I want to give a special shout out to teamdark2741 for helping me out of a Writer's block on this chapter, and another shout out for disneyfangirl774 for catching all my spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. You two are AWESOME! :) Note, this chapter is pretty long, I wound up writing more than I thought, but hopefully you all like it. Enjoy!
Chapter 6: Prince Albert's Vision
"Somehow I get da feelin' da queen is watchin' us, Niecy," Fidget told Deniece in a wary tone of voice. "It's makin' me nervous."
Deniece sighed heavily. "I'm inclined to agree, Fidget. As cordial as her son has been to us so far, I don't know if I can trust him near us."
"And I didn't like how dat Mouseward guy was courtin' you!" Fidget added, almost arrogantly. "I saw you blush when he asked me if he could borrow you!"
"Hey, I did not say that I approved!" Deniece replied tersely. She also wanted to say that she did not approve of Fidget's envy because it was not necessary. But she decided to slightly turn the subject around. "I have heard from other mice that Mouseward has had many mistresses. I would be really suspicious around a married man with many mistresses."
"Probably because he can afford it, Niecy," Fidget concluded. "After all, he's da queen's son."
"Riches have nothing to do with it, Fidget," Deniece pointed out. "That is just plain irresponsible. But, I digress. That is just speculation, I don't really know for certain."
"I agree with your lady love, Mr. Fidget."
Both bats turned. It was Hans Von Freirherr, he had seen the whole ordeal with the soon-to-be mouse king and walked over to check on the two bats to make sure they weren't being interrogated. He had just happened to overhear their conversation, specifically because Fidget mentioned the idea of Mouseward being able to afford having many mistresses. After all, Hans still remembered that night during the Christmas season when he and Fidget had that disagreement about rich people reaping all the benefits while the poor were made to suffer.
"Forgive me," Hans replied, slightly lowering his head. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. I was worried that the Queen and future King might call the guards on you two."
Fidget sighed with relief. Hans and Rolfe may have been the children of rich parents, but the peg-legged bat did not regret the day he met the two brothers.
"I haven't forgotten about our talk at Christmas, Mr. Fidget," Hans continued. "I haven't forgotten how much you hate rich people."
Fidget's ears drooped slightly. "And ... I haven't forgotten about da trouble I caused for you and your brother."
"What?!" Hans reacted. "No, that's not what I meant!"
Fidget blinked his eyes as if he had been confronted by an opponent. "Oh."
"Mr. Fidget, I don't hold grudges and neither does Rolfe. And I don't think you should, either."
The peg-legged bat rolled his eyes, somewhat flustered by the topic of conversation. Was it because it was a difficult topic for him, or was it the mere idea that someone younger than him is giving him advice. "I know, but I can't help it! All I can t'ink about is dat law she passed about banning creatures of da night from gettin' proper education!"
Hans gave Fidget a confused look. What law was the bat talking about? Deniece told Hans that it was Captain Lillian Bates who had told Fidget this.
"How do you know she was referring to bats, Mr. Fidget?"
Fidget's face turned red with fury. Another question he couldn't answer. Why did he have to get all the questions that he couldn't answer?! Hans was quick to notice this, but he was not afraid. He decided to move forward with the subject.
"I don't expect you to have an answer, Mr. Fidget," Hans assured him. "All I'm saying is that perhaps it would be better that you go to Queen Mousetoria yourself and resolve the matter rather than hiding from her eyesight."
Fidget's mind went into a panic. Him, go to Queen Mousetoria?!
"And what if she calls da guards on me, Hans?" Fidget replied, crossing his arms. "If she does, I could be sentenced to transportation! I would never see Niecy or my family again! I've already lost my only family left to Ratigan's henchmice, I do not want to be separated from da one I have now!"
Both Deniece and Hans saw that Fidget was getting upset and going into one of his rants. Hans lowered his head with shame, he began to feel bad that he brought up a subject that Fidget found very painful to discuss. Deniece decided to step in before the situation would escalate.
"What I think Hans means is that you should consider bringing this matter to a closure. Since you've already brought closure between you, Hans, and his brother, why don't you do the same with Queen Mousetoria?" Fidget's ears drooped in embarrassment. He was bringing unwanted attention to his friends, wasn't he? Deniece rested her webbed hand on his shoulder for reassurance. "Think of it this way. If you went to the queen herself and explain everything to her, wouldn't it bother you less?
Fidget heaved a sigh of great reluctance. "Oh, alright," he replied, raising both hands in defeat. "I'll do it."
The peg-legged bat turned the other way to look for Queen Mousetoria and her son. They had no longer stood in the same spot as before. He knew they did not leave the palace, but where was he to look first? Buckingham Palace was pretty big. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his wing. It was Hans.
"Mr. Fidget," Hans replied.
"Yes, Hans?" Fidget inquired.
"I only wish the best for you, in spite of our past mishap. I would be a very bad friend if I did not suggest this."
Fidget did not say a word, but gave the mouse a tiny smile. "T'anks, Hans."
"Somehow I wonder if making you my successor is a wise decision!" Queen Mousetoria complained.
Mouseward sighed as he crossed his arms. "You're still trying to get me to match Father's expectations? You haven't changed, Mother."
"I still think you're a fool, Bertie!" the mouse queen continued.
"Then why make me your successor?"
Queen Mousetoria stopped complaining. The only answer to that question was because Mouseward was the eldest born son, and by tradition, it was always the eldest born son that succeeds the throne. But Mousetoria often questioned what was tradition. She had always questioned tradition since she was a little girl. Sometimes she had wished she wasn't born into royalty and was sometimes jealous of the poor citizens of mousedom. It seemed like they had all the time in the world to play and frolic.
"I know you miss Father," Mouseward continued, "but he has been dead for a while. Isn't it about time you lay the matter to rest?"
"It's not your failure to match your father's expectations that bothers me," Mousetoria protested. "It's your casual demeanor with that peg-legged bat you spoke with earlier!" Mousetoria paced back an forth in a worried frenzy as visions of Fidget close to throwing her to Ratigan's cat plagued her. "His presence bothers me, Bertie! I don't trust him!"
"Well, your original order was for everyone to come, rodent or otherwise," Mouseward reminded her. "What did you expect?"
"Bertie, you're siding with that creature!" Mousetoria retorted.
"I'm siding with you, Mother," Mouseward corrected. "You have no idea how much I've sided with you. And I confess, it's rather exhausting."
Queen Mousetoria shot a sharp glare at her son. "How dare you test me!"
"There, you see?" Mouseward pointed out. "I speak my mind only once, and it offends you."
Just outside the opening to Mousetoria's dressing room, Fidget was within earshot of the two mice. It was Mousetoria's daughter who had allowed Fidget the permission to take a shorter cut to where Mousetoria was. His ears flicked back in fear when he overheard the mouse queen say that his presence bothered her. GREAT idea, HANS! Fidget thought in dismay. Da queen doesn't even WANT to see me!
Fidget was about to turn around to head back, but stopped short when his peg-leg caught onto something. There was a hole in the wooden plank of the floor ... and Fidget's peg-leg got stuck in it!
"Dammit!" Fidget cried, louder than he intended to.
The conversation between Queen Mousetoria and King Mouseward ceased when they heard that cry. They both knew someone was just outside where they were. The two mice rushed to see what was going on. They both spotted Fidget, who was struggling to get his peg-leg out. It was Queen Mousetoria who broke the silence.
"You see, Bertie?" the mouse queen pointed out. "I knew that bat would start trouble! Guards! Guards!"
Pure fear gripped Fidget's mind as he struggled now more than ever to free his peg-leg from the wooden floor. Dat's it! the poor bat thought. It's over ... I'm DEAD ...
"Oh don't raise a fuss, Mother!" Mouseward gave his mother a rebuttal. "Can't you see the poor boy got himself stuck?"
Mousetoria gave her son the Evil Eye, but Mouseward ignored it as he approached Fidget to help him up. The future mouse king pulled out Fidget's peg-leg with ease and allowed the bat to stand up. As Fidget situated himself, Mousetoria confronted him with an angry tone of voice.
"What are you doing here?!" she demanded.
"What am I doin' here?!" Fidget exclaimed defensively. "Why did you make me come here?!"
"Now, now, you two!" Mouseward spoke to both parties with authority in his voice. "Why don't we go back inside the dressing room and settle this matter peacefully?"
Deniece and Hans had decided to converse with Charles and Allison to pass the time away. Rolfe and Paul went outside momentarily to keep Dianah company so her presence wouldn't scare any other mice away. As for Basil and Dr. Dawson, they were discussing their next crime-solving case, which focused on the two criminals in question: Llewelyn of Breconshire and Selena Lunarias. Now that Basil had already seen Selena and knew her real identity, he imagined finding her would be no difficult task. It was Llewelyn of Breconshire he wasn't so sure of. He knew that Llewelyn of Breconshire used to be Ratigan's right-hand bat before Fidget had assumed the position. And presumably the most dangerous. But they had dared not to discuss the matter in front of Fidget and Deniece. Not until three days after this masquerade ball would be over.
"Fidget is taking an awfully long time," a nervous Deniece told Allison. "I have a feeling Fidget has gotten himself into trouble."
"Oh, I'm sure he's fine, Deniece," Allison replied with a waving motion of her left hand. "Your beloved has come a long way."
"Perhaps Miss Deniece and I can check on Mr. Fidget," Hans suggested. "Just to make sure."
Deniece nodded. "I saw Fidget speak with Mousetoria's daughter. It looked like she directed him through some short cut."
"If we ask her," Hans began, "wouldn't she allow us to go there too?"
"I couldn't agree more," Deniece replied as she and Hans politely excused themselves from Charles and Allison to find Fidget. "I feel much better if you and I act as back-up, just to be certain. I know my Fidget, he can be hot-tempered if he feels threatened. I worry that he and Queen Mousetoria have gotten into some disagreement."
"A law against creatures of the night?!" Mouseward exclaimed.
Fidget nodded. He had preceded to tell both Queen Mousetoria and Mouseward the whole story, from the time Ratigan's henchmice (who claimed to be priests at the time) killed both his parents to the time he wound up as Ratigan's henchbat and took part of the calamity during Mousetoria's Diamond Jubilee. He even told them the name Captain Lillian Bates had given him, a name that he had been stuck with ever since. Mousetoria huffed impatiently, wanting to give the bat a piece of her mind, but her son held her back with the motion of his hand. He wanted to give the peg-legged bat a chance to explain himself first to get as much information as possible before his mother would call the guards. But upon hearing Fidget tell him that his former Captain of the Nightwing Pirates told him that the mouse queen passed a law that banned all creatures of the night from proper education and banned them from getting food, the mouse king was dumbfounded. Clearly, this young bat was under the impression that Mouseward's mother was a tyrant upon bats and the poor that lived in mousedom. As for Mousetoria herself, she had no idea what this bat was talking about. She had no war against bats at all! What was the point of it all?!
"I'm exceedingly sorry you've suffered the most, Mr. Holloway," Mouseward apologized with sincerity. "Or should I said Fidget, since that's the name my Mother has overheard Professor Ratigan address you?"
"It makes no difference to me now," Fidget replied. The peg-legged bat sat on a stool cushioned with a pillow that Mouseward had offered so he wouldn't fidget so much. Mousetoria was obviously offended by her son claiming that Fidget had suffered the most.
"Clearly, someone has given you incorrect information," Mouseward told Fidget. "Yes, my mother is quite demanding, but she has no quarrel with you."
Fidget did not say another word, but trembled very badly. He didn't want to stay in one spot, even if it was on a cushioned stool. And the fact that Queen Mousetoria nearly called the guards on him did not make the situation any better. He wanted to be with Deniece and his friends! He wanted to be in more familiar surroundings! He wanted to go home!
Mouseward took notice of Fidget's uneasiness. He decided to break the silence. "Perhaps, if you hear the truth, Fidget, you'll understand better."
Fidget lifted his yellow eyes to meet Mouseward's gaze. "Da truth?" he repeated. "What truth?"
"About my mother and father," Mouseward answered. "About their vision for mousedom."
Queen Mousetoria began to tremble as badly as Fidget did. "Bertie, what are you doing?!"
"He has to know, Mother," Mouseward replied, shooting a defiant stare at her. "It's the only way to settle this, once and for all." The soon-to-be mouse king motioned for both Queen Mousetoria and Fidget to sit on the couch against the wall together. The two shot surprised glances at each other, but both obeyed Mouseward's non-verbal command. He wanted to make sure the two were side by side, it was the only way he knew how to address this.
"You see, Mr. Fidget," Mouseward began, "you and my Mother are not as different as you think. She too, had been brainwashed."
"What?!" Fidget cried. He shot a confused look at the mouse queen, who had just slapped her forehead in embarrassment.
"Lady Lehzen, who was once my mother's most trusted advisor, made a puppet out of her. And ... not only did it deprive her of having a good relationship with my grandmother, it also ruined her reputation as a young queen, giving her a bad name. Many needs of the poor were neglected, yes, but my Mother was not to blame. Lehzen had mislead her. It wasn't until my father, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, married my mother and made sure that things were set to rights. My father was the first to see what a threat Lady Lehzen was to the family, my mother's health was at great risk. Even my sister, whom you and Deniece have had the pleasure to hear her sing for you, was nearly killed because of Lehzen's poor advice to mother while she was sick. If it wasn't for my father's intervention, my sister would not be here today."
Fidget gaped as he heard Mouseward tell him about the conspiracy that Queen Mousetoria was mixed up in. The more he thought about it, the more he was under the impression that the mouse-queen was sounding like his own beloved Deniece.
"Mother didn't want me to share this with anyone," Mouseward continued, "because it is much too painful for her. My father was her salvation as he was also a salvation to the common-folk of mousedom. My father had Lehzen sent away, never to set foot inside the palace ever again. So that the past conspiracy that Lehzen had started would not be repeated again, both Father and Mother shared a vision that would keep all citizens of mousedom free from tyranny. That vision was this: Might shall always be in the service of right. The poor shall stand strong and live long. The rich shall be their light in their dark of night. Creatures of day will find a way, creatures of night make the future bright. May all citizens live free from the oppression of tyranny. Mice, rats, bats, and any creature living in this world shall live in harmony. Only then, war shall be no more."
Both Mousetoria and Fidget gazed at each other sheepishly before averting each other's eyes again. Queen Mousetoria found herself in a daze, the memories of her and her beloved Prince Albert became vivid when the two of them made that speech to the people. But ever since her husband's death, that vision had nearly been lost. Mousetoria spent all her days in mourning, the vision was just not the same without her husband by her side. As for Fidget, he felt deeply ashamed for completely misjudging the mouse queen. All this time, he thought Mousetoria hated bats and hated the poor. He thought by helping Professor Ratigan to dispose of her would bring an end to the tyranny. Now that he was no longer under Ratigan's influence could he see that such an action would've put all of mousedom in a much worse situation than it already was in. And he never would've imagined that even royalty were just as likely to become victims of conspiracy as the poor were.
"Don't you see, Fidget?" Mouseward informed the bat. "Had this information been reached to you sooner, you would've been spared the suffering of losing your right leg and crippling your wing. It may have also saved your parents' lives."
Before he could stop anything, tears began to flow down Fidget's cheeks. But Fidget wasn't crying because he was hurt or in pain. He was crying because another chain from his past had been unshackled. Just as Queen Mousetoria had been in mourning for the death of her husband and the loss of her childhood, so had Fidget been in mourning for his parents and the loss of his childhood. And just as the mouse queen found a lover that was her salvation, so had Fidget found a lover that was his salvation. He and the queen were really no different from each other. Fidget no longer needed to live in fear of Queen Mousetoria, whether she would decide to sentence him to transportation or not. Fidget now saw the mouse queen with brand new eyes. He saw her with a sign of respect. Before he realized what he was doing, Fidget removed his hat and fell to his knees next to Mousetoria. By this time, the mouse queen rose to her feet and approached the bat from the front. She knew there was a reason she was mesmerized by the image of Fidget and Deniece dancing. They were the spitting image of her and her beloved Prince Albert when they were young. As much as she hated to admit it, her son was right about Fidget. She no longer needed to worry about him being a threat to her. He had no reason to.
"Stand up, Mr. Fidget," Queen Mousetoria commanded, with a more softer tone.
Fidget lifted his eyes upward before rising to his foot and peg. For the most part, he was silent. Only two words had escaped his lips:
"Your Majesty ..."