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Edelgard and Dimitri held hands as they wandered through the woods. Ash and scorch marks covered their once-pristine clothes. The ends of their hairs were singed. A nasty gash dredged over Dimitri’s cheek, just missing his eye. He’d jumped in front of an attack meant for Edelgard, pushing her out of the way just in time. Edelgard knew just enough faith magic to close the wound. What she didn’t know was how to figure out where they were.
Neither child was sure how long they’d been walking for. They hadn’t chosen a specific route when they fled. All they cared about was getting out alive. The mages volleyed them with dark magic, but they’d managed to outrun each attack.
Hopefully their parents had too.
The sun began to set, and soon both Edelgard and Dimitri’s bellies rumbled. In their panic, neither had thought to grab supplies— though if they’d remembered, they could have gotten themselves killed. They were starving, but they were alive.
“There’s got to be a town somewhere,” said Edelgard. She kicked at the dirt. “We couldn’t have run that far.”
“If we find one, do you think they’ll feed us?” Dimitri asked. “We don’t have any money.”
“If they have a heart they will,” Edelgard said. “What kind of jerk would turn away two children in need?”
Dimitri shrugged. The two continued on, silent but for the rustle of the trees.
“Glenn told me once that there’s certain weeds you can eat,” Dimitri said. “Maybe we should try to find some of those.”
Edelgard faked a gag. "I’m not eating weeds!”
“Not even if you have to survive?”
“No!” She curled her lip. “Well, maybe. But I’d have to be really desperate!”
Dimitri frowned. “I feel pretty desperate.”
“Then try eating some,” Edelgard huffed.
“I can’t. Glenn didn’t teach me how to identify which ones are okay.”
“Why not?”
“He didn’t have time. Being a knight is hard work!”
Edelgard opened her mouth to protest, but stopped short when she caught a glimpse of a building ahead. She bolted towards it. When she breached the clearing, she gasped. What she saw could not be real. She rubbed her eyes. It had to have been her imagination. And yet, when she opened her eyes, it was still there. “Dimitri, look!”
Standing in front of the duo was a cabin made of confections. It was just like the houses she made with her siblings, but big enough to live in. The walls were made of crispy gingerbread, each panel held together at the seams by frosting mortar. Edelgard could smell the spices from where she stood. Colorful wafer cookie shingles covered the roof, gumdrops crowning the the apex. Red-hued marzipan bricks formed the chimney.
“No way!” Dimitri rushed up to the house. He broke a macaron off the wall and stuffed it in his mouth. “It’s real!”
Edelgard gasped. She should have chided Dimitri for eating part of a house (how gross!), but her hunger clouded her judgement. She ran over to Dimitri’s side.
He handed her a candy cane. “Here! Try for yourself!”
She placed the hook of the candy cane in her mouth. The crisp, refreshing taste of Dagdan peppermint sent a sweet chill through her. She hummed in delight.
“Maybe even the weeds are edible!” The crest of Blaiddyd flashed over Dimitri as he yanked a fistful of grass out of the ground. He shoved it in his mouth. His face contorted and he spit them out. “No, they’re not edible, never mind.”
Edelgard burst into laughter. “See? I told you!”
The two continued to feast on the house’s various fixings. Chocolate flower pots, meringue and marshmallow lanterns, even a gummy bear chess set. Dimitri eyed the caramel-apple doorknob with ravenous intent. He grasped for it, but paused midway, his face going red. “Um… now that I think about it, we should probably ask before we eat someone’s house.”
Edelgard peered through the sugar-glass windows. No light came from inside, and the sun was too far gone to see further. “I don’t think anyone is here.”
“Should we wait? It’s getting dark. I don’t want to be out here in the cold.” Dimitri pat his stomach. “I’m also starting to feel a bit sick.”
“Perhaps,” Edelgard said. “But those mages might—"
“Edelgard? Dimitri? Is that you?”
That voice. The children turned to see a familiar figure round the corner of the house. His long, slicked back hair swayed against his sharp jaw as he walked. Violet eyes pierced the veil of dusk.
“Uncle Volkhard!” Edelgard and Dimitri rushed up to the man, arms splayed wide. They tackled him in a hug. “We thought we’d never see you again!”
Their uncle returned the gesture with a stiff pat on the back. “I’m glad to see you two unharmed.”
Dimitri craned his head up. “What are you doing here?”
“I heard about the ambush, and I warped as close as I could,” he said. “Unfortunately it wasn’t close enough. I’ve been wandering around looking for you two and your parents.”
“Did you find mother and father?” asked Dimitri.
“No, I did not. But I’ve found you two. This is a blessing from the…” He cleared his throat. “…goddess.”
Edelgard stepped back. “Are you alright? Were we hugging you too hard?”
“No, I am fine,” he said. “I used a lot of my energy when I warped here. It’s rather tough on the body.”
Dimitri also took a step back. “Don’t work yourself too hard. You do so much already!”
“It’s getting late,” Uncle Volkhard said. “We should take shelter in this cabin. If the owner objects, I’ll give them a hefty reimbursement for their troubles.”
“If someone has a house made of dessert, I’m not sure they need money,” said Edelgard. “I bet you a witch lives here. A nice witch who makes sweets for children!”
“And what if it isn’t a nice witch?” Dimitri asked.
Edelgard smiled. “Then I’m sure Uncle Volkhard can take them!” She placed her hands on her hips. “Right, Uncle?”
Uncle Volkhard gave a pensive look. “I believe I could.”
The trio entered the house. Uncle Volkhard manifested a ball of magic in his hand. It cast an amethyst glow upon the single room. He cast the ball into the fireplace. It sparked against the wood, and the flames roared to life.
Edelgard blinked. Had his magic always been that color?
“You said your stomach hurt, yes?” Uncle Volkhard took a kettle from the counter. “Let me see what’s in the pantry. I can make something that might calm it. You two sit down and relax.”
The two nodded. In the center of the room was a peppermint table and two stools. A cookie chessboard laid center on the table, differently colored gummy bears on each side. Edelgard took the red side, while Dimitri took the blue side.
Dimitri smiled. “Alright El, show me what you’ve got! I play chess with Sylvain when he visits. He’s really good at it. I can’t beat him yet, but I’m sure I can beat you.”
Edelgard tapped her chin. “Well, the bears are all the same, so I think it’s checkers and not chess.”
“We can pick out which roles they get to be.” Dimitri picked up a bear. “This one is a pawn.”
“There’s no way we can keep track of that,” Edelgard said. “One moment you’ll say it’s a pawn, and the next you’ll say it’s a bishop. I’ll have no way of knowing if you’re lying or not!”
“Fine. But no cheating and eating my pieces while I’m not looking!”
The two began their game. It got rather heated, with both Edelgard and Dimitri pausing to consider their next move more than once. Eventually, Uncle Volkhard turned back to them, two mugs in hand. He handed them one each. Heat blanketed Edelgard’s palms. She took a sip. Creamy custard smothered her tastebuds, and she hummed, relishing the sweet vanilla taste.
“This is delicious,” Dimitri purred. “Thank you, Uncle Volkhard!”
With her body warm and belly full, Edelgard felt at peace for the first time since morning. Her eyelids grew heavy. Dimitri yawned. Uncle Volkhard
“You two go to sleep,” he said. “I’ll tend to the fire. We’ll depart in the morning.”
The children put their mugs on the table. Edelgard smiled at Dimitri. “Want to finish our game tomorrow?”
“Perhaps,” said Dimitri. His eyelids fluttered. “But I just want to find mother and father as soon as possible.”
Over in the corner was a sizeable bed with a frame made of hard pretzel. Edelgard pushed down the bedding— it was fabric, thank goodness. As much as she loved candy, it woudln’t make a very good blanket. She laid down. The cloud-like cushion was just what she needed after such a stressful day. She nestled her nose into the pillow, catching a whiff of cotton candy. Dimitri slid in next to her. The pretzel-wood creaked and groaned under their combined weight.
Edelgard closed her eyes to sleep, but her mind raced with worries. Who had those mages been? Their intent had been to kill, that was clear. Regular bandits wouldn’t have set those fires, nor would they have attacked her and Dimitri as they ran. What did they want? And more importantly… “Dee?”
Dimitri opened an eye. “Yeah, El?”
“Do you think mother and father are alright?”
Dimitri turned to his side. “I don’t know.”
“I hope they are,” Edelgard said.
“Me too, El.”
Edelgard awoke to find Dimitri already gone. She glanced around the room, but all she saw was Uncle Volkhard. He stood in front of the fireplace, which still burned bright. Edelgard’s stomach rumbled. Perhaps he was making breakfast?
Her uncle turned and smiled. His hands were folded behind his back— no breakfast for her yet. “Ah, good morning Edelgard.”
“Good morning, Uncle Volkhard!” Edelgard chirped. “Where’s Dimitri?”
“He went out to collect some firewood,” said Uncle Volkhard. “I figured it would be best to replace what we used last night.”
“Ah, good idea!” She jumped out of bed. “Do you want me to go find him?”
Uncle Volkhard shook his head. “No, that won’t be necessary. The boy has the Crest of Blaiddyd. He can handle it himself.”
“Fair point,” said Edelgard. “I’m just worried about those mages from yesterday finding us. Dee is strong, but even father had trouble fending them off.”
“There’s something I need to fetch outside myself as well,” Uncle Volkhard said, seemingly ignoring Edelgard’s worries. Wasn’t he worried about his brother-in-law? “Edelgard, would you be a dear and watch over the fire for me?”
“Alright,” she said. “But don’t be gone too long, okay?”
“I won’t.”
Uncle Volkhard left. Edelgard took a candy cane and prodded at the flames. They danced, the cake logs underneath turning to ash. It was a hypnotizing sight. But Edelgard found she couldn’t stand still for long. She roamed around the cabin, taking in the sweet scenery. Just as she was about to observe the candy adorned wardrobe, her toes slammed into something. She winced, shaking her foot. This entire house was made of candy, but whatever she’d hit felt like metal. She glanced down. A trap door sat at her feet. That hadn’t been there last night, had it? She knelt and pulled the handle. A shaft of light illuminated the pitch-black cellar. Within, she saw a familiar face.
“El! I’m down here, El!” Dimitri stood at the bottom of the hole. His face was fraught with panic. “El!”
“Dee?” She knelt down, hands grasping the edge of the opening. “Are you okay? How did you end up down there?”
“I had a nightmare, and I woke up and I saw—" He stepped back, his eyes wide with horror. “El!”
Sharp pain ripped through Edelgard’s scalp. She screamed. Her hands grasped for her hair, clawing at the fist holding it. “Let me go!”
Her assailant tugged harder before letting go. Edelgard tumbled backwards. Her back slammed hard against the floor, a dull yet intense pain erupting within. She groaned. Only now did she notice the cabin door was still open. She’d been spotted— but by who? Shaking, she pushed herself up by her elbows, only for her whole body to freeze over upon sight of her assailant.
It was none other than Uncle Volkhard.
“El!” Dimitri’s cries rattled her bones. “El, you need to run!”
But she couldn’t. Dimitri couldn’t see their uncle looming over her. Edelgard crawled backwards, her heart racing and breath heavy. Uncle Volkhard creeped closer. Her back
Uncle Volkhard, who’d snuck her sweets during church. Uncle Volkhard, who’d taken her to see the opera. Uncle Volkhard, who’d been the one to reunite her and her mother. Uncle Volkhard was going to kill her.
No. That wasn’t him. It couldn’t be.
“You’re…” She winced. “You’re not Uncle Volkhard.”
The monster grinned. “Clever girl.”
He snapped his fingers. A cloud of miasma enveloped him. The house around them began to melt. Blobs of sludge oozed down the wall, enveloping and amalgamating everything in their path. The floor began to rot. Edelgard cringed at the sickly-sweet stench filling her nostrils. Her uncle reached through the miasma and grabbed her by the collar. He yanked her away from the bed just before a mound of acid enveloped her head. The miasma around him dissipated.
Edelgard screamed.
Blank eyes stared back at her, carving fear into her very soul. They were rimmed with a strange black ring, the only thing separating them from his milky-white skin. His hair was equally devoid of color, greasy and untamed. A shock of a beard lined his sharp chin. He wore all black, save for the strange feather collar around his neck. Cold steel fingers brushed Edelgard’s throat.
“If you promise to obey me, I won’t hurt you,” he purred. His words dripped with honeyed poison. “Is that clear?”
Edelgard nodded. The wizard— at least she assumed he was a wizard of some sort— let her go. She scrambled to her feet.
The wizard sighed. “I wasn’t lying when I said all that warping exhausted me. You and your brother proved to be a pain to track down. I need you to assist me in making a warp spell to get the three of us back to my men.”
Edelgard’s face paled. “But I don’t know—"
Sharp pain burst across her cheek. It lingered, stinging like little needles. Tears welled up in her eyes.
The wizard scowled. “You’ll do as I say. Now get a stick and start drawing a circle in the dirt.”
Edelgard leapt over the line of sludge that used to be the house. She rushed to the nearest tree and broke off a branch, then rushed back to the wizard. Dimitri’s faint whimpers reached her ears. Her heart sank. “What about Dee? What are you going to do to him?”
“It’s hard enough managing one of you, much less two,” the wizard said. “He remains in the pit until we’ve finished. Then he comes with us.”
“And then?”
He didn’t answer.
Edelgard took the stick and drew a circle around herself. The wizard furrowed his brow.
“That’s too small,” he growled. “You need to draw it around the perimeter of the house.”
Edelgard sniffled. She didn’t know enough about magic to question his orders, but wondered what such a large circle was for. Perhaps, if she made it out of this alive, she would ask Hubert. She traced around the sludge, careful not to touch it with the stick.
“That will do,” said the wizard. He curled his fingers, beckoning her forth. “Now come here.”
Edelgard’s mind screamed at her to run, to get out of there and save her life. But she couldn’t leave Dimitri. She stepped inside the circle. Purple flames ignited around them. The wizard knelt down into the hole and hoisted Dimitri out. The poor boy flailed out of his arms. He near tackled Edelgard in an embrace, his arms shaking.
The wizard closed his eyes and began to chant. Edelgard didn’t recognize the language he spoke— it was guttural and sharp, unlike anything she’d heard before. The ring of flames grew higher around them. A small spark leapt from the flames onto the sludge. It caught fire. Bubbles erupted from the goo, expanding and popping with a vile hiss. Droplets splattered all around. The children stepped back.
Dimitri let go of Edelgard. He lowered his voice into a whisper. “El, do you still have that branch?”
She held it up. “It’s right here. Why?”
“I have an idea.” He broke the branch in two, then handed Edelgard his half. “I need you to get some of that goop on one of these, and light the other on fire.”
“But that stuff eats everything it touches,” She said. “It won’t hold very long.”
“I know. You’ll have to throw the branches in the pit as fast as you can.”
Edelgard craned her head around. The wizard still stood by the pit. He hadn’t noticed the sludge catch fire. “And then?”
“And then—"
The ground below them lit up with strange runes. Edelgard jolted. She tried to avoid stepping on the strange symbols, but felt no pain when she did.
Dimitri shoved her towards the wizard. “Now, El! Now!”
Edelgard tiptoed rapidly around the wizard. She scooped up the sludge with one of the sticks. The substance dripped off the end like honey. She chucked it into the pit before it melted down and ate her fingers. She then lit the other stick on fire and chucked it in as well. Acid and flames spewed from the pit.
Dimitri positioned himself at the wizard’s side. He beckoned to Edelgard. “Over here!”
Edelgard joined him. Their eyes locked.
“Okay,” he said. “Push!”
The two shoved their hands into the wizard’s side. The Crest of Blaidydd flashed over Dimitri’s head. The wizard fell into the pit.
A guttural scream pierced their ears. Sludge splashed up around them. Without a second thought, the children bolted. They leapt over the now-smoldering embers and across the clearing, barging right through the low hanging branches of the forest.
Neither looked back.
Edelgard and Dimitri held hands as they wandered through the woods. Their clothes remained tattered and burnt, but now had the smell of charred caramel to them. Edelgard’s cheek sported a swollen, festering bruise. It had been hours since their encounter with the wizard. The sun began to set once more, and the two wondered if they would ever see civilization again.
Edelgard’s feet ached. She let go of Dimitri’s hand and slouched down against a tree. The bark dug into her back. Her breath shook. “Dee?”
Tears ran down Dimitri’s cheek. “Yeah, El?”
“Do you think the wizard is dead?”
Dimitri gazed into the distance. “I don’t know.”
“I hope he is.”
“Me too, El.”
They sat there in silence, save for the rustling of the trees, the chirping of birds, and the faint sound of their sobs.
Something rustled nearby.
Edelgard jumped to her feet. Her nerves stood on end. Dimitri took a defensive stance, holding his arm out in front of her. Light shone from between the trees, and…
A man wearing the uniform of a Faerghus knight emerged from the bushes. He held aloft a lantern. His long navy ponytail swayed as he looked around. “Princess Edelgard! Prince Dimitri!”
“Glenn!” The children darted over to the knight. Dimitri splayed his arms out and tackled him in a hug, nearly knocking the lantern out of his hand.
“Oh, thank the goddess!” Glenn said. “Your mother and father have been so worried.”
“Where are they?” asked Dimitri. “Are they with you?”
“There’s a town nearby,” he said. “Your father was gravely injured protecting your mother. He’s recovering at the inn. They’ve sent all of us out to search for you in their stead.”
“Wait.” Edelgard took a step back. “Glenn, that’s really you, right?”
Glenn raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? It’s always been me.”
“Then say something only you would know.”
“Um…” Glenn tapped his chin. “Fe-Fe likes sweets but refuses to tell anyone.”
Dimitri’s face lit up. “It’s the real Glenn!”
“As opposed to…?” He shook his head. “Never mind. Let’s get you two to safety. Follow me.”
The children smiled. Finally, they were at peace.
Edelgard and Dimitri held hands as they walked back home.