I may add more to this chapter later on. Word count is 33,946

Maddock, Jordaan, and Timothy continued their planning as the authors worked out all the details for their picnic. When they day finally dawned Maddock was more excited about it then Sybil. He nearly drug her to the park, they were the first one’s there, soon followed by Katie and Kallen.
Sybil hugged Katie and giggled excitedly. Maddock grinned at his number one fan and with a sweeping bow asked, “How are you Katie?”
Katie grinned. “I am doing well Maddock, how are you?”
“I would be better if a certain someone stopped tormenting me,” Maddock looked sideways at Sybil who just rolled her eyes.
Katie shook her head and hooked her arm through Maddock’s. “You can stay with me today then, I will keep you safe!”
Sybil shook her head. “Poor Maddock, hiding behind a girl!
Katie nearly glared. “You be nice to him Sybil! The poor man has been through enough already!”
Maddock grinned. “Thank you Katie, if only you were my author.”
Kallen looked at Maddock as though he was insane while Katie said, “I can’t be your author, but I will be the next best thing, I will be your sister!”
Maddock’s face brightened and he said, “Oh! That is great, as you know I only have brothers! I have always wanted a sister, and you are the best sister anyone could ask for!”
And so, Katie and Maddock adopted each other, and if having a character for a brother was weird, it was only to get weirder.
Pip showed up a little later with her uncle who unloaded the boat. Once he had it in the pond he bade them all good by, telling them to have fun. The others had arrived by then and were eagerly waiting to go out in the boat.
“Who should row us?” Sarah asked. She was probably wishing her Prince Charming would but everyone knew he was not there.
The boys all looked at each other, and deciding to play the gentlemen agreed to take turns rowing the boat. And so, the fun began. Jules of course took out his first mate and his brother, and they rowed about the lake plundering other ships. Mark stood in the bow and laughed evilly, telling Jules where all the ships were.
While they were out in the water Sybil walked around the lake with Justyne and Hanz. Under one of the trees Jane and Katie where sitting talking in low voices. Christina sat with them, listening to all they said though not saying much in return. Sam was talking to R.K., who actually seemed to being somewhat kind.
Pip was talking to Gabrielle and Beth while listening to Mariella yell at Mark, telling him to not rock the boat or he would dump everyone into the pond.
Gabrielle giggled at her and said, “You are a good mummy Mari!”
From one of the trees Ness and Rose laughed at Mariella’s expression as Laura looked up from her book and grinned.
“Mariella? A mummy?” Joy asked. “But she is planning world domination!”
“Yes but she is always looking after us, like a mummy!” Gabrielle was enjoying herself. “She is our Mari-mummy!”
Mariella grinned and said, “And if anyone does not behave I will strike them with lightening! WAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Gabrielle hid behind Beth. “Mari-mummy is scaring me!” she wailed.
By that time Sybil, Justyne, and Hanz had rounded the lake and were walking toward the tree Katie, Jane, and Christina were under. That was when Sybil made the fatal mistake of saying, “It would be rather easy to kill him.”
Katie’s head shot up and her eyes landed on Sybil who suddenly felt like a cornered deer in the hunter’s sights. Hanz and Justyne followed her gaze and both understood. Katie looked over at Maddock who looked a little worried, though he of course was just doing it for show, and Sybil knew she was a goner.
Maddock turned to look at the pond, an evil sneer spread over this lips and he would have laughed like Mariella had no one been around at that moment.
The fun really started a few minutes before lunch, when Sybil and Sarah decided they want to row the boat alone. Most everyone stood on the bank to watch them, it was well worth it.
Sarah sat in the front of the boat while Sybil took the back. They pushed out and with no skill at all plunged their oars into the water and set about rowing, in circles. Try as they might they could not get the boat to go straight. They tried to match their speed, tried to dip their oars in and different times, and only succeeded in making the others laugh till they could barely stand.
By lunch time they had only managed to nearly make themselves sick. As the others helped them back to the edge of the pond Alex said, “Once we are done eating someone will have to show you know to really row!”
“I can really row!” Sybil exclaimed.
Sarah rolled her eyes. “You can’t row half as well as Aragorn!”
Sybil shook her head and said, “Then I will be sure and get him next time for you!”
Sarah giggled. “Okay.”
After lunch Alex offered to row for a bit. Sybil talked with the others for a bit and then took to walking around the pond again. Over head the warm summer sunshine was shinning down from a deep blue sky. The warm breeze blew across the pond and wafted over Sybil, gently playing with her hair and seeming to whisper in her ears.
She was so distracted by the sights and smells of summer she failed to notice the figure creeping up behind her. Slipping out of the trees the barefooted girls moved closer to Sybil, not making a sound as she crossed they grass. Five more feet and she would be upon her unsuspecting victim.
One moment Sybil was on the grass bank, they next she was surprised to find herself flying though the air, and landing in the pond with a huge splash. Sybil came up fighting, splashing and trying to grab whoever had pushed her in, but all she found as air.
Opening her eyes she looked up and was surprised to see Katie and Maddock standing above her. Katie had her hands on her hips and a scolding look on her face, Maddock looked like he was trying not to laugh.
Sybil rubbed water out of her eyes and demanded, “What was that for?”
“No one threatens my brother and gets away with it!” Katie cried as she cast Sybil her best attempt of a glare.”
Sybil climbed out of the water glaring at Maddock, muttering, “Rotten, revolting character.”
Katie giggled and offered Sybil a hand up. Sybil grabbed her friend’s hand and allowed Katie to help her out.
“Promise you won’t threaten my brother any more?” Katie asked as Sybil wrung water out of her dress.
Sybil looked at her wayward character and muttered, “I will do my best to refrain myself.” She then walked off trying to dry off her dress and hair.
Maddock bit his bottom lip to keep the smile from appearing on his lips. Oh yes, this was going better then he had hoped. He looked over at Timothy and Jordaan, both of whom were awaiting his word. He gave the signal a little later when it was Sybil and Justyne’s turn to go out in the boat.
“I will row them,” Hanz offered and Maddock could not help but grin. Yes, this was just what he was hoping for!
Hanz, Justyne, and Sybil had just piled into the boat when Maddock came running up with Timothy and Jordaan. “Can we come?” Maddock asked hopefully.
The three friends looked at each other and Justyne said, “Of course you can!”
Maddock grinned, and it did look like a genuine grin, as he and the other two piled into the boat. Hanz, who was sitting in the middle, grabbed the oars and set out while Sybil looked rather warily at the three characters. She always felt certain nervousness around revolting characters.
Maddock was sitting in the stern of the boat with Jordaan; Timothy was sitting at the bow. For a long while they rowed about in peace while enjoying the bright summer day. None of them said much, they just enjoyed the stillness and the peaceful lapping of the waves against the side of the boat. However this was not to last.
Just when the authors where fully wrapped in the stillness and tranquility of the scene, something started to happen to the boat. It began to rock back and forth, and before anyone realized what was going on the boat flipped, spilling them all. Sybil gasped as for the second time that day she found herself in the pond, only this time she had been thrown in by Maddock!
The moment Sybil’s eyes landed on him she swam after him, trying to yell and swim at the same time, and only managing to get her mouth filled with water. Maddock reached the back first and sought out his sister as Justyne and Hanz pulled the boat to the bank. Timothy and Jordaan had wisely vanished.
Prinz ran to the bank and helped Justyne and Hanz out. “Where is he?” Prinz asked. “Tell me where he is and I will make that boy regret he ever messed with you Hanz!”
Hanz smiled. “Do not worry about him Prinz; I can take care of him later on.”
Justyne grinned as well as she began to plan a way for have her revenge.
Meanwhile Sybil was trying to find a way to get Maddock away from Katie long enough to get back at him for his sneaky trick, or pond dunking. Little did she know Katie was watching every move she made, she was even going so far as recruiting Jane.
Meanwhile, it is hard for villains such as R.K. to sit back and watch all the evil proceedings and not jump in on the fun, and this is just what R.K. did, in his own evil way.
It really started when Hanz and Sybil were sitting under one of the many trees and Hanz said, “You really have to do something about him, he is really starting to rebel. At this rate he will pull all your other characters with him!”
Sybil shook her head gravely.
“You really should kill him,” Hanz said again, only this time that she did not dare tell anyone, even Hanz, for fear that Katie would be close by.
Sybil looked all about her, but seeing no one let herself relax a bit as she continued to work out her plan in her mind.
“You really must do something,” Hanz was still pressing for Maddock’s demise.
Sybil grinned at the thought of such a thing and once more Maddock felt nervous. Though he calmed down when he saw Katie slipping through the trees. She would stop Sybil, and when she did Maddock would find a way to honor her, maybe give her a medal.
Hanz stood up and stretched his legs; he walked over near the pond. Sybil lay down in the glass and closed her eyes. She quickly opened them when she heard a splash and sitting up looked around to see what she had missed. She heard a sputtering and ran to the pond.
On reaching it Sybil was amazed to see Katie had pushed Hanz it. “Be nice to Maddock or else!” she said as she looked down at the boy.
“Katie!” Sybil gasped as Hanz climbed out onto the bank.
“He started it!” Katie said and with that she turned and walked off with Maddock.
Sybil watched them go and muttered, “He is not going to let me live this one down!”
Hanz glared at him and cast Sybil a meaningful glance. She was reminded of her new plan, but could she do it? It would work well with the stories, but could she do it?
A few days later Sybil came running out into the yard and surprised everyone by grabbing Katie and Jane’s hands and spinning them around the yard while cutting an odd little jig.
“What happened?” Jane asked with a giggle.
Katie laughed and danced with Sybil even though she did not know the reason for her friend’s joy.
“I did it!” Sybil laughed gleefully. “I killed Reid!” She called out to everyone.
A hearty cheer sounded and Hanz threw more paper he had torn to bits. Reid was dead!
“How did you do it?” R.K demanded and so Sybil read the scene, telling how Maddock and fought the man and in the end had dagger into the man’s throat.
“Gruesome!” Joy said with wide eyes.
Katie and Jane grinned. Both were happy beyond words that the villain was finally dead. Gabrielle was the one who really took everyone off guard when she cried out in agony, “How could you?”
 “How could I want?” Sybil asked her green eyes wide.
“How could you kill Reid?” Gabrielle demanded.
“He was an evil bad guy!” Katie exclaimed.
“He was misunderstood!” Gabrielle glared at them. “He should have lived!”
“He was a purely evil man and Maddock killed him!” Katie said, her eyes were glowing.
“He could have turned good!”
“No he couldn’t! He tried to kill Maddock after all!”
Sybil watched, wide eyed, as Reid was argued over, in the end Katie said she was going to push Gabrielle into the pond and Gabrielle said if Katie did that then she would pull her in after her. The matter was never fully agreed upon before they had to move on. And though the whole meeting Gabrielle and Katie kept glaring at each other, and Sybil had a feeling she had started a war, if only she knew.
Maddock obviously was enjoying the whole thing, anything that brought attention upon him he liked. All these adoring girls were going right to his head.
However, by then Theobald was starting to see what was going on and felt that it was time he stood up for his author though he had no idea how he was to do that. How did one stand up for one’s author?
As Theobald pondered this, the time came closer to when Maddock would try and take matters into his own hands. He smiled as he thought about his plan. This was going to be easy, so easy! In fact it was almost going to be too easy, even kind of boring.
However, it was not over yet, and as Maddock thought about it he thought about all the things he could do. But first he had to gather more of the others to his side, and that was not going to be easy with some. Not that he was too worried, he was Maddock after all!
Rubbing his hands together Maddock went in search of Jordaan, knowing Jordaan would help him.

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