Chapter 19

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Out came James, Desmond, the knight and Hildegard pushing forward a gigantic cannon. It wasn't a real cannon, at least not in the traditional sense. It couldn't fire out a cannonball but it could fire a person to outer space.

The guards suddenly got scared, backing away.

"That's not a real cannon, you fools!" yelled Friedrich, but no one heard him because the guards were screaming in panic. 

James and the crew pushed the cannon forward, positioning it right under Friedrich. Amber and Sofia released the ropes and Prince Friedrich fell straight into the nozzle of the cannon. Then, with a combined effort, everyone pushed the cannon forward. All the fighting had stopped and the guards and band of thieves were nowhere to be seen.

"Careful, don't run over Hugo," said Amber. Sofia saw his limp body lying on the floor. Grief-stricken, she fell on her knees before him.

The others looked at her forlornly, but they had a mission to complete. They continued pushing the cannon and Amber whispered to Sofia that they would be back.

As they exited the castle, Sofia cradled Hugo's face in her lap. His cheeks were pale and cold to the touch.

She was such a fool for believing that they could ever be reunited. 

The previous night she had fantasized that once they had gotten rid of Friedrich, she and Hugo could get back together and things could return to the way they used to be.

She had waited all these years for him, just to lose him again. 

And this time it was for good.

She would never get to hear his laugh ever again, or see the way his green eyes crinkled when he smiled. He would never be able to soar across the ice and do stargazer spins and quadruple fireball flips.

They would never be able to race through the sky on their flying horses or ice dance under the moonlight.

As the tears flowed from her face, she sang,

In another life

I would be your girl

We'd keep all the promises

Be us against the world

In another life

I would make you stay

So I don't have to say you were

The one that got away

The one that got away

("The One That Got Away" by Katy Perry)

━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━

Outside, Amber, James, Desmond, Hildegard and the knight had managed to push the cannon out to the yard.

Friedrich was yelling "RELEASE ME, I BEG OF YOU!"

"Do you know how to work this thing?" James asked Desmond.

Desmond nodded, checked over his notes then said, "Position the nozzle straight toward the sky."

With a few cranks of some levers, and the push of some buttons, they managed to get the cannon in the right position. 

"Here goes nothing," said Desmond.

"3...

2...

1... 

BLASTOFF!" said everyone in unison.

Prince Friedrich shrieked like a banshee as he shot up into the sky.

"And BOOM goes the cannon!" hollered James, punching his fist in the air. 

"He's getting very tiny," observed Hildegard.

"What if he comes back down?" pondered Amber.

"He wouldn't survive the landing," said Desmond. "Even with his fancy armor," he added.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, the Freezenburg guards and servants started cheering and clapping. 

"What? We just got rid of your crown prince and you're celebrating?" asked James.

"We hate that guy! You saved us!"

Before they could continue celebrating, Amber rushed back into the castle to check on Sofia. 

The rest followed.

They found her with Hugo's head in her lap, sobbing.

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