(Scene fades to the next morning at sunrise. Prince Gallus is seen walking towards the tower door with a couple of guards behind him. He stops in front of the door, unlocks it with a set of keys, and turns to the guards)

Prince Gallus: I'd like to see her myself alone.

(The guards nod and walk away, just as Gallus reluctantly opens the door. He looks in and sees Ida sleeping on the floor next to the spinning wheel. He kneels down next to her and gently shakes her shoulder)

Ida: (begrudgingly wakes up) Uh, what? What time is it?

Prince Gallus: Morning.

(Ida's eyes widen as she sees the Prince over her. She anxiously sits up)

Ida: What are you doing here?

Prince Gallus: I… wanted to see you again. And I'm really sorry to have to fetch you like this. But I'll make sure you get a last request, I promise.

Ida: But I passed the test. Look. (gestures towards the pile of spun gold on the floor)

Prince Gallus: What? (looks down, sees the gold, and gasps as his eyes widen) I-It's gold? (smiles in astonishment) …It's really gold! No way! (grins at Ida) You did it! You really did it!

Ida: Pretty cool, right? (smiles bashfully)

Prince Gallus: Cool? This is AMAZING!

(Scene cuts to the throne room. Prince Gallus and Ida enter with a few guards and a wheelbarrow covered with a sheet. Gallus proudly removes the sheet to reveal the gold and the entire court gasps in surprise, including Cameo and Khloe. The King and Soranus stare in shock as they approach the wheelbarrow of gold)

Prince Gallus: So… what do you think? (smiles at the King and Soranus)

Soranus: …Great bales of moolah in the morning!

King Chalcodon: Oh. My. Gods. It's true. It's really true! This is FANTASTIC!

(Khloe and Cameo run over to the gold, then stare at Ida in shock)

Khloe: I… I don't believe it.

Cameo: Oh Ida, I knew you could do it! (runs over to his daughter, but his mother stops him by elbowing him in the ribs) Ow.

Prince Gallus: Yeah. Pretty cool, right?

Soranus: (to Ida) Did you really spin this gold, child?!

Ida: Yes, sir. I did.

Soranus: Impossible!

Prince Gallus: Incredible is what it is. (smiles at Ida)

Ida: Thank you… Your Highness. (smiles and blushes at Gallus)

Soranus: (glares at the young couple. He glances at the gold and gets an idea) It's a trick! Perhaps it was just beginner's luck. We have to see if she can do it again.

All (sans Soranus): What?!

Ida: Again?! But I just proved it to you!

Soranus: Then you should have no trouble. And perhaps we should try for MORE this time. Hmmmm? (smirks smugly at Ida)

Ida: But I—

Soranus: No buts.

King Chalcodon: Now hold on there, Soranus. Maybe the girl is right. She must be tired from spinning all night, and she deserves a reward for her hard work.

Soranus: Oh please. Trust me, Your Majesty. This little pile is barely enough. (hushed to the King) Especially with your current money troubles and all that.

Ida (hushed): Money troubles? (looks at Gallus, who gives her a sad grimace)

King Chalcodon: Well… perhaps you're right.

Prince Gallus: (in exasperation) Dad!

King Chalcodon: Gallus, don't raise your voice. I'm sorry, son, but this is the way it has to be.

Soranus: Well said, Sire. (takes hold of the wheelbarrow of gold) Now why don't I keep an eye on this gold? (to Ida) And you can spin another room of gold tonight… unless you have any objections. If you do, you'd better say them now. (Ida looks away and stays silent and he smiles) I didn't think so. (winks at Ida) (to the guards standing close by) Fill that same tower room with more straw; five more bales, at once.

Guards: Yes, Lord Soranus. (go off to fetch more straw)

(Soranus wheels the gold away as Ida and Gallus give each other saddened looks)

Prince Gallus: I'm sorry.

(Scene cuts to sunset. Five guards are seen each carrying a bale of straw through the castle and up to the tower room. The guards exit and stand outside the door just as Soranus comes along while dragging Ida behind him. He opens the door and shows her the straw)

Ida (nervously): All this? Into gold?

Soranus: By morning, or else. (shoves Ida into the room, slams the door shut, and locks it) (to the guards) Make sure no one gets in or out. And if anything out of the ordinary happens, let me know immediately.

(The guards nod and stand at the door as Soranus makes his leave)

Soranus: See you tomorrow, missy.

(Scene cuts to Gallus in his bedroom in the castle. He's seen pacing the floor)

Prince Gallus: I still can't believe dad is allowing this. Making her work another night? Soranus is totally out of line. (stops at the window and looks out at the sky) Please, send Ida a miracle.

(Scene fades to later in the night. Ida is seen frantically searching the room for any sign of the little man who helped her)

Ida: (hushed) Hello? Little man? Little man, are you here? Where are you? (normal voice) Ugh, why won't you answer me?!

(The door opens and a guard steps into the room with his partner sticking his head into the room)

Guard #1: Did you call us?

Ida: No! I-I mean… Leave me alone.

(The guards look at each other in confusion and shrug before heading out the door and locking it again. Ida continues to search)

Ida: (hushed) Little man? Please! Little man, answer me! (sighs in defeat) (normal voice) Oh who am I kidding? He's not gonna show up again. (reluctantly sits at the spinning wheel) Maybe he put some kind of spell on the spinning wheel the last time he was here. (takes a handful of straw and starts spinning it, but the wheel starts spinning too fast and it flies off. She yelps in surprise) Then again, maybe he didn't.

Little man: (clears his throat) Looking for me? (emerges from the shadows)

Ida: (yelps and turns around to see the little man. She sighs in relief and smiles) It's only you. How did you know I—?

Little man: I had a feeling you were in trouble again. (shrugs) Call it intuition. (grabs the wheel and attaches it back to the device) So what seems to be the problem now?

Ida: The King wants me to do it again.

Little man: More gold, eh?

Ida: Uh-huh. You can spin for me again, right? (stands up from her stool)

Little man: Hmmm, for a fee. What have you got? (notices a sparkle on Ida's right hand) Ooh, what have we here? (takes Ida's hand and sees the sapphire ring)

Ida: It was my mother's ring. She gave it to me before she died. It's… all I have left.

Little man: Hmmm, rose gold band, five carat sapphire gem… Yes, this will do quite nicely. Now move. If His Majesty wants this to be gold by morning, I need to start NOW. (sits down at the spinning wheel and starts spinning. He smiles and hums "Give Me a Prize" to himself as he spins handful after handful of straw into gold. Ida smiles in relief and excitement as she watches)

(Scene cuts to Soranus in his room. He leans against the wall near a curtain)

Soranus: Astounding. That simple girl really can spin straw into gold… (glances down to see the curtain askew. He uses his foot to get it back into place before climbing into bed) I do believe I can make this work to my advantage. (smiles evilly and turns off the light)

(Scene fades to later in the night. The little man had just finished spinning the last of the straw)

Little man: Phew! (wipes sweat from his brow and stands up from the stool) That's over with. Now for my prize. (holds out his hand, then wags his finger at her)

Ida: Oh yeah, right. (sadly looks at the ring on her finger) (under her breath) I'm sorry, mom. (takes off the ring and offers it to the little man) (normal voice) Here, it's yours.

Little man: Very much appreciated. (snatches the ring from Ida and smiles) Thank you.

Ida: No. Thank you for helping me again. It really means so much to me.

Little man: Don't mention it, dearie. (holds Ida's hand and gently pats it) I'm glad to help. But I suggest you keep a close eye on that Soranus fellow. (lets go of her hand) He's hiding something.

Ida: What?

Little man: No time! Ta! (winks at Ida and disappears into the shadows, leaving her alone)

(Ida sighs and shakes her head with a smirk)