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This is getting confusing (there are just too many damn roalds!)…

Yeah, it really is. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep confusion down to a minimum, however.

What if Roald meets…Roald?

Now that would be a really confusing conversation to write. Good thing I don't write one. :)

So if Roald (the one from the desert) has gone back into the past with Kaprice, what happens to the ring? Is he still wearing it? If he's not, will he end up being ninety something years old and die?

Let's keep this as simple as possible: Roald will still be twenty two years old. He will not suddenly turn into an old geezer. That would be very bad for romance, don't you think?

But there were deserts in Tortall even before the Devastation!

Yep, indeed there was. And the part of Tortall that was desert, will remain desert even after the Devastation is reverted. Reverting the Devastation will only change things back to the way they were before, not alter all deserts into rich forest/prairie/etc. land.

So Kaprice has a silver Gift?

Only the immortals and the gods have silver magic. Kaprice's power is silver only because her power is not from herself, it is from the gods.

And lastly, what about Shinko???

Shinko has not disappeared from my mind, this is not one of those alternate reality/universe fics (I think that is what they are called?) that change the story from the way the author has written them. Joren is still dead, alanna did not go to the convent, and kel did not go shang. Everything is as is. Shinko will be dealt with later (bad shinko, bad!). Alright, she won't really be 'dealt' with, but she will be making an appearance within ….chapter 18. Oh hey, did u know that daine and numair are going to be getting married in a book that is coming out sept. '03? (or maybe they're getting married in the sequel to that book). They're getting married because (DO NOT READ THE REST OF THIS IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW NOW AND GET IT SPOILED!) daine is pregnant. *gasp* something about losing her pregnancy charm during one of her shape changes. and the baby keeps changing within her stomach, they don't know whether it's female or male. One moment it's a girl, the next it's a boy, and in the next it's not even human. (which I think is just creepy). What if she ends up having her baby…and it's a…fish?? A very powerful fish. (all bow down to the mighty fish!) *shivers*

16. Invisible Man

A bird trilled from somewhere nearby. Kaprice opened her eyes. .

And gasped.

She was surrounded by trees that looked impossibly tall from her position. And she was laying on the softest grass she had ever known. There were patches of flowers scattered throughout the grass.

Odd…

There was a warm presence at her back; she turned her head to see Roald sleeping there.

Roald's black hair lay mussed about his forehead. His lips were curved into a small smile as if he were having a pleasant dream.

Kaprice found a smile curving across her own lips as she looked at him. She couldn't resist; she leaned forward and pressed a kiss onto the tip of his nose.

Roald felt her touch and awoke. His eyes smiled into hers..

"Good morning," he said.

She blinked in surprise. "Morning?"

"Well, yes." He smiled teasingly at her. "Did you think that it was still night?"

She sat up and glanced about herself again. Stared through Roald's protective circle at the colorful flowers, the soft green grass, the thick tree trunks. "But isn't this a dream?"

Roald's gaze turned serious. "No, it's not."

"But--"

Roald pressed his hand over her mouth to silence her. He glanced around intently, as if listening for something.

"Why doesn't the Dominion Jewel have any affect on Demon's Hill?" a soft female voice was inquiring.

Someone sighed in return. "The Dominion Jewel's power lays within nature. My guess is that it has no affect because Demon's Hill is entirely unnatural," a tired male voice said.

A tall, black haired man accompanied by smaller female came into sight through the line of trees. And trailing beside the young woman, there was a small, odd looking…reptile? It walked on its legs with an unusual grace that she had never seen before.

"What is that?" she whispered.

"That?" Roald smiled. "That's Kit."

"A kit?"

He chuckled. "No. That's her name. She is a dragon."

Her eyes widened. "Wow," she breathed.

The couple stopped, glancing around themselves suspiciously. Perhaps they had heard Roald laugh?

Kaprice stiffened, but Roald just shook his head. He squeezed her arm reassuringly. "Not to worry. They're friends."

The dragon suddenly let out a sharp whistle, and Roald's protective circle flickered.

The woman frowned. "Roald? Is that you?"

Kaprice started when she heard Roald's name. The woman knew Roald? Roald, in turn, seemed uncertain as to what to say.

"Whoever you are, why don't you come out now? We know you're there." the older man said.

"Roald?" the woman called again. "What are you doing out here? I thought the others said you were ill." She sounded confused.

Kaprice glanced at Roald tentatively. What was going on? How did that woman know Roald? And where was this place? Wherever they were, this was definitely no desert.

When there was no response, the tall man sighed. He stepped forward, one hand outstretched. Kaprice's eyes widened as she saw black power gather in the palm of the man's hand. And when he touched Roald's dome with his black magic, Roald's dome shattered, falling away and revealing Kaprice and Roald to the strangers.

"Numair, Daine--" Roald started to say.

"Who are you?" the man asked Kaprice pointedly, a suspicious look on his face.

Kaprice was busy staring at the man's hand, the hand that had held his black magic.

"Numair, this is Kaprice--" Roald tried to say.

"Do I know you?" the woman asked, completely ignoring Roald. "You seem…oddly familiar." She then shook her head. "Never mind. What are you doing in the castle courtyard?"

"Castle courtyard?" Kaprice echoed.

Roald groaned, suddenly glancing around himself. "Gods, I'm such an idiot. Why didn't I recognize this place before?"

Kaprice turned to gaze at Roald uncertainly. "Roald…"

"Roald?" The woman repeated sharply. "Do you know Roald?"

Roald glanced at the woman in surprise. "Of course she knows me, Daine. Why else would I be standing right here beside her?"

"Well?" the older man prompted. "Do you?" He gazed at Kaprice intently, not sparing Roald a glance.

Kaprice glanced around in confusion. "Roald, what is going on?"

The two strangers turned to glance at each other in surprise when they heard Kaprice's words.

"Roald?" the man said inquiringly.

"Kit, is Roald here?" The woman turned to gaze at the dragon questioningly.

The dragon emitted another sharp whistle. She paused expectantly, and then turned to the woman and shook her small dragon head.

The strangers turned back to gaze at Kaprice.

Kaprice was suddenly hit with understanding. She turned to gaze at Roald with bewilderment. "They can't see you," she said slowly.

Kaprice gaze sudden fell to the medallion that hung off Roald's neck. It was glittering a soft, golden light.

Roald glanced down to see what she was staring at. He started to reach for the medallion with his right hand.

"Don't touch it." Kaprice's voice was sharp.

Roald's hand stopped, paused for a moment, and then fell down to his side. He shook his head, turning to the two strangers that he apparently knew.

"Daine. Numair. Look at me." He stepped toward them, standing in front of Kaprice.

But they didn't see him. Or hear him. They only saw and heard her. And her apparently one sided conversation had them bewildered.

"My name is Kaprice," Kaprice said softly. "Can you tell me where I am?"

The woman glanced at the man uncertainly before answering. "You're standing in the king's courtyard."

"Yes, but is this…is this Tortall?" Kaprice pressed.

The man stared at her contemplatively. "Yes, it is."

Kaprice glanced around herself, once more gazing at the green trees, green grass. Tortall…

Roald shook his head. "I don't understand. Why can't they see me?"

Kaprice just shook her head. She had questions for him, but now was definitely not the time to ask. These people already thought that she was crazy.

She was in Tortall. She wasn't quite sure how, but she was. And she had a job to do.

To reverse the Devastation…

For a moment, she was impacted with the enormity of her job. Change the outcome of the Devastation? Her? She felt as insignificant as a speck of dust.

What was she supposed to say? 'Oh, by the way, I've been sent here by the gods to save the world?' Or maybe, 'Can you tell me about the Devastation? I'm supposed to reverse it, so I need some background information?'

A bitter laugh forced its way out of her throat.

"I'm here. I'll help you." Roald suddenly stood in front of her, looking at her with his steady blue eyes. "You aren't alone. I won't let you be."

She stared back at him, relief flooding her senses. She gave him a small nod before turning to the others. "Can you please take me to--" she paused, wondering what she should say next.

"King Jonathan." Roald prompted.

"--to King Jonathan? I would like to speak to him," she quickly finished.

The man gazed at her with sharp black eyes; the woman examined her carefully with her own blue-grey ones.

Then the tall man nodded. "Very well. Follow me this way."