We brought Miko to the camp and decided to have a ceremonial burial in her honor, suited to their customs.

Out of everyone, it was Obi that seemed to be more churned up about it than anyone else.

Swethyna came too and she placed her hands near the grave site, then little vines popped out of the ground and sprouted flowers to accent it, nicely.

Zen carried Miko to the grave sight and placed her on the bed of flowers.

Obi pound the ground. "I'm sorry… Master… I failed to keep her safe… forgive me... " He wasn't talking to Zen, but the former prince of this long lost kingdom.

'Obi…' I couldn't help but see just how much that man actually cared. In a weird way, it was like I was attending my own funeral. That's messed up. My eyes met Deston's in the corner, who will never find that love that he had wanted to share with Miko.

Miko didn't make up excuses. She knew of a way to help and saved my Father, no questions asked. I am going to do the same for her.

"Don't even think about it." Zen tensed.

"Don't think about what?" I played innocent.

"I know that look. You aren't going to try that spell. I won't allow it. It could kill you. I won't lose you too." Zen took my hand in his. "Now, we find Amari and go home. Then we can try to forget."

I couldn't help but notice that Swethyna grew very curious of the glowing pendant. I continued to observe her, because I thought it strange.

Swethyna bent down over Miko and reached for the pendant, then slid Miko's hand away from it. Her expression turned to shock. She then held her hand and I thought maybe it was that Swethyna knew her more than we realized, but I soon found out that wasn't the case. "Prince Zen!"

Zen drew closer to her, since he was curious to find out what she was doing, as well. "What's wrong? Is it something to do with that pendant?"

"She's alive!" Swethyna didn't seem to be too relieved about it.

Everyone was shocked.

"She doesn't have a pulse…" Shirayuki felt like Swethyna was playing a cruel joke.

"This pendant. I've seen it before. In a book, in my library." Swethyna started to explain.

"What does this have to do with Miko?" Zen asked.

Swethyna held Miko's hand in hers. "It's warm… and limber… that indicates that she can't have passed on."

Shirayuki's eyes grew wide and she then had to investigate for herself. She checked to confirm Swethyna's conclusion. "She's right. But how is this possible?"

"This pendant holds a specific type of sleeping curse. It is a curse that freezes one's self in a infinite dormancy. She may still be alive, but most likely, she will never wake." Now everyone understood why Swethyna wasn't too excited about it.

"How do we break a curse?" I read things in books, but nothing prepared me for this.

"You wouldn't want to, yet." Swethyna lay Miko back onto the flowerbed. "She must have used the sleeping curse on herself to escape death. She wouldn't do that unless she believes that someone will be able to break it." Swethyna turned to Shirayuki. "We first need to take care of the wound. You are a herbalist, are you not?"

"I am."

"We don't have any physicians nearby, so we need you to attend to her." Swethyna smiled reassuringly. "As for the curse… Let me worry about that."

"I will do everything I can." Shirayuki kneeled down next to Miko.

Zen knelt down next to her. "I know you can do it, Shirayuki."

"What could possibly break a sleeping curse…? Wait, let me guess... true love's kiss, right? If that is possible, then why the h*ll didn't she use it on Prince Zen? Princess Shirayuki could kiss him and this whole nightmare would be over." Kat grew eccentric.

Zen gave Kat a displeased look. "It's nice to know how you feel about all of this."

"It's specific. The fact that Miko has been wearing this, means that she believed the day might come, where she would have the need to use it. And... true love's kiss is stronger than any spell. I don't think this one would be any different." Swethyna gazed at her son sadly.

Deston was relieved that Miko was alive, but it didn't sound like he was going to have an opportunity to see her for a long time, if ever.

Zen looked back towards the last place I stood. His expression changed to panic. "Where is Miko?"

Shirayuki checked upon Zen's reaction. "I don't see Desti either. He must have gone with her."

"Obi, please stay here with Shirayuki." After getting agreement from Obi, Zen turned his attention to Kat. "Kat, with me!" Zen took a horse and barely waited for Kat to do the same. They rode off to search the camp and then the outer perimeter, if need be. They split up to cover more ground when it seemed that she wasn't here.

Obi smiled to himself.

"Obi?" Shirayuki wanted to know what he was thinking, because they knew very little about him in this world.

"It's been a long time since I was given orders from Prince Zen." Obi was reminiscing on the past.

Shirayuki smiled warmly. "You miss him?"

"More than I realized… But his daughter kept me in check." Obi smiled cheekily.

"So true." Shirayuki started to examine the wound, now reassured that she had all the time she needed.

"Where are you going?" Desti finally caught up with me on another horse.

"I can't just sit around and wait for everyone to clue me in on what is happening. I have magic, so it is my responsibility to save everyone." I couldn't watch the people I cared about, suffer anymore. My brother was out there. I had to find him before he gets hurt too.

"You're going after the Evil Queen?"

I remained silent which was clearly a 'yes'.

"You can't fight her alone."

"This nightmare won't end until I confront her."

"Then I am going too."

I was glad that he wasn't going to stop me, but if he comes, he could be put in danger. He doesn't have any magic.

"Then we shall take her on together." Kiki cut us off. "I am her weakness after all. You don't plan to leave me behind, do you?"

"If you're here then where is my Father?"

"Looking for you, wherelse? This isn't just your problem, this concerns us all. Don't think you must confront her alone." Kiki reasoned.

"Mother and Father don't have magic. They will only get hurt."

"You don't know that."

"Kiki…"

"We all worry. Like you are doing now, we fear losing the people closest to us. You aren't above that."

"Alright."

Kat rode through the wilderness and heard a loud roar. She had to find out what it was and more importantly if it had Miko.

She drew closer and closer to it, until a very large turquoise dragon came out from the volcano and Kat's eyes were drawn to it.

It flew a circle in the air around her and she rode ahead, trying to get away from it. She then found herself cut off by a rather large ice wall that continued on for who knows how far. "Shite!"

"Take her!" Kiki's voice came from behind.

The dragon swooped down and grabbed Kat, taking her high to the sky, in its talon.

Apollo trained in the practice field set up on the other side of the camp. He put all his frustration and anger into each swing. "AHHHHHH!" He slammed the sword against the target with full force. He thought about what he had done. "...Why did you ask that of me…? Now I have to live with this guilt for the rest of my life… Miko…" He swung his sword again and slammed the target. "AAAhhhhhh!"

Katsumi observed from a distance but didn't want to sit around and wait for him to calm down. "Would you like to have an opponent?"

Apollo's eyes met hers. "You can fight?" He seemingly didn't believe.

"Well enough. I did tell you that earlier." Katsumi took out a sword that she had forged.

"Show me what you've got." Apollo took his stance and the two of them engaged each other. He saw that she had some skill. "Good form, but your strategy needs some work." Apollo took another stance and showed her a couple moves. "Try using this move to get an entry point. Make sure that you block first, before you strike, then you will gain the upper hand."

Katsumi tried something else in with this knew move and knocked him off his feet. He managed to grab her to try to steady himself, but took her down with him, instead.

His eyes met hers as she was giggling from her success. He lost himself in her eyes for a moment, but then he realized what position they were in. He quickly pulled himself up and then Katsumi to her feet. "We should get you another opponent and see how well you do." He hailed a man who was near them and the man agreed to a challenge.

Apollo gave her pointers through the match and she ended up winning it. He was so proud of how well he taught her. "I bet that after I am through with you, you'll dominate the masses."

Katsumi's cheeks turned pink and she put her sword away. "You really think so?"

"Nope. I know it. And to think you fought in a dress… that's brave." Apollo returned to his training and Katsumi sat back down on the hill, to watch.

Zen road past and saw her. He was shocked but then grew furious. "Kat! What are you doing here?! Where is Miko?"

Katsumi was shocked that this man not only knew her name, but was expecting things from her.

"Prince Zen? What brings you my way?" Apollo stopped his training to muse at the prince.

Katsumi froze in her spot. She had never been in the company of royalty. She knew not to question a prince.

"Why are you wasting your time with this moron, instead of protecting Miko, like you are supposed to?"

"So-orry…" Katsumi could barely speak.

Apollo burst out laughing.

Zen was not pleased with that and gave him a glare.

"Off you go, Kat. Don't want to keep your prince waiting." Apollo toyed.

Zen and Katsumi left Apollo behind. Katsumi was a bit hesitant, but these are orders from the prince!

Zen stopped for a moment, before getting on his horse. "Nice dress." Zen wasn't complimenting her. He was asking her why she would spend her time trying on new garments, when she should be looking for Miko.

"Th-anks…" Katsumi found that the other horse beside him was clearly for her.

After she mounted up, she followed Zen into the forest.

Apollo smirked to himself. "Now this, I got to see." He tacked up his own horse and followed them from a distance.

The Evil Queen studied Kat, who was now stuck in a transparent cocoon. The gelatin inside, made her body go numb and refuse to respond to her own thoughts and commands, making her a captive audience.

"What were you doing around here? Speak!"

"I was just going for a stroll. I just happened upon your dragon." Kat's attention was suddenly drawn to a baby's coo. Kat's eyes grew wide when she saw Amari on some kind of atlar. "What is this place? What do you intend to do with Amari?!"

"I'll be asking the questions. You are in no position to question me." Queen Kiki sneered.

"You can't intimidate me."

"Is that a challenge?" Queen Kiki mused. "You don't want to be antagonising me."

"You aren't so tough."

"Oh really… How do you figure that?"

"We stopped you once, we can stop you again."

"HahahahaHahahaha… You are foolish to think that you even slowed me down. No. Everything has gone exactly the way I intended. You're Miko would turn, it was only a matter of time. I knew you would bring the whole royal party through the portal. It was a calculated twist. Then in time that bond that Miko and her parents share would eventually drive the defiant princess mad with jealousy. Then she would turn… All in all, you were all playing into my hands the whole time. Nothing happens without my handiwork. I keep a close eye on Miko, always have."

"You can't possibly think that Miko would be so easily fooled."

"You were."

Kat gritted her teeth, which was one of the very few things she could do. "Miko's detection is unsurpassable, you couldn't possibly be spying on her."

"My spy is out in the open. It is her weakness that makes her fail to see it."

"I don't believe you."

"I can't change your mind? Sit tight. You are going to be here for a while." Queen Kiki turned her attention to Amari.

"What purpose could I serve you?" Kat sneered.

"They will come for you. I will be waiting for them. It will soon be too late anyways. Nothing you can do, will desecrate my plans."

"Isn't that what Amari is for?"

"Oh, no… I have bigger plans for Amari... A pure heart... product of true love... royal significance in your world… I would not waste such a find on luring my enemies into a trap." The Evil Queen picked Amari into her arms. "Come child, we have much preparations that require my care." She glanced back at Kat.

A swarm of ravens flew into the cavern, The Evil Queen just smirked maliciously. "The time has come for me to reign superior! What a glorious day that will be!" She held Amari tightly in her grasp.

Amari started to cry and then he cried louder. The crystals started to shake. The gelatin from Kat's casing was starting to crack.

Queen Kiki started to cradle him, but it wasn't working.

"That's it Amari… cry… scream in the queen's ear… She will not mess with you…" Kat spoke quietly to herself.

The Evil Queen patted Amari on the back a couple times and coaxed him to laugh.

Amari finally stopped crying. The magic crystals stopped shaking before they could come loose and smash into a multitude of pieces on the cave floor.

Queen Kiki smirked back at Kat. "I have a way with children. Don't get your hopes up."

Zen and Katsumi finally found me. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find you? Are you really so foolish to go after the Evil Queen on your own?!" Zen snapped.

"I'm the one she wants…" I argued weakly.

"That is all the more reason why you should stay close to us. How can we protect each other, if you are gallivanting on your own and we have to chase you? We are in more danger, apart, than we are together."

"Yes…" I glanced at Katsumi. "Oh no… What happened to you?"

Katsumi just remained tense. "W-whatever do you mean…?"

"The dress…? Did you run into the queen?"

"N-no, I'm fine…. How-are you?" Katsumi was finding it hard to talk to people that were mere strangers, let alone royalty.

"I'm good. But I am worried about Amari." I admitted.

"Who wouldn't…?" Katsumi tried her best to compose herself in the company of royalty. She had no idea who Amari was.

Something seemed a bit off with Kat… I couldn't place it, but I was worried that the queen had something to do with it. "We need to stop the queen before she gets to us all."

"Agreed."