Thanks to my first reviewer Zwidon, and i don't own anything of Tamora Pierce's (which i am noticing my story is following similar lines [but it will be different, i promise, girl in disguise as a boy to be a knight...etc.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alexandria, now Alex, followed the maid's swinging hips down the hallway, and nearly ran into her when she stopped suddenly. "Here's yer room, don't need a lock cus there ain't nuthin to hide. Yer in charge of yer own cleanliness and the other boys're headin to the court yard now to get their introduction." she said while picking up a bag full of what looked to be clothes from in front of a door. "Best be off now." she said as she glanced back from gathering the other bags. Alex stared after her. "what?" she blinked, but the maid had already disappeared down the hallway. Alex began to walk in the direction that the bustling maid left, when she was hit from the side by a moving object. "ouch!" yelped the moving object, now revealing itself to be a boy of about twelve or thirteen. The boy looked Alex over, as if he was inspecting a fruit to see if it was edible. He nodded "you'll do. I just came not ten minutes passed, and i have no bloody idea where the court yard is. I don't suppose you'll know where it is?" Alex raised her brows, he had said this in one breath.

"Nope, no clue, but I was going to go look for it just now before a giant clumsy elephant knocked me down." when she finished, the boy's eyes grew wide and he turned to look behind him in search of an elephant. Alex suppressed a giggle "Never mind, come on, if we don't find the practice courts, surely well find the kitchens. I'm starved". She decided she liked this boy, perhaps, she thought, this place won't be to bad. The two started off down the hallway.

"So, whats you're name anyhow?" the boy asked as they continued their search. Alex looked him up and down and up again once more for good measure. He had straight black hair, and was of average height and width. Alex narrowed her eyes jokingly. "How do i know I can trust you? You might be a Salaren spy for I know." He gasped, then puffed out his chest. "I'm Charles of Lagesdon I'll have you know! And haw do I know if you aren't a Salaren spy eh?" Alex stifled another giggle and rolled her eyes disbelievingly. "Riiiight, i suppose I'll have to trust you if we ever want to get out of here. I'm Alex. Oohh! I smell baking bread!" Charles wrinkled his nose "I don't smell nothing...". Alex gave an exaggerated sigh. "It's a gir-boys intuition.". She sped her walking and bit her lip at her near slip. "intu-wha?" said Charles, but they had reached a wide doorway revealing dozens of cooks with their flower-dusted aprons carrying bread, bags of ingredients and other things. Alex walked in, leaving Charles at the doorway, and grabbed a few freshly baked loaves off the counter and walked backed to a shocked Charles. "Won't they be mad?" He questioned "course not...they...mmf...have enough bread there to feed four thousand high nobles. That ... be the size of of a ...a hippopopumus." Alex said while chewing. Charles giggled nervously and at a safe distance from the kitchens made a grab for a bun. The two continued in their search for the court yard.