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CHAPTER 17
~~~About a week before Grace sat on her bed, Gryzo’s army had
been having some trouble......
Gryzo’s
soldiers had searched everywhere in Noinim. The princess was nowhere to be found.
The
captain, whose name was Stritatch, was getting worried. They had searched for days. He knew if they came back without the
girl, they were as good as dead.
He decided to confront his soldiers with the problem. They were gathered in the middle market
square in Noinim. It had been
evacuated several days before.
Stritatch climbed up on top of the platform used for auctions. “Attention! Attention everybody!”
The Rynests quieted down.
“Now. I know that you all
know if Gryzo sees we don’t have the girl, he will kill us. Right?” The wolves muttered their agreement. “So, the only choice we have is to run. I say we run to the Straihn.”
“Are
you crazy?” A Rynest stepped up to
the podium. Stritatch recognized
him as Linion, some kind of a leader among the Rynest group he had brought.
“You’re trying to get us killed!” Linion exclaimed. “You want us to escape to the mutants
created thousands of years ago?”
“No
one knows if they exist anymore,” Stritatch reminded him. “But what if they do? They’ll kill us!” persisted
Linion. Some of the wolves seemed
to agree with the leader.
“Look. I don’t want to get
killed any more than you do.”
Stritatch sighed. “But it’s
better to take our chances with the Straihn than go and be killed for certain
by Gryzo. Plus, they may not even
exist.” Many Rynests murmured in
the affirmative. “I agree,”
shouted one. “Me too!” said
another. “I’d like to keep my
head, thank you very much.”
Stritatch sighed.
“Good. Than it’s
settled. We go to the
Straihn. Prepare to leave!”
As
the werewolves bustled around, packing things up, Linion sidled up to
Stritatch. “Listen to me,” he
hissed. “I’ll keep my eye on
you. I think that maybe it’s time
for a new captain. And I think
that I might be a good replacement.”
He smiled and clapped Stritatch on the shoulder. “I’ll go help clean up.”
Stritatch narrowed his eyes.
Linion was walking a dangerous line. Stritatch had worked for years to get into his current
position, and he was not going to give it up willingly.
****************
~~~As Grace sat on her bed in the cabin, Gryzo himself was also having some
trouble.....
“You
lied to me,” Gryzo said quietly, not looking at the seer. “She was not where you said she would
be. The last scout I received from
my search party told me the princess was nowhere to be found.”
“My
lord, I—“
“No
excuses!” snarled the giant Rynest.
“Lord, she was there! I am
positive! She must have escaped!”
the seer cried desparately.
“I
shall fulfill my promise to you.”
He closed his eyes. “Come,
help me, my great master,” he whispered.
The
old woman began to shake violently.
“No, Gryzo, noooooo!!!!!!!”
Her cry dwindled as she sank to the floor. Gryzo gave a contented sigh. “Now I am even more powerful,” he said to himself. He shook suddenly, as if shocked by
some invisible force. “Of course,
of course, I live only to serve you, my master,” he quickly said. He strolled to the courtroom.
Gryzo sat heavily on the throne.
“Aaaahhhhh. That feels
wonderful. Power......” His tone drifted off as he daydreamed.
The
door creaked. Slowly, it opened to
reveal a small creature. “Ah! My informant!” exclaimed Gryzo. “How goes the investigation?”
The
figure came closer to the throne and bowed. “It goes very well, lord,” it answered.
“Rise,” said Gryzo. The
figure rose. “Well. What are they planning now?”
“My
lord, they have sent the young girl to the wizard Eltobe’s house.” The creature clasped its hands behind
its back. “She went to see the
seer, Zina. There, Zina told her
to go to Eltobe’s house. That is
where she is.”
“Hmm.” Gryzo leaned back in
his throne. “I think that this
time, I will try a new strategy.
The girl, this is her first time in Fantasia?” The figure nodded.
“I
think that I shall take advantage of her innocence. She doesn't know the difference between good creatures and
evil creatures in Fantasia, does she?”
The creature shook its head.
Gryzo poured two cups of wine from a table beside the throne for himself
and the visitor. He handed one to
the figure, who took it and drank.
Gryzo drank as well. Wiping
his mouth with the back of his hand, he said, “I myself will come and take her
here, so I may unlock the treasure chamber. Ah, I can feel the treasure within my grasp already! Will you show me the way?” The stranger nodded. “Good,” Gryzo replied. “No one is more powerful than me, with
the help of my master.”
“What you say is true,” said the visitor. “I drink to you, my lord.” Gryzo raised his cup.
“To victory and the utter defeat of my enemies!”
“To
victory!” the figure echoed.
They both drained their cups.
Any idea as to who the mysterious visitor is? He's obviously--oops, can't tell you. You'll have to read on to figure it out. xD
MAN IT FEELS GOOD TO BE AN AUTHOR
~~Zoë Wingfeather
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