"They're planning on doing what?!" Emily exclaimed as she slammed her hands onto the table.
"Honey, calm down." Sam whispered as she gently pulled Emily back to her chair.
"Yeah, I was just as shocked when I saw the plans for the first time." Leo Percy sighed as he passed the paper over to King Harry so he could look over it.
"There's no sense in panicking at the moment. By the looks of it, it sounds like they just thought of attacking Caspian. It will take a month or two for them to plan an efficient attack, so we have time." Harry said in hopes of calming everyone down.
"How are your love letters going with Prince Ace?" Vulpecula smirked at Jack from across the table making everyone snap their heads to the prince.
"Whoa! Don't look at me! Firstly, they're not love letters. Secondly, it was your idea to send them. Thirdly, Ace has a plan." Jack stated as everyone looked over to Vulpecula.
"Ah, okay. So how are your closeted love letters going?" She asked, making Leo Percy and Eris giggle to themselves.
"You're annoying," Jack huffed.
"Okay, that's enough. What is Ace planning on?" King Harry asked.
"Well, before we left the ball Ace drunkenly announced his engagement to his friend, Persephone. By the looks of it, this is something that King Oliver has anticipated for a really long time and I am confident that this is an occasion that Findara will waste no time preparing for at all. Ace told me he has a plan, but I'm just waiting until he writes back." Jack said as everyone sighed.
"How do we know we can trust him?" Sam asked as everyone around the table looked at her.
"Really? I should be living proof." Lilith stated as Emily mentally facepalmed herself.
"Oh, and the fact that he told a guy named, Chester, to give me the paper with the plans of Findara." Leo Percy stated.
"Oh, and how Leo Percy and I met parts of the Defiance." Jack also stated.
"Okay, but-" "Sam please, just don't say anything else." Emily pleaded as Sam sheepishly nodded her head. The group continued on talking about how their night at Findara went. Eris talked about how the guards were trained from what they heard from a guard named Sebastian and Cain. Zehra talked about her time with the Elites and how she learned about their views and status. Leo Percy talked about how the castle was unwelcoming, dark, and eerie. Jack talked about his time with Ace and the passages throughout the castle. Lastly, there was Vulpecula who respectfully kept her business to herself.
"How is Gwen doing?" Eris asked Lilith as the group headed out to their daily roles and duties.
"She's still restricting herself, but I think that is due to years of her conforming to King Oliver's society. Since I'm supposed to be going to Durgon for the next few days, I was thinking about bringing her here for lunch. I think it would be good if she met all of you." Lilith suggested.
"That's a great idea! She can get comfortable with us and help us out!" Eris smiled before going over to Jack to tell him the suggestion.
Later that day, Gwen sat at the Asterian table beside Lilith staring at the ceiling in admiration. "Cool isn't it?" Zehra asked as Gwen snapped out of her trance.
"How does the clouds stay there?" Gwen asked as she saw a group of tiny fairies hide in the thick clouds.
"Simple answer: by magic." Emily answered as her and Sam joined her at the table with Lilith.
"Do you maintain the clouds orโฆ?" Gwen asked before Jack made an appearance into the dinning room.
"Actually, it came with the castle as a gift from a very old coven." Jack smiled as he sat down across from Gwen. Gwen's eyes widened as she stared at the delicate, silver crown that sat comfortably on Jack's head.
"Oh, don't mind the crown. He's just showing off." Leo Percy stated as he and Zehra walked in with their arms linking one another.
"Awe are you two together?" Gwen asked before everyone burst out laughing.
"Oh no Gwen, they're just best friends!" Lilith said as Gwen watched Leo Percy push Zehra away from him. Gwen couldn't help herself but laugh as well since it reminded her of Ace and Persephone. It was odd for her to see two friends of the opposite sex casually walking together like that. When the lunch began, Gwen found it comforting to eat with the kingdom's people along with the prince and king as well. The atmosphere was lively, riveting, and bright as to the hush sounds of whispers with the sounds of the forks hitting the plates.
Jack watched Gwen happily as he saw her smile at Leo Percy trying to convince everyone at the table that he can enter the clouds. "Percy, we all know that the fairies won't let you. That's their place." Zehra uttered as Leo Percy rolled his eyes.
"Eris give me a hand and boost me up!" Leo Percy exclaimed as Eris happily stood up from the chair and positioned themself.
"CLOUDS! CLOUDS! CLOUDS!" Everyone in the dining room chanted as Leo Percy placed his right foot onto Eris' stable hands and was launched in the air. The room went silent as everyone watched a swarm of fairies snatching Leo Percy out from the midair and forced him back onto the ground.
"I told you." Zehra huffed as the Asterian's laughed at the young guard while the fairies pulled his blue underpants up and over his head.
"I know it's only a day but, how are you? Is there anything you need or would like?" Jack asked Gwen in a private conversation.
Her laughter died down as she looked over to the Asterin prince with a warm smile and said, "I wished my friends could enjoy this with me, I have genuinely laughed like this so long. Your people are so free and kind and I'm sure the Defiance will get to experience this one day."
"Hey you're one of us now! You are safe from that dreadful kingdom, don't be afraid if you need anything. Also, we are working on a plan to help the rest of your buddies out of Findara and ultimately taking Findara down." Jack said softly as another roar of laughter washed over them.
"I can't wait for that day. It won't be as soon as you think though; nothing ever goes our way." Gwen sighed, making Jack ponder about the current situation of the wedding. What was Ace planning exactly? That night, Jack waited patiently for the fairies to come back with a response from Ace. Vulpecula waited with him as she adjusted the string on her longbow. Jack didn't mind when Vulpecula was around, that is until she gets snarky.
"I thought you had a white bow?" Jack asked while sharpening the blade on his sword.
"And I thought this was going to be a quiet night, but here we are." Vulpecula retorted making Jack huff.
"Just trying to make conversation before you leave for another contract." Jack said to his defense, this made Vulpecula smile at his attempt.
"I leave tomorrow, but it's a quick contract. I'll be back in three days max." Vulpecula informed as she pulled the string back and let it go.
"You know Vul you've-" "Don't call me that." "Well, you've been in and out of Asterin for years now. We love and trust you, but out of curiosity: What do you do when you leave?" Jack asked, not bother to correct himself on his nickname for her.
"I'm not answering that." Vulpecula stated as she continued to work on her bow.
"Awe come on!" Jack pleaded as he put his hands together in a begging manner.
"Hmm, that's not very prince-like." Vulpecula said as Jack rolled his eyes.
"Sorry I'll just ask my dad to close off the castle to the people, eat alone, and watch everyone suffer in poverty." Jack huffed, crossing his arms.
"Oh whatever, you're too selfless to ever do such an act. I know you spend quite some time playing with the kids of Astern." Vulpecula said as she drew the string back and listened to the snap of the string, finally she was satisfied as she started to cut off the splinters on the bow.
"They're our future! It's important that they have unconditional love and support, after all they're just kids. I wonder if Sellandia would let the kids in the forest come here to play with the kids of the kingdom." Jack pondered as he drew his sword back into its holder.
"Okay, do you really want to know what I do and what happens?" Vulpecula asked as Jack excitedly nodded his head. At this moment, a group of fairies flew through the opened windows and threw a folded paper at Jack's face before quickly hiding behind Vulpecula's armour that sat by her feet.
"Of course, they come at this moment." Jack mumbled as he opened the letter.
๐๐ค๐ง๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ. ๐๐ฉ'๐จ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐ฉ ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐ฉ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ญ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ค ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฝ๐ช๐ฉ ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ข๐๐ช๐จ๐. ๐'๐ก๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ง๐ข ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ข๐๐ช๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐, ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฉ ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐จ ๐จ๐ค๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐จ๐๐๐ก๐!
- ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐จ
"A week after? Is he insane! Why not during the wedding or the coronation after the wedding!" Jack exclaimed while getting up.
"Honestly, I thought he was smarter than that." Vulpecula said.
"Maybe he's stressing out about other things." Jack mentioned as he got his ink and paper, ready to write a response back.
๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ก๐. ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ก ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐, ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ช๐จ๐ ๐๐ช๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐ค๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ? ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ค๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐, ๐จ๐ค ๐ ๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐ค๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ!
- ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ก๐๐ฃ๐
๐ผ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐จ๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐! ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ช๐๐๐ฉ ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ช๐๐ง๐! ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ! ๐'๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ฉ๐ค๐ข๐ค๐ง๐ง๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ!
- ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐จ
๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ! ๐๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ช๐ก! ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ข๐๐จ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ฉ๐ค๐ข๐ค๐ง๐ง๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ผ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐ . ๐ผ๐ก๐จ๐ค, ๐๐ฌ๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐จ๐จ๐๐จ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐.
- ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ก๐๐ฃ๐
"Alright well I better head off now." Vulpecula said as Jack sent the fairies off with the last letter of the night.
"Wait you still haven't told me what you do!" Jack realized, watching Vulpecula gather her bow and armour.
"Suck, I guess it's a story for another time!" She shrugged as she headed out the door.
Two weeks. That's all they had.
Two weeks. To prepare a small group for an ambush of a kingdom well known for its ruthless army.
Two weeks. Wait for the wedding and sneak in.
Two weeks. All the letters and late-night conversations of preparing, talking, and sharing.
For some unknown, well actually it is a pretty known reason as to why Jack was excited for Ace's wedding. There were three reasons: 1. Jack got to crash a coronation ceremony, which was something he always wanted to do after hearing his mom did that. 2. A revolution was about to occur and Jack gets to be a part of it. 3. There finally won't be a life with much fear in it, now that they were finally taking down one of the most overpowering kingdoms in the nation.
Jack became a lot closer with everyone in the forest and learned about the different plants the witches and wizards use. Since he does not possess any magic within himself, Jack just learned how to make teas and herbal remedies. He learned about how the magic system works and how there are subgroups to each magic class. Jack was truly astonished by how complex, yet simple magic was. Sellandia and Drayde had invited the people of Asterin to come over many different meals in the forest from time to time, which they would always accept the offer. Jack had manage to get the mother and father of the forest to go to Asterin's allies where more baby witches and wizard joined their "My sweet darling, if you could see our son now. You were right about him; he just need a push and he will blossom into a leader." King Harry said as he sat at a table by her portrait, having an afternoon tea with Emily and Sam. Jack had notice lately that both Hana and Leo Percy tend to have a private conversation with Lilith a lot about someone in Findara. ๐๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐ฐ ๐๐ฆ๐ณ๐ค๐บ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ฃ๐ญ๐บ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ช๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ข? The prince would often find himself asking, however, he know he had no room to talk and would shrug off the thought. Gwen and Jack were able to connect through their natural born scars and their given scars.
"Wait! They would whip you if you didn't balance the book correctly?!" Jack exclaimed as Hana covered her mouth in shock.
"Yup! For every minute you have left you get whipped. Keep in mind we had to keep our posture for an hour." Gwen explained.
"That's horrible!" Hana cried out.
"Oh, this is nothing compared to what the castle staff had to go through. There are countless times where I've seen Clara partially heal someone from death." Gwen chuckled.
"Why not fully?" Hana asked.
"It's Findara." Was the only thing Jack and Gwen said at the same time. The three were talking peacefully in a small flower field, relaxing before the day to come. It was the night before the wedding and when Jack decided to visit the forest to make sure everyone was okay after sending his nightly letter. Some people decided to back down afraid that they were not read, which Jack completely understood and respected. Others had changed their minds and agreed on going, which Jack was happy about. Off in the distance of the common area, the witches and wizards watched in fear as the Findarian portal to the forest started to glow.
"That's not good." Hana said as she got up and started to run towards the common area where Sellandia and Drayde held up a defensive pose to protect the coven for what's to come. Jack and Gwen followed closely to the plump ginger as she ran barefooted as fast as she possibly could.
"I thought no one was supposed to use that portal." Jack said as Sellandia's eyes glowed with a dark green colour.
"Correct. So why is it being used?" Drayde asked angrily as his comforting, calm aura was replaced with the spirit's angry, destructive one.
The portal's colours changed into a glowing red as many people who Gwen recognized ran through. "STAY BACK! I KNOW THEM!" Gwen yelled desperately as she watched Drayde raise his staff, his casual lantern replaced by a black orb. Finally, Lilith ran through the portal as she powered it down again so no one ran through it.
"I'm sorry I know we are not supposed to use it, but please help them." Lilith said weakly as she passed out due to the overuse of her powers.
"Lilith!" Malakai exclaimed as he pushed his way through the crowd and held his lover close.
"Persephone! Chester!" Gwen called out to her dear friends who held onto each other for support.
"She's hurt badly Gwen." Chester said as Persephone held her side tightly while blood dripped down her delicate gown.
"Healers, come here quickly!" Sellandia ordered as both her and Drayde returned to their normal heights. Jack stood looking at everyone with wide eyes, but none of the people that ran through the portal had white hair. Instead of asking what was going on, Jack decided to help out with anything he could as the small group limped to the healers. Help first, questions later; but Gwen wasted no time in asking. Drayde stood by the portal making sure that it was sealed correctly, as the Findarians recovered in the common area.
"Cain!" Hana called out as she jumped onto the muscular, hairy figure.
"No fucking way." Silas said as a smile crept up onto his face, knowing that Rhoma had finally lost a bet and to Sebastian out of all people.
"Hana!" Cain exclaimed as he held the witch tightly.
Chester, Persephone, Silas, Cain, Lilith, and Jessy the Gardner were some of the people Gwen immediately noticed. Much like Jack, Gwen didn't notice Ace anywhere. "The wedding was supposed to be tomorrow, but seeing that the bride is here I can assume that the wedding isn't happening. Soโฆ what happened?" Jack asked with Drayde and Sellandia standing behind him.
"We got caught, as simple as that." Chester answered as he drank some water from his cup.
"We were the only ones with Ace at the time talking about some last-minute things for the ambush and out of nowhere King Oliver appeared. Ace told us to run while he held his father back, but we still got hit a few times by his people." Persephone finished.
"Some of us were on duty, so they won't have a single idea of anything that's going on until they manage to talk to Ace." Silas added.
"That's if they don't kill him." Lilith stated before Jack snapped his head over to the Sellandia look alike as she walked with Malakai. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but one of two things will happen: 1. He gets burned tonight, or 2. He dies a slow and painful death. If number two happens then we would have a short period of time to try to save him."
"But how?" Jack asked as he looked over the Findarians.