Chapter Six: Hide And Seek

Phoenix was on the wrong track. He was hiding from the king's army, and getting further away from the man he loved. He listened to the Queen, but he felt it was the wrong thing to do. He couldn't think of a way that his plan to rescue Lord Edgeworth would work if he stayed at the Lake. Was there anyone to trust? Could he trust the next man who appears from the shadows? Phoenix's sanity was starting to fade and there was no barriers to support him. He halted his horse at the edge of his reflection glistening below him.

There he froze, what could he do? The distance between him and Edgeworth, he had grown to adapt to, but now he had returned to Attornia, the thought that he could never see him again was too much. His confused heart was in command, telling him to dash into prison like the knight he was known to be. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't. There had to be a much safer and more effective way.

The grin of a rich man appeared from the lake's reflection. "Hello there Phoenix," he said. Phoenix felt the warm tap on his back.

"Morning Gant," Phoenix responded. His eyebrows became narrow his his facial expression became vacant. He felt small and ashamed, not for what he had done, but for failing. He should never have run away like that, he should have stood up to the Queen.

"Have you heard that your husband is going to die?" Lord Gant's smile perished.

"Yes," Phoenix answered. "I wish to save him."

"And you're leaving already?"

"Long story..."

"Knights don't run," Lord Gant laughed as he clapped his hands, "they charge!"

"You've always told us that." Phoenix knew what Gant meant, but his mind was in too much a fragile state to function correctly. He banged his knees against the water-bank. His arm reached out to the water. He knew the lake so well, but hadn't touched it for a long time. He crawled into the lake seeking moments of purity.

"Go in," Lord Gant suggested. "You look like you could do with a bit of freshening up."

"If you insist." Phoenix held his nose and allowed the water to swallow him up.

He remembered the day that Lord Gant could see the potential in him. When Phoenix was twelve he rescued Edgeworth from the lake. Larry had accidentally pushed him into the water and Edgeworth screamed for his life as the water pulled him into the bottom. At the time, Phoenix wasn't an excellent swimmer, but knew enough to save him. The bubbles lead him to Edgeworth's arms and Phoenix dragged him up to the top of the water.

Phoenix jumped back up. History was about to repeat himself. Lord Gant could see why he was such an established knight and Lord Edgeworth needed a savour: him, Phoenix Wright the loyal knight. He swam back to the edge of the bank and stood face to face with Lord Gant.

"Now, you have been away from your husband for far too long. Stay in my castle, I'll dress you up as a priest. That way you'll still be able to train your apprentice and your new students. You can even visit your husband."

"I must say you have a wild imagination, M'Lord," Phoenix responded. He stumbled against the temptation to slap himself. "Why didn't I think of this before?"

"No need to be scared," Lord Gant chuckled. He wrapped his arm around Phoenix as if he was his own son. "Come to my castle, and make yourself at home."

"Thank you," Phoenix sighed. He had found a place to hide for the time being. He followed Lord Gant into the mist that shaded what was once Edgeworth Castle. Like a bolt of lighting, he was reminded of Fantina. Maybe this was what she had in mind? Maybe this was why she sent Phoenix to the lake. It was a thought and a possible explanation. Maybe he was on the right track after all. Not much had changed from the last time Phoenix entered six years ago. The staircases wore red, the green curtains contrasted the stone walls and the stain glass windows reflected soaring light. Or so he thought. His eyes where captured by the velvet dress, Gant's favourite maid, Cammy wore. She looked radiant with the smile as she walked down the stairs. While she was stunning, her eyes seemed to be distant.

"Hello," she said. She wore a smile and curtsied to Phoenix.

"Hello there, Cammy," "You look very nice today. No idea that maids could have such fine dresses."

"I'm not a maid anymore," Cammy said. Sulking she tiptoed behind Lord Gant, Her hands crawled around his waist. Her head leaned against his shoulder.

"Really?" Phoenix blinked and shook his head. "What are you then?"

"This is the Duchess of Allebahst," Gant explained "She is also my wife."

"Well congratulations to both of you." Phoenix would have tried to have taken a guess. Cammy had always been the courting type. He wasn't here to see Lord Gant's exquisite materials, he came to hide, but he needed to talk to him as well. "Can I have a word My Lord?"

"Of course," Lord Gant howled. "Come into my office, Maggey will provide you with a priest costume." He grabbed the maid that was sweeping the floor and asked, "wouldn't you my dear?"

"Yes, My Lord."

Phoenix could see that Maggey wanted to wave at him, but she couldn't. She hurried down a flight of stairs, whereas Lord Gant proceeded upstairs. Phoenix chased him up the flight of stairs until Lord Gant threw open the doors to his office. Phoenix entered the room and was introduced to a dark chamber. There was a luxurious crimson bed in the corner and a desk with two chairs. Lord Gant made no hesitation to jump into his bed.

"Why did you tell the court about my marriage?" Phoenix spat out as he advanced against the wall. His cold face kept eye contact with Lord Gant.

"It's all part of my plan," Lord Gant responded. "Why do you have such a vile expression on your face? You know I would never have told them unless I had my reasons."

"What plan?" He marched over and grabbed Lord Gant's shoulders and yelled, "Edgeworth might die!"

"Don't panic, Edgeworth will not die for I have arranged a riot."

"A riot?" Phoenix inquired. He raised his left eyebrow at Lord Gant. His face was less cruel, but his mind was just as confused. "What for? How is that going to work." Lord Gant had always been a creative man, but how does one arrange a riot?

"To make homosexuality legal. It will work," Lord Gant insisted. Nothing Phoenix could do would make him change his mind, but he was anything but convinced.

"At the expense of Edgeworth's suffering..."

"I think he's already suffered being so far away from you." The two men stood in silence while Lord Gant's fingers reached across his forehead. His eyes closed and his left hand slid down to his chin, He held his small beard and blinked. He opened his eyes and raised his arm. He looked at Phoenix again and told him, "Now if you dress up as a priest, you could do whatever you like. Before you say it sounds ridiculous. They'll believe that they are going against God if they refuse requests from the priest."

"Nice to know you're a very religious man," Phoenix responded.

"I'm not the most holiest of men," Lord Gant admitted, "But neither are you."

He got that right, thought Phoenix.

"Any chance you've come across a girl with long black hair running about in the kingdom?" Phoenix asked.

"Yesterday, I did spot a mysterious woman watching over Princess Franziska whilst hanging on the apple trees."

It sounded very much like Maya.

"Was this mysterious woman wearing an enchanting purple dress?"

"Yes she was," Lord Gant replied. "I believe she came from a royal family."

"That's her!" Phoenix barked. "That's the woman I'm thinking off. She's fascinated with Princess Franziska, I told her to stay-"

"How adorable!" cried Lord Gant. Phoenix didn't bother to finish his sentence. "Any chance she's Princess Maya of Fey?"

"Yes!" Great, thought Phoenix. Now Lord Gant is going to tell the whole kingdom that Maya is lurking around Princess Franziska. How is Lord Gant going to justify that? Is that going to be part of his extravagant plan to make the world friendly towards homosexuals, too?

"I thought so: She hasn't changed one bit since she was a toddler." Lord Gant paused, scratched his chin and asked himself, "I wonder if Maggey found that costume yet." The door knocked, "come in," he said. Maggey appeared holding a brown cloak.

"Your costume is here," Maggey mumbled. She marched with the cloak, but after ten steps she tumbled over to the corner of Gant's bed. "I'm so sorry," Maggey apologized, but sounded muffled with the cloak covering her face.

"Thank you Maggey," Lord Gant responded. He snatched the cloak from her hand and watched Maggey escort herself out of his office. If Maggey Gumshoe had been anyone else's servant, there would have been a more harsher punishment.


In the heart of the garden there were birds passing through the wind, chanting with open wings. One by one they hopped on the trees, trembled on leaves and tickled Maya's sleeves. Maya grabbed onto the pigeon as the rest flew on their own way. She smothered his feathers as his vibrant orange eyes remained vacant. The pigeon blinked and jiggled his wings. She felt safe to stretch her arms as she threw the pigeon into the air. Maya watched him soar to the sky. Gazing in awe, her feet reached down to the tips of the next branch. She tripped over a lump on the corner of the branch, she screamed as he grabbed onto a stump only to slide down to the ground.

"How did you get here?"

"To be honest I have no idea," replied Maya. Green apples dropped around Maya. She held onto one. She knew whose startled voice it was calling her. In a white dress with black laces, Princess Franziska looked down at her.

"Get out... fool."

"Cheer up Your Majesty!" Maya shot up and passed her an apple. "It's great to see you again."

"How long have you been in this garden?" she asked, as she snatched the apple.

"For five days I believe," Maya admitted. Maya could see that she had a lot of convincing to do, the princess frowns had showed her that she was far than satisfied.

"How did you get here?" Franziska asked again. "You must have some idea."

"I was playing hide and seek with my cousin and I hide in the bushes and tried to hide as deep as I could and now I'm here."

"Which bushes?"

"The ones near the bakery," Maya said. She pointed to the lion statues roaring water. "The bushes near the bakery lead me to the fountains."

"So you're the one who ate the apples from this tree?" Princess Franziska asked.

"Sorry about that." Maya bowed her head down. A letter blew into Maya's lap from Franziska's pocket. Her eyes became drawn to the cursive writing. Franziska snatched the letter and pushed it in her pocket. Maya noticed that on the wall was a painting of a slender woman surrounded by ivy. Maya realized that she wasn't just in any garden, she was in a private one. She wondered who the woman in the painting was.

"Adrian Andrews...she's someone dear to me," Franziska announced.

"She's very pretty," Maya complimented her pale complexion, pleasant blue eyes and golden blonde hair. "Where is she now?"

"She was sentenced to death," Franziska muttered with a sulky expression.

"Why?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Was she your friend?" Maya questioned. "Did you love her?"

"YES!"

"I'm sorry," Maya whispered. Franziska stepped closer to the painting, hungrily staring at Adrian. Hoping to fall right into the paint to touch her. Maya felt she could understand the loss of loosing a loved one, although it was a different kind of love in Maya's case. Maya pushed Franziska into her arms and hugged her. It was no ordinariness hug, it was one that brought back a lot of memories for Maya too. Both painful and "I'll probably have to go back to Nick soon, but I'll keep you company."

"You're not going back," Franziska said choking on her tears. "You're staying."

"Wow, you want me to stay?" Maya bounced back to the ground. Maya didn't know if it was an award or a punishment. She smiled for a few seconds and then returned to reality. She had to think about Phoenix. It was he who brought her here and he who was going to create a panic if she had gone missing. Then she smiled again, she thought that maybe Phoenix would be too busy focusing on his quest to save Lord Edgeworth. "How am I going to let him know where I am?"

"Tell me," Franziska persisted. She grabbed onto Maya's sleeve and asked, "where is he hiding?"

"With Gumshoe."

"Ha! I thought so!"


After leaving the secret garden, Franziska took Maya to take a carriage over to Butzello Manor. Master Butzello, or Larry as Maya had known him was sitting on the side of a fountain. Next to him was a young lady in a yellow sari. It seemed as if he had found the woman of his dreams. Maya followed Franziska to the path until Larry and the lady got up and walked up to them.

"Hello ladies!" cried Larry in an ecstatic tone. Larry and the lady bowed on bended knee.

"Good afternoon Larry," said Maya.

"You know Lord Butzello?" Franziska asked.

"Yes," Maya replied. Of course she knew him, he was one Phoenix's best friends. "He was in Fey for a few years."

Larry hopped to his feet and said, "it's been a while since I last seen you both. I would like to introduce my wife, Alita."

In the a timid manner, Alita waved her arm and curtsied to the princesses. "It's lovely to meet you," she whimpered.

"She's quite a charming lady," Larry boasted, squashing Alita's waist with his arm. "I'm so happy my father chose her to be my wife, she's just the one for me. She comes from Kitaki. She's Prince Wocky from Kitaki's widow."

"I'm so sad that he died," Alita grumbled. She rubbed the fallen tears from her face ans said, "I feel awful for bearing so much hatred for my native country."

"Nothing to worry about," Larry assured her. "You're safe with me."

"Safe?" Franziska laughed. She banged Larry on the "You're the most clumsiest knight in Attornia. Maybe you're foolishly the most clumsiest in the world. On second thoughts, I think that's Gumshoe."

"What did Gumshoe do?" Larry asked. "He's brilliant."

"He had a son with his wife before they were even married."

"Well they're married now and I'm sure that God has forgiven them both," Larry thought. "Anyway what's Nick been up to nowadays?"

"Running away from my father's army," Franziska muttered.

"Why?"

"They found out that he married Lord Edgeworth and they're hunting him down."

"Oh dear... I hope he's okay," Larry admitted. He held onto his coat. Gazing to the floor he said, "I'm sure we can all clear this misunderstanding. Phoenix would never do something like that. He's a great knight."

Maya blinked and said to herself, "Lord please keep Nick, Pearl, Apollo and Trucy safe."