by J E Mueller
We heard a loud crowd of laughter as we neared one of the back rooms on the lower level. Nadia slowed her pace almost to a crawl as we could hear the voices within talk about some silly mishap one of them had earlier.
Nadia frowned and whispered, ‘this way’ as she turned around to go a different direction. My face mirrored hers as we went a different way around. Once we were finally in the room where the different bows and arrows were stored I couldn’t help but ask.
“What was that about?”
Nadia sighed and motioned vaguely around. “Come on, I’m sure you’ve noticed.”
“I’ve noticed a lot of things, but I'm not entirely sure what that particular thing was about.” I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall. Her and the staff seemed to try and sidestep each other a lot.
For a moment Nadia shook her head and grumbled to herself. “They’d obviously rather have nothing to do with me short of keeping up appearances. All laughter dies if I walk by or dare enter a room. They play the long game of being helpful but they would throw me into a pit if it meant they got to be human again.”
I nodded slowly. “Overall, you’re probably right. I’ve seen and heard several talk about trying to break the curse and help you how they can, but most are showing exactly why they are in this mess to begin with. They were party to the problem. They did nothing to prevent what happened in the past.”
“And if I get out of this mess they still go free, whether they helped me or not,” Nadia grumbled, a low growl escaping her lips.
The growling lost its impact too many nights ago. I stared at her, bored.
“Yes, and as a freaking princess, you could just fire them when you’re all human again. I can’t imagine how terrible that would look. Survive a cursed existence only to be let go for continued treachery or whatever.” I shrugged.
“Why do you make it all sound so easy!” She threw up her hands, paws, in exasperation.
“Some things are. Some things aren’t. That one small detail, thankfully, is minor. Getting involved back into society after this? That’s going to be a nightmare,” I admitted.
“Almost not worth it.” Nadia grumbled as she paced the room.
“It’ll be worth it. The fight is just going to be annoying and longer than you want.” I tried to reassure her.
“Like you know anything about the nightmares of society,” Nadia hissed.
I sighed and sank down to the ground. “Sadly, I know a lot about that. Even with all the flipping magic we have at our fingertips, this world is a disaster.”
Nadia glanced my way but I barely caught the motion, my mind playing back too many images unbidden, the words coming forth with them.
“The first time father threatened mother, I went to the police. They did nothing. So, I went to family. They believed me even less.” I shook my head. “It didn’t matter what evidence I brought the second time, or the third. They were shocked, absolutely stunned when she died, Marcus lay bleeding, barely conscious, and I had managed to summon enough magic to encase that monster in a bind.”
I tried to shake the images from my head, but new ones took their place.
“There were several sorries, but I called them out on their inaction. There were several family members that still said I was making it up, trying to pin an innocent man for crimes he couldn’t have committed. They didn’t care that I saw it, that Marcus had the same story nearly word for word.”
I closed my eyes and rested my head against the wall, letting the cool stone soothe me. “Some family came after us for ruining his life. A few are in prison now, but we think there’s still more out there. I like to think I have all their faces memorized. The only family I trust won’t randomly pop up without a call, so it’s easy to spot the bad ones. They’ve only found us two times before we really started to move.”
I shrugged, not sure what else to say or really why I just spilled my guts.
“Monsters are everywhere and society is trash at handling half of them correctly.” I let out a sigh and was surprised to be crushed by a hug. While it didn’t last long, it was more than I was expecting.
I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, but when I finally opened my eyes Nadia was also sitting on the ground next to me. She looked tired, but determined. I wanted to ask what was on her mind, but didn’t exactly feel like talking anymore. I was all conversationed out.
“Let’s go shoot things,” Nadia finally said, once she noticed I was staring at her.
“Gladly.” I got up and actually looked around the room. “So, how does one use these things anyway?”
——Marcus——
It turned out the council of magic wasn't really taking guests for random visits currently. You needed a really good reason to get in. We didn't have time to petition that, so I used my magic and found an open slot to get us an appointment. Of course it took a few days. I hated all the time wasted and hoped Ash was doing okay. She had to be. I at least knew her magic, as much as she hated its unpredictable nature, would keep her safe. If she was upset or scared, it never failed to rise up and I had seen it sparkling in those dungeons. I wished she would have used it at that moment, but I had to trust her gut on this one and try my best to free her.
The council was five and a half hours north east of us. It was just outside one of the bigger cities, but only barely. With the guys in tow, all of us dressed nice enough to at least bluff our way in, we entered the building and checked in. The receptionist looked bored and tired as she clicked away on her computer before motioning for us to sit. The smell of her coffee easily filled the area around her station and I could see a few other cups thrown into a nearby bin. She was bored, probably didn't actually look over any of the meeting things, and probably didn't care if we were the right people or not. Perfect. Hopefully everything went this easily and smoothly.
The minutes ticked by painfully until the receptionist finally called us back. “They’ll see you now.” She gave a short smile and motioned behind her station to the hallway leading toward the part of the room we hadn’t been to yet. “The far back room.” Without anything left to say she picked up her coffee and sipped it, staring mindlessly once more at her screen.
Jon looked over and gave a slight nod as we stood up and headed back silently. This was about to get interesting. None of us said a word as Richard took the lead and knocked on the door just before entering with a wide smile.
“Good afternoon! Thank you for seeing us,” Richard stated as we followed.
The council sat behind a wide half moon table that had an open center in front of it. Opposite the open center there was a long empty table with five chairs. Richard led the way to the free chairs as I took in the people we’d be speaking with. The council at large was made up of a mix of people from all over the globe, however this group was part of the regional council.
“Afternoon,” an older woman with slowly graying hair replied as she motioned for us to sit. Once we did, she continued, “I’m sure you’re all aware that we don’t actually have you on the docket. Otherwise we’d have information on exactly what this was about and your qualifications. Seeing as you somehow bypassed the system, you’ve intrigued us. That’s not something that can be hacked into.”
I wasn’t going to explain the how but I nodded. “We’ll get right to the point then. We don’t want to waste your time.” The woman nodded for me to continue. “We know about the castle, and to make a long and weird story short, my sister is somehow trapped there now. We want her free. Whatever is going on there we don’t want a part of and we’re sure you have your reasons for keeping it hushed.”
The council all looked at one another but didn’t say a word. From the changes in expression and the small, vague gestures, I guessed they were communicating telepathically. I wondered if they all had that ability, used enchanted materials to do so, or if they were all bonded together which would also create that link. Of course, I only knew about that last one thanks to Ash and her obsession with reading and givi
ng me the more useless-to-me information about what she had read.
Either way, I wasn’t about to ask. I was certain they wouldn’t admit to the how anyway. In the long run, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was putting this stupid castle nonsense in the past, after saving Ash of course.
After several minutes of discussing things amongst themselves, the council woman who addressed us first spoke again. “We aren’t sure how this came to be, but there is no reason to doubt your story.” She paused and glanced at the other council members before turning back toward us. “However, this is equally out of our hands. We are no longer in control of the situation. If the Enchantress deems your sister belongs there for any length of time, nothing we do will change that.”
I didn’t know how to process that. I could almost feel my brain short circuiting. “You’re kidding, right?” I asked with a small laugh before continuing, “With enough people anyone can get into there.”
“Only if the Enchantress allows it,” spoke the older gentleman to the right of the first council person.
“I see your frustration and confusion,” a younger member closer to us chimed in. “If you know of it, then you’ve been there. The Enchantress allowed you in and out. Even we-” She motioned around the room. “-have been unable to set foot on those grounds no matter what magic we tried.”
The first council woman nodded. “Indeed. We made a mistake in this situation and have no easy way to remedy it. However, if you were allowed in and out once, maybe there is something more that you could be doing. We won’t discourage you from trying. We just ask that you be careful.”
My mind felt broken. They couldn’t do anything? They could not do a single thing against an Enchantress? They were supposed to be some of the absolute most powerful people of the land. If this was true, then this was not a simple enchantress. They were hiding more facts.
I searched their faces for answers and saw instead strain and tiredness in their features. They weren’t hiding anything. They were only able to admit to what we already knew. Which meant they couldn’t say a single thing about the Enchantress that would help. This was almost more frustrating then not being able to post about this on the forums. Almost more frustrating then when my magic refused to work back in the castle.
I would have to save Ash another way.
I looked over at my friends who seemed to be equally lost in their own thoughts. Turning back to the council I stood and nodded at them. “I will take this as you being magicked from answering more questions.”
The councilwoman nodded once and said no more.
“Thank you for your time then.” I turned and marched from the room. I could hear chairs scrap along the floor as the guys hurried to join me. I had no idea what plan B would be, but it felt like we were already on plan X, Y, and maybe even Z.
The second the fresh air hit my face and the late afternoon sun threatened to blind me, I turned back to the guys, Jon in specific. “That was a bigger waste of time than that day I hacked into your thermostat to mess with your temperatures only to find out you were on vacation.”
Jon gave a tired laugh as we all came to a stop in the middle of the parking lot.
“Right? What the heck did they fuck up so bad that they can’t even fix it?”
“I can try asking around,” Stan commented as he typed away at his phone. “Asking about types of magic and who could cast something like that isn’t exactly off limits. People ask that crap all the time.”
With a nod, Richard and Jon did the same thing. I didn’t. Instead, I tried to glance around, hoping something would come to mind.
“Whatever we do, this Enchantress person would have to allow it. So, even if we built up an army of norms, we still might not stand a chance.”
“What if the Enchantress allows it?” Stan asked as he looked up from his phone. “What if the reason this is happening is because they are tired of performing such big magic. They can’t have the big shots take it down, no, they probably had a point to make there, but if we ‘solve’ it…” Stan did some air quotes before continuing, “Then their work is done and life can resume.”
“To be fair, if someone has this big of magic, it’s unlikely they’re even using much effort to do this.” Richard shrugged. “You could be right, but I think there’s something else going on.”
“Either way, it’s all stupid.” Jon sighed as he pocketed his phone away. “Let’s grab some food and figure out the next steps. There has got to be a solution. Reasonable or otherwise.”
Nodding, I unlocked the car and mentally screamed into the magical void for some inspiration or a flat out answer. I wasn’t ready to give up yet.
Chapter 8
——Astrid——
It awkwardly dawned on me that I was supposed to be a prisoner. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, having just twirled around in an absolutely stunning ball gown. This did not look like the face of a prisoner, and I certainly didn’t act like a captive at all. Anymore, I wasn’t exactly certain what I was.
Part of me was Nadia’s new BFF, her confidant, and the only one actively working on trying to solve things.The other part was her reality check. I had zero issues with putting her in her place, calling her out on her BS and privilege and while there was a lot of resistance to start, she had let up considerably now.
How long had I been here?
It was hard to say. The first week was certainly the most eventful. The second week less so. Was this the end of the third week? The fourth week? Had it been over a month? There was little way to tell time. Meals didn’t exactly vary seeing as they were stuck with the same ingredients day after day. Accidentally skipping meals was easy. A strong desire in me just wanted some good ol’ mac and cheese and nachos. Those weren’t even options.
Marcus would have flipped if he was still stuck here. Though, he might not have made it out of the dungeons. Nadia was still too full of herself and her grief then to think straight. I wasn’t sure how I’d end up after over a year and a half of this. Would I lose myself? I wasn’t likely to end up a target for this level of magic, but when I really considered it, I didn’t like the thoughts that came with it.
Ignoring them, I noticed how quiet the room was and glanced over at Taelyr wasn’t actually snoring.
“You’re awake?” I asked the wardrobe, more surprised than I should have been. At some point in the day she likely had to be awake.
“Indeed. That’s a very pretty dress,” she gushed as best a wardrobe could.
“Thanks.” I smiled back at my reflection before brushing out my hair one final time. The dress wasn’t anything I’d normally consider wearing. The ‘off the shoulders’ feel was weird, but it looked super cute. The burgundy, almost wine dress fit snugly on top, draping into an outstanding puffy ball gown. White lace decorated the bottom in an amazingly intricate pattern and the same style topped the bodice and arms.
“I noticed you haven’t been here much. Not even to sleep,” she commented offhandedly, pulling me from my thoughts.
I shrugged as I thought about it. “No, not really. I think I’ve fallen asleep just about everywhere now. How many sofas and spare beds does one place really need?”
“It’s a reasonable amount for a castle!” she argued back just the same way everyone else had.
I snickered at the predictable reply. “Probably. Either way, where I am at the end of the day is where I usually end up staying. This is so crazy far across the castle and up a million and two stairs.”
“There are not- actually there might as well be. I won’t even try and count all the stairs,” Taelyr relented. I laughed for a moment before she continued. “So, why the fancy gown? It’s really good for your figure. If I had hands… just a few little alterations…”
I felt bad for her, but chose not to focus on what I couldn’t immediately change.
“Nadia was being a brat saying anyone who was someone knows how to ballroom dance. I said anyone who is someone knows how to cha-cha real smooth an
d she didn’t get the reference so I spent too much time going over slides and line dances yesterday.”
The wardrobe sat silently for a moment before replying. “We failed so badly in teaching her common things…” The mock shock of her words made me laugh.
“So yeah, now we’re here. Gotta ballroom dance like you mean it.” I smiled at her before heading to the door. “If all else fails at least I got her to learn how to cha-cha real smooth.”
Taelyr laughed as I left the room and carefully headed down the stairs. I was grateful for the ballet flats but this bushy gown was still hard to walk down stairs in. They became impossible when I saw Nadia at the intersection where the stairs from both sides met.
I froze.
Stunned wasn’t the right word for how I felt. Nadia was of course beautiful, in plain clothes, in sweats, really whatever, and a dress of this caliber only flaunted her curves even more perfectly. It was weird to think of such a thing, seeing as she was transformed into part beast, but all things considered animals were adorable so why not?
“Shall we?” I gave her a confident smirk as I continued down the stairs.
“Y-yes,” she replied less confidently, but descended the stairs with more grace than I could until we met in the middle. “Let’s show you how to properly dance.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Oh no! A form of dance I have yet mastered. I’ll get there faster than you did with yesterday's shenanigans.” I looped my arm around hers and we continued down.
“Uh huh. Bold words for someone who was too terrified to try heels.” Nadia grinned.
“Not terrified. I know my limits and shoes weren’t meant to have mini stilts,” I argued back trying not to laugh.
The banter continued into the ballroom, which was fairly empty. The vaulted ceilings were painted with enchantments that played out scenes from fairytales. I could see the swan princess on one side and red riding hood on another. I glanced slowly up to see the little mermaid above me. The scenes stopped just before the middle where an elaborately huge chandelier hung down, branching over and down like a tree. I barely noticed Nadia walk over to the wall where a stereo system was set up and press the play button. The ballroom music instantly started to play its nice and spellbinding melody. It was oddly familiar but took me more than a second to place it. It was something I had only heard from time to time looking for random playlist music that was good for studying.
