AN: Finally. After a little trouble I managed to upload the next chapter of this story. It is way later than when I wanted to upload it, but I'm glad it is all over. Enjoy this chapter.

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After separating from his cousin Crowned Prince Noah heads to a special hallway. While they were saying goodbye to Queen Rapunzel and Princess Belladonna the queen gave Crowned Prince Noah the three keys to unlock the portal leading to the tower. The magic beanstalk that The Fairytale Detective used as her entrance was chopped down during preparations to putting the cursed boy into the tower. So, the only way in is through the portal that can only be opened from within the castle. With the keys in place the portal appears and Crowned Prince Noah walks through it.

Inside the tower

Crowned Prince Noah steps out of the other side of the portal. He hears footsteps coming from the next room behind the door on his right. Crowned Prince Noah remembers the description of the tower from the stories told by his mother and aunt. According to the stories the room Crowned Prince Noah is hearing the sounds come from is the bedroom that used to be Princess Belladonna's during her imprisonment, but now it had been turned into one for the cursed boy. When the cursed boy has stepped into the room Crowned Prince Noah is in the crowned prince is greeted by the sight of a withered old man.

"Who are you?" asks the cursed boy.

"I am Noah, Crowned Prince of Floralia," replies Crowned Prince Noah. "You must be Aliastar, the one responsible for turning my father, King Ross, into stone."

"I am," confirms the cursed boy. "So the king was your father. I did notice The Queen was with child when I was brought to her after I committed the deed."

"Yes that was I," responds Crowned Prince Noah. "I have to ask, what were you thinking back then?"

"I wasn't really thinking actually," shrugs Aliastar. "I only wanted revenge on your aunt for causing the death for my parents."

"But that wouldn't bring them back," exclaims Crowned Prince Noah. "And even if somehow you brought them back afterwards you would always be haunted down by my mother's men for the rest of your life. You wouldn't have all the time in the world to spend with your parents."

"I did not think of that when I was looking for a way to take my revenge on Princess Belladonna," says Aliastar. "And now look where I am now. I've been imprisoned here for who knows how long. I'm going crazy here by myself."

"Well, that's kind of what my aunt felt like for most of her life," shrugs Crowned Prince Noah. "But, would you like to see the place where my aunt was reformed?"

"Sure," sighs Aliastar. "I've got nothing to do." So Crowned Prince Noah and Aliastar climbs the stairs to the roof of the tower.

Once there all they see is a patch of dirt that is all that's left of the monster belladonna flower used to take so many lives.

"You know, I think I understand what Flora was trying to teach me here," exclaims Crowned Prince Noah. "Sometimes bad things happen, and when they do people have to accept that they happened."

"That's a very insight-full thought," responds Aliastar.

"So this is what I'm thinking," continues Crowned Prince Noah. "I'll forgive you as long as you truly are sorry for turning my father into stone."

"Thank you," replies Aliastar. "That takes a load off my mind." Just then Aliastar collapses. Crowned Prince Noah catches him and eases him onto the stone roof.

"Aliastar, are you okay?" asks Crowned Prince Noah.

"I'll be fine," answers Aliastar. "I'm just going to be reunited with my parents. Before I go can you do me a favor?"

"Within reason yes," responds Crowned Prince Noah.

"Can you add my book to your royal library?" asks Aliastar. "It's in the bedroom. It's called The Book of Life. While I was searching for a way to take my revenge on Princess Belladonna I ran across a book about bringing people back from the dead and immortality. I was planning on using the water of life to bring back my parents. But now that I'm going to join them I don't need it anymore. So I want to give it to you. You wouldn't be able to use it to turn your father back to normal, but it's a nice addition to your royal library."

"Of course I'll accept your gift," replies Crowned Prince Noah. "I may not be able to use the knowledge inside, but I know someone who will benefit from it." Aliastar smiles as the light fades from his eyes. Then his body dissolves, leaving behind what looks like half of a stone at Crowned Prince Noah's knees. Suddenly Flora appears in front of him.

"Well done Noah, Crowned Prince of Floralia," says Flora. "You've learned my lesson, freed Aliastar from his torment, and for that you receive one half of what you need to defeat the threat to everything. When combined with the half your cousin will obtain and charged with the combined energy from the two of you the stone will become the weapon you need." Crowned Prince Noah thanks his kingdom's goddess as she disappears, goes to the bedroom of the tower, and leaves via portal.

Back in the castle

Crowned Prince Noah exits the portal, closes it by taking the keys from their places, and starts looking for a nearby servant. He finds one dusting the royal library. The servant bows as Crowned Prince Noah walks in.

"Go tell my mother that I've returned from the tower and will be in the library," orders Crowned Prince Noah. The servant says a short 'yes sire' before rushing out of the room. Crowned Prince Noah sits down in one of the chairs of the royal library, opens the book he got from the tower, flips through it until he reaches the chapter about the water of life, and begins reading it.

Fifteen minutes later

"Welcome back my dear son," says Queen Rapunzel as she walks into the room and sits in the chair opposite of her son. Crowned Prince Noah puts a bookmark in the place of his book he's in and lays it in his lap.

"I'm afraid I have bad news," exclaims Queen Rapunzel. "The one who you and April defeated in the shrine has escaped. But, before she was able to kill anyone she showed signs of weakening. She's gone off to gather more power."

"The weakening must be due to Aliastar's release of his curse," responds Crowned Prince Noah. "That buys us some more time to prepare to defeat her once and for all."

"You are right about that," agrees Queen Rapunzel. "But, how long will it buys us before she attacks us is a mystery."

"By the way mother, do know where The Hidden Mist Kingdom is?" asks Crowned Prince Noah.

"Not the specific spot," answers Queen Rapunzel. "Why do you ask?"

"Because it says here that the water of life in in there," replies Crowned Prince Noah. "With that we can bring April's mother back to life."

"Noah, darling, I know your heart is in the right place," says Queen Rapunzel. "But you do know what dangers the legends says is in that place."

"But mom," exclaims Crowned Prince Noah, now dropping formalities. "I can handle it. You and Aunt Bella are the ones that taught me how to control my powers. If I leave at dawn tomorrow I'll get there as soon as the kingdom appears. With my powers over fire I can incinerate the mist wolves way before they can reach me. I can leave the lion you gave me here to watch over the safety of this kingdom."

"Sounds like you have a plan," exclaims Queen Rapunzel. "You'll need help finding the spot The Mist Kingdom is. Go seek out the order of The Red Riding Hood Sisters. I met a leader of theirs while I was training your aunt. I became good friends with her then. They will be able to help you in your mission. And please be careful."

"I will mother," responds Crowned Prince Noah.

The next day

Crowned Prince Noah leaves Floralia as the last little bit of the sun has just come up from the horizon. He rides horseback to make the journey go faster. He only stops to let the horse drink from rivers they come across. During a few of those breaks Crowned Prince Noah eats the snacks Queen Rapunzel had the cook put together for his travels. It is getting dark by the time Crowned Prince Noah reaches the edge of the forest he is looking for.

"Hello! Is there a member of The Red Riding Hood Sisters nearby!" calls out Crowned Prince Noah. He hears rustling in the bushes as he hears something come closer. Thinking that it could be a mist wolf he draws his sword and surrounds it with fire.

"Who's there!?" calls out Crowned Prince Noah, just in case it might be a Red Riding Hood sister. A young woman with black, long hair wearing the distinctive red robe steps out. She is followed by her wolf partner. Upon seeing her Crowned Prince Noah extinguishes the fire around his sword and sheathes it.

"I am Rachel of The Order of the Red Riding Hood Sisters," introduces the woman. "This is my wolf partner, Fang."

"I'm Noah, Crowned Prince of Floralia," replies Crowned Prince Noah. Rachel gasps as she drops down to one knee.

"Fang, down," Rachel commands Fang. The wolf lays down on its stomach in the dirt of the forest.

"I apologize for not recognizing you," Rachel says to Crowned Prince Noah. "Your mother writes to our leader and vice versa. The last letter to us was about your coronation. She even included a resent picture of you. It may have been a while, but that's no excuse to not recognize you."

"That's okay," replies Crowned Prince Noah. "A lot has happened since then. I'm here on a personal mission, and would need help from your order. Can you lead me to Ruth?"

"Of course," answers Rachel as she quickly stands up. She gives Fang the command to get up and follow her.

A few moments later

The two humans and wolf exits the elevator. Crowned Prince Noah left the horse he was riding in the hollowed out trunk of another giant tree. That's where the order keeps the horses of passing by who stops to rest. Crowned Prince Noah is immediately lead to the training grounds. There Ruth is getting some training in with her wolf partner, Shadow. After introductions and explaining why he's there Ruth offers the crowned prince to stay and rest before heading out on foot to the spot The Mist Kingdom will appear, he accepted.

"Do you know where the water of life is?" asks Crowned Prince Noah.

"Yes, we do," answers Ruth. "A long time ago we defeated The Wolf Queen. When we won the portal to where the mist wolves originated from collapsed. With that place sealed off we've sent members there once a month to collect information on the mist kingdom."

"So there's no mist wolves anymore?" asks Crowned Prince Noah.

"Not a single one," responds Ruth shaking her head slowly. "Among the information brought back was the location of the water of life. Everything is in our library." Ruth then leads Crowned Prince Noah to the library. Once there Ruth pulls a book out from the geography shelf. She puts the book on a nearby table and opens it to a hand drawn picture of a garden.

"The first, and only, king of the kingdom and a past friend of his was the most notable in a group of men that discovered the spring that gives off the water of life," Ruth begins to explain. "They got into an argument about how to go about sharing it. The would-be-king wanted to sell it off bit by bit for treasure. His friend wanted to give it to the needy for free. The would-be-king ended the argument, and their friendship, by trying to kill his friend. His friend and some of the men they brought with them managed to get away. That was how the facts of the water of life got spread around the world. The would-be-king forced the remaining men to help build a kingdom around the spring, with a fountain in the place of the spring. From then on that fountain is kept in the castle garden, flowing with the water of life." Ruth then turns the pages of the book to a picture of a fountain. In the middle of the bowl is a statue of an angry king sitting on a throne. The picture shows water flowing out of the tip of a scepter held in the king's hand with his arm stretched out.

"Wow," is all Crowned Prince Noah has to say.

"Yeah, I know. Not a pleasant fountain," says Ruth. "The statue is a depiction of that very king."

Later

Ruth, Shadow, and Crowned Prince Noah are on the edge of the lake in the middle of the forest. Ruth is holding the book from the library open to a map of the Mist Kingdom. The last of the sun had sunk below the horizon when something seems to be rising from the surface of the water. After the kingdom is fully out of the water a path leading to it rises. The two humans and wolf walks across the water on the path and begins their trek to the other side of the kingdom.

Fifteen minutes later

The three of them pass through the back door of the castle to enter a huge area the map said used to be the royal garden. Now it's a huge open space filled with dead, dried up plants. Right in the center of it is the fountain Crowned Prince Noah is looking for. He walks up to it as he takes a glass bottle with a cork in its opening from his pocket. After filling it up he puts the cork stopper back in and sets it on the flat edge of the fountain. He then takes a candle he always carries with him from his pocket and lights it with a flick of his thumb. He uses the melting wax to seal the stopper to the glass bottle. With a bit of focus he makes the flame big enough to melt the wax faster than a normal sized one would until he's done. Once he is he puts the two items back into his pocket.

"I'm done here," announces Crowned Prince Noah.

"What are your plans now?" asks Ruth.

"Since I didn't run into any trouble along the way I got the water earlier than I thought," reflects Crowned Prince Noah. "So I will make my way home come sunrise."

"I had a sleeping spot being made for you in the visitor area of the hide out before we left," says Ruth as she, Crowned Prince Noah, and Shadow walks back the way they came. "You can sleep there for the night."

"Thank you," replies Crowned Prince Noah.

The next morning

Crowned Prince Noah makes his way back to Floralia by the same way at the same time as the day before. He makes it back to his mother's and aunt's open arms around the same time as he did going on his journey. His pet lion greets him by putting its front paws on him and licking his arms as Crowned Prince Noah scratches him in its favorite spot, purring. All they have to do is to wait for Princess April to return before they are ready to take down the threat to what they hold dear to them.