A/N: Nightwing and Red Robin go on patrol. While on a break, Nightwing uses his dream weaving ability to weave a fanciful fairy tale for Tim to later tell to his children. Narissa, Ethan, and Aimee are three of Tim's children. They only appear in the beginning of this story. They will appear in later stories as the Earth 14 stories progress.
Cinder Bat Fella
By
AJRedRobin and JasonToddLover
Part 11
"Good Morning Daughter," King Bruce came into the private dining room for breakfast. He watched his daughter as she brushed her fingers along a red mask she was holding. "Saman'ta, you seem distracted since the ball last night. Sorry we couldn't stay longer. Your mother wanted to retire early. I take it we will be having a wedding in the future?"
"My prince ran away," Saman'ta stated.
"Really."
"I do not even know his name. He lives here in the kingdom." Saman'ta stood up and faced her father. She hadn't even bothered to eat her breakfast that one of the servants provided. "I know what I'll do, I will go to every house and have them try on this enchanted mask."
"Enchanted mask?" King Bruce stared at his daughter, almost questioning her sanity.
"Yes Father, he was wearing it. If it sticks to their face then I know he is my one true love."
"Are you certain he is the one? For all you know he was just a dream."
"I am certain father. He isn't a dream. We had so much fun last night. And why do I have this mask if he were? He is real father, and I intend to find him."
"Very well, but take Ricard with you along with Jason and a few other knights," King Bruce insisted. "I want you to be safe."
"Yes, daddy," Saman'ta teased. She went to gather the knights and to talk with Ricard and Jason about searching for her Prince.
Meanwhile, Fella's morning was starting out well enough. He continued to hum the tune that he had sung to the Princess last night. He felt so happy inside. Fella got up early to feed the animals and collect eggs for breakfast.
"Good morning chickens," Fella said as he entered the hen house. "Let's see how many eggs you have for me this morning." Fella reached under the birds and found they had given him extra eggs than they normally did. He could actually have an egg or two for breakfast and even make something special.
While Fella was taking care of the livestock, Vincent and Victor snuck upstairs to Fella's room. They were convinced he had somehow gone to the ball last night without them knowing. They searched around throwing clothes on the floor from Fella's dresser. There was an old wardrobe cabinet. In a darkened corner Virgil the cat kept a weary eye upon the two. Vincent checked inside Virgil gave a double wink of his eyes and what Vincent saw wasn't what he expected. All he saw was a cape made of rags.
"Well, it can't possibly be him," Vincent stated. "This cape looks like it's been here since we moved in."
"What's this?" Victor picked up a blanket that was lying across Fella's bed. "It says Timoti? Who the hell is that?"
"Isn't that the blanket Fella was wrapped in?" Vincent questioned. "Let me look at it."
Fella went to the garden and grabbed a few vegetables to add to breakfast. He still had some bread from last night. He was going to have to get more milk and cream to churn more butter.
"Here," Victor tossed the blanket to his twin.
"There's some kind of crest on it," Vincent said as he looked the blanket over. "Didn't there used to be a kingdom far to the east that got conquered?"
"Yeah."
"Then this is worthless. If the kingdom still existed, we could have held him for ransom." Vincent tossed the blanket and it landed across the windowsill.
"Let's go. I'm hungry."
"Yeah. I hope that pipsqueak made something good."
Saman'ta was going house to house, having each eligible guy try on the mask. And even some that were not so eligible.
"It's mine, it's got to be mine, the glue probably dried."
"No it's mine."
"You weren't wearing a mask," Ricard said "And you weren't even there. You're too young."
Everywhere the same thing, the mask wouldn't stick on any of the faces that tried it.
"Okay knights. Let's go." Saman'ta tried twenty homes, all within the span of an hour. They were making their way through the village and the surrounding countryside.
Antonio Alcazar road his horse through the village. He always took a morning ride to check on whether the merchandise he provided was being sold. Then he would collect the money that was owed him. On this particular morning, Antonio spotted an unusual sight. It looked like some kind of parade. He saw the Princess go into a house then she came right back out. He watched her do that several times. And once he realized what it was she was doing, he was quickly reining in his horse and heading home.
Once Antonio reached the house, he quickly got of his horse, letting it run into the barn. "My Sons!"
Fella was putting items on the table for breakfast.
The family crest on the side of Ricard's chest plate gleamed with pride. Even though his family's homeland was gone, his current king allowed him to wear it proudly. 'One day I will find Timoti. Today has to be that day,' he thought as his suspicions grew regarding the young man he saw at the ball last night. He escorted the Princess through the village. "Where to next Princess."
"Well, that Alcazar place is next I guess," Saman'ta said, growing discouraged. "I know its not them."
"Your Father said we had to try every house."
"I know. They are the farthest from the village."
"What is it Father?"
"I saw the princess," Antonio explained. "She was going from house to house carrying that mask. She's having all the eligible men trying it on. The Princess is determined to find him."
"Find who?" Victor asked.
"That Prince in red."
Fella heard Antonio as he carried the breakfast tray to the table. He hitched in a breath and dropped the tray he was carrying.
"Fool! Clean that up then go to your room!"
"But, I was just . . ." Before Fella could lean down and clean up the mess, his stepfather grabbed his arm.
"You will learn not to talk back! We are expecting an important guest!" Antonio pulled Fella up to his room and tossed him in. Then he shut the door and locked it.
"No! Please. You can't keep me in here!"
Saman'ta huffed and went to knock on the door.
Antonio came rushing down and straightened his clothes. He closed off the kitchen then went to open the door. " You honor our humble home. Come in. Please. Would you care for some tea?
Fella slipped down to the floor with his knees up to his chest and buried his face in his hands. All the good feelings he had earlier were gone. Virgil the cat knew that something was up when he heard the knock on the door. He went to the window and jumped up and spotted someone walking on the grounds.
"No, thank you. I won't be here long." Saman'ta cleared her throat. She had to go through the formalities. "So, last night I met the man of my dreams, but he slipped away from me. I am trying to find him. Will the young men of this household try this mask on please?"
Jason had gone inside with the Princess this time, while Ricard decided to walk around the grounds. He hadn't been to this place before having concentrated his efforts inside the village. He decided to have a look around when he noticed a blanket hanging outside a small window. He studied it closer. It was hard to tell, but it looked like that blanket had his crest. His eyes narrowed and he hurried and went back to the front of the house. At the same time, Virgil the cat spied the crest on the knight's breast plate. It was the same on the blanket. He knew what he had to do next.
Meanwhile in the house it looked like a fight was going to ensue between the two twins over the mask.
"Why that's my mask. Wherever did you find it?"
"You're mask? That mask is mine!
'Do these idiots think I'm stupid? It's not theirs.' Saman'ta rolled her eyes. She still was required that they try it on. "Please, one at a time. You, first."
Vincent grinned at his brother then tried on the mask but it didn't stick. "Obviously this is the wrong one. Here. You try." Vincent handed the mask to Victor.
"No! My blanket!" With a flick of his tail, a breeze caught the blanket and it slipped off the windowsill. Fella was too late to grab it. "No." His heart sank. The connection to his past was gone and if his stepfather and stepbrothers were to find it before he could, Fella was going to be stuck here for the rest of my life.
Before Ricard reached the front door, something wrapped around his head. He was quick to rip it from my face. He looked down at it and discovered it was the blanket he saw earlier. His eyes went wide and rushed through the front door.
'My name is Timoti, but what good is it. No one will probably believe me,' Timoty sniffled. 'Not without my blanket.' Timoti moved over to the bed and buried his face in his pillow and cried.
Victor tried on the mask trying to get it to stick. He even secretly placed a little honey on his cheeks, but it didn't work. 'Damn it!" He handed it back "Sorry Princess. Looks like your Prince isn't here after all."
"Okay, Sir Jason. Let's be on our way."
"Wait!" Ricard rushed in. "This blanket. It was in a window sill. Let me into that room."
"It's just an old attic," Antonio stated. "Nothing significant."
"You do not understand. This blanket had a child wrapped in it. Where is the child! He should be a teen now!"
Vincent looked at his brother. "Our mother did bring home an orphan, but he's nobody."
"He's just a servant," Antonio said.
"Show me the teen NOW!" Ricard ordered. He was about to draw his sword. How dare they make him a servant of this pitiful household.
Saman'ta stayed Ricard's hand. "The son of Duke Grayson has been searching for his brother. If you have him that boy is a Grayson. Why is he treated so lowly?"
"We had no idea." Antonio handed over the keys. "We thought there weren't any more Graysons."
"You thought wrong," Ricard stated. He snatched the keys. "Show me to the attic."
"This way," Victor said, quietly. He led Ricard through the kitchen and to the stairs leading to the attic. Ricad was furious, nervous and excited. He finally found the right key and unlocked the door flinging it open. He stopped a figure lying on the bed. "Timoti?"
Fella's eyes narrowed. That voice sounded so familiar, like from a forgotten dream. "Who?"
"Timoti, is that you?" Ricard could see the boy looked as if he were exhausted and needed a good meal, but he would never forget those blue eyes, so much like his own. "Timoti!"
Timoti looked at the person who called his name. It was the Duke's son, Ricard. "I . . . I am Timoti."
"My baby brother!" Ricard ran over and wrapped his arms around him.
"Brother? I have a big brother."
"Come on. You're getting out of this place. Pack your things." Ricard grabbed a random trunk and opened it up. "Ricard's eyes widened when he seen what it was inside. He pulled out the red feathery cloak. "Is this yours, Timoti?"
"Yeah, it is, but I remember hanging it up."
Virgil the cat hopped into Timoti's lap. "Meow."
"Virgil, did you do that?"
Ricard placed the cloak around Timoti's shoulders. It was a perfect fit. He could picture the suit his brother had worn last night. There was only one thing that was missing. Ricard started tossing what little bit of clothes his brother had into the trunk and then he picked it up and placed it on one of his shoulders. He gently grabbed Timoti's upper arm and headed back down the stairs.
Saman'ta waited patiently for Ricard to return. Her eyes widened when she saw a boy in a red feathery cloak walking beside Ricard. 'It's the boy that rode with me for that one day. It has to be. They said he was dead. he's alive!'
Timoti saw the princess and bowed his head. "Your highness."
'His voice is the same as my prince in red,' Saman'ta thought. "Hi. Your brother has been looking for you for so long. Since you are here . . . " She handed him the mask.
"My mask!" Timoti took it from her hand and placed it against his face. He removed his hands and the mask held. He gave her a wide smile.
"You were with me last night!"
"What!?" Vincent was incensed. "NO! You're just some Orphan!"
"Not any more. I have a brother." Timoti hugged Ricard. 'Victor and Vincent weren't my brothers.' Timoti thought. "He's my brother." Timoti then turned toward the Princess. "I never answered your question last night. I am Timoti . . . Timoti Grayson."
"Timoti Grayson," Saman't let his name roll off her tongue. "That name suits you. Come. My quest for finding my prince is over.' Saman'ta held Timoti's hand.
"Wait." Timoti turned toward Antonio and his sons. He squared his shoulders, standing taller, remembering what his stepmother had told him. "I forgive you." Then he turned toward his brother, his real brother and smiled and walked out with the princess on his arm.
Continues with Part 12
A/N: One more chapter guys.