Ansel strolled to a different part of the island the following night and yet Princess Rose found him. Like the night before she approached him the moment he started to play and listened to his flute silently, lost in her own thoughts.

She was an interesting and curious girl and he enjoyed her company, it felt pleasant after being alone for so long. But it wasn't good for her, frequenting a Rat-catcher was a shame for anyone and this girl was a Princess...

"Was it Talia?" He asked, pulling her out from her reverie when his song was finished. The friendly inn-keeper was the only person Ansel had spoken to more than once in this town, apart from this girl.

"Yes." Rose giggled, then added, "Talia had been my nurse for years and I visit her often, whenever I can leave the castle without my father's knowledge."

"Did he forbid you to meet your nurse?" Ansel asked, intrigued.

Rose shook her head, the grey hood of her cloak slipping off her blonde hair. Those long waves shone like pure gold in the moonlight... Alsel looked away from her quickly. Something in this girl kept reminding him of the woman he once loved, of those feelings he had forgotten about... Almost.

"My father hates her. He asked her to marry him a few years after my mother passed away. Talia refused him, she did not love him. And so he banished her from the castle. She married a poor fisherman instead."

Ansel looked at her, attracted by the gentleness of her voice, in time to see her smile at the memory.

"They were madly in love, until he passed away suddenly last year. Since then I try to visit her as often as I can. They did not have children, and I don't like seeing her alone."

On impulse, Ansel stood up, reached for his flute and played another tune. Huge, soft snowflakes, as white as the feathers of the flock of swans sleeping huddled next to each other nearby, started to fall from the inky blue sky in a wide circle around them. He heard the girl's heart stumble as she jumped to her feet and drew closer to him. 

"How... It's summer, it can't snow... " she murmured, making him smile.

"It can, as you can see, Princess. I think you should go home before they start looking for yo..."

"Is your flute magical?" She asked, not letting him finish his line.

"Let me take you home. It's not safe for you to wander through the town's streets alone at night."

Ansel started when she laced her arm through his, but did not protest, and led her across the sleeping town, towards the castle. He rather liked the way she was treating him, as he was a human being like her. But when he noticed a shadow, only a shade darker than those cast around them by the tall houses of the town disappear swiftly behind one of the buildings, he withdrew his arm and stepped farther away from her.

"I don't care if they see us together, Ansel. I'd walk by your side even in broad daylight..."

"That would not be wise, Princess." He replied, as they stopped under one of the white towers of the castle.

The girl ascended a few steps carved in rocks leading to a path encompassing the building, and then, to Ansel's surprise, started to climb up the wall, choosing small crevices among the stones into which the tips of her shoes barely fitted. 

"Good night, Ansel," she said, glancing at him over her shoulder, making him fear that that little distraction would cause her to slip and fall...

Without thinking he spread his cloak and flew up to her, taking her in his arms and bringing her back to the ground.

She squealed with surprise then giggled, but the moment he set her on her feet she was perfectly composed again. Nothing could shock this girl for long, Ansel thought, smiling.

"You can fly! Are you really an Angel...? " she asked, her eyes wide with awe and curiosity.

Instead of answering her he asked, "Do you risk your life like this every time you go to visit your nurse?" 

He reached for his flute. The tune he chose this time made a huge rosebush spring directly from the rocks. It grew at the foot of the tower and climbed all the way up to its only window, its strong branches placed in safe distance within each other.

"Thank you, Ansel! Now I can come down even more often..." the Princess called, already half-way up the tower.

He laughed. "It wasn't what I wanted! Just... be careful."

"Good night, Ansel!" She waved at him from her window before she disappeared in the darkness.

Ansel, smiling to himself, made his way towards the town, to Talia's inn. He had not felt this... good for a long time... The thought that this... they all... the girl... would end soon made the smile freeze on his lips. Rose nearly made him forget why he was here...

Completely lost in his thoughts, and the strange emotions stirring deep inside of him, he did not notice Lady Destiny watching him from afar.

Her favourite Piper was not behaving as was expected of him...