Flash Fiction #595 --Buffy the Princess/12

 

The herald was about to formally introduce them when the trouble began. Serena felt a prick of magic somewhere to the right and then another to the left --

"Buffy -- up and pinpoint them!" she shouted, grabbing the cat and tossing her into the air.

Buffy spread her wings, used some of her own magic, and sailed up into the high ceiling rafters.  By then, Serena felt another four spots.

"They're trying to make a net, your highnesses," Buffy warned.  She caught one strand of the web with her own magic and burnt it to ash.  People yelled and started to rush toward the exit.  "Stay where you are!"

They did.  It shocked Serena.  No one ever listened to her at home.


More people were popping up with magic.  Far more than she could handle.  One thread got past her and grabbed the King, but she pulled it free and destroyed it.  

"All of you behind the thrones," she whispered.

"Out the secret door?" he replied just as softly.

"No.  Traps on the doors.  Someone will trigger one soon, and we'll have more panic.  I will create an illusion so they don't realize it at first. Mom and Dad will be here soon."

He nodded and leaned over to the Queen.  The Empress was already in her lap.  She kept an eye on them and fought off the web.  However, the sense of something greater about to happen worried her.  The moment the King began to move, she created the image of them still there.  More webs came at them -- but then they changed direction and came at her.

Bright balls of magic started flying through the air.  People ran for the door again and set off that trap.  A colossal web and spider filled the opening. Men and women screamed and were in danger of hurting themselves.  Balls of magic bombarded her, and she almost lost her hold --

The princesses gathered around a slimy-looking, thin man whose hands moved in intricate patterns.  He looked up and smiled with yellow teeth and narrow gray eyes.  Others were still tossing out balls of power and lines of webs, but this was the real enemy.

Serena knew she didn't have enough power to fight him.  Mom and Dad had to be near -- yes, they were trying to get through the door without hurting more people.

Slimy lifted his hands and called up pure lightning, flashing so bright around him that even the princesses backed away in fright.

"I'm with you," Thomas said, suddenly at her side.  "Let's get him."

"I don't have the power --"

"Can you help me throw that table at him?"

Serena didn't ask what good that would do.  It was a plan.  She grabbed at the table, and Thomas did the same -- but he also caught several bowls of punch.

Lightning and liquid was not a good combination.

A quick look around found Buffy swinging from a chandelier and throwing pieces of it at people.  Mom was just squeezing through the door, and Dad would soon follow --

And Slimy stood up.  His clothing and hair let out puffs of smoke and his yellow smile showed several teeth missing.  His left eye twitched, and his arms trembled as he began to shout another spell.

Mom had not been prepared, but she tossed a distraction his way.  Dad prepared something more serious.  Thomas stayed at Serena's side.

Buffy threw things at Slimy.

And annoyed him.  With a shout of a spell, he grabbed Buffy from her perch and threw her at the wall. She hit once, twice -- but Thomas, who had outsprinted Serena, caught hold of the cat and held on tight.

Serena changed direction and headed for the enemy.  It was probably lucky that Mom and Dad got there first.

After that, things calmed down.  Mom and Dad had already fought a squad of enemy soldiers who were heading for the ballroom.  That had slowed their arrival.
 
Thomas explained that Slimy was a disliked local Lord working with the enemy.  His accomplices were related to him, and none were strong with magic. They were no trouble.

Buffy had been bruised but not badly hurt.  And since it wasn't midnight yet, the King called everyone back, and they prepared for a feast.

"Feed everyone and get them happy again," he said.  Serena thought he really liked the feast and refused to give it up.  Good.

Empress Fluffy Kitty took her place on her throne.  The room fell quiet when she cleared her throat.

"Princess Buffy?" she said.  "Please step forward."

Buffy all but danced forward, her fluffy tail up with a slight curl at the end.  She even made a respectable kitty curtsy before the Empress.

"My dear daughter," the Empress said with a regal bow of her head.  "I cannot say how proud I am of your intelligence and bravery, Buffy.  I would like to offer you a top post in my own court."

Buffy made a slight yelp of surprise and then turned to Selena in surprise, which soon turned to panic.  She was already shaking her head when she turned back to the Empress.

"Thank you so much for your offer, but I fear, with the life I have led, I could never fit into a courtly role."

Serena managed not to sigh with relief.

"You would do fine, my dear," the Empress replied.  "You are perfectly polite and well-behaved."

This time, Serena had to fight back a giggle and didn't entirely win.  She clapped both hands over her mouth.

Mom laughed aloud and looked appalled at her break in decorum.  "Buffy.  Well-behaved..."

Buffy giggled.  And then Serena did as well.  The King and Queen, and even the Empress, began to laugh.  A few minutes earlier, everyone had been upset and afraid.  Now, laughter spread throughout the room.  

It was the best kind of magic.

The End

Flash Fiction #594 -- Buffy the Princess/11

 

As Serena and her group continued, the guards began to check all the scones.

"Well done," Mistress Tillie said.  "And usually only the king comes this way."

They walked in silence.  Did Serena just save their magic-less King's life?  Someone's life, maybe, since it had been triggered by movement and not by recognition of a specific target.  Dangerous and inefficient.  It had the feel of someone who had not trained well.

Serena looked at Thomas.  She was surprised to find him carrying Buffy, but he looked grim.  When Mistress Tillie directed him to one door, he handed Buffy over to Serena.

"Be careful," he warned and paused by the open door, looking around worriedly.  "Whoever created that trap has magic. They're going to know you stopped it with your own power."

"Everyone must have heard that I have magic by now."

"Hearing about it and seeing it in action is entirely different.  Trust me."

"I am putting Serena and Buffy in the suite across the hall. Get cleaned up and rest for a while, Tommy."

He gave a sigh -- probably at the name -- and nodded.  In a moment, he had disappeared into his room.  Mistress Tillie led them a few more steps and pushed open another door with a nod.

"Can you tell me if there has been any word about my parents or the others?" Serena asked before she went into the brightly lit room.

"You poor child," Mistress Tillie said and hugged her, with Buffy protesting squished between them.  "Everything will be fine.  This is Lina and Enya.  They'll take care of you.  Rest while you can.  This will be a long night."

The older woman hurried away.  So there was no news.

"I've never had anyone take care of me but Mom," Serena confessed.    "I confess, you are on your own."


They did fine and seemed to enjoy having free reign over how to get both her and Buffy clean and pretty.  They were also quick and gave them time to sleep before the late festivities started.

Serena didn't feel in a festive mood.  She was exhausted and fell into a light slumber with Buffy in her arms.

"Serena?  Buffy?  We need to talk."

"Mom?" Serena said, blinking.  Then she reached out and caught hold of a hand.  "Mom!"

Mom hugged them both, and Buffy didn't complain about being squished this time.

"I am sorry we had to worry you," Mom said as she pulled back.  "Let me tell you the story.  Someone from the western lands has infiltrated the court.  A rumor from outside the city said a plot would hatch on the night of the festivities.  The King had hoped we would figure it out first.  But then the ship came under attack, and he had to sweep us all up --"

"He.  The King," Buffy said.  "He has magic.  But --"

"He's hidden his power," Serena guessed.  

Mom nodded and hurried on.  "Something will happen tonight.  You two and Thomas will be on the lookout for it at the ball.  Use your usual spell to draw my attention as soon as it hits.  Your father and I will be on the roof.  It won't take long for us to reach you.  Your father is explaining it all to Thomas now."

Mom stood and moved off to the door.  She paused.  "You have a good sense for handling trouble, both of you.   Be careful."

Then she left.

"Merp?" Buffy said with a shake of her head.

"We better do this right.  And I don't dare look too happy, or someone might guess about Mom and Dad."

Lina and Enya returned and enjoyed getting Serena into her ball gown and fixing her hair in a lovely tiara.  Even Buffy had a jeweled collar.

"This must be horribly boring for the two of you," Serena offered as they began to try to find shoes that would fit her.

"Oh no, Princess," Lina answered.  "Boring would be standing by to help Princess Risha, who will change clothing five times and purposely ruin things to make her maids look stupid. The Queen has threatened to take all the maids away, but Risha doesn't behave for long.  There!  Your hair is perfect."

Enya handed her a looking glass, and Serena took a quick glance and then looked again. It could not possibly be her with her hair in little ringlets around her face, and her eyelids shaded in sparkling blue to match her dress. And where did that little circlet of gold come from that now looks far too much like a crown. This could not possibly be her."Wow," Buffy said as she walked in front of her and looked up. "You look great!"

Serena realized she had to trust Buffy on this one. And besides she didn't want to be Risha and start ordering another set of clothes.

They left the room a few minutes later.  Serena was glad to hear that Thomas had already headed downstairs.  She felt clumsy and was soon out of sorts -- until she saw Mom and Dad waiting for her at the first turn of the stairs.

"You look lovely," Dad said as Mom hugged her carefully.  "Go in and get the introductions done.  You two be careful."

"I feel this won't take long," Mom added.

Serena hoped so.  The tension from worrying about everything was starting to bother her.  This wasn't like their other adventures.  The King's life might be in her hands.

And they were on show the moment they stepped into the ballroom.  The sparkling chandeliers, crystal goblets, and jewels on every hand surprised her.  Even Buffy stumbled and barely recovered.

Three thrones stood across the room where the King and Queen sat with a smaller throne between them.  Oh yes, that was Empress Fluffy Kitty, beyond a doubt.

"Let's get this over with," Buffy mumbled as they crossed the room.

Flash Fiction # 593 --Princess Buffy/10

 

Thomas's plan worked.  They were soon in the warehouse area, just three more ragged-looking people.  This was not how Serena -- Princess Serena -- had imagined entering the royal city.

Serena had to admit she was tired of adventures just now.  She wanted to go back home. At least Thomas got them through the Sea Gate and the Inner East Gate with no trouble.  

People walked everywhere on the streets, some of them dancing and singing.  Acrobats appeared near fountains.

New Year's Eve.  She kept forgetting.

The third gate led into the palace grounds.  There, they stopped and waited with a dozen other people. They were primarily merchants, she thought.  Annoyed merchants at that.

"Meow!" Buffy shouted so loudly that everyone jumped. Serena looked at her in shock.  "I want food!" the cat complained.

"Do I look like I have food for you?  Or me?  Or Thomas?"

"I want food!"

It worked.  One of the guards gave her a piece of cheese.  She acted insufferable afterward.  Or maybe it wasn't an act.  Buffy had always been a drama queen.

Buffy's act kept the notice of the others, which Serena appreciated.  It allowed Serena to study the building with towers and arched windows beyond the gate. She had never seen anything so large.  The guards patrolling the upper level hardly looked real. In fact, everything about the place struck Serena as wrong.

"Princess Serena?"

She looked at Thomas with a start, but he hid his mischievous smile behind a very proper bow of his head.  "The king would like to see you now."

"And me!" Buffy shouted.

"And you, cat."

"I have a name!" Buffy growled and leaped at Thomas.  Serena caught her in midair.

"Please come along.  The King is not used to waiting."

"But I look awful"! Serena suddenly realized.

"You look remarkable for someone who survived a ship sinking," Thomas replied as they started away.  She heard whispers behind them.

"And me, too! Buffy exclaimed.

"And you, too, Buffy," Thomas agreed with a slight smile.

"I wouldn't have bitten you," Buffy whispered.  "Well, not too hard."

Thomas almost laughed, and it did lighten the mood.  Serena considered a little magic to clean up but changed her mind.  If this made her look like a helpless, overwhelmed young girl, all the better.  She had to remember to be worried about her parents, though.

It was hard to remember anything once they stepped into the magnificent building. Light shined through colored glass leaving rainbows scattered around the room.  Plush furniture lined the walls of the entry hall, obviously places to sit and rest.  They were all filled with older men and women, none of whom smiled.

Then she saw the cluster of six young women arranged so artfully on a long sofa that Serena glanced around, looking for the artist painting the scene.

None.  This was all for show.

"So pitiful," one of them said and didn't even try to lower her voice.  The others giggled.

"Ladies," one of the royal guards said with a glance.

You would have thought he'd called them street scum from their reactions of shock and anger.  One stood.  The others followed.  They stomped their way out of the room.

Thomas sighed.  "That was some of your cousins."

"Oh," she said, although she had guessed as much already.  The girls turned one way, but Serena went on straight.  Good.  "I should clean up, though."

"No time," the guard said and stepped back to walk beside her.  He gave Buffy a wary glance.  "The king is meeting with General Gellis right now, but he wants to see you immediately afterward."

"Does this mean I get to sit down soon?" Serena asked.

She did, and for a long time.  The little room where the guards took her had no one else around.  Thomas took the chair across from her, gave one slight nod, and fell asleep.  Buffy climbed up in her lap and did the same.

Serena napped off and on, startled awake by any odd sound, especially any voice from the next room. Doors opened and closed from within there, too.  More voices came, some of them loud.  She was sure she had heard the rude Princess at least once.  That annoyed Serena, who wanted her own meeting to take place and let her go clean up and rest.  This meeting didn't have to be right now, did it?

She almost said something, changed her mind, and returned to sleep.

Everything went quiet.

Then, a woman came into the room. "Come along, come along.  We'll get you ready for the New Year's Gala tonight."

Serena had forgotten the celebration.

"Mistress Tillie?" Thomas said, still blinking away the sleep.  "The King --"

"Will see you at tonight's meal," she replied and helped Serena up as soon as Buffy jumped down.  

She gave the cat a polite nod.  Then she opened a hidden side door and signaled them inside. It took them a few steps and then out into another hall.

Thomas stepped up beside her.  "I think the King just wanted to keep us out of sight," he said.  She couldn't see if Tillie nodded in agreement.

"I am just not used to places like this," she admitted and feared she sounded too childish.  "I suspect I'll be better after a few days."

"I imagine it has been a trying --"

"Down!" Serena shouted.

The others obeyed.  Serena lifted her hands and faced the ball of fire that had appeared.  It grew more extensive, and she could feel the heat. Serena shoved the ball of magic at the wall to the right, where it splattered, and the flames died.

The others had just gotten to their feet when a dozen guards arrived.

"Someone saw fire down the hall!  The burn marks are still hot."

"One of the scones suddenly erupted, but it died down immediately," Serena said.  "No one was hurt."

Areas near a scone did still glow.  They believed her.

Flash Fiction #592 -- Buffy the Princess/9

 

 

Serena screamed, spun in the air, and threw herself at the area where Buffy had disappeared. She hit Thomas, who held an already sputtering and enraged Buffy.

All three of them ended up underwater.  At least it wasn't deep.  Thomas grabbed Buffy and surged back to the surface before Serena pushed off the sandy bottom and shot back to the surface.

"I've got her. She's fine," Thomas said, heading for the shore. "I'll get her out of the net. Can you follow the gulls?  Carefully!"

"Buffy?"

She answered in a growling hiss of cat words that made it obvious she was okay.  Thomas had a good idea, but the seawater had soaked her wings and everything else.  She fought her way to the shore, used a small spell to dry off, and took to the air.  

A flock of noisy gulls had headed off over the ocean, too obviously trying to entice her.  Serena swept in a circle and spotted two gulls heading across the island. Serena turned that way.

It wasn't far over the island. Even so, by the time Serena reached the other side, she only found a backlash of magic and some debris. That proved to be primarily papers, and she grabbed as many of them as she could catch before they disappeared into the sea.

When Buffy and Thomas arrived, she sat on the beach and sorted sketches from scribbled words.  A few large shells held the papers down.

"They were gone, of course," she explained.  "This was all they left behind, and none looks helpful."

"We need to go," Thomas said, looking more worried than before. "See that rocky peninsula straight ahead? It is just a line of black.  Around the curve from that is an enormous bay. The capital is there."

"That close?" Buffy asked and looked suspiciously that way.

"Far too close," Serena replied, and Thomas nodded.  "And that's the direction our attackers went, too."

"I am not surprised.  Serena, I don't mean to take over, but --"

"Yes, time to go," she agreed.  "But I suppose that flying in is not the best idea."

"Mom wanted us to keep our wings hidden," Buffy added.  "The king would be unhappy enough about our magic."

"She's right. We're lucky that there isn't much in ocean traffic right now --"

"The weather has been too strange," Serena pointed out.  "And a lot of people will know it is magic. I sure wouldn't be out here if we could avoid it."

Thomas gave a nod of agreement. "We need to get to the palace as soon as possible. Before we are there, we have to figure out what we will tell the others."

"You're always telling me to tell the truth," Buffy said as she stood up and headed toward the water. "So why don't we try starting with that? The ship went down in the storm. Thomas found us and got us to the palace. We have no idea where the others are or if they are even alive."

"Good idea, Buffy," Thomas said, following her toward the sea. It was, she decided, a good place to start with their story. "But for now, I will have to be very upset. We can't hint that we know Mom and Dad are alive."

"Or maybe," Thomas began, pausing as he kept walking. Just before Serena was about to protest, he started up again. "Or maybe we can hint that I had some help finding you and thought it might have been something from your mother."

"And Serena had a message, too," Buffy added. "That makes it more plausible. But nothing for me. I am just a little furry familiar. Since no one in this area should be used for seeing someone like me, it won't surprise them if I act stupid. Besides, if Mom and Dad are in the building somewhere, I will most likely find them without using magic."

"And what am I supposed to do?" Serena asked as she stood at the edge of the waves, where they just barely tickled her feet.

"Keep the attention away from us," Thomas said. "I'll go back to my usual haunts, which mostly means staying out of everyone's sight as much as possible. Some friends on the staff will let me know if anything unusual happened while I was gone. We shouldn't play this game for long, though. I think we'll all be happier if we can find your parents and get this straightened out. Including the king if this is aimed at him."

"Who else could it be aimed at?" Serena asked.

"Your parents would be my first guess," Thomas replied. "Your family is the kingdom's best-known group of magic users, let alone in the royal family. More than a few of your relatives mistrust you for that reason. The fact that the two of you have made something of a legend has not helped."

"First, we are not legends. And second, I had no idea I was related to the king, and I only barely remember that he doesn't like magic."

"I believe you," Thomas replied as he stepped into the frothy water. "I doubt very many other people will. If you told them they were eating eggs for breakfast, they would swear it was potatoes. Your link with magic can work against you in that case. But we will get around it. Now, give me a chance to get a few miles ahead of you. The two of you can fly far faster than I can swim. Come in on the backside of that peninsula and watch for me on the shore. If anyone is around, just find the best spot you can."

And then he swam off.

Flash Fiction #591 -- Buffy the Princess/8

 

Under other circumstances, the early morning flight would have been perfect. Light clouds and a pleasant breeze kept them from getting too hot.  The calmness of the day finally gave Serena a chance to think clearly about what had happened.

Serena went through everything she remembered of the disaster and afterward. This included the storm (magical), the ship coming apart (also magical), and the magical message from her parents.

Thomas and Buffy were right. Everything, except the shortness of the message, pointed to Mom and Dad not being in immediate danger.  Also, they were together.  How Mom got that dress from the ocean raised new questions, but overall, it looked better than expected.

They had an enemy to deal with, though.  Time to turn their attention to finding out who was behind this trouble.

"There it is!" Buffy shouted and did a spinning dive toward a dolphin.  She must have been practicing, but it did not impress the dolphin when she used his head as a launching point.

Serena started lecturing the cat, but there was no point in it now.  Buffy had been higher in the air and had spotted their goal first.

Straight ahead stood a green-covered island outlined by the sea and sand. Seals had control of one beach, but others were clear of all but gulls.  Those took exception to Buffy flying straight over them and shouting, but they took to the air and disappeared over the island's ridge line.

Buffy made no friends there.  And they would not be impressed that she was a princess, either.

Thomas found the beach where they had landed and sat down by them with a sigh of relief as he tried to wring water from his hair. Serena suspected that he might be a bit of a dandy when he wasn't a fish. She mimicked Thomas and tried to force water out of her hair.

Buffy just shook herself vigorously and never mind where the water hit.  Serena again brushed drops from her face.

"Now what?" Buffy asked.

"I've been thinking about that divan and the pillows," Thomas said as though they were still in that conversation.  "I've seen them, maybe at the palace. You've never been there."

"Never," she agreed.  "Though Buffy must have been there as a kitten."

"I don't think I remember."

"It doesn't matter," he replied.  "Besides, I am obviously not a member of the Princess Club."

"The what?" Serena and Buffy chorused.

Thomas laughed. "The two of you even have the same expression sometimes," he said. Then he frowned and shook his head. "I don't want to say anything more. You can make up your own minds about the girls."

"I wouldn't mind a bit of warning about something that might be a problem," Serena replied. Buffy watched a pair of gulls that swept in closer.

Thomas still frowned, but then he gave a quick nod. "You know the king doesn't trust anyone with magic, so it's been a genuine surprise that he asked you and your mother to return to the palace, even for just a visit. Princess Neva, the leader of her little clique, has been making rude remarks about the country girl and her wise woman mother. The other princesses follow her because she's the only entertainment they have. Besides, it's a good way to stay out of being the subject of her vicious little temper. But really, you need to make up your own minds about her."
"We have girls like that back home," Serena replied. "But if they don't have magic, they can't be part of this problem.  Thanks for the warning, though.  I would hate for that behavior to come as a surprise."

"I know where I saw it. The divan," Thomas explained, but he looked troubled. "But it makes little sense. I've been to that room before, which is at the palace. It's the king's private sitting room."

"This could be a real problem," Serena replied. "There was no sign of the king being there, and he couldn't be the one doing the magic. Why would someone choose that room to make contact with us?"

"I don't want to think that something happened to the king. Besides, your parents didn't look at all upset. Well, except that they were worried about you and Buffy."

Serena wondered if anyone worried about Thomas. He had been with them for several days, and he didn't mention his parents and what they might be doing. She almost asked questions, but that would just be a distraction.

Like the gulls moving in closer, first two and then several others swarming not far behind.

"Buffy."

"I see them," the cat replied, slowly stretching out her wings. "I'll --"

The first two gulls screamed and dived at her, perfectly in sync and with a net attached to their webbed feet. Before any of them could react, the gulls had trapped Buffy and were flying off with her.

Buffy yelled not-too-helpful insults at her captors while the rest of the gulls swarmed in after Serena and Thomas.  Although they did not have nets, they drove the two back.

"No!" Serena waved an arm and sent a number of the gulls tumbling and crashing into the sand.  "Thomas --"

"Follow her.  Be careful.  These aren't ordinary gulls. I'll see what I can find."

Serena ran but quickly took to the air where her size alone frightened off almost all the gulls, although they screamed in protest.  She didn't care where that group went as she followed the two who carried Buffy away.

Buffy had stopped cursing and was now frantically biting at the net, trying to tear it open and get out. When her head poked through, the gulls suddenly changed direction and flapped frantically out over the ocean.

And they dropped her.