"Would you like an arm?"
"Aren't you a gentleman?" Erzsébet chuckled as she linked her arm with Ivan's, "Next you'll be acting like royalty."
"I wouldn't say it's going to happen that quickly," Ivan denied as they walked down the stairs together, "These princes haven't taught me all that much."
"Sure they haven't," Erzsébet teased, "What could they teach you in ten days time?"
"Alfred was deliberately not acting like a prince for five of those days," Ivan recalled, "However, now that we're in Niba, it seems that Katya fits right in. I've noticed that she and Lovino get along very well in particular."
As they turned the corner on the staircase, Katerina happened to walk into the hall below just then, chattering with Feliciano while Lovino and Erika followed. Lovino broke away from the others to head towards the bottom of the staircase, while Katerina went with Feliciano and Erika down a hallway.
"Ivan, Erzsébet," Lovino addressed, "Follow my brother down that hall to the meeting room, I'm just going to find Lars."
"Of course, Your Highness," Erzsébet answered.
Lovino crossed their path and went out a different door, just as Erzsébet and Ivan reached the bottom steps and turned to follow the others.
"Do you suppose Tolys knows about the meeting?" Ivan pondered as they crossed the hall, "Lars agreed to join the rescue party, that would be the only reason I can think of for Lovino to go get him for this meeting."
"Tolys will be coming," Erzsébet confirmed, "All he's told me is there's been a development."
"A development?" Ivan checked, "Good or bad?"
"He wouldn't say," Erzsébet disclaimed as they entered the corridor towards the meeting room, "He's keeping it a surprise from me."
"Let's hope for good news then," Ivan suggested, "Maybe they found a way into Tivalon."
"Maybe so."
Some chatter came from inside the next room as they approached the doors and looked inside. Alfred and Feliciano were talking to each other to one side of the room, while Erika and Katerina joined Madeline at the table and took their seats. On the table, just by Madeline's chair, was a dark wooden chest with shiny purple ornamentation.
"Ivan, Erzsébet," Madeline greeted, "Good morning."
"Your Highness," Erzsébet hailed, "What is in that chest you have there?"
"The enchanted daggers," Madeline answered, "Would you like to see them?"
"Yes, please," Erzsébet accepted as she unhooked her arm from Ivan's.
"We walked by Lovino in the hall," Ivan said as Erzsébet walked around the table, "Who else besides him and Lars are we waiting on?"
"Our fae friends are coming," Feliciano reported, "All four of them this time."
"Has there been a development then?" Katerina prodded.
"Yes there has," Alfred replied, "Arthur won't tell me what just yet though."
As Erzsébet reached Madeline's side, the princess reached over and opened the chest to reveal its contents. Ten daggers were being stored upright in the case, their blades pointing down and securely held in place by slots in a special tray.
"They were a gift to my forefather, King Matthew of Aegaimore," Madeline described as Erzsébet grabbed a dagger and took it out, "These are meant to protect our royal family from any unsavory fae enemies. The blades are iron, and so are the designs on the handle, so touching any part of the dagger will burn to the touch should a fae grab it with bare hands. In addition, the Kirklands placed a glamour on all ten daggers, making them invisible to any fae not of the bloodline."
As Madeline spoke, Erzsébet inspected the dagger in her hands, turning it in the light to see the shining steel of the blade. The handle was a dark purple like eggplant, but with a spiral ornamentation done in iron circling the handle, making it impossible to grasp the handle without touching iron in some way. Even just holding it in her hand, Erzsébet could feel the magic powering the glamour.
Before she could say anything, she spotted out of the corner of her eye as someone appeared at her side.
"What are you holding, Erzsei? And why can't I see it?"
"An enchanted iron dagger," Erzsébet explained as she turned to face her curious cousin, "Can you really not see it?"
She held it flat across both her palms while Tolys carefully reached in to touch it with his fingers. Within an inch of the dagger, he flinched and backed his hand away in alarm.
"That is definitely iron," Tolys verified.
"It is glamoured," Madeline warned as Tolys's fingertips lit with green magic, "You should not be able to see it."
With his fingertips glowing with magic, Tolys reached out carefully towards the dagger once again. Within the inch of the dagger, Tolys's magic made the dagger start glowing green as well, the magical aura enveloping the dagger.
"That's a cool trick," Feliks noted, appearing just behind Tolys and Erzsébet, "Is that a glamour?"
"A powerful one," Tolys confirmed, "How many did you bring, Your Highness?"
"I brought ten of them, the other nine are in this chest here," Madeline answered, "Enough for all nine of us humans here today, plus a spare for Natalya."
"Let's hope we don't need them," Arthur added as he suddenly appeared across the room, "Vladimir is following me here."
"So we're almost all here then," Lovino announced as he entered the room, Lars following and shutting the door behind them, "Shall we take seats then?"
Erzsébet spun and placed the dagger back in the chest, before withdrawing her hands and allowing Madeline to shut it again. She then turned back the other way, and saw there were three spare seats just there between Madeline and Alfred.
"You go sit with Ivan," Tolys offered, "We can take these two seats."
The two fae backed away so that Erzsébet could walk past them, and Ivan stood to pull out the chair for her.
"Thank you, sweetie," Erzsébet acknowledged as she sat down.
While Ivan and Tolys sat down to each side of her, Erzsébet noticed as everyone else took their seats. To Ivan's right were Katerina, Erika and Feliciano, while Alfred took the seat to Madeline's left. Lovino sat beside his brother, and Lars next to him. Just as Arthur sat down next to Alfred, Vladimir appeared out of thin air and took the last seat between Arthur and Lars.
"Thank you all for coming this morning," Arthur welcomed, "I had hoped we would have met yesterday evening, but Madeline's ship was too tardy in its arrival. Nonetheless, this morning still leaves us enough time to plan for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Alfred urged, "What happens tomorrow?"
"We break into Tivalon and rescue Natalya," Vladimir answered, "Arthur found a contact in Sovalon that can get us into the heart of Tivalon, so we can have the faerie ring bring you directly into the palace."
"Who did you find?" Madeline inquired
"It's for the best I don't say," Arthur refused, "There's always a chance that the worst should happen, for someone in our party to get captured and interrogated. If they reveal who our contact is, it could cause trouble for all of Yuvalon."
"Must be someone influential then," Katerina figured out, "That's a nice contact to have."
"Why do we wait for tomorrow?" Ivan quizzed, "Can we not do it today?"
"For one, our contact already has too many commitments today," Arthur detailed, "Secondly, we need to prepare the faerie ring on this side. We need to choose a clearing in the forest here in Niba for the faerie ring to be formed in. Once that's done, we need wards surrounding it to keep out intruders. Erzsébet, we were hoping for your specific assistance on these preparations."
"I can help with that," Erzsébet agreed, "I should be able to find a good spot this afternoon."
"Who here is all participating in the rescue?" Madeline asked.
"Five humans and myself are going through the faerie ring," Feliks listed, "Prince Alfred, Prince Lovino, Ivan, Katerina and Lars. I can stay behind and teleport home after, leaving the sixth position open for Natalya on the return journey."
"We'll be left behind, Madeline," Feliciano amended, "In case the worst should happen, if Alfred or Lovino were not to return, we're next in line for the thrones. Erika will also stay behind with us."
"When our contact has reached Tivalon, they will summon myself and Tolys to teleport to their location," Vladimir reviewed, "From there, we'll use our combined magical strength to create the portal for the faerie ring, while Arthur completes it from the human realm. Once the faerie ring has been made, and the human party has come through, I will take my leave and teleport out of there. Tolys will be able to protect the portal on that side long enough for you to all return through, then he and Feliks can teleport away once it's closed."
"I will have you stay with me at the faerie ring, Erzsébet," Arthur added, "Should there be any trouble on our end, having a witch protecting the area will be a huge asset."
"That makes sense to me," Erzsébet allowed.
"Lars has been preparing the iron weapons to take with us," Lovino reported, "Nothing too crazy, just a regular sword and dagger each, in addition to the enchanted daggers Madeline brought from Niba."
"They're being sharpened today," Lars amended, "Hopefully we won't need them, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared."
"Tolys and I were able to determine where in the palace Natalya's quarters are," Feliks recalled, "Our contact has been informed as well, and will get us as close as possible. From there, I will have to lead the way and guide you all."
"Is there any preparation the rest of our party needs to go today?" Feliciano requested.
"Take it easy and rest up," Arthur instructed, "The only specific demands we have today are from Erzsébet, it's her call if she requires further assistance."
"I can join her in searching the forest," Ivan volunteered as he reached over and grabbed her hand.
"Aren't you sweet," Erzsébet addressed, "I likely need supplies for the protective wards."
"Help yourself to what we have here at the palace," Lovino offered, "We're at your disposal."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Erzsébet remarked, "We can ride out as soon as horses and my essential supplies are ready."