After the dramatic episode, I did what any Tammy fan would do; I went to the training area to fish out Kel. I must admit I was also looking for Neal to bash his head in and tear his body limb by limb. I despised the boy. When I had gotten myself lost in the corners and turns of the palace, I sat down grumpily and stared around at the corridor I'd gotten myself lost in. It wasn't dark, but it wasn't exactly bright as well. Not a very comforting sort of place to end up lost in. I sighed and got back up on my feet, looking up and down the corridor and then deciding to go back the way I came, but I ended up in a corridor with three different doors to each side. I decided to knock on one door and ask for directions. I scolded myself for not accepting Hayley's offer to show me around; I'd been too excited to look for Kel to realize that I didn't know the way around the Palace, and no matter how many times I'd read SOTL and POTS, there was no way I could have memorized it. So I knocked on the door and waited patiently. The door opened to reveal the Prince. I'm not the type of girl to swoon and giggle over a guy, but with Roald, I couldn't help myself. I'd always loved and worshipped his father, Jon, but I'd never imagined his son to be so absolutely, incredibly and perfectly gorgeous. Describing him does no good, he's too hot for that, I'd end up making him sound like any other guy from a magazine-but he's not like that, not at all. 'Hey,' he smiled that heart-warming smile as he looked down at me. Everyone looks down on me, I'm that short. Well not very short, just medium-sized and surrounded by people twice my height. It can be demeaning sometimes, but I got used to it and got over it. 'Ah-I kind of got lost,' I mumbled. Did I mention he had a fantastic smile? 'Oh, do you want me to show you back?' Roald offered, already closing the door and leading the way. I wondered if his father had been this polite, kind and drop dead gorgeous. 'Thanks,' I said, when we ended up at the door to my room. I felt sheepish-I'd only had to walk down the corridor and turn right, which was the only way to go, to get to my room. 'How come our rooms are so close to the squires'?' I asked. He grinned. 'Both sides wanted it that way, you see. And the girls from your world kept sneaking into the squires' rooms anyway; too excited, so the King just gave up and cleared this area for them. There are quite a lot of them, about fifty.' I gaped at him and laughed. 'I never knew there were so many teens in comas in my world! And to think.they end up in the world they think of as a second home. Wow. I feel so lucky.' Frowning, he said, 'You girls seem so happy at leaving your world behind, is it so bad? You don't seem to want to go back at all.' 'Oh,' I said seriously, remembering the boys on the bus, 'it just isn't a very wonderful, inspiring world to live in. Too many creeps and Britneys.' 'Britneys?' he said with a confused look. 'Britney Spears wannabes; they're everywhere, in every class, in every corner.' He remained baffled and curious, so I went on. 'There's this main figure in the music world; Britney Spears, she's a slut and dresses in clothes that wouldn't fit a fish-a small one of course-and she can't sing to save her life-live, anyway-and encourages girls to get skimpy and talk so ridiculously, a five year old wouldn't understand their gibberish. And they think guys like that. But only the morons and one- night-standers are attracted to that bull. They don't know that. They usually dye their hair blonde, wear the shortest, most revealing clothes and babble on in their gibberish saying 'like' 'whatever' and 'teehee' every other word. And it's been four damn years and they're still not over it! They're complete bimbos, no brain to speak of really.' 'You're definitely not a Britney, then.' See how sweet he is? Bless the boy. 'Thank you, I'm actually very anti-Britney. Well, I should go now; I've held you up enough. As I've read, a squire's life isn't too easy. See ya.' I smiled as I slowly closed the door. I couldn't help the pathetic, dreamy look that crept up on my face as I leaned against the door. 'You've taken like to our Prince, I see,' Hayley's voice cut through my happy thoughts and my not so innocent wishes and hopes. 'Who hasn't? Why aren't you swooning?' I breathed, sitting on the bed closest to the door. 'Oh, I was like you when I came here. You should know, from Tammy's books, that he's betrothed!' I wrinkled up my nose. 'Yeah, yeah I know. I haven't flirted, I swear. I'm not like that.' She shot me a look that clearly showed her disbelief of what I'd just said. But I hadn't flirted! Why should I, anyway? If the guy liked me (and I doubt it, he's only known me for a few hours) he'd flirt with me, which leaves me to tell him he's betrothed and that I don't go out with guys who are engaged. 'Hey, let's go get you some clothes!' Hayley exclaimed with excitement.

'You have to remember, I don't have any Tortall money,' I pointed out. 'Who said we needed money? The King is really kind! He lets us get clothes for free. But only us good girls,' she grinned; she seemed to grin a lot. Lucky girl, so bubbly and happy. 'But that cow, Sandry, gets clothes.' Hayley's expression turned to revulsion as she mock-gagged. 'The King gives us riding-clothes, two dresses and of course undergarments and the like when we first come. The King dislikes our Sandry and tells her if she wants clothes of her own, she needs to work for them but she gets them good clothes from her fiancée.' 'Fiancée? What, did she dig up some dead zombie and put a ring on his hand?' That earned a giggle from Hayley. 'He's as pompous and arrogant as her, my dear! His name's Haken and he's the son of a Lord of some place or something. Come on! Let's go get those clothes! We can drop you off at the Prince's after so you can parade your new clothes while he swoons over you with those sweet eyes-' I shot her a glance that shut her up, but didn't stop her laughing hysterically.

So I ended up choosing these two made-for-comfort dresses. One was beige, with an embroidered brown waistline; it was plain and comfortable. The other one was for more important events. It was royal- blue with a lighter shade of blue decorating the hem and the neckline, with the same shade of colour of buttons going down from my chest to my waist, where a soft, silky fabric was fitted around my waist; which was decorated with vine-like designs going all the way around the waist in a light blue. I also got undergarments, and they weren't very comfortable. I wondered what would happen when I got my period and winced. Byebye pads, hello pieces of cloths that could fall out of place and get my dress stained at the back any moment. Wonderful. I also had to get shoes; I bought sandals, everyday boots and riding boots. 'The ladies will look at you and huff!' Hayley exclaimed. I hadn't bought any of those prissy high-heels that ladies and nobles around me wore. 'Then I'll look at them and huff just as loudly!' I replied, slipping into the everyday boots. They fit very nicely. 'You'll see, in time you'll be wearing high-heels just like them! I am, too.' She lifted up her dress to reveal black heels. 'The only time you'll see me wearing heels is the time I'm wearing a Mickey Mouse costume and drinking my life away, wearing a beard as long as Santa dearest!' 'I could sew you a Mickey costume, you know,' she said, grinning wickedly. About to reply with a nasty retort, I was interrupted when two maniacs came running up to us. One was screaming and the other was laughing evilly. And of course who were they other than Khalil and Serena. 'Leave me alone!' Khalil screamed at Serena, glaring at her furiously Serena rolled her eyes and turned to me. 'Tell that fool to drop the act and come home with me!' I tsk-tsked and turned to Khalil. 'Love is really a confusing feeling, Khalil! You don't have to hide-' 'I'M NOT IN LOVE! Tell that, that stalker to leave me the hell alone!' he exploded. She must have freaked him out quite a lot to get him so worked up. He was an easy-going fellow, always giving second chances and treating everyone nicely, even people who didn't deserve to be looked at. In the end, Serena muttered something about ignorant men before throwing her arms up to the sky in defeat and wondering off towards a lone, handsome guy near a bakery. 'Finally!' Khalil growled, looking over at the laughing Serena. But there was a tinge of sadness in his eyes. I looked at Hayley and we both exploded with laughter. At least he seemed to be over Marlaine. Of course that could be an act, but Serena would distract him for a while.