Katerina eavesdropped and giggled as she watched the two lovebirds hold each other at the side of the clearing and whisper very cute things. Erzsébet was telling Ivan to be careful, and he was promising to come back to her safe and sound.
The group was waiting in the forest, where they had found a nice big open and undisturbed spot for a faerie ring to be made. The trees were full of foliage, blocking the late morning sunlight so it wouldn't burn Arthur and Feliks if they stayed in the shade. Everyone and everything was ready to go, they were just waiting to hear that Vladimir and Tolys were in position.
Katerina checked herself one more time to make sure her two weapons were easy to access. There was a scabbard tied onto her belt, holding a light iron sword, while one of the enchanted daggers was sheathed and tucked into the waist pocket of her skirt. The four men were also armed with swords and glamoured daggers, as well as regular iron daggers, should they need to protect themselves. She felt secure going with one less weapon than the others, they could pick any fights while she stayed at Natalya's side.
Erzsébet stopped whispering to Ivan mid-sentence, prompting Katerina to watch as the witch pulled the gemstone out of her pocket and looked intently at it.
"Tolys just messaged me," Erzsébet announced, releasing Ivan from their embrace, "They're in Tivalon."
"Vladimir just messaged me as well," Arthur added, "They're starting the portal spell."
The humans all gathered round as Arthur kneeled to the ground and summoned his magic. The haze of emerald green magic floated a couple inches above the grass, and increased into a large circle as Arthur manipulated it. He then lowered it so it touched the grass and absorbed into the ground, prompting several multicolour mushrooms to suddenly sprout and form the border of the ring in mere seconds.
"It's ready," Arthur said as he rose from his knees, "Feliks, you're up."
Feliks moved forward and jumped into the portal, immediately going through it as if entering water and disappearing. The humans approached the edge of the ring carefully, and spread out as they stood outside of it and looked down into it. They could only see the mushrooms and the grass right now, but knew there was more there than what meets the eye.
"Should only take him a second, right?" Lars asked.
Before anyone could answer, the faerie ring glowed, the grass hidden briefly by green swirling magic, and Feliks suddenly appeared standing inside of it on the grass once again.
"We're good," Feliks confirmed, "Remember, one of you at a time."
Feliks hopped out of the faerie ring and stood next to Arthur, before Alfred took the first step into the ring and immediately vanished.
"I'll go next," Katerina volunteered as she quickly took a step forward.
The moment she should've felt her foot hit the ground, her vision clouded instead as she entered the portal. All around her was a magical haze, primarily in shades of emerald and forest green but also with swirls of burgundy. She only had a split second to appreciate it before it faded away, and her vision cleared as her foot touched a tiled floor.
"Katya," Tolys welcomed, grabbing her wrist and pulling her a step forward, "Welcome to Tivalon."
Katerina looked around the parlour, which had very light mint green walls, green couches pushed against the walls, and silver ornamentation all over the place. Large windows revealed a balcony and the rest of the castle beyond, and Alfred had gone over to look out of one of them. Realizing he was already doing what she wanted to do, she went over and stood by the next window over.
"You wanted to see the skies too?" Katerina asked as she gazed out and up in awe at the multicoloured swirls.
"Arthur's told me so much about them," Alfred justified, "Never thought I'd see it."
"Same for me," Katerina agreed, "Tolys has told us about it too."
"If only Erzsébet could see this," Ivan added as he joined them from the next window over, "It's a shame she can't come to Yuvalon herself. Witches are particularly targeted for conversion if they are found here."
"Everyone's here," Feliks announced, "We should get moving."
Katerina turned away from the window at Feliks's call, as did Alfred and Ivan. Lovino and Lars were already standing close to Vladimir, Feliks and Tolys.
"Just outside this parlour is a large staircase that will take you into the royal quarters," Tolys described, "Natalya is in one of the guest rooms on the next floor up. The two guards directly across the way from this parlour are helping us, so you don't have to worry about them seeing anything."
"My task is done here, so I'll be taking my leave," Vladimir declared, "Tolys can guard and maintain the faerie ring portal here on his own, and close it when you've all passed back through."
"Thank you for your assistance, Vladimir" Alfred acknowledged, "Surely Arthur will let you know how this all turns out."
"Of course, Your Highness," Vladimir said before vanishing.
"Lead the way, Feliks," Lars offered, "We will follow."
Everyone kept quiet as they approached the door, allowing silence while Feliks opened it and peered outside to check their surroundings. He then opened them wide and waved everyone through. Once through the door herself, Katerina's jaw dropped at the sight of the glittering silver hall.
"I'll check the upstairs first," Feliks plotted, "Make sure there's nobody there before we go up."
He then vanished from sight, leaving the humans to stand there and gawk at their surroundings. Directly in front of them was a large staircase glittering with silver, leading up to the next floor. Across the way from them on the main floor, two fae with dark brown wings and pale yellow suits stood guarding the opposing door. Katerina caught the eyes of the shaggier-haired one and nodded respectfully at him in appreciation of their assistance.
Feliks suddenly reappeared, between the group and the staircase, and pointed right hurriedly.
"Quick, under the stairs," Feliks hissed, "We've got company!"
Katerina stayed with the group as Alfred and Ivan led everyone behind the staircase. When the new corridor appeared around the corner, Feliks appeared in front of a door a short ways down on the left side.
"In here, now!" Feliks commanded before opening the door.
There was no protest as the humans rushed into the small parlour, with Feliks shutting the door behind them and moving his finger to his lips to command silence.
"Two guards are coming down the stairs," Feliks reported, "Natalya is with them."
"You're certain?" Alfred checked, "Why are we hiding in here then?"
"Tolys is watching through the door of our parlour with the portal," Feliks relayed as he revealed the gemstone in his other hand, "He just saw them turn at the bottom of the stairs to follow us down this hallway."
"So we just need to get her away from the guards then," Lovino realized, "How do we do that?"
"We ambush them," Katerina directed, "I'll go out there, play the damsel in distress. When I have them lured close enough, you all come out and defend while she and I run back to the portal."
"That will get us into trouble," Feliks protested as Lars went to cautiously open and peek out the door, "The guards will teleport away and summon backup."
"We won't have a better opportunity than this," Alfred countered, "The further we go into the castle, the longer it will take for us to return to the portal and escape."
"A couple of us can wait in the parlour across the way," Ivan supported, "Emerge from both sides at once, while Katya and Natalya make their hasty retreat."
"Quiet," Lars hissed, "They're coming!"
As everyone fell silent, Katerina quickly untied the scabbard from her belt and handed her sword to her brother. He nodded in understanding as he took it and tied it to his own belt, the guards would be suspicious if they saw she was armed. She then approached the door, just as Lars relaxed a bit and quietly opened it to let her look out.
Natalya and the guards were only about ten feet away, already past the door and quickly striding down the hallway.
Katerina took the lead and left the room first, stepping out into the middle of the corridor with her feet as hushed as possible. She kept her eyes fixed on the trio down the hallway, and signalled for her brother to come out as she took a couple steps backwards. Ivan quickly rushed across and opened the door to the other room, and was followed swiftly by Lovino. The Prince hesitated at Katerina's side, and pulled her close to whisper in her ear.
"Be careful," Lovino warned, "That fae with the wilder hair stole your compass."
Katerina nodded, before Lovino rushed to join Ivan in the office on the right side, after which the parlour doors shut on both sides. She took a deep breath, and willed her facial expressions to relax, as she focused on pretending to be a damsel in distress.
"Hello?" she called out, "Can you help me please?"
The guards stopped and spun around, as did the woman who looked at her in surprise.
"Who are you?" the guard with the wilder blond hair demanded as he stepped forward, "How did you get in here?"
"I'm so sorry, I don't mean to intrude," Katerina excused herself, trying to keep up the act and not react to how much Natalya looked like their mother, "I was just walking through the forest when I suddenly ended up in this hallway. I have no idea where I am, how I got here, or where to find my way back. Can you help me please?"
"We don't have time for this, Mikkel," the other guard spoke, still standing back with Natalya.
"You can take her ahead, Berwald," Mikkel dismissed, "I can help this lady here."
"If you wouldn't mind, actually," Katerina requested, "If you are fae, then I am probably not in the human realm anymore. Perhaps the young lady you're escorting - if she's still human - can tell me where I managed to find myself? I do have to be wary of believing the fae, after all."
"I am still human," Natalya answered as she stepped forward, "And yes, you are indeed in Yuvalon."
"I see," Katerina carried on, taking deep breaths and pretending like she was trying to keep herself calm, "Where in Yuvalon did I end up?"
"This is Tivalon," Natalya replied as she came even closer, "The Unseelie Court's palace."
"That's quite the place to stumble into," Katerina continued as she took calm steps towards Natalya, "Are these two likely to cause me harm, do you think?"
"I cannot say," Natalya disclaimed as she moved even closer, passing by Mikkel as she did so, "You haven't given them reason to yet, as far as I can tell."
"You might give us a reason soon," Berwald threatened, "If you keep delaying us."
"Just one more thing," Katerina insisted, now able to stand within reach of Natalya, "I promise it will be the last."
"What is it?" Mikkel demanded.
Katerina quickly grabbed Natalya's wrists and pulled her forward, hastily whispering in her ear.
"I'm your sister. We need to run now!"
"Which way?" Natalya hissed back as Katerina pulled away.
"This way", Katerina ordered, loud enough for the boys to hear her, "Now!"
"Wait, stop -"
As Mikkel reached in to stop the girls, the doors burst open to the side as the rest of the party emerged, the four men quickly pointing their swords at the two fae and stepping in to guard the girls. As they did so, Katerina pulled on Natalya's wrist and led her back down the hallway towards the stairs.
"Natalya, run!" Alfred shouted.
As they bolted down the hall, Katerina pulled the enchanted dagger out with her spare hand and held it tight, just in case she suddenly needed to swing it at a guard. There was no time to look back to make sure Natalya was there, trusting that she was as long as she held her wrist.
"They vanished," Lars hollered, "Time to move!"
As the girls sped around the back of the staircase, Katerina saw Feliks suddenly appear in front of the doors to their parlour and throw open the doors for them.
"Feliks!" Natalya called.
"Quick, in here," Feliks instructed, "Go straight into the portal!"
Katerina halted at the doorway, allowing Natalya to pass through first. Tolys was surprised to see them barging in, and stood to the side as they entered the room. The girls rushed straight for the portal, Katerina pushing Natalya's back and propelling her forward.
Just as they were two feet away, someone suddenly appeared in front of the portal, and Natalya ran directly into them. As Natalya repelled backwards, Katerina ran into her in turn, prompting them to both halt on the spot to see what happened.
A fae now stood in front of the portal, silver wings outstretched to block their path and prevent their departure.
A fae with silver hair and red eyes.
The King of the Unseelie Court.