Random burst of inspiration. *shrug* Dunno how far it'll take me. I bid myself good luck!

I stood aside and let the lord pass. He brushed right past me in an imperious manner, and pinched the bottom of another maid, winking at her. I shuddered and droplets from my bucket spilled onto the floor, creating little circles of imperfection that I'd have to clean again. Beauty was overrated. I'm glad I'm plain. No one notices you, and in my line of work, that's a blessing. Over course, in that applies to my current position as well, but most of all, to my real job.

I am a spy.

Didn't think I'd go right out there and say it, did ya? Spies usually don't… at least, the good ones. But seeing as how you're not real, just an imaginary friend my mind as created for me, I'll testify at will. My job has lots of stress, and sometimes, I can't take it anymore. I guess that's where you come in. Can't talk to a real person ya know… they'd rat me out in a second. Love their king, they do. Dunno what's so great about him… just another handsome guy. Don't care for guys much. I've got someone back home… dun think he'll wait for me though, I've been gone awhile. Kinda hard to care about things though, when you've got the fate of a nation on your shoulders. Not that I care about that either… I stopped caring a while back. I jus' do my job, get my pay and wait for the next, boozin' and reading in between. And tendin' my garden. I love my garden. I hope Marcus is takin' good care of my seedlings… I told him he needs to water them twice and day and talk to them for a bit, but he's to proud to do that. I jus' need to find what I need to find, get it home, and get outta here.

Ya see, my nation is planning war on this one. Can't tell ya who though, or on who. You could make yourself real to someone else and tell 'em everything you know! Then where would I be? Stone dead thas what. Dun wanna be there. My sister is dead. Dun wanna be near her anymore than I need to. I think I killed her, but I can't be sure. She was annoyin'. Always whinin'. You can only take so much…

But you, you'll never become annoying, nope. Because I made you, and that means you'll never talk, because I dun want you too. I prefer silence to talking. Silence is always stone. Still. Cold. Never fluctuating or changing. Silence always speaks the same language, consistently. Always that same simple language full of meanin's only I can decipher. I like silences. Talkin' always means something other than what people are sayin'. I should know, after all, I lie for a livin'. So talkin' is something I try to avoid. Silence is always better. The cool, dark silence.

So what was I sayin'? Ah yes… I'm a spy. We're getting' ready for war ya know, wanna expand our territory. My job is to find out all the battle procedures and usual tactics for war. Their strategies. I also gotta find out how many troops there are, but that was easy. Just some awe-filled questions and poof, you got an answer. Soldiers will always tell a woman anything if she's willin' to work for it. And I'm willin' to work. I gotta. Favors are the name of the game. I do what I need to do to get the job done. I get compensated in the end, so it's not all bad.

I've moved up the ranks in the servants hierarchy, which many people don't even know existed. Oh it's there all right, like a government all our own. Thieves got one too; most commoners do. Everyone wants power, and the way to get it is through a system. So systems are made. Anyway, I've got almost all I need to know, except the western front defense strategies. Them's the most important of all. I gotta have them. Once I do, it's back home I go, and back to my little home in the city, with my huge garden.

All the other homes and gardens get looted, but not mine. Everyone knows that I'm under the protection of the City Baron and the King himself. How them two managed to get along is beyond me, The King wants the City Baron dead. I s'pose that a City Baron is something like a King of Thieves here… they run all the illicit activities in every city. None answer to each other though, each city is a country all it's own, with different rules and a different hierarchy. I think that that makes it better than over here, because if'n the current Baron isn't doin' his job right, his people can pick up and leave for somewhere else, so the Barons' are forced to always do whats best for the common folk. There's never any double dealing with nobles and ratting people out. We're at his mercy, but he's at our mercy too.

Anyway, back to my job. I've completely run out of ideas for it. You got any? Nah, you're mute. I need to get those plans, but they're completely inaccessible to me. Even the King's secret mistress's don't get access to the part of the castle where they're kept; his private chambers. A very select few are even allowed to clean those rooms, but even then, under constant supervision. Magically protected and locked, there no way to break in either.

I can't fail this mission, I'm getting paid by the bucket load for it! I might even be elevated to nobility and get some newly conquered fief if all goes well. There's too much at stake. I'm gonna get the papers even if'n it kills me.

Well, goodnight you, I hope you're not imaginary again by morning.

Well, how was that? It sorta ends off abruptly, but remember, she a bit off her rocker. Couple brick short of a house. A few fries short of a happy meal. A couple chips short of bag.

I randomly got this idea last night, so I got up, snuck to the computer, and started typing. I finished it off this morning, but didn't have time to upload. So here it is. Finally.

I do hope I can finish this, because it really won't be a very long story. I'd estimate around 10 chapters, maybe more.

:oD

--Keita