*Chapter 2: New Home*

The next afternoon arrived in the town, and Myrin arrives the house of Maria's. He is wearing a suit and his hair was slick back. He came up to the door and knock on it. Ivo opened it and made a confused look.

"Myrin? What're you doing here?"

"I come here for your lovely cousin, Ivo." Myrin replied. Ivo rolled his eyes and call Maria to come out. Maria came in the living room to see Myrin by the doorway, smiling at her. "Hello, my dear." Myrin greeted.

"Myrin? What're you doing here?" Maria asked.

"What do you expect, twerp?" Isabella says, coming in from the kitchen. "He wants to ask you out." Myrin came in the house, taking Maria by the hand.

"Actually, I come here to ask you a very important question." He says. Maria watches the man kneel before her. "Most people use the ring, but I can use my charm to win you. So, what do you say?"

"I...I don't know what to say." Maria said, trying to pull away from Myrin, but he stood up, holding her hand.

"Say you marry me."

"I...I'm sorry. I don't deserve you." Maria said, pulling away and went up to her room. Myrin made a dumbfound look. Ivo and Isabella laughed.

"Wow. She knows how to reject men." Isabella says. "Glad that she didn't accept."

"Yeah. Or we have to do chores ourselves." Ivo said. Myrin growled and turn to the evil siblings.

"I'll have Maria. She will be my wife." He says before heading out the door. Ivo calls for Maria to continue with the chores. The girl peeked out the door, hoping that Myrin is gone. She went out with a look of annoyance. She couldn't believe that jerk asks her to marry him. Maria wouldn't want to marry a man who only likes her for her beauty.

"No way I'm marrying someone like him." Maria said. Suddenly, she hears horse cries in the grass fields. "Huh?" She came over to the horse who is in panic mode. The horse doesn't have Gerald. "Oh no. Grandfather could be out there. I gotta find him!"

"Maria, what're you doing?" Isabella asks. "Hey, isn't that grandpa's horse? Where is he anyway?"

"I have to look for him." Maria said. "You and Ivo must stay here. I'll be back with grandfather." She climbed on the horse and went off down the road. Isabella watches in confusion. But, she sighed a bit.

"Great. She owes us big time. Now we have to finish cleaning the place." She said.

After a while of traveling, Maria arrived at the gates of a gloomy castle. The horse stopped in front of the gates as Maria got down. She push the gates open and let the horse in. She looked up at the castle in awe, and she hears thunder in the distance.

"What is this place?" She wondered. "I wonder if grandfather is here?" Maria went up to the doors and opened one of them. She peeked through the dark hall. "Hello? Is anyone here?" She called. "Hello? Grandfather? Are you here? It's me, Maria." There's silence. The place is quiet. Too quiet. Maria walked in the castle, calling for Gerald.

XX

"Mother, I saw a girl in a castle!" Cream said with a smile. Vanilla looked down at her rabbit cup.

"Now, Cream, that is nonsense. Get in the tub now." She places her daughter in the bowl full of dishwater. A chipmunk feather-duster appeared with glee.

"I saw a girl in a castle!" She says. Cream popped out and giggled.

"See? I told you."

XX

Maria walked through the hallways in the castle and passed by Sonic and Knuckles. The two turned to see her walking by the doorway.

"Did you see that?" Sonic asks. He and Knuckles jumped off the table and peeks out to see Maria. Sonic gasps. "It's a girl!"

"I know it's a girl. A human girl." Knuckles says.

"Don't you see, knucklehead? She's the one!" Sonic says with joy. "The girl we have been waiting for! She has come to break the spell!" He started to follow the girl, and Knuckles follows him. They both kept quiet as Maria calls out for her grandfather. Sonic and Knuckles went to the door that leads to the tower. A creak was heard, and Maria turned.

"Grandpa?" She called. She went towards the door and see a light going up the stairs. "Hello? Wait! I'm looking for my grandfather!" She rush up the stairs, but no one was up here. Sonic stands at the gap in the quietly. "That's funny, I'm sure there's someone." She said, walking away from Sonic who watches quietly with a smile. "Is anyone here?" Maria asked.

"Maria?" A familiar voice calls out from one of the cells.

"Grandpa?" Maria cried out and ran up to the cell, grabbing a torch to see his face behind the bars. "Oh, I'm so glad you're alright."

"How did you find me?" Gerald asks, taking Maria's hand. He coughed a bit.

"Oh, your hands are like ice!" Maria gasps. "I have to get you out of here."

"Maria, I want you to leave this place." Gerald warned her, but Maria ignored it as she asks.

"Who's done this to you?"

"No time to explain! You must go, now!"

"No! I won't leave you!" Maria protested. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away from the cell. The torch was thrown to the cold puddle.

"What are you doing here?!" A voice growled. Maria sat up quickly, pressing her back against the cell, looking around the darkness.

"Who's there?! Who are you?!" She asked.

"A master of this castle." A voice said. "Why did you come here, human girl?"

"I come for my grandfather." Maria said. "Can't you see he's sick?"

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here!" A voice said.

"But, he could die!" Maria says. "Please, sir, I'll do anything!" She heard a voice huffed a bit.

"There's nothing you could do now. He is my prisoner."

"Oh there must someway I can..." Maria paused when a thought came to her mind. It's crazy, but she must do it for her grandfather's sake. "Wait!" She cried out. The dark figure turned to her with his eyes with a sneer. Maria took a breath and look up at the red eyes that look so deadly. "Take me instead." She said. The dark figure turned to her.

"You would...take his place?" He asked.

"Maria, no! You don't know what you're doing!" Gerald said, gripping the bars. Maria ignored him.

"If I did, will let him go?"

"Yes." The figure said. "You must promise you stay here forever. Never leave this castle." Maria looked at his eyes. There is light on the ground. She must see who this guy is.

"Come into the light..." She said. She sees a white, red and black shoe step in the light, then a figure appeared. No other than Shadow. Black fur with red stripes, white chest fur, white gloves with gold rings. Maria had never seen this being before. The hedgehog glares at the girl who stares back in silence. Maria turned to her grandfather.

"No, Maria. I won't let you do this!" Gerald begged. Maria turned away to face the hedgehog who looks up at her. She stood before him, closing her eyes.

"You have my word, sir." She said.

"Done." Shadow said, walking pass her and open the cell door. Gerald was about to hold Maria close into a hug, but Shadow dragged the old man out of the tower. Maria cries out for him, wanting to say goodbye, but it was too late. Maria went over to the little window and see the little carriage taking Gerald out the bridge to take him to the village. Maria began to sob. She hears footsteps coming up. She turned to see Shadow there with a look.

"You didn't even let us say goodbye!" She said. "I'll never see him again!" She cried a bit more. Shadow frowned a bit and scratch behind his right ear.

'I guess I was too harsh.' Shadow thought, but he didn't want to show pity in front of his new prisoner.

"I'll show you to your new room." He said. Maria looked up.

"My room? But, I thought-"

"Would you rather stay in a tower?" Shadow asked.

"No."

"Then follow me."

In one the hallways, Shadow took Sonic as light in one hand, and Maria was following behind him. She is looking around the hallway to see the walls with scary looking gargoyles, and statues. Shadow keeps looking back to check on the girl to make sure she doesn't try to run off, but he knew that she promised him that she will stay. The black hedgehog can see more tears falling from Maria's eyes.

"Say something to her." Sonic whispered, making sure Maria didn't hear him. Shadow moved his eyes over to see Maria.

"Um...I...hope you like it here." He said, trying to find the right words. Sonic gestured him to continue. "The castle is your new home now. You could go anywhere you like. Except for the West Wing."

"What's in the West-"

"It's forbidden!" Shadow snapped, making Maria jump out of her wits. His voice echoes through the halls. Shadow continues to lead her down to her new room.
Shadow opened the door for Maria. The room inside is nice. There is a queen size bed with pink sheets, a big window to see the castle grounds, and a white wardrobe. Maria slowly walked inside, taking everything in. Shadow watches her.

"If you need anything, my servants will serve you." He said.

"Dinner. Invite her to dinner." Sonic whispered to his master.

"And...you will join me for dinner. That is not a request!" Shadow said with a growl and shut the door. Maria gasped at the sudden outburst. She ran up to the bed and collapse on it and cried. She couldn't believe this. She had to take Gerald's place, and she had to stay here forever with a angry hedgehog. He didn't act like a hedgehog, he acts like a beast!