A Night Out
Okay guys! Sorry I was gone so long. On top of this fic I'm working on three others at the same time. Not to mention I have work and a second job to find. So there will be delays when updating. Hope you guys forgive me. ;)
So I am stuck with what to do about "The Big Sleepover." So I'm going to do a chapter around the episode. Meaning Lydia will be doing something else while the girls have their slumber party. Like what I did with "Just one of the princes." Hope I can do this.
HERE GOES! Hope you enjoy.
…
"LOOK OUT!"
"Huh?" A banana cream pie went splat right on Lydia's face. Her boot slipped on stray cream. The ballroom floor did not cushion her fall. Roland and the servant gasped in shock.
"OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH!" A brown haired squirrely woman slid on her knees beside Lydia. She went into a panic when the pie stained Lydia's dress. "No! No! No! I didn't mean-here!" She freed her face from the pie. Lydia swept some pie out of her eyes. "I'M SORRY! I'M SO, SO SORRY!" Her braided pigtails swung wildly as she bowed up and down profusely. Her big green eyes full of regret. "Princess Lydia! Please forgive me!" She used the apron protecting the green skirt of her yellow and green dress to clean Lydia's face off. "It was an accident! I slipped on a-"
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Calm down for a second!" She edged the woman back. The woman froze, shaking like a frightened puppy. Lydia licked up what little pie lingered on her lip. The sweetness exploded on her tastebuds. "Mmm...Delicious!" She gushed. "Did you make this?"
"M-my Papa, Chef Andre, did. I just put it in the oven and decorated it." She stammered. Her pounding heart made it hard to speak straight. Lydia assumed it was the whipped cream and sprinkles sitting on her chest. She laughed as she climbed to her feet. "Princess, I am so sorry!" The woman bowed her head to her toes again,
"Don't worry about it." Lydia drew her wand from her boot. A couple of swirls and a tap to her head, the pie cream was cleaned from her dress, leaving not a single stain. Lydia held out a palm, wanting the pie pan. When the woman handed it to her, Lydia rapped on the side of the pan. Please work…"What was done, now undo. Return you to the form that's true!" She gave it one firm tap. From a puff of dust emerged a fully reconstructed banana cream pie. With just a skosh more of whipped cream. "Here you go."
"Wow! Thank you!" The woman hugged the pan to her chest. Relief filled her flushed cheeks. She admired Lydia removing a dash of whipped cream caught in her hair. Lydia's cheeks light up when she tasted it. Her magic is amazing. Gwen was in awe. "Princess Lydia I still can't apologize enough." She sadly looked back at the table leg her toe tripped over on her entry. "I was lost in thought and…I'm sorry."
"Relax. Please. No harm done." Lydia pleaded. She was getting embarrassed. If the girl worried anymore her bandana was going to be soaked through with sweat. "You're Gwen, right?"
"Yes. How do you know my name?" She beamed.
"Chef Andre told me about you while teaching me how to bake muffins." Lydia and James were craving Chocolate peanut butter chocolate chip muffins as a midnight snack. They snuck into the kitchen only to be busted by Chef Andre. He offered to teach them how to make proper muffins in exchange for them not telling Roland he sneaks extra custard. "He's very proud of you."
"Really…?" She trailed off skeptically, rubbing her elbow. "He doesn't seem proud." Lydia arched a concerned brow. Before she could ask what was wrong, two high pitch voices beckoned her name.
"LYDIA!" She spun on her heels. Jade and Ruby tackled her to the ground, bursting in hearty laughter. "HI LYDIA!"
"WE MISSED YOU!"
"Jade! Ruby!" She hugged them. She hadn't gotten a chance to catch up with them since she arrived. Gwen silently excused herself. Four was a crowd in her case. "What are you two doing here?"
"They're here for our slumber party tonight." Amber announced in her annoyed tone. In tow Princess Clio and Princess Hildegard shared her irritation. Sofia was the only smiling face in the group. "Sofia's first Slumber Party as a princess and she invites village girls." She scoffed, carrying very little to hide her disdain towards the idea. Jade and Ruby were too psyched to acknowledge her snide remark.
"Slumber Parties do involve your closest friends, Amber." Lydia informed the proud princess and her even more stubborn friends. Then again, Amber's closest friends were closed minded. Ugh...If I didn't love Amber so much. "And you never know. Jade and Ruby might make this night unforgettable." Amber and Hildegard rolled their eyes skeptically.
"What are you doing in the ballroom, Lydia?" Sofia wondered.
"Ballroom dance lessons with Mr. Yuri." She arched a thumb to the serious Russian man doing the cancan on a thin balance beam with a tray of finger sandwiches on his head. Just to show off her sipped two glasses of champagne. "Professor Popov sounds normal already. Ugh, and safer too." She massaged her sore calves.
"Whoa! Is this your dress?" Jade raised the pure blue skirt, massaging the fine cloth between her fingers. The tights and boots; Lydia fit her title as Sorceress Princess well. "This is SO pretty! I wish I had one!"
"There are a few dresses I don't like. I can shrink them to your size and give them to you guys." Lydia plugged her ears when Jade and Ruby shrieked in cheers. She had to admit, she's glad Sofia has two friends like them. But boy did she forget how loud they could get.
"Lydia, you remember Clio and Hildegard." Amber gestured with her fan, redirecting the conversation. Hildegard gave a shallow bow while Clio curtsied properly.
"How can I forget?" She cynical leer was more directed at Hildegard. She curtsied pleasantly nonetheless. "Welcome to our castle, Princesses."
"Thank you for having us, Princess Lydia." Clio chimed elatedly. "By the way, thanks for the muffins last week. They were amazing!" Clio cupped her tinted cheeks. Hildegard and Amber were curious as to when Lydia gave her muffins.
"You should thank Chef Andre. He helped make them." More like he baked and decorated them while Lydia supervised. She didn't have a choice. Chef Andre is touchy about uses his kitchen. "I'm glad you enjoyed them."
"Will you make muffins for our slumber party tonight?" Jade asked hopefully.
"If Chef Andre can get the oven working again." She retorted dismally. The food comes out covered in soot, tasting like the smoke escaping the chimney. "So tonight Dad's letting you girls have the chocolate fountain. And Gwen said she'd make Spaghetti for dinner."
"In that case we have a party to prepare for. Ladies." Amber and her friends turned on their heels and left the ballroom. "Sofia?"
"Coming!" She shrugged indifferently. "We'll see you later, Lydia."
"Bye girls, have fun."
"WE WILL!" Jade and Ruby animatedly assured her. The trio were joined shoulder to shoulder, laughing and giggling in anticipation of their party. Lydia put her hands to her hips, shaking her head. To be their age and not be weighed by expectations and pressures. Barely two...three months since school ended and she has to play princess and sorcerers. Oh well. At least she gets a talking book and an adventure everyday out of the deal.
KABOOM! A thick cloud of black smoke puffed from the kitchen hallway. And it happened. Took a lot longer than Lydia thought, but it happened.
James burst into the ballroom in a panic. The explosion shook the whole hallway. "What the heck was that?"
"It came from the kitchen!" A stack of smoke escaped the narrow kitchen corridor. Lydia, Roland, and James leapt through the smoke, sprinting for Gwen and Andre with all haste. They fanned as much of the smoke out of their faces. James tripped on a holly bowl entering the kitchen. Lydia and Roland squinted searching for the chef and his daughter. Gwen was on the ground, holding her neck choking on the suffocating smoke. Andre swatted at the smoke, trying to clear it to find a window.
"GWEN! Gwen! Where are you?" The smoke burned his eyes.
"PAPA!" She choked on the thinning air. "I can't see! Papa!"
"Puritus Vacuumis Freshitis!" Powerful suction swept the smoke into Lydia's wand tip. Gwen and Andre were noticeable as the smoke thinned. Roland helped them to their feet, moving them to where the air was cleaner. The kitchen emerge from the blight. The smoke's grey hue shaded in the wand's purple until the bauble on the top of the hilt turned black. Once sucked up, Lydia opened the small window and released the smoke outside. "And that takes care of that." She dusted her wand.
"Thank you, Princess Lydia!" Andre heaved. Roland handed Andre and Gwen glasses of water to clean their lungs. "Please forgive the disturbance."
"You know if people keep begging for my forgiveness I'm going to have to change sorcerer for priesthood." She joked.
"Don't do that!" James pleaded. "Who will blow up drinks in my face?" Lydia smashed a hand on his head, rolling her eyes.
"What on earth happened in here?" Roland was horrified by the soot staining every inch of the kitchen. Gwen and Andre were covered in it. Roland handed them both pocket handkerchiefs.
"The chimney is in dire need of sweeping, Your Majesty." Andre answered the aghast king between coughs. "Worst of all are the soot grates." Andre slid a metal grate tightly woven with thin steel strings. Patches were missing in certain places. "These grates are vital so soot does not waft onto the food as it bakes. And the special grim-gar wood I use to the smoke does not tarnish the taste." He picked up a lump of wood in disappointment. "Grim-gar wood has properties - as the wood is burning - to sort of clean the smoke. It gives my pastries that special mmwah." He kissed his fingertips, savoring the masterpieces he's created.
"The chimney can be cleaned within the hour." Roland assured the frazzled chef. "The grates and wood however. Don't you have those specially ordered?"
"Alas, I do. But that delivery is not due until tomorrow." Andre was crestfallen to admit. "I am afraid the oven will be out of service until tomorrow at noon."
"A shame." Roland sighed soberly. It was his hope he would provide dinner for the girls' slumber party. Mentioning Chef Andre's muffins made him hungry himself. The night would not be a total loss. Snacks and treats were already provided for Amber and Sofia's slumber party. "Then I insist you and Gwen take the rest of the evening off."
"But Your Majesty-"
"No buts, old friend." Roland pressed on his shoulder, halting Chef Andre's protests. "You and Gwen did wonderfully providing the snacks you have. Please head home for the evening."
"You both live in Saedar's Town, right?" Lydia asked.
"Yes." Gwen replied.
"If it's alright I'd like to accompany you."
"OOH! Can I come? PLEASE!" James pleaded, prancing animatedly on his toes.
"You don't even know why I want to go?" She chortled.
"I don't care! Amber's parties are SOO boring! Plus all these girls are killing me!" Gwen and Lydia took no offense. Boys James's age held their own perception of who was and wasn't a girl. "Can I come, Lydia? PLEEAASSE!" He hugged her waist tightly. Oxygen was squeezed out of her.
"Okay! Okay! If dad let's you!" She wheezed, starving to get air.
James twisted around and hugged Roland's coat, "PLEASE, DAD!" Lydia was hyperventilating.
"Why the interest, Lydia?" Roland inquired, genuinely curious.
"There's a flower in one of the mangrown groves with a special pollen Alauna needs." She tapped her wand on her palm. A botanists almanac appeared in her hand and opened to a violet colored, magenta striped tulip growing on a lilypad. "Alauna's swamped with flu shot orders, so I volunteered to get her tulip pollen stocks for a swelling ailment."
"I know that flower!" Gwen blurted excitedly. She lovingly graced her fingertips over the photo. "It's one of my favorites. Peppe always-" She slapped a hand over her mouth. Chef Andre groaned disconcertedly eyeing Gwen. Lydia cleared her throat awkwardly, facing a random direction. She knew that look. "I mean...Pepper brought me...umm-I could show you where the grove is!" She abruptly changed the subject.
"I'd love a tour!" Lydia laughed nervously. Chef Andre kept Gwen in his sights. She practically felt his glare peeling her for answers. "Why don't we go tell the girls no kitchen till tomorrow?"
"Good idea! Meet you at the carriage!" Gwen yanked Lydia by the wrist, unable to escape any faster.
"Why is it daughters think the way they do?" Chef Andre rumbled, insulted Gwen thought she could elude the subject.
"The assumption fathers are clueless." Roland chuckled.
"Clueless about what?" James tilted his head.
"When you have daughters, James, you'll understand." Roland ruffled his hair. "I'll summon a carriage. Why don't you help Chef Andre gather his things?"
"Okay…?" Roland returned to the ballroom, attending to further arrangements. James was still confused by what he missed. "Dad's are confusing."
"Again, Young Prince," Chef Andre winked, "Wait until you become one."
…
Baileywick directed Lydia and Gwen to the observatory. Lydia loved the observatory. The stars gathered in the most gorgeous array above the celestial shaped skyview windows. When the moon shined down, the marble floor were alight in white blue rays. She's fallen asleep there once or twice.
"Ah, Cedric." Baileywick hummed. Lydia's heart sank to her stomach. Cedric grumbling under his breath rolling a puppeteer stage through the corridor. Lydia's blood turned to ice. "Will you be ready to perform for the girls towards the end of the evening?" Perform? Lydia questioned suspiciously.
"Oh yeah, completely ready. I'm tickled pink to be entertaining li'l girls and their friends." Cedric whirred sarcastically. He spat in disgust at the ground. Performing a cheap parlor magician's show; a stain on any sorcerer's repertoire. Lydia almost felt bad for him. Which is why she suspected an ulterior motive. Sofia's amulet.
When Cedric met Lydia's eyes, he became sheepish and pretended to tend to his puppets. Lydia shied behind Gwen, holding her elbow. Baileywick and Gwen pretended not to notice. Those two were acting awkward around each other for a while. No one knew why. Not that they bothered to ask. Lydia and Cedric would never tell anyway.
"Well, AHEM, I'll just be on me way. Good evening!" Cedric put pep in his step retreating down the entirely wrong hallway. Baileywick let it slide. For his and Lydia's sakes. "Oh, um, Princess Lydia. In case of headaches…use mint leaves. Place on the roof of your mouth. Helps...you know." He nervously shifted between her and the floor.
"R-right…thanks…" She timidly replied. Cedric bowed and disappeared around the corner.
"Is everything okay?" Gwen rested a hand to Lydia's shaking shoulder.
"Y-yeah. We…uh…"
"Ladies, if you'll step inside." Baileywick opened the elevator gate. Lydia dove in, exhaling in relief. Baileywick's sense of timing was a lifesaver. He whispered in Gwen's ear, urging her not to mention Cedric. By the tension between Lydia and Cedric, Gwen needn't ask why. She found it a shame when friends arguments bring them to not speaking.
Gwen and Lydia rode the elevator to the observatory floor. Baileywick remained behind to finish preparations for the Slumber Party. Endless giggling brought smiles to Gwen and Lydia. They reminisced in their own slumber party experiences. On arrival they were stunned to find Clio and Hildegard's wardrobes wide open. Clothes scattered near two of the six canopy beds. Clio and Hildegard unpacked the mountain of luggage the coachmen lugged to the observatory. Hildegard and Lulu were pleased to be dressing up for bed. Clio worried that she underpacked. Despite two closets full of clothing poured from her wardrobe.
Sofia, Ruby, and Jade were giddy of the great time they were going to have. Amber, Clio, and Hildegard kept to their own little corner, projecting scathing glares at Sofia's friends. "Careful, Amber, you'll bore holes in the wall." Lydia teased. Gwen kept her distance by the elevator.
"Hey, Lydia. Done dancing?" Jade tapped her feet and clapped her hands.
"For now. Anyway I have bad news. Chef Andre won't be able to fix the oven until he gets his supplies tomorrow at noon." Disappointed moans echoed from the girls. "Sorry. The kitchen's closed but there are plenty of snacks and treats for you to dig into."
"And you couldn't send a servant to tell us this because…" Hildegard trailed off sarcastically.
"Because I wanted to see how Ruby and Jade were enjoying the castle." She retorted snidely. "Is that alright with you?" Hildegard spread her fan, cutting Lydia off. "How are you girls doing?"
"THIS PLACE IS SOO AMAZING!" Jade gushed dreamily. She felt like she was in a dream.
"Just when I think this place can't get any bigger we find five more rooms leading into three other rooms and then those rooms led to others…" Ruby was on a rapid incessant roll. Amber, Clio, and Hildegard's expression went completely void, losing track of Ruby's speech at hi. Gwen was amazed she could fit so many words in one breath. "And then I wondered if there were trap doors and if those trap doors led to the dungeons-"
"I get it!" Lydia clamped her mouth closed. Amber and her friends collapsed releasing held breaths. "The place is huge, like something out of a story book - Totally get it. Just make sure you don't find the dungeons. Amber might actually lock you in there."
"Don't-tempt-me!" She snarled through gritted teeth.
"You girls have a good night." Lydia waved.
"Where are you going?" Clio asked.
"Our physician, Alauna needs a pollen for some medicine. I'm going to get it for her."
"Again! Use the servants!" Hildegard snapped.
"I would, Hildegard," Lydia filed into the elevator with Gwen, "If I were a self-centered prat." Hildegard shrilly shrieked appalled. Sofia, Ruby, Jade, Clio, and Amber backed away slowly. Gwen cowered in the elevator. There was a stream of lightning surging between them and they weren't going to get shocked. Before she could throw an insult back, Lydia and Gwen were already on their way down.
"GRR! How dare she insult me like that?" She crushed her fan in half.
…
"Wow…" Gwen touched a palm to her chest. She was winded. Lydia raised a thoughtful brow at her. "I've never seen anyone talk back to Princess Hildegard. Her father is an influential man, you see."
"Trust me, I know." She grumbled. That letter bothered her worse than a pimple. Worse was Roland's indirect hints for her to put a great deal more focus on her royal duties. "But, whether it's proper or not, the first step to deflating egos is stepping on their toes."
"That's bold." Gwen and Lydia exited the elevator, nodding in greeting to Constable Miles and the guards.
"Don't you have a passion you'd go above and beyond for?"
"I do. I, um, like inventing things." She admitted twiddling with her fingers. Lydia marveled at Gwen. She needed to see her inventions. "My papa doesn't like it, but if I stop…"
"A piece of you is neglected."
"Yeah."
"That's exactly how I feel." She drew her wand. She twisted and turned it, admiring the auburn wood. The memories engraved in the scratches and charred splintering. "I love dad, but not enough to give up my passion."
…
"BAAHHH!" Eezeyal smashed his wings to his face, throwing himself to the bed like couch.
Ubos floated to the upper wing railing, perching with a snarky smirk. "Practicing your goat calls? You may want to project from the throat."
"Save it book! I'm aggravated!"
Ubos arched an indifferent brow at the scattered feathers. "The loose feathers would agree. Is this about Lydia not taking you with her?"
"Nuh-uh. I don't hug Liddy's shoulder like some cheap parrot." Hard to believe given Eezeyal's always where Lydia is 24/7. Bathroom as the exception. "That bratty girl who hastled Lydia is here!" By Ubos's bewildered expression Eezeyal remembered Ubos has yet to meet Lydia's growing fanbase. "Her name is Princess Hildegard of Friezenburg."
"Ah. Daughter to King Abraham and Queen Pamela." Ubos groaned discontentedly. "Very set in their ways. Very stubborn."
"And boy does that prissy prat and her parents have it out fur Liddy!" He ruffled his feathers. King Abraham's letter detached a whole coat of stressed out feathers. "OOH! I wanna make a rat's nest outta her rat's nest!"
"Now, now, Herr Eezeyal, no call for violence." Ubos cooed. Eezeyal viciously pecked a pillow into tatters. "You should follow Lydia's example."
"WHMF EM AMML?" Eezeyal snarled through a beak full of pillow stuffing.
"Lydia is traversing the high road over the nay sayers. Amber, James, Miranda, Roland, and Sofia are right there with her." Ubos joined Eezeyal on the couch, leaning into him urgingly. "Her journey will be far more feasible if we were right there with her."
Eezeyal sank somberly. Lydia had a boat load on her plate. Magic, royal duties. Eezeyal absentmindedly swallowed the stuffing, slurping string caught on the beak's hook. "Yeah…I guess so." He grumbled. He's used to being Lydia's second face as well as her second voice. Perhaps it's time he played an advisory role. "Liddy is hopeless without me."
"That's a good bird!" Ubos nudged praising him. "Now clean up your feathers before Lydia returns."
"Ugh…I don't-HRMPH!" Eezeyal clenched his stomach and mouth, wobbling nauseatingly. He saw spots as his face turned sickly green. Ubos just realized Eezeyal swallowed a mouthful of stuffing. "Ooh dang. I think I'm gonna heave."
"Perhaps someone should have divulged that pillow stuffing is not digestible." Ubos scolded. Eezeyal threw himself over the headrest. By pure blind luck he vomited in a waste bucket. Ubos cringed listening to the owl wheeze. "Country Owls. Complete gluttons." He snarled sardonically.
"KISS MAH A-HUUU!" The rest of the stuffing pumped into the bucket. Eezeyal collapsed on the arm. There was no energy left for him to argue.
"I'll brew you a broth remedy." Ubos shook his head, floating over to Lydia's workspace.
"Mind making it shrimp flavored." Eezeyal whirred dazedly. A weak smile pushed up his sunken cheeks. "I love those little critters."
"It shall be done in ten minutes." Water poured in a beaker, the beaker was put on a burner.
"You're the best." Eezeyal waved languidly, sliding down the couch.
"I shall have to quote you on that for future reference." Bat broth bits and shrimp dust were ground in a bowl. Herbs and spices drizzled themselves.
…
"ABOUT TIME!" James roared from from the carriage. Chef Andre twisted around. The sun was starting to set by the time Gwen and Lydia decided to arrive. "What took you guys so long?"
"Female bonding." Lydia teased, scooting beside James. Gwen sat beside Chef Andre.
"One moment!" Constable Miles surprised them all, climbing into the carriage. "Forgive the abrupt entrance. King Roland asks that I accompany these two."
"HUH?" James and Lydia gawked mortified.
"Coachman!" Constable Miles beckoned to the African American coachman, Harold. "To Saedar's Town, please." He sat by Lydia.
"Yes, Constable." Harold snapped the reins. The pegasi neighed excitedly, got in a good running start and were off in the air.
"A babysitter?!" Lydia frothed at the mouth. Constable Miles expected this sort of reaction. "Constable, I'm 18 and a sorceress. I'm perfectly capable of looking out for James, and crossing borders!"
"Technically, Lyd, you're 17 and a sorceress in training." James interjected. Lydia punched him on the head. "OW! What was that for?" He wheezed, clenching his head.
"Please, Princess, Prince James, were it during the day King Roland would not bat an eye." Constable Miles reassured her. "I am merely chaperoning. The nights in Saedar's town can be unpredictable. Children are urged to be monitored and cautioned." He inadvertently glanced at James
"I'm not a child! I'm ten!" James roared.
"Technically you're nine as of May." Lydia snidely retorted. James let her have that one. "Happy belated birthday." She winked. James rolled his eyes. He was slightly happy she knew when his birthday was.
"Constable Miles is right. It is not a town for the frail." Chef Andre interjected. "No offense to you or Prince James, Princess." And yet they were slightly irked. Lydia's a sorceress - in training - and James was crafty. But they're being babied.
Constable Miles put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her in good faith. "Look at this from your father's perspectives. Wanting you both to be safe is an occupational hazard. Even I would need a chaperone." James and Lydia exchanged sympathetic glances. Chef Andre hugged Gwen close to him. Constable Miles quirked an encouraging smile. James and Lydia sighed resignedly. "Now let us enjoy the ride. It's lengthy from what I hear."
"Depends on wind traffic." Chef Andre joked.
…
Night slowly crept upon the orange hue. Lydia's door cracked open. Hildegard, Clio, and Amber poked their heads in. No Eezeyal, no Lydia - the coast was clear. Hildegard giggled, tiptoeing inside in her light blue nightgown. Clio in her hot pink gown hugged Amber's back stalking after Hildegard. Amber dressed in her extravagant pearl grey nightgown. Her hair fell neatly along her back, and the tiara kept it in line.
Sofia, Ruby, and Jade lingered by the door, nervously glancing back and forth. Nervous beads of sweat soaked their simplistic night gowns. Ruby twisted her yellow gown at the hem. Jade hung onto Sofia's light blue gown and Sofia onto Jade's light grey gown. It tied their stomachs in knots thinking what would happen if they were caught. They felt like criminals. "I don't know about this, you guys." Sofia apprehensively protested. "Lydia could be back any second."
"We're just giving them a tour, Sofia." Amber encouraged the younger sister by pulling in. "We won't touch anything." It wasn't them touching something she worried about. Sofia paranoidly glanced toward the ceiling. Eezeyal normally stood guard over Lydia's things when he wasn't with her. He practically ripped James's hair right out the scalp when he tried to take her beakers. He wanted to make cannons out of them.
"Oh my, what a horribly drab book." Hildegard criticized the book on Lydia's desk. Sofia stifled a shriek clamping her mouth. Hildegard picked up the book without realizing it was Ubos. "The covering is totally last century."
"HILDEGARD!" Sofia caught herself, lowering her voice. "You really shouldn't touch that. It's Lydia's spellbook."
"Lydia's very private about her stuff." Ruby forewarned.
"Especially the magic stuff." Jade added. "We touched her oak powder and she glued our hands to the wall."
"Please. What's the harm?" Hildegard scoffed. She set Ubos on a pedestal. "I'll just take a peek, see how tedious Lydia's spell training is, and then we'll leave." While she was busy searching for a stool, Ubos surreptitiously flashed a pleading stare to Sofia. She shook her head shrugging. Ubos abruptly went inanimate when Hildegard rose to his level. She found a stool near the window. "Now let's take a peek, shall we?"
Hildegard briefly admired Ubos's cover. She's heard the phrase Journey of a Thousand Miles once before. It's been published to novels. For it to be a spellbook was a new one to her. It tickled her curiosity. A thousand miles of spells and incantations were locked inside Lydia's book. Hildegard had doubts she's even taken that first step. Opening the book will prove it.
"Hildegard, they're right!" Clio snapped a hand to Hildegard's wrist. "Tampering with magic is dangerous. Miss Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather even said so." Clio liked Lydia. Respected her. Her property was her business. None of them had any right to it. Not even her siblings.
"But I'm not tampering with magic." Hildegard wrapped her fingers Ubos's cover crease. "I'm proving her magic is a hobby, not a responsibility." The cover parted an inch from the first page. Sofia and Ubos winced. When Hildegard let the cover touch the pedestal, a bright flash robbed the stool from beneath her feet. Amber and Jade lunged forward, catching her second before she hit the ground.
"HILDEGARD!" Sofia and Clio knelt on either side of Hildegard.
"WE TOLD YOU!" Jade shrieked. Hildegard smashed her palms to her hazy eyes. Ruby sprang over Hildegard and slammed the book shut. She exhaled in relief.
…
"Hm?!" Lydia paused dismounting from the carriage, glancing to the sky. This short jolt struck the back of her mind. The charmingly rustic renaissance Saedar's town distracted her a moment. Her mind drifted with the fading night clouds. "Hmm...Hm-Hm." She smirked mischievously.
"Something wrong?" James ogled up at her confusedly. Constable Miles and Harold were invited inside Chef Andre's home for a chance to relax. The trip to Saedar's Town was tumultuous with the night winds. Landing on the cobblestone roads and driving through town added to the strain.
"Just thinking…" She trailed off, flashing a menacing grin to James, "You know better than to touch my stuff right?"
"My hair's still growing back from last time!" He touched the scalp. Scars from Eezeyal's warning sent shocks through his fingertips. He shivered. "You have a very dangerous guard dog."
"Wanna know a secret?" She purred.
"Yeah!"
…
Hildegard rubbed her eyes furiously. She blinked incessantly. The world was trapped in a haze. "When did Lydia start boobytrapping her stuff?" Ruby gasped.
"The same time James started turning her beakers into canons." Sofia snatched Ubos, tucking him to a spacious place on the bookshelf. "Sorry." She whispered. Ubos gave her wink and returned to playing paperweight.
Hildegard wobbled dizzily staggering to her feet. Her batting eyelids steadily erased the thick, blinding haze. Lydia's room was still in a blur. "What is she hiding that she found cause to boobytrap it?!" She hissed heatedly. Mostly out of humiliation.
"She isn't hiding anything!" Sofia hissed. "Lydia just doesn't want us accidentally hurting ourselves."
"Oh please!" Hildegard tripped over her own feet. Amber and Clio caught her, guiding her towards the door. "She just doesn't want us knowing she hasn't progressed at all in her magic studies." Jade and Ruby were appalled by Hildegard. Princess or not they marched to tell her to put a cork in it. Sofia grabbed them by the wrist. She shook her head. Amber and Clio led Hildegard back to the observatory. A little makeover, fan painting, relaxing - she'll be right as rain.
"How could you let her talk about Lydia that way?" Jade scolded Sofia.
"Lydia doesn't let it bother her, so I'm not bothered."
"But why does she do it?" Ruby pleaded to understand. "Why does Hildegard not like Lydia?"
"No clue. She just doesn't. Oddly enough…" Sofia stroked her chin pensively, "Lydia seems to like her."
"REALLY?!" Jade and Ruby gawked.
"Those two are confusing."
"No kidding."
…
Chef Andre was reluctant to let Gwen go out with nightfall upon them. However he had work to do before going to bed. Constable Miles convinced him to let Gwen show them to the grove Lydia needed to visit. He promised to keep her safe. Chef Andre only allowed it if Gwen promised to stay close at all times. And wore a coat. It got chilly at night. She raised her right hand and swore. She leant cloaks to Constable Miles and the others, and within minutes they were on their way.
Lydia had jars packed in her satchel bag along with the botanist's almanac. She read up on the pollen in case any special properties protected it. With the fading light it was difficult to read. She uttered a spell and a ball of light lit the tip. Gwen assured them the grove wasn't too far anyway. She pointed to a gathering of trees fine tipped trees poking past the buildings half a mile away. In actuality the grove was a privately owned, massive garden open to the community. A literal forest in the middle of an urban area. From the sky Saedar's Town was astonishingly large. They saw the grove on their landing, and it was a mile wide in each direction. James and Lydia wondered what it would be like inside.
The town was remarkably quiet for it's modern decor. Dunwitty was a bustle of chatter, horses, and people day and night. Gwen's worries for awakening neighbors with the carriage grove was founded. Besides it was a nice night for a walk. James couldn't help feeling like something weird was going to happen.
"Anyone else get the feeling something's gonna jump out and say boo?" James shuddered.
"Or a hanged man is going to drop from the tree." Lydia shivered. She shuffled as much to the center as she could.
"What if a zombie pops out of the ground?" James pounced, primed palms raised.
"And then drags us under?"
"AND EATS OUR BRAINS!"
"WITH A SIDE OF BLACKBERRIES!"
"AWESOME!" James and Lydia cheered, high fiving each other.
"Be honest," Gwen giggled adoringly, "Are you sure you both aren't related?"
"Great minds think alike, Gwen." Lydia winked.
"And our great minds LOVE zombies."
"Vampires."
"Werewolves."
"Mummies."
"Lake Monsters."
"OOH-OOH! AND GARGOYLES!"
"Gargoyles aren't real!"
"But lake monsters are?"
"My friend from Scotland has seen the Lochness Monster!"
"Her and thousands of other people."
"You mean like the boogeyman? That sweater of your was ugly."
"HEY! That was a legitimate thing!"
"AHEM!" Constable Miles cleared his throat. He and Gwen were far ahead. "You two will be left behind if you don't hurry!" He and Gwen continued for the grove.
"HEY!" James ran.
"Wait for us!" Lydia was on his heels.
…
"OH MY GOODNESS!" Baileywick shrieked in horror. Hildegard woozily collapsed on her canopy bed, pressing a hand to her head to stop the spinning. "What on earth happened?"
"It's a long story." Sofia swiftly blurted. "By the way, don't touch Lydia's stuff?" Baileywick confusedly adjusted his glasses. He halted asking nonetheless. A voice in his head told him he didn't want to know. Meanwhile, Sofia was burdened with another issue. Ruby and Jade were the only non princesses in the room. If they were going to fit in they needed to look and play the part. "By the way, Baileywick, do you think you can help my friends? They'd like a royal makeover."
"PLEASE, MR. BAILEYWICK, PLEASE!" Ruby and Jade begged, bouncing up and down.
"I don't see why not." Baileywick chuckled.
"I can't believe her book blinded me!" Hildegard was fuming. Steam whistling from her ears mad. Her griping drowned out Baileywick and Sofia helping Jade and Ruby with their makeover. "Seriously! Is all her stuff boobytrapped?"
"No. Before Eezeyal was guarding it." Amber informed her.
"The owl?! When did that rat turn into a guard dog?"
"Lydia's trained him to be a partner as well as a pet. She's done a good job." Amber marveled. Eezeyal and Lydia's relationship touched her. "They're like best friends."
"Best friends with an owl. Give me a break!" Hildegard spat at the ground. "How does a princess like a Sofia have a sister like Lydia?"
"There's nothing wrong with Lydia, Hildy!" Amber snapped, frightening Clio and Hildegard. She breathed in raspy breath and exhaled puffs of fire. "Let's just try to enjoy our slumber party. There's enough annoyances here tonight." Case in point - Ruby and Jade modeling their dresses in mirrors. "Wonder what Lydia's doing right now?" She whispered to herself.
…
Constable Miles, Lydia, and James were rooted in place, gaping at the splendor of the grove. Gwen savored their expressions. Outsiders had the best reactions. Beyond the brick walled gate the trees were plants waiting to be bought and planted in their new home. Inside, an entire new world surrounded the three. Narrow dirt paths leading in every direction. Flowers, bushes, and trees - fresh spring aroma masked the stone and saw dust of the town, rejuvenating the senses. Distance trickling of running water graced their ears. A regular forest within urban society.
"This place is amazing." James gasped. "The castle gardens have nothing on this."
"And this is just the start." Gwen teased. James couldn't contain himself. He took off down a random path, laughing crazily as he pretended to be Tarzan.
"Prince James!" Constable Miles called out. James was almost out of earshot. Gwen brought attention to the signs precariously marking the trails. "Follow these and you won't get lost. the grotto with the flowers is on the east end." Constable Miles struggled to rush after James and staying with Lydia and Gwen. "Don't worry. We won't stray from the grotto.
"I'll meet you presently!" Constable Miles went after James while he was still in earshot.
"James…" Lydia grumbled.
"Come on. I'll show you the grove." Gwen lead the way. Lydia stepped after her. Shuffling in the bushes stopped her. She peered around. Only the wind moved the bushes. "Princess Lydia?"
"Uh, yeah, coming…" She replied, lost in wary thought. She took half steps sideways, lingering to scan the area. Her imagination in the dark, perhaps? Then she turned on her heels and went after Gwen. Gnarly, stubby, bony fingers parted the bushes. Beady yellow eyes pierced the darkness.
…
"PAH-HA-HA-HA…" Eezeyal rolling on the floor, dying of air in a laughing fit. Feather Ubos cleaned up were making a mess all over again. He allowed it. Seeing as how Ubos was at the mercy of uncontrollable laughter himself. "YOU…BLINDED HER?" Eezeyal hooted while laughing. "Prissy Prat Hildy was blinded?!"
"ACTUALLY…LYDIA…BLINDED THEM…" Ubos was in tears. He slowed his breathing, subsiding the fit and regaining his wind. "The blindness is temporary. The flash leaves the victim in a daze."
"Viscious."
"With my permission, Lydia placed a clever charm upon me, and her belongings. Unless granted access, none may use her magical belongings."
"Or else get a heapin' helpin' of sunbeams in yer eyes!" Eezeyal clenched his stitching stomach. "Oh I wish I coulda' seen her face!"
"It certainly is one I shall never forget!" He flapped his pages. The giggles clung to him like an itch. "Where were you by the way?"
"Watchin' tha' varmint Cedric prep a magic show fur' th' girls." Eezeyal's mood was killed on the spot instantly. He wished desperately to claw Cedric's eyes out for what he did to Lydia.
"What are the girls up to currently?"
"Arts and crafts, and there's a game involving pinning a tail on a unicorn."
"And Cedric ends the night with a magic show." Ubos chuckled in sorrow for the poor man. A magic show. He laughed again.
"Betcha' it's another play fur Sofie's Amulet."
"No need to worry. Princess Sofia is too smart for him. Even if she doesn't realize it."
"She's so much like Lydia. She naively believes in th' good of others."
"Perhaps it is best she doesn't know Cedric's true motives." Ubos proposed ominously. Eezeyal stared thoughtfully. "Cedric is a troubled young man. Sofia's tender nature may help assuage his villainous tendencies."
"And if it doesn't?" Eezeyal challenged.
"There's always Lydia." He chortled. "He won't risk terminating ties with her."
"He 'n' Lydia hate each other." Ubos raised a brow that practically screamed tell me you haven't noticed. Eezeyal rolled his eyes, bouncing his head. "I know, I know. I've seen it. It makes me gag just thinkin' about it. But it's so…strained and-and-they've been actin' awkward around each other for weeks." Strained is a tender term. However Ubos refused to deny there wasn't a relationship forming. "I'm skeptical, Mr. Ubos. I don't think Cedric is capable of repentin'."
"Perhaps he isn't above reproach. Perhaps he's beyond help." Ubos agreed grudgingly. It is sad. Some people cannot be helped. "Though I cannot help but ponder if that is completely true."
"How do ya mean?"
"Do you think Cedric and Lydia would be reticent when in close proximity otherwise?" A good question.
…
James scaled a rock formation arching over spherical and tall cacti. The rocks offered a short bird's eye view of the cacti patch. Rip fruits grew on the crowns. Garden laid with rocks and pebbles nurtured the dry fauna. James puffed out his chest, put his hands to his hips, and suddenly felt an urge to roar. "ROOAARR!" Birds were scared from hiding. "Ha. Cool."
"Prince James!" Constable Miles shoved past bushes. He narrowly missed stepping on a cactus, but not stepping into a mud pool. Why there's a mud pool is beyond him. "Prince James! Please remember, your father put me in charge of you and Lydia!"
"Then where's Lydia?" James scoffed.
"With Gwen at the grotto on the east side. Now come on." He snapped. An eerie air lingered. "There is something not right with this place." Skin on his back crawled, making hairs on his neck stand up.
"Oh come on, Constable Miles! This place is amazing!" He frog jumped rock to rock, landing at Constable Miles' feet like an acrobat. "This place must be spooked out on Hallows Eve."
"It's spooky now. Let us return to the girls." Constable Miles demanded. He truly had a dreadful feeling of the grove. It felt as if they were being watched.
"Fine…" James groaned somberly. He sluggishly trudged along, kicking up dirt. He wanted to play desert trooper longer. Constable Miles followed him closely, scouring the trees and brush. They disappeared into the grove. Two disfigured bald heads with mangled ears rose past the rocks. Same yellow eyes piercing the darkness.
"Criio de marr?" A gurgling voice squeaked.
"Heste mahn garre!" Sinister cackles snaked the greenery.
…
Waterfalls flowing with underground spring water filled descending ponds with crystal clear water. Frogs relaxed on vacant lilypads, snatching unsuspecting bugs with their tongues. Gwen scooped up four lilypads with tulips growing on them. She snapped the pollen stocks clean off. Lydia lined her two jars with lilypads. Gwen placed two stocks in each jar. What remained of the tulips Lydia put in a third, dry jar. She could use them for a powder she needed to grind for her next lesson. Lydia assured her that was enough. Taking too many tulips would disrupt the ecology of the grotto.
"Alright…" Gwen sat on a large rock. "I guess we wait."
"Why not." Lydia rested against the same rock. She stretched her arms up, earning a pleasant crack in her back. "You mentioned you're an inventor."
"Aspiring inventor." Gwen bashfully corrected.
Lydia bobbed her head understandingly. Modesty is every novices best friend. "Aspiring Inventor. What do you invent?"
"An assortment of things. Rug beaters, a bike that plays music, a glider you hang onto."
"That one sounds fun." Lydia bounced excitedly.
"It would be…" Out of the blue Gwen unsheathed a pencil from her ear and took out a pad of paper, "If I could just match wind ratio and wing span to variable weights and body types." She muttered studiously, filling five pages with mathematical notes and measurements. Lydia blinked in awe of how fast she put the design together.
"Wow. It takes me three hours to carry the one." And, humiliatingly enough, two times longer than that to calculate a safe formula for concocting a potion. Gwen drew a spectrum of the glider's design. The next page involved the glider accommodated by a person. Pages afterwards were measurements of the wind, height and weight factors. "You're really good at this. Where were you when I almost failed potions?"
"Probably blowing up the kitchen with my cake mix recipe." Gwen and Lydia laughed heartily. "What about you? Ever blow up a kitchen? NOT THAT I THINK YOU INCOMPETENT, PRINCESS!" She panicked.
"Gwen, please, calm down." Lydia pressed on her shoulders. Gwen swallowed, relaxing on her boulder. "First: Please, call me Lydia. Second: I blew up three." Gwen's face dropped in shock. "Uh-huh. Take my word for it when I say spark rocks and dragon fire makes for a BAAD Fools Day prank."
"You want to hear of a bad Fools Day Prank?" Gwen goaded. Lydia faced her fully, leaning in anxiously. "When I was ten I replaced my classes cookie fillings with denture cream." Lydia buried her laughter in the rock. "The faces they made." Gwen held her stomach from laughing so hard. Four hands slithered from the darkness. "The best part was when-MMPH!" Gwen was yanked behind the rock.
"Gwen?" Lydia lunged over the rock. "GWEN!" Gwen was being dragged away by four, ambiguous stunted figures. "I'M COMING, GWEN!" Lydia charged after her. Hands grasped her ankles. Her face met the dirt. Suddenly the ground was moving below her. Someone was dragging her in the darkness of the trees. Lydia fumbled drawing her wand. She aimed shakily and roared, "REVERBERO!" A pulse flashed. Distinct screams were heard, followed by crashes. Lydia picked herself up, scrambling back into a run.
Gwen kicked and thrashed violently. Her captors were strong for their size. Two pulled by the hair, planting their free hands over her mouth. The other two dragged her by the wrists. She was dragged straight through bushes, pulled mercilessly over rocks. Lydia plowed the bushes and jumped the rocks. Gwen was in her sights. "The ground treaded is a dud! Drag your heels through the mud!" She wept the wand. Dust clung to the speeding feet. Solid dirt melted to mud in their steps, swallowing them further with each step. The four figures fell forward. The second Gwen was free Lydia hoisted her to her feet and dragged her in the opposite direction.
Loud snaps drew Gwen's eyes up. "LOOK OUT!" Gwen pulled Lydia back. Large branches crashed a foot ahead. Gwen and Lydia shrieked, holding each other close.
"Maybe I should send word to Dad that we might be late." Lydia trembled.
"Good idea. How?" Gwen shook.
"Oh yeah. I left Eezeyal home." Twigs cracked on their left, right, ahead, and behind them. Incoherent mutters hissed over one another, growing louder and louder. Footsteps pounded the ground. Gwen and Lydia darted in all direction, unable to see a thing. Lydia beat her wand on her palm, sparking a few jolts. "Lumos!" Light flooded the darkness. Mangled arms shielded tiny beady eyes. Rotted teeth grit in venomous growls, saliva oozing like venom. Spinal cords were seen through their hunched loin cloths draped on emaciated waists.
"Gwen…are those…?"
"Nocturne Goblins." Gwen croaked.
TO BE CONTINUED! Why? Because I can! HAHAHAHA!
Don't hate me! I had the hardest time coming up with something for this.