Author's Note: Thank you MissMJS and aliciathewolf45 for leaving me the only two reviews on my first chapter. Y'all are rockstars. To the new readers possibly checking out this story, I hope you guys enjoy it too. Onto the chapter!

A few days later in Mobius, guards began to dispose of the bodies that had started to decay from the catacombs. At least fifty people had lost their lives within the castle, many of which were servants or guards. Bodies were piled in rolling barrels and paraded outdoors where they were burned to properly dispose of any chance of another wave of plague spreading.

Rouge watched from the courtyard as her beloved fiancé was carted away and placed in wrapped cloth. She put her hands on one of the pillars outside and sobbed to herself. Just then, Amy and Cream came up behind her. The two friends shot empathic looks towards Rouge in her current state of mourning. "Rouge, I'm so sorry," Amy apologized.

Rouge turned towards them, trying to clean up her distraught appearance. "I still can't believe that he's really gone," she mumbled.

Amy placed a hand on her shoulder. "Knuckles was a wonderful solider. He was kind, loyal, brave, and I know for a fact that he was crazy about you, Rouge."

Cream hugged her, which in turned caused Rouge to return the embrace. Cream patted her back reassuringly. "We'll be here for you, Rouge. Always."

•~•

At that same time miles away from home, Shadow, Cordovan, and his men started their journey back towards the Mobius castle in the morning. As they rode on horseback, the royals observed the devastation the fires had caused in the past days. Trees were burned to a crisp, houses had suffered damage, and many villagers were left with no homes. Many survivors stood out on the street crying from loss, hunger, or death. Shadow looked on sadly, feeling a huge responsibility as he spotted a lonely female, black, bunny standing all by herself by her burned home. The little girl looked up at Shadow, holding his eye contact as they passed.

Shadow drew his sight away, feeling awful. "I know it's hard to see," Cordovan said noticing Shadow's pained expression.

"I just wish I could do something to help."

"You can. Once we get you back to the castle, you and your advisors can start the process of rebuilding and help your people."

"-Prince Shadow?" an ominous male voice said from behind the group.

Shadow and Cordovan turned only to spot a white echidna with black markings sat on a horse behind them. He was around his mid-40s and although he looked to have some sort of high title based on his attire, his appearance still drew the conclusion that he was not one to be crossed. The echidna rode up to the group, looking on curiously. "What on earth is the new king doing so far away from home?"

"Lord Finitevus," Shadow addressed quickly recognizing him. "I could surely ask you the same question. Were you not suppose to take refuge inside the castle along with your son?"

"Yes, but a business errand prevented me from getting to the castle in time. I was forced to find other means of refuge until then. How fortunate it was that I was able to run into you and your men," he mused.

Cordovan stared at the echidna skeptically. He had heard rumors and most of them were not good. Smoothly, he cleared his throat to get Shadow's attention. "Ahem, pardon my asking, but how exactly do you know him?"

"He's a nobleman from a region within Mobius," Shadow answered. "And he was a good friend of my father and a reliant source on supplying grains to our kingdom."

"I couldn't have said it better," Finitevus smirked proudly by his introduction. "And you are?" he said looking towards the brown hedgehog.

"I'm Prince Cordovan from the Knothole Kingdom," he introduced politely.

His eyes lit with realization. "Ah, yes, but of course. I've met your brother before, but what are you doing here?"

"It's a long story, but would you like to join us on our journey back to the castle, Lord Finitevus?" Shadow inquired.

He nodded. "Yes, that sounds like the best offer I've been given all day." Shadow moved his reins, signaling for his horse to continue and Finitevus did the same. Shadow and Finitevus continued riding ahead and began to talk while Cordovan watched from behind. As he followed them, he couldn't help ease his rising skepticism as he stared at the lord.

•~•

Later that afternoon, Amy, Isabelle, Sonic, and Espio gathered in the courtyard after getting word of Shadow's return. The rest of the castle joined outside to also reunite with loved ones from beyond the castle walls. "He's alive then?" Isabelle asked in wonder.

"Apparently, that's what the guards said that were standing from the towers," Espio added.

"I knew it," Amy whispered in relief.

•~•

In another part of the courtyard, Cream wandered through the crowd desperately looking for Tails. After minutes of searching, she spotted him looking for her in another part of the crowds. "Tails!" she waved.

The kitsune heard her call and flocked towards her. They met in the middle and embraced passionately. "Cream! I'm so happy to see you alive and well."

Cream snuggled into his chest with her face. "Those few days were agonizing. I had no idea if you were alive or not."

He kissed her forehead. "The plague has finally passed and we can finally be together," he smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too," she smiled. The two then shared a kiss.

•~•

Back at the castle entrance, the Harold played his horn, signaling of Shadow's arrival. The black and red monarch rode in alongside Prince Cordovan, Lord Finitevus, and Cordovan's men. When Shadow caught sight of Amy standing in front of the crowd, he dismounted his horse immediately. Amy felt her heart flutter when she spotted him. Quickly, she lifted her dress and ran towards him, eager to greet him. Just when Shadow turned to face her, she leaped into his arms. He caught and twirled her and the two embraced as if they hadn't seen each other in years. "Amy," Shadow smiled as he held her.

Amy kept her eyes closed as she relished the feeling in his arms. "I knew you were alive…I felt it in my heart."

"You're never going to lose me, my love," he smiled.

They parted from their embrace just as Sonic hustled over to greet him. "Brother, are you alright?"

They hugged briefly. "Perfectly fine." Shadow looked back towards Cordovan who stood patiently back as Shadow and his family reunited. "Amy, Sonic, I'd like to introduce you to the one who saved my life." Cordovan walked over with a friendly smile. "This is Prince Cordovan, Sonic, and I's cousin, from the Knothole kingdom."

The prince bowed respectively towards Amy. "Lovely to meet you, your highness."

"Thank you for returning him home safely," she smiled appreciatively. "You have no idea how worried I was for the past few days."

"It was an honor to do so. I learned so much about Shadow during our travels and he is absolutely wonderful," he complimented.

Sonic shook Cordovan's hand. "Nice to see you again, cousin."

"Likewise," he replied.

Shadow turned to Amy. "Cordovan and his men will be staying at court for a few weeks before they head back to Knothole. They deserve rest after our long journey."

"I'm sure I'll be seeing you around then," Amy replied.

He nodded. "Of course."

Shadow reached for her hand and grabbed it. "Now, if you'd excuse me. Amy and I have some business to attend to." With that said, Shadow led Amy back inside the castle leaving Sonic and Cordovan outside.

"You should come and say hello to my mother. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you," Sonic noted.

"Yes, that sounds wonderful. Lead the way." As the two hedgehogs walked through the crowds, another figure had been watching the entire conversation nearby. Lord Finitevus watched Shadow and Amy kiss under the castle entrance before his eyes shifted towards Sonic and Cordovan talking to Isabelle. As he looked away, he continued his search for his own loved one, but as he looked among the crowd he became discouraged when he did not find them. Instead, he resorted to heading indoors to continue his search.

•~•

In their bedroom, Amy and Shadow made love together. Shadow kissed Amy passionately, long and slow. Their bodies stayed close as Amy ran her fingertips down his spine, while Shadow resorted to kissing down the side of her neck to relax her. They switched positions a few times as they rolled all over the bed and under the sheets making up for loss time. After a few hours of spending intimate time together, the two spooned in bed.

"Please don't ever scare me like that again," Amy said breaking the silence.

Shadow kissed her shoulder softly from behind. "I won't. I made an impulsive decision and it definitely backfired on me. I should have listened to you. Do you forgive me?"

Amy turned her head to look at him. He looked sadly at her, desperately seeking her approval "Yes," she smiled with a laugh.

"What a relief," he cracked. "Also, where was Pascal during my return? He wasn't there when I arrived," Shadow noted.

Amy's ears fell. "Shadow, I'm so sorry but Pascal did not make it…" Shadow's features faltered as the sadness seeped in.

•~•

In the castle garden, Isabelle sat at a table, enjoying afternoon tea by herself. Guards stood post nearby keeping watch until one of them spoke up. "Your majesty, Lord Finitevus would like a word with you."

She looked up from drinking her tea only to see the echidna waiting patiently by a tree. "Have a seat." Finitevus approached the table and sat in the available chair across from her. Isabelle stared in puzzlement, as he remained silent as he sat there looking troubled. She placed her teacup down, feeling an awkwardness set in. "I-I'm sorry for the loss of your son," she apologized in feigned grievance.

Even though his son's death had come tragically. His demeanor showed more shock and disbelief than sadness. "I thought the safest place would be in the castle... How did this happen?"

Isabelle continued to uphold her acting skills. There was no way she could not let him know that Amy had something to do with his son's death. "Well, your son came down with signs of the illness and we had no other choice but to quarantine him with the others."

"Yes, I spoke with your physician already and he said the same." There was a pause and he looked towards the ground gathering his thoughts. "If it's alright, I would like to go into the catacombs to retrieve his body for proper burial."

She nodded, completely understanding. "Of course."

•~•

In another part of the garden, Amy and Espio walked along the trail together. "I told him what he needed to hear, but he showed no suspicion," Espio explained. "I think we pulled it off."

Amy blew out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Espio, for everything. You should know that I will protect you if anything is to happen. I can assure you that."

"I have no doubts of your promise," he replied. "But does Shadow know what we have done?"

She shook her head. "Not yet, I meant to tell him earlier, but I got a little distracted..."

They kept walking. "Make sure to keep him up to date on your doings while he was absent. We need to make sure all of our stories align seamlessly."

"I will, right now he's off to visit Pascal's burial site. He was crushed when I told him of the news," she explained.

"Pascal was a wonderful soul, but he's a peace now," Espio assured.

•~•

Meanwhile in the catacombs, Finitevus and some of the castle guards opened up the cell that held his son's body. When the door opened, the smell of death stung their nostrils in an instant. The group of males shielded their noses from the horrid scent. "Do you see him, my lord?" one of the guards asked holding a torch.

Finitevus searched in the darkened room until spotting a familiar face lying on his side among other bodies. "There," he pointed. "That's my son," he said solemnly. "Please wrap his body with care."

"Of course, my lord."

Just then, they heard a small cough and looked to the right corner. "Water…" a weak voice begged.

"One's still alive?" Finitevus spoke in astonishment.

"That's impossible. They've been locked up here for days with no food or water."

"He must be immune then." The guards used the other torch to shine the light on the living soul and revealed a male purple possum. "You," Finitevus pointed. "Did you see my son die?" The possum nodded. "Did he tell you why he was placed in here before his death? Again, the possum nodded. Finitevus was already suspicious of Isabelle's claim. "We'll get you some food and water and you will tell me everything about my son."

•~•

That evening, Amy, Shadow, Isabelle, and Sonic enjoyed a small party in the dining hall with their castle guests. They watched their people dance and eat, after enduring a week of darkness and death from the plague. But now that the plague had seemingly done its damage and left the kingdom, the royals were back to business as usual.

"It's nice to see everyone enjoying themselves," Sonic said watching couples dance.

"Yes, it is quite lovely," Isabelle seconded. But the atmosphere soon changed when Lord Finitevus and a group of nobles from the other regions of the kingdom stormed into the party. As they flocked towards the royal family, Amy couldn't help but notice their hostility.

"Why is Lord Finitevus with the rest of the nobles?" Sonic questioned quietly with a cocked brow.

Shadow too seemed confused by their dramatic entrance. "…I wonder that too, Sonic."

Both Amy and Isabelle stayed silent as they felt their stomachs drop. Finally, the group of nobles gathered in front of the royal family to address them. "Lord Finitevus, what can I do for you?" Shadow asked curiously.

"We're here to seek justice."

"Justice?" Shadow repeated, taken aback. "Whatever for?"

Lord Finitevus' eyes briefly glanced at Amy before settling back to Shadow. Amy swallowed the lump in her throat while he looked away. "My son, Flint, was murdered here in court while you were away." Suddenly, the rest of the party went quiet as everyone eavesdropped.

Shadow blinked in surprise by this revelation along with Sonic who was just as stunned. The two female monarchs, on the other hand, continued to remain calm despite being put on the spot by the allegations. "How are you certain that he was murdered?" Shadow inquired skeptically.

"There was a survivor in the catacombs who had talked with my son before his death." Suddenly, his eyes shot to the left where Espio stood by the refreshment table. "The survivor informed me that your physician lied about his diagnosis and placed him there, purposely, knowing that he would take ill being confined with the others."

"I did no such thing," Espio lied boldly.

"The witness speaks truth. Do not lie to me or your king!" Finitevus shouted irately. People in the crowd began to whisper and chatter amongst themselves and gossip would spread like wild fire if this were not dealt with properly.

Shadow raised his hand to silence the chatter. "Stop," he ordered. "These are serious allegations, Lord Finitevus. If you are positive this is true, then I cannot take them lightly."

"My son was healthy," Finitevus barked. "He was deliberately infected!"

Things were starting to get ugly, so Amy stepped forward to help. "I assure you that a mistake was made. Espio meant your son no harm," she defended calmly. Finitevus gave her a malignant glare and did not bother to respond. It was then that Amy knew that he was aware she had some part in his son's death.

"We collect your coin, grow your food, collect your grain, and uphold your laws. Yet, you refuse to hold the murderer of my son accountable," he venomously argued. "If you want to 'assure' us anything, then do so by showing us that no life may be taken with impunity."

Shadow looked over to his dear friend sadly. Espio had been loyal to him and had become a true ally in the time he spent at the castle. If these allegations were true, serious matters would have to be dealt with. Shadow sighed in defeat. He did not want to make the decision, but he had to be fair. "Take Espio away for questioning." Amy's eyes widened as she watched two guards storm towards the chameleon. Espio gave no fight and allowed them to escort him off to the cells with ease.

•~•

Back in their chambers, Amy filled Shadow in with the events that took place during his leave. "I did what I had to, Shadow. He was trying to use leverage for me to kill an innocent person."

Shadow paced back and forth as he listened to her story. Although he did not agree with her method, he refrained from showing his true dissent towards her decision. "You couldn't have just placed him in normal holding?"

"He got under my skin, Shadow. He was trying to push me around, and make me do his bidding. I didn't know if I was ever going to see you again, so I took authority and put him in his place." She plopped down on one of the sofas sensing her bad move. "I know I made a stupid mistake…"

"Well, now he wants your guards and Espio executed for their doings."

"We don't have to bow to their demands," she argued.

"My father and Isabelle have bowed to the nobles for years. They kept them happy with their demands, and in return were given the grains to supply the kingdom," Shadow explained. "I know you want to do things differently, but because of the plague shortage, this has given Finitevus a lot of power. If he and the other nobles feel betrayed, they can easily rise up against us and could end our reign." He was right. This was serious and the consequences were not good. With determination, Amy rose from her seat and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" Shadow called.

She turned to look at him as she stopped just at the door. "This is my mistake, so I'm going to fix it."

•~•

In his quarters, Amy and Finitevus met in private to discuss the allegations. Finitevus looked peeved when Amy solely entered his room. "Where is your husband?"

She forced a smile after hearing him unsatisfied. "I thought we could handle this situation privately." Finitevus continued to stare in silence as he sat across the table from her. "I think you know who is truly responsible for Flint's death," she started.

"You are," he replied simply. "But, as you are a queen, you're nearly untouchable." He reached for his glass of wine and took a sip, then swallowed. "Nearly," he emphasized. "But those who lied for you I can reach with ease, which is how I will punish you," he smiled wickedly.

Amy furrowed her brows by his smugness. It was no wonder Flint was Finitevus' son. They both absolutely oozed their large egos. "Your son was a monster, she started. "He asked me to kill his enemy and when I refused, he poisoned an entire household just to get to the one person he wanted dead."

"Why didn't you just arrest him?"

Her ears fell short. "I-I let my anger get the best of me," she said apologetically.

He leaned forward. "And what of my anger, then?" he countered. "He was my son," he said slamming his empty goblet down. "And he had his whole life ahead of him."

"Then why did he want Locke dead?" Amy questioned. Finitevus looked away making Amy grow suspicious. Did Finitevus want Locke dead as well? Was Flint only doing what Finitevus had asked of him? "I'll ask you again, no, I demand you," she corrected.

"-You don't demand anything of me!" he snapped. He rose from his seat leaning on the table across from her. "I don't fear you or your husband," he growled. "Without me and the other nobles, you hold no true power. We are the outside world and we surround you," he pointed before plopping back into his seat.

At this moment, Finitevus truly did hold all the power. "Please... I don't want to see anyone else die."

Finitevus rubbed the skin between his eyes out of frustration but hearing her beg brought absolute joy to him. Watching a king or queen beseech was the ultimate satisfaction to his ego. "I'm sorry, your highness." He looked back at her. "The other nobles want to see retribution. So at dawn, your physician and your guards will be beheaded for their doing."

•~•

AN: Yikes, not a good start for Amy so far, huh? Please leave a review!