Royal Games

Chapter 8

Trusting the shadows and my cloak to keep me hidden, I swiftly make my way to the town square. When I get there, I see the familiar structure in the center; three opal archways arranged to make a triangle. Three is the magic number, after all. Flowers adorn each arch.

I walk through the arch decorated with ivy...

And stumble into a park. I recognise the strange sound of cars from a nearby road. Where I am right now, trees shield me from view. Earth's portals must always be hidden from view of humans.

When I step out into the open, I see a couple cuddled up on a bench not too far away. They look like they don't have a care in the world. Well, except each other.

Keeping my hood low, I take a casual stroll along a path through the park. Soon, I reach a nearby road. Aimlessly, I wander down foreign streets. Most shops are closed at this time of night, but I manage to find a clothes shop still open. If I don't want to be found, the first thing I need is a disguise.

Not much browsing is necessary for me to find a new outfit. I go into a changing room to shed my black cloak and ruined ballgown in favour of jeans and a violet blouse. While I'm at it, I remove my tiara. I take a deep breath as I look in the mirror. Then I use magic to straighten my hair and dye it black, before glamouring human features. It takes longer than it should; I'm weak from holding the magical shield in place while running.

Going over to the till, I'm grateful I have my phone with me, and that I keep my credit card in my phone case. I earn a funny look when I tell the woman at the till I'll be purchasing the clothes I have on. Her opinions of me lower even further when I ask for a bag to carry my original clothes. No doubt she'll tell all her friends about me, the weird customer.

Confident that I now blend in, I ask someone for directions to the Houses of Parliament. I'm pointed towards the nearest tube station and told to find Westminster Station. I have never used the tube before. The only time I've ever been to London before, I was driven around in a car.

When I get to the nearest station, I'm surprised by how busy it still is. People either strut around like they're on an important mission, or stagger around with the stench of alcohol clinging to them. Work hard, play hard, I think.

I figure out the tube system easily enough. Using a map on a wall, I figure out the simplest route to Westminster Station. Then I'm on my way to the government. Being on the tube, I realise how out of my depth I am in this world.

I am relieved to still be in one piece when I reach my destination. All it takes at the entrance to the Houses of Parliament is a flash of my Crest of Arms, and I'm allowed in. A Crest of Arms is a symbol that represents magical political power, and I'm glad I keep mine on an invisible chain around my neck. The chain also holds a small vial of fairy dust.

"Can you direct me to someone who handles legal documents for people from Topia?" I ask the man at reception.

"This way." He gets up and I follow him down corridor after corridor. Eventually, he stops at a door and knocks. As he turns to leave me, I sprinkle fairy dust over his head.

"Forget." I whisper, thinking about the last five minutes. One word commands are the only thing needed to use magical dust. Memory magic is meant to be used sparingly, but I can't worry about that now.

"Enter." Calls a bored female on the other side of the door. "How may I help you?" She asks as I close the office door behind me.

"I'm really sorry about this." I take a deep breath. Then I raise a hand, palm facing the woman. She looks confused. "You who won't do as I please, now follow my every command with ease." I slump back against the door, exhausted from the use of yet more magic.

But this time, the spell is powerful, and also illegal. The woman's eyes become empty, unseeing. I speak to her again, knowing I have the power to make her do literally anything.

"I am Princess Alyssa of Opa, and I have come to live here on Earth. My paperwork was sorted earlier in the year, but some of the information is wrong. Someone with higher authority in your department wants you to ensure this is corrected. My name is currently listed as Alyssa Casteray, but this must be changed to Ally Evers." I spell out my new name before continuing.

"The only exception to this is the ownership deeds for a cottage, which must remain under the original name. When I leave this room, the effects of this spell will wear off. You will not remember that I was here. The only thing from our meeting that you will remember is that you must alter the necessary documents."

Guilt sets up home inside me as I walk out of the government building. There's no turning back from casting my first illegal spell; I've crossed a line.

There are only a few quick tasks left before I can rest. I find a cash machine and draw out a few hundred pounds. Then I throw my credit card in the bin. The cash I have will have to last until I get a new card with the name Ally Evers on it.

Next, I find a 24-hour supermarket that luckily sells a few phones. I buy a cheap one.

Sat on a bench outside, I scroll through some of my photos on my original phone. Looking at the selfie with Nessa and Helena from this morning, it suddenly hits me how quickly my world has turned upside down. I send the photo to my friends and, after much debate, to my new phone. I also send myself a photo of me and Liam a few weeks ago. As I stand, I drop my original phone and stomp on it. Then I dump the crushed phone in a nearby bin.

After all this effort, I hope I've made it extremely difficult for anyone to track me. Now I just need to find something to fill the time as Ally Evers, while I devise a plan to regain my own identity. But, before all that, I take a tube to the outskirts of London, where I find a cheap hotel and pass out the moment my head hits the pillow.