Sorry for messing everyone up! I think we can safely omit my post without confusing anyone. So, um, if you want, we can omit my post.

@CJ:  Good!  I'll be quite happy when your character is introduced.

@Mary: I loved your post... LOVED it.  You're very good at setting up a scene with descriptive language.  I knew exactly what that room looked like and your writing literally made my fingers cold.  I thoroughly enjoyed that.  A lot. 

//Temperance//

My mind had gone blank.  I wasn't paying attention to anything now... somewhere in the back of my brain I was aware of Rhi clutching my hand and Aalton stroking my hair, but I didn't care.  My beautiful horse was gone; my best friend.  He had fallen into the Rift and was probably lying in a bloody heap on the bottom.  I closed my eyes against the image, but it wouldn't go away.  I imagined how terrified he must have been falling to his doom and before I could stop it a sob escaped my mouth. 

My gorgeous, smoky Ashes of Heatherdown was dead.  The town of Heatherdown was officially dead.  Not a single living thing that had been born there was now alive.  The Queen had already ordered it wiped from all the maps, but I had always remembered it--the men, the women, the children I had seen that horrible day--through Ash.  And of course, my father.  My poor father, who had had to watch his wife burned at the stake and raise a stubborn, headstrong daughter on his own while still fulfilling his duties as a Captain.  Even now, I didn't know where he was, if he was safe, thinking of me, or even alive.  But with Ash's death, I felt his absence like a sharp stab to my side. 

I buried my face into the nearest person's shoulder and allowed two or three hot tears to leak from my eyes, but stopped the rest.  Slumber had left me weak and I needed to conserve all my fluids.  After what seemed like an eon, I opened my eyes and looked up into Rhi's eyes, which were full of concern.  And a pretty blue, I noticed for the first time.  The color of sapphires when the light hits them just right.  Something about them made me pause, but then Aalton said something about Ash and I forgot all about them. 

"We have to find him," I blurted.  I hoisted myself upright using Rhi's shoulder as leverage and looked him right in the eye.  "Aalton, we have to go down there and fine him." 

"No."  Aalton shook his head.  "He's dead, Temp.  He's been dead for too long.  Not even this book could bring him back.  You can't do anything for him now." 

I would have argued, until he said, "But we do have to go down there, Temp, you're right." 

"What for?" asked Seryn nervously.  "I thought the Rift was haunted."

Aalton looked at her and then in a surprising display of strength, lifted me up in his arms as though I weighed no more than a child.  "It may be.  But the Rhombus will be looking for her as will my aunt."  I felt him squeeze me closer, as though assuring himself that I was still there. 

"And no one gets Temperance, but me." 

//Trompeur//

 I knocked on the door of Ven's room.

 "Come in." she said. So I opened the door and shuffled in nervously.

 "Master wants to see you." I mumbled.

 Ven lifted herself out of her chair and followed me down the Grand Hall. Nobody said a word.

 "Ahh. Venomous." greeted Master.

 "It's Venficus, Master." corrected Ven.

 "Pah. Same thing." spat Master, "Anyways, you have failed me greatly. I am very disappointed. And Tasha!"

 "It's Trompeur." I remarked.

 "Same thing. I am also very disappointed in you. For your great failure, you shall be demoted a level and shall use your powers to capture mice." said Master. I shuddered, thinking of being huddled in a damp dark basement, catching those filthy rodents. 

 "But-" I protested.

 "I have had enough of you." proclaimed Master, "Go to the basement. NOW! I'd like to talk to Versatile-"

 "It's Ven."

 "Shush. As I was saying, I'd like to talk to Ven in private. Guards, escort Trompeur to her new quarters."

 And with the snap of his fingers, guards were pratically lifting me of my feet. And it wasn't as comfortable as it seemed like in those dumb fairy tales. 

//Temperance// 

"But the Rift is haunted, Your Highness!" protested the serving girl.  It was the first I'd heard her speak since the dungeon.  "There are violent spirits down there!" 

I opened my eyes to look at her as Aalton turned around.  The girl's eyes were wide and she was twisting her apron in her hands nervously.  A cool breeze blew past us, carrying with it the smell of smoke.  Rhi shot a look over her shoulder and said, "Smoke from the east." 

"That'll be the troops out looking for me.  Me and Temp," Aalton said.  He looked at the serving girl.  "What was your name?" 

"Her name's Seryn," Rhi answered when the serving girl remained silent.  "And I'm Rhi." 

"You look a bit alike." 

Rhi pursed her lips and avoided looking at Seryn.  "That's because we're... sisters." 

I perked up a little at that.  How had I missed that?  I scolded myself for not paying closer attention. 

"Well, Seryn and Rhi," said Aalton.  "I'm not going to let Temperance fall into the hands of those guards or the Rhomberites.  So come with me if you like, or stay here and fend for yourself.  I've heard the rumors about the Rift same as you, and maybe they're true.  But we can't stay up here.  If Temp gets her rest, she can defend us down there, no problem." 

Privately, I thought that was a big statement to make as I didn't feel up to defending anyone right now, much less walking.  I wondered how long Aalton was going to be able to carry me.  The idea of carrying anything made me sag with exhaustion.  Perhaps if we were attacked by cuddly bunnies I could defend us, otherwise.... 

"I'm coming," Rhi said firmly, stepping up next to Aalton.  "Seryn can choose for herself.  How's Temp?" 

Aalton glanced at me.  "Temp?" 

"Never--better--your--majesty," I rasped sarcastically.  Rhi patted my shoulder supportively. 

He frowned.  "Glad to see you've still got your sass, Lady Wickler," he retorted, using my formal title too.  I winced.  I hated it when people called me that since it reminded me of my mother, the only Lady Wickler I'd ever known.  As she was now dead, the title fell to me.  Aalton cleared his throat and looked at Seryn. 

"So come or stay, make your choice," he said, "but we're leaving now."  And he turned and we started down the Rift's cold, graystone path.  The further we went, the more I could feel the Rift's magic seeping into my bones.  I wondered if I should tell Aalton about it. 

Because the Rift, while I didn't know anything about the haunting rumors, had its own side effects on magicians.  It made magic impossible.  Ven would know this, as would the Rhombus.  They wouldn't come for us until we came out of the Rift.  But the Queen's guards were another matter.  This was the last place I wanted to be cornered by witch-hating soldiers.  I decided Aalton didn't need to know yet, but as soon as we rested I would tell Rhi.  She was a witch too and deserved to know. 

Not that buttons would have been much use down here anyway, though.

ZNZ: have you finished the Willoughbys yet? Sorry, just wondering. The Willoughbys thread is getting lonely! 

TOP!

//Trompeur//

I was locked down in the musty rat cellar, wasting my very useful powers on capturing a bunch of rats, when the door creaked open.

 "Your supper," shyly said a servant as she walked down and handed me my food.

 I looked down at my bowl and wrinkled my nose.

 Mush. I thought, Disgusting, as a nearly-trained apprentice, I would have gotten better than this. Oh wait! I can get better at this. I'll just snap my fingers- Then I remembered my powers had been taken away, only leaving me with the power to make nets. 

 If only I could get my hands on the jar containing my powers. I thought sinisterly, I'm already well-trained enough. Since the Rhombus isn't taking care of me, I'll go to the other side. I can't wait to see Master's face when he's at my knees begging for mercy.

((I hope you guys don't mind that my character's a bit evil. It always seems easier to me to write in the POV of an evil mind.))

@Olive: Oh please.  I think we're all a little evil... Ven's not the nicest woman, Seryn apparently tried to kill Rhi, and my character has pretty much destroyed two entire Rhombus squads and brought two corpses to life.  I don't know if I speak for everyone else here, but I prefer characters with a little evil side to them.  Makes them more human I think.  I'm kind of liking that Rhi is the only character who has yet to show an evil side.  Probably does us all some good!  Keep us in line, ZNZ!

//Temperance//

I was shivering uncontrollably by time we reached the bottom of the Rift.  Aalton kept rubbing my arms and he had given me his coat but still I shook.  The Rift's coldness wasn't something a coat could keep out.  I could tell Rhi was feeling it too, but her teeth weren't chattering like mine.  Not yet anyway. 

Surprisingly, the serving girl--Sarah, I think her name was--hadn't come with us.  Aalton seemed a little perturbed about this, clearly having expected her to be too afraid to be left alone.  He had given her Midnight and wished her luck, but he hadn't tried to persuade her to change her mind.  The smoke had begun filling the entire eastern sky.  Rhi didn't seem too upset that her sister hadn't joined us, but then again she was clearly better at keeping secrets than I'd thought so I decided not to put too much stock in my perception. 

The last vestiges (love that word!) of Slumber had left me, but my body wasn't responding well to the Rift.  At the bottom we stopped for a break and Aalton set me down.  He squinted around in the gloom. 

"Don't suppose either of you would be interested in magicking up a few torches or something eh?" he asked.  I shot him a withering glare which lost its effect as I gave an involuntary, spastic shudder.  Rhi shook her head and sat down next to me.  Aalton frowned.  "Fine.  I'll try to find something to use myself.  Don't go anywhere." 

I waited until he was out of earshot before I muttered, "I gather you're feeling this too?" 

Rhi hugged herself tightly.  "This is terrible.  Did you know it was going to be like this?"

I shook my head.  "Never been down here.  I only know--what my mother told me." 

"We can't do magic," Rhi whispered.  "I've tried.  It only makes you colder." 

I nodded.  "We need to get out of her as soon as possible.  My mother told me of a secret route out through the bottom--it comes out somewhere near the capitol.  The exit won't be guarded but I don't know how to find it." 

"You probably shouldn't be anywhere near the Queen though, right?" asked Rhi, concerned. 

I shivered again and brought my knees up to my chest.  "W-why?" 

She glanced in Aalton's direction.  "Well, he said his aunt's looking for you.  That she wants to give you a job since you're a noble witch." 

I thought I saw a trace of bitterness in her blue eyes but I dismissed it, too shocked by what I'd just heard. 

"A job?"  I glanced in Aalton's direction, but he was busy trying to create sparks with a pair of rocks.  "With the Queen and her court?"  I didn't bother trying to hide my revulsion.

"It would be better than being with the Rhombus, right?" Rhi said helpfully. 

I hunched over, shaking now with equal parts rage and cold.  "Oh no," I chattered, glaring daggers at Aalton's back.  "I rather think it would be worse.  For everyone." 

Rhi's eyes widened.  "Why?" 

"Because if the Queen gets her hooks in me..."  I stopped, seeing myself as a torturer or an assassin.  I could see the coldness in my green eyes, the smirk upon my face, and I could feel the pleasure I would get from humiliating those who would do me harm.  "Because if the Queen gets her hooks in me, everything good in me will die." 

//Trompeur//

I was in my chamber (they luckily let me keep that, though they graded me to a smaller room that didn't have a view) when my friend Beulah burst through the door and exclaimed, "Ven's gone!" 

 I groaned, thinking that Master would probably make me hunt her down, but then realized that that would at least get me out of killing rats. (The rat corpses' stench has the power to blind you if you get too close.) And I would be able to get my powers back, saving me the trouble of having to sneak around and find them, then steal them back.

 Just as I was about to reply, one of Master's "guards" burst in and boomed, "Pack light. Master wants you to find Ven and the lost witches while you're at it. Once you're packed, just leave. Catch." He threw at me the jar that contained my powers. I gleefully uncapped it and let the power soak into my skin. I suddenly felt energized and giddy.

 I started to pack, aware that Beulah was staring at me.

 "Glad to leave this dump huh?" she asked. I nodded, too busy tying up my sac. 

 When I finished, I ran out the door of my room and sprinted down the corridor. When I finally burst through the doors of the "manor", I inhaled the outdoor air. Then I remembered I could fly. So I lifted myself up into the air, and disappeared into the night sky.

 I'll get the two witches, I thought as the cool night air blew across my face, and cast the prince home with the new spell Beulah taught me. I knew it wasn't useless! Then, if I feel like it, I'll find Ven and convince her to come back. Yes, a lovely plan. Not only that, but now I don't have to cross over. Such perfect timing. When I come back, I'll get my promotion to full-time sorceress. Then I won't have to bother with the snobs of Room 11 and finally be able to visit mother in the Melodious Swamps. Yes. Wonderful, just wonderful.