Their journey was a disaster of heroic proportions. A troll bridge? Bartok tried to pay the toll with a “magic” button. The troll chased them for a mile. A chasm of despair? Bartok attempted to fly across, but a gust of wind sent him tumbling into a mud puddle. Zozi had to carry him the rest of the way on his back.
The sound shattered Ludmilla’s illusion. Her reflection in the bell showed her not as a regal queen, but as a lonely, bitter old woman. With a shriek, she crumbled into dust, her own frozen heart turning to ash. bartok the magnificent script
Bartok’s ears drooped. He was the court jester, not a hero. He’d never even held a real sword. The closest he’d come to danger was stubbing his toe on a suit of armor. He missed his old friend, Ivan the Terrible’s son—at least he appreciated a good disappearing act. Their journey was a disaster of heroic proportions
“I’ve come for the prince’s heart!” Bartok squeaked, drawing his wand. It snapped in half. The troll chased them for a mile
But then he saw the little ice-prince’s face, frozen mid-giggle. The same giggle that had cheered Bartok on through a thousand failed magic tricks.
And then he realized something. The bell wasn't singing a song of youth. It was singing a song of truth .
He waved a crooked wand. A puff of pink smoke erupted. The laundry basket vanished. Unfortunately, the laundry did not. The royal undergarments rained down upon the stony-faced guards like a ridiculous blizzard.