The chirpy little thing landed right by Arabella's face, on the floor, but it's tweeting wasn't of the happy kind.
The melody it sang was one full of frenzy and distress.
"By the fairy Godmother! What have they done to you?" the black bird cried.
"Floriel, is this you?" Arabella's voice barely managed to squeeze through her dry throat.
"It is I indeed! What have they done to you?" Floriel wept.
"Please, calm yourself and lower your voice," the young woman tried to push her weight off the ground but failed miserably, plopping right down where she initially was, "We do not have much time. The prince might return at any moment. Do tell me, have the others infiltrated the castle yet?"
