| "What's going on?" Every one present covered their eyes as suddenly it was as bright as day. Carmess stood by his mount, looking sleepy. "So you have magic on your side," the centaur glared at Amy. "I'll be back, and I'll get you." He turned to his comrades and left. "Who was that?" asked Carmess. "A centaur, I don't want to talk about it." yawned Amy. She walked back to the tree and unstrung her bow. "That's helpful," muttered Carmess as he doused the light. Amy was suddenly very tired. She curled up in the blanket and was soon asleep. ~ ~ ~ ~ The ride to the palace lasted several weeks, and Amy hardly spoke. She would wander off, to come back with game of just to catch up later. She was always climbing trees and soon Carmess thought of her as 'Squirrel.' Even though the ride was often a quiet one, Carmess enjoyed most of it. He was often the only one speaking, so he told her about life at the palace, of the strange and funny things that happened there. Sometimes he was rewarded with a faint smile. When they reached the top of the hill that overlooked Mystal City, it could be said that Amy stared. Never in her life had she seen so many houses. There were so many things to see, the crowded marketplace, the dirty slums, the temples, and of course, the palace. It was large and well-built, with great glass windows and colourful banners. Carmess led the horse into the city, towards the palace. He laughed to hinself as Amy tried unsuccessfully to see everything at once. "See," he told the girl, "The palace has a thick outer wall and inside is an area with blacksmiths and bakeries and such. Those by themselves can suppport the palace for a year if it were beseiged." He spoke with pride, for the palace had been his home for the last ten years. He was also glad to have something to talk about. Amy half-listened to him, thinking about the life ahead of her, What would she do? Why on earth would any one want an orphan peasant-girl in the palace? Or was Carmess just feeling sorry for her? It doesn't really matter, she told herself, having a roof over my head is better than living alone in the woods. Besides, she thought, if he had bad intensions, wouldn't she know by now? She was suddenly aware of him behind her on the saddle and felt her face grow hot. "Stop that," she muttered, "You're being silly." "What was that?" Carmess asked. "Nothing." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Amy walked swiftly throught the halls of the royal palace, following Carmess as he led the way to wherever he was going. "Where are we going?" she asked. "I think we'll go to the tailors, you need some decent clothes. Then I'll show you to your new room." He stopped in front of a door. "You'll like Tanya, she's very-" The door opened to show a woman in her mid-twenties with strawberry-blonde hair and blue eyes. "Hello, Carmess," she said with a smile. "Tammie said you'd be here today." She looked at Amy. "Is this the new student?" "Well, yes. Amy this is Tanya, the head of the palace tailors and the most charming woman alive." "I'm still mad at you for saddling me with that reptile of yours for a month." "Don't be mad, sunrise. I had to leave her here." "I'm sure you did. Now, Amy was it?" Amy nodded. "She needs clothes, Tanya." "Of course," she led Amy into the middle of the room and quickly mesured her with a knotted rope. She grabbed a handfull of breeches from the shelf on the wall and handed them to Amy. "Try these on," she instructed, pointing to a screen. |