Castle: Midnight:
Victor wore his thick Wasteland suit. He smirked at his brother. "Follow me; I have something to show you in the Wastelands."
"Are you planning to kill me?" Thackeray grabbed his thick jacket and helmet.
"No," Victor said without emotion. His eyes mimicked a blank canvas.
Both princes entered a crystal elevator, and in less than a minute they were at the underground entrance to the Wastelands, but not further down, to the kingdoms below the surface.
Wendy snored, and sounds echoed as distant music.
Hundreds of the hidden passageways existed for half-frozen travelers, but most were unused, except for unreliable supply trucks.
Thackeray passed through the underground graveyard for the departed protective domes.
Sharp headstones marked each one and spiraled upward.
Workers dug a fresh grave and carved the name, Wendy Kingston, into the granite.
"Is this what you wanted to show me? Why are they digging my daughter's grave?" Thackeray asked. "You signed the contract to protect her, and you'll keep that promise!"
Victor lunged at him with his burning laser dagger.
Thackeray twisted the fiery weapon out of his brother's polished hand. He stepped on it and broke the light blade into embers.
"I have more." Victor attempted to pull out a dagger. "I'll don't want to kill you, but I will do anything to save our people."
"My not leaving you with shattered bones is a mercy. You live because I'm offering you kindness, and murder is wrong. And I don't care if Petunia's lurking troops try to kill me."
"It's in Tribeca's interest to slaughter the protective dome. Because she is next in line to take down our family, and Wendy is part of that family. Tribeca isn't evil. Your daughter will become a monster, and I'm sorry."
"I don't care what that stupid prophecy book says. Wendy will never betray her oath! She will never fall. The book keeps rewriting itself, and I'll find a way to save my daughter."
"That creature is no longer your daughter." Victor clutched his glowing dagger. "I still plan to show you what happened to the men who kidnapped Blackstone. Alva found him, and we'll meet with him later."
Both men bribed the guards at the exit to the Wastelands. Dozens of tunnels existed for centuries.
The prince's helmets mimicked those of Earth's astronauts, and their jackets kept them warm, but only for a moment.
Snow fell over them.
A glowing sign flashed, Windchill is not factored in. -68 °F (ca. -56 °C)
The ice walkway froze in such a way that it didn't melt when stepped upon by their thick leather boots, and the princes walked on it, like any other asphalt-covered road.
The broken wasteland stretched into the horizon. Icy rocks, covered with algae patches, and alien-like blue, bioluminescence, mushrooms, were the only plants that survived.
Skeletons of sirens and massive fish glistened in the moonlight underneath the frozen lake.
The princes walked further.
Rat-like creatures with three tails ran across Victor's boot, but he didn't scream.
A three-pound adult dragon flew from the sky and dragged the rats into a small fire cave. Tufts of smoke bellowed outward.
Victor followed Alva's men one by one with a knife in his left hand, but half of the men froze to death before the princes reached them.
Victor giggled to himself. "I told them that the one who survived the longest could be named the next prince. They let their greed destroy them."
"I liked it better when we weren't all sabotaging each other." Thackeray prayed over their bodies.
A man gasped for air.
Thackeray pressed an emergency button on his pocket watch, carried Alva's man inside and handed him to the doctors, who ran the underground medic group for frozen travelers.
Thackeray stretched as he entered the elevator. His brother stomped behind him.
"Why did you save a traitor?" Victor shook his brother's arm.
Thackeray spoke softly. "We should've given them a trial and let the judges decide. Besides, I need information."
"Alva's men went after Griffin because he discovered they kidnapped Blackstone. Griffin works for me, and they aren't allowed to touch him!" Victor screamed. "Alva agreed, and he's going to hire new troops. I like that young man. He reminds me of myself at that age."
They walked out of the elevator, took off their gear, and took a carriage.
Victor spoke. "We'll meet with Alva over tea."
"Well, I guess. I could use a cup, but why do I feel it's going to be terrible news?"
Victor laughed. "Petunia knows who is actually in charge, and I don't mind if I look weak in front of the citizens. I'm going to arrange a marriage for myself. If Petunia forces Florence to be engaged to me, Miriam will volunteer, and if not, Florence will produce another heir. Maybe this one won't be a disappointment."
"Miriam hates you, but she'd do anything for Florence." Thackeray sighed to himself. "I don't want to think about it anymore. I need to talk to Blackstone," Thackeray said.
Prince Alva stood in the middle of the town square, near the entrance of the Dragon Tearoom.
The men ascended the outside stairs to eat low breakfast tea. Being a member of the noble class had perks. Even though they were technically broke, the princes could still afford loose-leaf tea and fine cakes before a second breakfast of river crab stew.
Victor fake punched Prince Alva's arm. "Did you find him?"
Tears fell from Thackeray's eyes. His entire body trembled. "Where is he?"
"Be a man. He's my son, and you don't see me blubbering," Victor said dryly.
"He's dead. Tribeca and Astrid killed him. Tribeca's father tried to save him by selling Wendy fake spells. Wendy works with Tribeca and will kiss us all." Alva tossed Blackstone's clothes to the floor and a box of ash. "I feel terrible for all his fangirls, including my former stepmother." He set his Magical Chewie Stick on the table and shoved a scone into his mouth. "My beloved queen disagreed at first, but she knows he's a threat to her power."
Victor remained stone-faced and stared into his cloudy tea.
Prince Alva lit his Magical Chewie Stick and his face glowed.
Victor broke his scone open and spread raspberry jam, clotted cream, and cream cheese. He finished his treat in silence.
Thackeray rocked back and forth.
Alva sucked evil magic again, still addicted to it. The last thing the man felt was the pain of the explosion.
Groups of surrounding royalty screamed. "Call an ambulance."
Thackeray poured a jug of water on him, but Prince Alva transformed into a pile of ash in under a minute.
The police and the medics arrived, but it was far too late, and nothing could save Alva from the magical destiny that he created. His death appeared in every oracle book, and Tribeca's name officially replaced him.
Thackeray didn't stay behind to pray for him, but he checked his own book, just to make sure the man was really dead. He stuffed it into his pocket.
Victor and his brother left and entered the castle.
Wendy awoke weeping and flooded the streets, instead of her light, happy rain to feed the crops. The news had reached her.
Thackeray ran to comfort his daughter, and he came back an hour later, drenched.
"We need to leave and pick up your wife," Victor said.
Thackeray dried himself off and entered the Kingdom of Lower Labradorite by their second crystal elevator. The other underground kingdoms were blocked off, and it took hours to reach the lowest level.
All kinds of shape-shifters, wolves, bunnies, gelatinous, and cats lived underground.
Lower Labradorite citizens picked up moss and mushrooms.
Others chipped crystals from the walls.
The orbs and domes were of various sizes, but only a select gelatinous shifter grew to Wendy's size. But even Wendy once possessed a full and solid humanoid form, and that form was now intertwined with the dome she became.
Victor and Thackeray weaved around the open markets. Vendors and their families stood behind bins. They sold meat, cheese, and rare spices.
The princes walked past glowing ivy and hanging crystal lanterns, past the residential area of simple, one-colored tents.
Thackeray plodded slowly into the gated neighborhood belonging to the royal elders, or rather, their prime minister and governors.
Royal tents were ten times the size. Each tent was decorated with glass beads, and Labradorite stones reflected the hanging lights within the cavern.
A gelatinous Lower Labradorite female bounced forward from her tent. Wendy's mother shifted into a regular, solid woman, like the others of Wendy's race, and was not chosen to be the protective dome. Her red hair fell over her green skin. "Darling, visiting the royal elders was awful as usual, and they want to help Petunia."
"They weren't supposed to help her." Thackeray trembled.
Ronda spoke. "We have a deal. Cora will be named queen consort because Izz is no longer in line because of another of her scandals." She kissed her husband. "But I think it was something involving Griffin."
"Griffin was loyal to me, and I don't like this deal. My daughter isn't a bargaining chip, but your children are," Victor said sharply to Rhonda. "Sadly, Petunia and I are warming up to it. We prefer cat and wolf shape-shifters, though."
"And I don't care if you think I'm lesser! I'm ready to rip your face if you helped Alva kill my son." Ronda narrowed her eyes and swung at him. "The marriage was Cora's idea to keep the peace, but she loved Dex before you and Griffin interfered. He's my friend."
"I can do what I want. Cora is my daughter, and she'll marry who I tell her to." Victor stretched as he spoke to his brother, "I want to convince your wife to become the next dome. She's in the royal line through your marriage."
"No!" Thackeray yelled out. "Unless you find a safe way that allows my daughter to live during replacement, we're not going to talk about it. And anyway, Queen Izz needs to be the new protective dome. Her name is still on the list, despite her many issues, and she owes me."
"Izz did that to you under my orders because you and your wife were leaving the kingdom with your brats. You can never leave our family," Victor whispered to his brother.
"We did everything your fake courts asked of us," Thackeray blurted.
"I'm not sure, but joining the kingdom is important to Ronda's family. Petunia is terrifying them," Victor said.
"They can be terrified! My daughter, Wendy, is off-limits. We already lost one child." Thackeray crumbled.
Victor spoke loudly. "Her weeping instead of raining with purpose is a sign of her instability, and a dome as young as her should have never been given the opportunity?"
"My daughter isn't unstable. She is in mourning." Ronda lost her humanoid form and entered her husband's necklace.
"Victor, I need to take Ronda to our room at the castle. We need to mourn in private because you and Petunia won't let us mourn for our son in public."
"Don't ever call Blackstone your son. It's bad enough when Ronda does it. Why did she want him!" Victor yelled. "He can't even shift right."
"Force us to lie. I don't care." Thackeray stormed off.
The Prison:
Florence carried Blackstone to his bed when the nurse wasn't available.
"Poor Blackstone, he's lighter than a child," she whispered to herself.
His bones pressed against her body.
"Please, call Wendy." His mouth trembled.
She lifted him to his clinic bed. "I'll contact her."
Florence borrowed a cloak, left the building, and called Wendy from a restaurant phone three blocks away. "Wendy, Blackstone is alive, but it isn't good, and he might not make it. I can't tell you where he is, but he has called out for you. I've got to go."
"Please, save him," Wendy begged.
"I'll try, but don't tell anyone he is alive. Not even, Thackeray. I don't want to get his hopes up about his nephew."
"He's so sad, and he helped Tribeca escape. No one is as trustworthy. Are you sure I can't at least hint at it?" Wendy asked.
"Fine, tell him, but I have to go." Florence ran back. She took a different path to the prison clinic, and a guard let her in through a side door.
Three nurses surrounded a semi-conscious Blackstone.
"He only seems to be getting better," a nurse said.
The lead nurse spoke. "This isn't terminal lucidity, but I don't know how to treat him."
Florence nodded. "Yes, it's a battlefield truth potion. He needs to be fed intravenously for a couple of days. And I can give you a list of medications that the military doc and I used, but I'm not a doctor or even a nurse."
"It's okay, I'll train you as a family caregiver. You've had interaction with him, right?"
Florence breathed deeply. "Yes, he left the castle only to cook for people because of all the women chasing him, but all I did was eat the food he prepared. It was good stew, though."
But the nurse in charge stared. "Since you have army medic training, you'll have to take over most basic care duties. None of the others are willing to risk their lives for him, or even could. It's up to you, me, and Doctor Feather-Green."
"No one has called my brother, a doctor, in four years. I'm glad to see this part of him again." Florence didn't leave Blackstone's side and slept on the floor, or in a chair.
The other nurses left.
Edgar fed him intravenously, and Florence only left Blackstone once in the middle of the night to update Wendy about his progress.
Two Days Later:
Florence fed the prince soup for the first time.
He devoured bowls.
"The magic truth potion is leaving his system. Revelation-class drugs never worked," Florence said. "We lost dozens on the battlefield, but I've learned to flush it out successfully."
Blackstone's bones no longer stuck out of his skin, and he regained some of his beauty.
Florence and Edgar attended to him.
The nurse came in the morning when the man left. "We need to cut his hair."
"Blackstone needs his long hair as part of his disguise when he becomes well enough to leave."
"Please, don't take me to my aunt," Blackstone trailed into a whisper.
"I won't." Florence stayed with him.
She slept in her chair, but Florence didn't dream.
Edgar moved a sign to trick Alva, but he didn't come, and prisoners and officers howled with joy when the news came about his death.
Officers allowed the prisoners to eat black cake to celebrate.
Blackstone appeared relieved by the news, but not vengeful. Every time The Damsel's body gave up, he sprung back. His eyes opened, and his essence fought for existence. He struggled too hard for it to be a rally.
"Thank you. Florence, you're kind," he whispered. "Please, tell Wendy I miss her."
"She misses you, too. I feel like a terrible friend. I need to call her, but I don't want to call from this location."
"No, she has a new special phone Thackeray gave her. It can't be traced," Blackstone said.
Florence dialed. "That might come in handy." Florence shoved the phone into Blackstone's ears.
Blackstone whispered. "I'm allergic to not eating. How are you?"
"Please survive. Alva only did this to torture me, to make me give up my oaths," Wendy said over the phone.
He started coughing.
"Blackstone needs to go." Florence hung up, walked to the medicine cabinet, and gave the prince two pink pills and a swig of syrup.
He breathed deeply. "Petunia needs money and me out of the way, even though I am not the real spare. Cora is not ready and is actually easier to manipulate."
"You're coming home with me." She adjusted his bed.
"Thank you for allowing me to talk to Wendy." Blackstone weaved in and out of consciousness.
Screams filled the halls, and Blackstone and Florence stopped talking.
"And I snuck away from my troops." Petunia's shrill voice filled the hallway. "Alva and Victor wanted to prank Thackeray, but it seemed he lost my nephew. How do you lose a full person? Kill my nephew if you find him. I don't want the media to know about my involvement in his kidnapping."
"I'll handle it," Griffin said.
"Thanks. I need to get back to Alva's funeral. I'll claim his property because we were about to be engaged, but I'm devastated that he's dead. Alva always fought for me, and I loved him." Queen Petunia left.
Florence saw Griffin through the cracks in the wall, but he couldn't see or hear them.
A tall elf stood by him with an electronic spear.
"Sir Griffin Redborn is an evil moron, for hurting my sister," Blackstone mumbled. "He is an idiot, a cheater, and a puppet. You know how Petunia likes to manipulate dolls."
"Yes, she does." Florence stood up and walked into the other room. "Griffin, I got arrested, but there is a bail issue. All the officers are too scared to cuff me."
"Who did you hit?" Griffin asked.
"Am I the only one who has ever started a prison riot to discover who killed a prince?" Florence flexed her right arm. "Will you bail me out? I need help."
"No!" Griffin ran towards the door. "I think I better leave, and I'll tell Petunia I didn't find anything, but I'll be back when you're gone."
"But why are you acting so weird?" Florence asked.
"I'm...not...scared...of...you!" Griffin stuttered. He breathed deeply. "Unless you want to kiss. I mean, we can make a trade."
"Not exactly, but you can help." Florence walked to the commissary and handed Griffin a large trash bag filled with crushed chips. "Take this to the woods and leave. Just don't let Petunia see you carrying it."
Griffin ran with the light bag.
Florence walked back to the room.
"You know he'll never do what you ask." Blackstone started coughing.
She administered a purple syrup as if he were a child. "Sweetie, that is the point."
Wendy called.