Chapter 20
Felix retrieves a small black book of phone numbers and I take over driving for the trip back to the city. There is a slight incident when my driving attracts the attention of a police officer but to my luck he's male and I'm able to change his mind about the speeding ticket. When we get back to the hotel Emmeline and William are already waiting for me in my apartment, just as I expected. Emmeline has laid out a sophisticated outfit consisting of a charcoal dress and matching accessories. I quickly shower, change and prepare myself while Felix sits at the breakfast bar making small talk with William. Someone who, even after their time together, he's never come to like. I flatten down the front of my dress as I walk out and Emmeline manages a smile.
"I knew it would look great." She says, grabbing her handbag and walking to the elevator. William steps in first and holds the door for Emmeline. I'm about to step in when all three of us look at Felix who's close behind me.
"You're coming?" I ask, widening my eyes.
"Yes? What's the problem?" He asks.
"The problem is that we're about to bail out the guy who's fiancé you're in love with. It's also a Veela Aerie, and random humans aren't allowed." Emmeline says with her dangerous pout. Felix steps into the elevator and presses the 'door close' button behind him.
"Well it's a good thing I'm 'Lena's human' then, isn't it?" He says with a mocking tone. Emmeline narrows her eyes at him before staring ahead at the doors.
"Stop bickering, it's childish." I say, rolling my eyes.
"You tell them, queenie." William says with a smile. I glance over at him to return the smile and as I do, I notice Felix scowl at William. Emmeline also appears annoyed that I'm smiling at William so I move my attention to the elevator doors. The silence in the tiny room hits a whole new level of awkward and I find myself wishing the doors would hurry up and open to the garage. I follow the directions Alexandria sent and the roads change from inner-city to forest-side highway. We take an exit ramp and I look around carefully for a sign or landmark that indicated a magical presence. Suddenly I feel a glimmer pass my eyes and a town appears on the road ahead of me. The houses in the town have vintage structures and beyond the town centre, a castle sits in the background.
"Looks like that's where we're headed." William says, leaning forward from the back seat.
"When we get there, do us all a favour and don't say anything Felix." Emmeline says snarkily, also leaning forward to peer. Felix just narrows his eyes and ignores her. We drive up to the front grounds of the castle and stop at the tall iron gates blocking our path. Two men stand on guard in dark blue uniforms. One walks up to the driver's side and I roll down the window and remove my sunglasses. The man takes one look at my face before nodding and stepping back in a small bow.
"Welcome to Archibald Keep, your highness." He says. The gate swings open slowly so I smile to the man and move my sunglasses back on. The driveway is long and lies in a 'U-shape' with the other end leading back out to the town. I stop the car by the front steps and a woman dressed in a similar uniform to the men moves to my side as soon as I step out of the car. She holds her hand out for the car keys and after handing them to her, I walk up to the front doors. The car is taken away by the woman and we all move into the foyer as the front doors are opened for us. The whole interior has been modernly decorated, with a white and grey marble floor and dark hardwood on the handrail of the grand staircase. The bannisters are black iron, the same as the front gate.
"Oh good, you're here." Alexandria says, appearing at the top of the staircase. "If you'll come this way to the throne room, your highness. We're ready to begin court." She says, ushering us up the stairs. I begin to ascend the staircase and Felix walks beside me, moving his hand to the small of my back. After the workout this morning my body already feels sore and tired but I'm too proud and too angry at him to allow this, so I swat his hand away nonchalantly. We enter the throne room and I'm instantly reminded of the throne room at Flitwick mountain. My chest tightens and I realise how much I miss it- I ever even got to sit in the throne. At the end of the room a grey-themed throne is set up and there is a large wooden chair shoved awkwardly at the side of the great chair. Marcella is sitting in the wooden one but she stands as I approach.
"You're here!" She says with relief, clearly they've been waiting a while.
"Hello Marcella, perhaps now you can tell me what's going on?" I ask, walking up the steps to her. Emmeline, William and Felix hang back at the base of the steps before finding seats off to the side. Marcella takes a breath to begin speaking but the rough, loud opening of doors distracts her. Two men in the blue uniforms walk Peter and one of the Lost Boys in, each guard holding the arm of each man. Peter and the Lost Boy have their hands behind their backs and a chain dangles from their wrists.
"Peter Pan, Zickert the lost Boy, you are both charged with the attempted kidnapping of my daughter, Princess Cordelia. How do you plead?" Marcella asks, her features hardening as she lays her eyes on them. Peter is brought to one of the centre seat in the front row and made to bow. He cranes his neck and his eyes meet mine. My lips form a line and I turn to the woman next to me.
"Marcella, Is this really necessary, can't you and I sit down and work this out?" I ask.
"Peter is not king of anything yet and so he's not entitled to anything. Everyone gets a fair trial... or are you not an advocate of that in your new leadership?" Marcella asks, flicking her eyes up to me with a harsh gaze. I narrow my eyes at her before sinking to the throne, my necklace flickers at the base of my neck and Marcella's features soften.
"Forgive me, your highness. I know I shouldn't speak to you like that... it's just that this trial is of personal significance to me." She glares back at Peter. "They tried to kidnap my daughter." She hisses. I sigh and glance back down to Peter and the Lost Boy.
"Well, how do you plead?" I ask them, my eyes on Peter. He looks up at me and remains silent for a moment. He raises an eyebrow and gives me a look as if to ask, 'Are you really doing this, Lena?' I keep my gaze stern and he shakes his head in annoyance.
"Guilty." He utters. The man next to him responds with the same answer. Marcella inhales sharply and she taps her fingers angrily on her wooden chair.
"Tell me what happened then." I say. Marcella opens her mouth to speak but I interrupt. "I mean those on trial."
"I didn't kidnap anyone... Cordelia hates it here- she wanted to leave. She and Zickert fell in love and when they tried to leave Zickert was put in prison. I came here to get him out- It didn't matter to me if Cordelia came along or not." Peter says.
"You will address her as Princess Cordelia. And no daughter of mine fell in love with a Lost Boy, do you really expect me to believe you?" She asks.
"Well why don't we bring the Princess in and ask her, ourselves?" I suggest. Marcella widens her eyes and opens her mouth to protest. She has to stop again when I raise my hand and gesture to one of the guards by the door. He nods to me and leaves to fetch the girl.
"I don't want my daughter anywhere near them." The woman says at my side. I glance over to her.
"How will this be a fair trial if we don't hear from each party involved?" I ask, this causes her to close her mouth but the sour look on her face remains. I glance back down to Peter as we wait and notice his eyes still on me.
"You look nice today." He says. His eyes slowly move over to Felix who's sat at the side, his eyes on the ground.
"Nice to see you brought your pet along." Peter says, not hiding his sourness. Felix snaps his gaze up at Peter at this statement before looking off to the ground guiltily.
"Please be quiet, we're in court." I say, rolling my eyes.
"I'm not your pet, love." Peter says, moving his eyes back to me. Two conflicting dark thoughts pop up in my mind. I suddenly have the urge to either leave him in the prison cell another night or walk down there and kiss him. My fingers start to tap along to the thumping beat of pulses the necklace feeds and I barely notice when the Princess is brought into the room and stood in front of the throne steps. She looks like a scolded child and refuses to look up at her mother. Cordelia has blonde locks, like her mother, but her hair is wavy and long.
"Princess, what happened?" I ask. The girl peeks up at her mother before turning around to glance at the Lost Boy. Zickert looks up at her and Cordelia knots her fingers together.
"We just wanted a couple of hours alone... we were going to come back." She says, looking back up at her mother. Marcella shakes her head and taps her fingers angrily on the chair.
"So you felt safe with these men? They weren't trying to kidnap you?" I ask, leaning back.
"They weren't kidnapping me. The whole thing is just a misunderstanding. Mother, please let Zickert go." Cordelia says. Marcella's lips form a line before she glances at me. I raise an eyebrow and move to my feet.
"Look like that's sorted then. Guards- release the prisoners, Peter wait for me in the foyer. Marcella, can I have a word?" I ask, turning to her. She nods and stands as well.
"Cordelia, go to your chambers and wait for me. Say good bye to your friend, he's leaving." She says. Cordelia makes a squeaky sobbing noise and runs over to Zickert to jump into his arms. He barely has town to catch her after his hands are released from the chains. Marcella rolls her eyes at this display and I glance over to Peter, who stares back at me. We each turn and walk away, Peter to the foyer and me to one of the side halls to be alone with Marcella. I walk into the hallway and instruct the guard on patrol to leave us, he shuts the door behind Marcella after bowing.
"I cannot believe that girl. She knew I wouldn't let him stay so she decided to just run away with him? How am I supposed to leave the aerie to someone so childish?" She says, walking to look out the tall castle window.
"Whatever you plan to do about your rebellious daughter, make sure it's done soon. It's none of my business who you want her to marry but I'm not going to be dragged into another of these tedious misunderstandings. And really, Marcella, Peter and Zickert were just doing what Cordelia wanted- it hardly merited a night in prison." I say, walking to look out the window next to her. She keeps a hand on the stone windowsill as she faces me.
"Your boyfriend didn't just walk out the door with Cordelia willingly in tow, if that's what you think happened... he took out a number of my guards when they tried to apprehend him. He did quite a lot of damage too, a couple of them will need months to recuperate." She says, placing a hand on her hip.
"Really?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
"Maybe if you kept a closer eye on what he gets up to you would realise how violent he's become. Prince Jakoban thought that Pan had completely transformed from the cold-hearted evil he was before, but maybe not so much has changed after all." She says. I face her again and from the look on my face, Marcella can tell that she's pissing me off. She straightens her posture and flattens the front of her dress.
"Well, anyway... he's no longer my problem. I hope this won't create any other issues in the future." She begins to walk to the door, "I'll see you at our next meeting." I follow her out and we part in the throne room. Cordelia and Zickert have disappeared but Peter is waiting for me in the foyer. I glance around the area for Emmeline, William and Felix but they're nowhere in sight either. Peter looks up upon seeing me.