Mirrored Shadows

The Escape before the Trial

   Monika was, on the queen's command, placed in Alma's cell so that someone can always keep an eye on her. That made the whole thing even harder, because she expected Amadeus to show up.

  Alma was sitting in a corner, eating her meal. Seeing Monika lost in thoughts and sad, she approached her and offered a piece of her bread.

- Take it. Monika?

   She looked at her, then at the bread, and turned her head away.

- No, thank you.

- You have to eat something.

- I cannot eat, Alma. Not after what they did last night...

- Camelback?

  She covered her face with hands.

- They were about to eat him... They...

- Stop thinking about that. - Alma sat next to her.

- I can't. I see his face everywhere I look. I can't shake off the feeling that the poor thing ended up so cruelly because of me...

- You can't blame yourself. You were his only friend.

- I think that's exactly what killed him...

  Lela stopped in front of the cell door, catching breath as if she was running all the way to the dungeon.

- I told you that you can't come here anytime you want! - Corfold yelled behind her.

- Let go of me you baboon! - she pushed him. - Monika, I heard everything! That's horrible! And then your face... and then...

  She stopped talking, staring at her face.

- But... you are pretty again. How? Unless you have decided to summo...

- I did. - Monika quickly said to stop her from revealing everything in front of the guards. - Let's not talk about that now.

- I wish I knew how you managed to do that. - said Alma.

- That's not important. - a deep, male voice spoke from another cell.

- Aaron?

  Monika approached the wall.

- How are you? You're finally able to speak again.

- I've been better...

- Corfold is starving him for days. - Alma explained. - I think he is still holding the grudge because Aaron defended you that day.

- That maniac! - Lela cursed. - If only he'd let me in... I'd give Aaron such a nice bath...

  Her finger touched her lip. A flame of hidden desire was burning in her eyes.

- Anyway, - she continued. - I came to tell you that tomorrow's trial has stirred a lot of commotion, Monika. Apparently, since the war of Hell and Heaven there was no event that made the entire Hell talk this much about it. The court is being prepared like some sort of a theater and it will gather hundreds of demons. For them, your trial is a historical event...

- Wow... You sure have made an impact here. - Alma noticed.

- If they hate you so much down here, maybe they love you equally from above. - Aaron said.

  Monika sighed and laid down on the floor. She was too tired.

- For someone who supposedly loves me, they aren't really trying to help me, if that's even true...

  A guardsman came. He opened a scroll and cleared his throat:

- Tomorrow, at 8 a.m., a trial for Monika, known as the guardian of the Defiler, will commence. The court will, accordingly with the law, give the accused a defender and an opportunity to bring out any evidence in her defense, but the final verdict will be given her Majesty herself.

  The guardsman left.

- The final verdict will be given the queen... - Alma repeated and looked at Monika, shrugging as if she was saying ''What can I tell you, you're dead.''

- This won't end well...

- I knew that already. - Monika got up and started walking around, followed by the glances of Alma and Lela.

- But we can prove your innocence, we can... - Lela was trying, but she had nothing.

- No we can't, Lela...

- But can't he... you know who... save you? - she asked and looked at Alma, who looked back at her in suspicion.

- No Lela, it didn't turn out as planned. Someone called him before me.

- Ah, the mage... - Lela figured out and silenced.

- There has to be a way. - Aaron insisted. - We can't just let the queen execute her.

- No, we can't. - Lela agreed. - This wonderful girl is the only friend I ever had. We must help her.

- But what can we do? - Alma asked. - Aaron and I are closed.

- We could... - Lela started, but Corfold was passing by so she stopped talking.

- The visiting hour ends in five. - he warned.

- Then I'll leave in five.

  He pinched her butt and walked away.

- You were saying? - Alma reminded her.

- I wanted to say that we could all try to escape.

  Others exchanged looks.

- To escape? - Alma laughed. - No one ever managed to escape from Hardcoat!

- It doesn't mean it's impossible.

- Oh yeah? And just how do you think we do that, I'm curious?

- First, I have to set you all free from the cells. That's actually the easy part.

- And then what? - Alma crossed her arms in protest. - Hardcoat got its name for a reason. Its walls are like layers of mountain stones, hugging the castle, with only two doors - front and back. And just like all the doors in here, those are well guarded by Callisto's guards.

- There are secret passages. - Aaron reminded them. - The ones Camelback knew well.

- But he is dead! Only he knew those hidden holes.

- I know some... - Monika spoke. - He often visited me through them when I was still serving the queen.

- Excellent.

- Oh? And what if those passages of yours don't lead out of here? We'll be stuck in them when the entire castle gets on its feet to find us.

- Give us some optimism Alma! - said Lela. - We have to try.

- That's too much risking for Monika. - Alma kept complaining. - No offense Monika, but why didn't we try all this before my sister was killed?

- We didn't know back then that anyone was going to get killed. - Lela said. - If you don't care about Monika, do it for yourself. You won't stay in here for long either if you don't come along.

  Alma was indecisive. In the end, she realized that Lela is right and accepted to come along.

- Great. Tonight I'll come to set you guys free.

- What about Corfold?

- Leave him to me. - she winked.

- 'Till tonight then...

- This is so exciting! - Lela clapped and left the dungeons.

  Alma looked at Monika worryingly:

- I don't like this at all...

- Neither do I, but it's all we have.

- Either this, or we all lose our heads. - said Aaron.

                                                                                         ***

 It was a night of strange dreams for everyone behind the stony walls of Hardcoat. The queen was restless. She was tossing and turning in bed, squeezing her pillows. Suddenly, she woke up from a nightmare and jumped shouting:

- Mira!

  There was nothing around her to witness, but the empty room and her sweaty reflection in the mirror across the bed. After pouring herself a glass of water, she got up and walked to the window. A storm was raging outside. Storms in hell were hot. Flashes of red lightning were throwing bloody reflections all over the room. She opened the window.

  Piri knocked and barged into the room, panting.

- I heard you screaming, your Majesty? You need something?

 She did not turn around. The wind was coming inside like a wave, tossing the curtains and sheets. Her soft tunic swayed ghostly.

- Where is Mira...? - she asked absently.

  The chancellor bit his tongue not to swear.

- I don't know, probably in her bed your Majesty. - he quickly realized that his answer could've been juicier, so he added: - Or perhaps she's wandering the dungeons around that dirty human girl.

  He waited for her reaction, but she was silent.

- If that's all, your Majesty, I'll get going...

- Who am I, Piri? - she asked suddenly.

  He blinked, confused by her question.

- Your Majesty?

- Am I the sun that is yet to shine? Am I the moon whose light is but an illusion? Or am I just a passing shadow of both?

A brief silence followed and dull staring at the back of her head.

- I... I'm afraid I don't understand, Majesty.

  She sighed.

- Mira would understand...

  This time he mumbled an insult.

- I think you are our sun, your Majesty. For without you, everything would fade away. - he tried.

- Go. Leave me alone. And Piri, I don't want a single strand of hair missing from her head. Is that clear?

  He turned around and left the queen's room upset.

 Monika did not rest well either. Her dreams have stretched far into the past she pushed far into a corner of her mind. Dreams she hopped were gone for good. But there she was again; a six years old closed in attic with one window. Her eyes were tight up. Next to her on the floor stood a dirty bowl of water and another with pieces of spoiled food. She was crying. It was the fourth day she was locked in there. At day, birds would gather on her lonely window and curiously peek inside. At night, the moon would sneak in some of its light, like it knows how scared of the dark she is.

- Don't be afraid. - she said one day when a little sparrow came inside. - Here, you can have some crumbs. They are not so soft, but if you dip them into the water mmmm! - she rubbed his skinny belly. - I shall name you Crumb. Oh no, they are coming upstairs, go out quickly!

  Monika woke up with her entire body shaking. For a moment she was glad that she's in the cell of Hardcoat. The guards were ending their shift. It was time.

                                                                                           ***

  Corfold was satisfied with his cards. He was smiling and checking out the worried faces of the rest of the guards who played with him. On the table before them were several coins as a reward for the winner. The smoke was rising from the cheap cigars and creating a cloud over the entire room.

- Heads up, boys. You should be used to me taking all the coins by now. - he grinned. - On the table with the cards, come on!

  They gave up one by one, tossing their cards on the table and mumbling. Corfold got up and started collecting all the gold.

- What can I tell you, boys? You're out of luck, as usual.

- f**k you, Corfold. I'm sick of this game. - a chubby guardsman complained. - We always play this s**t.

- You say that because you always get the worst cards. - another one teased.

- No, I'm just sick of staring at these cards every night!

  Someone knocked on the door. Corfold looked up from his loot:

- Who is it?

 Lela pushed the door and let them slowly open, exposing her to the light of the office.

- Lela? What do you want? - he asked,  annoyed because she interrupted him in counting the gold, only to quickly realize that she wore nothing but a transparent tunic.

  The girl slid inside, all fragrant and seductive.

- That's one of the queen's courtesans!

- Pick up your goddamn jaws! - Corfold shouted at his men.

  Lela giggled and sat on Corfold's lap, wrapping arms around his neck.

- I was bored Corfy, and you guys always have so much fun in here.

- Not really, but now definitely. - said the chubby guardsman.

- Well aren't you one big, bad boy? - she playfully pushed the him with her foot. He roared, trying to bite her.

  As they laughed, Lela discreetly observed Corfold's jealous grimace.

- That's enough for tonight. - he said, getting up. - Get lost, all of you.

- What? NOW you're sending us off??

- You're not fair, man. We just started having fun for real.

- Same place tomorrow, at the same time. Scram!

  The guards got up in disappointment.

- You're an ass, Corfold.

  When they all left, Corfold closed the door and turned to her.

- What the hell are you doing?

- Isn't it obvious? I came to play with you.

  Despite the hesitation, his eyes kept falling down her thighs.

- You should go. - he shivered, trying to control himself.

- Do not spoil the party, Corfy. I missed you so much. I thought you might teach me a thing or two tonight...

- You'll get me in trouble. They keep an eye on me because of your visits.

- I thought danger was a turn on. - she hopped on the table and wrapped legs around his waist, bringing him closer. - Come on. What stopped you before? I know you want me. You did far worse things.

  His blood was boiling, partially because of the wine. It did not take a lot of convincing for him to lay hands on her.

- You are so cute when you're obedient.

  Grabbing the girl roughly the neck, he brought her head closer to his, kissing her with an uncontrollable  desire. Then the dull sound of a hit followed and Corfold was on the floor, revealing Mira with a candle-holder in her hand.

- Took you long enough. - said Lela, rubbing her tongue with fingers. - You could've done that before he stuck his tongue into my mouth.

- I'm sorry, I was nervous... This is the first time I knocked out someone.

- Not bad for the first time. Go now or you'll get into trouble. I'll take it from here.

- Okay. Good luck.

- And Mira - thank you.

  The woman smiled and left Corfold's office. Lela started turning him, checking his pockets.

- Where did you put them, darn it?

  She stood up and looked around, then approached his desk and began opening the drawers.

- Goddamn it! They are not here either!

  Her eyes fell back at him. She crouched and unzipped his pants, then started taking them off with a lot of effort. His underwear made a rattling sound.

- I should've known you'd hide them there, you sick i***t. Only your underwear has enough space for a bunch of keys.

  She took them and dressed him up again, then tried to lift him up and put him back on the chair, but without success. He was too heavy. So she took another bottle of wine, emptied it into his toilet and placed it next to him, together with a piece of a parchment that said ''I had so much fun last night! I had no idea you could drink so much. We must do it again.''

  The cells were lining up in the dark. Lela slowed down not to wake up the rest of the prisoners. Monika and Alma were waiting.

- I'm here. - she said quietly. - We need to hurry, I'm not sure how long will that i***t be unconscious.

  The doors squeaked.

- Come on.

- This is a baaaad idea. - Alma complained.

- Stop jinxing it!

  She unlocked Aaron's cell too.

- You two come to help me. Once I unchain his hands, he will fall on the ground.

  Monika and Alma entered to hold Aaron while Lela was unlocking him. Finally, she found the right key. Aaron fell down on Monika's and Alma's shoulders in all of his weight.

- Can you stand?

- I can... - he moaned quietly, holding his left thigh.

- He is hurt. - Alma noticed.

- I'll be fine, we'll take care of that later... We must hurry.

  Lela stepped into the hallway first, looking left and right.

- It's clear, come. But be quiet.

  Aaron was limping behind Monika and Alma. The prisoners were turning in their beds. Lela stealthy led them down the hallway and stopped next to the exit door.

- This door squeaks loudly. - she warned them. - The moment I open them, pass through so that the prisoners don't see you.

  She pushed the key into the keyhole and turned it.

- Ready?

  They nodded. Lela pulled the door with an irritating creak. Aaron passed through first cause he was the slowest. The rest hurried after him. Lela quickly locked the door behind.

- We are done with that part.

- Now the harder part.

  Alma rubbed her arms in fear.

- They will catch us...

- Stop with that already! Come on.

  They climbed a dark tower, up over the curving staircase that led from the dungeons to the ground floor of the castle. Lela stopped again near a door and whispered.

- There are two guardsmen in front.

- So what now? - Alma panicked.

- Wait for it.

   After several minutes, a female voice called from the other side of the door:

- Guards, quickly! I think I saw an armed man down the hallway!

- That's Mira! - Monika recognized the voice.

- What are you babbling woman? - the guards said. - Go back to your bed.

- Someone is sneaking around the castle! Should I wake up the queen instead!?

- Goddamn it... Alright, lead the way.

  They listened as the sound of their footsteps faded away.

- They left. Quickly decide where we go from here.

- Where is the secret passage you spoke of, Monika? - Aaron asked.

- There's one in my room.

- So the servants wing. - Lela said.

 She opened the door and peeked, then led others through the ground floor straight into the hallway of servants wing.

- We must not stop. Everything is lit by torches.

  They were rushing through the hallway, moving against the walls so they can hide on time if someone appears behind a corner. Soon, they found themselves in the intersection with another hallway. Lela stepped into the left one and almost collided with two guards-women. She quickly waved her hand to others behind the corner not to follow her.

- What are you doing here at this hour, courtesan? - one of the women asked.

  Lela made a naive expression.

- I was going to the kitchen. I'm hungry.

- Oh really? I thought the courtesans have plenty of food in their chambers.

- Those cows ate everything. Let me through, for f***s sake. I'm starving!

- Fine, but come back right away. Don't take any turns or we'll know. We shall wait here for you to return the same way.

- Of course. - she smiled and passed them by. While the guards-women looked after her, the others sneaked by them into another hallway.

- We'll have to continue without Lela. - Monika warned them. - She will join us in my room once she fools them.

  The three of them went upstairs into the servants wing, passing by the numerous rooms.

  Alma suddenly slipped on the polished floor and quickly grabbed a statue of a knight, dressed up in a heavy armor. The thing ranged like a bell, echoing throughout the halls.

- Who is there!??? - a screechy voice came from nearby.

- Someone's coming! - Aaron warned.

- We are done for! They will kill us!

  The shadows of the approaching guards were coming from the both sides, outrunning their owners. ''Where are you, Amadeus...?'', Monika thought to herself.

- We are done for! Done for! - Alma was losing it.

  Monika grabbed her by the hand and pulled her with herself and Aaron into one of the servants rooms.

- What's that noise in this hour? - they could hear Piri's voice from the other side of the door, in the hallway.

- We heard it too. - said one of the guards.

  Corfold came running, pale and breathless.

- Chancellor! - he shouted. - Three prisoners are gone from their cells!

- What did you say?

- I said, three priso...

- Hold on! - Piri interrupted and approached him, looking him deeply into the eyes, while an ominous feeling started consuming him. - WHICH three prisoners?

  Corfold swallowed saliva.

- The big one, Aaron...

- And?

- And the ugly twin...

- ...and?

- And...

  Piri waited. His eye was twitching.

- SPEAK ALREADY YOU MORON!

- And Monika, sir.

  The chancellor screamed and swayed, ready to faint. But instead, he jumped at Corfold and started hitting him with his fan everywhere he could.

- You incompetent swine!!! How could she escape through the locked doors!??

  Corfold was silent. He had no intention to mention that his keys are missing too. Piri looked at the guards in anger:

- Well what are you waiting for, you idiots!? Search the rooms damn it! Find the b***h or we are all going to lose our heads!

  Monika held Alma's mouth, because she kept crying. They could hear the guards kicking all the doors open in the hallway and stuff breaking.

- Now what? - Aaron asked.

  Light of a candle illuminated their faces.

- Monika? - it was Mira. - What are you all doing in my room? I thought you'll escape.

  Monika gave her a sign to be quiet. Mira approached the doors and listened with them. They could hear the servants complaining because the guards woke them up. The rooms were being searched.

- We have to do something. They are about to break into this one too.

  Mira walked to one of the torches on the wall and pulled it. A bookshelf started shaking and moving to the side.

- This way, hurry. The guards know about this passage, so expect them to go after you once they search my room.

- What about Lela? - Aaron asked.

- She can join you later. They are not searching for her.

  Monika, Alma and Aaron ran into the passage. Mira pushed the torch back and the shelf moved to its original position.

  A strong kick against the door crashed it down. Mira was already in her bed, slowly getting up.

- What on earth are you doing? - she yawned.

- And we are to assume that you're surprised, because it just so happens that you did not hear when we crashed the doors next to your room? - Piri said, looking around. - Where is the human?

- What are you even talking about?

  He giggled. It was a giggle on the verge of a mental breakdown. His face was red, and the sweat was dripping off his forehead.

- Mira. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Where is the human?

  Mira remained quiet. Piri pouted and walked straight towards the torch, then pulled it and smirked at her.

- Two of you, stay with me. The rest, go into the passage and don't come back until you find her. - he ordered.

  Ten guards rushed after Monika and the others. Piri turned to Mira.

- You want me to lose my head because of you, don't you? I'll look like an incompetent fool, and you a hero that caught Monika.

- You are out of your mind.

- Hold her. - he ordered the guards.

  They grabbed her by the hands and pushed her against a wall. Piri took the iron poker from the fireplace, breaking the burnt wood in the fire.

- Have I ever told you how I got here? - he spoke while staring at the fire.

- Do you always hold people like this so they would listen to you talking?

- It was long ago. - he ignored her. - I was a child. My father and mother always wanted me to become somebody. Someone important. Alas, demons are either born with titles or not. They don't earn them. That's why my father sent me here. He thought that I'll earn a high position if I show myself in a good light.

- I'm really touched.

- I did not expect you to understand, Mira. You are a human. You are used to being a scum since your birth. But me... Greatness is my destiny. You will not take this from me. I won't allow it.

 He took the poker from the fire.

- Unbutton her dress.

- But chancellor, sir, her Majesty ordered that no harm can come to this servant.

- She will say many things once she realizes that Monika is gone. Now unbutton her dress.

  The guards did as they were told.

- Coward! You need these two to hold me?

  Piri looked at the guards with a shade of shame in his eyes, then pressed the point of the poker between her breasts. A painful scream shook the hallways.

- Callisto!!! - she called, crying. - My queen!

 Monika and the others ran through the secret passages, hidden deep within the walls of the castle.

- Where does this passage lead, Monika? - Alma asked.

- I don't know. Hurry, we cannot stop.

- Wonderful. She has no idea where we are going!

- Shut up and run. - said Aaron.

  The path was intertwining with other paths that led to different places. Monika indeed didn't know where they are going, and randomly picked directions, wondering how was Camelback doing this. It was awfully dark, and the passageways seemed endless. Suddenly, she noticed a beam of light falling from the low ceiling. When they approached it, they realized that it's coming through bars on the floor of someone's room. Voices could be heard.

- I've been just informed that Monika, the biggest enemy of my castle, has escaped.

  ''That's the queen! We are under her cabinet.'', Monika thought.

- You will tell me where she is. - the queen continued.

- Oh? I will? - a soft, male voice spoke.

''Amadeus! What's he doing there?''

- Yes, you will! Right away!

- And just what's in it for me? - he sighed indifferently.

- Your life?

- You do realize, of course, that you can't kill me?

- Ah, right. You cannot die as long as you are a Contract demon. Which leads me to another offer that you won't be able to refuse.

- I'm not easy to impress, you know.

- We'll see about that. Here's my offer: Bring me Monika, and I'll request from the Muses to unbind you. Freedom for you, Monika for me. Simple, isn't it?

  A brief silence followed. Monika waited in fear.

- That's... a tempting offer.

- RUN! - Monika screamed and ran down the passageway.

- Now we are definitely done for! - Alma cried, running with all her strength.

- I am, but you two can still escape.

- We are not going anywhere without you. - Aaron protested.

- God help me, I am! - said Alma and outran them, disappearing behind a corner.

- Alma, wait!

  The two of them rushed after her. When they turned behind the corner, they spotted an entire squad, holding spears pointed at them. One of the guards held Alma. Piri squeezed through them.

- Well, well. What do we have here?

- Damn it...

  Piri approached Monika and slapped her.

- You wanted to ignite fire beneath my feet?

  She spit out blood and looked at him.

- Why don't you slap me too? - Aaron said.

  The chancellor fell back behind the guards.

- You will get yours too, barbarian. Take them back to the dungeons!

  The guards grabbed them and tied their arms. Monika did not resist. She was accepting her faith. All was lost. ''Amadeus. He betrayed me.''