27. Magdalena

When Magda and Odie reached the circular-shaped intersection, she knew they were free from Ishani and her officers. She found a dark alleyway and tore open the letter with Queen Sanyal’s seal, praying it was an invitation to the ball. Magda’s eyes scanned frantically over the contents.

Ishani,

I expect you to be at Kiran’s birthday ball. It is the least you can do. I know you are receiving these letters, and I don’t know why you are giving me the silent treatment.

If you won’t come for me, at least come for the guilds. I have invited all of the guild leaders in an attempt to work out a new trade agreement that will benefit our kingdom.

The letter wasn’t signed, but it was clear it came from the queen, for it was stamped with her crest on the outside.

Unfortunately, for Magda, it wasn’t an invitation. She cursed under her breath, knowing she would have to either go back to Ishani’s ship, or steal an invitation from another guild leader. At least this letter confirmed that all the guild leaders had an invitation.

She swung her knapsack from her shoulder, placing the letter inside, before putting it back on her back.

However, she had already wasted the day going all the way to the docks and back. Maybe Ishani’s invitation was so valuable that it was kept on her person. Either way, Magda had to make a new plan.

It was already dark outside, and she didn’t want to be out on the streets with Odie at this hour, especially with the dog-snatchers possibly around. So, Magda asked a storekeeper if there were any dog-friendly inns in Eloquas. Luckily, they mentioned a place named ‘Mystic Sonata’, known for its popular musical shows as well as its luxurious rooms.

Magda followed the directions she was given to another intersection. The city was vibrant in the evening, and even though the stars were already out, it seemed as if the population was just rushing to dinner. The narrow streets were packed with tables, where city-dwellers laughed over heaping plates of food and drink. In between buzzing restaurants were more shops where owners attempted to sell Magda fabrics, tea, and jewelry.

When Magda reached the Mystic Sonata, she could hear bombastic music and the shouts of a dozen people spilling out. She was grateful to stay in an inn tonight and get a good night’s sleep—she was not sleeping in a random man’s shack any longer.

When she entered, she looked past the desk and realized she had stumbled upon a wedding celebration. The otherwise simple building was full of brightly colored flowers, and a bride wearing a jeweled red and yellow gown danced in the center with her groom.

At the front of the large space, was a raised stage with seats for the couple, and in each corner, were musicians playing a lively tune. Much to her surprise, at the front of the string players—was the violinist Ravi next to a few other string players, although he didn’t notice her. Why was he everywhere that she went? Magda didn’t believe in fate, but it was as if the ancestral guardians were giving her a message.

“Can I help you?” asked a woman at the front desk.

“Yes, one room for me and my dog,” Magda answered before giving her the coins.

The woman accepted the money before handing Magda the keys. Despite the inn being labeled as ‘dog friendly’, the innkeeper didn’t seem too happy to see Odie. “Your room is upstairs. Number ten.”

Magda thanked her, before stepping forward into the large music hall. She focused on Ravi at the front of the room.

He was cheerful as he took the lead for the next song, running his fingers wildly along the violin’s neck as his bow danced along the strings in broad, slurred strokes. He added additional flourishes, his fingers gliding effortlessly towards the bridge as the notes ascended.

While he played, a joyful smile creased his face, and he spoke lively messages to lead the musicians behind him, allowing them to accompany him effortlessly. He also moved with the dancers, stepping forward and backward on the stage, even twirling around once as he stomped his feet, not missing a single bow-stroke.

At the end of the song, the room ended in exhilarated cries, cheering Ravi on in loud applause that enraptured the entire music hall. The bride and groom ended in a happy embrace.

While she watched the couple, Magda couldn’t help but think of Dagmara, who was all alone in Ilusauri, putting on a marriage show to find out more information about Claude. She couldn’t imagine that a wedding celebration to Claude would be this joyful. Magda wondered what would happen after this entire adventure was over, and if she would be forced to go through with the sham marriage and take Dagmara’s place.

What’s worse—Claude was investigating strange locations all over the kingdoms, asking Guild Captains to report what they had found out back to the Mad King. What was he searching for?

Someone placed a hand on Magda’s shoulder, breaking her out of her trance. “If it isn’t the beautiful woman from Azurem that has caught the attention of the entire city.” Ravi greeted her with a smile.

“Don’t give me that,” Magda said with an annoyed tone, but she couldn’t help but smile in return. “You were great up there.”

“Thanks. I have a short break now. How about a dance?”

“I don’t know any of these dances. Music is quite different here. I’m not sure I could get the rhythm right.”

“All you need is the right partner,” he offered. “Maybe the sound of our footsteps on the dance floor is just what this song needs.”

“Maybe,” Magda spoke. Truthfully, she wanted to dance with him more than anything, getting swept away in the music and forgetting about her problems and the guilt that ate at her from the inside. While she had met many people on her adventure to Flaustra, a deep loneliness was getting painful to bear, and anytime she thought of her family she risked breaking down in tears. As if sensing her emotions, Odie nuzzled against her knee.

Ravi noticed her change in demeanor as well, and changed the subject, “So, did you get the invitation?” he asked.

“Unfortunately not. I scoured Ishani’s entire office, but it wasn’t with her usual stack of letters.”

“She probably keeps it on her person.”

“My thoughts exactly,” replied Magda.

“Alright. We’ll get an invitation somehow. But first, are you sure you won’t dance with me?”

Magda leaned her back against the wall, letting out a soft smile. “I think our relationship is better off the dance floor.”

Ravi stepped closer to her, putting his arm on the wall next to her head and leaning close. “Oh, so you’re saying we have a relationship then?”

Magda bit her lip. Something inside was intensifying, drawing her toward any type of comfort. All that she wanted was to be held, having someone validate her intense emotions and fears. But was that person Ravi, or could she be drawn to anyone in this moment as long as she could find some sense of release and respite?

“I’m not taking no for an answer,” Ravi said. “If you’re making me help you find an invitation, then I am demanding a dance.” He grabbed Magda’s hand, yanking her forward to the stage. Then he threw her bag up with his violin case, before shouting to one of his musician friends, “Hey, watch this dog for a minute for me. Your career depends on it.”

Then Ravi dragged her out onto the middle of the dance floor. When they crashed into the bride and groom, they acknowledged them happily, and Magda realized that Ravi knew them both.

“You trust that musician to look after Odie?” Magda peered over his shoulder.

“Yes, we’ve been friends forever.”

They jumped into the dance with the others, and Magda found herself drawing upon her elementary dance lessons where she had a private tutor visit from all of the foreign kingdoms, teaching both her and Aleksy about the world’s dances. Some of the steps were vaguely familiar, and Magda did her best to watch and keep up.

For the first time since the attack at the fortress, she genuinely laughed as Ravi spun her around, pulling her body close to his in a tight embrace as they maneuvered between the other couples. She remembered performing these exact steps with Aleksy, but for some reason the memories weren’t painful but joyous. There was something about being in Ravi’s arms that helped her forget the pain, and the intense aching in her heart was redirected into a strange emotion that made her entire body flush.

When the dance was over, the guests around the circle let a huge cheer go up in the air. But she and Ravi stood—silent—as they looked at each other.

Ravi reached up and brushed Magda’s hair out of her face, before letting his hand circle down to the side of her neck.

Magda pulled away. “I have to go.”

“Go where?” he asked.

As much as she wanted to not be alone, she knew that if she gave into her desires now, it would quickly become impassioned rather than genuine. She said, “I don’t know.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay? Maybe I know your favorite song and can play it for you,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

“I can’t.”

Magda walked up to the stage, where she saw Odie sitting at the foot of Ravi’s musician friend, watching Magda intently. “Come, Odie,” she called him. Then she turned and headed towards the door, but she heard Ravi come up behind her. “Is something wrong?” he asked.

“I’m sorry,” Magda said, turning toward him. “It’s not you. It’s just been a long day, and I need to get some sleep.”

“Do you even have somewhere to stay?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Yes, here actually,” Magda smirked, knowing for once she had figured out something in this foreign kingdom. Then she added, “and my favorite song is the Azuremi Waltz.”

“A classic.”

“You should get back up there.” Magda referenced the musicians on stage. “Please don’t stop playing on my account.”

Ravi smiled. “The music is brighter when you’re here. You can stay a while longer if you want. It will probably be too loud to sleep anyways. And…” he touched her hair to brush it back behind her ears, and acted like he was going to say something else, but then stopped.

Magda reached up and brushed her hand against his. “We hardly know each other.”

Ravi stepped forward, linking his arms at her waist, pulling her close as if they were on the dance floor once more. “What if I want to know more about you?”

Magda’s heart fluttered, and something fiery and emotional pulled her closer to him. But a stronger voice in her head was saying no.

Suddenly, Odie jumped up on Ravi, knocking them apart, and making the two burst into laughter. After calming down, Magda said, “I have to get some sleep.”

Ravi seemed to understand. “Alright. Tomorrow I’ll be on the streets again, and try to listen for any words of guild leaders that are going to the birthday ball. I’ll be here playing the rest of the week. Just come down tomorrow night, and I’ll tell you what I’ve found out.”

Magda couldn’t help a smile crease across her face at the thought of seeing him again, and her stomach turned with butterflies like it did with a new crush. “I’ll see you soon then.”

With that, she turned to head up the stairs, Odie at her heel. Soon Magda found room ten and used her key to open the door before locking it shut. It was a small space, with a bed and two side tables, as well as a table and chair, but the decorations and portraits on the wall were bright red and yellow, giving the room an aura of luxury.

Odie entered first, sniffing around the room with a wagging tail. Then he circled a few times before jumping up onto the bed.

Magda smiled. Odie always slept right next to her, despite Urszula’s qualms that animals shouldn’t be on the bed. He would always act like he was sleeping on the floor, before hopping into Magda’s bed at the last second. Clearly, with Urszula in Ilusauri, Odie could do whatever he wanted.

Quickly, Magda pulled the chair over to the door, placing it against it, so that no one could enter. Then, she hung up her outdoor clothes over the bed frame, remaining in her undergarments. Finally, she spilled out the contents of her knapsack, counting her remaining money. She still had enough.

Then Magda laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her thoughts ran wild, doubting everything. She knew deep down that she should head back to the Flaustran palace this instant, revealing herself as Princess Magdalena so she could speak to Queen Sanyal. However, she couldn’t reveal her identity just yet. What if the assassins who killed her father and brother had followed her here? She couldn’t announce she was in the city. And she couldn’t let the word spread that Princess Magdalena was in Flaustra, rather than in Ilusauri about to marry King Claude.

Her hands reached across the bed, stroking Odie’s fur. It was then Magda realized how homesick she was. Her father and brother were dead, and she had no idea when she would see her mother again. The loneliness ate away at her, and even though she heard the joyous music from the party downstairs, she couldn’t have felt more isolated. It was as if she was in a different dimension—one that was entirely silent.

For a moment, she considered going back downstairs, talking more with Ravi, just so she wouldn’t be without company. But she knew if she invited him up to her room she would surely do something she regretted, just to feel something—anything. Just to be held by someone.

Magda turned over and buried her face in Odie’s fur, crying herself to sleep to the sound of the violin.