Desperate Remedies

"The King will return from his surveillance of the land in two days, Elwood," Magician Topoli reminded him sternly as he rose from his seat to move behind the table laden with brewing potions. Wisps of smoke coalesced into ephemeral clouds, gradually darkening as they inundated their liquid into a waiting beaker.

"The Queen's condition is dire, and the entire Kingdom was relying on you this morning," Topoli's tone was heavy with disappointment. "We needed a cure, and now, thanks to your mishap, her plight has worsened. Time is of the essence, Elwood."

"Topoli, I... I know the gravity of the situation," Elwood stammered, his mind momentarily drifting back to those enchanting blue eyes. "But the Courtier... her eyes, they... they distracted me. I couldn't help it."

"Elwood, this is not the time for youthful distractions!" Topoli snapped. With a sharp motion, he slammed his fist down on the desk, causing the potions to tremble and bubble erratically.

"The Queen's life hangs in the balance, and your heedlessness could cost us dearly," his voice raised an octave. "You must set aside these frivolous thoughts and focus on finding a solution before it's too late!"

“But” Elwood began. “Her eyes. They were unusual. I think she had cast a spell on me Topoli.”

"Enough, Elwood," Topoli snapped, his tone cutting through the air like a whip. "We need your full attention on the task at hand, not on some imagined enchantment."

He fixed Elwood with a stern glare, his brow furrowing with impatience. "Now, focus, Elwood. Lives depend on it, including ours!”

EARLIER THAT DAY

Elwood whispered an incantation, channelling the energies of the ancient masters into a spell. Summoning every iota of his magic, he intensified his spell, beads of sweat formed on his brow as his voice echoed through the Queen's chamber.

“Unt ta la muk al te wizz.

As each utterance left his lips, his magic surged through his veins.

What if I fail? Will it cost me dearly?

He dared to open his eyes, only to find himself captivated by the gaze of one of the Courtiers, perhaps the most stunning he had ever beheld. Her deep blue eyes transfixed him as she coyly winked in his direction. Elwood snapped his eyes shut, admonishing himself to focus. No distractions, not with the fate of the kingdom in my hands. Concentrate, he told himself.

“La woo tre kelb…"

Those beautiful blue eyes, I can’t get them out of my head… I could look into them all day…

Elwood chanted. He reopen his eyes and stumbled over the incantation.

“Too ve hocus abarbara cadabara… oh.”

In a flash of light and a ripple of energy, the spell cast, and the air crackled with electricity. The Courtier’s eyes moved from Elwood, who had fallen silent to the Queen.

The Queen’s delicate features were still pale and drawn, her breathing shallow and laboured. Elwood’s heart sank when the Courtier’s expression of longing, crumbled into defeat. He knew he had failed and as the weight of his failure pressed down on him like a leaden cloak, he scolded himself for his own stupidity.

Abracadabra, you moron, what kind of gobbledegook was that!

Later that evening, Elwood sought any clue that could assist him in reversing the spell's effects and the Queen’s illness. With the King away on surveillance of the land, he had only two days to find a remedy before his return. ElwoodrRummaged through dusty tomes and ancient scrolls in the library but to no avail.

The Queen's condition was worsening by the hour and the weight of the mornings activities pressed heavily on his mind. Elwood’s hands shook as he hurried through ancient tomes and scrolls in search of the perfect spell.

Soon, night fell over the palace, casting long shadows that danced eerily in the dim candlelight. The library was silent save for the rustle of pages and the occasional creak of floorboards under Elwood's frantic footsteps as he hurried to gather more books from the shelves.

He experimented with different potions and charms, but nothing would budge the Queens feverish illness.

And then, he stumbled upon it – a dusty old storybook tucked away in a corner of the library. He turned its yellowed pages until he found the tale of Snow White and the magical kiss that broke her curse.

Elwood decided he would recreate the fabled kiss and pray that it held the power to save the Queen. I’ve got nothing to lose, I love the Queen, everyone does.

Later that evening as the lanterns flickered and died, casting the Queen’s wing into darkness, Elwood stole through the corridors like a shadow.

He reached her chambers, his heart beating in his chest like a drum. He twisted the handle of the door which creaked open. The room was dark enough for Elwood to see the Queen lying on her bed, her breaths laboured. Beside her, the Courtier slept soundly, unaware of Elwood's presence.

Elwood stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the Queen's pallor lips. He leaned in, his mouth trembling as he prepared to bestow her with the kiss of recovery. But just as his lips were about to make contact, Elwood’s robes caught on the carvings of the bed posts, his balance faltered, and with a sickening crash, he tripped over the fabrics of his robes into a nearby vase.

The sound of shattered porcelain broke the silence of the chamber, rousing the Queen and her Courtier from their slumber. Elwood panicked and as he scrambled to his feet, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"I was just... I was trying to," his words tumbled over each other. "I thought... I thought maybe... I'm sorry."

Elwood could only watch helplessly as the Queen's condition continued to deteriorate before his eyes. Her hacking cough sent ripples of pain through her frail body, her eyes filled with tears, her energy sapped. Elwood stared at his Queen in horror. The Courtier caught his eye. The blazing fury of livid blue eyes seared into his soul.

He turned away from the Queen's bedside. “I’m sorry,” he repeated slowly.

Back in his alchemic lab, the hours sped away, Elwood’s desperation grew to panic. Each potion brewed, each charm cast, only served to amplify the weight of his mistake, the memory of those captivating blue eyes bore down on him.

Remembering an old legend whispered among the elders, Elwood headed to the forgotten archives hidden deep in the bowels of the palace dungeon. He held little hope of discovering anything of value. Cobwebs brushed against his skin like ghostly fingers as he trekked deeper through the tunnels. After many hours and covered in dust Elwood uncovered an ancient tome containing the secrets of long-forgotten spells and remedies—and a potion rumoured to restore balance to even the direst of magical mishaps.

“I found it,” Elwood yelled as he turned the page, “The remedy that will save our Queen, redeem my honour, and restore hope to our Kingdom.”

Just as his words hung in the air, a voice cut through the small room like a knife, sharp and cold.

"Elwood..."

Turning slowly, Elwood met the stern gaze of Magician Topoli.

Topoli stepped forward.

"What have you found, Elwood? Is it truly the solution we seek, or merely another false hope?" he asked, his tone tinged with scepticism.

Elwood's heart sank at the doubt in Topoli's eyes. "I believe it is," he replied, "But we won't know for certain until we try."

With a nod of agreement, Topoli said, "Then let us waste no more time. The Queen's life hangs in the balance, and we cannot afford to delay any longer."

Elwood knew he had to act fast. He brewed the potion, infusing it with his hopes and prayers for the Queen’s health and his redemption. Even adding in a enchantment for finding love in the deep blue eyes of the Courtier.

As the final rays of sunlight bathed the palace in a warm glow, signalling the return of the King, Elwood knelt by the Queen's bedside, his hands clasped in fervent prayer. He had done everything in his power to save her, and now all he could do was wait and hope for the best.

And then, like a miracle unfolding before his eyes, he saw it – the Queen's eyes fluttered open, her gaze clear and bright as she turned to him with a smile.

"Thank you, Elwood," she whispered, her voice soft but filled with warmth. "You have saved me, and I will be forever grateful."

Elwood's heart swelled with relief as he watched the colour return to the Queen's cheeks and the strength flow back into her feeble limbs. The elixir worked its magic, banishing the darkness of illness and restoring her to vibrant health.

Tears pricked at the corners of Elwood's eyes as he returned her smile.

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the palace halls, the return of the King.

With a quick bow to the Queen, Elwood hurried to greet his monarch at her quarter’s doors, his heart pounded.

As the King entered the chamber, his eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of his Queen, her complexion glowing, her energy that of a young doe. But before he could utter a word, Elwood stepped forward, his voice ringing out with confidence.

"Your Majesty," he said. "I am pleased to report that the Queen is restored to health."

The King's eyes assessed Elwood curiously.

"You have performed a great service to our kingdom. Elwood, is it?" he asked.

“Yes, your Majesty.”

"As a token of my appreciation, I hereby bestow upon you the highest honour – the title of Royal Magician of Aurora."

Elwood smarted with pride, his eyes shining.

The King cleared his throat and continued.

"And," he said. "You may choose a wife from among the noblewomen of our court."

A gasp of surprise escaped Elwood's lips at the King's unexpected offer, his mind reeled with the possibility. He glanced around the chamber; his eyes fell on a familiar figure – the Courtier with the deep blue eyes that had enchanted him from the moment he saw her.

Elwood stepped toward her, his heart pounding.

"I choose her," he said, his voice filled with certainty. "The Courtier with the deep blue eyes. She is the one I wish to marry."