AN: A few chapters were all finished before I submitted, so if there's a big break after a bunch of quick submissions, it's because the next chapter isn't done yet and/or I'm really busy with life.
The doors to the throne room of Dulcinia Castle slammed open, and Dominick ran in. He looked very angry.
"My Lady Bertie! Where's my ambassador?"
Bertie, regarding the king uneasily, curtsied and said, "I'm afraid I cannot tell you. What do you need him for?"
"I would love to know why he sent me to Paladia when clearly my service wasn't needed there!"
"But my King…he told me you had gone to Lunenmeyer."
"Then he lied to you, my lady! Just as he lied to me!"
Erika had to think of something, fast. If she was to escape, she would need to listen.
"And why, pray tell, is the stable padlocked?" she heard a man's voice say gruffly.
"Oh, dat's because…" Nick began, though it seemed like he was having trouble making up a plausible story.
"Dat's because," Nack interjected, "there's a mad horse in 'ere. He was caught las' night by Sir…Nick – I mean, Sir Nicholas, who's da guy 'round here that's good wiv da horses?"
"You mean Sir Steven?" said the gruff-voiced man. Erika assumed he must be a hard-working guard.
"Yeah…Sir Steven, dat's him!" Nack replied. "Owns a horse 'imself, doesn't he?"
"Indeed," said the gruff-voiced man. "It's hard to believe he would put a crazed beast in here with his own Fleur. He loves that horse. He even persuaded the Princess of Kattenland to let one of her horses stay with her. He thinks they're in love…as if. I'm not into that sappy romantic stuff."
"Just make sure he don' get out, 'kay?" said Nack.
Erika heard two pairs of feet run away.
She was ready. Carefully, she mounted Fleur, so no unsavory characters who might be lurking would hear her.
"Could you help, please?" she said sweetly.
"Eh? Who's that?" asked the gruff-voiced man.
"I'm just a maid. I was locked in here with the mad horse, I suppose. I fell asleep last night and when I woke up and heard about a crazed animal in here I got quite frightened. Could you let me out, please?"
She didn't dare reveal her true identity. After all, what if this gruff-voiced character was also in cahoots with Preminger?
"All right," said the man. She heard the chink of an opening padlock.
The door slowly opened.
"Fleur, now! To Kattenland! Ha!"
The white horse immediately galloped away from the stable door and castle. If Erika was to go back to Dulcinia she could get kidnapped all over again. Preminger had somehow infiltrated the palace.
"Yeah, Boss, I'm afraid Erika escaped on one o' the horses."
"Now you tell me?!"
Preminger grabbed Nick and Nack by the wrists and headed for the stables.
"How could you two be so stupid?! I was supposed to let her out, you fools! Didn't you hear me tell you I was going to tell her a well-rehearsed story of how that idiot Dominick never really loved her and had hidden her in the stables with you two to help, and he had some dastardly plot?"
He could see it now. He was telling Erika of how he had repented, seen the light, and made a switch, how he had been spying on King Dominick for several days because he was suspicious of him, how he had found out the King's wicked plot the day he'd locked his Queen up, and how he'd just rescued her to prove himself redeemed. He was exposing Dominick as a wretched scoundrel, smirking as the guards dragged the King pleading his innocence away. He was marrying a tearful yet grateful Erika. And finally, he was being crowned King of Dulcinia.
And now, that could never go as planned. Nick and Nack had made another stupid mistake. It was due to their stupidity that his first plan had gone so horribly, horribly wrong, and now they'd messed up again. Not to mention the fact that they'd practically told her Preminger was supposed to be working for someone else. At least they hadn't mentioned Bismarck's name. One thing was certain: once Preminger was king, and he would be, one way or another, that ambassador was headed straight to the dungeons.
"Anneliese! Julian! I need you! Quickly!"
Anneliese opened the door.
"Erika! You're back! What happened?"
The princess noticed her friend was crying. Something terrible must've happened. She prayed King Dominick hadn't taken ill.
"I was practically kidnapped upon my return."
"I don't know what Nack meant…someone who doesn't like me did this? I can't think of anyone other than that incompetent guard of yours." Erika sobbed, cradling Wolfie, who had just arrived in the parlor with his family.
"Don't worry, Erika," said Anneliese, patting one of the kittens, who yipped and licked her hand. "I told my mother that Preminger escaped. She's sending all her best guards to find him. And she's making sure he can't get back into Kattenland."
Misha squealed with delight as a kitten barked at her playfully.
"I'm worried about Dominick," Erika confided. "He's there, with Preminger. I wish we could get him to Kattenland where he was safe."
Anneliese's eyes suddenly caught a faint glimmer of inspiration.
"Perhaps we can."
