Ok my second story to post...this one does have a simalar title to some that are already on the board but the what the hey it is what I named it lol...I hope you all enjoy.
The Birthday Maiden
This was going to be the best Birthday ever. Or at least that was what Jenny thought.
Although no one had even acknowledged the fact that her birthday was today. That of course didn’t both her one bit, in fact that just made her more excited. It meant that her parents were up to something.
Her day began as always on Saturdays. She woke up late in the morning and pondered doing homework. Then went to her computer instead and looked at her email, which of course was nothing much. There were just a couple of missives from her friends asking if she wanted to do something this weekend.
Then she went downstairs for breakfast slash lunch. Her mother always hated the fact that she didn’t eat breakfast everyday, but hey Jenny was fourteen years old and still in school. And as far as she was concerned there was a reason why they didn’t go to school seven days a week. That of course being so they could sleep in on Saturday and Sunday. The brunch went well, her mom was a good cook. But nothing was even mentioned at all about it being her birthday. Jenny knew that they all knew, she was an only child and parents of an only child NEVER forgot birthdays. They talked about school and other ‘safe’ topics while they ate, just Mom and Dad and Jenny. They both said that they would be leaving shortly after 1pm both saying they forgot something at the office and just had to go back and get it. ‘Yeah right’ Jenny thought to herself and just nodded and said ok.
With lunch over Jenny now found herself up in her room puttering around on the net looking for something to do. The party was likely to be great but the day to get to the party was going to suck. Or at least it was right at the moment.
“Jenny darling…we’re leaving,” Her mom called from the front door. Jenny got up and trotted to the landing of the second story stairs which over looked the front door.
“Ok, when are you going to be back?” Jenny asked.
“Oh it shouldn’t take more than an hour or so,” Her father said.
“Am I allowed to go out if I want to?” Jenny asked with a grin.
“I guess if you want to honey…just leave a note telling us where you went.” Her mother said blowing her a kiss.
“Thanks mom,” Jenny said returning the gesture two fold, one for mother one for Father. They waved to each other as her parents left and shut the door behind them. Jenny’s parents had never been worried about leaving their daughter alone in the house since she was eleven. Being an only child she was also very self-reliant. And Jenny knew the rules about being home alone. Just the basic rules no opening the door to strangers, use the answering machine to screen calls to avoid strangers on the phone, no unannounced friends over and no leaving without prior permission. And Jenny was cool with these restrictions. She knew her parents were just trying to protect her, and Jenny never broke their trust and more than likely never would.
She went back to her room and was immediately greeted with her new mail notification. It was just a sweet little chime no voice or anything. She hated going over to a certain friend’s house that had not found the joys of broadband and hear that annoying voice telling her she has mail. She clicked on the window and grinned at the subject line. ‘Surprise meeting you want to go?’ Was the subject and the person it was from was Brent a life long friend of hers.
Now Brent was responsible for a lot of things. One was being Jenny’s current fascination of medieval things. The castles, the knights, and let’s not forget the clothes of the time! Brent was also the leader of a group of kids that Jenny had got to know quite well over the years. It had all started back when she was like nine years old or so. It was a group of about five kids at the time…it was about nine now. They all had a thing for Renaissance things and liked to role-play. And this is where Jenny found out something else about herself…she liked to play the damsel in distress. Though it had been a while since Brent had asked her to come to a ‘surprise’ meeting, she of course went to the scheduled meetings all the time. Most of those were the boys fighting with the kendo sticks and bokens in mock swordplay. Very rarely did anyone suggest a full role-play on those days. And when they did role-play they went all the way with everything. They would pick a villain and a couple of henchmen, the maiden, and then the rest would the heroes. The fun thing that Jenny liked was that once the maiden was taken she was tied up the whole time while in the clutches of the evil ones. Sometimes, if it were deemed necessary in the plot she would be gagged as well. This had only happened once or twice to Jenny herself over the years. But she had been tied up several times while being the damsel. It had been a long time though and this email just brought a huge grin to her face. It meant a lot of things, one she would be able to dress up and two she was more than likely going to be the damsel this time around. It would the only reason to not letting her in on the planning of the meeting that she could think of. She read the email and then sent her reply telling Brent to pick her up in thirty minutes. It was just after one in the afternoon and things were looking up. She made a mental note to get out of this meeting before it got to late. First she printed out a note to her parents:
Mom Dad:
Going with Brent to the field…will have cell…maybe tied up at the time of your call so keep trying.
Love
Jenn
Jenny grinned at the note. Sure her parents knew of the games that she played with her friends. She trusted her parents as they trusted her…so nothing was kept a secret from them if they asked about it. They were a little apprehensive about it at first but when she brought them to one of the games they saw it was all just fun and games nothing more. That last bit was just to let them know what she was more than likely going to be doing…they would figure it out. Jenny had thought she would out grow this game but she still hadn’t. Even though it had been a while since she had played a full role with group.
She dashed downstairs and pinned the note to the board where she was supposed to and then ran back upstairs. She dived into the deep, almost a walk-in closet and searched for her stuff. It didn’t take all that long to find the dress and other things. She always marveled at how much went into dressing back then. She didn’t have corset but wanted one, so she could get dressed by herself. Though it was slow going with all the different layers. She also didn’t change into her period shoes either, she had found that sneakers were a lot more comfortable than the period shoes were. But she still wore them to the local Ren Festival every year. She was finishing up the last of her make-up when she heard a car horn outside. She grabbed her purse and keys and cell phone made it downstairs as fast as she could.
Brent was waiting for her with car door open like a true gentleman. He was even dressed the part in his outfit he looked like a royal prince, even if he was wearing the black one. In Jenny’s eyes that only made him look even more handsome. He was an inch taller than she was and his hair was a jet black. His face would cause most girls turn and look but his charms didn’t work on Jenny…she knew him to well. Though everyone said they made a good pair. She herself with long dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes, his eyes were blue as well but of a more gentle shade. He was staring at her as she approached.
“What?” She said looking down at herself thinking that she had a stain or something on her dress.
“You look great,” Brent said.
“Yeah right…you have seen me in this dozens of times,” Jenny said waving him off.
“It has been a long time,” He said flashing a smile at her; Jenny just rolled her eyes.
“Give it up lover boy. But you are right it has been a long time,” Jenny said getting into the car. She didn’t blame him for starting at least a little. It was a period dress and did show of a lot of bosom and skin. Though at her current age Jenny didn’t think she had all that much to show off, her mother reassured her that would change and soon. She slid into the mustang and gathered her dress so he could shut the door.
“Well, you can’t blame me for trying,” He said as he shut the door. Jenny craned her head around to look in the back seat. A Bamboo kendo stick and an ominous black sack. Well that confirmed this was going to an all out game this time and she knew what was in the black sack. He got in and put on his seat belt and looked at her as she searched for her belt.
“I would be down right insulted if you didn’t try,” She said picking up the conversation again as she found the seatbelt and click it into place.
“See you like the flattery,” Brent said as he started the mustang, which came to live with a throaty roar. She thought that Brent drove like a maniac, and pushed the rules of a learning permit beyond the limits of to work and school. He only just turned sixteen and really liked his car. But Jenny didn’t mind he was responsible to the point of never doing anything overly stupid…just exciting. And it was always an adventure being a passenger in his car.
He took off toward the field. Now the field was were all their games had taken place from the very beginning. Brent’s father owned it and it had several small buildings on it. A couple of them had been built by the group themselves, with supervision by a couple of fathers who knew what they were doing. The drive itself didn’t take long at all; being it was only about 10 miles away from Jenny’s house and the speed that Brent drove they made it in no time.
She got out of the car and looked about. They were in the parking area just on the northern fringe of the field, but no one else was there yet.
“Where is everyone else?” She asked, turning around to face Brent who was getting his stuff out of the car. He looked up once he had the sack and sword in hand, and the look on his face told Jenny that something different was up.
“I am sure they will be along soon enough,” He said in a nasty sounding voice as he pointed his sword at Jenny and came around the side of the car to cover her.
“What do you mean? We always wait for the others,” Jenny said not sure what to make of this development.
“Not this time princess,” Brent said dropping the sack to the ground a piece of white rope coming out of it as it fell. Well this confirmed her role in this she was a princess. And now to figure out whom had kidnapped her.
“And who might you be ‘my lord’” She said sarcasm dripping from the last bit.
“I am the bad guy…can’t you tell? Since I am wearing black and all,” Brent said holding his arms out to his sides and dropping out of character. Jenny sighed.
“No, I know who ‘you’ are,” She said. “But who are you,” Brent made an ‘Oh’ gesture with his mouth. And back into character.
“I am Prince Randolf,” He said making a slight bow and then retrained his sword back at his captive’s throat. “And you are going to my bride,”
“I am going to be what?” Jenny said not having to feign the surprise in her voice. “I will be so such thing, father will here nothing of it.” She said being haughty as she could be.
“Your father has no say in this,” He said as he advanced with the rope in hand. Jenny tried to back away but ran into the car. That was all the hesitation that ‘Prince Randolf’ needed. He quickly dropped his sword and made a grab for her arm, which he got a hold of with practiced precision. Jenny made a struggle of it but eventually she got turned around and pinned against the car. Then her hands were deftly tied behind her back with a fair amount of rope and knots. She felt she could get out but it would a lot of work.
“You know it was unfair to use the car…right?” Jenny said out of character.
“All is fair in love and war,” He said with a grin. She just made an ugly sound and shifted her arms a little.
“What do you plan to do with me?” She said back in character.
“I plan to take you away to my land and marry you.”
“But why?” She asked as the prince retrieved his sword.
“You and your kind of slighted me for the last time,” He said in angry voice that actually surprised Jenny just a little…he was really getting into his character. “I have asked for what I want and everyone has denied me. So now I am taking what I want. Now walk,” He said poking her in the back with his sword. She started to move and picked her steps carefully with the dress and her hands behind her back it wasn’t at all that easy to walk in a field. The building they were heading to, was the one that was designated an inn. And Jenny was glad when they hit the clearing for it. The grass was a lot shorter here and walking was easier. They entered the interior and Jenny was instructed to sit down on the chair in the room while the Prince looked nervously out the window.
“What are you waiting on? Why not take me right to your palace?” Jenny asked.
“I have to wait on my cohorts to show so I can be assured that I can make back with you safely.” The Prince said as he turned back toward Jenny. Jenny looked at him with a quizzical look…that didn’t sound right. It was almost like he was stalling for something. He walked over to her and stood in front of her and showed three fingers and then two and then one. Jenny knew that signal, and sure enough the door flew open to reveal her savior.
It was Josh, dressed as a mage? Now this was really starting to get confusing for Jenny. A knight in these games saved the maiden…always.
“Fire strike,” Josh called out flinging his hand out.
“Dodge,” Brent said moving to one side.
“In the room? Not likely,” Josh said as they both looked to Jenny.
“Call it,” She said looking at Brent.
“Five,” He said. This was the method in which they contested things. If the warring parties didn’t agree on the outcome of an attack it was to the damsel to decide. In this case a number between 1-15. But Brent was nowhere close to 13 which Jenny and chosen.
“Sorry your toast,” Jenny said with a grin.
“Damn it!” Brent said as he went into the death scene. Brent had been accused of being a drama queen, much to his chagrin. But if one ever saw how he died one would call him that without hesitation. He convulsed a couple of times and fell to the floor shook a little convulsed again. Josh had his arms across his chest tapping his foot as Brent finally lay still.
“Are you done?” Josh said. Jenny laughed. Brent just nodded. Josh took Jenny’s arm and helped her stand.
“You my dear are coming with me,” Josh said with a sinister laugh.
“What? Aren’t you here to save me?” Jenny said, this was a new twist as well.
“Save you?” The mage said laughing at the concept. “My dear do you know who I am?”
“Well…no I don’t…sorry,” She said.
“I am the Grand Mage Merlin,” He said raising his arms in the air in a grand gesture.
“Merlin!!” Both Brent and Jenny said in unison and then laughed.
“Hey I was short on time…I couldn’t come with something original…work with me,” He said out of character.
“Sure thing Merlin,” Jenny said out of character still giggling a little. “What do you want of me?” Jenny asked as the Princess.
“Why riches of course…now we must be away,” Josh said as he ushered her out the door and headed to one of the larger buildings. This one had been there awhile since it pre-existed the group and was just perfect for a Mage’s home. It was slow going again as the grass was tall but they made it without mishap.
Josh pushed her through the door and she was greeted by the smell of incense and such. It was quite strong and she made a face at it, and coughed a little. In the darkness inside she made out a figure and judging by size and stature she knew it had to be Amanda.
“Oh your back,” Amanda said coming closer. She was dressed as a mage as well but was obviously an apprentice.
“Of course I am…did you doubt me!” Josh said in a booming voice. Amanda looked crestfallen.
“No of course not master…I would never doubt your powers.” She said with her head bowed a little, but Jenny could still see the smile on her face.
“Good and don’t you ever forget it,” Josh said as he led Jenny over to a corner and pushed her down into a sitting position. It was a good thing the floor was clean or she would have balked at this move.
“Now you just sit there and be a good Princess while I contact your father for the ransom.” Merlin said. Jenny watched as Josh went over to the big cast iron pot that was bubbling over with steam from dry ice. Josh was a more portly fellow and really loved Holloween so he was usually the mage. Amanda was a smallish little thing and the youngest of the group at nine years old. She was also Josh’s sister and enjoyed playing with everyone and everyone just simply adored her…Jenny included. Amanda walked over with a goblet in her hands.
“Are you thirsty?” She said in a nice voice, like she was talking to a scared little girl.
“Leave her be!” Merlin bellowed.
“You have her bound…she is not going to do anything,” Amanda said back to the mage.
“If she escapes because of your interference it will be your life,” Merlin said turning back toward his ‘work’. Amanda just thumbed her nose at the mage. This caused Jenny to laugh a little at Amanda.
“Are you thirsty? It’s just water…no potion or anything,” Amanda said holding the goblet up.
“Yes I am actually. Thank you,” Jenny said accepting the water taking about half the goblet.
“You are a pretty thing,” Amanda said with a smile. “I am so sorry,”
“You don’t have to be.” Jenny said with a smile herself. “It is him that has taken me not you.”
“But I helped him.” Amanda said quietly and looking like she regretted it.
“You can still help me. You’re a mage right?” Jenny said in conspiratorial tone. Amanda looked over her shoulder at the mage. Just then they heard a bang outside; it was a cap gun. This caused Merlin look up and run toward the window. There was nothing out there that he could see but he knew someone was out there. The cap gun was a signal that the mage’s perimeter was compromised.
“Someone is coming for you,” He said pointing a finger at Jenny. “But I think he is going to find it a lot harder to break into here.” Merlin said with a cackle. Jenny rolled her eyes and called out.
“Look out!” Trying to warn the person outside of traps and the fact that she was indeed in here.
“Silence!” Merlin said pointing a finger at Jenny. Jenny knew what that meant and Amanda produced the thick scarf. Jenny sighed and opened her mouth as Amanda tied it around her head. Jenny was having fun with all of this, even if it a little out of ordinary as far as the story was progressing. And being the damsel and being tied up and gagged was the best part of the whole thing as far as she was concerned. There was another bang outside. This time it was like metal hitting metal, and a curse followed it.
“Hey watch your language,” Josh called out.
“What was that?” The person called out. Jenny recognized the voice as Sam. She was the tomboy of the group and tied for oldest with Brent. And she was also the one that refused to play the damsel unless it was completely and utterly unavoidable.
“That was a trap,” Josh said. “Uhmm…Fireball I believe,”
“Dodge,” She called out.
“Too close,” Josh called back.
“Magic cloak unknown,” Sam called.
“That is way too convenient.” Josh complained.
“all t,” Jenny muffled into her gag.
“Jenny said call it” Josh relayed.
“Three!” Sam called. Jenny nodded and Josh groaned.
“Ok you got it,” Josh said as he laughed. “That is one less would be hero I have to worry about.” Merlin said. Since Sam had said unknown, the mage didn’t know of the defense. Jenny made some rather unsavory comments about the mage but the gag absorbed most of it.
“Good job master…you want me to go out and…eww salvage anything I can?” Amanda said.
“No you fool. You watch her I will go out and see if they had anything of value.” Merlin said as he walked out the door in a grand flurry. Amanda quickly went over to Jenny and helped her up. Jenny made a questioning sound and Amanda gave her a ‘shushing’ gesture. She then laid a piece of paper down on the floor. Jenny saw the word ‘illusion’ on it.
“I can get you out of here but we have to hurry,” The apprentice said. Now this building had a back door, which made it quite nice for a clandestine escape. She lead Jenny still bound and gagged out the back and headed for the fringe of the field. Jenny knew that this was spell so the travel was supposed to be in a blink of an eye, so she would still be in the same condition as when she left the mage’s place. They walked as fast as they could and Jenny soon saw the black mustang come into view. Jenny was about to struggle thinking that Amanda was going to hand her off to another bad guy. But then she remembered that the evil prince was dead and then she saw Brent again this time in a different outfit, which meant a different character.
“Oh dear sister are you all right?” Brent said being very dramatic. Jenny nodded hoping someone was going to un-gag her soon, sometime. Brent did when they got closer pulling the scarf out leaving it around her neck.
“If you are here then who was out there trying to save me?” Jenny asked her ‘brother’.
“A merc I hired. I couldn’t try myself I had no chance against him,” Brent said.
“I have to get back the illusion won’t hold forever if I am not around.” Amanda said.
“Are you sure you want to go back?” Jenny said with concern.
“Don’t worry about me Princess I am quite capable of taking care of myself…and him.” Amanda said with an evil sneer and ran back toward the cabin like structure.
“Come, we must leave quickly.” Brent said as he opened the door to the car.
“Aren’t you going to un-tie me?” Jenny asked.
“No time get in!” Brent as her brother said trying to get her to hurry up and get in the carriage. Jenny did get in and Brent leaned and belted her in. And then he jumped in and started up the 250 horses that this carriage had. She was a little worried about still being tied up in the car with Brent driving and had to remind him the first turn he took to fast.
“Hey! Careful brother, I can’t hold on you know,” Jenny said giving him a hard look.
“Sorry,” He said as he left off the gas. Jenny realized that he was going somewhere with her but didn’t know where.
“Where are we going?”
“Back to my castle?” Brent said grinning.
“Don’t you mean our castle brother?”
“No I mean mine…you see I am not really your brother. That was just a rouse to get you out of the mage’s clutches. But I am someone you know.” Brent explained taking a long about way to get back to Jenny’s house.
“You are?” Jenny said looking at her friend with surprise.
“Of course. Prince Corsair. You know the Prince you have been corresponding with for the last 4 months.” Brent said. Now Jenny kinda of understood.
“Oh yes, I have never meet you before face to face.” Jenny said as a statement but it was a question.
“Well now you have. I arrived in your kingdom to learn you had been kidnapped. So I tracked you down to save you.”
“Now what?’ Jenny asked.
“Now I take you back to my castle and ravage you.” Brent said with a big grin.
“Ha! Maybe if you were Brad Pitt,” Jenny said laughing out loud.
“Like I said I had to try,” Brent said.
“Hey we are heading back to my house…I mean castle.” Jenny said.
“Yes we are.” Brent said almost completely out of character now.
“Hey can you check the cell for me?” Jenny said still being tied she could get to it.
“Sure. Nope no calls” Brent said as they continued to head toward the house. Now that was odd, Jenny was sure that here parents would’ve been back by now and the party time would be getting close. She had been in the evil clutches of her friends for about 2-3 hours now. Which meant it was almost five o’clock in the evening. Maybe they did forget…she frowned at that thought.
When they pulled up in front of the house she didn’t see anything that made it look like there was a party going on. It didn’t even look like her parents were home. Brent helped her out of the car and they both walked up the stairs to the front porch. Jenny at this point didn’t care that she was still tied up, she was getting unhappy about the fact her parents had forgotten her birthday. Brent turned the knob on the door and opened it. Now this got her attention real quick…she knew she locked that door when they left. He almost pushed her in since she did want to go in thinking something was amiss. But since Brent was all smiles she went, he knew something she didn’t.
When she entered the house she was greeted by the smells of cooking. A mingling of smells like her mom had been cooking for a party. Jenny grinned and then her parents came into the den where her and Brent were standing at the front door. Jenny’s jaw dropped to the floor.
Her parents were in full Ren Faire garb. King and Queen of the castle and did they look regal.
“Ah Prince Corsair I see you have found my daughter safe and sound,” Her father said.
“Yes it was an adventure but she is none the worse for wear,” Brent said. Her mom walked up to her completely surprised and stunned daughter and kissed her on the forehead.
“By the look on your face I would say we got you,” Her mom said.
“Mom I want to hug you so much,” Jenny said giddy with happiness.
“Well why don’t you?” He mom said having not noticed.
“I will in just a second. Uhmm Brent?” Jenny said flapping her tied hands at him. Her parents chuckled.
“Oops forgot,” Brent said slipping a small pocketknife out of his outfit and cutting through the ropes. Then Jenny flung herself at her mother and gave her a big hug.
“I love you!” She said hugging her tight.
“Hey what about me?” He Father said. Jenny looked at her Father with a tear in her eye. She ran over to him and hugged and kissed him on the cheek.
“I love both of you,” Jenny said and then looked to Brent and ran over to him and hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Brent looked at her surprised and touched his cheek.
“You deserve it,” Jenny said. “Thanks for running interference. It was indeed an adventure.”
“Boy she is this happy and she hasn’t even seen the backyard yet.” Her mother said. Jenny looked at them and ran to the back door and opened it. To see a dream come true, the party was out here. But everyone was dressed in Ren Faire garb, even her aunts and uncles and sorted relatives. She just stood there looking at everything; it looked just like an outdoor banquet. Her friends were the first ones to see her and came running up. All nine of the group where there the two mages, a couple of princess, and two knights and a merc. She smiled at them all.
“I hope you liked your surprise we have been planning it forever,” Kristy, one of the princesses, said with a gleam in her eye.
“I just wish I could have been on the delay party,” Heather said, the other princess.
“Oh you guys are wonderful.” Jenny said hugging them all group hug style. Brent joined in the group hug as he came to the back yard followed by her parents.
“Noble lades and Noble men, the guest of honor as arrived.” Her father said announcing her arrival. Everyone clapped and cheered since this meant that the party could start in earnest. And only her parents and friends knew that the scarf around her neck was not an original part of her garb. And Jenny was thinking the whole evening during the party that her parents were going to have to work really had to top this birthday party.