Thanks to all my readers! I find it amusing you differ in your opinions on the Prince. Bwahahaha! Does he deserve suspicion and scrutiny or is just a nice, cute specimen of royalty?

'K, so there's a lot of plot and clues in this one... see if you can't put anything together. Including those of you who have already read the original fairy tale.

Mimi slept late the following morning, an effect of the late nights and the excitement of the murder, the latter of which she nearly forgot about until she awoke to a dreary gloom hanging over the window rather than daylight. A poetic sequel to a murder. She yawned, stretched her wings, and fluttered rather gracefully from the chair to the floor. She was beginning to get the hang of the goosey body. How dreadful. The brown dress she had worn lay over the other chair where she had left it. On the floor was breakfast, finally remembered by Jacob, consisting of a very sweet roll and, to her delight, apple cider. She ate it up with all the refinement a goose could possibly muster, though she observed eating was almost simpler without the bother of utensils.

The clock's hands were at a quarter to ten, when she finally glanced at it. For heaven's sake, she had never slept so late! Like a spoiled princess. Yet it did feel wonderful. Even Eugen's murder seemed little more than a nightmare. And Prince Matthias… Her heart melted at the very thought of him. He was a dream. A wonderful, wonderful dream that was real. He wanted to help her. He cared about her. He wanted to break the spell.

She hopped back up to the windowsill and stared out. The air was heavy with coming rain and marvelously still. She had always loved it just before it rained. At home she would find the coziest part of the castle and read while listening to the rain and thunder. No doubt Prince Matthias would do something similar. What did Blake do when it rained? Poor little squirrel. She missed him. Prince Matthias would have to break the spell so Blake would not have to.

She sighed and turned away from the window. The door to Jacob's room was slightly ajar. He was just remembering everything this morning. But despite the coming rain Mimi did not feel like reading. She was restless. A man had been murdered on the grounds just last night. Perhaps that was why Jacob hadn't opened the door to the hall. As if an intelligent murder would be snooping through servants' quarters during the day.

Who had murdered Eugen? Lucy had seemed terrified for him. What had Eugen done that put him in such apparent danger and what did Lucy know about it? Mimi should have put the prior night's hour to good use and gone to question Lucy herself. As if Lucy would answer the questions of a perfect stranger. Well, for all Mimi knew, Eugen's murderer had begun a rampage just that morning and now the entire manor was drenched in everyone's blood and she remained the only living creature. That was a thought to send a shiver down her spine.

Either way, she was once again trapped in the room and venturing outside hadn't done much good the day before. She balanced herself on the top of the chair and spread out her wings. They felt so much stronger.

"One, two, three," she murmured. She sprang from the chair with her wings flapping vibrantly. The result felt silly and the noise her wings made filled the room, but there was no denying she was aloft. Pity there was not much space in the little room. But without too much fuss she landed back on the floor.

The little flight was exhilarating. With a laugh she sprang back up to the top of the chair for a repeat. In a half hour's time she could perform the cramped semblance of a soar from chair to ceiling to wall to floor, enough to make any intelligent goose proud.

Jacob opened the door in the middle of her last flight and they both screamed as she nearly collided into him. She managed to make it the floor while Jacob stared at her as if she were crazy.

"Bored?" he finally asked.

Indignantly, she used her bill to smooth down her ruffled feathers, hardly caring how bird-like the behavior. "You locked me in here! Again!"

He sighed. "It doesn't look good to have a goose randomly wandering the halls by itself."

"I didn't realize I required a chaperone."

"I didn't realize you wanted to be dead."

Mimi's heart froze. "What do you mean? Did someone else die?"

"What?" Jacob moved across the room to the other door. "What are you talking about?"

"You made it sound so dangerous out there that I thought—"

"Oh, good grief. Nothing happened. I don't think anyone is else is going to die anytime soon."

"Then why did you say that?"

He reappeared with the wide-brimmed hat he had worn that first day at the market. "I don't know! I just said it. I didn't mean anything."

She felt silly. "Well, you scared me."

"You're really worked up about this, aren't you? It's probably nothing. Maybe your Eugen friend had some gambling debts he wound up paying with his life."

"I told you, something is going on. He knew Lucy."

Jacob shrugged. "Maybe Lucy gambles."

"So all your instructions and commands and… let's just call them full-blown commandments with the way you were talking last night… those were for nothing?"

"I never said they were nothing. Safety first. Michael contacted the priest, paid him for his silence, and the poor soul is hopefully at peace in a proper grave. Now excuse me, but I have some shopping to do. Not that this is the day for it." Indeed, the rain had arrived.

Outside? "I want to come."

"No, you can't come." Jacob was already at the door to the hall.

"Please?"

"No. I have a reputation in this city, and it doesn't include strolling about with a goose."

"Personally, I think it would show your customers just how well you treat their merchandise. Or you could pretend you are selling me."

He gave her an odd look. "Why would I be selling a goose?"

She tried a different tactic. "Maybe I'll see my friend again. Maybe he will have figured something out. And then maybe you don't have the joy of my company anymore."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Come on, but if you do anything to humiliate me I will wring your neck and that is a promise." He pushed the door open and started off without waiting for Mimi.

She slipped out behind him, laughing to herself. She could have sworn she had detected the smallest smile on his face.

Jacob stopped at the kitchen, where a delicious-smelling soup simmered on the stove. "Abe! Are you ready?"

The boy dumped a handful of peas into the soup and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Going to practice your shopping skills?" Michael asked. He sat on a chair by the fire. "That is if you don't ruin the soup?"

Abe nodded and scrambled for his jacket, which lay on the floor, getting filthy.

"It's a big part of his training, recognizing decent ingredients," said Jacob.

"Much agreed." Michael face changed. "Jacob, while you're in town…" He pulled a small purse from his apron pocket and handed it to him.

"You want me to pick something up for you?"

"No." Michael lowered his voice, but not enough that Mimi couldn't hear. "Give this to the priest."

"I thought you already paid—"

"Well, it's more. And ask him if he's heard any word in town about it. If anyone has asked about that poor man."

"Wow, Michael, you're really concerned about this."

"I think there's more to it than just a single murder. Do you know much about the history of this manor?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Michael's round face went red as his voice reversed directions into a shout. "Everything! I know you haven't been here long, young man, but there's a lot more to the Duke that you should know!"

Jacob seemed hardly phased. "Then tell me and make it quick because you now have the boy listening."

Abe stood, forgotten and ashen-faced, his jacket half on his body.

Michael took a deep breath. "I wasn't even thinking. I am so sorry."

"You're on edge," replied Jacob. "We all are."

Michael shook his head and sighed again. "But I'm head cook and should have some sense of decorum. Just… just talk to the priest."

"Of course. Abe, let's go."

Poor Abe probably couldn't handle anymore terror, and Mimi hoped for his sake the market would be uneventful.

No one said a word until they were safely outside. The air was freezing with rain and the sky grumbled threateningly.

"Jacob, what was that all about?" Abe asked as they left the manor gate.

"What was what about?"

"That. In the kitchen. About the duke and the dead man."

"Honestly," said Jacob, "I have no idea. I'm beginning to get the impression no one tells me anything anymore."

If he would just listen, Mimi thought bitterly.

"I had nightmares last night about him," Abe said with surprising nonchalance. "I've never seen a dead body before."

"Nasty things, aren't they? So, shall we first visit the priest for the secret mission or shop?"

"The vegetables will be slightly fresher if we get them last."

"I doubt it would make much of a difference, but you're at least thinking correctly."

The city was a blur of buildings Mimi did not recognize. Should she? The rain did its job of keeping the sane indoors and the few that were out kept their heads well covered.

"Do people really set out their stands in this weather?" Abe asked the question Mimi had been thinking. "I mean, it's almost crazy."

"We're the ones walking about with a goose and it's just rain." Jacob had not even bothered with an umbrella. "It takes truly lousy weather to keep people from their livelihood."

The church was a small but lovely building that had managed to earn itself an impressive garden. Even in the gloomy air it was charming. The priest was a tall man with graying hair but a kind demeanor. So sad that such as he would have to be drawn into a murder. He managed a smile as they approached. "Ah, another envoy from the Duke's manor. I had the poor man buried last night. Would you like to look upon the grave?"

Abe nodded enthusiastically but Jacob said no. "I brought this from Michael." He offered the priest the purse.

"I can't take that," said the priest. "I've done as much as I can offer, what any soul should do."

"Michael wants to know if anyone has asked after the man," Jacob continued.

"No one but the Prince."

Mimi gasped, the sound coming out as a honk.

"The Prince?" Jacob repeated. "He was here?"

"Not half an hour ago. He heard of the incident and came to pay his respects. I'd tell the both of you your both asking after the man, but as you all come from the Duke's manor I imagine it pointless." He paused a moment, thoughtful. "I thought only the servants knew of this."

"So did I." Jacob shot Mimi a glare.

"This is probably idle gossip beneath my duty," continued the priest. "But you know how we all feel about His Madness." Apparently the nickname was not limited to the manor. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did it. Heaven has seen enough blood spilt over this land."

Abe looked ready to faint.

"When was that?"

"Some years before you came to this city. We shouldn't speak of the past that is gone."

"Tell me, please. It's nothing I've heard."

The priest closed his eyes and murmured what was possibly a prayer under his breath. "I'd almost say that would be best. But most of us know His Madness did not acquire his title through the most appropriate of lines. The tragic rumor is that he killed the last duke—a cousin of his or something."

"My father talks about that sometimes," Abe said softly. "But my mother says it's just hearsay."

"Hearsay and rumors," the priest confirmed with a nod. He sighed. "Please return the money to the head cook and tell him I will listen for whatever I can."

"Take it for the church or the poor or something," Jacob pressed. "You know Michael. I can't return with this."

"You are right." The priest took the purse and poured its few coins into a box at the wall. "It has been good to see you, Jacob, and I hope nothing else happens up there."

"Same here," said Jacob.

Mimi was itching to speak to Jacob. The priest had all but confirmed something was going on with Eugen's murder. But she half-suspected he had brought Abe along to keep her silent.

Jacob scooped her up as they left the churchyard. "You're very slow, bird," he muttered. But she could feel his heart pounding. The priest's tale had put him on edge, as well.

As he had predicted, the market square had its fair share of stands, all protected with tarps and cloth. Jacob gave Abe a lengthy lesson on selecting fruits and vegetables and weight and size and feel and Mimi was surprised to find she understood a good half of it. Abe did most of the shopping under Jacob's watchful eye, handing coins to rather bored-looking sellers. Elva and her geese were thankfully nowhere in sight.

Abe was chattier on the walk home, discussing, mostly by himself, everything from the murder to his new shopping skills to meaningless manor gossip.

"Y'know, I could come down here and do the shopping," he said. "I'd be great at it. I wouldn't waste your time to bring me here."

"I prefer to do my own shopping," Jacob said with a forced laugh. "You know that. Besides, the city is dangerous. Pickpockets around every corner ready to snatch the clothes off your back, wicked fairies looking for bad children to take, boy-eating gypsies. Hey, maybe the murderer is still out there."

The last one managed to quiet Abe.