Chapter 82: Chapter 68

Peter

 

The gate to the academy loomed in front of him. The journey had taken longer than he had expected. The coachman helped him out of the carriage, as this proved difficult with a wedding dress, and handed him his travel bag.

"Why do you want to go to the academy? And that while wearing a dress?", murmured the coachman.

"I'm visiting my sister."

"In a wedding dress?" The older gentleman snorted in amusement. "You nobles are strange. That's a wedding dress, isn't it?"

Peter winked at him provocatively. "Of course. Do you like me?"

"Ha!" The coachman laughed. "I see. You’re a handful! I'll take my leave."

"Thank you very much."

"Oh, I have to thank you!" The coachman held up the tiara in farewell and then drove away.

Peter looked after him. He was finally here. He was at the Academy. It had always been his goal. It was what he wanted. However, he did not think that he would arrive here in a wedding dress... Back when he still believed... Hoped... to be a magician. He did not regret his decision. He had not wanted to marry Babette. But, he would have liked Julia to have seen his spectacular performance. That she cheered him on. Anyway, where should he have fled if that had been the case? To Ingried? Yes. His older sister would have been an option and he hoped to eventually stay with her. But he missed his little sister and he had promised her to come to the academy. Even if they would certainly look for him here as soon as the chaos in the castle had subsided. Now, he just had to find his sister.

He smiled as he thought about the conversation with Babette in the rain. He had told her his plan. After the wedding, he would visit his little sister. She just had no idea how short the wedding would be. But his 'no' shouldn't have surprised her. He had already told her that. Right? He thought of Babette's expression when he said ‘no’. She hadn't looked surprised, or disappointed. No. She looked angry and indignant. Stunned.

Julia had told him where her apartment was. So he just had to find the right building. Was the tournament already over? Peter went through the big gate. A feeling of freedom, power, and longing flowed through him. A long path through a small forest and several gardens meandered up to the imposing buildings of the Academy for Young Witches and Wizards. He could see some students. Some of them wore fencing uniforms. He saw many smiling faces. Some also looked tired. When they noticed the unusual guest, many frowned. Some even pointed at him laughing. Yes, go on and laugh about me. You will never see anything as phenomenal as me again.  Peter grinned. Where might his sister be? With his head held high, he let his gaze wander back and forth between the students. Every now and then he winked at someone. The astonished looks amused him. Then he finally heard a familiar voice.

"I hope I never have to do that again!" Julia stood with a few friends in front of a large hedge, away from all the other students. "It was terrible!"

"Julia!", shouted Peter, hurrying towards her. Well... As much as he could run in his shoes.

Her friends looked at him with wide eyes and open mouths, but Julia grinned broadly.

"Peter!" She ran towards him and hugged him. "Is that a wedding dress?" She laughed and tugged at the white fabric.

Peter hugged her tightly. "Of course! If I visit my little sister at the academy, I have to make a great impression on all the students! I'm sure that I've already charmed some of them!"

"And what about Babette?" Julia broke away from him. Her friends joined them and stared at him with stunned faces. One girl, a pretty witch with dark skin, looked like she had cried recently. Had something happened? Another girl had put her arm around her. Two other faces seemed very familiar to him. Helga and Philip?

"Babette?" Peter winked at his sister. "Oh! I'm sure I charmed her too. In a different way!"

Julia shook her head and turned to her friends. "See you tomorrow." She took Peter by the hand, waved goodbye to her friends, who were still staring perplexed at Peter's dress, and pulled Peter along. "You have to tell me everything!", she said.

 

Babette

 

Tears ran down her cheeks. What had happened?

The remaining guests murmured in shock. Some had already left. The queen shouted at a handful of guards and servants and demanded that they find her son. Right away. The guards just looked around worriedly, while the servants hurried away to look for the prince in the castle. King Friedrich stood next to her father. The two each held a glass of champagne in their hands and talked quietly with worried faces. Her stepmother had withdrawn in tears and wanted to be alone.

"Are you okay?" Paula had approached Babette and looked at her sympathetically. "I can hardly imagine how you feel."

Babette snorted. "Of course not."

"No one expected Prince Peter to do that! You looked like the perfect couple! It's really a shock!"

"That’s true. A shock." He ruined my life! I won’t forgive him! What will become of my plans now?

"Can I comfort you in any way? Do you need anything?" Paula wiped a tear from her face.

Babette shook her head.

"Good." With one last sympathetic smile, Paula went back to Fritz. Annemarie and Torsten were also standing there. Both seemed inappropriately amused. Babette snorted and watched as King Friedrich hurried to his raging wife. Babette's father followed him worriedly and beckoned Babette over. She followed the invitation.

"Where could Peter be now?", the king asked.

"He wanted to visit his sister after the wedding. He is probably on his way to the academy", Babette answered the question. She was angry. Terribly angry.

"Then we'll bring him back here!", hissed the Queen. "I won't let him ruin his life!"

"And what do you want to do? Force him to marry? And how is he supposed to get to the academy? We turned off his money supply." The king sighed. "Maybe we should wait until the situation calms down. We can still get him back tomorrow if he is not in the castle but somehow got to Julia. When we all calmed down." King Friedrich crossed his arms. "He has made his decision. Just like Ingried and Paul."

The queen became even angrier. "Ingried and Paul were a disappointment! And now Peter is making a mockery of us! After everything we have already organized for him and Babette!"

Babette could only agree with her. "What am I going to do now?", she asked.

"You'll find someone else", her father tried to comfort her.

The king nodded. "And the property is, of course, for you and your future."

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Babette snorted. "Thank you", she said anyway. Future? Peter has just destroyed it!  Babette didn't want anyone else. She wanted the power Peter would bring her.

"Maybe Peter can be brought to his senses after all!" The queen let her gaze wander through the remaining guests. "Maybe the damage can still be repaired! I wasn't strict enough with him!"

"Or too strict?" King Friedrich stroked his hair. "The third child just ran away from us."

The queen glared at him. "And you mean it's my fault?"

"Well..." The baron looked at Babette. "Maybe we should withdraw for today? Surely all this can be discussed tomorrow?"

Babette agreed. She was tired and unhappy. And angry!

"Our carriage is gone!", Babette heard someone calling, but she didn't care.

 

Leopold

 

Everything was prepared. He was ready to go. His 'friends' would come at midnight to the gate of the academy, which was closed at night. Leopold had stolen a key from the janitor's office. At night, apart from Julia's guards, the gate was not monitored, so it was easy to sneak someone into the academy. The potion was ready. Now, he just had to make sure that Julia's guards didn't notice. At night, they took turns keeping watch. They had been provided with the guardhouse at the gate, which had a door on both sides so that they did not always have to go through the gate.  Of course, the guards weren’t supposed to notice. But that shouldn't be a problem. There would be a red herring. And everything would go fast.

He had been surprised at how many were involved in the plan. He never expected mortals to help. But the friend of the village’s elder had a very good network of comrades-in-arms who were willing to help the elves. People he met at the pharmacy when his master was running errands, or nearby when his master was letting him take some free time. Leopold felt confident. He was only a small part of the rebellion, but his task was one of the greatest. Did he feel guilty? He tried not to think about it.

That mortals were part of the rebellion had surprised him. He had always thought that they were all convinced of slavery, just like the witches. But even the princess had surprised him. She was different... No. Don't think about it! I will not disappoint my people!

Would this be the end of slavery? If so, he wouldn't see it. That didn't matter. It was a small price to pay for the freedom of many.

"Leopold? Where are you with your thoughts again?" Marko looked at him worriedly. "We've finished work. Let's go home! I'm really hungry!"

Leopold looked around the large kitchen. In fact, hardly anyone was there. "Oh."

"Oh? Yes, definitely. What is going on? Are you worried about something? You were so quiet today."

"No." Leopold ruffled the wolf's hair. "Everything is fine. Let's get out of here!"

"Hey!" Marko tried to straighten his hair.

Together they left the kitchen and made their way to the princess's apartment. When they got there, Finn was waiting for them at the door.

"Prince Peter is here!", he exclaimed excitedly. "You won’t believe how he got here!"

Prince Peter looked out of the living room. "I know! I'm amazing!" He grinned broadly. "Welcome back gentlemen!" Then he disappeared back into the living room. Leopold saw a white skirt fluttering. He looked questioningly at Finn.

"He's wearing a wedding dress!", he said.

"What?" Marko walked past him into the living room. Shortly after, they heard him laughing out loud.

Leopold became restless. The prince was not included in his plan.

"I know! I am adorable!", commented Prince Marko's reaction. Leopold followed Finn into the living room, where Julia and Sophie were also sitting. Sophie grinned.

"Maybe Marko or Leopold can lend you something to wear? Their clothes might suit you", the old servant suggested. "Finn's clothes might be too small for you."

"I'm not that small!", protested Finn and sat down next to Julia.

"Aren’t you?" Prince Peter winked at him. Finn immediately blushed, which seemed to displease Marko. He sat down next to him and glared menacingly at the prince, which clearly amused him.

Since all seats were now occupied, Leopold sat down on the warm carpet. "What gives us the honor?", he asked curiously.

"Oh. Nothing special, I promised my sister to visit her!" He hugged the princess to him.

"In a wedding dress?" Marko frowned.

"Wasn’t your wedding held today?", asked Finn. "Julia told me about it."

"Yes, and I bravely escaped this horror!" Peter smoothed the skirt of his dress. "And thanks for the clothes Sophie, but I like what I'm wearing... Maybe later? I hope that I can stay here." He looked at his sister.

"I'm happy to lend you one of my nightgowns!" She laughed. "You seem to like them in general!"

"Of course! I look stunning in a nightgown!"

"And what do you want to do now? You are welcome to stay as long as you want..." Julia looked worried.

"Thank you." The prince sighed. "I hope I can stay with Ingried for a while. Honestly, I don't know what to do now."

Leopold could understand this well. He didn't know that either. He probably had to change his plan.