"Ow, ow, ow."

Pandora giggled at her desk. "Having fun over there, Princess?"

Melissa pulled herself out of her hammock and massaged her arms. "I feel like a pillow that was fluffed a little too enthusiastically. Everything feels limp and painful."

Pandora dabbed her quill in the inkwell and scribbled on her parchment. "For your first week here, I'd say you're doing well for yourself."

Melissa's first week. She managed to get through one week of training. It wasn't easy, even with Basil and Marie's coaching after hours. While Jet was going at her with everything he had, Basil and Marie were doing their best to make her comfortable while pushing Melissa to her very best. A combination of both seemed to be helping the rabbit get through the day. At least her legs didn't feel like jelly anymore.

Melissa pulled out a uniform from under her hammock. Adenine had just finished it the other night and, after an awkward interaction between the two, she dropped it off and made off with the rest of her night. Melissa felt bad, but didn't dwell on it too long. She was just glad to have a proper fitting uniform.

"I am most thankful it is the weekend. I can take it easy today."

"If I were you, I would use all the time you've got to get through training."

"Believe me, while that sounds wonderful, I fear my poor arms have reached their limit for the week." Melissa rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Ten."

"Oh darn, I better get ready. I am supposed to meet Basil at eleven."

Pandora turned around in her chair. "What for?"

"To meet the alchemist," she grumbled. "He says I needed something to do while I am here so I do not waste time."

"Ah, the internships."

"That is an actual thing here?" Melissa asked in surprise. "I thought Basil was joking."

Pandora waved it off. "More or less. See, you don't get to stay here and goof off at your own leisure. You actually have to be doing something if you want to make the most of your time here. For example, I'm the head of inventing around here, so it's my responsibility to make new weapons and gadgets for the Foresters. Tank is our blacksmith, as well as head of construction. And the guy you'll be working with, Shade, is our…um, doctor?"

Melissa squinted. "Why did you sound so hesitant when you said that?"

Pandora shrugged. "Eh, Shade will explain it to you when he gets the chance. Anyway, if you have any interest in crushing plants and berries together, you might enjoy your time with him."

Melissa rubbed her chin. "I did study in medicine, so it might be fun."

"Hopefully you're good at it," Pandora muttered through her teeth.

"What was that?"

"Nothing~!" Pandora chimed sweetly. "Just don't get cold feet and you'll be fine. Shade's pretty easygoing with new apprentices, so he might not give you that hard of a time."

Melissa sighed. "If that is code for 'He will not hate me at first glance,' I have high hopes for the day." She headed to the bathroom with her new uniform.

Pandora snickered. "Just try not to do anything that'll set fire to the fort! That won't look good in your review!"

"Oh hush!"

Melissa yawned as she followed Basil through the base. She winced from the laughter directed towards her, no doubt from the Foresters who witnessed her week of blunders. She didn't want to relive the mistakes and failings she made, such as once again slipping out of the base and getting chewed out by Jet for extending her fifteen minute break to a forty-five minute one because she fell asleep…in her lunch.

Basil hooked his arm around Melissa. "Sorry you have to do this on your Saturday."

Melissa gently picked his arm off her shoulder. "I will take this over the push-ups." She sighed. "Still, alchemy? Really?"

"You have heard about it, yes?"

"In passing from fantasy novels," she mumbled is disgust.

Basil chuckled. "Oh no, it's far from a work of fiction."

She raised her brow skeptically. "Are you telling me your alchemist can turn lead into gold? Did he create the ultimate cure for sickness and disease?"

"If we did any of that, do you think we would be spending our time as thieves and not profiting off such miracles of science?"

Melissa opened her mouth, then stopped herself as she thought it over. "…Good point."

Basil snickered. "It's the goal of every alchemist to create those miracle elixirs to change the very state of the world. That said, it's more than fantastical objectives. Despite the absurdity, I'm sure you can appreciate the miracle of an all-in-one cure."

Melissa rubbed her chin. "It is a branch of science I am unfamiliar with, to be honest. I know plants have healing properties, but how do things like crystals and minerals help?"

"While some would scoff at the mystical, it is nothing more than another way of challenging the observable world and discovery new branches." Basil shrugged. "However, I'm not the one who should be convincing you of this. Shade can give a far better explanation as to how this crap works. I'm just paraphrasing what he lectured to me before he fell asleep."

"Fell asleep?" Melissa questioned.

"Right, should have mentioned this earlier. See, Shade's a little-"

The conversation stopped right there at the sound of an explosion occurring nearby. Melissa shrieked and hid behind Basil for safety, but then noticed no one raised any alarm to the explosion. They were startled, yes, but continued on their way like it was a normal occurrence.

"W-What happened?" Melissa stuttered.

Basil sighed. "That happens sometimes. Come on, we better check on him." He grabbed her hand and quickened his pace.

"Ch-Check on who?!"

A minute later, they came up to a smoking hut that everyone cleared away from. A sign hanging by a chain showed a fancy symbol that Melissa didn't recognize, though she had a hunch from the fumes protruding from inside that this was her new workspace.

Melissa pulled her jacket over her mouth as the smoke came nearer. "What happened in there?"

Basil waved through the smoke. "Eh, don't worry about it, it's not poisonous." He pushed through the door and fanned himself a path. "Shade, you in here?"

Melissa stepped inside and pushed the door wide open to let out the fumes and let in the fresh air. She shuffled backwards until her rear bumped against a chair. "Oops, sorry." She turned around, then raised her brow. "Uh…Basil?"

Basil waved the smoke out of his face, then grinned. "Ah, there he is."

Before Melissa and Basil was a Sableye, faceplanted against his desk. Papers were under his face. Most of his desk was covered in strange liquids Melissa couldn't recognize, though some had fallen out of their test tubes and supposedly started a reaction that caused the explosion.

With the air clearing up, Melissa allowed herself a moment to check her surroundings. The space was relatively small, with a single path that allowed just enough room for two people to walk around unrestricted. She pulled open the cupboards and found an assortment of weird items, one of which being a bone sitting in a jar of pale green liquid. Melissa covered her mouth and closed the cupboard immediately.

Along with her search, she spotted some equipment she wasn't familiar with, yet she guessed they involved alchemy. She would have to ask the Sableye about them, assuming he ever woke up.

Basil lightly shoved the Sableye's shoulder. "Hey, Shade! Get up! You blew the place up again!"

"A-A-Again?!" Melissa shrieked. I have to work here, you know!

Basil proceeded to pound on the Sableye's head, shocking the Buneary further. "Shade, wake up! Nap time is over! I brought your new apprentice!"

After the seventh blow, Shade roused from his deep slumber. He let out a huge yawn and sat up in his chair, rubbing his face. "Y-You need something?" he mumbled. He wiped his finger across his cheek and examined the residue on it. "Where'd this ash come from?"

"You spilt some elixirs over each other when you fell asleep," Basil explained, pointing to the spill on his desk.

Shade grabbed a rag and wiped his crystal eyes. "Ah, so it seems. Well, at least I know what happens when I mix these two items together...I-I-I think." He stretched out his arms and got out of his seat. "You said something about an apprentice? Is she here?"

"Right behind you."

Melissa straightened her back as Shade approached her. He rubbed his chin and gave the nervous Buneary a quizzical look. "Uh huh, so you brought me the princess to be my new apprentice?"

Basil nodded. "Yes sir. I figured this would be the safest job for her."

I do not see safe! Melissa internally screamed.

"Hmm…" After a minute of inspecting, Shade grinned. "Well, why not? I suppose I could take her onboard, assuming you can lift glass vials." He laughed.

Melissa awkwardly laughed along. "Hehe, y-yeah."

Shade extended his hand. "Well, a pleasure to finally meet you, Princess. My name…m-my name is…" Melissa blinked as the Sableye's head slumped forward. A second after, she jumped from his loud snoring.

"B-Basil?"

Basil chuckled. "Nothing to worry about, this is normal."

"Is he overworked?" Melissa asked worriedly. She carefully poked the Sableye's head. "Poor thing. No wonder he requires an apprentice."

"Oh no, you got it wrong. Shade's well rested," Basil said with a straight face. Melissa stared at him with boggled eyes, then gestured prominently at the sleeping goblin. "It's just that he suffers from a sleep curse." Basil tapped his chin. "Or was the term sleep disorder?"

"Are you saying he can fall asleep at any minute?" Melissa asked.

"Pretty much. That's why some Foresters are hesitant to work with Shade. While he is a genius alchemist, he's pretty unreliable in missions and kind of needs to be babysat. Some of the Foresters here may have been trained to defend themselves, but not all of them will go on missions."

"Really?"

"Forester hierarchy is divided amongst seven different ranks. Shade here is in the more common branch, a member of the Woodland Rangers, specializing in base development. I, myself, am part of the Greenwood Leaders. I help manage resources for Jason."

Melissa rubbed her head. "So, what am I?"

Basil wagged his finger. "You're not even in the lowest rank yet. You're just a rookie. If you do pass, you'll be a Green Scout. However, that just means you completed basic training. You won't be allowed to go on raids with us, but you will be assigned to someone to handle resource runs."

Melissa held her head, feeling a tad dizzy. "So much to remember."

"That's why we have these internships. If you're going to be one of us, you need to find your place among the Foresters. So, I figured you and Shade would get along, unless of course there's something else you're interested in. Maybe Adenine could use a new seamstress."

Melissa flinched. "I…do not believe she is comfortable with my presence." She shook her head. "N-No, no, I am fine with this…I hope."

Basil grinned. "I knew you would love it here-"

"-Shade!" They both jumped as Shade startled himself awake. He shook his head and looked around. "Huh, wha…?" He rubbed his eyes, mumbling to himself. "Smoke, potion spill…new appre- ah, yes!" He extended his hand to Melissa again. "My name is Shade. A pleasure to meet you."

Melissa recovered from her brief shock and shook his hand. "You as well, Mr. Shade."

Shade waved it off. "Oh, no need to refer to me as 'Mister.' Makes me sound old. You will refer to me as Dr. Shade, instead."

"You are a doctor?"

"Uh…legally speaking, no." He chuckled sheepishly. "But, you know, makes me sound cooler than 'Mister.'"

"Uh huh," Melissa mumbled with an awkward grin.

Basil patted them both on the shoulders. "Well, this is my cue to leave. Take good care of her, Shade. She's still got a lot of steps to climb before she reaches our level."

Shade saluted. "She's in my very capable hands." Right as Basil left, Shade rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Oh boy, I've been needing an assistant for a long while now. So happy to have you on board, Princess."

Melissa smiled. "Yes, and…feel free to refer to me as Melissa. I am not much of a princess anymore."

Shade chuckled. "Of course. Well, the apprenticeship shouldn't be too complicated. I just need someone to help keep track of my thoughts while I'm working. I can daze off when in the middle of work and forget what I mixed together. Think you can do that?"

Melissa nodded. "Oh yes, I can. My royal tutor taught me the fine wonders of calligraphy. My handwriting is impeccable."

Shade narrowed his brows. "You mean that fancy gobbledygook you call text?" Melissa slowly nodded. "…You can read it, right?" She nodded again. "Alright, crisis averted." He turned back to his workstation.

Melissa frowned. "My handwriting is not that incomprehensible." She folded her arms behind her waist and leaned over Shade's shoulder. "Out of curiosity, what was it that you were working on before the, um, explosion?"

"Ah, that." Shade picked up a green sphere between his fingers. "Working on a new type of smoke bomb. Turns out I made something a bit more…explosive. Don't know what I added, which is why I need someone to track my progress." He paused to yawn, then continued. "It was supposed to release a greater volume of smoke."

"And this is the work of…alchemy?" Melissa mumbled skeptically. "Can you really turn lead into gold?"

"What?" Shade laughed and slapped his knee. "Of course not. Do you know how much we would be making if we could do that?"

Melissa deadpanned. "I have been told."

"There's so much to our world that we still have yet to understand. Because of this, we use alchemy as a way of understanding how matter interacts with each other. What I'm most curious in is combining properties of nature with that of a Pokémon."

"Combining nature and Pokémon?" Melissa asked.

"Look in that cupboard over there." Melissa nodded and opened up the cupboards, cringing at the one holding a bone. "I've collected those from various Pokémon."

The color drained from Melissa's face. "Y-You collected this stuff from…?!"

"Yep. Like that bone there. A Cubone must've lost it or something, but I find the marrow in the bone useful for my potions. That's why I have to keep it in that jar, for preservation's sake."

Melissa blinked twice. "That bone is from a Cubone?" When he nodded, she wiped her hand across her forehead and sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness."

"I've also collected sludge from Grimer and Muk, powder from a Vivillon, pollen puffs from many Ribombee, and so on and so forth. With the right mix of ingredients, I can combine their properties to make a potion. Of course, most of that is trial and error."

Melissa ran her hand across the cupboard shelves. "So, it does have some basis in reality? It is not just a scam or work of fiction?"

"Depends on who you ask. Once you break it down, it's not quite as magical as some are fooled into believing."

Melissa smirked and held her head up high. "As expected."

"Though…" Melissa's little ego deflated after that. "That's not to say there is no such thing as magic."

Melissa crossed her arms. "You are joking, right?"

Shade grinned. "From a certain point of view, maybe. It depends on who you ask."

"There is no such thing as magic. I am a firm believer in that fact."

Shade smirked. "You say that even after being around Basil."

"H-He is just really good at reading people," Melissa countered nervously. "I-I bet there is an explanation to his disappearing trick."

"Good luck figuring it out. Not even Jason can, and he studies the occult quite a bit."

Melissa's eyes widened in horror. Everything I know is crashing down like an Alolan Exeggutor tripping over a sleeping Mew.

"Anyway, unless you want to keep talking about what is or isn't real, we should get started. Grab that parchment and quill from over there."

Melissa followed where he pointed and saw the two items on the floor, along with a bottle of ink spilt across the floor. She carefully picked the parchment and quill up, then dabbed the quill in the small puddle. "Um, I think that explosion spilt the ink over."

Shade looked over. "Huh, so it did." He waved it off and reached for an undamaged vial. "I'll have you clean it up later."

"I have to clean?!" Melissa shrieked.

"I would do it myself, but…" Shade lifted his head. "Well, you know. It takes forever when you keep…" He paused and yawned out loud.

"But I have never cleaned before!" Melissa complained. "Last time I went near cleaning supplies, I accidentally fell on cleaning solution and got it in my fur. I have no idea how to hold a broom or mop, either!"

Shade shot her a quizzical look. "You…are joking, right?" She shook her head. "…Now I see how you failed your practice swing on your first day."

"You know about that?!"

"Oh yeah, rumors have been going around. A lot of people saw you messing up."

Melissa whined and covered her face. "I am going to be the laughing stock of this place forever!"

"Then you probably shouldn't be touching your face."

"Huh?" Melissa removed her hands and saw they had some ink on them. She looked at the parchment she was holding and realized there was fresh ink dripping from it. She gasped and rushed to a mirror. She had two black handprints over her eyes. She groaned and pressed her head against the wall.

"Wash yourself up and get a new piece of parchment," Shade asked, stifling a yawn. "After I finish working on these smoke bombs, you can get started on cleaning."

Melissa sighed. "Yes, Dr. Shade."

Shade grinned and looked over his shoulder. "Annnnd, if you do a good job, I'll give you a quick rundown of how to use the equipment around here."

Melissa gasped. "Y-You mean it?"

"Being my apprentice doesn't just mean cleaning and writing my notes. I am going to teach you the fundamentals of alchemy." He smirked. "Unless you still think it's fantastical nonsense."

Melissa broke out into a wide grin. "I will get cleaned up and we can get started on those notes! I, um…"

"There's a water basin you can use out back. Be quick."

"Thank you, Dr. Shade!" She dashed off, skipping for joy. Basil said alchemy has medicinal elements to it. I get to learn how to make medicine with a pro! Yay!

Things haven't been easy for Verde Kingdom in the last week. With the recent news of Princess Melissa's kidnapping, the kingdom was in distress. Knights marched through the streets and questioned everyone regarding the matter. No one had an answer for her disappearance, nor a reliable witness that can explain what happened. There were no leads to work off of.

The stress was taking its toll on the castle occupants as well. While the staff was taught to remain professional during work, they occasionally trembled when reminded of the missing princess. It was felt by everyone.

However, it didn't compare to the fury that boiled within King Roscoe.

"HA!" cried the rabbit king as he swung his saber at his fencing opponent.

Both wore the standard fencing attire and helmet as they dueled with their sabers. Among their small audience was Ortwin and the Talbot family as they watched Roscoe viciously overpower his opponent. The fencer was no pushover, getting a few lucky parries off, but couldn't match the insane speed and power Roscoe was unnecessarily applying through his strikes.

The fencer tried to dodge Roscoe's fast slashes and daring lunges, but he was being pushed further and further back and losing ground. Roscoe jumped back of a thrust and lunged his blade, striking just above the heart. Instantly, the opponent ceased fighting.

Ortwin raised his hand. "Hit. King Penworth takes victory, 5-3."

Roscoe lowered his blade and removed his mask, taking a deep breath. His opponent, a Floatzel, removed his mask, tucked it under his arm, and extended his hand to Roscoe. "Congratulation, King Penworth. It was certainly a bracing match."

Roscoe nodded and shook his hand. "You did fine as well."

"Although, perhaps you could go a bit easier next time," Floatzel politely asked with a weak chuckle. "I felt like you were actually trying to hurt me for a moment." He bowed before excusing himself from the grounds.

Roscoe sighed and wiped his brow as Gilbert came up to him. "Awfully heated, just like yesterday."

"Do you blame me? This is the only way I can keep myself from interrogating my staff like a madman." He pressed his hand to his forehead, growling through his teeth. "Still no word on Melissa's whereabouts. That forest is impossible to navigate. Miles of uncharted regions and we have yet to locate their exact position."

"Perhaps you could implement a Lucario to search for them," Gilbert suggested.

"As if that was not our first idea. Whenever they enter that forest, they come back saying something about their senses not working properly. They could not even sense a tree that was right in front of them." Roscoe stroked his chin. "That forest is cursed with dark magic. The Foresters and their demonic practices have led us astray countless times. Whether it be through aerial assistance or scent tracking, they always cover their tracks."

Gilbert narrowed his eyes. "Tricky creatures, they are, though to go through the trouble…"

"How dare you denounce it as mere trouble?" Roscoe growled. "My daughter was-"

"I mean no offense to my statement, King Roscoe," Gilbert reassured with a bow. "What I meant was, why the risk? By now, we would have noticed if the mole in your castle had done it. Communication might be kept in secret, possibly through messaging. This might have been formulated with some form of assistance."

"Explain."

"The mole could not risk taking the prisoner with them if she were unconscious or restrained. Your guards, I'd imagine, would have realized something was wrong if even a hint of a struggle occurred. If Melissa were unconscious, that would mean carrying an unconscious body around without being spotted or restricted in some capacity. However, that would depend on the individual. If conscious, Melissa would have used all her strength to get a cry out, regardless if she was gagged."

Roscoe held his hips. "What are you implying?"

Gilbert shrugged. "The mole would not have been able to do this on their own, lest their disappearance would have been discovered in the morning. All your staff are accounted for, I presume, so they did not get far. The note left behind suggested a single Forester committed the deed. It might be possible a Forester from the outside went into her bedroom and kidnapped her. The mole might have even acted as a distraction."

Roscoe rubbed his chin, contemplating his reasoning. "Her guards mentioned nothing strange happening during their shift, save for a suspicious sound." He glared. "You are saying that was to act as a distraction?"

Gilbert shrugged again. "It is only a theory. Melissa would have reacted negatively if someone came into her room, so that distraction might have served the purpose of silencing her immediately before the guards returned their focus on her."

Roscoe huffed in annoyance. "That would be the only plausible theory. Unless Melissa intentionally kept herself quiet, she would have started screaming and alerted the guards." He glared furiously. "That means one of those Foresters is responsible for carrying out the deed themselves."

Gilbert sighed and swished his tail. "King Roscoe, while this may not be something you wish to do, you would have to try and form a search party against the Foresters."

"You expect me to send my knights out and question every peasant in my territory?" Roscoe argued. "Even if I sent all my orders to locate her kidnapper or one of them, I would be defenseless."

Gilbert shook his head. "That is not who I refer to."

Roscoe raised his brow. "What are you suggesting-?"

"Father," Erasmus spoke up, gathering the two kings' attentions. He ran his paw through his hair and said, "If it is alright with you, I will be waiting by the carriage with my luggage."

Gilbert sighed. "Very well, Erasmus. I will be there shortly."

Roscoe's eyes widened. "Carriage? Luggage? King Gilbert, what is the meaning of-?"

"I came to your kingdom to marry off my son to your daughter. That was the terms of our agreement." Gilbert closed his eyes. "It pained me to see your daughter upset regarding the negotiations, and I might have considered an alternative, but I have seen the follies of war outside my kingdom's territory. A marriage is a symbol of trust between our two sides, thus it was the decision I agreed upon with you.

"However, with no marriage, my purpose for being here is rendered pointless."

The Lopunny shook his head and reached out to the Talbot king beggingly. "King Gilbert, do not be so hasty."

Erasmus groaned, seeing as the two were going to be in a pretty heated discussion. He bowed to his mother, who he could tell was trying her best not to look as annoyed as her son. She curtsied to him, mouthing a quick 'I love you, son' before turning back to the bickering men.

The cat exited the room and traversed down the hall. Now out of the eye of expecting royalty, Erasmus felt free to express his inner thoughts, starting with a rather glum frown.

Erasmus usually needed an hour to groom his fur to its fabulous sheen and luster, sparing no expense on all high quality grooming products. It was hard to express his natural perfection outwardly, requiring patience and time. To the untrained eye of a heathen, they would think his fur looked the absolute same today, only to prove they were raised outside of high society culture.

It took a skilled eye to notice that the luster in his coat didn't match what was seen in a regular viewing. The curls in the fluff of his tail were not as extravagant and finely cared for, nor was his hair properly combed. He was ashamed that two stray hairs stuck out from his head, disheveling his godly physique.

It was hard to keep up with perfection when his heart ached for the return of his dear friend, Melissa. Years of royal training have taught him to suppress inner feelings and desires to remain prim and perfect before an audience, retaining the illusion of godhood. He could do it without a second thought in front of a crowd. However, when in private, the mask drops, and Erasmus' true feelings come to light.

Erasmus felt ashamed to admit he spent more time sitting in the princess' empty room than he should have, hoping she was playing some elaborate and, frankly, overtly cruel jest by hiding herself from her subjects, guests, and father for over a week. Denial wasn't an emotion Erasmus felt often, as he was always sure of his stunning charm and looks, but when he felt it, it hit like a boulder thrown by the trebuchet.

He took a deep breath and patted his forehead. He groaned in disgust and waved his paw. "I am working up an anxious sweat. Disgusting. When we get home, I need to cleanse myself of this disgust I feel." He sighed and shook his head. "Sadly, that will not bring sweet Melissa back."

He stopped short past a room, hearing soft whimpering coming from inside. He looked around and realized he took a wrong turn in midst of his thoughts. It seems he wound up in the staff quarters of the castle. Erasmus narrowed his eyes and held his ear out to the door.

It sounded like a woman crying, and he had a hunch he knew who.

Erasmus sighed. "Curse my kindness." He raised his paw to the door and rapped them twice against the hardwood. "Lady Hilda, are you well? It is I, the charming Prince Erasmus, here to check in on you before my departure." It was not common for royalty to worry about the personal matters of the help, but this did regard a matter of royalty.

He waited in silence for a moment with the Chansey's sobs seeming to have quieted to a whimper. The door pulled open, though not to the face Erasmus expected. Instead, it was Sadie.

The Audino glared lightly, then leaned against the doorsill. "Prince Erasmus. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Erasmus bowed to her. "Ms. Mailet. I suppose this is fine. Saves me the trouble of tracking you down before I take my leave."

Sadie scoffed lightly. "I never expected a prince to grace the help with a farewell."

Erasmus smirked. "Come now, Ms. Mailet, I felt like we really bonded in our few interactions. Sure, one of them had you pinning me to the wall, but I refuse to hold grudges against those of a lower birthright."

Sadie rolled her eyes, then changed subjects. "What do you want?"

"Well, I overheard the cries of Lady Hilda and I felt it was in my best interests to check on her." He raised his brow. "Actually, why are you here?"

Sadie sighed. "The other maids were getting worn out trying to calm her down. She's been like this all week. I swear, that woman has enough tears to refill a lake."

"Rather harsh words."

Sadie frowned. "I don't mean to come off as rude, I'm just worn out myself."

"May I see her?"

Sadie shrugged. "I can't see why not." She gently kicked the door wider open, allowing passage for the royal Glameow.

He entered and spotted the maid resting on her side with her sheets draped over her round body. He saw the trembles in her form and heard her quiet whimpers clear as day. He heard pain from her voice.

He approached her bedside. "Lady Hilda."

The Chansey sniffled, then turned onto her other side to face him. He flinched at how red and puffy her eyes were. Tear stains streaked down her face. "Oh…Prince Erasmus." She pushed herself up from bed in order to bow to him out of respect.

Erasmus stopped her before she could touch the ground. "There is no need for the traditional greeting, Lady Hilda. I am here merely on your behalf."

Hilda sniffled, then rested back onto the bed. "I'm sorry you have to see me in such a state, Prince Erasmus."

Erasmus held his paw over his chest. "It is only natural to feel grief. Through the number of tears you have shed, I see you cherished Melissa with a kindness unrivaled by most, if not all. As her personal caretaker, you to must have been close."

Hilda closed her eyes tightly, suppressing another flood from breaching. "In the hour of Queen Odolina's passing, I realized then and there I would have to be there for Melissa in absence of her mother. I tried my hardest to…to…" Hilda paused as she became choked up. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Take your time," Erasmus insisted.

"I…tried my hardest to fulfil that role for Odolina, hoping I could fill the void left in Melissa's heart. I swore to keep her safe." She felt a whimper come on and covered her teary eyes. "Those dreadful, dreadful Foresters are the cause of all this. Melissa never deserved this."

Sadie glanced off to the side. And, suddenly, the weights hanging off my shoulders just doubled in size.

Hilda took a moment to breathe, wishing she didn't look so unappealing in front of a member of royalty. "I hope sh-she is safe. I don't know…what I will do with myself without her."

Erasmus nodded. "All pains heal with time, Lady Hilda, but I assure you Melissa will come back safe and sound." He narrowed his eyes. "I ask, without Melissa, what will you be doing to remain employed by the Penworth Family?"

"I…King Penworth has given me a month to collect myself before I return to working. I will be transferred into the kitchen and trained under Gustavo." Hilda rubbed her eyes. "Perhaps cooking will take my mind off things."

Erasmus nodded slowly. "If it will make you feel better, perhaps I can entrust the search for Melissa through my own knights."

"No offense," Sadie suddenly chimed in, "but since you aren't technically one of our allies, making that decision yourself could carry some consequences with you, especially if, say, the Foresters suddenly decide to be kill-happy and rid the world of their hostage."

"Sadie!" Hila gasped in horror.

Sadie shrugged. "Hypothetically speaking. I don't want anything to happen to Melissa, obviously. I just mean that if Senbo gets involved in this case and something goes awry, you can bet word will circulate back here and a potential war will brew from the flames."

Erasmus sighed. "A fear my father would wish to avoid. Still, must I really sit back knowing the young damsel is in mortal peril? Those Foresters are crafty and mischievous. I cannot imagine what poor Melissa is going through right now. Forced to work? Torture? Other possibilities I dare not imagine?"

Sadie waved it off. "If this truly is a ransom, they wouldn't put her life in danger. Just relax."

Hilda sighed. "I'm afraid relaxing is far from my mind." She pulled her sheets over herself. "I wish to be alone."

"You sure?" Sadie asked gently.

"Yes, I am sure. Thank you for your company, Sadie."

Sadie huffed, then smiled. "My pleasure." She gestured to the door. "After you, Your Highness." Erasmus lifted his head and waltzed out the door. Sadie closed it behind her. "She'll be fine. She's stronger than she lets on."

"I hope you are right."

Sadie smoothed out her apron and uniform before turning away from the royal cat. "Now, I believe I have some cleaning to-"

"A word, Mailet." Sadie stopped with a brief chill running through her. The formality he carried with each word seemed to be absent from that one statement, and it concerned her. "A brief word. I wish not to hold you up for too long."

With an air of caution around her, Sadie looked over her shoulder. "Alright. Shoot."

Erasmus narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps it is nerves talking; after all, I have been rather stressed about the week myself." He scratched under his chin. "However, I noticed how remarkably calm you have been."

Sadie glared. "You don't say?"

"I do not mean disrespect in my assertion. It takes a competent young lady such as yourself to remain well put together in the face of a tragic event." He pressed his paw against his cheek. "Still, after seeing the king's reaction and the state of Lady Hilda, it is jarring that not a shred of sadness has come from you."

"I hide my emotions pretty well," she countered casually.

"Given your interactions with Melissa and your fit of rage against me, I almost doubt your claim."

Sadie's glare deepened. She was keeping her posture perfectly normal and not making any inflexions or twitches in her tone or face. Despite not knowing much on the cat, she could tell he had a rather delicate eye for detail. She tried not to be too obvious as to why she wasn't turning her head around to make direct eye contact.

"It's been a long week, Prince," Sadie said. "I rather not let it affect my duties around the castle. Have you seen the king? I wish to not mope around and be caught in his whirlwind of anger."

Erasmus glared firmly for a moment, then softened. "Perhaps. My apologies for pushing. I was merely curious."

Sadie waved it off. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Look, I got chores to get done, so…" She walked off, giving him one last wave. "Take care back in Senbo. Try not to miss me too much."

Erasmus chuckled. "I will not survive. Have a good day, Ms. Mailet."

Sadie didn't look back as the cat continued his route to the main foyer. Sadie slid around a corner, pressed her back to the wall, and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She dabbed her apron against her forehead.

"Curiosity killed the cat, but that cat is too curious to die." Sadie glared. "I've been trying to avoid everyone all week so that I didn't have to waste my breath with pretend sadness or fear." She sighed. "Melissa is definitely fine. Can't say the same for me, though."

If Erasmus was asking questions, who knew how long until a search party came after Sadie. She meticulously erased any evidence of herself in Melissa's room, save for that one note. By now, the king would come to believe this is the work of a single Forester.

"The threat of a mole in the castle, plus one crafty Forester equals mass confusion," Sadie mumbled to herself. "King Penworth is obsessive. Even if it was an order from the Fairy Knight himself, he would focus his attention on removing the one who actually carried out the deed." She chuckled to herself. "A Forester which doesn't exist. If anything, Melissa kidnapped herself. Good luck working your head around that one when you exact your revenge, Your Majesty."

Sadie sighed, then continued her way down the hall. For now, she needed to lay low until she could officially get any suspicion of herself off the table, then it would be time to move on with her life. Fortunately, she knew how to make time for herself.

Erasmus waited patiently in the carriage, checking his pocket watch every two minutes. His personal guard of knights stood in front of the carriage doors. Normally, they would be standing with their backs straight and heads held high, but they've known Erasmus long enough not to push themselves into looking overly professional.

In sight of the king and queen, however, was a different story.

As soon as Erasmus saw their postures straighten, he knew it was about time to leave. He tucked the watch away and stepped out from around his knights. Personal servants of the Verde castle followed the Senbo royals out with their luggage, along with a rather distressed Penworth.

"King Talbot, please reconsider," Roscoe pleaded. "We can work something else out."

Gilbert huffed. "King Penworth, I have made up my mind. I came to your kingdom under the assumption a union of trust would be established. My son was more than willing to spend his days with your daughter, and I had assumed the same with her. However, between her outburst and the lengthy process of coming to this agreement, I see no reason to waste more time than is required."

They reached the carriage, but Roscoe blocked their path. "Yes, yes, I understand, but perhaps we can settle on some other agreement."

Gilbert shook his head. "I keep my kingdom isolated from the horrors going on around Virdis for a reason. I keep my territory protected, doing what is absolutely necessary to prevent war."

"You are one of the most advanced kingdoms in Virdis," Roscoe said. "The Verde Kingdom would benefit from your weaponry."

Gilbert sighed. "You seem like a good man, King Penworth, but I cannot continue like this. Trust is important to my success. Always has, always will." Roscoe deflated, then sighed and stepped away in defeat. As he turned back to the castle, Gilbert raised his paw. "However…"

Roscoe stopped and turned around. "Yes?"

"I did strike up an interesting conversation with King Tetrarch. He and I have very similar passions when it comes to progress. I agreed to visit the Wick Kingdom to talk about a possible treaty between our kingdoms. By technicality, should things go well for us, that would make us allies. By then, I will come to my decision of assisting you."

Relief swept over Roscoe as he took a bow. "Your kindness is unfathomable, King Talbot. I am personal friends with King Tetrarch. He is a respectable and hardworking man."

"And his eldest and Erasmus seem to get along just fine," Gilbert added. "It may take time for a proper treaty to be established, perhaps months, but we hope to start a new future as allies and push back the warring from destroying our fair lands."

Roscoe bowed once more. "And I hope to one day regain your trust so that the Verde and Senbo Kingdoms can be true allies. This set back regarding my daughter will not interfere with that."

Gilbert narrowed his eyes. "For your sake, I hope this setback take more priority in your life." He clapped his paws, ordering the servants to secure the luggage onto the carriage.

Roscoe sighed. "Believe me, I want my daughter found more than anything. I will not allow those dreaded Foresters to ruin my kingdom."

"Uh huh," Gilbert mumbled. "Erasmus, Constance, it is time to go."

Constance curtsied to Roscoe. "Thank you for having us, King Penworth. Regardless of circumstance, we had a great time." She frowned sympathetically. "I wish you the best of luck in finding the poor dear."

"Your words are appreciated," Roscoe said. He turned his gaze onto Erasmus, exchanging a glare with the pompous cat.

Erasmus smirked a bit. "Have a great day, King Penworth." With a respectable bow, he stepped into the carriage.

The coachman closed the door once all the Talbots were inside, then took his seat up front. "Alright boys, back to Senbo!"

"Aye!" The two Tauros pulled the carriage and took off from the castle. The Senbo knights gathered onto their Rapidash and followed closely with the carriage.

Roscoe waved to the carriage as it disappeared from the castle. Once they were gone, Roscoe slowly lowered his hand, then balled it into a tight fist. Anger swelled in his face with a rumbling deep in the pit of his throat.

"It seems two problems have risen since these last couple of weeks." Roscoe's shoulders sagged at the arrival of his royal advisor. Ortwin hobbled to Roscoe's side and looked into the distance. "I warned you Melissa would not like her own wedding being kept a secret from her."

Roscoe huffed. "Right now, that does not matter. Finding her is our main concern. Miles of forest to traverse and we still have not located the Foresters. Finding them in there is impossible."

"Then what is our plan?" Ortwin asked. "If you do not approve of sending our knights to search every inch of territory we control, then we are low on options."

"I will think of something."

"Quite." Ortwin tapped his cane down. "There is the other issue of your relationship with King Talbot, of course."

"I am sure King Tetrarch will put in a good word for me." Roscoe sighed. "He better, for my sake."

"Worry not, my king," the dragon reassured with a pat on the shoulder. "Even if we do not get those improvements on our defenses, we are far out from the warring parts of the region. We should be clear of any potential wars." Ortwin turned back to the castle and went inside.

Roscoe bit his lip anxiously, finally loosening his clenched fist. "Right. That is what I am worried about. Just that."