White snow began to fall gently, and the air grew colder as a soft wind blew across the land.
Aver and Axe had finally received permission to help Princess Celestia. They were given funds to buy essential supplies for the people. Riding a horse‑drawn cart loaded with heavy sacks of food, they travelled from house to house, delivering potatoes, wheat, and rice.
They would knock on each door first before handing over the supplies. One man opened his door to find the twins standing there, holding a sack of wheat and several containers of food.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"We have been sent by Princess Celestia to bring you aid," Aver said, offering the goods.
"Really? Thank you very much." The man accepted them with a look of gratitude.
Aver and Axe moved on, repeating the same task at every home. Some received potatoes, others wheat, and some rice. Even as the weather grew colder, they continued their work, determined to help the people.
Before long, their deeds became the talk of the town. People began chatting about it in shops, along the streets, and in front of their homes.
"I think Princess Celestia still cares for us," one man said.
"Yes, indeed. She still provides for us even after we asked her to step aside for Alice," a woman replied.
"That's true. Alice is only fit to be her regent, not the queen."
"I agree," another woman added.
Slowly but surely, the people's trust in Princess Celestia began to return. They grew certain that she still had their well‑being at heart.
Eventually, word of this reached someone else. Silas the animal set out to find Aver and Axe, and found them just as they returned from making deliveries—they had been doing this for a whole week.
"Silas!" Aver waved as the creature approached.
"I hear you two have been helping Princess Celestia," Silas said.
"Yes, that's right. We want the people to trust her again," Axe replied.
Silas gave a faint smile. "I have some advice for you both."
"What is it?" Aver asked.
"You need to be careful. The people do not know that this aid does not come directly from Princess Celestia herself."
"But Nyx said she gave permission," Aver said.
"Nyx will do anything as long as it makes the princess look good. But he has made a mistake here."
Aver and Axe exchanged uneasy glances. "So… what should we do?" Axe asked.
"You must make sure Nyx takes responsibility for this—he is the one who authorised the use of funds without Princess Celestia's knowledge."
"Should we tell the princess about this?" Aver asked.
Silas shook his head slowly. "If you want to be scolded or even expelled from the palace, then go ahead and tell her." He paused, then added, "Remember—no matter what happens, Nyx is the one responsible."
His words left the twins feeling increasingly anxious. They had only followed Nyx's instructions, but now they began to fear that trouble would follow.
A few weeks later, the snow fell even more heavily. Roads were covered in white, and rooftops were coated with a thin layer of ice. Firewood had become a vital necessity for keeping homes warm.
Inside the palace, Princess Celestia was reading through newly delivered financial documents. Her eyes moved slowly along the lines, until suddenly her brow furrowed.
"Since when did I authorise these expenses?"
She stared at the figures before her—the amount was far from small. Several transactions had been made two weeks prior.
The office door opened, and Ryan entered carrying a cup of hot chocolate. "Your Highness, please have something warm to drink—it is very cold today."
He placed the cup on the desk, but immediately noticed the princess's expression. "Princess Celestia, is something wrong?"
She showed him the papers. "Money from the treasury was withdrawn two weeks ago."
Ryan took the documents and read them carefully. It was true—a significant sum had been used.
"Your Highness, I have heard that you have been distributing aid to the people. I assumed you were using tax revenues for that purpose."
"What?" Celestia looked up in surprise. "I know nothing about this."
Ryan was taken aback. "All I know is that Nyx asked for my approval to help the people," Celestia continued. "But he never told me he was taking money from the treasury."
Ryan fell silent for a moment. "What about the aid Alice provided earlier?"
"That was given on my direct order," Celestia replied, shaking her head. "Alice used her own funds for that."
Ryan nodded. "So this money was not authorised by you at all?"
"No." Celestia looked back at the report, her expression growing serious. "Besides, tax revenues cannot be used to buy supplies for the people whenever someone wishes."
Ryan listened carefully. "Tax money is meant for repairing roads, building public works, paying government staff, and other official needs."
Celestia gripped the documents a little tighter. "If this money was spent without my knowledge, that is a very serious matter."
Ryan nodded slowly. "Perhaps you should ask Nyx about it?"
The suggestion made Celestia pause. She looked out the window, where the snow continued to fall without stopping. After a few moments, she finally nodded.
"I need to know the truth."
For the first time in a long while, an unpleasant feeling stirred in her heart—the feeling of suspicion. And the one at the centre of that feeling was Nyx.
Nyx, the large blue‑furred cat, sat across two chairs in Celestia's office. His size filled almost the entire space, and his tail twitched slowly—he was clearly uneasy about being summoned so suddenly.
Before him, Celestia sat upright, her hands resting firmly on the desk. Her face was different from usual; gone was the soft, gentle smile she always showed him. Her mind was heavy with everything that had gone wrong lately: the war with Elowen, the people beginning to doubt her leadership, Alice gaining more and more support, and now this unknown financial matter.
Nyx met her gaze. "Princess Celestia, may I ask why you have called me here?"
Several seconds passed before Celestia spoke. "Nyx."
The tone of her voice made Nyx fall still.
"Did you use money from the kingdom's tax revenue to provide aid to the people?"
Nyx paused. He knew this day would come eventually. "Yes."
Celestia lifted her head. "Yes?"
"I did it because I wanted to help you, Princess. The people were losing faith in you. I thought if they saw you still caring for them, they would stand by you again."
Celestia breathed in slowly. "I understand your intentions, Nyx."
Nyx felt a flicker of relief, thinking she understood. But her expression hardened once more.
"Yet why did you not discuss this with me first?"
Nyx fell silent. "I… I thought—"
"Do you even know what tax money is truly for?" Celestia's voice grew firmer. "It is not funds to be spent as one pleases. It is meant for the kingdom's development, its security, road repairs, public buildings, and other essential needs."
"I know that, but—"
"But you used it anyway, without my permission."
Nyx lowered his head. "I only wanted to help you."
"I know your heart was in the right place." Celestia clenched her fists. "But Wonderveil is already struggling. Our national debt is growing. Do not make such major decisions behind my back."
Nyx looked up at her. "I thought you would not mind if I was trying to help."
Celestia paused. "I do not mind you helping me. But you took public funds without telling me." She slid the financial report across the desk. "If others found out, what would they think?"
Nyx said nothing.
"They would believe I am a ruler who cannot even manage my own palace. They would think anyone can make decisions in my name." Her voice was thick with disappointment.
"Princess Celestia…"
Celestia pushed another document toward him. "And what about this?"
Nyx glanced at the list of purchases. His eyes widened slightly. There were food supplies listed—including items for cats. Fish.
He froze. "Princess Celestia, this is not me."
"You already used the treasury without my consent." Celestia stared at him, hurt and disillusioned. "And now it seems the money has also been spent for your own benefit?"
"No! I never did such a thing!" Nyx stood up abruptly. "I have never used that money for myself!"
"Then who did?" Celestia rose from her chair. "Who is responsible?"
Nyx could not answer—he did not know himself.
"Have I let a stranger into my most trusted circle?"
Celestia's voice was heavy with sorrow. "Nyx, you have disappointed me."
Those words stung far more than any punishment ever could.
"Leave this palace."
Nyx went rigid.
"I do not wish to see your face again."
Celestia turned and walked out of the office.
Nyx immediately gave chase. "Princess Celestia, wait! Please let me explain!"
She did not stop. "Guards!"
Several guards rushed over. "Your Highness?"
"Remove Nyx from the palace. He is never to be allowed back inside."
Nyx was stunned. "Princess Celestia!"
Two guards stepped forward. Nyx tried to slip past them—despite his size, he was fast—and ran after Celestia into the palace gardens.
"Princess Celestia, please believe me!"
But before he could reach her, a heavy net dropped from above. Nyx yelped as his legs became tangled, and he crashed to the ground.
"Ryan…"
He looked up to see Ryan standing there, wearing a faint smile.
"Thank you for choosing me to stand at the Princess's side."
Nyx stared in disbelief. He struggled to free himself. "Ryan, let me speak to Celestia!"
Ryan ignored his plea, handing the net's ropes to the guards. "Take this cat far away. He no longer belongs here."
Ryan looked down at Nyx. "He is not worthy of being near her any longer."
The guards nodded. They dragged Nyx away and locked him inside a wooden cage. A horse‑drawn carriage then set off, leaving the palace grounds.
Throughout the journey, Nyx called out repeatedly. "Please let me out! I only want to talk to Princess Celestia!"
But no one answered. The carriage rolled on, moving further and further from the city. Nyx could only peer through the gaps in the bars, watching the palace—his home for so long—slowly fade into the distance.
A few days later, the carriage came to a halt in a place completely unknown to him. The guards unlocked the cage. Nyx stepped out slowly and looked around.
Before him stretched only a long, empty road. To one side lay a vast, silent forest. There were no houses, no villages, no people.
Before he could ask anything, the carriage turned around and drove away. Nyx stood alone, watching it disappear.
His blue fur ruffled in the cold wind. For as long as he could remember, he had stayed by Celestia's side—protecting her, advising her, standing guard over her. Now, she herself had cast him out.
Nyx lowered his head. "Princess Celestia…" he whispered. "I have never betrayed you."
But there was no one to hear his words. Alone in the middle of an unfamiliar wilderness, Nyx had nowhere left to go.
...........
News of Nyx being cast out of the palace—accused of misusing tax funds—spread far and wide. It reached not only the people of Wonderveil but also many animals living far beyond the palace walls.
When Aver and Axe heard the news, they froze in shock. They were the ones who had used that very money to deliver aid to the people in Princess Celestia's name, and now they feared they too were implicated. Even though their intentions had only been to help the princess, everything made it look as if they had conspired with Nyx. Afraid of what would happen next, they chose not to return to the palace and instead took shelter temporarily deep in the forest.
White snow now covered the woods. Tree branches were draped in a thin layer of frost, and the ground had turned completely white. The air grew colder by the hour; many animals unable to withstand the chill had already gone into hibernation.
Aver and Axe walked slowly toward a small wooden cabin—the home of Liy, a giant serpent. The house was not large, but it was more than enough for its owner. A thin wisp of smoke rose from the chimney, signalling that a warm fire burned inside.
Aver knocked on the door. Moments later, it creaked open, and Liy peered out.
"Aver? Axe? What are you doing out here in this weather?"
"We need to talk to you, Liy," Aver replied.
Liy frowned but stepped aside to let them in. Inside, it was much warmer than outside. He set three cups of hot chocolate on a small table, and the three of them sat down.
Aver and Axe told he everything that had happened in the palace. Liy listened quietly, he expression shifting when she heard Nyx's name mentioned.
"So… Nyx has been banished?" he asked.
"Yes," Aver answered softly. "And we… we feel as though we were accomplices. We used the same money."
Axe looked equally troubled.
Liy turned to them calmly. "Do not be so quick to blame yourselves."
"But we used public funds," Aver insisted.
"Did you know at the time that it came from tax revenues?"
The question made them pause. Aver shook his head. "No. We only knew Nyx had given permission and said it was meant to help Princess Celestia."
"Did he hand the money directly to you?"
"Yes."
Axe quickly pulled out a stack of papers and placed them on the table. "We also have proof—these are the receipts for everything we bought."
Liy picked them up and examined each one carefully. After a moment, he spoke. "Based on this, you two are innocent of wrongdoing."
Aver let out a long breath of relief. But Liy continued studying the papers, his expression growing thoughtful.
"Nyx is the animal closest to Princess Celestia. He knows the palace's workings, the tax system, and all the rules. I never imagined he would do something like this."
Aver looked at him. "But… I don't think he is guilty."
Axe stared at him in surprise. "What?"
"I can't explain why, but something feels wrong about all this."
Axe sighed and pointed at the receipts. "Aver, we have evidence against him. Look—there are purchases listed for cat food and fish. Who else would eat those things if not Nyx? You?"
Aver fell silent. "That is true…"
Liy said nothing. He held back her thoughts, for he still remembered how Nyx had looked down on him in the past. A trace of old resentment lingered in his heart.
After a while, he changed the subject. "Where is Silas?"
Aver glanced toward the window. "He said he is going to look for Nyx. He is worried—especially now, in the middle of this snow season."
Liy's eyes widened slightly. "Silas is searching for him?"
"Yes," Aver said with a faint smile. "Silas has always been kind; he cares about every creature."
Liy leaned back in his chair. "But how will he find him? The lands outside the palace are vast."
"We don't know either," Axe replied. "Maybe he will just find a safe place where Nyx can stay for now."
Liy looked out the window, where snow continued to fall steadily. "I hope Silas does not bring him here. I still have not forgiven Nyx for how he treated me before." His voice grew sharper. "I want him to know what it feels like to lose everything and have nowhere to belong."
Axe gave him a gentle smile. "Be patient, Liy. We are still on your side."
Liy looked at them both before sighing. "Very well."
They returned to sipping their hot chocolate, while outside the snow kept falling, covering the forest in endless white.
Far away from there, the large blue-furred cat stood alone in the wilderness, unaware of the discussions taking place in the cabin. He did not know what was happening back at the palace, nor did he suspect that something far more dangerous and deceptive was unfolding behind the scenes—pulling the strings of every event that had led to his fall.