BAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHA! br

~^~br

Xlelon stood still for a moment, still trying to piece together what had happened. Something about it had been familier, but she couldn't put a finger on it. Leaning against the door, she slid slowly down until she ended up on the floor. I should go in my room, she thought, screw what I should be doing, I have a right at the moment. She put her head in her hands, thinking; How do I get myself into these things? She didn't know, neither was she sure that she liked it or not. Twit, she thought, don't lie to yourself, you liked it more than you'll ever admit! The question, she decided, was how to tell him that! br

She got up, dusted herself off and walked into her room. It was dark, but she lit no candles, instead, she threw open the windows and sat on the edge, ignoring the fact that she was in a dress that was worth three weeks pay. It was cold, but she didn't care, at the moment, she was to busy deciphering what had just happened. br

"What am I going to do, What am I going to do!" she moaned at the moon softly. The bear in the moon didn't hear her, just continued ambling across the sky. She sighed and wrapped her arms around her self, more in comforting herself than in trying to warm herself. br

She got up again, and closed the window. Her eyes now used to the dark, she looked around, and laid her eyes on the books that Master Oakbridge had given her. A few were in German, but most in English, on things such as the history of Scanra and Scanran etiquette. She sighed, lit a candle, and picked one up. She flipped through it, skimming the pages and found that it was a book of speaking Scanran. She snickered, thinking the title quite strange. She was still going to call it German. She changed into something a little less formal when she realized that she was still wearing her dress. br Finding a sheet of paper and the equivalent of a pencil, she sat down and began to take notes, attempting to take her mind off of her troubles, which weren't really troubles. br

~^~br

She woke the next morning to find sheets of paper and a few books around her. She looked around some more. br

"How drunk was I last night to sleep with you guys!" br

The sheets of paper made no reply. She got up and shuffled through the pages, most of it vocabulary and a bit of grammer. It was vocabulary she had trouble with, she had been mostly done with grammer when she got to Tortall. She whistled tunelessly, happy now that she had remebered what had been so familier about last night. Kel had had nearly the exact same expieriance. She shook her head, was everything really connected that closely? Sitting down, she began to riffle through the books again, then suddenly realized that she was hungry. She shied away from the thought of eating breakfast at the palace, she didn't want to see Neal just yet, having not yet sorted her thoughts out. What she needed was to see someone she knew and could trust. Imrah came to her mind, but she pushed it away, after all, there was no way that she could see him without seeing Neal, and besides a guy wouldn't work. She sighed, the parties were over, she had to go back to work anyway, and Quatrine and Linda would be wonderful to talk to. She also missed the guys from the bar, they were always good for amusement. br

~^~br

Four layers of cloths later, she had started out for Billy Frogs, and was making good time. She walked through the door and smiled. There were still people there, most asleep though. She began to shed layers when suddenly, Jerry walked through the door that led to his and Linda's room. br

"Xlelon! How wonderful to see ya!" br

She smiled. br

"Yes, it's good to see you to Jerry, how is Linda?" br

He smiled. br

"She's taken a bit sick, but nothin much, just the old cold that goes around these days." br

Xlelon raised her eyebrows. br

"Really? I'm so sorry, was she able to help last night? Looks like you had quite a crowd." br

He nodded, beaming. br

"That we did, bein as it mid-winter and all, but how've you been? Family in good health I trust?" br

She nodded. br

"Yes, they're all fine, we had a wonderful little party last night." Let the king forgive me, she thought, if he ever hears that I called his mid-winter party 'little'. br

Linda was now in the door next to Jerry, smiling. br

"Sounds wonderful dear, would you like some tea? I was just about to make myself one." br

She smiled and shed the rest of her layers. br

"Tea sounds wonderful. But you should be in bed!" br

Linda laughed. br

"Hardly, this is my annual after-mid-winter cold. I get it every year, right about now." br

Xlelon smiled, Linda didn't look like she was too sick, just a bit under the weather. br

"Yes, I've known others the same way." br

~^~br

After tea, Xlelon helped Linda rouse the late sleepers. She was good at it, and taught Xlelon a simple line. br

"If they tell you to buzz off, tell them that if they don't go within the next ten minutes, we'll charge em another two coppers for a room!" br

Xlelon smiled as the last one headed out, she had to admit it worked well. She then looked at Linda, who looked at Jerry. br

"Well Jer, don't just stand there, give the poor girl her assignment!" br

Xlelon grinned in amusement at the look on Jerry's face. He flipped her a silver noble and grinned in return. br
"Happy Mid-winter, and take the rest of the day off." br

Xlelon thanked him, though it was the last thing she wanted. To her relief, she was delayed because as she went to get her cloths, Quatrine came in. br

"Quatrine!" br

"Xlelon! Where have you been? We really could have used you last night." br

Xlelon smiled. br

"Trust me, the only thing I enjoyed about last night was the fact that I finally beat someone in chess." Now that was a lie, she rebuked herself. br

"Chess?" br

She shook her head. br

"Never mind." br

They sat and talked for awhile until the noon bell rang. Then Jerry sent her and Quatrine off so that he and Linda could 'take care of things'. As they went out the door, they snickered, wondering exactly what things they were going to take care of. They strolled through the market until they were freezing, then took leave of eachother, going to their respective homes. br

~^~br

Yes, yes, I know, that was filler, but it was slightly nessacary. Ok, so it wasn't, it was me trying to figure out what to do. ::Glares:: stop laughing you fools. ;-) br