Fade Into the Magic

Chapter 1

The castle is painted all sorts of colors with the sun shining through the stained glass window. Bradwen and Marliano's face are painted purple and pink, while the back of Lady Guinevere's hat is shining blue. Both the men's faces are stoic and serious, lingering close to their Queen.

"Now listen here," she begins, and both Brad and Mar nod in response. "I need the both of you to organize something. Perhaps in the central square today at two o'clock? There are some matters I need to attend to at a different part of town, and I would appreciate the general public being distracted."

"Well, what are we supposed to do?" responds Marliano. "We don't really have any funding to work with. All we got is us."

"I don't know," the Queen replies, her voice hushed and increasingly urgent. "Alert them of something... Call a town meeting, fake an injury, create a scandal, for all I care!"

With the mention of scandal, Marliano's face turns faintly red, and he turns to look into the distance under the guise of thought. "Be assured we will come up with something, m'lady." He bows a parting bow, and Bradwen quietly follows suit.

"Thank you, you two. You will always be my favorites." She reaches over to pinch Mar's cheek, and then stare into Bradwen's dark eyes. "I'll be off now!" Her heels click off into another room.

"I will be honest. My mind is as blank as yours," mutters Bradwen, finally gaining the courage to speak. He looks his fellow knight up and down.

"It can't be that hard to rally the town. Just tell 'em it's half off at Cal's-" Something catches Mar's eye as he speaks, and he turns, seeing the tail end of a red braid flit off down the hall. His eyes light up. "Annabeth!" he calls, voice echoing through the palace.

"Not that darned girl," whispers Brad under his breath. He takes a step back as Anna's light, nearly silent footsteps fall in the hallway they just left from.

"Yes?" she calls, head peeking out from the doorframe. "Are you in need of service?"

"More like in need of a cool guy," Mar rejoices. "C'mon! Tell us what's up!" He looks over, and sees Brad wanting to not exist. He reaches over and punches his arm reassuringly (?).

She shakes her head. "Not much." A little sigh escapes with her breath.

"Boy, do we have the task for you! See, Guinnie wants us to entertain the town, or at least get 'em out of her way. 'Course, you don't need to leave, but we'd love your help in coming up with something really dramatic. Super dramatic! I would've been an actor if I weren't a knight. Oh, woe is me~" He falls back towards Bradwen, who doesn't make a single move to catch him. Mar clatters onto the floor. "I'm fine, I'm fine!"

"Perhaps you could fall into the fountain," she muses. "You seem to be great at falling."

"Heyyyy, now, it was just for the dramatic effect! Besides, I can't ruin these guns." He flexes. "Got a kingdom to protect, and all."

"The biggest guns in all of Firthwaite," Anna deadpans.

"And I'm proud of 'em!"

"What if there's a celebrity?" Bradwen interrupts. "Is there a famous person?"

Anna sighs. "I suppose I could go out if needed. Speak on behalf of the queen, or something."

Bradwen glares at her. "Don't you have duties to attend to?"

She shrugs in return. "Duties that can wait until later. Come on, I haven't been out in a while."

--------------------

"I think we're doing a fine job." In the interior of a messy but large laboratory, lit from the top with fluorescent lights, Casper and Mercy appear to be discussing something. Mercy tilts her head, considering Casper's comment.