AUTHOR'S NOTE: SHOUT OUT TO jimelization and their work on Dark Descendant. We did a collaboration and Queen Seras is featured. I checked out their work and I think it is awesome.

King Orlan wasted no time to respond to Armana's letter by secretly traveling to Ero; five times since his arrival that morning has he enjoyed the Duchess's body, much to Armana's disgust. One hour after arriving, he pulled her into a servant's closet; despite all the humiliation Orlan put her through, Armana kept quiet and let him have her body, even if she played with the thought of killing the nasty boy more than once. Whenever he touched her, she simply thought of the plan she and Ionah had formulated. Everything was falling into place perfectly; King Orlan was like wax in her hands, the Meridian royal family was on their way and would arrive tomorrow, the temple was excavated enough, the key to open the tomb underneath was found, and King Royan had promised his kingdom to Meridian. Now, all Armana had to do was wait, let Ionah do her part, and entice her son's friend Ratun to her cause.

"Ratun has his ears everywhere and would do anything to possess your niece, Myra. He is young and your niece is a virgin, all you have to do is promise her to him once you are in control. Whether Myra agrees or not, does not matter. This is a cruel world and only those who are willing to fight cruelly will prevail." Was what Ionah had told her and it made Armana smile. If her brother's wife hadn't birthed any children, then she would be the next heir to Ero as stated in a contract Queen Seras had signed the day she married her brother. The contract had stated that should Seras be unable to bear any children within the first 10 years of her marriage, that all control over Ero would fall to Armana; however, within the first 3 months, Seras fell pregnant with Myra, destroying all chances Armana had for the crown. The birth of Isabella and Korinthia, and then Isabella being crowned Queen after falling pregnant with the daughter of a general, was just rubbing salt in the wound. The thought of having Seras watch as each of her daughters was married off, rapped, or killed brought a smile to Armana's lips.

Once Orlan lay sleeping in her bed, after having his way with her once again, Armana quickly got washed and dressed before rushing out of her room to find Ratun. Despite the use, that boy could be to her, she despised the sight of the child. Whenever she gazed at him, she imagined a giant rat. Nonetheless, this was another pivotal moment in her plans; having a boy like Ratun as a faithful servant was vital for Armana. As she expected, she found Ratun in the library located beside Myra's private study with his ear pressed against the wall separating him from the princess. Daintily, Armana cleared her throat to catch the boy's attention and the boy spun around so fast that he nearly knocked over a stack of books beside him.

"I was listening for a mouse that I spotted here earlier. I would hate for Myra's proud collection to be ruined by such a nasty creature." Was the boy's hastily formulated excuse. Armana chuckled a little to herself; a mouse in the castle was as unlikely as the sun turning into the moon. With a smile that only a royal could carry, she approached the boy and gently placed a hand on his hunched shoulder.

"My boy, I am not here to chastise you for lurking after my niece." Her voice was sickly sweet, but Ratun hung on every word. "I have seen how you look at her and it reminds me of how my husband used to look at me when we were freshly married. Sadly, his eyes wondered soon after I fell pregnant with Dante. A devotion like yours to my niece is rare to find these days."

At this, Ratun smiled a little; gladder that he was not in trouble than what the Duchess had said. "Ratun, I wish you sit with me for a moment. I have something to inform you about."

Like a puppy, Ratun followed Armana to another room where a servant brought them bread and wine. The moment he was served his glass, the boy snatched his cup and drank a good third of his share before Armana even had her first sip; Armana let him. Having his mind dulled through the effects of the wine would be another benefit for her.

"You and I both know how poorly Isabella is ruling over Ero and this Queen Wilhelmina isn't much better for Meridian." Started Armana and Ratun hung on her word and nodded in agreement. "The economy has stagnated and free education is giving every peasant the idea that he knows how to run the kingdom."

"The world was easier back when only the royals had the right to an education. It was clear to know who ruled what part and how." Added Ratun for Armana and the Duchess smiled; gaining this boy as a follower seemed easier than expected.

"I fully agree my boy, but if Isabella continues to rule and Wilhelmina continues in Meridian, things will continue to degrade. If things continue like this, there will be no more royals within the next 3 generations. We are at a pivotal point and have to act fast. My advisor and I have been talking and have come to a conclusion." Her tone remained sweet, but with a serious undertone. "It will be complicated and dangerous, but if you remain faithful and everything works out to our benefit, I will richly reward you."

Ratun looked up at Armana from his third cup of wine and carefully asked, "reward me?"

"Yes, I'd reward you with anything you wish, and you only have to remain on my side. You don't have to lift a finger unless I ask. I'd even promise you one of my nieces if you wish." Ratun's bulging eyes nearly fell out of his head when Armana said this, but Armana didn't stop; she knew she had the boy's attention. "Tomorrow, the Meridian royal family will arrive, and All guards will be distracted by the party in 3 days. When all are drunk and the attention is on Isabella's daughter, an assassin will attempt an attack on the Meridian family. Isabella will be too distracted to use her powers and so will Seras; I don't place much fear in Korinthia since she barely managed to master levitation. With both the heads of Ero and Meridian out of the way, I am next in line to rule. I'll need a smart head as a lord and you seem fit for the job."

"Me, a lord?" Ratun's drunk voice croaked in his throat and Armana nearly burst with joy at how easy the boy could be played.

"Who else?" asked Armana as though Ratun's questioning insulted her. "My son is too naïve and I would be damned if I gave that title to a stranger or one of my nieces. I need someone I can trust and is wise enough not to be tricked by a common peasant. Unless you know another, I can only consider you."

"I will follow you to the end of Metarmoor." Ratun burst out as though his mouth was a dam that just broke from the weight of the water it was supposed to hold. "All I ask is your niece Myra as my bride. I have desired her since the day I first saw her. She is a true and radiant beauty." Ratun then caught himself and stuttered an apology as he feared placing Armana beneath his beloved Myra would kill his chances of possessing her. "Not as radiant as you, my Duchess."

"Glad to know you are on my side. If all goes well and you don't betray me, I'll grant you the hand of my niece, Myra, in marriage; whether she wants to or not." Satisfied, Armana finished her cup of wine and poured herself another. Now, Ionah had to do her part.

In another kingdom, in the glamor of an old hag, Ionah knocked on a weathered door. A few weeks ago, she had asked a very skilled potion brewer to make a tincture for her and now was the time to pick it up. The illusion she was using was beyond perfect. With her horns gone, her blond hair grey and frayed, her porcelain smooth skin wrinkled and tanned, and her finely formed body now weathered like the trunk of an old willow no one would ever guess it was her. Perhaps, the glamor worked too well? In this form, her bones ached more than they already had, and she felt the years she spent on this wretched world. Then again, if all went as promised, she would soon be freed of this disgusting body she had been cursed with; she just had to wait and pray. Within moments, the door opened, and the potion brewer came to view; Ionah was surprised to see that the girl had once again changed the color of her hair. When she first met the woman, the bottom layer of her hair was bright pink, then it had changed to blue, and now it was a venomous green that matched her eyes.

"Cailleach, I have your order ready." Spoke Sophia and invited the old lady into her lab. Sophia had doors to several markets since her skills were in high demand, mostly by women who wanted to strengthen their husband's manhood, but this woman had a different order. With a skilled hand, she reached into a cabinet and pulled out a vial containing a glowing red liquid. "As you ordered, a potion that enhances rage."

"It works as we agreed, doesn't it? I just have to hold it near my grandson, and he will be filled with enough rage to make the recruitment as a soldier?" Ionah asked in a shaking voice that fit her appearance.

"Just hold it close to him long enough for him to inhale it. Don't let him drink it, if you do it will give him major indigestion. Combine that with rage and you will be in a world of hurt." Replied Sophia and carefully handed the fragile vail to the old woman she knew by the name of Cailleach. Once the bottle was securely placed in her hands, Ionah reached into her dress pocket and pulled out the gold coins that they had agreed upon. "Now, just remember, this bottle contains a pheromone that amplifies the anger response. If you want him to cool down, then take the bottle away and keep it away from him. It will take a few days for the effects to wear off and the only side effect is a bad headache. When he is exposed to this pheromone, he will be an unstoppable, rage-filled, machine. Is this understood?"

"You are being crystal clear, my dear and for your troubles, I have paid you double. Now I wish you a great day and thank you for your help." Replied Ionah and helped herself out. Back on the streets of this kingdom, she didn't bother remembering the name of, Ionah hobbled her way to a dark alley where she quietly slipped into the shadows like a cat. Most of her powers were gone for years, but the ability to slip into the shadows was one she was allowed to keep.

Faster than the wind, Ionah traveled through the shadows; the world of light appearing above her through flashing holes like swiss cheese. Within moments, she could appear anywhere and disappear just as fast. Without being noticed, her hand appeared in her private chambers in Ero and deposited the vial of red liquid in a locked drawer in her desk. Where she was heading next, she didn't require the potion that enhanced anger; the boy she'd be meeting held enough already. With the vile safely stored away, Ionah made her way through the portal that leads to the Heatherfield park where she knew the former rebel leader had been camping since his exile from Meridian. Just as her Oracle had told her, she found the boy sleeping off another hangover; with no home in Meridian, unable to hide at Cornelia's place because her parents were home, and worlds away from the girl he longed for there was little left for the boy to do but to drink his sorrows away and wait for the nights Cornelia offered to share her bed with him. Like a grandmother watching over her sleeping grandchild, Ionah stood over the boy and waited for him to wake up on his own.

After a few minutes, Ionah became bored with waiting for the boy to wake up, so swiftly kicked him in the back of the knee. As though stung by a bee, Caleb sprang up and pulled the knife he had held on his belt, ready to defend himself; he stopped in his tracks, however, when he saw the horned woman before him. Groggy and confused he asked, "Who are you…what do you want?"

"Aren't you the rebel leader Caleb?" Asked Ionah, she knew who he was, but she needed to play her part perfectly, and perfectly she would play it. Caleb laughed bitterly and tucked both the bottle and the knife away; if the woman had planned to kill him, she would have done so already.

"I was the rebel leader. I lost everything when the Oracle exiled me after I failed to kill Prince Phobos. Now, he is King of Meridian, forgiven of all his crimes, and married to Will." He spoke the final words with such bitterness and loathing that Ionah was certain he would wring the King's neck if he stood before them. "To believe I was so close to ridding the world of that bastard if only I had cut him a little deeper."

"I am sorry to hear of your troubles, Caleb, but I am afraid that despite your exile Metarmoor needs you and so does Will." Just as she suspected, Caleb's ears perked up at her words and she knew she had his full attention. With a voice that carried a hint of sobs as though she feared for her life, she continued. "I am afraid your former adversary has everyone fooled, even Will; he has convinced her to use the Heart for his benefits and his taking over one kingdom after another. He already has Gia in his possessions and is planning an attack on the royal family of Ero. The worst is, he has his cousin Isabella under his spell as well; tomorrow, he is traveling to Ero and over morrow is little Elizabeth's first birthday. He wasn't to get rid of the baby princess before she becomes old enough to count as a legitimate heir. I am telling you, that baby is in grave danger." Her words snuck into Caleb's ear and wrapped around his brain like the tendrils of an octopus.

"I can't believe the Oracle would let that happen." Caleb gasped as he imagined the worst fo the little baby.

"He allowed Weria's death by the hands of her own son, he allowed Phobos to rise to power and enslave the people of Meridian without even asking the neighboring kingdoms to aid the people, and he has allowed the leader of the Guardians to marry this manipulative monster that is now king of Meridian and soon the rest of the world. It didn't even take much for Phobos to manipulate both Will and Queen Isabella. Will is practically bound to him under the fear that he'd hurt her; he has done many forms of violence onto her already and she fears what else his sick mind can come up with. As for Isabella, she was betrothed to Phobos back when they were children and she has held a deep affection for him ever since; though she is now married to the general of the Ero army, she still longs for the man Weria chose for her. The only one who has come to some senses is Lord Cedric, he pities the fait of the baby princess and has informed my mistress, Duchess Armana of Ero, of the planned attack. My mistress loves her niece like it were her own but wasn't blessed with any powers with which to protect the baby; by now, Ero must be crawling with spies working for Phobos, so she can't really reach out to anyone else. Her last hope lies within Cedric and you; Cedric has agreed to do the dirty work as his master's madness has grown too much for him, but Armana needs someone the people can relate to and someone to be there for Will when she is freed of Phobos's grasp. So, will you help Armana protect Princess Elizabeth? She can make it worth your while. Anything you wish, in fact; she can even pardon you of all charges and allow you to return to Meridian with honor." Ionah even managed to squeeze a few tears from her magenta eyes to seal the act; as expected, her act had its' desired effect on the boy, who quickly stood on his feet.

"If your Duchess pardons me, I'll personally kill Phobos in front of her eyes, so she'll know the monster is gone." He gasped excitedly, "Just tell me when and where and I'll be there."

"Oh, thank you," Ionah knelt before him, took him by the hand, and kissed his knuckles as though he were a saint sent by the old gods. "Thank the old gods for bringing you to us in Ero's greatest time of need. I promise you, once the mad queen Isabella is deposed, Duchess Armana will pardon you of all charges and you'll return to Meridian a hero."

"You keep up your end after I've kept up mine, the only thing that baffles me, is that Will hasn't attempted to flee from Phobos yet, what horrible things has he done to her?" asked Caleb, fearing the worst for his beloved.

"He has used something to control her mind and does unspeakable things to her when she gathers the strength attempt to break free; coupled with the verdict of the Oracle, what choice does she have but to stay with him? Besides, she is too kind for her own good; she could never let a creature, even one as vile as Phobos, suffer an agonizing death." Replied Ionah and whipped the fake tears from her eyes. "I'll come for you tomorrow and hide you in Ero until the time is right. You'll know the full plan well in advance. The importance is that once in Ero, you follow the plan to the letter; only so can we save Metarmoor from the horrible fate that awaits. Until then, don't speak a word of this to anyone; Phobos could have his spies anywhere. It is already dangerous enough that I am here. Thank you again, you truly are worthy of the legends I have heard from you." As Ionah rose to leave, Caleb stopped her.

"You still haven't told me who you are. At least tell me your name, so I know who to thank once all is done."

"My name is Madam Ionah, I am Duchess Armana of Ero's advisor." With that, Ionah rushed out of Caleb's tent with her head hung low as though she fears being spotted in the thick woods that made up Heatherfield Park. Ionah just obtained another pawn in her game and Caleb saw himself as a future hero that will sweep Will off her feet once free from Phobos's grasp; the rebel boy could practically picture Phobos dead by his feet and Will in his loving embrace.

XXXXX

Back in Meridian, Danny was near the bottom of her third mug of the best beer she ever had when Irma, still dressed as a civilian, burst into the pub and marched right up to her. With her face burning red, Irma grabbed hold of Danny's shoulder and spun her around in that bar chair to face her. "Daniella Henrietta Downing, what the hell were you thinking running off like that?"

Danny simply looked over the rim of her mug and offered her friend a drunken smile. "I didn't find anything I liked to drink at that place, so I came here. Irms, you gotta try this beer, it is some of the best ever."

"I don't like to drink, and I am not here to party. You got everyone so worried that it is like they are being bitten by fire ants. The whole castle is out looking for you. How do you manage to be in a place for less than an hour and cause so much trouble?" Irma's voice was close to cracking, she couldn't believe how calm Danny could be during all this. It was as though her cousin didn't even care about her actions and the pain they caused. Then again, Danny had always been this way; she was the friend that was exciting and adventurous, but completely irresponsible and with no sense of self-preservation. "You could have gotten hurt, don't you get that?"

"These folks here haven't even tried to rob me, I have just been sittin' here drinkin' a great brown beer and telling the owner some stories of the good old days."

"Danny, you have the self-preservation of a Disney lemming…" it was only after a brief moment that Danny's last words dawned on her. "Stories…what stories have you been tellin'."

Before Danny could respond, the pub keeper returned from retrieving another keg of beer from the basement. Through puffy-red cheeks and sweaty eyes, he recognized the guardian burst out into gut-busting laughter. Through gasps, all he managed to say was, "Powder-butt."

Irma's eyes shot open wide and she shot Danny a glare that could kill a god. "Traitor! You told him about the powder incident?"

"It just came to my head and sounded like a fun story. It did earn me a mug of beer though." Replied Danny with a chuckle.

"I was 5 and you told me you'd never tell ANYONE! You made a promise!" Irma felt like strangling her cousin if she didn't love her so much.

"Irms, relax. You a guardian thing and that story are just makin' you more approachable. Now sit down with me and have a drink." Danny gestured to the empty chair beside her and the pub keeper nodded in agreement.

"Come and sit down. It would be an honor to have a guardian drink in my pub. I'll make sure you have something light, so you can still go about your duty, though I don't know what duties now since your leader married our king." Added the keeper as he placed a mug beside Danny's, filled with a light blond beer. "On the house. It is the beer my kids' drink, so I know it is good."

Before Irma could deny the offer, Danny grabbed hold of her arm and swung her into the empty chair before pressing the mug into Irma's trembling hands. "Don't be rude Irms, this man is offerin' you some of his best. You'd be a real monster if you refuse this one mug."

"Alright," Irma sighed. Danny always knew how to play the guilt card and Irma was never strong enough to fight it. "I'll just have one drink, then we will be on our way back to the castle, so Phobos can call the guards back. They are searching for you too…well, they are keeping an eye open. It is hard to miss someone that looks like you."

"You always knew how to party, Irms. If it weren't for me, you'd be stuck indoors all day knitting baby clothes." Chuckled Danny as she patted her friend's back and got out of her seat. "Hey Irms, all this pipe smoke is chokin' the life out of me, so I'll get some fresh air. I'll be back, so don't you start worrying about me."

With that, Danny left through the old door and into the snow-covered streets of Meridian; however, instead of waiting for her cousin to finish her mug, Danny simply kept walking. She wasn't done exploring the place and she didn't feel like having her cousin herd her back to the castle like a helpless sheep. After a few blocks, Danny was sure she had lost her cousin again and kept her eyes open for a new place to visit; maybe a bakery or street vendor was open where she could score some treat from. Perhaps, and this was a long shot, Meridian had an opium den that she could try. After a few more streets, Danny was forced to hide behind a rain barrel when she spotted a couple of guards with a wagon, talking to a man that appeared to be either a farmer or a very dirty locksmith. Curious, Danny listened in on their conversation that she had already missed most of.

"Alright, your taxes are paid, and everything is up to the modern code of safety." Said the guard that seemed to be in charge. "Now, remind your son that he has to register for his three months of military service if he hasn't signed up for social services already. One more thing, a friend of the guardians has gone missing from the castle and is somewhere in the kingdom. We found tracks leading into the village but lost them in the town's square. Keep an eye open for a boy with short hair, clothes that don't fit into this surrounding, and mismatching eyes. If you spot him, report it to your nearest officer. Have a nice day Mr. Padlock."

The man simply nodded his head in understanding and the officers turned to leave. Now fully aware that the kingdom's police were looking for her and feeling excited about it, Danny quickly and quietly snuck under the greyed tarp covering the cart like a cat and hid between the sacks of grain and barrels of, what she thought, were pickled good judging by the smell. Danny couldn't believe the adventure she was on; she felt like a fugitive hiding from the law. So preoccupied was she with the idea of playing cops and robbers that she didn't hear the guards mention that this was their last stop and was on their way back to the castle to deliver the taxed goods to the soldiers stationed there. For what seemed like hours, though it was more like minutes, the cart bumped along the road and Danny felt like she began to grow sick of the motions of the cart and the smell of the picked eggs in the barrel pressed against her when the wagon finally stopped and she heard the guards walk away, chatting about how life was different back before Will became queen. Once she was certain the guards were gone, Danny snuck out from under the tarp and dashed for the nearest dark corner to hide.

For a moment, Danny lurked in the shadows and observed her new surroundings. The floor and walls were made of the same dark stone that was weathered from time and use. Some spots on the floor were worn smooth from years of guards walking on them and places on the walls were cracked and allowed roots from unknown trees to creep their way in, where they had grown thick and were covered in moss from the protection this place offered. At a distant wall, Danny could spot barrels of wine or pickled goods that, she guessed, were used to feed the troops. From what Irma had told her, the troops weren't always this nice to the people and would take from the civilians what they wanted since the king allowed it. However, from what she overheard, Will had made some great changes and now the military was mostly voluntary; with the exception that every able-bodied man had to register to serve for a minimum of three years. Perhaps some of these barrels were still from a time before Will seduced their leader.

Before the guards returned, Danny rushed into a nearby corridor to explore the place to her heart's content.

XXXXX

Finally, in Meridian after closing his shop on Earth, Cedric led Miranda through the troop's sector to show her how things have changed since the royal wedding. The size of the army shrank to a quarter of its' original size and those that were left were but a shadow of what they once were. The military was all voluntary now, so only those that aspired to be a soldier joined while most joined social services like delivering food to the poor, looking after the children of the working class, and taking care of the elderly. All of this only seemed to degrade the way of Meridian life.

"Before the social services, people used to take care of their own parents, take care of their own children, and the poor either died or worked up the nerve to find work. Even the job of an indentured servant is better than choosing to be poor. Wilhelmina's actions have drained the reserves and weakened our armies. If another kingdom decided to attack us, we would be at their mercy. The worst part, King Phobos seems blind to all this. He spends his days at her side like a lap dog regardless if he needs her to ease his pain or not." Grumbled Cedric while slithering through the corridors with Miranda in his masculine snake form.

"I thought your friend needed her to stay alive? Considering he was poisoned to be bound to her. From what you have told me, he can't stay away from her for longer than an hour before suffering chest pains, fever, joint aches, and bloody coughs. Considering his suffering and her good looks, it is understandable why he spends to much time with her." Replied Miranda with a smirk. She had missed Cedric dearly but wondered if he wasn't exaggerating a little to voice his distaste for the current queen. "Before Will, the kingdom had security but lacked a social structure. Now, we have a social structure, but our security is lacking behind. However, I don't think this is a cause for such concern from you." She finished with a smile at Cedric.

The snake lord looked at Miranda in shock and surprise, "Don't tell me you side with the queen?" he asked as though Miranda just dumped a bucket of water on him.

"I am not siding with anyone here." Replied Miranda, wanting to laugh at the shocked expression on her dear Cedric's face. "Currently, there is no kingdom strong or brave enough to attack us, even with a weakened army. The people needed a form of security in their lives and Will got Phobos to give it to them. Now, I know things have changed too quickly and the reserves are drained, but I am sure once Will and Phobos find an equilibrium, things will work out. Their marriage is still young, give it a little time and things will be better than before. The people will have security and order, as well as a social system to take care of them if they are unable to themselves."

"And when will that be?" asked Cedric with annoyance, thinking that Miranda betrayed him as well and sided with Will. "When Morovia gets a wild hair up its ass and decides to attack? You know as well as I do that King Orlan is crazy enough to attempt an attack on us."

"Meridian is allied with most of Metarmoor. It would take Morovia, Cina, and Cloudan to even attempt an attack on us. Besides, even if they did, we would have Ero, Gia, and at least three more kingdoms to come to our aid. "You just have to be patient."

"So, you want me to wait until a threat looms on the horizon before things change?" he was struggling to keep his voice low; he had already annoyed the King with his open displeasure of the Queen, he didn't need the guards to rally against him as well. "I know our king can't stay away from her for long, but there were other ways he could have dealt with his condition. He could have kept Will in the dungeon or locked in a hidden room in the castle, he didn't have to marry her. I swear, that girl did something to him that caused him to fall head-over-heels for his former enemy. Have you ever heard of enemies being happily married without there being ulterior motives? Sure, he claims that being married to her makes it easier to rule over Metarmoor, but with every passing day, I doubt his words more and more. I honestly think he forgot everything we have worked so hard towards the day he married her."

"Don't think you'd be any different when you marry one day." Countered Miranda, before her travels, she had once imagined a life with Cedric, but let that thought die when he made no efforts to stop her from leaving Meridian. However, now that she was back, she let the thought creep back into her mind like a soft fog; she would just have to needle him enough to consider it himself.

"Are you implying that, once I marry, that I will become a fool like Phobos?" Cedric felt insulted at the thought of what his beloved Miranda was implying.

"Well, from what I heard, all couples go through a honeymoon phase and no man or woman is immune to it." Quipped Miranda and then quickly fell silent when a guard rushed past them like a chicken with its' head cut off. Before the guard could run off into another corridor, Cedric stopped him.

"What is the meaning of this? You are the third guard I saw running around like this. Unless the castle is on fire, there should be no point to run like this."

"My apologies sir," gasped the guard, partly thankful that he was given a minute to breathe even if it was to talk to his superior. "Queen Wilhelmina's guest Danny ran off and is nowhere to be found on castle grounds. We have our men looking for him in the village but continue to search the castle in case we missed him."

For a moment, Cedric was confused as he remembered Danny being a girl back at the book store. He was less surprised to find out that she was causing trouble as he had a feeling she would the moment he saw her.

"Danny," mumbled Miranda under her breath as she recalled the image of the girl in her head. "I thought Danny was a girl?"

"Huh?" asked the guard as he was unsure if he had heard correctly.

"Queen Wilhelmina's guest, Danny, is a girl. If you sent out a notice that Danny is a boy, it would make it a lot harder to find her. Go to your comrades and tell them of the correction. If you find her, bring her to me first. I'll teach her not to run off like this in a place where she is just a guest." Ordered Cedric before letting the guard get on his way. Once alone with Miranda again, he gave her a look that one parent would give to another when a child misbehaved. "Here for less than an hour and she is already causing trouble. We barely have an army and now it is looking for a misbehaving brat."

"You act like this is the first time someone escaped from the castle." Replied Miranda, still holding her smirk. This was nothing compared to the number of times a rebel or the guardians invaded and escaped from the castle.

"A few months ago, we had better security, and this would not have happened." Muttered Cedric, as he had a feeling that he was losing the fight against Miranda's reasoning.

"If I recall correctly, the rebel boy Caleb entered and escaped the castle numerous times. Our current queen did so as well. Lastly, you told me that you, Phobos, and two of his cousins escaped from this castle when you were but children. The security was always high here and yet people always found a way to get in and out. If a beetle really wanted to, he could escape from a spider's web, they only stay because it exerts less energy than fighting." Countered Miranda and Cedric found no more reason to dispute her claims. He could have a guard posted at every corner in the building and someone could always find a way to escape if they were determined or crazy enough.

XXXXX

Back in the halls of the castle's lower levels, Danny was having a blast running from room to room, always making sure to stay in the shadows and out of sight from guards patrolling the area. She felt like a spy sent on a mission to gather information in a foreign country. If she knew any better, this place would make a wonderful setting for a Tv show. She thought of inspecting one more room before making her way to a high level; the next door she came to was old, like the rest, and reinforced with iron bars.

Either this holds a treasure, more supplies for the guards, or this is a torture dungeon. I wonder if Will ever uses it on her husband when he steps out of line? Though Danny as she tried the handle and found it unlocked. If it is a treasure room, I am sure Will and Phobos won't mind a small handful of coins missing. I'll pay them back one day.

When Danny opened the door, she was a little miffed to find it wasn't a room where the castle held its' treasure, but a room that, at one point, must have been a dungeon. There were chains with shackles along the wall and a deep pit in the middle of the floor. Gazing down, Danny could make out the shape of some shackles that once held a prisoner or two. The pit was deep, but it wouldn't be impossible to climb out even if chained up. Then again, not everyone was as trained as she; her sister Ella would beat her senseless if she couldn't climb out of a hole like this. If a monster was after her, it might be a matter of life or death if she didn't.

So preoccupied was she with inspecting the hole in the ground that she didn't hear two guards approaching the open door. Even with their armor, they managed to sneak through the door quietly and approach Danny without her reacting. Before she could hear or sense their presence, one of them grabbed hold of her shoulder and pulled her to her feet. She scratched at the hand grabbing her, but it did nothing to loosen her captor's grip.

"There you are." Growled the guard that grabbed her and gave her a firm shake; he and his buddy hadn't gotten the message yet that Danny was a girl when he said. "You are in deep trouble, little boy!"

Not aware that the men were only looking for her only to return her to the throne room; Danny swiftly punched the man holding her in the gut where his armor didn't cover him, making sure to put all her motion into it. The guard, not expecting the punch, let go of Danny and toppled to the ground gasping for air. His comrade quickly rushed to grab Danny, but she was faster and swung her foot up at his face, connecting her boot to the guard's chin and sending him to the ground just as fast as his companion. Once the guards were down, Danny wasted no time in dashing from the room. Like a wild rabbit, she ran down one hallway after another as more and more guards began to swam the halls like a swarm of bees; a few times she was nearly caught, but still managed to escape their grasp.

Down yet another confusing and dimply lit hallway, Danny came across a lone guard who was surprised to spot her rushing towards him. Using the skills Ella had beaten into her, Danny used her momentum to bounce off from one wall to the next, gaining height until she cleared the guard, who simply stared at her with a mouth open so wide that he could have eaten a whole sandwich in one bite. The guard, on the other hand, was amazed to come across someone with such skills. When Danny landed behind him, she let out a laugh of triumph and rounded another corner thinking she had gotten away. She only looked over her shoulder for a moment to see if she was being followed, it was that moment when she rounded another corner and ran right into Cedric's broad chest.

For a moment, the wind was knocked out of her lungs and she hit the dusty ground hard. She had no idea what she ran into as she lay on the floor coughing in pain. She didn't care if it was a guard or a door that she had run into, but she was prepared to tear it down for getting in her way. As quick as she could, she got onto her feet and sputtered, "I'm gonna tear you a new ass for getting' in my wa-"

Her words were cut short when she saw what was standing before her. Before her stood her worst nightmare, a giant snake with biceps the size of beer kegs and fans like steel. Unsure of whether to laugh or cry, Danny only managed a croaked chuckle before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fainted, falling to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Author's Note:

And thus, the great hero has returned to be more of a bother to her loved ones. Yes, Danny knew what she was doing and did it on purpose.

Another reminder to check out jimelization's Dark Descendant. If I knew how to link things properly, I would have a link here for you guys, but I don't so this is the best I can do.