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| author:Manja (orangefatcat) e-mail:OrangeHippie2@aol.com description:Marguerite and Roxton were thrown in a jail,Marguerite must fight against an other women to come free........... In the treehouse Roxton, Challenger and Malone are sitting at the table and talking. Summerlee and Veronica are in the jungle looking for plants. Meanwhile Marguerite tries to prepare dinner... "What a mess!!!" shouts a voice out of the kitchen. "Can I be of help to you, my dearest?" Roxton asks ironically. "Watch out that I don't poison your meal!" Marguerite answered angrily. "Why do they always have to quarrel?" Challenger wonders. "Well, loving and teasing go hand in hand," Malone answers with a grin on his face. Promptly a wet towel flies in Malone's direction. "Mind your words, Neddy-Boy, our master cook is a little touchy today", Roxton comments with a twinkle in his eyes. "LORD JOHN ROXTON!" an angry voice replies from the kitchen, "YOU should be careful with YOUR words or I might send pans in YOUR direction!" The three men laugh, and the heiress turns to complete the meal muttering silent curses about cooking, house work and men. ***** The dinner Veronica and Summerlee leave the elevator and carefully put the plants on a table. "Mmmmh...that smells superb!" Summerlee enthuses. "Well, let's hope that we will survive tonight's dinner!" Roxton laughs, but doesn't say another word when he looks into Marguerite's angry face. "My sweetheart, I only put rat poison in your meal!" Marguerite smiles with lifted eye-brow. "Oh, come on, you two, stop your dispute, or the meal be cold!" Challenger tries to appease the opponents. "I'm sure it is expertly cooked, Marguerite!" "Thanks, George, well, it seems that Roxton doesn't recognise quality", Marguerite can't help saying with a challenging look in the hunter's direction. "Well Marguerite, this is only your opinion, I..." tries to return the sneering remark. "Stop it! Let's all eat now!" Summerlee shouts and interupts the two fighters. "You are getting on our nerves with your constant bickering!" After the end of the meal, Veronica clears the table-wear and Malone washes the dishes. "I must say it was delicious, Marguerite!" the reporter shouts from the kitchen. "Yes, where did you learn to cook so well?" Veronica asks curiously. "Well, I travelled to lots of different countries, there you learn many things. I have a lot of secret talents", Marguerite replies and looks straight into Roxtons face. He returns that look and says: "Well, I think it's fantastic too, darling, but now I will go for a walk..." "Mmmh, an alluring idea. I hope you don't mind if I accompany you?" Marguerite provokes him with a tempting look. "Huuuh, I wouldn't care for any other company than yours, my sweet!" the hunter takes up the challenge with his sweetest smile. ***** A promenade in the jungle "And where does this little walk take us, John?" "Mmmh...I thought of a comfortable place by the lake..." "Well, if that's what you thought, mmmh, that sounds wonderful to me!" "My ideas are always wonderful, darling!" An hour later they arrive at a wonderful, bright lake with a great green meadow and beautiful flowers on it. "Wow, what a wonderful place this is!" Marguerite cries exitedly. "Not nearly as beautiful as you", Roxton replies softly, moves closer and pulls his arms around her body. She places her hands around his neck and her soft lips meets his. After several loving moments, Marguerite turns around and one lonely tear runs over her cheek. "Marguerite...what's wrong...?I...I love you so much. Please tell me what happened in your past that hurt you so much that you can't open your heart for me?" "John, I..I love you from the bottom of my heart. But I can't tell you this now. Not yet!" Marguerite whispers with sorrow in her face. "I will tell you when the right moment comes. I love you more then anything else. But please, please give me time!" Tears run down her face. Roxton feels as if something had stabbed his heart. It hurts him so much to see the woman he loves cry so bitterly. "I will give you all the time in the world. Marguerite, no matter who or what hurt you so much I would never do the same. I would rather kill the fiend with my bare hands if I could get hold of him! I love you, you can trust me!" "I know John, I know. But could we change the topic? I can't talk about it now." They spend the remaining afternoon together at the lake. Roxton cheers Marguerite up, but there still is a shadow on her beautiful face. When they are about to leave the lake after packing their things and putting on their coats, suddenly 12 men jump out of the bushes. Marguerite and John don't stand a chance, because they don't carry their weapons. "Roxton! Oh my God, what the hell do you want from us?" Marguerite screams. "Marguerite, I'm with you. Set us free immediately!" But the men are not moving a muscle. They take Roxton and Marguerite to their village and throw them into jail. "Are you alright, Marguerite?" Roxton asks anxiously. "Yeah, I'm ok, but my hand, it hurts so much!" Marguerite answers and makes a wry face. "Let me see!" Roxton says and looks at her hand, "I think the thumb is sprained, wait..."he tears off a piece from his shirt and looks for some straight piece of wood. He finds a little stick on the ground and bandages her thumb softly. "Thank you, John, what do they want from us?" "If I only knew..." "Maybe the other find our things by the lake and come looking for us!" "Let's hope so. You look tired, why don't you sleep a little!" "Oh yes, how comfortable, there is only a wooden bench", Marguerite states with sarcasm. "If you like, I will sit on the bench and you can sleep on my lap!" Roxton smiles. "Huuh, well, better than sleeping on the floor!" Marguerite grins, too. After a few moments Miss Krux falls asleep. Roxton caresses her face and carefully strokes over her wonderful hair. He thinks about the last years they had spent on the plateau. There he had found true friends and the woman that he love so much. He remembers the beginning of their relationship and starts to smile. From the flirtation between them an honest love had grown. He doesn't know what happened in her past, but he knows whatever it was must have been terrible. He swears himself that he will never hurt her and that he will do everything in his power to make her forget her bad past. "She looks so wonderful", he thinks as he looks at her sleeping face. "I must never lose you, never!" That is his last thought this night before he falls asleep with Marguerite in his arms... At the same time in the treehouse "Where are they?" Veronica shouts, after they waited for two hours for Marguerite and Roxton. "Probably they had dispute again and forgot the time...", Malone grins. "Its not typical for John to be to late", Veronica puts in. "But Marguerite is with him. Anyway, we can't accomplish anything in the dead of the night. I propose that we will look for them in the morning", Challenger proposes. "I think that is a proposition we all can live with", Summerlee agrees. "I hope that Marguerite and John can, too!" Veronica heatedly replies and leaves the room. So the day ends in the treehouse and the friends return to their rooms. ****** Next morning Marguerite wakes up, because she feels something or better somebody resting on her. She opens her eyes and sees that Roxton rests his chest against her stomach and that her head lies in his lap. She smiles and strokes lovingly over his head. When he opens his eyes he happily says: "What a wonderful morning, I wake up and the first thing that I see is your beautiful face!" "I feel the same, Lord Roxton, although my whole body hurts!" "Well I slept very softly, my dearest!" "But now stand up, hurry!" Marguerite laughs and gently shoves him away from her. "Oohh, it was just so wonderfully comfortable!" Roxton sighs and kisses her on the lips. At the same moment two guards come in and go straight for Marguerite grasping her arms. "HEY!" she yells. "Come with us!" one of the men orders. "Don't touch her!!" Roxton demands before one of the guards knocks him senseless. "Nooo, John", Marguerite screams, frightened ,but the guards pull her outside. "Let me go, what do you want from me?!" she shouts angrily. "You will find early enough!" one of the guards grumbles and leads her into a big light room. Marguerite notices a woman approximately her age and very beautiful. She sits on a golden throne and wears a sliver crown on her head. "Well I have heard that you were swimming in my lake?" the strange beauty says. First of all Marguerite doesn't understand this question. But then she remembers that she and Roxton spent the last afternoon at the lake. And they were swimming in it, too. And finally were kidnapped by the guards. "Yes sure, but how were we to know that this was your lake?" she demands with a provocative look. "The sea is charmed. Everybody who swims in it except myself must be punished," the woman on the throne explains condescendingly. "Oh yes, and how could we have known?" Marguerite asks with sarcasm. "I like YOUR friend, he will be MINE. YOU must fight for your freedom. If you win I'll let you go, if not you must die!" the woman replies with a hard face. "Wonderful, and with which person do I have the honour to fight?" Marguerite asks angrily. "You will know early enough" the queen smiles. "Take her back in the jail!" ********* At the same time Veronica, Summerlee, Malone and Challenger are on their way looking for their lost friends. After hours of walk they arrive at the sea. "Hey, look here, there are their clothes, aren't they?" Veronica shouts and runs to the place where Roxton's and Marguerites things lie. "Yes, that is Marguerite's hat and the other stuff belongs to them, too!" Challenger agrees. "I don't think that they voluntarily left their things here!" Malone throws in. "Hey, look there are a lot of footsteps, there on the little path," Veronica points out. "Well then, lets find out where they lead," Summerlee proposes. The four follow the tracks and come to a clearing and notice a lot of small houses there. **** At the same time, Marguerite has returned to the prison and sits close to Roxton. She settles him on the bench and strokes his bruised cheek. After several minutes he wakes up and asks what has happened. "You was beaten by the guards. Oh yes, and the queen will take possession of you. And I have to fight for my freedom," Marguerite tells him with sarcasm in her voice. "I don't understand!" Roxton answers with a worried face. "Roxton, we were swimming in the sacred lake belonging to the queen. Well now we must pay for it. I must fight against somebody. If I win she will let me go, if not, well then I'm dead," Marguerite sighs. "I won't let it happen! And what will happen to me?" "She will keep you as her pet, apparently she likes you..." "Oh, I see, and why apparently? Don't you like me?" Roxton smiles. "John, I don't think that's funny," Marguerite replies and turns her head away from him. "Hey, come back. We will find a solution, my darling," Roxton promises and embraces her with his strong arms and kisses her cheek. "Then let's not wait too long," Marguerite cries as two guards come in and take her by her arm. "JOOHN, help me!!!" But he can only watch them lead her outside. "I will never let you down, Marguerite," Roxton swears and tries to make up a plan to rescue her. ***** Marguerite is lead in a big room. She sees a huge bed, a table with a lots of food and different sorts of wine on it and an open wardrobe with wonderful dresses in. After several moments the queen enters. "Why am I here?" Marguerite asks. "Eat something, it will be your last meal before the fight starts. Then choose a dress and put it on!" the queen commands, Yasemine by name, and leaves Marguerite alone. "Damn rubbish!" Marguerite curses and falls down on the bed. ***** Meanwhile Veronica, Malone, Challenger and Summerlee approach the village unnoticed. They sneak to the back of the houses and move on to the jail that is placed in the cellar of a house. Roxton hears silent steps outside and identifies Veronica's sandals through the grated window. "Veronica!" he shouts. "Hey, down here!!!" The four friends look down and see the barred window, behind it Roxton's face. "I am very happy you are here! They kidnapped us!" "Where is Marguerite?" Summerlee wants to know. "I don't know, she said she must fight somebody. If she loses that fight she must die!" Roxton whispers so that the guards will not hear. "Who says that Roxton?" Challenger asks. "The queen. We took a bath in her lake. And now she will punish us. You must free me before anything happens to Marguerite!" Roxton urges. "We'll try our best," Malone assures Roxton before they dissapear because they heard steps. ***** At the same time Marguerite puts on a wonderful blue dress and wonders what will happen. Then two guards enter the room and command her to follow them. A few minutes later they arrive in the queen's chamber, where Marguerite notices another young woman. "Thats Melissa, your opponent," Yasemine declares and smiles at Melissa, who returns the look. "Great, and how or better where will our fight take place?" Marguerite asks with a sarcastic voice. "Outside in the ring. The people here love that kind of competition. I never lose a fight!" Melissa states haughtily. "Great!" Marguerite mutters and follows the two women in the direction of the ring, followed by a lots of guards. At the back of a house she sees Veronica who smiles at her and now she knows that there is a chance to come free. As the whole village concentrates on the ring there is no problem get into the cellar where Roxton is imprisoned. The jail is only protected by one guard who is knocked out by Malone. Veronica takes the keys and opens the metal door. "Quick!" Roxton demands and starts to run outside followed by the others. "They brought Marguerite to the ring. I have seen her!" Veronica remarks. " Ok, quick, before anything happens to her!!!" Roxton shouts. **** Marguerite and Melissa both take a sword and step into the middle of the ring. Marguerite looks around and sees lots of squealing people around her, and she curses that place silently. "Where the hell are Roxton and the others?" she thinks angrily. "When I need them they aren't there!" although she knows that this isn't right. When she hears the queen shout "The battle begins!" she loses all interest in her thoughts and must start to fight against Melissa. Marguerite hasn't any knowledge about swords, much less how to use one, but she had learned some stunts from Roxton's fights and tries her best. ***** At the same time the other five come to the crowded area and see the two fighting women. "Oh no we are too late!!" Summerlee exclaims. "We will see about that!" Roxton mutters and runs into the ring. Instantly there are a number of guards around him, but with the help from the others thise problem was quickly solved. They run to the place where Marguerite fights, but she doesn't notice them as she has to concentrate on her opponent. Slowly she feels her strength fading. Then she turns around and notices Roxton. For only one short moment she doesn't pay attention and hears Roxton screaming: "Marguerite, PAY ATTENTION!!!" But it is too late, Melissa's sword cuts into her side. "AAAH!" she screams and tumbles to the ground. "NOOO! Marguerite!" Roxton yells and runs to her. While the others are busy with the guards, Melissa and Yasemine left the ring quickly. The guards see their queen leave and follow her. Challenger shouts: "Come on Roxton, take Marguerite and let's go. I don't know how much time we have!" Roxton pulls Marguerite carefully into his arms and follows the others as fast as he can. They quickly leave the village. When they are out of the closer vicinity they make a break. Roxton lowers Marguerite on the grass and looks at her wound. Summerlee states that she is seriously injured and that they must stop the bleeding. Roxton tears his shirt apart and bandages her wound. "We must take her back to the treehouse, so that we can give her proper treatment," Challenger states. After two hours they finally arrive at the treehouse. Roxton lays Marguerite on her bed and waits for Summerlee to take over. "Will she survive, Arthur?" John anxiously wants to know. "John, Marguerite is a strong woman, she is one of the strongest women I know!" the professor answers with a friendly look."She only needs rest and the right care! I have cleaned her wound. She is only still unconscious." "I'm staying with her, Summerlee. I will not leave her ." Roxton declares. "Yes, I understand my boy. She needs you now!" With these words the old man leaves the room and joins the others. ***** "How is she?" Veronica queries. "Roxton is with her. That and rest is what she needs now." Summerlee answers. "I propose that we go sleep now. It was a hard day for all of us." Challenger says, his usual practical self. "Yes, true enough." the blonde jungle beauty agrees and goes to her room, just like the others do. ****** Roxton pulls a chair close to Marguerite's bed and softly strokes over her cheek and wipes away a drop of sweat from her forehead. Quietly he speaks to her: "Oh, Marguerite I was so worried about you. I had thought I lost you!" he talks to her about his feelings for her and that she can trust him. "I love you so much, I wish that you could forget your past and open your whole heart to me!" he whispers. "I will never leave you, ok, Marguerite? Don't leave me. I need you. I'm happy to be here with you!" He regards her wonderful, beautiful face and finds a little smile on it. He lays his arms around her shoulders and leans back in his chair and only a few moments later he falls asleep. ***** When he hears groans next morning he wakes up. He immediately notices that Marguerite feels pain and calls Summerlee. He only says "Oh, she wakes up. Now she feels her wound ache." "Couldn't we do something against it?" "Try to take her mind off her pain. You'll be a great comfort to her only sitting with her. Now go back to her." **** Roxton sits down again beside Marguerite's bed and strokes her cheek softly. Then she opens her eyes and looks right into his face. "Roxton..." she whispers, but she feels stabbings in her side with every little move. "Sssscht, I'm here, my dearest!" Roxton gently replies. She takes his hand and kisses it softly, and a few moment later she falls asleep again. Roxton caresses her hair and cannot believe his luck, that the woman he loves and desires so much sleep in his arms. "Oh I'm the luckiest man in the world!" he thinks smilingly. A few minutes later Veronica enters the room and inquires after Marguerite well-being. "She feels the pain, but she will be well again, she is strong!" "Yes, she is. Its a miracle that she has survived that sword stab!" Veronica states. "Yes, a real miracle, that she is!" Roxton agrees with a dreamy voice and smiles at Veronica. "You love her much, don't you, John?" "Oh yes, I love her from the bottom of my heart, Veronica. Do you know what a wonderful feeling that is?" John asks and smiles at Marguerite with an tender look. "Oh yes John, I definitely do!" Veronica admits and her thoughts wander off to Malone. "I think he feels the same for you and he knows what you feels for him. I know that!" Roxton assures her knowing about her feelings. Veronica smiles uncertainly and leaves the room. Roxton spends the whole day with Marguerite. He helps her with her meals and strokes her softly when she is overcome by pain. In the night Marguerite settles down to a deep sleep and John protect her. Next morning when he opens his eyes he looks into Marguerite's, finding no more pain and weariness. "Good morning, sweetheart" she grins. "Marguerite, how are you? You look so much better!" "Yeah, I feel better, huuuh. How else you I feel with such a doctor by my side. I feel up to anything now!" she says and throws up her arms momentarily forgetting her wound. "Aaah, for heaven's sake, ...Not quite anything, but maybe a little something," she gives in and smiles through the pain. Roxton chuckles and go to fetch some tea. There he meets Challenger and Malone and tells them that Marguerite feels much better. The two man are happy and pass the good news to Veronica and Summerlee. ****** When Roxton comes back in Marguerites room, he finds her sitting in bed, lost in thought. "Roxton, can you stay with me for a little while?" she asks. "Only a little while? I have all the time in the world for you!" he smiles. "Fine, come to me..!" she pleads and taps on the place beside her on the bed. He sits down and looks at her with a questioning face. She takes his hand as if needing protection. Then she starts with her story. "You know, John, that there are so many things from my past that burden me," she begins and looks in his wonderful eyes. "You can tell me everything, trust me Marguerite! I will listen to you!" John gently replies and kisses her cheek. "Okay, huuh, it started when I graduated the university. I wanted to go for a holiday and travelled through Europe with my best girl friend. In Madrid I met James, I just was 21 and was very naive. I fell in love with him and only a short time later we married. At first I was very happy. But then James always went out without me and I was left alone at home. When he came back he often was drunk and bawled at me. Then the time followed when he did not leave it at drinking, but started to beat me and he hurt me with a lots of things. Sometimes he could be nice, but this only was when he was sober. One evening, he was blotto again, he beat me and pulled me on the bed, there he raped me. I couldn't do anything. This was the end, I just wanted to leave him. Next day I packed up my things and wanted to go to Sarah, my best friend, but what I had saw there finally broke my heart. I saw James kissing Sarah and they walked through the streets hand in hand. I had just wasted several years. I couldn't stay there any more. I took my belongings and returned to London. There I lived until I heard about Challenger's expedition. I thought maybe I could forget my past and turn to better things...." Roxton looks at her with a mixture of shock, pain and rage. He can't believe how somebody could do these terrible things to her. "Oh my god! Marguerite...I'm so sorry. I swear that you will never have to experience such unpleasant situations again. I love you so much, I will never leave you!" He looks in her eyes and dries her tears with soft kisses. He embraces her carefully and strokes over her shoulders. Then she looks into his eyes and kisses his lips. She lays her arms around his neck and he strokes over her hair. "I love you, my Lord!" "And I love you, my Lady!" And with these words they sink down onto the bed.... |
| Teasing and Loving |
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