Author's Note: Writing songs is HARD. I apologize for the dots but it was the only way to format the document so the parts sung by the other men were indented. Think tribal dances. Birk sings the top lines, and the rest of the prisoners sing the indented lines. In the second song it's all Birk, but I indented it because it's a two line rhyming bit.

Chapter 3: Deliverance

Sofia lunged at the man and hugged him tightly. The man was taken aback by the gesture.

"I'm sorry Miss, but you're too young for me to have known you well."

Tears flowed out of Sofia's eyes and she began to sob hysterically. "Papa."

The man just stood there staring down at her strangely, but suddenly the realization dawned on him that in fact, his tiny little girl had grown into the short woman wrapping her arms around his torso. "Is it… are you my… Sofia?"

"Uh huh."

Sofia felt a jolt of energy run through him as he wrapped her in a giant bear hug. "Oh Sofia sweet pea, it's you! Look at you, all grown up and beautiful, Oh blessed be you're a witch too!"

The other man was still pulling at Birk's arm, "Brother we've got to go."

Sofia and her papa snapped back to reality. Her father grabbed the nearest stone off the wall and they all ran up the stairs. Unfortunately they were met by a guard in the hallway, sword hastily drawn, "Just what do you think—"

Sofia didn't let him finish; she shot a powerful blast at him, knocking the guard backward several feet. He landed unconscious on the floor.

"Let's go!"

They took off out the hole in the wall and heard bells being clanged furiously in the background. If any of the guards were still awake they would be coming after them at breakneck pace. Swiftly they ran around the outside of the prison and off toward the pile of rocks where Sofia had concealed the method of escape. Lucinda had expanded the boat and was trying to coax the crowd into the makeshift vessel. Most looked skeptical and were hesitant to board.

One sentence from Birk was all it took. "Everyone get on board, we're leaving this place." They all started jumped in, the force of which caused the hull to bounce up and down in the surf. Several reached out to steady each other while Lucinda was trying to keep the boat afloat. Someone at the back of the crowd started shouting, "Sorceress, help! Here come more guards!"

Sofia ran through the crowd back toward the prison, accidentally banging into frantic prisoners along the way, and saw four more guards running toward them fast. With a determined flick of her wrist she shot a fireball in their direction. Once the guards realized the incoming fire they dove into a nearby dicth. She kept firing lightning blasts and fireballs at the guards until all of the prisoners had boarded. Just then a massive energy blast came from the tower. The soldiers on the ground stopped trying to advance, and instead began running back to the prison. Sofia realized something bad was coming. Lucinda started crying out to her dear friend, "Please Sofia we've got to go, NOW!"

"No, you've got to go. Take them and get out of here. I'll buy you some time."

"But—"

"Please Lucinda, get them to safety. If they're recaptured they might be killed. Just GO!"

With that Lucinda aimed a mighty blast of energy at the island and the boat began to lurch forward, steadily picking up steam. All the prisoners, including her papa, were safely on board.

Birk called out to her as the boat sped away, "Sweet pea wait! It's dangerous, the royal mage!"

"Don't worry Papa I'll be fine, just GO!"

Sofia saw the boat disappear off into the distance toward Friezenburg and looked over to see Minimus still standing there, "Sofia we should really go now, something just showed up in that tower and I don't like it one bit."

"I know Minimus, and if it's a mage from Maldonia then I've got to stop them from recapturing those people, which means I need to fight them, here and now so they can't reach the boat."

Minimus began to whinny wildly, "But Sofia they may recognize you, you're a princess after all, and then everyone will know what happened and Sofia think of what your Dad would say. He might take away your wand!"

Minimus had a very good point. Sofia looked down at her cape. She grabbed the hood and ripped two holes in it, then flung it over her head, pulling it down to cover most of her face. She enlarged the two holes so she could see out of them and still fight.

"How's this?"

"You really think that's going to work Sofia? We should just flee. PLEASE let's just run away!"

There was no more time for preparation. Sofia heard a whooshing sound and launched a propulsion spell downward, effectively flinging herself into the air and dodging the spell that had been unleashed in her direction. Minimus ran behind a rock to hide from the oncoming onslaught.

While flying through the air Sofia caught a glimpse of the witch. She was tall and thin, with grey and brown streaked hair and was in a long silver night robe. The witch began hurling spells at Sofia, clearly enraged. If Sofia had wanted practice dueling this was definitely it.

Time to engage.

Sofia landed and began deflecting everything this witch flung at her. Spells were ricocheting off the prison wall and landing in the ocean. Enough defense, it was offense time. Sofia shifted stances and shot a fireball at the sorceress, which the old woman easily deflected into the water. It sizzled as it sunk. The woman turned back to face Sofia, clearly stunned at the ferocity with which Sofia was able to hurl the fireball at her. "So little witch, you've some skill with the wand?"

Sofia crouched a little lower and launched herself forward, running and casting offensive spells at the woman. This Royal Sorceress was clearly a master, but Sofia had youth on her side, which meant fast and energetic were her strengths in this fight. Sofia shot forward in a jagged fashion that thwarted the woman's attempts to land her spells and finally jumped up, casting the wind tunnel spell directly at the witch. It finally connected and sent the woman flailing backward several dozen feet. She tried valiantly to rise again as Sofia walked over to her slowly.

"Who are… you child?" It came out of the woman between her attempts to catch her breath.

Anger rose up in Sofia. This woman had used magic to help trample upon the freedoms of these men. The war had been over for years, but their lives were still taken.

"I AM THE ONE WHO WOULD RIGHT THIS TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE!" Sofia had screamed it at the woman. The witch tried in vain to shoot another spell at Sofia, but the princess was quicker and cast a sleeping spell on the old sorceress. By the time this wicked mage awoke the prisoners would be safely in Friezenburg and on their way to reunification with their families.

Sofia ran off into the distance toward Minimus and found the less-than-valiant steed hiding the front half of his body behind a rather oddly shaped rock, the tail end sticking straight up into the air. "Oh Minimus don't worry, it's fine now SEE."

"Sofia that was truly horrifying. She almost got you a couple of times!"

"But she didn't, did she?"

"I guess not."

"Oh Minimus." Sofia let out a series of relieved sighs and then boarded her friend, "Okay let's go make sure Lucinda hasn't hexed any of them."

…

Sofia finally spotted the boat; it was halfway across the sea by the time they caught up to it. She had Minimus circle it a few times before landing. Lucinda was guiding it expertly, and conjured a small platform for Minimus to set down without much effort. Many of the prisoners aboard were still awake from the excitement, even though it was the dead of night. They began cheering as Sofia approached; her father beckoned her to land with his great arms.

"Oh Sofia, my dear sweet pea! Just look at how you've grown. You're as beautiful as your mother."

Sofia grabbed him and hugged him tightly, "PAPA! I just can't believe it's you. I missed you so much."

They stood, hugging each other for quite some time. Another prisoner finally starting tugging at Birk's arm. "Hey brother, mind passing out some introductions so we know who this amazingly wonderful girl is?"

Birk turned toward the crowd and announced loudly, "Everyone, this is my daughter Sofia! As you can see she's grown into a powerful sorceress. We are saved!" with that the crowd erupted into loud cheers. Somewhere in the back of the crowd the cheering turned to clapping, and then rhythmic beats came. It started off slow, the slapping of a hand against a leg, clapping to the beat. Others joined in. Slowly feet began to stomp to the rhythm, and Birk's face lit up like the sun. He started humming, and the other man next to him started to hum along. Pretty soon a dozen of the men were humming. Sofia looked over to Lucinda, who was looking around as confused as she was. The witch raised up an extended finger and spun it around near her ear. She clearly thought these men had lost their sanity in that hole they'd been digging.

Birk's humming began to form into words, and the song emerged. His voice rang clear through the night, and a chorus of men followed each line with their practiced response. This must have been a favorite while they were working in the mines.

"Pray tell what the Master said,"

. . . . . . "He say you must work some more!"

"When Sir may I rest my head?"

. . . . . . "He say you dig to the core!"

"Pity Sir, my hunger's spread,"

. . . . . . "He say you can eat the ore!"

"Please Sir I miss my own bed,"

. . . . . . "He say you sleep on the floor!"

.

"Oh no… Oh no… Never shall we ride the seas."

"Oh no… Oh no… Never feel our lover's tease."

.

Suddenly Birk leapt forward into the crowd of men. They parted and reformed a circle around him. The pace of the beats and stomps intensified, and everyone broke out into jubilant cries amidst the singing as Birk pounded his foot to the boat's hull while spinning around in the center of the crowd.

"One day I'll no longer groan."

. . . . . . "We say we shall rise above!"

"One day I will find my home."

. . . . . . "We say we will dance and love!"

"One day I will be my own."

. . . . . . "We say we will feel alive!"

"One day freedom will be known."

. . . . . . "We say we won't be denied!"

.

"Oh yes… Oh yes… Always we shall overcome!"

"Oh yes… Oh yes… Freedoms melody is sung!"

.

They celebrated for a long while in the night as the boat traversed the seas. Sofia was overwhelmed with love and admiration for her Papa. He was obviously their leader, and the freedom these men now found themselves in was long sought. At one point Birk danced over to Sofia and extended his hands outward. He grabbed up his daughter and spun her around the small spaces between these singing freedmen. For her part Sofia got more comfortable participating, and started stomping along to the beat. These men seemed so good-natured, a far cry from what could happen to the hearts of those who had years of their life forcibly stolen away. Eventually Sofia got dizzy from the spinning and sought out the edge of the boat. Birk came to sit down beside her, putting one of his strong arms around her shoulder and angling her head to rest on his chest. He was alive, and he was safe. Suddenly the empty place left by his parting Sofia had tried to suppress for most of her life was gone, and all felt right with the world. She rested her head on his chest for a while and listened to the music now being sung by the other men, and eventually people started to calm down and fall asleep.

Birk started to stroke her head, just as he did when she was a small child, and it made Sofia smile. She turned up to look at him, moonlight illuminating his beloved face. "Oh Sofia you don't know how I've missed your mother and you. Tell me, how is she?"

Suddenly the feeling of completeness was gone. Thoughts of her stepfather flashed in front of her face. "Papa we should really… catch up on a few things."

He had no idea her mother had gotten remarried. Suddenly Sofia began to panic; here her papa had spent every day for the last 13 years dreaming of Miranda while her mom was happily remarried to a king. It was almost too much to bear. How could she tell this man, her father, who was overrun with joy that his wife no longer waited for him? She started to hyperventilate and a look of sadness passed over Birk's face. He reached out and put his hand on Sofia's chin, gently convincing her to look up at him. "I'll be okay Sofia, I have you, and that is more than I dared to dream possible. Can you tell me how she died, or would that be too painful?"

Sofia shook his hand from her chin. "Oh no Papa, Mom isn't dead. In fact, you are the one who we thought was dead. We were told that everyone who was taken was killed."

Birk sat there, absorbing every word. He looked off at the rolling waves in the distance, and finally back to Sofia.

"I see. Then everyone on this boat besides you and your friend is presumed dead. That would explain why no one ever came for us." He looked out along the sea again, watching the moonlight reflect off the surface. "Why did you come dearest? And… how did you ever get the opportunity to learn sorcery?"

"Well, it's a long story Papa. You see, Mom… remarried when I was eight to a… really great guy." She cringed as she said it, but it seems her father had already mentally prepared himself for this. She waited for his reaction and each breath seemed to span the course of hours. He finally turned back to her, some tears were in his eyes but a smile lay across his face, "Sofia, I can see you're worried about my feelings. I want you to know something. I'm so relieved for your mother, and for you dearest. I could never wish for Miranda to spend her life in mourning, alone and unloved. I'm… happy that she has lived a content life, even if I wasn't the one to give it to her."

Sofia let out a major sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh Papa I love you so much, we missed you every single day. I still thought about you, but over the years the only thing I could remember was when you sang me to sleep at night."

He smiled gently at her; "I use to sing you songs from my homeland. You can tell we're a musical people, yes?"

Sofia looked around at the men who'd spent the last couple of hours dancing, singing and beating their bodies rhythmically in the dark. She nodded in agreement.

Birk smiled, "I could sing them again for you, if you'd like sweetheart. Your favorite used to be the one I sung to your mother to declare my intentions, right?"

After he said it Birk dropped his gaze down into his lap. His Miranda, she didn't sing for him anymore, did she? Suddenly Sofia felt awful for his loss and grabbed him into a tight hug. He returned her kind gesture. "I don't want you to feel bad Papa."

He shook his head, "No sweet pea, I've sung that song every day for the last 13 years to keep myself alive, and then there's you. Our love made you. I'd love to sing it for you again."

He started to hum and the familiar tune caught Sofia's ears, silencing the storm within her soul. The moment was perfect as a sound that had all but been forgotten softly drifted through the night.

"I've met the one who sets alight,

. . . the fires of my hearts delight."

"They sing in verses to the skies,

. . . and starlight reflects in their eyes."

"I'll give my heart to this dear one,

. . . Our love will be forever sung."

"Into the sunset we will dance,

. . . If only they will take this chance."

As he sang the dawn broke over the waters, and Sofia fell asleep in her father's arms; just as she had done when she was a small child.

…

*Thud*

Lucinda had nodded off alongside the rest of the boat's occupants, and the vessel had unceremoniously collided with the Friezenburg shoreline. After the shock of collision wore off, men were disembarking and parting as dear friends. Every single one of them went up to Birk and shook his hand, then bowed in respect toward Sofia. They had grown to be as brothers would over the years, helping each other survive the captivity. It was truly touching. They all set out in different directions. Sofia looked up at the sky, "What time is it Papa?"

"Why it's past breakfast Sofia." Oh Merlin. She was supposed to be asleep in her bedroom, not on the shores of Friezenburg. How was she ever going to make it back in time? Panic set in and she began shaking her hands and hopping nervously. It did not go unnoticed. Birk laid a hand on Sofia's shoulder. "Sweet pea, is something the matter?"

"Oh I'm just out WAY later than I should be. We should get you all home quick so I can get back, but then again, I don't want to leave you Papa."

Birk's expression went blank. He nodded and put a kind hand on her shoulder. "I see you've been raised in the Enchancian way, and we wouldn't want your mother to worry. So you should get going." Sofia nodded and they turned from the shoreline. Two of the men had stayed behind, the young man Sofia had first met and the older one who called her papa "Brother". WAIT. These men were part of her family.

"Oh my gosh you must be my Uncle!" Sofia had blurted it out unceremoniously.

The man chuckled with a deep laugh befitting his portly stature, "Call me Uncle Sal."

Sofia turned to the young man, much taller and more muscular than either Uncle Sal or her father. "Who are you?"

"Westin. Call me Westin cousin Sofia." The young man smiled gently at her.

She looked back toward her father, "How big is your family Dad?"

"It was quite large before we were taken, but now… I have no idea."

Sofia thought about it. Maybe the note would keep people away for at least breakfast. "I'm coming with you, at least until you get home."

That brought out the smiles again.

Lucinda crawled out of the boat to gaze at the sea of grins set before her. The witch was beautiful, tall and graceful; but post sleep deprivation was a harrowing sight to behold. "Sofia are we done here? I can't take much more of this, I need a nap or people are going to start growing tails, if you know what I mean."

"Point taken. Thank you so much Lucinda! I couldn't have done it without you."

A gigantic smile crossed the witches face, "Yeah. I know, but good witches need their beauty sleep to stay good, so see ya later."

Sofia and her friend giggled a bit, and Lucinda took off toward home on her broom. Sofia set about reverting the boat to bark lest someone from Maldonia come looking for the missing prisoners. Sofia and her weary kinfolk set off on foot through the countryside toward Birk's childhood home, with Minimus walking trotting behind. Friezenburg was a dry and barren land. Dirt seemed to be the major export product. "Papa, why is everything so… dead around here?"

Birk chuckled while the others' looked confused. "Oh Sofia sweetheart you grew up in Enchancia, where everything is green and beautiful. But not every kingdom is like Enchancia. Friezenburg is... not a very fun place to live. That's one of the main reasons I asked your Mom to move to Enchancia with me. Normally people in Friezenburg stay put, and the families just get bigger."

Oh. "So what do people DO here?"

Sal interjected, "Besides make more people? Why we work until we die, and then our children work."

Birk shook his head, "Please Sal, Sofia doesn't need to hear that."

There was an awkward silence, which Westin looked anxious to break up. He must do this often. "Sofia, can you tell me about yourself? Uncle Birk was always talking about some memories he had of you when you were little. Like the time you were so excited that Miranda made you a pair of shoes you ran outside naked with not but the shoes on."

Sofia blushed deep red hues and the men all laughed. "Well I can assure you I don't run outside naked anymore Westin. In fact, I've got more dresses than I can count and Marcy makes sure I'm thoroughly laced into them each morning."
Birk seemed confused, "Who is Marcy? Did your mother have more children?"

Sofia shook her head, "Oh NO, Mom didn't have any more kids, well I guess you could count my step brother and step sister. Marcy is one of our maids."

"Then you have two step siblings? And maids?"

Sal let out an expression of awe, "whoa… maids."

Sofia smiled. Her father's family in Friezenburg must not have been that well off before the war. "Yes, Princess Amber and Crown Prince James. They're really nice to me. Well at first it was a bit of a struggle, but we are all one big happy family now." Birk stopped in his tracks. Everyone else stopped walking and talking at his reaction.

…

"Miranda married King Rolland?"