As Dimentio and Lucifer walked away, Timpani had a concern look on her face. When the two jesters were gone from a view, she looked up at her mother and asked softly, "Mom, is Dimentio in trouble?"

Countess Rachele's gaze stared unblinkingly at the hallway.

"...I don't know, Timpani. I can never always tell with Lucifer."

She let out a heavy sigh.

"He has really let this ancestry of his go to his head..."

She lost her words. Timpani blinked.

"...Is Dimentio in any danger, mom? Is Lucifer going to hurt him?"

Again, it took awhile for Countess Rachele to reply. Slowly, she moved to her gaze to Timpani and gave a small smile.

"Why don't you go run along, Timpani. I need to have a word with Lucifer."

Not even waiting for a reply, Countess Rachele made her way down to Lucifer's office. Timpani watched her go, still feeling a bit worried. Now that she was alone, she let out a heavy sigh and decided to make her way to her room. As she walked, her mind drifted off as she thought about Lucifer.

Unlike the other servants in the castle, the quiet jester was the only person Timpani didn't know that well. He would either be with her father, discussing political issues or using his magic to aid him, training Dimentio, or locked up in his office. Lucifer was always at work, he never seemed to rest, making Timpani think he was a human pixl or something.

In fact, she asked Dimentio that once.

"My father isn't a robot, my lady," Dimentio had said defensively. "He just...likes to work, that's all..."

Timpani had given a blank stare.

"My father does too, but he always takes break and gets tired and shows emotion. And he socializes with everyone and likes having a good time."

She had paused.

"You sure he isn't a robot?"

Dimentio sighed heavily and quickly changed the subject to avoid any more discussion about his father.

Now that I think about it, Timpani suddenly thought as she remembered that conversation. Dimentio really hates talking about his father. He even looks scared at the mention of him.

Timpani paused, stopping all movement at the middle of the staircase. Her eyes suddenly widened with fear.

Like she was hit by lightning, Timpani ran up the stairs to the third floor. On that floor, she ran left of the hallway and went to the second furthest room on the right. There, Count Ladislao was at his deck, looking through some documents.

"Daddy!" Timpani cried fearfully as she ran in. "Daddy, Lucifer is going to kill Dimentio!"

Count Ladislao looked up to see Timpani completely out of breath.

"Timpani, what's going on?" he asked puzzled and alarmed. "What is this about Lucifer and Dimentio?"

"Lucifer is going to kill Dimentio!" Timpani said, saying it so fast that her words merged together. "While me and Dimentio were playing, mom came by and took us inside and on the way we met up with Lucifer! He took Dimentio away and he looked very angry! Or...at least I think he was, since he didn't show that much emotion... Anyways, mom went after them and I realized that Dimentio is always so nervous around his dad and that Lucifer is very emotionless and I've never seen him do anything but work. So I came up that Lucifer is an evil human pixl who kidnapped Dimentio's real father and is going to hurt him!"

Count Ladislao was silent for a long moment, as he tried to understand what his daughter was saying. Though there was an uneasy look in his eyes, the count smiled and said, "Timpani, I think you are overreacting. Lucifer is just a stricter parent, that's all. He won't harm Dimentio."

"But Lucifer is an evil robot!"

"No, he is not Timpani," Count Ladislao said gently. "He just...doesn't function like most of us do."

Timpani blinked, still looking fearful. Count Ladislao smiled slightly.

"Come here, Timpani."

Obeying her father, Timpani came up to him and he took a hold of her little hands. He looked into her eyes.

"Timpani, you must understand that not everyone thinks and acts the same as we do," Count Ladislao explained gently. "Some people like to work harder than others, and Lucifer is one of them. Just because he is more concealed with his emotions does not mean he doesn't feel any. I can assure you he loves Dimentio very much and would never even dream of hurting him. Just like I love you and wouldn't hurt you."

Timpani stared at her father, a million things going through her mind.

"But I still don't get why Lucifer is always so mean to Dimentio..."

"What do you mean by that?" Count Ladislao asked.

"Like...why does Dimentio have to study all the time? Why can't he just play with me, so I don't have to be by myself for most of the day?"

Tears started to form in Timpani's eyes.

"Dad...why can I never go outside the castle? Why can't I play with other kids and go to school like other kids? Why can't I have other friends? Why do I always have to be alone?"

She then started to sob uncontrollably, putting her arms around her father and hugging him close. Count Ladislao tightened his grip on his daughter.

"Timpani..."

"Lady Timpani?"

Count Ladislao glanced over to see Dimentio standing outside the doorway, a concerned look on his face. Count Ladislao gave him a look to stay where he was and turned his attention back on Timpani.

"Look, Timpani. Dimentio is right here all safe and sound."

He made her look over at Dimentio, who slowly walked into the room. Timpani stared at him for a long moment and then put her gaze back on her father. Count Ladislao smiled, wiping a tear from Timpani's cheek.

"Now stop worrying go have fun, like a good little girl."

"But daddy..."

"Timpani, please don't question things. It isn't good to be so inquisitive about things."

"But..."

Timpani wanted to ask more questions, to get more answers to the things she didn't understand, but she reluctantly stopped herself for the look her dad gave her. Slowly, she left her dad's side and walked over towards Dimentio. Dimentio studied her expression.

"My lady...?"

Though she felt confusion and uncertainty in her heart, Timpani gave a small smile.

"I'm fine. Let's go, Dimentio."

Taking his hand, Timpani lead Dimentio out of the room, making sure he didn't ask any more questions.

Count Ladislao watched them go. He let out a heavy sigh. At that moment, Countess Rachele stepped.

"Ladislao... "

Count Ladislao nodded before she could finish her sentence.

"I assume you know about Lucifer and Dimentio? Timpani just came in about them."

"So even she is noticing it?" Countess Rachele said sadly. "That Lucifer is overworking Dimentio?"

"I'm afraid so. Timpani was worried that Lucifer was going to 'kill' Dimentio because he was slacking off."

A small smile appeared on the count's face.

"She even made the accusation of Lucifer being a robot, even a human pixl."

Countess Rachele chuckled slightly.

"It makes me wonder sometimes if he truly is. But back to the subject..."

Her blue eyes darkened.

"Ladislao, we can't let Lucifer be this hard on his son. I know learning magic is a difficult process-"

"Rachele we can't do anything about it," Count Ladislao said cutting her off. "If Lucifer was just his mentor, that's one thing. But he is Dimentio's father. We can't take away his authority over his own child, unless he abuses him to the extreme. And knowing Lucifer, he won't do anything to harm him."

"Purposely. But we can't just let Dimentio go through this kind of stress. If Timpani has noticed it..."

Countess Rachele paused.

"If only Cynthia was here... She wouldn't let his happen to her son. Or let Lucifer get this obsessed over restoring his family's honor."

"I know, but you know she can't come back here. Not with her poor health. She needs to stay in the valley where the air is cleaner and where the medicine is the freshest."

Count Ladislao looked into his wife's eyes.

"I don't like the situation as much as you do, Rachele. But...we've just have to hope for the best."

He gave an admiring smile.

"I will say though, Dimentio is dealing with it a lot better than most boys his age. He is strong, there is no doubt about that. I know he will make it through this."

Countess Rachele was silent for a long moment, uncertainty still in her gaze. Finally, she let out a heavy sigh.

"I hope you are right. For I would hate to see anything happen to little Dimentio."


"Lady Timpani, are you are truly alright?" Dimentio asked as he and Timpani stood on Timpani's balcony. "What's bothering you?"

Timpani stared off into the distance, her eyes on the town. She was silent for a long moment and Dimentio gave her a concerned look.

"...My lady, please tell me what's wrong. You've been really quiet since you talked to the count."

"...I'm not that sure what's wrong."

Dimentio blinked as Timpani gave a sad look. She looked into his eyes.

"I just know that something is wrong," Timpani explained sincerely. "That something isn't right in the castle."

Dimentio raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"That's just it. I don't know! I can see the tension on my mother and father's face. I see you stressed out all the time and Lucifer acting weird. All the rules I have to live by... I haven't even been outside the castle before! I just feel..."

"Trapped? Confused? Unsure of yourself?"

Timpani nodded.

"Yes. And I wish I knew of a way to escape all the badness. To be free and to be in a place of full comfort."

Tears started to form again in Timpani's eyes, and she quickly looked away from Dimentio to hide it. Dimentio, his eyes filled with sympathy, was silent for a long moment. Slowly, he put his arm around his friend in a comforting embrace.

"But no matter what happens," Dimentio said softly. "No matter what the adults do, at least we have each other, Timpani. For as long as we live, we will always have each other's back."

Timpani stared at Dimentio, letting out a small sob. She then nodded her head in reply and the two friends stared off into the distant town.

A town that they would never be a part of.