Hey, I'm back with the new chapter to Jacqueline! Last off, Nefera won her little game against Rocco and caught Jackie sneaking around. Now we meet not just our prince, but our seven mischievous thieves!

Hope you guys like it!

The afternoon was no more cold and brisk as the morning, if anything it was somewhat colder. The forest was no exception; scene draped with thick blankets of snow and almost all the trees barren of green, it painted the picture of a dismal, saddened image of what had once been a place that flourished with life.

The only remints of life that remained was the birds, which chirped and twittered in the branches above and the geese honking and they flew by above the almost completely hidden forest path. The only thing that kept the path from being hidden from sight was the two figures riding horseback across it.

One was unfazed by the dismal, barren look and the disturbing quite of the forest, dressed regaled in wine-red, buttoned up jacket decorated with distinctive curl designs of a deep gray color that matched his pants, which were tucked into a pair of knee-long, black leather boots. A dark, but regal appearance that was complimented the emerald scales of the mass of snakes that made up his hair in accordance to his Gorgon heritage, which matched his eyes, which almost shimmered with his dis-concern for the silence.

His companion, however, was literally squirming in his seat, highly disturbed by just how quite the forest was aside from the occasional bird(s). A mummy like the Exotic Queen that ruled the land they were visiting, the man's skin was a deep bronze tan, unlike his companion's fair peachy-tone with short brown hair that spiked upward and deep blue eyes with a pair of traditional ankh earrings of gold and rubies. Dressed with his bandages arranged around his neck and arms to better handle the cold, he wore a heavy, furred black coat over a simple black shirt and thick gray pants. The honk of the geese had nearly made the poor mummy throw himself out of his saddle, eyes darting back and forth in every possible direction for something out of place.

"I certainly don't like the look of these woods, sire," The mummy finally spoke up to his superior, finally voicing his anxious-filled concern after going at least an hour of torturous silence, "If you don't mind me saying so...there's just..." He found himself glancing around again, his grip on his reigns threatening to snap the leather under his hands, "Something sinister here..."

His royal companion just let out a short, but fond chuckle, not any more concerned now then he was before his friend spoke up, an air of humor in his voice as he reminded, "They're trees, Pharaoh," Though he did take a brief glance around for himself, "Trees are just wood."

"It's not just the trees I'm afraid of, sire," Pharaoh insisted, "There are stories; stories of a man and monster eating beast inhabiting these parts..." He shuddered remembering the awful tales he had heard, especially once he learned it had supposedly slain the late King Heath. A task he had understood, was no easy task in or of itself.

"Really, Pharaoh, when will you start calling me by my name?" The young Gorgon royal asked half-heartedly sighing, "And since when did you start believing in fairytales? That's been no solid proof of this so called beast's existence."

"Besides the king's disappearance?" Pharaoh mostly muttered to himself in retort, but if his prince had heard his retort he made no answer so Pharaoh decided to change the topic, mostly for his own calming down, "Then if you don't mind me asking, when does You're Hig-" He paused, catching himself and shook his head with a smile appearing despite his nerves being pretty much frayed, "Deuce, when do you think we can head home? We've been on the road for months..." At Deuce's pointed, raised eyebrow-ed glance, he quickly looked away, giving a somewhat passive shrug, "I just thought we could use a break."

"We didn't set off seeking a vacation, Pharaoh," Deuce reminded grinning as he nudged his horse on, "We set of seeking adventure!" He felt his grin grow at his friend's yelp as he moved his horse to catch up so he could remind by his side, they slowed after a moment, which was when Deuce added, "And no one ordered you to come."

Pharaoh let out an loud huff, retorting, "No one had too, if I hadn't come along, yo-" He was cut off by a sudden sound, sharply cutting through the otherwise silent, crisp air; rustling of leaves. What neither saw was a strange, dark blur rushing between the thick trunks of the trees, but the sound of metal creaking beneath the rustled leaves was enough to bring the horses to a distressed stop.

Another blur, a lighter color, rushed by again behind their backs, the sounds drawing their attention just as it disappeared from their view. Deuce narrowed his eyes as he got off his horse, which instantly gained Pharaoh's concern, which he voiced, "I really don't think this is such a good idea, Deuce, we should ride on!"

But Deuce ignored him, tying his horse to a tree branch and walked out further onto the path, eyes scanning for other life as he replied, "Not until we find out what's in these woods..." That said, a quick movement with his jacket allowed him to draw his rapier.

But no sooner did the sound of the thin blade being drawn was heard, the blurs emerged from hiding, circling mostly Deuce like a pack of..."Demons!" Deuce shouted blade ready as he tried to keep them all in his sight, fear rising in his chest and throat, but years of battle experience kept it down, "Pharaoh!" But Pharaoh was too frozen with fear, "Pharaoh!"

It wasn't until two of these blurs turned their attention to the mummy that the spell of fear was broken and all that got out was, "...demons...!" Before he turned his horse around and galloped off, screaming his head off. "After him!" A ruff male voice spoke from one of the demons as the two went after him.

Deuce quickly turned his attention to the blur right in front of him, which growled in an equally gruff voice, also male, "You! Empty your pockets!"

This of course, catches Deuce by surprise, "What?"

"He said," Another spoke from behind, "Empty your pockets!" Without warning, the blur ran up and literally flipped right over him, landing on its feet.

Deuce saw a third come at him and tried attacking it with his rapier, but it was met with the clash of metal. Deuce was spun around when the third blur went by him and barely had time to duck when another leapt over him. Deuce frowned and wasn't more glad for those hours of fencing lessons as he threw himself at one of the blurs, a blue one. He smirked when he heard one yelp when he nicked it, but soon found his blade caught by three grabbing onto it. He struggled with them for a moment before managing to pull it free, noticing another scaring his horse away. Before he had the chance to react, another voice, gruff like the others, say, "Give me that!" As a blur flipped over him again, stealing his rapier.

"Sit down!" The green blur ordered, emphasizing it by kicking Deuce in the chest with a force Deuce wasn't expecting. Deuce landed on a snow bank, grunting from both the kick and the rough landing. This made its companions laugh as another added, "Stay down!"

Then, the final two returned, the darker one shouting, "I found some road-kill!" As they dragged a tied up Pharaoh over by one of his bandages and tossed him next to the angered prince.

"Do you concede?" The final blur asked as they cornered the two threateningly. "Yeah, do ya?" The dark brown blur added tauntingly.

With new found strength, Deuce threw a punch at the dark brown blur, eliciting the familiar yelp of a dog and the crunching sound of metal as the other blurs growled at him. Deuce was just about to make a response, when Pharaoh looked at the blur he had punched and blinked at what was staring back at him, causing him to say in stunned-disbelief, "Deuce."

Deuce looked and also blinked at what he saw. The so called demon he had punched, wasn't a demon at all. It was a teenaged boy; a teenaged werewolf boy to be exact, that couldn't be any older then them. With a head of a dark brown hair that was several shades lighter then his actual fur, the kid's golden eyes looked back and forth between them and the metal pane-like plate on his shoulder, which had a dent in it and was crackling with energy from catching Deuce's fist. Dressed in a deep red tunic and rustic reddish-brown pants, the guy didn't look at all remarkable aside from the muscle packed beneath the thick fur.

It only took Deuce a few seconds to realize what was going on: it wasn't demons he had been fighting, it was a couple of guys playing talented make-believe trying to frighten people into handing over whatever valuables they had. With the stories of the beast, it must've been working well for them if they were all fit enough to keep him on his toes. Judging from the look on Pharaoh's face, the mummy had come to the same conclusion. Thus, Deuce did the only thing he could think of; he laughed.

The werewolf snapped out of his daze of panic and growled at him, "What's so funny?"

"You're not a demon!" Deuce got out through his chuckles, wiping away an imaginary tear before motioning to the other six, counting seven 'demons', "None of you are!"

The bright blue and orangey-red blur didn't seem to get it as it asked, "And your point is?"

"You can't expect me to fight you," Deuce answered, before motioning between himself and Pharaoh, "Either of us."

"Ah!" The green blur cheered, "Then he concedes!"

The werewolf grinned cheering as well, "Yeah!"

The gray blur laughed as well, an odd accent to his gruff, weird voice, "Of courze he conzedez!" The seven cheer as the six blurs lifted a hand and pressed something on their opposite arm. An odd click was heard before what ever was causing their assailants' appearance to be blurred stopped, correcting their appearances, allowing Deuce and Pharaoh to see their true appearances.

What once was the black and blue blur was now an aqua monster dressed in dark blue-almost black pants with a charcoal-grey shirt, his skin was a pale blue, spike fins protruding from his neck, forearms and the back of his legs, another atop his head, forming a hairstyle like his snakes did for him and his eyes were a bright, pale grey, reminding both men of molten silver. He was looking at, not nearly as smug as the werewolf was, but he had an air of confidence, emotion hardened by what seemed to be age.

The blue and reddish-orange blur became another young man, just entering adult-hood with deep blue skin dressed in a black shirt with bright red gloves to compliment his equally bright orangey-red hair, golden-orange eyes glowing brightly in the early afternoon sunlight; the fact his hair was so flame-shaped hinted to him being a fire-elemental, going in with the fire print on his dark orangey-brown pants and how the snow melted a little beneath his bare-feet. Unlike the water monster, his expression was smug as could be for catching them, a wide, carefree grin stretched across his face with the threat of breaking it.

The green blur revealed itself as yet another boy their age with bright green skin that glowed with the supernatural glow of a ghost and darker hair with dark blue eyes that had green sclera, dressed in a forest green shirt and brown pants that had splotches of random colors all over, matching his boots. Like the possible fire-elemental, he too bore a wide, smug grin, eyes literally glowing with glee.

The grey and blue blur revealed a young man just roughly a little older then them. With a mop of light blue hair and light green eyes that glowed like the hard stone that made up his skin. Like any other gargoyle, he had small wings, usually for flying until full maturity but perfect for gliding, dressed in a black shirt and dark blue pants, a pair of dark red boots and oddly enough a red scarf was wrapped loosely around his neck with black rose patterns through it. Like the water monster, his expression didn't give much away, save for the small smug smirk that tugged on his lips.

The palest blur became another teenage boy that boardered adult. If it weren't for his pale, almost white-blue skin, they would've mistook him for a human, the color complimenting and bringing out his dark, almost black, blue hair at the same time, also making his dark gray eyes pop out. All this with his equally dark gray shirt, black pants and brown boots made him almost a shadow, yet for all his dark-like appearance, the wide-grin and brilliant shine to his eyes betrayed the look he tried to set, the smugness and mischievous glints reflecting in the sunlight.

The final blur revealed the most peculiar member of the band of thieves (and arguably the oldest), he probably would've almost been mistaken for a human if it weren't for his light purple skin and miniature antlers. His hair was a dark purple to match his goatee with pointed, deer-like ears, and pale yellow eyes, and had the muscle of a werewolf. Dressed in a white shirt and brown pants, also being bare-foot, he didn't seem to set off a bad feeling, but the hard, cold expression on his face gave a different opinion.

Upon realizing how they took his response, Deuce quickly butted in, his fear next to nothing, "I most defiantly am not!" At their raised eyebrows, he cleared, "I just won't fight any of you!"

The fire elemental frowned at this, crossing his arms as he asked, "Why not?" Seems that whatever they used to cloak their appearances, also disguised their voices as well, since there was no longer a gruff, gravelly sound to it.

"You're simplistic!" Deuce answered as if it were obvious, but apparently not enough for the seven monsters. "Simplistic?" The werewolf questioned the oddly colored human, who shrugged looking rather confused. The fire-elemental and the ghost shared a look and shrugged as well.

Deuce faltered a little, thinking up a word they might know better, "Uh...uncomplicated?" But was still earned seven confused look and unsure muttering.

"Um...plain?" Pharaoh offered taken aback from the confusion. "Thank you," Deuce nodded sure this one would work, before addressing the so-called 'demons', "Plain."

This caused the fire-elemental, ghost and odd-human to all go, "Ooh!" In realization, while the deer-man, gargoyle and water-monster didn't look that impressed, the latter of whom asked, "Plain? That's the best you got?"

"So...uninspired," The gargoyle sighed shaking his head with something akin to disappointment. "You know the village idiot used to call us that," The odd-human commented with an oblivious smile, making the werewolf sigh, clawed hand over his face in blatant defeat.

All this just made Deuce shake his head. "Look, it doesn't matter," The emerald prince interrupted once again getting their attention, "The point is, you're all so self-explanatory, its funny."

"Funny?" The purple-haired monster asked and without warning, had a small, but sharp blade pointed rather close to Deuce's face, "Not as funny as my blade against your throat."

But the werewolf quickly pulled his arm back, saying carefully, "Ease back," He quickly reminded his comrade, "All we want is his gold!"

"I got his saddlebag!" The ghost called holding said bag, making Pharaoh and Deuce blink, wondering when he left the circle. "Now we're talking!" The fire elemental grinned turning his back carelessly to them to pursue the bag. He was followed by the odd-human, "Lets look in there!"

Forgetting about the two high-societies, the seven bandits surrounded a familiar red and green saddlebag as the odd-human fumbled to get it open, much to the water monster's impatience as he snapped, "Come on, get it open."

Instantly enraged, Deuce got up, briefly beating off the snow from his pants as he snapped, "That isn't your property!"

He tried to pull the ghost away, but was shoved back by the werewolf, all the while not one of them looked away from the bag as said werewolf began to use his claws to open it easier, "Yeah, yeah..." But Deuce wasn't having it, his face gaining a suspicious red hue as he snapped, "Get your hands off that immediately!"

"Deuce," Pharaoh said sensing his prince's famous temper about to stick its foot in it again, "Just give them what they want."

"Nonsense!" Deuce refused to listen, frowning at the seven as he crossed his arms, ranting, "Its clear to me, someone has to teach a lesson to these...these...barbarians!" That last word seemed to echo through the glade as the rummaging of the saddlebag suddenly ceased, along with the bandits mumblings; not even a bird made a sound at the sudden stillness that accompanied the word.

Without warning, all seven thieves stood up to full height and turned around, soft growls sounding from deep in their throats, all seven pair of eyes like steel, faces blank. Deuce looked a bit perplexed and confused, while Pharaoh let his head fall back being unable to face-palm.

Birds continued to twitter, even long after the thieves left, taking all of the duo's possessions with them...including their clothes. Pharaoh smiled sheepishly at Deuce, who just glared venomously at their situation, thanking whatever gods were up there that the Gorgon was calm enough to keep his stone gaze off. Thankfully, Pharaoh still had his bandages, earrings and necklace, but Deuce wasn't as lucky being reduced to his long-johns as they dangled upside down from a thick tree branch. It wouldn't have been that bad...had they not been tied facing each other.

"No one..." Deuce growled heatedly through clenched teeth, "Has to know the details, Seth...understood?" Pharaoh grimaced at his real name being used, which just showed how angered the gorgon really was, especially with his snakes hissing as they were as they dangled like the hair they represented. Wanting an answer, Deuce used what momentum he had to swing them back, letting him smack his friend with his friend with his head, making the mummy groan as he snapped, "Say it!"

Pharaoh nodded, "No one need know the details..." Deuce smiled until he added, "You're Royal Highness..." Making the emerald prince sigh; once again Prince Deuce has once again put his foot in it...again.

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It was later into the mid-day that, after all Nefera guests had left, that Jacqueline was heading down into the kitchen. She had always come down to get her own meals despite the servants insistence on bringing it to her room, she just didn't want to bother them, especially now a-days with how busy her stepmother tried to keep them. But her dear, childhood friends; Clawdeen, Draculaura, Lagoona and Frankie always made the time to spend with her, even with how many times Nefera tried to threaten them with losing their jobs or banishment. The only thing that kept her from going through with it was that Clawdeen and Draculaura were the best dress makers in the kingdom, Lagoona was the best jewel-maker and Frankie always did the best work with her beauty treatments.

But upon arriving in the main kitchen area, Jacqueline was confused not just by the lack of good smells in the air from things being made, but from how quite it was and the emptiness. A sudden clear of the throat made her turn and gasp, all of the cooks and her friends were all huddle in the corner to hide, Frankie and Clawdeen up front holding a white cake, which they titled a little to reveal her name on the top in curvy writing done in icy blue icing as they all shouted, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKIE!"

Jacqueline felt a real smile grow across her face as they moved to surround her and she hugged her vampire friend as she said, "You remembered!"

"Ah course we remembered!" Clawdeen grinned as they set the cake down and stood around her, waiting eagerly for her to make her birthday wish. "A ghoul's eighteenth birthday is always gonna be her most important," Lagoona added with a warm, caring smile. "Now hurry and make a wish!" Frankie exclaimed eagerly, her bolts crackling with her excitement, "Before the queen calls for any of us!"

Jacqueline chuckled softly before closing her eyes thinking on what to wish for. She already had so many wonderful friends and she had already wasted so many wishes already, birthday and otherwise, for her father's return. She couldn't think of anything but another safe year for everyone. With that one wish in mind, she leaned in and blew out the candles, eliciting a round of applause from all in the room and laughter as Frankie said, "Now lets cut that cake!"

With equal pieces divided among all, the young princess sat on the kitchen steps with her friends, picking at her own piece. "Do you want to know what I wish for your birthday, Jackie?" Lagoona asked. "And me?" Clawdeen added. "And us!" Frankie added motioning from herself to Draculaura.

"Girls," Jacqueline smiled, "You can't wish for me."

"Don't you wonder why we continue to work for that...that..." Clawdeen began to ask, but had to pause to find the right word to describe Nefera, "Wretched queen when we could've just left years ago and save ourselves a lot of headache?"

Jacqueline nodded, having had wondered. "We do it because one day, we know," Draculaura threw in, motioning to the other servants, "We all know, that one day, you'll take back your kingdom."

Jacqueline looked at her vampire friend in alarm as Frankie added with a grin, "And we want to be there when it happens!"

"But-I-you-what-" Jacqueline stumbled for a moment, trying to find a proper response, "Its not my kingdom."

"Your father meant for you to inherit his crown, sheila," Lagoona shook her head gently, "Just he had from his father."

"And that...that...egotistical, narcissist that is your stepmother has the entire kingdom convinced that you're a pathetic, useless defect!" Clawdeen ranted upset, pacifically at the 'defect' part, being protective of her princess, regardless of who was in charge, "Incapable of leaving the castle!" She sighed at seeing the alarmed looks her friends, princess included, were giving her and looked at said royal, saying more calmly, "And the worst part is that she has you thinking it too."

Jacqueline looked away uneasily. It wasn't entirely her own fault for believing Nefera's claims to her being useless and pathetic; since it had been little over around a decade since she last left the castle grounds, she doubted anyone in the nearest village would recognize her if she ever did now and she was thin and scrawny, during her father's training she had difficulty learning the basics of the sword. Plus, she couldn't entirely deny the defect claim, seeing how her parents were both monsters; a fire-elemental and a werecat, while she was perfectly human apart from her abnormal skin tone.

Lagoona noticed the sadness and depression on her princess' face and gently placed an arm around the girl's shoulder in a caring manner. The water monster looked up at her fellow ghouls with uncertainty and they nodded. Frankie leaned over and gently tapped the princess' shoulder, getting Jacqueline's attention as Draculaura took Frankie's plate.

Frankie reached into her apron and took a little brown box and handed it to Jacqueline, who looked confused. Frankie motioned for her open it and with encouragement from her other friends, did so. She gasped at what laid inside; it was the small necklace her father had given her just before he disappeared, a beautiful, well-cared for piece made purely of white gold right down to the clasp. "It was your mother's," Lagoona smiled sadly much to Jacqueline's shocked-surprise, "I remember my mom telling me how Toralei always treasured it because it was an heirloom and how she dreamed of passing it on to her own daughter." Jacqueline let her gaze fall back to the necklace in her hands, letting the simple, but beautiful heart-shaped charm fall against her palm.

"But..." Jacqueline said, lacing her fingers through the chain, "Why is it so important."

Draculaura shrugged, "Search us." Earning a pointed look from Lagoona.

"Perhaps, you need to see for yourself what does on in your kingdom," Clawdeen suggested though none of them looked very sure, "What does on in your kingdom."

It took a lot of convincing, mostly on Lagoona and Clawdeen's part, but they, Frankie and Draculaura managed to convince Jacqueline to do just that. Leave the castle, for possibly the first time in ten years and she just how Nefera's been tending to the kingdom in her father's place. Clad in the fanciest dress she had, a warm, crimson-colored gown filled with layers to fight the cold with a cold corset beneath, the top laced up with mint-green ribbons that matched her gloves and a crimson, fur-trimmed, hooded cloak was pinned around neck with a ruby-red rose-pin. Jacqueline thought her chest was going to burst as she walked towards the door, which was guarded by her father's faithful minotaurs, her hands gripping so tightly to the basket of warm bread Lagoona insisted she take, she was mildly afraid she was going to break the handle.

The guards looked up at hearing the clicking of heels and blinked in surprise to see their princess approaching, a figment of beauty as their captain, Manny, always boasted she would be in her crimson gown and cloak, as she seemed to almost glide across the ballroom/throne-room floor. Despite her fear, Jacqueline kept a passive, but regally intoned expression on her face, chin held up as she climbed the stairs and said firmly, "I'm going out."

Minotaurs shared a confused, unsure look as she waited. "Is she allowed to go out?" One asked. "I don't know..." The other replied uncertainly having never been pacifically told by Manny or Nefera that she wasn't allowed, "Is she?"

Jacqueline cleared her throat as she pulled her hood up and the second guard shrugged, "Okay..." He then called to guards outside, "She's going out!" And they opened the door for her.

Jacqueline took a breath, trying to calm her rapid heart-beat and headed outside, fainting hearing the guards whispering. "I won't tell if you won't," The first one said. "Pinky swear?" The second asked as the doors closed behind her. "Pinky swear," The first one agreeded as she breathed out, hoping she wasn't going to regret this as she made her away across the courtyard. Little did she know how things were going to change.

And done!

What do you guys think for my pick in the drawfs? Not easy, let me tell you, not enough mansters! Oh and Pharaoh! I kinda feel bad, but not really at the same time, I know he's not a fradycat...or mummy? But it didn't feel right putting Gil as the prince's companion and I couldn't think of anyone else. As for the prince, well, I always like DeuceXJackson pairings, same none of them are continuing and anyone who doesn't like this as Jacqueline is fem. Jackson, I suggest you stop reading now.

Anyways, let me know what you guys think and sorry for the long wait! Until the next chapter everyone!

Oh and spoiler; Cleo's in the next one!