Without Starlight

Some Potatoes Don't Conduct Magic Well

~Chapter 7: Nicholas~

The magical suit didn't even make it to the sixth toll of midnight. It dissolved in a flurry of sparkles and left Nicholas standing in a side hallway dressed in his plain clothes. Fortunately, the spell that Master Climens had cast to remove the soot held and he was clean, at least for now

Shrieks echoed about the dark hallway. His own spell to make the punch explode had been effective in creating a diversion, but now he worried about all the clothes that he had ruined. Hopefully they would be able to clean it up. With one last glance, he made his way further into the castle. Now, all he had to do was make his escape and return home before his step-family did.

Nicholas followed the edge of the cold wall with his hand. Outside moonlight lit the gardens below, and stars lit the heavens. It was a lovely night, and he had accomplished his goal to warn someone in power. The princess no less, but he hoped that his warning had been sufficient. It had been rushed. For most of the time that he had been at the ball he had been trying to find someone in power who might have believed him. But that had been hard because of the masks and his inability to guess their social status.

The princess herself appearing had been sheer luck, and even more improbable considering that she had been dancing with Hames just before. The look that his step-brother had given him had nearly froze his blood thinking that Hames had recognized him, but he hadn't. Nicholas could only guess how he went unrecognized, but he was thankful that he had.

He found a door that led outside, he opened it and looked around cautiously. It was a garden, full of large trees and blooming flowers. Nicholas was happy that his carnivorous vine didn't live here, or it might truly eat humans. There was the flutter of bird's wings and a group of leaves fluttered in a nearby tree. He wished that he could stay here forever, in the serenity and security of the castle walls, visible above the trees.

The far side of the garden illuminated in golden light as a set of doors was flung open. A woman in a ball gown appeared, behind her swarms of castle guards. It didn't take long for Nicholas to recognize the princess furiously yelling orders, nor to recognize a silver-haired half-nymph leading what looked like search parties and Hames trying to coax Her Highness back inside. Nicholas closed the door and leaned against it, his heart racing. At least his message had caught her attention.

He slipped further along the hallway, approaching a part of the castle that was lit with light. As he approached he heard voices, pausing he heard the replaying of orders to find that man dressed in all back. With a smile to himself, he continued. He was no longer dressed in all black.

Nicholas turned the corner, blinded for a moment by the light. Three guards in chainmail and tunics turned to look at him, one even leveling his pike to Nicholas's chest. Nicholas held his hands up. Maybe he should have chosen a different plan.

"Put your pike down, Rishcard." One of the guards told the one with the pike. "It's just one of the serving boys."

The one called Rishcard slowly lowered his weapon. "Have you seen a party-goer dressed in all black, boy?" He asked.

"No, sir, I haven't." Nicholas swallowed hard.

"Get along then." The third one said. "And don't be coming out of dark corners like that again."

"Of course, sir." Nicholas gave a quick bow and slid between them to get outside. Once outside he took a deep breath of air. He needed to find Broom. From his surroundings, he guessed that he wasn't too far from the stables, which was were one would put a broom that looked like a horse. Following the side of the castle, he made his way to the main entrance. Spotting the stables off to the side, he ran towards them.