"Moxxie, Millie, I wanna thank you both for your instant kindness toward Charlotte." Alastor said. "I know human beings haven't always been the most polite to you but, I promise you that Charlotte is someone who will always be respectful and compassionate to anyone."
"I believe you dear." Millie said putting the kettle on. "But before we offically allow this young lady to stay, we must discuss a few things."
"Such as?"
"For starters, who is she?" Moxxie said.
"What do you mean? You all know who she is."
"The only thing we know about her is that she's your friend."
"And apparently comes from the castle." Blitzo added. "Now what are the odds of a peasant girl coming from a castle?"
"Slim but not impossible." Alastor said.
"Alastor." Millie said sternly. "Tell us the truth."
"Well..." Alastor said nervously. "It's not for me to tell."
"Talk or we throw her out." Blitzo said.
Millie thumped Blitzo on the head for that comment.
"Ow!"
"What he means is." Millie said. "We wouldn't really feel comfortable allowing someone to stay here unless we know exactly who they are. That's reasonable, don't you think?"
"Very much so." Alastor admitted. "I only hope Charlotte doesn't mind me breaking a promise."
"She'll have to if she wants to stay here." Blitzo said.
"Okay it's like this. You all are aware that King Percival has a daughter, yes?"
"Of course." Millie said.
"Well you just met her."
There was a brief silence as the three alps stared at Alastor in shock
"You mean that maiden is the royal princess of Germany?" Moxxie asked.
"Yes." Alastor said.
"Oh come on Alastor, how dumb do you think we are?" Blitzo said.
"It's true."
"But that can't be possible." Moxxie said. "She grew up in the forest, raised by a peasant. How could she possibly be the princess?"
"The queen sent her and her stepsister to live with Dolores until the war was over. She claimed it was to keep them safe from enemy spies or something like that. I never believed it personally and neither did Charlotte."
"Well if she is truly the princess, I guess that would explain the assassination attempt. Let me guess, venegeful turks?"
"More like a deranged stepmother. We're positive it's the queen who wants her dead."
"Why?"
"We don't know. But that woman has felt nothing but hatred toward Charlotte ever since she was a child. And I willing to bet everything I have that she's a witch. I've seen the twinge her eyes, the one you always warned me about Moxxie."
"I have heard rumors about the queen practicing witchcraft." Moxxie said.
"So now we know who she is and why can't go home." Millie said. "Now I'd like you tell us mpre about the assassin."
"I told you all that I know. He's an alp who can turn into a wolf. There's nothing more to say."
"Are you sure? Did he say anything to you?"
Alastor thought back to when he fought the alp that threatened Charlotte's life. There was something about the way he looked at Alastor that particularly stuck to him. It was filled with rage but also a sense of panic. As if Alastor himself was some terrible secret that creature was trying to keep covered up.
"There is one thing, for a split second, I thought he knew me. But that's nonsense, you three are the only alps I've ever known."
That long eerie silence came back and the alps were suddenly looking at each other fearfully. As if they had just been informed that their worst nightmare had become a reality.
"He found him." Millie finally said in a whisper.
"Beg pardon?" Alastor said.
"Oh God he finally found him. What if he comes for him?"
"Now Millie don't panic." Moxxie said attempting to calm her. "As strong as his nose is, it'll be difficult for him to track anything in the pouring rain."
"What do you think he'll do to Alastor if he finds him again?"
"Forget the kid!" Blitzo said. "Think about what he'll do to me if he finds us!"
"Blitzo!" The couple said appalled.
"Oh come on, we all know I'm the one he's the most pissed at."
"But he never tried to kill you." Moxxie said.
"Who never tried to kill...What?" Alastor asked reading the room. What's the matter with you all? You're all acting like you've seen a ghost."
The alps turned their attention to their ward.
"Alastor we...We know this alp who tried to kill your friend." Moxxie said. "Well technically Blitzo knows him. Millie and I just know of him."
"Who is he?" Alastor asked.
"His name is Striker." Blitzo said. "And he's an alp who goes by the old ways of getting energy."
"You mean he feeds on flesh."
"Yeah. He hunts down humans, kills them, eats them, and draws strength or speed or any special ability from that human. He's very dangerous and very clever."
"He's also a psycho for hire." Moxxie said. "When he not trying to satisfy his gluttonous hunger for power and bloodshed, he's doing jobs for certain humans who don't want to get their hands dirty."
"Like the queen no doubt." Alastor said.
"There's more." Millie sighed nervously. "The day we found you, he was there trying to kill you."
Alastor looked at her confused.
"So he does know me. Wait a moment, why was he trying to kill me?"
"We don't know. You were probably just another job." Moxxie said.
"Or maybe you were just lunch." Blitzo said. "He never had any qualms about eating children."
"What exactly happened that day you found me?" Alastor asked. "You never told me the whole story and I know you don't mean to. We never actually discussed it. But I think now would be a good time to do so."
"I agree." Millie said sitting down in the chair next to Alastor. "We'll tell you everything we know and everything we saw. Don't get your hopes up though, we didn't see who your family was or where you offically came from. We only know how you ended up in the woods that day."
"I understand."
"Though we always suspected that you might have been born in Poland."
"Poland?"
"It was about twelve years ago, I think." Moxxie started. "The people of Germany were getting wise to our tricks and scams so we decided to try our luck in Poland."
"Why Poland of all places? It's right next to Germany. Word from the people you cheated probably got around there."
"Yes it did. But Blitzo had the ridiculous idea that Polish people were natrually stupid."
"Hey you guys believed me." Blitzo said.
"No we didn't." Millie said.
"We just pretended to because Millie and I wanted to make that trip into a second honeymoon." Moxxie said. "What a waste of a good trip. We didn't even get to go sight seeing. We just spent all day in that stupid wagon, working on that bogus tonic."
"We were not on vacation Moxxie." Blitzo said. "It was business."
"A terrible business. I told you no one would actually buy that gunk you cooked up. They figured out your con in no time at all and they were furious. We're lucky we didn't end up in the stocks that day. Or worse."
"Anyway." Millie said reminding the men to stay on topic. "It was a month after King Ludwick of Poland had passed away, and his son Vincent had ascended the throne. We were in town, trying out Blitzo's latest snake oil scheme. And of course it ended in disaster."