Review responses.

To Lady Lanet: It's all right, you will. ^_^ I had to wait till I was 14, A year ago.

To Bladegryphon: Once again thank you. ^_^

To Kevin C. : Whoa, thanks. I wanted to make something that no one sees too often.

To Radical: Hot Diggidy!!! Thank you!

The Imperial Palace was simply extraordinary. Even the hallway, in which Alfonso and Atalya walked through, was exquisitely decorated with tall silver columns that lead up to a high ceiling covered with beautiful murals. There were also many men and women in black and white clothing that greeted them.

Atalya wondered how it all could be happening. The room was the biggest she had ever seen. Even though the Imperial Palace was big, it looked even more magnificent from the inside. A little bald man in a ruffled shirt and black pants came by and held out his arms. Alfonso looked down upon the man, who reminded her of a turtle, and he took off his coat and gave it to the man and Mr. Turtle scurried off. *

"Who was he?" She decided to whisper into his ear.

"How should I know? There are at least a hundred servants in a place like this. Personally, I thought he looked like a turtle." He replied with a sniff. She giggled. It was almost as if he could read her mind…or the man just really looked like a turtle.

"Well first, I must present myself to the Empress, may she live forever, and explain how the riot turned out." He started. " Then, if you'd like, I could introduce you to the other Admirals. I'm sure they're back from their missions."

" Are you sure that I'd be allowed?" She asked uncertainly.

"Well of course you would be. I mean Vigoro brings back Lower Valuan whores into the Palace and he doesn't get anything from the Empress or Lord Galcian about it. If they can get away with it then why shouldn't a high born lady?" She looked shocked and then felt relieved. For a moment she thought he knew that she, herself was a Lower Valuan whore. She knew about Admiral Vigoro. He came down to Lower Valua quite often and her friends often gushed about how sometimes he would take them and pay them quite a bit. She also heard that he was quite handsome. She had always wanted to meet him but now she was glad that she hadn't. If he recognized her and told Alfonso…she hated to think what would happen.

Alfonso looked down at her. Moons, she was so beautiful. He could still feel the aftertaste of her lips on his own. Maybe after he could talk her into going somewhere private. He scratched that thought. He would not take advantage of her at all. Even though she probably would not protest no matter what, but he didn't want to soil his perfect reputation.

They passed many rooms until finally the throne room was through the next passageway. The door was open and the glory of the Valuan Royal Family radiated from inside. Alfonso motioned for Atalya to go sit on a lightly cushioned chair near the corner table for the time being as he strutted up the red carpet that led up to the Empress. As he had first suspected, all the other Admirals were back from their missions.

" Good Afternoon Alfonso." Teodora muttered without looking up from her nail file. Enrique was on another chair speaking to one of the servants quite casually. The boy didn't know what was good for him. What well-educated person would start a conversation with a mere servant? Even though Enrique was seven years older than Alfonso was, himself, he still never really matured. He was still completely naïve of classes and status. He and Alfonso had been friends for most of their childhood. Well, if you could call it that. Alfonso always felt more mature, intelligent and refined than the other boy. So as you could guess, they were always more of acquaintances. He got the feeling that Enrique didn't like him very much. Oh well, it was just jealousy. Alfonso had a hard time believing that he was the Prince of Valua. He feared for the future if he was to be Emperor when Empress Teodora passed on. It was possible though that the people of Upper Valua would protest against the misfortune that would befall them if Enrique was to rule. If that happened then there was a good chance that Alfonso would be appointed Emperor. The suspense of it killed him.

" Empress I have completed my mission flawlessly as you commanded." He gloated. Teodora didn't even bother to glance at him this time. Instead, Lord Galcian stepped up and began to speak.

" Where are the rest of your men that I sent out with you?" Alfonso hid his astonishment beneath a smirk. He had totally forgotten. He knew they could handle themselves but he had never considered what Galcian might think.

" Well, you see they agreed that the situation had gotten too dangerous for a man of my stature. They said that if I didn't want to risk being attacked from behind then I should leave." Alfonso lied.

Galcian said nothing. He just glared at Alfonso with a funny look on his stern face. Alfonso kept his eyes downcast as to not seem dishonest. He knew that Galcian did not believe him, but what could he do about it? Alfonso was from the most wealthy and honourable family in Valua. If he even said one bad statement about him then he would have more than just one man to deal with. The Empress gave her hand a swish, indicating that the audience was over.

Atalya sat in the chair Alfonso had pointed to and looked around again. Everyone in the room looked so professional and wealthy. She peered to her right and saw a group of similarly dressed people sitting at a table together. She studied their clothes and came to the conclusion that they were the other Admirals that Alfonso had mentioned. Before she met the beautiful blonde boy she could have named three of them. She had heard of Vigoro, he was very easy to pick out for the two women sitting on his lap. She recognized them and was startled for a moment. They did seem familiar but since she did not know their name, why should they know hers? Plus, in the dress she was wearing how would they know?

Another Admiral she could put a name to was Belleza. She was the only woman there so it was very obvious. She stopped and stared for a moment. She was the most beautiful woman Atalya had ever seen. Her hair looked like her own did now except something told her that Belleza's was like that all the time. She didn't even have to have a long, feminine dress; nothing could dull her beauty. She wondered why Alfonso had chosen her and had never hit on Belleza. Perhaps she was already smitten with another man?

The last one she knew of was Gregorio. She knew him from the others because people had spoken that he had been an Admiral for a very long time and her certainly looked old. Well, not really old as in elderly but old more by way of wise.

Atalya didn't notice that Alfonso had strode back to her chair and reached out a pale hand. She looked into his eyes and took it. He pulled her over to the table to where the people she was staring at her seated. She trembled, what if someone could tell she was Lower Valuan?

" Good afternoon, may we sit?" Alfonso asked politely.

" Well, of course, why wouldn't we?" Replied a strange little man with purple hair who appeared to be living in some kind of bubble. He mocked Alfonso's slightly prissy tone, showing obvious disdain for the boy. Atalya couldn't help but wonder why. *

" How come it takes you longer to stop a riot than it takes me to get back from Nasr?" Asked the beautiful woman sitting beside Atalya with an accusing expression on her lover.

" I like to do a job right." He replied casually with a smirk. Belleza rolled her eyes and looked back to the tall, dignified looking man standing by the throne. Maybe he was her lover.

" Everyone, this is Atalya. I have finally found a woman of my status, quite a find eh, Vigoro?" Atalya really didn't care about the fact that he was exploiting her. She really had no idea about how a man such as himself treated a woman. Her heart pounded with excitement.

" It is about time Alfonso. You have a lot of catching up to do. I mean when I was your age I had done at least six…." Vigoro's deep and somewhat slurred voice went on and on about his previous one-night romances. She stopped listening at about the third one. The women on his lap just cuddled up to him and giggled at his obviously exaggerated tales. The evening seemed to last forever with Vigoro and Alfonso arguing the entire time.

Author's Notes: Damn this chapter was fun. I was actually flying by the seat of my pants on this one too but in the end it became fun to write. I'm sorry to take so long. School has started and I have all my academic subjects this semester plus a whole bunch of extra-curricular stuff. I have also been working on my comics and drawings and shit. Sorry for whining. I'll stop now.

*--I don't know if they have turtles in Arcadia but hey, now they do.

*--Heh, heh ya wonder why eh?

Ta-Ta!