I opened my eyes and winced again. The curtains were drawn, but enough of the desert sunlight was getting in to light up the room. I rolled over and pulled the blankets up over my head. Light was just as bad as noise.

As my memories of the night before - both vague and clear - returned, I groaned. Then I winced.

And then I groaned inwardly.

This was going to be a long, long day...

"TAMMY?" CAME CRISTINE'S voice, accompanied by a knock at the door. "Tammy, are you awake?"

I nestled deeper into my blankets, hoping she would think I was sleeping and leave me alone. Unfortunately, though, that didn't work. The door opened and I heard Cristine's footsteps.

"Tammy," Cristine said, and pulled the blankets away from my face. I squinted as the sunlight flooded my eyes, trying not to show how much worse that made mt headache. "What in the world has you in bed so late? It's nearly nine thirty!"

"Is it?" I asked. My voice sounded dry and tired. "S-Sorry, Cristine." I yawned. Then I made myself get up. "I'll try to eat fast."

She shook her head and got off the bed. "We're getting more to eat anyway," she told me. "I think we were all up by six forty-five or seven, so we're hungry again."

I apologised again for keeping them so long. All this noise was painful, but I certainly wasn't going to let on about my hangover. I'd never live the bloody thing down if they found out.

Downstairs, I thanked my lucky stars that there was a different bartender. When the others had ordered, I stepped up.

"Erm... Toast, please, with scrambled eggs. And a glass of water, please."

He handed me the drink and I thanked him.

We got our food soon and sat down at the same table we'd taken over for dinner the night before. I made sure I was as far away from Erik as possible.

I nursed my water and tried to eat a little while the others filled me in on what we were going to do that day. Thanks to Erik's little recon mission in the market, we had a good idea that the fygg was with Queen Voluptua. So once we were done eating, we were going to try to get her to grant us an audience.

I really hoped that this would be simple.

Hangovers and fygghunting didn't mesh.

When we were done eating, I stood to collect everyone's plates and bring them back to the bar. I was really, really tempted to leave Erik's at the table, but I didn't. A shouting match wasn't going to help my headache.

At least I'm not feeling nauseous, I thought. I don't think I could have gotten out of bed if that was the case.

"Tammy, are you sure you're feeling all right?" Cristine asked. "Your eyes are all puffy... Have you been crying or something?"

"I'm fine!" I insisted, and then winced as my head throbbed. "Just... I have a bit of a headache. And I had some trouble getting to sleep last night. That's all. Come on - let's go after the fygg."

The bright light of the desert morning made me want to curl up into a ball and die. I gritted my teeth and kept going with the others, though. I had been stupid last night; now I was dealing with the consequences. There was no way, though, that I was going to let on to the others. Especially not Erik. Stupid prat.

We didn't have any trouble getting into the palace; after the guard warned us that the place was filled to the rafters with women, he let us on through. Finding someone who would grant us an audience with the queen, though, was a lot more difficult. The palace floor was crisscrossed with little marble channels full of running water, which we had to navigate around just to get past the entrance hall. Past that, there were still dozens of rooms to explore - not even considering the upper level.

Eventually, after being turned away from what seemed to be a fairly big, central room by a slightly rude female guard, we made our way upstairs. As we reached the top of the steps, I let my head drop into my palm. "Of course," I said. "All that effort, and it was so bloody simple."

The entire huge, open space we were in was the throne room. There was a very nervous man pacing near the throne, but no sign of a queen. But, since the man looked like the next-best thing - or at least our best chance of finding Voluptua - I decided to start a conversation.

"Excuse me," I said quietly.

The man nearly jumped out of his skin. He whirled to face us, beginning to splutter something about "Your Majesty -". Then he realised that he was facing four teenagers. "Yes, yes, what is it?" He was even more nervous than I had thought, I realised. His voice was several pitches too high to belong to a calm grown man.

"We are seeking a golden-hued fruit," Erik explained.

The man's brows knotted up. "Such a thing was given to Her Majesty Queen Voluptua not long ago. But she will not grant an audience to travellers."

"Lovely," I muttered.

"Unless..."

Cristine perked up. "Unless what?"

"We are facing something of a crisis in the palace," explained the man. "If you were to help us to resolve it, perhaps I could pull some strings to get you an audience. Well? Will you agree to my request?"

Nick nodded. "Of course. What's the problem?"

The man sighed with relief. "That is most excellent news," he said. "That muddle-headed maiden Misslei has mislaid His Dryness, Her Majesty's beloved and most golden pet lizard. I wonder, could we call on your most exalted aid in apprehending the errant amphibian? Misslei is searching the corridors of the floor below us. Should you wish to help with the hunt, perhaps you could speak with her. His Dryness's importance to Her Highness cannot be overestimated. I hope ardently that we can count on your assistance."

"You can, sir," Cristine said, and smiled. "Thank you!"

Misslei wasn't hard to find. We wandered through the palace for a minute or so before I caught a sense of particularly strong agitation. "This way," I said. "Misslei should be along here somewhere."

"And how, may I ask, do you know that?" Erik asked. I didn't acknowledge him. So he followed Nick, Cristine, and me, rolling his eyes in exasperation. Serves him right.

The source of the agitation was a pretty young girl with violet hair and a worried expression. She was hurrying through the corridors calling, "Your Dryneeess! Draaaaaak! Where are yoooou?" And then she stopped and slumped against the wall, head in her hands, just about ready to cry. "Oh, what am I to do?" she moaned. "It is all my fault!"

"Excuse me," I said, trying to be gentle about it.

Her head snapped up, eyes going wide with panic. Then she saw us. "Do you need something?" she asked. "I am afraid I am a little busy with the hunt for His Dryness, Her Majesty's most beloved pet lizard."

"Are you Misslei?" Nick asked. "The girl who lost him?"

The girl blushed furiously. "Well, yes, I am," she said. "Did you have some business with me?"

I nodded. "We wanted to help hunt him down."

Misslei's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed, and I tried to keep from flinching at the noise. "Thank you so much." She gestured towards the eastern side of the palace. "I am currently searching this area, so if you could hunt for him elsewhere, I would be very much obliged. He despises loud noises, and likes to hide where there are no noisy people around. Were you to go to such a place and make a clap or some such surprising noise, he might well be surprised into the open." She smiled sweetly. "I cannot thank you enough for helping in the hunt. You are truly kind."

We spent a long while searching for a quiet part of the palace. It seemed like everywhere we went, we ran into handmaidens or servants or viziers or someone who couldn't help making a lot of noise. The one person we didn't see was Queen Voluptua. Which was probably a good thing - nobody wanted to explain why a bunch of random travellers were wandering through her palace.

I had held back to look into an empty room near the back of the palace. I checked everywhere - under the bed, behind the bookcase, under tables and chairs and wardrobes, but I didn't see any sign of a little golden lizard. Frustrated, I slammed the door on the way out.

Which seemed to surprise Erik, who was searching another room nearby. He raised an eyebrow. "You are agitated this morn."

"Am I now." I didn't look at him, just started to walk away.

By the tone in his voice, I could tell that he'd caught my sarcasm. "Yes, you are," he said sharply. "What is wrong with you, Tammy?"

I snorted. "A long list of stuff," I replied, heading down the corridor. "And all of it starts with the word Erik."

"Tammy!"

I didn't turn.

"Tammy!"

Bloody hell, his voice was loud. I flinched at the noise but kept walking.

Then I felt his hand grab my arm. I turned sharply, lips pursed. "What, Erik?"

He studied my face for a moment, while I stood there stubbornly. I hadn't realised til just then how much taller than me he was.

"Were you...drinking last night?" he asked.

I scowled. "None of your business if I was," I told him. "Run along now. Isn't there some big-breasted dancer girl waiting for you to moon over her again?"

Then I yanked my arm out of his suddenly slack grip and stalked away.

"I -" he spluttered, "what - Tammy! What do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid!" I snapped, whirling around. "I was standing right there next to you - how could I not have noticed? Go on," I said then. "I'm sure you and your little friend will both be very happy."

I was satisfied to see the outraged flush on his face as my words registered. "That is an involuntary reaction -"

"In humans!" I replied. Almighty, my headache was getting worse by the second. "You stupid prat - you act as though you could never do anything wrong - anything human - as though you're absolutely bloody perfect - and then you go and do the basest, most human, most boylike thing I can imagine!"

He glared at me. "One might almost think you were jealous, Tammy."

My mouth fell open. "Jealous!" I repeated, outraged. "Jealous - of whoever the bloody hell she is - you have too high an opinion of yourself, Erik. Let me deflate your ego a little..." I counted out on my fingers each flaw I pointed out and took a step forward with each one. "Arrogant - self-satisfied - rude - bossy - inconsiderate - pompous - holier-than-thou - in short, anything and everything I could ever hate in a person." By that point, I was only a few inches away from him. I glared up into his face. "So no, I'm not jealous. And I pity the poor fool who has the misfortune to catch your eye."

This time, when I stalked away, he didn't try to call after me.

Nick and Cristine had found the lizard outside, hiding under a palm tree. Misslei was ecstatic when we told her that we had the lizard. "Oh, thank you so much!" she said. "You are truly wonderful! Please, you must inform the Chancellor. He is on the floor above us worrying himself sick."

"We will," Cristine said. "Thanks for the tips, Misslei."

Misslei beamed. But as we walked away, I heard her murmur, "But whyever would Drak have ventured into the heat of the outdoors...?"

Upstairs, the Chancellor was just as excited as Misslei. "What is this I see before me?" he said, peering at the little golden lizard nestled in Cristine's arms. "The lizard with you is none other than His Dryness, the right-honourable Drak! You are as good as your word, wanderers! As promised, I will request for you an audience with Her Majesty."

Five minutes later, we were standing before the throne, in which sat probably one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. She was lounging back lazily, her heavily lidded eyes only open a bit. What I could see of her iris was blue, a colour I'd not seen in anyone else in the desert kingdom. It was a striking contrast to her smooth, dark copper-coloured skin.

"Your Exalted Majesty, may I present Nick, Cristine, Erik, and Tammy, the intrepid travellers who discovered His Exalted Dryness, Drak."

Voluptua sighed heavily and turned her gaze on the Chancellor. "Do we really have to talk about your boring old travellers right now?" she asked. Her voice was low and rich, with a lazy drawl to it. But it grew a little sharper as she looked at Misslei, who was standing to the left of the throne. "We have more important things to discuss, don't we, pretty Misslei?"

The handmaiden fidgeted uncomfortably. She was terrified.

"Now, remind me, Drak hasn't run away before, has he?" Without waiting for an answer, Voluptua continued: "No, he hasn't. Which means you must have done something horrible to him, you vicious, spiteful girl! Tell me what you did!"

Misslei cringed. "Your Majesty, I, I - forgive me, I was taking the utmost care of His Dryness as always, then suddenly, he was gone..."

I could feel Misslei's terror clearly, and I could tell that it was well deserved. Voluptua had it in for her because of Drak's escape.

The queen shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Please, I'm far too pretty and important to sit around listening to pathetic excuses," she said, stretching out in her throne. "Run along and pack your things. You're fired."

Misslei's eyes went wide in shock. "B-But please!" she stammered. "Your Majesty, I -"

She flinched and stopped talking as Voluptua shot her a poisonous glare. Then the queen turned her heavy-lidded gaze on us. "Now, what was it you wanted, my little lost travellers?"

"Your Majesty," Nick said, "we came because of a golden fruit, which we'd heard was in your possession. We need it."

"I see..." Voluptua said slowly, looking over each of us. I heard a small derisive snort as she took in the state of our clothes from fighting and travelling. She rolled her eyes when she looked at me. I couldn't quite blame her - I looked an absolute mess - but it irritated me. She was amused by us.

"Well, I'd love to, of course," she said, "especially as it's you, but I just can't."

My mouth went taught. "Why?" I asked, knowing that it came out snippily and not caring that it ticked her off. Her lazy drawl went a little sharper as she replied, "Why, I don't have it, that's why."

Oh, now I was angry. The self-centred prat!

"I was just slipping out of a lovely, relaxing bath, when I noticed it was gone. Oh, I'm so silly and forgetful sometimes!" She gave a high, clear laugh, and then looked over at Misslei. "I expect some horrid, jealous girl who works for me probably took it for herself and ate it..."

"Wha - No! Your Majesty, I would never -"

"Your Exalted Highness! There is something you must see!"

A very out-of-breath handmaiden sprinted up the stairs and skidded to a halt between us and the queen. Breathing heavily, she said, "It was found beneath the tree where His Dryness was recaptured!" She held something out in front of her. Voluptua rose in surprise.

"Oh, look, it's the golden fruit we were just talking about!" she said. My stomach turned uncomfortably. I didn't have a good feeling about this...

Voluptua looked at Drak. "How funny!" she giggled. "What on earth was silly old Drak doing with it?" Then she shrugged and glanced away. "Well, as long as I've got it back, that's the main thing."

Smiling, she walked up to me. I grumbled inwardly as I realised that she was much taller than me - probably taller than Erik, too. This was irritating.

"So, my intrepid traveler, I suppose I should hand this over to you, shouldn't I?"

"We'd appreciate it if you would," I said, trying and failing to sound polite about it.

That was when Voluptua covered her mouth and let out a laugh. "Ha ha ha!" she giggled. "Oh, you are stupid, aren't you?" I glared, but she didn't see it through her fit of mirth. "You really thought I was going to give it to you, didn't you? Ha ha ha ha! No, I'm going to slice it all up into teeny-weeny pieces and put it in my bath water."

My eyes went wide with outrage, and I glanced around at the others. They all seemed shocked, too.

"A fruit like this is bound to make my skin even softer and more beautiful, assuming that's even possible, of course!" And then she loomed over me, staring down at me with a smug smile. "I'm sure you won't mind the fruit you've been searching so hard for being sacrificed for such a noble cause." She turned towards Drak, and I resisted the urge to make a very rude gesture at her back. "Come on, then, my Drakky-Woo!" she crooned. "That nasty, dirty traveler touched you, didn't she? Let's get you in the bath and wash off the filth."

Hi everyone!

I know, I know, I'm late again... The lake we go to with my grandparents doesn't have WiFi. I'm pleased with myself, though - pale as I am, I didn't get sunburnt! And we were out all day, too.

Anyway... Well, we're going to the store. Got to go!

May all the bodies of the heavens watch over you!