You travel towards the capitol for a day and a night, only stopping to rest for a few hours under a weeping willow. The next day, you come across a town where, with the last few coins you possess, you purchase a sandwich. Another vendor, hoping to get more of your coins, hands you a multicolored egg that he claims is actually a dragon egg. You take it with a muttered thanks, though you are pretty sure no dragon lays an egg that small.

When you finally see the castle in the distance, you hasten your pace. It's almost dawn when you reach the outer city walls, the sky still a deep indigo blue with thousands of stars shining down. You made it. All you need to do, is beg the King and Queen for asylum and you will never have to worry about your evil step-mother's plot again. Though leaving your father's kingdom in her hands isn't what you want, you decide that is a problem for another day.

Morning chores are well underway when you reach the palace gate. You give your message to the guards who run off to fetch someone in charge. As you wait for someone to arrive, they lead you through the gate and into a vast garden, filled with fountains and roses of every color. In the center of the garden sits a towering fountain that spews water from mermaids' mouths and sea shells. But the base is filled with a treasure chest of gold, pearls, and jewels. It seems to be a weird place to keep a chest of treasure, but with how secure the grounds are, you don't ponder too long on it. The roses around you are open to the sun and you walk through them. You want to pick an unusually beautiful mottled orange rose when someone growls behind you.

It is not the captain of the guard or another guard, but a giant beast. His fur and stature are reminiscent of a bear, with curling horns and glistening fangs and claws. Fear grips you and you drop your hand away from the rose and fight not to cower. You have faced a werewolf and a sea witch, not to mention traversing half-the continent to get here. You will not let the beast know you are scared.

When he speaks, his voice is softer than you expected, almost a purr. "What is your business with the King and Queen?"

You lift your chin. "I am the rightful ruler of Howlinda and seek asylum from the regent, my step-mother, who seeks to kill me."

He huffs a laugh. "There is no one who can help you here. We are fighting our own battles." He turns to leave, but you shout after him.

"Alright," he sighs. "There is a curse upon this castle. If you can lift the curse, we will help you."

You had not heard of this curse, but say that you will try.

"To defeat the curse, you must answer this question: What did the Sea Witch steal from me?" he asked.

"How will I ever guess that?"

"It is something you have seen," he says as he shrugs and walks away to let you think.

You take inventory of everything that you have noticed on your way through the city, the food vendors, the shop owners, the dragon egg merchant, the giant chest of treasure... You narrow down your options to four things.

But the answer can only be one thing, and you decide on your answer.