Miette marches tall and proud as she heads to the carriage taking her, Hania and Dawn to the ball. The three Adag women managed to sell enough items from the manor just in time to purchase a beautiful, green, orange and red dress with a mask styled to look like the face of a lovebird. Hania follows her daughter with a light brown dress while Dawn walks behind her mother wearing a black and white dress with a penguin mask.
“Why do I have to have a dress that’s so plain?” Dawn complains.
“Honestly, Dawn,” Hania rebukes. “The penguin is a majestic creature where the women do all the noble work while the men stay behind.”
Dawn secretly rolls her eyes and grumbles, “Well, then why don’t I just pull the carriage with the horses while I’m at it?”
“If you think that will get us there any faster,” Hania replies in a snobby tone.
Dawn glares at her mother from behind bitterly as the ladies get in their carriage. As it begins the departure to the Lumiose Castle, Miette and Hania discuss their plans to woo the prince into having him choose Miette to be his bride once and for all. Dawn, on the other hand, silently scoffs and looks out the window thinking sour thoughts about her mother and sister. But as they get further and further away from the Yvonne estate, her bitterness melts into pity as she wishes there was something she could do to free Serena and take her to the ball.
****************************************************************************************
Over in Lumiose Castle, the ball has already begun. Hundreds of people fill the courtyard as they happily eat, drink and dance. Fireworks are exploding above the castle, making people laugh and cheer in amazement. Timothy and Coovers are standing in front of the royal thrones, shaking hands and thanking words of appreciation from the Kalos citizens, poor and noble alike. Even in a reserved corner close to the castle gates, the Demoth people are enjoying themselves with food and drink and watching jugglers and magicians perform in from of them and the Kalos people.
But as the people are enjoying the masque, Ash is standing from a balcony a few stories above the courtyard with a sad look. He watches his citizens enjoy the party feeling nothing but bitterness for his broken heart. His mind is filled with regret and heartbreak from his mother telling him that the woman he loves is gone to marry another man.
“I understand you wanted to see me?”
Ash turns around to see Jeriack standing behind him. He frowns before he nods yes and turns back to watching the ball. Jeriack looks at his stepson for a moment before he sighs and walks over to him. The next thing Ash knows, he finds his stepfather’s hand on his shoulder and he turns his head to find Jeriack give him a sympathetic look.
“Your mother told me what happened with Comtesse de Ridley,” he explains.
Ash’s disappointment returns as he turns back to look down at the masque. Jeriack frowns sadly and looks at the night sky and bites his tongue.
“Listen...son,” he says.
At that word, Ash turns to look at his stepfather completely surprised. Jeriack shrugs his head as if to say, “Yeah, I know, I’m not used to it either,” before he continues.
“Look, I know I’m not your real father,” he begins. “I confess I hardly have an idea of how to properly act like one myself. I didn’t grow up spending as much time with my father as you did with yours, and yet I looked up to him as a leader. The best idea I ever had of how to be a real parent came from watching your mother parent you ever since our wedding and even then a blind and deaf idiot could figure out that your father’s passing left a hole in your life that neither I, your mother or the entire world could fill.”
Ash stares at his stepfather, surprised and unsure of where Jeriack is going with his speech.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry I’m nothing like the father you needed and perhaps it was unfair of me to put so much pressure on you as I did with the marriage agreement. I just thought it was the best thing to do for our country and that maybe you needed some changes in your life. To be honest, you seemed to be floundering. Maybe it has to do with losing your father, maybe you were struggling in your duties as heir to the throne, I couldn’t tell for sure for the life of me. I guess I just assumed that maybe forcing you to take that certain step in your life was the best thing for you and the kingdom. Clearly, I was as wrong with that as I was with shipping off our citizens to Hemarcrish-Dorcros just to manage finances from after the war.”
Ash still doesn’t say anything, but slowly process Jeriack’s words. A small smile subtly enters his face, as a part of him feels glad to hear this confession.
“I guess in the end, General Durbin was right when he told me that the way I thought I should handle the kingdom and my stepson was the completely wrong way,” Jeriack admits. “After what has transpired over the last couple of weeks, it’s clear that the heir to my throne has a clearer and greater idea on how to rule and improve on Kalos then I ever had. And...well… I just wanted to say well done with finding a way to start making peace with the Demoth people and this university thing is a brilliant idea. I may not have known Red da Ketchum a moment in my life, but I feel confident that he would have been very proud of you.”
Ash smiles, touched as he gives Jeriack an appreciative look.
“Thank you, stepfather,” he says.
Jeriack nods with his own smile and says, “Nothing has to be decided tonight, son. King Norman will understand if we request to hold off -”
“I have made my decision about that,” Ash says bluntly with his smile turning back into a sour frown.
Jeriack looks at Ash confused.
“Are you sure?” he asks. “You have only just found about Comtesse de Ridley.”
“I’m sure,” Ash says plainly.
Jeriack hesitates to say something against his stepson’s words but holds his tongue. He merely places his hand on Ash’s shoulder again in the best fatherly way he can as the two of them watch the festivities below.
*********************************************************************************************
Meanwhile, outside of the castle gates, A certain blonde-haired girl hides behind a train of carriages, scanning the area. Bonnie sees the entrance to the castle grounds where a pair of guards are checking for invitations as people enter.
“Hmmm, there must be a way in,” she says to herself as she scratches her chin in thought. “There’s got to be some way without needing an invitation.”
“Bonnie, what are you doing there?”
Bonnie yelps, startled and turns around to see her brother, Clemont looking at her nervously.
“Clemont, don’t ruin my cover!” Bonnie rebukes. “Some of us are trying to sneak in and find this Durbin guy you know!”
“But that’s my job, not yours,” Clemont protests childishly. “Entalmorfious came to me to find General Durbin and tell him that the Baroness trapped Serena.”
“And you got all nervous and kept making excuses not to go!” Bonnie ridicules. “Meanwhile, while we’re arguing, the prince is expecting to see Serena here and we need to stop Miette from stealing his heart instead.”
“But how are we supposed to help?” Clemont whines. “We’re not invited and there’s no way we can sneak into the castle unnoticed.”
“We don’t know until we try,” Bonnie says determinedly. “Now come on.”
Bonnie gets out of her hiding spot and begins sneaking from one side of the entrance to the other. Clemont tries to bring her back by whispering out her name loudly, but the little girl is too fast and stealthy.
Bonnie begins to worry she won’t find a way into the castle until she hears some faint trickling. She looks down and sees Evitimus urinating in front of one of the stone walls right above her while humming. The girl looks away in disgust both because the man is working for the Baroness and for what he’s doing right now before she sees a clay jar right next to her and a mischievous grin enters her face. With a childish cackle, she picks up the jar and aims it right above his head.
“Hoo-hoo, Evitimus,” she calls out in a singing voice.
The corrupted royal guard looks up in confusion just in time to see the jar fall on his face. The jar shatters as Evitimus falls down unconscious. Bonnie’s maniacal grin grows even more as she looks around to make sure no one else is coming before sneaking her way back to her big brother to further execute her devious plan.
*********************************************************************************************
Back inside the castle grounds, the Demoth continue to laugh and cheer happily in their reserved spot as they eat, drink and watch the performers and fireworks in amusement. Damlier and Marialier smile gleefully as they watch their people enjoy themselves while the latter of the two holds her husband affectionately from behind.
“I am seeing this with my own eyes and still I cannot believe it, my bride,” Damlier says. “We’re left alone apart from the servants bringing us food and drink and yet we are in as much bliss as every nobleman and woman in Kalos.”
“It is a rare thing to witness, my precious husband,” Marialier says with her cheek touching Damlier’s. “Indeed, I don’t think our people have had this much fun since the days that we were still living in our homeland.”
Damlier hums in acknowledgment while Maulinlier and Monica walk over to them, giggling as they hold each other for support while drinking from a large bottle of wine.
“I think the children are having too much fun,” Damlier says with a grin. “Think you ought to slow down there, my son?”
“Aw, mind your own business, father,” Maulinlier says with a hiccup while Monica takes a swig from the bottle. “This is the most either of us have has a share of spirits since before the war ended.”
“Well, when you put it that way, then you better share with your mother and father,” Damlier says as he snatches the wine from Monica’s hand and takes a big chug from it. Marialier, Maulinlier, and Monica laugh at Damlier’s actions as more fireworks begin to explode loudly from above them.
“Y-y-you know,” Monica begins, drunk from the wine. “This reminds me of that battle at...uh...um...Blue Point Isle where the Johtoians where attacking us with cannons. I remember acting sooooooooooooo scared for my life as the sound of those things exploding.”
“Ah, I remember fighting in that one too,” Marialier says with a smirk. “Those explosions were so loud that I bet even Powuru with all his pride would have wet his garments if he was there.
The Demoth family laugh loudly at Marialier’s joke when they hear a familiar voice.
“Powuru wetting himself? Now that’s a sight I would have loved to see.”
The four of them fall silent as they turn around to see Timothy and Coovers standing next to them. Damlier’s face sours as his wife lets go of him and he walks over to the two Varpathion officers with his eyes fixed on Timothy.
“General Durbin,” he says plainly.
“Damlier of Helliemstyar,” Timothy says back. “Welcome to the ball held in my honor. I’m pleased to see you and your people are enjoying the festivities.”
“Are you?” Damlier asks coldly.
“I am,” Timothy says sincerely. “And I am also pleased to see that you are looking well as opposed to when we last saw each other.”
Damlier’s looks at the Varpathion general unfazed. Marialier, Maulinlier, Monica, and Coovers stare at the two of them, unsure of what they’re going to do next. Finally, Damlier chuckles lightly and takes out his hand.
“Well, I’m glad to know you care about our well being given the circumstances, Durbin,” he says with a smirk.
Timothy smirks back and shakes Damlier’s hand before the two men start chuckling in amusement.
“So I understand you met the prince and Comtesse de Ridley yesterday,” Timothy says. “And I have Ash, in particular, to thank for inviting you here.”
“Indeed,” Damlier says plainly. “Did you really want to meet again?”
“We did,” Coovers says intervening. “As a matter of fact, King Markenal has assigned us to attempt to make peace talks with your people.”
Damlier raises his eyebrow while his family also looks at the bald man in suspicion.
“You wait for three years to try to make peace with our people?” Marialier asks coldly.
“We’ve been trying for three years,” Timothy corrects. “To be frank, this is the most progress we have made with any of your people. Well… that and the group of you who attacked us on the road not a fortnight ago.”
Maulinlier glares at Timothy at the mention of that day, but the general appears unfazed.
“I know you want to find peace among us, Damlier, and you know I would have given it to you if I was able to on the day you killed Powuru,” he says. “I can’t speak for all of the eight kingdoms, but I know King Markenal would like to find peace between us as much as Ash would. There’s much we would have to discuss given the circumstances, but if you’re open to it, I’m sure we shall find a way to live together in harmony.”
Damlier continues to stare at his old enemy before he smirks again.
“Aye, I would like that very much for my people,” he says. “But I would be lying if I said it isn’t odd to talk about such things with the young man I grew to hate so much on the battlefield. It’s most unexpected.”
“More so than you killing your own master?” Timothy challenges with a smirk.
Damlier and his family laugh out loud before Maulinlier steps in, still supporting his drunk wife.
“Well then, let us start with my apologies for attempting to steal your things, general,” he says.
“Forgiven,” Timothy says. “And I apologize for cutting down so many of your men in that ambush.”
“Ah, forget it,” Mauliniler says with a wave of his hand. “Those idiots attacked you thinking they could get payback for you cutting down so many of our folk. As far as I’m concerned, you did us a favor by ridding us of those reckless numbskulls.”
“Uh...thanks?” Coovers says as he and Timothy look at each other, unsure of how else to take his response. “And maybe over time, we’ll begin to properly understand each other’s cultures and beliefs.”
“Ah, I doubt it,” Maulinlier says. “It’s going to be tough to get any of us interested in what’s so special about your god.”
“You may be surprised,” Coovers says with a confident smirk.
“Well, I for one hope so,” Damlier says sincerely.
While they are talking, however, Clemont and Bonnie are making their way through the crowd of people, searching for Timothy.
“See? I told you that would work,” Bonnie says confidently as she searches.
“Bonnie, we can get in serious trouble if people find out I’m dressed as a guard,” Clemont protests. “And what is this weird smell on the uniform?”
“Uh...don’t worry about it,” Bonnie says with a nervous chuckle.
They continue to search until Clemont sees Timothy and Coovers talking to Damlier, Maulinlier, Marialier and Monica and shouts, “Wait! Wait! I see him! He’s over there!”
Bonnie turns to where her brother is pointing and with an excited giggle, she takes his hand and starts charging through the crowd of people to the Demoth reserve with Clemont protesting as they go. They manage to burst through the crowd of Demoth just in time to see Timothy, Coovers and the Demoth family turn to look at them with curious faces. Clemont struggles to speak as he looks at Timothy in shock, unprepared to meet his inventing and painting idol in person. He tries to spit out a word before he loses his balance and faints.
“Aw, Clemont!” Bonnie barks annoyed. “We finally find the general and you only now faint? Why did Entalmorfious assign you the mission anyway?!”
“Uh...can I help you?” Timothy asks uncomfortably.
Bonnie sighs and turns to the Varpathion general with a serious look.
“Excuse me, sir, but I’m a friend of Serena’s and she needs your help,” she says.
Timothy and Coovers look at each other in surprise, immediately worried for the woman they know is posing as a courtier.
“Serena?” Maulinlier asks as the Demoth family look at each other in confusion. “Who is Serena?”
**********************************************************************************************
Back in the Yvonne estate, Entalmorfious, Kim, and Helga try to open the lock to the pantry door while Serena waits inside. By this time, Serena’s anger against Hania and Miette has melted into grief as she knows by now the ball has started and she can’t make her way to Ash while she’s trapped here.
“Oh it’s no use, Serena,” Kim says defeated as she throws away the butter knife she was using to pick the lock. “There’s no way to open this lock.”
Serena’s heart feels heavy as she hears her friends give up. Sorrow begins to fill her mind until she hears a familiar voice.
“Allow me, my ladies.”
Serena’s eyes widen and she runs to the door to find Timothy and Coovers walking down the stairs with Clemont and Bonnie following behind. Helga and Kim look at the two men in surprise as they take out the door pins and open the door the other way.
“Oh my word, that is pure genius,” Helga says enthusiastically.
“Yes, we will go down in history as the two men who knew how to open a door,” Coovers says sarcastically before all seven people enter the pantry with an amazed Serena waiting for them. Tears run down her face as she runs over to hug everyone one at a time.
“How did you guys do this?” she asks as she hugs Clemont much to his bashfulness.
“Entalmorfious said you were and trouble and that the prince was expecting you,” Bonnie explains with a grin.
Serena frowns at the mention of Ash.
“The person he is expecting does not exist,” she says turning to Timothy and Coovers. “Monsieurs, my name is Serena de Yvonne and I am but a servant.”
“We’ve known for a while who you really are, Madame Yvonne, and frankly given what a joy and a good influence you’ve been on our king’s step-grandson, we don’t care,” Coovers says.
“My second-in-command is right,” Timothy says. “Besides, what does your station have to do with anything? We were homeless peasants from the village of Devmas before we were these highly praised soldiers.”
“But I deceived him,” Serena protests.
“And he will understand once you tell him everything,” Timothy assures. “He deserves to hear the truth from the one he loves.”
“Come, child. The night is young,” Kim says. “We must get you ready for the ball.”
“But what about you?” she asks Kim, Helga and Entalmorfious. “When my stepmother finds out about my escape she will punish all of you.”
Helga huffs in annoyance and walks over to Serena with a determined stare.
“Serena Hope Judith de Yvonne, you listen to me and you listen good,” she commands. “I have watched for thirteen years as the most precious thing in my late master’s life get thrown into the dirt by the most vile human being I’ve ever met. I’ve prayed to The Lord that he would deliver you out of this nonsensical enslavement and give you the happiness your mother and father wanted for you since before you were born. Do you really think the three of us give a dead dog about what will happen to us when you’re so close to getting everything you rightfully deserve?”
Entalmorfious and Kim nod in agreement, leaving Serena taken aback. Then she smiles, touched by Helga’s words before she frowns again.
“But I have no dress worthy of the ball,” she says.
Helga and Kim smirk at each other before Kim says, “Well, while the disappearance of a lot of your family’s belongings is still a mystery, Helga and I take credit for snatching your mother’s dress and shoes from Miette’s room. Though I must admit we don’t have anything to put on the dress to match the blue sapphires on the slippers.”
Serena smiles again and says, “Actually, I think I have something that will do the trick.”
“Then let us make haste,” Timothy says as the group leaves the pantry together. “We have much to do, to make you the star of the ball and less time to do it.”
**************************************************************************************
While Serena and her friends are preparing her for the ball, Dawn manages to separate herself from Hania and Miette. She sighs in relief as she finds herself in one of the banquet tables and happily takes out a plate and fills it with food. She lifts her mask off her face and happily starts eating carrots and rolls when she sees a tall figure approaching her. She grows worried for a moment before she notices that the person is dressed in the same colored clothes and is also wearing a penguin mask. The two of them stare at each other for a moment before the person removes their mask to reveal Captain Kenny giving her a warm smile.
“Alone, at last, my fair blue-haired lady,” he says.
Dawn blushes lightly and smiles back.
“Indeed, good sir, fate took its time,” she says before she frowns nervously. “Though I fear my mother will be cross if she sees me with you.”
Kenny walks closer to Dawn, making her blush grow.
“Then I will have to do everything in my power to protect you from your firm mother to whatever end, my lady,” Kenny says sweetly.
Dawn smiles, flattered by his words before her eyes gaze back on her food.
“You should know I am a lady of an unusual appetite sir,” she says.
Kenny merely laughs out loud which offends Dawn at first until he says, “Your little plate is nothing, my lady. When Prince Ash was a lad, he used to eat several plates of food per day. Some of them contained piles of food as tall as his head.”
The two of them laugh out loud, making Dawn feel even more comfortable around the captain. Then they stare into each other’s eyes in a loving way.
“Shall we find a private place to dance and for you to eat your meal, my lady?” Kenny request.
“Please,” Dawn says enthusiastically as the two of them leave together.
On the other side of the courtyard, the Demoth continue to enjoy the festivities, but four of them, in particular, are secretly growing eager after learning of their new friend’s dilemma.
“Where in the world could they be?” Maulinlier asks. “Those bloody Varpathians should have managed to bring Grace - er, Serena over here by now.”
“Oh, they’ll come, my love,” Monica manages to say while still a little drunk. “We’re gonna see those two embracing and kissing with their tongues before you know it.”
“I don’t think they do things like that in public, Monica,” Maulinlier says with a smirk.
“No?” Monica asks while giving her husband a coquettish look. “Then maybe we should do that for them later.
Maulinlier laughs out loud, amused with his wife’s drunk advances. Damlier and Marialier smirk at their conversation while their worry takes over them.
“Do you think the prince is going to be okay with knowing that she’s a servant?” Marialier asks her husband.
Damlier turns his eyes to see Ash, Jeriack and Delia arrive and sit on their thrones as he answers his wife.
“He bloody well better, Marialier,” he says. “He was kind to us even after everything we have done to this kingdom and its allies, he has no excuse to not do the same with that young lady.”
Marialier nods in acknowledgment before trumpets sound loudly, announcing that the king is about to speak. All of the people stop talking and dancing to line up as the trumpets continue to play. Hania and Miette hold hands in excitement, eager to hear what the king has to say. Even Kenny and Dawn manage to leave their secret spot just in time for Jeriack to stand up.
“Friends and honored guests,” Jeriack begins.
Maulinlier grows more eager for Timothy and Coovers to come back with Serena as the king speaks. Monica holds her husband's hand for comfort to the best of her ability despite being well intoxicated.
“It gives us great pleasure, on this festive occasion, not only to honor General Durbin who seems to have disappeared,” Jeriack continues. “But also to tell you of a long-awaited decision. So without further adieu, it gives me great privilege to announce the engagement of our son, Prince Ash to -”
But before Jeriack can finish his speech, Jeriack feels a hand touch his shoulder. He turns around to see Ash stare at something on the other side of the courtyard and stands up from his throne in awe. Jeriack and Delia look at him in confusion before they look at where he’s looking and also stare in surprise. Eventually, everyone else in the courtroom turns around to see what the royal family is looking at.
There in the entrance to the courtyard, stands Serena wearing a white dress with white and sapphire slippers, paper wings sewed to the back of the dress and a plain blue ribbon wrapped around her neck. Damlier, Marialier, Maulinlier, Monica and their people smile brightly at the sight of their honey blonde friend while everyone else except for Hania and Miette look at her in awe. Ash smiles at the sight of her while Dawn and Kenny smile at each other, happy to see her make it. Hania and Miette on the other hand look at her with shock and anger.
Without a word, Ash runs over to Serena with the crowd quickly clearing a path for him as he runs. He stops when he’s only a few feet away from Serena and stares at her in surprise.
“My mother said you were getting married,” he says.
“She was misinformed,” Serena answers. “But there is something I must tell you now before another word is spoken.”
“Then you’re not engaged?” Ash asks, having not listened to Serena after she said his mother was misinformed.
“No, I’m not,” Serena says with a smile.
Ash smiles in relief.
“I was about to make the worst mistake of my life,” he says before he takes Serena’s hand. “Come, you must meet my parents.”
Serena’s smile vanishes as she is still determined to tell Ash the truth.
“Wait, Ash, I must speak with you first,” she says.
“Whatever it is, my answer is yes,” Ash smiles with a toothy grin. “Now come on.”
“Ash wait,” Serena pleads as Ash starts dragging her across the courtyard.
Hania’s blood boils as the prince leads her stepdaughter toward the king and queen while pointing to the Demoth and saying something about them coming which made Serena smile in the middle of her pleas. Without a word, she grabs Miette by the hands and starts dragging her through the crowd.
“What are you doing?” Miette asks.
“Making you a princess,” Hania growls.
Miette grins at her mother’s answer. They sneak behind Ash and Serena as they are a few years away from Jeriack and Delia. Then Hania grabs one of the wings on Serena’s dress and forcefully rips it off, tearing the dress much to the horror of everyone, especially Serena.
“Madame, contain yourself,” Ash angrily says in disbelief.
“This woman is an imposter,” Hania announces pointing her finger at Serena.
“No!” Serena pleads, having come so close to do what her stepmother is doing first.
“Her name is Serena de Yvonne,” Hania continues. “And she’s been a servant in my home for the past 13 years.”
The crowd murmurs in confusion. Jeriack and Delia look at each other before Jeriack walks to Ash’s side.
“Is this some kind of joke, Ash?” he demands.
Ash looks at his stepfather, unsure of what to do before turning back to Hania and stand between her and Serena defensively.
“Baroness, you are on dangerous ground!” he shouts.
Hania scoffs at the prince’s words and says, “If you don’t believe me, you can ask her yourself, majesty. She is nothing but a grasping, devious little pretender.”
Ash turns to Serena who at this point is starting to cry and he laughs lightly, hoping that this thing is just a misunderstanding.
“Tell this woman who you are,” he says.
Serena looks away from Ash ashamedly, making the prince uneasy while Hania and Miette secretly smirk, knowing they won.
“Grace?” Ash pleads.
Serena finally turns to Ash and sadly says with her eyes full of tears, “Grace de Ridley was my mother. I am what she says.”
Serena’s words hit Ash like an arrow to his heart. He backs away in disbelief as the pieces come together in his head.
“The apples,” he says. “That was you?”
“I can explain,” Serena pleads.
“Well someone bloody better!” Jeriack berates.
Ash continues to stare at Serena as his disbelief turns into anger.
“First you are engaged and now you are a servant?” he snarls. “I’ve heard enough.”
“Ash, please,” Serena begs desperately as Ash turns around.
Ash turns his head and looks at Serena with a cold, condescending look on his face.
“Do not address me so informally, madame,” he says harshly. “I am a prince of Kalos and you are just like them.”
With those words, Serena’s heart breaks severely. She burst into tears as she runs across the courtyard and out of the castle grounds. Miette and Hania grin at their deed while Dawn and Kenny stare at where Serena disappeared sadly. Delia also stares at where the honey blonde woman left with her hand on her mouth and her eyes full of commiseration. Ash, on the other hand, coldy storms away while Jeriack looks at everyone in confusion.
“What the bloody dickens just happened?” he asks.
Over at the reserved corner, the Demoth people talk to each other in disbelief and anger. Damlier and Marialier look at each other and without saying a word stand up and run after Serena. Monica watches her in-laws run in shock while her head is rested on Maulinlier’s shoulder as he stares at where Ash left with a livid look in his eye.
“Ash, you fool,” he growls quietly.
Outside of the castle grounds, Timothy and Coovers walk back to the castle after deciding to let Serena take their carriage to the ball. They smile, satisfied with their deeds until they see Serena running past them, crying. The two of them look at each other in confusion before they turn to her.
“Serena?” Timothy calls out. “Serena, what’s wrong?”
But instead of a response, Serena stops for a moment and turns to look at the two men with her eyes already red from her tears. She begins to sob again as she unties the ribbon around her neck and slams it to the ground before she starts running away. Timothy and Coovers call out her name again in vain as she disappears into the night while her loud sobs are faintly heard. Timothy walks over to the ribbon and picks it up.
“Isn’t that the ribbon that she said Ash gave to her?” Coovers asks.
Timothy doesn’t say anything but stares at the blue ribbon. After a few seconds, rapid footsteps are heard and the two of them turn around to find Damlier and Marialier approaching them with devastated looks on their faces.
“What happened?” Timothy demands.
******************************************************************************************************
Up on the castle walls, Ash sits down with his head leaning against the wall angrily. He doesn’t even avert his gaze from the ground when he hears Timothy walk over to him.
“What have you done?” The general asks crossed.
For a moment, Ash doesn’t say anything. Then with his eyes still glued to the wall, he robotically says, “I have been born to privilege, and with that comes specific obligations.”
“Oh spare me that short-sighted nonsense, you childish git!” Timothy barks venomously.
Ash’s head snaps to face Timothy.
“You are out of line, sir!” he growls.
“No, you are out of line!” Timothy counters. “Do you have any idea what that woman went through to get here tonight?”
“She lied to me,” Ash says bitterly.
“She came to tell you the truth and you fed her to the wolves!” Timothy yells.
Infuriated, Ash stands up and walks over to Timothy until their faces are only a couple feet apart.
“What would you know about this matter?!” he shouts. “You conquer in battle, you build machines to fly and walk on water and yet know nothing about life!”
“I know that a life without love is no life at all,” Timothy says firmly. “I know that enough to desperately want it long before I was a mere soldier in the war let alone a general. And yet after all this time, all I have to show for it is watching many of my men marry their loved ones, and now here you are brooding like a child after throwing away your chance at the very thing I’ve wanted all my life!”
“And love without trust? What of that?” Ash challenges.
“Don’t talk to me about trust when you didn’t even hear her out, boy!” Timothy snarls. “She’s your match and you discarded her like a crumpled piece of parchment!”
“I am but a servant to my crown and I have made my decision,” Ash says trying to sound confident and strong. “I will not yield!”
Timothy stares angrily at the prince as Ash turns his back on him. After a moment of silence, Timothy’s anger melts into sadness.
“Then you don’t deserve her,” he says coldly. “And you will never know how disappointed I am in you, Ashton da Ketchum.”
Ash tries to hide that the way the general said his name stung as Timothy takes out Serena’s ribbon and puts it on top of the wall before he walks away. Ash reluctantly turns around to look at the small fabric and sighs in frustration as he mentally accepts his fate.
*********************************************************************************************
An hour later, the festivities end with people leaving the castle grounds quietly. Jeriack respectively shakes Damlier’s hand as a sign of potential peace between their people before the Demoth depart, still bitter with what happened between Ash and Serena. Dawn and Kenny reluctantly say goodbye to each other in secret with Kenny softly kissing Dawn’s cheek before he enters the castle and she sadly walks away to go find her mother and sister.
Hania and Miette, on the other hand, are standing in the middle of the courtyard with their eyes fixed on the royal family’s empty thrones. Their pleased smirks turn sour as they realize that by Ash leaving, he made no announcement to choose someone else to marry than Princess May of Hoenn let alone Miette.
“What do we do now mother?” Miette asks coldly.
Hania keeps staring at the thrones for a moment before she turns to her daughter.
“We will find a way to sort things out, darling,” she says reassuringly. “Starting with giving our servants some serious lashings.”
“No, that’s not good enough,” Miette growls.
“It isn’t?” Hania asks with a raised eyebrow.
Miette turns to her mother with a look of pure vengeance in her eyes.
“Lashes, extra chores, garnishing wages? They don’t mean anything to them anymore, mother,” she states. “If Entalmorfious, Helga and Kim were willing to ignore your threats and set that pig free to try to take my groom away from me, then it’s clear that normal means of punishment is too good for them. This time we need to make them really hurt.”
Hania stares at her daughter in surprise. She scratches her chin in thought before she wordlessly agrees with Miette and tries to think of a way to execute her idea. Suddenly, the two of them hear laughter and turn to see Calem still in the courtyard drunk and chasing a giggling woman. He manages to catch up with her and grab her from behind making the woman squeal in laughter before she turns around and they begin kissing sloppily. A menacing grin enters Hania’s face as she figures out just what to do.
Without saying a word to Miette, she walks over to Calem who is starting to kiss the woman’s neck with Miette following behind.
“Sir da Xavier,” Hania calls out.
Calem and the woman turn to face Hania and Calem waves his hand.
“Go away, Baroness, the lady and I are busy,” he says earning a giggle from the woman as they begin kissing again.
“I’m here to take up your offer for Serena,” Hania says bluntly.
Calem stops in mid-kiss and snaps his head to look at Hania immediately interested.
“Serena?” the woman asks before turning to Calem suspiciously. “Calem, who is Serena?”
But Calem ignores her question as his eyes are now fixed on Hania. A keen and lustful grin grows on his face as he lets go of the woman and walks over to Hania and Miette.
“Alright, madame,” he says. “Name your price.”