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“Move out!” yelled the driver, and in a flash, the carriage was bumping up and down along the cobblestones, being pulled outside of the courtyard, across the narrow bridge, and down the hill toward the rushing river.

They continued along the pathway, rolling across the dirt paths and into the forests that surrounded the edge of the Azuremi kingdom. About ten minutes into the journey, they were cutting through the poppy fields, still dusted with light snow, heading in the direction of Ilusauri.

Dagmara pulled off the wrap on her head. Her bleach-blonde hair was now sprayed on the ends with a shining silver. She wore dangling, jeweled earrings, representative of a royal. Then Dagmara pulled off her heavy overcoat, revealing a blue, embroidered dress with a sash around her waist, as well as a string of pearls dangling down her neck.

“Dagmara…,” Urszula let out an exclamation. Then she turned to Magda, “Did you give her your dress?”

Magda grabbed Urszula’s hands. “I’m not coming with you.”

“But King Claude expects you to arrive in the next week.”

“I know,” said Magda.

“I’m Princess Magda from now on,” explained Dagmara.

“You!? You’ll never pass for Magdalena.” Urszula laughed.

“I need you to help her.” Magda said to Urszula. “Please, you’ve been with me at all my royal engagements. It will be easy for Dagmara to act like me if she has you.”

“But why?”

“I’m going to Flaustra. There’s too many mysteries I have to solve. But I promise you that it will help Azurem, and my family.”

Urszula appeared skeptical, “You two are serious?”

“Yes,” they said in unison.

Urszula shifted in her chair to bang on the back of the carriage. “Stop! Stop at once!”

Dagmara lunged forward to grab her arm. “Please, this is what Princess Magdalena wants.”

Urszula frowned. She fired a glare at the princess. “How long must we hold up the ruse?”

“A few weeks, maximum,” Magda said. “I have to speak with Queen Sanyal. Then I’ll be in Ilusauri before any wedding happens.”

Her maiden let out a deep sigh. “Fine. But hurry back. I don’t like the idea that I will be lying to a Mad King. You hear he’s wiping people out of their homes? Taking a full village and ordering everyone to leave for no reason! Not only are his people starved, they’re now homeless!”

“I’ve heard, yes,” Magda replied. She could sense her best friend getting uneasy. Then she leaned over to hug Urszula. “Thank you.” Then she reached over, grabbing the wrap and fur-coat, before putting on the clothing items. She took off her shoes, quickly giving her heels to Dagmara before trading them for Dagmara’s boots.

Then Magda leaned over and gave Dagmara a hug. “I’ll write to you as soon as I can. Stay strong,” she said.

“I will. Be safe,” Dagmara replied.

“You too,” said Magda. “Continue with the plan until you hear from me, unless he puts your life in danger.”

“Alright,” said Dagmara, “but you better come to Ilusauri soon.”

Magda released her friend and let out a sigh. “Come, Odie.” She beckoned her pet before cracking open the carriage door. They were still pulling through the poppy fields, and it wouldn’t take long to retrace her steps back to the castle and get her horse.

The carriages glided along at a snail’s pace, and Magda easily jumped down to the ground, Odie just behind her. The knights were up ahead, scouting the terrain in the distance. Magda pulled the wrap further around her face before darting off the path and into the forest.

From now on, she was no longer a princess.

CHAPTER 15

Magdalena

Magda and Odie traced their way back to the Azuremi fortress, sneaking inside to secure her horse, before trotting out of the stables and down the road. She circled away from the fortress, careful to hide her face from the knights, before cutting south and heading toward the coast. Odie followed every step of the way, darting across the fields, grateful to be free from the palace walls and exude his never-ending energy.