Tikal calmly waited by the lit candle reading a book. She loved reading about history. This book was about a race of Mobians that existed in the area of the floating island before it became the floating island. This race of Mobians was extremely compassionate, communicable, competitive, and sensual. They loved the earth and believe in using all their senses to discover the planet. They believed that love, the ultimate power, in all if it forms transcends the earthly body and lives in the spirit. They thought the earth gave them feelings and a bodies. The three Goddess gave them life and compassion. It was their duty to experience, explore, and to share with the people around them.

Footsteps taped across the balcony as Tikal lifted her eyes from her book. Sonska smiled with a pleasant happiness as he laid he eyes on her. She literally leaped into his embrace. They kissed passionately. Then he picked her up and headed out the balcony.

" Hold on" he whispered.

Her arms collapsed around his chest. They meandered in and out of the shadows. Soon they came to the courtyard. It was heavily guarded. Tikal sat down in one of the dark alleys. Sonska sat next to her. He was thinking really hard, trying to figure a way out. Tikal reached over and held his hand in her lap. She flipped it over and looked at his life line. It was deep and long in his palm. No cut or cross with the heart line. Somehow she felt that it meant he was going to be okay. A hushed 'shit' emitted from his mouth. Then with the hand Tikal was holding he laced his finger with hers.

" I'm gonna get us out!" he promised.

Tikal took a deep breath. "Sonska, I know this is a bad time, but I have to tell you something."

He seemed preoccupied looking for an opening. "Go head tell me" he said.

"I gonna have a ba—"

"Here's our out!" he snatched her up and dashed into the court yard. The guards seem to be sleeping. Sonska's feet were pounding the ground hard. Then suddenly, he felt an arrow wiz by his ear. He looked up and a shower of them were comin' for his ass. He swung Tikal in front of him to protect her. Two guards in heavy gear seem to come from nowhere and slammed him. He tried to curl into a ball. He managed half way, just enough for him to hit the ground, and not Tikal. Tikal immediately bent over him shaking him to see if he was okay. The guards charged forward. Sonska coughed as he sat up. He focused on the row on guards starting to surround them. "Tikal ! Run for it! GO!"

She screamed, held tighter to him.

" Tikal let Go!"

Then she pressed her face in to his chest.

"Ti please don't go nuts on me!" he cried.

Sonska shook off the pain emanating from his back. He pushed Tikal behind him. Her grip on him was amazing.

"Give up hedgehog. There is no use for a fight. You are complexly surrounded." Calmly spoke a familiar voice. Out of the crowd of guards emerged General Nazel. "I'm disappointed in you blue one. I never expected this out of you."

Tikal's panicked cries became louder.

" You come any nearer to us I'll kill all of you." Sonska punched his words at them.

"Threats? Hey guys the hedgehog thinks he can threaten us."

Husky giggles rang through the guards.

"Give me the princess Sonska."

"No!"

"Poor choice old friend," Nazel waved his hand, " And remember boys don't harm the princess, mumm-kay."

The mob descends on the hedgehog. Sonska quickly took a glance at both of his sides. He saw nothing clear. The first guard charged at him. The hedgehog pushed his head down and twisted 90 degrees. With a crunching sound the body went limp. Then a sword came rushing in and the blue one moved Tikal and himself out of the way. The next guard rush in. Sonska kicked the body of the first guard in his way. He tripped and his sword went flying. Sonska caught it and sliced the torsos off a few echidnas. Three guards deiced to get him at once. Sonska threw the sword killing one of the charging guards instantly. The others tried to rip the princess off of his back. Tikal grabbed a couple loose quills off of the hedgehog's back and stuck them in the guards' eyes. She freaked out as the red and pink pulp ran down his face. He dropped to the ground raging over his lost sight. Sonska smashed the eye socket of one guard. Eye puss, tissue, and blood splattered over his fits. Sonska step over bodies he created at his feet. He began to tire quickly loosing his balance and accuracy. To no avail he was stabbed in his side. Tikal screamed coving the wound with her bare hands. She never had seen so much blood pouring out of anyone's side before. Soon the guards had the advantage. Then a blow to the head made the hedgehog fall to his knees.

Tikal shook him. "Get up, please get up Sonska."

A dark shadow covered both them. Tikal knew who the shadow belonged to before it spoke. She could feel the wicked spirit without looking. The fighting halted as the present stood cold under the moonlight.

"Sonska." the Chief eyes narrowed down.

The hedgehog's breathing was heavy. He could not lift his head.

The Chief bent down close to the hedgehog's ear.

"You better hope you didn't fuck my granddaughter."

"Stay way from him" Tikal scream as he yanked the warrior's body closer to hers'.

"And for you, sweet innocent Tikal" Grandfather snatched her arm.

"NOO!" she pulled back.

With his greater strength he lunged her forward. Sonska reached up and caught her ankle when a group of guards pounded him to the dirt, with their knees in his back. Tikal lurched back and forth trying to get out of her grandfather's grip. Her frantic blood cries could be heard cutting the night deep into the city. It echoed in the hedgehog's ears as he watched her being dragged back to the palace.

***

"Let go of me please frantic gasping plee..aase." Tikal whimpered as a few servants removed all of her clothing.

" Grandma Help me!... Please help me." cried Tikal.

Next two thick rough looking ropes were brought out. The ropes the maids were using raked into her skin. The constant rubbing of them wore away the fur and skin around her wrists and ankles. Tikal could not see anything becasue she was tide to her bed face down. Her tears and urination soaked the mattress.

The princess's crying became low moans. Then Grandfather and General Nazel entered the room. The Chief waved the servants bye and they left.

Nazel stood by the entrance resting his back on the wall. He crossed his arms. He already wanted this interrogation to be over. The Chief stood over his granddaughter.

" You never ceased to embarrass me. What were you doing with that Hedgehog!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Nazel interjected.

" Was I talking to you???" angrily corrected the Chief. He soon continued, "Did you fuck him?"

Small sniffles and whining came from the princess.

"You won't answer me? Is that the game we're playing?" question Grandfather.

Her lips cracked, " Let me …go."

"There's more than one way for me to find out."

The Chief turned to the General. "Nazel, can you tell Doctor Kitol that I am ready for him now. And will you please check on the prisoner."
Nazel nodded and immediately left.

Soon, Tikal's grandfather sat beside her. He took a heavy hand and stroked her hair.

"You were always full of spirit. I knew it was dangerous for you. Our culture, heritage, traditions never smiled upon you. I tried to help you. But you always left me with little choice. If you hymen is gone, then it is all over for you princess. No more changes. They are all gone."

At the end grandfather's word as small echidna walked into the room. He clutched a bag to his chest. "Why have you called me at this time of the night?" he angrily grunted.

"I need you to examine my granddaughter."

"What I just saw her a few weeks ago. She is perfectly healthy."

In a low angry growl the chief spoke, " I think she may have mated."

" Sweet innocent Tikal?" the Doctor said in shock.

Tikal could hear their words like knives in her spirit. She felt the bed move as her grandpa got up. She heard some shifting of feet on the floor, then the clanging of metal objects. Silence of the room made her know something was going to happen. Then she felt the rope around her ankles being untied. He heart pounded fast. When she knew one leg was free and she kicked up, sending the doctor to the floor. She tried to jump up, but was snagged down by the ropes around her wrists. She twisted half way onto her back. Suddenly, a heavy weight plummeted on top of her. She screamed under the crushing weight. Her legs kicked franticly. She opened her eyes saw grandfather was across her lower torso. The doctor regained equilibrium and stood back up.
"This examination is not going to happen unless you can manage her." Kitol sniffed.

Tikal felt her thighs being pried apart. Her body convulsed madly. She tried with all her strength to keep her legs closed. She looked up to see the small doctor approaching with his tools ready in his hand. She struggled more. The gap the chief made with her thighs was pulled wide open. Tikal instinctively bit down on the Chief's shoulder. He shook her off. She experienced the cold metal move against her delicate skin.

***