On a rafter, high above the ballroom, sat a crow, who seemed to mirror a statue, sitting as still as it possibly could. He was half asleep, which contributed to him seeming like a stature. When he heard what was going on down below,  he thought, at first, it was rather boring but as time progressed it became interesting for him.

Unlike the run-of-the-mill gossip he hears from the other bugs and animals, this was between three humans. A con-artist, an orphan, and a former military sergeant, oh, and the cutest little dog ever. It wasn't hard to hear what was going on, the empty ballroom carried their voices, mirroring an amphitheater.

Then he jolted fully awake with wide eyes and an open beak when he heard what Vincent was hinting at. "Oh come on. He is an obvious con-artist, isn't he? So smooth with his words, we all know he would do anything for money." Hans mumbled to himself, having watched Vincent and Rolando for many years.

He continued on mumbling after ruffling his feathers. ' 'bout time Rolando set him straight. If I had to listen to that young guy go on and on about making money and being rich so much, I would want to free fall off this rafter onto the floor.' He thought as he yawned and stretched his wings over his head.

He stretched his legs out one by one out in front of him. 'Hey, wait a moment,' He paused and thought back to what had been said. 'She does seem similar to Clarissa, she would be roughly her age and you can't deny she looks a whole lot like Persia when she was her age.' He was going to agree with Rolando on this, it seemed so much like a coincidence, but it would be fate.

He wondered if he should tell Medusa about this. She had been, for eleven years, thinking she had successfully had them murdered and out of her life. 'What if she is the princess, now duchess, then that means there is a survivor! Oh my, what if they all happened to survive.' He flapped his wings a bit getting off the dust.

But then the excitement turned into worry that he now thought about it. 'That means the people Medusa paid off didn't fulfill their job. Oh dear, that is not going to go over very well with her.' If word somehow still hadn't gotten to her yet, he hated to be the bearer of bad news, but she should at least know the rumors.

He flew out of the palace through a broken window, met by the bitter cold. 'I should probably tell her my suspicions, maybe that way she can check it out for herself. Or I could be doing the opposite and sealing the girl's fate if she may not be or if she is her, having her life end when she has escaped.' He was torn on what to do.

He sighed heavily, battling the harsh wind he was flying into. 'Maybe she had a chance of heart after all this time? Perhaps she isn't bent on revenge anymore? She probably still thinks they are all dead by her hands. Ugh, what am I even doing?' He had no clue why he felt the urge to tell her. Perhaps there was a reason for it.

He shook his head as if he was trying to get all those thoughts out of his head. He needn't think about that. All he needed to do was relay what he had seen and perhaps she would get a good laugh about it. 'She does spend too much time stuck up the clock tower basking in her plan she had done. It is utterly annoying that she is so proud of what she had set in motion.' He was annoyed by his mistress, ever since her plan came to pass she had been gloating.

He shivered flying through between the buildings, which thankfully helped block out some of the wind. It was still cold and lightly snowing, but at least he wasn't battling the wind. He could see the window and he would see the soft glow from a fire. He was going to be happy being by that nice warm fire. It would warm him up a bit and make him feel alive.

He flew through an open window in the clock tower, then perched himself on his metal perch. He shook himself off of all the snow that had collected on his feathers. "Greetings Medusa, long time no see." He greeted her, smoothing down his head feathers with his wings. He hoped she would stay in this good mood because he hated seeing her mad.

Medusa turned around, she looked the same just aged a bit. "Ah, hello Hans. How have you been? What brings you here from your perch in the palace?" She asked, beaming with happiness in her voice and eyes, which to Hans was unsettling to see.

Hans looked up at her and gave her a sheepish smile. How was he to react to her actually smiling for once?  "Oh, I have been fine and just heard some things. Was getting a little bored and the reconstruction of the palace. It is what headaches are made of. I also was getting a little lonely if you know what I mean?" He rambled trying to avoid his true reason for coming.

He gave a sheepish smile to Medusa.  'This might be harder than I thought. I hope she doesn't go crazy over this rumor. It is baseless nonsense that was good gossip to keep you entertained. Besides, she's not going to be angry with me over the rumor that there may have been a survivor.' He thought to himself.

Medusa raised an eyebrow at him and walked closer to the crow. "What is it, Hans?" She could tell Hans was wanting to tell her something. She has raised that bird since he was a chick with a hurt wing. She narrowed her eyes a bit more as she looked at him, he was reluctant about telling her that was for sure.

Hans took a deep breath and tapped the tips of his wings together. "Well, do not be mad at me for this. I have no idea why I felt the need to tell you, but something keeps telling me I need to. I hope you don't be disappointed nor would you take your anger out on me because it isn't my fault -"

Medusa groaned cutting him off as he had been rambling. "Get to the point Hans, I don't have all day." She grumpily told him, her eyes narrowing a little bit. It was obvious she wasn't too happy with his rambling and just wanted to know his ulterior motive in coming here.

Hans took yet another deep breath and continued. "You know how it is rumored that you murdered the whole royal family? That some mysterious woman - you - had orchestrated it? And how many people have claimed to have ended the Rosenbergs but nothing could be proven?" He began to explain slowly, shifting his gaze down to the table and drawing an imaginary circle with his claw.

Medusa nodded and gave an amused and slightly confused look. What was he trying to get at? "Yes. What about them? Am I going to have an interview about why I did it?" She perked up a bit, hoping she was wanted for an interview which so far hadn't happened like she had planned it going. "Finally someone is going to interview me about my plans because it was completely obvious that I set everything into motion with my grand entrance at the Winter Gala."

Hans' eyes grew wide with surprise, he shook his head quickly. That was not what he was going to say. Actually far from it. "Um, no, Mistress." No one wanted to interview her since they were all scared of her. Plus they knew they couldn't lock her up, she would end up getting out and they have no real proof she did anything but what she said. Yet again a lot of people took credit for it.

Medusa rested her cheek in her hand, letting out a bored sigh. "If it is not that, then what is it? If they don't want an interview then they probably don't want a picture, either. So tell me, what is it, Hans?" She was growing rather bored with what he was saying. So if it wasn't that then why did he come?

Hans took a deep breath then just blurted it out. She was not going to be happy, not one little bit of course he had to emphasize it was just his bunch. "Due to some rumors, gossip, and even from what I saw with my own eyes, that they may not all be dead." He could tell she was about to interrupt him so he quickly continued in a rushed manner. "Before you get mad though, it perhaps isn't even true. You know how people are bored with their life and want to chat about anything they hear and misconstrue." He rambled, closing his eyes shut just waiting for Medusa to harm him with her uncontrollable anger.

Medusa abruptly stood straight up and slammed her fist down on the table. The vibration was sent through the whole table, rattling all that was on it. She clenched her jaw, her hands shaking with anger. "What do you mean you don't think they are all dead? Are you trying to toy with me? You know I don't like that Hans." Her voice boomed, getting in a high pitch as she was shocked by his words and a bit angry as well.

Hans shook his head rapidly, flapping his wings. "No, no, no, never your most evilness, I would never, never ever." He was a bit hurt at her accusation that he would play this kind of joke on her. What did she think of him? She did not know he would never joke about something such as that, it just wasn't him. He continued slightly shaking on his perch, terrified at how angry she was. "It is spreading throughout the town, it's in the papers and it is the hot topic right now." He quickly added, hoping that she wouldn't take her anger out of him since he wasn't his fault.

Medusa got up from her chair and paced back and forth in front of the open window. "Which one is not "dead"? " She growled through gritted teeth and a deep frown on her red lips. She was not pleased to hear this from her loyal crow, it made her blood boil. Yes, it wasn't a hit fault, but the news he brought dampened her mood.

Hans rubbed the back of his neck with his wing. He had truthfully not expected her to react this way. He thought she would laugh it off because he said he didn't know for sure. "As I have said, it is just a hunch, though it is believed that the oldest Princess is the only one alive because her grandparents are offering a reward for anyone who finds or knows about where she may be." He explained, being cautious with his words.

Medusa's eyes grew wide when he said who he thought was alive. She was surprised no doubt it would be the oldest princess. "What! You've got to be kidding me! That little brat isn't dead?" She ran her hand through her hair, breathing heavily as she seemed to burn a hole in the wood as she furiously paced.

She took a deep breath and tried to relax a bit before asking. She need not get overworked nor let her judgment get clouded by the overwhelming feeling of anger she was feeling. There would be plenty of time for that later, first, she needed to know a few things more. "Hans, why do you believe your hunch is a fact?" She asked, crossing her arms.

Hans shrugged his shoulders running his wing across the top of the table. "Well mistress, I saw a girl who could possibly be here in the palace talking to two men, one named Rolando and the other Vincent. Time didn't change much about her, she looks like a mirror image of the late queen around Perisa was around Risa's age, that is the girl's name, Risa. She would be of eighteen, and probably had lived in an orphanage, hiding or not knowing who she was." He rambled on a little bit, tapping his wing on the table.

Medusa groaned, throwing her head back and clenching her fists at her side, gazing out the window. "This is what happens when I let others do my job. Well, actually when I let a greedy, reckless, hot head of a manhandle their death. He even said he had ended them but that was obvious it was a lie. I can't do anything to him now seeing as he died of alcohol poisoning four years ago." She was almost at her wit's end.

She turned back to Hans, only brushing past him as she picked up another log and tossed it into the fire. "If she isn't dead, how can I trust that the whole family isn't dead? I knew I should have handled it myself." She was upset that she let someone else handle it instead of her handling it heralded. "Or at least not have been careful about choosing who I let handle these issues."

Hans waved his wings in front of him, motioning for her to calm down. "Now Mistress, don't be too hard on yourself. I am not sure she is but I am a smart bird and have a feeling she is the princess. Sometimes these things happen as a second chance per se, to realize that maybe murder isn't an option." He was pretty proud of his words, but alas Medusa didn't even hear him.

Medusa nodded her head slightly, lacing her fingers together and resting them on her lips, humming softly. "Hmm, perhaps she and/or her family had help from someone getting out of that palace alive? It was pure chaos and I doubt they would escape by themselves." It seemed the best possible way for them to have escaped. It was highly unlikely for them to do it alone, so help was the one way.

Hans titled his head to the side as he looked at his mistress. "Who would do that? The night of the attack, your mole told you he had lessened security because he doubted you would do anything. It had been weeks and nothing happened, and yes that was when you ordered them to attack. Would they ask someone to help them escape knowing they would know they were cowards?" He had a solid point.

Medusa waved her hand at her loyal pet crow and sighed. "I did say Nathan was a coward in front of everyone. Therefore him escaping would have been a cowardly move which I doubt his pride would have let him. Surely though, he would have made sure his wife and children were safe. Yet again he didn't have many who were loyal, and the few so he did wouldn't hesitate to cover for him and lie, getting them to safety." She tapped her nails in a line on her arm as she thought about her own words.

Hans rubbed the top of his head with his wing, moving down his perch. "We don't truly know what happened so we are just theorizing. They could have help or they could have not had help. Either way, we will never truly know what happened since we weren't there. What makes you so sure that they did?" He asked, cautiously making sure that he was being very careful with how he worded things. He was not wanting to be a cooked bird.

Medusa glanced over at the crow, shaking her head with an amused look. "Ah, you have a point. However, I believe those who I trusted this duty failed and lied about having completed the work. I was never shown proof, also many claims to have murdered them. No bodies were ever found. So, therefore, I believe my work isn't complete, so I need to get it done and this time, I will end it once and for all." She declared, in such a nonchalant way that it would send chills down anyone's spine.

Hans rolled his eyes, she was unbearable to be around at most times and it got on his nerves. "Can I say something, Mistress, if it is okay with you?" He asked to hope that she would let him speak. It was sad that he had to ask permission to ask her something, but he was in no mood for her wraith.

Medusa herself was a bit annoyed with the crow and his constant asking if he could ask something from her. "What is it, Hans? I have no time for silly questions. I have plans." She sourly agreed, uncrossing her arms and resting one hand on the window and leaning on it.

Hans rubbed his wing as he shifted on his feet. "I think bringing this news has stressed me out. You need to try and calm down, take deep breaths, fidget with someone to help deal with this." He suggested, hoping to help her a bit with the stress, he knew how stress could be. "You are getting so worked up about this, it can't be good for you."

Medusa rolled her eyes, waving her hand in dismissal. "Oh Hans, I need to get the job done and I have to have someone to oversee it happen how I want it to happen. There will be plenty of time to relax after this is over. My Dragon Minions are restless. They would love to help their mistress out, isn't that right, my babies?" She walked over to the cage that had all the baby dragons slithering around.

Hans cringed, what did she ever see in those reptiles? He never really got to meet the Dragon Minions seeing as he left after she had gotten them. "Eh, I am sure they are restless for many reasons, not just to help you succeed in your plan." They were used to running around not being stuck in a cage like a bird, they probably just wanted to stretch their little legs.

Medusa ignored his comment, he knew nothing about her dragons nor why she adored them so much. She was moving on and focusing on the task at hand. "Whoever helps the princess they will die too, just for getting involved." She laughed evilly throwing her head back and plopping down in her chair.

Hans was flabbergasted, his bottom beak when slack, his eyes went wide and a gasp escaped his lips. "What! You can't be a serious mistress, can you? You're going to kill her and whoever helps? Why, can you scare them, make them surrender peacefully? Why does everything you do have to do with hurting innocent people?" He asked in such a rapidly shocked manner.

Medusa just blinked her eyes as she looked at him. "What would be the fun in that, Hans? I must see this through, I can't just end it all right now when my work hasn't been completed. You out of all people should know this is merely me getting justice for what happened to myself many years ago." She rested her cheek in her hand.

Hans knew she had a point just not the one he was hoping for. "I see your point, my mother always told me "finish what I start" yet this isn't what she means or anyone means. Why do you want to harm the innocent children or even the queen, she has no say in what her husband did." He rambled on a little bit moving his wings as he spoke.

Medusa pitched the bridge of her nose, dear goodness, such blind eyes towards these things. "They're not innocent, they just have as much blood on their hands as I do. Have you ever heard of the generational curse? If you have seen what I saw, you would know why I want them gone too. This is my chance to tell others if you turn your back on someone you're just waiting for them to get revenge." She declared waving her fists in the air.

Hans sighed flopping on his back and stretching out his wings on the table  "I think that your ego is talking. I still have no idea why you would want to be known for murdering the Rosenbergs? That isn't the best title to have, of course, I can see you will get crazy fans, copycats, and just mentally disturbed followers if that is what you are trying for." He turned his head over to look at her. "Not to mention people have forgotten about what happened and who was really behind it. You hid out after claiming to be behind the whole coup, so, technically you may have paid people to murder them but there is no proof they are dead."

Medusa crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the floor. "We all have our dreams, Hans, mine just happens now to be a well-known villain. I know people will be begging to be my muse and following in my footsteps. I would love that more than anything. They believed the lies about me, they banished me, and I was supposed to be their friend? I had known Persia for such a long time yet she chose to believe the lies over I, who was telling the truth! For that I deserve revenge." She proudly declared with a smug smile displayed on her lips.

Hans let out an exasperated sigh closing his eyes for a moment before getting back onto his two little feet. "Why can't you be normal and do something good. Like row to Ireland or join the circus or the opera! You have an amazing voice, very flexible for your age and you have very strong arm muscles, rare considering your age, not that you are old or anything. You don't look a day over thirty, you've got good genetics." He was trying to flatter her.

Medusa glared at Hans, frowning deeply. She knew he was trying to suck up and it didn't phase her one bit. "I have to complete it with full force. I will probably take one of those up after I finish this, what I have started. It needs to be done by me and in an orderly fashion and not messy." She hissed at him, narrowing her eyes even more than she had before.

Hans frowned and flew over to a pillow Medusa had just sat on the table and snuggled into it. 'How can that lady be so cold-hearted. She is a psychopath, she has no heart or concern for her actions at all. She is a horrible, spiteful and cold person, I can never understand her logic.' He thought to himself as he folded his wings over his chest.

Medusa walked over to the cage of dragons and attached a collar onto the leader. "Come on my Minions, go, go do what you do best. Keep an eye on Clarissa and whoever is helping. Please keep track of every move they make, while I get my henchman to help me out. Make me proud, my children. Make me proud!" She motions for them to fly off in the sky.

The small dragons flew off into the sky, following the bigger leader knowing just what to do. Medusa gave at a satisfactory, evil laugh, trapping her nails on the table. She looked at a mirror with a view of the Dragon Minions flying towards the palace where Hans had last seen them.

Hans felt a shadow rise over him and he could feel a warm breeze on his back. He stood there prettified before he turned around slowly as his eyes met the huge dragon's eyes. "Oh, hello, please don't eat me. I come in peace." He said in the way most people talk to someone who doesn't speak their language.

Medusa walked over to the dragon and rubbed his scaly neck. "Hans met my loyal companion Draco. He is a dragon and helps provide transportation while doing whatever I need him to do." She spoke like it was her own child she was raving about.

Hans frowned a little, hearing that Medusa said he was her loyal companion. "I thought I was your loyal companion, you even said it yourself. I was the best pet you had! I was the only one you'd confide in! I was there for you when others weren't there! I listened to everything you told me and you picked him as your best pet!" He exclaimed feeling hurt by this.

Medusa patted the crow's head and gave a slightly amused yet slightly annoyed look. "Yes, you still are my first loyal companion. You're still by best in the bird category and Draco is in the reptilian category. However, you did leave and ignore me for many, many years over that petty falling out we had." She explained hoping he understood then left the room for a bit.

Hans glared at the big dragon and looked up in the air. "He's a dragon." He frowned. "Oh, I see. So, because you needed to replace me with a mythical creature - which I am still having a hard time believing you are real - with something that is and can do everything I  can't." He did his most scary-looking face then stuck his tongue out at him and crossed his wings over his chest. "Not buying it at all."

Draco just looked at Hans wanting nothing more than to eat him and make him a delicious appetizer. "You look very yummy little birdie, a little on the smaller side but still nonetheless an appetizer to start myself off and get myself hungry for something bigger." He sneered looking at Hans with narrow eyes, he was no doubt intimidating.

Hans' eyes grew big and he jumped back a few steps before flying and perching himself on Medusa's chair. "You're the scariest guy I have met. I will respect you and everything that comes along with you, but I am not food. Did you get it? I'm not something you can eat, I have feelings and am a friend to Medusa. I would appreciate it that you wouldn't continue to look at me like a meal." He felt like a piece of meat.

Draco rolled his eyes and shifted a little bit, getting a bit comfier. "Thank you very much. I was there for her when you weren't, so for anything, you can only be mad at yourself." He pointed to Hans with his tail, loathing the bird, and didn't understand why Medusa liked him so much.

Hans gave a cross look to Draco but then sighed knowing he could never stay mad at someone for very long. "I had a good reason for leaving. We didn't see eye to eye, we were like fire and ice, east and west, opposite sides of the magnet. Do you get the point? We clashed and it wasn't healthy for either of us." He pointed out making sure he knew it wasn't just some spur-of-the-moment thing he did.

Draco was amused by how defensive this crow was, it was like a game to him. He wondered how much he could get away with before the bird picked up on what he was doing. "Really? Pray, tell what is it then?" He asked, flicking his tail in the air. He was curious to know the true reason other than this vague explanation.

Hans took a deep breath and looked down at his feet. "It was a difference of opinion and it was just a big misunderstanding. I didn't mean to make a joke about her, I was just trying to ease the ego bubble. It was taken the wrong way and she ended up mad at me for some time. I also let my feelings get the better of me and we fought a lot too which was very toxic." He explained slowly.

Draco laughed deeply at what Hans had said, that wasn't as bad as he made it seem. "Well, if you insulted her then I would see why I'm her favorite. All you've got to do is get back into her good graces. Yet of course what that would mean if compromising yourself to do what you vowed never to do." He knew that Hans wouldn't ever go against his morals, that was such a bore to him.

Hans waved him off, giving a scoff at what he had said. "Good graces? What good graces? She has none! For anything, she needs to show she is human and not a psychopath, no offense to her." He added quickly just to make sure if she heard she wouldn't get offended. "In all honesty, she needs to let this go, because she would die due to all that hatred and destructive behavior."

Draco yawned as he listened to him speak, he was disappointed that he would be stuck with this bird for who knows how long. "How about perhaps you should think before you speak and be considerate and respect her choices." He stood up on all fours and stretched his back out using his tail to gently nudge Hans' stomach.

Hans waved away his tail and crossed his wings over his chest. "I can't respect choices I know are wrong, that isn't being a bad friend, it is trying to show you care and hope they realize what they are doing is wrong. I know I can't change her but I am showing her the right way and hope she understands." He tried to explain, did no one ever understand that? Apparently not.

Draco rolled his eyes getting back comfortable on his soft nest, yes, he was enjoying the perks of being in the clock tower. "You are a little too caring, which is probably why I am still the best one here. You need to harden that heart as I have done long ago, it isn't hard, just don't let things bother you and soon it will be second nature."

Hans frowned, was there such a thing as too caring? Was that a bad thing? "I like the way I am. I am going to stay true to myself and never waver. It may be silly to you, to me it means more than you know." He was getting a little upset with Draco, he seemed to be so much like Medusa, almost a carbon copy in the way he thought.

Draco chuckled, this bird was so cavalier about everything he thought, and yes, he indeed thought it was reckless. "Oh, Hans, will you ever learn that Medusa has her own way of handling things that can't be changed?" He explained tapping his tail lightly on the floor.

Hans narrowed his eyes a bit and frowned, looking away from the big ugly dragon. "Who do you think you are telling me about Medusa when I know way more about her than you'll ever will! Everyone can change, if they truly want to and have the right help." He shot at him, not liking what he thought.

Draco was so amused at this crow and would love nothing more than the time to have him for dinner. He was counting down those days. "That is a fickle way of thinking about things. Not everyone can change, have you not seen the criminals in the jails? Most of them haven't changed one little bit. They think what they did was right and they did nothing wrong."

Hans turned back to Draco and flew off his perch and onto the chair closest to the dragon. "That right there is the problem Draco, they need to understand they did do wrong things and hurt a lot of people for their choices - just forget it, I am done talking about this." He exclaimed with a huff of air.

Medusa walked in and groaned watching the two. "Can you two please get along, please? I need quiet as I watch my plan unfold, and you two will see just how powerful I am." With that, she let out an evil laugh and then smirked, this was finally going down how she wanted and nothing more.

❅~❅~❅~❅~❅~❅~❅~❅~❅~❅~❅

A/N:
Finally am done with it! Sorry for the little delay with it, had been super busy at the moment. The next one will be done soon if I am able to just spend a lot of time writing! I am gonna try and get the chapters for this book equal with The Royal Charm Academy and Shipwrecked Princess, these three will be my main focus since I have the most chapters written up for them.

Chapter Talk:
I must admit, writing Hans is so much fun. He is a really great character and yes even though he is helping out his mistress or at least being loyal to her, he knows what is up. How he thinks was kinda modeled after how I am, just because I feel it is easier to make it feel real.

I didn't have Draco speak before, but then I decided to have him speak much later than I planned. I like to think of Draco as a much smarter and older Slyder from Barbie and the Diamond Castle. He is up there in age but everyone knows dragons and live for a very long time.

You will see some of the people Medusa employs throughout the story, of course some will be an utter shock. I have a few surprises up my sleeves for those characters will I will add more to the story as time goes on.

And lastly, anything else I forgot ask away my pals. I am happy to answer anything!

In closing, all rude, impolite and mean comments will be replied to in a diplomatic way, reported or deleted if I feel like it is attacking me personally.

Thanks for reading!