Prologue

For twenty long years, the country of Mobius had been engulfed in a fiery war. After Dr. Robotnik, deposed Queen Aleena Erinas from the throne, her remaining supporters formed a guerilla army with the intent on reclaiming the kingdom. Robotnik quickly mobilized his mechanized army to combat and arrest anyone they could get their hands on. He took a perverse pleasure into using his new toy to transform the dissenters and their sympathizers into robot slaves and soldiers.

Almost over night, the people hated the old man and the silent majority longed for the Hedgehog Royal Family and they started to secretly aid the resistance in small ways. Only the aristocracy kept him in power by giving him the funding to build his team inventions and combat the rebels.

However, it was only thanks to one particular nobleman; the mink, Duke Bartleby Montclair II. After the deaths of his parents, Albern and Delilah, Robotnik raised the baby boy as his own. He gave the boy the best of everything. The best robot servants to maintain his family estate, the finest clothing and all of the newest toys. Spoiled rotten but fiercely loyal, Bartleby would hear nothing negative about man. Bartleby could get him to do almost anything and could get away with anything.

Until now. Only days ago, Robotnik had arrested Bartleby for treason. The mink was so hurt by that betrayal, especially after learning it was simply as bait for his ex-fiance, Sonia Hedgehog.

The entire week, he refused to take any calls from Robotnik. The man sent Sleet and Dingo to try and get him to talk but to no avail. Finally the man came over himself and looked at the boy who was laying on the couch and watching television.

"Bartleby, this is ridiculous. You know I never would have roboticized you!" Robotnik shouted. "Now get up and stop acting like a wounded puppy!"

Bartleby stood up. "No, you'd only use me to hurt the woman I love! You promised you would not involve me in this war of yours! You promised me!" He shouted.

The old man rolled his eyes. "I only did it to protect you. Aleena now knows that I would arrest you if needed. She now knows that she cannot use you to hurt me."

"No! You did it to lure Sonia into a trap! Dingo told me!" He shouted, refusing to be afraid anymore.

"She betrayed you! She left you at the altar and left you humiliated! She's the enemy!" Robotnik said the words slowly, with purpose. "Her mother would destroy everything we've worked for!"

Bartleby glared. "What? A city filled with smog and pollution. People outside of Dresden are downright terrified of you and despise you. You've built nothing worth protecting!" He growled in anger. "Sonia dumped me because of you! You roboticized Mama Wyndermere and she was certain you'd roboticize me too! You used me! You made me into a trap! I'll tell you this, sir, you'll have to roboticize me before I'll let you touch her! I hate you and I wish Aleena would take back the kingdom!" He felt the anger flee his chest and he sat down, watching the man stand up. The anger was replaced with a strange sensation but he couldn't identify it.

Robotnik fought against his own anger, feeling the insult deeply. "And I will roboticize her before I let her harm you." He promised before stomping out.

Bartleby trembled as he struggled with his instincts. He rarely fought with his uncle. The man was like a father to him. He just couldn't get past what he did to him.

He was just getting control of his nerves when the doorbell rang. He went to his door camera and turned on the monitor.

"Bartleby it's me!" His heart leapt for joy at the pink hair. "Please, let us in." He looked behind his ex-fiancé at three others.

Bartleby rushed to open the door. "Oh, Sonia. Thank goodness, you're here. I was just thinking how much I missed you." He hugged her to him, shaking like a leaf.

The pink hedgehog stroked his blond hair. "I knew we should come. We wanted to make sure you were alright but you're not. Are you?" She rubbed his back.

He shook his head. "He betrayed me, Sonia. This man who raised me. Changed my diapers, endured my tantrums, soothed my fevers. How could he do that?" He wept.

Another hand touched his shoulder. "Don't fear, Lord Montclair, that's why we are here." He turned his head to see a middle-aged hedgehog woman. "I am Queen Aleena, Sonia's mother. She told me what you did and I'm impressed." She offered him a handkerchief and let him wipe his eyes. "I didn't think you'd have it in you. Standing up to Robotnik."

Bartleby forced himself to stand up. "I couldn't let him harm her. I never will. I love her." He said, kissing her forehead and nose.

Sonia blushed and smiled despite her minor embarrassment. She saw Sonic in the corner of her eye. "Ewww, dude. Get a room."

Aleena laughed. "Now, let's go talk. Sonia, dear, take him to the sitting room. I'll go brew some tea. That'll set him right."

The hedgehog siblings led him back to the sitting room. Sonia hugged him while the blue Sonic blue started a fire.

"How are you doing, guy?" Sonia's younger triplet, Manic asked sympathetically. "I know that had to majorly suck being in jail like that."

The mink nodded. "It's not even so much that. It's that he betrayed me. I've never told you guys, except Sonia, but he's like a father to me. That he arrested me… for treason. Planning to use me as bait for Sonia." He looked up at her. "I'm sorry. You warned me and I didn't listen."

She shook her head. "No, Bartleby. Don't apologize. You were trying to save him. I admire that about you. Your loyalty and your capacity for love and forgiveness. I wish I had such a forgiving heart." She felt her chest flutter when he smiled. She got up when Aleena returned pushing a tray. He watched as she talked quietly with the woman. They appeared to be arguing but he couldn't hear the discussion.

Until Sonia suddenly lowered her head and she stepped back. Aleena brought him a cup of tea. "Here you are, Bartleby. My governess used to say a cup of sweet tea was the best thing to soothe the nerves. Though why it had to be sweet, she never did say." She giggled and encouraged him to take it.

Bartleby accepted the cup gratefully and drank. "Thank you… I'm sorry that Sonia was in danger because of me. I love her so much." He pleaded for the woman to believe him. "Please, forgive me."

The queen patted his head. "You poor boy. That terrible man has abused you. I'm sure growing up with him must have been an absolute nightmare." She consoled him. "He is such a monster."

He drank his tea. "He didn't used to be. He… he raised me. When I was a baby… my parents died. They were good friends and he was married to my aunt. So when they died… he was it. He was good to me…" He continued to drink, his head becoming fuzzy with the stress.

Aleena nodded. "Well, now you know the truth. Don't worry. He will be removed from the throne soon and our people will be free." She reassured him. "And you're going to help with that."

Bartleby frowned. "Removed? How? What are you going to do? Sonia? Sonic? Manic?" He begged for someone to explain. That fuzzy feeling in his head grew worse. "How am I going to help?" He looked down at the tea as his vision blurred. He rubbed his head. "Sonia?" He asked just before everything went black.

AN: What does Aleena have planned?