Izetta: Fall From Grace
Chapter 6: Change of Plans
11 May 1941
The metal door creaked open in its usual melody. Izetta stirred from the cell's bed upon the signal.
"Izetta?" A tender voice said as the light shined down into the cell.
Everytime she visits, Izetta always had a hard time believing it was actually her. "Archduchess!" Izetta cried, jumping up wanting to hug her tightly, but she restrained herself.
Finé smiled, "Hello Izetta, how are you?" Her face bringing a new brightness inside the cell. She had a few bags on her, holding various of contents for her friend.
"Oh, uh… good!" Izetta flustered. She never seem to get in control of herself with the Archduchess around, especially in these visits of short-notice. Izetta sat up on her bed, putting the book she was reading down under the bed, alongside all the other books she's finished and haven't given away yet. Her long hair swung around as she got up, the strands whipped around her face. She staggered as she tried to keep them under control.
"Your hair has grown very long, Izetta…" Finé almost snickered at Izetta's clumsiness.
"Y-yeah… it is," Izetta twirled her finger on a bunch. Izetta eyed at Finé's hair going all the way to her waist; while beautiful, she just couldn't see herself dealing with all that. "Not really sure if I want to keep it this way…"
"I can get it cut if you want," Finé said as she sat by Izetta's side on the lonesome bed.
"Oh n-no! You don't have to!"
"Don't worry Izetta, I have the whole day with you today so you don't have to worry about wasting my time," Finé donned her irresistible smile again as she reached into a paper bag she brought along with her. "Now, I brought along some pastries straight from the bakery. Would you like some?"
A gnawing thought remained in Izetta to not trouble the Archduchess. She surely must be busy trying to put up Elystadt's place in the Allies against Germany.
However, those pastries do look delicious… And so Izetta relented.
The accommodation of the cell must've been embarrassing in comparison to anywhere else in the prison they could've met in, but Finé stayed with Izetta inside the cell. Finé opened a paper bag towards Izetta and she looked inside. The first that knocked her was the smell of freshly baked goods.
"Wow, how did you get this?" Izetta stared inside with a renewed appetite.
"Pooling all the necessary ingredients from our rations made it possible for the bakers," Finé beamed up.
Izetta stared in, wanting to ask if it's alright, but the food overruled and she daintily grabbed into the bag for a piece. Warm in her hand, she chomped onto it like a kid and chocolate.
"So how has everyone been treating you?" Finé jumped to her friend's well being as she was chewing.
"It's better than a few months ago," Izetta said, swallowing her piece. "They let me roam around the outdoor area some time now. Since I'm the only girl here, I get my own specific time outside and I'm always alone out there."
"Do you get lonely?"
"Not really, some of the guards are nice people! The one outside, Nathan, has been quite a gentleman ever since he was assigned to me."
"I see. I'm just afraid you might die from boredom here before we could even appeal in the courts," Finé joked, but it did bring up another point.
"Umm, Archduchess… about that…" Izetta wanted to ask, but she was partially afraid of the answer.
Finé looked at Izetta and chastised herself for bringing up such a topic. She should've just kept the topic at the current times and as positive as possible. Now that she's spilled it, she might as well continue. "The petition for the writ of Habeas Corpus was denied…"
Izetta took the news and simply nodded in acceptance. The war has changed everything, and so was the application of the law.
"But we'll send another one if we have to," Finé reassured her. "Someday they will realize you're not even a slightest threat to them!"
Izetta pondered on that claim as she recovered, then she asked, "But am I a threat to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you and me, am I a burden to your cause? They want to keep me here because they know I'm dangerous, like Sophie and what she's doing against their people. They see you with me… they'll think you're sympathetic with the very same power that is devastating the cities."
"Oh no, no Izetta…" Finé placed her hands on Izetta's shoulders. "Don't say that… I don't know what I would do without you. I'm going to get you out of here no matter what. I don't care what others think of me trying to get a troubled friend out of this situation. They just needs to see it in our perspective."
Izetta still felt she was putting more weight on Finé than was worth. She had a country to run, whereas Izetta was just a girl with an unnatural set of powers. Power she couldn't even use to escape this predicament. A power that has proven nothing but a burden than an escape. After all, despite being the "White Witch of Elystadt", Elystadt still fell.
"Here Izetta, another bread?"
Izetta looked back at Finé to see another baked bread in a soothing, caramel color to show the perfect time it spent inside the baking oven. A primal instinct kicked in and Izetta rather bashfully dug into the second piece.
Finé kept Izetta preoccupied. The mind thinks with the stomach. However, Finé was concerned about her mind's wellbeing. Has she become accepted to her position in the place? Izetta long stay in the "Glasshouse" with little response from the outside on changes to her situation has started to make her lethargic to changes.
A strategy that Finé was afraid is what the people keeping Izetta in here is following by. Something had to be done soon, and quick.
As Izetta consumed the third piece of pastry. Finé put that thought aside. She was here to keep Izetta's spirits up, not wallow long in the same pool that Izetta has been thrown into.
So Finé kept her smile up and bright as she reached into another bag, a cloth bag. "Now, do you want me to style up your hair? Maybe make it shorter?" Finé brought up a pair of scissors and comb.
"Ha? Since when could you do that?" Izetta looked at Finé bewildered.
"Don't worry about it, how hard could it be?" Finé said with a cheer. Besides, your hair was always a mess, would anyone notice a foul-up?
So Finé managed to grab a chair and drape Izetta in a nylon cape to catch the hair. Izetta nervously went along with Finé's antics, eyeing her bangs as if it was the last time she'd see it like that.
Still, Finé carefully snipped away at the low-hanging strands. Recalling from memory on Izetta's hairstyle, it only felt like yesterday that she carried Izetta out of that mountain fortress in Elystadt.
Everything felt so distant, yet so close…
The only sound that prattled about was the snip sound of the scissor cutting through Izetta's fine red hair, collected on a large mat underneath.
"Archduchess…"
"Yes, Izetta?" Finé answered.
"What's going on out there?"
"Out there?"
"The war, how is everyone doing?"
Finé thought back on her meetings with the other government-in-exiles and with Lord Redford. So much has happened within the last few months. With all these stacking up, Finé wondered just how long this war could last.
"Do you remember the British in Africa?" Finé spoke. Izetta slightly nodded her head as she recalled their presence during their escape. Finé continued moving her hands around her hair and the scissor, "The Germans sent an army there. The 'Afrika Korps', they called them. They drove the British out of Libya a few months ago."
Izetta did not know the locations of these names, but if they were losing them to the Germans, things did not look good. "How big is this 'Afrika Korps'?"
"I don't know Izetta…" Finé answered, but decided to add some sunshine to this update. "But it's not all bad! America has a new policy on sending aid to us. It made a lot of people relax a bit easier now."
Izetta thought about it and was still uneasy about the prospect. "If the British gets pushed back too far… do you think… they'll…"
"Hmm?"
"Nah… they probably don't want me up there…" Izetta conceded. "If they wanted me to help them out there, they would've reached for me months ago when this Afrika Korps got there."
"Oh Izetta…" Finé could see her friend's spirit just collapse. "I'm sure you will have a part in this again. The Germans still has the White Witch in their ranks, there is surely someplace where you can help us once again."
"You think so?"
"Yes!"
Izetta looked at the Archduchess, loose hair flew off as she turned her head. Her eyes could show a glimmer of hope, something Finé needed to support, else she crash down burning again.
"I promise you Izetta, I'm going to get you out of here, and you'll help us finish this god-awful war."
By evening, despite her status she was soon shooed out of the prison; so Finé found herself reluctantly leaving the Glasshouse back to her residence.
Outside, she looked at the whole building. The place was a mess when she first arrived in January, the donations she gave to this place did little to its exteriors, but the spirit was more jovial. Anything to make Izetta's stay any more comfortable than it could be.
At the road, a red-coated Austin 8 car waited with Bianca waiting by the door, standing about as she smoked a cigarette. When she saw the Archduchess coming, she immediately snuffed out her smoke and opened the passenger's door for her.
Bianca hurriedly got to the driver's seat as Finé just got comfortable. The car started with a rumble as the engine revved up. Finé looked at Bianca, her bodyguard has also changed a lot in the last few months here. The night by night bombing must've hit a nerve, it was very strange to see Bianca smoking.
"What is it?" Bianca noted her Archduchess' attention towards her.
"Nothing," Finé said with a small smile. So much was changing ever since they got here. Would any of it be able to go back to normal once the war was done? Finé decided to backtrack it and prioritized that for any idea of normalcy to happen afterwards, the Allies must win so she could reclaim Elystadt.
The drive back was still as long as usual, what with the prison being out of London for a good distance. With the sun still just setting, they were still safe from an immediate German air raid, which nowadays come only in the dead of night. However, they've recently appeared less and less over the days.
"How is Izetta?" Bianca asked during the middle of the drive.
"Hmm? Oh. She's holding up fine."
"Poor girl. I think I'd go mad if I have to stay in a place like that for so long."
"She's hanging on by a thread though… I won't let her stay in there like that for another day if I could help it!"
"I have faith that you can free her," Bianca said, trying her best to cheer up the Archduchess. Though Finé still remained in her own world on the subject. Bianca sighed, but she knew this matter was on a different league from her own. Her job was to protect the Archduchess.
As they entered into the city, Bianca scanned around for landmarks and other information deep in her head as she made the necessary turns to the destination. Memorization was key as the street signs were all removed, all in anticipation of a German invasion. A wrong turn could end up with a driver lost in the middle of the city and wasting precious fuel just to get back on track.
Bianca memorized the place just like her drill routines back home, and she perfectly made it in front of Finé's housing in the city.
"Archduchess, we're here," Bianca said formally, even if Finé was well aware of that.
They left the car parked as they walked into the building. There were undercover Imperial guards around the area, courtesy of Bianca, and only she and Finé could recognize who they were. They left them at their jobs as they walked upstairs towards the room, up near the top. Bianca jingled the keys as she unlocked the door and let Finé inside.
Entering the room, they encountered the familiar living room with extravagant design from the landowner's original room design. In the room was the familiar presence of Lotte. However, there was an unfamiliar man in a black suit, with brown hair that covered his face as he turned around. His bold face and jovial tone was oh-so familiar however.
"Lord Redford?" Finé expressed in surprise.
"Archduchess! Please excuse my intrusion." The man said as he set down a cup of tea from a tea set brewed up on a table.
"Oh, please, excuse me. I wasn't expecting anyone. Did you wait long?"
"No, please don't worry about that. I only arrived a few moments ago and your handmaid has been keeping me company this whole time so don't mind me."
"I see," Finé said as she sat on a chair quite opposite from Lord Redford. "What brings you here?"
"Well, I thought I'd let you know since there wasn't a conference for the the exiled governments."
"What conference?" Finé asked. Did something happened?
"We were just briefed moments earlier that, well, Germany had attempted to start peace negotiations with us."
"What?" Finé shooked. What was this about?
"Last night, a German negotiator who identified himself as Alfred Horn flew in on his own to Scotland in an attempt to start peace talks with us. We captured him after his landing and he's been talking nonstop about an offer for a non-aggression pact between Britain and Germany."
This was a very strange move indeed if it was a decision from the German government. A peace offering! But… "And what is the government planning to do about this?"
"What do you think they're going to do? Of course we turned down the offer," Lord Redford said, almost ready to laugh it off. Finé couldn't help but find some relief and find herself almost chuckling. At least my faith in this alliance is rightly placed…
"But, you do have to take into consideration on why this happened," Lord Redford said.
"Yes…" Finé said as she did think deeply about this situation. The only reason why there'd be any form of peace offering from Germany at this stage is that they've grown tired of fighting Britain. The day-by-day, night-by-night bombing have been slowly disappearing from the daily routine of the London citizens. Now they want to create a stand-off just like they did with the Russians to focus on other matters. "So… we're about to be able to rest easy at night soon enough, is that right?"
"That's right," Lord Redford said. "But, I think these next few months might be your most important one for your witch friend."
"Hmm? What do you mea-" Then it hit her. The main reason, the official reason, that Izetta's trial date has been constantly delayed and moved was because of the risk of the German's bombing campaign. If the bombing was going to stop, that meant that they would soon have to move on to prosecute Izetta on her charges.
This was her opportunity to prove her innocence and free her. Yes…
Lord Redford watched Finé descend into a thought race as she realized the opportunities and path now set for them. For the British citizen, it may soon be a time to relax, for the Elystadians, it was a moment for redemption in the eyes of the British military.
Finished with his message however, Lord Redford took one more sip from the tea cup before getting up. "Tomorrow is another busy day for us all so I will take my leave for tonight." He walked towards the coat hangar for his black overcoat. "Don't let this get too hard on you, Archduchess Finé. Lieutenant Neilder is Izetta's attorney, he'll work hard to get her free and back into your hands."
"Yes…" Finé responded, before getting up and walking Lord Redford to the door. "Thank you for stopping by."
"The pleasure is mine. I hope for you the best of luck. See you tomorrow," Lord Redford said as he left the housing and closed the door. Finé's legs nearly buckled as Lord Redford left.
"Archduchess!" Lotte was closest as she supported Finé's stance.
"Sorry!" Finé realized her troubling as she reoriented herself. "That was… uh, a lot to take in."
"We'll be able to see Izetta soon enough?" Lotte remained her cheerful self as she stretched a smile across her face.
"I hope so…" Finé said, though her emotions gnawed on her heart as she thought about the uncertain future.
19 May 1941
"Hey, uh, Izetta, are you crying?" Nathan asked a rather dumb question as he heard sniffling from inside the cell.
Izetta inside, a book in her left hand as she cuddled against the mass of her blanket in the cell, and her right hand viciously trying to control her tears. She composed herself slowly and recovered, though her sniffling remained. "Sorry… it's just…"
"What book is that?" Nathan asked.
Izetta looked at the cover, "Of Mice and Men…"
"Ah," Nathan said as it clicked to him. "Yeah… that scene is rather…"
"He just wanted his rabbits…" Izetta muttered. "Everything went downhill so fast…"
Nathan didn't really know what to say to the broken girl. "Not everyone could have happy endings I guess…" He continued his silence as Izetta's emotions softened up overtime.
"Do you think you'll have a happy ending?" Izetta asked Nathan.
"Of course," Nathan responded. "Who wouldn't?"
"What about me? You think I'm going to have a happy ending?" Izetta asked Nathan.
"Yes, you too. You'll get out here and you'll be able to live how you please. Just imagine growing old together with the one you love."
"The one I-" Izetta muttered out before silence returned. Perhaps that was too much emotion happening in one day.
Today's not a good day to be going through all that too…
However, Nathan saw the two Provost soldiers walking down the hall. He knew what they were here for and stood at attention as they arrive. Nathan saluted the two, them being higher ranked than him, and they returned the salute. As Nathan returned to his stance, he already knew what they were here for and grabbed the keys for Izetta's cell. The metal door creaked harmonically as the light broke in once again. Izetta looked up from his bundle of blanket and saw the two provost member enter, the one in front procuring a handcuff.
"Miss," they referred towards Izetta. "It's time."
