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Sorcerers Apprentice, part 4.
Written by Lensman.

This story is fictional, all characters and events depicted within are fictional and any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.

I have one unbreakable rule (to paraphrase Isaac Azimov):
I may not harm a Little Girl, or through inaction allow a Little Girl to come to harm.

Keep these fantasies where they belong; in your head.

Story Codes: (Fantasy, M(16)g(8), Pedo, Beast)

Story Intro:
Further adventures of Olwyn and Jen as they find out more about each other.

Chapter 4,

Olwyn awoke feeling out of place; he looked around unsure where he was. Then suddenly everything came into focus, he was with the girl 'Jen' in her hideout. He then got another shock as he realised he was back in his human-form.
He quickly looked at Jen and saw, to his great relief, that she was still sleeping peacefully. He closed his eyes and calmed himself and then 'willed the change' back to his dog-form. When he opened his eyes again and looked around, he noticed the glint of a pair of yellow eyes in the gloom of the shelter. He stood up and cautiously approached the eyes and saw that they belonged to a dark cat, sat completely still near the entrance, watching them.

For some reason, Olwyn had the impression that the cat's eyes held the light of intelligence and had seen his change, and knew his nature. Unexpectedly the cat stood and then calmly walked away from Olwyn, but after only a short distance it turned to look at him again before it continued to walk away into the dark shed.
To Olwyn, it appeared as if the cat wanted him to follow it, and after a moment of indecision he did so. He had followed the cat only a short distance into the large shed from Jen's small shelter when it stopped. Olwyn felt the familiar tingle of magic and saw a figure flash into existence behind the cat with a faint bamf-like noise.

Olwyn backed up a few steps and looked up at the shadowed figure now stood before him.
"That is a rare gift you have," said the figure in a low musical voice, that Olwyn was sure he had heard somewhere before. "Come now," the figure continued jovially, "show your true form, else how can we talk?"
Olwyn knew he could not cast spells while in dog-form so he glanced back to Jen's shelter and then stepped back and willed the change. When he was back in human-form he quickly but surreptitiously cast a spell for light. When complete he placed it above and to the right of the shadowy figure.

"You!" he gasped when he saw who stood blinking under the bright seeming light.
"Yes Olwyn, it is I," revealed under the light was Lady Aldergrove, wearing a tight form fitting but unadorned scarlet gown. She reached down and picked up the cat, stroked it a few times then said to it, "Sable, guard the girl and warn me if she stirs." Olwyn was surprised when the cat then leapt from her arms and trotted off to Jen's shelter. "What are you doing here?" she asked quietly in a voice that was hard as stone, "and what is your concern with the girl?"
Olwyn swallowed nervously. "I am a friend," he said with as much conviction as he was able, "what is yours?"
The lady ignored his question and continued wryly, "What kind of friend hides his true form?" then her mood suddenly hardened again, "She is waking... look after her Olwyn, there are those who would do her harm, and I cannot always watch over her." Then with a brief gesture she vanished with another faint bamf-like noise.

Olwyn quickly dismissed his light spell and changed back to his dog-form before he padded back to where Jen was stirring. He lay down beside her again and Jen, in her semi-awake state, shifted to hug him and then returned to sleep.
Olwyn lay there thinking, he had to find a way to retain his dog-form whilst sleeping, and he wondered about Lady Aldergrove and what her interest was with Jen, and who might want to harm her and why. Olwyn was so deep in thought that he didn't notice when dawn's early light crept into the shelter from the warehouse. He did notice, however, when Jen began to stir as she woke and then stretched.

* * * * *

Jen woke feeling pleasantly relaxed, and stretched with lithe cat-like grace. As she stretched she tried to hold onto and remember her mornings dream. Again it had contained vague figures, one was clearly the man she had helped, Olwyn, but the other looked to be a woman. Jen struggled to resolve the images but, as usual, they slipped from her grasp but this time leaving her with a pleasant feeling of hope and warmth.

Jen opened her eyes and looked at Jet and felt a pleasant gentle tingle start just at the top of her crack. She still felt a little guilty about using Jet for her own pleasure but didn't know what she could do for him. As she lay there she pulled up her shift and began to idly stroke her pussy lips, making her tingle build slowly. Jet stood and padded round until he was between Jen's legs. He sniffed where she was busily rubbing herself and then licked up the length of her slit. Jen gasped at the rough sensation of his tongue on her sensitive lips and how it made the tingle expand until her belly was afire with sensation from her belly button to her pulsing hole.

Jen spread her knees to give Jet as much room as possible and reached both hands between her legs to gently pull her pussy lips open. Jet lapped at her pussy and clit with abandon, the sensations of his rough tongue on her clit, lips and even in her tight little hole were driving Jen wild with desire. The feelings were rapidly building within her, she felt her insides contracting to a point just behind her clit as she pumped her hips onto Jet's wonderful tongue. Suddenly she felt the dam burst as she came with a flood glorious sensations and feelings.

Jen came round slowly, still feeling her insides pulse in time with Jet's slow lapping of her pussy. She languorously sat up and then hugged Jet about the neck. He may have been a dog but she loved him. As she sat back she noticed his cock was beginning to extend from its hairy sheath. Jen felt that since he had just given her a good time it was her turn to do the same for him.

Olwyn had not been able to restrain himself, when he had seen Jen beginning to play with her pussy he just had to join in. He was not sure how to react though, when Jen hugged him and then began to play with his doggy cock. After only a moment's thought he decided that if she was willing, then so was he.
He lay down on his side and let Jen play with his cock until it was fully erect and extended from its sheath. He was amazed when she leant over him and took the end of his cock into her warm wet mouth. She sucked up and down his cock while playing with the rest with her hands, driving Olwyn insane with lust. He began humping his hips driving his cock into her mouth as she continued to suck on him until he exploded and came, squirting jet after jet of his runny cum into her still sucking mouth.

Jen had not intended to put Jet's cock into her mouth, she had meant only to play with it until he came. But something about it was so naughty and sexy that she just couldn't stop herself. She began sucking on the hot rod feeling herself getting more and more aroused. She heard Jet begin to whine as he humped his hips and then suddenly her mouth was flooded with squirt after squirt of runny doggy cum. As she felt him cum in her mouth and swallowed it she felt the spreading warm squishy feeling of another mini-orgasm.

* * * * *

Jen knew that she and Jet could not stay in the same place for too many nights; she didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to their hideout. Unfortunately she only knew of one other place that Jet would also be able to use; all the high locations where she had to climb to reach would of course be no good for Jet, and the cellar under the tavern would be non to safe either.
As she got dressed Jen decided it would be a good idea to search for another hideout suitable for them both, she finished dressing in the newly acquired pale green dress and knelt to give Jet a brief hug and a stroke. "I need to find us a new hideout," she explained to the dog, Jen had the uncanny feeling that Jet understood everything that she was saying, "but I want you to stay here, where it's safe."
Olwyn didn't think it was a good idea and whined for a moment to express his disapproval.
"I know, I know..." Jen said as she stroked his head to soothe him, "you think it would be safer if you went with me." Jen paused for a moment and then nodded, "Ok, we'll go together, but first breakfast."

Jen and Jet squeezed out of the shed and sneaked down the alley between warehouses until they reached a large and bustling butchers yard. Jen watched the activity for a while trying to decide who to talk to when she was approached by a large man dressed in a thick leather apron splattered with blood and a large knife sheathed at his belt. The large butcher smiled kindly at Jen and said above the noise of the yard, "You shouldn't be here little miss, you don't want to see all this mess. You'd better go off home."
Jen realised his kindly manner could work to her advantage. She used her best posh accent and said with a slight lisp, "Excuthe me, but do you have any thcrapth of meat for my dog?" then she added as if an afterthought, "I'll pay you for it of courthe." Then she pulled out a small coin purse she had found with the dress.
The tall butcher knelt and gave Jet a few strokes, "He is a handsome dog isn't he. I'll tell you what miss, if you wait outside the gate, where it's safer, I'll see what I can do." He then stood and showed them out of the gate.

Jen and Jet waited for a while, just as they were getting ready to leave the large butcher returned with a metal platter piled up with scraps of raw meat and fat and placed it on the ground in front of Jet. Jen clapped excitedly and squealed, "Oh thank you, thank you," like a rich young girl.
Olwyn looked at the pile of scraps, to his human sight it looked nauseating but to his dog sense of smell it smelled disturbingly enticing. He drooled hungrily as he approached and took a small piece tentatively. It tasted better than anything he had ever eaten before and he had to force himself to not wolf it all down as fast as possible.

Jen watched as Jet ate the scraps, feeling hungry herself. She could see that Jet would not finish all of the meat they had been given, so she looked up at the butcher and asked, "Umm... would it be pothible to have a bag of thome thort?"
The large butcher nodded and smiled at Jen, "Yeah, sure," and then left to get something. He quickly returned with a small cloth bag and a square of muslin. He quickly wrapped the remaining meat in the muslin then popped that into the bag.
As Jen took the bag of scraps she enthusiastically thanked him, "Oh thank you, you're tho kind." Then she gestured for the butcher to get closer. After he had knelt and leant down to her, Jen quickly leant over and kissed him on the lips and then giggled. "Thank you, I really do apprethiate it." Then Jen and Jet walked away together carrying the bag of meat scraps.

They continued wandering around the city for some time, searching for good locations for a secure hideout. Although they searched for the majority of the day they were only able to find two that were easily accessible by Jet.
One was in the Peoples Park where there was an open-air theatre that had a storage room beneath the stage. Jen had managed to break in one of the small windows and squeeze into the storeroom and Jet had followed after her. The room was full of old props and scenery and it was easy to build a crude stair back up to the window to allow them to get out when needed.
The other was in an abandoned townhouse near the city wall. The back door was badly warped and had sprung away from the frame at the bottom enough to let both Jen and Jet squeeze inside. The building looked very unstable and leant precariously against the city wall, but it was dry inside and appeared to have settled all it was going to. The back garden sloped gently to a small river that appeared to flow under the city wall into the city itself.

As it was getting dark when they found the townhouse, Jen decided to stay there for the night. She lit a small fire in the hearth and then searched the house returning with an iron skillet. She placed the skillet over the fire and began to fry up some of the remaining scraps of meat. She cooked half of the meat for herself and then gave the rest to Jet.

While eating Jen looked around the dimly lit room and declared, "I think this will be ok... but it needs some blankets." When she had finished eating she stood and said, "Come on Jet," and then strode from the house with the dog following.
They wandered the darkened streets for a few hours without spotting anything; suddenly Jen changed direction and brought them back to the open-air theatre. "You stay here and watch," she told Jet and then climbed through the broken window into the storeroom under the stage. After what seemed like a long wait, something appeared at the window again. Jen pushed a length of thick material through the window, and then some more, and still more. Olwyn gripped a part of it in his teeth and pulled, until eventually all of the material was pulled through the window and piled on the ground. Jen then began pushing cushions out through the window. When she had enough, she squirmed back through the window and spread out the large thick material and unceremoniously dumped all the other items onto it. She then pulled the edges together to form a large sack. Although the bundle was not too heavy, it was very large and cumbersome. After a few false starts where Jen kept dropping it, Olwyn ducked under the bundle and supported it while Jen steadied it and stopped it from falling. Once they had the hang of it they returned to the house quite quickly.

When they had returned to the house with their burden and dumped it in the room, Olwyn realised the large section of material was in fact a thick velvet curtain, and there was another one folded under the cushions. Jen quickly arranged the cushions in the corner of the room furthest from the doorway and laid one of the curtains over the cushions forming a sleeping area. She then cut a section from the other curtain and attached it to the wall covering the shuttered window, to prevent any light escaping and betraying their presence. The remainder of that curtain was then draped on the 'bed' as a blanket.

The following morning Olwyn awoke to find Jen was again cuddling up to him, but this time he had managed to retain his dog-form. He got up and padded around the house, although it looked unstable on the outside, the inside was dry and appeared to be firm under foot. He wandered around the house investigating, sticking his nose into everything. When he cocked his leg to mark another room as his territory he realised that he was acting more and more like a dog. Concerned that he might be losing himself in the form, as Landru had warned him, he decided to change back for a while. He continued walking around the house in human-form until he heard a noise from the room Jen was sleeping in. He quickly changed back to dog-form again and trotted back, only to find Jen was getting up.

Feeling frisky Olwyn darted up to Jen and playfully took hold of her shift between his teeth and began to tug her towards the door. "What is it?" Jen asked, "What do you want?" but Olwyn ignored her cries and continued to pull, forcing her to follow where he wanted. He pulled her through the door and down the corridor to the back door, while she protested, "Jet, stop it... what do you want?" He then let go of her shift and darted behind her to push her through the gap between the door and it's frame. As Jen crawled through the gap, Olwyn nudged her butt with his nose and prodded her pussy. After Jen had squeezed through the gap Olwyn quickly followed and again gripped the hem of her shift and continued to tug her along. Olwyn tugged at Jen's shift and then darted behind her to nudge her, continually guiding her down the length of the garden to the small river. "Jet, stop it!" Jen protested but still went, however reluctantly, where Olwyn was guiding her.

When they reached the bank of the river Olwyn darted behind Jen again. She suddenly realised what was happening and protested, "Don't you dare..." then she yelled, "No!" as Olwyn pushed her into the river and quickly jumped in after her. He swam around Jen excitedly trying to splash her, and trying to get her to remove her shift.
Jen quickly swam ashore and tried to climb out but Olwyn just as quickly swam up behind her and held her sodden shift, playfully pulling her back in the water. The second time she tried to climb out Olwyn quickly climbed out and darted in front of her and pushed his nose into her crotch, causing her to fall back in with surprise. When he finally realised that she'd had enough and didn't want to play, Olwyn got behind Jen and helped her out of the water. He quickly shook himself dry and followed her back to the house.

* * * * *

Over the next few weeks Jen and Olwyn (as Jet) moved around constantly. Every few days they would work a different section of the city and sleep in the hideout nearest to that section, the leaning house, the storeroom under the open-air theatre or the abandoned shed at the back of a warehouse. Jen was willing to turn her hand to almost anything; running errands, carrying messages and other legal work. But she was also willing to do things that were somewhat less than legal, such as picking pockets or stealing food, although Olwyn did his best to steer her away from those activities.

Olwyn woke up lying beside Jen in the old abandoned shed that they had made their temporary home. He softly padded out from the makeshift shelter, careful to not wake Jen hoping that he would be able to get back before she woke up, and then continued to the shed door and squeezed out into the pre-dawn light. He transformed to his human form and ran back to Aldergrove house to replenish his rapidly diminishing money purse. He sneaked into the large manor house as quietly as possible and crept up to his room. He searched and retrieved the last of his money and then crept back down stairs and into the kitchen. He quietly collected together some rolls and cheese in a small sack then sneaked out of the house again. He spent a little time wandering around the markets, as they were being setup, and then headed back to the old shed.

* * * * *

The early morning light filtered into the shelter where Jen lay alone waiting for Jet to return when she heard a faint scrabbling sound coming from above. She looked up and recoiled in disgust as a large black rat pounced from the rafters above to land on her prone form. During the brief second while she was paralysed with shock she felt her skin tingle and then her pendant grow icy cold as the large rat vanished with a faint pop.
She jumped up to run, she didn't know where she was going or why but she had a bad feeling about what had just happened and she knew to follow her instincts, and they were screaming at her to get out of there.
Jen quickly dressed and collected together her meagre possessions, and then hastily scrambled out of her shelter. She had made it to the shed door when there was a faint flash of light accompanied by a pop and a muffled curse behind her; she pushed on the chained door and began to squeeze out as fast as she could.

* * * * *

The damp dimly lit dungeon was briefly lit by a flash of light as the large black rat re-materialised with a faint pop.
"Damn!" growled the cowled figure that stood in the doorway. "How could it have failed?" The figure paused for a moment in thought and then gestured the taller jailer to where the rat still crouched. "You..." the figure commanded imperiously, "bring her back with you... and make sure you're not followed."
The tall jailer stood grinning in anticipation, holding a rolled up sack, as the hooded figure gestured and barked a mystical word that caused the jailer and the large black rat to vanish with a loud pop and a quick flash of light.

The jailer and rat re-appeared surrounded by the dim clutter of the shed, unfortunately as he turned to take in his surroundings he bumped into some of the debris and let out a muttered, "Bugger!"
He then heard a chain rattle to one side and headed toward it as quietly as possible, cautiously stepping over the scattered detritus. He arrived at the shed door as it was swinging shut and tried to pull it open. He found to his disgust that the door was chained and the gap was too small for him to squeeze through. He wrenched on the edge of the open door and managed to pull away a board with a screech of rusty nails. The gap was then wide enough for him to wriggle through, but as he looked around he saw no-one.

* * * * *

Jen sidled out of the shed door and ran the short distance to the nearest alley; halfway down it she stopped to a walk as she realised she would have to stay to intercept Jet when he returned, otherwise he might never find her again. As she continued along the alley she noticed a discarded cask stood on end. She quickly clambered into it and found that a hole had been drilled in the side and she was able to see some of the alley through it. She crouched in the barrel trying to be as quiet as possible watching through the hole for some time before she suddenly felt a callused hand land on the back of her neck and pull her roughly from her hiding place. She felt another hand slam over her nose and mouth, preventing her screams escaping, but also preventing her from breathing. She struggled frantically, lashing out and kicking with hands and feet, but to no avail. She felt herself weaken as her world went dark.

* * * * *

The jailer looked around but could see no-one about. He slowly approached the nearest alley entrance, constantly looking around for any signs of the girl or of anyone else watching him. He quietly crept up to the wall and, keeping as much of himself hidden as possible, he sneaked his head around the corner to spy down the alley. He could see no signs of any disturbance but knowing what horror would await him if he failed he edged around the corner and skulked along the alleyway.
Part way down the alley, he crept up between the wall and an old cask and quietly looked in the open top. What he saw made him grin evilly in anticipation. He quickly reached into the cask and snatched up the girl, once she was clear of the barrel he clamped his spare hand over her mouth and nose to muffle her screams, heedless that he also cut off her air. As she flailed her arms and legs about she happened to smash her heel into the outside of his thigh nearly causing him to drop her.
When her struggles eventually grew feeble and finally stopped he removed his hand from her face and swiftly and brutally backhanded her. As the livid print of his large hand started to redden on her cheek he angrily spat out, "That's for kicking me!" even though she was not able to hear him. He quickly bundled her into his sack and walked out of the alley confidently, with his burden slung over his shoulder.

* * * * *

Olwyn returned to the shed later than he had anticipated, but he did have the small cloth bag of food he had bought as compensation. He stealthily approached the door trying not to be seen either by Jen or any others.
When he reached the shed door he spotted the damage and the missing board. He quickly crouched down and crawled through, apprehensive about Jen's safety. He stood and carefully made his way to their shelter and cautiously poked his head through the entrance, but saw no one and crawled in. He dropped the bag of food and looked around; he could see the evidence of a hasty departure, Jen's meagre possessions were missing but he could not see the evidence of a fight. He thought furiously for a moment and then changed to his dog-form and sniffed around, what he smelled disturbed him. He could smell Jen's fear as she rushed around the shelter; he followed her scent out of the shelter and through the shed to the damaged doors where he found an unfamiliar and thoroughly unpleasant odour.

Suddenly, he heard a scrabbling noise to one side and was astonished to see a large black rat running along some of the junk toward him. It ran to the top of the nearest junk pile and leapt from it to attack him. Almost instinctively Olwyn twisted and lowered his head to avoid the rat's attack. As it landed he snapped his head around and lunged, unfortunately the rat was very agile for it's size and it turned on the spot and met Olwyn's lunge with vicious claws and teeth.

* * * * *

The jailer unceremoniously dumped the sack containing Jen in the middle of the dungeon. With help from his scarred colleague he pulled the still groggy Jen from the confines of the sack and securely strapped her down to the special table. The hooded figure stepped up to Jen's prone form and casually dismissed the two jailers with a wave of its hand. After they had gone the figure made sure the bindings were secure then prised open Jen's mouth and poured a small amount from a potion bottle into it. Jen gasped as the cool magic of the healing draught washed through her and then opened her eyes and looked up at her captor.

Jen watched the hooded figure wave its arm and mutter an incomprehensible word without knowing it was casting a spell of truth over her. She felt a strange tingle and her pendant under her shirt suddenly grew icy cold again.
"What is your name?" the figure asked in a low gravely voice.
"Jeremy!" Jen replied with a sneer of contempt.
"How..." the figure started forward, and then began running its pale gaunt hands over Jen's bound body, searching for whatever had defeated its magic.
Jen struggled ineffectually and yelled, "No... Stop it..." as the figure found the pendant and roughly pulled it; snapping the chain from Jen's neck and causing her to yelp in pain, before throwing it into a corner in disgust.

The figure cast the truth spell again, and even though Jen felt the same tingle this time the spell took hold of her.
"What is your name?" the figure repeated calmly.
"Jen," she involuntarily answered, and was stunned that she had done so as she had meant to lie again.
"How long have you been living on the streets?" the figure asked.
Jen was determined to not answer, but even though she tried biting her lip to prevent it she was unable to stop herself saying, "Nearly six years."
The figure swept Jen's hair away from the side of her head and looked at the slight peak of her ears then asked in a voice that nearly cracked with anticipation, "What can you remember of the time before that?"
Jen still struggled to not speak but her answers were being forced out of her by the magic. "Nothing," she said between clenched teeth, "but vague shadowy images."

"At last," the figure crowed as it pulled its hood back to reveal the wrinkled leathery face of an old woman. Her hair had obviously once been black but was now mostly grey and silvery white. Her high cheekbones were prominent under her almond shaped eyes that were a rheumy brown colour, and her ears were distinctly pointed. "I've got you now you bitch," she gloated up at the ceiling with an exultant gleam in her eyes as she shook her fist in triumph, "I'll finally get back what is rightfully mine!"
Jen was now more frightened than angry, this old crone was obviously demented but she was also powerful and there was nothing Jen could do, strapped down as she was.

The old woman cackled with glee as she delved in a pocket and pulled out a small silvery knife and a glass bottle of a strange glittering powder. She placed the knife and bottle beside Jen on the table. Then suddenly the old crone arched her back in pain and let out a blood-curdling scream, a mixture of pain and anger "Aaaaggghh!!"
"I'll kill them!" she shouted angrily, "I'll rip out their heart and eat it!" She then strode from the table to the entrance to the corridor. As she reached the door she paused and looked at the jailers, "Do not touch the girl, she is mine!" and then she strode through the door, along the corridor and up the stairs.

* * * * *

Olwyn was fighting harder than he ever had before in his life, he had lunged at the back of the rat, aiming to bite it in half, but it had turned suddenly and viciously clawed and bit at his nose. Olwyn had never encountered a rat like this; all the other rats he had seen had simply run away from him. Olwyn snatched his head back out of reach, but the rat followed, it jumped up seeking to bite at Olwyn's throat. The rat sank its long teeth deep into Olwyn's throat causing him to yelp in pain. Olwyn thrashed about, trying hard to dislodge the rat. Eventually it was thrown clear taking a hunk of Olwyn's flesh with it. Olwyn was in pain and was bleeding profusely from his wound; he knew he was no fighter so, using the brief respite afforded by throwing the rat off, he changed back to his human-form.

Olwyn looked for the rat and spotted it climbing some of the junk littering the warehouse, he quickly ran through the phrase and gestures to cast his mage darts spell. The two darts of magical energy leapt from Olwyn's palm and sped unerringly towards the rat. They struck home with a crackle of energy and the rat squealed as it fell from the pile of junk. Olwyn cautiously approached and saw the rat lying on its side with smoke slowly rising from its open mouth and the large scorched hole visible where its spine should have been.

Olwyn quickly exited the warehouse before he lost his breakfast. When he stopped just outside the door he noticed his throat had stopped hurting. He reached up and felt where he had been bitten, and was surprised to feel only a small wound that was even then rapidly healing. When the wound was fully healed Olwyn remembered Jen was missing. He quickly changed to his dog-form and began sniffing around again. He quickly caught Jen's familiar scent and another unpleasant odour; he followed them from the warehouse door out to the nearest alley and along it to an upright large barrel. Olwyn found that Jen's scent led up to the barrel but not away from it, he also noticed that the unpleasant odour also led up to the barrel but then it also led away again.

Olwyn spotted the scuff marks and scents of a struggle and assumed that the owner of the unpleasant scent had found Jen and carried her off with them. Olwyn then began to track the unpleasant scent from the alley and along the street. Olwyn tracked the unpleasant scent through the back streets and alleys of the city, until he reached a small gate in a tall wall at the back of a garden. Olwyn knew there was no way he would be able to get past this obstacle as a dog so he nipped into the cover of a nearby alleyway and changed back to human-form.

When he looked again he noticed, over the wall, a tall tower above the roofline of the main building. He suspected that the tower was owned by a mage, which would mean that the gate and wall would probably be protected by powerful enchantments. Olwyn quickly cast the spell to give him mage sight, so he would be able to see the magical energy of any enchantments in view, and looked closely at the gate and wall. As he suspected, he saw a number of layers of spells over the gate and wall, but none above it.

Olwyn trotted along the alley until he spotted a tree branch overhanging the wall from the inside. The branch was about ten feet from the ground where it overhung the path, so Olwyn quickly scouted around for something to stand on. He found a box and a barrel in another alley and rolled the barrel under the branch and carefully stood it on end, making sure it didn't touch the wall. He then climbed onto the barrel and jumped up reaching for the branch. He failed the first few attempts, landing very near the wall once, but eventually he managed to grab the branch and clamber up onto it panting for breath. He edged along the branch over the wall and dropped into the garden. He then changed back to dog-form and loped back to the garden gate.

When he got back to the gate he again picked up the unpleasant scent and followed it through the garden to a blank wall. Olwyn was surprised that his mage sight was still working, as he was able to see the aura of an enchantment over this section of wall. Olwyn knew it could be as simple as an illusion covering a door or it might be a lethal trap. He padded around the base of the wall, keeping to the shadows as much as possible, until he arrived at a low barred unglazed window. As he got closer to the opening he suddenly went completely deaf. Startled, he stopped in his tracks. Suspecting magic Olwyn backed up a few paces until he could hear again, a zone of silence.

He edged around, continually dipping his head in and out, until he had worked out the extent of the zone. He found that it was circular and centred on the low barred opening. He edged up to the opening, trying to make sure he was not silhouetted against the bright outside and looked in. The cellar like room below was impenetrably dark in comparison to outside, but soon enough Olwyn's eyes adjusted and he was able to see within. What he saw made him call out in dismay, luckily he was still in the zone of silence and his yelp went unheard.
He saw the small helpless form of a young girl strapped to an odd looking table, he presumed it was Jen, and the hulking forms of two guards stood to one side. Olwyn backed up a little and examined the bars of the window. They were set close together and would stop a normal man from squeezing through but Olwyn judged that he would be able to and so should Jen.

He slowly pushed himself between the bars and dropped the six or so feet to the floor of the cellar below. When he landed, with a slight thump, he realised he could hear Jen's struggles and muttered curses at the guards. She was calling them every name Olwyn had ever heard and a few he hadn't. Olwyn was in a dilemma, he knew there was no way he could defeat the guards as a dog, he would need his spells, but he also didn't want Jen to find out like this how he had deceived her.
Crouched in the dark corner of the cellar Olwyn concentrated and changed to human-form. He then, as quietly as possible, cast a quick spell of sleep over the two guards and watched them hoping. They both yawned widely and then fell to the ground asleep in moments. Olwyn quickly changed back to dog-form and bounded over to where Jen lay strapped to the table.

"Jet!" she exclaimed happily as Olwyn put his front paws onto the table, "you can get me out... open the straps Jet, come on, open them."
Olwyn began to try to undo the straps with his teeth; he knew that if he could get her out that way he would be able to keep his secret. Unfortunately the buckles on the leather straps were too intricate for him to open in his dog-form, there was nothing for it; he would just have to let Jen know his secret. He sighed deeply and put his head on Jen's chest, while she continued to encourage him to try to undo the straps. He looked into her eyes hoping she would understand, hoping she would not hate him, and then willed the change.

Jen watched, stunned into silence with her mouth hanging slack, as Jet changed; his body changed shape, elongated and became more human. His snout shrank back into his face to become his nose and mouth. His ears changed shape and moved back down to the side of his head, and where his fur had been clothes formed. Finally stood over her was a man she recognised... it was Olwyn.

"You!" Jen hissed angrily and a little embarrassed.
Olwyn blushed and quickly bent to unbuckle and unstrap Jen as fast as possible. When she was finally freed Jen sat up looking daggers at Olwyn but said nothing more. She slid off the table and calmly walked round it to the sleeping guards and, before Olwyn could react, she drew back her foot and kicked the less scarred guard as hard as she was able right between the legs.
"Don't," Olwyn protested quietly, "you'll wake him!"
The guard grunted and then curled up around his own private universe of pain as Olwyn dragged Jen away, back to the window and then quickly lifted her up to the bars.

As Olwyn started to lift her Jen squirmed and struggled. "No!" she cried, "not without my pendant!"
Olwyn could do nothing but drop her and watch as she dashed to the corner the old crone had thrown her pendant into and knelt to scrabble around searching for it.
"Where is it?" she muttered as she frantically searched, "Where is it?"
"Hurry up!" Olwyn urged her.
Jen let out, "got it!" as she finally found it and clasped it tightly as she ran back to the window.
Olwyn quickly picked her up and helped her to squeeze through the bars, and then jumped up and grabbed the bars to pull himself up, but he was now too big to squeeze through the narrow gap. He dropped back to the cellar floor and quickly looked around for something to stand on. He dashed over to the odd table and heaved it until it sat under the window and climbed up onto it. He pushed one of his arms and his head through the small gap between the bars and waved at Jen to come closer. When she was close enough, Olwyn grabbed at his own wrist and then extended his arm to her. Jen looked unsure at him but tentatively took hold of Olwyn's arm and held on tight at his nod. When he had calmed himself Olwyn willed the change to dog-form.

Jen watched as Olwyn morphed and changed shape back into the black Labrador she had known as 'Jet'. She was still holding his arm / front leg and he was now struggling to get through the bars. Although Jen was angry with him, she couldn't leave him in the clutches of the old crone. She pulled as Jet wriggled, and together they managed to heave him up and out through the window bars.
When free, Jet quickly led Jen through the garden to the tree he had climbed to get in. He stopped and changed back to human-form and looked around to see if any alarm had been raised yet. He didn't see anything obvious but when he turned back to Jen she had her arms crossed and was looking at Olwyn with hurt anger showing clearly in her eyes.

"You bastard," she hissed, the anger clearly evident in her voice, "you utter ..."
Whatever she was about to say was left unsaid as Olwyn interrupted, "You can call me all the names you want... when we get out of here!" then he lifted her up into the tree and quickly scrambled up after her.
They quickly but carefully edged out over the garden wall and dropped into the empty alley below. Olwyn took Jen's hand and they briskly walked away from that area, doing their best to remain inconspicuous. At first Olwyn headed back to the warehouse, but when they were almost there he realised that whoever had abducted Jen knew of that hideout. After only a few moments thought he turned them about and headed for Aldergrove House.

"No!" Jen exclaimed with fear and pulled back as they approached the gate in the garden wall, "I'm not going there!" and began to struggle against Olwyn's restraining arm.
"It is the only place," Olwyn said as he stopped and looked imploringly at Jen, "where I know I can look after you!"
"I can look after myself!" Jen said angrily still pulling to get away.
"Those people could come after you again," Olwyn tried to explain, "and I might not be able to find you next time... Please..." That gave Jen pause; she had no idea why that man had been after her, or what the old woman had meant.
"Alright..." she said reluctantly and allowed Olwyn to lead her to the gate. Olwyn pulled the bell-pull and waited, constantly watching the street over his shoulders.

Landru opened the gate and, as Olwyn and Jen stepped through, he said, "Hello Olwyn, and who's this?"
"Landru," Olwyn said indicating Jen beside him, "this is Jen. She is..." he paused for a moment to find the right words, "... a friend."
"Welcome, welcome," Landru beamed, "why don't you show her around while I make something to eat, hmm..."
Olwyn nodded, as he realised just how hungry he was - not really surprising, as it was nearly midday. He led Jen through the gardens to the big house, and then showed her to his room.
Jen was impressed at the grandeur of the old mansion although she tried very hard to not show it. She was determined to not let Olwyn off the hook for his deception, no matter what. She sat on Olwyn's bed and said sharply, "Ok, explain yourself!"

"It's a long story," Olwyn sighed.
"You can start with why you lied to me!" Jen accused angrily.
"I didn't..." Olwyn started, "well not really..." he then sighed again and started again. "I was wandering around the market when I saw you get grabbed by Snake, but I wasn't fast enough to stop him. When I got to where you had been, I couldn't see you. So I had to be 'Jet' to be able to follow your scent trails."
"So why didn't you change back when we got away?" Jen asked still angry.
"I guess I didn't want to frighten you... I didn't want you thinking I was a freak or something." Olwyn then looked at his hands and sighed again, looked sorrowfully at Jen and said, "I'm really sorry Jen, I hope you can eventually forgive me..."
"Ok..." Jen started slowly, "I guess you had good intentions, but you still should have told me the truth at the start!"
"We both should have 'Jim'!" Olwyn mocked then smiled to remove the sting.

Jen suddenly stood and made to leave, "Thanks for the rescue, but it's time I left."
"No, you can't!" Olwyn exclaimed as he jumped up to stop her.
"Why not?" Jen asked stubbornly, looking cross again.
"You're in danger..." Olwyn started.
Jen interrupted him dismissively with, "I can look after myself!"
"But that was not bad luck," Olwyn explained desperate to get her to see sense, "those people were after you for some reason."
Jen remembered what the old woman had said about her being the one she was after and cautiously asked, "What makes you say that?"
"Remember that first night we stayed in that warehouse shed," Olwyn said ruefully, "while you slept a lady appeared and told me to protect you, that someone was after you and that she was not able to watch over you all the time."
"What lady could get in there?" Jen scorned derisively.
"She teleported in by magic," Olwyn explained, "she had her familiar, a black cat, watching you."
"The black cat..." Jen said in wonder, "so that cat 'has' been following me all this time."
"The lady," Olwyn continued, "is the owner of this house."
Jen was astonished, "Why would Lady Aldergrove want to keep an eye on me?"
"I don't know," Olwyn shrugged, "but this may be the best place to find out, the next time she visits."
"Ok, ok..." Jen agreed grudgingly, "I'll stay... for now," she then pointed her finger at Olwyn, "but only until I find out what's really going on!"

Olwyn and Jen were both quiet and subdued as they descended the stairs and headed into the kitchen to eat. When they were seated Landru served up a delicious beef and vegetable stew with crusty bread rolls. While they were eating Landru looked at Jen for a while before he cleared his throat and gently asked, "If you don't mind an old mans curiosity, would you mind telling me of your past?"
"There's not much to tell," Jen said around a mouthful of bread. "I've lived all my life on the streets and never needed anyone else," she then looked pointedly at Olwyn and scowled.
"Can you remember nothing of your parents or other family?" Landru asked sympathetically.
"Nope," Jen replied quickly, turning back to eat as if the food would be taken away. "I can clearly remember the last five or six summers," Olwyn looked at Jen in surprise, she only looked to be eight years old, but she didn't notice his startled look and continued, "but it's not clear before that." Jen felt saddened and frustrated as she usually did when thinking of her past. She looked down at her plate and quietly said, "I only have one thing I know my mother gave me, but I can't even remember her." Jen then reached into her pocket and pulled out her pendant, "and that bitch broke it!" she added bitterly.

"May I look at that?" Landru inquired gently and held out his hand.
Jen looked at Landru's kindly smiling face and felt she could probably trust him. She carefully placed the pendant and chain into his open hand.
"Hmm," he murmured as he looked at the chain, "only the clasp is damaged... and that's only bent a little." He grunted as he manipulated the clasp and pushed it back into shape. "There you go," he said as he examined the mended clasp, "it should be ok now." He looked at the silvery disk of the pendant properly for a moment and then handed it back to Jen looking thoughtful.

They finished the meal in subdued silence, and when they were done Landru suggested, "Olwyn, why don't you show Jen the gardens after you've helped me here." He then began to collect together the remnants of the meal in the sink. As Olwyn began to wash up Landru said to Jen, "There's no need for you to wait here, why not sit outside in the sun, Olwyn won't be long."
After Jen had left for the garden Landru quietly said, "I've seen the rune on that pendant somewhere before."
Olwyn looked at Landru questioning, "Where?"
"I don't know," Landru replied troubled, "but I know I've seen it somewhere..." He then shook his head and smiled depreciatingly, "No doubt I'll remember eventually."

Olwyn had his own questions that needed answers, "How can she remember six years when she only looks eight?" then he chuckled, "I can hardly remember when I was six let alone two!"
Landru chuckled as well and then raised his eyebrow and asked, "I guess you didn't notice the shape of her eyes and the peak of her ears then?"
Olwyn shook his head, "Should I have?"
Landru smiled again, "She has Elven ancestry..." then he mused, "I'd guess she is a half-elf. They age differently to humans, more slowly... though not as slowly as full blooded elves." Landru smiled again at Olwyn's surprised expression, "She may look eight but she could be any age between twelve and sixteen, it depends on how much influence her elven ancestry has." He then shook his head dismissively, "That doesn't matter now, why don't you go and show her the gardens, I'll finish here." With that he pushed Olwyn out the door and into the garden.
When Olwyn found Jen she was stood near the rose bushes struggling to fasten her pendant chain about her neck. "Let me do that for you," Olwyn volunteered as he approached her, then took the ends of the chain from her and deftly clasped them together about her slender neck.

Olwyn and Jen wandered through the flower gardens in a strained silence, she was still upset with him for his deception and he had no idea how he could make up with her. They wandered aimlessly along the footpaths that meandered through the gardens until they reached the wild-forested section and turned to walk along the shaded paths under the canopy of the trees. As the two of them strolled through the forest the tension between them slowly eased, they began to chat about their surroundings at first and then they moved on from there to their pasts. As Olwyn was describing his life as an apprentice with Master Jaklin they stumbled into a small clearing.

The clearing was roughly circular with close-cropped grass covering the ground. At the centre stood a strange circular structure of columns with no roof. As Jen and Olwyn got closer they could see that it looked to be made of white marble but was covered with the signs of great age. The fluted columns were stained with years of algae and moss and the detail of the carvings on the lintels were covered by even more growth. The floor within the structure also showed its age, dust and blown debris littered it, covering everything.

Olwyn slowly walked cautiously around the outside of the structure, making sure he did not disturb anything. Unfortunately Jen had no such restraint and stepped into the structure and began to kick some of the debris on the ground. She gasped with astonishment and suddenly knelt to sweep away some more of the dust from the floor.
"Jen!" Olwyn exclaimed anxiously, "don't disturb it... you don't know what might happen..." he stepped up to the edge of the floor and peered between two columns to see what Jen was doing. She had swept clear a section of the floor that showed a darker stone pattern inlaid in the white of the floor.
She stood and took a step back to look at the floor markings again. "I thought so," she said, more to herself than to Olwyn, "it is the mark on my pendant! What's that doing out here?"

Olwyn moved around the structure until he was closest to Jen and the mark. "Is it?" he asked, "Can I have a look at it?" and then gestured for Jen to approach him, trying to get her to leave the structure.
Jen stepped nearer to him and stood between two of the columns showing him the pendant. "See," she said turning the disk until it was oriented the same as the mark on the floor.
Olwyn looked and compared the pendant to the floor; they looked to be exactly the same shape.
Jen quickly darted back into the middle of the structure and began sweeping more of the dust and debris from the floor. When all the rubbish was swept out, four more of the same symbols were revealed. They were set between two thin rings that circled the centre of the structure like wagon tracks with the symbols equally spaced around the circle.

With an icy trickle of fear down his spine Olwyn suddenly realised the shape the five symbols formed. He called to Jen, trying again to get her leave the structure, "Come on, we'll go and ask Landru about this."
Jen reluctantly followed him and together they walked back through the forest to the house.

As they were walking through the rose garden Landru bustled up to them and grinned. "I remembered where I saw that symbol," he said animatedly, "It's on the floor of The Folly deep in the forest."
"We know," Olwyn replied calmly smiling, "we found it as we wandered through there. We came back to ask you what you knew of it."
Jen looked at Landru expectantly, hoping for some hint to her past.
"Not a lot I'm afraid," Landru replied dismayed, "when I first found it I asked Lady Aldergrove about it. She told me that it was called The Folly because an ancestor commissioned it when the family could not really afford the cost. His grand plans were then drastically curtailed to the pitiful little structure you found."
Jen looked disappointed, could it mean she was somehow related to the Aldergrove family, or was it simply a coincidence that her pendant matched the symbols in The Folly.

* * * * *

The queen looked very regal as she sat in her less than comfortable throne. As she shifted imperceptibly she silently cursed the necessity for her lack of comfort, to keep her awake through these interminable proceedings. The queen was again dressed in her characteristic scarlet silk gown and was listening to the arguments of the two people before her as politely as she was able.
"You dug up them tatters and sold 'em!" the farmer on the left ranted at his opponent.
"They was in me field," the farmer on the right shouted back, just as angry, "so them tatters was mine!"
"You said I could plant 'em," the farmer on the left shouted just as angrily.

Suddenly the queen sat even further upright and gasped as a cold shiver ran down her spine. The spells she had placed around the entrance to her secret chamber were warning her that someone was near and moving around.

Maggie heard the queens' sharp indrawn breath and turned to look at her. When she saw the queens' pale face she asked, "Is there anything wrong my lady?" The queen abruptly stood and began to walk toward the door back to the private section of the palace.
"But what about me tatters?" the farmer on the left called after her.
The queen stopped and turned swiftly to face them. "You!" she pointed to the farmer on the right, "give half the money you received from the sale of the potatoes to him," and she pointed to the farmer on the left. She then turned again and quickly strode from the audience chamber. She stepped between her guards and walked back to her rooms at a brisk stride.

When the queen reached her rooms she locked and bolted the door and raised a spell shield to mask the room from prying eyes. She touched a certain panel of the wall, which then slid aside silently to reveal her hidden wardrobe. She quickly shrugged out of her scarlet silk gown and dressed again in supple leather leggings and jacket over a white cotton blouse. She strapped a scabbard and long sword around her shapely hips and sheathed a long bladed knife in the top of her boot. She closed the secret panel again and carefully moved her gown to her bed before she stepped to the centre of the room. She paused for a moment to centre her thoughts then ran through the gestures and phrases of a spell, at the end of which she vanished with a bamf of in-rushing air.

* * * * *

Just after Landru had finished his tale Olwyn felt the familiar tingle of a build up of magic, he looked around and heard the bamf sound of a teleport spell. The three of them turned and saw Lady Aldergrove standing near the rose bushes, near to where she had appeared before. Jen was surprised by the abrupt arrival of the lady and stood watching her as she approached.
Lady Aldergrove walked up to Landru, ignoring the presence of Jen and Olwyn. "Landru," she said briskly, "someone has disturbed The Folly, and we need to investigate!"

"Calm yourself my lady," Landru smiled as he made calming gestures with his hands, "it was Jen and Olwyn here, I'm sure they meant no harm."
Lady Aldergrove turned to look at Olwyn sternly as Jen stepped up beside Landru and looked up at her. Olwyn remained where he was looking back and forth between them and noticed the similarities. They both had black hair, almond shaped liquid brown eyes and pointed ears, and there was the symbol on Jen's pendant and the floor of The Folly.

Olwyn sketched a small bow to the lady. "Excuse me my lady," he said with the utmost politeness, "by any chance, are you related to Jen here in some way?" Landru and Jen both stared at Olwyn open mouthed in surprise. He continued, "You both bear a striking resemblance to each other, almost like sisters. Or, dare I say it," then he smiled slightly, "mother and daughter."
Jen took a step back in shock and scrutinised Lady Aldergrove. After a few moments of study she whispered plaintively, "Mama?"

Author's Note:
If you enjoyed this story, and or have a comment or suggestion to make, please email me at lensman@mail.com
All emails are welcome and will be responded to if a return address is used.