Down the trouble off we go

Witch's Lair

Next morning, the boys woke-up, changed (they had no idea where the clothes came from) and stepped outside their tent to see Charlotte seated on gludo. Who supported a small but magnificent, golden, round chariot with space for three people only. In the open-roof chariot sat Belladonna still wearing her yellowish golden gown though Charlotte (much to Peter's annoyance) had changed into a warrior purple jeans and shirt with a weird, cool warrior looking small jacket which had tattooed designs on it. Looking nothing less than a warrior-princess.
After absorbing this view, the boys glanced at themselves from the corner of their eyes, wishing miserably if only they looked just as cool.
Sipping the piercing envy they approached the girls while Peter, turning his away from Charlotte said "where did you go last night?"
Smiling with a face which clearly echoed: i-wholeheartedly-want-to-tease-Peter,
She said, " If you think I found this 'cherry-ride' from that place then you are absolutely right. It almost makes me want to believe that you have BRAINS which you can use... at times!"
David and Belladonna tried their best to contain themselves from bursting out laughing at that but after realising they both shared the same reaction to it, got irritated. Peter on the other hand couldn't turn more red in colour, the shock appeared to have taken his ability to speak as well as he stood there breathing hot air out of his mouth which David could feel even from some distance away from him. Changing the subject now David said, pointing to the seat on the side of the chariot where Belladonna sat, "that seat is mine."
"Who said you're going "  BB replied. Peter did not waste a moment at that answer to stick out his tongue at David who made faces at him behind his back. As Peter ran towards the chariot and hopped onto the carriage, sitting next to Belladonna.
David looked at Charlotte (eager to get her support on the sitting arrangement), who this whole time had sat with an impassive expression on her face, smiled and said "Don't worry davy, I'll let you ride the lion on our way back."
David chuckled childishly at Charlotte at this, hiding the fear of her actually doing this to him. Taking his smile away at the sight of Belladonna, he sat on the opposite seat to both of them.
Once they were all seated, Charlotte shouted "off we go, Aslan." (David thought it was highly unnecessary and from the looks of the other two, they seemed to have been thinking the same) and the lion raced through the jungle at marvelling speed despite shouldering a chariot, while roaring once or twice. By the time they reached their destination, 3 things were clear :
1) Charlotte loves to spread her arms and scream with joy whenever gludo roars ferociously.
2) Peter does not find any thrill in high speed, he feels like vomiting as he eventually did at the end of the journey.
3) and third nothing can stop David and Belladonna from arguing, not even a roaring gludo or a sick Peter.
David didn't really realised in his exchange of words with Belladonna, when the ride stopped exactly however Peter's vomit and the absence of gludo who must have been released by Charlotte, indicated that it might have been some time since they had halted their ride. With Belladonna's help Peter got out of the chariot slightly shaking, Charlotte was busy rummaging something from the smal, black with golden lining storing box at the back of the chariot and soon took out a piece of meat as Gludo,startling David, came running back from nowhere and jumped at the meat thrown at him by Charlotte. While he devoured his meal Belladonna squealed and leaving Peter behind rushed ahead in the forest as David heard her muttering under her breath while she passed him "blood, blood,blood... please not blood."
Peter puked again, as David went to Peter, patted him on his back but also said, as Charlotte ran towards Belladonna, "serves you right for changing your loyalties." Peter made a moaning sound at that but didn't speak anything as they silently followed Charlotte, who had caught up with Belladonna and had her arm on Belladonna's shoulder. After walking some distance in silence, David approached Charlotte and said, ignoring Belladonna "I think I've found my power" Charlotte beamed at him as he continued "I think i'm gonna be the master-planner. Remember back when went to find peter and I got ambushed, I thought the world slowed down and I could understand, analyse and find a solution to the problem." "That's marvellous Davy!" Charlotte said but with a slight crack in her previously beaming eyes as she and the others stopped walking to hear David. Taking in the compliment, David blushing said " It has had an impact on my memory too. I feel like I can remember everything now!"
"Wow" Charlotte came this time after some silence, David glanced at Belladonna who seemed to know ( from her expression) what was really going on in Charlotte's head while Peter still seemed to be recovering, David didn't had to be curious for long though, after some silence Charlotte said, rather timidly " usually I am the one devising plans, it only made sense that I should have gotten that power."
David felt rather sorry for Charlotte at that but he couldn't help and feel a little disappointed at her as well. She might have sensed it as well for she quickly came again with a different tone, " I mean, I thought we'll get those powers with which we had some sort of a connection with. For an example BB always had an upper hand in controlling her emotions or being empathetic with people and understanding them even in silence. She is deep and so it made sense that she got this power , she knows how best to use it... you know what I am trying to say."
Somehow it made David feel worse for it proved that Belladonna and Charlotte were getting too close then he realized again with much misery that he was the addition in Charlotte's life and not Belladonna. BB appeared to have turned slightly pink at Charlotte's words which she listened with her head facing the ground. This reaction of David made him even more annoyed, but he tried his best to hide all his emotions and forget these thoughts for the fear that Belladonna might just tap into them.
After the following silence, Charlotte spoke trying hard to change the mood of the moment " You know you are quite lucky Davy, I haven't found my power yet atleast you did in time! "Nor have I gotten mine" Peter said making Charlotte slightly jumped and Belladonna chuckled at the way his voice popped out of nowhere. For reasons David could simply not understand Peter from his voice seemed to be annoyed too! Giving Charlotte a half smile, David walked towards him as the silnce followed again. Which was only made less awkward by the continuation of their journey . He saw Charlotte walk with her head down and Belladonna with her head high as he walked besides Peter behind the girls. The girls were a little further away from them as Peter bumping himself to David was about to speak when David reacting to him getting bumped said " ss! What's wrong Pete-"
"Shh! Hey listen, I want you to pray."
"For what?" Came David rather bewildered
"For my powers I-"
"Oh! I will only it will be a called a curse!"
"Hey" and Peter bumped into him again as this time David retorted with by bumping into Peter. The cycle only breaking at the voice of Belladonna which said "Boys it would do to act like humans"
"Fine!" They both replied simultaneously.
As David whispering to Peter again said " what about your powers?"
"Only this that if I dont get shape-shifting powers than nor shall Charlotte -"
"who seemed to have an excellent chance of achieving it." David finished his line for him at which Peter said in a matter-of-fact voice
" I know, provided her rapidly changing mood swings , honestly she can compete with a chameleon"
They both laughed.
Belladonna looked at them glaring.
At which both quickly stopped as Peter said again " gosh! I think she sensed our thoughts"
"Or maybe she has outgrown ears!"
Both of them averted each other's eyes to prevent themselves from laughing out again.
They didn't have to work really hard to control it though as the view of giant, strong, iron gates held in between two huge rocks which seemed to be stretched from either side to look like a a giant rock wall, came into sight. It was covering an area of the forest and without any explanation from the girls, it was quite clear that it was a walled city and that too in the middle of the island-forest.
The view seemed to have cast a spell on all of them and the awe-filled silence was made more empowering as Belladonna said, "witch's lair"
The words sent chills to David. As he realized that the very first thing he should have done when he saw that chariot, should have been to ask 'where are we off to?'

                                                         
Enjoy the update guys!
It's a long one so to compensate the break that I had taken.

SINCE I AM FREE THESE DAYS SO THE UPDATES WOULD BE POPPING ANYTIME OF THE DAY, ALMOST DAILY!!

REGARDS,
MS.PURPLEHEARTS
💜💜