After days and days of travelling, three VERY tired Tortallans made it to the Dancing Dove late in the afternoon. They nearly collapsed onto the table, exhausted. And the summer's heat didn't help either. Each ordered a cold drink (where'd they get the money? Hey, I told you this story was messed up)

A serving boy with coal black hair came with their drinks on a tray. Kally immediately recognized him.

"ROALD?" she squeaked.

"Yes?" Roald asked, not realizing who she was. She was covered with dirt and her hair was tangled. He clothes were travel worn and dirty. The other two weren't much better.

"What are you doing here in Corus?" Kally was trembling.

"I ran away from my home in the woods and got a job here. You really don't want to know how boring it is cutting wood for a living," Roald said, still not realizing whom he was talking to.

"But why didn't you tell me? We were looking for you!" Kalasin cried.

Finally, it hit him. "KALLY?" Roald said, not believing it.

His sister jumped on to him and enveloped him in a gigantic hug. And started crying.

"I was…so…worried about…you," she wailed between sobs.

"It's okay. It's okay. I'm fine. Really," Roald said encouragingly.

Thom and Alianne watched, eating popcorn and sipping their sodas.

"Oh, it's so sweet!" Alianne said, touched.

"It's way to mushy for me," Thom said. "I think she's (Kally) over reacting."

(Okay, I know that part was really stupid)

Everyone at the table (Roald, Kalasin, and Alianne) threw tomatoes at him (where'd the tomatoes come from?)

"Yuck! Oof. Stop that," Thom said. He tried to block the incoming "bombs," with little success.

Alianne shook her head. "Let's get out of here."

They walked out of the Inn. Thom stared back at them, still covered with tomato juice. He looked at his tomato covered shirt and said, "Eww!"

Outside, Roald, Kally, and Alianne burst out laughing.

"Did you see the look on his face?"

"How hilarious."

"I didn't know he didn't like tomatoes!"

"Neither did I!"

Roald, stopping to catch his breath, said, "I'd better get back inside. I have to get back to work."

"Okay. Can you tell Thom that we're headed for the Royal Forest?" Alianne said.

"Sure. Good day." Roald went inside.

"Shouldn't I go with him? I mean, he's my brother," Kalasin said.

"No way! You're the third Tortallan. You have to stick with us. But Roald can visit us after we're done building our houses," said Alianne.

"Alright."

By the time Thom had gotten himself cleaned up, it was already rather late. When he got to the Royal Forest, he found the girls at the edge of it sleeping on a big mound of hay. Next to it was a pile of sticks. Next to that was a mountain of cheap bricks.

Thom walked over to them and shook them awake. The girls climbed off of the haystack and stood in front of Thom.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Alianne.

"It's…nice." Thom looked at the piles.

"Now what?" said Ali.

"We should make camp. It's getting late," said Kally.

"You're right. But what about the supplies?" asked Thom.

"We'll ward the camp genius," Ali said to her brother, impatient.

"Oh, right," Thom looked at the ground, embarrassed.

The hay was separated into three piles, and Thom asked, "Where did you get all of the supplies anyway? We don't have any money or anything…" He stopped when Alianne coughed and Kalasin looked away, pretending to be preoccupied in a bird. "Oh."

Dinner was served. The camp was warded, and soon everyone was sleeping on his or her own mound of hay.