(A/N: This chapter is dedicated, of course, to everyone faithfully reading this, but I'd also like to dedicate it to my new peeps from the seddie or creddie forum! You guys crack me up!)
Disclaimer: I just checked the list of things I own. It included a candle collection, a family of stuffed bears, two loaded bookshelves, and a cloak I made. It did not include the rights to iCarly :P
Princess Carly was pacing the hallway outside her brother's doorway, nearly beside herself with worry. Their sister had been missing all day, and no one had any idea where she'd gone! Unfortunately, Sam had had a huge head start; no one expected her to be awake before the sun was high in the sky. It was about 1:00 in the afternoon when Carly discovered the slumbering cat taking Sam's place. Darn that sneaky blonde!
Carly wasn't sure if she was more worried about Sam, what with her being who she was, or less worried, for the same reason. It all depended on her situation. They couldn't even rule out kidnap.
"Spencer!" snapped Carly, finally walking through his doorway. "I know you're all caught up in your contest and all, and that's just dandy. But if you didn't notice, OUR SISTER HAS GONE MISSING!"
"Hey, hey!" Spencer soothed. "She's Sam. You know she's way tougher than even that mutton we had last week."
"The really chewy sheep meat?" Carly questioned.
"Yeah, that," Spencer replied. "Sam can take care of herself. I don't know why she's run off, but it looks like she went to great lengths to keep us off her trail. Maybe we should just... let her be free."
"Let. Her. Be. Free? Says the future king of our country! Great! What kind of brother are you? Would you just 'let me be free' if I ran away?" said Carly, exasperated.
"Well, no. But that's because you're different people. You running away would probably mean you wanted attention for some reason, and to be rescued, and it would upset you to not have anyone go after you. In this case, I think Sam just wants to be on her own for once, maybe to 'discover herself' or something. I could never really figure out the mind of a teenage girl." Spencer stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hey, do you think I should grow a beard when I'm king?"
"Spencer!" yelled Carly.
"I was just wondering!" he said defensively.
After Spencer's anti-helpfulness, Carly decided to take matters into her own hands; she was off to the town psychic.
I bet Madame Briggs can see if things are okay, even if she is a little grouchy thought the princess. She's pretty well-known.
Since she had disguised herself with a head scarf, no one noticed the royal girl passing through to pay a visit to the fortune teller. It was common for young women seeking advice on love and money to show up at all times. Carly walked briskly up to the little shop that read "Madame Briggs: Seer of Sights," and went inside.
"What, another desperately lovesick kid? This job gets older every day!" An irritable woman was sitting at a table in the smokey front room; she was wearing a plaid turban with a flowy outfit. She stood and motioned for Carly to come closer. "Well, don't just stand there, girl! Get in here."
Carly nervously removed her scarf, and sat down at her side of the table. Clearing her throat, she said, "I have a problem I was wondering if you could fix. You see-"
"You want to know who your one true love is, will you live happily ever after, yadda yadda." Madame Briggs rolled her eyes. "Let me concentrate!" She placed her fingers to her temples and closed her eyes. "Hmmmm. Hmmmm. I see... an unknown young man. He is tall...he is...shirtless? You are not far from meeting... you will live happily ever after, yes." The woman opened her eyes. "There you go, that was your future. Now pay up!" She held out a hand.
"A shirtless boy?" Carly questioned. "I really must not know him... But that's not why I'm here! My sister ran away from home in the middle of the night. I want to know if she's all right." She looked down, clearly worried.
Madame Briggs sighed. "That's a different case entirely! I'll have to get out my crystal ball. And don't be thinking you can get away with having your own fortune for free, either," she said suspiciously. She rummaged around for a minute, then heaved a large glass orb onto the velvet tablecloth. "Okay. I'll look for your sister. What does she look like? How old is she?" asked the psychic.
"She's the same age as me, seventeen. She has long blonde hair and blue eyes," described Carly.
"Fraternal twins?"
"She was adopted."
"Why does that sound so familiar?" Madame Briggs inquired. She peered closely at the girl before her, and suddenly she gasped. "You're not- you can't be! Princess Carly?"
Looking sheepish, Carly replied, "Yes, that's me. My sister, Princess Sam, has run away. As royalty, though, I command you not to tell anyone! My father and brother don't even know I'm here right now."
"Yes yes, of course," said Madame, hurriedly smoothing her turban and dress. Her entire countenence had changed apon hearing she had royalty for a customer. "Now where were we...yes. There she is! She's quite safe. She appears to be arguing with a boy around your age, he has dark hair. I can't tell where they are, though. I'm afraid that's the most I can see." She stared expectantly at Carly.
The princess sighed. "Thank you for your help. I have no idea who this boy is that she's with! I suppose all that matters is she's safe. But she is SO hearing about it when she gets back! Oh, by the way," added Carly, "the boy she's with isn't my shirtless stranger, is he?" Might as well ask while I'm at it! she thought.
The woman shook her head. "No, I don't believe he is. You'll know him when you see him, your highness. Even if I didn't know who you were when I gave that fortune, it was still true to you as an individual."
"I see. Thank you again for your help. It has put me at ease, at least for the time being." Carly grimaced. Sam was dead meat!
"Happy to be of service, princess," purred Madame Briggs, stroking the gold coin Carly had flipped her. It was a good day to be psychic.
"So, let me get this straight. We're looking for a cave on the far side of a mountain that's past a river that's after a canyon?" asked Freddie.
"That's what mister I-skin-helpless-creatures-for-a-living said," retorted Sam.
Freddie rolled his eyes. "Now I know you didn't have a problem eating that pig meat this morning." He coughed, and it sounded a lot like "hypocrite."
Sam glared. "I'm gonna ignore that, Fredventure. Because you are going to buy me lunch."
Freddie groaned. "This is what I get for not going with Gibby, and just letting Reuben take you as his 'raspberry soccer ball.' What do you want to eat?"
"Hmmm." Sam looked around. "How about that pub over there? I never get pub fare, living in the castle. They probably have some delicious meats." She licked her lips. "I can almost taste the turkey legs...ohhhhh. Get me food, now!"
"Okay already!" Freddie said. "We'll go to the pub. Gosh."
The two made their way in, sat down, and ordered the day's special: turkey legs with potatoes ("Ha!" said Sam). They were perfectly content to eat in silence, but once they slowed down, things felt odd.
"You know, where I come from, I'm not sure if this would be considered courting or male bonding," said Freddie with a slightly forced chuckle.
Sam swallowed her mouthful of potato. "It's none of the above, and you know it. We have a unique situation here."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Freddie. "It's not every day two young nobles get together to hunt a mythical creature for a contest. Especially not when one's a girl...or almost a girl," he teased.
"Hey!" protested Sam, shoving his arm. "Princess Carly knows I'm a girl! We wouldn't be best friends otherwise!"
"I was referring to your clothes again," said Freddie carefully.
Sam looked down at her outfit. "Oh. Yeah. I guess if my hair wasn't so long, people might think I am a boy."
"I don't know about that," said Freddie seriously. "There's still your rather feminine face."
Sam turned a pinkish color, completely against her will. "Shut up! I bet if you dressed up like a girl, no one would know the difference."
Freddie sighed. "And the torture continues." Yet he couldn't help but hide a quick smile at the reaction she had had.
(A/N: I truly love writing this story, and I love it even more that there are other human beans (lol...did anyone see Guppy's latest interview?) out there who enjoy it as well! Your reviews elate me :) This is my longest story! And I'm nowhere near done! So, here's to a fabulous rest of the story *clinks glasses with readers* P.S. iStart A Fanwar. NEED I SAY ANYTHING ELSE? P.P.S. Check out the poll on my profile, and vote for your favorite character from this story!)