In the thick forest, a king's soldier and a middle class squire were travelling on horseback. The soldier was a German man with slick blond hair and semi-cold blue eyes. The squire was an Italian man with auburn hair (that had a funny curl on one side) and his eyes looked closed in happiness. Kiku had requested for them to try and find Cherry.

"Vell, Kiku vill be disappointed if ve don't find that frau who saved Mei the other day.." the German man, Ludwig remarked.

The Italian man, Feliciano grew confused. "Ve~. We can't lose-a hope yet-a. Love is-a a powerful thing-a" he said hopefully, indicating the gold ring he wore on his left finger. Despite how oblivious he looked, the Italian man knew a lot about love; he was happily married to a baker after all.

"I vish I had your optimism, mein friend.." Ludwig admitted.

A low growl that shook the ground caused the two men's horses to stop. Feliciano instantly became scared. "What was-a that, Ludwig?" he asked.

"Vhat is vhat?" Ludwig asked.

'That-a scary growl-a!" Feliciano wailed.

Ludwig sighed. "I'm sure that it's nothing, Feliciano. This forest is very ancient after all.." he stated. A second, louder growl caused him to turn around. He saw Dragon Lukas glaring at him and Feliciano with icy cold eyes. "Uh-oh" Ludwig realised.

Both Ludwig and Feliciano were quick to flee from Dragon Lukas' fire-breath.


Prince Kiku stood in the Throne Room with his older brother, Yao who was the current King.

Yao wore accents of red and yellow on his royal clothing. On top his head was the crown. Since Yao had no children, he had decided he would pass the throne right to the second oldest of him and his siblings: Kiku. "But Kiku, aru. Not even a commoner would disappear right after saving Mei's life, aru" Yao remarked.

"I know, brother. But I fear that the woman who saved Mei the other day might be in danger herserf. Which is why I asked Rudwig and Fericiano to go rook for her and hopefurry riase with me her whereabouts.." Kiku pointed out.

Ever since that unexpected meeting, Kiku had not stopped thinking about Cherry. He barely even knew her name. All he knew was that he had to find her somehow.

Yao sighed. He knew that his little brother would not let up so easily on something that didn't sit right with him. "Alright, aru. I'll give it a bit more time, aru. For you, little brother" he relented.

Kiku nodded in thanks and left the room. His brothers and sisters were waiting outside. Ah Ling and Leon were pressuring Mei to ask Kiku something.

"Alright, I'll ask! Just cut it out, you jerks!" Mei whispered to the others angrily. She then turned to Kiku. "Kiku! When will you see the lady with the pretty red hair again?" she asked.

Kiku smiled slightly at his younger siblings. They clearly wanted to see Cherry again too. "Hopefurry very soon" he answered.


Cherry woke up in a start that night. She had dreamt that Kiku had somehow tracked down where she was. Since there were no stairs to the tower, she had to throw over her own hair which had somehow grown seventy feet. When he'd reached the top, Kiku explained that he'd searched everywhere for Cherry.

The dream had quickly turned into a nightmare at Gothel's sudden visage and evil cackle.

Upon waking up, Cherry's hair was still its same height. She got up and looked out her window.

Hazel was in her dragon form, sleeping by the foot of the tower. Tino was sprawled on her back. Even when separated from Cherry, she was still looking out for the girl. Cherry remembered that Hazel had told her that her instincts as a mother had reemerged once Cherry had been brought to the old fortress as a baby.

The only other creature still awake was Lukas, who was also in his dragon form.

Cherry noticed the particular way Lukas glanced at the sleeping Hazel. There was a look of concern, longing and sadness in his eyes - which was very similar to the painting Hazel had showed her a few days ago. Only sadder and with a slight fear that he would lose her in a different way than they had lost their child. It was much different to the icy cold eyes he usually had when he was up guarding the fortress which once belonged to one of his cousins.

It made Cherry wonder; did Lukas still love his wife, deep down? She had never seen Lukas like this before - grieving for his long deceased son and fearing that he was going to lose his wife too.

Upon realising he was being watched, Lukas then cast a stern look over at Cherry. He didn't know if she actually knew about the fact that he'd lost his son and that in his years working for Gothel, he feared that he was going to lose his wife too. He merely scoffed in a reprimanding tone. He then took flight, going over the invisible wall that hid the fortress.

Cherry then looked at the hairbrush that she had found the other day; she'd kept it to remind herself that her real family were out there, hopefully still looking for her. She re-read the engraving that her real parents, as well as her two sisters, had etched onto the item. She smiled as she looked up at the stars and moon; she knew that one day she would be free and once she was, she would find Kiku again.

"I have a good feeling about tomorrow.." Cherry admitted to herself

Cherry then returned to her bed.

While the (unbeknownst to her) the stolen princess slept, the hairbrush suddenly glowed along with the stars. Once the glowing dulled, it had turned into a paintbrush.


In the morning, Hazel and Tino were picking berries to make paint.

Hazel had been (and still was) particularly livid when she found out Gothel had shattered the paintings Cherry had put so much work into, as well as her paintbrushes, Canvas, easel and paints. Which Hazel had acquired for Cherry to further encourage her creativity over the years. "Imprisoning her is one thing but destroying her favourite hobby is just plain spiteful" she ranted as she ground down the berries by hand.

"I know you're mad, Hazel but there's not a lot we can do about it" Tino assured, trying to calm Hazel down. Then again, he knew that Hazel was still a mother at heart; she would always protect Cherry like she was her own daughter - had done since she decided to be the child's guardian.

"I should've killed that witch a long time ago myself.." Hazel remarked. But then again, Hazel knew that once dead, Gothel would never face the true consequences of her selfish deeds.

Lukas suddenly arrived, standing behind Hazel. "Now what are you doing?" he demanded.

Tino flinched at his cousin's tone.

Hazel didn't face her husband; she didn't need to since she knew him almost too well. "What's it look like, numbskull? Making paint for Cherry" she stated.

"I've told you before not to concern yourself with that girl anymore! Must I remind you what we stand for?" Lukas argued.

Hazel stood up and faced Lukas with a rather stern look in her eyes. "You need reminding of that much more than I do, foolish husband! And you know why I did!" she countered, crossing her arms.

Tino flinched in fear. He knew from experience that things turned bad whenever Lukas and Hazel argued.

Lukas grew frustrated, despite that Hazel's feistiness was why he fell in love with her in the first place. "Hazel, our kind, like Dragons, resemble strength, power, courage and loyalty! I sometimes wonder where your loyalties really lie.." he remarked.

Hazel became furious at Lukas's hypocrisy. How dare he question her loyalty if his had not been with her for all these years?! "Funny you should say that, I wonder about your loyalties. Because you once were a loyal husband! At least until that foul witch killed our Emil!" she argued back.

Lukas narrowed his eyes at his wife once she said the name 'Emil'; he absolutely hated it when Hazel mentioned their son. "This isn't over, Hazel!" he growled as he flew off in Dragon form.

Hazel growled as well, mostly at her husband's inability to see her point. "What an idiot! Why am I still married to him, Tino?" she asked Tino.

Tino laughed. "Because you still love him after all these years" he reminded Hazel.

Hazel sighed. "That's not reassuring, Tino" she remarked.


Cherry thought about recent events. She knew nothing of Gothel's past but understood that it was something no one liked to remember. All Gothel had done was lie and deceive; and she had been doing it long before she had stolen Cherry.

A strange sound caught Cherry's attention. She turned to realise that Hazel was in Dragon form, flying in front of her window. In her arms was an iron bowl full of ground berries.

Tino leapt off Hazel's shoulder as she took her human form to go through the window. "Ta-dah! We made you some new paint!" he announced.

Cherry smiled. "Thank you, guys. And was that your dragon form, Hazel?" she wondered.

"Yes. I'm very out of practice in using it" Hazel admitted.

"But I don't have any paintbrushes. Gothel destroyed all of them, remember?" Cherry pointed out.

Hazel sighed; she'd forgotten about that. Although there had been no paintbrushes at the old castle she and Lukas use to live in when Emil was still alive, the 7 month old child often resorted to using his fingers and hands. But Cherry needed a better substitute for a paintbrush.

Tino noticed the paintbrush by the window. "Hey. Where did this come from? Wasn't there a hairbrush here last night?" he asked.

Upon noticing that Tino was right, Cherry picked up the paintbrush and examined it. She then looked at a blank wall opposite her bed.

Hazel blinked. 'Whatever has done that..they must have some sort of plan' she thought.

Cherry knew exactly what to paint; the kingdom she had gone to via the passage Hazel and Tino showed her. She dipped the paintbrush in the paint. She thought about the vivid village square, the warm breeze and the castle grounds, where she'd met Kiku.

As soon as the bristles touched the wall, there was a luminous glow. Cherry painted the kingdom from memory. To her surprise, a colourful butterfly flew out from the mural.

Hazel knew that the paintbrush had to be a form of good magic, brought about by the purity and goodness in Cherry's heart. Something wanted to help Cherry.

After a moment's thought, Cherry had realised that she had to go through the mural. That way, she would finally be free.

Before Tino or Hazel could process what was going on, Cherry immediately went through the painting.


Kiku had in the castle gardens, mulling over the bad news his friends Ludwig and Feliciano had given him. That they could not find Cherry. Feliciano had encouraged him not to lose hope as sometimes, love had a way of finding people. To his shock, Cherry seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Cherry looked around in amazement. The mural had acted as a secret passage. She was startled by a hand touching her shoulder. She turned to face Kiku.

"You're here...I've been rooking for you" Kiku stated.

Cherry smiled bashfully, surprised to hear such a thing. "I hadn't been able to find a way back until today" she replied.

"I never got your name rast time" Kiku requested.

"It's Cherry" Cherry answered.

Kiku made a notion to bow. "I am.." he began to introduce himself.

"There's no need to tell me.." Cherry interrupted. She did not want Gothel to harm Kiku if she knew his name.

Kiku was confused. "Why not?" he wondered.

"It's a long story I'd rather not delve into" Cherry replied.

"I understand" Kiku answered. He had realised that it was not his privilege to ask and that he should respect Cherry's request. All that mattered to him was getting to see her again. So he decided to give her a tour of his kingdom.