“How are you going to get there?” he managed.
“What?” Damselfly turned.
“How are you going to reach the Magicgarden?”
“We have a token which can get us through the Garden Gate,” Buttons divulged, much to Damselfly’s chagrin.
“Who are you going with?” Rat asked, noticing the travelers’ hesitation.
“An army of soldiers,” Damselfly lied unconvincingly.
“I don’t think so,” Rat argued. “You were following Orion which means he is not aware of your journey, and I don’t think the king would allow his only daughter to travel all the way to the Magicgarden.”
“Is it really that far?” Buttons looked worried.
“All right, we’re going alone,” Damselfly confessed.
“I thought so.” Rat felt proud at his deduction. “I can help you.”
“How?”
“I can get you out of the castle without anyone knowing,” Rat promised.
Damselfly had checked the dungeons for any sign of an exit. The only way in and out was via the narrow staircase and a false wall that was sustained by magic, which is why Rat had not been able to find the passage. The princess had rarely travelled outside of the royal apartments and never without adult supervision. If anyone saw them, they would be suspicious to see the princess out alone and would likely report them to Orion or her father.
“Can you really get us out of the castle without us being seen?” Damselfly queried.
“Leave it to me,” Rat responded.
Chapter 5 Adventurous Times
When Old Nana had discovered Damselfly’s room empty she thought little of it; the child was probably playing with Buttontail somewhere. It was actually a relief that the princess had a new friend. Old Nana constantly worried about Damselfly being isolated and lonely so discovering how quickly she had grown to care for Buttontail was rather sweet. Of course, Damselfly would need that companionship now more than ever with her mother being sick. That was a terrible blow to everyone as Queen Etherelle was such a beloved person. Old Nana had faith in the sorcerers’ healing magic. Still, it must be upsetting for a child to see their parents vulnerable like that, and she vowed to help the princess in any way possible. Old Nana had practically sacrificed her whole life, including her husband, to care for Damselfly. It was always a challenge, though one she never regretted. Old Nana searched for the child in all the regular places, then began going room to room and she even questioned the twins who confirmed they had not seen either Damselfly or Buttontail. Old Nana checked Queen Etherelle’s room though the door was locked. She considered going to the king; however, it was clear that she needed help from another source. Old Nana discovered Orion and Luyna in a heated debate. Her presence was unwanted, and the tension present failed to dissipate until the reason for her interruption became clear.
“They are probably just playing hide and seek somewhere,” Old Nana dismissed.
“You are probably right.” Luyna smiled reassuringly. “Still, we should find them to ensure their safety.”
“I agree,” Orion added.
“Find the princess, brother, and do not return without her,” Luyna ordered.
“What about the queen? I should not leave her,” Orion argued.
“What would Etherelle want you to do?” Luyna posed.
“I will make sure no harm comes to the princess,” Orion agreed.
Damselfly had followed Rat reluctantly to begin with; she did not want to bring anyone else into her mission lest they get in trouble. There was also a question of trust and the princess stayed alert in case her guide tried to lead her back home. Thankfully, Rat remained good to his word, and she really did need his expertise in finding a way out of the castle without being seen. The orphan boy was able to show Damselfly a series of shortcuts, secret passages and hideouts that she was already struggling to remember when they came across a problem.
“Oh no,” Rat cursed.
“What is it?” Damselfly asked.
“Can it hurt us?” Buttons queried.
“Court is in session,” Rat explained. “We will have to wait here until it finishes.”
“How long will that be?” Damselfly enquired.
“I don’t know, sometimes it goes on for hours,” Rat explained.
Damselfly was distraught because she knew that her absence would be noted. When that happened, they would search the whole castle, making it almost impossible to escape unnoticed. She was just about to ask if there was another way when Buttontail who was staring down from their hidden viewpoint at the proceedings distracted her. “Isn’t that the man we saw with Orion?” the rabbit posed.
Both Rat and Damselfly stared down into the courtroom to discover what was happening. Judge Vale, dressed in his finest robes, was sitting behind a raised dais looking down upon the defendant, who was indeed the same person they had witnessed Orion retrieving from the dungeons earlier that day.
“That’s Blakast the usurper,” Rat stated in awe.
Damselfly was equally fascinated to witness the trial of a man who had attempted a coup against her family. The defendant looked a rather pitiful creature dressed in black robes that appeared too large for his stick-like frame; he seemed almost like a child dressed up as a villain. Added to his abject appearance, Blakast seemed completely oblivious to his dire predicament. He paid no attention to his surroundings and could be heard muttering to himself throughout. Most of what he said was incoherent although one word was repeated regularly.
Mistress.
The court was populated by a number of armed soldiers led by Tyten, the leader of the royal army and Rat’s hero.
“Why is he rambling to himself?” Damselfly questioned. “Is he mad?”
“What if it is contagious.” Buttons grimaced.
“Don’t worry, Tyten won’t let anything happen to us,” Rat confirmed.
“He’s just a soldier. What can he do against magic?”
