GAMBIT

Jupiter's proposition to life-sentence Quartz to prison has been approved by the king. Knowing about the betrayal, Felix sighed. He couldn't believe what the princess told him, Quartz was no other than a wolf in a sheep's clothing. As for Endeavor, he became more of a king's pet, after all, prisoners are not allowed to have pets.

The young man was placed inside the very same cell he was placed into before. He remembered the bloody iron bars and the arc he first took a peak unto upon his "sudden" arrival to a world he is not quite familiar with.

Inside his cell, he mourned for his father and his friend. He wishes nothing but to see them. He is flustered, wondering if they know about what had happened to them or if Alice is finally finished with his bathroom break. He was also disappointed with his actions, wishing he had never met the maiden in the first place.

On his sanity, he imagined the beautiful city of Rome, his birthplace, his motherland. As time went by, Quartz became bored and therefore he made the decision to play his piccolo instead while looking out at the arc. It was night time, while he played the piccolo.

Like every other night, he dearly imagines his mother with him. A flow of tears fall from his eyes as he feel's her mother's presence nearby. It is as if she is clinging to him tightly. He feels his mother holding his shoulders, massaging it after all the stress the young man had been through.

Hanging above a tree, staring down to the arc Quartz is looking at is no other than the red glimmering bird who crooned with sadness and gloom as it flies off, wondering the far-reaches of Sacchi once more.

Through paying attention to his piccolo he has forgotten the words of Virgo, the maiden whom he had fallen in love with. As much as possible, he tried to forget her image.

Suddenly, the princess arrived. She bangs the iron bars, grabbing the young man's attention. Quartz stops playing his soothing melody for a moment as he tilted his face towards the princess who was somehow sad and gloomy-looking.

"I came to apologize for my rant some time ago. I-I was angered because of how- never mind. It's best if I don't speak about that incident with the king. I also wanted to tell you that the king has approved my idea."

"Idea? What kind?"

"We're going all out."

"All out?! What do you mean all out?!"

"All of our men, troops, soldiers, this is our final stand, a final siege. We will be marching to their kingdom and there we shall end Witherheart for good and claim what must be claimed."

Shocked, Quartz rushes and clings unto the iron-bars tightly.

"What kind of gobbledygook is this?! Are you fooling around? Puerheart lost countless of times against them and you expect to win? This plan of yours is treason, you're all going to perish."

"And how do you know that?!" her voice intensified as she wiped off the droplet of tear from her eyes. She adds, "I'm tired of the opposing kingdom. They are Sacchi's tormentors and I will do what must be done in order to take them down! For my mother, for my kingdom. This is the real duty of a princess. I am devoted to my people and soon, I shall be queen."

"I'm warning you. This will end into chaos. Once you lost, it's game over for Pureheart. Had not the previous sieges thought you something?! This is not what your mother would've wanted."

"How do you know what my mother wanted? She is no longer here. The decision is final and if you disagree so be it. There is nothing you can do, it has been declared and tomorrow we shall be setting off to the opposing kingdom with our allies and compadres for our final stand. You're not part of the army anymore, why bother?"

"Because it is not only Pureheart who will be affected but the whole of Sacchi. Imagine famine, greed, and superiority of people who are not meant to take the rightful throne in the first place. You're right. Why bother? I'm a prisoner." The argument heats up between them but the princess disagreed to prolong it and thus she made the decision to leave the prison instead.

As for Quartz, he returned to his agenda, playing with his piccolo once more.