Chapter 4

Marcia stormed into the throne room followed by a panting messenger. She had spent the last few minutes jogging while the man explained the situation and, when she had realised what Jenna had done in sending the Northerner away disrespectfully, she had picked up a sprint. Much to her dismay, no blond traveller was present. Only Jenna sitting in her chair, two guards at the door and, to her great relief, Alther were there.

"Jenna," she yelled, "Jenna, where is that Northern man?"

"Oh he just left. Marcia, he wanted our land. He had the nerve to walk in and ask for it as if it was normal! Can you believe it?"

"Indeed I can princess. And from what I heard, you have much to learn about diplomacy."

"What do you mean?" inquired Jenna, hurt. "We can resist can't we? We'll just put up a spell!"

Marcia shook her head.

"We have no Magyk," she began and, ignoring the gasps that her last statement had provoked in her small audience, she continued. "Now the Northerners want our land. The first possibility is that they want it but know that we shall keep them away with our Magyk. If that is the case, I pray that they do not find out that we have lost it. As for the second idea, they have something to do with the disappearance of our powers, in which case they shall probably attack in matter of weeks."

The extraordinary wizard looked around the room solemnly and was interrupted by Septimus bursting in.

"Marcia! Jenna! I was attacked! Merrin Meredith I—"

"Merrin Meredith?!" exclaimed Marcia, shocked. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. He managed to run away. Izzie felt him break out of her energy cocoon on the way."

"Isadora? What has she got to do with this?"

"She saved my life! Merrin was about to stab me. I couldn't use Magyk, it wouldn't work."

"Ah yes Septimus, I know that. My Magyk doesn't work either."

Thinking of something, she turned around at the two guards and the messenger behind her and said:

"What you have just heard is strictly confidential. You are not to spread word of this to anyone. Am I understood?"

The three concerned gulped and nodded.

Alther came forward, confused.

"What are you talking about Marcia? How is our Magyk gone? And as for Merrin Meredith, he must be stopped. Send guards out for him or go do it yourself but for heaven's sake, he is dangerous. Why he would have killed Septimus if it weren't for the young Isadora!"

Marcia seemed bristled at being spoken to so directly, especially by her old tutor but she remained composed.

"Alther, Merrin Meredith is the least of my worries right now. The northerners may lead an attack anytime and we are not prepared! Plus we don't have any Magyk and—"

"Marcia," cut Alther, "You should take everything into account. That boy is a threat to you! The least we want is to have a second army to try and overpower us!"

Jenna felt tired of this war debate and she sneaked out of the room silently. As soon as she had walked out of the palace door, the girl smiled at herself. She knew where she was going; she would pay Beetle a visit. Rather than walk on the stone paths under the burning sun, the princess decided to take the long turn through the Ramblings, where she could get some shade. She ambled pointlessly, trying to clear her head of the information she had just got. Jenna knew she should be terribly worried like Marcia and Sep were but she just couldn't find it in her. She was confused, curious and outraged but not afraid. She supposed it was due to fact that she trusted her brother and his tutor too much to doubt that they would ensure her safety and that of her people.

Suddenly, Jenna was jerked out of her dreamy state. She noticed a young girl who seemed about her age wondering around looking bemused. The princess presumed from her exotic and lost appearance that the girl was not from here. She moved closer and introduced herself.

"Hi, I'm Jenna Heap!"

"Oh hey, I'm Barbara," the girl replied with a smile. Everything about her shined with confidence. Her sea-green eyes had a determined twinkle to them and her posture was sure and athletic. She had very straight dark brown hair with tanned skin.

"Um…I've never seen you…You're not from here are you?"

"No", sighed Barbara. "I come from a nearby town…"

"So um… why did you come here?"

"Aaah… I knew that question would come sometime, I didn't expect it that soon though…"

"Oh I'm sorry... I didn't mean… Well I—you don't have to answer …" Jenna blushed.

"No no it's okay. I don't mind. I ran away. You see, my parents are both really rich and clever, they have secure, well-paid jobs and I am just not study-remember-school-related-stuff material. So I never did well in my studies. The only thing I'm good – or even forgive me for saying but talented – in, is sports. You can now imagine the classical story. My ambition is to become a racer. I'm in the school's track-team and, this week, we had a competition which would make us miss two days of learning. Unfortunately, my parents consider that two extra days are going to make a huge difference in my grades so I was forbidden to go. But now I'm fed up. I'm just going to try my luck here. My cousin is twenty one years old and she lives there so I'm going to stay with her for a while. Well anyways, enough about me. You are…?"

"I'm Jenna the… well the princess of the castle…"

"Oh… well it's an honour your majesty,"

The latter chuckled embarrassed.

"You don't have to call me that!"

"Yeah, I can tell you're not the sort of person who would go around expecting people to kiss your feet. I was being sarcastic."

Jenna was at a loss for words. She wasn't sure whether Barbara was complimenting her. Plus what kind of a girl would use sarcasm so bluntly to someone who she did not know? As if reading her thoughts, the tanned girl added.

"I tend to use such sarcasm a lot. You'll get used to it!"

The princess had to smirk at such self-assurance. This was apparently Barbara's way of suggesting they meet again.

"Sure. I'll see you around I guess."

"Yeah, bye!"

The two girls went back their own way, each thoughtful of the bond they had just created.

That night, Izzie had a dream. A dream that thoroughly unsettled her. She dreamed of a boy, a boy who she felt she loved with all her heart. Yet, she had already agreed to herself that she loved Septimus. So why was she dreaming of Merrin Meredith?