Back in the present, the crowds from the Fool's parade had gone home to bed. It was a cold night and Mia was making her way home with Fizz.
She was being followed by Ivan. He was curious to see where she lived. Hearing a noise behind her, Mia peered back into the darkness.
All she could see were shadows in the dim streets. She turned quickly into a side road.
Suddenly, Ivan heard a scream from the alley into which she had stepped. He ran after her, no longer worried about being seen.
"Help! Help me!" screamed Mia.
Ivan saw two men struggling with Mia. One was the hunchback who lived in Sol Sanctum. The other wore a hooded cloak.
"What's this?" asked Ivan in surprise.
Before Ivan could do anything, Garet stepped forward and swung his great arm at him. The blow sent Ivan flying.
Ivan saw the hunchback pick up the gypsy girl as though she weighed nothing and set off down the alleyway with her.
"Murder! Murder!" screamed Ivan.
"Help me!" cried Mia.
"Halt, you villains!" ordered a man, approaching on horseback. "Release her!"
But Garet did not get far. Blocking his path was a soldier on horseback. Confused, the hunchback halted and the soldier seized the girl from him.
Garet rushed forward, trying to grab the girl from the soldier on horseback, but was immediately surrounded by more heavily armed soldiers.
Garet was seized and, although he struggled violently, the soldiers overpowered him and he was soon bound tightly by rope.
The gypsy and the soldier stared deeply into each other's eyes. The man introduced himself as Saturos.
"At your service, my beauty." He said.
Mia blushed and thanked the captain, before sliding from the saddle and disappearing into the night.
"Thank you." She said.