Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Witch of Fate’s Great Call - Chapter 5
As they were about to board the carriage, Catherine grabbed Kalynia’s arm.
“What’s the point of having a fancy carriage? Your clothes are still the same.”
Only after Catherine’s remark did Kalynia realize she’d forgotten to change out of her shabby cloak. Embarrassed, she quickly stepped down from the carriage to change her outfit.
“Do your own magic for your clothes.”
Catherine said primly to her sister. It wasn’t that she was being petty and refusing to help Kalynia with a spell—rather, she was low on energy after already casting so much magic. Even the spell she had just cast could break if she wasn’t careful.
“Kalynia, are you really going to go through with this?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t get it… Fine, do as you like.”
In her heart, Catherine wanted to just let her sister do whatever she pleased and return home. But despite her annoyance, this was her only younger sister, and she couldn’t abandon her to a potentially dangerous plan.
Though she had many siblings older than her, she had only one younger sister. She couldn’t just leave her to her fate.
Finally, Catherine raised her hands in surrender.
With Catherine also transformed by magic into an appropriate dress as a lady-in-waiting, their preparations were complete.
The two witches took the carriage in the deep night, heading once again toward the castle they had visited earlier that day.
“I’ll need to check your invitation.”
When it was their turn, the guard demanded.
Kalynia snapped open her fan and looked at the guard through the carriage window. This wasn’t the same guard she had seen earlier in the day.
He looked young, nervous, and somewhat inexperienced.
“I forgot to bring the invitation.”
She tried to use her presence to bluff her way past him, but the guard, perhaps accustomed to such tricks, looked at her suspiciously.
“No one is allowed in without an invitation.”
“How dare you speak so rudely to Her Highness!”
Though she had been annoyed earlier, Catherine now stepped forward assertively, scolding the guard with an air of a loyal lady-in-waiting.
“Is this how the Snow Kingdom treats the esteemed princess of the Crow Kingdom after inviting her?”
Catherine’s firm voice made the guard flinch. Kalynia smirked under her fan.
“It’s alright, Catherine. We can leave.”
“But, Your Highness…”
“We’ll just inform Father that we were treated like lowly impostors at the Snow Kingdom.”
The sisters worked seamlessly together.
The guard’s face darkened as he watched their flawless performance. Kalynia decided to push things a bit further.
“What’s your name, guard? I need to tell my lord father who has disgraced me so.”
Kalynia knew well what would most frighten a low-ranking guard.
Sure enough, the guard hesitated, mumbled, and finally allowed them to pass without giving his name.
The pumpkin carriage pulled up safely in front of the castle steps. Kalynia gracefully took Catherine’s hand and exited the carriage.
The Snow King had indeed sent invitations far and wide.
As they had heard at the inn, the steps were already bustling with people. Their carriage was mixed among many others, making the place look almost like a marketplace.
“So, what’s the plan now, Your Highness?”
“First, let’s go inside. And watch your tone, Lady Catherine.”
Kalynia chided her sister for speaking too familiarly with a ‘princess’. Catherine felt a flash of irritation but held back, as a commotion was stirring behind them.
“It was a carriage just a moment ago!”
“Suddenly, the carriage… it’s a frog?”
“Eek! A frog’s on my dress! Get it off!”
So that’s why the spells wore off so quickly.
As the magic on the carriage and coachman faded, people around them gasped and whispered in surprise.
“We’d better head inside quickly, before we get caught and thrown out thanks to you, Princess.”
Catherine muttered as she nudged Kalynia forward.
Who would have thought the spells would unravel so soon? She had definitely cast too many spells at once.
Kalynia, a bit disheartened, nodded. The only fortunate thing was that her dress’s magic remained intact.
The castle interior was lavish, and the ballroom was even more so. Filled with flowers and decorations, it seemed to flaunt the Snow Kingdom’s wealth.
“So, what’s the plan now?”
Catherine asked as Kalynia, wide-eyed, took in the view. Kalynia, hiding most of her face behind her fan, glanced around to see if any mirrors were nearby. The ballroom contained several.
Which one could be Grimdelwald’s mirror?
She only knew that it would answer any question, but had no idea what it looked like.
Kalynia suggested that they split up and examine the mirrors one by one. If one of them found it, they’d return to the inn, or they’d meet there later if the search was unsuccessful.
Kalynia approached a mirror and whispered.
“Are you the magic mirror?”
The first mirror didn’t respond. The second mirror didn’t, either.
Only after she’d asked every mirror in the ballroom did she realize—
A valuable mirror like that wouldn’t be left so openly in a place where anyone could touch it!
