Key To A Goblin's Heart

Victoria's POV

Seeing Cassadrei standing in front of me was a huge shock. Did she see everything? I wondered how she would react to me stealing her Mother's diary, then promptly shoved away the thought from my mind. I have to come up with some excuse so as not to look too guilty here. 

"I have been worried sick, searching for you all day! Where the hell did you go? Your room was empty when I came to call you for breakfast, and then you weren't to be found anywhere! I searched the whole castle!" Cassadrei said in a rapid succession. 

I fumbled for a reply, "Er…. I woke up early then. It's impossible to tell here, without any clock or a watch! I thought I had woken up late and so I went to search for breakfast, then I went out and strolled a bit….came across Sofosys who fed me pastries. They were good!" I grinned. 

"Sofosys...pastries? Where is he?" Cassie asked in an astonished tone. 

"He's living with his brother near the soldier's barracks." I told her with a straight face. I hope she didn't suspect me too much, afterall my part of the story is absolutely valid. 

"He has a brother!" Cassadrei said, genuinely surprised, "I... didn't know that."

"Neither did I." I said, "come on, let's get out of here."

I followed Cassadrei out of the maze that was the castle. The forbidden piece of paper was still stuck inside my pocket, and I shoved it further in…. behaving more and more like a criminal as the time was passing by. I hoped that Cassadrei had not seen anything, she would have said something, right?

Cassie seemed to know the way around the castle very well, because in no time we were standing in front of my humble abode. I was really surprised, but I let nothing out….how the hell did she manage to come here so quickly without getting lost in the maze? I must ask her for a map!

We entered my room and I saw it was recently cleaned. My suitcase lay on one side of the bed, forlorn in a very strange place. The thought that someone had entered my room in my absence and had cleaned it, deeply disturbed me. But, maybe that's how royal people work, I mean obviously they don't clean their rooms themselves, so someone has to do that for them. 

I sat on my bed, then crossed my legs and tried to relax. Cassie came and sat beside me. 

"So, where do you live in this huge castle? I can barely tell one place from the other though." I said, trying to strike a conversation. 

"I live in the East wing." Cassie replied, "Near the Royal Quarters. It's the heavily guarded part of the castle, so if you stumble upon it you would immediately know. The rest of the castle is unoccupied, except a few portions here and there."

"So, what is this part of the castle?" I enquired. 

"This is the North Wing." Cassie said, as if explaining to a toddler, "you won't find much people here. It's mostly for the refugees and it also has the guest houses, though not many people come as a guest nowadays." She frowned. 

"So, here I am!" I said, swinging my feet, "Now, you must be feeling wonderful, to be back home…" I asked. 

Cassie looked thoughtful, she twirled a piece of her hair in between her fingers before answering, "I don't know, Victoria. It's not the same as it was before. Mother is….well she's really cold towards me, she hardly spoke to me all day. I think she blames me for taking your side earlier. And, Father is good but he is always busy with his books and his obsession with Cookie. They are stuck with each other all day."

"And you feel left out, right?" I said. 

"Yes." Cassie sighed, "I don't know what to do. It's weird, people are always so unhappy now, as we have lost our Kingdom and there's rarely anyone to talk to. My parlour-maids, who once used to be my best friends, are all so different now. There are…. unwelcoming, as if I am an intrusion in my own home. No one wants me here, they all blame me for what has happened to them... and they are right! What can I do?"

"Didn't you tell them that you had captured Magnus?" I asked. 

"What good will that do?" She smiled, "They would simply say that I had no other options. They still think that I am in love with that guy, and am secretly working with him. Even my fighting instructor is mad with me!"

"Hmm... it's tricky." I said, thinking, "but don't worry, after we free Magnus and bring him in front of all people, they will know. He would get a proper trial, and he can confess...also he will surely say that you weren't working with him anymore."

Cassie's frown deepened. 

"I don't think it'll be a good idea, Victoria." She said, "I don't think we should free Magnus. Mother may be right, maybe it's better if he stays entrapped."

"How can you say that Cassie?" I replied horrified. "It's unlike you! Don't you remember what Sofosys had said? No one, however bad that person might be, reserves such a terrible fate. It's dark magic, Cassie...you should never support such a thing. We can free Magnus, and then imprison him in a proper cell, so that he can have a fair trial that'll decide his future. We can't just condone him to something like this!"

Cassie pursed her lips, her face was clouded in dilemma. 

"I don't know, Victoria…. he is just too dangerous. What if he escapes? People will hate me even more then."

I grinned, "Don't worry, I have it all covered. I think I have found out a way to rescue Magnus, and trap his soul with mine, so that he can't escape or go anywhere without my will. He can't kill anyone, neither can he perform any sort of magic without my permission.

"But, how?" Cassie asked in amazement. 

So, I told her everything. About my accidental discovery of her mother's diary, then stumbling upon the poem that was in there, the instructions written on that piece of paper, and what Sofosys had told me earlier. Cassie listened carefully, then demanded to see the paper. I showed it to her, but she looked unconvinced. 

"Are you sure you can do this?" She asked, "it's pretty advanced magic though. And, how will you get my mother's blood?"

"That is settled I think." I smirked, "Your mother's blood runs through your veins, so I think we can use your blood to free Magnus."

"Do you think it'll work?" Cassie said skeptically, "I can get you the ruby, because Mother is currently not in her room….but I am not sure about the rest of it."

"We have to try." I urged, "this is our only option. Please, Cassie!"

She sighed and nodded her head in affirmation. 

"Very well then. Come with me." She said and I followed her. 

The Queen was away on some urgent business, so we could easily gain entry into her personal chambers. Cassie looked about a bit, then closed the door softly. 

"Quickly" she urged, "Mother keeps the ruby locked in her cabinet, and her key is behind that portrait. Retrieve it fast, I'll watch the door."

Saying so, she stood like a vigilante and continued to watch for any intrusions. I did as she said, and was able to open the cabinet and remove the ruby. 

We had decided to perform the Magic in my bedchambers, and we had all the restraining equipments in hand, should we require them against Magnus. 

I kept the ruby on my bed, and looked through the piece of paper once more, to make sure that I was getting it all right. The spell seemed pretty simple, and I was quite confident that I'll be able to do it. It would have been better if Sofosys would have been here, but there was simply no time to consult him now. We have to act fast, this is the perfect opportunity with the Queen being out. 

"Ready?" I said, taking a deep breath and looking at Cassie, who nodded. 

Then, I procured a small pocket-knife and told Cassadrei to hold the ruby. 

"I am going to make a small cut in your forearm and apply the drops of blood on this ruby. You are to hold the ruby and DONOT let it go at any cost. Then, I will encant the spell and it should be done."

Cassie nodded, looking apprehensive. 

I made the small cut as I said, and smeared the ruby with her blood. 

Then, touching it with my right hand, I started muttering the spell I had read in the paper. 

At first, nothing happened...and I wondered if it's really going to work. Then, suddenly the room was filled with a brilliant luminesce, it seemed to come out of the ruby and the ruby had turned really hot. Cassie dropped it with a yelp, and we had to shield our eyes against a luminescent glow that filled the entire room. I was glad that this side of the castle was deserted, otherwise someone would have definitely wondered what's going on here. 

The glow slowly started fading, and I prepared to encant the next set of spells. 

Even as I did so, I could see a dark figure stooped in a knee-chest position, casting an eerie silhouette against the surrounding brightness.