Xanthe woke up with a jump. She had just seen Aynsley disappear. Where was he going? Why had she even seen him? She was sure it wasn't just an ordinary dream. She had smelt the smoky odor his hair.

Of course it was no surprise that she found herself in the fanciest room she could have ever imagined. Subconsciously she knew she was already there.

She had slept on a four-poster bed with a royal purple bedspread. The mattress felt like it was made from a cloud, but it was actually feathers from a swan. She was on silk, lilac sheets that felt smooth against her skin. She was still wearing her blue cotton dress, but it was a little worse for wear.

She opened her eyes.

It shocked her when she saw that her mental picture was right. How was this happening? Why was this happening? Why was Carthak so humid? It was making her hair frizz!

CARTHAK?!

She threw off the silk sheets and jumped to the perfect marble floors in frustration. Her feet smacked the hard stone floor and great needles of pain shot into her feet.

Before she could let out a curse she sensed somebody was approaching her room.

*~*~*~*

Armod knocked on the large oak doors, they were the only things keeping him from the beautiful Xanthe. Not only was she the tool for mass destruction, she was quite fetching. Perhaps he would make a wife out of her, but first he had to get her to trust him.

The door swung open and a round-eyed Xanthe was in the open archway.

*~*~*~*

"If I were a poor excuse of a person, where would I be?" Aynsley asked himself. He had really only transported himself to his room so he could pack.

Then it all came to be too clear. Carthak! Of course! I was only like him that he would run away back to his home. He was just about to transport himself there when the door busted open.

"If you even think about leaving I will personally tan your hide." Numair said in a booming voice.

"You cannot stop me. No one can." Aynsley smoothly repeated.

Diane shoved past her husband and marched right up to her son. She grabbed his ear.

"You are so blinded by love, you can't even see what is really happening." She said fighting back tears.

"Ow! Mother!" Aynsley complained.

She only tugged harder.

"Who ever Armod works for, it is not for the Emperor Kaddar. Armod must be working for Orzorn supporters and until we find out who they are, you can not do anything."

"But mother!"

"Don't 'but' me, young man. Are you willing to risk your country for her? Are you willing to put us all at war just so you can get her back? He is a black mage, Aynsley!"

"I'm stronger than him! I have the Gift and Wild Magic."

"But you lack control." Numair chided, "You can not start a battle with out thinking up a plan."

"And how would you know this?' Aynsley asked in a very sour mood.

"Because," Numair said in sad sort of voice, "They did the same thing to me. They took Diane away from me."

Aynsley closed his mouth. He had obviously lost the fight. He dropped his bag.

"What should we do?"





A/N: Xanthe is in Carthak! How quaint. Just thought I'd post this up to keep you from wondering. Again this is SHORT! I like working in SHORT chapters. SORRY! Oh well! Will hopefully post up more by Friday.

BTW the little trip to Harry Potter Land was bad. I'll just stick to Tamora Pierce and Lord of the Rings. Maybe I'll do a crossover....