Once Kurda was gone, Vancha collected himself.

"He's alive?" he asked incredulously.

"As alive as anyone here, and even keeping three wolves!" Larten shook his head. Vancha's mouth flew open. Arrow clasped a hand to his forehead and sighed helplessly. Darren shrugged.

"Can I see him?" Vancha asked.

"Anytime you wish. He is in a cave not far from here," Paris replied and gave Vancha directions. Vanez gave a loud yawn.

"Time for bed, I think."

That night, Vancha crept up during midday to check on Kurda. The guards snapped awake and made to go in to inform Kurda and chain him when they saw the Prince, but Vancha silenced them and went in. Kurda was curled up against the rock he had been sleeping at since he came in and the wolves were on either side of him, giving him warmth. Kurda was smiling and he looked perfectly content. He stirred suddenly and aroused the wolves, which started barking. Kurda snapped awake immediately and stared cautiously around, until he caught sight of Vancha.

"You should have told those vampires outside you were coming," Kurda relaxed and berated him.

"Oh, must I?" Vancha raised his eyebrows.

"Ok, I know you're a Prince, but you scared the living hell out of me. And aren't you afraid that I will assassinate you or something?" Kurda winked mischievously.

"No," Vancha grinned. He settled himself down and scanned Kurda from top to toe.

"You've grown," he remarked.

"Oh? Length-way or height-way?"

"Both!" Vancha replied playfully. He expected Kurda to get up and chase him but he was wrong.

"What's up with you? You used to chase me whenever I made cutting remarks."

"Now, it's different. Firstly, I don't want to give wrong impressions to others that I'm about to hack you down or something. Secondly," Kurda's voice was low and Vancha could tell that he was ashamed and embarrassed, "I have chains all over me, in case you haven't noticed. I am forced to wear them as 'reinforcement'. Thirdly, I am not a General or your sidekick anymore. I'm a traitor, a prisoner, and would have been executed if not for my intentions and Darren's pleas."

"But… but despite all these, you seem to be having fun. You were smiling in your sleep!" Vancha asked, perplexed.

"To tell you the truth, I feel more carefree than I have ever been, knowing that it's no longer my place to care about the outside world," Kurda explained. Vancha nodded mutely. The cub leapt onto Kurda's laps and he absent-mindedly patted it.

"Darren found the cub and I nursed it, so now it has grown so attached to me that I gave it a name, Furball," Kurda smiled, seeing the questions in Vancha's eyes.

"Actually, I find that you're a riddle, and I will never be able to uncover its answer. There are a lot of other questions I want to ask, but I guess I need to go. Hopefully once I have the time, I will sit you down in the Hall of Princes and we'll have a good talk," Vancha got up to leave.

"That's nice," Kurda agreed, and practically pushed Vancha out.

-Has he hit the nail on the head? That I'm a riddle that no one will ever understand? People think I'm a traitor but saw my intentions at my trial. Then I was sentenced to living in this…dump? Prison? Or maybe… even heaven. Am I having fun? I do admit I feel more carefree than I have ever been since I heard the news concerning the Lord of the Vampaneze. But am I right when I said that it's no longer my place to worry about other matters apart from myself? If I meddle and ask, Paris may not like it, not to mention Arrow. But is it too selfish of me just to withdraw myself after so many decades of participation in this area? For all I know, Paris and the others may just be waiting for me to ask about these things, or just to show that I even care. But on the other hand, if I ask they may ignore me… so now, what do I do? I can't just call Darren over to ask or Vancha, but… Vanez! He'll help.-

"You asked for me, Kurda?" Vanez stepped into the cave moments later. Kurda nodded and gestured for him to sit down.

"I'm facing a huge dilemma here," Kurda started, then continued to tell Vanez about what he thought about and how he felt. When he was done, Vanez put a comforting hand on Kurda's shoulders.

"You and Paris must have some sort of link in your hearts because only yesterday, Paris asked me over to the Hall of Princes to see if there was any way to convince you to take a more active part in the meetings. He admitted that without you, they cannot make head or tail of anything concerning the vampaneze since you were the one who usually deals with these matters." Kurda chewed his lower lip. Vanez looked at Kurda comfortingly.

"I need some time to think it over," Kurda admitted, then smiled briefly. Vanez took that as a cue for him to leave.

For the second time, Kurda obtained permission to go out of his cell. He went to look for Darren, wanting to ask him for some suggestions. As he walked towards his room, he picked up twigs and dry blades of grass, as well as two rough but small stones. Unfortunately for him, Darren was at the Hall of Princes. Shrugging his shoulders, he started to go down to one of the lower caves of Vampire Mountain. Midway, two Generals hauled him off to a deserted tunnel.

"We're conducting a strip search on you," they informed him. Kurda frowned slightly. He had never heard of it before, but he surmised that it was something like a body search. He nodded.

"OK. You face the wall and don't move," the Generals commanded. They then felt their way up Kurda's robes, checking for any weapons or prohibited items.

"Good, now take off your robes," the Generals said.

"What?" Kurda gasped in surprise, and then fell silent as he realized that he had no power to overrule these vampires. As he was taking of his robes, the leaves and twigs fell out together with the two rocks. The Generals picked it up.

"What's this?" they asked.

"For fire," Kurda replied casually, thinking that it did not really matter. However, he was wrong.

"You come with us to the Hall of Princes now," the Generals said as they threw his robes back to Kurda.

"For what?" Kurda asked, perplexed. The Generals did not answer him and minutes later, they were standing in front of Paris, Mika, Darren, Vancha and Arrow.