by Drew Hayes
With one last deep sniff, Marie set the final garment onto the floor. She sat for a few minutes longer, making sure she could still feel the smell in her nostrils and would be able to recognize it when needed. The time also allowed her to shift her eyes back to normal, which was important. Peasants and villains seeing her nature was one thing, but there could serious repercussions down the line if a princess knew what she was. Even a princess she’d done a favor for.
Finally, Marie stood, noting that the others were still bickering and debating how they’d go about the infiltration. Clearing her throat to make them notice she was awake once more, Marie nodded to the doorway.
“Let’s stop speculating and start hunting. Wherever Henry is, if he’s in this town I’m going to find him. We can figure out what to do next after that.”
* * *
Frank’s deduction was, as usual, spot on. No sooner had they approached the entrance to the castle’s keep than Marie caught a whiff of Henry. It was sharp and sour; he’d been sweating a lot. From there, it was a short journey over to the army’s barracks for new recruits, with the smell growing stronger every step of the way. Getting around wasn’t especially easy. The three of them and their frog in a pot stood out even more than usual around so many people in armor and adorned with Revna’s crests, but Vasilisa knew the grounds well enough to guide them. They couldn’t get close. There were limits to what a nonchalant attitude and a princess’s wisdom could accomplish, but they got near enough to confirm what they needed. From the distance, Frank was able to spot a man matching Henry’s description drilling with the other would-be soldiers, and Marie confirmed she could smell him all over the area. Mercifully, Vasilisa didn’t think to ask how Frank could possibly make out a person’s face from so far away. Explaining the dragon eye would have added a lot of unnecessary discussion to their day, and might very well have led Vasilisa to decide it was better to live as a frog than to throw in with this lot.
“On the upside, this is a pretty easy fix.” Jack was smiling, to the surprise of no one, as he watched the guards do their drills from their seat on a stone bench. They’d taken up space in a nearby garden that locals often wandered though, and were far from the only ones watching the show. Evidently watching guards drill was one of the few forms of entertainment people had around here. Reaching over, he tapped the pot gently. “All you have to do is kiss someone, return to your old form, order them to bring Henry before you, and then have him kiss the new frog. Poof, your victim is back to normal, maybe with a few coins in their pocket for the trouble, and Henry is back to lounging on lily pads. No offense intended.”
“None taken,” Vasilisa said from within her pot. “They’re actually far more comfortable than you’d think. I’m afraid I don’t intend to kiss anyone else except Henry, though. I’ve read the old tales, and no magic is endless. There may be a limit on how many times this can be transferred. If I’ve reached it, then there’s nothing to be done, but I won’t risk another person ending up stuck in this body.”
“Come on, what are the chances that there’s only one change left?” Jack looked over to Frank, who was watching some snails crawl along a leaf. “Help me out here.”
Frank continued admiring the slow movements for a few seconds longer before responding. “Logically, Jack is right, there’s no evidence or cause to think that this magic has limits to how often it can be transferred, or that we would hit those limits right now.”
The smile on Jack’s face had gone from grin to full-on beaming, but it began to shrink back down as Frank continued.
“However, Vasilisa is a princess. A cursed princess. Meaning we can’t dismiss the idea that the Narrative’s will is at work here. And from that point of view, running out of power to transfer the curse sounds like exactly the sort of thing that would happen. Perhaps she’d doom some innocent person to life as a frog and in her guilt send out knights to hunt for a cure, inadvertently kicking off untold more adventures. Or the magic would fail and she’d be trapped herself, again prompting the hunt for a cure. The only way this story ends happily is if Vasilisa returns the curse to the man who tricked her, leading to a righteous conclusion.”
Smile down to nothing but a slight smirk, Jack shook his head and let out a long sigh. “I hate the thrice-damned Narrative.”
“It is a strange creature,” Frank agreed. “In my lands, at least the gods people worshipped were usually absentee, or adept at enforcing their will without making themselves known. The Narrative is much less subtle.”
In her seat, Marie shifted uneasily. She was never quite comfortable discussing the Narrative as openly as Jack and Frank. It was supposed to be taboo, that’s how she was raised, and even after years with these two, the hairs on her neck stood on end when they had talks like this. “Let’s focus on the task at hand, gentlemen. Vasilisa won’t kiss a stranger unless it’s necessary, which means if we want the full payday we have to break into the barracks and force Henry to smooch a frog. Any ideas?”
“It might be possible for Jack to slip in.” Frank didn’t sound especially enthused by the idea, even as he said it. “That strategy comes with a higher risk than even we consider tolerable, since discovery would mean either imprisonment or fighting his way out. Neither of those situations would be ideal.”
“Discovery? Give me a little credit here, I’m silent as a cat at midnight when I want to be.” If Marie didn’t know better, she might have thought the feigned hurt in Jack’s voice to be real.
“And with enough time to study, plan, and map the area I have no doubt you’d pull it off,” Frank agreed. “Do you plan to spend that long in this town, though?”
The look on Jack’s face said everything. He liked gold and loved adventure, but to put in that kind of work he’d expect far more than what Vasilisa was offering. This was a quick job, in and out in a couple of days at the most, that was how they’d all been looking at it. Committing that much time to the effort…well Vasilisa would have to raise the pay far more than she’d probably be willing.
“Perhaps we should entertain other ideas.”
“We could try to nab him when he leaves,” Marie said. “If he’s saving up to go somewhere, he’ll have to buy supplies and the like. Vasilisa, how often do the new recruits get time off?”
“If I recall correctly, it’s once a month, on the day after the new moon.”
“Oh.” It hadn’t been a bad thought, and Marie still felt it was a solid enough idea. The problem was that they were weeks out from a new moon, and that took them right back to the issue of how much time to spend on this. She would see the job done, it was her duty to Vasilisa, however she couldn’t expect Frank and Jack to wait around on the chance that Henry would leave the barracks during his day off.
Rising from the bench, Jack let out a long, theatrical sigh, and began to unbuckle the sword from his hip, handing it over to Frank. “It seems the fastest way out of this is to be straightforward about it. Frank, I entrust all of my belongings to you, and I know exactly how many coins are in every pocket and pouch, so don’t go treating yourself to drinks on my tab. Vasilisa, I’m going to ask for a royal promise from you, on your word as a princess.”
Peering up from the top of her pot, Vasilisa watched as Jack removed his jacket next, then began pulling out concealed daggers from his belt and boots. “I’ll need to hear the request, but if it is reasonable and in my power, then I’ll grant it.”
“I want you to promise me that upon your return to human form I will be released from all oaths and allegiances to any part of your kingdom, up to and including a pledge to serve in its army. Or, if you don’t return to human form, I’ll be released after three days’ time. Have to account for the potential that the transfer magic has run out, as you suggested.”
Marie, who could already see where this was going, let out a soft moan under her breath. There was a chance this wouldn’t end messily, but it wasn’t an especially good one. “You’re going to enlist, I take it?”
�
�Easier for me to sneak out to you, get Vasilisa, and bring her into the barracks than try to break in. Lower stakes too, since at the worst they’ll think I’m a deserter and more likely I can convince them I was out for a midnight stroll. If anyone has a better idea, I’m certainly open to hearing it.”
“Take me with you,” Marie suggested. “I’m the one who can track Henry’s scent if you need to identify him, and it would be good for you to have backup, just in case the need for speedy exit arises.”
“You think the army is going to allow me to stroll in with a lady on my arm just like that?”
A croak from the pot brought their attention back to Vasilisa. “Remember how I said that we always need soldiers? That means we can’t afford to turn away people with existing commitments. If Marie was your wife, then she’d be permitted to come on the grounds with you. They’d set you in different barracks from Henry, but it would still get you both in the door. Marie might even be able to smuggle me in as a pet, meaning you wouldn’t need to sneak out and fetch me.”
Marie and Jack locked eyes, a moment of quiet horror passing between them. It wasn’t the first time they’d had to play the charade of lovers or married partners, but virtually none of those occasions went especially well. Much as they cared for each other as friends and teammates, the duo were quite at odds romantically. Still, it was their best way in, so it seemed there was little to be done for it. Jack and Marie would don the guise of marriage once more.
“The only thing is, since they’re taking on an extra person to feed and house, they won’t be quite as lax with the entrance requirements. You’ll have to prove some basic competency with combat before they’ll let you bring Marie in with you,” Vasilisa continued.
Jack’s smile, which had dimmed dangerously close to vanishing at the news they’d have to play a happy couple, brightened considerably at the news. “Somehow, I think I’ll be able to just barely pull it off.”
* * *
The sound of wood hitting flesh would have made Marie wince, once upon a time. Those days were long since past, though, which was a good thing. Otherwise, it might have been hard to stomach watching as Jack nimbly avoided every blow the officer wearing a fancy crest threw his way and paid back the favor by striking the man in his limbs. Jack was being smart about it; his strikes always hit just barely, glancing blows that never came close to the head or torso. If he was too good, it would make the man testing him look bad, and that had the potential to create problems. Plus, standing out that much would draw attention, and that was the last thing they wanted for this job. The way Jack was fighting, he made it clear that he had talent enough to be worth accepting, even with a “wife” in tow, but he certainly didn’t seem like someone to make a big fuss over. Just a man with a knack for the sword looking to start a good life for his family.
“He’s quite good, isn’t he?” Vasilisa was peering over the edge of her pot, watching the demonstration. She and Marie were seated nearby, resting on the ground with their backs to a stone wall as Jack proved his merit. As covertly as possible, Marie lifted a handkerchief from one of her pockets and draped it over the pot, allowing Vasilisa to still look out but with less risk of being spotted. The last thing they needed was word getting back to Henry that someone had brought a frog onto the grounds.
“You should see him when he fights for real. Jack has an abundance of flaws and failings, he’ll tell you that much himself, but the man excels at combat. I’ve never seen him lose a swordfight.”
“He’s never lost?” Vasilisa sounded somewhat incredulous, which almost made Marie chuckle despite herself. There was something off about that tone coming from a frog under a handkerchief.
“Oh no, he’s lost before. Plenty of times. I just said I’ve never seen him lose a swordfight. And I’m sure he’s had his share of failure there as well, but before I was around to see it.”
Another flurry of motion came from the dirt-covered training area where Jack was being tested. The officer in charge had switched from a wooden sword to a pole. He offered Jack the chance to alter his weapon as well, but Jack shook his head. While Jack would use another weapon in a pinch, he always chose a sword if it was an option. Marie still wasn’t entirely sure why, except that he said it felt more natural in his hand.
“You are a curious lot,” Vasilisa said. “A gifted sword-fighter with a dire lust for gold, a man who is covered in scars and stitches from the few bits I’ve seen beneath his robe, and then you, a seemingly normal woman with the ability to track like a hound. And, strangest of all, is how at home you three seem with this. You’ve all yet to balk once, from hearing about my curse to being told to infiltrate a kingdom’s army. I was expecting some amount of disbelief or uncertainty.”
Although Vasilisa couldn’t see it thanks to the handkerchief, Marie momentarily grinned in a way that was almost Jack-like. “My friends and I know a few things about curses. More than we’d like to, if you take my meaning. As for doubting your tale, well, if you can manage to lie to Jack then you’ve earned our help. We’d still have to gut you for cheating us, of course, but there would be some respect as we did it.”
“Then I am truly thankful that I’ve spoken nothing but the truth since meeting you.” Vasilisa sank down into her pot once more as the match came to a close.
Despite the advantage in reach that a pole afforded the officer, Jack was still able to get in range to land a few hits. This time, however, he allowed himself to take some minor blows as well. Nothing vital, just enough to soothe his assessor’s ego by letting him get in a few hits. The test ended with a handshake, and then a hearty slap on the back as the officer welcomed Jack into the fold. Poor fellow, he probably thought he’d uncovered a new prospect with ample potential. Pity they’d be gone before he ever got the chance to learn what Jack could really do.
“That went well.” Jack wandered over and Marie rose to meet him. She kissed him delicately on the cheek, in what she hoped came off as a demure fashion. Some affection was necessary for the sake of the ruse, but neither of them would want to do more than was necessary. “We should be set up within the hour. There’s a special barracks for couples, one where we get our own room. It won’t be much, but it will be private. The general recruits, I just learned, sleep in one massive room with their beds side by side.”
Damn. They hadn’t exactly been expecting Henry to have a wing of the castle all to himself, but they would have liked it if there was a little privacy to work in. Sneaking into a room was one thing; sneaking into an open building crammed with soldiers was another matter entirely.
“Interesting. Are you thinking of visiting our friend in there, or letting him come to us?” Marie asked. Flush out or infiltrate were their only options if they didn’t want this to drag on for days.
“I think we’ve journeyed far enough, don’t you? He can close the rest of the gap and come to us. I was just told I can still leave to fetch any things I brought with me, so I’ll pass the word on to Frank. There’s more than enough daylight left for him to whip up something that will let us smoke our friend out.”
“What are you planning to do, exactly?” Vasilisa didn’t raise her head from the pot, but her question came through all the same.
In response, Jack lowered his head and carefully lifted the handkerchief, peering down at the princess and flashing a smile that was probably meant to be reassuring. “You’ll find I’m not one to speak in metaphors unless I’m passing along a code. When I say we’ll smoke our target out, that is exactly what I mean.”
* * *
Henry woke up coughing. While that was a surprise, it had nothing on what greeted him when he opened his eyes. Thick smoke had filled the barracks, and all around him he could hear his fellow recruits coughing and choking for air as they shook off the last of their sleep. It didn’t take a powerful mind to jump to the most likely explanation, which was why moments later someone screamed “Fire!” at the top of his lungs. The few men who were still sleeping found themselves roused by t
he call. One by one they staggered up from their beds, some grabbing for trousers while others ran for the door in bare flesh. Henry was part of the former group, as he had only the one set of non-army clothes and couldn’t very well afford to let them burn. Between the smoke, the grogginess, and the desperation it took him far longer than it should have to don a simple pair of pants and a shirt, but eventually he completed the task and ran for the door.
Just before he stepped into the night, Henry thought about how odd it was that there was this much smoke yet he hadn’t seen a single flame. The room didn’t even feel hot. Then Henry was out the door, into the cool air of the evening. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs to purge the smoke. It was a lovely moment of relief, and also a brief one. The sharp press of a blade in his back cut the joy short, as did the voice whispering harshly in his ear.
“On my word as a scoundrel, I do not plan to kill you this evening. If you come quietly with me and do as you’re told, you’ll live. Call for help, make any stupid moves, or otherwise cause trouble and I’ll plunge this into your organs and toss you back into that smoky room. By the time they find your corpse, I’ll be long gone and all you’d have managed to do is get yourself killed for nothing. Nod if you understand.”
Between the shock of his awakening and the cold metal that felt as if it could pierce his skin at any moment, Henry could scarcely think straight. One thought did manage to penetrate the fog though: the man with the knife absolutely sounded as if he was willing to kill Henry right here and now. That alone was enough to make Henry’s choice for him. He tilted his neck forward, giving the nod, and he felt a hand close on his shoulder.