The Castle of Dreams

Chapter 22 - Panick

Meanwhile, back at the castle chaos had begun. After the mysterious bandit men ran from the castle everyone had run outside, but they were gone. They had disappeared with Baylee, Peyton and Tessa. "What in the world just happened?" Sarah asked after a moment of silence.
"Our friends just got bandit-napped" Casey answered, glancing at Sarah.
Timothy, Sean, Randel, Holly and Merlin exchanged multiple glances. "Those were the same bandits that took Jaqueline weren't they?" August asked just by looking at the looks on their faces. They all nodded. "Well, that could be a good thing right?" He asked. Everyone turned to look at him.
"How on earth could that be a good thing?" Abigail asked. August laughed like it was obvious. He looked at Abigail. "Because, Abi. If they're the same bandits, maybe, just maybe, Tess, Peyton and Baylee can learn something else about her whereabouts when we try to find her." August explained. Abigail nodded catching on. "Ohh, I guess that does make sense. But what do we do? Do we look for them or do we continue to look for Jaqueline?" She asked.
"We find Jaqueline." Timothy said.
"We save the others." Sean said, at the same time as Timothy. The two brothers glared at each other. "Timothy, The kid is right the children could find something useful that could help us find her." Sean explained, but Timothy just shook his head and ran a hand through his long hair.
"No. God, no. Don't you get it? I've waited fifteen years, FIFTEEN YEARS, to see my daughter again. I can't wait any longer." He said, crumpling onto the front stairs of the castle. Rebecca came over and knelt in front of Timothy. She forced him to look at her. "I know you want to find her, and I promise you we will. But you might have to wait a little longer." Timothy tried to interrupt but Rebecca held up her hand silencing him. "I'm not saying how long, because I don't know. But don't you want to be absolutely sure we know anything and everything we can about the people who took her in case they know her whereabouts? Besides if anyone can get something out of them it's Baylee. She can make you confess to your deepest darkest secret with just one look if she wanted too. It'll be fine, I promise." Rebecca said. What Timothy did next surprised everyone. He threw his arms around Rebecca and hugged her tight. Rebecca was startled at first as she awkwardly patted her uncle's back, before she finally gave him a real hug and held him, letting him cry until he was empty.
"Just like her mother." Randel murmured quietly, wrapping his arm around Holly. Sean smiled a little a that.
"Okay, so, how do we find a bandit hideout?" Max asked to the group of teenagers, while the adults were distracted.
"Um...You follow the tracks?" Grace suggested.
"The scent. You could follow the scent. Right?" Zackary asked, speaking up the first time in a while. Everyone turned to Wiley. "What do you smell, Wiley?" Sarah asked. Wiley sniffed the air. "Precipitation." Wiley said, just as a clap of thunder rumbled through the sky, causing everyone to jump. Wiley, being terrified of thunder had jumped into Beckett's arms. Beckett caught him but only barely. Wiley's weight was to much on such short notice and Beckett fell over. The two of them crashed to the ground. "Ow. Wiley, what the heck, man?" Beckett asked. Wiley chuckled and stood up helping Beckett to his feet. "Sorry, Boo. Anyways, if it's going to rain I won't be able to smell anything." He said.
"Okay, so new plan. What else could we do to find a bandit hideout?" Hector asked. Everyone thought for a moment. "What if we thought like a bandit?" August asked.
"What do you mean, think like a bandit?" Grace asked. "How do we think like one?"
"Simple. Example, say you've never seen me before and I walk into the room and I decide that I want to steal your heart. How do I do it, you ask. I just take it because I feel like it, or depending on other circumstances, because I need it. Get it?" August asked. Grace was speechless. She just nodded her head softly. August smiled. "Great. Does everyone else get it?" He asked. Everyone nodded.
"Only one problem. Where do we start?" Zackary asked. August smirked. "Okay, that's where we'll need Sarah's help. We know Captain Hook took Peyton and Tessa, which makes sense since you know Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, and I'm guessing he just grabbed Baylee as bait to get Peyton's attention."
"Okay, what does Sarah have to do with any of this though?" Beckett asked.
"Rumplestiltskin was there too. I'm betting, since she's still here, he didn't know she was here at all. Anyways, my point is, somehow Hook knew where to find Peyton and Tessa, or maybe this was just a lucky guess. Rumplestiltskin probably wants to find her, and the first place he'll look is where she lives. So, if we go there and have Sarah pretend like she's giving herself up, we can follow behind him and find the camp. There's no telling if it would work I mean Rum-"
"NO! Don't say it again!!" Sarah exclaimed. When everyone looked at her confused she explained. "If you say it three times, he appears. And trust me, we do not want that." Sarah said. Nine nodding heads.
"Okay, well, I doubt HE can be tricked again like last time. But I think it could be worth a try." August finished. Sarah nodded this time. "I think it could work, but I'm not risking losing Oliver, we'll use a rock or something or he'll never agree to my 'giving in'" Sarah said.
"Sounds good to me." Hector said.
"What sounds good to you?" Sean asked from right behind Hector, making him jump. The others had come over to see what they had been chatting about. "Nothing." Hector lied.
"Oh, well then we should get inside before it starts to-" Another clap of thunder rumbled through the air and it started pouring rain. "Rain." Sean chuckled. Everyone ran inside as quick as possible.
"Well, looks like we might have to wait out the rain, before we can do anything else." Timothy said after a long deep pause of silence. He turned and left the room with his head hung low.
"I'll talk to him." Randel said following him. Holly left after a moment saying she was going to make cookies for them all, dragging Sean with her. Rebecca turned to the others after they were all gone. "So, what were you guys planning while I was comforting Timothy?" She asked.
"We have thought up a plan." Wiley said, smirking. The others faces growing into smirks as well. Rebecca looked around at her friends.
"I'm listening." She said crossing her arms across her chest waiting to hear her friend's master plan.