King Roland almost never left his little office. His faithful Steward, Baileywick always saw to his privacy. For official functions he would go to the throne room or the great hall. The reception of a new Ambassador usually involved a great deal of pomp and circumstance. Less so since Queen Miranda's death.
In this case Roland sat on his throne, flanked by Prince James; neither of whom looked particularly excited. Notably absent was princess Sofia. In truth she was listening with Prince Hugo, at the edge of a hallway in the back corner of the throne room; a hallway that was obscured by ornate cloths and Tapestries that gave embiance to the thrones.
Baileywick stood at the opposite end of the throne room near the double doors. He said in a loud and clear voice.
"Announcing the arrival of His Excellency, Andreas Mulenik, Ambassador of the Republic of Russivia."
Two guards opened the double doors leading into the throne room. Through the doors came a small procession of dignitaries led by Mulenik in a humble black coat and vest, with a white cravat. He walked carefully, with care put into every step. Flanking him to his right was a young man in a Russivian Colonel's uniform.
"My first cousin," mumbled Hugo to Sofia, his eyes fixed on Mulenik, a calm anger in his voice.
"I remember him from that night, he led the rebels into the castle," Replied Sofia.
Behind him were assorted men in coats, vests, and cravats, and women in formal dresses. When Mulenik and the Colonel arrived at the foot of the steps leading up to the thrones, they gave a polite but informal head-bow-almost a nod-to King Roland and Prince James.
"Your Excellency," said Roland with a flat affect, "I welcome you and your delegation to the Kingdom of Enchancia."
"Your Majesty," replied Mulenik with a polite smile. He produced a large scroll and handed it to Baileywick who had by now arrived at the foot of the throne. Baileywick handed the scroll to the king.
"I present my credentials to you on behalf of the Supreme Council of the People's Republic of Russivia and present myself as the Russivian People's representative to your kingdom."
"I accept your credentials, your excellency," said Roland without unrolling the scroll. "Mr. Baileywick will escort you to your embassy in the Castle."
"Thank you sire," said Mulenik with a polite headbow.
"This way please," said Baileywick.
The delegation was escorted to the same room in which the Russivian Government in Exile had met previously. Mulenik's people immediately began setting the room up with flags of the Republic, desks and file cabinets.
"Would your excellency like to accompany me to his quarters?" Asked Baileywick.
"Thank you," said Mulenik. The young Colonel approached to join them, "You can remain here, Comrade."
The Colonel nodded. Baileywick and Mulenik walked uncomfortably together through the castle corridors.
"Mister Baileywick," Mulenik Began, "What protocol would I follow if I wished to speak with a member of the Royal Family?"
"Which member?"
"I have a matter to bring to the attention of the Protector of the Ever Realm."
The two continued to walk.
"If I may be perfectly honest, sir, I doubt that she'd want to see you."
"I imagine not, just tell her that I have information vital to the survival of the entire Ever Realm, and that it has to do with the Circle of Two-Three-Five. I think she'll know what I mean."
Baileywick's affect continued as flat as ever.
"I'll pass your message, sir, but I wouldn't expect anything."
"Thank you, Mr. Baileywick."
The two arrived at Mulenik's quarters. To his delight he had a view of the harbor.
"If his Excellency requires anything, he is free to avail himself of the Castle Staff.
"Thank you, Mr. Baileywick, I'm alright for now."
Baileywick nodded and left. Mulenik walked quickly, excitedly to the window. He threw it opened and gazed at the sea. Russivia was landlocked and he had only rarely seen the ocean. He took a deep breath. The sea air was everything he had hoped. He couldn't wait to actually get out on the ocean. He planned to charter a schooner as soon as possible.
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"He wants to speak to me!" Said sofia in surprise.
"He said he had a matter to bring to your attention," Answered Baileywick. "He said it was vital to the survival of the Ever Realm."
Baileywick, Sofia, and Hugo were in Sofia's bedroom, the same one she had when she first arrived at the castle.
"He's a manipulativeSukin syn!" Said Hugo. "I don't know what he wants but I say ignore him."
"I'm afraid I'm inclined to agree with his Majesty, King Hugo," Said Baileywick, the symbolism of Baileywick's referring to Hugo as "King," in spite of Enchancia's change of heart was not lost on Hugo and Sofia, "Nevertheless he did say that his business had something to do with, Oh what was it, 'The Circle of Two-Three-Five.'"
Sofia took a deep breath. Part of her felt a desperate resignation, she had hoped she had more time.
"Do you know what that means, your highness?" Asked Baileywick.
Sofia turned and walked to look out the window of her room. From her room she could see the treehouse/ship that she and her brother and sister played in as children, in the distance she saw the sea, almost a perfect blue as the sun slowly began its journey toward the western horizon.
She suddenly turned and walked toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Asked Hugo.
"To see Cedric."
"Cedric?"
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Cedric enjoyed being alone with his work. He found Wormwood's absence most helpful in fact. Today he was working on a spell to increase soil fertility. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
The door opened.
"Ah Princess Sofia," said Cedric excited.
The two of them embraced.
"Hello Cedric."
"It's been a long time, please come in, I have some tea on the stove…"
"What is The Circle of Two-Three-Five?"
Cedric sighed. He paused as if unsure of how to answer.
"I'm not sure I know how to answer that, Princess."
"You are a member."
Cedric nodded.
"That doesn't mean that I know as much as you may think."
Cedric turned and went back to his book.
"Cedric I have to know."
"Hundreds of centuries ago, before the formation of the Mystic Isles and the introduction of what we call 'magic,' to our world, the ancients used science to build unimaginable machines. They cultivated what might be called the magic of nature around them to harness energy and build massive civilizations."
Cedric walked to a drawer, opened it and pulled out a grey circular piece of metal with the numbers "2068" carved into it. He set in on a table in the center of the room.
"This small piece of metal would have made the ancients very ill were they not wearing protection," said Cedric. "After the Apocalypse, their remaining descendants, our ancestors, developed an immunity to whatever it is that this metal gives off, and from it, magical abilities. Somehow, and I don't know how, it created the Mystic Isles, the origin of all magic in the Ever Realm"
"What is it?"
"We don't know it's name, all we know is that it has something to do with the letter 'U.' There are at least two types of 'U:' Two-three-eight, and two-three-five." We have no idea what those numbers mean, what we do know is that this," cedric was touching the metal disc on his table, "is U-Two-Three-Eight. The ancients used it to harness energy to power their civilizations. Cared for properly it was quite harmless to them, as long as they protected themselves against whatever it is about it that caused them sickness. To us, it's mostly useless."
"What is Two-Three-Five?"
Cedric sighed.
"Two-three-Five was used to build weapons beyond the imagination of the most powerful sorcerer, weapons capable of leveling entire cities in an instant, and poisoning any who had the misfortune of surviving. The ancients used these weapons to destroy their entire civilization in a war their first descendants called 'the Apocalypse.'"
Sofia's mind turned to the terrifying images the library showed her, images of bodies of men, women, and children, burning alive.
"What is the Circle of Two-Three-Five."
Cedric looked almost as distraught as did Sofia.
"A Secret Society that my father didn't allow me into until well after he knew that I could be trusted with not taking over Enchancia. My mother still knows nothing about it. The Circle of Two-Three-Five is an organization of the most trustworthy Sorcerers, Merlin founded it. The ancients' earliest descendants claimed that there was a last weapon somewhere, in it are the building blocks for these terrible weapons. The circle is dedicated to preventing anyone from obtaining U Two-Three-Five or learning its secrets."
Sofia realized that the library showed her exactly where the last weapon was, underneath her very library. She elected not to tell Cedric, just yet, that she knew where it was, not that she didn't trust him, just that she didn't want to complicate matters before she had to. She understood now that, while she did not trust Mulenik, she had to hear him out.
"Thank you, Cedric."
"Sofia," said Cedric and then paused, "I don't know your business as Story Keeper or Protector, but if your mission has anything to do with the last weapon, I can only imagine that we are all in grave danger."
Sofia nodded, and left the tower.
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Ambassador Mulenik's quarters in the castle was filled with books and model ships displayed prominently. Mulenik sat at his desk, still painting the same parts he had been working on the night before. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
In came the young Colonel flanked by Princess Sofia, a look of disgust on her face.
The Ambassador continued painting, "Thank you, Comrade Colonel Polyinin, you're dismissed."
The colonel saluted and left, shutting the door behind him. The ambassador set his brush in a bowl of water, stood up and approached Sofia carefully.
"Thank you for coming," he began in near-amazement, he acted as if he was repressing the desire to overwhelm Sofia with questions, "Sofia the First, Grand Duchess of Dunwiddie, Storykeeper of the Secret Library, don't worry I won't ask where it is, and High Protector of the Ever Realm," his voice was genuinely impressed. "I'm sorry but it's just such an honor to meet you, my wife has told me everything, and I'm kind of a fan."
Part of Sofia's mind registered curiosity when he said "my wife," but she dismissed it.
"I wish I could say the same about you."
There was a slight pause.
"I can imagine how you might say that," said Mulenik only slightly disheartened, "The last time we encountered one another it was not under the best of circumstances."
Sofia was calm but her anger definitely came through in her words.
"You murdered my mother, and my fiance's family."
At this, Mulenik's heart sank. He looked down at the floor before regaining his composure.
"It's more complicated than that."
Sofia smirked, she had all the power in this conversation.
"Mass murderers almost never accept responsibility for their actions, your no different, three hundred and fifty nine people died that night because you led the rebels into the castle."
"You're right," said Mulenik to Sofia's surprise. "But in my experience, Royals almost never accept responsibility for the way their policies impact their people. Do you know how many people died in the Russivian Famine? Quite a bit more than died in the castle that night, did that stop my uncle from continuing to collect his crippling taxes? From throwing parties while his people starved?"
"You can justify it all you want…"
"You misunderstand me, princess, I'm not justifying anything, no one can ever justify death or war, and the Castle that night is the least of the horrible things I'm guilty of in the name of the Republic, and I have to live with that, and it does hurt."
"Good."
"Have you ever been to war, Princess?"
"Yes."
"No, you've fought villains of pure evil on an individual level; things are much simpler in that case. Killing Vor makes no difference to you, you can just go back to the graduation party, nobody bats an eye because She's irredeemably evil; I'm talking about real war where hundreds, no thousands of people take the field, half of them shooting at you. You've never experienced that; no one in Enchancia has in two centuries. You don't know the confusion, the mess of it all, and the reality that your enemies are not always horrible, evil people."
"You killed my mother, I will not allow you to lecture me!"
"I didn't bring you here to lecture you."
"Why did you bring me here!? What do you want!?"
"I didn't kill your mother."
"Stop it!"
"I didn't kill the Royal Family!"
"Stop it!"
"I wasn't there when your mother died and I have no idea how Hugo's parents and brothers died, it was war."
"That doesn't justify anything!"
"Fair enough!"
There was a pause.
"Look, I have a message for you. You don't like me? I don't blame you! You don't trust me? Fair enough! But you HAVE to hear what I have to say or three hundred and fifty nine deaths will be just the beginning."
"Deliver your message."
"It's from my wife."
Sofia gave him a look that communicated "so what?"
"You don't remember?" He asked, surprised. "I guess there really was a lot of confusion that night. Stll, I can't believe you didn't recognize her when she came into that hall."
"Who?"
"Her given name from when she was born in Russivia is Ariana Karamova; when her mother and she moved to Enchancia they changed their names to something more common around here. You know her as Lucinda."
Sofia really was stunned. She had not heard from Lucina in five years, ever since she and her mother left Enchancia. Now that she thought about it she did remember that Lucinda went back to Russivia. She felt ashamed that she didn't recognize her that night.
"Lucinda and I married three months before I left to come here. She became an assistant to the Russivian Royal Sorcerer, Seraphim Sarov. The two of them traveled the countryside. She became keenly aware of the suffering of our people. She joined the rebellion long before I did. That's where we met, and fell in love. She always spoke so highly of you. She believed you would come around to support the revolution, once convinced."
There was a pause. Mulenik looked genuinely uncomfortable, but continued, "She made a mistake, she trusted the wrong people."
"I'll say."
"She sought help from the Order of the Wand."
At this Sofia was enraged.
"The same people who tried to overthrow my father."
"They did more than that, they almost overthrew half the kingdoms of the Ever Realm before they were finally stopped. Morgana and Baron Von Rocher were hanged in Corinthia and the rest of them scattered. But over time they found ways of reconnecting, and they made common cause with us and with other republican movements across the Ever Realm."
Sofia shook her head in disbelief.
"But it was all a sham," Mulenik continued, "one which, I'm sorry to say, many of our comrades in other countries have yet to see. They used our movement to overthrow what Monarchies they could, but once they tried to take over the Republic of Russivia, they were revealed for who they were."
"Where are they now?"
"We don't know; it's just Grimtrix and Greylock now, the others were killed. We know they are looking for the Wicked Tenth."
"The Wicked Tenth?"
"The Wicked Nine were recovered when Vor was killed, but there is a tenth, recovered by the Royal Sorcerer of the Southern Isles. This sorcerer, an ally of Hans, the youngest son of the King there, imbued this object with the same evil magic that claimed the wicked nine."
"What is this object?"
"We don't know, what we do know is that Grimtrix and Grelock want it in connection with their plans to recover the last weapon."
"Hence your invocation of two-three-Five."
"Yes."
"How do you know all of this."
"Because Lucinda and I all but led them to it."
"You did what?"
"We thought that, with the power of the Last Weapon we could establish Republicanism in the Ever Realm, create freedom merely through fear of its destructive potential."
At this Sofia was truly enraged; more at Lucinda than Mulenik, she truly believed that her friend was better than this.
Mulenik Continued, "We never had any intention of using the weapon, just the fear it generated."
"And you all-but-led the Order of the Wand right to the last Weapon capable of destroying entire cities."
At this, Mulenik was truly ashamed.
"We didn't get very far. Now we and the Order of the Wand are racing to be the first to find the wicked Tenth. We don't know where the wicked Tenth is, neither does the Order of the Wand, but we do know who might."
"Who?"
"Prisma was quite stupid in trusting Vor, but she was intelligent enough to keep some things from her. Afterall, Prisma wasn't interested in helping Vor, but in empowering herself. Her Narcissism ironically may have saved us all. In her search for the Wicked Nine that Vor knew about, she learned of the Wicked Tenth. Wanting to have some insurance against Vor, she hid the locket that imprisoned Vor and set out to find it on her own."
"What makes you think she knows where it is?"
"Because she found it, and is the reason it's lost presently. She stole it from the Royal Sorcerer of the Southern Isles, and hid it somewhere, we don't know where. At least that's what he told us when our Arendell Comrades captured him, unfortunately he wouldn't say what the object was. And we don't have access to the Mystic Isles to verify any of this."
"But I do."
"Precisely."
Sofia turned to leave.
"Will you help us?" asked Mulenik, an air of desperation in his voice.
Without turning back to face him, Sofia asked, "what do you plan to do when you find the Wicked Tenth?"
"Destroy it, we have no more interest in finding an ultimate weapon."
There was a pause.
"I wish I could believe that."
"You will, when the time comes."
Sofia left the room. Mulenik sighed, returned to his desk, and resumed painting.