could have been a route they used. I fell off, and no one noticed, Mae, Maj and Zaynah must have been asleep still. The captureers went on with everyone else, leaving me. Zaynah, mae and maj probably were dropped to different rooms." I applauded silently at my own awesomeness. Then I looked down at the dress and one bare foot. I reached down and took off the remaining shoe, and threw it away. I tore the ribbons from my wrists and combed my hair with my fingers as best I could. I dusted off my dress and conjured up a mirror. I looked horrible. After a moment's thought, I conured up some jeans and looked again. Another moments thought. I then tore my dress short enough to be a shirt. It was about down to my knees still. I adjusted it a bit more, with a little help from my mom's magic skills, and I looked again. This time, what was left of the once-amazing dress really looked like a passable shirt. It was cut a little below my waist, and for the strapless top, I conjured up some sleeves. I grinned and the mirror disappeared. I was barefoot, yes, but no longer in a ridiculous dress. I was ready. I set off, following the tire tracks in the dirt.
I knew for definate that i couldnt shadowtravel without passing out for sure but if i didnt me and mae coud shout all we wanted we werent goig anywahere. So i grabbed maes hand despite her protests an ridicule on this idea and pictured the ehdhes where wed seen tgia pillar that cause all these problems. The fanilair tightening of breath and we were there although i wasnt sure if i was completely. Everthrinf was dark and hazy althought i thought i saw a gilden snake broach on the collar of a shirt that may have been a beautiful green dress once. I saw maes eues widen with shock then suspician then fear as i slumped forward and lay still.
((Seriously, Ruby, are you feeling well? you're post is again longer than 140 characters :P))My sleep is disturbed by images of Zaynah holding hands with Mae and Ruby cutting in her dress. She wouldn't do that. Ruby loves that dress! When I wake, I look around my room. It has been tidied while I was asleep. My maid walks in.
"Good morning, Sarah." I say to her, smiling.
"Good morning, miss." She smiles back, as she walks to my window to open the curtains. "It'll be another fine day." she tells me as she walks to my closet.
"I'll wear the blue dress today." I say to her. "The one with the golden embroidery."
She smiles again. "Very well, miss."
**
After breakfast I head down to Zaynah's room. I knock. "Zaynah? Are you in here?" I try the door, but it's locked. I cross the hall for Ruby's room.
"Ruby?" Again the door is locked.
I walk back to my corridor, and try Mae's door. It's not locked, so I enter. I do not find Mae, but instead I find a note.
Dear Maj,
I took Ruby training in the woods.
You looked really bad last night
after the incident, so we decided
to let you sleep in.
We will be back before lunch.
Love,
Mae
"Last night after the incident? What happened last night?" I mutter to myself.
I walk back to my room, and looked at Sarah. "Have there come any messages?"
"No, miss." she replies. "But I know there is a rumour that Lord Robert intends to ask you to meet him for dinner."
"Which one was he again?" I say, furrowing my eyebrows.
"The one who was wearing the black and gold mask last night."
Right, I think. The one that couldn't decide where my eyes were.
**
I am fiddling a few folk tunes, when a knock on my door makes me stop playing. "Enter?"
A messenger boy enters. "I have a message for you, milady. Lord Andrew wants to know if you would join him for lunch."
"Tell him I'll be there in a moment."
As the boy leaves, I look in the mirror. Mae, where are you?
"Sarah?" I call out.
"Yes, miss?"
"Will you come tell me when my friends have returned?"
"Yes, miss."
And with that small insurance I leave for lunch.
(XD I don't know)I finally stumbled into a large room after many long tunnels. I looked around and was astounded to see that I was in the room mae, Maj, Zaynah, and I had been in right before everything had happened. I was even more surprised to see Zaynah and Mae themselves laying down across the room.It looked like they had passed out. I hurried over.
"Mae? Mae! Wake up!" I said, shaking Mae virgorously. She finally woke. "Huh? What? Oh. Hi...Hi Ruby...."She passed out again, looking a little green. I thought hard, then conjured up some ambrosia. I quickly shoved it in Mae's mouth. She woke with a start and, when she was done chewing and swallowing, said,"Oh! Ruby! Hi! Wait, where's Maj?" I looked around. "I thought she was with you! Captured, I mean." Mae shook her head, but pointed at Zaynah. "She might know where Maj is." I nodded and quickly fed some ambrosia to her, careful to avoid her stomach. Her eyes fluttered open.
"You look lovely." Lord Andrew tells me when he kisses my cheek."Thank you, my lord."
I had changed out of my blue dress, and into a soft pink half long dress, with a huge petticoat underneath.
Lunch was a uneventful thing, and even though I smiled at everything he said, I did not enjoy myself. What a waste of this dress. I think to myself as I walk back to my room. I have no intention of mingling in the Women's Quarters, because I know for a fact my friends won't be there.
"Sarah? If I ask you anything, anything at all. Would you do it, without questions?"
"Yes, miss. It is my job to assist you in any way I can."
"Sarah, can you find out where my friends are? Lady Mae's note said she'd be back before lunch, but she isn't."
"Yes, miss."
After Sarah is gone I look at my dress. Maybe some brainless gossiping is just what I need. I turn, and walk to the Women's Quarters.
The abrosia fights gainsht the dryness of my mouth. i awake slowly. im still sweating from the fever. i touch my hand to my face and its wet and feverishly boiling. i try to sit up but mae stops me "dude unless you intend to completely rip open your stomach lie down" she says to me "Yikes mae! okay! okay!" i see ruby suddenly. "what the...hey ruby...what the heck did you do to your dress..." i say looking at her make do shirt. "wheres maj" i ask. i close my eyes and focus on maj. her laughing smiling face...she is sitting amongst hundreds of other women all onbviosly older than her (by several years) shes sittign there playing witht he embroidery on her pink too-too dress. a girl is talking to her animatedly but she hardly pays attention. in my mind i call out to her "maj!" i say "maj...come back to he maze. come back to the..." the force is too much for me and i slumo back down my breathign quickened.
((It's a tutu :P))"And he said that? I can't imagine!" I laugh. "Surely Emma, that did not really happen! I-" I cringe.
"Maj? Are you feeling well?" I hear several women ask me.
I straighten my face, and manage a smile. "Yes, quite all right. Just a slight headache came up. I will be retiring for now." I say my goodbyes, and leave the quarters.
**
"Miss? Is that you?"
"Sarah, please tell me you found them."
"I did, miss, but-"
"But what?" I see the sadness in her face. "They're dead, aren't they." I say, and I start feeling tears in my eyes.
"No, miss! No. They're not dead! Not-"
"Sarah, speak your mind. I won't tell." I urge her.
"They're in the dungeons, miss. The guards, they drink, miss. And when they're drunk, they talk, miss."
"What did they say?" I say coolly
"Miss, you're going to need a wardrobe change." Sarah intervenes.
"I need- What?"
"Well miss, I know you're not going to listen to me when I say you mustn't go get them out. So instead I'm saying that you mustn't go get them out in that dress, miss."
I grin. "Any suggestions?"
**
My leather boots are a comfortable change to the heels I've been wearing. Also, they make almost no sound when I walk.
I'm still not wearing trousers, but that doesn't matter. The dress Sarah picked is dark forest green. The skirt stops two inches above the ground, which makes it short enough that my dress makes no sounds when I walk, and long enough to blend in. And even though you can't see, I know there are cut-ins through out it, to make it better suitable for combat. Even the bodice has combat-ready alterations to it. The pears are filled with poison, and in the lining there is a garrotte hidden.
I hurry down staircase after staircase, until I find myself in a long corridor occupied by two guards. They bow to me. "Milady."
"I want to see one of the prisoners." I tell them.
"Surely milady has no business with this scum." One of the guards tells me, laughing.
I give a small smile. "I want to see one of the prisoners." I repeat. "My business is mine, and mine alone. Surely you can understand."
"I'm sorry ma'am." The other guard says. "But we're under strict orders not to let anyone in."
"I want. To see. One of. The prisoners." I say very coldly.
The guard stops laughing. Not just because of the coldness in my voice, but also because the temperature in the corridor actually dropped a few degrees.
My stomach is hurting to bad too breathe now. When I read up about poison in camp only a phew poisons had this result. Chimera, emposui and...and snake poison. "Mae, do you have water? Is anyone else this hot? I'm sweating like hell"
Convincing my way into the dungeon was easy after that. Convincing my way into that particular cell, not so much."I want the keys to this one. Give them to me. Now!"
"Yes, ma'am. I want to, ma'am. But I don't have them, ma'am."
"Then go get them." I say on the verge of losing my temper.
"Yes, ma'am. I want to, ma'am. But I can't, ma'am. I don't know who does have them, ma'am."
I rub my temples. I am surrounded by idiots. I look at the lock. It's not that hard to pick. I think.
"Give me your dagger, and then go do your usual duties."
The poor guard hands me his dagger, and leaves. I pluck a long pin out of my hair. I put the tip of the dagger into the lock, and wiggle it open with the pin.
the cold of the marble floor is merciful to my fever. then the cell door opens and she enters the room.
When I open the door I pick up a torch and step inside. "What?! Oh, no, no, no! This can't be happening!" For where I thought I'd find my friends, all I find are some scuff marks. I storm outside.Anger radiates like a weird halo around me. Guard whimpers as I storm by. I have no problem getting to the King. I skip pleasantries, and walk straight up to the foot of his throne. "I'm here to collect that which belongs to me."
"That which belongs to you? And what might that be?" the King laughs. "My dear, you own dresses, and jewellery. Surely those things can be replaced when lost?"
I am calm. I am not going to kill everyone in this room. I am calm. I am- "I am Maj Halloran. Daughter of Hades, God of the Dead, God of Wealth and Lord of the Underworld. I will have back that which belongs to me."
I looked down at Zaynah again. The ambrosia was helping, but not enough, and not fast enough. I concentrated hard, but I couldn't remember any of the poutices my mom had taught me. I turned to Mae. "Do you remember anything that could be this?" I asked
the ambrosia was slowly giving me strength but no amount of ambrosia was about to heal my wound. "i've never seen a wound like this" says mae looking at my stab injury skeptically. where was maj...what was she doung...was she okay, was her current state better or worse than ours. my head spun with questions!
I had known Zaynah would try to get up, and I gently but firmly pushed her back to her position on the ground. "It's all OK, Zaynah. We got it covered." I said reassuringly, but to myself I thought,"What to do... What to do... Who can heal this...I don't know... I don't know..."
the force of rubys tug was slightly shocking but it hurt and screamed out in pain. "OW! sorry ruby. i din't mean to startle you...but yowza that hurt!"
CRACK! The marble floor splits in two. Then a pillar. And another one. People scream. I can't blame them. A little girl just barges in here, claiming the be a daughter of the Underworld, demanding things. "Your people laughed at me for my childish silliness. Now they will die. One. By. One. Until I get what I want."The King has stopped smiling. "What is it you've lost?"
"I came here with three girls, my ladies-in-waiting. They are gone. Where are they?"
"Your ladies-in-waiting?" The King asks in awe. "You are doing this because of your ladies-in-waiting?"
I throw one of my pearl into the open mouth of a courtier. He turns purple, and drops down. Dead. "I think you don't understand the rules of our game. I ask a question, you answer. Fail to answer, someone dies. Give me a wrong answer, somebody dies. Go it?" I smile. "Let's try that again, shall we? Where are my ladies-in-waiting?"
"They're in the dungeons." the king answers, without even a blink.
"Wrong." I say, and a throwing knife finds its way into the body of another courtier. "Oops."
Someone starts sobbing. "Be quiet, or the next one is for you." I turn back to the King. "Where are they?"
"They are-"
"They are here." A voice says. A powerful voice. A voice I hadn't heard in 6 years. My Father's voice.
(OMIGOSH THIS IS SO EXCITING!!! MAJ KEEP WRITIN!!!)
"If I knew what creature's venom this is made from!" I exclaim in frustration of myself. I look at the wound again, trying to think as hard as I could. I was totally panicking at this point. If I couldn't figure this out soon, Zaynah would leave us to go to the kingdom of her Hades father. I look at all of her symptoms, trying to connect the dots. Feverishness, easy rattlesnake poison. The blue coloring and bleeding clogging? King cobra. I snapped my fingers next to her right ear. She looked to the left. Disorientation. Viper bite symptom. Thats 3 different venomous snake bites! I felt like I had been slapped. "Zaynah. You need serious help." I say, picking her up and starting to walk towards an exit. "You have a mixture of poison going on in your body. 3 of the most poisonous snake's venom is in that wound. Who ever stabbed you, they really wanted you to die a painful death." I explain.
"Wait a second." I said, stopping Mae in her tracks. "Snakes... snakes... Oh gosh! What if it's the snake girl? What if her soldiers or something captured us? Oh gosh. Oh gosh. Oh gosh."
"Well... we had to run into snakes at some point, right? So we are gonna have some trouble with these cold blooded reptiles." I look down to Zaynah, helpless in my arms. "If only it had been me. I was the one who was actually prepared for the venom!"
I wasted no time. I briefly considered shadowtravel, but Zaynah was in no shape for that. My powers were limited, but maybe I could conjure up a small cart... or a car...or... I brightened and concentrated hard. Soon, a metal track began creating itself before our eyes. Pretty soon a long railroad track was layed out in the tunnel. A train materialized on it. I collapsed with exhaustion, but struggled to my feet and helped Mae get Zaynah into the passenger car. "This is set so it will take us to Maj. I just have to say the word and it will go." My breathing was labored, but I tried not to let Mae and Zaynah see it. Mae nodded and I said, "Go."
I turn, and dip into a low curtsey. Something I hadn't done for the King whom I am now sitting with my back too."And who might you be, then?" that same King demand.
"Father, may I speak openly?" I ask tentatively.
"Speak, daughter."
I turn to the King. "My Father here seems to have found that which you were unable to get me. For which I thank him. I will make sure that my ladies-in-waiting are feeling well, and you will no longer bother me. Have I made myself clear?"
"I think that was very clear, daughter." My Father agrees.
I vaguely remeber the mentionig of 3 snakes. we were now walking on a long railway road with large silver emtal tracks. i kept tripping and would have broken my neck by now if Mae hadn't caught me nearly every time. i hated this . i hated so much to be dependant on other people but i was so grateful to ruby and mae. I wish maj was here...on the other hand if maj was here we wouldn't be here in the first place.
"How fast can this thing go, Ruby?" I ask, worried about Zaynah's health. She had gone ghost white, looking just barely alive. She had been in and out of consciousness. I had laid her down on a large seat, I sitting on the floor next to her.
"Father, may I have a word?" I ask. "Private?"Luckily he agrees, and we walk out of the throne room, while guards drag away the two men I killed.
"Father, why have you come here?" I decided to skip all the social rules and just speak my mind. "I haven't seen or heard from you in 6 years. Why now?"
"Because you finally accepted who you are. You have never truly admitted your parentage. Today you have, and I thought it would be lovely to drop by. Even though you have gotten a little bit too much of my temper."
I look at my Father's eyes. They're like mine. Eyes you can get lost in. "Where are they, Father?"
"Close. But you mustn't think I can just hand them to you. They're in trouble. I can only say that you must go back to the cells, and enter the last one on the left."
I nod, and turn to go. "Maj, one more thing." I look up. He used my given name! "You look just like your mother."
**
The guard hasn't heard what had happened in the throne room, but remembers me from the last time I was down here so getting in isn't a problem. I walk past rows of doors, up to the back left one. I wiggle the lock open, and enter.
I don't understand what I see. Tracks. Train tracks. And they were shaking. There's a train coming.
When it has arrived I understand what my Father had meant with trouble. Zaynah looks like she's on the brink of death, and I can see how far. Mae looks like she's going to drop from exhaustion, and Ruby looks like she's been fighting. I give a whistle, and Arnold pops up next to me. "Take her to my chambers. Sarah knows what to do. Guard her, Arnold." I tell him. I help carry Mae, until we reach the guard. "Help me bring her to my chambers. She can't walk." He does without questions.
**
"Will she make it?" Ruby's voice is close to breaking.
"She will, miss." I can hear something motherly in Sarah's voice. I give a slight smile.
"She's right. Z will be all right. I got my best people on it." I say jokingly. Arnold hasn't left her side since he brought her in, and Zaynah seems to get stronger from his presence. I have changed out of my 'combat' dress, and am now wearing a one shoulder black dress. It feels like it's made out of a piece of Underworld. It feels like home.
"Whoa. You have people now? When did that happen?" I ask. "And where have you been?" I say, almost shouting, anger coming over me.
"Long story short? I own this castle now. So everyone that works here belongs to me... And excuse me for not being with you when you almost died. I will make sure I am there next time!"
"How on Earth did yo... Oh never mind. You probably did some mystifying Hades dark Underworld scary stuff that I can't even imagine. Average demi-god stuff that will probably turn my eye balls inside out or something."
"Yes, my Father was involved. And no, I didn't just take it. I killed people today. I killed two innocent people because the King wouldn't tell me where you were. I killed people to find you, and this is how you thank me? Maybe next time I won't come looking. Maybe next time I'll just let you die!"I storm out of my room, and walk down to the gardens. I know they've been following me since the moment I left my room. I know why. But I'm really not in the mood for the Kings games. So instead of walking around the gardens I turn to the throne room.
"Tell your watchdogs to leave me alone. Or I'll get mine. And mine is from Hell." I say as the double doors open
"Usually there is at least one 'your majesty' a sentence like that." The King replies as greeting.
"I'm so sorry, your big-headed-uselessness. I meant 'If you please, your ugliness, tell your watchdogs to leave me alone. Or I'll get mine, if I please, and yours won't like him."
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