(Hilda wakes up from her little bed on the side of the stairs, she gets up and stretches grabs her slippers, and gets up out of bed, walking down the stairs from her room, she rubs her neck still yawning as she heads on down to the kitchen to get a mug of coffee, there is a letter for her on the floor that reads "To Hilda" she grabs a letter opener from the little table downstairs and begins opening the letter with the letter opener)

(Tristan's voice reads; "Meet in the solar room in fifteen hundred hours to start the investigation later on today, and don't be late" -Tristan-)

(Hilda sighs looking tense as usual)

Hilda: I better go grab my coffee then.

(She goes to the main hall for breakfast coffee to keep herself up. She gets her mug of coffee from the coffee maker and starts to mix the cream inside sitting at the table drinking it as calmly as she can)

(A couple moments later, she finishes drinking her coffee when she stumbles across Gertrude and the girls being assigned their daily duties Hilda is not seen by them)

Jessica: Why do I have to do Hilda's chores?

Gertrude: Because you're not the one in pain lying in bed because of an injury.

Jessica: That's not fair.

Gertrude: Well if only you didn't spend a lot of time with the girls being social and whatnot instead of keeping yourself busy, you would learn something.

Marlene: Why do we have to be punished? It's HER fault the princess got kidnapped!

(All of the girls agree and one of them says YEAH!)

Lila: If anybody should leave town, it ought to have been her.

Gertrude: That's enough girls! Quit talking about something you don't know about!

(Hilda comes out facing them)

Hilda: Why don't you say it to my face then?

(All the girls look at her all quiet and a bit shocked they were talking bad about her)

Hilda: Why so quiet? You had a lot to say when I wasn't here and now that I'm here, say what you want.

(They all go silent)

Hilda: Yeah, I thought so. You're all nothing but a bunch of cowards hiding behind each other talking bad about another person and then claiming friendship with other people. But don't worry, I don't have to explain myself to you,or any of you for that matter. You have no idea what you're talking about. None of you were there that night, so you don't know. You have no idea what I've been feeling these past several days. But go ahead with your conversations. (She fixes herself up again) i am so sick and tired of other people talking about what's been going on when they dont know the whole story. But whatever. Now if you excuse me, I have ACTUAL things to do.

She goes back upstairs to get herself ready and the girls stare in disbelief)

Gertrude: Way to go. (She says sarcastically) that's what you get for running your mouths all the damn times.

(The girls start talking over one another)

Gertrude: I don't want to hear it! Go! Get back to work! That's enough.

(Hilda goes to her wardrobe to pick out her servant girl dress for the day, she heads on downstairs to the main entrance of the castle, there, a hard knock comes at the door)

(Hilda opens the castle door she finds a two men one of them livid and the one chill)

Hilda: May I help you?

Man: We're looking for Harper Santinelli. Have you seen him?

Hilda: No. (She lies) what's this about?

Man 2: that serving boy owes my colleague some money.

Hilda: What did he do exactly?

Man: We had a poker game and we started gambling and he lost all that money. Were here to retrieve it, does he have it or not?

Hilda: I wasn't aware of this.

(She takes out her coin pouch)

alright, how much does he owe you?

Man 2: 10,000 coins.

Hilda: What!?

Man: Yeah exactly.

(Hilda looks inside her coin pouch)

Hilda: Best I have is, 20 coins...

man: That ain't enough.

Man 2: So were assuming you don't got it?

Man: Be a messenger.
Tell Harper if he DARES shows his face around town, he doesn't wanna know what's going to happen to him.

Hilda: Should you really be threatening a servant man? Do you not know where you're at?

Man: Huh. A wiseacre huh? Fine, you asked for it. Let's play that game. As far as the town is concerned evidently, the princess was abducted several days ago and the knights didnt get there fast enough, and got their arse beat by petty people who ain't worth that much of life. Besides the royalty can care less of someone like you and him. As far as they're concerned, you're disposable.

Hilda; You don't know that.

Man 2: Oh but he does. They make it seem they care when they really don't.

Man: The knights are not gonna protect him. You know that as much as I know.

Man 2: And that's a promise for your little aquaintance, boyfriend or whoever you are to him.

Man: He has seven days. If he doesn't cough up the dough, he has another thing coming. I promise you that.

(They both leave the entrace)

man 2: (sing-song) seven days!

Man: Have fun. (He hands her the piece of paper for the money Harper owes them)

(They leave the castle but before they do, Man sticks out his head by the door)

Man: You can run Harper. But you won't get away. We're coming for ya!

(Hilda closes the door on them both)

(She goes to the dining room kitchen seeing Harper serving the knights their daily food she goes over to Harper still holding a piece of paper)

Hilda: Harper we need to talk...privately.

(Harper follows her to their room and Hilda shows her the piece of paper)

You wanna explain this?

Harper: What is that?

Hilda: Don't play fiddy doo, you bloody know exactly what this is.

(He shakes his head and looks at her)

Harper: I can explain.

Hilda: I'm waiting.

Harper: I lied when I said I was going to bed.

Hilda: No kidding.

Harper: I really went to the monte carlo, and I had too much to drink. I started to play poker with these strange men I barely know and I guess I got carried away and gambled away some money. I was so drunk i don't remember how much.

Hilda: ten thousand coins.

Harper: What!? No! I didn't spend that much!

Hilda: Apparently you did. And now they're looking for you. Christ, Harper! What is wrong with you!?

Harper: I was drunk.

Hilda: Are you able to pay it?

Harper: I will...soon...

Hilda: You better pay it...because you have seven days.

Harper: That's not enough to come up with the money!

Hilda: Seriously Harper. I'm surprised at you!

Harper: I was drunk!

Hilda: Not an excuse! Harper, I wish I could help you but I don't have that kind of coin.

Harper: You can't or you won't?

Hilda: I don't know how!

Harper: Whatever. I'll deal with it myself then... thanks for nothing...

Hilda: Fine by me!

(She walks away from him and then turns back to face him at arms length)

On top of everything else, I have to deal with that too!? (She walks away upset with him)

(1500 hours=3:00 PM it is now time to go down to the knights chambers solar room to start the investigation)

Tristan: Alright, men. So far the other day, one of you found something very useful. But I have to warn you what I'm going to reveal is very shocking indeed. So keep calm. We found blood from the forest the other day. I'm afraid it could be Bea's blood. But we don't know that so far, is that this is the start of the investigation. And we don't know if those bastards will annihilate the castle once again, but should that happen we have to be prepared.

Knight 3: what other evidence do we have so far?

Tristan: I talked to a few townspeople today, they said the bandits were wearing some type of strange uniform when the beacons were turned on but it was very dim litted, they couldn't get a good description. And get this...someone was in disguise in OUR knight armor.

(Everyone talks amongst themselves)

I know, I am just as much shocked as you are at this situation. But I dont know for certain. Someone in this room is a culprit. But another theory is that they snuck into the castle, and wore our armour.

Hilda: You think they were planning an attack at the start?

Tristan: Perhaps.

Hilda: But what are they looking for exactly? Why would they want Princess Bea? What does she have they don't?

Knight 8: Sire, did you ever get a letter from one of the coops?

Tristan: Nothing out of the ordinary so far. No ransom, nothing. But I wouldn't be so sure.

Hilda: They striked at the night of the ball for God's sake! It's so reprehensible.

Tristan: I know.

Knight 10: Forgive me for asking sire, but you don't seem worried at all. Why is that?

Tristan: (Under his breath) Here we go, again. (Normal voice) I am worried but staying busy helps me concentrate better. Why would you ask a ridiculous question like that?

Knight 10: I was merely curious, liege.

Tristan: (changes the subject) All we have right now is mere speculation. It's not enough evidence to look for more to find. But I suggest we scatter around the village and ask the townspeople what they know of the incident so far.

Hilda: They could with hold evidence, Tristan.

Tristan: And if they do, they'll be sent to the dungeon, awaiting interrogation.

Knight 4: What if one of the townspeople are working for the bandits?

Tristan: I wouldn't put it behind that either, that's possible too.

Hilda: Well what are we waiting for then? Let's go ask them.

Tristan: We can't just go accusing them without elaborate proof. Ask them calmly, if we sense a lie, we take them in for questioning.

Brad: And if they really don't know anything, what then?

Trsitan: We'll see.

(The table gets all silent)