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Chapter II
Soleanna Morning Troubles

"Sonic, if you leave here to go on another adventure... remember this place!"
"Definitely! …Elise?"
"I'm fine... Sorry..."
"Elise... Smile!"

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Sonic left the hotel and found himself on the streets of Soleanna New City. The rundown flophouse in which he and his friends had taken up quarters for the duration of their stay was called 'The Venice Inn', a name that was as boastful as it was misleading. But it was one of the few domiciles where the privacy of the guests was considered paramount and not too much uncomfortable questions were asked. Even Mobians didn't attract much attention here. And last but not least, it was one of the few hotels that still had rooms available and was willing to rent them out to visitors from Mobius.

The morning air was chilly, and the stiff breeze that came in from the ocean tasted salty and had a slight smell of fish. In the azure, cloudless sky, the still somewhat pale sun had only just managed to rise above some of the lower rooftops of the canal-crossed seaport city. Only a few people were already out in the streets at this early hour, and apart from a bakery, no store had opened yet. Morning silence was over the town, and he could hear the screeching of the seagulls circling above the fishing boats arriving and departing at the harbor.

The Hedgehog tried to clear his head with the aid of the crisp air, but no sooner had he taken in a deep breath than a hearty yawn escaped him. The confrontation with Knuckles a moment ago still weighed heavily on him, and he shook his head as if he could drive the unpleasant event out of his mind that way. It had taken all his self-control to wrestle down the vicious and irrational rage that had suddenly surged up inside him, and all just because of Knuckles' little teasing. He almost even raised his hand against one of his oldest friends, even though he had been more or less in the wrong. He was appalled at his own behavior.

Stressed and tired, and not even in the mood to run, he began to saunter down the street and made his way towards Kingdom Valley again. Since he assumed that the young princess would probably spend most of her time in or around her castle, he thought this would be the most appropriate place to look for her. The Mobian had already spent most of the past two days there, in the hope of perhaps seeing or even meeting her, and had passed the time by strolling through the spacious gardens and across the numerous ornate stone bridges of Soleanna's government district, where the imposing palace of the royal family was located.

Of course, he had already tried the direct, official way, had asked the palace guards if he could visit the inside of the giant fortress. But they did not let him pass. The heavily armed sentinels simply informed him that 'anthros' were not permitted to enter the palace. King's orders. They had not even allowed him to hang around at the entrance of the castle for any length of time. And when he had politely asked them if it would be possible to request an audience with the princess, even for just a minute, they had slapped their knees in laughter. It filled him with red-hot anger to be treated like that, but he knew it wouldn't get him anywhere if he made a scene. And so the Hedgehog had no other option but to continue wandering through the extensive and magnificent palace gardens of Kingdom Valley.

However, he couldn't help but notice that the surroundings seemed strangely familiar to him. These huge old stone buildings with their countless balconies and ledges... These impressive Gothic cathedrals with their stained glass windows... The roaring waterfalls, the elaborate fountains, the cultivated, colorful plantings... This place was truly beautiful, even by standards of Earth realm. And although he was absolutely sure that he had never visited this region before, he couldn't get rid of the odd feeling that he had seen all this before, at least in a very similar form.

But Sonic had little interest in all the splendor that surrounded him anyway. He just hoped to be able to eventually catch a glimpse of the royal family, especially of their young daughter, of course. And he also wasn't unaware of the fact that the more time he spent near her home, the better he felt somehow, if only because he knew she had to be nearby somewhere. The mere thought that the Princess might come his way at any moment in this maze of bridges, trees and hedges filled him with a strange, joyous excitement, and the tiredness and irritability that had plagued him this morning were soon forgotten. He didn't quite understand why, but for some reason he couldn't wait to meet her in the flesh.

Maybe I'll be lucky enough to run into her by chance, he mused. I really don't feel like waiting until that funny festival takes place to see her in person. And who knows if I'll even get the chance to talk to her in private there. On the other hand, he also had no clear conception of what to do when he would finally stand in front of her. What should I even say to her? 'Hey cutie, please excuse me, but I have dreams about dying with you?' He shook his head in despair. What a messed up situation!

He came to another junction within the labyrinthine gardens and decided to take a path that would lead him back near the entrance area of the palace. Maybe it's about time to change my strategy. Can't stand another night like the last ones! If there's no other way, I'm just gonna break into that castle and grab me that girl. These morons called guards here are welcome to try catching me. The idea made him grin involuntarily, but he quickly dismissed the thought. It was certainly not the smartest move to surprise the Princess of Soleanna with a crime on his first visit.

He was so absorbed in his musings that he didn't even notice that one of the palace guards had placed himself in his path until he almost walked into the guy. The tall human towered over the Mobian by more than a meter. His high-tech battle suit was armored with gray, overlapping metal plates, and on his back he wore a long, single-edged sword and a futuristic looking assault rifle. Some of his ash-blond hair stuck to his head, while it stood off tousled in other places. Either he had slept as badly as Sonic, or he must have been wearing a helmet until just now. He rammed the tip of his triangular shield into the ground in front of the Hedgehog, snapping the Blue Blur out of his thoughts and interrupting his stroll. "You're Sonic the Hedgehog, or am I mistaken," the soldier wanted to know in a commanding voice.

Fairly puzzled by the man's threatening behavior, the Mobian looked up at him. "Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, I'm not looking for trouble, pal."

"Neither am I, Mr. Sonic, sir. Please don't take offense at my somewhat rude demeanor. It has come to my attention that you have asked to see our princess, Miss Elise." The man lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "If you're willing to do me a small favor, I might have an idea for a win-win for us both."

Sonic thought about it for a moment. The offer sounded promising. And he could definitely do with a helping hand if he wanted to finally get closer to his goal. Still, he remained suspicious. "Depends on the favor."

"Well, first of all, let me tell you that my kids love you! Every time they see you on television, they're totally freaking out! And I... like you, too! I really appreciate what you've done so far, saving people and all that."

"No sweat. Now get to the point."

The guard nodded. "Okay, listen. You've come here because of our festival, haven't you? I'm off tomorrow, and I'm goin' to attend with my family. If you promise to meet me there and sign an autograph for my kids, I'll tell you where you can find Miss Elise today," he said in a lowered voice.

Sonic smiled in relief. "And that's all?"

"Uhm, actually not. Sorry." The man grinned sheepishly. "I've one more request." As inconspicuously as possible, he gestured with his head towards the castle entrance, where several other watchmen had gathered in the meantime. They seemed to be observing the conversation between the human and the Mobian from a distance while whispering something to each other. "You see my colleagues over there?"

A bad feeling came over the Hedgehog. "What about them?"

"I've a bet goin' with those guys. If... If I manage to intimidate you enough to finally leave the royal gardens, they'll owe me a shitload of cash. Not to mention their respect." The guard chuckled uncertainly, and it was obvious that he was rather embarrassed by the whole thing by now.

"Seriously?" Sonic crossed his arms in front of his chest and tapped his foot on the floor. "What kind of kindergarten is this here?"

"Uh... well...," the soldier stammered, his face turning red. "Please?"

The Hedgehog had to laugh, although he didn't feel like it. "Fella, I've got a reputation to lose, ya know? And believe it or not, somewhere I have my pride too!"

"We just have to pretend. And I'll find a way to delete the surveillance recordings. I swear!"

Sonic could see the guy's knuckles turning white as his hands clawed into the shield still stuck in the ground in front of him. He had probably talked big in front of his friends, counting on the Mobian to go along with his silly game for whatever reason. And now he couldn't back out anymore without losing face. But it also seemed that he had no evil intentions at heart. He was obviously just a fool. The Hedgehog rolled his eyes. I can't believe I'm really doing this! If the matter wasn't so pressing... "All right, man! Spit it out! How and where can I meet Miss Elise?"

The soldier's relief was impossible to miss. But then a worry line appeared between his eyes again. "Uh... Mr. Sonic, sir... Would you at least tell me what you actually want from the princess?" he asked as he eventually seemed to remember some of his duties as a palace guard after all.

But the Blue Blur's patience was running out. "Time's up, pal. Deal or not?"

"Okay then," the watchman nodded and started to explain. "Have you ever been to the east side of the castle rock? The palace grounds are connected directly to the ocean on that side. At the base of the cliff is a small, hidden jetty that's usually only accessible from the palace's underground area. From the catacombs." He winked as if referring to a popular running gag, but continued when he noticed Sonic wasn't responding. "Anyway, that's where the boats are moored that will be cruising around the canals during the festival. They say Miss Elise has to practice for the ceremony with some of the dancers this morning. So I'm sure you can find her there."

Finally, a clue! Excitement filled the Hedgehog, and his spines almost rose up. "I'll give it a try. Thanks, pal. See ya tomorrow!" He was about to dash off, but suddenly the guard cleared his throat. "Oh... Right..." Sonic sighed. "I almost forgot."

The man pulled his shield out of the ground and reached for the sword on his back. "Thank you, Mr. Sonic, sir! I appreciate so much!"

Sometimes I hate myself for always keeping my word! Sonic took a step back, pretending to be intimidated by the posturing of the heavily armed trooper.

The sentinels at the entrance suddenly started to cheer and clapped their hands.

The Mobian gritted his teeth. What a bunch of jerks! I just hope it's all worth it! He turned around and sped away so fast that it looked as though he was creating a blue streak of light behind him.

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-===XXX===-

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To shower alternately hot and cold had turned out to be a good decision. It had gotten her circulation going and cleared her head, and now she felt much better. The shadow of her bad dream had faded, and the anger about her maid's behavior had largely dissipated. Refreshed in every sense, dressed in clean, comfortable clothes, and equipped with her favorite hairpins shaped like feathers, Elise was ready to tackle the day. All that was missing was a proper breakfast.

She left her room and went downstairs, heading for the dining hall. The petite woman needed both her hands to push open even one leaf of the heavy double door, which creaked loudly as if it wanted to protest against its purpose. The refectory of Kingdom Valley Castle was downright gigantic. If one was alone and raised one's voice, it was possible to create a reverberation that almost passed for an echo. As a child, Elise had often clowned around with this feature of the room, always laughing her head off at the funny effect.

Magnificent tapestries adorned the gray stone walls of the imposing hall, which was dominated by a black oak table more than ten meters long, flanked by two rows of chairs made of the same material. Numerous golden chandeliers with electrified candles hung from the ceiling, and, together with countless candlesticks mounted on the walls and standing on the table, they bathed the room in a warm light. At the other end of the hall, a fire crackled in a large fireplace that perfectly complemented the medieval ambience of the room. Nowadays, however, it served more of a decorative function and hardly took any work away from the modern heating system that had been embedded into the floor.

Her father, Duke Hector of Soleanna, was sitting alone at one side of the table, about to eat a plateful of roasted chicken thighs. Fat ran down his fingers and dripped from his hands as he took one of the pieces and broke it in half along with the bone.

Now that's what I call a balanced breakfast, Elise thought, and had to smile as she walked over to him. "Good morning, father. Enjoy your meal."

Without looking up or giving is daughter an answer, the aged but still tall and sturdy nobleman pointed to the empty chair next to him with one of the halves of the broken chicken leg. On his wrinkled, fully bearded face was a petrified expression.

The princess arched an eyebrow in irritation, but did as she was told and sat down beside her father. Her smile faded. "Is something bothering you, Daddy?"

"Don't call me that. I've told you before," the sovereign of Soleanna retorted gruffly.

Light of Solaris! This morning is getting better by the minute! "Yes, sire!"

"And spare me your snippy sarcasm," Hector snapped. "We have something important to discuss."

"Then please be so kind as to tell me what's on your mind," Elise asked tensely.

"It's about our festival tomorrow night." The monarch tore the flesh from another chicken thigh with his teeth before breaking that one in half as well with a wet crunch. "I want you to finally train for it today, along with the others. Out on the boats."

The girl was relieved to some extent. She had already more or less come to terms with the idea. If that's all... "I know. Susi already told me."

"Good. Since you're taking over in my place for the first time this year, I definitely don't want you to mess anything up. Not a single line. Not a single step." Hector sucked the marrow out of the bone pieces, which sent a cold shiver down his daughter's spine. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, father. I won't." My, he's in the best of spirits again today!

"I hope so." The gnawed-off bones flew across the table.

No longer willing to put up with her father's moods and manners, the princess made a move to rise from her seat. But at that moment the side entrance to the kitchen opened and Susanna came in, carrying a tray of food.

"We're not done yet," Hector stated with ominous calm, picking the next piece of meat from the steaming pile in front of him. He turned it back and forth in his fingers as if to examine it, still not dignifying his daughter with a single glance. "There is something else. Something that has been brought to my ears. Susanna told me that you were touching yourself in the most indecent way this morning, even screaming loudly." The crack of the next breaking chicken leg banged like a gunshot through the suddenly dead silent dining hall.

Elise was completely taken by surprise and deeply appalled. "W-W-What?! That's not true!" Anger and shame welled up inside her, and her heart began to race. "I-I just had a bad dream," she tried to justify herself, her voice trembling.

"So you call her a liar?" the duke asked in a menacing tone, gesturing with his head in the direction of the approaching maid.

This isn't really happening now! I'm still asleep, and this is just another nightmare! For the second time that morning, the face of the princess turned fiery red. She shot the other woman an angry look. "Susanna! How could you?!"

"She's a good maid, and it was right of her to tell me," Hector said, licking grease from his fingers. "Don't blame her for something you brought on yourself."

The noblewoman regained some of her pride and strength. Her hands curled into fists under the table. "And even if it were true! It's my body! My privacy! It's nobody's business what I'm doing in my privacy!"

Meanwhile, Susanna had crossed the large dining room. Her lips twisted into a sneer as she stepped next to the upset princess and set the tray down in front of her. "Miss Elise. Here comes your breakfast."

Elise glanced at it, horrified to discover that, along with several plates of rolls, boiled eggs, and peeled fruit, her little Sonic plush doll had also been placed on it. Solaris, save me! It's a setup! Suddenly, an ice-cold hand grabbed her heart and threatened to crush it.

Hector pointed at the innocently smiling toy. "She also assured me that she heard you whisper the name of that Mobian critter while you were practicing that filth." He spat out the words with such disdain as if they caused a foul taste in his mouth. "Are you going to deny it, and lie to me again?"

Elise became dizzy. Was I really speaking my thoughts out loud? "Susanna...! Did you eavesdrop on my door or what?! And how dare you touch my Soni- ...my stuff?"

"I said leave her alone!" her father thundered all of a sudden, banging his fist on the table.

The young girl flinched violently. "F-Father..." she stammered, hardly able to breathe in distress. "It meant nothing! But Susi, she... she's vicious! She's harassing me!"

But Hector was not interested in a discussion. He talked himself more and more into a frenzy. "You are the one who's misbehaving!" he continued, roaring. Drops of grease flew out of his beard. "I'm downright ashamed of you! I am disgusted with you and your sickening obsession with that hideous beast! You're not a little child anymore! I will no longer tolerate such behavior!"

Elise was stunned and at a loss for words. All she could do was stare at her father in dismay, a storm raging inside her heart and head.

The monarch reached for the next chicken drumstick. "And there's one more thing I want to talk to you about, or basically just announce to you," he said a little more calmly. While he had stopped yelling, it didn't make his voice sound any less intimidating. "Tonight we have another candidate for you as our guest. He and his father will be having dinner with us."

"Father, please..." The princess felt like she couldn't take much more.

"He is a highly respected nobleman. His name is Sir Reginald Bullenhorst, Prince of Ostenheim," Hector continued without stumbling over the name, although he was chewing with his mouth full.

"Father...?"

"He's suitable for you. In addition, the realm of Ostenheim is an important trading partner for our kingdom. Not to mention the military benefits of an alliance with them."

"Father...!"

"You will join our dinner. On time. Dressed adequately." The duke slurped the marrow out of another cracked chicken bone. "And get used to the idea of marrying him."

"Fa- ...What?!"

For the first time that morning, Hector turned to meet his daughter's gaze, who just stared back at him in disbelief. He saw rising tears glistening in her eyes, but that could not soften the aged ruler. His expression was implacable, almost emotionless. He didn't care about her feelings. And his voice vibrated with anger as he began to shout again. "And you will behave yourself!"

Elise thought she had to faint at any moment. Shaken and distraught, she jumped up from her seat and ran out of the dining room through the side entrance that led to the kitchen. But as she rushed through the cooking area, nearly blinded by the tears that welled up in her eyes, she suddenly bumped into someone.

It was Annmarie, one of the kitchen maids. The kindhearted woman was Elise's best friend, and had even become almost like a mother to the young princess over time, after her birth mother had passed away many years ago. The elderly, dark-skinned woman had stepped in the way of the desperate girl to intercept her. Gently, she pulled Elise into an embrace, hugging her tightly.

The noblewoman let herself fall into the arms of her friend and could no longer hold back her grief. She pressed her face against the other woman's shoulder and began to cry bitterly.

"Shhh, dear... Calm down. I heard what your father said," Annmarie tried to comfort her. It would have been difficult not to hear all that yelling around, she thought. "Please don't take it to heart."

Elise sniffled heartbreakingly. "He has changed so much... He has become so mean... What's wrong with my father? He's not the person I used to know anymore!"

"Don't mind him... He'll come to his senses again. And then he'll realize that he made a mistake and apologize to you. I'm sure he will. I'm sure he loves you. You are his daughter, after all. The only child of Alisa, his beloved wife. Believe me, deep in his heart he loves you, more than anything." Annmarie had to suppress a sad sigh. Elise's father was behaving more and more cruelly lately, and she knew that the question of whether or not he still loved his own daughter weighed so heavily on her that it almost tore the young girl's heart apart. To uplift the princess again after one of her father's outbursts of rage had almost become a daily task for the caring maid. If only her mother were still alive! Then all this would be unthinkable.

Hearing the name of her mother, Elise sobbed even harder. "Oh merciful Solaris... I miss mom so much!"

"Miss Elise. Listen to me." The kitchen maid grabbed the girl by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "I'm going to tell you a secret now. Trust me, it will make you feel happy again right away."

"Nothing in the world will ever make me happy again," Elise declared firmly, returning her friend's gaze with big blue eyes swimming in tears of despair.

The maid couldn't help but smile. "I don't think so," she objected in a meaningful voice. "What about that Mobian you've been raving about for as long as I can remember? You know who I'm talking about." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "That blue Hedgehog."

"S-Sonic?" Anxiously, Elise glanced at the door to the dining hall, as if expecting her father to burst in at any moment and continue his rant. "What about him?"

"Well, according to the guards, he's been roaming around Kingdom Valley for three days now, spending most of his time close to the castle," Annmarie informed her friend. "He's hanging around in our palace gardens all day."

"Seriously?" Now the princess was all ears.

"Yes. It's true." Annmarie's smile widened. "At first I thought he had come only to join our festival, like all the other visitors. But then a guard who's a friend of mine told me a little more." She paused for a moment, as if to increase the suspense. "They say he had asked them if he could meet you!"

Elise folded her hands in front of her chest as if in prayer. In her eyes, the glint of tears gave way to a sparkle of enthusiasm. "Annie, please tell me you're not kidding!" The greatest hero of all time, the crush of my childhood... wants to meet me? What does that mean? Her heart suddenly started beating so fast that she almost became dizzy again. "W-What am I supposed to do now?"

"The first thing you should do is pull yourself together. Never forget, you are..."

"...the Princess of Soleanna!" finished Elise their common motto, nodding. Finally, a smile came back to her lips.

"There you go! Become a strong queen who doesn't cry, no matter what happens. Now do what your father told you to do. Go and finish your training with the others. Tomorrow you will lead the most important celebration of our country, as the princess of our kingdom, as the heir to the throne of Soleanna. It will certainly become the greatest day of your life so far."

"Okay!" Elise blinked away the last tears and straightened up to her full height.

Annmarie still held the younger woman by the shoulders. Her expression became serious, but in her eyes was deep affection. "Your mother is always with you, Elise. Always watching over you. And Solaris will always protect you. Everything else is in your own hands, and destiny will decide."

Elise nodded again. She turned around and hurried to the rear entrance of the kitchen, which led to the stair tower. There she stopped to look back at her friend once more. "Thank you, Annie!" she said, smiling happily. Then she dashed up the stairs, filled with glowing excitement. The hero of my childhood has come to Soleanna, she thought. And not only to visit our festival, but also to meet me! In person! Annie is right. Tomorrow might really become the greatest day of my life!

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