A/N I'm sorry for the late update. I've been dealing with health and emotional issues. Chapter 12 is done and interlude 3 is almost done. I hope you enjoy this chapter

Chapter 10:

Freedom and Friends

Two years past by in agonizing slowness. Sonic was now 16 and feeling like she was an old woman. Her hands were full of calluses, she never had time to do her hair, and her step sisters were wearing the dresses she once wore. They also wore her jewelry, while Lisa wore her mother's jewels which rightly belonged to Sonic. She was put to work full time weaving, sewing, cooking and fetching. The only times that made her life bearable were stolen moments with her friends. Only the thought of her friends kept her getting up at the crack of dawn and making it through another torturous day.

Every time her stepmother and stepsisters stole her shoes, Lancelot let her wear the ones he kept for her. He played her songs on his harp and told her stories of the forest, lakes and animals. He told her tales of the kings who ruled before Gerald and Debbie and all the great heros of the past. Sonic's favorite story was of Sasha the great. She was a hedgehog who started an organization designed to help only women who were abused or homeless. Sonic loved Lancelot's stories and music and was starting to get fluttery feelings in her stomach every time she saw him, especially on those rare occasions when he hugged her.

Every time she wasn't motivated or couldn't figure out how to smile and laugh, Tails told her silly jokes or played games with her. Their favorite games were I spy and guess the animal, plant or anything else they could think of. Tails was always very energetic and didn't mind when Sonic felt a little slow and achy some days. They had races, made cookies at Clarice and Carter's house and fell asleep in the sun. Sonic thought Tails was the best friend anyone could have in the whole wide world. There was no one quite like Miles Tails Prower.

Sonic had no friends who were girls until she met Margarete a few days after she met Lancelot. Every time she just needed a girl to talk to, her new hedgehog friend was there for her. They talked about fashion, fabrics and colors, and just anything else they could think of. They had tea parties, which Sonic didn't mind sometimes. They also learned things from each other. Sonic taught Margarete how to sew, and Margarete taught Sonic how to skip two stones at once, walk over a stream using only stepping stones and things like that. Sonic thought it was interesting that no matter what kind of clothes Margarete was wearing, they were always blue. She reflected every time she saw Lancelot and Margarete that their clothes were always torn or dirty just like hers.

Alas, these bids for freedom were very few and far between. Sonic hid all the treasures her friends gave her under a loose floor board in her small basement room, which was really an old store room. There was the glass-framed picture of butterflies and flowers from Lancelot, a toy airplane from Tails which really flew, a make-up kit from Margarete, and a few other treasures. Sonic slept on a straw mattress with only a wadded up sheet as a pillow and a thin, ragged blanket. It was alright to her though, the boiler room was right next door, so the basement was always warm.

Sometimes she could have sworn she saw fairies dancing in the forest, and many times in the weeping willow she had planted near her house. It had grown into a tall, stately tree with branches and leaves which seemed to move on their own. Once or twice, during the night, she thought she heard music like that of Lancelot's harp. This was lighter though, and seemed to have flutes and drums woven into the tapestry of music. Most odd of all the gifts though were the little parcels of food she found from time to time.

Every time she went without food, she always found a small bag of bread, meat and an apple near her matress as well as a cup of water. The bag and cup would be gone the next day. She wondered if she was going insane. If this were so, though, it was a good insane. If she were insane, she wouldn't feel all the aches in her body or hear her step sisters and step mother yell nasty words at her. She wouldn't feel so low and unwanted.

A few days after Sonic's birthday, which was only acknowledged with a bit more food and one less chore, she managed to slip away. Her step family had gone away for a few hours to a friend's house and of course she wasn't invited. Of course, this was one of the days without her shoes, but it was okay she guessed. She'd rather see her friends. She wore her shoes yesterday.

Of course, as she predicted, her family's money had dwindled to almost nothing. Her father never came home anymore, for he didn't have the funds to do so. He apologized in letters containing a little money for each one of the family members. Sonic received none of it. She was to the point that money mattered nothing to her. Friends were everything to her now. She would die for them.

Speaking of her friends, she soon saw them in the clearing where she first met Lancelot. The black and red hedgehog smiled warmly at her and gestured for her to sit. He tended to her feet as she talked to Tails and Margarete. Margarete was wearing faded blue as usual, today a tank top and shorts. Her hair was done up in a messy bun. The yellow hedgehog smiled at Sonic brightly and her green eyes twinkled.

"I've missed you all," said Sonic as she slipped on her shoes. "I'm glad you're all here today."

"Why wouldn't we be?" Tails asked with a grin. "It's your birthday!"

"My birthday was a few days ago Tails," Sonic replied.

"Yeah but we weren't there then," said Margarete, giving Sonic a giant hug. "Now we are. Happy birthday Sonic."

Margarete and Tails uncovered a large cake baked by Clarice. It was chocolate, with blue icing spelling out Happy Sweet Sixteen. Lancelot gave Sonic a leather necklace with a small amber pendent in the shape of a swan. She hid it under her clothes and touched the spot where it was hidden frequently. Margarete gave her a bracelet with a silver owl charm and Tails gave her earrings with dangling blue beads. Sonic loved all of her presents.

"Thank you all!" she squealed happily.

She hugged all of them tightly and kissed Lancelot on the cheek unthinkingly. She covered her face with her hands and blushed deeply as she realized what she'd done.

"Oh… Oh… I…"

Sonic didn't see Lancelot's wide, blissful grin and the other two throwing their hands up in victory. Sonic got her blush under control and uncovered her face.

"Let's eat some cake!" Tails said cheerfully, looking at it hungrily.

"Yes lets," Sonic replied. "I'm starving!"

The four friends enjoyed an unbelievably happy afternoon eating cake, playing games and running around like fools. They played any kind of weird game they could imagine, then sat down to relax in the shade.

"I should probably get going soon," said Sonic.

"Probably," Lancelot agreed. "It's a shame though. We'll miss you."

"We always miss you!" chimed in Tails, giving her another tight hug.

They rested and talked for a little more before Sonic stood and hugged them all goodbye. She began the trek home after giving back her shoes and they all stared after her sadly. As soon as she was gone, Tails and Margarete turned to Shadow with grins.

"She kissed you Shadow!" Tails exclaimed excitedly. "She actually kissed you."

"Mmhmm," said Shadow, a blissful grin crossing his face again. "It was just on the cheek but still."

"I thought it was high time," agreed Maria. "It was so cute!"

"I hope we made her day better," said Tails with a slight frown.

"Didn't you see the way she was acting?" Maria asked. "She was in heaven. She would have stayed till the end of time. I'm just wondering if she noticed the fairies yet. They've been all over in the forest and around the willow."

"I was thinking of that myself," said Shadow. "She had a bit of that glow around her. You know what I mean right, the glow that comes from eating their food. She also seemed a little far away. I wonder if she's been hearing the music of the fey."

"They fed her?" Maria asked in surprise. "They must really love her. Either that or they feel sorry for her. I'm not sure what the music means, though. I've never heard it."

"I saw the glow," said Tails. "I didn't know that's what was going on though. I just thought she looked really… Healthy or something. I'm still new to this place and I've never seen a fairy. Did anyone tell them to do that?"

Everyone shook their heads and Shadow told him he was sure Tails would see a fairy one day. Tails hummed thoughtfully and began packing up the left over cake. He'd find out a way to smuggle it to Sonic somehow.

"It's probably best we get back to the palace," Shadow said. "Let's go Maria."

They all went their separate ways as Sonic entered her house. The amber pendent swung against her chest as she walked. That would go under her floor board as soon as possible, along with her other new jewelry. She didn't need anyone stealing it. As she entered her tiny room, she thought she heard a chime, like a tiny creature speaking.