Enter Elena

Princess Elena walked through the castle hallways, munching on her favourite cupcake, filled generously with strawberry jam. There was a spring in her step as she hopped along, singing through a stuffed mouth without the slightest concern for how ridiculous she sounded.

She had only just returned from the same summer residence where her father was staying. Her handmaiden, Helen, hurried along beside her, carrying a tray piled with cupcakes.

"My lady, this is your third cupcake. Please slow down."

"Please, Helen. I listened to you yesterday. No instruction will have any effect on me today."

Her vivid green eyes were already fixed on the vanilla-blueberry one Helen had reluctantly agreed to carry. Her long blonde hair and curtain bangs bounced with each step.

"Where is Row Row, Helen? I haven't seen him."

"How would I know, my lady? You've had me carrying this ever since we entered the castle."

Helen blinked at her with concern.

"Tell Chef Mario he needs to serve only desserts for dinner. The chef at the summer palace kept complaining because I wanted to change his recipes."

Elena raised one finger.

"Flavourless."

A second.

"Sugarless."

Then a third.

"Lifeless recipes."

"I wanted Father to kick him out, but he only laughed."

Elena reached for the tray.

"Give it to me now, Helen. Hand this over."

Next was her favourite person in the entire castle. The irony was that she was probably his least favourite.

"Row Row! I am back. I know you missed me!" Elena announced in a singsong voice before entering his room.

Empty.

She blinked.

"Where could he be?"

She began counting off his usual spots.

"The training ground, his room, the dining area, his room, the Grandmaster's wing... his room."

She looked around the empty chamber once more.

"Hm."

After patrolling all the usual places where she might find him, Elena finally spotted Rowland from a balcony overlooking the training ground. He was sitting in a rather amusing position.

His face was flushed, and one hand was pressed against his cheek. Elena leaned over the balcony railing.

"Row Row! Did someone kiss you?"

She paused.

"By mistake, of course."

Rowland looked up with a disgruntled grunt, scrunched up his face, then got to his feet and dusted himself off.

"So someone did kiss you."

His expression darkened. Elena tilted her head.

"Did you finally transform into a human, Mr. Beast, sir, or is this your final form?"

"Huh? Did you leave the remaining part of your pea brain at the palace, Elena? What is this beast you keep yapping about?"

"You know," Elena said cheerfully. "The one from Judy and the Beast."

Rowland despised reading books, so the reference was completely wasted on him.

Elena finally put down the tray she had been carrying the entire time, moved a few paces back, and jumped down.

"Don't you dare come near me."

She was about to hug Rowland when he shoved her away, planting one hand firmly against her face.

"Don't you dare."

"Come here, bro. Let me at least give you a hug."

"I am not Sammy, Elena. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Elena suddenly stopped struggling to hug him. The smile vanished from her face.

Her eyes darkened.

"I know, Rowland."

She looked at him quietly.

"And you will never be Sammy. No one will ever be Sammy."

Her smile, however, returned almost immediately.

"See you again, brother."

Sammy was enthusiastically reenacting all the highlights from Sybill's duel, complete with exaggerated movements. Sybill had somehow been assigned the role of the defeated Rowland.

Silvi watched the performance with obvious excitement.

"Oh no! The loss!" Sybill screamed dramatically.

Silvi rattled with joy on the table.

Her attention, however, was suddenly caught by someone who landed in a perfect jump near Rowland.

Green eyes. Long blonde hair with curtain bangs. A flowing gown.
The sight reminded her of only one person.
Raleine Rattler.

"Sammy, come here. Come here!"

Sybill pointed excitedly toward the girl, her eyes lighting up as though she had just seen the heroine in real life.

"Look. She looks like Raleine Rattler from the Silhvester Holmes books."

Sammy's face went pale for a moment. He knew exactly who Sybill was looking at.

"She could fulfil the female's role perfectly," Sybill said, clearly fascinated.

Sammy's expression hardened.

"I don't trust her."

Sybill looked at him.

"Why, Sammy?"

She stared at Elena.

"She is gorgeous. The blonde hair with the curtain bangs and the green eyes."

Sammy spoke after seeing Sybill's reaction.

"Because, just like the female betrayed Silhvester, she might have betrayed me. She is one of our suspects."

Sammy kept his eyes fixed on Elena.

"That's my half-sister, Elena Rose Savant. But I don't know who was involved in my abduction."

"That's for you to find out. Silvi and Sybill, keep an eye on her."

He continued watching Elena.

"She might be hiding something."