Flamiro was being pestered out of his life by a younger, flame pelted squirrel who was called Parato. Parato had a likeliness to be timid but he was renowned for being a loyal, stout friend by Flamiro.
"What did she say? Is she as you hoped she would be?" He followed Flamiro around the alleyways, tugging at the irritated squirrel's tail at regular intervals.
Flamiro sighed and gave in "Princess Aramina is all I intended her to be, my good friend" he coughed once before continuing "She told me of the terrible things her parents do and she has my every confidence that she is not like her parents at all. She is the opposite of them, I will go so far as saying"
Parato wrung his paws and gibbered "Oho, yes! Yes, the King and Queen are devilish ruffians" he lowered his voice and beckoned to Flamiro who came closer. Parato bent and whispered into his friend's ear "Do you know the things they do? They killed their own child, I'm sure Aramina may have told you. Not only that... but they live in splendour and gentry whilst we perish in squalor and poverty. Oho yes yes yes! And also, the Queen is-" He halted his excited outpouring abruptly and clasped a paw over his mouth with a look of the most abject horror on his face.
Flamiro looked intrigued by his friend's mysterious refusal to say more and he said so. "What? What is it the queen is?" He longed to know, as it seemed to be some diabolical thing and how could his shy friend know anything about the Queen anyway. What was this secret that Parato was masking from him?
Parato looked terrified. "Don't ask me! Don't ask me at all!" He spoke harshly and further caused Flamiro to grow in suspicion. What was his friend hiding that was so terrible? He cast a sideways glance at Parato who was twitching miserably and probably feeling guilt or wretchedness at his near revelation of some sinister secret. Parato's obvious terror drove Flamiro to higher limits of concern and curiosity.
He strived to put on an air of nonchalance "If you say so Parato then I will not pursue the subject anymore?" At once Parato showed his relief by letting his tense shoulders sag and his fur flattened.
Flamiro shook his head wonderingly before walking into the gloom of the slums that dominated the lesser part of the squirrel kingdom.

Aramina perched upon her chair, staring out of the large windows of the Vurgerisaille palace. The rain had stopped as she noted and a small promise of weary sunlight was making itself known to the world below.
The brown squirrel pinched her claws nervously as she was due to a meeting with her parents. It was most likely going to be immensely formal: and she knew it was for a negative reason. She only hoped that they had not noticed her speaking with Flamiro for surely they would not take kindly at all to that.
She straightened up as her parent's guard, Guillardo, called to her in a voice ringing with authority and obedience.
"Princess Aramina. Their majesties will see you now" He bowed Aramina into the room, showing the utmost respect to the Raresheens.
Aramina entered with her heart in her mouth. She noted her parents reproachful faces and cursed inwardly. For sure, this talk will end in my downfall. She bowed low to her parents as they even ordered their own daughter to show them respect and reverence. Then, swallowing hard, she awaited them to speak out first.
"Duaghter" stated Francis Raresheen haughtily, his face a mask of authority and vanity. "Today, you were seen speaking with a common peasant. That is unacceptable. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Aramina shook within. So it is about Flamiro and I. She defended herself coldy "It was a friend, Father. He was not harming me and he took the pledge to prove his word. Surely it is not wrong to talk to another squirrel as we are all of the same blood?" She begun to feel faint and anxiety threatened to overpower her. She turned her gaze at a candle but that merely seemed to flicker and die. The flame grew less bright and waned under the harsh rule of air that swept in from an open window. She looked back as a sudden noise bade her attention.
Her father rose, his expression thunderous and his eyes beheld sparks of lightening as he roared, causing Aramina to flinch momentarily. "My daughter must not be seen even near a filthy peasant. They are not of our element! They are scum, living to serve us and grow old and die in our favour. They must never be shown kindness as kindness is for the weak. Don't you know your fault!? You have made friends with scum, my daughter! You have got your paws filthy and soiled! You have put yourself into disgrace-"
He was cut off as Aramina furiously broke in, her eyes flaring with defensive sparks "And you've soiled yourselves by casting your virtues away. You've covered your identities with foulness, cruelty and greed. Yes!, you sit here aloof and cold in your domineering palace whilst-!"
"ENOUGH!" Screamed the King whilst his Queen blanched at the sudden outburst of her daughter and her husband. She rose but was pressed back down by the King as he passed by the throne and confronted his daughter. He was shaking with fury as he grasped her paw and drew her in effortlessly. His daughter gasped in pain as his face loomed like the stone cast of a hideous gargoyle in front of her.
"Amend your ways Aramina, or I swear by the tufts of my ears that your friend will wish he had never been born" he spoke softly and dangerously, his tone rasping with the terrible threat.
Giving his daughter's arm a final twist he cast her contemptuously to the floor and swept haughtily out of the room with his Wife taking suit. Their daughter let out a cry of agony as she hit the floor, clutching her hurt arm convulsingly. Her father cast one last dismissive glance at her before walking out of sight.
Aramina remained in her prone position until her parents had left to their chambers. She struggled to sit up, drawing a sharp intake of breath as vengeful pain stabbed into her arm that was twisted so cruelly by her merciless father. Valiantly, Aramina rose to her feet slowly and wavered as shock and agony caused her sight to become unfocused. She walked, half crawled to the window and drew herself up painfully as her injured arm unleashed more vindictive torture.
Her teeth were gritted in furious agony as she glared balefully out at the palace grounds. The way she hated her parents was causing her more pain that her physical injury.
She hardly turned to the sound behind her and didn't turn to see who had entered.
"Ah. There you are. I was searching for you Aramina... just slightly concerned" The voice that spoke was that of Raldinya, a kind, plumpish cook who worked in the kitchens of the palace. She had taken a liking to the young Princess and showed her own loyalty and friendship by always being there for her.
Aramina felt herself droop down the wall unwittingly but her paws could no longer bear her weight. The pain in her arm had become unbearable and now she was sure that it was broken somehow.
Raldinya hastened to her side, her eyes wide with concern and compassion. "Oh! My dear... We must get you seen to by Dmitiro. Your fainting, my dear. Yes, we must get you seen to and swiftly. Come dear, I shall help you up" the cook hoisted the semi- conscious Raresheen to her paws and they made their way from the room and down to the pantry where the Royal surgeon, Dmitiro, was sure to be.