Chapter 6

Oswald shifted his weight, trying to find a way this new tail felt comfortable to sit on.

The Princess let out a note, drawing Oswald's attention to the mouse taking a seat next to him on the rug that had been laid out for the feast. She handed him a wooden cup as the black bird landed on his perch already sitting on the Princess' other side. She sang out a few notes before drinking out of a similar cup.

"She says drink, it's good for your health," the bird translated.

"Coming from you, it'll be poison," Oswald retorted, noticing the bird's surprise at his lack of a voice.

The Princess grabbed back the cup she had given him and took a sip from it before handing it back. She sang out a list of notes before the bird could translate.

"It won't be poisoned tonight. If-" The bird cut himself off and looked back at the Princess. "If?"

The white mouse gave a sharp nod of her head, her features stern.

"If I stuff you, it won't be until tomorrow."

"If you say so." Oswald looked down at the liquid in his cup to see something dark red. He raised it to his lips and took a sip only to be surprised by its bitterness. "You won't happen to have something else to drink?" Oswald asked, glancing at the girl as she took a long sip from her own cup.

She let out a laugh through her nose before she swallowed what was in her mouth to give him a retort.

"Are you not brave enough to drink grapes?" the bird translated.

"Not when it's a surprise," Oswald threw back, sitting the cup on the ground before him.

"Mickey! There you are," Churchmouse's voice called out.

Oswald turned to see the whole crew on land, following locals to where the feast was being laid out.

"We've got it, more than half of the treasure was still there," Maronette said, plopping down on Oswald's other side. She froze and looked him over, an unasked question on her face.

The Princess gave a stern look at the guest as she said something to them.

"She wants you to know she has learned about your little plan to deceive her," the bird said, surprise on his face as he looked at Oswald.

"What?" Mallard asked.

The Princess snapped her fingers, sending Oswald into a spasm of pain as he felt himself revert quickly back to his true form before he was Mickey again. Holding a hand to his chest as he tried to catch his breath again, he ripped his head around to face her and gasped out, "Don't do that, please!"

"What'd you do to him?" Maronette asked, leaning in front of Oswald to be closer to the Princess.

"I could've killed him," the Princess said, leaning closer to Maronette's bill.

"You can speak!" Maronette exclaimed as even the bird looked at the Princess with surprise.

The white mouse turned to her bird and offered, "Sorry, I didn't want you to feel you no longer had a purpose." She turned back to the five crew members and explained, "After this meal, I ask you to leave my island. When you stepped on shore, you knew what I wanted. I've helped you get your treasure, something I felt was more than hospitable. Oswald will become my replacement for Mickey."

"We're not gonna leave without him," Churchmouse demanded, rising to his feet.

"Yeah!" Mallard said as he and Biff rose to stand beside their captain.

"I could send you to your ship now," the Princess threatened, rising to her feet.

"Princess, don't-" Oswald froze, hands held out to the white mouse to try and calm her down when his voice took him off guard. He placed a hand at his throat and tested it with, "Hey, I can tal-que-" again. Letting out a pout he looked up at the Princess.

The girl took her seat as she let out a deep breath. "As he wishes, I'll allow you to eat but immediately afterwards I want you off my island."

Maronette leaned closer to Oswald and promised, "We will get you off this island."

Oswald stole a glance upwards, praying it to be true.

-.-.-.-

"We'd only just finished eating when we were teleported on board the Rosa," Mallard interrupted. He stood with his crew, Captain Churchmouse to his right, as they explained what had happened in the past day to Scrooge as well as Ortensia, Mickey, and Minnie. The sun had set hours ago, leaving them on the docks with just the lights burning by Scrooge's doing and the filling moon in the sky.

"The course was already laid in, and the island had vanished from the radar," Churchmouse offered. "We tried to go back but the helm wouldn't take any change. We were forced back."

"So Oswald's…" Ortensia's voice left her.

"Well, with how he seemed to be talking with the Princess, I'm sure he's talked himself out of being stuffed," Biff offered, gaining glares from his crewmates.

Minnie placed an arm around Ortensia, hoping to offer some comfort.

"Do you think you could find it again, without radar?" Mickey asked, a hand on his chin.

"Well, sure, what type o' pilot do you think I am?" Tann asked, his face red.

Mickey gave a snap of his fingers, pointing towards Minnie. "Do you remember Michael of Medioka?"

"Of course I do," Minnie offered, confused.

"Do you think you could get him here?" Mickey asked.

"Mickey, he's a king," Minnie reminded. "What are you thinking?"

"Michael the fourteenth?" Scrooge asked, getting a nod from the mouse. "I might be able to get him here."

"As soon as you can," Mickey said with a nod. "Minnie, than call Madeline. Tell her to get down here as soon as possible."

Scrooge looked at Mickey as he pulled his phone from his pocket. "If I'm following you right, do you think Inspector Mouset would work as well?"

"Yes! He'd be perfect!" Mickey exclaimed, a large smile on his face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys before turning around. "I've gotta go find someone. Everyone else should be easier to get here," he threw over his shoulder as he started to run.

"How are Michael and Madeline supposed to help rescue Oswald?" Minnie asked, looking at the two's retreating form.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Biff said, scratching his head.

-.-.-.-

"You wouldn't even let me say good-bye?" Oswald asked as he was ordered into a lusciously designed hut by a local holding a spear.

"Not like they would've been able to hear you," the Princess retorted. She pointed to a chair and ordered, "Sit here while I clean up." She looked at the guard and gave him an order, sending him back outside the hut.

"Is this my last night alive or what?" Oswald asked as the white mouse disappeared behind a curtained doorway.

"Depends."

"On what?" Oswald moved an overstuffed pillow out from behind him, shoving it under his arm.

"On tonight," the Princess said before the sound of water pouring came from the room. Once it stopped she added, "You said you could be a better companion than the bird is."

Oswald's eyes flew open at the implications of the Princess' words. "You know I'm a married rabbit," he pointed out.

"Who could be a dead mouse," the girl said in a sing song voice. "Prove to me there's a reason to keep you alive."

Oswald sunk into the chair as fear and dread built up inside him. All he wanted was to see his wife and kids again. Now he feared he wouldn't be able to, even if he did manage to escape. He closed his eyes as his mind threw himself to his last memory of her. He guessed his memory was almost caught up as he remembered his wife wishing he would move down from the mountain. He still felt distain for the mouse he now looked like, but Mickey had proven himself not too long ago.

A smile pulled at Oswald's cheeks, glad to know how Ortensia had come back to life.

" ," the Princess sang, getting Oswald to open his eyes. He turned to the doorway only for his face to heat up at the sight before him.