Hazel sat in the back area of the fortress; it still pained her to see what Gothel had done to Lukas. She knew why too; to forcibly demand her co-operation in the future. Not only that but also Cherry's tower had a dark ominous aura to it after Gothel had cast an eternal imprisonment spell on the tower. It was her fault that the two people she loved most in the world were miserable. Both of them needed her more than ever.

But Hazel knew she couldn't save Cherry without reasoning with her husband first. And there was no way Lukas was going to listen to her now of all times.

"What can I do to remedy this?" Hazel asked herself. Despite her dwindling hope, she still wanted to save the stolen princess she had raised as her own child for 18 years and the man she had been married to for 25 years.

Tino sighed and hopped over to Hazel. "Hazel, you ought to tell him what you did to protect him.." he advised.

Hazel sighed as well. "I know but you know how Lukas is, Tino. He won't listen to me anymore. He hasn't since the night we lost Emil..Why should now be any different?" she pointed out.

Tino patted Hazel's leg with a paw. "While he's like that, he has no choice but to hear what you have to say. Maybe now, he will realise you never lost your loyalty to him as his wife. It might be the only way either of you can salvage your marriage.." he encouraged.


Lukas glared at the night sky. "Chained like a common animal while my marriage is still in shambles..all because of that child.." he muttered. He saw a familiar orange-gold dragon land in front of him; it was Hazel.

Hazel took her regular form. "Lukas..it's time I told you something very important.." she began.

Lukas sighed, thinking Hazel was going to say 'I told you so'. "I don't want to hear it" he refused.

Hazel crossed her arms. "Well, looks like you've got no other choice but to" she told Lukas.

Lukas rolled his eyes. He knew too well just how stubborn Hazel could be - he knew that when he married her. He had no choice but to hear her out.

Hazel took a breath as she proceeded to tell her husband what he'd failed to realise. Both today and over the years. "Cherry saved your life and you were too foolish to realise she had! I didn't give her that magic paintbrush, the gods did. She only had her freedom for an hour but she came back because I asked her to!" she explained.

Lukas blinked in surprise; he wondered if he hadn't needed to question Hazel's loyalty to him because it was now obvious that she had not forgotten it. "What?" he asked.

"She gave up her freedom so that Gothel wouldn't destroy you! It's the truth! All those years you thought I wasted here, I was raising her. Like I would've raised Emil. I knew she needed a mother! But I never forgot my loyalty to you nor have I stopped loving you. I put up with that witch for your sake! If that's not proof of my loyalty, I don't know what is! Now for once, you're going to listen to me and help me get that poor girl out of there!" Hazel remarked.

Lukas sighed; he knew he had to confess the truth. After all, Hazel deserved to know. "I didn't realise..that you were still trying to protect me as I've tried to protect you for years" he apologised.

Now it was Hazel's turn to be surprised. "What?" she asked.

"Did you really think I'd forgotten my loyalty to you? After Emil's death that night, I realised Gothel was serious about destroying everything I really held dear...which was you and Emil. I couldn't let that happen again. I made a deal with her that I'd work for her on the condition that she didn't dare to harm you. I thought it was for the best...you know I'd gladly go against my own integrity if it meant you'd be safe. But I was still losing you. I've failed as a husband as well as a father.." Lukas explained.

Hazel placed a hand over Lukas'. "You stubborn-minded, foolish man. You could've told me the truth. I would have understood if you had, Lukie...I'm still your wife, after all. Even after I failed to protect our little one.." she stated.

Lukas managed a slight smile at the old but familiar nickname Hazel had used; she used to affectionately call him 'Lukie' when their son was born. "You haven't called me that since Emil was alive..I still think about him, you know. Especially of the night we lost him. You weren't the one who failed him...I was. Which is why mentioning him bothered me... because of the guilt that I couldn't protect him. When she..Cherry was first brought here, everything I'd felt the night we lost our Emil came back. Since she was so much like him. I told myself that I wouldn't let either of us feel like that again, that I wouldn't let you suffer the heartbreak of losing another child...I was wrong" he noted.

Hazel was slightly taken aback. It always seemed to her that Lukas never thought about Emil as often as she did. But she was glad to hear that her husband was on her side once again; they always worked much better as a team. "Then you'll help me?" she asked.

Lukas sighed, looking concerned. In his time working for Gothel, he had learnt that the evil witch was almost as powerful as his own wife. And Hazel was strong enough to start Armageddon or Ragnorok if she wanted to. "My dear, I've worked for that witch for over 18 years. Gothel is nearly as powerful as you are, her spells are unbreakable" he informed Hazel.

A look of disappointment crossed Hazel's face. "That poor girl...she doesn't deserve what Gothel has done to her...why is it that innocent children are made to pay for their parents' actions?" she sighed.

Lukas then realised something; Gothel's spell could only trap someone who had spent a lifetime lying. And Hazel had raised the stolen child like she was her own daughter. Knowing Hazel, she had most likely taught the girl that honesty was a valuable asset. "There might be something we can do. Hazel, Gothel's spell can only trap one with a dishonest heart" he told his wife.

"But Cherry isn't a liar! I know she's not!" Hazel realised.

"Exactly. Then you know what the outcome will be, my dear" Lukas remarked.


With Tino on her shoulder, Hazel transformed and flew up to the tower's window. "Cherry! You never once lied to Gothel! So Lukas thinks that Gothel's spell can't trap you" Hazel informed the girl.

Cherry was slightly surprised, especially knowing that Lukas was now helping her. "What did Gothel say?" she thought aloud.

"Never release your prisoner with a dishonest heart. And I know you best, don't I?" Hazel reminded Cherry.

Cherry then realised that Lukas could be right. So she attempted to pass through the ominous aura over the tower. She did so with ease, landing on Hazel's back.

Hazel flew down, transforming back as Tino and Cherry disembarked. "Thank you, Lukas" Cherry thanked the dragon-shifting sorcerer.

Lukas shook his head with a slight smile. He now regretted not bothering with Cherry all those years; Hazel had raised her well. Like the daughter they never had but would've still loved just as much. "Actually, in light of recent circumstances, I'm the one who should be thanking you. For so much. Hazel raised you well..Emil would've loved to have you as a younger sister" he replied.

Hazel grinned. "I said the exact same thing, my dear" she remarked.

Tino cleared his throat. "Hate to interrupt but we still need to stop Gothel. She's on her way to the castle" he reminded everyone.

Lukas growled in realisation. "I would gladly take you there myself but.." he stated, indicating that he was still chained. Plus, Tino was still a rabbit. "Hazel's the only one who'd be able to take you" he remarked.

Hazel glanced where the invisible wall was. "Its still so disorientating though.." she mused.

Lukas knew that Hazel could do it; she had done much more challenging things in the past. Even when she had been heavily pregnant with Emil. "Hazel, do you believe that any powerful dragon-shifting sorcerer can fly over that wall?" he prompted.

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Of course, I believe that. I've seen you do it for years" she answered.

Lukas gave Hazel a real smile. One he hadn't shown her since their son was still alive. "Then you can do it, my love. If you can bring the king of demons to his knees while pregnant with our son, you can fly over that wall. Someone has to stop Gothel from taking any more innocent lives. If anyone can do that, it's you" he told her. It surprised him when Hazel hugged him for the first time in years but he hugged her back as best he could. "God, I've missed you" he quietly told Hazel.

Tino giggled. It had been about time the two had rekindled their marriage.

Hazel then took her dragon form. Once Cherry and Tino were on her back, she took flight. Although she did feel a little motion-sick, it went away when she reminded herself that she had passengers. 'Lukas is right, I can do this' she told herself. The self-encouragement seemed to work as she was soon over the wall; the view ahead reminded her of why she missed flying.


The palace ballroom was brimming with dancing royalty, nobility and commoners alike.

Kiku grew anxious; he had been waiting for Cherry for a while. Yet there was no sign of her. "I can't give up just yet. She gave me her word" he reminded himself.

A figure in earthy green tones crossed from the entrance to the palace gardens. Oddly enough, the masked person had familiar long red hair in a braid. It had to be Cherry.

Although relieved, Kiku was confused that he practically had to follow the young lady he had spent the afternoon with through the gardens and into a maze.

The figure reached back and unpinned the red braid. She took off the mask, revealing herself to be Gothel. The witch wore an unfair, evil smirk that twisted the fresh ugly scratch scar left by Hazel. "Were you not expecting my glorious presence, Prince Kiku?" she taunted. Although Cherry never told her the boy's name, she already knew who he was. She knew Cherry hadn't learnt his name in order to protect him. But Gothel had her ways.

Kiku was aware that Gothel must've been the woman who restricted Cherry's freedom. "Where is Cherry?" he asked.

"That's not important. I've seen to it that she can't protect you" Gothel remarked. Francis chuckled as he leapt off Gothel's shoulder next to the red braid.

Kiku's eyes slightly widened in concern. He feared that Gothel may had done something drastic. The concern changed to slight anger. "What have you done to her?" he demanded.

Gothel grew cross. "That's not your business. I'm here to make sure you don't interfere with my plan!" she countered as she tried to attack him with her magic.

Kiku was quick enough to dodge out the way. Even outside, he could hear a commotion in the ballroom. He fled, managing to narrowly avoid Gothel's attacks as she pursued him.


Yao had been caught off guard by Queen Marissa and King Ivan's soldiers storming the castle. Despite being a small man, the asian king was very quick on his feet and a competent fighter. He was not surprised to cross blades with Queen Marissa.

Kiku suddenly burst in. Once he saw that his older brother was in peril, he quickly drew a sword from the wall and crossed blades with King Ivan.

Gothel walked in. She calmly enjoyed the chaos for a few minutes before disarming everyone with her magic.

Queen Marissa blinked, recognising the witch. "Gothel? Why are you even here?' she asked.

Kiku and Yao were confused. "You know her?" they wondered.

Queen Marissa shrugged. "Not personally. But my father knew her a very long time ago. Before he married my mother. He and Gothel were childhood friends" she replied.

Gothel's eye twitched furiously since her twisted mind remembered her childhood as something else. "'Friends?!' Is that what your Daddy told you?! He loved me! I know he did!" she protested.

Queen Marissa sighed. "No, Gothel. You must've misread him..." she stated.

Gothel grew angry. "You're foolish, just like him!" she argued.

Yao blinked. "Are we all forgetting something, aru? She still attacked my kingdom unprovoked, aru" he pointed out.

Queen Marissa glared at Yao. "Your father stole my little sister!" she protested.

Yao had had enough. "I have six brothers and two sisters, aru! Why would we steal your sister, aru?" he countered.

Gothel smirked. "No. I did" she confessed. Everyone looked at her in shock.

"What?" Queen Marissa asked.

"I had Cherry the whole time. Yao and his father were the perfect scapegoat. You see, Marissa. You and your sisters would've been my daughters had your father chose me as his rightful Queen rather than your mother, Peach." she bragged.

Queen Marissa was livid. "It was you? Where is she, Gothel?! Tell us! You demon!" she cursed.

Gothel prepared to summon her magic to attack Marissa. "Foolish, headstrong Marissa. You and your sisters are all about to pay for your father's sins.." she remarked. Ivan was immediately by Marissa's side, ready to take the brunt for her.


"No!" a familiar voice rang out. Everyone, Gothel included, turned to the door as Cherry ran in; she had heard everything. "No more, Gothel! You kept me locked away and lied to me for 18 years just because you were angry at my parents?! I'm done listening to you! It's time someone stopped you for once and for all" she queried.

Queen Marissa was shocked to see that the little sister that had been stolen from her kingdom years ago was all grown up.

Although she knew the spell hadn't worked due to Cherry being a truthful child, Gothel snorted in self-assurance. "Oh really? You think you of all people could stop me?" she challenged.

"Maybe not alone..but I do have a powerful dragon-shifting sorceress as my ally" Cherry pointed out.

Hazel was immediately by Cherry's side. Her now amber red glared at Gothel in a way that had famously brought multiple demons to their knees.

Gothel snorted again. "Her, powerful? Oh please, if she were, she would've killed me a long time ago for killing her baby" she mocked.

"'Ooo, so scary'! Did your little rabbit friend come too? Because I'm about ready to dine! Bon Appeti" Francis also taunted, putting on a white bib and holding up a knife and fork.

Tino, sick of the French ferret always trying to eat him, turned to Hazel. "Let him have it, Hazel" he encouraged.

Hazel rose her hand to her mouth, her necklace and ring stones were both fire red. Now that she had a newfound confidence in her powers as she once did when she was young; the rune symbol for 'Fire' appeared on her hand. Her fire-breath spat out at 15 impressive feet; she badly singed Francis to a charcoal black rather than a bleach blond.

Francis fled.