IT'S ALL WORTH A BAG OF COINS!

Oscar moved his wand in the air, casting a spell that caused the whole bed of dried leaves to lift in the air only to disperse it around, clearing the sight in front of them.

Their eyes opened wide in shock, seeing hundreds of snakes moving around. They lay still until the leaves covered them, but now that the leaves were removed they began moving on each other.

"They are poisonous!" Gerald whispered audibly.

Before they thought of running, Gerald stopped them. "Look, they are not moving out of their perimeter. They are not coming to us."

"But Gerald how are we going to cross this... this trouble?" Isabella asked, still ready to run if the situation demanded.

Gerald looked around. His hand was still burning. But then his eyes fell on Filch, who was still watching them sitting on the same tree that had burnt his hand.

"I have an idea!" He said.

"Give me the rope from your bag." Gerald told Isabella.

She was confused but did as she was told nonetheless. She shrugged her bag from her shoulders then put it down on the ground. With a thin layer of perspiration on her forehead, she took out the thick white rope from her bag.

She threw it at Gerald, which he caught effortlessly.

"Filch" He threw one end of the rope at the niffler.

But what Gerald was suggesting was not as easy as it seemed. The tree was tall, and Filch could not get on the height while carrying the heavy rope.

"Move aside." Oscar again moved his wand in the air, after realising what was Gerald's plan.

Oscar smiled confidently, as Filch was lifted in the air along with the end of the rope he held in its shorthands. It made sounds in fright but then relaxed as it moved up in the air.

Filch stopped at the right branch and jumped on it instantly. It tied a tight knot of that rope, of course with a little bit of help of Oscar's magic.

Filch smiled in victory.

"Good job, pal. Now take this." Gerald then successfully threw the other end at Filch.

The niffler lost his balance while catching it but then managed to do it anyway. It made a sound of relief and, was ready for Oscar's magic.

Oscar moved his wand in a horizontal line, and the niffler flew in the air in a straight line until it reached the next tree, which was at some distance from the first one.

It again tied the rope to the tree. Oscar's magic again flew it in the air to tie the remaining rope to the third tree.

Now they had no more rope to use. Isabella cursed herself mentally for carrying only one rope.

"Don't worry... I think this will do. We can jump on the fourth tree and then we will be out of the zone of these poisonous reptiles." Gerald said calculatingly.

"Now who is going first?" Isabella asked as they looked at each other.

This was every time's drill. Gerald sighed. "Alright I will go first." He said.

"Yes, I think you should go first to check if that rope can bear the weight."

Gerald narrowed his eyes at Isabella as he got the sarcasm in her words. She was calling him heavy.

Isabella only raised her one brow in return. Gerald ignored her and checked his hand. The burning sensation kept intensifying with the passing time. It was good that Isabella covered it with a handkerchief so that his mind would not pay more attention to it.

Gerald rolled his shoulders before throwing a glance at the bundles of snakes wrapped around each other. The thought of stepping on those dried leaves and what would have happened thereafter, made him shiver.

Gerald flexed his fingers. It was clear that they could not touch those trees. So he had another idea for it. Oscar gave him all the handkerchiefs they had, and they wrapped them on both of their hands. For legs, they had their shoes on.

"Just remember to not touch these trees with your skin." Oscar reminded him.

Checking that he had covered most of his body with clothes, Gerald was ready to go. Filch was waiting for them on the third tree.

Gerald held the trunk of the tree with both of his hands before relaxing a bit that it was safe. He began climbing the tree, careful of not letting his skin come in contact with its surface.

Isabella and Oscar watched him cautiously and were ready to act if anything went wrong.

At such times Oscar wished if his magic worked to its full capacity. But the places where Reznor and other witches and wizards from Malvadogar sent this trio were special. Either the supernatural creatures were not allowed there, or the magic worked in a confined capacity.

That was the reason the Malvadogar chose to use this trio to get the things they needed for their experiments and magic.

By the time Gerald reached the branch where Filch had tied the rope, he was sweating profusely. Climbing a tree was one thing, but making sure to not touch directly with skin was another task.

"Come on Gerald, be careful!" Oscar said from down.

He was cautiously keeping an eye on the snakes. Although they had not left their space, he had no idea what could trigger them and made them run in a chase.

Gerald checked the rope by tugging it forcefully a few times. Satisfied by its strength, he held it tight in his hands before throwing his body in the air from the tree. He dangled in the air, only his hands carried all his weight.

The distance between him and the snakes was merely a few feet. One wrong move and, any snake could jump and bite his leg easily.

To avoid that possibility, Gerald pushed his lower body ahead in the air before encircling his feet around the rope. Now he was parallel to the horizontal rope and, was holding it with his hands and ankles.

He began pushing himself forward on the rope. It was more difficult than it looked. His burned hand pained and bled, making him grunt every now and then, yet he kept pushing himself forward.

Isabella was worried for him, and so was Oscar.

"You can do it Gerald! Don't stop!" She yelled to cheer him.

"I know I can do it so shut up!" Gerald replied while huffing in need of more air.

Gerald managed to reach the second tree. He relaxed on its branch while catching his breath. His breath was about to come to normal when a loud hissing sound was heard.

He looked down to see a snake jump in the air with its mouth open wide, its venomous fangs out and ready to bite.

Isabella shrieked in fright seeing that. But how did it happen?

Gerald's eyes then slowly moved to his hand. Another drop of his blood fell down and onto the bed of the snakes. Two more long snakes jumped in the air, hissing dangerously.

"Gerald, hold onto your wound." Oscar told.

Gerald unwrapped his wound only to wrap it neatly and cover it completely. He doubted if that would work fine until they get Reznor's hairy dog's snacks.

That thought even sounded ridiculous in Gerald's head.

"I am moving ahead. Isabella come on." Gerald yelled from where he sat.

After resting a minute, he realised that he had no more time for that as his wound was bleeding continuously.

They needed to move ahead and reach back to Malvadogar before the Sunrise.

"Isabella what are you waiting for? Go!" Oscar said in rush.

But Isabella hesitated. She kept looking at the snakes and then at those trees that had burned Gerald's hand. And then she saw the tied rope at the height.

She gulped her saliva down her dry throat. It felt like sandpaper as it had dried with fear, fear of height.

"Erm... Oscar, I think you should go first." She suggested.

But Oscar shook his head in negation. "No Isabella. I need to be the last one if anything goes wrong. I can use my magic as much as possible if needed. Now hurry up."

Isabella's knees shook. Her hands turned clammy as she broke into a sweat.

"No, I mean... look at Gerald. He is not in a good condition. What if he needs any help? I think it will be only better if you go first." She tried again.

Oscar was in dilemma. He looked at Gerald, who was struggling on the rope because of his wounded hand.

"Are you sure you will be alright?" Oscar asked again.

"Yes, of course!" She gave him a fake smile as she was shaking in nervousness from inside.

Oscar was still hesitant, yet he nodded his head at Isabella. Planting a kiss on her forehead, he tightened the straps of his bag that he carried on his shoulders.

He climbed the tree, careful to not touch it directly with his skin. And soon, he was on the rope the same way as Gerald.

By that time, Gerald reached the third tree. But he was so exhausted that he could not find enough energy to climb down that tree safely.

"Gerald wait there. I am coming!" Oscar called him in assurance.

When Oscar reached the second tree, he called Isabella. "Come on, Bella! Climb the tree."

Isabella's heart was beating loudly, and she could hear it pounding it in her ears. She had already prolonged the attempt of the task enough, and she had no more time to buy now that Gerald and Oscar were already on their way.

Mustering up all the courage, Isabella took a deep breath. She slowly and carefully climbed the tree. Reaching on the right branch, she exhaled air through her mouth.

"Good job, Bella! Come on, you can do it!" She mumbled to herself, repeating it again and again.

Seeing that Bella reached on the tree safely, Oscar released a sigh of relief.

Isabella slowly held the rope with her shaky hand. She had seen Gerald and Oscar using their hands and feet effectively to hold onto the rope. She followed their steps while her heart kept jumping in fright every now and then.

"Mrs Payne, we are not here to spend our holidays. Move your heavy body please!" Gerald yelled from the third tree.

Surprisingly he did not get a befitting reply as Isabella's mind was too focused on that rope- her only saviour in this situation. She began pushing herself ahead.

"Good, very good! Come on!" Oscar encouraged her.

"Mr Payne, are you two going to fit on that poor branch together?" Gerald yelled.

Oscar shook his head. "No. Why?"

"Then please mercy on me and move your ass, you fool old man!"

Oscar hated that Gerald had no filters to his mouth and wished to install one with his magic. Just because he was a wizard and a wizard lived for centuries did not mean Gerald could taunt him like that.

After all, he was only three hundred and forty-four years older than Gerald!

Oscar asked Isabella if she was alright, and when she gave him a meek yes, he began to ride to the third tree.

Isabella managed to reach the midway when suddenly she found herself falling down along with the rope.

She screamed in horror and clenched her eyes shut. Her scream made Gerald straighten up in a panic. Oscar paused, pushing himself on the rope as he screamed.

"Bella!!!"

Isabella's breaths came rapidly, her heart felt like jumping out of her chest. She waited for the fangs to pierce her skin and inject their venom into her body. But when nothing happened, she slowly dared to open her eyes.

Sweat dripped from her body as she gasped for air through her mouth. She dared to look down and, screamed again in fear to see the distance between her and the bed of snakes had reduced to mere feet.

"O-Oscar... Oscar save me, please!"

She cried in fear. The part of the rope that Filch had tied on the second tree had loosened.

Oscar was already midway, hanging on the rope. He could not keep holding the rope too long. What if the second knot also loosened, and they both fell down?

He tried reaching his wand, which he had stuck in his shoes. But he could not reach it.

"Oscar, move fast then you can use your wand. Isabella, hold on! Oscar cannot help you immediately. You cannot stay there for long. The knot might get completely untied. So keep moving! Nothing will happen to you, trust me!!" Gerald yelled, directing the other two.

But Isabella was too scared to move even an inch. She cried more. A drop of sweat rolled on her skin and fell down. Gerald watched it in panic.

"Isabella, pull yourself up!" He yelled.

Before Isabella acted on his command, a snake jumped for a bite. Isabella screamed in horror, thinking it was her end.

Fortunately, the snake could not reach her as its remaining body was twisted around the other snakes, which resulted in its short jump.

"Isabella, don't act like a fool and move, move, MOVE!!!" Gerald yelled again.

Filch, who was resting on Gerald's shoulder, ran on the rope than on Oscar's legs and hands to reach the second tree. The niffler watched what it could do, but there was nothing much it could do in that situation.

Filch tried tightening the knot, but it was impossible with Isabella's weight pulling the rope down.

So Filch held onto the rope trying to pull it up, which was fruitless.

It made sounds that meant it was telling Isabella to keep moving.

Isabella mustered up her courage. The adrenaline and the will of living made her push herself beyond her limits.

She began moving forward, and so did Oscar.

She reached the second tree, and Oscar reached the third tree. She sat on the branch, resting her back on the tree trunk as tears kept streaming down her eyes.

"Isabella, come on! You have done a good job now little more. Be careful to not touch the tree directly with your skin." Gerald reminded.

Oscar first helped Gerald to climb down the tree with his magic. He then turned to Isabella and moved his wand in the air. But nothing happened.

"Shit!" He cursed loudly.

That was why he hated such places where his magic did not work at the wrong time.

"Bella, dear, come on. I know you can do it! Please move for me, please!" Oscar said earnestly.

Isabella was not sure if she could do it again, but she could not sit there for long too. Filch was there to encourage her, although she barely understood what it was saying.

She pulled herself together and again held onto the rope after making sure that the second knot was tight enough to bear her weight.

Gerald and Oscar kept encouraging her, and soon she reached the third tree. Oscar had already climbed it down to make room for Isabella to halt.

She then slowly climbed down the tree. As soon as her feet landed on the ground, Oscar ran to hug her. She cried, burying her face in his chest. Her whole body was shaking due to shock.

Filch jumped on Gerald's shoulder. They all sat on the grass while watching those snakes moving around in that confined area. The bed of dry leaves still floated in the air because of Oscar's magic.

Minutes later, when they all calmed down, Oscar asked.

"Do you still think this is all worth it?"

Gerald and Isabella shared a look with a smirk.

"It is all worth a bag of coins!" They said in unison.

They got up and resumed their journey. Oscar moved his wand in the air without looking back, and the bed of the dry leaves again fell down, covering those snakes.

A trap ready to kill the next wanderers.

By the time they reached the hilltop, the Sun had set behind the horizon. The dark night befall on the world, making the place scarier and more eerie than before.

They stopped on the top, but the darkness did not help in the visibility. Gerald moved his wand in a circular motion while chanting a spell.

Isabella watched in awe as fireflies began coming their way. They came in a group of two or three in the beginning, but then more and more fireflies joined them. Their light together illuminated the place in pretty yellowish light.

The sight was so mesmerising that it brought a wide smile to Isabella's face. All the fatigue and her bad experiences were banished in a second as she enjoyed that awestruck sight.

"Well does anyone know which are the right mushrooms?" Gerald asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"I know!" Isabella quipped and ran ahead and into the mesh of various plants and mushrooms of numerous varieties that spread all over the place.

"What the hell you two are doing there? Come on give me your hand!" They heard Isabella's voice.

The two of them looked at each other before groaning exasperatedly but joined her in picking the mushrooms anyway.

*

*

*

"Have you heard about the coming fair?" A maid asked the fellow maid while they picked up the vegetables from the Longhurst mansion's garden.

Ralph Longhurst was a fan of freshly harvested vegetables and thus, he had a large section of his mansion's garden dedicated to growing all of his and his family's favourite vegetables and fruits.

"Of course, I have! Who has not heard about it?! I am very excited to attend that fair!!" The other maid exclaimed.

"It is going to be so much fun! I heard they are also organising a magic show along with the stalls of various games. There will be clowns, shops of dresses, hats and bags.

Oh, God! I get jittery by even thinking about it!" The first maid shrieked in excitement.

"Have you asked Lord Ralph for a day off? I wonder how he is going to allow that because I am sure no person on the Warthford Island wants to work on that day!" The other maid wondered.

That made her friend furrow her brows in thought.

Yes, you are right. But I am sure Lord Ralph will find a way beneficial for all. He is a considerate man. And if not him, then we have Lady Cordelia to present our case. Lord Ralph can never deny his wife's wish!" And the two women giggled.

They had no idea that someone was eavesdropping on their conversation. Theodora was plating a litchi tree that her father had ordered from the mainland. She was never interested in the conversations of these servants, but she also knew that they had some juicy gossip with them.

And when she heard them talking about a fair, she could not help but listen more.

"Lady Theodora, I think we are done here. I am sure these litchies will be so delicious in taste!" Bertha smiled, her honey-coloured eyes twinkled in happiness.

But when she noticed that her mistress, her friend was unattentive to what she said, she put her hand on her shoulder.

"Lady Theodora? What are you thinking?" Bertha asked in confusion.

Theodora blinked her eyes before facing Bertha.

"Bertha, do you know anything about the fair which is being organised in Warthford Island?"

"Oh yes. I have heard so much about it. Everyone is very excited as we do not have many such occassions to have fun with our family and friends. But why are you asking?" Bertha tilted her head in question.

She watched Theodora's face sour. "Then why did not anyone tell me?"

Now Bertha looked concerned. "Erm... I... I don't know?!" She was not sure how to answer that question.

Theodora groaned, clenching her jaw in irritation. She hated how she was never a part of such discussions. But then, she did not like to mingle with those low-class peasants. And the women she called friends were too busy in their married lives or finding a perfect suitor for themselves to bother about these things.

Was she the only specimen of her kind?

Theodora stood up and dusted her hands to remove the soil from her hand.

Bertha could tell she was angry, so she decided to be quiet than bombard her with questions.

Theodora began walking in the direction of her chamber before she inquired. "When is this fair?"

"Erm... after one and a half week... ten days to be precise."

"Alright!"

With that said, Theodora left, leaving behind confused Bertha.