"You're doing good." the voice echoed around her "Just like I knew you would."

Corinne looked around "I'm still scared."

"I know." Louis stepped into view "But that's okay. Just keep trying."

Corinne reached out to touch him, but she couldn't. It was like he was a mirage that she could only see "Why aren't you here?"

Louis smiled "There's just some things we can't do. Keep going, Corinne. You're almost there."

"But.. what if I let you down?"

"You won't." Louis turned to walk away "It's okay to be afraid, Corinne. Just never give up."

Corinne's eyes opened, and straightened up "Oi. That dream." Every time she closed her eyes, it seemed he showed up and talked to her, but she never could touch him. And the dreams were so real! But he wasn't really there.

She shook her head "You have to get busy, Corinne." she picked up some pieces of mail that were laying on the desk There were some letters from dukes, and duchesses, lords and such. Some things that needed signed. There were even some letters from some queens and princesses of other kingdoms offering her advice and wishing her luck. Then, there was one letter that caught er attention. She smiled as she recognized the name. A girl she'd met a little over a year ago, and had connected with immediately. Liana.

She tore open the letter and read:

Dear Corinne,

Hi. I know you've probably gotten letters from many others.

I can't offer you royal advice or anything.

But what I can tell you is this: No matter what happens, keep going.

You have great friends that will be there through anything and I know you know that.

And one more thing. If things start getting hard, you can always get away from it.

You can create your own 'world' where nothing bad exists.

On the other paper is a small something I wrote for you. I hope you like it.

Take care, Liana.

Corinne pulled out the second piece of paper, a smile spreading across her face as she read:

When the world outside comes whirling like a windstorm

and it seems my fondest dreams have faded all from view

This is where you'll find me, in my magic palace

Turning every storm cloud a lovely sky of blue

In my kingdom here with no one but me

I can wish the world the way it should be

Suddenly there's kindness, poetry and art

In my kingdom of the heart

Corinne put the papers back into their envelope, then put them in the box of her writings that no one knew about.

Liana had gotten her into writing songs in the first place, back when Corinne had first met her. But Corinne hadn't passed that bit of information off to her friends. Aramina would go nuts if she knew Corinne's mind had a poetic twist to it. So would Renee.

She slid the box under the desk then looked up at the picture of Louis that was hanging on the other side of the room. It was something she found herself doing often. Just then, her attention was drawn to the frame of the picture. It was twisted gold, and at the bottom, pressed into the gold was a circle with an image of the king's seal on it.

Corinne leaned forward in her chair and stared at it, then she pulled out her medallion "I wonder." she walked over to the picture and pressed the medallion into the picture frame... nothing happened.

"I guess not." she was about to pull it back out when she decided to try to turn it like a doorknob. There was a soft click, then the picture came away from the wall a little. She grabbed the edge of the picture and pulled it. It swung open like a door to reveal a large opening. In it sat a book and a box. She picked up the box and opened it "Well... there's Louis' seal. And..." she picked up the book. Louis' name was written in gold letters across the cover "His Journal." She turned it over a few times in her hand "I shouldn't." she said to herself. But, her curiosity got the best of her, she closed the picture back, walked over to the desk, sat down and opened the book. Half of the book was just his plans to build the hot air balloon. When she read the line "I haven't figured out how to make it fly yet." She realized that it was before she had arrived in Paris. She continued to flip through the book till she stopped on a page and read it:

Two extraordinary things happened today

I figured out how to make my machine fly! Hot air! Who knew?

I ran into a girl in the great hall. I don't recall ever seeing her before.

She had white blond hair and icy blue eyes. Not to mention she was the prettiest girl I've ever seen in my life!

I'm assuming she was a maid, considering she had a broom in her hand.
So maybe, just maybe I'll see her again. I hope so.

I don't know what her name is, but I intend to find out.

Corinne shook her head "This was the first time we even bumped into each other!" she laughed slightly "The prettiest girl?"

She turned the page and continued reading:

Well today was a success and a loss.

I got my machine into the air, accidentally.

The ropes snapped and I fell out. Thankfully though, someone rescued me.

And would you believe it? It was her! The girl from the hallway!

I finally got to talk to her and figure out her name.

She's so sweet and honest. She's the only person that I've met that didn't scoff at the idea that I've always wanted to fly.

Maybe it's because we were flying? I don't know.

But, apparently, my balloon read my thought before I even knew them.

She had been staring at something on the side of the basket when I asked what her name was.

When she turned to face me, we must have hit some mild turbulence or something, because the whole balloon jolted, bringing her just a few inches in front of me.

It was almost tempting to take advantage of the opportunity and claim it was an accident. But I still didn't even know her name!

Corinne. It fit her entirely. Now, I can't get that name off my mind.

Oh yeah, the loss?

She told me her dream. To be a female musketeer! And of all the stupid things, I laughed.

Well, to say the least, she got mad. REALLY mad. So mad she stormed off.

I regret that now. Maybe I'll be able to find her and apologize.

"He never did get around to that." Corinne chuckled "Oh well." she flipped to the last entry ever put in the book:

I gave Corinne the copy to my seal last night.

I know she's got a sense that something's wrong, but...

I wish I knew what was up. I should probably tell her, but if I'm wrong, that would just be embarrassing... even though I'm sure something's going on.

Maybe if... when, I see her today, I'll tell her... maybe.

Corinne's eyebrows lowered "I gave Corinne the copy of my seal last night?" she looked down at the medallion "But... he was dead the next morning."

she looked at the date and time that was written on the paper "What...?"

Viveca, Aramina, and Renee stepped into the office just then.

"I know that look." Renee said, startling Corinne from her thoughts "What's up?"

Corinne looked up at her friends "Did Count Sournois not say that he found Louis dead at seven-fifteen?"

"Yes." Viveca nodded slowly "Why?"

Corinne held up the journal "Louis' last entry was put in here at eight-o-five. A whole fifty minutes after the count said he found him."

"Maybe he meant eight-fifteen." Aramina suggested.

Corinne stood up from the desk "Let's go see what time Sournois talked to the captain."

The four girls walked out to the musketeer training ground and spotted Treville talking to some of the men.

"Captain." Corinne said, stepping up behind him "I need to ask you a question."

"Of course." Treville dismissed the men, then turned his full attention to the girls.

"The morning Louis was discovered dead. What time did Sournois come tell you?"

Treville looked confused for a second, but thought on it "It was about seven-thirty." he answered "Because I was handing out assignments."

Corinne looked over at her friends "Come on." then the four girls ran back into the castle "So... Louis was still alive when Sournois told Treville he was dead."

"But why did Sournois think Louis was dead?" Aramina asked as they walked back into the office "He said he found him in his bed dead. Killed sometime in the night."

"But Louis managed to make it to his office the next morning." Corinne added. She picked up the journal "Louis was alive almost an hour after he was announced dead. That means..." she looked up at her friends "He may still be alive."

(Sorry this chapter was so short. But... it happens sometimes. By the way, I meant to put this in earlier, but here is a link to a picture of what Louis' seal looks like. .edu/clipart/45800/45821/45821_seal_franc_ Thank you everyone for your reviews! Enjoy!)