The Past Is Prologue
Chapter 18: Escape!
I was already working at the Palace when Shuriki made Fiero her royal wizard for a week. It was around 20 years ago - no, more than that. It was when that woman was claiming to be the long-lost Princess Isabel. I was surprised when Queen Shuriki told me to clean up the Wizard's Quarters; being anti-magic was kind of her thing. The strange thing is, we weren't even finished preparing the Wizard's Quarters when Fiero was officially banished. I never found out what that was all about." – Armando Gutierrez, Chief of the Palace Staff under Queen Shuriki and Queen Elena Castillo Flores, A People's History of the Reign of Queen Shuriki, compiled by Professor Catalina de Torres
Olivia had a way out! She took the two bowls to the dresser, and after licking the spoon clean (the fastest way to clean it off), she experimentally struck the side of the empty bowl. This could work! First she set out to get the bowls as clean as possible. The apprentice wizard emptied the second bowl of stew into the chamber pot and washed both bowls with water from the pitcher. She dried them on the hem of her robe.
Tamboritas worked by sending magic out on sound waves. The traditional drum wand shape of tamboritas certainly made casting spells easier, but it wasn't strictly necessary. To work magic, you just needed some hollow object that could conduct sound and a magic power source. The tamboritas of good wizards used chispas; Olivia had no idea what powered the tamboritas of malvagos. Mateo didn't know either, so Olivia had once asked Victor. He'd shrugged and said it didn't really matter as long as the spells worked. She'd just shaken her head at the lack of curiosity of the ex-malvago.
Olivia had been enchanted with the notion of the chispa, and three years into her apprenticeship she carefully unstitched the drum of her tamborita to meet the chispa inside. She probably should have asked Mateo's permission first, but was afraid he'd say no. There was debate in the literature going back centuries about the nature of chispas, with some arguing that chispas were elemental, like fire, while others maintained they were living creatures. Even Classical Maruvian texts differed. Many referred to the chispas as elements (although Maruvian wizards had a different concept of elements than Avaloran scholars.) But Professor Mendoza had recently unearthed several stelae that used the glyph for animals when referring to what could only be chispas. They were portrayed as helpers to wizards, not merely tools.
Olivia had been awestruck when she beheld the tiny ember within her tamborita. She'd greeted it respectfully and had thanked it for serving her. She thought it glowed a little brighter, but wasn't sure. She'd started a series of experiments in her room late at night, and had discovered that if she laid a thread around the chispa inside the tamborita for a day and a night the thread would absorb some of the magic of the mystical spark. It didn't hold nearly the power of a tamborita, but could augment other spells Olivia cast, and sometimes could even power a spell on its own, under very specific circumstances. The apprentice had taken to embroidering these chispa-powered threads to the inside of her robe.
While Fiero had destroyed her tamborita and taken her satchel, he had not bothered to search Olivia. She still had one of these threads on the inside of her sleeve. And the wooden bowls should make an adequate tamborita.
The girl sat down to painstakingly extract the thread from her robe. When she was done she cradled the faintly glowing thread in her hand. It was all that was left of her shattered tamborita.
Then Olivia grimly set to her task. She had to get out of here if she was going to save Mateo from Fiero. She delicately coiled the thread in one of the bowls and placed the other on top of it. She tore a piece of cloth from the hem of her robe and tied the two bowls together to secure them.
She would only have one shot at this. Whether or not the spell worked, the power of the chispa-infused thread would be spent. Olivia took several deep breaths to center herself, and focusing her mind entirely on the spell, she firmly struck the bowl drum with the wooden spoon and chanted, "Nitla abrax conzaportil!"
The door opened. The spell worked. Olivia was free.
She undid the bowl-orita and murmured thanks to the ashes of the thread. She threw the ashes out of the window, not wanting to give away her secrets. She crept out into the hall, closing the door behind her.
Remembering what Javier had said about guards, the apprentice wizard kept to the side of the corridor. There had to be a servants' staircase around here somewhere; it would be the safest way out of the hacienda. She just had to find it.
She did see one guard, but managed to duck under a table so he didn't see her. The main staircase was out of the question, of course.
She rounded one corner, trying several doors which were all locked, and started to round another – only to run into Ash! The malvaga looked both shocked and angry to see her prisoner free. Olivia was about to make a run for it, even though she knew she couldn't outrun the dark wizard's tamborita, when Ash abruptly jerked her head to the side. Was she telling Olivia to hide? That made no sense. But then Olivia's blood ran cold when Ash looked away and said, "Fiero! I was not expecting you back so soon." Olivia ducked behind a statue, her heart pounding. What was Ash going to do?
"The boy is woefully predictable. It took very little effort on my part to lead him right where I wanted him." The malvago sounded smug. "The boy" must be Mateo. Olivia ground her teeth. She would not be the cause of Mateo's destruction!
Ash gave a short laugh. "If he's that easy to manipulate, I'm surprised you didn't strike him down already."
Fiero chuckled softly. "Oh, my dear. My goal is not merely to strike De Alva down, but to let him know before I do that nothing Alacazar Hechicero or his grandson created will survive him. Neither blood relation nor student. And I'll start by shattering his little apprentice before his very eyes!"
Olivia clasped her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out. That's what Fiero intended to do to her? She tried to swallow and found she couldn't.
"When you say his students – " Ash said sharply.
"Excepting your Carla, of course," he replied smoothly. "King Cristóbal has already said you may keep your daughter."
"So long as you remember that." Olivia didn't think Carla would take too kindly to being Ash's prize. And did Ash really trust Fiero to keep his word? Olivia thought she was smarter than that.
"How fares your captive?" Fiero asked the malvaga.
"I thought it best to put the child under a sleep spell. Much easier to manage that way." Why was Ash lying to Fiero? Weren't they allies? Or was Ash trying to send her some sort of message? "When will you require her?"
"Tomorrow at down."
"Very well. Oh, and one more thing, Fiero…"
"Yes?"
"I want in."
"You mean in my plan against De Alva?" The malvago sounded amused. "I suppose you do have your own scores to settle with the boy."
"He killed Zopilote! I want to be there when you bring him down." Olivia shivered as she heard the hate in Ash's voice. Maybe she should try to sneak away…but she didn't think she could without Ash noticing. The apprentice wizard couldn't see Fiero from her vantage point, but Ash was clearly visible.
"That could be arranged," Fiero purred. Olivia wanted to gag. "So long as you understand that I strike the final blow!"
"Of course," the malvaga replied.
"Ad you won't interfere in the matter of De Alva's apprentice? I remember how – attached – you used to get to your little pets." It was weird for Olivia to hear her impending death discussed so coldly.
"That was a long time ago," Ash snapped. "And the captive is hardly a pet."
"Very well, then. Bring the girl to the parlor at dawn tomorrow. And you and I, my dear, shall have our revenge." From her hiding place, the apprentice heard the sound of the malvago's boots as he stalked away.
"How I loathe that man," Ash muttered. She then strode to the alcove where Olivia was hidden and snapped, "Out."
The girl clambered from behind the statue and glared defiantly at Ash.
"How did you manage to get past the lock on the door?" the malvaga demanded.
"I have my ways," Olivia replied loftily.
"Hm…well, come along then." Ash gestured for the apprentice to precede her. When Olivia hesitated – Ash was still an enemy after all – the malvaga sarcastically added, "Unless you'd rather go find Fiero."
"No," Olivia said hastily, "I'm coming." She hurriedly proceeded down the corridor in the direction indicated by Ash.
"That's what I thought," the woman murmured.
"What – what are you going to do?" Olivia asked nervously.
Impatiently Ash rolled her eyes. "Obviously, if I were going to turn you over to Fiero I would have done it by now. I'm helping you escape." She took out a key – Javier's skeleton key by the looks of it – and unlocked a door. She then shoved Olivia inside. The girl could see a staircase at the back of the room. A servants' exit! As Ash locked the door behind her, Olivia immediately began to run towards the stairs.
"You little fool!" hissed as she grabbed Olivia's arm. "Did you even listen to see if anyone is below us?" Sheepishly, Olivia shook her head. The malvaga closed her eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose, and sighed. The gesture and expression were so reminiscent of Mateo that the former apprentice felt a lump in her throat.
"Go over to the staircase – quietly – and tell me if you hear anything."
Olivia dodged around dressmakers' dummies and drying racks with clothes hanging from them and cautiously listened. She turned to Ash and shook her head. The malvaga motioned her back.
"Do you have any experience surviving in the jungle?"
"Well, I went on a school camping trip once…"
"Right," the malvaga snapped. "So you'll have to take the road back to the port. Somehow I doubt you'd make it on your own in the wild." Olivia was about to make a retort, but had to acknowledge that the wizard's assessment was fair. "Of course that increases your chances of being caught, so we'll have to change your profile…" Olivia let out a startled yelp as Ash yanked out her pigtails. "Hush."
Ash stepped back to examine the girl. "The wizard robe is far too noticeable. You'll have to lose it. You've shirt and trousers under it?"
Olivia nodded uncomfortably. Under her robe she wore her brother's hand-me-downs, which generally didn't matter since they were hidden by the robe. They weren't in good condition, though.
"The guards will be looking for a girl in russet wizard robes and pigtails," Ash explained with exaggerated patience.
"I got that," snapped Olivia. Reluctantly she pulled her robe over her head.
"You dress in tatters under your robe?" Ash sounded appalled as she took in the torn, stained, and much mended outfit that had once belonged to Lucas.
Olivia shrugged, trying not to show how self-conscious she felt. "You said I needed to change my profile, right? Doesn't this do that?" Her mom had been on her lately to "wear a nice dress under your robe. You're a young lady now." Until this moment, the (ex)apprentice had never seen why it mattered.
"It changes your look, yes, but you're far too noticeable in those rags."
"They're not rags!"
Ignoring her, Ash grabbed a dark green skirt and vest as well as a white blouse from one of the racks and thrust them at Olivia. "Here, put these on."
Grumbling, Olivia turned her back and changed. "These are still wet," she complained.
"You really are worse than Esteban. Here." Ash pounded her tamborita once and said, "Secare!" The clothes dried instantly.
"Thanks," Olivia mumbled.
"Much better." Without warning, Ash grabbed Olivia's hair and began to braid it; provoking another yelp from the girl. "And now for the finishing touch." She picked up an elegant black hat and placed it atop Olivia's head, pushing it low on her forehead. The malvaga then spun her around to face a long mirror.
Olivia gasped at the sight of the young woman in the mirror. She looked years older – she could pass for a university student! Olivia no longer looked like herself, which she supposed was the point.
"But what if the owner wants to wear this? Isn't this stealing?" she asked Ash.
The malvaga sounded exasperated as she snapped, "Everyone in this household is a traitor to your queen. You're not stealing; you're commandeering material resources for the good of the realm."
"Uh-huh," Olivia replied dubiously. Then, quieter, she added, "Thank you for helping me. Why are you helping me, by the way?"
"I cannot abide waste." Did she mean that she thought Olivia's death would be a waste? Olivia was touched, until it occurred to her that if Fiero had meant only to destroy Mateo and then to let Olivia go, Ash might still be holding her captive. The malvaga might be an ally in the moment, but Olivia could not let herself lose sight of the fact that Ash was still a villain.
"Let's go," the malvaga said briskly. Olivia paused to listen again at the top of the stairs. When she heard nothing, she signaled the wizard, who nodded her approval. They quietly descended the staircase and Ash led the way through back corridors and finally outside and to the stable.
"I take it you know how to ride a horse?" the malvaga asked the girl.
"Yes," Olivia said reluctantly. She didn't add that she had far more experience riding a mule.
"Yes, but it's stealing?" Ash asked with a smirk.
"It's …commandeering traitor resources for the crown," Olivia quipped.
"Very good," the malvaga smiled. "You're learning. Now let's get you out of here."
"What will happen to you? Won't Fiero be angry when he finds me gone?"
"I can handle Fiero." Ash cocked her head. "Kind of you to worry about me. But I assure you there's no need." Ash began to lead a horse from its stall.
"Doña Amalia?" Both women spun around at the sound of a strange voice, and saw a groom and a guardsman. "Wait – you're not doña Amalia. … Doña Ash?"
Olivia saw the guard's eyes widen. He recognized her! He opened his mouth to sound the alarm when –
"Cochimoc!" Ash struck her tamborita, and both men fell to the ground unconscious.
"Blast it!" Ash was clearly upset. "I'll never be able to hide my involvement in her escape now…Yes, I know that! Fine!" Olivia couldn't tell who Ash was talking to. The malvaga strode to the front entrance of the stable and looked out. "What are the guards doing here at this time of day?" She looked at Olivia with an unfathomable expression. Finally she said, "Change of plans. I was hoping you could simply ride out of here, but with all this activity you'd be stopped before you got to the front gate. We'll have to sneak out, which means we're going on foot."
"We? You're coming with me?" Olivia didn't know what to think about that. She was grateful for Ash's help, but really didn't trust her.
"No choice. I've been made." The malvaga indicated the sleeping men. "Even if I were to go for a more permanent solution, Cristóbal and Fiero are not fools. They'd know at once it was me."
"Permanent – you can't!" Olivia protested.
"That's what I just said. Whether you like it or not, you need me to get out of this city."
"I know," the girl responded quietly. "So what do we do next?"
Ash smiled grimly. "Just follow my lead."
AN: A story cannot contain a song, of course. But if you would like one, imagine this: Olivia singing an Andean folk tune as she prepares her "tamborita" and as she casts the spell to unlock the door.