*Jeez, guys, get off my back, okay? Here. I'll give you a chapter. Plus, ever since Nate and Morgan parted, writing a romantic relationship has been really awkward. Luckily, I'm 90% sure that he's with CHRISTINA VEE now, so there's something!*

Stephanie, blanket drawn over her head, lead the cart up to the castle gates. Standing guard was the man who had guarded the back route when Matthew took her out to the village. He raised his spear. 

"Who goes there?" He asked with a big, bomming voice. 

"Princess Stephanie." She said. 

He lowered the spear, laughing. "If you're the princess, I'm the king." 

"But... I am the princess!" Why would he doubt it all of a sudden?

"Really? Then who was it I saw having dinner with the queen just now?" He raised an eyebrow, then his spear. 

"You are speaking to-" She was about to tell him again, but he cut her off. His spear was raised and ready to attack.

"Move along before I loose my temper." He said. 

"But-" 

"NOW!" 

Stephanie gasped. There was no way she was getting in now. How would she prove herself? Who was this... other girl posing as her? Then it hit her. The reason why she was kidnapped; maybe it was so that this other girl could take her place and take over the kingdom? 

She pulled in front of an inn. There was laughing inside, the sounds of people drinking and gambling. The wealthy types that lived in the village. "We'll get help in here." She said, picking up Skip. Hood still drawn, she knocked at the front door. Madam Carp came out front, mumbling bitterly. Her eyes went wide when she saw Stephanie. "What are you doing here?" She asked, genuinley shocked. 

"I-" 

Madam Carp looked around frantically, before grabbing Stephanie's wrist roughly. "Not another word." She said sternly. "You're coming with me." She practically dragged Stephanie away into the dress shop. 

Throwing Stephanie into the shop, she slammed the door behind her. She caught sight of one of the other seamstresses. "Not done yet? If you wern't such a...." She searched for an insult. "Lazy cow, those dresses would be finished by now." 

Stephanie put her foot down. "How dare you speak to her that way!" 

Madam Carp turned around, shocked, insulted, and very angry. "How dare I? Just who do you think you are?" 

Stephanie dropped her hood. "Princess Stephanie." She said proudly. 

For a second, Madam Carp seemed shocked. She really did believe it for a second. Until she laughed wildly. "That's a hoot! You've got to change a lot more than your hair to look like the princess. Why, the princess and I are close, personal friends." 

Stephanie could barley contain her laughter. "Oh, really?" 

"Now shut up," She pointed to Stephanie. "And get back to work." 

Stephanie placed her hands on her hips. "I'm warning you, if you're going to treat your seamstresses this way, we'll take our royal business elsewhere." 

Madam Carp gritted her teeth. "You're warning me? We'll see your attitude changed by morning. You're not coming out until every dress is finished, Christina!" And with that, she slammed the door. 

"Christina?" Oh no. Stephanie ran to the door and tugged on it. Madam Carp had locked it. "Locked in again?" She rested her head against the door, when the other seamstress stood up. 

"Christina? That is you, isn't it?" Stephanie sighed. It was going to be a long night. 

................

A few minuites later, the other seamstress was 100% on Stephanie's sighed. She cut off a tag from one of the dresses. 

"Made excusivley by Madam Carp." She read. "I'm sure that if Wolfie- er, Skip could sneak out before, he can still do it." Stephanie, against her best judgement, took off the precious ring she wore, and rolled the tag into it. She tied the whole thing on a pink ribbon. 

"It's up to you now, Skip. Get this to the castle and find someone. When they read the tag, it'll lead them here." She said, tying it onto Skip's neck. The other seamstress opened the window, alowing Skip to sneak out. He was a little more rusty than he used to be, but he could still do it. He snuck along the palace walls, eventually landing in the castle garden. 

"Look who's back." Skip hissed and turned around. Midas was standing there, growling. Skip barked again. 

"Buddy, I'm a dog. You really think I'm afraid of that?" 

"You were before." 

"Just a little shocking, that's it." He leaned in. "Hey, what's that?" He asked. Skip walked backwards, protecting his neck. "Let me see." Midas grabbed the ribbon and ran off with it in his mouth. 

"No!" Skip tried to chase after Midas, but found himself being scooped up by a pair of hands. At first, he tried to squirm away, until he saw who it was. The Queen. 

"There you are, you little rascal. Stephanie has been looking for you." Not paying any attention to how Skip was trying to get away, she brought Skip back to the princess's room, where Christina had finally fallen asleep. 

Skip wanted to get up and find Midas, but he was so tired. It had been quite a long night. So, against his better judgement, he fell asleep on the cat bed beside Stephanie's bed. Besides, in the morning, he might be able to figure out who this woman was.