Spellbound

Yeah!

Hey, Ellian! Wait up!

It's Princess Ellian. Open the gates.

Yeah!

Ugh.

Oh, come on. No, not the flare.

Again? Ellian, you just got out here.

Sorry, guys.

- Duty calls. - That's the glamorous life of a princess.

It's okay. We'll see you tonight at your birthday party.

Last year's was epic.

Yeah. This year it's gonna be just family.

You know, super caszh. Super small.

Really? That's not like you.

Well, I'm 15. I'm a real teenager now.

So I wanna spend more time with my parents.

Well, if you want to hang out later, we'll be down at the market.

- Bye, Ellian! - Come on. Let's go!

Good girl.

Princess Ellian!

I know I promised I wouldn't use the flare today, but...

Minister Nazara.

Huh?

Uh...

Your Highness.

The king and queen are requesting an audience.

Like an "audience" audience?

Like, a big one.

Hanging out at the market with my friends?

That's what I should be doing.

But can I?

- Princess! - No.

Come on, Flink.

Here we go again.

Keeping this secret is ruining my wardrobe.

Sorry, Minister Bolinar.

- Dad! Mom! - No, please!

If this ever got out...

Bad king. Bad queen.

Don't worry. I'm on it.

That's it. Over here.

Good queen.

- Did you finish your homework? - I'll do it when I get back.

You're ruining my life.

- Open this door! - Oh no.

It's General Cardona, again.

I want to see the king and queen.

Open the door.

Mom, Dad, shush.

We can't hold her off forever.

I know. But think about what she'd do if she found out.

- Let us in! - She's not exactly the chill type.

- Open this door! - But what can we say this time?

We've already used every possible excuse.

State visit.

Labor dispute.

Trade summit.

Uh... Allow me.

After all, I am the minister of communications.

Master of the spoken word.

Colonoscopies.

Masterful.

I will be back tomorrow.

And this time, I will see the king and queen.

- Sunshine, this can't go on. - I know.

It's been a year, and we still haven't figured out how...

How to break the spell. I know.

What are we gonna do?

Oh man. What now?

Presenting the royal postmaster.

I come with an update on your message to the Oracles of the Sun and Moon.

Oh, did they respond?

Now, as you know, the oracles live in the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness,

the most treacherous place.

Therefore, I sent eight

of my best birds to ensure the safe delivery of your message.

Great. Did they get it?

Upon entering the forest, seven of the eight birds

consumed enchanted berries of petrification

and were immediately turned to stone.

We honor them.

- Hmm. But the other... - Simon.

Millie.

Cedric.

Cedric II.

Hannigan.

Ambrose.

Little Dorrit.

Gone but not forgotten.

So tragic.

But that still leaves one bird.

And I'm hoping it's this guy

who's carrying a little, tiny scroll in his beak.

- Correct. - Oh!

My bravest bird, Old Joe, has returned with your reply,

forsaking all fear of the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness.

All the while limiting his intake of enchanted berries

to the smaller, slower-acting variety.

Oh! Oh.

Uh...

He was a good bird.

He was like a son to me.

"Add water."

Huh?

Hey, wh... where's the message? Where'd it go?

Flink, you little thief. Did you put it in your cheek again?

Uh-uh.

Oh.

Ooh.

Greetings, Princess Ellian of Lumbria.

We are the Oracles of the Sun and Moon.

Moon. Moon. Moon.

Your unfortunate situation intrigues us.

Yet to rectify this problem, we must observe it firsthand.

Hand. Hand. Hand.

Flink, they're coming here.

Therefore, expect us to arrive in your kingdom

on the eve of the third moon

on the third day of the third month.

Munch. Munch. Munch.

Not "munch."

- Mon- th. - Oh.

Month.

Third moon of the third day of the third month?

That's my birthday. That's tonight.

Oh! Happy birthday, Princess.

Didn't we agree to keep this whole thing mysterious and low-grade spooky?

Oh. Yes, we did.

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.

Anyway, we will be there soon.

Prepare for our arrival.

Yes!

No more monsters. No more secrets.

Just normal parents and a normal life.

I need to tell Bolinar and Nazara. They're gonna love this.

Oh, I hate this.

Look at the circles under my eyes.

What have we become?

I speak 17 languages.

I wrote our kingdom's constitution.

I am a mother-loving national treasure.

And this is how I have to spend my morning,