Chapter Eighteen

Insurgency

MELODY

"Oliver!" Melody burst out of the Ten Drinks and looked around. Thankfully he hadn't gotten far, not that he could have in his drunken state. "Oliver, I need to talk to you."

The boy turned around sluggishly, looking at her with lazy eyes. His hair looked like it hadn't been washed in days, and his shirt was stained with something soupy that he had eaten. She could also smell alcohol on him as she approached.

"Mel?" Oliver slurred, his eyes unfocused. "Is that you?"

"Where did you-" Elsa spotted her and ran up to Melody with the others in tow.

"It's me." Melody said carefully. "Oliver, I think you should sit down."

"No, I don't think I will." Oliver snapped, his face red. He stumbled a little.

Melody reached out to help him steady himself. Instead, he swiped away her hand nastily and viciously swung out at her. Caught off guard, she took a blow on the shoulder and skidded back a little across the sidewalk.

"No." Melody held out a hand, when her friends looked like they were about to engage. "He's not himself."

"You bet I'm not." Oliver growled. He held his hands up in a fighting stance, though in his drunken state, he obviously wasn't much of a threat. He lunged forward messily and Melody stepped out of the way expertly, catching him by the back of his collar before he fell.

She forced him to the ground without much difficulty, being extra careful not to push his face down into the pavement. It was almost like a natural reflex, to finish off her opponents and render them unconscious, but she had to remember that Oliver wasn't her enemy. He's my friend.

"Get your hands off me." He snarled, struggling to free himself.

"Calm down, Oliver." Melody held his arm in her grip. "I don't want to fight you."

To her surprise, Oliver was lucid enough to counter her hold and slip free, pushing her away maliciously. Melody stumbled backwards and was caught by Elsa and Deirdre.

"Where were you?!" Oliver yelled. "Where were you when we needed you?"

He was drunk, but his words weren't incoherent. There was a piercing truth to them, and they hurt more than anything he could have thrown at her physically.

"I…" Melody stuttered. "I'm sorry."

"I needed you and you weren't here!" Oliver shouted, backing into the wall and sinking to the ground. "You call yourself the princess of Denmark but you won't do anything to defend your people. What kind of princess are you?"

Melody was speechless. She was afraid that some passerby would hear him and learn her true identity, though that wasn't the most pressing concern right now. She was filled with compassion for her friend and was absolutely heart broken to hear him spit those words at her in a rage.

"He knows who you are." Elsa glanced worriedly at Melody.

"He knows. It's okay." Melody cautiously crouched down in front of Oliver.

"Get away from me, you traitor." He hissed, face red from the rage, or the drinking, or perhaps both.

"I'm sorry, Oliver." Melody whispered. "I should've been here to help."

"When they invaded us, I was desperate but I had a glimmer of hope. You know what I thought?" Oliver cried. "I thought that you would show up and take your rightful place as the princess of Denmark and save us. I was counting on you."

There was silence as Melody contemplated what he had said. He was right. If only she'd been more present…

"If only you'd been here," his voice cracked. "Maybe my sister would still be alive."

Melody's eyes welled up with tears as guilt flooded her. "I'm sorry." She whispered again.

Oliver shook his head slowly, and then banged the back of his head against the wall.

"But I'm here now, and I want to help."

He scoffed. "What good can you do now? The war is over. We lost everything."

"Not everything. Not yet." Melody put a hand gently on his shoulder. "I know about the local rebellion."

He looked at her, and the look in his eye told her all she needed to know. The rumoured rebellion was real.

"What rebellion?"

"Oliver, I know. You don't have to lie to me. My friends and I are here to help."

"It's too late." Oliver shook his head in resignation. "Rebellion or no rebellion, there's no stopping the Empire. The best we can do is hope that they leave Old Town alone."

"We didn't come here for disaster relief." Melody said a little more firmly. "We came here to crush the Empire and send them packing. But we can't do that alone. We need you to take us to your rebellion."

Oliver looked at her with eyes of sadness. "You're too late. Get out of here, Melody." He looked beyond her to the other three girls. "All of you. While you still can."

"We're not here to run. We're here to fight." Elsa stepped forward. "And we want to help you. Please let us."

"She's right." Melody said, extending a hand to Oliver. "Let us help you get our home back. Together."

Oliver pushed her hand away and began to stand to his feet, supporting himself on the brick wall. He stumbled a little and then steadied himself.

"Even if I take you to them," he sounded calmer and a little more sober now, though still sour. "There's no guarantee they'll let you join."

"Let us worry about that." Elsa said.

Oliver scoffed and spat on the ground. "You girls are crazy. But fine, I'll take you to the rebellion."

"Thank you." Melody said.

"I'm not doing this for you." Oliver said. "I want to see the Empire go down, and if that means getting you guys on board to make that happen, then so be it."

Melody decided to leave it at that. There was no use in arguing with him about it. He had just lost his sister after all, and she couldn't pretend to imagine she knew what that felt like. She had no right to judge Oliver's thirst for vengeance.

The boy led them - or more accurately stumbled - to the old docks, which weren't far from the Ten Drinks. It was about a ten minutes walk around the corner, and they arrived outside a cluster of industrial buildings that looked absolutely dilapidated and identical. There was nothing special about the place, and no one would think twice about looking for a rebel base there. And that was what made it such a perfect hideout. One building among twenty others.

"Here." Oliver pushed open a door which had long since rusted over, and it creaked loudly as it opened.

Walking inside, Melody and the others looked around. The main hall was largely empty, apart from a few crates which looked like they had been abandoned decades ago and had not been retrieved since.

"Wait out here." He said roughly, and stumbled the remaining way out of the hall and out of sight.

"You sure this isn't a trick of some sort?" Jade asked.

"Or a trap?" Deirdre added.

"No. Oliver's a solid guy." Melody reassured them. "He's just a little banged up."

Elsa looked around. "This place looks like it's going to collapse at any moment."

She was right. Everything was either rusted over or covered in thick layers of dust. The entire place smelled musty and left a bad taste in the mouth. The structural integrity of the whole place looked weak, but under the circumstances, it was probably the best place for the rebellion to hide.

A woman who looked like she was in her forties walked into the main hall, accompanied by Oliver and another man dressed in cargo pants, combat boots and a military issue vest. The woman was noticeably missing her left arm, and had tied the long sleeve of her white shirt where the stump ended, and had her hair tied in a high ponytail. She looked sourly at the four girls with narrow eyes.

"Who are you?" she said sharply, her voice scratchy.

"I'm friends with Oliver." Melody began. "He-"

"That much he told me. But who are you really?" the woman gestured at Elsa and the other two girls. "And who are you?"

"I'm a local here in Denmark, and these are my friends from overseas.." Melody said. That much was true. "I invited them to Denmark to stay for a couple of days, but we were at the wrong place at the wrong time. We were on the other side of the kingdom when the invasion broke out, and it took us a day to get here safely without getting spotted by the Exonian soldiers."

"How did you learn of this place. And how did you learn of us?"

"We…heard rumours." Elsa said truthfully. "Of a local rebellion."

"And we wanted to join up." Jade said.

"Your story makes me sad." The woman said sarcastically. "It almost makes me wonder if you're all actually Exonian spies."

"What?" Melody was alarmed. "No, we aren't spies!"

"And you expect me to take your word for it?" The woman hissed and gestured at the stump covered by her left sleeve. "Trust is what got me into this situation in the first place!"

"I swear it, we're not spies." Elsa stepped forward, and the man in the vest did the same to intercept her. She halted cautiously.

"I smell something fishy about you lot." The woman said suspiciously. "And I don't like it."

"Listen to our voices. We don't bear the Exonian accents." Melody said. Even Deirdre who was an Exonian by birth had lost the thick Exonian accent after having spent years away from her home kingdom.

"You lot could just as easily be faking it." The man in the vest said.

Melody sighed. These people really were relentless in assuming that they were spies sent to infiltrate the rebellion. Only half of it was accurate.

"Look, think about it. If we really were spies, if we were Exonians," Elsa said. "If we knew about the rebellion, don't you think we could have just sent the Imperial Horde to storm Old Town and flush you all out? Why would General Kane or the Empress waste time sending in spies to infiltrate the rebellion when they could just lay waste to you all? They have bigger things to worry about like turning their sights to the kingdoms beyond Denmark."

"We're here to help." Melody added. "My parents were taken by the Imperial Horde too." This too was true. Her parents, King Eric and Queen Ariel, had no doubt been taken prisoner by the Empire, or worse yet. She shuddered a little. No, they had to still be alive. She had to keep that hope alive.

"They're alright." Oliver piped up. He looked more sober now, and had calmed down considerably, and was a lot more like the Oliver she knew from school. "Besides, we could use the help."

The woman narrowed her eyes and contemplated this for a minute or two. Then she relented. "Fine. We need all the help we can get, anyway, consequences be damned." She extended her hand to Melody. "Welcome to the Insurgency. My name's Charlotte."

Melody accepted the handshake. "You can call me Melody."

"Melody? Like the princess?"

"Yeah." Back when Melody had just been born, many citizens named their newborn daughters after the royal princess as some sort of auspicious tradition. There were many girls with her name in the kingdom, so she didn't see how it would hurt to use her real name in a mission like this.

"Elizabeth." Elsa extended her own hand. "Thank you for letting us help. We promise to help with whatever we can." Elsa added.

Charlotte took it too, and then glanced at the man who was accompanying her. "Take them on a tour of the place. If they're going to be working with us, they should know where things are."

###

The Warriors were given a tour of the facility. On the outside, it looked like an ordinary enough factory warehouse, but in reality it had been retro-fitted with items and old furniture that made it look and feel more like a communal living space.

The first level of the building was more of a common area where the refugees of their own kingdom could live safely. There were a great many citizens who were holed up with the Insurgency, most likely looking to them for protection and supplies.

Most of them were dressed poorly and some in rags, while some others wore clothing that marked them as escapees from New Town who had been cast out of their homes by the soldiers. The Insurgency was more like a shelter for those who needed protection from the thieves and gangs who prowled the streets of Old Town, and also from the Empire.

The second level of the building was where all the makeshift beds were stored, and in another room, there were medical supplies, stretchers and other tools. Medicine was in short supply, it seemed, and the sick were in desperate need of better care.

Rations and water cans were located in another room that had been converted into a pantry or dining area that could hold a great many people at one time. The supplies here looked like they were running out too, unfortunately. If the Insurgency was going to do something, they had to do it soon.

Then, there was the basement of the building, where the crates of other tactical supplies and weapons were stored. This room was guarded and only for the active members of the Insurgency who could contribute to the fight against the Empire. Here, there were considerably less people than on the upper levels. Jade and Deirdre had remained upstairs to learn more about the living conditions and also to keep an eye out for potential danger while Melody and Elsa had followed their new allies down to the basement where they began exchanging information and learning about their enemies from their new allies.

"On your way over here from New Town, what route did you take?" The man in the vest asked. His name was Ivon, and from what the Warriors had gathered, he used to be a Major in Denmark's artillery battery and had retired a few years before the invasion. Having him around was useful, since he could provide them tactical knowledge on how to engage the Empire from a military standpoint.

Ivon was tall, and his beard was silver with age. He had tired eyes that spoke of his weathered nature, but he was also an expert sharpshooter who was proficient with muskets, rifles, pistols and artillery guns.

"We came over by Food Street, and passed by the corner of Fourth and Jelon." Melody answered. "Why?"

He looked confused. "And you didn't run into the First Imperial Guard?"

"The what?" Elsa asked.

"The First Imperial Guard. They're an elite unit put together by the Empress and the General who patrol the streets. They're tougher and more cruel than even the rest of the Imperial Horde, and they've been rooting out citizens who they deem as traitors or threats to the Empire." Ivon explained, his voice bordering on a low growl.

"They're led by a mysterious leader in black who rarely ever shows up in public. If anything, he usually strikes at night alone to take on bigger threats to the Empire." Charlotte said. "Those who have seen him rarely live to tell the tale, but they all agree he's not a typical Exonian. He's a mercenary of some sort."

"We saw the First Imperials on the way over." Melody said. They must be the soldiers who were escorting innocent civilians away right before her very eyes. "But we took cover before they passed us by. We saw them taking away a group of civilians."

Ivon sighed and glanced at Charlotte who looked grim.

"Do you know where they take the people?" Elsa asked.

Ivon nodded. "The First Imperials hold them in General Kane's headquarters, where they are made to stand trial in a makeshift court. Kane is present at the courts to watch the proceedings, and sometimes he allows the prisoners to fight him."

"Fight him?"

"He offers them a chance. If they can beat him in a fight, then they are released and are given some supplies to live a little bit longer." Charlotte explained.

"The General's cocky." Ivon growled. "But there's no doubt he's good."

"Has anyone beaten him yet?" Melody asked.

Ivon shook his head grimly.

Melody pursed her lips. She'd managed to beat him once, but that was a long time ago, and it was a Kane who had his judgement and mind clouded. This Kane that the Insurgency was describing sounded a lot more terrifying and formidable, but she had to see him for herself just to be sure.

"And where are the proceedings held?" Elsa asked.

"Thanks to Alfonz," Ivon dipped his head in the direction of an ordinary looking teenager in the corner. "He managed to spy on the First Imperials long enough to figure out where they take their prisoners. Ivon jabbed his finger at a map in front of them. "Here. A club in New Town called the Maine. It's in the centre of the city where everyone can watch the trials, both civilians and Exonians alike."

Melody grimaced. She knew where the Maine was.

"And what about after the proceedings?" Elsa continued. "What happens to the civilians if they're found guilty?"

"They're almost always found guilty." Charlotte grumbled.

"The prisoners are taken away to be thrown into the Empire's prison somewhere." Ivon said. "That we haven't been able to find out yet. No one knows where, but we'll find out soon." He glanced at Alfonz who nodded.

"We heard that the Empress is here too." Melody said. "Is it true that she's holed up in the castle?"

"Yes." Ivon said. "But no one's stupid enough to try and get in there. It's a fortress."

"We don't have the manpower?" Elsa asked. "What about the remnant of the army that weren't trapped in their own base? Surely some of them are still around."

"Miss, I wish that were true." Ivon glanced at her grimly. "The last of the military were killed in the streets by the First Imperials. The rest are still trapped in their own camp as prisoners of war. Those guys never stood a chance."

"What about the King and Queen? Are they trapped in there with the Empress?" This part Melody needed to know desperately, though she did her utter best to hide the anxiety and trembling in her voice.

"They won't kill the King and Queen." Charlotte said. "The Empress is cruel enough that she wants the people to see their monarchs being forced to bend to her will. She's a tyrant."

"She's a monster." Ivon growled.

Slightly relieved that her parents were still alive, Melody glanced at Elsa knowingly. The situation was a lot more complicated than they had imagined it to be.

Just then, the door leading out of the basement and back up to the ground level burst open, and everyone whirled around sharply. Jade clambered down halfway down the stairs, eyes wide and panting.

"Guys!" Jade shouted. "You're going to want to see this! We got company!"

Melody frowned. "Jade? What's going on?"

"The Exonian soldiers." Jade's face was pale. "They're here."

Melody felt the eyes of the insurgents piercing through her and leapt away at the last second before Ivon could pin her to the desk.

"You're making a mistake!" She shouted. "We're not traitors!"

"Liars." Ivon made another grab at her and missed.

"You are spies!" Charlotte advanced towards Elsa.

Elsa slipped away hastily. "No!" she protested. "We're not! I swear it!"

"We let you into the Insurgency and now you turn on us." Charlotte picked up a knife from the table.

"Listen to me! We're not spies!" Melody ducked beneath Ivon's large frame and avoided another wild grab.

"We didn't know the First Imperials were here too!" Elsa said, moving out of the way as Charlotte slashed at her with the knife. She grabbed Charlotte's hand and twisted the knife out of her grasp, tossing it away. That left her open for the rebel leader to pin her arm behind her and push her up forcefully against the wall.

Melody caught Ivon's meaty arm and slammed it against the desk, twisting it till she got in a position behind him, giving her leverage.

"We don't want to fight you. Look, if it's true and the First Imperials are coming, then we're running out of time." Melody held Ivon's arm in place.

"Please," Elsa said. "Let us help you."

"We can't trust them!" Charlotte called out to Ivon.

"I hate to admit it, but she's right." Ivon said. "We're running out of time."

"The way I see it, you have two choices." Melody said, still gripping Ivon's arm firmly behind his back. "Split your focus between fighting us and the First Imperials, or let us help you get rid of them."

"How do we know we can trust you?"

"You don't," Elsa freed herself from Charlotte's grasp and came face to face with the older woman. "But you don't have much of a choice."

"Let us fend them off while you evacuate the building. We'll hold them off long enough for you to get everyone out." Melody offered, releasing Ivon.

"What makes you think you can fight them and get out alive?" Charlotte still sounded apprehensive and suspicious, but Melody couldn't blame her. After all, it was really a wrong place wrong time sort of situation. Who would have known that the First Imperial Guard would come crashing down upon them at the very time that the Warriors joined up?

"Let us worry about that." Elsa said, walking up the stairs to where Jade was waiting, with Melody following close behind.