Chapter 12: King Sonic and Queen Sally

After dinner, Alice headed home while Spines stayed at the restaurant with his mother. The chipmunk sighed as she arrived at Castle of Acorn, knowing that she'd get a lecture from her parents..well at least from her mother. She was greeted by two guards, who were large elephants in amor.

"P-Princess?!" the guard asked shocked.

"Let me in, you idiot!" she snapped, not wanting to explain herself. The guards cowered in fear and opened the door. Alice walked into the large and newly improved Castle of Acorn. She decided to confront her parents in a peaceful more mature manner so she'd get out of any punishment or scolding from her mother.

After arriving upstairs, Alice let out a sigh as she stood in front of her parents' bedroom door. "I'm probably gonna die.." she murmured.

Alice knocked on the door. "Anyone there?!" she asked.

"Alice? Is that you?!" a voice called, it was quite masculine so it couldn't be Alice's mother.

"Yeah, it's me, daddy.." Alice replied. "May I come in?" she asked.

Suddenly the door opened, which revealed King Sonic the Hedgehog, King of Acorn and Alice's father. Sonic changed since his youthful days appearence wise: his quills were not only longer but he has a couple of wrinkles indicating an older age. He was also taller, wore a crown, a cape, and his traditional red sneakers.

"Alice….you're back.." Sonic whispered as he hugged his daughter tight.

"Y-Yeah, it's me, daddy.." Alice replied, slowly hugging back.

"Alice, care to explain yourself?!" a voice asked. The father and daughter turned around and saw Queen Sally behind them with her arms crossed. The queen was a brown chipmunk that had a youthful appearance, long auburn hair that was pinned up in a proper bun, and she wore her bathrobe indicating that she came out of the bath. She looked quite displeased that their daughter was not in the castle.

"Hi mom…" Alice replied.

"You were gone all day! You never returned home for school!" Sally called out.

"Correction, mother! I was gone for the last few days!" Alice corrected. Sally and Sonic stood there shocked. "And trust me, you would've know this if you two weren't so busy!" she added.

"Don't make this about us, young lady!" Sally defended. "You know we have meetings, which someday you're going to be in."

"I don't even want to be queen, mom! I wanna go on adventures!" Alice protested.

The chipmunk mother sighed. "Sweetie, we talked about this…you're going to be married to a man that's arranged by us."

"Who are you to decide on what to do with my life?!" Alice snapped before running to her room in tears. Sally's eyes widened at her response while Sonic felt sympathy towards his daughter, he decided to have a calm chat.

"I'll go talk to her.." Sonic said, following his daughter up to her room.

Alice laid in her bed crying in her pillows. She told her mother time and time again that this royal life wasn't for her and wanted to never be apart of it. Alice felt hopeless in her situation.

Suddenly Sonic knocked on her door. "Hey Alice, you decent?" he asked.

Alice sniffled, calming down her tears from her father's voice. "Yeah..come in, dad." she replied.

Sonic walked in, with a small smile. He sat on Alice's bed to comfort her. "Hey, princess." he greeted.

"Don't call me that!" Alice protested.

"It's just a nickname, Alice." Sonic replied.

"I don't care.." she whispered, as tears still formed.

"Okay...tell me what's wrong." Sonic said.

"It's mom!" Alice started. "She knows I don't want to be queen, she knows I don't want to be married to some guy she's picking out! But….she doesn't care. She wants me to rul this dumb kingdom..I wanna go on adventures like you did, daddy." she admitted.

Sonic nodded, understanding her wholeheartedly. In fact, he honestly felt the same way. Sonic was a hero, but no way did he want to be a king. He did love Sally at the time and was willing to take the role of king to be with her and start a family, but he questioned everyday if he truly regretted everything. Not regretting his daughter or Sally, but being king.

"I understand, Alice...truth is..nah..I can't" Sonic started.

"What, daddy?" Alice asked.

Sonic nodded. "It's nothing." he replied, petting her hair. "So..mind telling me where you were?" he asked.

"Well..promise me, you won't be mad." Alice said.

Sonic started to feel anxious, but tried to remain calm. "I promise.."

"I was staying...with this guy."

"YOU WHAT?!"

"DADDY, YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T GET MAD!"

"YEAH BUT I DIDN'T THINK YOU'D BE WITH A GUY!" Sonic protested. "I thought you'd be with Kristen or something! So I know this guy?!"

"Relax, dad. We've been sleeping in separate rooms and his mom was there too." Alice assured. "And you don't know this guy...yet."

"What do you mean yet?" Sonic asked.

"Well..he's actually coming over while I go to the mall with my friends on Sunday. He wants to talk to you." Alice explained.

"Why would he want to talk to me?" he asked. "Is he trying to marry you?"

"DAD, NO!" Alice yelled. "He...has some business..I can't reveal much, but it's a surprise."

Sonic sighed, defeated. "Fine...as long as he behaves..and you're going to the mall? With who?"

"Oh just some friends." Alice lied. Sonic shrugged and got up from Alice's bed.

"Alright..just remember to return home." Sonic instructed. Alice nodded and Sonic kissed his daughter's cheek.

"Goodnight, Alice…"

"Goodnight, daddy…"

Sonic smiled and closed the door before heading back to his room. He saw his wife brushing her long hair in front of the mirror. The hedgehog yawned and plopped himself on the bed.

"Did you talk to her?" Sally asked.

"I did." Sonic replied.

"And how did it go?" she asked.

"She's calm."

Sally nodded, before entering the bed next to Sonic. While the two were married, they didn't cuddle and stay on their sides of the bed. The two felt distant when it came the romantic aspect of the relationship.

"Sonic..you know I'm trying to teach her to do the best right?" Sally asked.

"Mhm.." Sonic replied. While Sally was known for her stubbornness, Sonic knew they only had one child to continue the legacy of the royal kingdom.

"You don't seem like you believe me." she defended.

"I do...it's just….it's nothing."

"Sonic-"

"Goodnight, Sally." Sonic said, cutting her off. Sally sighed before turning the lamp off, going to sleep.

While Sonic slept, he had to think about his life over again. He craved his adventures, his freedom, his past when he'd be saving the world from evil and running free without a kingdom to worry about. Sonic loved being a family man, but dreaded being king. Raising a child and being a husband already had its responsibilities.

He truly didn't know how long it will last and questioned all aspects of life…

To be continued…