-Somewhere in the Black Mountains on the border between Fantasia and Corona-

Deep through tunnels, corridors, dead-ends, caves, there has been sounds of goblins, leering and sneering as they played cards or gobbled up helpless lambs, and sounds of animals, growling and snarling as they paced in their cages or whipped into submission by a goblin, and sounds of humans, crying and sobbing as they tried to sleep on pathetic bedding or struggled to keep warm with threadbare blankets while in their cages.

One of those humans is holding the blanket around her body as best as she could for she's pregnant, not wanting the mountain chill to harm her unborn child. This is Cinderella, Princess of Fantasia and Wife of Prince Charles, and expecting Mother-to-be.

Her beast speaker gift and condition spared her from being eaten by the goblins like many other women, thankfully, but she is still horrified of the goblins as they are cannibals, and prone to torturing the women by using the terrible crime of rape. She heard that the goblins are descendants of the ones who followed the terrible evil fairy, Maleficent, and it seems hiding in the Black Mountains has created their bloodthirsty streak, ravaging villages and murdering people.

Cinderella sighed heavily, rubbing her six-month belly, "I am very sorry, little one. I should have invited Anastasia into the castle instead of the other way around. I am grateful that it's still warm those days, yet the nights, I am terrified of losing you to the mountain chill. I do not want to give birth here in this prison...I know your father, he will find us someway.".

"I hope you're right, your Majesty. It's hard to keep my Belle warm. I apologize for that brute. I was too blind to see the real Gaston under that facade!", proclaimed a male voice. Cinderella looked over to her neighbor cage, seeing Maurice DuPont, dark brown haired with a bushy mustache, and green eyed. He used to have a big belly, but being with his 4 year old daughter, he gave away most of his food to Belle, causing him to lose pounds of fat, and the stress is causing him to get white hairs here and there.

Cinderella do not blame him for that as he has to save Belle no matter what, being a father. Belle is a precious, kind-hearted child with bright hazel eyes. Both she and her father may look pale and bedraggled, but their spirits are still going strong, and now with Cinderella as their neighbor, there is a chance to smile again.

Maurice and Belle has been taken from the village of Montreau in the region of Fantasia, by Gaston's hands after he had ravaged the castle nearby, proclaiming that a Beast had lived there after eating 16 year old Prince Adam, and escaped, ran into the wild forests of Fantasia.

Cinderella smiled softly, "Don't worry, Maurice. Gaston only gave me bruises today after I talked to the animals. Apparently, Pongo, one of the Dalmatians has to fight against one of the Dobermans, Roscoe, I believe.". Maurice sighed heavily, "It still doesn't excuse that brute's temper!", nearly waking up Belle in his arms before he went to sway her side to side, bringing her back to dreamland.

"I was only being polite about asking of a bath, but I think I embarrassed him...", replied Cinderella thoughtfully. Maurice nodded slightly, "That'd do it. Gaston doesn't like to be asked in public before those goblins or anyone else. Trust me, I know.".

Cinderella frowned slightly, "He may be a brute, but he knows not to harm a pregnant woman. It's the young girls I am worried about. Eilonwy, Jane, Faline...", looking over to the nearby cages. Eilonwy, the ward of Lord Arthur of Corona, and Jane, the girlfriend of the infamous Peter Pan, and Faline, the fiancé of Prince Bambi of Andalasia.

And then there's their gifts. Eilonwy has the gift of Fairy Sense. She's able to know where a fairy is, no matter how close or far it is. She was taken from the kingdom of Prydain which is next door to Corona City, walking her two beloved dogs, Hen Wen the White Shepherd, and Gurgi the Border Terrier. She's terrified to lose them to the cruel conditions of the animal fighting ring.

Jane has the gift of Flight. She's a wind nymph, able to create all kinds of wind everywhere she goes. Jane was taken from the region of Arendelle while she was heading to visit the rock trolls. Peter Pan, her boyfriend, is a squire, training to be a knight, and he didn't know that Jane was taken until too late.

And for Faline, she has the gift of Animal-Shifting. She is able to change herself into a doe. She was taken from the kingdom of Rowan in the region of Andalasia while having a stroll with Prince Bambi. Prince Bambi fought bravely, having a buck form, but it was too many, and that was the last time she has seen him since then.

Her doe form is beautiful like her natural human form, having waist-length brown hair, bright blue eyes, pale skin. Her sky blue sleeved shirt, brown trousers, and black striped shoes are looking grisly at the moment.

"I hear you, Cindy, but you're lucky that you got the safe treatment. Gaston sure can hit hard.", muttered a female voice on the other side of Cinderella's cage. Cinderella glanced over to see a scoffing, bruised, bleeding Jasmine, sitting upon her mattress.

She used to be the Princess of Agrabah in the region of Andalasia, but after Agrabah has been destroyed and would never be rebuilt again, thanks to Jafar's third wish upon dying, Jasmine used her own three wishes to heal/save many as possible, find a place of shelter and water for her people, and free Genie with the condition of being human, not wanting another situation of the lamp being used again.

She never forgot Aladdin, but having been a slave of Jafar for some years, and being forced to be touched by him all the time, she seems to hate the notion of love when Aladdin never came back to rescue her and her father had been killed by Jafar. She also felt like she had failed her people, so she left her people in the protection of Genie who took upon the human name of Mariner Williams, settling in the kingdom of Rowan.

Cinderella frowned wearily, "Must you anger Gaston all the time, Jasmine? Your bruises are showing already, and you have a bleeding cut.". Jasmine sighed with a huff, "He reminds me of Jafar too much. What else am I supposed to do?", a glower on her face.

"You would listen to her, Jazz.", Jane replied carefully, "It's enough to see and hear the horror of the goblins taking use of the women in the next corridor, but I do not want them here. You wouldn't want to scar Belle, would you? You better not anger Gaston again. The next time you dare, Gaston's temper would be far worse.".

Jasmine's shoulders drooped wearily, her face realizing the hint under Jane's wise words, and nodded, "I understand, Jane. I have been so independent and free for so long, that being in a cage makes me angry and upset.". Cinderella smiled softly, "Ah, we feel you, Jasmine. Before the war and the goblins, we indeed were free, free to do anything we'd want to.".

Murmurs of agreement joined in from Maurice and the other girls, and just as they were to continue their conversation, a guard goblin with a half-eaten bone came in, snarling, "Shut up, all of you! I am eating here, and your yapping is angering me! DO you want to be EATEN?!".

The girls shrunk back into their blankets, and Maurice paled, clutching Belle tightly as he could to his chest, and Cinderella went to sit on her mattress, silent as the other caged people, her hands protecting her belly while Jasmine frowned lightly, laying down on her mattress with the blanket wrapped around her.

The guard goblin nodded with a growl, "Good! Now keep quiet!", turning around to head out of the corridor, focusing his attention on finishing his bone. The girls and Maurice looked at each other silently with some understood gestures before going to sleep, neither anticipating sweet dreams or dreading terrible nightmares, with one praying in a whisper.

"Please guide all those who is determined to save us. Protect them as you protect us, Spirits. Give them strength and courage as you have given us the same. By the stars, help them keep faith for faith is believing. Thank you for blessing us all, Spirits.", whispered Cinderella as she rested on her side with the threadbare pillow, cradling her belly upon it, and closed her eyes, heading to dreamland.

-Back in Sherwood Hollow-

"Alright, this gotcha do it.", Logan commented as he packed the wrapped bundles of bear meat. Pippa smirked softly, "Yeah?". Logan nodded softly with a smile.

Emma sighed softly as she packed the maps of different dimension sizes, "You sure you remember what to do with that, Johnny?", looking at Little John who's holding into #7 of the Lee-Enfield rifles. He smiled softly, "Keep the safety on when not used. Do not point the rifle at anyone or anything unintentionally. Keep a supply of ammo with help of Otto.".

Emma nodded approvingly, "Very good. Crissy?". Crissy nodded eagerly, "All noted in mind, Emma! We're keeping a copy in the building just to be safe.", saluting with one hand while keeping #8 in the other hand.

Zuri chuckled, "I don't doubt that, Crissy. Should we get going then?". Jason replied, "Yeah. Hey, kiddo, you remember the three 'F's?". Tod grinned softly, "Focus. Follow through. Fire straight and true.", holding a new crafted bow for his size.

Jason laughed softly, "Atta boy, Tod. Haku?". Haku nodded with a smile as he packed the last of the water bottles, "All good here. You remember to keep Robin in bed for one more week. Brief walk from the room to the lavatory to keep up strength each day. Small portions of meat to sustain his hunger, and keep a tray of 6 boiled water cups, okay?", smiling at Marian.

Marian nodded in understanding, "Yes, I understand, Haku. And I will replace the bandages, and observe the stitches to make sure they dissolve properly each day.". Haku smiled warmly, "Very good. And tell Robin to hang in there. It won't be long before he is able to go out and shoot arrows as usual.".

Marian chuckled softly, "I believe that. Go now, my friends. The day must not be wasted.". The group nodded in agreement at her words, and lugged up their backpacks, secured their rifles and shotguns on their bodies.

With goodbyes and waves, the group walked into the direction of the well-used trail beyond Sherwood Hollow up north, knowing that quite a few villages and towns lay ahead before the kingdom of Neuanstin where Prince Charles and Princess Cinderella lives in.

They have heard news of Cinderella's kidnapping thanks to messengers who passed through by horse, and so the group decided to head there while passing through villages and towns on the way. One horse is able to use the trail, perhaps two horses possibly, but 6 horses altogether, it's impossible, so they are to walk without the added work of caring for a horse, but it doesn't bother them as they're soldiers, used to situations like this, determined to do their journey well.