*grin* Poor Phibby! He got sick! Phibby's a shmork, did you know that? ^_^ But don't tell him that, or he gets mad. Anyway, tell me what you think... Is it wacked up yet? It will be! Just wait! *grin*

"My people!" Prince Zolf called out from his balcony. He looked down at the assemblage of people gathered to hear him speak. "In five days hence shall mark the five hundredth anniversary of our kingdom! On that sundown, I shall marry a woman who was once a commoner like yourselves. Would you like to meet her?"

The crowd murmured among themselves for a moment, debating whether they wanted to see her or not, before they all rose up in a cry of, "NO!!!!!"

Prince Zolf frowned. "Too bad! I present to you-- Princess Lina!" He gestured with a hand over to a door leading into the crowd.

The door opened slowly, revealing a long red carpet. Down this carpet came walking a young redhead blushing furiously. She was wearing a long peach-colored dress with the straps down on her arms, leaving her shoulders bare. When she reached the edge of the carpet, she looked up at the prince, and shouted, "What was that about me being common?"

"Um..."

"I'm not common!" Lina shouted. "Since when have I been a commoner??"

Prince Zolf cleared his throat nervously. "Um... change the scene, please!"

"Though the laws of the land gave Prince Zolf the right to marry anyone he wished, Lina did not love him. The only pleasure she found was in going out and blowing up bandit gangs, which greatly relieved her stress."

Lina rode her horse across the field, ready to chase after a nearby bandit gang. She reined her stallion in when she saw three strange people standing in her way. One man was shorter than the others, and wore a long black cloak the hood was down, revealing a head completely bald on top, with a ring of hair around it.

The second man was taller, and a little scary. His skin was blue, and his hair was purple. He had rocks all over his face and hands, and had a cold glare in his eyes. He wore all beige, and had a sword buckled around his hip.

The last man was giant-sized. He looked very gruff, with a beard and mustache, sideburns, and a full head of hair. His eyebrows were furrowed and he was frowning. He was head and shoulders taller than any other person Lina had ever seen. He didn't wear a sword, but he looked as if he didn't need it.

"Ith there a village nearby?" the first man asked with a huge lisp.

Shaking her head, Lina replied, "No. Not for miles."

"Good," the man said, grinning. "Then there shall be no one to hear you thcream."

Before Lina could reply, the giant came up behind her, grabbing her neck. He hit a pressure point, and she was unconscious in moments. The giant lifted her off her horse, and carried her over to a boat at the dock.

The bald man started ripping a crest off of a red uniform. The giant asked him, "What's that you are ripping, Vrumagun?"

"Thith ith the cretht of a tholdier of Thairaag, thworn enemy of Theyruun," Vrumagun answered. He finished ripping the crest, and stuck it onto the saddle of Lina's horse. "When the printh theeth thith cretht on the thaddle, he will thuthpect Thairaag. When he findth the printheth dead on the Thairaag frontier, hith thuthpicionth will be confirmed."

Frowning, the giant said, "You never mentioned killing anyone. I don't like it!"

"Too bad, Phil!" Vrumagun called. "Deal with it!" Then he followed Phil onto the ship, the scary-looking man right behind him.

"I just don't think it's right... Killing an innocent girl," Phil said, shaking his head and setting Lina down on the deck of the ship.

Glaring at Phil, Vrumagun said, "The wathn't innothent! And... Have I gone mad, or did the word "think" ethcape your lipth? You were not hired for your brainth! We're trying to thart a war, here! Do you want me to thend you back where I found you, enemployed in Thephilia?" He rounded on the scary-looking man, even though he hadn't said anything yet. "And you, Thel!" he said, pointing. "When I found you, you were wallowed tho deep in your own mithery you couldn't even thpeak!"

"Don't get the wrong impression," Zel said, crossing his arms. "I'm only working for you so I can get money to buy a cure. I have no concern about this war, one way or the other."

Glaring again, Vrumagun said, "Bah!" He threw his arms up, and stomped across the deck.

Phil and Zel set to work starting the ship going. "Don't worry about Vrumagun," Zel said as he worked the rudder. "I'm sure he means no harm."

Grinning, Phil said, "He's sure at a lack of... charm!" He smiled at catching onto one of his favorite games. He and Zel always played word games.

Continuing the game, Zel said, "He should go to etiquette class."

"He's really a pain in the--"

"Thut up!" Vrumagun interrupted. "Conthentrate on driving the boat!"

Zel shrugged, and went back to work, as did Phil. Phil used his strength to his aide in pulling the rigging tight to open the sail. "Hey, Phil," Zel called from the stern of the boat. "Are there rocks ahead?"

"If there all, we'll all be dead!" Phil replied, not wanting to stop the game.

"No more rhymth now, I mean it!" Vrumagun shouted angrily.

Not one to give up easily, Phil said, "Anybody want a peanut?"

"AAA!" Vrumagun screamed, irritated.

Seeing as Phil couldn't think of a rhyme for that one, he shrugged, and pulled the rigging taut. The small ship sailed slowly away from the shore of Seyruun, sailing into the setting sun.