Chapter 2
"What do you think he is going to do?" Kal asks them. "I don't know Kal," Crystal replies. "It looks like the lady is waiting for us." Dagger tells the girls, motioning for them to hurry up. They reach the lady and introduce themselves. "Hello milady, my name is Crystal," she says dropping a curtsy. "My name is Dagger, milady," he says bowing. "Milady my name is Kalismíen, but everyone calls me Kal." She says trying to drop a curtsy but failing because she don't have a dress on. "Welcome children, my name is Konéko. It is nice to meet you. Crystal, is this you're serving girl? She is dressed so strangely." "What do you mean Konéko? She is my friend; she is not my servant if that is what you are asking." Crystal replies slightly confused. "Oh! I am so sorry; I did not mean to offend you." She apologizes quickly. "You didn't offend me. Whatever made you think that?" Crystal asks worried. "You wear the queen's necklace Crystal. And you Dagger wear the king's signet ring." Crystal and Dagger look at each other confused. "What are you talking about?" They both ask her at the same time. Now it is her turn to look confused. "I think you must ask my husband that question." She replies starting toward the door. "I think she wants us to follow her to the barn." Crystal tells Kal and Dagger. The children follow Konéko wondering what she meant about the ring and necklace. "Kono, this is Crystal, Dagger, and Kalismíen. Children, this is my husband Kono." Konéko introduces the children to her husband. When she says Crystal's and Dagger's names he looks sharply at them wondering if this could really be happening. Because if it was then the kingdom was saved. "It is nice to meet you children." Kono says in a deep bass voice. "Come to the house you must be thirsty after your long journey." He starts herding them to the house. "We are thirsty thank you, but we were wondering where we are. We are trying to find someplace to lodge for the time being." Crystal says, hoping that they can get some information about where they are. "You are welcome; there is a nice inn in the city." He replies motioning for them to sit down in some chairs as he pours them something that looks like lemonade. "I can take you there and help you to find a couple of rooms for the rest of the week. I just hope that the lema has enough rooms for all of you." He tells them. Kal looks at him confused, not understanding what he said. "I am sorry," he apologizes, "I am talking in the language native to here." "That is okay Kono I knew what you meant. You were talking about the inn." Crystal and Dagger say at the same time. Kono looks impressed. "Well done you two I see that you do know the native language here. And what about you Kalismíen, did you understand what I was saying?" "No, I didn't," she replies peeved, "I don't know how they did either. They only know the English language just like me." "No Kal, Dagger and I know his native language." Kono looks at the three mystified. "I will take you all to the city tonight and tomorrow I will come back to show you around the city. You all might want to stop somewhere to get some garments for tomorrow and this evening." He says matter-of-factly. "Any questions you might have can wait until tomorrow. Let's go, Konéko should have the horses ready by now." The children follow him out of the door and stop because there are four beautiful horses standing in the yard. "Crystal do you know how to ride with a dress on?" Konéko asks her, worried that she will ruin her dress. Crystal looks at her like she couldn't believe Konéko was asking her that kind of question. "Konéko, I know how to ride a horse with a dress on just like all the other girls." She steps up to the horse Konéko is holding onto for her. Crystal puts her left foot in the right stirrup and mounts the horse expertly and settles her skirts and reaches for the reins. Konéko hands them to her wordlessly. Crystal looks at the other three and realizes that they have already gotten on their horses. Kono gives his horse an order and the other horses start to follow. Half an hour later they enter the gates to the city. Dagger and Crystal notice that they are being stared at by the locals. "Kono, why does everyone keep staring at us?" Crystal asks nervously. "They usually don't see many people with crowns and tiara's on around here," Kono replies. As they continue Dagger notices a large building coming into view. As they get closer he thinks it's a palace but isn't sure. He thought he ought to ask Crystal but knew she would get mad at him for interrupting her conversation with Kal but decided to risk it anyway. "Hey Crystal, Crystal I've got something to ask you." He begins tentatively. "What is it Dagger?" She asks crossly. He opens his mouth to ask her his question but never says a thing. "Well what is it?" Kal prods wanting to continue her conversation. "That building's gates are opening!" He exclaims. A bunch of guards come out of the gates and start to ask what just happened. They didn't know why the gates opened by themselves. As they make their way over to where they are Kono tells the children not to speak to the guards unless the guards asked them a question. A huge man stops in front of Kono's horse. "Who are these people that you have with you?" He asks Kono. "These children are Crystal, Dagger, and Kalismíen; I have brought them here to find a room at the lema for tonight." Kono answers him worried. The guard stares at the children. "Crystal and Dagger you say? Bring them into the Palace." He says as he starts to turn to turn around. "What about Kalismíen? She is with the other two as well," Kono says. The guard doesn't even turn around but tells him to bring the other one as well. The guards herd them through the gates and the gates shut behind them. A young soldier comes up to Kono and asks him what his name is. Kono tells him and turns to talk to the kids. "Sir, I have orders that you and the one called Kalismíen are to come with me and that Crystal and Dagger are to go with the Sergeant." Kono starts to protest but the soldier interrupts him. "Sir, their Majesty's want to see the other two, alone." Kono thinks this over and agrees to it. He turns to Crystal and Dagger. "I am sorry you two, Kalismíen and I cannot accompany you. It is their Majesty's orders." He then turns and motions for Kal to follow him and Crystal and Dagger find themselves standing alone in the middle of a crowd of guards.
"What do you think he is going to do?" Kal asks them. "I don't know Kal," Crystal replies. "It looks like the lady is waiting for us." Dagger tells the girls, motioning for them to hurry up. They reach the lady and introduce themselves. "Hello milady, my name is Crystal," she says dropping a curtsy. "My name is Dagger, milady," he says bowing. "Milady my name is Kalismíen, but everyone calls me Kal." She says trying to drop a curtsy but failing because she don't have a dress on. "Welcome children, my name is Konéko. It is nice to meet you. Crystal, is this you're serving girl? She is dressed so strangely." "What do you mean Konéko? She is my friend; she is not my servant if that is what you are asking." Crystal replies slightly confused. "Oh! I am so sorry; I did not mean to offend you." She apologizes quickly. "You didn't offend me. Whatever made you think that?" Crystal asks worried. "You wear the queen's necklace Crystal. And you Dagger wear the king's signet ring." Crystal and Dagger look at each other confused. "What are you talking about?" They both ask her at the same time. Now it is her turn to look confused. "I think you must ask my husband that question." She replies starting toward the door. "I think she wants us to follow her to the barn." Crystal tells Kal and Dagger. The children follow Konéko wondering what she meant about the ring and necklace. "Kono, this is Crystal, Dagger, and Kalismíen. Children, this is my husband Kono." Konéko introduces the children to her husband. When she says Crystal's and Dagger's names he looks sharply at them wondering if this could really be happening. Because if it was then the kingdom was saved. "It is nice to meet you children." Kono says in a deep bass voice. "Come to the house you must be thirsty after your long journey." He starts herding them to the house. "We are thirsty thank you, but we were wondering where we are. We are trying to find someplace to lodge for the time being." Crystal says, hoping that they can get some information about where they are. "You are welcome; there is a nice inn in the city." He replies motioning for them to sit down in some chairs as he pours them something that looks like lemonade. "I can take you there and help you to find a couple of rooms for the rest of the week. I just hope that the lema has enough rooms for all of you." He tells them. Kal looks at him confused, not understanding what he said. "I am sorry," he apologizes, "I am talking in the language native to here." "That is okay Kono I knew what you meant. You were talking about the inn." Crystal and Dagger say at the same time. Kono looks impressed. "Well done you two I see that you do know the native language here. And what about you Kalismíen, did you understand what I was saying?" "No, I didn't," she replies peeved, "I don't know how they did either. They only know the English language just like me." "No Kal, Dagger and I know his native language." Kono looks at the three mystified. "I will take you all to the city tonight and tomorrow I will come back to show you around the city. You all might want to stop somewhere to get some garments for tomorrow and this evening." He says matter-of-factly. "Any questions you might have can wait until tomorrow. Let's go, Konéko should have the horses ready by now." The children follow him out of the door and stop because there are four beautiful horses standing in the yard. "Crystal do you know how to ride with a dress on?" Konéko asks her, worried that she will ruin her dress. Crystal looks at her like she couldn't believe Konéko was asking her that kind of question. "Konéko, I know how to ride a horse with a dress on just like all the other girls." She steps up to the horse Konéko is holding onto for her. Crystal puts her left foot in the right stirrup and mounts the horse expertly and settles her skirts and reaches for the reins. Konéko hands them to her wordlessly. Crystal looks at the other three and realizes that they have already gotten on their horses. Kono gives his horse an order and the other horses start to follow. Half an hour later they enter the gates to the city. Dagger and Crystal notice that they are being stared at by the locals. "Kono, why does everyone keep staring at us?" Crystal asks nervously. "They usually don't see many people with crowns and tiara's on around here," Kono replies. As they continue Dagger notices a large building coming into view. As they get closer he thinks it's a palace but isn't sure. He thought he ought to ask Crystal but knew she would get mad at him for interrupting her conversation with Kal but decided to risk it anyway. "Hey Crystal, Crystal I've got something to ask you." He begins tentatively. "What is it Dagger?" She asks crossly. He opens his mouth to ask her his question but never says a thing. "Well what is it?" Kal prods wanting to continue her conversation. "That building's gates are opening!" He exclaims. A bunch of guards come out of the gates and start to ask what just happened. They didn't know why the gates opened by themselves. As they make their way over to where they are Kono tells the children not to speak to the guards unless the guards asked them a question. A huge man stops in front of Kono's horse. "Who are these people that you have with you?" He asks Kono. "These children are Crystal, Dagger, and Kalismíen; I have brought them here to find a room at the lema for tonight." Kono answers him worried. The guard stares at the children. "Crystal and Dagger you say? Bring them into the Palace." He says as he starts to turn to turn around. "What about Kalismíen? She is with the other two as well," Kono says. The guard doesn't even turn around but tells him to bring the other one as well. The guards herd them through the gates and the gates shut behind them. A young soldier comes up to Kono and asks him what his name is. Kono tells him and turns to talk to the kids. "Sir, I have orders that you and the one called Kalismíen are to come with me and that Crystal and Dagger are to go with the Sergeant." Kono starts to protest but the soldier interrupts him. "Sir, their Majesty's want to see the other two, alone." Kono thinks this over and agrees to it. He turns to Crystal and Dagger. "I am sorry you two, Kalismíen and I cannot accompany you. It is their Majesty's orders." He then turns and motions for Kal to follow him and Crystal and Dagger find themselves standing alone in the middle of a crowd of guards.