A/N: Apologies for the inconsistent capitalization of the word "general." In previous chapters, it was capitalized, because it was obviously referring to Riff Raff. However, I must have forgotten! Plus, my new laptop has a pretty crazy keyboard…

Also, the references to A Clockwork Orange are the product of me beginning to read the book.

"I had a great time," Rambie said to her father as they both walked inside. "I met a nice boy, too. His name is Fitch."

"Tell me about this 'Fitch' character," Riff insisted.

"Well, you'd never tell by looking at him, because he never wears a stitch of makeup or fishnet stockings, but he's one of the princes! And he's just my age!"

"He's a Furter? Why haven't I heard of him?"

"He likes to paint. Artists don't have time for military training, I guess."

"I'd like to meet him tomorrow night. Now, it's nearly sunrise, and you need your sleep."

"Yes, Father."

Meanwhile, Fitch was in his bedroom, which was in the basement of the castle. He lived among the domestic workers, and thought of them as family rather than his true one. He shared a room with Kent, a boy around his age who was one of the domestics. They got along well, almost like brothers.

Kent was not someone you'd expect to be friends with one of the princes of Transsexual. He'd been an orphan his whole life, living on the streets and befriending various tramps. He had little experience as a servant, and his rather lazy lifestyle showed it.

"You'll never guess who I met while running some errands," Fitch said to his friend.

"Who?"

"General Riff Raff of the Transylvanian Militia's daughter, Rambia Cosmo!"

"I thought the general was a nut who kept 'is li'lle girl locked away," replied Kent. "What gives?"

"He's let her go, I guess."

Kent was silent for a moment, but then smiled, asking, "She a pretty pearl?" The way he pronounced it sounded more like "pri-ee," but Fitch thought Kent was clear as a bell.

"You could say so."

"Pfft. Come on, brother. You think you have a chance with the general's little devotchka?"

He had switched now to speaking in Nadsat—a strange futuristic language from a book that originated on Earth: Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange. Neither Kent nor Fitch knew how it ended up on Transylvania, seeing as most, if not all, Earth things were strictly forbidden. So they would read it in whispers while everyone else was sleeping, until the sun finally set. The book was about free will and a person's right to choose—a thing both boys strived to have. They had memorized it from cover to cover, and Nadsat had become something like their very own secret code.

"Speak English!" Fitch said, giving Kent a playful slap on the shoulder. "She gave me a kiss."

"Oh, so now you're courtin' the general's daughter, eh?"

"I am not," blushed Fitch. "I just really wish I could see her again."

"Good evening, General Riff Raff!" a woman dressed in a domestic's uniform said as Riff and Rambie walked through the castle's main foyer. "May I help you?"

"Hello, Adele," he replied. "Yes, uh, do you know where I could find Prince Fitch?"

"Prince Fitch…?" Adele's voice trailed off, and the perplexed look on her face suggested she had no idea who Fitch was. "Oh! Oh, yes, of course. Right this way, General. I must add, your daughter is quite lovely. She reminds me of your sister before her…" (here, she paused) "…untimely death."

Adele and Magenta had known each other while working as domestics for the Old Queen herself. Losing a friend is like losing a piece of your heart—Adele was never the same since she heard the news of Magenta's passing.

After walking down what seemed like a hundred flights of stairs, they finally made it to the domestics' quarters. Adele knocked on the door.

Kent heard the knock and slammed A Clockwork Orange shut, sliding it under his bed. Fitch was engrossed in sketching a rose, to the point where he didn't even hear the knock.

"'ello, Adele! Evening, General," Kent said as he opened the door.

"Is a young man by the name of Prince Fitch in?" asked Riff.

Fitch's head snapped up. "General Riff Raff!" He approached the door and said, "I'm honored to make your acquaintance. Is there anything I can do for you?" Riff said nothing. He stepped aside, revealing his daughter, who was standing behind him. "Rambia Cosmo! I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Hi, Fitch!" Rambie said happily. "Who's your friend?"

"Name's Kent," Kent cut in, tipping his tattered derby hat. "I'm one o' the domestics."

"Fitch," Rambie laughed, "what are you doing down here with the domestics?"

"I live here," he explained. "They're…more understanding than my real family, if you know what I mean. Kent's like a brother to me, Adele is like an aunt, and, I don't know if you've met Magnolia, but she's like a mother to the both of us!"

"I was a child o' the street," explained Kent. "Hung around with bums and drunks until Mags swept me up and got me a job here. Glad she did, too."

Something about Kent referring to Magnolia as "Mags" struck a nerve with Riff. Possibly it was because that was a nickname often assigned to Magenta. He shook it off and asked if he could speak with Fitch for a few minutes.

After their brief discussion, Riff (upon Rambie's insistence) invited the reluctant prince to dinner. She was pleased to see her father and possible new male companion getting along well.

Things are finally looking up, she thought.