Enchanted Captivation [InquisitorMaster AU fanfiction]

Chapter 8: Just a Little Longer

The sun shined down through the windows and on the bed of the girls. Alex opened her eyes slowly, finding herself in her best friend's bed. Jade was sprawled out on the bed, one of her arms laying across Alex's torso. 

She sat up, sitting and looking out the window, watching the sunrise. It peaked through the trees, birds were already starting to sing. It's been a while, Alex thought, since she's watched the sunrise. She felt something pawing at her side, looking down, Alex saw her familiar, Miss Mesa, half asleep and stretching. 

Alex went to pet her cat, watching the sun come up. 

She had no idea how much time passed, she had watched the sun slowly come out of hiding without once thinking, only being snapped out of her trance when Jade began to shift. Alex looked down at her friend and grabbed her shoulder, "Hey, Jade, c'mon it's morning time." 

Jade groaned in response, "Noooo... I'm tired..." 

The blonde sighed, "I'll give you one last chance before I resort to what I usually did," she warned. The ravenette was still half asleep, not really knowing what her friend was referring to, but once she remembered, it was too late. 

Alex had gotten up, taking Miss Mesa off the bed, and then jumped on the bed, dogpiling onto Jade. "OOF-" Jade yelped.

Alex was on top of her, resting her elbow on Jade's arm and leaning on it, looking at her pained face. "You up now?" Alex asked, trying not to smile too widely. Jade groaned again and nodded, the blonde getting off her and allowing her to sit up. 

Jade gazed out the window, watching the sunrise. "Wow," She mumbles, "it really is pretty." 

Alex nodded, staring out beyond the walls, beyond the trees, somewhere far, far away from here. She had more than enough food, beautiful dresses, a comfortable bed, and yet she hated it. Her feet have been cut off due to the eggshells and she was walking on nubs. One mess up and they'd all be dead. 

A minute goes by, maybe two, maybe thirty. Alex gasps, "Oh! I should get dressed, we'd be killed even if we weren't witches if we were caught like this!" 

Jade's eyes widen and she nods, "Yeah, you better get going."

Alex peeked out of the door, looking from hallway to hallway. Empty. Perfect. "Hey by the way," Jade says before Alex turned her head towards her, "I heard the princes want something from us. I suggest hiding the book completely, if they get too close they'd find our wands and spellbooks inside our cloaks."

Alex nods, "Got it!" She then runs out of Jade's room, Miss Mesa following close behind her. 

Jade sat down at the desk already in the room, looking into a floor-length mirror. "Yeah, I'll need to get dressed and ready, but prettier than usual."

Alex got in her room and instantly got in a dress. She picked up her spellbook and wand. Alex stared at them for a good minute. She misses doing witchcraft already. She opened a drawer and put her wand and spellbook in it, putting a bible at the front so they wouldn't have been found.

She grabbed her cloak, tieing it around her shoulders, and began to brush her hair. More work to do. 

She bent down and pet Miss Mesa, smiling a little as she was being petted. Alex got up and left the room, walking down the hallway to the laundry room. She didn't exactly remember where it was, but she had a vague idea. 

It felt empty in these halls, her heels clicking against the stone echoed aimlessly. Sounds and scenery repeated, Alex zoned out into her own mind, and before she knew it-

"AH!-"

She had bumped into someone, again. She instantly got up, apologizing profusely as she could. She reached out her hand to help them up, not even taking time to register the person she knocked over.

The person chuckled, snapping her out of her apologetic ranting. They grabbed her hand as she began to realize who they were. "This seems to be a bit of a routine now, hasn't it?"

Alex's face flushed, she bumped into Prince Zach... again. She uttered another apology, helping him up. "So, are you lost again?" He asked, adjusting the crown on his head. Alex laughed nervously, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, "No, unless you mean lost in thought." 

He flashed her a smile, "Well, in that case, want me to walk with you?" Alex smiled sheepishly, putting hands behind her back while shifting back and forth, she nodded, "Sure, I don't mind!"

The two walked together, it was mostly Alex just following Zach's lead. They exchanged a few words but mostly walked in comfortable silence. 

And just as soon as they crashed into each other, they made it to the laundry room. Alex pushes on the door, cracking it open. She looks at Zach with a bright smile, "I'll see you later, Zach!" and then begins to push the door open and go inside.

"Wait!" Zach exclaims, causing Alex to pause in her tracks, turning back to Zach a little confused. "There's going to be a little celebration tonight, a dance," Zach took a breath, "and I was wondering if you'd like to be my date to it?"

Alex blushed a little, taking a second to think it over. She giggled and nodded, walking away from the door and bopping the prince's nose. "Sure, what time?" She stretched up to him, their noses almost touching. Alex was standing on her toes with her arms behind her back with a cheeky smile and half lidded eyes. 

The prince was left stunned for a moment, his face flushing. He quickly regained his composure, smirking widely, "Around six, I'll be coming to get ya so you better be ready," He grinned, the two staring at each other for a minute until Alex backed off, "I gotta get to work now, can't wait for tonight," She cheered, waving a little wave and disappearing behind the door. 

She wouldn't call herself a dominate person, but she certainly wasn't submissive either. If someone she's intrested in flirts with her she flirts back twice as much.

... was what happened considered flirting, the blonde wondered. She quickly got it off her mind by beginning the laundry, focusing mainly on that.

She's done this before, laundry in this room in the castle surrounded by the same people, but something felt more off. In a bad way.

If she truly liked Zach, and Zach truly liked her, what was going to happen when he found out she was a witch? The thought sent chills down her spine. Alex knew she couldn't hide it forever, but being in a better, safer, situation than she was in previously, she wanted to wait a little longer.

Just a little longer before she ran away with her friends in order to continue doing what they love. Freeing all the other witches, being free. She was technecally captive. Was being captive more comftorable than being free? Alex pondered on the thought.

She enjoyed the comforts of the castle, she wanted to stay here just a little bit longer, hold on a little bit longer, but at the same time, she wanted to be free in order to continue her witchcraft. 

... was freedom and magic really worth it though..?