Everyone gasped, then the room fell silent, until a sob escaped Danielle's throat.

Ro felt all her strength leave her.

Angel pushed her muzzle into Ro's back to keep her up.

"Now, Princess." Gustov sneered "It's time to get down to business."

"Yes. It is." Jackson Turner said, stepping into the room.

Angel gasped and took a step back. All the confidence and determination that she had built up started to fade slowly.

"Thank you, for your help, Turner." Gustov said, shaking the other man's hand.

"Turner?" Ro said quietly. Then she gasped and looked back at Angel "Oh no."

Turner laughed "Thank the horse. If it wasn't for her, this would have never worked."

The young king standing off to the side stared at the horse. A familiar fire that had been in her eyes had disappeared and were replaced with a look of defeat, regret and fear.

"Well," Turner shook Gustov's hand "A kingdom for a horse. I must be going."

"No." Ro snapped "You are not taking Angel! You tried to kill her!"

"Ro." Angel said quietly "It's okay. I'll go."

Ro spun around to face the horse "No! You can't! Angel..."

"Ro. This all happened because of me!" Angel said "Don't you see? I'm the reason Gustov was able to get you. All of this is my fault." she sighed "I should have given up when you found me. None of this would have happened."

Ro shook her head "Angel..."

The horse's ears laid back and her head lowered. Then she walked past Ro over to Turner.

"Hm. Well that was easy." Turner put a chain around her neck "Good Day, your Highness." then he left.

Ro stared after them, tears running down her face. First Antonio and now Angel?

The younger king shook his head. Something had to be done. But what?

Gustov ordered some of his men to take his prisoners down to another room that had a door. After they had been pushed in he laughed. "Why the long faces?" then he stopped "Oh yeah. You lost!" then he slammed the door. Then sound of his laughter echoing down the hall.

Ro walked over to a wall and sank to the floor. Her sobs racked her whole body "I failed." she cried "I failed."

"You didn't fail." Melissa said gently "You did the best you could."

"It's not over yet." the young king said "Failure is just a detour. Not a dead end street."

Ro's head snapped up "What?"

the king smiled and extended a hand down to her "When at first you don't succeed."

"Try, try, and try again." Ro finished with him as she stood up "We've got to get out of here!"

"But how?" Danielle asked.

Just then, there was a loud trumpeting sound.

Ro gasped "Tika! I completely forgot!"

the noise that followed sounded like a mixture between an earthquake and a hurricane, along with a lot of shouting.

After fifteen minutes, the noise ceased.

"Ro!" Tika called "Where are you?"

Ro ran over to the door "In here, Tika!"

Tika pulled on the door "It won't open!" she tried hitting it a few times to no avail.

"Here." A female voice said "Let me try."

Ro looked back at the others confused. Who was out there?

There was a slight rattling sound, then a click and the door swung open.

"Anneliese!" Ro cried happily "You came?"

Anneliese laughed as she put the bobby pin back into her hair "Of course I came. One of my dearest friends was in trouble." she quickly hugged the other blond "I left Julian behind to run the kingdom." she added with a laugh.

Peter shook his head "Isn't that a little switched?"

"Not really." the younger king mumbled.

"How did you know we needed help?" Danielle asked.

"Ro sent a bird with a letter." Anneliese answered "As soon as we got it, we headed out. When we reached your home, the elephant was waiting to lead us."

"Did Genevieve get her message?" Ro asked "I sent it with a peacock."

"Mm-hm." Genevieve said, stepping into view "I did."

Ro sighed with relief as she hugged her "I'm so glad y'all came."

Genevieve nodded "How could we not? You would have done the same for us." then she smiled "And... I think someone else wants to see you." she stepped to the side and motioned behind her "That's why it took me so long to get down here."

Ro looked up, her eyes widened, then she laughed with joy "Antonio!"

the prince quickly ran to his wife and pulled her into a bone crushing hug "Ro."

Ro closed her eyes as the tears streamed down her face "They said you were dead."

"I might as well have been." Antonio said, holding her at arms length "I wasn't with you."

Anneliese looked over at Genevieve and smiled "Soooo sweet."

"They took me up to a tower room and locked me in there, saying that you would hand everything over easily if you were heartbroken." Antonio shook his head "I'm guessing it didn't work."

"He hasn't come back yet." Peter said.

Just then, Ro gasped "We have to go!" she said quickly "We have to save Angel!"

"Yes." Antonio's cousin said "We do." he shook his head "I don't know why, but I will never be able to live with myself if we don't rescue the horse."

"Then let's go." Genevieve said as she and the others spun around and ran from the dark castle.

They passed a tied up Gustov on the way out.

Antonio turned to his parents "You and the others go back home. We'll be there soon."

Then he, his cousin, Ro, Anneliese and Genevieve mounted some horses and took off down the path.

"Azule!" Ro called "Fly ahead and see if you can spot a white horse being led by a chain!"

"Okay, fine." Azul huffed as he took to the sky.

"Ro!" Sagi called, running through the trees. He had been left outside earlier, just in case something went really wrong "They're heading for the border of the kingdom!"

Genevieve shook her head "Don't you just love her?" she called to Anneliese.

The other queen nodded "Talking to animals is really handy."

Ro glanced over at them and smiled "Thanks."

They came to the top of a large hill. Down below, they could see two figures moving across the ravine.

A small bird landed on Ro's shoulder "Reporting for duty, Ma'am!"

"Tiny," Ro said to the bird "Go tell Angel not to give up. She can't."

"Okay!" Tiny flew down the hill to the horse "Angel! Don't give up!"

Angel looked over at the bird and sighed "I already have."

"But look!" Tiny pointed to the top of the hill where the others were sitting on the horses "They believe in you, Angel! You can do this! They're here for you!"

Angel looked up at the people on the top of the hill, then looked at Turner who was riding in front of her, then she looked back up. She could see him. He was staring at her.

She gritted her teeth, the fire flashed through her eyes as she dug her hooves into the dirt "I stop here." she said.

Ro smiled "She's back."

Antonio's cousin shook his head "I definitely know that horse."

"Come on." Antonio called, then they began to ride down the hill.

Angel raised up onto her back legs and pulled against the chain.

"Oh no you don't!" Turner shouted "Down you crazy animal!"

Angel pulled back, but Turner quickly hooked the chain around a tree "Settle down!"

"Let her go!" Ro demanded as she jumped off of her horse's back "Now."

"She's mine!" Turner shouted.

"Not anymore." Antonio's cousin said "Let her go."

Angel pulled against the chain that was hooked to the tree until it started cutting into her skin. She remembered the months of nightmares that she had endured on his farm. And there was no way she was going there again! With a vicious stomp on the chain, it broke, releasing her from the tree.

Turner spun around to face the horse. The look in her eyes was enough to make him cower "Fine. Leave."

Angel eyed him suspiciously.

"Don't ever bother us again." Antonio growled "I should go ahead and take you to the dungeon!"

Turner nodded "I won't I promise."

Angel slowly turned to follow the others "Something is not right." she said to Ro.

Ro nodded "I know." then she tapped Antonio's shoulder "I think we need to go ahead and take him in. He's... lying."

Antonio stared at her for a long moment, then nodded "Alright."

Just then, Angel gasped "No!"

Ro spun around to see Turner with his gun aimed at Antonio's Cousin "Look out!"

The young king spun around and watched in horror as Turner pulled the trigger.

Angel leapt forward and ran between Turner and the king just as the bullet flew from gun.

"Angel!" Ro cried as the horse fell to the ground.

Antonio ran forward and quickly apprehended Turner while he was still in shock over what Angel had just done.

"Angel?" Ro said softly "It's okay."

Antonio's cousin stared at the horse "Sh... She just saved my life."

Angel groaned as the pain in her shoulder shot through her whole body "I'm... okay."

"We have to get you help." Ro said "Just hang on Angel. You'll be okay."

Angel looked up at her smiled weakly "I'll always be okay. No matter what." then her eyes closed and her head fell into the dirt.

(Oi. I know. I am absolutely TERRIBLE at final battle scenes! Anyways... I hope you enjoyed it. Laterz! Thank you for all your help and Reviews!)