Chapter 11

For most of the time we were in the Hall of Learning, I was in the corner on one of the higher levels with my face practically duct taped to 'Pookie.' I was surprised when I was calm enough to realize that most of the books were in English. I mean, this was ancient Persia, right? Most people don't even know how to read and write their own language, let alone in English! Maybe it was because the game itself was programmed in English… Well, whatever the reason, I could read to my hearts content.

I was just getting to a good part when I heard a smashing sound on the other end of the room.

"Naomi! Fountain!" the Prince called over to me. He sounded like he didn't expect me to respond, or even hear him for that matter and who can blame him? After the fiasco I'd just displayed? Time to surprise him.

"…I'm coming," I answered in a slightly melancholy tone. I marked my page and set Pookie down and flew over to join up with him.

"…Are you all right?" he asked me when he noticed me being oddly quiet. I just sighed and nodded. In truth, I was thinking about the bad times. Books did that to me sometimes. From the look he was giving me, I could tell he was a little skeptic of my response. Honestly, I really didn't need or want him poking around in my business. He was my friend, but I didn't trust him that much. So, until we know each other a little better, if we ever know each other better, my past is not his concern.

In a quick attempt to lighten the mood and get him to forget about my mood, I turned, gave him a small shove and took off running for the fountain.

"LAST ONE THERE'S A SMELLY OLD SHOE!" I yelled when I already had several yards of distance over him. He just stood there a moment, staring blankly, until his brain caught up with him and he registered what I'd said.

"Oh, that's how it's going to be, is it?" he said, smirking and took off running after me. Needless to say, he was in much better shape that me, and a much faster runner, so it didn't take long for him to catch up to me. I tried to take to the air, but the prince grabbed my ankle and pulled me back down. "Cheater!" he exclaimed. That was when a particularly evil thought came to mind.

"Excuse me?" I said, trying to sound offended. I landed on the ground, my hands on my hips. "How dare you imply that I have to cheat in order to win!" he just looked at me, probably wondering if I was serious or joking. "I am not so pathetic that I have to resort to lowering my self to the level of a common thief! I demand that you take that back!" I glowered and he stepped back and started to apologize. But I had him right where I wanted him. The moment his eyes went to the ground, I bolted away again towards the fountain. I was already at the middle of the bridge when he realized what I'd done and took off after me.

"That's cheating, Naomi!" he shouted.

"And you fell right for it!" I yelled back, laughing. Again, he quickly caught up to me. I was almost at the fountain, and I was about to win, but the Prince suddenly tackled me, pinning me on the ground and scrambling to get to it first. Like hell I was about to let that happen, though. I grabbed a handful of his tunic and hauled myself onto his back, trying to climb over him and I strained my arm towards the fountain. In the process, I shoved his head into the ground so now he was smashed between the ground and my stomach. With that advantage, I was able to grab the base of the fountain first.

"I win! You're a smelly old shoe!" I teased him as I stood up.

"You cheated!" he retorted, also standing up and smoothing out his hair that had gotten messed up in our race.

"Yeah, and?"

"That easily disqualifies you!"

"Nu uh."

"Yes it does!

"No it doesn't!" I sang mockingly, grinning at his look of annoyance. "Besides, Mr. Dagger-of-Time, all you had to do that whole time was rewind and you would've had the advantage over me!"

"I did rewind!" he exclaimed, but then realized what he'd said and backed off, smiling nervously at me. I raised an eyebrow.

"And you say that I'm the cheater," I said simply, folding my arms. "Alright, fine. We're both guilty, so we'll call it a draw. Fair enough?"

"Fine." He looked relieved. The two of us drank from the fountain and reappeared outside. It seemed as though the Prince had forgotten about my small mood swing, so that was good. While he started with the mirrors again, I flew back to where I left Pookie and started reading again. Unfortunately, I only got through a page before I started wondering if reading anymore would have that 'sad' effect on me again… I really didn't want the Prince of Farah noticing and asking questions. Well… sorry, Pookie.

I reluctantly placed my book on the shelf next to me. I was almost sad to say good bye to it… but if it kept everyone out of my business, then a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I quickly flew to meet the Prince.

"Listen to this! 'Of what use is reason against the power of love? Love is life. So if you want to live, die in love. Die in love if you want to stay alive,'" Farah recited from the book she was holding. Not bad poetry, even if it didn't make sense.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the Prince asked irritably, rolling his eyes.

"I thought you'd like it," Farah snapped in a similar tone of voice.

"If you want to be useful, try finding a book that will tell us how to get out of here!"

"This isn't that kind of game!"

"Game?" the Prince looked at me and I responded with a simple shrug. "She thinks this is a game!" I was almost tempted to inform him that this was a game, but after a little thought, I decided that it might not be such a wonderful idea. I mean, what am I gonna say? "Well, Princy, I'll have you know that all of this is just a game where I come from. See, us on the outside control you on the inside and make you do our bidding for our own entertainment. Sorry about all the screw ups and whatnot… no hard feelings?" Yeah, at that point he would most likely chop my head off and display it on a pike, then burry my body and dance on my grave.

He eventually got the lower gate open. I remember what was in there, too. The number three sword, and my second favorite. This time, though, I zipped down there before he could even start climbing down and snatched the sword. Then I ran out and waved it over my head like an idiot.

"Prince! Looky! Looky! A sword! It's bigger! And longer!" I cried, "Ooohhh… it's SHINIER!" I stabbed the tip on the ground and leaned on it slightly. "Hey, I have an idea, since I'm so weak and powerless and whatnot, how about I keep this sword? Huh? Whadaya say?" I looked hopefully at him as he came over to me. Sadly, though, he took the sword from me and put his other one in my hand.

"Sorry, no." He sheathed the new one and walked into the room I had just come out of to pull the switch to the other door in the room. I just stared at the smaller blade in my hand, then took the other one, the prince's very first sword, out. I almost tossed it over my shoulder, figuring it would be useless beyond this point, until I got it in my head that I could have double swords now. They may not be perfectly balanced, but hey, it's a sword!

With some luck, we all made it out of the library and continued down the hall to the Observatory. And wouldn't you know, there was a nice fresh batch of Sand Creatures there to test my blades on! You know, I've noticed something else. Normally, I would be screaming my head off at every little thing, every sand monster, or bat or whatever and run and hide. Now, I'd rather be on the battlefield, doing something to make myself even a tiny bit useful. I'd probably never be as good a swordsman as the Prince, or as good an archer as Farah, but at least I was helping out in some small way. Maybe it's that Angel blood.

Anyways, the Prince and I (mostly the Prince) made quick work of the sand beasties. I couldn't help but smile at the look the Prince gave me when he saw me 'sheath' my swords.

"Don't you have a proper place to put those?" he questioned, pointing at the hilt sticking out of my pant leg.

"If I did, do you think I'd still have them where they are?" I answered back indifferently. He only shook his head and looked up towards the set of stairs on the platform in the center of the room.

"There should be a way to make that go up," he stated, "look for a lever." We all started towards the balcony with the Sand vortex.

"What makes you think—" Farah began, but then decided not to waste her time arguing with him, "Never mind." She ran ahead of us and slid through the crack in the wall at the far end. "I found a lever!" she announced to us, "Shall I pull it?"

"Not yet!" the Prince shouted quickly, "Wait til we're on the platform!" I poked him in the ribs.

"We? Right, Prince. I'll meet you up there." I spread my wings and flew up to the above lever while Princy ran around to get on the platform. Another thing I've noticed. My wings have been getting strong. Either it's all the flying I've been doing lately, or the water from that fountain, or both. Whichever, my wings have been slowly gaining endurance.

While I waited for the Prince, I stood there with my hands behind my back, looking around. Soon, my eyes drifted to the ceiling. I had never really noticed before, but the roof of the Observatory was absolutely beautiful! The dome was completely black with green and blue figures mapping out the Persian night sky. It awed me at first, mainly because there were so many. I began looking at each one individually, examining it's shape, wondering what it symbolized, and then my eyes stumbled onto one in particular that caught my attention.

I wasn't sure what it was at first, but as I examined it closer and flipped the image this way and that in my brain, I realized that it was the figure of an angel. It looked almost identical to the necklace that Gabby had, except, her arms were over her head, holding what looked like a sword, rather than folded in prayer. Beneath her was what looked like some kind of monster. I wasn't sure, but it was a huge hulking thing that looked like it was chained to something.

Well, whatever it was, I didn't have much time to contemplate what it had to do with the meaning of life, since the Prince had jumped over to where I was and tapped my shoulder.

"What are you looking at?" he asked curiously.

"Nothing…" I answered, tilting my head a little. "Prince, what does that figure there symbolize?"

"What figure?" I pointed it out to him.

"That one. Any idea?" He shook his head.

"No, I was never really interested in this sort of thing. But I know some scholars back in Babylon that might know." I nodded once. When we fixed this whole mess, I would definitely have to ask someone what that meant, provided I remembered.


Kiri: WHERE'D ALL MY REVEIWERS GO?

Naomi: that's a good point, actually...there's nearly three hundered veiws, but only sixteen reveiws, and no reveiws for the last chapter...

Kiri: Come on, peoples! I know there's more of you all out there! What do I bloody have to do to get you guys to reveiw?

Mike: Here's an idea. Stop writting crap chapters.

Kiri: But... but...WAAAHHH!

Naomi: Nice one, Mike, you made her cry.

Mike: ugh... let's just do the FAQ. Gabby, you know everything, you do it.

Gabby: oh, fine.

Q: Is that sob story really important?

A: Sort of. The authoress decided that Naomi needed to have a little drama in her life that wasn't rediculous. and she needed something to fill space.

Q: So, I take it that Naomi and the Prince are getting closer?

A: It would definately seem that way.

Q: ...are they going to fall for each other?

A: Well, the authoress hasn't told us much about that. She's keeping it a complete secret from everyone. She's a hopeless romantic, but she also likes to conserve couples... it may or may not happen at this point.

Q: What's up with the Observatory?

A: Ah, that particular part, I happen to know it important to the over all plot of the story. Make sure you remember that.

Q: Well, what is it?

A: I'm not telling.

Q: please?

A: no.

Q: Fine then. Is the prince's name going to be revealed?

Prince: WILL EVERYONE PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE ABOUT THAT ALREADY?

A: again, another secret the authoress is keeping from us. But if I know one thing, she can't hold something like that behind her back for long. We'll know his name soon enough.

Mike: Will someone get that woman to stop crying already?

Kiri: WHY DOESN'T ANYONE LOVE ME? WAAHHH!

Naomi: uhg. Well, while we try to shut her up about her lack of reveiws, all you guys outthere make sure YOU DO REVEIW THIS TIME! No reveiws make her cry, and it's very annoying to the rest of us!

Mike: though it's not much better when she isn't crying, I also have to say that the lack of reveiws is disappointing. I mean, three hundered veiws, but only sixteen reveiws? Three hundered... sixteen... THREE HUNDERED... SIXTEEN... I KNOW MY MATH IS NOT THAT HORRIBLE! so reveiw so Kiri can get me back in the story ASAP.