Chapter Fifty Seven
The Blitzguard Cometh
ELSA
Elsa managed to stumble out of the tunnels and back onto the streets of Modeley district. The fight had taken its toll on her, and she'd had to sit down a couple of times to catch her breath and let her sorcery repair her body - especially her shoulder. The injury on her big toe had disappeared by now and a measure of her exhaustion from earlier had dissipated, but the emotional wounds hadn't healed.
I left Janus behind. Elsa felt her eyes growing damp again and blinked the tears away furiously. No, not now. I can grief when the House Voda and the others on the purge list are safe. Thankfully after all she'd been through, the evidence Ludwig had requested along with the purge list was still dry and intact in the tightly-sealed bag Peggy had lent them, a testament to the manufacturing standards and qualities of Exonian goods.
She fell outside the estate's gate, startling the pair of Vodarian Eagles on guard. "Please. Fetch the duke. We're all in danger," She gasped before her eyelids grew heavy and everything went black.
The first thing Elsa saw when she opened her eyes again was Tracy sitting on a chair by her bedside, arms folded and leaning the side of her head against the wall. When she stirred from the bed, Tracy sat up straighter than a spring.
"Elsa!" Tracy leaned forward and shook her. "Bloody hell, you're alright!"
She groaned and sat up with Tracy's help. "I feel like I just got run over by a locomotive. What…what time is it?"
"It's…a quarter to four in the morning."
Elsa rubbed her eyes. "I must've been out for hours."
"Only about an hour, actually. Where the hell is Janus?"
The events from earlier suddenly rushed back into her mind like a flood and her breathing began to quicken. Distraught, Elsa cast about for her bag,
"Hey! What the hell?" Tracy stared at Elsa as she continued to look around madly. "Where's Janus?"
"I…I lost him," Elsa choked, her eyes wild as she clutched at her bedraggled hair.
Tracy swore under her breath. "Bugger it. I…I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"
"The bag. I have to warn Ludwig. We're all in danger," She grabbed Tracy by her sleeve, eyes still brimming with tears. "Please. Get him here."
"Okay, okay," Tracy got up and put a hand on her arm. "Calm down. I'll fetch the duke. Just stay here and chill, alright?"
Clutching at the night gown Tracy must have helped her change into, Elsa thumped her head back on the soft pillow as Tracy left in a hurry to find Ludwig. She felt physically stronger now after her sorcery had repaired her body, but on the inside she felt absolutely terrible. Janus was gone, very likely dead by now. She couldn't get the image of his uncertain smile out of her mind, or his deep baritone voice that soothed her whenever she was in distress. And now, she would never get to see him again, never hold him close again. The only man she'd ever loved had given his life to make sure she lived.
Pressing her palms to her eyes, she wiped the tears away and let out one last sob. Janus was gone, but if she could still help to save the House Voda and all the others from being wiped out by the emperor, she had to do it. She owed Janus that much.
The door to her bedroom opened and Ludwig strode in, the bag in hand with Tracy and Peggy in tow, the latter carrying a tray with a teapot and porcelain cups.
"Ludwig," Elsa sat up. "We're all in danger. I-"
"I know," Ludwig nodded, his face kindly but also very grim. "When you collapsed at the gates, the bag was taken to me. I've seen the documents and the emperor's purge list."
"Then you know he's coming for all of us."
"I know. And that's why my messengers are already riding to the other houses on the list to warn them. We all have a chance to survive now, thanks to you." Ludwig gave her a tight, grateful smile.
Elsa felt herself deflate slightly.
"But we still need to get you and everyone else out of here. The emperor could be sending his men over at any moment," Ludwig beckoned Peggy over, the servant girl holding a pot of tea and a porcelain cup. "Take care of Elsa and get them both ready to evacuate the estate."
Peggy bowed. "Yes, Your Grace."
"No," Tracy said. "I can stay and hold them off. Buy y'all some extra time to get everyone out."
"That…that's very thoughtful. I am grateful," Ludwig looked uncertain. "But these are the emperor's elite guard. They will kill you and raze the house to the ground."
"Then maybe it's timethosebuggeredExonians get to fight the monsters they think we are," Tracy said.
"We can hold them off," Elsa winced as she stretched. "Just give me a couple of minutes."
Ludwig looked both baffled and bewildered, but nodded. "Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I hope to see you both when the sun rises. Peggy, when you're done with the tea, come find me," He turned to leave.
"Wait." Elsa stopped him in his tracks. "The evidence from the archives. Was it good enough?"
"More than good enough," Ludwig patted the bag in his hand. "With this, we can get started pulling down the Empire. I can have my contacts in the Ministry of Propaganda leak this to the public, and then there'll be no stopping the revolution. But first we've got to make it out of here alive," He looked like he was going to leave but stopped yet again. "I am very sorry for your loss. Truly." With that, he strode away and closed the door behind him.
Watching as he left, Elsa breathed in deeply and tried not to let her emotions get the better of her. She couldn't afford to lose it now, not when the House Voda needed her and Tracy to defend them.
"Here," Peggy poured Elsa a cup of steaming hot Exonian tea. "Drink. The herbs have medicinal value for your wounds."
"I'm fine," Elsa took a sip anyway and felt the piping hot tea slowly drizzle down her throat. It was really good.
"I know it isn't my place to ask," Peggy said cautiously. "But what happened to your boyfriend? Janus, his name was, yes?"
"Yes," Taking a deep breath, Elsa tried to hold back the tears. "He…he didn't make it."
Peggy dipped her head. "I'm very sorry," Peggy said in a low voice. "He…he seemed like a very good man."
"He was." Elsa exhaled a shuddering breath.
"Hey, uh…" Tracy said. "Really sorry to change the subject, but what did the duke mean by seeing us at sunrise?"
"The bunker," Peggy replied, offering Tracy a cup of tea which she declined. "The duke's ordered everyone in House Voda to seek shelter in the underground bunker beneath Merchants' Square. You've been in the bunker, haven't you?"
"We have," Elsa nodded. "But how is everyone going to fit in there?"
Peggy looked grim. "Don't forget the other clans too. His Grace wants everyone safely hidden in the bunker where the Imperial Blitzguard won't find us."
"You gotta be joking," Tracy gawked. "How the bloody hell's everyone going to fit?"
"I don't know," Peggy said, then looked down. "But if the emperor is pissed off, it means we're doing something right, aren't we?
"That's one way to look at it." Elsa tipped the rest of the tea down her throat and handed the empty cup back to Peggy. She felt stronger already, though the empty void in her heart was still there. No, there's no time to grief now. There'll be plenty of time later.
"The Blitzguard's coming up the hill!" Someone's distant shriek from downstairs filtered up to the bedroom. A unique horn tune was blown and it was echoed throughout the house, likely as a signal of acknowledgement.
"Damn it, the Blitzguard isn't even waiting till sunrise. That's House Voda's signal," Peggy confirmed, her expression haunted. "The Vodarian Eagles are going to stave them off."
"No offence, but they aren't going to make it out alive." Tracy said. "We'll hold them off and you guys get out of here."
"And to hell with the Mage Slayers sensing our sorcery?" Elsa asked. Right now, she didn't really care if Peggy knew that the Crimson Order existed.
"Bugger them. All bets are off," Tracy looked both determined and piqued. "If Hans really is trying to purge the traitors, you and me included, he's going to send the Crimson Order to get the job done once and for all, restraint and secrets be damned. The Mage Slayers wanna get us? Let them come. I'm tired of hiding in the shadows like a rat. If today's the day we're going down, I say we take a few of them sons of bitches with us."
Elsa found her adrenaline rushing back into her body and she stood up. "Then let's do it," She set her jaw. "For Janus."
"For Janus," Tracy agreed, letting black magic dance across her fingers.
Elsa and Tracy set off towards the door and surveyed the landing. Servants, cooks, cleaners and every other imaginable member of Ludwig's household were busy trying to gather their belongings and flee, all while Duke Voda's Vodarian Eagles bustled about, shouting orders and passing long rifles to one another and getting ready to repel the Blitzguard soldiers that were riding up the hill to Modeley district. The estate was in utter chaos.
"Sure would be nice if we could have our shoes right now." Tracy mumbled. "What's with Exon's no-shoes-in-the-house tradition anyway?"
With a wave of her hand, Elsa conjured a pair of knee high black boots for Tracy - the kind that she liked to wear. Then, she waved a hand again and the night dress she was wearing was replaced by her white snow queen outfit, complete with white trim, light blue leggings and open-toed shoes. She loosed the pin holding her hair in a high ponytail and let it all come loose, platinum blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and back.
"Nice," Tracy grinned. "Going full Snow Queen today, eh?"
"If it's the last time I figured I might as well." Elsa said humourlessly. She stopped one of the Vodarian Eagles as he was streaming past them. "What's the situation now?"
The Vodarian Eagle stared at her and Tracy and swallowed. "The guardhouse saw movement at the base of the hill. The Imperial Blitzguard are coming," he told them in Exonite. "They're almost upon us and not all of the household has evacuated yet. Let me go. We must protect House Voda." The soldier hurried away from them, checking his rifle as he ran down the stairs.
"No mention of any Mage Slayers yet." Elsa noted.
"Still a little too early to say," Tracy replied. "We should probably get down there and join them."
"If you're both going out there, I hope you don't mind if I join you," Peggy had snuck up silently behind them, joining them on the landing.
"Huh?" Tracy rounded on the servant girl. "Join us? You're joking, right?"
Peggy's expression was deadly serious. "I'm afraid not."
"Peggy, it isn't safe. You need to get out of here," Elsa told her. "Find the duke and get to the bunker. We can handle this."
"I'm afraid I haven't been altogether honest with you." Peggy reached between a slit in her maidservant dress to reveal a leg holster with a flintlock pistol wedged in it. Pulling it out, she checked the flash pan to see if it was loaded, and snapped it back like a seasoned marksman. "I'm not exactly who you think."
Eyes wide, Elsa stared at Peggy. "You're not-"
"There's no time!" Peggy hissed, dropping all the veneer of the polite servant girl to reveal a harsher, less innocent personality that shocked Elsa. "I'll explain later. Assuming there is a later."
Bewildered, Elsa exchanged a glance with Tracy who shrugged.
"Bloody hell, I'll take all the help we can get, secrets be damned," Tracy clapped Peggy on the back. "Welcome to the team, or whatever's left of it." The former sea witch began descending the stairs to join the Vodarian Eagles who were already taking up positions on the first floor.
Elsa stared at Peggy, who glanced back. "Come on," she motioned to the Exonian girl as she too began to descend the stairs after Tracy. There wasn't time to process what had just happened. Tracy was right. Servant or not, they needed all the help they could get.
The three of them made it to the bottom of the stairs and crouched behind a large oak dining table that the Vodarian Eagles had overturned to act as a blockade. The two Vodarian Eagles that had been there first was startled to see three girls joining them behind the table.
"What are you girls doing here?" One of them hissed in Exonite as the other kept his rifle trained on the entrance. He stared in particular at Peggy. "His Grace was just looking for you! He thought you'd already left so he went too!"
"Never mind, Dietri." Peggy held her pistol, pressing her shoulder against the table. "What is the plan here?"
Dietri glanced at his buddy who simply shrugged, then turned his attention back to Peggy. "It is not safe here!" He rounded on Tracy and Elsa. "Look, witches or not, this is no place for you girls. You must get out of here now while there's still time!"
"We're not going anywhere," Elsa levelled his gaze. "We're here to help you fend the Blitzguard off. So tell us the plan."
Dietri exchanged another glance with his buddy who shrugged again. The Vodarian Eagle sighed and relented. "We have two sections outside and two sections up high. Twenty in the duke's garden, ten on the third storey balcony, and ten on the roof. In here we have one section covering this entrance and another covering the west gate. We will hold them off for as long as we can till we are certain every member of the household is out, and then we retreat through the back gate."
"And the enemy won't strike from the back gate?" Elsa asked.
"They can't. They would have to make a detour and spend another half hour just trying to cut off our escape," Peggy answered. "There's nothing but a forest behind us, one that aids our escape. It's a maze in there and the Blitzguard won't follow."
"Alright," Elsa lowered her voice to speak to the other two girls. "We'll go up to the roof and lay down long range fire on the Blitzguard to slow them down. We'll be able to spot the Crimson Order if they're coming and warn the Vodarian Eagles to fall back."
"I'll come with you," Peggy tapped Dietri's shoulder. "Spare rifle?"
Dietri stared at her incredulously. "The armoury. There's a couple more in reserve."
"Thanks," Bent over, Peggy slipped away from the table. "I'll see you up on the roof."