Prologue~Ch. 1~Ch. 2~Ch. 3~Ch. 4~Ch. 5~Ch. 6~Ch. 7~Ch. 8~Ch. 9~Ch. 10~Ch. 11~Ch. 12~Ch. 13~
Ch. 14~Ch. 15~Ch. 16~Ch. 17~Ch. 18~Ch. 19~Ch. 20~Ch. 21~Ch. 22~Ch. 23~Ch. 24~~Ch. 25~Ch. 26~
Ch. 27~Ch. 28~Ch. 29~Ch. 30~Ch. 31~Ch. 32~Ch. 33~Ch. 34~Ch. 35~
Jessica stood just inside the great hall of the castle and shivered, and it wasn’t because it was so dark and gloomy. This had seemed like such a good idea when she was outside in the sunshine, surrounded by people, but now that she was actually inside the castle, all by herself, it was starting to feel like a really bad idea. There was something about being in this abandoned place that was really starting to creep her out.
Pulling out her trusty map, she studied it carefully.
“Okay, let’s see now. I’m in the great hall, so that means that the Chapel is that way,” she pointed to her right, “and the kitchens would be that way. Beyond the kitchens is the midden, whatever that is, and beyond that are the stables, which I don’t need to worry about ‘cause they’re empty. So that means the wizard’s tower would be—”
“There’s no need seeking out the wizard’s tower, my lady. It’s sealed up tighter than a nun.”
Jessica shrieked and whirled around, dropping the map.
He was a little on the short side, balding, and skinny, but she had no doubt he was the wizard she was looking for. He was wearing a long black robe with a matching pointed hat, and the crystal topping the staff in his hand was beginning to glow faintly.
“You scared the crap out of me!”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I don’t get many visitors. In fact, you’re the first visitor I’ve had here.”
Jessica held a hand to her chest, willing her heart to stop racing, and just stared at him for a moment. “I have to say, you’re nothing like I imagined you to be.”
“Let me guess, you imagined someone taller, more imposing?”
“Well . . . yes.”
He sighed and the light from the crystal winked out. “I get that a lot, unfortunately.”
“So, you’re the one who drove everyone out of this castle and you’re keeping them out with that army of monsters out there?” She was finding it harder and harder to believe. He seemed so . . . harmless.
“Well, no,” he admitted. He sighed again and gestured towards the kitchens. “Maybe we could have a cup of tea while we talk?”
This was getting more and more bizarre. Jessica had been ready to face an angry, vengeful wizard, perhaps impress him with her awesome fire-shooting skills, but this . . . it was like being prepared to find an angry attack dog and finding a fluffy puppy instead.
“I think I could use a cup of tea,” she said. Truthfully, she could use something a lot stronger than tea.
He almost sagged with relief, and led the way to the kitchen. There was a fire lit in the smaller of the two hearths, giving the room a cheerier feel. A large trestle table took up the center of the room, but it was obviously a work table, there were no chairs around it. There was, however, a barrel near the end closest to the fire, and the wizard wrestled another one into place on the other side of the table.
Jessica sat down and watched with interest as he busied himself making their tea. First he swung a kettle on a hook so that it was over the fire, then found a pair of wooden mugs and tea leaves in a cupboard. In less time than she would have thought, she had a steaming mug of fragrant tea in front of her and the wizard seated on the opposite side of the table.
“So,” she said, blowing gently on her tea to cool it. “Why don’t you tell me your story?”
“I don’t know where to start,” he said, clearly unhappy.
“Why don’t we start with your name?”
“My name is Wendel, of the Great Marsh Wendels.”
“Okay, Wendel. You said you’re not the one who’s laid siege to the castle?” Now there was something she didn’t get to say every day, laid siege to.
“Oh, no, no, no! That was Braxton.”
“Braxton?”
“Yes!” He nodded so emphatically that his hat slipped down over his left eye.
“Why don’t we start with why Braxton would want to chase everybody out of the castle?”
“He was angry with the king,” Wendel said, pushing his hat up again. “They had an argument over money. Braxton thought he was owed more than he was given and the king argued that Braxton wasn’t as talented as he pretended. Braxton was chased off, but he vowed he’d take his revenge.”
“So why isn’t he here now?”
“I don’t know,” Wendel said miserably. “I’m just a hedge wizard, nobody important. But Braxton said he had a job for me. I snuck in here and then cleared the way for him to hide in the wine cellar. He cast his spell to create the ghosts and banshees to chase everyone out of the castle. Once everyone but him and me were gone, he summoned the demon army to surround the castle and keep everyone out. It keeps everyone in as well.”
“Where’s this Braxton now?” Jessica asked with a frown.
“I don’t know. I just woke up one morning and he was gone.”
“So why are you still here?”
“I told you, his demon army doesn’t just keep people out, it prevents me from leaving as well.”
She looked at him, perplexed. Could it be that he really didn’t know they were just illusions? “Obviously I was able to make it through the . . . demon army. How do you explain that?”
“You must be a very powerful sorcerer indeed,” he told her, a hint of hero-worship in his voice. “I watched you from the battlements. The beasts fell back before you.”
“So you have no idea how to banish the demon army?”
“No, my lady. Only Braxton can break the spell. Only him, or someone more powerful than him.”
“Crap,” she said.
“My lady?”
“Wendel, I’m going to need to think about this for a while.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“And I’ll think much better with a glass or two of wine. Do you think you could scare up a bottle?”
“Oh, yes, my lady!”
1 comments:
He was wearing a long black robe with a matching pointed hat, and the crystal topping the staff in his hand was beginning to glow faintly.
Isn't that too much of a cliché how a wizard should look like?
Somehow I'm more remembered of 'Harry Potter' than 'Lord Of The Rings' ... maybe you could use some other words to describe his looks?
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Braxton ... who the hell is Braxton? God, I'm really awful with names! Couldn't you help a poor reader like me to remember who this person is?!?
btw: Has Jessica heard that name before? Does she remember who he is?
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“You must be a very powerful sorcerer indeed,” he told her, a hint of hero-worship in his voice.
*hmm* First of all, how old is this Wendel guy? The more I read of him the older he gets ... and then his reactions seem to be a little unclear. This era the story takes place is something like our Middle Ages and women are less worthy than men, right? So, when a woman, a young woman like Jessica, could enter this castle ... I'm quite surprised by his reactions. He treats her quite neutral, invites her to have some tea with him. I could imagine different reactions for him to have:
- Doubt: Can he trust his eyes to see her or is it just another illusion?
- Wonder or anger: How could a younger woman (!!!) enter this castle? If he, a man (!!!) wasn't able to escape?
- Fear: For the same reasons, THAT she was able to enter his castle! OR maybe for another reason: Is this woman another test from Braxton? How should he react?
In my eyes Wendel's reactions are too trustful!
Same with Jessica? How could she be sure to trust his words? What if that Braxton has the power to change is looks and only pretends to be Wendel? It's easier to get the information about who Jessica is when he looks more harmless.
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