Wonderstruck
Chapter 27
Author's Notes: Well this is the last chapter I managed to get written for a bit of time. In theory I will be able to get the next one finished quickly. I meant to post this last weekend but I was at a show for business and forgot. Sorry about that. We're beginning to see some of that world building I was talking about and hopefully it'll continue. Moonshollow isn't that different from Wintersend but Sunfaire is a totally different animal. We'll see some differences here in the next chapters. Hope you guy enjoy and as always please let me know what you think as it keeps me motivated to keep on writing. ~ Scarlette
"Are you warm enough my lady?" Emma asked as she carefully tugged on the reins of her steed to get close enough to the now open window of the carriage to speak to her wife.
Regina smiled softly at her and motioned to her fur muff and the thick fur blanket draped across her lap. "I'm plenty warm enough but I'll be better if I'm allowed to shut this window." She hid her grimace as the wooden spokes of the tires gave a creak as they hit a patch of ice that the carriage carefully scooted over. The smell of winter and pine was strong outside the palace walls but she found it refreshing though she could do without the freezing blasts of icy wind that lifted the fluffy snowflakes and pushed them towards the uneven roads.
Emma dipped her head, grinning brightly. "We'll soon stop for the night. We're drawing closer to the border now and it'd be best to stop in our own lands than to continue to Moonshollow without giving our rider enough time to reach the posting of soldiers with our letter of introduction."
Regina shook her head; dark curls spilling around her small shoulders. "I am certain you'd rather be off your horse long before night falls."
"It's safer for me to be on horseback. This way they have two different targets should we be assaulted in some way."
"Careful dearest, your ability at strategy is beginning to show." Regina offered with a small smile, which caused her wife to laugh.
"It's true…I should be more careful not to tip my hand."
Regina nodded in agreement before she snapped the window closed and turned back to face her only companion. Venar offered her what she thought was meant to be a secretive smile.
"We have time my lady for everything that needs to be done."
"Do you know where we need to go to find the information I need?"
"The Abyss is a strange place much like Ishapore. The Abyss is run mostly by five prominent slave traders that contract out with the Knights of Fortune as their muscle."
"And Arrendale allows this so close?"
"The Abyss doesn't interfere with the comings and goings of anyone around them. Arrendale stays out of the affairs of others. Their only concern is that they remain as neutral as possible so that their bank vaults stay full. They're so secure in this that it seems pointless to ever ask Arrendale for help with any type of war or human suffering that does not involve their own. Not to mention the war that is being fought. Slave soldiers work well for a clash of titan empires."
"That's deplorable." Regina shook her head.
"If the Queen of Hearts had her way, do you not think she would employ the trade of humans as they do on Eamira?"
"I know she would but it is the one thing my Father fought her on. I know they employ the trade in Agrabah with the surrounding desert tribes that are constantly at war. They sell their war prisoners to the slavers in the capital city who in turn sell them to the highest bidder."
"The skin trade has been going on in underground in the lower kingdoms for a long time my Princess. Do not be surprised if it reaches the North sooner or later."
"I won't allow it and I know my wife won't either. I cannot imagine any Northern would allow that type of behavior in their Kingdoms. After all what honor can come from the sale of human beings?"
"None your grace." Venar dipped his aging head. "I, myself, find the practice deplorable but others that are only concerned with how deep their coiffeurs run would gladly employ the standard once again."
"I am surprised my former Mother-in-law would allow such an underground practice with the family that used to be hers by marriage."
"I think the Winter Queen turns a blind eye to a lot that goes on in Summerslanding. She has trouble seeing beyond her own borders."
"That is a large problem. One that will need to be rectified when I am sitting on the throne beside my wife."
"You will need to guide her hand Highness. With you at her side, the enemies of the Winter and Spring Kingdoms do not stand a chance."
"It is a dangerous game I'm playing Venar."
"I will be by your side to help guide you through it my Princess. As long as there is breath in my body, I will be loyal only to you."
Regina nodded, "Tell me more…about where I will need to go to seek out the information I require."
"There is a slaver by the name of Jacqueline. Powerful woman by all accounts, betrayed by a Prince and left for dead. She survived what should've been a mortal wound and continued her rise to power across the sapphire sea. She deals in all manners of trade but mostly humans. She was at one point in possession of a set of rare texts…within these Grimoires are the answers you seek."
"Where did these Grimoires come from?"
"No one knows my Princess, they just appeared one day and were discovered by a Pirate Captain who sold them to the highest bidder at the nearest port he came to. There may be a slight problem with attempting to read them however."
"What's that?"
"The language they are written in…has long since died out. No one can decipher them."
"Not even the Dark One?"
"No, he has tried believe me."
The Princess tensed as the carriage hit a large bump, "How do you know?"
"The Pirate Captain sold them to him first and they've since been released back into the world…if he desired to have them…he would."
The small village of Icefloe sat on the borders of Wintersend and Moonshollow. A day's ride would take a group to an outpost of soldiers bearing the crest of a white Pegasus on a black backdrop of the moon. The quick wits of their people were well known along with their ability to build some of the best weapons to be found in the North. Of course they didn't compare to those of Wintersend that were made of harder diamond but that was harder to craft and therefore iron weapons were used more often than not. Moonshollow supported a strong alliance with Sunfaire and Autumnamor giving them a fair amount of access to the iron deposits found in the southwestern kingdoms.
As the carriage doors were pulled open, Regina remained seated allowing Venar to step forth first before she emerged. She laid her hand in her wife's offering her a small smile.
"I missed you." Emma whispered.
"And I you. But we're here now."
"Just in time for supper at the Inn in a few candle marks."
Icefloe was a dreary place really. Ramshackle buildings covered in snow and ice, dark and a bit foreboding. The main road was clear of snow but it was obvious it was only because it had been trampled on so much that the ground beneath had become muddy and marked with holes. She frowned as she glanced at the ruddy faces of the Kingdom's peasants coming and going, most stopping to stare at the finery no one had likely ever seen.
"You are the Duchess of Frostbreath my wife and I am your guard." Emma breathed as Regina blinked.
"I don't look anything like Nicia." She murmured.
"That doesn't matter, they've never seen her. So you posing as her will not go amiss."
"Do you not think our bonding bracelets will be missed? People aren't dumb, they'll notice they are the same and of high quality and want to know why my bodyguard is wearing the same one when it should be my husband wearing it. Though the carriage is plain enough to pass as that of a lower noble and not that of royalty."
"I have it pushed up my arm and hidden by my glove. I'll keep my gloves on. It won't be noticed."
"I don't like this."
"I know Regina but it cannot be helped. It is safer until we reach our goal if you travel under Nicia's name as anyone not happy with the royals would attack us if they knew who we were."
"Then perhaps treating your citizens better will help with that." She twisted on her heel. "Venar will you grab my purse and bring it along?"
"Where are you going your grace?" Lancelot asked as he dismounted.
"I'm going to see how the citizenry lives." She looked to Venar who dipped his head and followed after her.
"Follow her. Protect her." Emma snapped twisting back to her horse. "The rest of you with me."
The little market of Icefloe wasn't much too look at but it was better than she thought it would be though she couldn't help but notice the abundance of children and very few men around.
"Excuse me." She stopped a small child that darted past her with dirty hollow looking cheeks.
Dark eyes eyed her from underneath dirty blond curls.
"What?"
"Do you live around here?"
The girl looked at her funny as the nicely dressed lady knelt to speak with her. "Lady you're going to get mud on your dress."
"It doesn't matter." Regina smiled softly as the girls' eyes shifted to her platinum wedding bracelet.
"Pretty." She murmured.
"Thank you. My…wife had it made it for me."
"Are you some kinda Princess?"
Regina smiled softly but shook her head; her wife probably had a good point. It would be better to hide her identity. "I'm a Duchess. The Duchess of Frostbreath but you can call me Nicia."
"Nicia. That's pretty."
"Thank you. And what's your name?"
"Gretel."
"Gretel, that's a beautiful name." She complimented the child. "So…since we're friends now will you answer my question?"
"What question?"
"Do you live around here?"
"Oh…um yeah…just my brother and I do."
"Where are your parents?"
"Mom died a while ago…Dad died in the war."
"The war that's still going on."
"Yeah." The dirty child frowned. "Will they take my brother?"
"Of course not. They don't allow children to fight."
"They used to."
"Well they don't anymore and I have it on good authority because I'm very good friends with her Highness Princess Emma and she would never allow that."
"They say Princess Emma is a true Northern Princess."
"She is, fiercely dedicated to her people and her honor. She would never allow children to fight and I know she would argue and rally against anyone that tried."
She smiled at the small child who smiled back seemingly appeased by her words.
"Where is your brother at?"
"He's tryin' to catch us some dinner."
"Trying?"
"Yeah, he's out ice fishin' with the other boys."
"I'm not from the North, what is ice fishing?"
"Want me to show you?"
"Would you?"
"Duchess…" Lancelot spoke softly and she waved the man off.
"Not now. My new friend is going to show me how to ice fish. Venar?"
"I hope you will take pity on an old man Miss Gretel."
"You talk funny." She giggled.
"May we walk at a slower pace to accommodate me?"
The girl wrinkled her nose and then looked at her new beautiful friend. "Hansel is going to be so jealous that I have a pretty new friend and he doesn't!"
Regina laughed, "Can't I be a friend to you both?"
"No," Gretel grinned brightly before latching onto the woman's heavy white winter cloak.
"This is close to the never ending forest is it not Gretel?"
"Yes but it's far enough away that we won't have any problems. Don't worry Nicia I'll protect you!" The dirty child ran and grabbed a stick swinging it around as Venar barely managed to side step the rambunctious child. He shot her a look that he quickly masked when the Princess hid a giggle behind her bare hand. She tucked it back in her muff.
"Then I am certain I'm as safe as I can be."
"Yep; my brother and his friends should be through here! But let me go first so I can make sure it's safe for you."
"Of course my dear knight. I am most grateful." She dipped into a careful curtsy rising when the girl grinned brightly.
"My lady I must insist we be careful with this." Lancelot spoke softly, stepping forward. "This could be a trap."
"I am certain the girl is only excitable due to my attention. I don't believe she's harmed much. It's not a crime."
"Your grace…your guard does make a good point." Venar offered his own council.
Regina sighed, "Very well, then I will allow you to go first Lancelot. If you deem it safe, I will continue to accompany the child. If not, we will turn back and go immediately to my spouse."
The former Leviathan dipped his head before stepping through the tree line hand on the pommel of his great sword. It was silent but then the sounds of splashing and children's laughter could be heard.
"Where's Nicia?" Gretel asked, appearing at the bend with a cocked head and a small boy with a rough-hewn fishing pole. The boy was even dirtier than his sister, ragged clothes and hollowed cheeks.
"I'm right here Gretel." Regina called coming through the trees. "is this your brother?"
"Yes, this is him; Hansel say hi to my lady. I'm her knight!"
"How can you be a knight Gretel? You're only a kid."
"I can to be a knight! Nicia tell him!"
"Your sister has done an amazing job defending me from the evils of the world." Regina offered with a solemn face that barely contained her bright smile.
"She's a good sister even if she is a bit bossy."
"I am not!"
"You are too!"
"Children, please. There's no need to fight. You're family and family always sticks together."
"She is correct. My lady." Emma pushed through the rough barked trees and bits of scattered snow and ice.
"I wondered if you'd follow me."
"Did you doubt I would?" The blonde's eyes sparkled as she took in her wife's pretty slightly muddy figure.
"Who are you?" Gretel's voice broke through their gentle banter.
"This is my wife Gretel. Her name is Cissa."
"Are you a Duchess too?"
"No, I am not. That title belongs solely to my wife." Emma shot her wife a small secretive smile, which she returned.
"So what are you?" Hansel asked, cocking his head in curiosity.
"She's my Knight. Just like your sister."
"Girls can't be Knights."
"Yes they can! Nicia says so and she's a Duchess so they can!"
"That's right." Emma agreed with a small smile. "Where are your parents? Surely they must be worried."
Gretel frowned and Hansel scuffed his foot into the dirt. "We don't got any."
"What?"
"Their parents are dead Cissa."
"Why aren't you two with other family then?"
"Don't got any of that either."
"Where do you live then?"
"There's an old trapper's shack that nobody uses. We stay there." Gretel offered.
"Not anymore you don't."
"Em...Cissa…"
"You both come with my wife and I and we'll see you get a proper meal and bed. After we eat, we'll talk about where you're going to live."
"Will we be separated? Will my brother have to fight?"
"Of course not. We'd never allow that. You're children and you deserve to be children as long as possible." Regina shook her head.
"My lady if I may." Venar offered. "Perhaps we could spare a guard to escort the children to your home with a letter of introduction to the head of the house?"
"Yes, of course. Thank you Venar."
"Why can't we stay with you?" Gretel frowned, "I'm your Knight."
Regina moved forward kneeling once again despite the wet, soft ground that looked as bleak as the grey sky hanging over the bare trees. "You will one day be a trained knight and I will happily keep you at my side but there are things my wife and I must do to ensure that happens. We would rather you be there to protect your brother and our home which we want to be as safe as possible while we're away. Can you do that for me? Can you protect your brother and my home which will be yours as well?"
Gretel eyed her for a moment before nodding, "Okay." Her easy devotion to the beautiful dark haired Princess was not amiss to anyone present. Venar smiled softly, pleased with the interaction between the little urchins and his new protégé while Emma watched with a chest bursting with pride and love for the woman she was fortunate enough to call hers.