A/N Sorry for the long wait. Chapter 12 is almost finished but I've been fighting with it. I figured I might as well post this. Please read and review.

Chapter 9:

Music of Hope

Sonic stumbled into a small clearing and leaned against a tree, head down and arms folded over her chest. The harp music was beautiful, the notes soaring high and swooping low. Delicate melodies threaded through lovely chords as the harpist's fingers strummed. Sonic looked around but she couldn't see him or her. She sank slowly down to the mossy ground and rested her head against the rough tree bark. As the song changed to a new tune, she began to hum tentatively. It was a lullaby, much like the one she sang to her mother before she died.

"Sleep my child and peace attend thee, all through the night," the low voice of the harpist sang. "Guardian angels god will send thee, all through the night…"

Sonic listened and hummed along softly as tears trickled down her dirty face. All Through the Night and Golden Slumbers were her mother's favorite lullabies to sing to her. She would have sang this song to her mother, but her mother wasn't her child, or a child at the time. It had never occurred to her until now why she picked the song she did. She just sang as her mother requested before she died.

The song concluded and Sonic's eyes remained on her toes. She wasn't ashamed to cry in front of whoever was playing. She couldn't see him and she didn't care. A rustling was heard from above and Sonic looked up to see a black and red hedgehog peering down at her quizzically.

"P-prince Shadow?" she asked in a quavering voice, not believing her eyes as she stared at him.

"I am not he," said the hedgehog. "I'm merely the same color."

Sonic had stood and bowed by this point, but the hedgehog shook his head and told her to rise. As she looked at him more closely, she noticed he was wearing very old, tattered clothing. His harp was scratched though still very detailed, and his fur was ragged and dirty. Something niggled at Sonic's mind, though. She just wasn't sure what to believe.

"Did you like my music?" asked not Shadow curiously.

"It was beautiful," said Sonic. "It went straight to my heart. So if you're not Shadow, who are you?"

"You can call me Lancelot," said not Shadow with a smile.

Sonic scrubbed at her face to no affect. Lancelot handed her a grubby handkerchief and she smiled shyly in thanks. She wiped her face and tried to smooth and fix her spines.

"What happened to your feet?" asked Lancelot, his eyes full of concern.

"Oh… I'm okay," said Sonic. "My name is Sonic by the way."

Lancelot put down his harp and reached into a pack on his back. He dug out some salve and disinfectant, then sat beside Sonic. He lifted one of Sonic's feet and she flinched, trying to move away. Lancelot murmured soothing nonsense as he swabbed Sonic's feet with peroxide, then slathered them with salve. The disinfectant stung, but the salve felt comforting on her cut and bruised feet. Lancelot then bandaged them expertly and let her feet go.

"Thank you Lancelot," she said, blushing. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to," he replied, pulling a pair of blue shoes from his pack and handing them to her. "Now, why don't you try these on?"

"I can't," said Sonic, lowering her head. "I shouldn't…"

"Just try them on," said Lancelot. "You'll feel better. I promise you will."

Sonic slipped on the shoes and got to her feet. She walked around slowly, then began to run. She ran past Lancelot thirty times before slowing to a stop. She was about to pull off the shoes when he stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"No no," he said. "While you're here, you can wear them whenever you want."

"Thank you," said Sonic happily.

Her smile was bright as she shyly shook Lancelot's hand. Lancelot just shrugged stoically and picked up his harp. He played a number of happy, jaunty, sad and soothing tunes for her as she clapped or sang along. Sonic didn't mind what he played as she loved them all. She ran up and down trees, tossed acorns at Lancelot, who ducked them all, and did a number of other tricks. The sun began to sink and Sonic gasped in shock. She didn't mean to stay so late. Her step mother was not going to be happy.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed. "I have to go!"

She took off her shoes and handed them back to Lancelot. He put them back in his pack and handed her the ruined food from the market. Sonic smiled at him and left, a skip in her slow steps.

"I'm going to need some food delivered to that house," Shadow muttered to himself. "I'm sure Carter and Clarice saw it all, and Tails must have as well. I'm sure they've got it all in hand. I'll pay them later of course."

Shadow walked back into town, following the trail of bloody footprints until they branched off to a large home. He watched along the trail, spying Sonic, who was almost to her door. He sighed and walked back home to the palace.

"I hope I gave her at least a little hope," Shadow said wistfully. "I wish I can do more for you Sonic."

"I can help," said Maria, popping up next to him. "You aren't very good at disguises brother. I'm sure she suspects."

"I'm trying my best," said Shadow with an annoyed shrug, "and yes I think she could use a friend who's a girl."

"It's settled then," said Maria, pinching Shadow's cheeks. "I'll figure out a way to help. Her and I will be best friends I'm sure!"

"Maria!" Shadow yelled. "Don't do that!"

Maria just giggled and linked her arm with Shadow's. Prince and princess walked inside the palace, ducking past the guards and courtiers. Shadow needed to get cleaned up before dinner.