Rouge and the Rogue (Knuxouge)

Wake-Up Call

Knuckles stumbled into the bandits' forest clearing camp a little past midnight. The Princess's guards hadn't been able to chase him very far so it was safe for him to meet up with the others now. Most of the group members were asleep, leaning against trees, laying across branches, or just lining the ground. In the middle of the clearing sat Espio. Though he seemed to be meditating, his eyes opened when he heard Knuckles come near.

"You're still alive." Espio might have been relieved or surprised. It was hard to tell.

"No thanks to the Princess. You were all right about her," Knuckles grumbled. He gathered a small pile of leaves and moss for a bed, settling down in a gap between Charmy and Silver on the ground. He realized that Blaze was with Silver, sleeping so close that he hadn't seen her at first. Knuckles averted his eyes.

"So the Princess wasn't as you expected. Don't feel responsible, Knux. You have a trusting nature. That's a good thing." Espio closed his eyes again.

"Wish I wasn't duped so easily though... She listened to what I had to say, but still set the guards on me. How heartless can a person be?"

"She actually listened?"

"She let me talk at least."

"That's progress. The Princess wouldn't change her mind in just one night. Maybe it's too early to give up."

"If you think so, then YOU can talk to her next time." There was a pause as Espio didn't say anything in reply. "That's what I thought," Knuckles said. Then he turned over and went to sleep.

~~~

Rouge was glad she had brought her makeup. Nobody would be able to tell that she hadn't slept a wink last night. Something about that echidna who had visited her had stuck in her mind. She decided it was probably just shock from all the horrible things he'd said.

Surely the kingdom wasn't as poor as he'd told her. The King always said that a prosperous ruling family meant a prosperous country. She enjoyed all of the luxuries money could buy, which meant that her kingdom provided those luxuries, so they must be doing well. Besides, her father had always been kind and loving; surely he would not do anything so cruel.

If a few peasants were poor, it must be because they didn't work hard enough, not because of her father's laws.

Pushing these thoughts to the side, she dressed for the day. She met her guard outside her room door. He looked awful, tired and stiff. Rouge smirked at his discomfort. She and the guard walked down the inn's rickety stairs to the dining room. Breakfast would be provided by the inn.

There was a wood table covered in an embroidered white tablecloth in the center of the ground floor dining room. It looked like the only new thing in the whole town.

The princess and her companions were the only guests, so the dining room was woefully empty.

The innkeeper's daughter rushed into the room.

"Good Morning! Today we have a wonderful meal prepared for you— all of you! Pancakes with butter and jam, accompanied by fresh fruit and—"

"I don't like pancakes," Rouge complained aggressively. This was a lie, she usually loved pancakes, but her foul sleep-deprived mood made her want to lash out. Creating inconvenience for these peasants would suffice.

"Oh... I'm so sorry, Princess! What would you like instead? Anything at all?" The poor girl panicked and wrung her hands.

"Do you have foie gras?"

"Um, I'll have to a-ask the kitchen," she hurried off. It was futile, they obviously wouldn't have it. Did the girl even know what foie gras was? The princess stewed in her foulness. This hadn't helped so far.