A spring afternoon in New York City, and school had just let out.

  Amy Wayne couldn't wait to get home. All day she had been keeping an eye on the clock whenever she could, which seemed to be going at the slowest pace possible as if it was taunting her. Still, when the clock hit three o'clock and the final bell rang, the nine year old had grabbed her things and said farewells to her friends before heading home. Her home was located at 241 Central Park West, an apartment building with a gorgeous view of Central Park. With it being in the spring the park itself was lush and green, strong scent of the trees greeted her as she stepped off the bus. With speed rivaling when she ran on the track during P.E. she ran up the stairs to the third floor of the building and got to her humble home.

  She opened the door and closed it once inside, dropping her bag below the hooks meant to hold it. "Hi, Mom!"

  From the front door she heard water running in the kitchen, evidence of her mother doing dishes. "Hello, Amy! How was school?"

  Her mind focused on something else Amy merely answered with a simple 'it was okay' and went about her business. This pertained to what she had in the fridge waiting for her. In a small Ziplock bag were a mix of cold vegetables like carrots and cauliflower, and next to it were some green grapes and a few white cheese sticks. She hurriedly grabbed these things and took off for her room. It was the last door in the hallway.

  She got close to her door when she heard her mother call out from the kitchen. "You have any homework to do?"

  "I'll get to it in a sec!" Amy got into her room and gently closed the door. The room wasn't like typical girls of Amy's age. Though her walls were pink with white trim, that was the only thing in it that could be considered 'girly.' Instead of cute things she had posters of knights saving princesses, bookshelves lined with fairy tale and fantasy book collections, and even statues of dragons that were extremely expensive and intricately detailed lining the walls. She loved fairy tales and old medieval stuff, which made her stand out among other girls her age. Heck, she even wore elf themed jewelry from time to time, her favorite being the golden bracelet that was dangling on her right wrist. It was from a popular film franchise she grew up watching. The thing was made of metal and was somewhat heavy but it was a loose fit that she hardly noticed it during the day.

  Amy set the bags of food on her bedside desk before going back to the front of the apartment to grab her book bag. She promptly returned to her room with strange urgency, but before she could close her door her mother stepped into her room.

  "What's got you in such a rush?"

  Mary Wayne was only thirty years old but was an astute parent. One had to be living in NYC and with an online only job. She had to balance said job with being a stay-at-home mother, which wasn't easy but she made it look so.

  Amy got to her desk, giving a quick, "Nothing!"

  It wasn't rude or anything, just a simple reply. Her mother seemed to buy it. Though she did ask a peculiar question. "You must be hungry if you got all that for a snack."

  Amy had already pulled out a small carrot stick and had chewed on it before answering, "Sure am!"

  "Okay then. Your father will be home in an hour or so and dinner should be ready by seven. You let me know if you need any help, alright?"

  Amy pulled her books and pencils out of her bag and set them on her desktop before she got in her chair. "I will, mom."

  The woman nodded once before leaving, leaving the door wide open. Amy waited until her footsteps quieted down and the sound of the faucet being turned on could be heard before she closed the door.

  With that out of the way she could finally get to what she had been waiting to do since she woke up this morning.

  Grabbing the bags on of food on her desk and got down on the floor. She laid down on her stomach and faced the space under her bed. The space between her mattress and the floor was eight inches and had boxes of toys and keepsakes put in place by the girl's mother scattered under it.

  It also housed something incredible. Amy's tiny secret.

  With a final look at the door to make sure it was closed, Amy whispered into the space under her bed. "The coast is clear. You can come out now."

  There came a distinct scratching sound from within the darkness, followed by a small light being created. It was dim at first but got closer to the opening, and an astonishing sight came into the light.

  Three anthropomorphic mice literally walked into Amy's view. They stood no taller than seven inches at the tips of their ears, and of the three the lead one carried a small lap made from thin metal and oil taken from an old cigarette lighter. They wore scraps of clothing they had taken from things around the apartment to cover their upper bodies. The leader was a dormouse with golden brown fur with white spots and a white belly. His tail trailed behind him on the floor.

  "Good to see you again, Lady Amy."

  The sound of the Old English accent in the mouse's voice made the girl smile. "Same to you, Sir Arthur. Sir Lancelot. Sir Percival."

  The two other knights behind Arthur responded with a huff and a friendly wave, respectively. Lancelot was a dark grey furred grasshopper mouse with a twin pronged metal fork on his back. The fork had been stolen from a barbecue kit from one of Amy's neighbors. Considering it was never used until summer Amy knew it wouldn't be missed. Meanwhile Percival had a makeshift wooden crossbow made of small parts on his back and a quiver of bolts on his hip. The bolts were actually slightly modified bamboo toothpicks with sharpened points. Percival was a kangaroo mouse with fur predominantly brown with a few spots of black on his face, including one that was like an eyepatch.

  "Please, Lady Amy, you may call me Percy if you like."

  The girl giggled. "Very well, Percy." She quieted down when she heard heavy footsteps. Initially she feared it was her mother coming to check on her, but when the steps went away from the hall she spoke again. "I got you guys something."

  She opened the bags for the mice, and the scent of fresh vegetables and fruits made them visibly swoon. Percy didn't waste any time in going towards the carrots.

  "By Jove I love me some carrots!"

  Arthur set the lamp down at his feet. Lancelot stuck his makeshift spear into the wooden floor before crossing his little arms. "Be sure to thank Lady Amy, Percy. She goes through the trouble of feeding us we should show appreciation."

  With a mouthful of carrot Percy did thank Amy, though it was hard to make out words because he was chowing down so enthusiastically. A humorous sight to be sure.

  "It's okay. I don't mind. Eat up."

  Lancelot and Arthur joined in on the food with eagerness, and Amy watched them for a moment or two before she moved to her desk. If she didn't at least start doing her homework her mother would get upset and she didn't want that. Obviously that was hard to do when three anthropomorphic mice were in the same room with her.

  Not long after she had finished her math and moved onto her reading assignment did she hear scratching coming from below. Arthur climbed his way up the desk via the legs using his tiny claws to assist him.

  "The meal was exquisite, my lady. Thank you again."

  Amy smiled at the mouse and while she knew she had to do it as a priority she shifted her focus away from her homework. She toyed with the golden bracelet on her right wrist. "How have you three been doing while I'm at school?"

  "As per rules given to us by you, we hear someone come in we run and hide, leaving no traces of our activities so we don't get exposed. Though I must admit, your mother is very thorough when she is in here."

  "She goes through my room almost every other day to make sure it's clean."

  "We got lucky earlier."

  "Just asking, but where do you guys hide when I'm gone?"

  Arthur's little hands scratched the tip of his pink nose before ruffling his circular ears. "We found a loose section of the floor under your bed and moved in under there. We also found a way to the wall, which helps with an escape route as well as a way to the outside of the building."

  "Hopefully you got enough space."

  "More than enough I would say," said Lancelot as he climbed onto Amy's bed using the blankets to haul himself up. "We had to chase out three of the natives who had made their home in the wall. Let's just say they weren't very happy."

  He was quickly joined by Percy, who struggled to climb up while holding one of his precious carrots. Still he managed to reach the top thanks to Lancelot giving him a hand. "I'd say! We couldn't understand them very well but I think one of them called me a nasty name."

  Crossing his arms over his chest, Lancelot's nose twitched at the memory. "Honestly I think that had been aimed at me."

  "I suppose when you threaten them with hissing and a spear I'd be upset myself, hoho!"

  Percy took a bite out of his carrot and flinched when Lancelot glared at him for the remark.

  "I do worry about you when I'm not here." Amy toyed with the row of pencils on her desktop, her tone full of worry which was surprising for her age. "If mom were to find you she'd lose her head."

  Arthur shook his head, his whiskers and nose twitching. "You don't you worry about us, my lady. We know how to hide."

  "Aye, that we do," said Lancelot with utmost confidence, his most common trait rivaled only by Arthur. Percy nodded in compliance while finishing his last carrot.

  Feeling better after hearing that Amy went about her homework, and eventually she got to the part she was most excited for. Her reading assignment where she had to read at least five pages of any book she wanted. Because had chosen a book about a knight in a fairy tale setting she tended to read more than just five. The mice stuck around to listen to the story, and did so quietly, liking the sound of the story.

  Taking a moment to deviate from reading, Amy raised her hand and spoke what could only be described as gibberish with an accent.

  Arthur tilted his head, "What sort of words were those?"

  Forgetting for a moment she had eyes on her, Amy bashfully lowered her arm and held it to her chest, trying to hide the bracelet. "It was supposed to be the words of the elves. Magical people who live forever. My favorite sort of people in any story I read." She showed the bracelet to the mouse knight. "This has their language on it."

  Curious Arthur requested a closer look at the piece of jewelry. Made of stainless steel and colored gold, it could have easily been mistaken for real gold were it not for the elvish lettering etched into the band. "Beautiful. The folk who made this must've ventured long and hard to get such a piece."

  Amy shook her head. "Daddy bought it for me. It's pretty but I wish it were real elven gold. That would be even cooler." She took the bracelet back from Arthur and ran her fingertips over it. "But I can only pretend, since magical creatures don't really exist."

  "If that were the case, then what about us?"

  The girl took a quick look at the mouse knight as he stood gallantly on the edge of the table. "Sorry, I keep forgetting."

  Arthur smiled, not offended in the slightest.

  Amy was reminded of how in only the span of a week she had been friends with the trio. Seven days ago she had been walking home and decided to take a short cut through an alley near the apartment when she was confronted by some bigger kids. Though she tried to do what her dad had told her and just ignored them she was unable to escape their notice. They picked on her, grabbed her bookbag and threw her books in the dirt. While she cried and begged for them to stop they just laughed and continued to call her names.

  That was when the three mice knights rescued her. They had gotten between the bullies and Amy and logically the kids were shocked to see three six inch mice in armor standing ready for combat. Lancelot had howled at them to scare them further and that proved to be the first blow, but Arthur had dared they attack Amy again and face his wrath. Despite being at a severe size disadvantage the three mice stood firm. The kids took off scared and did not look back. Amy wasn't scared of them. Sure she had been confused as to why three mice were talking let alone saved her from bullies, but her uncertainty had given way to fascination. Talking animals were nothing new to her as she had read about them in many books. However she wasn't a foolish girl to believe such creatures existed in real life. She understood that, as much as she didn't want real life to be so boring. Obviously witnessing something that shouldn't have been possible in real life was a shock to her system. She didn't even ask where they had come from or what they were. Instead she took the three to her room right after and let them live with her. They were now her newest friends. Secret friends, but friends, nonetheless.

  Setting the bracelet on the edge of the desk Amy returned to reading her book. Percy and Lancelot got on the bed to sit and listen to the story shortly thereafter.

  Eventually the mother returned and they had to hightail it back under the bed. After the coast was clear again Amy finished her schoolwork in record fashion before deciding to play with the mice. Not long after Amy's father arrived and dinner was announced, meaning the time they had was cut short. They came back out but remained under the bed until the call for dinner was made.

  Amy cleaned up her schoolbooks and papers and put them back in her bag. "I'm going to go have dinner. I'll be back when I'm done, okay?"

  The girl could just make out the leader of the mice peeking out from under the blanket which hung like a curtain from her mattress.

  "We'll be here, Lady Amy."

  The girl smiled and ran out of her room, making sure to close the door behind her.

  As soon as the loud slam of the door came about, Arthur was joined by Lancelot and Percy.

  Lancelot asked, "The child is gone?"

  Arthur gave a nod, "She'll be back, she said."

  "Hopefully she brings more carrots. Those things fill me like nothing of this planet!" Percy exclaimed as his stomach roared. Somehow he was still hungry even after all he had eaten earlier.

  "Nothing I have seen so far can replace home, Oonus, just remember that." Lancelot said casually. Percy hushed him immediately.

  "Don't call me that! I like Percy more than my birth name, Yensei!"

  "You want to forgo your birth name? We haven't been in this dimension for more than a week and you've already discarded that? Have you no shame?"

  Percy flinched, "It's not that, it's just that Lady Amy gave me the name and—"

  "While we're here we shall use the names given to us." Arthur's proclamation shut down the conversation. He was the leader and his word carried authority. Even he had put aside his birth name of Nymrod for the sake of this world's traditions. "We will respect her."

  "At least until we find a way to return to our world." Lancelot didn't always agree with his superior and now was such a moment. Still, with nowhere else to go and with only Arthur and Percy by his side, he had been forced to swallow his pride and mold into this world. "I shall humor the child 'til that day comes."

  Arthur nodded in gratitude. "Thank you, Lancelot."

  The three mice began to move back towards the back wall under the bed. There in the corner where two walls met a section of the floor had been cut out. It was hidden as well as it could from prying eyes, and it had to be to keep the hidey hole that the three mice called home from being discovered. It was like living in a cave, with only the scent of dust and droppings to keep them company. Luckily they had also carved a way into the wall using their teeth. Primitive by their standards, but a lack of proper tools forced them to use what they had on hand. They had used their time in the last week to make the cave as homey as possible, and Arthur had made sure to make it long term. Lancelot had used his time making the weapons they had, while Percy retained a sense of duty to making the cave as comfortable as possible. Thanks to Lady Amy sharing a good amount of her own toys, they were able to make the cave a bit more colorful, though Lancelot wasn't fond of the pink and white Barbie accessories. His complaint had been they were too flashy. Arthur hadn't minded, and that was all there was to that. As for the codename for the hidey hole, Arthur had given it the name the Hollow, which was a name he had heard during one of Lady Amy's reading sessions about a place where rogues gathered to rest. He found it a perfect match.

  In the most spacious part of the cave Lancelot returned to work on something he had been dealing with earlier. There was a stone wheel on a spinner going round and round, and next to it were the projects. A sharp knife had been given to them by Amy, as well as a large silver coin the mice had found in their search through the floor. The knife had been detached from its handle and the length had been chewed away to make it much shorter. The fact that the mouse had been able to it in such a setting was very impressive.

  Arthur went and joined Lancelot in his workspace. "How goes my request, Lancelot?"

  "Finishing it up. Should be ready tomorrow." Lancelot picked up the large coin. It was a half dollar, the largest coin in the land, but it had been modified. Due to the tools he had on hand Lancelot had barely been able to trim down the coin and turn it into a proper shield. "Just so you know, I was forced to make the coin smaller, otherwise you won't be able to carry it."

  Arthur nodded, "A shield is no good if it makes me immobile."

  "Depends on the situation. Alas, I made it to your specifications. As for the sword, it was tougher than expected, but I was able to make it usable in one hand." He reached around, the small torch on the desk behind him flickered as he grabbed the newly crafted sword. He handed it to Arthur. "I had to use a fancy piece of wood I found to make the handle sturdy. The hard wood of our surroundings cracked too easily in the trial phase."

  Arthur twirled the sword in his hand. It was heavy but it was to be expected with a makeshift weapon. The handle didn't rattle, which meant it was tight and secure. "What did you test it on?"

  "The shield. It took the hits without so much as a scratch on it. Alas, neither will be fully ready until tomorrow at the earliest. Then we shouldn't have to fear anything crawling around outside these walls."

  "I have confidence in your assessment." Arthur certainly sounded like he did. He was always one to tell the truth, no matter how harsh it would be, though he had been careful talking to Amy for that reason. He treated her like a woman but knew she was just a child. Sure she was the size of a skyscraper, but she was a child, nonetheless.

  A final farewell to Lancelot and Arthur went to check in on Percy. His corner of the floor was lit by two small lamps and it was a big mess. On the wooden wall that made up the support beam was a bunch of scribbles resembling a map. Of what only Percy knew. The mouse was hard at work looking over said map, mumbling to himself while itching his nose. His whiskers twitched as Arthur approached.

  "How goes the map, Percy?"

  "Ah, it's going good, ser! Through trials and tribulations, not to mention plenty of near death encounters, I have made maps detailing our escape routes to and from the Hollow." Taking in a hand a toothpick he had near he pointed to multiple circles carved into the wood. "These are the ways down to the outside of the building Lady Amy calls home. They lead to an alley along the side and to the front walk facing the main street. The large park is just beyond that, though I insist that the park be a last resort for us should the need arise."

  "Good. We should rehearse the way to escape when we can, so we're up to escaping quickly."

  Nodding in agreement, Percy pointed to the escape route that led to the alley. "Just be warned, there's something in the alley. A grate leading into the sewers. Not big enough for us to fall through, but I plan to investigate any access points into it when I can."

  "The sewers…why would you want to go there?"

  "I like taking note of all our options. Besides, I love exploring this world! It's so fascinating—even if the places are massive, dangerous, or in the case of the sewers, reek of sludge and garbage."

  Chuckling at being reminded of Percy's favorite hobby, Arthur tapped the mouse on the shoulder with his hand. "Just don't get careless. We don't know what this world has that could harm us."

  "Don't you worry about me, ser, for I am the soul of caution." Percy twirled the stick in his hand in a stylish way but only got a move or two before he fumbled and it went flying off in a different direction. He nervously laughed before going off to retrieve it.

  Seeing his comrades were going to be hard at work for the foreseeable future Arthur decided to go to his little corner of the Hollow to rest. It was his sleeping area, with a nest of white cotton in the corner next to the remains of the armor that he usually wore on top of a roll of black string. The armor was damaged but was still useable. Next to that was his helmet, given to Arthur by the Great King for his services to his kingdom. It was one of the few things that had survived the trip to this world intact. Arthur had lost his weapons in the transfer, which was the biggest loss for him personally. Luckily his personal journal was in one piece, its pages full of scribbles detailing his life in the last week.

  'Curse that sorcerer for his evil ways…' he thought with disdain. Though he had been open with Amy about who they were, she didn't know the full extent of how the mice had wound up in her world. Long story short, the mice had been tracking a devilish sorcerer wanted for doing heinous crimes. By order of the Great King the mice were to bring him in. However, when they cornered him, he got desperate and used a spell that created a tear in reality. The sorcerer had been torn apart atom by atom as the spell had been too powerful for him to control. Arthur and his two comrades were then sucked into the tear and, when they had stopped spinning from the magical vortex created by it, ended up in the alley next to Amy's apartment building. Forget the fact that they had survived, they had a bigger issue to deal with. They had been taken from their world and were now trapped in this one, with no hope of returning. Just a faint sliver that they couldn't discard, for it was the only real thing keeping them going and not falling into despair. The last thing any of the mice wanted was to lose their spirit in such a strange world.

  Though it was only dusk outside Arthur felt tired enough to lay down in his fluffy bedding. Thoughts of his comrades, Lady Amy, and of his precious home accompanied him as he curled up into a ball and closed his eyes…

  Multiple booms were what woke Arthur up. His beady eyes shot open and he sat up, his heart racing a hundred miles an hour. What sounded like thunder overhead caused the whole Hollow to shake, with dust falling from the ceiling. After sneezing a couple times Arthur got out of his bed and went to see what the commotion was. He only had to turn the corner out of his part of the Hollow to find his comrades. Both of them appeared as confused as he.

  "What in the name of all that is holy is going on, Lancelot?"

  The grasshopper mouse had his spear in hand, ready for combat. "I know not, my friend. We all overslept."

  "That so?" Arthur looked over at the watch on a wall nearby. Sure enough, it read past ten in the morning. "I see…so we missed Lady Amy going off to school."

  "Aye, but it seems something is going on outside our walls."

  The three mice stood silent for a moment. Though they had extra sensitive hearing they could only make out muffled noises from beyond the Hollow.

  "Consider me curious. Let us find out what it is," said Arthur as he moved past his friends and towards the exit of the Hollow. No one tried to stop him, as their own curiosity got the better of them.

  They carefully exited through the hatch in the corner of the floorboard and peered towards the thin amount of light at what would be the edge of Amy's bed. It was then they heard heavy booms getting louder, not to mention getting closer. Closer to the point the ground shook under the mice's feet. Undeterred Arthur went forward, closely followed by Lancelot and Percy taking up the rear with his crossbow. They almost reached the blanket that acted as a curtain for them when the bedroom door was pushed open. Two sets of human feet came in, and only one could be seen beyond the confines of the bed frame.

  "It's okay dear, just sit down and I will make you something to eat. You want to watch TV later?"

  'That's the mother's voice…' Arthur thought to himself.

  The other voice spoke, and instantly Arthur knew it was Amy. "That's okay mom, I just want to read my book." Her sentence was followed by heavy sniffing, and some groans of pain, as well as desperately held back crying. Something was very wrong.

  The mother's tone was sympathetic. "You poor thing. I can't believe you broke your arm."

  Arthur's eyes went wide upon hearing that.

  Through pained words Amy asked, "Mom, what about my—"

  Brrrring! Brrrring!

  "Oh, that phone. Must be your father asking about what happened. I'll be right back with a bowl of beefaroni, okay honey?"

  The mother left the room, closing the door behind her, and the only sound that could be heard was the sniffling and crying of Amy above. Unable to keep himself in the dark, Arthur led the way out from under the bed and climbed up the covers. When they reached the top he greeted the girl but then saw her state and became confused. "Lady Amy?"

  The girl was sitting up against her headboard with her legs slightly up, and her tear filled eyes saw the mice. "Arthur!"

  She tried to move but hissed in pain, and Arthur was quick to notice why. While she had a book propped up on her legs, she also had her left arm wrapped in a hard white cast from her hand to her elbow on her lap. It looked heavy too, not to mention very uncomfortable.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Lancelot had helped Percy up from the sheet and both of them looked on horrified. The kangaroo mouse dropped his crossbow. "By Jove, milady! What happened to you?!"

  Lancelot was calm in his assumption. "A battle, it seems. One you obviously lost."

  Amy shook her head. "I woke up late and was running to catch the bus. I got to the door but slipped and fell backwards. I landed on the curb and broke my arm…" She moved her left shoulder, the cast making it difficult to move her arm otherwise. In actuality she didn't just land on the curb she landed between it and the road, and her body weight slammed into her arm right in between. A clean break. She hissed in pain, yet that wasn't the worst of it. "But I lost my bracelet!"

  Arthur remembered the conversation they had the previous day. "The one with the Elven runes? Your precious treasure?"

  "The one my daddy got me, yeah," the girl leaned her head back against the wall. Her attempt to be brave failed miserably, her sniffing as she tried to hold in her crying. "I can't believe it's gone!"

  The rumbling of thunder happened again, but this time it wasn't footsteps. This time it came from outside, and it was the force of nature delivering it like a set of war drums. A rainstorm was brewing.

  "The loss of something like that is terrible," said Lancelot. Percy nodded in agreement. Both of them had sympathetic looks, and while Arthur did so as well, he also had to ask.

  "Where is this bus stop you were injured at?" Arthur's nose twitched.

  Through watered eyes Amy answered, "Just outside the front door of the building."

  Such an exchange could only go in a certain direction.

  "Arthur, you cannot be thinking—" Lancelot's assumption was proven true by what Arthur said next.

  "We shall go and retrieve it for you, Lady Amy."

  The girl's pain expression dissolved like a snowball in a fire. "W-What?"

  While Lancelot grumbled, Percy entered a full blown panic. "Ser! You mean for us to go outside?!"

  The leader turned to his comrades. "We must. Our duty demands we repay our debts."

  Lancelot crossed his arms over his chest, "What part of our code do you mean?"

  With a code spanning centuries, modified by countless warriors who served the Great King's beck and call, Arthur had memorized the most recent version of the Knight's Code before they had been forced out of their world. He had even written down all he had could in his journal.

  Arthur answered Lancelot with pride. "The part where we honor our loyalty to our lordship. In this case, our Lady Amy."

  With a deep thought Lancelot finally knew what he meant. "The Chivalry Passage."

  Arthur gave a look to Percy. "What is that passage again, Percy?"

  The kangaroo mouse snapped at attention, arms at his sides while his crossbow leaned against his leg. "Servitude to our king and country with utmost loyalty and respect, until old age or battle takes our lives."

  Arthur nodded, "Good. At ease."

  Percy did so with a huge sigh of relief.

  Arthur turned back to Amy. "You have given us refuge in this world. Given us food, shelter, and tools. The least we can do is help you in return."

  Amy nodded in gratitude but worry for the tiny knights was obviously on her mind. "What about you? You don't even know what's out there. You could get hurt!"

  Lancelot dropped his arms to his sides and stepped up beside Arthur. "My lady, we are knights. We live by the sword, and danger is as sure as the morning sunrise."

  Wanting to alleviate her fears even further, Percy put his hand to his chest, right over his heart. He did a decent job trying to sound brave. "No need to worry about us, my lady. While we are considered small in this world, we're stronger than we look."

  Arthur agreed with his comrades. Before he could add further, the distinct sound of footsteps in the hall outside Amy's room. Two sets to be exact, moving in a quick manner. Arthur knew they had little time to spare. Percy and Lancelot were already on their way down the covers to get under the bed. As he began to climb down he told Amy with utmost confidence. "Just leave it to us. We'll be back before you know it."

  Arthur managed to get under the bed before Amy's parents came through the door.

  The three mice retreated to the Hollow, and the hatch wasn't closed all the way before Lancelot spoke his mind.

  "Have I ever told you to stop making promises?"

  "Multiple times." Arthur walked past his friend and went to his corner of the hollow. "I am adhering to our code."

  "There's more to it than that, I am sure."

  "You're right," said Arthur as he began to put on his armor. Though damaged it was still usable, especially the helmet, which covered a good portion of his head and had wings out the sides. Once it was good and tight he put his helmet on. "I will admit it's not just because I want to uphold our code. Truth is, I want to repay Amy for helping us. Her hospitality might be the only reason we've survived up to now. Divine kindness since we are in such a strange world and other humans most likely would not have treated us like she did."

  Percy, equipped with his own armor and crossbow on his back, chimed in. "Oi! I agree with that! We would have been caught, put in cages, forced into those reality shows on those magic boxes of theirs, or who knows what else! It would have been dreadful!" His nose twitched and he sneezed. "Worst of all, we wouldn't have been able to eat such delicious delectables!"

  Lancelot wasn't fond of Percy's antics at any given time, least of all now. "Do you ever think with anything other than your stomach, my friend?"

  Percy shrugged his shoulders bashfully. Arthur reached for his new sword and shield, putting the half-dollar on his back and the sword on his left hip. He looked as close to the knight he had been on his home world, minus the fancy décor his armor had.

  "Regardless, if it weren't for Amy we most likely wouldn't be here now. We'd be wandering this world, lost and afraid of what that lurked around every corner, or worse. We should repay her by getting back what is most precious to her."

  Such logic was hard to disagree with, and that was proven correct when Percy nodded. Lancelot for his part took a bit longer to convince, but even he had to surrender to the logic.

  "If you wish to jump into danger, I would be a fool to let you do it alone."

  Percy sneezed again and chuckled, while Arthur nodded, "Thank you. Grab your equipment, we move out as soon as possible."

  As if it were an omen the storm outside only intensified as the mice began their trek down the apartment building. Following Percy's extensive map by memory they went down the walls. They tried to be discreet about it, hoping to not make noise to disturb anyone living on the other side. Truth was they didn't have to worry about it, as mice in apartment buildings was far more common than they could have thought, though obviously mice that could walk and talk were impossible.

  Taking all of ten minutes to go from Amy's room to the ground floor the mice found an opening Percy had mentioned that faced the alley next to the apartment building. The rain was heavy and it was cold and foggy as well.

  Arthur took note of the environment. "The fog will give us some form of cover. Let's find that sewer grate."

  Lancelot offered to go first, going past his leader to scope out the outside. When he saw nothing he waved for his comrades to follow him out. The rain pounded their fur, but while Arthur and Lancelot took it with toughness Percy was just glad to wash off the dust and dirt that had caked his fur.

  Using the rain and fog the trio made their way from the alley to the front walk. They were extremely cautious going forward, though they didn't have to be. By virtue of it being around noon as well as being a weekday, most humans were indoors working or at school. Not to mention the weather made it undesirable to be outside for any given reason. Still, better safe than sorry.

  The three mice took refuge from the weather at a bench used to wait for buses. Percy shook off the rain that soaked his fur, getting Lancelot dirtier than he would have preferred. Arthur, meanwhile, had taken a look around, hoping to find what they were looking for.

  "I will strangle you with string if we return to the Hollow," Lancelot admonished Percy, and that may or not had been exaggeration or a threat on his part.

  Percy apologized at first, then said, "If we were back on our world we wouldn't be so stingy about how we travel."

  "There's a grate."

  The metal grate was approximately two by six feet in diameter and made of cast iron. The mice walked over while being careful of the gaps in the metal, and Arthur and Percy took a closer look. Lancelot stood watch to keep an eye out for any humans that would approach. The stench of the sewer beneath was putrid and there was already a thin layer of water reflecting their faces. On top of the lack of light and minor amounts of garbage, it was harder to see than expected, even with the mice having better eyesight than humans.

  Percy had his face literally in the gap, "There are multiple shiny things, Arthur! How are we to know if it's the bracelet?"

  Arthur kept the majority of his focus on the ground below. "You'll know when you see it!"

  They went over the large grate, and Percy sneezed hard enough that he fell backwards. Arthur kept going, focused on keeping his promise to Amy. He kept going for over a minute and saw nothing.

  Uncharacteristic frustration began to creep into his mind. He gritted his teeth together. "Come on…where in blazes are you?"

  "Arthur! I found it!"

  Arthur raised his head towards Percy and scurried over to him. Taking a quick look through a gap near a corner Arthur saw a golden shiny object sticking out of a pile of sludge. The object had distinct elven runes in the band. They had found what they were looking for!

  Arthur grew excited and smacked his friend on the shoulder. "Good work, Percival!"

  The kangaroo mouse nervously corrected his leader, "Um, it's Percy, sir. But thank you."

  Now that they had found their quarry, the next obstacle made itself known. "There's no way we can fit through these holes."

  Lancelot called for Percy to switch places with him and he went to join Arthur. He saw the bracelet down below and shook his head. "We might fit through, but the risk would be too great. We'd have to remove our equipment, but also we'd drop down into a place we have no idea how to get out of."

  Arthur silently agreed. The danger posed by just dropping into a sewer with no knowledge of where the exit was, as well as defenseless, would be suicide. They had to think smarter than that.

  "Then let's find the entrance."

  Calling to Percy the mice made their way back across the sidewalk and back into the alleyway. By sheer luck they had only seen one or two humans walking about, and they had more interest in where they were going instead of minding their surroundings.

  Taking refuge inside the hole they had come from Arthur confided with his friends. "Now that we know where it is, we just need to get to it. Percy, you've done research and recon of the area. What do you suggest?"

  The kangaroo mouse sneezed twice. The cold and rain wasn't doing him any favors. Still, he made an explanation in-between sniffles. "Well, I have found that there are covers in the street that humans use to get below ground. They are much too heavy for us. But I also found a few holes that were created by outside forces nearby. I never explored them as it was too dark, but judging by the stench coming from them, I would say they lead to the sewers."

  Arthur didn't hesitate. "Lead us to them."

  With Percy in the lead they all went as fast as they could along the wall of the alley and finally got to their destination. Sure enough, there was a hole in the ground, and it didn't appear to be made by either erosion or human hands.

  Lancelot inspected the edge of the hole, running his little hand along it. "We better be vigilant. This stone has been chewed through."

  Arthur nodded once, "We best do—Lancelot get back!"

  The grasshopper mouse got back as he felt the ground underneath him shake. A large grey furry mass came from within the hole. The creature stood on its hind legs, and its black beady eyes looked down at the three mice it towered over. Even Lancelot looked small in comparison, and he was no youngling. This was a creature the mice had been told about by Amy and warned they lived outside her home. Sewer rats that were vicious and attacked anything that was smaller than them. They were similar to the wild Tunk tribes back on their world, large and openly hostile to the mice kingdom. They were also territorial and would attack anything that came into their land. The Great King had proclaimed they be left in peace lest a war break out. Thus they were respected as much as feared. Obviously, this one was far more feral in comparison and lacked intelligence.

  Percy squeaked but raised his crossbow. Lancelot pulled his spear off his back. "Must be one of the natives…"

  "Wait!" Arthur got in front of his friends. "We should try to reason with it."

  "You're insane!" Said Lancelot in response, flabbergasted.

  Arthur moved forward, hand on the handle of the sword on his left hip, "We come in peace. If you'll just let us through there will be no need for violence."

  The rat had heard the words coming out of Arthur, tilting its head in obvious confusion, but it soon after responded with an aggressive hiss. It showed its yellow teeth in a further sign that violence was the only thing ahead now.

  He had tried, but Arthur acknowledged that a peaceful solution was futile. He pulled out his sword. "So be it."

  Lancelot pulled his spear up. "Let's make quick work of this foe and move on—"

  At that moment a new problem arose. The ground shook further, and not just from the pounding of the rain.

  Percy was the only one to comment on it, and his voice sounded nervous. "Uh, sirs? What's that?"

  Before he could be answered, two more giant rats crawled out of the hole leading underground. Equal in size, they also appeared to be just as eager to end the mice as the first one with the way they were hissing and their claws were at the ready.

  "Spread out!" Called Lancelot before running into the open alley, forgoing any effort of trying to hide. One of the rats followed him with surprising speed. Percy fired one of his toothpick bolts and got another of the rats in the shoulder. He took off running when the rat gave him a murderous look.

  The lead rat took a swipe of its claws at Arthur. He raised his shield and deflected the blow easily before bringing his sword down on the rat's arm. He left a huge gash in the shoulder which caused the rat to shriek loudly. It's anger had been his moment of weakness and Arthur exploited it. He drove the tip of his sword upward into the rat's midsection, crushing bone and cutting through flesh with ease. There was some blood that fell onto the concrete and mixed in with the puddle. Despite this new wound the rat fight even harder, swinging its claws and even trying to bite the mouse knight. Arthur pulled his sword out and spun his entire body in a circle. His shield hit the rat in the face which dazed the creature before the sharp blade of his sword sliced through its throat. A gurgled screech came from the gaping wound before the creature fell back onto the ground. It squirmed maniacally, desperately clinging to life while rolling in the water that was mixed with its own blood.

  Arthur calmly walked up to the creature and raised his sword over his head before bringing it down into the rat's head. It immediately stopped moving. "Forgive me."

  With a big breath the mouse looked around and saw that his comrades were also done with their foes. Percy began to walk back towards him, leaving behind the rat with multiple toothpick bolts in its carcass. Lancelot's foe had been stabbed multiple times, and the twin tip of his spear was stained with blood. Though the rats had the size advantage as well as the power to tear apart the mice, what saved the knights were their weapons and obvious increased intelligence. The rats were wild and thought only instinctively, the mice could be rational and strategize, which lead to their victory.

  Arthur dipped the tip of his sword in a puddle to remove the blood from the steel. "You two alright?"

  Lancelot and Percy nodded but kept their weapons out. Percy was shaking, no doubt from the clash itself. "Oi…just hope we don't run into any more of these things."

  Being the bearer of bad news Lancelot scoffed, "Don't count on it. From what I understand rats infest this city, especially in the underground."

  Arthur shook his head, "Then its best to put aside any hope of less bloodshed from here on out."

  That didn't help Percy's mindset, but Arthur could tell he was able to abide it. The leader turned to the hole and without hesitation he jumped through it. Landing in a puddle, water splashing all around he was immediately hit with the worst smell his nose had ever experienced. It was putrid, and far worse than he had ever expected. Lancelot came down next, followed by Percy. Right away the latter voiced his opinion on the new environs.

  "Ugh! Smells worse than a manure pile!" He covered his nose with one hand. This lasted only long enough for him to realize he couldn't hold his crossbow with only one hand.

  Even Lancelot's nose twitched due to the smell. "More like a dozen…after basking in the sun for a day."

  Reaching for the device on his right hip, Arthur pulled up one of the small lamps Percy had made. A small metal trinket with lighter fluid and a candle wick inside, he lit it with a spark from the igniter small in size which helped with light travel. All three mice had one on them.

  The little lights were immediately lit, given as much illumination as they could, but it still didn't do much to light the darkened corridor. Steel and brick surrounded them on all sides and the only light they could see was further down.

  The leading knight took one step before Lancelot stopped him.

  "Mind your step, Arthur."

  Taking a look around Arthur quickly discovered why. Though where he stood was concrete, just beyond was rusty metal plating that looked like it would collapse just by breathing on it.

  "Good eye, my friend," said Arthur.

  "Oi! I got good news for you all," Percy came up to them with a small piece of paper. On it was a rough sketch of the map he had back in the Hollow. As far as Arthur and Lancelot were concerned, it looked too scribbled for them to make out. Best to leave it to the designer to explain everything then. "According to my map we only have to follow this duct and it should lead us right to the bracelet!"

  Arthur held up his lamp, which only did enough to show the terrible ground they were to traverse. He had a bad feeling. "That ground doesn't look stable…"

  Lancelot shook his head, "If the rats could walk over it I am sure we can too."

  "Just to be cautious let's go one at a time."

  Arthur went first. He went along the wall of the duct as he crossed, hoping the strength of the structure would help. Lancelot did the same on the opposite side, and Percy really hugged the wall like his life depended on it. Though they had hoped they didn't have to go far they quickly discovered that wasn't the case. They went over a full yard before they found more solid ground. Poor Percy looked like he was having an anxiety attack, but a smack on the back of the head from Lancelot got him to refocus.

  They didn't stop to rest for long, as Percy kept his map out and went forward between Arthur and Lancelot.

  They went another yard before they ran into an unforeseen obstacle. A standing metal gate covered in debris. It blocked their way to their destination, and the space between the bars was too narrow even for the knights to squeeze through..

  "Blast it," said Lancelot as he tapped the thick metal with the tip of his spear. "Now what do we do?"

  "Simple. We go around," Percy pointed to a path to the right. "This way."

  The duct was a bit better this way as the ground looked far more stable. Water dripped continually from the ceiling and the stench was still pungent, though the mice would deal with it. Though they had hoped to not run into further trouble, two more rats got in their way not far into their trek. They were dealt with by sword and spear of Arthur and Lancelot, respectively, while Percy cowered behind them.

  They had to make multiple turns to get around, but thanks to Percy's map they kept on track and avoided getting lost. As they went along they had to stop every once in a while as the ground would shake. Not knowing what it was the mice readied their weapons expecting trouble, only for the rumbling to subside as quickly as it had happened. After that they would continue on, noticeably moving a bit faster. Of course, rats weren't the only enemy they encountered, as large cockroaches attacked them thinking they would be a potential meal. This time Percy showed his brilliance by lighting a piece of lint on fire to scare them off. Turns out a sudden flare scared them.

  Finally, after many more twists and turns, they found something familiar. Arthur pointed with his sword, "There, the light from the grate!"

  The multiple slots of the metal grate on the sidewalk above was a welcome sight. Across a wide open area that acted as a cross section for water and garbage was their target. The bracelet stuck out of a pile of sludge like a prize waiting to be snatched.

  Lancelot sighed in relief, "About bloody time. Let's get it and leave this place."

  The three mice threw caution aside and began to run across the intersection when another rumble happened. They stopped. Not because of the rumbling itself, but by how different it was from before.

  Percy put his map away and raise his crossbow. "Thunder? Perhaps one of those vehicles the humans use?"

  "We are near a road, thus it would make sense…but something tells me that is not the case," said Lancelot.

  As if to prove his theory right, the shaking got louder and as it went it became apparent that it was a car or the weather. It had a rhythm closer to stomping.

  "More rats?" Arthur whispered, holding his sword tightly in his hand.

  Out of the shadows nearby came a large dark mass, bigger than the mice combined, and it became clear what it was the moment it stepped into the light provided by the metal grate above. It was a rat, but much bigger than its brethren in comparison. Its body had multiple scars from countless fights with other rats, one of its ears was almost missing, and its eyes were crimson red. It stood up on its hind legs, showing off its massive size even more. It's claws were long and showed evidence of brutality.

  "Oh bloody no…" said Percy, lowering his crossbow in absolute shock.

  "Must be a leader, judging by the way it looks," said Lancelot holding his spear. He then asked Arthur sarcastically. "You want to try and negotiate now, sir?"

  Arthur shook his head and readied his weapons. "We're well beyond that."

  The rat hissed loudly, shaking the three mice to their core before spinning its body with surprising speed. It's tail hit Arthur with such strength it sent him flying into a nearby wall. Lancelot had the wherewithal to avoid it and Percy had been fortunate enough to stumble backwards and ended up not getting hit.

  Lancelot yelled, "Arthur! You alright?!"

  Despite getting the wind knocked out of him quite literally Arthur gathered his sword and shield. He returned the favor by slicing the rat with his blade. While it shrieked he noticed that it shrugged it off and attacked with its claws. Arthur blocked the first few blows with his shield, but he couldn't help but feel the marks left in the hard metal.

  Lancelot came in from the side and drove his spear into the rat's side. Though it went deep and blood came out, it seemed to be just an inconvenience to the creature. In fact it was so unbothered it grabbed the length of the spear and tossed the knight aside like a bag of berries. It returned its attention to Arthur right after, relentlessly scratching with its claws. It was so persistent that Arthur couldn't mount a counterattack and even had to drop his sword in order to hold the shield up. If he were to drop it he would be torn to shreds.

  Suddenly a few toothpicks became lodged in one of the rat's shoulders, causing it to shriek further in pain before turning its murderous eyes to Percy.

  "Not good!" The kangaroo mouse turned and ran, knowing he had earned the wrath of the rat. The big creature ignored Arthur and chased after Percy who tried to use the piles of debris in the area in a game of tag. His long legs helped him along in that endeavor as he was hard to catch otherwise.

  "Percy! Lead it back here!"

  At Arthur's command the mouse did as he was told and ran with all his strength. The ran mindlessly followed, mouth open and showing its sharpened yellow teeth ready to kill. It ran so frantically it failed to notice that not only Arthur but Lancelot as well had their weapons waiting for it. Percy literally hoped over his comrades and Lancelot plunged his weapon into the rat's upper mid-section. He missed vital organs that would have most like caused more damage, but that was the point. The deathblow would have to come from Arthur. Using his small stature the leader slid under the rat as Lancelot held it in place and drove his sword right into it chest. Blood gushed out and the rat shrieked once again, this time in excruciating pain before collapsing on top of the knight.

  "Arthur!"

  The mouse pushed himself out from under the fallen foe, relieving Lancelot. "I'm alright." He took his sword out of the rat, and it twitched and spasmed while groaning in pain. Can't say the same for this one…"

  "Needless to say, he was one tough customer," said Percy as he put his last bolt in his crossbow.

  "Agreed, though it was worth it." Arthur turned towards the prize, the golden bracelet still sticking out of the pile of debris. He felt relief at not only finding it but being able to return it. "Help me with this."

  The three mice did a little digging to get it free, but as Percy found out quickly enough, the bracelet was much heavier than expected. In fact he almost blew his back out trying to pick it up.

  "There's no way I can carry this!"

  Lancelot set his spear on the ground. "Allow me to try." Being the biggest and robust of the three Lancelot was also the most powerful physically. A stainless steel piece of jewelry was quite a test even for him. He picked up the bracelet, treating it like a large wheel before draping it at an angle across his chest, going from his shoulder to his hip. "There, I shall carry it out."

  Arthur saw the strain in his face and offered, "If it's too heavy Lancelet just let us know so we can take a break for you."

  "I appreciate that sir but let us make haste."

  "Gentle mice! I found us a boon!"

  Arthur and Lancelot exchanged a confused look with each other before they went over to Percy. Turns out the boon he had spoken about was a hole in the wall near the metal gate that had blocked their path earlier. It had been blocked by wood chips and had been hard to spot before, but it became clear now that it was cleared.

  "Good work, Percival," said Lancelot, ignoring the annoyed look of his comrade.

  Arthur took a look at the large hole, and then beyond it to see the light of the exit many yards away. There were almost done with this journey.

  "Lancelot, you go first."

  The big mouse did so, rolling the bracelet through first before going in after it. He had to squeeze a bit but he got through without any real issue. Percy went next and helped his friend get the bracelet back on himself. Arthur went through last, but before he got to relax the ground started to shake again. This time it was very violent and he stumbled back up against the hole in the wall.

  A loud gasp was heard and Percy shouted, "Arthur! Get back!"

  Before he could even begin to move Arthur was pushed away from the wall as something tried desperately to squeeze through the hole but was unable to. He stumbled to the opposite side and saw that the large rat was back for more, reaching through the hole with one arm and part of its head sticking through. Its face was bloody and so were its claws, which begged for the mice's flesh.

  Percy raised his crossbow, "Blast it! I thought that thing was dead?!"

  Feeling his heart beat a million miles a second Arthur pointed his sword at the rat. "Obviously it's not!"

  Though Arthur was ready to fight again, Lancelot had a better idea. "I say we leave it! We have what we came for!"

  Though he was loathe to let such a dangerous creature run free, Arthur knew his friend was right. They had come for Amy's prize possession, and for her sake they had to return to her. She was their priority.

  Arthur put his sword in his sheathe, "Right. Let's go—"

  The ground shook again, not as bad as before, but another horror became apparent to the mice very quickly. As the rat struggled to get through, the cracks in the concrete around the hole started to grow longer and larger. Not only that but the wall looked like it was starting to curve towards them.

  Percy slung his crossbow over his shoulder and onto his back, "The wall won't hold long! Run!"

  The kangaroo mouse took off running, and Lancelot followed as fast as he could given the heavy object on his body. Arthur waste no time in following. The three mice got only a foot or two before they felt the earth shake again, and the loud shriek of an angered rat gave them enough motivation to run even faster.

  Though they were more a sophisticated species compared to earth's mice, the three knights reverted to running on all four legs to go as fast as they possibly could. Due to him being the lightest of the three Percy was in the lead with Lancelot close behind. He was straining greatly thanks to the heavy bracelet but he was pushing himself beyond his limits. Arthur took up the rear and he dared not stop, even as he felt the ground shake from the rat's pursuit.

  "Blast it blast it blast it blast it!" He kept going, seeing the light of the exit getting ever so closer.

  He saw Percy literally leap across the ground in wide strides until he got to the hole. Lancelot slowed down for Arthur but the leader waved at him.

  "Get to the exit! Stop for nothing!"

  Lancelot shook his head but did as he was told and ran across the last stretch before reaching Percy. Just before he reached him though he stumbled and thanks to the bracelet wrapped around him, literally rolled towards his friend. It would have been a funny sight were it under different circumstances, and the fact that Percy almost got run over. In their haste the mice had forgotten the treacherously weak metal floor they had found earlier.

  Lancelot shouted to Arthur, "The floor, Arthur!"

  The mouse ran as fast as he could, and he could literally feel the rat's presence getting ever so close to catching up to him. He motivated himself to run beyond his limits by thinking of Amy.

  'I will not be stopped here!'

  He reached the very last possible moment and made a leap just as the rat reached out and tried to grab his tail. It never got it as the floor finally gave way underneath it and the rat fell through the rusted floor. It disappeared into the maze of pipes and tunnels of New York City with a final shriek of anger and despair. Meanwhile Arthur had managed to grab the edge of the hole and hung on for dear life, losing his sword to the hole in the process.

  Percy ran and helped Arthur up from the precarious predicament he was in, and both mice laid on the floor panting and gasping for air.

  "You're crazy, you know that?" Percy said through heavy breaths.

  "It paid off…didn't it?" Arthur's gamble had paid off, as he had deliberately chosen to leap from the middle of the floor where it had been at its weakest. The rat hadn't expected the floor to cave under its weight, since it was in such a rush to reach its quarry. It had paid for that with its life.

  Coming to sit down next to his comrades, Lancelot sighed, "As much as I would want to congratulate ourselves for a good deed done, we aren't done yet."

  Arthur forced himself off the ground. Though his limbs and chest hurt from the physicality the journey had done to him and his friends, he knew Lancelot was right. Though the storm of danger had been weathered, they still had had to reach home. To Amy. "You are right, good sir. Our lady is waiting."

  It had been hard at first, but Amy had eventually fallen asleep for a nap not long after she had gotten home from the hospital. Her parents occasionally coming in to check on her prolonged her eventual slumber, but when she had ways to help. The time she had spent crying her eyes out over not just her broken arm but the loss of her bracelet had taken its toll on her. The former could repair itself with time, the loss of the latter not so much. Her father had consoled her by saying he would get her a new one but didn't specify when. That alone could be anytime between now and never. Though she knew he meant well the girl didn't feel any better.

  Her only hope was her mice friends could deliver on their promise. Yet as she laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling, she couldn't help but wonder if they were going to be able to deliver...

  She heard her door open and her mother came in. "Dear, it's time to wake up."

  The woman came over to the bed and flicked on the bedside lamp. Though the storm had passed the dreary overcast of clouds kept things dark enough even in mid-afternoon. Amy's mother sat on the edge of the bed and helped her daughter sit up, putting her back against the headboard with a pillow cushioning her back. "You have a good nap?"

  Amy nodded, gingerly moving her bad arm to get comfortable. "I think so."

  "I know it must be hard with a cast, but there's nothing that can be done about that for now," the mother did her best to console her daughter, understanding her plight. "You know, I broke my leg when I was your age."

  "How bad was that for you?"

  "I was confined to my bed most of the time, and Grandma had to help me get to the bathroom," she laughed. "But you're lucky to be able to walk on your own."

  Amy did her best smile.

  "Alright, dinner will be ready after a while. If you need anything just call for me, okay?"

  Nodding once Amy asked for the book on her desk and opened it. Her mother left after that. Opening the book, Amy was greeted by the picture of a princess under a tree looking up at the beautiful moon.

  She only read the first sentence of the story when she heard something. A light scratching noise that made her ears perk up. Not just that, but she heard something else.

  "Would you be more careful? This bloody thing is heavy you know!"

  The sound of an annoyed voice could only belong to only one, she thought. Lancelot!

  The girl got so excited she tried to move but flinched when she moved her broken arm. That stopped her from going further. Luckily she didn't have to wait long to see the mice. First came Lancelot who climbed up the side of her bed using the bedsheets. He had a thin rope wrapped around his thick torso, and his fur was slick and wet. He gave a friendly wave to Amy before helping Percy and Arthur up onto the mattress. Both of whom were wet as well, leaving damp spots on Amy's sheets. Though they both greeted the girl enthusiastically, they went about pulling the rest of the rope up.

  At the end was the shiny golden Elven bracelet her father had given her. The one she had lost that morning!

  The girl gasped and couldn't hold back her glee. "You got it! You actually got it! Thank you so much!"

  Using her right arm she reached for and grabbed the bracelet, which still had the rope attached to it. It was wet from water but had been cleaned of any noticeable grime to a meticulous degree.

  Setting the golden bracelet on top of her closed book Amy saw the mice and almost cried. "Thank you so very much."

  Arthur bowed respectfully, "We knights always keep our word, Lady Amy."

  Lancelot removed the rope from around his body and shook his fur, trying to get some of the wetness off. "It was nothing."

  Percy was more bashful in his response. He gave a huge smile, "We would have been here sooner, but we wanted to get it clean for you."

  Lancelot crossed his arms, "Not to mention clean ourselves off, less we reek of sewage."

  Amy scrunched her nose at the thought. That would explain why the mice were soaked. Still, she was grateful. "How can I repay you guys? You can have whatever you want!"

  Arthur shook his head, "That's alright, my lady. Your continued hospitality is more than enough for us to get on by."

  Neither Lancelot nor Percy objected to that statement.

  Such was the code of chivalry, as Amy knew. She didn't press any further, even though part of her insisted on repaying them for such kindness.

  "Well, how about I get you guys some food? I'm sure you're hungry," she said.

  Percy's ears perked up and his whiskers twitched at the words. "Oh, can we have carrots? I'd love some!"

  Even Lancelot seemed to like the idea. "A celebratory feast would be nice. I am rather famished."

  Arthur didn't object, even if it sounded as close to a reward as it could be, he knew they hadn't eaten since the night before. "Very well. A feast we shall have. To celebrate our victory, as well as to Lady Amy's speedy recovery."

  Percy jumped and cheered, at least until Lancelot shoved him aside to make him stop. He almost fell off the bed had he not forced himself to fall on the sheet. The two began to argue, and Amy couldn't help but laugh.

  As for Arthur, he was more than content to see the human girl happy. That alone was the greatest reward.