A Twist in Time

A Love For All Time

The castle was guarded by the finest guards that the king could have gotten. When Elliot hesitantly took a few steps towards them, he could see that there would be no way around them to the door.

"Cinderelly! Big blue guards," Jaq pointed.

"Lemme at 'em! Lemme at 'em!" Gus tried to jump out with his fists held up, but Jaq grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back into Elliot's pocket.

Sensibly, he suggested, "Um...let's try the servant's entrance first."

They walked around and saw other servants walking in with bundles of food for the wedding that was soon to be announced. Birds twisted around Elliot, who warned, "Keep out of sight."

He walked over to the man with a mustache giving out bundles. Not recognizing the handsome young boy, he eyed him suspiciously, until he gave off a charming smile. Smiling flirtatiously back, he generously handed him the sack. When he walked away, the guy behind him, seeing the mustached man swung that way, tried his own flirty smile.

Once Elliot was out of sight, he whispered to his friends, "Now all we have to do is find her and everything will be..."

"Stop!"

The mice ran at the voice and Elliot turned, startled, to a woman with a long face and bun.

"You, there. Who are you?"

"I..."

Her makeuped eyes narrowed, gloves hands crossing over her arms. "I am in charge of all the servants in this castle and I've never seen you before. What is your purpose?"

"My purpose. Well...um...I...I..." His eyes caught sight of Jaq and Gus trying to sneak out. "I'm the Royal Mouse Catcher."

Eyes shrinking, they both whipped around, looking horrified.

"Royal Mouse Catcher? Preposterous!"

" 'Snap 'em and trap 'em.' That's my motto," he said with a nervous chuckle.

Gus jumped into Jaq's arms, both shaking in fear. While the woman, Prudence, looked away, Elliott tried to get the message across that he was only playing along.

"Oh, no! In the thirty years I have supervised this castle, I can assure you, there has never, every been a single, solitary..."

"MOUSE!" they heard a woman scream from the kitchen.

Both of them ran into the kitchen to see everyone worked up in a frenzy, Gus calling out and swinging like Tarzan on a link of sausage, eating it.

"Oh, please. Let me help," Elliot offered as Prudence took a broom and began to wack at them.

"This is my kitchen! I'll take care of it! Take that!" Wack. "And that!" Wack. "Vile vermin!"

"Please, I can handle this," he tried again.

"Not now! I've got them on the run!" She kept running after them, everyone smashing into each other.

"Really. I can help."

"There he is! I got him! I got him!" She tried again to hit Gus, but Jaq tipped a pot onto her head, making her fall.

"So, then." Elliot took the broom from her and said, "I'll just go get those mice."

Prudence tried to say something, but completely passed out before she could.

Elliot caught back up to the mice on the stairs. "Come on, guys. Nice work."

Gus ate a piece of cheese that he had dropped, then scrambled to catch back up with Jaq.

"If we split up, we'll find Y/n faster."