"Be a dear and fetch my slippers for me, Hamilton." Gertrude said, having trouble keeping her ladylike posture from turning into a slump. What a grueling trip it had been back into town. All kinds of woodland creatures were scurrying about, apparently sent into a frenzy about that slow moving swamp monster.

Why would you do that? A fiery little pixie had asked, tiny face turning purple with rage. Gertrude had also received a nasty sting from a passing fae hornet, been swept up by a giant and thrown into yet another lake, and to top it all off, leeches had latched themselves onto her arms from said lake. It had taken quite a bit of time to wrench them off. 

"Here you are, my lady." Her butler said respectfully, resting her satin slippers next to her bare feet. Gertrude sighed with relief as she slipped into them. Her poor, dainty feet. What an ordeal. 

"We must leave this town soon, Hamilton. I simply cannot bear staying here a moment longer." 

Hamilton bowed his head.

"Of course, your grace. Shall I fetch your supper or would you rather have me prepare the carriage?" He asked. Gertrude tilted her head back, staring up at the rotting cieling with disgust. How dreadful this place was. This was the 'master suite', apparently. It was barely the size of her washroom back at mummy's. 

She sighed. The trials she had to face were proving to be too much for her.

"Fetch the carriage. I cannot wait to leave this town in the dust." She replied. As Hamilton bowed himself out of the room, Gertrude rose to her feet, drawing her silk robe around her tighter than before. The chill in the air was felt even through the crudely padded walls. Why these people decided to live like hermits was beyond her understanding. What she wouldn't give to have a hot bath and a bed with actual swan feathers. She'd even take a goose feather one.

After a while of waiting around for her servant, she gave a large, irritated 'hmmph', heading out the door. Where was that man? Did he expect her to to pack her own things?

"Hamilton? Hamilton this really isn't very professional of you, darling." She called, not caring if the others residing in that crumbling whorehouse heard her. It was very silent, as was expected at two in the morning. The festivities in the town square had finally ended, only to have it begin bright and early at six once again. The Skull Festival. How adorable. Though she supposed the nasty peasants needed some form of entertainment.

"Hamilton!" Gertrude said once more, exiting out through the side door of the inn. It was situated right next to the bar, where the old man was nowhere to be seen. She hadn't even bothered to look for him and berate him for sending her on that fool's mission. All she wanted was to go home and wallow in self pity.

As she turned the corner, she saw that Hamilton was dead. 

"Oh dear." She murmured, nudging him to see if he was indeed gone. Yes. 

As her vision slowly improved in the darkness, she made out another prone form next to his body. The creature seemed to have also taken a swim somewhere, for it's skin was no longer hidden under a hundred layers of mud. Now there were only a few layers, and a spot of blue skin here and there. The mess of fuzz that was it's head was once again face down in the mossy ground. 

"Inkeep! There is a dead body out here!" Gertrude called to the man inside. For a moment, no one came, but she heard footsteps soon enough, and a couple poked their heads out the door, confused.

"Oh my!" The woman squealed as she saw Hamilton, and her lover shielded her from view, staring at Gertrude like she was a rare bird. Of course he was, no man was every able to withstand the force of her beauty. She could barely fault him.

"What happened here?" The raspy voice belonged to the inkeep, who had finally emerged from whatever hole he had retreated to. Gertrude pointed to the two bodies, saying promptly.

"This creature killed my butler. I expect you to bring it to justice."

"What creature?" The inkeep grumbled, confused. Then understanding made his face light up, and he asked.

"Is that the Kelpie?" 

"The kelpie!" Came the terrified yelps from the couple, and they stumbled back a few steps, scared out of their wits. 

"More like a sloth demon. The thing took two hours to walk a mile." Gertrude sniffed,"Besides, you were the one to give me that terribly written spell."

"Yes, well, I didn't expect you to actually believe me." The inkeep muttered, hand creeping into his pocket. No doubt to finger the weighty sum she had given him for his faulty magic.

They all simultaneously looked back at the snoozing bog rat. It had not moved a single inch.

"No matter. Just take care of it before I have you arrested for fraud." Gertrude told him," And send one of your lot up to my quarters to help me pack."

The three had the nerve to look on her with distaste, and before Gertrude could give them the tongue-lashing of their life, two hands seized her waist, fingers digging into the tender flesh as the creature rose up behind her, using her body to drag itself up from the ground. 

"Return me....to my swamp...." It murmured, barely audible even if it was right behind her. Rat dung and horse fleas, she would never be able to wash the stench from her robe. 

"You can find your own way, creature." She huffed, seeing that the three low lives had scattered as soon as they saw it move.

It's grip had still not loosened from around her waist, and she gave a small cry as it began to drag her along, toward the trees. What a fantastic burst of energy.

"I say, unhand me you daft clod of beetle dung! Do you know who I am?" She screeched.

"If you do not come....I will destroy....this village...." It said, and Gertrude realized for the first time that she had been suspended in the air, held there as easily as a small child. Well, it was no surprise. She was a picture of daintiness. A pinnacle of feminine grace. No wonder it was easy to lift her.

"I wouldn't care, to be perfectly frank with you."

It, very slowly, shifted her in it's grip, making her turn to face it.

"I like....this...." It got out after a long yawn, tilting it's head to stare at the pendant dangling in the air a foot from it's nose.

"Why, thank you. That is a very kind thing to say. Didn't expect such appreciation from the lies of you, if you don't mind me saying."

There were a few moments of the expected silence. Gertrude began to swing her legs gently back and forth, quite enjoying the feeling of weightlessness.

"What....offer....?" It asked. 

"Creature. I simply cannot do it. I do not have the tools!" Gertrude said, exasperated,"If the spell worked as it should, I would have become a god. But it simply was not meant to be, I suppose." She ended with a sigh, and it looked up at her, eyes still as dead as before.

"Oh."

Silence. 

She was not surprised. 'Twas normal at this point.

"Try."

It spoke. Gertrude's head once more turned skyward, silently praying to whatever holy being up there to give her patience.

"I see that you are still unconvinced, and seeing that I have left my bauble in my quarters, I am at your mercy." 

She knew she should have taken it downstairs with her. That ring was the source of her witch powers, her very core. 

"Lead on."