Briar

Ch. 14 The Mess of Meeting

The trip that had taken a wandering Jillian and Rose six weeks only took two on horseback. The return trip should be even quicker, now that Rose was a better rider, and once Jillian was once again fully human.
They had ridden through the night to get out of the forest that began on the edge of Numberland. The trees were bare, but some of the bushes had leaves. It was in the strange time of year when the snow was gone, but the plants were still not blooming. It was no longer even the early morning, much closer to lunch.
Everyone was very excited to be arriving at Numberland, to sleep in a bed, to sleep, only if it was going to be for one night. Rose was a mess of emotion. Was she happy to see her eldest friend or sad to be going back to her lost love with his new wife? Masochistic? Because she was so excited to just see him again that she felt like the butterflies in her stomach were going to push her off the horse?
By the flapping of her wings, Rose could tell that Jilly was also excited. Both of them knew that they were near the end of the forest. Then they were out. Rose was not the first to catch sight of the castle due to her nervous fidgets and consequentially almost falling off her horse. The others were intimated by their first look, for good reason. The Numberland castle was nothing like that of Jubbellard’s. Where it had been white and clean, Numberland looked to be falling down around the edges and the stone was so dark that it almost looked back. This wasn’t exactly what they had been picturing. It looked more like the dank lard of an evil witch than a good wizard. And from this distance all they could really make out where the very scruffy looking grounds. Who was this man that could make these things grown even in the end of winter?
They rode a little further before anyone made a comment. One of the guards spoke up, “Is the castle always like this?”
Everyone looked at Rose expectantly, “Yes. Yes it’s fine.” But as they got closer Rose began to realize that something wasn’t fine. The grounds seemed bigger fuller, more green? They were almost at the entrance before Rose realized what had happened. It was the roses; they had grown, grown enormously. They were taller than she was, at least a foot or more than the tallest of the guards while on his horse. Everyone slide to th ground to gawk at the sight of a mountain of rosebushes.
“You grew up here?” another guard cautioned.
“Yes.” was the immediate response. “Well no. Yes. It wasn’t like this when I left. I’ve never seen anything like this. What happened?” Then a terrible thought ran through her head. Jonas, had something happened to him. “Jonas.” Rose ran to the rose hedge, frantically looking for some way in. It was thinner here at that entrance than anywhere else? “Give me your sword.” John hesitated, wondering if it was a good idea to go inside let alone give a crazed woman a sword. “Now John. He could be hurt.” The eyes that turned on John were not that of the Rose he knew, but those that would brink no argument. He gave her the sword.
She started hacking through the bush and after a little bit John had the boys help her. They made their way through much quicker but it was still slow. They worked in shifts, two men at a time. It took them until very late in the afternoon to get near the end of the hedge. Rose could imagine her parents trying to chop through them for help only to be trapped again. What if Jonas really was hurt? Wizards had magic no matter what they did. Spells were only a way to control that magic. This was why wizards with no training were so dangerous. Their magic worked but their brains just couldn’t control their abilities. If this had happened Jonas must not be able to control himself and something terrible must have happened to him.
It wasn’t until they were almost through the hedge that Rose really began to panic.
“These roses go almost to the castle. What’s going on?” The stress finally got to her, and she started tearing up. The guards all tensed at the sight of a female crying, but they didn’t have to worry about it for very long because Beast finally caught up with them.
He came snarling down the path his dark coat almost invisible in the dark rose tunnel. If the men hadn’t already had their swords out, they might have been overtaken. As it was the men that were at the back immediately started to battle Beast. They were no real match for him, but they could still take up time. A few more rushed to the back, and Rose went to the front of the cutting line whacking her way through.
Automatically she started to yell, “What is that thing?”
“The Beast.”
“What?”
“He’s Esperella’s man.”
That did not sound good, “Jonas. Jonas! Mom. Dad! Mrs. Fonderal?! Anyone help!!” With each name Rose got louder until she felt like her voice box was going to break. “What did we do to it?”
“Don’t know.” John yelled back. He had grabbed Jilly and shoved her to the front while he had taken a small knife from his side and was making small jabbing motions towards Beast.
Finally Rose could feel sunlight. With one large lung she plunged the whole sword through the hedge and ripped it to the ground. Then pushing vines aside with her bare hands; she tumbled through to the other side. They really were on the steps of the castle.
John with his feathery love in his arms quickly followed her as well as the few guards who didn’t have room to enter the fray. They ran a few yards to come to the main door of the castle. After banging and more yelling by Rose, she was in complete panic. Where was Jonas? Her parents? What about the roses and the monster?
The servants had run around the side of the castle after hearing strange noises outside. When they saw the commotion, they couldn’t believe it. Someone had been stupid enough to break through. And what kind of people were they: a golden price with a black goose, and handsome guards breathing heavily with their swords drawn which didn’t let anyone feel at ease. The black goose registered after a moment Mrs. Happershap who started to look for Rose. She was found hidden by the cave of a main door.
“Rose. Rose.”
Rose heard her mother over her own buzzing ears. There was no time for internal dialogs so, “Mom can tell me what happened.” She rushed over, grabbing her mother by the shoulders. “What happened? Are you okay? Wait there’s no time. We need Jonas now? Why isn’t he down here? Where is he?”
Beast took this exact moment to get out of the rose tunnel. Making Mrs. Fonderal scream and distracting everyone else. Rose grabbed her Mother back, “Where is he?”
“His- his room,” her eyes slide back to the very large wolf in her front yard. So Mr. Happershap took over, “We don’t know what happened. About three weeks ago he stopped coming out of his room. He barely eats, won’t let anybody in, and then these bloody roses started growing. You can probably find him in his study, may be you can get him out. It looks like we’ll need him.”
Rose ran back to the main door and managed to get the thing open. As she went inside she yelled, “John tell them what’s going on. Explain as soon as I get back!”
Rose rushed through the main hallways and up the stair cases and down numerous halls. “Of course his study has to be in the back of the castle.” By the time she had finally reached her destination she was out of breath. She fell against the door, getting his name in through her breathing. “Jonas, Jonas.” And finally louder, “Jonas,” accompanied with a fist into the closed door. “Open up.”
The pacing that she had heard inside stopped. Then began again, coming towards the door. But it didn’t give her enough time to move. When quizzical Jonas opened the door, she fell into his arms.
“What? You’re here?” She was all out of place. Hair was even wilder than normal. Male clothing? And she was completely out of breath. He picked her up searching for wounds. What was going on down there?
“Why? Why didn’t you come when I called?”
Jonas stopped looking at her body, but at her eyes. “I … I” he couldn’t say the words that were rushing through his head. I thought it was just my imagination.
Rose gave him no time. She had come to the conclusion that he had not been hurt in any way, perhaps the roses were an experiment. He looked bad though. His eyes were dark large bags, and it looked like he hadn’t changed clothes in a week. He was skinner than he had been when she left. He was well enough to help and that all that mattered; she couldn’t give herself time to becoming a blushing idiot now. “We’ve got to get down there. Monster.” She had wiggled out of his arms and was tugging him down the hall.
“I have a better way.” Jonas grabbed her again. “Terra mihi cepiat.” A little puff and Rose’s stomach feeling like it was in her throat later they were out side right where she had started. She started coughing and tired to get away, but he held her easily, she was not large to begin with and she was not used to flash transportation.
“Help them.”
Jonas surveyed the situation. Some men in green and a boy in white were fighting a huge black wolf. His servants all had some sort of weapon and looked like they were preparing themselves for a fight. The geese had come out of hiding and were squawking loudly, running around. Jonas could see there were twelve of them; it seemed Jillian had come back with Rose, and the other geese where none too happy with her return. She was being chased around. There were feathers everywhere. How had things gotten this bad in such a small amount of time? Jonas cleared his throat, and uttered one word, “Stop.” His booming voice rebounded off the castle walls. He had always loved the spell. Everyone in his courtyard looked at him. Even the Beast spared him a glance before trying a lung at a guard.
“Ahhh… no sorry. I can’t let you do that, sir.” Although Jonas had never seen the particular spell up close he had read about transformation and knew the wolf for what he was. Jonas snapped his fingers, “Satis.” And suddenly, Beast found himself unable to move more than three feet. Jonas thought he heard him mutter something along the lines of stupid wizards.
The Happershaps were the first to spring into action, rushing over to their little girl. Pealing her out of his arms which felt empty without her light weight. Mrs. Happershap hugging her with tears in her eyes and Mr. Happershap was not far behind his wife.
Jonas couldn’t get caught up with Rose’s return when there were so many other things and people to deal with.
“Now who wants to explain?”
The boy in white stepped forward. “I will.” And Jonas realized that he was the man who had held Rose in his arms. Jonas’s eyes darkened, dark clouds passed across the sun.
“H-he’s a-a-aa-” John stammered, glancing at the ominous clouds, and the even more threatening eyes of the man in front of him.
“Be quiet.” Jonas said through clenched teeth.
John stepped back trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.
Rose pushed herself through her parents kisses. What had made him so angry? “No need to be rude Jonas.”
The eyes he turned on her were not the same as the ones she had grown up with. These were sad, lonely, regretful eyes. What had happened to him? “Now’s not the time.” Rose telling herself not to get caught up in those eyes. Jonas heard these words as her gentle way of telling him that she had moved on. Why couldn’t he?
“Of course.”
With this misunderstanding between then, they turned to Beast.
Rose asked first, “What so you want?”
Beast just looked at them his green orbs promising pain. “Might as well talk. We know you can,” Jonas told him.
His voice came out gravely, more of a growl than a voice. It was meant to scare. “Goose girl.”
This set the geese off. They were all over the place in two seconds; their feathers following in five.
Jonas tried to clam them down, yelling and waving his arms. The guards started yelling and swinging at them, only making them more hectic. After a while most of them fluttered back down, only one of two still milling around on the ground. One black goose stood out against the boy’s white uniform, protecting her.
Jonas decided that it would be best if he questioned Beast now, “Who is your master?”
Beast’s eyes slid off Jonas looking past his shoulder. He turned to look. A pale woman stood there. Her hair was bright red; eyes in shadow. She would have been beautiful if she did not have such a scary aura. Slowly she raised one hand and her cruel smile, “That would be me.”
“Why are you here?”
She deliberately avoided the question, “Did you really think that you could bespell my creature without my knowledge, Jonas the Wise?”
He nodded slightly in acknowledgement, “I’ll ask again, Esperella the Enchanter, why are you here? Which of my geese are you after?”
At this she smiled, “Who said I was after the geese. They seemed to be all together too flighty.”
The ladies too great offense to this and snapped in her direction before hurrying behind some larger body. Jilly snuggled deeper into John arms.
“Then what do you want. These are the only goose girls I know.”
“Why do you want to rush this? I’m a little too early anyway.” Esperella was looking directly at Rose. Their eyes caught, both completely defiant.
“Too early for what?” Jonas demanded. He didn’t like the way she was looking at Rose. Didn’t like it at all.
“Oh we both know don’t we, dear.” She took a small step forward, her eyes flashing. “You broke the rules.”
“What? I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” Rose was really confused now. What rules? Was this lady just a little off?
Esperella seemed a little surprised. She lifted a hand to her face in mock sympathy, “You’re even dumber than I thought.”
“Excuse me.” Now she was starting to get angry.
“You heard me. When you broke the rules, I figured you would be an idiot, but now, I think I overestimated you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about lady. I don’t even know you, but from what I heard there isn’t too much brain behind your pretty face.” Rose getting angry, took a step toward her. Jonas put his arm in front of her, pushing her back and giving her a warning look.
“What business do you have with Rose?”
“… Rose?” Esperella started to laugh. “Is that what you call her?”
“What’s wrong with my name?” The woman just continued to laugh. “Stop laughing.” Rose stamped her foot.
The light thud of her foot hitting dirt was echoed by the sound of many, many other feet.
“More guests,” Jonas wondered. “Who is it this time?”
A file of guards came out from the path, at least twenty of them. They all had their swords drawn; the one in front scanning for danger. He made a few brief hand signals and they fanned out around John, pointing their points toward everyone else. A few of guards were clustered around Beast, as if expecting him to come at them any minute.
Everyone was a little speechless at the sudden intrusion. Where had these guys come from?
“We are here to protect you sire,” said the man in charge. He had a few metals pinned to his breast.
John opened his mouth to find out who these new people were, but the sun had decided to set without anyone’s consent. The light from all twelve was a little blinding and everyone shielded their eyes. The guards did not take well to suddenly having twelve more women in the small area. They shifted nervously; their swords coming close to the ladies.
They were very annoyed at the response to their entrance. Of course Perky was the first one to speak up, “If you dare to rip my dress, I swear I will have your head.” Rose glared at her; she had not forgotten how much she hated the princess. The glare turned even more intense when Perky decided it was time to run into her hero’s arms.
“Jonas,” she said his name like an endearment. Her skirt flew as she sailed across the lawn and latched onto him.
He shook her off muttering. He didn’t even bother to give her a look, but kept his eyes steadily on Esperella. The other girls made nasty faces at the men in green.
The guards looked a little shocked at their behavior, but said nothing. They were more worried about Jillian who was being held romantically by the prince.
“I’m sorry sir, but, you can’t be doing that.”
“Can’t what?” John held Jillian all the tighter.
“Can’t hold your sister like that.”
Everyone was shocked at the guard’s words. Even Beast turned his head to look at the person idiotic enough to say that. Esperella who had been trying to keep her laugher in during the whole episode suddenly couldn’t hold it anymore. It was to her cruel laughter that Jilly blushed heavily and turned farther into John’s chest. He became very indignant.
“That’s impossible! Jillian can’t be my sister. She’s a year younger than me!”
The guard seemed a little put off by this, but he couldn’t let logic interrupt his mission.
“None the less sir, I have my mission. Please let go of Princess Amelia.”
“Oh God… oh god…” Epserella seemed to have been going into seizures. She was violently convulsing, completely bent over. “Stop please stop. Oh… you’re killing me.”
The guards were greatly offended by this outburst. How dare this woman try to interrupt their mission? They glared at her as well as the ladies who had moved from mean faces to vocal abuse. Mostly they just glared at everyone. They were the royal guard, they were no laughing matter!
They were all, in truth, a little confused by the whole situation. Who was who? Why was the witch here? How long would Jonas be able to hold Beast? He had taken to prowling around his cage looking dangerous which was greatly worrying Mr. Fonderal. No one really knew what to do next with this new development. Thus, besides Esperella’s laughter and the ladies indignant cries, everyone was silent.
After waiting for a few minutes and realizing no one else was going to, Rose spoke up, “If you aren’t after one of the geese than who are you after?”
It was like the woman had a split personality because in two seconds Esperella had gone from consumed with laughter to deadly serious.
“I hate to give away all my secrets, but it seems none of you will get this if I don’t tell you.”
Rose glared a little, but said nothing, hoping she would continue and end this thing. Esperella stopped moving entirely; her deadly eyes fixed on Rose.
“The person I came here for you.” Even the ladies became quiet at these words.
“Why?”
“Don’t you know?”
“With your presence here I can only assume that you’re here to collect on my curse. Is my time up then?”
“Actually it’s not. You broke the rules so I sped things up a little.”
“Isn’t that breaking the rules yourself?” Rose raised and eyebrow. She was conscious of Jonas looking at her in confusion. She regretted never telling him that she cursed.
“You broke them first,” Esperella pouted.
“Nit picking. And may I ask what I broke?”
“No, you can not.” A highly polished finger nail pointed at her. “You will take the full consequences of your curse.”
“Will I now? It’s a good thing that I don’t know what my curse is or I’d be quaking in my boots.”
“You should be dear.” Esperella was getting very annoyed with this chit. Sure, she didn’t know. The girl was just trying to worm her way out. How annoying. It was a good thing that she wasn’t going to be around much longer.
Esperella’s eyes narrowed in concentration as her fingers twitched underneath her flowing sleeves. The vines next to Rose grew longer fatter, the roses died, and the thorns grew larger. She tried to keep her laugh in as it crept across the lawn. It was terribly convenient to have the rose bushes right there. No one noticed the vine as it quickly pushed past grass and began to wind around her ankle.
She smiled sweetly at Rose before making her grand gesture. Instead of the gentle flicks of her fingers, Esperella used her whole arm. It flew into the air, she made one deft stroke with her hand, and the vine snapped around her ankle, biting through her leather boots.
Rose didn’t even have enough time to react to being stung before the curse took effect. She was frozen. Her eyes dramatically widened before drifting shut. As soon as they closed, Rose’s ability to control her muscles gave out. She collapsed onto the ground, much to Jonas’s and everyone else’s surprise. Even the ladies stopped squawking for a little while. The vine, its purpose realized, crumpled and withered.