Ice-Ghost
Page 7
her agreement. She thought long and hard and then smiled, “But ask no more, Ghost. You are once again testing my kindness past its tolerance. Your Minas will be released.”
“Now,” said Ice-Ghost.
“Very well, Ghost.” The witch raised her wand. “Minas amass.” Suddenly, standing in front of the Ice-Ghost and the princess were the Minas of the world Aris, Elo Oerol Acampchion, and his wife, Citriouceon of Hene, the nearest of kin to mother nature. Upon seeing her mother and father, Princess Ringold ran over and embraced her parents.
“Her voice,” demanded Ice-Ghost. With a twirl of the witch’s finger, the princess had her voice again. She quickly whispered something into her parents’ ears.
After a few, long moments of embracing, Elo Acampchion turned to the witch. “Maret Brundehildigart, you wretch, your treachery will be paid for.” Elo Oerol Acampchion then looked at Ice-Ghost. “What brings you here and what has happened to your soul?”
“I cannot tell my story now, Elo Oerol Acampchion.”
Princess Ringold ran over to Ice-Ghost and hugged him. As she hugged Ice-Ghost, she whispered into his ear, “Gloo is behind the counter and I think he wishes to help us. If you can make him understand, have him take from the left the third vial from the third shelf and give it to us.” That vial was the vial that contained the Awaking of Spring (Spring always needed a little nudge). It had a kaleidoscope of colors in it.
The witch interrupted, “All right, enough of the touchy-feely gruelalities. We have a bargain waiting.” The witch then pointed her wand at Princess Ringold and lifted her off the ground and back to her parents.
It was at this moment that the crow Prate opened his fearful eyes. At first, the crow just watched as Ringold was sent back to her parents’ sides. It was then that Ice-Ghost used hand signals to communicate to the dwarf what he wanted, and Gloo gave a nod that he understood. As fate would have it, Prate caught sight of the last hand signals Ice-Ghost was giving to Gloo and he cackled.
“My lady, my lady, treachery, treachery.”
The witch turned as Gloo ran and started climbing to the top of the shelf case. He had just reached the top when the witch raised her wand and said, “Tap, rap and slap this fool to me.” As the witch said this, Gloo reached out and grabbed the third vial from the second highest shelf. His tail began to wrap around his body as he reached into the third shelf and was pulled away. Ice-Ghost could only see Gloo from his backside and bowed his head as Gloo was pulled away. Gloo tucked a vial in his sleeve as he was pulled down to the ice-witch.
“Well, you treacherous worm, what have you to say for yourself?” the ice-witch asked as Gloo’s tail picked up a paddle that had been lying on the floor and began to strike him hard. The witch saw a pink vial in Gloo’s hand and took it from him and laughed. “A love potion? You grabbed a love potion! What, my misguided mule, were you going to do with this? Make me love everyone? Perhaps make me forgive and forget what you have done?” The witch laughed. “I don’t think so. And you, Ghost, did you put him up to this? You’ll pay, mark my words, you’ll pay.” The witch turned to Gloo and said, “I’ll just leave you to hang, until I can find a proper way to repay your treachery.” Gloo was turned upside down and left floating in the air.
Ice-Ghost interjected, “Maret Brundehildigart, do you want the deal or not?”
Elo Oerol Acampchion looked at Ice-Ghost and wondered what type of deal he was making with the witch. For the first time, he also noticed a girl lying on an ice-bed. He wondered who she was and why she was there. He couldn’t fathom how he had missed her when he had first taken in his surroundings. A child in her teens, he thought. As he looked down toward her feet, he noticed the girl’s skates.
Looking gravely at Ice-Ghost, he said, “You cannot do this. I forbid you to do this on our account. Let us stay frozen in her dungeon until a better…”
“Silence,” said the witch, and with a wave of her hand, the princess and her parents were bound and gagged.
Princess Ringold struggled and tried to tell Ice-Ghost that Gloo had grabbed the wrong bottle, but she struggled in vain. Ice-Ghost looked sadly at the three and said, “I am sorry, but I must do what I think is best.” Elo Oerol and Citriouceon both shook their heads.
“If you want the deal, Maret Brundehildigart, send them off now.”
The witch, looking suspiciously at Ice-Ghost, mused for a moment. “What’s your plan, Ghost, why the big hurry now?”
“I am ready now, but may change my mind later.”
“Very well, Ghost, but no more tricks.”
With a wave of her wand, a large ice bubble engulfed the princess and her parents and shrank them down to half the length of a finger. With her finger, the witch called the bubble to her. It floated through the air and stopped a foot away from her. She reached out with her index finger and thumb and held it tight. Her long, cruel fingernails gripped the top and bottom of the bubble as she looked into it. She looked back at Ice-Ghost with a threatening look.
“Remember this, Ghost! Any more treachery on your part and all of you will pay dearly. I will keep your little friend frozen forever or until I can find another way to extract those crystals.” She turned her attention back to the bubble and began to squeeze it. Ice-Ghost could see Princess Ringold and her parents cringe.
“Stop,” demanded Ice-Ghost.
From the corner of her eye, the witch looked at Ice-Ghost. “Give me your word, Ghost, give me your word that there will not be any more tricks and I will release them.”
Ice-Ghost looked at the witch and said, “You have my word, no more tricks.”
The witch released the bubble and it continued to float in the air. Inside the witch’s devious mind, she laughed and cackled, Once I have the crystals, the only promise I will keep is to rule the two worlds and be their queen. Ice-Ghost could only guess at what the witch was thinking and he wasn’t too far off the mark.
“Now, Ghost, to the business at hand.” They walked to the ice-bed where Christy lay and stood face-to-face. Ice-Ghost looked at the Princess and her parents and then back at the witch.
“Send them back now if you still wish to finalize this deal,” urged Ice-Ghost.
“Are we agreed then, Ghost? For their freedom, will you extract and give to me upon request the greatest crystals ever made?”
Ice-Ghost lowered his head and said, “We are agreed and I promise not to break my word on our bargain. However, if you break your word, the deal ends.”
Ice-Ghost put his hand on his heart and gave his word of honor to retrieve the crystals and the Ice-Witch swore an oath on the Stone Amara-Nafar never to bother their world.
“Remember,” said Ice-Ghost, “The deal will be nullified if you break your promise and oath.”
The witch smiled from ear-to-ear. “Good, Ghost, very good. Now, I will do my part.”
She closed her eyes and began to summon her strength. Sending the princess and her parents back to their own world was not an easy task. The witch began to chant:
“Over the icy hills
Far, far away
I send you back
To that horrid place
Where all the warm-blooded creatures
Plaaaaay-awparishafield.”
The forest princess could be seen waving goodbye as the bubble floated away.
Ice-Ghost lowered his head and thought, Goodbye, princess. I promise that I shall see you again.
The bubble floated through the castle’s wall and the witch called out, “Mirror, show the bubble and where it is going.”
The mirror rang out, “Yes, my lady,” and the bubble could be seen floating toward Christy’s world. Everyone in the room watched as the bubble swiftly flew toward its mark. Ice-Ghost looked at the mirror and thought, This has to be the Mirror of Panoramian. I wonder how the witch gained possession of it.
It was during this time that Gloo struggled even harder to work his arm free from his tail. The process was slow and tough.
&nb
sp; Meanwhile, the witch addressed Ice-Ghost. “Well, Ghost, I have your solemn promise that you will remove the crystals on my command and you are bound to it.”
Ice-Ghost was now looking into the eyes of the witch and he knew what was coming next. He began to wonder if he had done the right thing as this promise was the greatest risk he had ever taken. He just hoped that his eyes had not deceived him.
The witch interrupted Ice-Ghost’s thoughts and said, “Ghost, I now command you to remove the Ice-Crystals.”
Not knowing what else to do, Ice-Ghost replied, “Very well, but the first thing you must do is to awaken the girl, Christy.”
“Why, Ghost? Why must I do this? How do you know? Who are you really, Ghost? I think that you are more than just one of the nobles of Ary.”
Ice-Ghost smiled, “That was not part of our deal.”
“Well, never mind, Ghost, but do get on with it.” The witch reached out and re-called her sleeping fog. The fog flowed from Christy’s body and into the witch’s hand. Christy soon awoke.
“Where am I? Ice-Ghost, you’re here.” She then turned and saw the witch. “Well, it wasn’t a dream after all…of course not.” Then she noticed that Gloo was floating upside down in the air and had grown a donkey’s tail.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Ice-Ghost. “Christy, are you okay?”
She nodded as she tried to sit up. “Ice-Ghost, I cannot move my arms or legs.”
Ice-Ghost turned to the witch, “This was not the bargain.”
“Settle down, Ghost,