If you need a hero

The trip

They continue their way, talking with each other to on who could have kidnap the prince and why they would have done that. While also talking about a plan to deliver him out of this mess. The first thing to know is if he's alright or not, if he's injured they will have to bring him back to the castle as fast as possible. 

They continue to walk and walk and walk but no castle was visible. They started to get worried that what they were seeing on the map wasn't true but they kept their determination and continue to walk their way to the castle.

Some days pass and still no sign of the castle. Instead, there was a forest there. They sigh, thinking the castle may be in the forest, so they enter it. They continue their way inside the forest, going deeper and deeper as the hours pass.

And here it finally was, the abandoned castle. They took a deep breath and look at each other before nodding and entering the castle. It was dark and gloomy, kinda creepy. We could hear some bats  flapping their wings because of the silent, there was some spiders web around and some old paints on the walls. About unknown people. 

They started to get a little worried as it seems that the prince was nowhere to be found and most likely not there and as they though, no one was there. Well, at first. They heard some noise coming from what was once the kitchen, they sneak into the room and hide behind a wooden box, trying to see who was there. 

There was a person wearing a cape trying to steal some food there, that was very suspicious of them, why would an abandoned castle even have food in the first place ? If there would be food there would mostly be rotten food. They continue to spy on them, looking at them as they take the food, it doesn't look that old too, probably put there not that long ago.

When the person stop, they didn't walk away or anything, they just stood there in front of nothing before disappearing. Everyone though the same things after seeing that. It was a witch ! They all look at each other, not knowing what to do. 

"Why would a witch be here ?!" Diane asked surprise, the other looked at her as much shocked as her. Not understanding the situation any better then her. 

"We don't know either, but that's strange." Ban whispered as he looked at the place where the witch was a moment ago. "But my guts is telling me that it's not good at all." They all nodded at what he said, clearly knowing that something was up. 

"Something tells me that she didn't show up here for no reasons..." Gowther whispered to his two friends, they both though for a moment. Even if she had something going on, would it really be with their mission ? Or for something else ?

"But still, let's try not to jump into conclusion shall we ?" Diane asked, Gowther and Ban looked at her for a moment, lost in though. Before Ban finally answer.

"False and true, we shouldn't jump into conclusion but we should still try and see why does this witch come here, we have 50% of chance that it's not for our mission and 50% of chance that she's in our mission and could be the one keeping the prince locked up somewhere." Diane understood and nodded at that before asking them.

"Does that mean we need to stay here ? For how long tho ?" Diane asked, Gowther looked at her and though for a moment.

"There was at least enough food for a week or two, we could try to question the person who bring the food here once we see them coming." Gowther responded at Diane's question, she grumbles slightly and lay down on the floor.

"It's gonna be soooooooooooooooooo loooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnng!!" She complains, Ban sigh and Gowther just star at her in a 'you serious ?' way. 

The day pass and it was already night now, they took their bags and start to take out some food they had prepared for the trip and began to eat before drifting off to sleep.

The days pass, and they continue to wait. Wait until someone come back. And after a week it finally happen, they had woke up some minutes ago and could hear someone coming closer to the room they were in. They started to have a little hope that they could finally have some answers. They started to sit down and look at who was coming. It was a little guy, not older then 10, he had a little bag behind his back. Probably the food. 

They both watch as the little kid the bag on the table, before he could leave. The group of knight got up and immediately ask him to stay, needing answer to their questions. The little boy was scared but decided to cooperate with the knights. 

"So, why do you give food to that witch ?" Diane asked, the little boy looked at her for a moment, not knowing what to answer. Gowther sigh and kneel down at the same height of the child. 

"Don't worry we won't tell her anything about you. That's a promise." Gowther reassured that little boy. He looked away a moment before answering them.

"She told me that if I gave her food for he prisoner she would give me some money for my family.." The little boy explained, the knights looked at the boy a little surprise at the word 'prisoner' and decided to question him about it.

"Do you know who is that prisoner ?" Ban asked, the little boy shook his head. They all looked at each other before looking back at the little boy.

"Do you know where she lives ?" Diane asked. The little boy though for a moment, looking at the ground before answering the knights. 

"I don't remember her telling me...but sometime I follow her and she is always in a little house a little far away from there. I think at least." The little boy answers. 

"Thank you little one, now we should get going." Gowther said as he looked at the other, they nodded and went to hide again while the little boy left the room.