It took a while for anything to sort out that vaguely resembled order. Dot was almost in hysterics when she realized what had happened to John while Dick could not stop muttering to himself and rocking back and forth. Nancy had them both by the hand as she struggled to make their way back to the horses while at the same time not bawling her own eyes out. To make everything worse, she had no idea of what time it was or where anything was or even why she cared. All she wanted to do was to wake up in her own room, with Peggy next to her and everything to fade away like the nightmare it was. Or sit down and cry. She wasn't picky at all.

Unfortunately, things like that only happen in story books and in dreams, both of which she definitely was not in at the moment. The market-square seemed to be flooded with people all pushing and shoving and trying to get things done as the three of them stumbled back vaguely in the direction in which Nancy, Dick and John had come from. The one bright spot in the whole situation was that Dick had a pretty good idea of where they were going and guided the three of them back.

Eventually, they all ended up in a puppy pile on a bench near the horses. After they got Dot to calm down enough so that she could breathe, no one said anything for some time. They just sat and held each other close, Dot in Dick's arms and Nancy pressed into both of them. While it would have seemed awkward at home or around anyone else, Nancy found that she couldn't care less. It was cozy and quiet, which was just what wasn't going to happen as soon as she moved.

It was Dick who broke the silence first. "Hullo, Dot. I've missed you."

And Nancy hated him for breaking the stillness she so desperately needed. But there wasn't a good way to get it back as the D's started talking.

"H-hullo, Dick. I've mi-missed you too."

"What's happened to you?"

"W-well, we found ourselves b-by the gates about two m-months ago-I d-don't know, it feels like longer now. The c-castle was looking for maids and th-they liked how we looked. We g-got a job and that's a-about all. It's all a b-blur and it's been really h-hard."

"Was Susan a maid too?"

Dot nodded and started to sniffle again. "Th-the Sherriff's s-son l-liked her too much, so s-she had to leave before t-trouble started. Th-that was about two weeks ago, when s-she got sick. W-we knew another g-girl who had to do the same thing. P-peggy and I are t-too small and thin for him, but S-susan knew how to make up the beds and fires and w-was really good and h-he started looking at her a lot more s-so she had to sneak out and w-we were b-beaten because they thought we knew where she was."

Nancy suddenly realized that Dot was a lot thinner and smaller than before (had it really been over a month already?) and that her gown was almost falling off.

"Where is Susan now?" Dick gently slipped a piece of dry meat into his sister's hands and tucked an apple in her skirt pocket.

"W-with the apothecary. He's a good man and she would always help h-him with the sick in the castle. You know how she is with people who don't feel well. W-we checked in with her today and she's f-feeling a lot better. He-the apothecary-says t-that she's welcomed to stay and help him and h-he'll treat her like the d-daughter who died wh-when she was small. She's lucky; he's a widower and needs someone to help him out. I trust him."

"Don't they feed you anything in that castle?" Nancy interjected.

"Y-yes, but it's really hard for me t-to eat. P-peggy is much better than I am."

"What about Rodger? Is he doing all right?"

A wan smile darted across Dot's face. "H-he's doing the best out of all of us. The Sheriff's daughter, M-marie, wanted him for a pageboy, but somehow, he's the jester now. I think it's because the butler couldn't stand his antics in the k-kitchen, but the s-son of the house saw Rodger and de-demanded him as a jester. While it's not easy all the time, he makes it work. Sometimes, he-Rodger-sneaks food to me and makes sure that M-marie doesn't hit me too much."

"That's the Sheriff's daughter, right? Why does she hit you?" Dick's normally good-natured face was dark and he was clenching his fist as he spoke.

"She does it to all of her maids. I'm just one of three, b-but sometimes, she goes out of her way to hit me." Dot shifted out of Dick's arms and stood up with another wan smile. "It's not too bad, really. A lot of girls would love to be a maid at the castle. We get f-free food and three coppers a week."

She looked so small as she smoothed down her yellow dress that Nancy wanted to storm the castle and maim the nebulous girl who could find amusement in hitting Dot.

"Where is Peggy?"

"It's not her d-day off. We get one a month or so and this was the first one for me. It's how I know that w-we've probably been here about two or more months. Peggy had the first one and that's how we knew you were all right and safe. She's doing well and is v-very good at being a kitchen maid. Cook says she m-might get to be undercook if o-ours doesn't improve soon."

Dick stood up and hugged his sister close. "I'll get us home, Dot. I promise. One way or another, we will get home and the world will be all right."

Nancy stared at him. This was not the Dick of the Scarab or the Dick that she knew. This was a new Dick who seemed more than capable of taking command of the situation and for a brief moment, she believed that he would take them all back to Wild Cat Island.

"But how will we get back? For all we know, we are stuck here for good."

Dick turned to her. "It's simple, Nathan. A star brought us here; a star will take us home."