"Don't do anything stupid…" the magic mirror said to him, "Cuz if you do, misfortune will surely befall you… and you can only help yourself if you stop being so selfish and go save him…"
The 7D: A Bashful Kiss (Chapter 7)
CHAPTER NINE: THE GLOOMY SCHEME
The sky turns grey and it began to snow heavily. Queen Delightful and the 5D had reached the 458th dwarf in the line and still, none of them is Don Basilio of Barcelona.
Queen Delightful sighed bitterly. Don Basilio, where are you? She thought. When she noticed the heavy winter clouds in the sky, she quickly addressed the 5D and told everyone to go back to their homes. "We will continue this search tomorrow morning…" she added.
Everyone went back to their houses while Queen Delightful and the 5D went back to the palace and waited till the snow slows down. They went to the palace dining hall and sat on a long dining table with the Queen sitting on the upper part of it.
Sleepy, Sneezy, and Dopey looked at the Queen as she sighed loudly and stares down on the leafy-green mask in her hands. "What's wrong, my Queen?" Sneezy asked her.
"It's just that… We've been looking for him for hours and I got the feeling I'll never see him again…" she replied, stroking her fingers around the mask.
Sleepy and Sneezy looked at each other. They remembered what Grumpy had said to them about Bashful, his secret, and also their impatience.
Dopey whistled and flapped his arms. Sleepy nodded and glanced at the Queen. "He's right, your majesty… One day is not enough to find him…" he explained.
"Yeah, we'll help you find him… it'll take time to search for him in a huge place like this, but we'll find him in no time…" Sneezy added.
Queen Delightful smiled and thanked them for their help and loyalty. Though she doubts that they'll ever find him, their words somehow gave her small amount of determination to continue the search.
Sleepy and Sneezy reluctantly smiled to each other. Though they don't want to lie to the Queen, they never want to upset her… but still they the thought of protecting their friend's secret is getting into their heads. If the Queen finds out about Bashful, how will they deny that secret?
Happy came in the room with Doc who is carrying a tray full of mugs of French vanilla coffees, a warm bittersweet drink for a cold winter day.
Doc handed one for Queen Delightful while he laid the rest on the table. Each of the 5D grabbed their cups but noticed that there are still two more left. "That's strange…" Sleepy said. "There are only five of us…"
"Actually, the other one is for Lord Starchbottom…" Doc explained.
"Yeah, But I meant Grumpy is not with us too…" Sleepy explained.
"Say, he's right…" Sneezy began. "He left during the search…." He quickly remembered that Grumpy walked out after he got disappointed with Sleepy and Sneezy. The fact that they both regret…
"Come to think of it…" Queen Delightful sighed after sipping her coffee. "I haven't seen Lord Starchbottom the whole day…"
"Yip, yip!" Sir Yipsalot barks in agreement.
The 5D fell silent and gave each other a frown look. It's obvious that Grumpy and Starchbottom had some personal warfare between them. Those two seem to fight over Bashful: Starchy to reveal his secret and Grumpy to protect it. But what they are concern about is when this issue gets out of hand.
What if those two ended up doing something crazy to each other? Not to mention Grumpy is a guy who likes to settle things with a fist. But the thing is: It's risky to leave them alone! Those two are very serious of this matter and might take the issue in a more violent way.
Doc nodded to his fellow 4D and motioned to the Queen. "Your highness…" he began, "I think me and my folks should go out and look for them."
"Yeah, those two will catch a cold out there…" Happy added with a grin.
Dopey nodded wildly in agreement.
"Very well, then…" the Queen replied. "Just be careful…"
The 5D left their coffee cups and went out of the dining hall and to their three-cart mine train. "We'll divide ourselves into two groups…" Doc began as he drives the train out of the courtyard. "Happy, Dopey and Sleepy will go find Grumpy while me and Sneezy with find Lord Starchbottom, got it?"
"Ay ay, Captain…"Happy replied, excited to go seeking adventure in a heavy winter day.
The 5D parked their carts on the middle of the village courtyard and got out to search for the two. Doc and Sneezy went to the other way while Happy and Sleepy follow Dopey as he sniffs up Grumpy's scent. Dopey has a peculiar animal-like instinct on tracking a person with a use of his scent. And Dopey seems to pick up something.
Dopey stood up like a dog and stuck his nose on the snowy ground. He sniffled and crawled around the ground, and led them in front of a cheese shop.
Happy and Sleepy peeked inside the windows but no sign of Grumpy. Then, Sleepy glanced back at Dopey who is now going to the other side of the road and to the wine shop.
"Now what does Grumpy doin' in there?" Sleepy asked as they follow him into the other side of the shop and in front of a barrel with three heavy sacks on it.
Dopey sniffled over the barrel and barked up like a dog who found its target. He pointed to the barrel while Happy approaches it. "I don't see anyone here…" Happy said to Dopey.
Then, a loud pound shook the barrel. "Happy? Is that you?!" a loud manly voice called out from the inside.
Happy jolted back and smiled. "WOW! That barrel talks…" He exclaimed, surprise to see a magical talking barrel in front of him.
"Excuse me, mister barrel…Sorry for disturbing you, but have you seen a grumpy dwarf nearby?" Sleepy asked who is also excited to talk to this enchanted barrel.
Inside, Grumpy slapped his forehead in total irritation. Seriously? He thought, completely surprised how stupid these guys can be.
Dopey stretched up his legs and pushed the sacks away from the lid. He lifted it up and out came Grumpy's head.
"Grumpy!" Happy and Sleepy exclaimed.
Happy approaches him while Grumpy climbs out of the barrel. "That magical barrel kept you inside there? Pretty cool…" he said to him joyously.
"That barrel is not magical! Starchbottom trapped me there and he's going to get Bashful and take him to the Queen!" Grumpy blurted out.
"So this barrel is not magical at all?" Happy said, frowning.
Grumpy groaned miserably. When will Happy get into his senses?
Before he could blurt out to Happy, Dopey jumped in, flapping his arms and whistled loudly. Sleepy looked at him, "He's right, guys…" he said to them, "This isn't a good time to fight over, if Grumpy said it's true then we better get Starchy…"
Happy, Sleepy, Dopey and Grumpy wasted no time and hurried to the nearest shortcut to their cottage. As they run over the woods, they spotted Doc and Sneezy walking along the same road as well.
"Guys, you found Grumpy!" Sneezy exclaimed to them, relieved to see their lost friend.
"Where are you doin'here?" Happy asked them.
"We found these footprints that are same size as Starchbottom…" Doc began, pointing at the snowy ground where huge size footprints embedded on it.
"So we're following it just in case it's him…" Sneezy added.
Grumpy stunned as he realized that these footprints are heading straight to their cottage. "Bashful's in trouble!" Grumpy blurted and run away as fast as he could.
"Grumpy, wait for us!" Doc called him from behind.
Grumpy run quickly on the hills and through the woods while the others run after him, praying that nothing happened to Bashful.
Until at last he reached their tall windmill cottage, from there he saw Lord Starchbottom, frozen in a huge block of ice. Grumpy didn't seem to care and rushed inside their house.
"Hey, Grumpy, wait up!" Happy followed him into the house.
Grumpy went to the kitchen but no sign of him, and then went upstairs to their bed hall. "Bashful!" he called out. But no one answered. He went to his bed but Bashful is not even there.
Happy entered the bedroom as well and went to Grumpy. "Is Bashful there?" he asked him.
"Keep searching!" Grumpy ordered him and the two explored the entire house for Bashful.
At their front yard, Sneezy, Doc, Dopey and Sleepy looked up to the frozen Starchy. "Now, who could've done this to him?" Doc asked the others.
"Perhaps, the winter wind blew him till he freezes…" Sneezy replied to him.
"Sneezy, snow winds can't freeze you instantly… Unless…" Doc stopped and looked closely at Starchbottom. Something is odd about him. He was frozen in a position where he was about to pick up something. His back is bended downward and knees are apart. His arms were reaching out something down the ground, and at the looks of his expression, his eyes are looking straight down and also, his face seemed unaware that he's about to be froze in a block of ice.
"I wonder what he's doing here…" Sleepy asked.
"We're about to find out…" Doc said to him and looked at Sneezy.
"Sneezy, do it…" Doc signalled him.
"I'm on it!" Sneezy got his point. He went near the block of ice while the rest stand back away from him.
Just like his name, Sneezy is a nasally-sensitive dwarf who always suffers from dreadful nasal allergies and has a powerful blow of sneezes. His sneezes are strong enough to blow a house blown and repair it back. In other words: he's got storm winds rather than normal sneezes.
And now, he's going to blow down Starchy's frozen prison.
His nose began to wiggled, waking up all his nasal senses to bring out the storm. He sniffled, then he huffs and huffs some more. He restrained a little, but he huffs again, then in a few seconds, he sneezed the huge ice block away and smashed to the solid wall of their house!
Lord Starchbottom is now free… and unconscious.
The 4D went to him and try to wake him up. Until Dopey saw something in his pocket, he pulled out his notepad and opens it. Dopey whistled loudly in surprise, and then he went to Doc and showed it to him. Doc scanned the list and gasped.
"What is that, Doc?" Sneezy sniffled after the impact.
Doc motioned to Sneezy and Sleepy with a frown. "Starchy kidnapped Bashful!"
Sleepy and Sneezy gasped in shock. Starchbottom REALLY WAS serious about this matter…
Then, Grumpy and Happy burst out of the door. "Guys! Bashful is not here!" Happy exclaimed, his usual happy smile had turned into a worried frown.
"We've looked everywhere but he's not there…" Grumpy added, completely troubled.
"Holy Winkers!" Sleepy exclaimed in fear.
"Bashful can't just leave the house with weather like this…" Sneezy said, deeply concern.
Dopey howled loudly like an agonized wolf.
While everyone exchanges terrified looks, Starchbottom woke up and slowly gain consciousness. "Ooooh… I felt like my head got smashed by a wall or something…" he moaned, rubbing his cold painful head.
The 6D glanced back at him with a terribly frowned looks, most especially Grumpy. Starchbottom got the idea and shivered. "Uh-oh…" he gulped.
Before Starchy could run, Grumpy hurdled on him and knock him off-balanced. "Where have you taken him?" Grumpy glared at him as he grabbed his collar and pulling his face closer to his.
"Who taken who?" Starchbottom replied, pretending to be innocent.
"Don't play dumb with us!" Doc said to him and showed him his notepad with his list on it:
TO-DO LIST
Make a trail of cheese and trap Grumpy in a barrel Check…
Go to the 7D cottage and kidnap Bashful Check…
Go to the Queen and let Bashful tell the truth
Celebrate by going to the waffle shop
Starchbottom gasped and began to sweat. Looks like he's busted…
He swiftly pushed Grumpy away and stood up on his feet. "Okay, okay! You got me…" he blurted out. "It's true I try to kidnap Bashful… but believe me, the Glooms took him before I took him!"
"Don't listen to him!" Grumpy exclaimed to his friends. "He trapped me inside a barrel that way he'll get Bashful out of the cottage and take him to the Queen BY FORCE!"
The 6D gasped in shook. Then, Doc turns his gaze on Starchy. "You trapped Grumpy and abducted Bashful?!" he exclaimed in total disbelief.
Starchy glared at Grumpy. "You stay out of this..." he threatened him. "I might punch another black eye on your left..."
"Not IF I punch your eye first..." Grumpy snarled, shaking his fist in the air.
The 6D walked closer at him with angry look in their eyes, "Ooooh… you're gonna get it now, Starchy…" Happy said to him, smiling sinisterly.
"Bashful didn't do anything to you… why're you doing this?" Sleepy glared at him.
"Tell us where he is, now!" Sneezy ordered him.
"You heard Sneezy, where is he?" Grumpy marches forward while Dopey crawled in and growled like an angry dog ready to bite the foe.
Slightly afraid of their aggressiveness, Starchbottom began to back away. "Look! I'm telling you… the Glooms took him away!"
"GET HIM!" Grumpy exclaimed.
Completely Frightened, Starchy dashed away as Dopey almost caught his leg by his bite. Starchbottom didn't looked back and just run away as fast the snowy wind blows by. He ran across the hills and through the cold woods. Though his legs are getting tired, his fear is so strong it that made him all jumpy and energetic. The adrenaline is rushing through his veins like a train.
As he dashed out of the woods and through the village, Starchy suddenly remembered the warning of the Queen's magic mirror:
"Don't do anything stupid… cuz if you do, misfortune will surely before you…"
Starchbottom finally reached the palace gate. He ran across the drawbridge and through the main door and shut it behind him. He sighed deeply in relief and gasped for air. "Holy Jollybells…" he said to himself, breathlessly. "The mirror is right… I blew it big time and now they'll come and get me…"
Then, he heard the voice of Queen Delightful giggling. Curiously, Lord Starchbottom went across the hallways and noticed the giggles are coming behind the doors of her throne hall. He leaned over and listens:
"Oh, you really are a jokester!"
"Oh wait, I got one: What do you call short, brown and sticky: A STICK!"
"Hehehehe…. That's a good one!"
Starchy frowned in confusion. That's a very senseless joke. But who is she talking to? And what's with that guy with a lousy deep-sounded voice?
But this voice seemed so familiar to him, the last time he heard this voice is when the castle is being stormed by the Glooms, which he was still inside that broom closet, all completely conscious but too afraid to get out of that closet.
Then, it hit him…
That deep-sounded voice… that's the voice of Grim Gloom!
Alarmed, Lord Starchbottom slammed the door open. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM THE QUEEN, YOU FIEND…" he said out loud.
But to his great surprise, no Glooms are inside the throne hall. Everything is in place and nothing is damage.
No one is there except for Queen Delightful sitting on her throne and Don Basilio standing beside her…
Wait! Don Basilio is here?! Starchy startled in his thoughts.
Queen Delightful stood up and rushed to Lord Starchbottom. "Look, Starchbottom…" she started. "Don Basilio just came in here too see me… isn't it wonderful?"
Starchy is speechless. Why is Bashful here? And where did that deep-sounded voice came from?
As Starchbottom process the thought, Don Basilio came to him and shook his hand. "Glad to see you again, Lord Starchbottom…" he said to him, "I hope you forgive me for being so improper to you last night…"
Starchy stared that him. His voice? He thought, puzzled. Why is his voice so deep and husky? Don Basilio has a clear, matured voice and Bashful has a timid, squeaky one…
Don Basilio is still wearing his usual black suit last night, except for the leafy-green mask, and he also noticed his tiny hand is all covered with burnt marks, as if it got burnt by a fire or something.
Before Starchy could speak, Sir Yipsalot entered the room. "Oh, Sir Yipsalot…Look who's here… Don Basilio had come back!" Queen Delightful said happily.
But instead of barking in excitement, he crouched down and growled menacingly. He ran towards Don Basilio and attacked him by biting his ankle.
Don Basilio groans in pain as he shook his leg with Sir Yipsalot on it.
"Sir Yipsalot, No! Bag dog…" Queen Delightful exclaimed as she grabbed her dog and pulled him out of his ankle. Sir Yipsalot barked even louder as he glared at Don Basilio angrily.
"Now, now, Sir Yipsalot… that's not very nice to bite his leg…" the Queen told him. "Don Basilio had came back for us and that's not a good way to treat his generosity!"
Starchbottom stared at Sir Yipsalot. How odd… he thought, the last time he saw Don Basilio last night, he's all happy and comfortable with him… and now he's all wild and violent…
Queen Delightful hold Sir Yipsalot even harder as he trying to break free and attack Don Basilio again. "Excuse me, gentlemen…" the Queen said to them. "Sir Yipsalot seemed hungry… I'll go to the kitchen and grab some pickles for him…"
Then, she quickly walked out of the throne hall, carrying Sir Yipsalot who is barking and growling violently as he looked back at Don Basilio.
Now, Lord Starchbottom and Don Basilio are all alone. Something isn't right here… Starchy thought.
Don Basilio rubbed his ankles in pain. Then, he quickly stood and regained his composure. He sighed quietly and smiled at Starchy. "It's been a long night yesterday, huh?" he began.
"Yes, it is…" Starchy replied. "Do you remember the time when the Glooms came in and you drove them away…"
"Yeah, of course I did…" Don Basilio replied timidly
"I must say you did a brave move to save Jollyday ball…"
"Well, don't mention it…"
"I hope you didn't hurt yourself after getting blast by those fireworks…" Starchy said, looking at his slightly burnt hands.
"Oh no… actually, I used the bowl of fruit punches and poured it over them… their fireworks died out and the Glooms ran off…" Don Basilio explained proudly.
Starchbottom slowly near a table nearby and slowly grabbed a silver tray.
"Oh, Don Basilio… you really make me laugh…" he said to him.
"Hehe, why did you say that?" Don Basilio chuckled, rather flattered.
"Because Don Basilio used a SILVER TRAY to defeat YOU rather than fruit punches!" Lord Starchy blurted out and held out the silver tray.
Alarmed, Don Basilio pulled a magic wand out of his coat and blasted the tray away from Starchy's grip.
"I know it's you, GRIMWOLD GLOOM…" Starchbottom glared at him. "I was there peeping in that broom closet when you got blasted by Don Basilio's blowback…" he exclaimed, pointing at the hallway where it leads to the ballroom.
"I should've turned you into a stone rather than freezing you up…" Grim's voice came out of Don Basilio's lips and points his wand at Starchy. "But you're pretty smart to find out about me…"
Just as Starchy thought, The Glooms are using Bashful's appearance as Don Basilio to fool the Queen and take her out of Jollywood.
"And you're pretty sneaky to catch Bashful under my nose…" Starchy replied. "Now, where's is he?"
"Why so worried about him? I mean, you hated him, right?" Grim reasoned out, still pointing his wand at him. "Why don't you just let us cover this up? I mean we can ruin his life for you..."
"And let you get rid of the Queen right after? Not a chance!" Starchbottom replied. "Now what have you done to him?"
"Transformation potion works cleverly, doesn't it?" Grim smirked as his wand began to sparkles its tip. "All we just need is some of his hair as part of the spell and use it to copy his appearance... and POOF! Here I am; looking like that Don Basilio Bashful used to date the Queen..."
"I knew it..." Starchbottom hissed, "But you won't get away with this!"
"Is that so?" Grim exclaimed as he rises up his wand and is about to turn Starchbottom into stone when suddenly...
"Sorry to keep you waiting, boys..."Queen Delightful entered the room along with Sir Yipsalot.
Grim kept away his wand on his coat and smiled to the Queen. "Your majesty..." he greeted her. "Have you got his pickle yet?"
"No, I haven't..." before she could continue her sentence, Starchbottom appeared near the Queen.
"Your majesty, stay away from him!" he said to her. "This is not Don Basilio! It's Grim from the Glooms..."
Queen Delightful gave him a terrible frown. "I had enough of your lies, Starchbottom..." she scolded him. Starchy fell silent. The Queen continued: "First, you said Bashful is Don Basilio AND NOW you're saying that Don Basilio is Grimwold Gloom?!... Starchbottom, Stop being so fussy, I can no longer tolerate it!"
Starchbottom went speechless. The Queen wouldn't believe him anymore. She got so fed up with his accusations that she refuses to listen to him. He glanced back at Grim (in Don Basilio's body) who winked at him, rather mockingly.
Before Starchy could say anything, Queen Delightful sighed, "Well, if you're done with your stories then, would you care buying some jars of pickle for Sir Yipsalot?"
"Yes, my Queen..." Lord Starchbottom breathed. Then, Sir Yipsalot jumped out on her arms and bit Don Basilio again in the ankle.
"And take Sir Yipsalot too..." the Queen added. "Perhaps, he needs some fresh air to stop biting his leg."
Without another word, Starchy walked near Grim and pulled the dog out of his ankle. "I'll deal with you later..." he whispered sinisterly at Grim.
"Careful, Starchy..." Grim whispered with a sly smile on his face. "My Hildy-wildy is out there somewhere..."
Starchbottom gulped in fear. Oh yeah, I forgot... The Glooms are two people he thought, finally realizing that he's totally outnumbered. Then, he left along with Sir Yipsalot, leaving Queen Delightful and Don Basilio (a.k.a. Grim) in the throne hall.
As Starchy and Sir Yipsalot walked through the corridors, they came across a hallway where it leads to the ballroom. "How will I proved to the Queen that Don Basilio is Grim in disguised?" he said to himself. Sir Yipsalot looked at him and yips.
"I can't ring the Bing-Bong bell..." Starchbottom replied. "The 6D will never listen to me... not anymore..."
Suddenly, Sir Yipsalot jumped out of his arms and ran towards the ballroom. "HEY!" Starchy exclaimed as he follows the pup. He ran across the ballroom and then in the huge stairway where it leads to the Queen's royal suite.
Starchy went inside the royal room and spotted Sir Yipsalot, yipping in front of the displayed dark coat with a snowflake-shaped brooch on it.
Lord Starchbottom recognized that coat: This is Don Basilio's black coat. It is on a dressmaker mannequin and it was displayed nice and neatly, not a single fold or dirt on it.
"Wow...Queen Delightful sure kept this thing like some kind of a holy relic or something..." Starchy joked to himself. But somehow, it's true...
After all, the mirror did mention that Queen Delightful is completely attracted to him like a fan girl who met her dream idol.
Sir Yipsalot kept on barking in front of it and pointed his nose at the coat pocket. Starchy leaned over the coat and saw a pinkish cloth peeping out of the pocket.
He pulled out the hankie and saw an embroider letters at the corner of it: Lovelots, Q.D.
Starchbottom arched up his eyebrow, Did Queen Delightful gave this to him?
Bashful sure is a lucky guy to receive some personal gifts from Queen Delightful herself, he thought, rather enviously.
Starchbottom looked down at Sir Yipsalot who also looked back at him.
Then, a thought flashed in his mind:
"Don't do anything stupid… Cuz if you do, misfortune will surely befall you… and you can only help yourself if you stop being so selfish and go save him…"
He suddenly remembered that warning the magic mirror gave him earlier. He understands the first part of the warning but what he doesn't seem to get is the second part where he has to "go save him"
What does she mean by that? He thought, still processing the thought in his mind. He glanced over the pink handkerchief in his hand and then, to Sir Yipsalot.
"Go save him?" Starchy said to himself, "Does she mean... go save Bashful?"
Sir Yipsalot yips loudly in agreement.
But still, Starchbottom had second thoughts: Bashful did lie to the Queen by pretending to be a noble man, and does deserve this situation as a punishment for his "impersonation". But still, Bashful needs to be saved that way he can prove to the Queen that he's right and she's being tricked by the Glooms.
Lord Starchbottom straightens up his back and breathes deeply. Looks like he'll be doing this on his own way, then...
Queen Delightful and the 6D don't trust him anymore, and all he got is this little dog who can help him track down Bashful.
"Hey, Sir Yipsalot..." Starchy leaned over him. Sir Yipsalot stretched up his ear as he whispers: "Wanna go find Bashful with me?"
"Yip, yip..." Sir Yipsalot replied in doubt.
"Okay, you're right..." Lord Starchbottom said, awkwardly. "I don't really like him much but this is different... I need Bashful to show him to the Queen that way she'll realized that she's being tricked..."
Sir Yipsalot barks some more.
"Well... the 6D doesn't believe me anymore and I doubt it they'll help me..." Starchy answered, looking down.
Sir Yipsalot stared at him in silence. "Look, I know you don't trust me... but please, if you can't do this for me, then instead, do this against the Glooms..."
Sir Yipsalot kept silent and looked closely at Starchbottom. He seemed sincere of what he's saying. After all, he's got a point: If the dog can't do this for Starchy then at least, do this for the Queen and stop the Glooms from tricking her.
Then, he barks a "Yes" for Starchbottom. The dog agrees to help him find Bashful.
Lord Starchbottom sighed in relief. At least he still got someone on his side, for now...
He pulled out the pink hankie and showed it in front of Sir Yipsalot. "Okay, Sir Yipsalot, Track him down..." Starchy said.
Sir Yipsalot stuck his nose on the pink hankie and sniffed on it. Then, the little white dog sniffed the ground and then the air. In a matter of seconds, Sir Yipsalot finally got the track and quickly dashed out of the door and out of the ballroom.
"Now, we're talking..." Lord Starchbottom said, excitedly seeing his opportunity to clear his name and get Bashful from the Glooms and bring him to the Queen. Besides, HE DID stole him in the first place...
As Lord Starchy follows Sir Yipsalot out of the room, in the balcony outside the royal suite, Hildy Gloom peeped out as Starchy left the room and heard the whole thing. "So he wants to get Bashful out of us, eh?" she muttered, "Then, he better go through me..."
Then, she hopped on her pink-and-blue broomstick and magically zoomed across the snowy sky and going back to their house where Bashful is imprisoned.
END OF CHAPTER NINE
NEXT CHAPTER: With the help of Sir Yipsalot, Lord Starchbottom must journey into the cold depths of the woods and get Bashful out of Hildy's grasp. Will he able to save him before Hildy gets them? Or will Grim take hostage out of Queen Delightful instead? It's a snobbish-turn-hero time in Chapter Ten: Rescued