Prison Garage:

Two officers dressed Blackstone in a casual gown inside the carriage.

Florence addressed the officers. "I'm not telling you where he is hiding for your safety."

"I have the emergency cabin near the woods in case, it doesn't work out," an officer said.

Florence applied makeup to Blackstone. He sparkled.

They left the prison, and the wide street twisted before them.

Their carriage weaved around couples celebrating the end of a street festival, and the last couple hugged under a tree decorated with string lights and paper rings.

Wendy cried, and she darkened the artificial sky to make it appear as if Blackstone was actually dead. It would be to hide from the troops, who'd use the stormy weather as an excuse to guzzle barrels of excess mead.

Dozens of younger troops played in the rain. Wendy changed the temperature.

The carriage stopped in front of the busy train station, and the officers fed the unicorns. 

Trains zipped along, and they waited for the prince's escape train to arrive.

Chatter among the well-dressed passengers disguised their thumping hearts, but the prince drew stares. 

The solar train used batteries to run in the shadow of darkness, and they waited. Trains received filtered sunlight through Wendy, no matter the weather, but it only snowed when enough children wanted a snow day.

Wendy lightly created snow, and the children received a day off.

Ticket takers dressed in black and red uniforms.

Florence, her brother, and the nurse lifted Blackstone into the solar train.

They fooled everyone.

Blackstone appeared to be a woman—and otherworldly beautiful.

Men handed him their numbers.

Edgar unloaded the heavy chair in the back with the badges as if it were a toy.

They entered the train. The compartment was only partially renovated, with the first three rows and images of the purple and pink flowers.

Florence monitored the prince's breathing.

A wooden floor replaced the translucent one, but the red and white stripes stopped halfway, revealing what appeared to be rest-colored drops of blood, where the new queen dispatched her mother.

Attendants twisted fairy lights and fake ivy across the metal bar underneath the overhead baggage.  

Edgar and the hospice nurse sat in the row across from Florence and Blackstone.

The train started moving over the tracks and picked up speed.

Blackstone coughed, and even his coughs were like music, soft and sweet.

Florence purchased Blackstone ginger soda from the lunch cart and gave him his pills.

A couple of Petunia's troop members burst into the cabin.

A large man adjusted his eye patch. "The queen wants her taxes." He shot a passenger with a laser gun and held a burlap bag open for valuables. "I'll turn the level up to cooked beef if you don't hand me the loot."

The victim clutched his side and handed the thief gems. "Please, don't kill me."

A female troop member grabbed wallets. "No credit cards. Every shop requires an ID now." She reached for Blackstone. "This girl is beautiful. Take her hostage. I bet her boyfriend will pay a fortune."

The broad-shouldered man aimed his laser gun at Blackstone's lips. "Sweetie, you're coming with us."

"Here, take my money." Florence tossed her backpack into the man and kicked him into the serving cart.

Lemon pies fell on the man, and he fired into his leg.
"I didn't even need to use magic." Florence snatched their weapons and left them at the next stop. "Enjoy walking through the woods, and I hope the wild animals don't eat you."

Around dinner time, the train stopped, and they took a carriage to the Blue Carnation Inn across the street from the theater.

Florence pretended not to stare at the men searching for those waiting in line to enter the theater, and she needed to wait until they were gone.

Florence pushed his wheelchair.

A burly innkeeper with the face and wings of a purple dragon opened the door. His scales reflected in the doorway light, and claw-like hands rested on a lacy blue apron that matched his uniform. Like Florence, he couldn't fly more than an inch off the ground. "They're searching for the prince's body. I bet on an engagement tree that Alva and Griffin killed him." The light in his violet eyes dimmed. "I can't believe Blackstone is dead."

"Maybe he escaped to the woods..." Florence paused. "Kyle, I need to use your 3D med printer because the pharmacy and the apothecary are both closed. We'll have something small to eat while we wait."

"Sorry for being so sad." Kyle grinned softly, but his eyes dimmed. "Hello, my lovely Florence, you brought a friend." Kyle stared at Blackstone. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"

"Maybe we met once," Blackstone wheezed.

Kyle guided Blackstone and Florence to the front of the line, near the back of the restaurant.

A refrigerator-sized 3D printer the size of three ovens stood in the back.

Florence placed gems in the slot and scanned the prescription with her ID. The machine printed a glass bottle, and purple syrup liquid poured into it. The machine printed her medicine next, and she pocketed the pale green pills.

One customer glared at her for not being strong enough to deal with her misfiring brain on her own, but Florence wasn't weak. Now that she was out of the military, she didn't have to jump through hoops about her meds. She always followed the rules with only a single daily dose, but Griffin still used it as an excuse to promote Alva over her.

Florence witnessed the prince kill people with his truth potion and his addictions, yet Alva was still selected.

She took her medications in private, and always followed the instructions, to avoid addiction.

Blackstone was more talkative after he drank the syrup. 

Florence whispered into his ear. "Kyle's father died last year, and he took over."

"We need to leave. Kyle is a friend of mine, but..." Blackstone sipped the medicine.

Florence sat on the blue chairs and pushed Blackstone to the matching table. Every plate, every cup, had a different shade of blue pattern.

A server rushed to the table and arranged blue carnations on their table.

"Florence, I've ridden on a train before, but not as often as I like. I can pay. The guards kept my gems for me and hid them from my family." He placed a napkin on his lap.

She drank a glass of mint water. "Don't worry, I have you covered."

Kyle squinted as he walked over again with another pitcher of water. "Did I cook for you at the castle or the festival?"

"No, Kyle, I mean... I've never attended any of the festivals." Blackstone broke into a coughing spell and took a sip of his medicine.

"She'll be receiving private medical care," Florence stammered.

"What are you hungry for?" Kyle's eyes widened. "Sorry, you reminded me of a friend."

"Can we have bowls of onion stew and two soft puddings?" She handed him a fist full of gift cards and vouchers.

He took two and shoved the rest back at her. "No, I promised you steaks and two kinds of cheesecake." Kyle frowned.

"I love cheesecake," Blackstone said. "The cheesecakes are legendary."

"Fine, but I still want the pudding." Florence grinned. "I should've asked what you wanted."

"Fried egg on toast is fantastic." Blackstone weakly took up a glass and drank it, but he managed.

"Of course." Kyle glanced at the makeup on Blackstone's wrist. "I'll help."

Florence leaned in closer to Kyle. She whispered to him. "I promised I'd save my new friend at all costs."

A man lurched from his table, knocking his frosted lemonade into his soup. He placed his greasy hand on Blackstone's hip. "You're pretty. Can I sit in your wheelchair, or on your lap?"

"Leave now!" Florence waved the man off.

Kyle winked at her. "How about homemade gingersnap punch?" He took a full jug to their table. "Usually I'm not up this late, but I called in an emergency delivery, and the loser is late again."

Florence helped Blackstone drink the light, tan, bubbly liquid. "This punch is good for dehydration."

The dairyman stopped his carriage outside the glass doors and tied his unicorns, before entering. His breath smelled like spoiled beer, dead frogs, and rancid potatoes.

Florence and Blackstone gagged, but then the scent subsided when the man sprayed his mouth with mint to cover the stench. He tried to shimmy to impress Blackstone and Florence.

The dairyman showed off his muscles and spilled milk on Florence's lap.

She squealed and turned to Blackstone.

"Oops, can I lap that off of you?" The dairyman grinned at her.

"No, keep away from me." She held him back with one hand.

Kyle glowered at the dairyman. "You're five hours late."

"You called me in the middle of a party, not my problem." The dairyman placed milk on the floor. The white liquid formed curdled bits.

"That is only good for waffles," Kyle said. "I can't serve it in tea."
The dairyman slurred his words. "They're beasts; who cares?"

Florence dug her fingers into the table and clenched her teeth as she talked. "Wisps are not beasts. I'm related to wisps by marriage."
The dairyman fell into a chair. "Your brother is no longer related to wisps because his wife is dead and gone."

Kyle glared at the man. "Wisps are kinder than you are and less useless. This milk is curdled and not lactose-free. You forgot to turn on the refrigeration again. Next time, I'm buying from your competitor."

"I'm the best deal in town because I only buy the cheapest milk and cheese, and she isn't open this late." The man belched.

"She comes on time." Kyle stomped his foot.

The dairyman ignored the innkeeper, and he turned to Florence and slobbered on her hand. "Look, I'm the hottest man in town and the best boyfriend."

She wiped his spittle on her pressed napkin.

The man licked her hand. "Florence, who is your hot friend, and can we go out again?"

"She is leaving, and double no." Florence wiped her hand again.

"You're creepy." Blackstone glared at him, wheezed, and guzzled his medicine.

Florence ran, bought more medicine, and ran back to him. "My friend has a delicate constitution. Will you leave us alone? This is why I'd rather smash my fingers with a filthy plunger than go out with you. Were your parents smoking unicorn dung when they conceived you?"

The man placed his hand over Blackstone's. "You both love me." He backed up, tipping his hat when he walked out.

Florence sighed. "That freak was one of the many blind dates Queen Petunia set me up with."

Kyle paced around. "Florence, I don't know what to do. I need to prepare a portage and tea for breakfast."

Blackstone stopped wheezing. "I don't know much about wisps other than they are covered in fur, but if you can find sheep or almond milk and if wisps aren't allergic, then you can use it as a substitute. I have never been to New Joy. Would they allow me to visit them underground?"

Kyle shook his head, 'no.' "Probably not while they own farms. They won't let rabble enter their cities due to the war we thought they started."

Blackstone turned to Florence. "Can we please stay a little longer?" The Damsel whispered. "Maybe Tribeca's daughter will show. She usually attends these meetings, and I catered the events before."

"No, we need to leave." Florence touched his arms.

Florence checked her phone.

She pushed his chair past the theater, near the edge of Wendy's thick, translucent skin.

"I'm pretty sure he recognized me. He used to work in the castle three years ago, before my great-grandmother died," Blackstone said.

"If he recognizes you, he won't tell." She poked Wendy to wake her. "Oh, hi Florence, how are you doing, and you weren't kidding about wearing a disguise?"

Blackstone spoke with a wheeze. "I know I'm dressed differently, but I wanted to see you."

An eye formed in the middle of the dome. "Florence, please save him." Wendy sobbed a little, and rain poured down.

He spoke and shook the rain off of him. "I'm fine, but it's going to be months until I'm fully recovered."

Wendy stopped crying.

Blackstone wheezed, and Florence gave him more medicine. She touched up his makeup, but he still looked beautiful without it.

"We used to talk all day through the windows or on the roof." The dome formed a hand and patted his back. "At least my two best friends can fall in love."

"Stop joking," Florence said. "I'll send Miriam to give you updates, use our communication door, or we'll call you. Griffin finally admitted he lost his sandman powers."

Wendy's voice lowered. "He's a faker."

"The Damsel needs to rest." Florence carried Blackstone's wheelchair into the massive movie complex with him in it.

They entered the shuttered lobby.

Movie posters hung everywhere except for the snack counter. Large video machines with dupe, or sound-alike titles, lined the left wall, glowing, and waiting for coins.

"I'll have my dad take his carriage out in an hour with the chair. This is for your safety."

"It won't be enough." Blackstone started to cough.

Florence gave him more medicine, brushed his long hair out of his face with her fingers, and felt him shutter. "I'll protect you."

Miriam greeted them as they entered the shuttered lobby. "Your new friend is lovely," Miriam said. "It's Prince Blackstone." Florence pointed to him.

"I would've never guessed." Miriam leaned against an out-of-service video game machine called Mr. Fantastic Munch Attack. "Petunia is looking for people to rob, but she left, disappointed."

Blackstone turned to Florence, lucky to be able to turn his head. "Petunia and her boyfriend, Alva, worked together."

Miriam sat on the red carpet. "Disgusting! Who would kiss Prince Alva?"

"I can't believe you didn't know that. They're close to getting married, and I feel sorry for their future children," Florence said.

Blackstone frowned. "It's hard talking about him. My life before Alva kidnapped me wasn't that terrible." He wheezed again.

"Do you want to be king?" Florence asked.

"No, I want to work in a bakery or pizza shop." He glanced at his feet.

Miriam asked what happened in detail. Florence smiled and told her.

"Okay, Miriam, you're right."

Miriam pointed to Theater 3. "Blackstone, honey. Go on, I need to chat with Florence." She pointed to Theater 3. "Blackstone, honey. Go on, I need to chat with Florence." Miriam texted Florence's dad, and he ran to them. "Take him to Florence's booth and set up the second micro apartment."

Dad nodded and rolled Blackstone in his chair into the theater.

"But he shouldn't stay with me without Edgar because you'll mock me. He is supposed to hide in your room, it's not like you ever use it."

"They're separate apartments. Besides, sweetie, when was the last time you made out with a guy? I'm positive he'd be up for it. Don't you feel sorry for him?"

"I felt sorry for Griffin," Florence said.

"Okay, bad example. It has been two years since you've had a relationship, and a sweet guy who can't run away fell into your arms."

"You sound just like Wendy. Only she plans on being a bride's maid." Florence slid a coin into a zombie war strategy game, but she turned the sound down as she played. "But it'll put Prince Victor back into our lives. Ever since his last divorce, he's been giving you the eye again when your back is turned."

Miriam unplugged the game. "No wonder Petunia hasn't tried to kill me lately. That is gross. If I tell Victor that I'm not really depressed without you and that I've been married this entire time, it won't end well. I'd prefer for him to think that I'm miserable."

Florence walked to the counter and grabbed a small bag of stale popcorn. She finished it and tossed it out. "Miriam, if this were a movie scene, you'd fail the Bechdel Test. The test is a feminist benchmark for movies. To pass the test, two women must chat about something other than a dumb romance or a cute guy. I want to talk about upgrading our security system."

"Florence, baby, the Bechdel Test started as a joke, and we aren't in a movie. Passing the test doesn't mean it's pro-women; it's a starting point."

"Whatever." Her eyes narrowed.

"Florence, life isn't pretty or neat; we don't have false defeats. We have real ones. Petunia, the psycho, demoted me today for speaking against her orphan program. I miss her mother, but I can't say that out loud."

Florence and Miriam hugged.