Crimson Rose: The Crooked Man and the Crooked Cat

Chapter 18: The Resolve

As the sun began to sink in the horizon, Annette and Emily sat on the chateau steps. Annette was sobbing, tears streaming down her face and onto the pavement. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...Noir...please forgive me..." said Annette between sobs.

Emily rubbed her back and hugged her, trying her best to comfort her big sister. Hoots and Hickory tried to comfort her too. "I'm sorry, Annette. I truly am." said Hoots. "Please don't cry, Annette." said Emily softly.

"I can't help it, guys! Noir's been catnapped by that evil witch, and I didn't do anything to stop her! I should have stopped her when I got the chance!" said Annette, sobbing some more.

"It wasn't your fault, Annette. You did what you could and you fought well." said Hoots.

"I think you were wonderful!" said Emily.

"Yeah, the way you blocked Mother Goose's attack on you. That was totally awesome! I was impressed! Nice going, kiddo!" Hickory congratulated her. "No, I wasn't." said Annette sadly. "I was a big failure." "No, you weren't a big failure. When you protected me from Mother Goose, you were really beautiful when the rose petals surrounded us." said Emily.

"Really?" Annette asked.

"You showed me that you loved me, and I love you too, Annette." Emily smiled. Annette sniffed and wiped away her tears. She started to smile, too.

"Thanks, Emily. Even though you drive me crazy sometimes, I still love you." said Annette, tousling Emily's hair.

"From now on, I'll never bully my big sister ever again!" said Emily proudly. "Thanks, Emily." "You two should go home now. Your mother will be missing you." said Hoots. "Yeah, we'd better go check on Mom, see if she's okay." Annette said, standing up. "Yeah, I hope Mother Goose isn't there." said Emily.

"See you later, Hoots. And thanks again for letting me stay at your house the other night." said Annette. "There's no need for thanks, Annette. You are utmost welcome." said Hoots. Annette and Emily said goodbye and went on their way.

They headed back to the gates and back into Paris. The sun was starting to set into the horizon. Annette kept thinking about Noir. That night when he rescued her from Jacques, that day he took her to his world.

Also, the day they first met when she saved him from the truck.

Noir was so grateful to her for saving his life that he proclaimed himself her servant. "Poor Noir..." she thought. "Where on Earth could that witch have taken him? I wish I knew. Oh, Noir, please hang on! I'll find a way to help you!"

Annette bit her lip and started to quicken her pace. She wasn't planning to cry. She was angry, very angry. "That evil witch! I swear I'll throw her into an oven once I get my hands on her!" she thought.

"Annette, are you okay?" asked Emily. "Yeah, I'm fine." said Annette, her anger subsiding. But the flame of determination was starting to burn inside her. She was determined to find and save Noir, no matter what the outcome! Suddenly, they heard a voice calling for them. "Annette! Emily! Where are you?"

It was Helen. She was free from Mother Goose's spell, and is now searching for her two missing daughters. "Mom! We're over here!" said Annette. Helen heard her and ran towards their direction.

Annette quickly hid the sword behind her back. "What are you two doing out here?" asked Helen. Annette and Emily looked at each other. "We're just enjoying a little walk." said Annette. "Yeah." Emily added.

"Is that so?" Helen asked. "Well, come inside. Let's have some dinner." Annette and Emily followed her into the house.

Helen and Emily were enjoying their dinner of roast pork and spinach. But Annette didn't eat. She wasn't in the mood to eat. All she could think about was Noir. Helen noticed that Annette didn't touch her food.

"Annette, are you okay?" she asked. "You didn't touch your food. Aren't you hungry?" Annette shook her head. "No, I'm not." she said. "Why not?" asked Helen. Annette started to get nervous. She can't tell her mother what happened today. She even can't tell her mother about Northington, the pact she made with Noir and Mother Goose.

She made a promise to Noir and she was determined to keep the promise.

"She just had a bad day. Something went bad today and she doesn't want to talk about it." said Emily. She secretly winked at Annette. "Oh, I see." said Helen.

"Annette, if something bad happened, you can always tell me what's troubling you." "It's okay, mom. You don't have to know. You wouldn't understand it, anyway." said Annette.

"If you told me what happened, I could try to understand." said Helen, patting Annette's back. "Just forget it. You won't understand if I told you." Annette said a bit impatiently. "All right, fine. It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." said Helen. "But please, try to eat something."

"Okay." said Annette. She almost didn't notice her hunger and her stomach was rumbling. So, she took a bite out of the spinach and pork to satisfy it. But she still didn't forget Noir.

It even bothered her to think about Noir suffering under Mother Goose's torturous grip. That awful memory of him writhing and screaming in pain and agony seared though her mind like a hot poker from a fire. No matter how many times she tried to forget, it was still there like an awful scar.

That night, Annette lay in her bed, thinking of a way to save Noir. "What should I do?" she thought anxiously. "Noir's at the mercy of Mother Goose. There has to be a way to save him. There has to!" She only has a day to hand the Rose Sword to Mother Goose.

"I can't give her the sword! But Noir...she won't spare him if I don't." She reached under her bed and took out the Rose Sword. She hid it when they reached home. She stared at it.

Then an idea came to her mind. "I wonder..." she said to herself. "Maybe if Hoots can give me fencing lessons, I can be able to challenge Mother Goose! Noir will be saved!" She smiled at her plan. But then, she frowned.

"But will she accept my challenge? In a swordfight, I won't be able to last long." But then, she narrowed her eyes. "I have to do it! I have to take the chance!" But then, she yawned.

"I'm so tired. I should go to sleep. But first thing tomorrow morning, I'll head over to Northington and tell Hoots and Hickory my plan."

Just as she planned, as the sun began to rise in the morning, she crept out of the house quietly and ran down the streets of Paris. She had no trouble remembering which path to take and before she knew it, she was in the Crooked Woods.

Burning with determination and fighting off the sleep in her eyes, she ran through the Crooked Woods and headed towards Northington.

Once she reached Hoots Manor, she quickly knocked on the door. Hoots and Hickory were in their beds, dreaming sweet dreams when a loud knocking roused them from their sleep.

Hoots yawned and walked downstairs towards the door. "What time is it?" he asked Hickory. "How should I know? Where's my chocolate cake?" said Hickory sleepily. Hoots opened the door and, to his surprise, saw Annette standing right outside! "Listen, I have a plan!"

"A plan? What sort of plan?" asked Hoots curiously.