II: Denial

The boy did not skip a beat. Scanning the throne room for but a second, he stealthed forward slowly, arching his back to waist-height as he drew close. He ran his hand across the velvety crimson curtains that triumphed tall and strong over the otherwise empty space, clasping a ream in his hand before pulling it back and... 

"Boo!"

His words echoed against a vacant wall. Unphased and with gusto, he rushed towards a grand armoire nearby. Pressing his ear against the smooth frame, his lips curled into a grin and his eyes glowed with a mischievious glint. Tugging the doors flung open, his expression fell flat and mutated to disbelief. The Princess, observing all this with a sneer, piped up with her chest held out.

"What are you doing, stupid?"

She always looked ugly when she pulled that face, her nose crunched and withdrawn into her brow.  "I'm looking for her! We always played these games, back when-" 

"Back when you were stupid, stupid?" Ugh. With a flippant wave of her wrist, it was like a spell washed over him. His patience was eroded immediately and he snapped back.

"I am doing more than you did, imp! Where were you?! You should know where she went!"

His accusatory tone was not met kindly. The Princess puffed her face out, flush with incense, rotated the ninety degrees toward the nearest chamber and disappeared behind the doorframe with a harumph. Not wanting to indulge her, and desperate to make sense of the situation, he rushed after her.

The magick chamber.

Screes of shimmering silks and satins filled the room, occupying every inch of visual space. Arcing his head around, he saw a room bereft of the Princess, until his eyes set on the centre of the room. A glorious glowing contraption: a metal arm, not unlike his own, with a needle pincered between iron forefinger and thumb, so sharp it could rival his Swen. This was where the Queen spent so much of her time. When not preoccupied with royal visitors, the Queen thread together magnificent attire, the needle laced with special magick which gave each piece a unique enchantment. His own cape afforded him invisibility - maybe she had fashioned something similar?

Moving closer to inspect the metal centrepiece, he noticed something amiss. There the needle lay lifeless against the floor, shattered in three. His eyes darted left to right, rapidly mimicking his thoughts.Yes! If only he could find a replacement, he could make a pair of goggles, or a special seeing-hat - then he could find her!

The Academy would know. Given the Princess was likely playing her trademark hiding game, (it was, after all, how she won her way all the time), he thought it prudent to let her cool off while he enquired further with the local Professors. Without delay, he scooped up the needle's remnants and rushed toward the Academy as fast as his little feet would carry him.