"Furthermore, I never want to catch you sneaking about the castle again! Your duty is in the stables, not the main part of the castle! What if one of the nobles had seen you, hmmm?" The director of servants glared down at the stable girl, who was quite cowering under his reproachful stare.
"I'm s-s-sorry, s-s-s-sir, but I was told t-t-t-to…"
"Harlan, what in blazes is all this noise about?"
The two arguing felines were interrupted by the arrival of a black and white Tom, closely followed by a orange tabby that was wringing his paws restlessly.
Harlan, a dark brown Tom who was already going gray around the ears from too much worry, looked up and immediately bowed deeply. "Prince Mystoffeylese, I forgive you if I have bothered you in any way…"
Mystoffeylese waved one paw at the Tom, dismissing him with a glance. Turning to the Queen Harlan had been yelling at, he studied her. "What did you do to cause such a commotion?"
The girl - upon a second glance, Mystoffeylese realized that she wasn't a girl, in fact the Queen was nearly as old as he was - finally recovered from her shock and dropped to the ground. "Y-y-your Highness, I'm sorry…"
Mystoffeylese rolled his eyes heavenward. "For Goddess sakes, get up."
She did, shakily, keeping her eyes cast to the ground. "'M sorry for disturbing you," she mumbled. "I… have chores to do."
Before he could say another word, she dashed off. He watched her go, thoughtful look implanted on his face. "Y'know…" he said idly to the tutor behind him as the older Tom tried to urge him back into the palace. "I bet that if she was cleaned up, she'd be really pretty…"
"That's nice, sir," the tutor said, barely tolerating his charge's absentmindedness. "But you have things to do…"
Mystoffeylese sighed. "Books, books, books," he muttered, following the tutor, who was named Skymbelshenks, back into the castle. "The servants have more freedom than I do…"
Harlan gnashed his teeth fiercely. Storming back into the stables, he located the young Queen - a lovely reddish girl with black streaks shot through her fur. A solid black stripe dashed across her right eye, trailing over her nose and tracing her left cheekbone. All four of her paws and the tip of her tail were solid black as well, giving her a fox-ish appearance.
But Harlan didn't care about that right now. What he did care about was the Prince's sudden interest in this common Queen. Walking briskly over to her, he seized the Queen - who's name he realized he didn't even know - by her paw and wrenched her up to look at him. "Stay away from the Prince, do you hear me?"
Her large golden eyes stared at him. "I… I…" she stammered. "I didn't do anything this time! He just came over and started talking to me…"
Harlan flung her roughly to the ground. "Well, then stay out of his sight."
"As you wish," she said softly. Grunting, he walked away.
Mystoffeylese felt his eyes draw to the window for the tenth time as Skymbelshenks droned on about… what was it he was learning again? Oh, yes, geography. Blah, blah, blah. He knew the importance of knowing this stuff, but did they really have to monopolize his entire day? For Goddess sakes, he could read a map, why did he really need to memorize all this stuff. If he needed to know, he could just find a book and…
"Mystoffeylese!" Skymbelshenks snapped, slamming a paw down on the table. "Will you pay attention?"
Mystoffeylese looked up at his tutor sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Skymbel… but it's such a beautiful day out, do I really need to be stuck here in the library? Besides, it's…" Mystoffeylese turned away and sneezed. Looking back at Skymbelshenks, he finished, "Dusty in here."
Skymbelshenks narrowed his glass green eyes and glared at his charge. "Mystoffeylese, you know very well that…"
"My father wants me to learn all that I need early enough so that when he is no longer fit to rule or dead, he knows that I will be able to take care of things," Mystoffeylese parroted. "That's all well and good, but on top of that he also wants me to get married! For cryin' out loud, how am I supposed to meet any Queens stuck in this castle?"
"There are many lovely princesses that come to visit…"
"Lovely princesses with nothing in their heads," Mystoffeylese retorted. "Look, everyone keeps treating me like I can do whatever I want, so I am." He stood up and Skymbelshenks stared at him.
"What do you think you are doing!?"
"Leaving," Mystoffeylese replied shortly and headed for the door.
"But…" Skymbelshenks spluttered. "Without any guard? And your father won't be as forgiving as he was last time…"
"So what!" Mystoffeylese yelled back. "I'm still young; I'm going to go out and get some fresh air before I'm a hundred!"
Skymbelshenks dashed around the table after the young Tom, but by the time he reached the door, Mystoffeylese was gone.
After getting a horse from the stables, Mystoffeylese trotted down the dirt path leading out from the castle. Heaving a deep sigh, he let the wind ruffle his fur and tease it in all directions. For the life of him, he couldn't imagine why anyone would want to be nobility; it was a terrible bore.
Catching sight of a familiar looking figure walking down the road ahead of him, Mystoffeylese urged his horse into a faster pace and galloped up next to the slender Queen. "Hey there!" he said brightly, leaning over in the saddle to look at her.
She glanced at him and said nothing, just kept right on walking. Mystoffeylese straightened up and started after her. "Is something wrong?"
Keeping her gaze straight ahead, she replied, "I'm supposed to stay away from you. Anyway, you're the prince and I'm nothing but a lowly stable girl, what would you want with me?"
"Why are you supposed to stay away from me?" Mystoffeylese pressed, curious about this. Her earlier shyness had vanished, leaving behind an icy attitude meant to turn him off. "And I just wanted to talk to you… It's lonely being the prince."
She stopped completely and turned to stare at him. "I am to stay away from you because Harlan told me to. And how could it possible be lonely being the prince? You could talk to anyone. Ambassadors from far away countries… lovely ladies who are ready to do your every command…" Her gaze took on a wistful look and Mystoffeylese slid down from his horse.
"I'm not allowed to talk to the ambassadors, lest I embarrass my father," Mystoffeylese said with a sigh. "As for the lovely ladies… they have no more common sense than that rock over there, and just sit around sighing at me and fluttering their eyelashes… like this." With those words, he took up an absolutely awestruck pose, gazing at her with complete adoration, and fluttering his eyelashes.
Her hand flew to her mouth and she let out a choked laugh. "Stop it!" she giggled, looking around her nervously. "Somebody's going to see!"
Mystoffeylese straightened up and grinned at her. "That's better!"
She glared at him suspiciously. "What is?"
"You aren't stuttering or pretending to ignore me now! Much better."
The stable girl planted her paws on her hips. "You were doing that on purpose to make me laugh!"
Mystoffeylese nodded. "Guilty as charged. Might I walk with the lady if it so pleases her?"
She ducked her head. "If you like. I suppose I can't really stop you."
"Well then," Mystoffeylese said, turning the horse around and sending him off toward the castle before offering her his arm. "Shall we?"
Mystoffeylese dropped down by the riverbank with his companion sitting down more carefully. He looked at her and laughed. "You're going to think me incredibly daft for not asking before, but what is your name?"
"Fauwnn," she replied. Looking at him with her golden eyes twinkling, she said, "I feel that I should now ask for your name, but I already know it."
Mystoffeylese sighed and flopped down to lie on his back. "Everyone in the kingdom knows who I am. You don't know how tiring it is, being constantly expected to be perfect."
Fauwnn leaned on one elbow. "At least you don't have to constantly worry about where your next meal is going to come from or whether or not you'll be able to keep your job."
"You don't have to worry about assassins or doing something wrong enough that the 'people will talk'. If you want to, you could just get up and wander to the next country, see the world…"
"With what money?"
"You could live off the land," he shot back. "You have so much more freedom than I do. Just by coming out here today, I risk getting in deep trouble with my father, which I probably will. Believe me, Fauwnn, being the Prince isn't worth anything. Until I become King, really the only thing I have to my name is this silver coronet, and it isn't any use for anything except playing catch with." Mystoffeylese took the silver ringlet off his head and started idly playing with it. His eyes took on a far away look and he continued. "And you can marry anyone you want. I have to marry a noble." He shook his head. "I swear, you'd think with all the teaching they give the Toms, they'd show the same courtesy to the Queens. But all that's in their fluffy heads is more fluff. All beauty, no brains." Mystoffeylese held up a paw to forestall her heated retort. "No, I know that the Queens of the nobility are like that, I've tried talking to them about serious things. It doesn't work. I don't want a wife who's just going to follow me around adoringly! If I wanted that, I'd get a dog!"
Abruptly, he seemed to realize where he was and looked at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be venting to you so much…"
Fauwnn shook her head. "It's okay. I can imagine you can't exactly voice these opinions at the palace." She shot him a roguish grin. "Besides, it's interesting to hear one of you nobles talk like this!"
Mystoffeylese grinned back. "It's interesting to be able to talk to a girl who's going to listen and give an intelligent response. If only the royal Queens could be more like you…"
Golden eyes met dark brown ones and for a heartbeat, time seemed to stop. Then the moment was broken and Mystoffeylese hurriedly got to his feet. "I'd… better get going. I'm going to be in enough trouble already, if I don't get home before dark…"
Fauwnn nodded and watched him walk away. Something in her possessed her to speak up. "Mystoffeylese!" He turned and she stumbled over her next words. "I… know this nice place out in the woods, would you… like to come for a picnic tomorrow? I have the day off and if you can get out of the palace…"
His face broke into a grin. "I'd love to! I'll meet you… on the far side of the castle tomorrow, near sunrise, okay?"
She smiled back. "Great."
The sun was just peeking over the horizon, lighting the world with a soft orange glow, as Mystoffeylese slipped out of the window of his room and gripped onto the tree branch just outside with both sets of claws on his hands. Carefully, he climbed down, hoping that he wouldn't step on a twig - or worse yet, fall - and wake anyone up. He rather didn't want to explain things to the palace guards, who hopefully would recognize him as the prince and not as an intruder.
That wasn't a pleasant thought - he had seen what they had done to a man seen sulking around the throne room with a knife and it looked rather painful, and not something he would want to go through himself.
Shoving the thoughts from his head with some force, he dropped lightly to the ground. Looking around, he spotted Fauwnn standing against the stone wall, the hazy glow of morning setting her coat on fire.
"Do you do this often?" she asked with some amusement.
"Why do you ask?" he said coyly, brushing twigs and leaves from his fur.
"You seem rather experienced. Ready to go?"
"Whenever you are. And I hope the spot is far away from here, I don't with to be able to see this place!"
Fauwnn laughed. "You talk about it as though it were a prison."
"It is, to me," Mystoffeylese mumbled.
If Fauwnn had heard him, she didn't say anything. Sliding away from the wall, she trotted off into the underbrush, basket swinging from one arm. Mystoffeylese readily followed her.
Fauwnn deftly wove her way through the towering trees and clinging plants, checking behind her every so often to make sure that Mystoffeylese was still there. He did his best to keep up, but being a Prince, the royal advisors had thought it best if he "stayed out of the woods". After all, some wild animal might want to hold me hostage, he thought somewhat bitterly.
Frankly, he didn't have a clue how she knew where to go; everything looked the same to him. But, an hour or so later, they broke through the trees and into an open clearing. It was impossible to tell it was there while going through the forest, but looking at it, Mystoffeylese wondered how he could have missed it. A stream bubbled through the center, singing softly as the water curled around the rocks and meandered along its path. Wildflowers bloomed under their feet and high above, a bird warbled.
Fauwnn smiled shyly at him. "This is my favorite place to come."
"I can see why," Mystoffeylese replied, walking towards the stream and out of the shade. In the middle of the clearing, the sun managed to break through the trees and shine down upon the two Cats. Mystoffeylese gave a sigh of contentment, please to have the sun on his face without being ragged on at the same time about how it wasn't behooving of the Prince to roll around in the grass.
Fauwnn set the basket down and stretched before dropping to sit cross-legged on the soft grass. Mystoffeylese sat down across from her and she winked at him. "I hope I didn't bring anything to plain for his Highness."
Mystoffeylese snorted. "I think I'd welcome something plain. That fancy court food can get so... sickening when you have to eat it every day!"
Fauwnn giggled. "Here," she said, pulling a wrapped item out of the basket. "Try this."
Mystoffeylese took it and, after unwrapping it, looked at the bread and meat in confusion. "What is it?"
Fauwnn nearly fell over laughing. "It's a sandwich, silly! Haven't you ever seen one before?"
Mystoffeylese shook his head, feeling rather stupid.
Fauwnn saw his embarrassment and tried to muffle her giggles, but with no success. "I'm sorry," she finally gasped, "I just thought that... everyone..."
Mystoffeylese tried to hide his flaming face, but chuckled a bit himself. "I guess 'everyone' doesn't include the Crown Prince..."
"Guess not." Mischievous light glinting in her eyes, she asked, "Have you ever had lemonade?"
Mystoffeylese grimaced. "You really are trying to make me feel like I had a deprived childhood, aren't you?"
Once all the food was gone, the two of them lay there quietly, listening to the babble of the stream and watching the clouds lazily move overhead. "Look," Fauwnn said, pointing upward. "That one right there. It looks like a bird."
"What?" Mystoffeylese asked, squinting. "What are you looking at?"
"That cloud. It looks like a bird."
He shook his head. "I don't understand."
Fauwnn slid up onto her elbows and looked at him. "Goddess, Mystoffeylese, what did you do as a child? Did you even have a childhood?"
Mystoffeylese sighed. "What's a childhood? I'm the Prince, I have a responsibility to my people."
Fauwnn dropped back down onto the ground. "That's pretty unfair if you ask me. Of course, nobody did."
They were quiet for a while until Mystoffeylese spoke up. "Fauwnn, explain this cloud thing to me."
She glanced at him then back up at the clouds. "You just look at them and say what you think one looks like. Use your imagination. Like..." She scanned the sky for a moment, then pointed. "That one looks like a dragon."
Mystoffeylese grinned. "And that one... look like a Princess... she's..." The clouds shifted a bit and he laughed. "And she's going to slay the dragon!"
Fauwnn giggled. "Because... because the dragon kidnapped her prince! And he's right... there!"
"And her horse... no, she doesn't have a horse, she has a flying pig, and he's waiting right there!"
Fauwnn started laughing harder. "A flying pig!?"
"Well, that's what it looks like!" Mystoffeylese protested.
Suddenly, Fauwnn got to her feet. "Wait here," she said. "I want to go get something."
Mystoffeylese looked at her, puzzled, but nodded. "Okay... you won't be long?"
She shook her head. "Nope!"
Turning, Fauwnn scampered back into the shelter of the trees, searching for the berry bush that she had seen earlier. Part of her doubted that he'd ever had fresh berries, and the ones around here were so good...
A crash behind her resounded and she jumped. Spinning around, her quick eyes scanned the forest for the source of the sound. A few leaves floated to the ground, knocked free by the birds that had alighted in fear. Her heart pounded loudly, nearly deafening her. "Mystoffeylese?" she called softly, hoping it was just him, yet knowing it wasn't.
A sharp yell slashed across the deafening quiet and Fauwnn dashed off towards the clearing. She broke through the foliage, heedless of what havoc she was wreaking on the woods. What she saw was Mystoffeylese - unsuccessfully - trying to fight off six hulking Toms, all of whom seemed intent on capturing him. Letting loose with a fierce yell, Fauwnn jumped on the nearest one, putting what street fighting tactics she knew to good use.
"Dammit!" one yelled. "I told you he had company!"
"What, one little street rat is going to stop us?" another growled back.
Fauwnn hissed. She most certainly wasn't a street rat!
"Ach, well get the little demon off of me!" the one that Fauwnn was clinging to demanded. Another of the Toms grabbed Fauwnn and flung her off her victim's back, sending her into a tree and knocking her out cold.
Mystoffeylese made the mistake of looking after her to see if she was all right, and the two that had been attacking him grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back, setting them into shackles.
"C'mon," one growled, grabbing the small Prince by an arm and shoving him along. "We don't have all day."
Mystoffeylese tried to crane his neck and see Fauwnn, but the gesture was in vain. Before long, the clearing was out of sight.
Fauwnn came to slowly, placing her paws firmly on her aching head in hopes of stopping the pain. It didn't work. Blinking her large eyes to focus them, she gazed about the clearing. Mystoffeylese was gone.
She groaned. "Great. Just great. I take the Prince out and loose him." Fauwnn could see that she had two options right now: go back to the palace and explain the situation to them or go after Mystoffeylese herself.
And if she went back to the palace, she'd have to explain everything to them - not something she wanted to do. Anyway, they might blame her for the Prince's disappearance, and she wouldn't exactly have an airtight alibi.
Heaving herself to her feet, she thanked the Goddess for the tracking classes she had taken from Korrykopat. Also for the fact that the bandits had left a trail any idiot could follow. Stumbling over to the stream, Fauwnn splashed water on her face to clear her head. The liquid's frigid temperature did wonders and she was able to stand up without the world spinning without her.
Taking a deep breath, she started along the trail, hoping that she'd be able to help - and that, in the long run, she wouldn't be blamed for this whole incident. Maybe she could move to a different kingdom after this... or perhaps do what Mystoffeylese had suggested and see the world...
"Hey!" a shrill voice demanded. "Watch where you're going, you big oaf!"
"What?" she said dumbly, looking around for the source of the voice.
"Right here, stupid!" the same voice shouted and a Fairy fluttered up to hover in front of her, small face twisted into an expression of rage. "You nearly stepped on my house with your big clunky feet! You must be with those inconsiderate morons that went through here before!"
Fauwnn examined the Fairy. She looked like a miniature Cat, her pure white fur gleaming in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. A pair of large butterfly wings sprouted from her back, beating fiercely to keep her aloft. She was quite a pretty little thing; with the way her wings reflected every colour of the rainbow and set off her fur...
"What are you staring at, clumsy?" the shrill voice demanded.
That is, she'd be pretty if she wasn't so annoying.
"I'm sorry," Fauwnn apologized in a vain attempt to soothe the Fairy. She might not like the little creature much, but had enough sense not to annoy it. "I didn't know your house was there. But really, if you don't want anyone stepping on it, why do you have it on the ground?
"It's not supposed to be on the ground!" the Fairy shrieked. "I told you, those oafs knocked it down!"
Fauwnn bit her lip. "Speaking of those oafs... could you tell me where they went?"
The Fairy crossed her arms and turned her back on Fauwnn. "Why should I help you?"
"It's no use trying to get help from her," a deeper alto voice, very refreshing to hear after the Fairy's screeching soprano, said from behind Fauwnn. "Vick'ria is the most obnoxious, self-centered..."
The Fairy spun around, face red. "Shut up, Alektra! Just shut up! Your house wasn't nearly squished!"
Fauwnn started to turn around to see this Alektra, but stopped short as an arrow whizzed past her ear and implanted itself in a tree no more than a finger width from the Fairy's wing. The red colour drained from the tiny creature's face and bleached it a pale white. She grew blessedly silent.
Shaking slightly, Fauwnn continued turning around to face the mysterious voice. Before her stood a...
Fauwnn's eyes widened as she looked at the girl. She had the torso of a Cat, her fur coat gray, black and red. But her lower body was that of a dappled black horse with gray and red hairs shot through it. One paw gripped a bow and Fauwnn could see a quiver of arrows strapped to her back.
"You're a... you're a..."
"Centaur, yes," Alektra said calmly. "And you are a Cat, and Vick'ria is a Fairy."
Fauwnn blushed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare..."
Vick'ria snorted. "Yeah, right, you big klutzes are all the same. Talk talk talk, do do do, and don't apologize until after the fact!"
Alektra drew another arrow from her quiver and, placing it in her bow, aimed it at Vick'ria. "Yes, we do things without thinking, but I assure you that if I skewer you with this, I won't apologize later."
Fauwnn hesitated for speaking, not sure she wanted to be involved with this - or in between these two. "Uhm... I'm kinda looking for somebody, so if you could show me where those bandits went...?"
"Oh, how rude of us," a soft voice said, one that didn't belong to either Alektra or Vick'ria. A new figure detached itself from the shadows and Fauwnn could see a - thankfully - normal looking young Cat, her fur a lovely calico. That is, normal looking until you go to her ears. They sloped upwards, pointer than a normal Cat's and tipped with tufts of fur.
"An Elf," she muttered. "A Fairy, a Centaur, and an Elf. And I just spent the morning with the Crown Prince. My life is getting weird..."
The newcomer cocked an eyebrow, but seemed to disregard the comment. "My name is Jymema. I believe that you may be following the same men we are."
Fauwnn looked at them suspiciously. "Why are you following them?"
"Why are you?" Alektra shot back.
Fauwnn narrowed her eyes. "I asked first."
Alektra raised her bow and arrow. "I have the weapon."
Fauwnn raised her hands in a gesture of peace. "I see your point. They... kidnapped my friend. I need to get him back."
Alektra and Jymema exchanged a look. "I thought that they had the Crown Prince."
"They do." Fauwnn bit her lip. "It's... kinda a long story, but... Look, I just need to get him back home safely." Then a thought occurred to her. "Wait... how did you know they had the Prince?"
Alektra sighed. "We've been following these Toms for awhile in hopes that they'll lead us to their boss."
"Why?"
Alektra glared at her. "You're very nosy, you know that?"
Fauwnn glared back. "Well, so are you. I merely asked where they had been headed so I could get my friend and leave. You're the one that barged in and..."
Jymema stepped between the two and put her hands out. "Look, don't argue. We can all go look for them together. Face it, you'll need our help," she said to Fauwnn. To Alektra, she said, "And we can't very well just let her wander about on her own and possibly mess up our plans."
Fauwnn nodded reluctantly and Alektra paused a moment more. Returning the arrow to the quiver and trotting over to retrieve the first one, she nodded as well. "Fine. Come along, Vick'ria."
The Fairy let out a squawk. "What do you mean, come along, Vick'ria!? I'm not coming!"
"Yes, you are," Alektra said firmly. "We might need you and I want to make sure you aren't going to rat us out. Either you come with us or I shoot you."
Vick'ria jutted her lower lip out in a pout, but fluttered over and landed on Jymema's shoulder. "Fine. But I don't have to like it."
Fauwnn sighed and walked along behind Jymema, with Alektra taking up the rear. It looked like she was going to have help whether she wanted it or not.
Mystoffeylese lay on the ground, curled up tightly under the thin blanket they had thrown him. They'd thankfully shackled his hands in front of him now, making it a little bit more comfortable, but not much. Night had settled and with it, a dank chill. The woods no longer seemed pretty; now they were much more threatening and dangerous.
Mystoffeylese could kick himself now for putting down the palace. Right now, he didn't care how much they restricted his life - he just wanted to be home and safe in his bed.
Sighing, he shifted his position and tried to dislodge the rock that was digging into his shoulder blade with no luck. Across the fire, he heard the murmured voices of two of his captors.
"I don't see what Lady Kassandora wants with him, he's just a kit…"
"Don't you know who that is, dummy? That's the Crown Prince! What do you think she wants with him?"
"That's the Crown Prince!? I thought he was older than that…"
Mystoffeylese sighed again and buried his nose in his arms, curling up tighter. Shivering, he fell into a fitful sleep.
Fauwnn sighed as they settled down for the night. Between the stones that constantly pricked the pads of her feet and Alektra and Vick'ria's constant bickering, she was about ready to leave Mystoffeylese with the bandits and go home.
Fauwnn shook her head. She couldn't think those things... if Vick'ria was judging distance correctly, they should meet up with the bandits soon. Alektra had been all for attacking them Toms while they slept, but Jymema had pointed out logically that they all were exhausted.
"If we are, so are they," Alektra had replied acidly.
In Fauwnn's personal opinion, Jymema was right. They'd more likely get killed that succeed if they tried to attack the Toms now.
Not that they wouldn't get killed anyway.
Sighing, she curled up in a nest of leaves in a vain attempt to keep warm - Fauwnn hadn't exactly come into the woods prepared to spend the night. Closing her eyes, she tried to be optimistic. If they were lucky, tomorrow it would be all over - one way or another.