It rained that night. Not just a regular shower, the energy droplets fell
from a bucket above, drenching everything in sight. Ray had offered to let
Bob stay the night, but since he couldn't go into the castle, the royal
messenger knew of a small place he could stay. To Bob's surprise, it looked
more like a second home for Ray. There were two beds on end of the house,
and a stove, table, and kitchen on the other.
"Do you live here?" Bob asked, stepping in and shaking the energy droplets off his head.
"I consider it my second home," Ray replied, stepping into the middle of the room and turning around, arms spread. "What do you think? I used to live here before I got recruited to the castle. I come here only once in awhile to check up on things. You can stay here for tonight, or until you find yourself someplace else."
Bob nodded, testing out the bed, then walking over to the stove. He fiddled with the lever, unfamiliar with it. "Does this work?"
"Yeah." Ray walked over to a corner of the room where a stack of logs were kept. He picked two up and shoved them into the stove. Then he did something with the oven and soon enough, a small fire had started.
Bob rubbed his hands, welcoming the warmth. He pulled up a chair in front of the oven and Ray did the same.
"So," the royal messenger began, "why was Sir Matrix after you today?"
Bob looked around, then leaned forward. "Can I trust you?"
Ray nodded, looking intensely at the fire.
"Well truth is, I'm not from around here. I'm not even from this time. I come from the future. It was during the time where everything was more electrical, more files, more everything."
Ray turned to give him a withering look. Bob ignored him and continued on.
"We were celebrating the year 2000, when something went wrong with the clock and everything was sent back a thousand years. For some reason you all have changed. I haven't. I remember everything."
"Are you saying that I existed in the future too?"
"Yeah."
He laughed. "That's some story file you got there. Do you tell it to your children?"
"I don't have any children. For some reason no one remembers what really happened- like you. To you, all you remember is being some royal messenger serving King Megabyte. Sir Matrix only remembers following the King and fighting the Amazons. And AndrAIa, and Al's Waiter, and Dot." he trailed off, suddenly realizing that he had no idea what had happened to Dot. He looked at Ray, eyes wide.
"What?" Ray asked, looking around. Bob nearly stood up in his chair, causing him to lean back, surprised.
"Dot!" Bob cried, "User, do you know anyone by the name of Dot around here?"
Ray was still staring at him, surprised. "No," he said, "None that I know of."
Bob looked around thoughtfully. "Maybe she's a peasant," he thought outloud.
"Uh, mate? Mind telling me what you're talking about?"
"Dot, she's my friend," Bob said, "a close friend." He started pacing the room. Ray watched him, bewildered.
"Hey, Bob," he said finally. "Why don't you sit down and tell me exactly what we were like in the.future."
Bob glanced at Ray. He could tell he didn't really believe any of what he was saying, but was willing to hear him out. He appreciated that much. Sighing heavily, he sat back down.
"Okay," he said, "in the future, everyone's different. I am a Guardian, I mend and defend, protect the innocent, stuff like that. Your normal super hero guy. I'm kind of like the knights are here, only different."
"Okay," Ray was nodding.
"And you are a web surfer. You surf the web, finding new locations, stuff like that."
"The web? I thought that was a bunch of myths told my midwives and children."
"Yeah well believe it, cuz they exist. Dot is the Command.com, kind of like the King of Mainframe, and Matrix is a guardian in training. He's kind of like where he is now, only more tolerable." He didn't say 'hopefully' out loud. He didn't want to think of Matrix negatively. "And Megabyte is the bad guy. He's a virus, infecting sprites and binomes, sucking their energy dry. As for AndrAIa, she's no amazon- well, she is, but not like-"
"Wait a minute," Ray interrupted, "that's all very nice and dandy Bob, but you gotta realize that no one's going to believe you. I don't think I believe you because frankly your story is missing a few key parts."
"Like what?"
"Like.what kind of government do you have? What formats are there? You know, stuff like that. What's a 'guardian in training'?"
Bob sighed. He was beginning to feel like there was no hope in this conversation. He could go on for days on end, explaining it, but no one could understand.
"Look, forget it," he said, standing up. "I guess I'm going to have to figure something else out on my own."
"Now you wait just a second!" Ray argued, standing up. "Now I've helped you this far and I'm willing to help you a little more. Now tell me what you're trying to do and let me see what I can do."
Bob blinked. "You'd go against your own King?"
Ray straightened up. "If necessary. What are you planning?"
"To go inside the castle and meet with Megabyte."
Ray looked alarmed and glanced toward the doorways and windows, expecting someone to be standing there. "Shh!" he said, lowering his voice. "We shouldn't be talking angrily about this, people might overhear. I'll come back tomorrow morning where we can figure something out. Right now just stay in here. No one knows you're here so I suggest you lay low. I'll see you tomorrow." He turned to leave.
"Wait," Bob stopped him. "Why are you so willing to help me?" he asked. "I mean, especially toward your King, Megabyte."
Ray hesitated before answering. "I don't know. It's just a feeling I have."
***
The night was long and foreboding. Bob took the bed farthest from the door and tried to get some sleep. The rain was still pouring down on the roof and he began to feel strange. He never realized how lucky he was when he had everyone with him, and now he missed them terribly.
Several times he dared to peer out the shutters on the window, only to see the street outside, winding down through several houses, the castle just short of a mile away. The ground was soaked. He never experienced rain like this. It felt weird.
Finally he closed the window and trudged back to the bed. He sat there for awhile thinking, before straightening back up to blow out the candle.
****
AndrAIa pulled at her chains, hoping to eventually break them or loosen them. Nothing happened and she leaned her head against the brick wall, exasperated. She couldn't believe how long they'd kept her in the prison cell. If she wouldn't be let out anytime soon, she'd scream.
The knights and guards had pushed her down into the bottom dungeon cells and left her there. No one else was there and she was left in the dark, the only light coming from the high window- too high to escape through. It was cold too, and she couldn't help but shiver. Her Amazon outfit was the warmest thing to wear. Short leather skirt and halter top covered her, with slits on the side. Her boots went up to her knees and armbands decorated her upper arms. Her belt would've carried her sword or trident, but at the time both weapons were taken from her.
She had to think of a way out. Somehow she knew she was the only Amazon captured.unless the killed the others instead of bringing them down here. She had already searched her cell thoroughly in case of any weapons she could use, but there were none.
She looked up suddenly when the dungeon door opened and a man walked in. She immediately got to her feet and stood very still.
It was Sir Matrix. He approached her cell, smiling at first, but it disappeared when he reached the bars.
"Well," he said, "this must be a very nice place for you."
AndrAIa didn't answer. She glanced around, shifting her position so she could see the front door and the man at the same time. "I've seen better," she finally replied.
"Ah, well that's why I'm here," Matrix said, putting his hands behind his back. "If you promise to tell us everything about your Amazon tribe, I will let you go."
She put her face closer to the bars, giving him a good look at her pretty face. "I'd rather die first," she said, forming the words with her lips as she talked.
He hesitated before speaking again, looking at her. "I suggest you think about my offer," he said softly, "that is, until tomorrow night. If you don't tell us, you surely will die." He moved his face until it was inches from her. "Is that.clear?"
She narrowed her eyes at him and didn't answer. They stayed in that position, lips inches from each other. AndrAIa glanced down at his, but he moved away.
"See you tomorrow night," he said, turning and leaving the room, closing the iron doors behind him. The noise echoed around the dungeon, leaving her once again in darkness.
***
Bob was dreaming that he had somehow fallen back in time and everything was screwed up. He was slowly waking up somehow, but he was too tired to get up. He fought to go back to sleep, then realized that something was preventing in from it.
"This is the royal guard! We command you open this door!"
Bob's eyes widened in surprise and at the same time everything flew back at him. Suddenly remembering where he was, he and darted out of his bed. He wasn't sure whether to open the door or run for a place to hide. He stood there, undecided for a moment in his boxers. That's when he realized the cold morning air biting into his skin. He grabbed the blanket off the bed and darted for the first hiding place he could find.
Behind the stove.
By then the fire had died away long ago and the metal was cool. He tucked himself behind it tightly, wrapping the blanked all around.
But then realized that if the guards were to look through the window, they'd see him.
His eyes darted across the room, searching for another hiding place. It was too late, they were already pounding the door in. He grabbed the blanket and threw it over his head, not daring to move.
"Kick the door down! Take it off its hinges! Anything!" The same guard yelled.
"Wait! Wait, stop!"
It was a different voice, a familiar voice. Bob's breath caught in his throat. It was Ray.
"Wait a minute, stop it!" Ray yelled from outside. "Just what do you think you're doing?"
"Messenger Ray, we have had strict orders to search every empty shack or house for the escaped convict, Bob. Why are you stopping us?"
"Because that is my house you are breaking down, gentlemen, please step away!"
"Not before we search it!"
"There is nothing in there, I assure you, now please step away!"
There was a whole bunch of noises coming from outside the door, then it opened and Bob heard footsteps as someone walked in.
"Now please leave," Ray's voice said, now inside the shack. "You were ordered to look in empty shacks and homes, and this one is very well taken. Come back some other time, when you have permission."
There were a few mumbles and angry words exchanged, but the guards turned to go. Ray slammed the door shut and was still for a very long time. He waited until the guards were well away before speaking. "Bob? Where are you? Are you okay?"
Bob shifted in his corner and took the blanket off of him. It was getting hot and sweaty under there, combined with his beating heart. "Are they gone?" he asked.
Ray nodded, throwing rags in his direction. "Put these one. I don't know how to get you into the castle in your current stage so we'll have to do things undercover. From now on your name is Disky, my slave. In that state you can move into the castle and move about, as long as you say it is under my orders."
Bob raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me, Disky? Your slave?"
It didn't take long until Bob got dressed into his new outfit. It turned out to be a regular rag robe with a hood to cover his face and a rope to tie around his waist. He looked into the mirror and frowned. "I look too.clean to be a servant."
"Here," Ray replied, throwing dirt at him. "Rub it all over and you'll do."
Bob looked down at the dirt on the ground, but didn't complain. Gingerly he bent down and started rubbing dirt on his arms and face, grimacing all the while. "I feel.gross," he said when he was done.
"That's the way slaves feel," Ray said. "Now let's get going."
****
The castle was a lot bigger up front. Bob stood on the drawbridge, staring up at the magnificent building in front of him. This was going to be the Principle Office? Megabyte was in there?
Ray glanced at him. "You ready?"
Bob took a deep breath and nodded. Once he was inside he could go straight to Megabyte and clear this whole thing up. Maybe go to the main clock generator and turn things back the way they were.
They both marched across the drawbridge and toward the front gates. Two guards stood there and for a moment Bob was afraid they wouldn't let them in. However, when they saw Ray, they opened the gates and let them in. Before he knew it, they were inside the castle building.
Bob had to stop and look around for a moment. Everything was so huge inside. They had stepped into the main hall, with doors everywhere and a grand staircase in front. Servants and other people walked back and forth, not even giving him a second glance. He watched as a man walked by dressed in an apron and a chef's hat, looking awfully familiar. Could it be Al himself?
Nah, couldn't be.
"This way," Ray directed, leading Bob to one of the doors on the left. They went down a long hallway with even more doors on either side, until they reached the end where it opened out into a kitchen. A small, grungy kitchen.
"This is where the slaves stay," Ray explained. "Bed quarters are over there, two big rooms generally. One for the women, one for the men, I trust you will figure out which is which. I'm terribly sorry to leave you in such.horrible conditions. My normal room is two floors up and if they see you there they will only get suspicious."
Bob nodded. "It's okay."
"Slaves are allowed everywhere except where there are green signs on the door. That generally means privacy, unless you have specifically been called. I will let you to roam around and figure out whatever you need, but if you were seen and asked what you are doing, say you are running errands to the kitchen or bedrooms, understand."
Bob nodded again.
Ray led him back down the hallway. "The throne room is on the third floor, just follow the staircase it isn't hard to find. Don't speak or start conversation with anyone higher class than you are disguised, except for me. Only speak when they talk to you, and speak in short answers. Don't show that you are intelligent or else they really will be suspicious."
"Okay." By then they had reached the front room again and Bob drew his hood close around his face to prevent anyone from recognizing him. He glanced around. "Okay, I can figure this out," he said to himself.
"I need to go and see if I need to run an errands," Ray said. "The king is holding this great feast tonight where everyone high class is invited around the kingdom. I have to send out last minute invitations and such. See you later today. Check in whenever you want." He turned and left.
Bob was about to stop him and ask him what he was supposed to do now in case anyone else caught him, but decided not to and watched the other people walk around. He saw one other slave and he was hunched over. Bob suddenly realized how tall he was standing and quickly slouched.
"Hey!" A loud voice erupted. Bob turned to see an important looking sprite standing toward the stairway, his drink spilled on the floor. He stared accusingly at the slave beside him, its face covered by its hood. Bob peered at the figure.
"Look what you did, slave!" the sprite shouted, "you spilled my drink!"
"I'm so sorry sir," the slave stammered in a feminine voice. It bent down to pick up the shattered glass and Bob saw her feminine features through the robe. "I'll clean it up as best as possible."
That voice.it sounded so familiar.
"Well hurry up and be smart about it," the man bellowed. He turned and left the room. By then Bob was the only other person left beside the female slave.
The slave sat there for awhile, bringing her covered hand to her face. She looked like she was crying. Then she collected her wits and threw her hood back, picking up the pieces.
Bob gasped.
It was Dot!
"Do you live here?" Bob asked, stepping in and shaking the energy droplets off his head.
"I consider it my second home," Ray replied, stepping into the middle of the room and turning around, arms spread. "What do you think? I used to live here before I got recruited to the castle. I come here only once in awhile to check up on things. You can stay here for tonight, or until you find yourself someplace else."
Bob nodded, testing out the bed, then walking over to the stove. He fiddled with the lever, unfamiliar with it. "Does this work?"
"Yeah." Ray walked over to a corner of the room where a stack of logs were kept. He picked two up and shoved them into the stove. Then he did something with the oven and soon enough, a small fire had started.
Bob rubbed his hands, welcoming the warmth. He pulled up a chair in front of the oven and Ray did the same.
"So," the royal messenger began, "why was Sir Matrix after you today?"
Bob looked around, then leaned forward. "Can I trust you?"
Ray nodded, looking intensely at the fire.
"Well truth is, I'm not from around here. I'm not even from this time. I come from the future. It was during the time where everything was more electrical, more files, more everything."
Ray turned to give him a withering look. Bob ignored him and continued on.
"We were celebrating the year 2000, when something went wrong with the clock and everything was sent back a thousand years. For some reason you all have changed. I haven't. I remember everything."
"Are you saying that I existed in the future too?"
"Yeah."
He laughed. "That's some story file you got there. Do you tell it to your children?"
"I don't have any children. For some reason no one remembers what really happened- like you. To you, all you remember is being some royal messenger serving King Megabyte. Sir Matrix only remembers following the King and fighting the Amazons. And AndrAIa, and Al's Waiter, and Dot." he trailed off, suddenly realizing that he had no idea what had happened to Dot. He looked at Ray, eyes wide.
"What?" Ray asked, looking around. Bob nearly stood up in his chair, causing him to lean back, surprised.
"Dot!" Bob cried, "User, do you know anyone by the name of Dot around here?"
Ray was still staring at him, surprised. "No," he said, "None that I know of."
Bob looked around thoughtfully. "Maybe she's a peasant," he thought outloud.
"Uh, mate? Mind telling me what you're talking about?"
"Dot, she's my friend," Bob said, "a close friend." He started pacing the room. Ray watched him, bewildered.
"Hey, Bob," he said finally. "Why don't you sit down and tell me exactly what we were like in the.future."
Bob glanced at Ray. He could tell he didn't really believe any of what he was saying, but was willing to hear him out. He appreciated that much. Sighing heavily, he sat back down.
"Okay," he said, "in the future, everyone's different. I am a Guardian, I mend and defend, protect the innocent, stuff like that. Your normal super hero guy. I'm kind of like the knights are here, only different."
"Okay," Ray was nodding.
"And you are a web surfer. You surf the web, finding new locations, stuff like that."
"The web? I thought that was a bunch of myths told my midwives and children."
"Yeah well believe it, cuz they exist. Dot is the Command.com, kind of like the King of Mainframe, and Matrix is a guardian in training. He's kind of like where he is now, only more tolerable." He didn't say 'hopefully' out loud. He didn't want to think of Matrix negatively. "And Megabyte is the bad guy. He's a virus, infecting sprites and binomes, sucking their energy dry. As for AndrAIa, she's no amazon- well, she is, but not like-"
"Wait a minute," Ray interrupted, "that's all very nice and dandy Bob, but you gotta realize that no one's going to believe you. I don't think I believe you because frankly your story is missing a few key parts."
"Like what?"
"Like.what kind of government do you have? What formats are there? You know, stuff like that. What's a 'guardian in training'?"
Bob sighed. He was beginning to feel like there was no hope in this conversation. He could go on for days on end, explaining it, but no one could understand.
"Look, forget it," he said, standing up. "I guess I'm going to have to figure something else out on my own."
"Now you wait just a second!" Ray argued, standing up. "Now I've helped you this far and I'm willing to help you a little more. Now tell me what you're trying to do and let me see what I can do."
Bob blinked. "You'd go against your own King?"
Ray straightened up. "If necessary. What are you planning?"
"To go inside the castle and meet with Megabyte."
Ray looked alarmed and glanced toward the doorways and windows, expecting someone to be standing there. "Shh!" he said, lowering his voice. "We shouldn't be talking angrily about this, people might overhear. I'll come back tomorrow morning where we can figure something out. Right now just stay in here. No one knows you're here so I suggest you lay low. I'll see you tomorrow." He turned to leave.
"Wait," Bob stopped him. "Why are you so willing to help me?" he asked. "I mean, especially toward your King, Megabyte."
Ray hesitated before answering. "I don't know. It's just a feeling I have."
***
The night was long and foreboding. Bob took the bed farthest from the door and tried to get some sleep. The rain was still pouring down on the roof and he began to feel strange. He never realized how lucky he was when he had everyone with him, and now he missed them terribly.
Several times he dared to peer out the shutters on the window, only to see the street outside, winding down through several houses, the castle just short of a mile away. The ground was soaked. He never experienced rain like this. It felt weird.
Finally he closed the window and trudged back to the bed. He sat there for awhile thinking, before straightening back up to blow out the candle.
****
AndrAIa pulled at her chains, hoping to eventually break them or loosen them. Nothing happened and she leaned her head against the brick wall, exasperated. She couldn't believe how long they'd kept her in the prison cell. If she wouldn't be let out anytime soon, she'd scream.
The knights and guards had pushed her down into the bottom dungeon cells and left her there. No one else was there and she was left in the dark, the only light coming from the high window- too high to escape through. It was cold too, and she couldn't help but shiver. Her Amazon outfit was the warmest thing to wear. Short leather skirt and halter top covered her, with slits on the side. Her boots went up to her knees and armbands decorated her upper arms. Her belt would've carried her sword or trident, but at the time both weapons were taken from her.
She had to think of a way out. Somehow she knew she was the only Amazon captured.unless the killed the others instead of bringing them down here. She had already searched her cell thoroughly in case of any weapons she could use, but there were none.
She looked up suddenly when the dungeon door opened and a man walked in. She immediately got to her feet and stood very still.
It was Sir Matrix. He approached her cell, smiling at first, but it disappeared when he reached the bars.
"Well," he said, "this must be a very nice place for you."
AndrAIa didn't answer. She glanced around, shifting her position so she could see the front door and the man at the same time. "I've seen better," she finally replied.
"Ah, well that's why I'm here," Matrix said, putting his hands behind his back. "If you promise to tell us everything about your Amazon tribe, I will let you go."
She put her face closer to the bars, giving him a good look at her pretty face. "I'd rather die first," she said, forming the words with her lips as she talked.
He hesitated before speaking again, looking at her. "I suggest you think about my offer," he said softly, "that is, until tomorrow night. If you don't tell us, you surely will die." He moved his face until it was inches from her. "Is that.clear?"
She narrowed her eyes at him and didn't answer. They stayed in that position, lips inches from each other. AndrAIa glanced down at his, but he moved away.
"See you tomorrow night," he said, turning and leaving the room, closing the iron doors behind him. The noise echoed around the dungeon, leaving her once again in darkness.
***
Bob was dreaming that he had somehow fallen back in time and everything was screwed up. He was slowly waking up somehow, but he was too tired to get up. He fought to go back to sleep, then realized that something was preventing in from it.
"This is the royal guard! We command you open this door!"
Bob's eyes widened in surprise and at the same time everything flew back at him. Suddenly remembering where he was, he and darted out of his bed. He wasn't sure whether to open the door or run for a place to hide. He stood there, undecided for a moment in his boxers. That's when he realized the cold morning air biting into his skin. He grabbed the blanket off the bed and darted for the first hiding place he could find.
Behind the stove.
By then the fire had died away long ago and the metal was cool. He tucked himself behind it tightly, wrapping the blanked all around.
But then realized that if the guards were to look through the window, they'd see him.
His eyes darted across the room, searching for another hiding place. It was too late, they were already pounding the door in. He grabbed the blanket and threw it over his head, not daring to move.
"Kick the door down! Take it off its hinges! Anything!" The same guard yelled.
"Wait! Wait, stop!"
It was a different voice, a familiar voice. Bob's breath caught in his throat. It was Ray.
"Wait a minute, stop it!" Ray yelled from outside. "Just what do you think you're doing?"
"Messenger Ray, we have had strict orders to search every empty shack or house for the escaped convict, Bob. Why are you stopping us?"
"Because that is my house you are breaking down, gentlemen, please step away!"
"Not before we search it!"
"There is nothing in there, I assure you, now please step away!"
There was a whole bunch of noises coming from outside the door, then it opened and Bob heard footsteps as someone walked in.
"Now please leave," Ray's voice said, now inside the shack. "You were ordered to look in empty shacks and homes, and this one is very well taken. Come back some other time, when you have permission."
There were a few mumbles and angry words exchanged, but the guards turned to go. Ray slammed the door shut and was still for a very long time. He waited until the guards were well away before speaking. "Bob? Where are you? Are you okay?"
Bob shifted in his corner and took the blanket off of him. It was getting hot and sweaty under there, combined with his beating heart. "Are they gone?" he asked.
Ray nodded, throwing rags in his direction. "Put these one. I don't know how to get you into the castle in your current stage so we'll have to do things undercover. From now on your name is Disky, my slave. In that state you can move into the castle and move about, as long as you say it is under my orders."
Bob raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me, Disky? Your slave?"
It didn't take long until Bob got dressed into his new outfit. It turned out to be a regular rag robe with a hood to cover his face and a rope to tie around his waist. He looked into the mirror and frowned. "I look too.clean to be a servant."
"Here," Ray replied, throwing dirt at him. "Rub it all over and you'll do."
Bob looked down at the dirt on the ground, but didn't complain. Gingerly he bent down and started rubbing dirt on his arms and face, grimacing all the while. "I feel.gross," he said when he was done.
"That's the way slaves feel," Ray said. "Now let's get going."
****
The castle was a lot bigger up front. Bob stood on the drawbridge, staring up at the magnificent building in front of him. This was going to be the Principle Office? Megabyte was in there?
Ray glanced at him. "You ready?"
Bob took a deep breath and nodded. Once he was inside he could go straight to Megabyte and clear this whole thing up. Maybe go to the main clock generator and turn things back the way they were.
They both marched across the drawbridge and toward the front gates. Two guards stood there and for a moment Bob was afraid they wouldn't let them in. However, when they saw Ray, they opened the gates and let them in. Before he knew it, they were inside the castle building.
Bob had to stop and look around for a moment. Everything was so huge inside. They had stepped into the main hall, with doors everywhere and a grand staircase in front. Servants and other people walked back and forth, not even giving him a second glance. He watched as a man walked by dressed in an apron and a chef's hat, looking awfully familiar. Could it be Al himself?
Nah, couldn't be.
"This way," Ray directed, leading Bob to one of the doors on the left. They went down a long hallway with even more doors on either side, until they reached the end where it opened out into a kitchen. A small, grungy kitchen.
"This is where the slaves stay," Ray explained. "Bed quarters are over there, two big rooms generally. One for the women, one for the men, I trust you will figure out which is which. I'm terribly sorry to leave you in such.horrible conditions. My normal room is two floors up and if they see you there they will only get suspicious."
Bob nodded. "It's okay."
"Slaves are allowed everywhere except where there are green signs on the door. That generally means privacy, unless you have specifically been called. I will let you to roam around and figure out whatever you need, but if you were seen and asked what you are doing, say you are running errands to the kitchen or bedrooms, understand."
Bob nodded again.
Ray led him back down the hallway. "The throne room is on the third floor, just follow the staircase it isn't hard to find. Don't speak or start conversation with anyone higher class than you are disguised, except for me. Only speak when they talk to you, and speak in short answers. Don't show that you are intelligent or else they really will be suspicious."
"Okay." By then they had reached the front room again and Bob drew his hood close around his face to prevent anyone from recognizing him. He glanced around. "Okay, I can figure this out," he said to himself.
"I need to go and see if I need to run an errands," Ray said. "The king is holding this great feast tonight where everyone high class is invited around the kingdom. I have to send out last minute invitations and such. See you later today. Check in whenever you want." He turned and left.
Bob was about to stop him and ask him what he was supposed to do now in case anyone else caught him, but decided not to and watched the other people walk around. He saw one other slave and he was hunched over. Bob suddenly realized how tall he was standing and quickly slouched.
"Hey!" A loud voice erupted. Bob turned to see an important looking sprite standing toward the stairway, his drink spilled on the floor. He stared accusingly at the slave beside him, its face covered by its hood. Bob peered at the figure.
"Look what you did, slave!" the sprite shouted, "you spilled my drink!"
"I'm so sorry sir," the slave stammered in a feminine voice. It bent down to pick up the shattered glass and Bob saw her feminine features through the robe. "I'll clean it up as best as possible."
That voice.it sounded so familiar.
"Well hurry up and be smart about it," the man bellowed. He turned and left the room. By then Bob was the only other person left beside the female slave.
The slave sat there for awhile, bringing her covered hand to her face. She looked like she was crying. Then she collected her wits and threw her hood back, picking up the pieces.
Bob gasped.
It was Dot!
