Royal Jailbreak
“I knew it!” A voice called from the hall of the dungeon, making Rosafiere jump.
As she turned, Rosafiere spotted a pale dirt-covered face that belonged to a young woman that was peering in at her through the small barred window in the prison cell door. A smile was spread wide across her face and her eyes glittered with happiness despite the darkness of the dungeon. Silence echoed between them as Rosafiere blinked at the woman in confusion.
“I’m sorry,” Rosafiere finally said, her voice hollow and soft from the long months of her. imprisonment. “Who are you?”
“Oh, my apologies your majesty.” The woman replied sheepishly as her cheeks flushed slightly, her head bobbing out of view as she curtsied behind the door. “My name is Marri, I’m just a farm girl. But you- you’re the princess, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I’m Princess Rosafiere.” She answered, dipping her head in a gentle bow.
Silence fell between the two once more as Marri continued to stare, her mouth slightly agape as she watched the princess. Rosafiere shifted uncomfortably on the horrible mattress the queen had deemed a bed.
“Why… why are you here?” Rosafiere finally asked.
“Oh! I’m here to break you out.” Marri said with a determined nod before disappearing behind the door, a soft clank ringing out as something metal clattered to the floor. “Sorry, I just can’t believe you’re still alive.”
“What?” Rosafiere exclaimed, rising to her feet and approaching the door. “What do you mean ‘still alive’?”
“Well, the queen sort of told the kingdom that you’re dead, and since there’s no one with a legitimate claim, she took the throne.” Marri replied as a loud thunk noise came from the door. “But don’t worry, since you’re not actually dead, you can claim the throne and save us.”
“Save you?” Rosafiere asked over another loud thud. “What do you need saving from?”
“The queen isn’t exactly… the best.” Marri answered, her head appearing in the small barred window once more, her expression grave. “The peace and prosperity your father fostered is gone; she made sure of that.”
Marri stepped back, grabbing the handle of a large hammer off the floor and heaving it onto her shoulder. She smiled at Rosafiere and gestured for her to step towards the side, away from the door. Rosafiere nodded, lifting her skirt and stepping back. With a grunt of effort Marri stepped towards the door and threw the hammer’s head down against the wood, the door dislodging from its hinges and tumbling loudly to the ground.
“Right,” Marri said as she let go of the hammer’s handle and letting it clatter to the ground as well. “Now comes the tricky bit.”
Leaping into the cell Marri grabbed Rosafiere’s hand and tugged her towards the centre of the room, delving into a small satchel that wrapped around her chest and hung loosely at her hip. From the depths of the satchel she produced a tiny jar filled to the brim with a strange pale powder. When she opened it the smell of dirt wafted over to Rosafiere making her sneeze. With a sniffle Rosafiere watched as Marri poured the powder in a complete circle around their feet before tossing the jar aside and standing beside the princess.
“Are you ready?” Marri asked as she pulled a matchbox from her satchel.
“For what?” Rosafiere replied as Marri lit a match and dropped it.
The match hit the powder and set it ablaze in a poof of bronze flames, engulfing the two women entirely and smothering Rosafiere’s yip of terror. The flames instantly subsided, leaving nothing but a charred circle on the ground and the slight smell of sulfur. Miles away in a small cottage, Rosafiere coughed and spluttered as she stumbled to the ground.
“What was that?” She gasped.
“Sorry, I didn’t have time to explain.” Marri replied, offering her hand to the princess, helping the royal to her feet.
“It’s a teleportation incantation.” A voice answered from behind the pair.
Whipping around, her coughing subsiding, Rosafiere saw a man sitting on a stool and leaning against the kitchen bench. In his hand he held a small book with the title ‘Potion Brewing 101’ and in the other, a teacup that steamed with a magenta liquid. He lifted the teacup to his lips, sipping at it as his eyes skimmed the page he was holding open.
“Who are you!?” Rosafiere exclaimed with a cough, subconsciously taking a step behind Marri while the man lowered his book and looked at the pair.
“I’m Alden.” He answered with a kind smile.
“We’re old friends.” Mari interjected, her nose scrunching as she too smiled. “He helped me get you outta that cell.”
“Oh…” Rosafiere replied, her eyes slipping between the two in confusion, before she pulled herself together and reminded herself to be polite. “Thank you.”
“We’re not out of the woods yet.” Alden said, rising from his stool and gesturing to the couch off to Marri and Rosafiere’s left. “We still need to get you your kingdom back.”