10
Twilight had fallen whilst they had been indoors. Now the forest was a place of long shadows and eerie darkness. In the distant an owl hooted, whilst up above the treetops the first stars were winking into existence. The three royal children and their companion would have struggled to follow the deer had she not started to glow with the effect of Wanda' s potion. As the deer darted through the trees the humans pursued her. They stumbled over tree roots, splashed through muddy puddles, Amber's dress tore on a bramble thicket, but they did not give up. The white hind must have sensed this as eventually she slowed, coming to a standstill in the centre of a forest glade.
In the glade was a circle of black standing stones, ancient and carved with ritual markings. The grass grew thick and lush underfoot as no trees shaded the stone circle. Fireflies danced over the long grass, mirroring the stars that twinkled high above the clearing. The hind stood poised, one cloven hoof lifted tentatively as she looked back at her followers. Her dished ears twitched, listening. Small bats swooped overhead, nabbing moths for their supper. Clumsy in his armour Gambit came crashing to a halt, grabbing the trunk of an oak tree to stop himself from stumbling into the clearing. He held up a hand to halt the children who peered round the tree, as he did, to see what would happen next.
The deer's brown eyes suddenly glazed over and the glow that emanated from her grew brighter. It was so intense Gambit had to turn his face away. When he looked back the hind was on her back legs as her body straightened, contorted and changed. Cloven hooves became slender hands, white fur became a long gown with a short train, the golden chain graced a human throat and the circlet crowned a mass of long red curls. Long lashes closed over liquid brown eyes, and then opened again as the brightness of Wanda's magic faded.
Amber found her voice first, "Is that… a princess?" Gambit had only one word of reply, "Yes." He strode out from behind the tree, hand on his sword hilt, armour reflecting the glow of the fireflies as he walked through the grass. He called out to the girl in the long white gown who stood waiting, "Blaze?" Back in the treeline Prince James frowned, "They know each other?" Amber shushed her twin as Blaze spoke.
"You can stop right there Sir Remy!" the former deer was nearly hysterical. "After what you did to me I don't want you anywhere near me!"
Gambit scowled, forgetting entirely that he was in Enchancia and that this Blaze might not know what he had done in Bayville. All the anger he'd been harbouring at Blaze's betrayal came flooding back. He couldn't help but shout, "What I did? Chere you dumped me, set a trap for me, then locked me up an' threw away the key!"
"Well," countered Blaze, hand on her hip as Remy approached her. "You shouldn't have gone working for the bad guys!"
"You shouldn't have spent all my money!" contested the Cajun.
"Then you shouldn't have taken me shopping!" Blaze pouted, stamped her foot and turned her back on her ex-boyfriend. Amber approved, "I like her!"
James had seen enough, so whilst Gambit tried to think of a suitable reply the prince led his sisters into the glade and cleared his throat. "Aren't you going to introduce us, Sir Remy?"
Sofia didn't see any need for introductions. She took Blaze by the hand and turned her back to the group. "You knew all along that you were enchanted, didn't you? You led Sir Remy on the quests so he could help you be human again!"
"I didn't know what else to do," Blaze admitted to the princess.
"You poor thing," said Amber, taking Blaze's other hand. "Imagine only having Sir Remy to rely on… Oh I do like your dress, and that necklace is simply divine! Look, the chain-links are all crafted like tiny flames, how pretty!"
"Guys," James interrupted, "this is all fascinating but it's getting late and we're missing dinner. Besides, won't Mom and Dad be worried about us?"
Sofia went grey, "We did set off without telling anyone where we were going."
"I guess we did," Amber agreed. "I don't suppose anyone knows the way back to the castle? I feel like I've walked the length and breadth of the forest and I have no idea where we are. Plus these shoes are absolutely ruined."
"Who buys shoes that aren't made for walking?" asked James rhetorically. Gambit was more helpful, "I'll get you home Princess." Remy looked about, searching for landmarks, anything…. There was nothing. He wasn't even sure where they had entered the stone circle. "…Somehow."
"Oh for the…" Blaze said exasperatedly, taking her hands from the girls and pointing off into the trees. "It's that way, Rem. Honestly do you ever pay attention?" Knowing that was an argument he couldn't win, Gambit bowed and said, "Lead on, Cherie."
As they walked back through the trees Gambit watched Blaze intently. Was it this the Bayville Blaze, whom he thought he'd killed? Was that why Paradox had sent him here? Or was this an Enchancia version of Blaze who also had some reason to detest Sir Remy the Reckless? Did it even matter, as she clearly blamed him for something terrible? Still, when she had needed saving the only person she had trusted to help transform her into a human again had been him, so surely that was something? Blaze meanwhile was ignoring Remy as much as she possibly could. She accepted James' hand instead whenever they came to fallen logs or babbling brooks.
"It's funny," she admitted, stepping gracefully over a massive fallen tree trunk. "When I came this way I didn't think how hard it would be to walk back in skirts!" She turned to help Amber climb over. Sofia's legs weren't long enough, so Remy helped her leap the obstacle. The little princess thanked Remy kindly and Gambit felt Blaze's gaze on him. She had looked away again before he could meet her eyes. Remy shook his head, bemused, and decided to concentrate his attention where it was wanted. Sofia had been a trooper all day and now she was exhausted. Gambit caught her arm as she stumbled, stopping her fall.
"Allow me, Princess," Gambit said to the little girl as he scooped her into his arms. Sofia let herself be carried, her arms around Remy's neck, until they were clear of the woods. Remy caught Blaze's quizzical glance but would not rise to it. He could do the right thing, no matter what she thought of him. Blaze chewed her lip and overtook the knight in what was now chafing armour, leading them on towards the waiting boat on the rocky shore. It was about then that Remy's stomach gave an almighty rumble and Sofia couldn't help but giggle.
"I'm sorry," she apologised. "I shouldn't laugh, you must be hungry. Have you eaten anything today?"
"Not since I poached that plum from your rabbit at breakfast," Remy admitted. "Funny t'ing, but I didn't fancy Wanda's cooking. What about you Petite?"
"Oh I'm okay," Sofia confided. "My breakfast was about four courses, so…"
"How can you have a four course breakfast?" Blaze sounded intrigued.
"Mmm, well, first there was a bowl of home-made granola and yoghurt, followed by fresh strawberries and raspberries, then one of Chef Andre's all-butter croissants, then a plate of sausage, bacon, fried tomato…" As Sofia continued Remy's stomach growled again in protest. A second stomach answered in reply and Blaze blushed.
"All I had for breakfast was grass," the redhead wrinkled her nose at the thought. "Here's the boat."
The voyage back across the inlet was more cramped than the first one, and the boat sat lower in the water. Gambit had to hold his tongue so he didn't make a joke about Blaze's extra weight. All things considered he didn't think it wise.
They landed back on the beach below the castle without incident. Up above the castle itself looked tranquil, but the flickering lights and graceful towers were not as calm as first appeared. As soon as the quintet entered the castle gardens it was apparent that they had been missed. Guards rushed hither and there, baring burning torches as they searched for the absent children. Sofia said, "We are in big trouble. There goes Constable Miles! Dad must have the whole of the Castle Guard searching for us."
"We shouldn't have run off without telling someone," James realised.
"Sir Remy," pleaded Amber, "surely you can sneak us back in?"
Remy flashed a smile, "Now you're asking the right knight, Princess. Follow me."