I know I said that chapter 4 would be focused on what Rose gave Ezekiel at the end of chapter 3, but I got caught up with other details . But as the saying goes, better late than never!

While Sandra and her friends were flying to Mystic Meadows, Ezekiel was overseeing preparations for invading Orillia. Rose was at his side, and she reached into her purse.

"I have something for you that would help you, Your Grace," she said as she produced a large black and white stone with a dragonfly design.

"Rose, you don't have to be so formal. You can call me Ezekiel, Eze Gray, Lord Gray like I heard a few people doing now, or even Zeke," Ezekiel said as he turned to her.

"As you wish, Zeke," Rose smiled. She handed the stone to him as she said, "Even though my parents run the village apothecary, my mother is a great and talented sorceress. She has very powerful magic, and among her many gifts are the abilities to control people. I often go with her when she visits her friends so I can practice my own magic as well. I've learned quite a few spells over the years, and they've served me well for a long time. I also have several magical items to assist me, such as this one. This is a stone my mother received from one of her companions for a birthday present last year. It allows the user to read people's minds or make them her slave."

"Interesting," Ezekiel nodded.

Rose smiled. "However, she told me in private that she already had ten stones just like this one, so she gave this one to me, telling me I could use it at my discretion."

"As my sister said to me, nothing says love like re-gifting!" Ezekiel smirked, thankful that one of Sandra's stupid quips actually had a use now.

"Be that as it may, I should warn you, if you're not used to the magic of the stones, you'll fall under the influence yourself," Rose warned, "When my mother was first teaching me about this, I'd be in a trance for a long time afterward since I'd become distracted. However, she taught me how to keep my mind focused on something else so the spell wouldn't affect me."

"I appreciate that," Ezekiel smiled as he kissed Rose's hand.

"Zeke! Stop that!" Spike scolded from where he was watching under a table.

Rose smiled when she heard him barking. She didn't know what he was saying, but she knew Spike didn't like it when people kissed in front of him. "It's all right. He didn't mean any harm. And I think it's so sweet that you're looking out for him," She knelt and let him sniff her hand. "You're a very brave dog, and I hope we can be friends."

However, before Spike could say anything else, one of Ezekiel's spies came forward. "Lord Gray," he bowed, "Sources indicate that your sister Sandra met up with the Royal Family of Enchancia, and some of them are now on the way to Mystic Meadows."

"Mystic Meadows? That's where Aleena's father lives now," Ezekiel mused. He turned to Rose as she straightened up again. "You say you want to be a spy for me? Well, here's your chance. Go to Mystic Meadows and find out what they're up to. Just say you're visiting some relative of your mother's friends, find Sandra, and learn what she and her friends are up to."

"I will, Zeke," Rose curtsied as the spy led her away.

Far away from Ezekiel's base, a few of his friends had managed to infiltrate Orillia Castle's defense. Constable Ryan, the son of the former captain of the guards, was leading the knights to attack the invaders. He gasped as he recognized someone. "Steven! What the blazes are you doing?" he demanded as one of the hooded figures came up to him.

"Take us to the king," Steven replied, wielding a sword at him.

"Steven, need I remind you that you and I learned fencing from my dad when we were kids? He taught us everything we know!" Ryan scoffed as he drew his sword and they started dueling.

"But here's a little trick you don't know about!" Steven smirked. He whipped out his wand and yelled, "Stupefy!" Ryan went down like a ton of bricks, and as the guards got him to safety, that gave Ezekiel and his forces time to enter the castle.

At the same time, Sofia and her friends arrived at Mystic Meadows. They had no idea that Rose had followed them. Sofia saw Cedric's parents, Goodwin the Great and Winifred the Wise, and they waved her over. Sofia introduced James, Amber, Lucinda, and her friends, and they were all invited inside.

After a quick visit, where they learned that Zanven lived a few doors down from them, they went to his cottage. However, unknown to the group, Goodwin decided to keep an eye on them. Zanven was one of his best friends, and he had also heard about this potion. He'd often offered to help with researching and finding the antidote, but Zanven could be just as stubborn as Goodwin himself, and repeatedly refused help.

As soon as Zanven opened the door, and before he even said hello to Sandra, he cast a Bubble-Head Charm on her, and invited them in. "My apologies, Princess, but I know how the smells in my workshop affected you," he said when everyone was inside.

"Don't worry, Zanven; I know old habits die hard, but I already smell something," Sandra assured him as she introduced her friends.

"Mister Zay-ven," Sofia started, recalling how Sandra had told them how to pronounce the name, and glad she wasn't butchering like she often had with Cedric's, "Do you know anything about this, and if there's an antidote?" She held up the picture of the vial she had borrowed from Goodwin.

Zanven gasped at the picture of the green and black snake headed vial. "My worst mistake to date," he murmured. "However, I am pleased to announce that I have finally discovered an antidote if it's already been ingested."

"That's good," Sandra replied. "Where's your two-way mirror for Dad? I think he might want to know about this."

Zanven handed her the mirror which was connected to King Robert, and she concentrated. She waited for a long time, but her father didn't appear. Instead, the mirror looked cloudy.

"Something's wrong. We need to get back to the castle," Sandra said as she put the mirror down.

"First, I need help gathering the ingredients for the antidote," Zanven told her. "Bring them all to me, and then go back to the castle."

"Some of these can be found in the kitchen," Candice read the list. "We'll get those."

"Good thinking. And we'll find the cauldron we need too," Dorrie agreed.

"The rest of us can find more ingredients if we ask the residents," Lucinda added.

A short time later, Sofia and Sandra went out to the gardens to find some of the ingredients Zanven told them about. Suddenly, Sofia saw Rose watching them. "It's not her…Princess Ivy was banished…It's not the same person…" she murmured, nervously fingering her amulet.

However, she got a surprise when Sandra called, "Rose! What are you doing here? I haven't seen you since the last time my family was in Lewiston!"

"Rose?" Sofia asked.

Sandra waved Rose over. "Sof, this is Rose Willows. She lives in Orillia, too, but in the village of Lewiston. Rose, this is my friend Princess Sofia of Enchancia."

Sofia gave her a quick curtsy. "It's nice to meet you, Rose. And I'm sorry I was nervous; you look like someone I've met before. Her name was Ivy, and you look a lot like her."

Rose smiled. "I know who you mean. Several years ago, too many for me to remember, there was a princess named Ivy on my mother's side of the family. She was very talented with magic, but it tended to get out of hand."

"That's an understatement," Sofia muttered, recalling her adventure with Princess Ivy.

"In any case, every few generations, there's an Ivy in the family, and now it's my mother's turn to be the namesake," Rose went on, ignoring Sofia's comment.

"And how are she and Darryl doing with their apothecary shop? I also had no idea you were a princess," Sandra spoke up, referring to Rose's father.

"They're doing fine. Father's actually thinking of opening a second shop," Rose smiled. "And as to your question about me being royalty, my great-grandmother was a princess, but she gave up her title to marry my great-grandfather, but she still had very strong connections with the royal family. I also saw your brother today, Princess Sandra. He's looking quite well, and just as handsome as ever."

"That's good," Sandra immediately went on guard. "Sorry to cut you off, Rose, but it's getting kind of late, and I was just visiting Zanven for a potions assignment for Royal Prep. Maybe we could talk some more later?"

Rose smiled and nodded, and as soon as Sofia and Sandra were gone, she went back to Ezekiel.

After a while, when Rose had finished her report, he told her that the time was right to attack the castle.

Thanks to some more spells Rose cast, the guards had fallen asleep, and there were no further obstacles in their way as Ezekiel started leading his army into the castle.

Hearing commotion in the halls, Robert opened the secret door and looked around. He motioned for Patricia and Zoe to stay back. Ambre, Beth, and Zoeanna had also taken cover when they heard the sounds of fighting.

As he looked around, he saw Ezekiel coming toward him. But before he could say anything, Ezekiel spoke first.

"Hello, Dad," Ezekiel smirked. "I've been wanting to say this to you since the day you kicked me out…STUPEFY!" He watched in satisfaction as Robert fell to the ground.

"Daddy!" Zoe cried out in alarm. Two of Ezekiel's soldiers heard her, and made their way up to her.

"Stay away from my daughter!" Patricia shouted, aiming her dagger at the two people coming near Zoe.

"Where did you get that?" Zoe gasped. She'd never seen her mother use a knife, except in the dining hall or when she was cutting flowers.

"I've had this since before you were born. It's a thrilling tale, which I'll tell you later!" Patricia said as she pointed the blade at her attackers. Unfortunately, she was knocked out by a blast of magic from Ezekiel's wand. The knife fell to the ground, forgotten, as she was taken out.

"Mommy!" Zoe cried out. However, before she could run to her, a pair of rough hands grabbed her, and as she struggled to free herself, she looked around wildly, just managing to see Beth, Zoeanna, and Ambre huddled in the corner where they wouldn't be seen. "Ambre! Find Sandra!" Zoe screamed before she was knocked out.

"I will, Zoe," Ambre promised. Then as he, Beth, and Zoeanna emerged a few minutes later, Ambre looked toward a small door. "Come with me," he said as he led them to it.

"Let's take this too!" Zoeanna said as she picked up Patricia's knife.

"Zoeanna Leslie Cunnings, you be careful with that thing!" Beth gasped.

"Beth Georgia Victors, of course I will!" Zoeanna retorted.

"And I'm Ambre Sergio Greystone! Okay, now that we know each other's full names, let's find Sandra!" Ambre hissed impatiently.

Meanwhile, Robert, Patricia, and Zoe were taken to a wagon. They just started stirring when they saw Rose in front of them. "Let me help you," she smiled. The smile became evil as she started waving the stone in front of their faces and chanted a spell in a foreign language. Several black and white dragonflies emerged and made contact with them. "Just lie back and relax," Rose smiled sweetly now as they fell asleep again. "By the time you wake up, you won't remember a thing, except who you really are: slaves of Lord Gray."

Author's Notes

Thanks to Niagara14301 for helping with details on this chapter.

Thanks also to TheDisneyFan365 for helping with details on this chapter.

While Rose said that she has many magical talents, the ability to talk to animals was not one of them. Remember what happened in The Amulet of Avalor when it was lost, and in Olaf and the Tale of Miss Nettle when Miss Nettle hexed it? Sofia could still talk to animals, but she couldn't understand what they were saying.

Steven is my own character.

Sergio, Ambre's middle name, is taken from the TV show Criminal Minds. Sergio is the name of Emily Prentiss' cat.

Stupefy is from Harry Potter.