Chapter XIII
Again the blue-eye princess grabbed the object once guarded by the Grey Gale, dragging the charm and the Witch along with it against the mystical green barrier. As the Evil being threw her arm out again to regain her footing, DG grabbed the black gloved hand once it crossed the magical threshold.
A bright spark of light and an inhuman scream, DG shouted, "Now, Azkadellia!" and their real plan was on.
The girl surged into her true body through the contact from DG on the black glove. She faced the witch's Door, ancient and decrepit much like the hag appeared so many years ago. With the combined might of her and her baby sister's magic, Azkadellia forced the Door to open.
With an inhuman bellow of the Sorceress combined with Azkadellia's anguished tone, suddenly in the maelstrom of green energy, two figures stood atop the platform.
Thinking quickly, DG gave the hand she grasped a hard yank, pulling her sister with mind and body intact beside her. The eldest girl looked bewildered, blinking for the first time in ten years her own dark and lovely eyes. What remained on the dais was the stuff of nightmares.
Cloaked in black rags, pock marked and withered, the face that sneered at them with malice sought to get her prize back.
"The emerald! Give it back to me!"
The two girls rolled their eyes. Yes, of course they'd give the evil incarnate the power to cloak the world in darkness just because she asked so politely!
"Hold my hand, DG. Don't let go." Azkadellia found with wonder that she could speak aloud for the first time.
Her dark haired sister nodded back with affirmation, "I won't let go."
The witch tried another tactic, growing in size until she rose above the castle ramparts. "Give me the emerald!" Her voice deepened as she extended towards the darkened sky. She would not lose both of her prizes, the emerald and the girl. She forced her mind into the eldest princess like she did all those years ago, back in the cave near Finaqua.
But this time Azkadellia was not the same frightened little girl. She had a lifetime's worth of practice honing her magic, and she had the power of her sister beside her. Her wall, this time, was not built of childhood notions but rather the convictions of her entire life. Bricks were made from the garden wall. Its greenery Adora Cain tended to with pride outside the house her husband built with his own two hands. Between the cracks she poured the Shifting Sands of the dreamworld she had shared with Jeb. She set the mortar with the calming endurance of Wyatt Cain. The partition held against the Witch's onslaught but Azkadellia knew she could make it stronger. She placed her hands upon her mental barricade, seeking to visualize the missing piece.
Wide ribbons encircled both of her wrists. Confused she turned her gaze, noticing a solid white band tying her left hand to DG beside her, their sisterly bond picking up right where it left off. The other one on her right was a solid, deep red, veering off the balcony down to where another pitched battle occurred.
The princess gave a warm smile.
Jeb, of course.
Tutor had said love was the greatest barrier against those that wanted to harm her. She wove both the pale ribbon of her familial love and the ruby red of her true love into her mental shield. It solidified with a snap such that not even a battalion of invaders could get through.
The witch howled and screeched as loud as a twister, blasting their barrier with bolts of her magical power, but the girls stood united and firm. At the apex of her wrath, the monster was suddenly hauled back as if dragged by an unseen force. In a blink of an eye the former Sorceress dissolved, leaving nothing but a bubbling, noxious pitch to signal that she had ever troubled the realm.
"She melted," DG said with wonder.
Azkadellia could only agree giving her sister a small giggle and warm hug. To finally feel the sensation of touch again was like going from a world of black and white to color. Everything was more real than ever before!
With nowhere else to go but through the double doors connecting the balcony to the fortress, the pair warily made their way into the stronghold. Longcoats could still be around the corner though the eldest princess knew that her beloved rebel leader would not fail. The red ribbon that encircled her right wrist stayed connected trailing down a few levels.
As the pair passed another set of identical doors, Azkadellia gave a short pause. How did she not notice this? A pair of white threads connecting to both she and Deeg passed through the door. Could it be? She opened the door in curiosity.
An older pair clasped each other closely, the man shifting so that he shielded the woman. With a start, the taller figure with long locks of blonde hair approached Azkadellia first. She let out a shy smile recognizing his features.
"My Azkadellia, is it really you?" the woman had tears in her lavender eyes. The man strode over closing the distance placing a gentle kiss upon her brow.
These could be none other than the princesses' royal parents.
"The witch is gone. It's over," she voiced softly to her father.
The queen's ecstatic welcoming of her youngest daughter brought no jealous thoughts to her elder sister. Rather, Azkadellia felt the love and acceptance from her family the moment the quartet embraced. It was a hug that took a decade to come about.
Her mother took her face within her soft hands. "Oh my child. Every day I tried to talk to you, to fight the witch from within. The Sorceress only laughed at me and said that you were dead!"
Azkadellia nearly sobbed aloud as her mother's voice broke with grief. "No, Mother, she was wrong. I never was in my body after she attacked me in Finaqua."
"What? So you were never there at all when she killed DG or usurped my throne?"
Her daughter shook her head confirming her surprise. Of all the time spent wondering if her eldest was willingly doing harm to her family and her kingdom, the former sovereign felt horrorstruck at her thoughts.
"I'm sorry, Azkadellia!" both parents made their apologies for ever doubting their child, but the brunette brushed off their assurances.
"The witch played her part well. I heard and saw her myself during the biannual royal announcements. She sounded and acted just like me. Well, an eviler me," the woman amended.
Her parents wrinkled their heads in confusion. How could their daughter have seen her imposter from the outside? Where had her mind been all this time?
The doors were opened by a trio of men, one who looked strangely like the former advisor to the throne. DG rushed over giving each a warm greeting. "Mother, Father these are the friends who helped me get this far." The royal couple gave the group a grateful bow and curtsey.
As the double suns peeked around their place behind the moon, wide beams of sunlight illuminated the O.Z.
Central City, the shining beacon upon the hill, was true to its name, flanked by high plateaus. Waterfalls cascaded down, feeding into a crystal blue river that flowed for as far as the eye could see.
Men bursting into the room interrupted their tranquility. All bristling in fear, Cain reached for his weapon despite his wound and the lack of ammunition. DG and Azkadellia again clasped hands their magic coursing through them. Spotting the royal family, the men, revealed to be fighters with red scarves, shouted into the corridor, "All clear! The royals are safe!"
Giving a courteous nod, one dark haired fighter explained, "The leader of the resistance wanted to make sure the plan had succeeded. He's on his way here now."
Oh the plan had succeeded alright, Azkadellia thought as she sagged in place with joy and relief. Everything was beyond her wildest dreams and even better, her brilliant tactician was unharmed.
The Queen and Consort geared themselves for the appearance of an older, battle scared general. The pair already had in mind the fireworks they were planning to ignite during tonight's victory celebration. DG and Cain gave each other a knowing look with their similar blue eyes. The fireworks were about to start now.
No one knew who was more surprised, the Queen and Consort realizing that the person who led the rebel forces was not even twenty years old, or the man himself as Azkadellia bolted across the room, throwing her arms around him with elation.
I want to know how much of Azkadellia was in the witch in the tv series. Was the witch truly calling the shots or did Azkadellia help her along? I have another story in mind where she atones for her actions (Jeb/Az of course). The premise is what if Hitler was good all along, but nothing has been written yet.
Grignard