Chapter 11: Boxed In

Enchancia was ever glorious and splendorous as always, reflecting the majestic beauty of both nature and its enchanted properties that made it so unique. It was early September, and the leaves had not yet turned their autumn colors. Lately, the weather had been so lovely that many people had taken to picnicking outside or taking long strolls around the kingdom, enjoying the lush foliage around them, the birds singing, and the warmth of the sun on their shoulders.

Amber, to her credit, did not partake in the enjoyment of the weather, because she was busy running the kingdom as well as she could. Thankfully, she had an incredible support system in her family, including her husband Desmond. Even their children, Alamea (now 10) and Dominic (now 8), were sweetly encouraging with a 'Yay, Mommy!' whenever something went well for her. Her sister Sofia was a great advisor when needed, as well as a shoulder to lean on when she needed some reassurance.

Her twin brother James had become a large contributor to her sanity and happiness when the hours got long, and the work became overwhelming. He was known for pulling her away from her paperwork, insisting that she take in some fresh air and breathe for a while. The impromptu 'Twin Song' rounds were nostalgia fuel, and so were the casual upbeat dances when the orchestra was practicing a particularly peppy song. James somehow managed to take good care of his family (wife Vivian and son Arnold, age 7 now), tend to his knightly duties (though he was on an extended paid vacation right now for honorable recognition, or however his superior had worded it), and hang out with and show his love for his close friends and family, especially Amber.

It was no secret how close the twins had grown over the last several years. They'd gone from simple sibling friendship and rivalry to pure, honest, loyal friendship and companions, as well as sharing a connection that no one else could replicate. Twins were often misunderstood, considered 'different,' but Amber and James didn't care about any of those labels. They were two halves of a whole, instant 'best friends' from birth, and in essence, a lifeline to the other. When no one else understood one's struggle, the other did, and that was something unmatched as well as a critical component for what made them so close today.

Right now, Vivian and Arnold were away, visiting Vivian's mother, who was ill. James had stayed behind just in case his knightly duties were needed, regardless of the vacation. If he was needed, he would go, and Vivian understood and respected his decision.

"Are you guys going anywhere for Wassailia this year?" Sofia asked Amber as she and Cedric sat near the queen, who was signing a document that Desmond had passed her.

"Not that I know of," she responded, yawning and passing the paperwork back to her husband. "Why? What are you thinking?"

Cedric shrugged. "My parents invited us on a trip for the holiday, but I'm not sure it's such a good idea. Father's hearing is going, and Mummy is overly emotional now. She dropped a ball of yarn in a bucket of water when we last visited her, and the poor thing nearly sobbed her eyes out."

Amber grinned, shaking her head. "Oh, Cedric. The more I listen, the more I realize…" She shrugged. "You're basically going to end up being your mother."

He scoffed. "I beg your pardon?"

"She's right, Cedric," Sofia giggled, patting his arm. "Remember how sad you looked when you dropped the last fly cake the other day? I had to console you with a massage."

Cedric blushed as the twins smirked at him. "Sofia, love, don't be telling our private time secrets to your siblings, please. I don't need them to have any more ammo against me."

"Aw, it's just so cute… Ceddy-kins." James snorted before falling over laughing when Cedric glared at him. "Sof, I don't know why you never use that nickname. His mom struck gold when she gave it to him."

"Because that's their thing, James. My nickname for him is 'my sweet sorcerer.'"

"Mm-hmm, and 'Mr. Cedric,'" Amber teased, adding an especially breathy tone to mimic her sister. She laughed now that both magic wielders were flushed a dark red. "Maybe try to actually shut your door when you guys stay in the castle instead of your apartment. Your roleplaying gets a little—"

"Amber!" Sofia threw her hands to her face, sighing. "We get it!"

Violet entered the room, completely oblivious to whatever had transpired among the family. "Queen Amber, you have a visitor."

"Oh?" She looked behind the stewardess, smiling at the man standing there. "Hi, can I help you?"

"Your Majesty," the man greeted, bowing respectfully.

"Wait…" Cedric frowned, realization appearing on his features. "Mr. Bailes, right? You were at Augury Academy not long ago…"

Mr. Bailes was indeed his name. He appeared much younger than he actually was, due to his youthful visage. His mop of red hair was strewn about his head, with some longer pieces falling into his reddish-brown eyes, which were framed by some large round glasses. He had a spattering of facial hair on his chin, though the rest of his face was cleanly shaven. The man was dressed in mostly black, including dark slacks and a tucked-in collared shirt, as well as a heavy-looking jacket/cloak that was trimmed in gold to match the necktie he wore. In his hands was a curious-looking onyx and gold box, and it seemed to be glowing and humming.

"Oh, good, I'm in the right kingdom," the man sighed, appearing a bit sheepish as he grinned. "I accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up in Avalor, and their queen kind of flipped out when I mentioned dark magic and all."

"Hang on, let's go back a bit," Amber requested, holding a hand to her head. "I guess Cedric was right about your name being Mr. Bailes…" Seeing him nod, she gestured vaguely toward him. "So, what brings you here? And what is with the box?"

"I'm aware your sister and brother-in-law were at Augury Academy not too long ago, on some undercover mission." He nodded toward the magical duo, who returned the sentiment. "Good job, by the way. Anyway, at the time, I was processing some rather potent energy that was coming from this: Davie's Reliquary. Consider it a nod to the infamous 'Davy Jones's Locker,' if you will, but in physical form. As you may know, Davy Jones's Locker was something of a resting place for sailors when they drowned. The Reliquary can draw people in and 'drown' them in the deep and dark mysteries if they're not careful enough, but there seems to be more going on here." He held the box up more so the others could get a better look at its glowing presence as the other man continued talking. "Davie's Reliquary contains not only ancient secrets and mysterious magic, but it can also connect to parallel universes if the magic pull is strong enough. As it turns out, Enchancia has a pull to another kingdom in an inverse location: Exchancia."

Cedric held one hand to his head. "Wait. Inverse? Exchancia? We're well aware of parallel and alternate universes, but this is the first time I've heard of Exchancia."

The other man shrugged. "Perhaps because it was once quite ordinary… Nonmagical in nature, and almost tucked away from reality. It was like someone had tried to hide its existence. But after consulting with some people at Augury Academy and being redirected to the Conjuror's Board, I learned a bit more… The strong negative energy that is pulsing from this box is due to two people: twins Queen Ember and Prince Jaime of Exchancia."

James blinked. "Whoa. I have an evil twin? Aw, I thought Amber was my 'evil twin.' I don't want to replace her. I've gotten used to her." He grinned when she nudged him, shushing him.

Mr. Bailes frowned. "It's a bit more serious than that, I'm afraid. The Conjuror's Board seemed worried when I talked to them about this, and they told me to seek all of you out immediately. The Exchancian twins are vital yet corrupt in their roles. They're powerful with dark magic flooding their veins. As it stands and from what I understand, they seek to destroy you, Queen Amber. You and your kingdom, along with everyone in it…"

"Mm-hmm." Cedric shook his head. "Dark magic is always going to be the bane of our existence, isn't it? From unknown villains to wicked alternates… As much as we've tried to stay away from it, and yet again, here we are…"

Amber had been quiet for a while, with Desmond now holding her hand and whispering a few words of comfort to her. She loved that even though he was naturally quiet during these moments, his actions spoke volumes and soothed her fears in his own unique way. "Um… Mr. Bailes…" She stared at him, expression a bit bewildered and lost. "Why me? Why my kingdom, my people, my family and friends? What have we done to make them want to hurt us?"

Sofia smiled softly at her, though she was inwardly worried about the situation. "It could happen to anyone, Amber."

"But it's happening to me, Sofia! To us! We haven't even done anything—"

"We never have," Cedric agreed. "But that's just it, Amber. Evil doesn't have a moral compass. It's clear that your 'inverse evil twin,' or whatever you'd like to call her, sees you as a threat. You're powerful, intelligent, and experienced in your role, so it's not a surprise that someone would find you intimidating and a threat of some sort. The only thing to do is to tackle this head on."

Amber was quiet for a bit as everyone tried to grasp the reality and gravity of the situation. Desmond was still being supportive while James stood aside, his arms folded and a frown on his features as he seemed lost in thought. Cedric and Sofia were quietly discussing possibilities to handle the threat, even though they still didn't know much information. Either way, it was going to be difficult to deal with 'wicked twins.' "Mr. Bailes, um… Thank you… Thank you for giving us a heads up."

He nodded. "I will leave the box with you for safe keeping. Don't worry about returning it to me. If you succeed in confronting and destroying the evil twins, burn the box. It will seal off the negative connection, and things will be right once more. After all, fire can destroy, but it can also produce new life." With little else to say, he bid them farewell and left.

"What now, Amber?" Desmond asked.

The queen pondered for a moment before looking up at them all determinedly. "I'll work on getting a defensive strategy together. We can't be blindsided if these 'evil twins' of ours really do intend to attack us. Maybe we can stop them before they try."

"Universe hopping," Cedric acknowledged. "It's been done before."

"I'm going to help you guys," James offered. "I may not have magic, but I have experience as a knight, so maybe I can protect you all from whatever onslaught may await. With Viv and Arnold away, I won't have to worry about them being in danger."

"We can also help prepare a magical line of defense if needed," Cedric added while Sofia agreed with a small hum.

"And our children?" Amber asked, looking at Cedric and Sofia, then toward Desmond.

"Your parents?" her husband suggested, receiving a soft sigh and nod. "It's going to be all right, Amber. I know this is a lot."

"I have an evil twin who isn't James wanting me destroyed, Desmond. I think this is a bit more than 'a lot.'" She rubbed her temples before exhaling. "I'm sorry, guys. I just need some time…" She left the room, heading toward the room her children shared, while the others stayed behind to plan. 'Overwhelmed' was an understatement.

And little did she know, it was only going to get worse.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Reminiscent