Jackalopes

The Smiling Moon

After the first dance had finished something tapped Jane on her shoulder. It was Ostara.

"May I have this dance, milady?" he asked.

"You most certainly may not, you unwashed, ill-bred simpleton!" Austin interrupted.

"Leave us immediately!"

"I am sorry" Jane said and took Ostara's hands.

"I promised this dance to him, you see"

"Very well" Austin said, each consonant a threat of bodily harm.

"You are most generous; that is but one of the things I love about you" Austin continued, but Jane could see he did not mean it.

"Why are we back in this little room!?" Urminora cried out in great frustration.

"The entrance of this blasted castle just led back here! How could this happen!?"

"Magic" Jessica said grimly.

"Canini magic, it is unlike anything I have ever seen...Observe! The air all around us is quivering as if everything was wreathed in flames. We must try to counter it somehow!"

It was no use. The dungeon cell Urminora and Jessica had been locked inside could not be broken out of.

"I have never seen a metal such as this..." Jessica said, her face ashen from the recent explosion.

"To think that it could withstand a full shot from your supersuit! And the magic...None of my spells can even dent it!"

"BAH...LET US OUT!" Urminora grumbled and shook the bars fruitlessly again.

"I told Jane it was foolish going along this road, but did she listen?"

"What do they want with us, anyway?"

Jessica and Urminora soon realized that they would not be fed the following days either, but left in this dungeon to starve. Their only company was another prisoner in a torture chamber opposite theirs. The other prisoner did not speak much and when he did it was only to pose riddles. Urminora just huddled into the corner and covered her ears when the prisoner did this, but Jessica could not help but think there were more to it than simply passing time.

She had only met caninis once before, as The Silvercrowned One had brought along some of his younger children to a jackalope initiation ceremony. At first Jessica thought they spoke weirdly because they were young and precocious but now she realized these strange creatures talked in some kind of code. Jessica listened closely and looked around the cell for the tell-tale signs of magic.

"I spy with my little eye..." Ostara whispered.

After yet another lavish dinner in her honor day Jane tried to once again leave the castle.

Nobody stopped her but despite several attempts she found herself back at the room with the bed and drapes again. After the seventh attempts she once again ran into Ostara, together with Urminora and Jessica.

"Are you looking for the way out?" he asked her.

"Yes, do you know the way!?" Jane was beginning to despair she would ever leave this wretched castle.

"I will get you and your friends out" Ostara said.

"Together we broke the magic of the prison..."

He seemed to be a lot more uneasy than usual. Ostara was always so calm and gentle despite the castle lord seeming to have it in for him.

"But only if you promise to sleep in my bed tonight"

Jane just looked at him, turned around and left.