Albert lay awake for several hours, and soon he and Kongol were the only ones yet to succumb to slumber. The king was not sure if the giganto was nervous or merely choosing to stand guard, but either way, Albert felt uneasy, as though he were being watched intently. He rolled onto his side, facing away from Kongol so that he might appear at rest.

Still, rest did not come. Thoughts of Princess Emille plagued his mind, flitting in and out of his vision at every turn. Where was she? Was she in chains, as he had been atop Hellena Prison? Would her captors slay her once their plan was discovered? He felt foolish. Such things should not matter to him, a king. He should be focusing on his relationship with King Zior and not his daughter. He should be worried about the state of the kingdom and not the state of one person.

Is not the fate of an entire country greater than that of two individuals?

These words he had spoken mere hours ago in his frustration.

And yet… where was Emille? It was all he could think of.

Such immense relief coupled with intense anxiety had washed over him at Gehrich's words earlier that day. To learn that the Emille they had met was merely a copy had allowed his heart to hope again for a real discussion with the woman who had written him such a lovely letter. And yet, his terror of what may be happening to her had been gripping his heart every moment since.

Although he understood the need to escort Lynn and Kate back to Donau, so much of Albert wanted to leave and travel to Fletz alone to try to thwart whatever plan Lloyd had in place there. To find Emille before it could take place.

"Can't sleep?"

Albert jumped to hear the low voice of Kongol quietly over the firelight. Just as he was about to turn over and face him, someone else stepped in for him.

"There's a lot going on," replied Shana near a whisper.

"Would you like… to talk?"

Kongol seemed curious about something, but he refrained from pushing for it.

"If you want," conceded Shana after a pause. Albert heard her shifting and determined that she had sat next to Kongol.

"What troubles you?" asked Kongol. His voice was low and quiet, rumbling deep in his chest.

Shana hesitated again, but finally said, "A lot. I don't… know if I want to get into the details."

"That is well. Should you wish to speak, I will listen." Kongol paused. "You… strike me."

"What do you mean?"

"You care about others. Of all your companions, you have the most kindness."

"Thank you." She spoke with sincerity.

"Where did you learn this?" asked Kongol.

"My parents, I think. A couple friends growing up, too. They all taught me to pay attention to people around me. And they always said that if you can help someone, you should."

"Will you teach me?"

Shana chuckled. "Yes, I think I can do that."

There was silence for several minutes before they began to speak again.

"The others are kind, too," said Shana. "Even if it's a little harder to see sometimes."

"Tell me about them."

And Shana began describing each of the party to Kongol. She began with Rose, noting her tough exterior but her deep care for her friends. She described Haschel's tendency to mask his emotions with humor and compared it to Meru's similar trait.

Albert nearly teared up when Shana labeled him as "the kindest leader I've ever seen."

"He comes across as indifferent sometimes, and he's very intelligent, but he really cares about his people and about us. He left behind his country so that he could protect it. He's a noble king."

"King? King of Basil?"

"Yes, that's right. He joined us when our friend Lavitz… was killed."

Something caught in Albert's chest at the mention of his old friend. Although he only now met the realization, he had not thought of Lavitz for several weeks. He felt guilty because of it, but the feeling also mixed with an odd sort of pride. Not pride in forgetting, but pride in moving on. The weight of Lavitz's death had once been crippling to him, and there was a time that the scene passed through his dreams nearly every night. There had been endless images of Dart pushing Albert aside in his wrath and grief as Lavitz faded away in his arms, beyond Albert's reach. For several months, Albert had harbored a silent resentment for Dart, as Albert had felt robbed of Lavitz's final moments, but Dart's trials in Bale had more than calmed this feeling for the king. It had become so clear that Dart had needed Lavitz more.

Still, the ache persisted. Even now, as Shana quietly listed the endearing qualities of the fallen Lavitz, Albert felt that he might sink into a tomb of despair. Memories unbidden came before him, and he fought to keep his emotions in check so that they would not discover his being awake. He was grateful when their conversation shifted again.

"Emperor Doel talked of the King of Serdio often," said Kongol. "They were… family… yes?"

"Doel was Albert's uncle," affirmed Shana.

"I should speak with him about this."

Their discussion carried on like this for another half hour, providing a needed distraction for Albert's tenuous mind. He listened happily, occasionally even dozing, until Shana began speaking quietly about what had happened in the cave far east in Basil. She recounted the events of their fight with the monster, details that Albert had never heard before, and then described her peculiar power that had saved them. Then she spoke of a virage in the Volcano Villude and finished with the tale of the virage that she had defeated a mere hundred yards south of where Albert now lay. As Shana told of these events, a clear sadness hung over her words, dragging them into a melancholy and despair that she had hidden well below the surface until this moment. Albert wondered why she had not spoken to anyone else about these trials, but he suspected that she wanted to avoid showing her worry. Perhaps, in her mind, if she exuded confidence, the others might believe that nothing was wrong.

But now, to Kongol, she communicated the deep terror that had lain dormant within her until it had come to life yesterday in the Valley of Corrupted Gravity.

It was not until Shana had finished her tale that Albert realized the depth of her struggle. Part of him felt shame in being so focused on his own problems and not considering what might be ailing his fellow travelers. His memory saw Shana crying in her attempts to heal Gehrich, and he now understood this desperation, and his overlooking it weighed heavily on his heart.

Kongol sat silent for a time when Shana was finished, and the king wondered if he would speak again. Sleep almost overtook him as he waited, until finally the deep voice of the giganto rattled him awake once more.

"I cannot explain these things," he said carefully. "But… you are strong to have come this far. My strength has always been measured by my ability to kill, but yours is measured by your ability to withstand. This you have done well. I don't know what will come of them, but I am sure that you will overcome it."

"Thank you," whispered Shana in return.

Slowly, carefully, Albert rolled onto his other side so that he could face them. The meager fire shone on his eyelids, but it was several moments before he opened his eyes to see Shana leaning against Kongol's arm, eyes closed as she began to doze off. Kongol gazed off toward the floating rocks on his right, seemingly content to support her weight for the night.

Kongol had explained earlier that he did not understand kindness, and yet he showed more compassion than Albert had thought possible from what used to be a machine of war. He wondered whether this had always resided within Kongol's heart, or if it was merely being constructed around a desire to learn from Shana.

Why was it that everyone was so eager to protect her?

In the late night, as his thoughts shifted to waking dreams, the world seemed out of place and twisted. Was Shana's heart strong enough to turn even the darkest soul? How far did her endearing nature reach? How many people can kindness charm?

The king dreamed of Emille. She was rescued, but then she changed into a formidable green dragon, consuming all until Shana's forehead shone and shattered her into a thousand pieces. Then he was in Bale, on his castle balcony, reciting another speech mourning the death of the princess of Tiberoa. But Shana was there, eyes blue and icy, lit with some fire deep within.

As he fell into a deep sleep, the memory faded away into the darkness.

The next morning, they began their rushed trek back to Donau. Their first obstacle was the crater that lay before them, dark, angular, and dangerous, waiting for them to fall. After much convincing, Kate finally agreed to allow Kongol to carry her, and he did so effortlessly as they tramped over the broken and shattered rock faces. Thanks to this, they made quick time through the valley, Meru bouncing around avidly in the gravity anomalies as they came near.

Albert kept a close eye on Shana, who seemed determined and rested as they pressed on. When they passed the area where they had fought the virage, she cast numerous glances to where it had fallen, but no other indication of her fear was evident to the king. Eventually, he released this monitoring and focused more on their journey and the difficult path that lay ahead. Despite his best efforts, by the time they were at last exiting the south side of the crater, his thoughts rested perpetually on Emille once again.

The horses were nowhere to be found, and the group continued on foot for several more hours before they reached the barricade at the end of the valley. The soldiers at the encampment were bewildered at the sight of Kongol, but Dart explained the situation, and they relaxed slightly before revealing the horses that had returned safely to the camp. After informing the captain of the bandits' defeat, the group wished him an early trip home and prepared for the next leg of their journey.

Despite the late hour of their arrival, they left within a half hour of reaching the camp, Dart and Albert yielding the use of their horses to Kate and Lynn. Kongol joined them on foot as they set out toward the barrens, each of them eager to reach their destination as soon as possible. It was not until several hours after nightfall that they stopped, and they agreed on only seven hours of rest that night.

The distinction between the humans and dragoons was palpable in their levels of exhaustion, although Albert got the feeling more than once that Meru was dramatizing her struggles, but he supposed that this was normal for her. In any case, the dragoons of the party showed little in the way of true exhaustion, all of them staying up to chat for a while as Lynn and Kate slept easily within a few minutes of lying down.

The next day passed much the same, although Rose and Haschel now took the responsibility of walking while Albert and Dart relieved their aching feet. Even so, the ache lessened as the day dragged on, in no small part thanks to Shana, who used the bright sun as a disguise for her healing magic. Even Lynn and Kate seemed rejuvenated by the time they rested for a quick meal around noon, and Albert's spirits lifted as the familiar canyons of the barrens greeted them. They were making good time.

In late afternoon the next day, the party cheered as they began to make out Donau on the horizon. The barrens had shifted back to grasslands as they neared the northern shores of Tiberoa, and the air had regained some of its latent moisture. As the humidity began to rob their sweat of its evaporation, Albert began to summon a breeze, pulling it from the far ocean, breathing in deeply of its salty scent. The others seemed to appreciate it, too, and Lynn and Kate laughed heartily to smell of their home.

Upon arrival, Lynn led the group directly to the mayor's house, where the dragoons witnessed a happy reunion between father and son. However, knowing well that Lynn intended to speak harshly with his father thereafter, they made their leave quickly, slipping out of Donau before anyone else could try to keep them. Deep in Albert's heart – and in the others', he hoped – lay a piercing need to be on their way. Their speed in traveling to Donau had done very little to stay the tirade of anxiety that hung on his every breath.

Within two hours of reaching Donau, they were already on the road again, having replenished their supplies and given the horses a long drink. At last free of Lynn and Kate, the group pushed forward at the limits of only the horses. As such, they were able to continue long into the night, only stopping when their steeds protested through dragging feet and heavy snorts.

They slept for only six hours, Rose, Dart, and Haschel sharing three watches. The landscape was only barely visible when they were on the road again.

Much of their conversation was short and strained as they traveled on. Days passed without incident, and as Emille's ceremony approached, a thick tension settled over the group. They traveled for many hours in silence, and Albert spent much of his time calculating and speculating. A thousand scenarios he concocted of what their encounter with the real Emille would be like, how the imposter would react, and Emille's reaction to their saving the Moon Dagger. He imagined their incredible success and their catastrophic failure. He imagined her lovingly grateful and callously indifferent.

Apprehension grew as the days passed. The king believed that they were progressing quickly, but the monotony of the barrens made it difficult to tell. They had been travelling for five days when the landscape finally began to change, the canyons giving way to flat earth and sparse trees, and Albert breathed a heavy sigh of relief. They would make it on time.

That night, Albert offered to keep a watch, as he knew that sleep would not come easily to him. Much of that two hours, he paced endlessly, unable to keep from fidgeting with his hem or fingers. When at last his fatigue forced him to sit, he poked around at his fingernails, clearing them of dirt and attending to his strained cuticles. Since he had left Bale, his hands had become calloused and rough, thanks to his lance and the dry heat of Tiberoa. The dragoon inside him had absorbed most of the physical strain of the journey, however, and he felt profoundly grateful to have it in his service.

As his watch came to a close, he leaned back and gazed up at the night sky. The constellations spoke of fall's approach, and he wondered what the weather was like in Bale at that moment. Here, the sands and rocks had released most of their heat, and the night air was becoming chill as a steady breeze strode in from the north. This type of weather had always been his favorite to spend a few hours on the castle balcony in the evening, typically alone, watching the city fade into scattered lights beneath him.

How he longed to be home! His people sat heavy on his heart in this moment, and he wished that he could speak to Minister Noish and ascertain the goings on of Serdio. While he had remained in Bale serving as king for several weeks longer than he should have, Albert still felt restless about the fate of his country as they found their way without him. It was all he could hope that he would return in the next couple months to a strong and independent Serdio.

Sighing heavily, he stood as he estimated that his watch was over. Kneeling by Shana, he woke her gently before lying down on his bedroll and struggling to fall asleep. Eventually, it worked, and the next thing he knew, it was dawn.

Anticipation of the day drove the party into a silent frenzy as they prepared to leave. Each of them understood the importance of reaching Fletz in time, and their tension drove away their conversation. Because of this, they were on the road and ready to march within a half hour, and the sun rose hot on their necks as they rode as quickly as they dared toward Fletz. The horses were clearly parched and could not stand to travel at high speeds all day long. As uncomfortable as Albert was with their timing, he could not deny that it would be wise to stop at the river outside the city and allow the horses to drink their fill, an idea that Dart proposed as he eyed his heat-stressed horse.

The day was long, and it felt like an eternity before the white gleam of Fletz finally crested the horizon. Albert eyed the sun's position warily as they urged the horses as much as they dared; he believed that they would make it in time, but they would have only an hour or two to find the true princess. His heart flailed about in his chest as the horses took a half hour to drink at the river, the city walls looming over the party as if taunting their timing.

"How are we going to explain the big guy?" asked Haschel during a lull. "He's a bit… obvious, don't you think?"

His attempt at humorous diffusion was clear, and Albert frowned.

"I guess just say he's with us," shrugged Dart.

"I am used to standing out," inserted Kongol.

"He could remain outside the city," offered Albert, regretting the words the moment they left his mouth. Kongol's eyes turned to him, and Albert dropped his gaze in shame.

"That's just mean," muttered Meru.

"I apologize, my friend," said Albert, struggling to meet the giganto's stern gaze. "I do not mean to be rude. I am flustered. Forgive me. You are, of course, free to come with us. That is wholly your decision."

At long last, Albert turned to Kongol, and he was surprised to find an expression of intrigue rather than judgment or hatred. Kongol nodded. Whether this was mere acknowledgement of the statement or an acceptance of the apology, Albert was not sure.

"Either way, we have to be quick about things," said Dart. "I think we all know the risk. Head straight to the castle and hope that they'll let us in. Tell no one except Lisa or Zior about the imposter."

"Any ideas as to where she could be?" asked Meru. "It's a pretty big castle."

Albert stepped forward, eager to move past his rude infraction. "It would be more prudent to ask either the king or Princess Lisa for advice on the matter, rather than lumber about the castle blindly. It is quite large."

"Agreed," nodded Dart. "Lisa is more accessible. Let's start there."

A few minutes later, the group turned toward the main gate, their horses much more vibrant in their steps now that they had been rehydrated. Upon their approach to the giant outer wall, the guards turned immediately suspicious, eyeing Kongol with both fear and trepidation. However, whatever withholdings the guards may have had were swept away when Dart presented the broken seal of the king's orders and declared that they were to report directly to King Zior immediately. The group entered the city, depositing their horses as quickly as possible before rushing through the streets toward the castle and ignoring the surprised calls and questioning glances aimed in the direction of the giganto.

Albert's heart pounded in his chest as they neared the bridge, and then it dropped when he saw at least six armed guards posted at the gate.

"Not to worry," announced Meru. "I can break through, no problem. Stand aside, ladies."

"Hang on a second!" said Dart quickly, grabbing Meru's shoulder. "Let's not be that hasty. We can talk through this."

Cautiously, Dart withdrew the scroll once more and approached the guards, each of which eyed them closely, especially Kongol.

"We have arrived to tell King Zior about a personal mission that he gave us," he explained. "We were told to report to him upon our return." He held up the seal.

Several guards glanced among themselves, and one with an extra frill on his helmet stepped forward and held out his hand expectantly. Placing the scroll in the captain's hand, Dart waited patiently while he eyed the broken seal. Opening the scroll, he read the first few lines and then turned to them all with suspicious eyes. Then he approached Dart, leaned forward, and whispered something. Dart nodded in return, and the guard whispered once more before turning to his companions.

"Everything checks out," he called. "Let them through."

"But nobody's supposed to come through," protested one with a hearty mustache. "Not until the ceremony is over."

"You heard me!" barked the guard captain. "King Zior personally requested their return, and we will not get in the way of the king's orders."

"Very good, sir," nodded another guard before opening the gate.

One by one, the party filed onto the bridge after Dart, and they walked quickly across the wood planks. Once they were out of earshot, Albert caught up to Dart.

"What did that guard tell you?" he asked.

"He asked if we'd defeated the bandits, and I said yes. Then he told me that he thinks the castle has been infiltrated by bandits, and he asked that we protect the royal family."

"Bandits in the castle?" worried Albert aloud. "This could be a problem."

"Makes sense, though, doesn't it?" said Meru from behind him. "What's-his-name said that he was working with the fake princess."

"He must have sent bandits to pose as guards or something," agreed Dart. "I'm sure they've killed enough of them to have the outfits."

"We'll have to be extra careful," added Meru.

"Yes, we would not want the guards to know of our knowledge or intent," said Albert.

They reached the main gate, and Dart finally stopped and turned to address everyone.

"We can't trust anyone in this castle," he explained. Despite the tenuous circumstances, Albert smiled to see Dart taking such charge in this difficult situation. "Some of the guards are probably bandits in disguise, and there is no good way to tell which ones. We need to make for Lisa's room. Be prepared to use force, but try not to kill anyone. We don't want to be responsible for the death of the king's favorite soldier."

They all nodded somberly, and a shadow came over Dart's face for just a moment, mirrored in Albert's and Shana's. They thought of Lavitz.

"We'll stay together at least until we find Lisa," he continued. "Then maybe we can split up to search. We have maybe an hour before the actual ceremony."

All agreed, they marched through the main gate and turned right, hoping beyond hope that the dozens of guards milling about would pay them no mind. Clearly, an event was at hand, as the open courtyard with its stone guardians was now outfitted to receive a large group of people. Various tables dotted the stone floor, banners hung about, and at least a dozen chefs were putting the final touches on dozens of colorful dishes.

The workers paid them no mind, but just as they were about to reach the steps that led into the twin spires, two guards called out to them and ordered them to halt.

"Who let you in here?" one asked gruffly.

"We're on our way to visit Princess Lisa," said Dart hurriedly. "She can tell you who we are."

"The men at the gate were ordered not to let anyone in under any circumstances."

Dart sighed in frustration. "The king himself ordered us to come back as quickly as possible." He flashed the scroll at them.

"This will need to be confirmed by the king himself," barked the guard. "If you lot will follow me, we can—"

"I think I can explain," inserted Kongol, stepping forward suddenly.

Moving aside, Albert watched in surprise and amusement as the giant approached the astounded guards. He towered above them.

"L-look here," stammered a guard. "We don't want any trouble."

"Neither do we," growled Kongol, and he grabbed the men's heads and banged them together, the clash of metal helmets ringing throughout the courtyard.

A dozen heads turned their way, and Albert flicked his wrist. In response, a rush of wind blew through the courtyard, sending chefs hats, banners, and tablecloths tumbling into the air. The chaos was sufficient to distract the workers from the assaulted guards, and Kongol awkwardly supported the limp bodies to keep them from collapsing on the floor. Working in unison, Haschel, Dart, Albert, and Rose struggled to move the unconscious guards out of sight of the rest of the people and laid them gingerly on the stairs out of sight.

"They're not dead, right?" asked Dart carefully.

"No, they're alright," assured Shana. "Maybe some head trauma, but I can always fix them tomorrow if needed."

"Great," nodded Dart. He turned to rush up the stairs before stopping and turning to Kongol. "Thanks for the help."

"No problem," said Kongol, and Albert was astounded to see the faintest sign of a grin at the corner of his mouth.

They curled their way up the stairs until they came to Lisa's bedroom door, angled just far enough toward the mountain that they were almost completely invisible to the people working below in the courtyard. Dart rapped on the door quickly, and a second later, the younger princess opened the door.

Her face was wrought with worry, but upon seeing them, she turned a bright smile.

"You made it!" she exclaimed before ushering them in.

"I'll… stand guard," said Kongol as he eyed the small doorway. Albert would have laughed in a less dire situation.

"I'll stay with you!" grinned Meru.

Dart, Haschel, Shana, Rose, and Albert filed into the room.

"Did you learn anything?" asked Lisa frantically. Her dress today was white but fringed with blue, with gold embroidery along the waist, straps, and hem; she was patriotically prepared for a Tiberoan party.

"The Emille that has been with you for months is an imposter," explained Albert quickly. "Your sister is hidden somewhere in the castle, and we need you to tell us where you think that might be."

A thousand emotions splayed across Lisa's face over the next few seconds as she processed the news and the requirement for quick intervention. Though she had a thousand questions, she swallowed them, and her brow furrowed as she struggled to think.

"Um… We have… plenty of storerooms and things, lots of rooms that aren't used."

"I don't think it would be somewhere that just anyone could reach," offered Haschel. "Maybe somewhere only the fake could access?"

"Nowhere is…" Lisa pondered this idea for a long moment. "Only the chambers of the royal family are off limits to the rest of the staff. Perhaps the imposter is keeping her in her room?"

"That's at least a good place to start," nodded Dart. "Would you like to come with us? Maybe the guards will be a little more lenient if you're around."

"Yes, you may be right," agreed Lisa. "Though we must hurry; I am due to arrive in the throne room in less than half an hour."

The group left the room and started toward the other tower, informing Kongol and Meru of their developments. The balcony was perhaps a hundred feet across, and it took a strained amount of time for them to traverse it. Looking down to the courtyard showed the servants still working furiously, paying the infiltrators no mind past a fleeting glance. As they approached Emille's door, Dart froze in his tracks, but Albert pressed forward until Dart grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Do you hear that?" he asked, eyes glued to the door. "I think she's in there."

Pausing, Albert inclined his ear and heard several shouts coming through the wood door. Something crashed inside, and Dart turned frantically to the others.

"We have to hide," he urged.

Lisa nodded and instructed the others to go back toward her room, but requested that Dart and Albert remain. But when the large group had taken only a few steps, the latch clicked, and the door swung open to reveal the fake Princess Emille, startled to see them. Her dress matched Lisa's, though it was more lavish and had long, flowy sleeves rather than narrow straps.

Instinctively, Albert stood straighter and drew up his chin. Lisa smiled widely.

"Happy birthday, sister," she greeted warmly.

"What are you doing here?" asked Emille, eyes darting among the dragoons.

"We made it back from the Valley, your highness," said Dart.

"I see," she replied, an icy chill to her words. "And I see we have a newcomer." Her eyes turned to Kongol.

"Yes, Kongol is his name," explained Albert, and a shiver ran down his spine as her eyes met his. He was simultaneously entranced and disgusted. "He joined us when he saw that we opposed the bandits who had invaded his people's homes."

"And you were successful in defeating them?" The trepidation in her voice was evident.

"We made it back alive," piped up Haschel. "That's enough success for me." He gave a weak chuckle.

"When I saw them, I wanted to make sure that you were aware of their safe return," smiled Lisa. "Their mission was of great importance to the safety of our people."

"Yes, of course," said Emille, finally relaxing slightly and allowing her shoulders to drop. Albert thought she looked somewhat… common this way. "I was just about to go to the throne room."

"I am due there soon as well," replied Lisa. "May I accompany you?"

"Yes, but…" The imposter cast eyes about the dragoons. "I have my own guards. There's no need for them to come."

"As you wish." Lisa turned and curtsied. "I will take my leave. I will see you at the reception." She cast a meaningful look around, regretful but trusting.

Two guards, both sour-faced, exited Emille's room and followed the princesses to the stairs.

"There goes our protection," commented Haschel as he wistfully watched them leave.

"But her protection served its purpose," said Albert. "We can now enter Emille's room without raising suspicion."

"In a minute, at least," inserted Meru. "They could turn around any second and see us still over here."

She gestured to the pair making their way across the courtyard, well within view. Every servant and guard stopped to bow or curtsy as they passed. There was a marked difference between how the two women walked, and it pained Albert to see Emille's stance as she moved lazily across the stones. Forcing himself to breathe calmly, he turned away and took several steps toward the mountain.

Quiet footsteps approached him.

"We'll find her," whispered Dart. "We'll stop that woman and put the real Emille back in her place."

Albert turned and smiled weakly. "Thank you," he said. "I find myself frantic. I am glad I have friends to help ground me." He placed a grateful hand on Dart's shoulder.

"She's gone!" called Meru. "Let's go!"

Spinning, Dart rushed to Emille's door and turned the knob. He swore.

"Locked," he muttered. "Hopefully the king will forgive me for this."

He placed a hand on the doorknob and concentrated, and a moment later, the metal grew red hot before their eyes. Dart pushed his weight against the door, and then again, and finally the metal latch bent, allowing the door to open into the room. They spilled in and took in their surroundings, though Kongol remained outside once more.

The room appeared to have been ransacked, but Albert was fairly certain that it was merely a lack of cleanliness on the part of the imposter. Clothes, books, sheets, and even undergarments lay scattered across the floor, and the far side of the room hosted a large pile of trash. Underneath the mess, Albert could discern the layout of a room much like Lisa's but with a distinctly different style. Where Lisa's room was warm and inviting with plenty of reds and oranges, Emille's evoked calmer feelings with a style of blue and green.

"What a mess," muttered Meru. "How could she keep anything in here?"

"She probably lost the real Emille somewhere in here," chuckled Haschel. "I bet she doesn't remember where she put her."

"If she were here, she would be well hidden," remarked Albert, somewhat irritated at their flippant attitude.

"And Gehrich said it could only be accessed with magic," reminded Rose.

"How do we find something locked away with magic?" asked Dart.

"I thought only dragoons could use magic," said Shana.

"She must be using it somehow," said Rose simply. "She has flawlessly imitated Emille's appearance."

"Yes, yes, but how do we find her?" asked Albert impatiently.

Rose sighed. "Magic usually leaves some kind of trace," she explained. "It would be undetectable normally, but dragoons may be able to sense it. It feels… dense. And it tastes kind of metallic."

They all stared at her.

"What?" asked Haschel.

She sighed again.

"Feel for it with your mind. Push outward, like how you pull magic from your dragoon spirit. When you sense the lingering magic, it feels like matter itself has come… together in that spot. And if you pass through it, it leaves a metallic taste in your mouth."

"That's so weird," said Meru.

"But true," said Rose, irritated.

"We must try," insisted Albert.

The room fell silent as the dragoons focused. Albert did as Rose had instructed and reached out with his mind, pushing it all around him. He tried to sense any irregularities, but he struggled to maintain his intent.

Meru sighed loudly. Haschel smacked her arm.

All at once, Albert felt something that could only be described as Rose had put it: dense. Far above him, there was a swirling eddy of energy, so faint because of the distance, a point at which it felt that matter decided to collapse in on itself. Everyone but Meru suddenly looked up to the ceiling.

"It's up there," said Dart.

"I agree," nodded Rose.

"How do we access it?" asked Albert.

Shana began to walk about the room, keeping her eyes above her. The ceiling was a dozen feet high, much higher than a normal ceiling, enlarging the room as befitting a princess's quarters. However, it appeared to be devoid of any deviation in the pattern of the wooden slats.

"Are there more stairs outside?" asked Dart. "On the side of the tower?"

"Not that I saw," said Meru.

"I had never considered how the tower balconies might be accessed," mused Albert. "Perhaps they are designed to be only available to the occupants of these rooms."

"It's more defensible, anyway," said Haschel. "You could do a lot of damage from those towers before anyone found a way to reach you."

"There!" called Shana, pointing above the four-poster bed. "A panel or something!"

The group gathered around, and sure enough, faint lines outlining a square hatch in the ceiling were visible.

"How do we get up there?" asked Haschel.

"I bet Kongol could lift us up," offered Meru. "I'll go ask him!" And she marched out to do so.

The rest of them began the task of moving the heavy oak bed frame so that the panel could be reached. Thankfully, their strength was enhanced by the dragoons' power, and it turned out easier for them to move the bed than for Kongol to get through the short and skinny door frame. Albert felt almost guilty watching the giganto wiggle and slide and slouch through the frame, but Kongol seemed indifferent to the situation and merely stood at attention when he finally had made it inside.

"The other doors in the castle are bigger," assured Haschel, comforting Kongol with a light pat on the arm.

"I am used to tiny doors," said Kongol. "I just don't like using them."

"But you took it like a champ!" grinned Meru. "Now hoist us up there so we can rescue a princess!"

"Very well." Kongol nodded. "Who first?"

Meru thrust her hand into the air and began bouncing on her toes. "Me, me, me, me, me!"

Another amused curl of the lip showed on Kongol's face, and he approached the door. He reached up with a long, thick arm and pushed on the panel. It lifted easily, and Kongol set it aside in the ceiling and turned to Meru.

"Stay still," he instructed.

Then he knelt, placed his hands outside her legs, and lifted her into the doorway. She squealed in delight and quickly scrambled into the room.

"It's kind of musty up here," she called down.

"We don't all need to go," mentioned Rose. "I'll stay."

"Me, too," said Haschel.

"And me," added Shana.

"I would… like to go," muttered Albert.

"Don't be shy, Your Majesty!" called Meru as she stuck her face through the open hatch. "We know you're excited to meet her!"

"Come," grunted Kongol. "Go save her."

Nodding sheepishly, the king stepped toward Kongol. As he reached out his oversized arms, Albert held up a hand.

"Perhaps this is foolish of me, but could you allow me to merely stand on your hands?"

With the full realization that his dignity should not require such a change, his pride would not allow him to be tossed about, even by someone like Kongol in a moment such as this. Kings are not carried, he thought to himself.

Kongol merely shrugged and held his hands out, fingers clasped together, ready to serve as a steppingstone. Placing a hand on Kongol's shoulder, still high despite his being hunched, Albert stepped into the giganto's hands and steadied himself as best he could while Kongol raised him up slowly but effortlessly. With Kongol's shoulders now raised over six feet off the ground, it was no difficulty having Albert reach the door, though vertigo threatened to overtake him. This frustrated him as he recalled the heights he longed to reach as a dragoon, but seeing the ground so far away with nothing more to hold onto left him feeling shaky and nervous nonetheless. Luckily, Kongol's large hands together were almost as sturdy as a stone platform, and Albert was able to remain steady until he could grasp Meru's outstretched hand, and then he climbed into the room to join her. It was indeed musty.

As Dart followed them up into the tower, Albert glanced around. The floor appeared the same as the ceiling had from below, though there were multiple large beams giving it support. Across from him, a spiral stone staircase began, creeping up the side of the tower and swirling up to the top. Multiple small windows allowed a meager amount of light in, and Albert craned his neck to see all the way to the top. Though he could not be sure from this distance, it appeared that there was a ladder there reaching into a well-lit room.

Several grunts from Meru announced her hoisting Dart into the tower, and Albert turned to help. Then the three turned toward the stairs.

"Up we go," muttered Dart. "You want to take the lead on this one?"

Albert nodded slowly and stepped over several beams to reach the stairs as he brought in a steady stream of fresh air from the windows to relieve the humidity of the room. They climbed up and up and up, and once more Albert was grateful for his dragoon spirit. Its magic helped relieve his feeling of being trapped, and it granted him much stamina. Meru began to pant after only a fourth of the flight had been traversed, but Dart and Albert were steady and did not slow. The silence was piercing, and Albert reached out with his mind as he had before to feel for the magic. It was still there, above him, waiting.

"What if she detests me?" he mumbled.

"How can she?" huffed Meru, and Albert jumped, startled to realize that he had spoken his fear aloud. "You're a great guy. Good king. You're willing to climb all these stairs for her, aren't you?" She gave a great sigh as she fought for air. "My thighs are dying."

"You have nothing to worry about," assured Dart. "Just… let her know how you feel. When you get a chance."

The sadness in Dart's voice was not lost on the king, and empathy filled him.

"We should… discuss that," said Albert carefully. "At a later date, of course."

There came no reply, and the silence returned; only their footfalls and Meru's heavy breathing could be heard.

At last, they reached the top, and Albert climbed the ladder. There was no trapdoor this time, and he climbed easily into an open and covered room eerily reminiscent of the top of Hellena Prison. He shivered as he glanced around. A steady breeze wafted across them, skirting through the small room by means of large, open windows on every side. A doorway stood across from them, leading onto the balcony that they had spotted from the city. Under different circumstances, Albert would have stridden onto the balcony and stayed there for hours, watching the city and the castle and feeling the wind in his face. But what really caught his attention was a curious artifact leaning on a stand on the other side of the room. It was a painting of Princess Emille.

"Huh," said Meru. "Not what I was expecting."

"But that's the source of the magic, no doubt," said Dart.

"Indeed," confirmed Albert.

He stepped up to the painting, nearly as tall as he was, and observed. It was striking and lifelike, though the brush strokes could still be seen up close. In this image, Emille wore a striking blue dress that revealed her collarbone, and several strands of her curly brown hair laced themselves across it. She sat with perfect poise, a delicate grin on her mouth, eyes full of the compassion that Albert felt had been promised to him. Without command, his hand reached out and stroked the dark skin of her cheek, and he stood for a moment, mesmerized.

"So how do we… I don't know… break in?" asked Meru.

"They said magic, but I don't know how," said Dart. "We should have brought Rose with us."

"She's awful pretty, though," said Meru, bouncing forward to peer more closely at the painting. "It's wild how different she is just in a painting. This must be a painting of the real princess."

She reached out and placed her hand on the frame, and Albert recoiled as a bright flash of light temporarily blinded him. When he opened them, he had to take an extra moment to steady himself. He crinkled his nose and smacked his lips as a metallic taste filled his mouth, and he recalled Rose's description from earlier. It almost appeared that he remained atop the tower in the Twin Castle, but the entire area appeared to be made of paint. And yet… it was real. He glanced down and saw his boot standing on brushstrokes imitating the wood floor, and the wall displayed a grayish paint designed to imitate stonework. However, where the painting had stood before, there was now a simple chair, and in the chair sat Princess Emille.

She was almost as she had been in the painting, though she was fast asleep. Her head bobbed to and fro as she breathed incredibly slowly, and her hands were folded lightly across her lap. Albert's breath caught, and he took several slow steps toward her. Though he was fully aware of the time-sensitive nature of their mission, it was all he could do to keep himself from standing there for an hour, simply watching her breathe.

"This is the trippiest thing I've ever seen," came Meru's voice, wrenching Albert back into the present.

"What is this place?" asked Dart.

"It must be some kind of magical space that was created within the painting," surmised Albert. "Although, I am quite unsure how we managed to access it."

"Maybe any presence of magic did the trick," dismissed Dart. "But let's see if we can wake her up and get her out of here."

Nodding, Albert knelt before the princess and carefully placed a lock of hair behind her ear. His hand shivered as he touched her cheek.

"Your Highness," he said quietly.

There was no response.

"Princess Emille," he spoke more urgently. "We need you to wake up." Reaching out, he took her shoulder and shook her gently. "Please, you must wake!"

"I could slap her," offered Meru.

"The sleep might be magical, too," said Dart, ignoring Meru's comment. "We might need magic to wake her up."

"Perhaps Shana?"

"I think that's our best bet."

"Where's Haschel when I need him?" mumbled Meru, placing frustrated hands on her hips.

"You'll have to carry her," said Dart. "At least, I assume you want to be the one to do it."

"Yes, I… can do that," muttered the king. Then standing, he shifted to her side and carefully placed his arm under her knees. After reaching the other around her back, he hoisted the princess up, and her head flopped over onto his chest. He felt that his heart might beat so forcefully that they would not require Shana's services, but Emille remained quite unconscious.

"How, uh… do we get outta here?" posed Meru.

"Good question," muttered Dart. He held out a hand to generate fire, but nothing happened. "I guess… magic doesn't work in here?"

The two looked around for a minute, but there appeared to be no way out. The city and sky almost appeared to be a canvas wall surrounding the painted balcony, blocking any access out of the world. Dart moved toward the ladder and stomped his foot on the empty space, not allowing any exit. Just as Albert was beginning to panic, a loud pop came from somewhere near Meru, and the world returned to its former state.

"Whoa," commented Meru.

"How did—?" began Dart. "Never mind. We can ask Rose later, if she even knows anything. We have places to be. Let's get out of here." And he climbed down the ladder.

Meru followed, and the three worked together to lower Emille awkwardly to the top of the stairs. Albert clambered down and picked up Emille again, and they descended as quickly as possible, though he dreaded stumbling down the long staircase. More than anything, Albert could not stand the thought of dropping the elder princess of Tiberoa.

Reaching the bottom of the tower, they were faced once more with the difficult task of lowering Emille into the bedroom. The group worked quickly, however, and soon enough she was slung over Kongol's back and then laid gingerly on her bed. As soon as Albert was on the floor, he sat next to her as Shana approached.

"I can feel it," she said. "The magic, I mean. It's just like Rose described. Can you sense it?"

"Weakly," replied Albert.

"It's really obvious to me," said Shana. "I wonder if that means I can heal it."

"Perhaps it is some kind of magical malady recognized by your dragoon spirit."

"We can hope."

She gave him a quick smile before holding out her hands and producing a healing aura. Tendrils of light spread over Emille's body, and Albert waited, hardly able to draw in breaths. Somehow, he needed this to work. Though they could reveal the imposter even with Emille still asleep, it would be much easier with her awake. And finally, he admitted to himself that he simply cared for her, as absurd as it seemed.

He had never met her before. Not really. The imposter did not count. But before him lay the only woman who had ever held his attention for more than a fortnight. He had considered multiple others before, but in the end, they fell short of his high expectations. None of them would have been the queen he envisioned. But this woman, her visage lit so beautifully in Shana's healing magic, might carry the love that he desired for his people.

She stirred, and Albert nearly bolted to his feet. The light dissipated, and Shana backed away, leaving the waking Emille in Albert's care. Vaguely aware of all eyes on him, he quickly shifted closer to her, ready to inform her of the situation so that they could be on their way.

She grunted to be awoken from such a deep sleep, and she placed a hand on her forehead before finally opening her eyes. Then turning, she saw Albert next to her and his friends behind him, and she gasped and jerked up to sit, ready to panic.

"We are not here to harm you!" said Albert hastily, holding up his hands. "I am King Albert of Serdio, and these are my companions. We are in a dire situation at the moment, and we need your help."

"King… Albert? How…? How can I trust you?" Emille's eyes were full of terror, and it pained Albert to see her afraid.

Mustering the kindest expression he could muster, he said, "You wrote me a letter once. There was significant tension at the time between Basil and Sandora, and you took the time to write me a letter, encouraging me to rely on my wisdom as king. You assured me that I would do what was best for my people."

Her expression softened slightly, though she was still unsure.

"I remember," she said, nodding slowly. "You responded."

Albert smiled softly. "I thanked you for your kindness and expressed how much your letter meant to me."

For just a moment, a smile lifted Emille's lips, and Albert found himself unable to break her gaze. Such joy filled his heart that he longed to kiss her at that moment, an urge that nearly overwhelmed him until she shattered the moment with reality.

"You said there is a dire situation. What is going on?"