The Kingdom of Orenda

Chapter 15: Back to the Party...

"Biura, you are here-by under arrest for multiple accounts of misuse of magic, treason, and endangering a child of the royal family." one of the officers said to her.

"Go ahead and take her to the cells, we'll catch up." General Misurah said to them.

"Oh, don't forget her sidekick the bird upstairs. He's currently under an immobility spell." Cerise told the General.

"I'll have one of my officers grab him." Misurah assured.

"This isn't the last you've seen of me! Mark my words, I'll get vengeance on you all!" Biura cried as she was being carried away, but no one paid her any mind.

After her uncle let her go Lidya looked to Felix, who had cast off his gold chain and threw it across the room.

"Uncle, this is Felix, he was forced to help Biura due to a spell she cast. But he helped me escape when Biura chained me up." Lidya told her uncle, Absyrtus looked over to the short teal imp, who bowed to him nervously.

"In that case, I thank you. And hereby officially deem you free and under your own control. You're also invited to the celebration being held in Glassop today." Absyrtus decreed. Felix smiled widely and bowed once more.

"Thank you, your highness." he said.

"Speaking of Glassop, may we go back to it now? I suspect the celebration should start soon." Lidya asked her uncle. He chuckled and nodded, the group along with Felix and the half army all turned to leave the witches towner. As they left they saw that the golems had become clay statues. Of which Absyrtus assured would be cleaned up and recycled in due time.

After a bit of refreshing and spot cleaning the dust and dirt that had clung to her clothes in the tower, Lidya was once more ready to attend her celebration.

She stood just behind a stage that had been built in front of the castle for the king to give an announcement to the kingdom on. She was constantly fixing and straightening out her hair and clothes, despite not caring what anyone ever thought of her she knew this was important to her uncle and applied what her aunt had told her about appearing 'professional'. Beside her was Izarra, who gave her a reassuring nudge with her nose as she saw Lidya fret.

"I'm not worried, I'm just excited. Not one celebration, fair, or festival I've been to has ever been this big." she told the winged dog.

"-And it is as your king, of which I am thankful to be, that I now official introduce," Absyrtus said, Lidya looked over at the stairs she was to go up, Zephyr was there, dressed in a white and pink suit especially pressed and cleaned for this occasion, gesturing for her to follow him.

"My Niece and your new princess,"

With an excited breath Lidya stepped onto the stairs and began ascending.

"Princess Lidya Sterling." Absyrtus announced as Lidya walked beside him on the platform. To either side was her friends and the castle hands, each applauded her as she and Izarra walked in front of the crowd below. Many faces clapped and cheered for her.

She was a little overwhelmed to say the least, but smiled appreciatively and bowed before them all. They all bowed back and continued to clap and cheer. She scanned the crowd, trying to take in every face that stared at her but there simply was too many. Some faces she thought she could recognize, a glimpse of red hair that looked like Winnie or Aisling, a face that could have been Mr.Rosenbug, a waving hand who's sleeve might have been a member of the Ash-Star, but overall she couldn't make out a single face.

She looked at her uncle, partly to take a break from all the faces, and partly to get a sense of what to do. He smiled and side hugged her.

He raised his hand, a signal for everyone to quiet down so he could speak, and within half a minute the crowd was silent again.

"Is ther anything you'd like to say to them Lidya?" Absyrtus whispered to Lidya, she shook her head. "Alright then."

Absyrtus walked up to the microphone standing in front of them both and loudly announced.

"Now, I officially decree that it is time to begin the games!"

The crowd cheered as stalls of food and games opened up around them, and behind the stage the walls of the castle opened to allow people to enter and walk around the gardens and the little attractions posted around them. The crowd dispersed to go to whatever interested them and Absyrtus turned to Lidya.

"What would you like to do first? This is your party."

Lidya looked back to her friends. "I am a little hungry, what kind of food stalls are here?"

"How about we all go look?" Acer suggested from behind her. Lidya nodded in agreement with this and they left the stage.

Just after Winnie and Zephyr had beat Harry and Absyrtus at a bean bag toss, of which everyone was a good sport about, Avery approached Lidya.

"Apologies for interrupting,"

"You're fine Avery."

"The spell to talk to your family is ready." Avery told her. She gasped and waved her uncle and friends over to her.

Lidya stood in front of a large mirror in Avery's study, a neat and tidy round room with, soft green carpeting, dark green wallpaper, and smelled of mint and lilies. Her friends she had made since arriving in Orenda were behind her, her uncle to her right, Izarra to her left, and in front of them all was Avery- applying some strange concoction to the mirror.

"I hope this works, I bet they're worried sick about me." Lidya said, trying to make sure she looked safe and clean so her Aunt wouldn't have any more cause to worry.

"Avery's highly talented, i wouldn't have them be my royal mage if they weren't. And I'm sure your family will be relieved to see you." Absyrtus told her, though she could see he was nervous too.

"I'm also trying to figure out how to explain this all to them, I know they'll believe it because they'll be able to see you all," she looked at her friends, "but I'm worried they may have some trouble processing it."

"Just take your time with it, I'm sure they'll be satisfied with knowing you're ok." Cerise told her.

"O-kay. I just have to cast one last spell and it should go through." Avery said, setting the container of the strange substance to the side. "Ready everyone?"

"As we'll ever be." Lidya answers.

Avery held their hands in front of the mirror and it started to swirl.