Feli woke up tied to a boat. Thing was that tied to her hand was the Lost Prince's crown. And the boat she was sitting on had just hit a pier where two or three royal guards were making patrolling rounds.

They swooped down on her and arrested her so fast she couldn't even think of escaping.

She tried to fight, but it was futile. "Wait, listen to me! There's this guy, he's in danger, you have to listen to me, please!"

But the guards were turning a deaf ear.

Ludwig was sitting on his bed, eyes cast down. Ivan had unbraided his hair, combed it thoroughly and now he was done re-plaiting them. He noticed how down Ludwig was. He patted his head and said "Now, Ludwig, don't be that down. The woman was just a thief. She was probably lying all the time."

Ludwig cringed under his father's words. He desperately wanted to defend Feli, but he had seen her running away with his own eyes.

Ivan saw that Ludwig had no intention of speaking. He sighed and said "I warned you about the outside world, Ludwig. Now you do understand why. But it's okay. Dad will protect you."

Ivan left Ludwig's room to go and cook some dinner for the boy.

Ludwig let himself fall back on his bed. How could Feli do that to him? He thought that... oh God. He was sure she felt something for him... how stupid of him... he turned on his stomach, looking at the little flag that Feli had bought for him before the lanterns. The sun adorning it looked somehow familiar... actually, in the last few days a lot of things had felt familiar... the sun symbol, the King and Queen mosaic, the crown...

Suddenly, Ludwig sat up straight on the bed. How come all the things that had seemed familiar were related to the Kingdom or the royals? The sun symbol... he had seen it before... but when? And how? He concentrated hard. And all of a sudden, he remembered. The sun symbol was something hovering over him... but back in the day, when he was a baby... and finally, there he saw them! The King and Queen looking at him in a crib! Then that had to mean...

Ivan was a bit worried. He had just heard something being knocked over, along with Ludwig's ragged breath. He walked up the stairs and asked "Sweety? Are you okay?"

Ludwig got out of the room and looked at Ivan with such determination that Ivan got scared for a moment. "I'm the Lost Prince."

Ivan cringed.

Shit and fuck.

"What? Oh darling, you can't be serious."

Ludwig growled and walked angrily towards Ivan, making him back away. "You have always lied to me! All this time you've kept me locked up in this fucking tower just because you want to use the power of my hair! How could you do this to me? How could I not realize it!"

Ivan's gaze hardened. "Everything I did was in order to protect you. You know that."

Ludwig struggled with himself to refrain from hitting Ivan. "NO! You did it to protect my hair, not ME! You don't give a shit about me! But now that I know, I will never allow you to use the power of my hair EVER AGAIN!"

And to show how serious he was, he shoved Ivan hard against a mirror. The mirror fell over, breaking with a ear-splitting crash. Ivan could barely contain his wrath. He mockingly spat "You think that if you get out of here, then that thief will be there waiting for you? Is that what you think?"

Ludwig stood his ground. "Yes! I'm sure she will! I'll find her, just you wait!"

Ivan let out a maniacal laugh. "I really don't think so. That thief will be hanged for her crimes today! She should be dead already by now!"

Ludwig's face fell, but then became wild. He looked at Ivan with pure venom in his eyes before turning towards the window and unravelling his braid from his waist.

Ivan knew what Ludwig was going to do. But he couldn't let him... not now that he was so very close to achieving his goal...

Feli was pacing up and down her jail cell. She had to find a way to get out. She had to go back to Ludwig. He was probably back in the tower right now, and maybe he thought that she had walked out on him... damn, damn, damn!

While she was getting very creative with profanities, she heard someone open the cell door. She turned around and three soldiers were standing on the threshold.

"Let's give a meaning to this day, Venezia."

Feli looked at them in confusion. What did they mean?

… oh.

She was brought away in shackles, but she was not coming without resistance. She was holding back, screaming. "Please, listen to me! There's a boy, he needs your help, please, ve, listen!"

But since she was not really worth the guards' trust, they just thought it was a simple move to put off her impending execution.

While she was struggling two doors closed, effectively trapping her and the guards in the corridor. The captain looked angry. He banged his fist on the door demanding whoever was on the other side to open it.

Then two rocks fell on top of the guards at her sides, and a rope fell from a window. One whose bars had been removed. Thanking whatever god was watching over her now, she climbed it.

However, she didn't expect to see who she saw at the end of the rope. Her jaw dropped to the ground as she stuttered "Gilbert! What the hell...?"

Gilbert shrugged and motioned for her to follow him. They started running and jumping over the roofs, but that didn't stop Feli from asking questions. "Why are you doing this?"

Gilbert gave a laugh. "Kesese, we're just that generous!"

Feli didn't slow her pace as she said "Ve, that's the biggest lie I've ever heard! You just don't want me to die before I pay you guys back, do you?"

Gilbert's grin didn't fall. "Why yes. Since Goldielocks' father screwed us out of both crown and magical hair, we thought that we might go back to that measly million you still owe us!"

Feli laughed. "I owe you nothing, I gave you the crown! Whatever you did with that is no business of mine, ve!"

Gilbert mumbled something incomprehensible, but kept on running until they reached the bridge that linked the capital to the forest. And right there, Francis and Antonio were waiting with a horse.

Feli had no idea what to think. She mounted the horse and started crying tears of happiness. "Ve, you guys, thank you so much, I'll never forget this!"

Francis Smoldered her and kissed her hand charmingly. "Venezia, darling, we'll find a way to make you pay this back. But now run! Your blondie is waiting for you!"

She nodded to them and spurred her horse. In mere minutes she was out of sight.

Antonio shook his head. "Alright, we have officially gone soft, you guys."

Francis crossed his arms over his chest. "Well... maybe. But she's such a cutie... and it was kind of our fault that she was sentenced to death. Wouldn't want the death of a pretty girl on my conscience, anyway."

Gilbert scoffed. "Kesese. Whatever. I suggest we drown our sorrows and guilt in beer."

Antonio and Francis nodded, and followed the awesome Gilbert to the tavern.

Sorry for the lateness, but real life is a bitch. I'm going to a dire place where internet doesn't work, so don't expect uploads for a week or so. I'm sorreeeeeee!