Chapter 27: Subterfuge

Glomp. Squish. Glomp. Squish.

Despite the need for stealth it was impossible to trudge through the knee-high mud of the river that ambled around and through Mazida in any way resembling quiet. Sleet fell about Sofia, Axel and Westin's shoulders as they used the bramble-lined stream bed to cover their entrance to the town. Winter had expectedly come early to Friezenburg. The cobblestone streets were crawling with Maldonian troops as Mazida stood a city under military siege. Liberation would have to wait, though, until the captured revolutionaries had been freed.

Sofia had the ware withal to let Axel's flying horse direct them to the town as Westin was a bit sketchy on the directions. Throughout the agonizing trip Sofia found herself feigning the support she wished was genuine as her cousin alternated between gushing over how wonderful, handsome, and daresay almost charming Cedric had been in the workshop and worry that their fragile infatuation was irrevocably injured by the incident in Sofia's room. Westin had assumed Cedric was upset about exclusion from the conversation, and perhaps that's all it was. She'd told Cedric numerous times that he was indeed her best friend, then she'd quite literally shut him out. Regret consumed her, but Westin seemed to be beaming, despite the set back, and was tossing around terms such as 'soul mate'. It ripped Sofia's heart in twain to hear her cousin speak those words, but she dared not show it. Westin seemed a thoughtful and caring man, and might temper his happiness if he knew the elation was torturing her. Forcing someone to be unhappy was antithetical to her being, and so she stayed silent on the building hurt within.

Mercifully they found the town, initiating a frantic search for the prince on its outskirts that finally concluded with locating Axel and many other rebels at the river's edge. They were debating a full-out assault or a stealthy recovery mission, Axel in favor of the latter to minimize casualties, to which Sofia agreed wholeheartedly. The gathered rebels took her word as gospel, and it left a distinct impression on Sofia that they might have charged with not but their ramshackle weaponry headlong into the waiting garrison at Mazida had she but given the word. That she, or truly anyone, could have that sort of sway over this many people left an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach next to the bolus of guilt at abandoning Cedric once again.

It was generally agreed upon that Axel would reveal himself as a last resort; that his direct line of information was something to be protected. Axel confirmed Sofia's hunch that while he had access to records, troop movements, and everything necessary to undermine Maldonia's grip on Friezenburg from within, he lacked the political backing of key Dukes and military leaders to actually wrest control from his father and end this strife.

And so they found themselves trekking through the muck, trying their best not to alert the soldiers above to their presence. Birk's followers had been instructed to surround the town and remain unseen unless Sofia sent up a distress beacon or word was sent of more specific action needed.

Sofia, being much shorter than either man, found it especially difficult to traverse the mud, as the bottom half of her dress dragged in the goop and laced boots kept trying to slide off, forever lost to this wretched cesspool that passed for a river in Friezenburg. But something Axel had said stuck like a splinter in her mind. As she'd approached him the river's edge the prince had been relieved to see her.

"Thank goodness you came. It is you Sofia, not another copy?"

"Of course its me." Sofia chided.

"Good. I need every ounce of magic you've got to keep everyone alive this time."

So someone had died. Who, and the circumstances surrounding it were a bit fuzzy, but the top priority was securing the safety of those captured. Lengthy discussions of what had transpired would have to wait. Wet, freezing, hungry, and muddy beyond compare Sofia soldiered on, her devotion to her Papa and her dear friend driving her onward. They came to a covered bridge and hid underneath as carriages rolled past on ominous missions. Axel had adorned that blue mask once more to hide his identity, and Sofia had reconjured her own disguise while removing Westin's.

An inlet to the center of town revealed itself, and Sofia used the wand to create native bramble bushes for each of them as cover. Slowly, so as not to be noticed, they wound their way along the riverbed flat as a planed board, but the jutting hillside meant the town rose above them. The river's edge now lay a handful of yards below the cobbled streets above, affording some level of anonymity.

"So where is the jail, or prison, or wherever they're being kept?" Westin whispered.

"I have absolutely no idea, but they were tracked to this village, and no one saw them leave." Axel looked toward Sofia, and it was abundantly clear neither man had a plan. Sofia huffed, then looked around. About a dozen yards ahead was an embankment coated with granite stones. Above that was the back of a house. Sofia gesticulated toward the stones, and led the way. Luckily the mud prints along the granite were washed away by the sleet. Their numbed bodies and clothing weren't so lucky. Much more fortuitous was the home they'd managed to encounter, which contained a stable for two cows and an overly friendly mare who was more than willing to share her hay, however inedible that ended up being for humans. Granted this short breather, Sofia slicked the top layer of mud off her arms and legs while Axel scouted the far end of the barn.

"Yuck. I know I thought anything could be a princess thing, but maybe I should make an exception for tromping through mud."

Westin chuckled. "Yeah, reminds me of the mine when it rained. Only then I knew I was never going to get a bath."

Axel was back, and with one large sweeping motioned beckoned the cousins to follow. Up to the second story loft they scurried, and there through the cracked veneer several of the main roads were visible. A carriage, then two more with plain designs were spotted, departing from view as quickly as they came. Several soldiers were mulling about and off in the distance came the sounds of hammers pounding.

Westin began shaking his head, "Even if we spot something, and I have no idea what, then how are we gonna get them out of here?"

"I don't know, but we have to save them, no matter what." Axel stated resolutely.

Sofia nodded, taking a moment to strategize. The last time her Papa was set to be executed they had both Amalthea and Edith waiting for her arrival. If it hadn't been for Lucinda she'd never have been able to succeed. Even so, she'd sustained a near life-threatening injury.

"Last time they tried this it was on a raised wooden structure. That pounding is probably the execution platform being constructed." Sofia glanced at Axel, who nodded. Westin's mouth dropped open with obvious concern. "Also, we can't wait for them to be brought out for execution."

"How else will we find them?" Axel replied. "There's no way we can get through town and search them out with all these soldiers."

"There's got to be a way, somehow." Sofia toughened her resolve and took charge, "Last time they were ready for me, and even with Lucinda's help I barely survived. Edith is out for blood. We have to catch them off guard, which means busting Lucinda and Papa out sooner than they expect."

"But how Sofia?"

Sofia stared off toward the sound of pounding, "If only I knew where Amalthea was."

Axel blinked, "She's probably at the execution site, making sure it's strategically protected from, well, us."

That was the answer. Sofia flung forward, giving Axel a brief hug about the shoulders. "That's it!"

Westin's head fell to the side. "What's it?"

"We get over to that platform, before the execution, and find Amalthea. She's bound to fetch my Papa and Lucinda when it's time, and then we just follow her to where they are being held."

"Straight into Maldonian guards? Sofia if we do that it's going to be a dog fight."

"Trust me. All you need is a good tailor." And with that Sofia altered both Axel's and Westin's clothes to mimic the uniforms of those soldiers passing by in the street, the mud shedding from their clothing as the cloth forms twisted into new shapes. Axel was even able to pass critique on small details Sofia missed, as he was quite accustomed to seeing that particular uniform.

For an overabundance of caution they snuck along back alleys, Sofia hiding herself between the two, broad-shouldered men. If they were questioned she could pretend to be a peasant from the village being escorted under curfew. While she was still in disguise, she appeared muddy and haggard enough to pass as any vagrant that slept in archways.

There, alongside the partially-constructed platform stood Amalthea and Edith, both observing their surroundings and the ongoing construction. Edith seemed the chatterbox, and Amalthea was less than amused by the conversation, being much more attentive to the preparations at hand. She wore a long blue robe of many folds to protect herself from the descending elements, lined with white fur of some kind. Perfect for hiding in, if one happened to be the size of a mouse.

Sofia smiled and turned to her cousin. "Okay, when Amalthea leaves I'm going to tag along with her. Axel you have to stay here, and reveal yourself as a last resort."

Hesitant, Axel began shaking his head, "No Sofia, I can't just sit here and do nothing. My family is to blame for this, and Lucinda's in danger."

"That's why you need to stay right here. If I fail you'll have to reveal yourself, and Amalthea can't overrule you without appealing to Victor, who obviously isn't here."

A deep exhale of resignation, and Axel backed away, taking up a scouting position along the nearest wooden cottage.

She turned to her cousin, who was anxious to run off into danger. "I'm going to follow Amalthea, and once they are freed I'm going to smuggle them back to the river."

"Okay, so let's go!"

"No wait. Westin, I need you to tell the others waiting outside of town the escape route, in case we need back up."

Westin began shaking his head violently, "NO!"

Both Sofia and Axel panicked, "Shhhh!"

Quieted, her cousin still protested profusely. "There is no way I'm letting you go alone." It was time for some truths, which she needed to level with her cousin immediately. Their lives were in danger.

"Look, I can do some things using the magic in my stone." She reached her muddy, pruned hand up, gesturing to the amulet as drops of frozen rain fell about their shoulders, and the cosmic connection formed in Westin's mind. "I'm trying to figure out how to fully utilize it to stop the war, but until then I know I can use it to shrink so no one will notice me. Not even Amalthea."

"Can it shrink me too? I'd never forgive myself if I let you go alone and you got hurt." Westin practically pleaded.

"Sorry, it can't." He looked away, unwilling to acquiesce. Sofia reached up and stroked a muddy, wet hand on his jaw. "This is why I came, I know I'm the one who has to complete the story. It'll be okay Wes, I promise."

He looked down dejected at the wand in his hand, "I guess I understand. I can't even use this thing properly yet."

"Don't say that, you were doing so well and Mr. Cedric was so impressed." To that Westin beamed, and Sofia felt as if hot pokers were stabbing at her sides, "But we need to let them all know the plan, so they can help us if it all goes sour, and oh! LUCINDA could use it!" Axel would have cheered if not for the impending doom all around, and Westin turned over Cedric' wand to her whole-heartedly.

With that she turned, took a few steps, and spoke "I wish I was small" softly. Before their eyes she shrunk to the size of a mouse. It took forever and a day for her to creep across the muddy cobblestones undetected, but fortunately the sleet kept any predatory animals at bay. Finally under the canopy she waited for Amalthea's move.

Edith was cackling, per usual. "No matter what Victor will be pleased." To that Amalthea grunted. "Come on, you'll have Victor right where you want him, and I'll have Rolland as putty in my hands for bringing the mystery mage down. It'll be great."

Amalthea snapped, "People are dying and there is pain and misery everywhere. Nothing about this is GREAT." Edith seemed genuinely uncomfortable, and turned to look as the steps to the platform were being constructed. Amalthea sighed heavily, it seemed she carried the weight of the world upon her shoulders and the troubles of a nation in the faint creases across her pretty face. She finally closed her eyes. "Three more deaths and then hopefully this will end and I can return to my work."

Edith jutted out a bony hip, her ebony hair flopping to one side, "Destroying stockpiles of Maldonian Autunite is not exactly glamorous. You could be magnificent if you just applied yourself like your husband used to. When I take out my worthless brother and I'm the royal sorceress of Enchancia I'll make sure you get proper recognition."

Sofia had never heard of Autunite before. What was it? And more pressing, Edith had finally admitted to purposely sabotaging Cedric.

"Family is EVERYTHING, even if we were given no choice in the matter." Amalthea bellowed. The sudden flash of anger quickly subsided, and Amalthea regained that characteristic composure that unnerved Sofia so.

"How very Friezenburg of you." Snarked Edith.

"My penance is what it is. Nothing can change this reality and my role in it. Your help is unneeded and unwanted."

A Maldonian guard interrupted what had shaped up to be a critical eavesdropping session. Informing the sorceresses that construction was nearly finished, Amalthea instructed Edith to round up submissive peasants as witnesses so the word of the PFU's leader's death would spread. The winnowy witch begrudgingly took off into the frozen rain, and Amalthea turned and began a brisk pace.

This was it.

Sofia jumped onto the furry fringe of Amalthea's coat while the witch was more concerned with the frigid conditions, and was summarily dragged through the streets of Friezenburg, outside of Amalthea's conjured umbrella's span. If she managed to survive this, she'd have a wicked cold to show for it. Burying herself in the fur trim helped somewhat, and was excellent cover. Her shrunken wand at the ready and Cedric's spare in tow, it was almost time.

The witch wound through several streets, side stepping nervous troops who bowed as she quickly traversed the route until finally passing through a disturbing wrought-iron gate. The metal creaked as it snapped shut, barely missing Sofia as it closed behind Maldonia's royal sorceress. Across a muddy courtyard and down several flights of slick steps the woman came to a large wooden door with metal hinges. Three soldiers stood guard, snapping to attention at Amalthea's arrival. One spoke, "Time?"

"Not yet. The witnesses are being assembled, but soon. I've a matter to deal with first."

There was some shuffling Sofia couldn't see, and then again the creaking of metal. Amalthea passed through and walked along the jagged stone floor, coming to rest near the end of the corridor. Sofia saw her chance and jumped off, rolling behind a large metal pillar. Now all she had to do was wait for some sort of opening. Amalthea stood facing what was assuredly a cell, but who's?

The answer revealed itself after a solid minute of silence. "You seem familiar. Were you the one who organized the protest at pit 27 about five years ago? It was over blankets, right?"

"Yes." Came from the deep, commanding presence inside the cell. Sofia practically gasped, it was her Papa! Still alive and lacking any obvious strain in his voice that would indicate injury.

"Don't tell that harpee anything!" Lucinda cried from some distance off. Sofia leaned out from behind the metal pillar to look in the direction of her friend's voice, but couldn't see her. Quickly she ducked back into the hiding place, to avoid premature detection.

"Silence YOU! Or I won't wait for the chopping block." Hardened, Amalthea turned to face Birk's cell.

"I thought I recognized you in Antiweill. I helped you and your fellow prisoners all those years ago by conjuring those blankets. You had what you needed to survive, so why are you doing this? I told you back then there was no point, no victory to be had, that Friezenburg had lost before the first battle was fought. Why do you insist on causing this death and destruction?"

"We have a right to be free."

"But you can't be free like this! I've spent the last 15 years trying to fix the root of the problem and—"

"Well then you've failed." Birk stated solemnly.

There was a long, deafening silence before Amalthea spoke again. "Look, I agree that the root of the problem IS Maldonia, but causing Friezenburg to implode into an endless spiral of death and destruction isn't the answer."

"You are correct." Birk stated firmly. "The answer is freeing my people, and uniting the world against these despots."

"Oh you are infuriating." Amalthea let slip a little bit of well-timed emotion, "So tell me then, just how do you plan on going about that? You're going to be dead in an hour, and once you're gone this revolution will crumble."

"The PFU will never yield! Even if we die then—"

"NO!" Birk shouted, cutting off Lucinda's retort. "No, don't tell her names, locations or anything else. She is trying to extract names and positions, to end them as well."

Amalthea's shoulders slumped and long, thin, beautiful fingers raised up to her brow, as if massaging her temples, "Of course I am. I need to make sure this ends fast to prevent more deaths, today if possible." The sorceress knelt down. Birk must have been on the floor, probably chained to it. "So tell me, won't you? I'm trying to save everyone's life. What good is freedom if it's only experienced in death?"

"It's better to die free than live a slave."

Amalthea sprung backward, fury consuming her, "And just what makes YOU qualified to decide that for everyone in Friezenburg! I know quite well many would choose the opposite fate."

"Now who is the one thinking they are qualified to speak for all?" Birk spoke with such resolve. Sofia could see the woman's grip tighten on her wand.

"Indeed. You may elevate yourself, and assume you speak for all the living, but I speak for the dead, whose fondest wish is that they may still be breathing, regardless of chains."

The royal sorceress took several deep breaths, regaining composure as her fingers relaxed around the wand. "Answer me, oh man of Friezenburg who would assume he speaks for all of her people. Where is the root of all this. Where is she hiding? Who is SHE?!"

"You're scared. Despite your wand and all your power, I see it in you."

The woman practically screamed, "I fear NOTHING for myself, my fate was sealed long ago. But you, and that mage, would bring the whole of Friezenburg's people with you into the abyss. How can you live with yourself, with that knowledge? You have brought the end of times."

"My people will be free, with or without me." There was a brief pause, and then Birk continued, "If you truly wish for our salvation, then help us."

Amalthea stood, pointing her wand at Birk. Dark energies swirled around her, "This isn't about me, and I see you leave me no choice. I'll have to loosen your tongue." Sofia gripped her wand, she had to save her Papa, NOW.

The princess turned and began to beg the amulet for her normal size, but the door creaked open, and a guard stepped in, halting Amalthea. Sofia bounded back behind the metal pillar.

"Your eminence, there is a disturbance at the forest's edge."

"I am BUSY."

"But your eminence, it looks like rebels are massing outside the village."

Amalthea groaned, then lowered the wand and faced Birk once more. "It looks like you may very well take your secrets to the grave, as well as Friezenburg." There was no reply. "Very well. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll have this minor problem dealt with and a trap laid for this 'mystery mage' in under an hour. She's the root of all this. Once you and her are gone the rallying cry will fade away, fear will grip the people, and normalcy will return, and for it everyone will survive."

Heavy steps tapped briskly back out the corridor, and the heavy wooden door creaked shut once more, locking behind Amalthea. Several seconds of silence while Sofia took it all in were broken by Lucinda, "She's gonna be okay, right Birk?"

"Of course she is. Westin's keeping her safe in Enchancia and Sal has that copy under wraps so she can't mess anything else up. Even if we don't survive this my sweet pea will, and she'll win this, I know she will."

WHAT? Sofia stepped out from the pillar, whispering "I wish to be big". With that she sprung to normal size, and flung herself at her stunned Papa, hugging him through the bars, her matted blonde disguise sticking to both Birk and the bars between them.

"Sofia! Sweet pea you shouldn't be here! Why are you here? How did you know?"

"Oh Papa! Lucinda! I was so worried for you!" She reared back, obliterating his shackles and cell with the vanishing spell. In an instant she was at Lucinda's gate, freeing the witch. Deep hugs of relief were quickly stifled, and they all fled to the back of the jail.

"How-?"

"Who-?"

"What-?"

All three were trying to speak simultaneously. Birk raised a hand, and took charge of the situation. "Escape first, questions later." The girls nodded, and Lucinda groaned, "Toadstools. If only I had my broom we could fly out of here."

"Perhaps not friend, this place is crawling with Maldonian troops."

Lucinda's mouth quirked to one side, then chanced a glance at the stone floor. "Well, whatever goes up must come down, right?"

Sofia smiled and Birk nodded his approval.

Lucinda let out a huff, "Rats. If my wand hadn't broken trying to save that copy of yours I'd burrow a tunnel so fast it would make moles look lazy."

Sofia shook the confusion about her copy off and grinned, pulling from her pocket Cedric's borrowed wand. The witch lit up like a Wassalia tree. Tunnel it was.

Sofia helped out too, reconjuring the stonework behind them and shifting the dirt around to cover their tracks, lest someone happen upon a gaping hole in the floor and find them. The whole endeavor was claustrophobic, dark, and stifling dust made the princess's lung burn, but it was escape from imminent death. Sofia still had Westin's stone from the mines, she'd kept it in her pocket through all the chaos as she'd promised, and was now finding it extremely useful to illuminate the situation. Birk was holding the stone high to provide a modicum of help to the girls. Sofia was gasping and coughing, which intensified with each minute underground. Lucinda began coughing as well, and Birk could take no more.

"STOP." Both girls immediately halted, and Sofia collapsed onto the ground gasping for air. "We need to get to the surface, before both of you collapse and we die down here."

"No, we need to. Get to. The river. Reinforcements. Are waiting there." Sofia coughed out the words.

"But which way is the river?" Birk asked, "The ground should become saturated with moisture if we were approaching it. We used that method all the time when digging in Maldonia to avoid breaking through to the ocean, but the consistency of this dirt hasn't changed at all." He seemed less affected by the dust and darkness than the girls were, perhaps owing to experience.

"I'm not. Exactly. A tunnel expert. Flying. Is my thing." Lucinda huffed and spat the dirt made muddy from her mouth.

"Then we should surface," Birk stated. "To survive this." It was more like a command than a suggestion, as Birk played the paternalistic elder card.

"Okay. Papa."

"I guess we have to. Go up. Sometime." Agreed Lucinda. Hopefully they were far enough away to be outside of town by now, Sofia couldn't take much more of this anyway.

"Okay. Here goes."

Birk supported his daughter upright, and Sofia lifted her wand as high as possible, exploding energy upward. A rush of air and sleet descended upon them, filling their lungs with needed relief. Gabbing onto her Papa Sofia swung her arm and wand downward to the dirt below, blasting them through the tunnel. This was working! They were almost free! They…

Had emerged above the wooden platform and into the middle of the Maldonian troops, now surrounded by peasantry of all shapes and sizes. Edith stood before them, stunned into silence, while Amalthea was nowhere to be seen.

Oops.