Still read and tell me what you all think.
Is my changing characters thing working well? Is it too long or too short? How is it compared to chapter 1?
So I think my best writing in the chapter so far is Gabriels visit to the city or the queens talking as I really didnt know how to start that but I think I did well with it.
Enjoy!
And review review
Chapter 2: ten years later
I. Gaylord and Rossa arrive
The horse drawn carriage made it's way across the field of Castle Takenight as Gaylord and Rossa looked out the window on the right of where they sat.
They had longed for their return to the castle after this past year as each year nostalgia kicked in.
They moved past the spot where everyone of The Group, in a big act of stupidity, which was, of course, planned by the two jokers, jumped out of the window halfway up the Oval tower and broke their arms, past where the jokers created the dragons which ended up with Thruntle calling every knight in the castle only to find the dragons were made out of smoke, past where they played soccer everyday, even with the broken arms, and they finally stopped outside the main doors.
“Cherry woods?” Gaylord asked Rossa who knew that he had many of his memories in the woods. They had planned to have a picnic in the woods for lunch but Gaylord seemed to have wanted to start early.
“Can we greet our hosts first?” She asked thinking it would be much more polite than to just run off without saying even hello.
“Fine fine,” He replied dissapointed, “Fargel,” He called to his driver who appeared, “Take our bags up will you?” He said trying to not make it sound like an order.
Fargel, who was in Gaylord and Rossa's service since their first day in office, didn't really consider his masters as such; he thought of them more as his friends and he waved the “order" off casually and bags in hand, he walked up the steps and into the castle with a smile.
“Taylor?” Gaylord asked looking around for a sign of him as Taylor said he'd be waiting for them when they got there.
“Darling,” Rossa said as she pointed towards the stone boulder that rested on the grass to the right of the steps that led to the castle entrance. Gaylord looked and noticed that the boulder had eyes.
“Blah,” Taylor said stepping out of the boulder, “How did you notice, Rossa?”
“Don't you remember?” She asked poking her tongue out at him, “You used to hide there when we were dating! You always thought it was original and than I laughed at you until you screamed... everytime.”
“Shall we go in?” Taylor asked not wanting to continue being reminded of that memory.
“Actually,” Gaylord started, “Me and Rossa are going to have a picnic in Cherry Woods than we are gonna go visit Marcus.”
“Blah fine,” Taylor said and smiled as he decided not to deny his friend his memories, “I have to wait for Rintol and Flavour anyway,” He said as he got back inside the boulder.
Ii. Rintol and Flavour arrive
“Why did I have to come along?” Flavour asked Rintol as they rode in the carriage on the way to Castle Takenight. She, like Rintol, hated everyone of their “friends” and she would've rather stayed at home and have some criminals executed or the like.
“Because had you not come it wouldn't have been considered nice between kingdoms and than everyone would've cried like a bunch of chicks on the rag and than how would the plan have gone along? We have to do this sneakily.
“Don't worry darling I know what I am doing!” He said confidently as they pull up next to the castles main entrance. “Oh, there's Taylor, as usual, in the boulder again. Just play along, darling,” he said as they got out.
III. Gabriel and Seven pick up supplies
“So darling, what have you got planned for us?”
“What?” Asked Seven, still looking out the window, having been disturbed from her thoughts.
“What do we have planned for this visit?”
“Oh yes, that reminds me.. Driver,” she shouted to the front of the carriage, “stop off at Slatyer, we need to pick up some supplies,”
“Anything you say mam,” the driver said in reply.
“Supplies for what?” Gabriel asked, “Or are you gonna keep me in the dark again and have me spend another month in hospital?”
“You'll see,” Was all she said with a look of cheekiness.
“Oh will I now?” He asked as he started tickling Seven in hopes that she would give in.
To his surprise, one minute later, he was now caught in her attack of tickling.
Gabriel did the only thing he knew would catch her off guard.
The kiss was as breathtaking as their first ever kiss on the night of their wedding.
“I love you,” Gabriel told her now holding her in his arms.
“I love you more,” She said in reply.
They sat in silence, in each others embrace, until the carriage finally stopped
“Slatyer town square,” They heard from the front.
Seven opened the carriage door and stepped down onto the main dirt road of Slatyer, Gabriel followed her as they hit a fork in the road and they started on their way towards the market.
“Wait,” Seven started, “Where do you think you are going?”
“I thought I might come see what you are collecting for tonight's surprise,”
“No no no, but if you do want to help how bout hitting the bar and getting a good amount of ale to take with us?”
“Fine,” he replied knowing she just wanted him out of the way “but only cause I love you,” He shouted after her as he went in the other direction.
“Love you more,” He heard in reply.
Gabriel continued on the path while looking around at the houses, as memories of the visits to the town with The Group came flooding back. Especially the time when Seven made everyone in town think that the whole town was on fire which got ruined when the people finally had the sense to touch the fire and found that it didn't burn. That there nearly caused a war until luckily the town decided a war against every kingdom wasn't the smartest idea over a harmless prank.
He heard a few people call out “Hey Gab,” as he continued towards the bar still lost in his memories.
“Ahhh, Smoter's bar,” He said to himself as he stood outside and saw that it was still as ragged looking as usual, though the repainting made it look younger than its age of 500 years standing.
The bar had been home to too many fights to count and had survived many attacks from rival bars the world over.
Gabriel entered the bar to find, as it was only early morning, it only half full.
“Hey all,” Gabriel called as he sat at a stool at the bar.
“Watch out everyone, Gabriel is finally home, that time of the year already?” Stimon said with a smile.
“Ah it's good to be back with all you drunk pissheads,” Gabriel replied with a bigger smile.
“What you having?”
“I'll have a Facebender shaken not stirred and Sev wants me to get a big barrel of ale,”
“Big party after discussions than?” Stimon asked, as he handed Gabriel the drink, with a little bit of doubt.
“Nah Sev has something planned that even I don't know about,” Gabriel said as he started on his drink.
“Well we all looked forward to hearing about it, didn't think you two would grow out of it yet.”
“Well you know that will never happen, but I hope she has something good planned! We have a lot to live up to don't we?”
“Yeah, I still don't think anything will beat when you guys snuck all the kids of the city away and sent out notes to every parent in town telling them a dragon ate all the kids,” Stimon chuckled about another time a war was nearly begun by the duo.
“Yeah well you don't worry about that boys,” everyone heard from the doorway, “I'll never let you all down!” Seven said proudly as she joined her husband at the bar. “Ah Stimon can I get a Blind Smokey with extra drool and 1 piece of lemon, 2 pieces of lime thanks,” She said two the barman.
“Anything mam,” Stimon said and he hurriedly made the drink, yet made sure it was perfect as possible, after remembering the many pranks the queen had done in the town and handed it to her.
“Perfect as usual,” She said happily, drinking the drink, which bought a sigh of relief to the barman.
“So darling,” Gabriel started, “What did you buy?” he asked noticing no bags in her hands.
“Oh don't worry, you'll find out. Everything is being delivered to the castle as we speak.”
“Oh joy, well shall we go?” Gabriel asked now wanting to get to the castle quickly to see what was up her sleeve.
“Sure,” Seven said standing up, happy to see her husband still hadn't lost his youth, “Don't forget the ale dear.”
iv. The picnic
“Seen any Stripplers around?” Gaylord heard a familiar voice in front of him. Looking up from the picnic with his wife, who was sitting in front of him eating a salad, he saw Thimothy and Sanity standing at the entrance of the forest, both smiling.
Rossa looked behind her and shrieking she jumped up and ran into a hug with Sanity while Gaylord rose and held out his hand to Thimothy who shook it.
“What took you guys so damn long to come?” Gaylord asked, smiling at the sight of his friends, already knowing the answer.
“What kind of question is that? You know that even if we are visiting a town close by she,” Thimothy said in a near whisper pointing at Sanity, “takes at least four hours to get ready. You are lucky that Rossa is usually ready before you or you'd go completely mental!”
“Yeah,” Gaylord agreed, “I'd probably feed her to a damn Strippler.”
“I heard that,” Rossa said, still in a hug with Sanity.
“So,” Gaylord started as he and Thimothy sat down and started on the dead pheasant on the plate in front of them, “do you plan on taking two damn hours during tonights discussions like you did last year or is everyone else gonna get a chance to speak?”
“Oh don't worry,” Thimothy replied, rolling his eyes, “I don't have much to talk about this time so you guys can enjoy the spotlight for as long as you want. Anyhow the discussions are going for two nights it seems as there is a lot more going on and Rintol asked for half of this evenings time anyway.”
“Wonder what that is about?”
“No one knows... not even Taylor.”
“Look forward to it,” Gaylord said sarcastically as the two women sat down with them.
“Are you two discussing business?” Rossa asked in a voice that showed she wished she didn't sit back down which also showed on her face until she remembered her salad which she started back on.
“Yeah can we talk about something less boring?” Sanity asked deciding to change the subject anyway, “When are Gabriel and Seven due?”
“About an hour or two,” Gaylord replied looking at his pocket watch.
“Really can't wait to see what they have planned for us,” Thimothy said not sarcastically. He, like everyone else, couldn't wait to see what the duo had in store for them even if it ended up meaning a good weeks rest in the castle hospital.
“God, please don't let it be any more tattoos!” Gaylord said, touching his forehead where the words “Falitue ovalum abadrum,” still stood.
“Oh darling,” Rossa started, eyeing the tattoo, “I think you look sexy with a tattoo.”
“Yeah well maybe with a nice spider tattoo or something, but did they really have to permanently spray these words on our heads?” Gaylord asked a stupid question.
“Its only been one year and already you forget about us and our special way of life?” The four of them heard from the forest entrance. They turned to see Gabriel and Seven, hand in hand, with big grins, walking towards them.
“Oh my friend,” Gaylord said, “How can a person forget when the memory comes back every morning when I stare in the mirror?.” He asked which caused the duo, who were sitting down, to produce even bigger grins.
“Got anything big planned for us this time?” Thimothy asked, which caused the duo to look at him as if he asked something insulting. “Fine fine sorry, yes I know stupid question.”
“Just for that,” Seven started in an evil sounding voice, “You will get double,”
“How about triple?” Gabriel asked his wife, looking lovingly in her eyes.
“Fuck it, lets go quadruple?” Thimothy said as he laughed at them; another stupid thing to do.
They continued their picnic lost in conversation of the past, present and future until Taylor came down and told the gentlemen it was time to start the discussions.
v. The queens talk
“You'll never give it to me, will you?” Rossa asked Seven in an annoyed voice across the main table in The Great Hall.
“Oh come now Rossa, you know it's been in my family for years! We all have our traditions when it comes to life and you, Miss. I Will never break tradition, should know that it is disrespectful to even ask me for it. Now change the subject.”
“No I won't, I want that recipe! How is it disrespectful? Your family isn't even royalty!”
“I will forget you said that,” Seven replied through clenched teeth, “Royalty or not it's tradition,” She continued, her voice now louder, “So fucking drop it now!”
“Fine,” Rossa said, defeated knowing that if she kept going it wouldn't have been a good night for her in the end.
“Marie, how was your visit back to Falicide? Been ten years hasn't it?” Sanity asked Marie with actual interest.
“Oh,” Marie piped up having finally been introduced into the conversation, “Yeah it was good but I must say it has gotten much colder since I went there, I hope they are bringing this up in the talks tonight? I mean, I know I don't live there but they are still my people and the once beautiful forests all year round have now become winter wonderlands which may be good for the season, yes, but all year round is becoming ridiculous!”
“Well,” Flavour started in, “Maybe your father shouldn't have pissed off the ice dragons? The curse they put on the city has come to life hasn't it?”
“Pah curse,” Marie cut in nearly laughing, “Don't make me laugh, Flavour, with all this curse crap!”
“Well than what is your explanation? The, once, hottest area of Uriel is now colder than Icewind itself! It didn't happen out of nowhere did it?”
Marie said nothing in reply, again defeated, yet still with a sceptical look on her face.
“Maybe Seven and Gabriel had something to do with it?” Rossa said laughing.
“Yeah, our biggest prank ever that one!” Seven replied rolling her eyes.
“Speaking of pranks,” Sanity started the dreaded sentence, “What shall we be expecting tonight from you two?”
“Who said there is anything to expect?” Seven said playing innocent.
“Yeah, like we are gonna believe you two have grown out of the pranking life. Come on, you guys prank your town at least four times a week. Its believed that the excavations would've went faster had you guys not been so busy screwing with people,”Rossa said seriously.
“Do you expect us to be stiffs when it comes to our ruling? Our people need to see that we will always be there to keep them happy and we have rarely heard any complaining from anyone about our pranks... hell they actually asked why we didn't do anything one day when we were busy.
“What have you guys done to show your people you aren't just there to rule but to also be rulers that care about them?”
“Well I have made sure to keep the strictest guards in Uriel. Rarely do you hear about much criminal action going on in my city,” Flavour said proudly to which everyone nodded in agreement.
“Not to mention that any crime is punishable by execution so the people know not to fuck around! I really think you guys shouldn't have such tame laws! A criminal gets caught and a slap on the wrist later he could go to any random house, rape and kill the female in there.” she added seriously.
“Despite the fact we haven't had anything of the such happen yet,” Marie piped up scepticism reigning in her voice.
“Well,” Flavour continued, still being as serious as can be,”Always a first time for everything,” Which caused Marie to roll her eyes.
Flavour just stared at Marie as if she was a simple imbecile.
“So Flavour, I hear that everything is going to hell with Rintols attempt at winning the giants over?”Stayla started a new conversation.
“What? Oh yes, we haven't heard anything yet from the group we sent up there,”
“Well,” Stayla started a little rant, “I guess, never send minors to do a man's job! My husband is going to go up there with his best men to try and aid the group.' She said proudly.
“Oh, really? The first I've heard of this,” Flavour said wondering if Rintol knew yet.
Suddenly Seven clicked her fingers and without warning a barrel of ale dropped from the ceiling and burst open soaking the women in the ale.
“Not really original,” Rossa said sourly to Seven as they all walked back to their rooms to get changed.
“Well I didn't really want to ruin my dress. But you wait to see what happened to the boys.” She said mischievously.
vi. rintol goes for a walk after discussions
Those fucking bastards fucking ruining everything again!
Rintol walked out of the conference room which was now covered in a mixture of dog, pig, cow and horse crap.
Right when I was about the put the plan in action they have to go again and fuck it all up. I mean, Razor was just about to suggest the marriage and the shit fell!
Rintol started on his way down to the dungeons to visit some prisoners when he was stopped in his tracks outside of Taylor's bedroom as he heard some moaning.
He continued down the corridor, turned a corner and faced the wall, covered in black and blue striped wallpaper, on the right halfway down the corridor.
He walked through the wall as if it wasn't there and entered a pitch black path.
“Ignite,” He said and light appeared which lit up the whole path.
He went to the right of the path and walked for two minutes until finally he heard the moans.
He stopped and turning face to the right he found himself looking into Taylor's bedroom.
What he saw made him smile his biggest smile in years; Taylor and Rossa were up against the wall moaning so loud Rintol was shocked that the whole castle couldn't hear it.
Ahhh I can just see my plan is going to go very well now Rintol thought to himself
