The next day, Minnie approached Malcolm.
"Sire, would you...like to take a walk in the gardens today?" She asked.
Malcolm looked at her, confused, but when he saw her sad face he realized that she wasn't doing this of her own free will.
"Very well." Malcolm agreed, figuring that they could have a private conversation about Minnie's problem.
Mickey saw this and felt a stabbing pain in his heart. Fortunately Margot noticed his expression and approached him.
"Don't worry Mickey, my sister doesn't really like King Malcolm that way." Margot whispered to him. "Our parents are just gently forcing her to end up with him since you're not of royal blood."
"Oh." Mickey was relieved, but slightly hurt.
Meanwhile, Minnie was telling Malcolm the same thing.
"I wish my parents would understand that I love Mickey and will never love you that way." Minnie shed a tear. "There's just something about him..."
"I understand, I feel the same way about your sister." Malcolm sighed. "Well, I am allowed to pick my own queen, so I can pick Margot and prevent you from marrying me. That still leaves the problem of getting your parents to see that Mickey is royal at heart even though he isn't of royal blood."
They sat down on a bench, and continued talking. They didn't know that a skinny yet menacing presence was sneaking up behind them in the bushes... Suddenly, Malcolm was knocked out!
"Your high-!" Minnie was instantly grabbed and gagged, she disappeared...
After a few minutes, Malcolm woke up only to find that Minnie was nowhere in sight. A note was though, it was on the bench where Minnie had been sitting. He read it, paled, and ran back into the castle.
"Your majesties, Margot, Mickey, horrible news!" Malcolm gasped, catching his breath, as he found everyone. "Princess Minnie has been kidnapped!"
"WHAT?" Everyone else gasped.
"It's true, listen: 'I have kidnapped your girlfriend, if you want to see her alive again then meet me at the old mill and give your crown to me. Pete'." Malcolm finished with horror.
"Your highness you must save her!" Queen pleaded.
"But what if Pete finds out that Minnie is not my girlfriend, that I love Margot instead?" Malcolm hesitated. "He'll come back for her..."
"I'll save Minnie." Mickey decided.
Everyone stared at him.
"But, Mickey, you still haven't learned how to sword fight or..." Goofy looked worried; Pluto whimpered in agreement.
"I don't care, I love Minnie." Mickey replied calmly. "Besides, Malcolm should stay here incase Margot needs protecting. Goofy, Pluto, you two stay here as well, if Pete sees either of you he'll realize that it's me. Maybe I can trick Pete into thinking that I'm Malcolm, then I'll give him a fake crown and he'll let Minnie go."
"That could work, Pete was fooled when I dressed up as you months ago despite the difference in our voices." Malcolm thought it over. "Very well, I'll have the jeweler make a fake crown right away. Oh, and here."
Malcolm gave Mickey his ring.
"This will help fool Pete even more."
"Thank you Malcolm." Mickey smiled, putting on the ring.
After the fake crown was made and he acquired a sword, Mickey set off. Luckily, there was only one old mill in the kingdom, so he headed there. When he arrived, he cautiously entered.
"Pete?" He said hesitatingly, for he couldn't see anyone. "Minnie?"
He heard muffled sounds, and guessed that Minnie was somewhere in front of him and trying to tell him something.
"What is it Minnie?" He half-whispered.
Apparently, Minnie was able to loosen her gag, for the next sound was her calling:
"LOOK OUT!"
Mickey turned around, and there was Pete, looming over him! Before Mickey could react, he was knocked out.
When he came too, he was sprawled next to Minnie. He saw this because the lights were now on; he then noticed that surprisingly he wasn't tied up and he still had his sword with him. Pete then appeared in front of him, looking angry yet smug.
"Well well well, if it isn't the little Pauper." Pete sneered.
"How..." Mickey slowly got up, his head throbbing a little.
"How could I not? You gave me a fake crown!" Pete snapped, tossing the fake crown, now crumpled as if it had been squished, at Mickey's feet. "Plus, I finally learned how to tell you two apart by your voices. I guess my henchman went after the wrong princess, looks like I'll have to send them for the other one."
"You leave my sister alone!" Minnie glared.
"Oo, a spunky princess." Pete laughed. "Watch it sister, you're in no position to threaten me! Now, Pauper, since you want so much to rescue your little girlfriend, I'll give you a chance." Pete unsheathed his sword. "Unfortunately for you, it's also a chance for you to die."
"I'll will not let myself die while Minnie is still your prisoner." Mickey glared back, unsheathing his sword.
"Be careful Mickey." Minnie looked at him worriedly.
"Aw, I'll be fine." Mickey smiled back reassuringly.
Mickey and Pete fought. Now, while Mickey may not have learned to sword fight, his determination to save Minnie made up for it. Pete, to his surprise, found Mickey a worthy adversary. They continued fighting, suddenly going closer to Minnie. Mickey saw this, and found an opportunity in it. When Pete raised his sword to slice Mickey he dodged, causing Pete's sword to slice through the ropes binding Minnie instead. Pete let out a furious cry, and charged at Mickey, but Mickey managed to knock Pete's sword so that it got stuck onto a rafter.
"Let that be a lesson to you Pete, nothing can stop love." Mickey pointed his sword threateningly at Pete.
Suddenly, one of the weasels noticed that old mill's chandelier, made out of a rusted wheel, was right above Minnie, so he cut it loose! Mickey noticed right away.
"Minnie, look out!" Mickey cried, running over to her.
Minnie looked up and gasped with horror, and just then Mickey knocked her out of the way, getting caught under the chandelier!
"Mickey!" Minnie cried. "Noo!"
She ran over to him, and checked his pulse. To her great relief, he was still alive. With a groan, Mickey slowly opened his eyes.
"Minnie...?" He said weakly.
"I'm okay, thanks to you." Minnie smiled. "Please stay with me, I..."
Mickey smiled.
"I love you too." He said, knowing what she was going to say.
Minnie kissed him. He returned the kiss, but when they broke apart he fell unconscious. Minnie's eyes welled with tears, and she cradled his head, sobbing. Pete got a sword from one of the weasels and advanced upon them.
"Now to make sure that Mickey is really dead." He said evilly.
"You'll have to kill me too." Minnie glared at him, still sobbing.
"Very well." Pete raised his sword...
"Not so fast!"
Startled, everyone turned to find Goofy, Donald, and Pluto, standing at the doorway of the mill furiously. Behind them was almost a whole army of knights!
"Uh-oh." One weasel said nervously just before he and the other weasels started to run away, the knights charging after them
"Get back here you cowards!" Pete snapped.
Pluto, growling, charged at Pete.
"Retract that: wait for me you cowards!" Pete ran away.
Too late, Pluto got Pete...at least he got his butt. Everyone discovered that Pete still wore polka-heart underwear and laughed. Goofy and Donald then tackled Pete, and while Donald choked Pete Goofy put Pete in shackles. The knights, having captured all the weasels, returned to add Pete to their collection. That's when Goofy and Donald noticed Pluto whimpering by Mickey.
"Mickey!" Goofy gasped.
He and Donald went over to Mickey.
"Is he..." Donald asked worriedly.
"No, he's still alive, but only just." Minnie said sadly after double-checking Mickey's pulse.
"Come on Donald, help me." Goofy struggled to lift the chandelier.
"You got it." Donald nodded.
They got the chandelier off Mickey.
"Mickey?" Donald gently put a hand to Mickey's shoulder.
Mickey groaned a little.
"We have to get him back to the castle." Donald said.
"I'll carry him." Goofy offered.