An eagle soared high above the hidden castle.  She caught a thermal and slowly circled where the faint traced outline the castle would be .  A hidden castle was no more less obvious than trying to hide your whole body behind your hands.  All woodland creatures knew of its existence, it had been there for centuries. It was buried for protection, and as a show of strength, for whom would want to mess with a witch that could bury your castle?  It had always been known ironically as the Hidden Castle.  The eagle looked for signs of movement, creatures that might leaving the castle as it slowly filled with water.  At first, she saw nothing unusual apart from animals in the undergrowth that would normally be her next meal.  As she reached the top of the thermal a speck of bright light caught her keen eye. She tilted her wings slightly and entered into a spiral decent, all the time keeping an eye on the source of the light.  It happened again, a quick flash and then gone. She increased the pitch of her wings and fell faster.  There again, a brief flash, and then, movement!  Just as she followed the fast moving object another appeared, again preceded by a flash.  She understood what she had seen and dropped into a low and swooping dive.  The last creature to show itself was running fast across open ground.  It looked like a goblin from a distance, however, just as the eagle was about to lose interest, she saw it had a tail.  A cave pixie, now that was interesting!

The two dogs sat looking at the sky waiting for the eagle to return. She had been gone a while and that worried Brita. Eagles were strong and born killers, however, they could be overcome by a flock of ravens.  Finally, a small speck in the sky grew larger and in time the shape of the eagle could be made out, although it appeared to be carrying something.  Connal and Brita walked to a small clearing and arrived as the eagle landed.  She explained what she had seen in that an evacuation was taking place through a partially covered window high at the top of the buried castle.  Brita’s theory that the castle was locked down was correct, why else would castle residence be escaping through the same unusual exit?
“I see you have a brought a friend,” said Connal, indicating the contents of the eagle’s talons.  She looked down and the sorry little creature.
“It cannot tell us anything, they live in the dark away from the main rooms of the castle.”
“Then why bring it here.” Asked Brita.  The eagle bent its knees and expanded its wings in preparation to take flight.
“Lunch. She said, “It’s just lunch.”

Simon was within arm’s length of the grill when the gnome came round.  For a moment he seemed calm, and then reality kicked in.  The little creature clung to Simon like a limpet, almost sitting on his head.  It was apparent now that as he got closer to the grill, Simon would not fit through the grate.  He grasped one of the bars and pulled the gnome off him with his free hand.  Reaching up he pushed the small body through the grill.
“Go!” He said. “I can’t fit through, you’ll have to run and find a way out.”  The gnome looked down through the bars, he looked surprised.  Simon just smiled and waved him away.  He couldn’t do anymore, he was trapped.  The gnome stayed as long as he dared before the water came up through the grill and swallowed the face of the man who had saved him.

The castle was originally built wide at the bottom and narrower at the top. It was not long before corridors and rooms engulfed the occupants and left them in a watery grave.  The castle was filling at a frightening rate. Those lucky enough to be at the top of the structure flocked to leave as did the earlier ones the eagle had seen.  Connal and Brita had made their way down close to the improvised emergency exit and watched intently.  At some point the witch would have to leave, and it was here she would come.  She would not release her spell as this would open every door and create a tidal wave of water and massive pressure strong enough to break the floors and ceilings.  It was just a matter of time.

A loud banging broke the world of euphoria Hazel and Trixie found themselves in.  Again, loud banging and voices broke the silence.  The witch felt her pleasure turn to pure anger and she strode towards the door.  At first, she did not notice the water about her feet, and then as she reached the door she looked down.  Confused, she opened the sealed door to be met by small and wide eyed faces.

“WHAT- IS- GOING- ON!” She screamed at them.  Before she could get an answer, the huddle of creatures was bundled over by a very large hairy pig running along the corridor.  The witch looked about her and then realised the castle was flooding. How was this possible she thought?  She had to finish what she had started; her skin was looking tired and her bones ached a little.  Little Trixie’s time had come.  Walking back to the cross she saw that Trixie had started to panic. She struggled against her bonds and started to choke on her gag.  Hazel was about to fetch the knife when a surge of water poured through a fireplace . It swept chairs along with it and knocked over tables causing the legs to become entangled in one large mess.  Moving quickly, the witch turned to get the knife, but it was gone, and the table it once sat on.  She started to look for it in a mad anger, her arms waved, and the furniture flew everywhere, crashing off of pillars and walls.
“NO!” She screamed, turning on Trixie and slapping her hard across her breast.  The water continued to rise, and Hazel knew what she must do. Pulling the straps apart from the cross, Trixie was dragged to her feet. The ebony and ivory toys fell with a splash into the water.
“With me, NOW!” the witch spat, and dragged Trixie to the door.  Creatures were scrambling ahead in a steady line which meant a way out had been found.  She was two flights of stairs from the surface but being slowed down by the traffic of creatures.  With a wave of her arm small bodies were thrown and broke against the solid walls. Every few steps she swept, again, and again until a path was laid clear and behind her the floor was lined with dead smashed bodies.  The spell under which Trixie was under no longer clouded her vision.  The sudden exposure to the witch’s anger and the devastation she was causing made Trixie stop in her tracks. The witch was almost pulled off her feet when the person she was dragging up the stairs suddenly halted.  She rounded on Trixie and backhanded her across the face so hard that the young princess saw white dots pop before her eyes.  The witch pushed her face hard against Trixie’s.
“Move girl or I will gut where you where you stand. I will not be denied youth by a flood or a pathetic mortal.  Now, MOVE!”

Connal sat watching the flow of creatures get thinner by the minute. A while before, the chatter of the evacuees was about water, now it was about the witch.
“She’s coming, you know what to do?” Said Brita.
Connal had he’s concerns about the plan. It did not factor finding the princess, and despite Brita being firm with him about the low possibility of Trixie being well, he had a deep down feeling she had managed to stay alive.  The plan did not include Trixie and that he understood.  Both dogs took position either side of the now broken window.  Either way, the witch would only see one dog and that would be enough to scare her; there was also the fact she would not expect two Witch Watchers.

Hazel finally reached the opening breathing hard, she hauled Trixie through it, and without needing to look, she sensed a dog.  Standing before her was Connal, although he appeared to be distracted.
“Thought your girl was dead did you dog?” Sneered the witch.
Connal growled, showed his large sharp teeth and took a stop forward.  The witch, although powerful, knew that these damn dogs had magic in them and were able to kill her. She kept up the attack knowing that any sign of weakness would be her downfall.
“One step closer dog and I’ll split the princess in half just by looking at her.”
Connal looked at her and assessed his position. Brita was laying flat in the long grass only feet from the witch and he needed to keep the witch’s attention on him.
“Hazel, if you kill the princess you will die. You cannot move fast enough to escape me. I know that and you know that, so let us be sensible” Said Connal.
The witch’s desire for self-preservation was a huge weight to carry.  It blocked her anger and clouded her judgement.  The second she tried to evaporate the dog would leap and be sucked along with her; she would not survive the journey.  It was a stand-off.

Finally the witch said, “You come over here and take the princess’s hand in your teeth, dog. Once you have done that, I will go. It will not be the last time you see me, I will come back and take my revenge.  However, you are right, dog,  I am at a disadvantage and therefore I will accept a compromise.”
Connal nodded and slowly walked toward the princess.  She was naked, shaking and wide eyed. The sight of Connal seemed to bring her into focus.
“Connal, is that you?  The dog carefully approached Trixie and with an open mouth gently grasped her hand.  The witch only sensed a second dog a fraction of a second before powerful jaws seized the back of her head.  The force was so strong the witch was propelled forward on to a second set of jaws that grasped her throat. She was pulled to the ground by the combined weight of the two huge dogs.  She could not breath or even think to produce a spell.  The world spun as her brain was denied oxygen. She clawed at the dogs, but it was futile, her energy was fading fast.  With one great effort the dogs shook their heads and decapitated the witch showering everything in jet black blood.  Hazel’s thousand-year reign was finally over.

In the months following the witch’s death, the King arranged to have her castle searched. Most of it had collapsed internally when she died, and her spells were no more.  Simons body was found deep in the dungeon.  A small gnome had come forward and told the story of his escape and the brave deed performed by the young Captain.  He was buried in the castle garden where the gnomes could grow flowers all year around his grave; it seemed the right thing to do considering the gnomes lived there too.  Caroline and Trixie were reunited and remained inseparable until they both eventually married years later. In that time Trixie recalled all the things the witch had made her do and showed Caroline how polished bone and ebony could be fashioned to make pleasurable toys. Trixie even managed to find a husband who enjoyed strapping her down and using the toys on her.  She never forgot the witch, and although she knew that Hazel would have eventually cut her heart out that night, there was something very kinky about it, and in some ways, she really missed the excitement; do you know what I mean?

— END —