The Prince's head spun as he felt himself pulled, it seemed, to some land other than his sunny patrol through the gardens. His body felt as though it were twisting in on itself, as light streamed before his eyes, and he wondered briefly if this may be death coming to fetch him.
Zarlef, the old wizard he was, recovered much faster than Prince Cassius from the sudden magic of unknown origin that had apparently just been cast upon them, and so he took in the sight that now stood suddenly before him. The night sky towered above him, and a strange unfamiliar music blew through the cool breeze. This was not the Royal Palace. A line of peculiar houses stood with light streaming from their windows, and the one just in front had what seemed to be exotically dressed people amongst other human shaped creatures he had never seen before. Overcoming his moment of stunned silence, he turned to his left, seeing the Prince reeling before him along with only two of the many guards that had previously accompanied them.
"Your Highness, I fear we have been unwittingly transported to some unknown land." He stated plainly.
The Prince managed to finally grab hold of his senses, and looking about them, responded, "Can you take us back Zarlef?"
"It appears to be some sort of portal magic. I will see if I can find the trail."
As Zarlef began concentrating and doing a silent chant, the Prince turned to his two guards. "You two, stop dawdling and stand guard. We have quite likely found ourselves in a deadly situation. If we are lucky, they won't have expected Zarlef, and we can be out of here before-"
A young girl just a few feet away was running his direction and loudly shouted at him in some foreign language. From his right, he heard a long roar that seemed to be getting louder, but before he could look the girl was crashing into him, knocking him backwards. As he staggered several steps back, a large mass flew past in front of him, hitting the girl's legs and spinning here across the hardened black ground. As she flew, blood splatter over him from his side, and one of his guards rolled across the ground in a mangled mess. Looking towards what was causing this destruction, he saw what appeared to be some sort of machine of a weapon slowing to a stop, and then a man climbing out.
Cassius placed his hand on his sword hilt, but as he did so Zarlef shouted to him, "Your Highness, I believe I've found it." Not wishing to deal with some assassin, he quickly grabbed the poor injured girl, cradling her in his arms, and as Zarlef opened the portal, hastily made his way though.
~ ~ ~
Someone had just finished hitting me with a large brick. At least that's what my head seemed to be telling me as I woke. I was surprised I had slept long enough for my headache to get so bad. Evidently I drunk far too much at the party last night. Cracking my eyes open to the heavy light streaming out around me, a much harder reality slapped me in the face. Saying I simply drunk too much was a huge understatement. I was not in my room.
Around me was a large colorful room, that to my eyes could only describe as one clearly fit for royalty. I lay in a large bed, silken drapes from its posts hindering parts of my vision. A man dressed in armor holding a tall halberdier stood at the door, and two girls that appeared to be dressed in medieval styled servant costumes stood nearby. I realized that the party had been a costume party, but surely this was taking things too far. It was already the next morning, and wherever I was, this was not John's quaint little home. Whoever these people were, they were taking Halloween
way
too seriously. And most importantly, how the hell did I get here?!
Further pain shot through my skull as I leaned up in the bed. I grimaced and placed my hand to my temples, praying for them to somehow help the situation. The two girls, noticing my awakened state, came rushing forward, and started speaking in some language I didn't know. Ok, this was just becoming absurd. Something seriously wasn't adding up here. Are they really acting? Surely it's not possible that... Am I even in America?! A chill creeped down my spine, and I could feel my hands begin to tremble.
"Where am I?" I asked them, my voice cracked and hoarse. They began speaking at me again in their language. "Surely one of you knows English?" I asked, concern clear in my voice.
The younger darker haired girl to the left picked up a glass of water from the nearby counter and gave it to me. Was I
actually
in some royalty's room? Why on earth was I here? After a brief exchange between them, the younger girl turned and left out of the room. It was at this point that I began to notice what I was wearing. I was no longer in my costume that I had worn previously. Instead from all that I could tell I seemed to be in some sort of feminine night gown. I dreadfully hoped I had dressed myself, but I very much feared that was not the case. Either way, this was slowly becoming possibly the most embarrassing day of my life. Yes, I had dressed as a cute little witch for the party, but I was not a girl. It was just a costume!
I slowly sipped on my drink, awkwardly staring at the room around me as the older servant girl stood and watched to the side. After several minutes of silence, the other came back, bringing with her an old man dressed in dull robes and a much younger one dressed in colors of gold, white and a light blue. Golden rings shined from his hands, and a long sword sat at his side. Either it was a really great costume, or I really was dealing with some sort of royalty here. I couldn't seem to make up my mind if I had done something incredibly stupid at that party, or something apparently brilliant. Whatever it was, I could barely remember much of anything beyond about the first hour.
We went through a similar exchange as I had with the two girls, neither of us seeming to have a clue what the other was saying, until the old man stepped forward placing his palm on my forehead. My brain suddenly seemed to explode into life. Flashes of color and sound shot through my mind. I tried to pull back from him, but the other man placed his hand on my back pushing me forward. It felt like an eternity went by like this, though I imagine it was only actually half a minute before the old man removed his hand and I fell back into the bed in exhaust. At least my headache seemed to have disappeared.
"That should do it." The scruffy old man said, backing up from me once more. Wait, I could understand them! They were speaking in their own language and I could actually understand them! Surely I was going mad.
Seeing the shock apparent on my face as I stared into his, the gorgeously dressed noble said to me, "Yes, you can understand us now. And you should also be able to speak. So out with it girl- or rather, boy. Tell me why you were brought here in a dress rather than something... more proper."
It's as though I could actually feel the blood shooting up to my face as he spoke. My eyes shot away from him, now drilling holes into the sheets. "Th-that. That's..." The words felt strange coming out of my mouth, but somehow I was now able to speak in this foreign tongue. Their language, unfamiliar as it was, wasn't what was tying up my tongue so terribly, however. If they didn't know about the party or that it was Halloween, then that might partially explain why I was in some random night gown. It also meant that my situation looked a lot worse than I thought. What exactly
did
I do last night to land myself here?
The man waited, crossing his arms with a look on his face that said asking his question once was clearly enough.
"Well, I was at a party. A
Halloween
party."
"A party, hmm? And what does one do at this
'Halloween'
party. Is it some sort of strange event in your lands where people dress as the opposite sex?" He responded, somehow managing a condescending tone.
"W-well, not exactly." I said glancing up at his face for just the briefest moment. "You see it's like... a costume party."
"Ah, so then it is common practice to dress in such a way at costume parties there."
"It's more like, that it's not unheard of." Wishing to change the conversation, and still very much wanting to understand how it's possible that I can suddenly speak another language, I quickly blurted out, "What have you done to me?"
"You mean the spell? We have simply gifted you our language. The wizards here are among the best in the kingdom. My dear boy, you have been brought to the Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Thalmas. As it happens, you were in quite the rough state when you arrived, but our healers have taken care of you. One might say you owe us quite the debt for it." He grinned.
Spells? Wizards? Kingdoms? I was beginning to feel lightheaded. If not for the headache that had just been screaming through my skull, I may have thought myself dreaming. And if not for the strange spell used on me I may have considered this all some extraordinarily elaborate and fantastical prank. This entire situation seemed to be adding up to something else entirely, though. I was somewhere far far from home, and somehow I'd managed to enter a world of magic? It sounded ridiculous to even say the thoughts in my head.
The noble continued, "Normally we might put you to work. There is always need for more servants here or there. However, I have something rather more interesting for you. You see, it was my younger brother Cassius who brought you here, and it seems that he has yet to realize that you aren't exactly as womanly as you might first seem." A large grin spread across his face. "In fact, the only ones so far who do know you aren't a girl are all right here in this room." I glanced around, looking at the two servant girls and the ever somber faced wizard. The nobleman leaned in forward, grabbing my face and closely examining it. "So let me tell you what is going to happen here. You are going to continue your little charade as a girl. You will not tell anyone that you are in fact a boy. And your job from here on will be to try and seduce that prudish brother of mine. Do you understand?"
It was at that point that I finally seemed to find my voice. "Wha-what?! Are you crazy? I can't do that! There's no way I will." I said knocking his hand from my face.
"Then I don't imagine anyone will find it too terribly suspicious when a young foreign girl suddenly goes missing." He nonchalantly threatened.
"But don't I get any say in this? Surely you must be joking." I said, though from my voice it was clear I thought it likely that he wasn't.
He stood back up straight, now towering over me and folded his arms. "I don't think you properly understand the situation you are in here boy, or rather, girl." I cringed at the word. "I am Prince Aston, second in line to the throne. You are but a mere commoner, with no right to challenge my say. Recognize your place, or you will soon come to find your head removed from your shoulders."
From that I was left speechless. What response was there left to be had? Instead I slumped down into my bed, a clear sign of resignation. I could feel the Prince's smile beaming over me.
"Good." He said. "Food will be delivered to you shortly. After that these two will dress you properly. I expect they will do a fine job." He said, making a point to glare at each of the two girls. "Cassius and a few others should then be in here soon to question you. Don't do anything you will come to later regret."
With that, they walked out, leaving behind only the servant girl who had stayed with me before. My world seemed to have suddenly become the pinnacle of absurdity. I was supposed to pretend to be a girl? For the enjoyment of some obnoxious prince? I go to some magical fantasy land and
this
is what happens? Had I suddenly become the joke of the heavens?
The servant girl walked over to me, and turned to sit at the edge of the bed. She hesitantly rested her hand gently on my arm and turned to face towards me. "I'm sure this is quite difficult for you." She said. "But I must recommend you take seriously His Highness's demands. He may seem cruel, but he will surely protect you when you are eventually found out. His Highness has always treated well those who obey his wishes, no matter how strange they may seem at times. You will be okay." She briefly squeezed my arm and stared into my eyes for a long moment. Then she got back up and stood to the side where she was before. "Don't tell anyone we spoke. I'm not allowed to speak to guests except for to questions." She said, only glancing my way.
After a pause I said, "Thank you." And then silence enveloped around us once again.
I was brought food and then dressed, though I was far too anxious of what was coming next to pay much mind to what I ate or what the two girls were putting on me. My mind seemed to have become blank in some effort to apparently block everything out, and time swirled by me. In a strange way it began to feel as though I wasn't actually myself, but rather someone else somewhere else, and before I knew it, I was sitting before a man that shared the resemblance of Prince Aston. This must be Cassius.
"Is she okay?" He asked. "She looks as though she's just seen the dead walking."
