WINDOWS: A BROKEN FAIRY TALE (18 page)

           
“I
know what I saw, Liz.
 
There were pairs
of them on every street corner in full uniform.
 
They were there to police the city.”

           
“What
are we going to do?”
 
Mandy looked
shocked and more than a little worried.
 
Liz reached over and patted her hand reassuringly while Bekah told them
the plan.

           
“Liz,
I want you to send out a message to every shop in Valentria telling them to not
do business in Augusta
until we get this cleared up.
 
Since
they’re not hiding the fact they’re there, we don’t have to keep it a secret
either.”

           
Liz
nodded and Rebekah spoke to Amanda next.
 
“Mandy, go speak to Captain Grimm and tell him to put the soldiers on
medium alert.
 
I do not like having that
many Protectorate jerks in my backyard.”

           
Rebekah
sighed heavily.
 
“I’m going Augusta right now to see
things for myself.
 
Sis…”

           
“I’m
going with you!”
 
Raven stuck out her
chin defiantly.
 
           

           
Bekah
forced Raven to sit down. “You will stay in this castle until I return.

           
“There
are tons of Protectorates there, Sis.
 
You’ll need my help.”
 

           
“You,”
Bekah said in her firmest voice, “beat up five of them last night.
 
You will stay away from any Protectorate
until we can get this cleared up.”
 

Raven muttered her
assent while Felicity and Amanda stared with open mouths.
 

Elspeth did not
like flying and normally would have refused to even consider it.
 
Today however was far from a normal day.
 
Less than ten minutes ago she was informed
that the Protectorate was breaking a peace treaty that had been in place for a
hundred years.
 
According to her
daughters, Augusta
was swarming with Protectorate guards.
 
Branwyen and the blacksmith, Elspeth never could remember her name, had
gone shopping and reported the situation, which Bekah verified.

           
As
the wind whipped her hair around her face, Stephen turned to her.
 
She saw the scar that marked his rugged face
was white, the only sign of the worry struggled under the calm façade.

           
“Do
you think they could be mistaken?”
 
He
asked, glancing down at the land rolling beneath.

           
The
Duchess gritted her teeth.
 
Yes it was
possible, she thought, if it had only been Branwyen and Tara, or maybe Farah,
had been the ones to report the occupation.
 
Since it worried Bekah enough for her to fly halfway across the country
and interrupt an important meeting Elspeth was certain there was no
mistake.
 
The Protectorate was preparing
for war and that meant they would have to as well.

           
“I
hope so.”
 
She said.

           
After
another hour the Duchess saw the familiar mountains rising on the horizon.
 
Within moments they were over the cragged tops
and Bryson roared loudly.

           
As
the dragon landed amid the gardens on the castle roof, now brown and lifeless
in the autumn chill, doors burst open and the other three Chandlish sisters
came rushing out to greet them.
 
Mandy
and Liz ran towards their mother, hugging her tightly while Raven headed
straight for Bekah.
 
The two embraced
before thanking Bryson.

           
“Yes,
thank you Bryson.”
 
Elspeth reached
forward and gently stroked the large, scaly head.
 
Despite her misgivings about flying the
Duchess really did like the overgrown lizard.

           
Bryson
lowered his head to the ground in a bow, “Always an honor, Your Grace, to serve
such a gracious and beautiful lady.”

           
After
a quick peck on the cheek from all four sisters, which made the dragon blush,
Raven opened his portal and Bryson departed.

           
“Girls,”
Stephen barked as the black hole closed, “I think we have things to discuss.”

           
The
next few days passed with a flurry of motion.
 
Diplomatic envoys were sent to the Prime Minister’s office to request a
ruling.
 
As usual the politicians
responded with empty promises of a resolution when they bothered to respond at
all.
 
Elspeth had even contacted Richard
DeGuire directly, using the large Congreve in the castle basement.
 
Her anger towards Raven when she learned of
the four injured members of the Protectorate rang like a gong through out the
castle.

           
“They
jumped us.”
 
Raven was bored with this conversation.
 
She was used to her adopted mother’s anger
and this wasn’t nearly as bad as the time she and Sis herded pigs through the
throne room.

           
Elspeth
fumed.
 
The little snot sat there like
nothing was amiss when the entire country was teetering on the verge of another
civil war.
 
“I was informed that you and
Sarah attacked two of them in that club and then ambushed a small group out
patrolling.”

           
Raven
rolled her eyes.
 
“Yeah Elspeth, Sarah
and I got liquored up then smacked around a few Protectorates.
 
Think about that one for a second.”
 
The redhead leaned forward in her chair and
stared up at the Duchess, green eyes flashing.
 
“If we had actually attacked anybody it would have made the front page
of the papers, wouldn’t it?
 
Too many people
in that club saw ‘em grab me and I just defended myself.”

           
Elspeth
considered Branwyen might have a point but she was still boiling with
rage.
 
The Protectorate usually would
have wasted no time in making sure that something like this would be big news.
 
“So why didn’t they?”

           
“You
don’t honestly think it’s in their best interest to tell everybody that five
members of the big scary Protectorate got their butts kicked by little ol’ me,
do you?”
 
Raven got out of her seat with
a laugh and walked towards the door.

           
Elspeth
stopped her, “I’m not done with you yet, Branwyen.”

           
Raven
scoffed over her shoulder, “Yes you are because you know I’m right.”
 
With that final rebuttal, Raven stormed out
of the office, intent on finding something fun to do while the Duchess muttered
and shuffled papers on the desk.

           
On
the morning of the third day, Elspeth called a meeting.
 
Along with Stephen and Captain Grimm, all of
her daughters except Mandy were present.

           
Fearing
the time for patience was nearing its end, Elspeth rubbed her eyes with her
thumb and forefinger.
 
Everybody was busy
trying to talk over everybody else and the din was increasingly irritating.
 
Felicity suggested negotiations.
 
Grimm and Stephen both thought that a
defensive strategy was the best option.
 
Not surprisingly Branwyen and Rebekah were offering to blow something
up, but if they meant Augusta or simply the Protectorate soldiers located
there, she couldn’t really be sure.

           
“ENOUGH!”
 
Elspeth finally reached her annoyance
threshold.
 
Immediately the room fell
into silence.
 
“One at a time,
please.
 
Felicity, you go first.”

           
Felicity
nodded.
 
“It is possible that there has
been a misunderstanding.”
 
Raven muttered
something that earned her a warning glance from Stephen.
 

The oldest
daughter continued, ignoring the interruption.
 
“We’ve already been assured by the Prime Minister’s office that they are
working with the Protectorate to reach a peaceful resolution.”

“Well at least
they’re finally admitting it.”
 
Bekah
snorted.
 
“We’ve been telling you that
they’ve been working with the Protectorate for years now.

“That isn’t true
Bekah and you know it.”
 
Liz’s lips
tightened in a thin line.
 
As a lawyer to
even insinuate that the highest court in the land was capable of corruption was
a personal affront to her.

Raven piped up and
to nobody’s surprise sided with Bekah.
 
“Liz, they’ve been her protectors for how long now?
 
At least twenty years.”

“They have the
largest standing army, Raven.
 
If you
remember there was a vote by the heads of every city-state in Florence to let them.”

“Yeah, and if I
recall how the voting went it was every city-state that’s currently aligned
with those jerks that voted for it.
 
Seven to three I believe was the final tally.”
 
Bekah was getting red in the face and another
argument seemed inevitable when Mandy came bursting into the office, completely
out of breath.

“Mom,” she panted,
“they’ve arrested Sarah.”

CHAPTER
15: THE RESCUE

           
“She is going to die.”
 
A voice whispered.
 
The darkness moved along the floor of the
room like living oil, sliding from one shadow to another.

           
The girl stared at the void,
determination helping her muster courage as the light dimmed
imperceptibly.
 
“Not if I can help it.

           
Everyone
in the room stopped their arguing.
  

           
“Who
has arrested her?”
 
Ravens voice floated
like a snow flake, soft and cold.
 

“The
Protectorate.”
  
Mandy was finally
catching her breath and stood up straight.
 
“Kelly just called.
 
She overheard
her father saying the girl who attacked those guards in Augusta would be executed in the morning.”

Felicity voice was
pleading.
 
“We have to do something,
Mom.”

Elspeth exhaled
sharply.
 
“I’m afraid there is nothing we
can do.”

“But she’s our
friend.”
 
Mandy exclaimed, moving towards
the desk.

“With the
situation as it is I cannot waste valuable time and resources to save one
person, no matter how we may feel about them.
 
I’m sorry.”
 
Elspeth didn’t like
the idea of someone with the mark of the White Rose being tried by the
Protectorate but she had all of Valentria’s safety to consider.

Without warning
Raven stood and strode towards the door, right hand clenching and unclenching
as if gripping an invisible sword.
 
She
glanced at Bekah and something passed between the two of them.
 
Bekah lowered her eyes slightly; she wanted
to go with Sis, to help out in anyway she could, but someone would need to stay
behind and give her time to get away.

Before Raven could
make it out of the room, Elspeth’s reached her ears.
 
“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To rescue my
friend.”

“You may not.”

The tension in the
room was palpable as Raven turned and snapped.
 
“Who exactly do you think is stupid enough to try stopping me?”

Stephen took half
a step forward but Raven had already reached the door and opened it.
 
As she stepped through she heard Elspeth say,
“My daughters will do exactly as they are told, Branwyen.”

           
“Well
it’s a damn good thing I’m not your daughter, AIN’T IT!”
 
Raven roared as she slammed the door behind
her and stormed off down the hall.
 

Inside the room
Bekah and Felicity reacted quickly.
 
Liz
rushed past Mandy and out of the room.
 
Bekah locked the door and turned to face the remaining occupants.
 
Fire covered her hands as she took a
defensive stance.
 

“What is the
meaning of this, Rebekah?”
 
Stephen
demanded, watching the girl with unease.
 
He meant to chase Raven and Liz but a powerful witch was blocking his
way.
 
To fight in here would do much more
harm than good.

“She’s doing what
she has to.” was the only answer Bekah gave the anxious onlookers.
 

Before Raven made
it more than five feet Felicity was hot on her heels, trying to stop a bad
situation from getting worse.

           
“Raven,
please.”
 
Liz entreated, trying in vain
to slow the angry girl down.
 
“Let’s take
a minute and figure out a plan.”

           
“Plan?
 
Sarah is going to be executed in the morning
and you want to have a plan?”
 
Raven spun
on her heel and growled.
 
“Fine, here’s
the plan!
 
I hop on Bryson, fly to
Vestavia and kill everyone who gets in my way then bring my friend back!”

           
Felicity
watched in exasperation as her little sister stomped up the stairs to their
bedrooms.
 
Knowing what she had to do,
Liz followed a second later.

           
Raven
heard the door open and knew Liz was watching but she ignored her as she
finished tightening the straps on the armored sleeve she wore over her left
arm.
 
It was made of thick leather enchanted
years ago to be able to withstand any attack.
 
Years of practice made it a more viable option than a shield.
 
Satisfied that it wouldn’t slip, Raven
attached her sword scabbard to her back.

           
“You
gonna try and stop me, Liz?”

           
Felicity
shook her head decisively.
 
“No, I’m
coming with you.”

           
Raven
laughed, a mirthless sound that hung hallow in the air.
 
“Yeah, right.
 
You’re going to get yourself killed and me in even more trouble than I’m
already in.
 
Get out of the way.”
 
Raven tried to push past but Liz was having
none of it and grabbed the pale girl by the arm.
 

“You want to let
go of me, right now.”
 
Raven threatened.

           
“If
we fight, Stephen will be here before you get to leave.
 
Or, you can listen to reason and let me come
with you.
 
Sarah is my friend too, as you
well know.”
 

The two stood
staring at each other for a second before Raven agreed, then they ducked into
one of the numerous secret passage ways she and Bekah had uncovered.
 
Sis was buying some time but it was possible
the other castle guards had been mobilized to stop them.

           
Finally
they were standing outside in the chilly morning.
 
Raven said, “You know this is going to be
dangerous, right?”

Felicity knew it
was but remained silent as Raven opened the portal and Bryson’s serpentine form
strolled leisurely through.

           
“Felicity,
what an unexpected, albeit pleasant, surprise.”
 
Bryson’s charm was in full effect, like it always was when he spoke with
the eldest of the Chandlish daughters.

           
Liz
smiled but Raven had no time for flirting.
 
“Sarah is going to be dead shortly.
 
Think we can get there in time to stop it?”
 

           
With
no further words necessary, Bryson lowered his neck and the two girls climbed
up.
 
Raven lowered herself over the scaly
back as they left the castle roof.
 
Felicity turned and shouted to Stephen, who had just burst through a
doorway, to tell mom they would be back soon.

           
Miles
away Sarah lay semi-conscious, the pain in her body and near freezing
temperature of the cell not allowing her the merciful release of sleep.
 
There had been no trial, no chance for her to
explain what had really happened; the Protectorate guards arrested her at
Picwick station then dragged her to this prison.
 
For days she had been tortured, not allowed
food or water.
 
She wanted to cry but
there simply wasn’t enough moisture left in her body to form tears.
 
She had no idea what they wanted her to
say.
 
She confessed to everything they
wanted and yet they insisted on continuing to punish her for a crime she could
not possibly have committed.
 
A thin
trickle of dried blood itched at the corner of her mouth but she didn’t have
the strength to scratch it.
 
A chill
wrapped itself around her body but there were no blankets to ward it off.

           
She
had been stupid.
 
She could admit that
much to herself.
 
After seeing the demon
that shared a body with Raven she panicked, fleeing Valentria and the life she
had been building.
 
Friends, her own
shop, and someone she might be in love with.
 
All that was gone now, nothing left but a small stone prison cell buried
in the middle of no where.
 
There was no
hope of rescue.
 
She could now only pray
for death to come quickly and end her suffering.

           
Bekah
sat in the room she and Sis shared for so long, staring out the bright day.
 
Earlier she saw Bryson flying away and the
aching to be with Sis stung.
 
She didn’t
dare call on the crystals because it might give them away if they needed to be
quiet.
 
She could only trust that between
the two of them they were a match for any guards at the prison.

           
A
soft tapping at the door interrupted her gloom.
 
When Bekah didn’t answer the door opened and the lights flamed to
life.
 
She knew who it was because only
her mother would dare open the door without being invited.

           
“You
mind telling me what that was all about?”
 
Bekah felt her mother’s weight shifting the bed.

           
Without
turning around Bekah told her, “She needed to go.
 
I had to give her that chance.”

           
Elspeth
inhaled slowly and let it out.
 
She was
going to remain calm no matter how frustrated she got.
 
“Bekah, what Branwyen is doing is very foolish
and dangerous and now Felicity is mixed up in it.”

           
Bekah
mumbled something unintelligible against the window pane.

           
“I’m
sorry, I couldn’t hear you.”

           
“I
said, ‘Would you have gone to rescue Dad?’.”

           
The
Duchess was startled by the question, “Of course I would have.
 
I loved him.”
 
Elspeth’s voice faltered as Bekah looked at her for the first time since
she came in.
 
Her daughter’s eyes were
red and puffy.
 
Dried trails of salt
marred the attractive face.

           
The
sun hung like a burning eye just barely over the horizon when Raven told Bryson
to pull up.
 
Sarah’s trail had led the
three rescuers to a small, secluded building 20 miles west of Vestavia ringed
by thick forest.
 
Bryson hovered in the
air, waiting for Raven’s instructions.

“Set down over
there.”
 
Raven said, pointing to the
front door.
 
“If they haven’t set off
alarms yet, they’re not going to.”

Felicity expressed
her confusion.
 
“The prison is on the
other side of Vestavia.
 
Why are we
stopping here?”
 

Raven’s voice
sounded oddly distant.
 
“This is where
Sarah is.”
 

“Why would she be
here, and how do you know?”
 
Felicity was
getting a little nervous.
 
She knew Raven
was angry and scared, but her little sister was showing no signs of emotion.

“I don’t know why
she’s here but I know she is because of the tracking magic in the tattoo.
 
It shines like a beacon in the night to
me.”
 

“That can only be
tracked with the crystal, and only within 30 miles.
 
How can you see it?”

Raven didn’t
answer as Bryson landed, the strength of his wings stirring up a small cloud of
dust.
 
The two passengers slid off his
back.

“Stay here and
keep watch.
 
Roar if anybody comes.”
 
Felicity told him.

“If anybody comes,
kill them.”
 
Raven ordered.
 
The dragon nodded, his yellow eyes narrowed
with undisguised worry.

Felicity tried to
open the door but it was locked.
 
“Sealed
with magic.” She exclaimed.
 
“We’ll find
another way in.”

Raven ignored
her.
 
She caressed the door searchingly
with her fingers and whispered, “Show me.”
 
After finding what she was looking for she slammed an open palm against
the door.
 
Light flared for a second and
then faded as the redhead drew out her sword.

“Stand back.”
 
Raven plunged the blade into the heavy
wood.
 
For a brief moment nothing
happened.
 
Felicity was about to say
something when the door imploded with enough force to rock the ground they were
standing on.
 
Even Bryson, who had his
back to them, jumped a little.
 
After the
smoke cleared, Felicity saw the door had been left a smoldering wreck and their
way in was clear.

“Raven, they’re
going to hear us!”
 
Felicity couldn’t
tell if she was shouting over the ringing in her ears.