My Envied Lady: Chapter 13

Chapter 13
Once again, Peewit came frantically running to the gate bringing disturbing news. Word that Princess Sabina and the Maenad had been kidnapped spread throughout the castle, bringing The King, Johan, and most of the available knights to meet him. Peewit had left Barbara unconscious in the clearing, carelessness that Johan scolded him for as they rode out to the scene of the crime. The knights began searching the woods for some indication of which way the mystery man with the scars had fled, taking the girls with him. The King helped to revive Barbara, while Johan listened to Peewit re-create the attack. "And this is where he was standing with the Princess when Maenad and I charged him. I don't remember much of what happened after I got the wind knocked out of me, but when I came to, the man and the girls were gone." Johan picked up the blood-covered sword that lay on the ground with a grim look on his face. Whose blood was on it? Maenad was learning, but he had his doubts about how well she could hold her own in an actual fight. Sabina, maybe… If he finds me in the company of humans he'll kill you, and it won't be pleasant for me, either. Maenad's words filled him with horror, which he put from his mind. They had to concentrate on making a plan. Why did they only take Maenad and the Princess and leave Barbara and Peewit relatively unhurt? "Peewit, take this and put it in a safe place." "Where am I going to put it? And why do you want it?" "I'll tell you why you should keep it later. I'm going to go help the King with Dame Barbara." "Later, always later! And what about me? I got hurt, too!" Peewit started to stomp and fuss. Johan ignored his friend's whining and went by the King's side. Dame Barbara was just beginning to relate what she had seen, about the strange men, about Peewit and Maenad's attack, about the girls' kidnapping. They were all relieved that both girls were unhurt (for now) but Johan was disturbed by the fact that the kidnapper seemed to know Maenad. If this was the same werewolf, his fears might be correct. Should he tell the King, even with Dame Barbara there, who was not in on Maenad's secret? He went back to Peewit. "This rag is kind of oily. And it smells funny." Peewit took a whiff of it and suddenly became very dizzy. Johan caught him before he fell and took the rag. "It's drugged!" said Johan. "That's how they were captured so easily." "We need to get back to the castle and gather a search party immediately!" Shouted the King. "I think Sabina and Maenad are in bigger danger than you think, your highness, Maenad spoke to me about having…enemies. I think they may be responsible for this." The king caught his drift, and realizing werewolves might be involved, called back the knights searching the woods. "Johan, I want you and Peewit to take Dame Barbara back to the castle. I'm going to take the men and look for the kidnapper." "Sire, I think I should come with you. Maenad told us about her enemy, we could…" "No, Johan, I told you to take Dame Barbara back. This is a job for an army." Johan grabbed the King's horse by the reins. "Sire, I need to go with you to find her. Please ." The desperation in his voice was starting to show. The king took the reins back. "I let you go with the party to find the werewolves, and you were almost killed. I can't let you put yourself in such danger again. And this is not the time to discuss this. The most important thing is getting Princess Sabina back, then we'll find Maenad. You will take Dame Barbara to the castle as you were told." The King and knights rode off, leaving Peewit and Dame Barbara in the clearing with Johan, who looked crushed by the reprimand. He wrapped Maenad's sword in his cloak silently, handed it to Peewit, and helped Dame Barbara onto Bayard. Barbara lectured Johan about the importance of following royal orders without question as they made their way back to the castle. "Do you still have that rag, Peewit?" he finally whispered. "I do, and also Maenad's sword." "Good. Once we get Dame Barbara settled, we need to go have it looked at. I think there's some kind of sorcery involved." "Sorcery, huh? Well, that's definitely something we've handled before." There was a long pause. "Johan, I think the King thinks you like Maenad." "Be quiet, Peewit." Maenad came to in a dimly lit cavern. Sabina was awake next to her, but both seemed to be inside a very small cage. When her eyes adjusted to the light, she could see that this cave was familiar. It had been her home at one time. Lined up along the walls was the loot she and her pack had stolen from the trade caravans; chests of coins, luxurious silks, furs, and tapestries, jewelry and jugs of wine. "Damn…Fenris has us..." she mumbled as she rose. Her head spun like she was drunk. "Who is Fenris? Where are we, Maenad?" Sabina asked. Her hair had been wound into neat buns at her ears, but those had come undone and it was now wild. Maenad imagined her own neatly braided hair was just as messy, though that was the least of their concerns. "Fenris is the werewolf I warned you about. This is the cave where we used to hide. We need to get out of here. Can you undo this binding charm?" "I can try. My uncle can't be mad at you for shapeshifting to get us out of here." She tried to untie the ribbon, but the knot would not come undone. She tried to break the cord, but that didn't work either, no matter what Sabina tried. Maenad was getting annoyed. "Can't you break the spell? You helped put it on me." "Oh..no…that was Papa Smurf and Brainy. I only provided the ribbon." "It's a Smurf spell? Wonderful. I suppose you don't know any magic that will get this off, then?" "No. I'm afraid I don't know any magic." The cave became lighter when someone entered with a torch. Maenad bristled like the wolf she was desperate to become, but was shocked to see not Fenris, but Prince Lothar had entered the room. "Hello, my pretties," He purred. "You'll forgive the rough accommodations, Princess. You'll be coming with me soon enough, and I promise you will be spared no luxury. As for you, wolf-girl, I think I'll leave you with your friend, though you are quite pretty now that I have gotten a good look at you. A shame to see that wasted. Your friend has some ugly plans for you since he thinks you've betrayed him and told his secrets." "What are you going to do with me?" Asked Sabina. "I want you to reconsider my offer of marriage. But I am holding you ransom no matter what. I don't need to be your husband to rule Hauvon if I can take it in other ways." A shabby man, like the ones who had first assaulted them in the clearing summoned Lothar to another room. The cavern where the cage sat was plunged in darkness again. Sabina rattled the door and tried to find a lock. Maenad leaned against the bars and cupped her spinning head in her hands. Her ability to heal had been bound along with her ability to shapeshift. She was doomed once Fenris got hold of her. They had to break the Binding somehow.