Finding Work
"S'cuse my lass. I was wondering where you be headin?" A male's deep voice came from behind. It made Chelsey melt and she turned around to face the stranger.
It was a boy, probably about a year or so older. He had dark blonde hair and deep blue eyes that a girl could get lost in. He was an inch or two taller than her and wore worker's clothes. He must work in the palace stables or something, Chelsey thought. His clothes don't look raggedy, but they certainly are a bit worn. The guy smiled down at her blushing face and put out a hand. Chelsey eyed it for a second, not used to boys being so friendly with her, since she was normally shy. She took a hold of his hand and shook it.
"I'm Tobeis Boon and if ya don't mind me askin, where do ya come from?" He asked as he started walking in the direction Chelsey had just come from. The girl gasped. It was Tobe, Kel's servant boy in Lady Knight! He seemed a lot different than she would have imagined him to be. Kel must have gotten him some schooling, but he still talked a bit like a commoner.
Chelsey hurriedly moved to catch up with him. "I-I'm Chelsey Coble. I come from.....somewhere." She whispered. She didn't know what she should tell the guy or anyone for that matter. She heard a chuckle and realized it was Tobe.
"Well, of course you come from somewheres. I could have told ye that. I can see that ya probably don't want to talk about your home so I won't nag you about it, but you still didn't answer my first question. Where are ya going, especially when you're dressed the way you are?" Chelsey's blush reddened, but then she remembered that he didn't know she was wearing her pajamas.
"I'm going to see King Jonathan and Queen Thayet, if their still ruling, that is." Chelsey didn't think Prince Raold, Jonathan's son, would be king yet. Jon should only be in his late forties or early fifties. She glanced at Tobe, wondering why he stopped. He was staring at her with amusement in his blue eyes. "What?"
"You certainly are a weird one. Everyone knows King Jonathan and Queen Thayet are still ruling. You must come from far, far away, and don't your people wear shoes?" Tobe wondered. Chelsey sighed. What made her think Jon wasn't the king anymore? She also was thinking why Tobe was still in Tortall. He must not have left once his four years of serving Kel were over, she thought happily.
"Well, I'm not everyone Tobe, and of course we wear shoes. It's just that, well, I dunno. I left my home during the night and didn't have time to dress properly." She explained, hoping her answer would satisfy him enough. Tobe seemed to ponder about this for a second and continued walking. Chelsey followed closely.
"I guess that could be so....but.......how did you know everyone calls me Tobe?"
Chelsey froze. She would have to be more careful when talking to someone next time. She can't tell the people things she isn't supposed to know. "Um.....I think that's enough asking me questions. It's time for me to ask you a couple of things. First of all, what are you doing in the markets, and do you work at the palace, because I really need to talk to someone from there and I don't think the guards will let just anyone in?"
"No, I don't they will let just anyone in. For your information, I decided to take a walk into town since it was such a nice day. And yes, I do work for the king and queen. I take care of the horses for the pages, squires, and sometimes the queen's own. My friend Loesia works there to."
Where have I heard that name before? Chelsey thought. She hated when the answer was close by, but seemed to be no where in sight. "Oh! You mean Loey, your friend from Haven?" Too late, the girl thought angrily. As soon as the words were out, Chelsey threw her hands over her mouth. Tobe eyed her for a second, his face showing how puzzled he was.
"How did you.......oh. Forget about it. You either won't tell me or you'll lie bout it." He was right. She would have lied about it.
They continued walking in silence. They reached the end of town and started back towards the place. When they got there, Chelsey wondered if Tobe would let her go with him. She really needed to talk to someone from the palace since that was the only place she thought anyone with the answers she was looking for would be. She hoped she would get a chance to talk with Numair Salmalin, since he was one of Tortall's greatest mages. Chelsey tilted her head up and looked into Tobe's very blue eyes.
"So, can I come with you? I need to find some answers and I think that Numair Salmalin might have them. If not him, then I'm sure someone else in there does." Chelsey begged more than asked him.
"I'll see if Loey can find you some work. Have ya ever dealt with horses, or any other animals?"
"No....I don't think so, unless you count taking care of my two puppies. They can be a handful you know." Chelsey joked. Tobe's smile turned into a laughing grin. She was happy she had made him laugh. It was diffidently a first in her book to be on such friendly terms with a guy.
"I s'pose we could find you some work for you to do and a place to stay. I hear that Daine and Numair are looking for someone to help take care of their daughter whilst Daine is away."
Now it was Chelsey's turn to grin. She had never found out what Daine and Numair named their baby, who would now be seven. "That would be great!" She thanked him as she threw her arms around his neck in a hug. She quickly let go and blushed a deep red, wishing she would have just given him a verbal thank you. Tobe didn't seem to mind though as they both headed towards the palace stables.
(Hope you liked this chapter. Thank you for your reviews and as you can see, I didn't make the stranger a thief. I was wondering what would happen to Tobe once he no longer had to serve Kel, and decided to add him to my story. I'm not guaranteeing anything, but do any of you guys want to makeup a character for my story? I need to make Chelsey some friends and such, and need some ideas. I don't really care what age they are, as long as they aren't related to any of the actual Tamora Pierce characters, such as Daine, Merric, Neal, Raoul, or anyone like that. They can be a noble, commoner, thief, servant, knight, whatever. Just give me their name, where they come from, age, appearance, if they have the gift, and their family. Note: if their a servant or something like that, then they probably won't have any magic. Thanks for reading.)
"S'cuse my lass. I was wondering where you be headin?" A male's deep voice came from behind. It made Chelsey melt and she turned around to face the stranger.
It was a boy, probably about a year or so older. He had dark blonde hair and deep blue eyes that a girl could get lost in. He was an inch or two taller than her and wore worker's clothes. He must work in the palace stables or something, Chelsey thought. His clothes don't look raggedy, but they certainly are a bit worn. The guy smiled down at her blushing face and put out a hand. Chelsey eyed it for a second, not used to boys being so friendly with her, since she was normally shy. She took a hold of his hand and shook it.
"I'm Tobeis Boon and if ya don't mind me askin, where do ya come from?" He asked as he started walking in the direction Chelsey had just come from. The girl gasped. It was Tobe, Kel's servant boy in Lady Knight! He seemed a lot different than she would have imagined him to be. Kel must have gotten him some schooling, but he still talked a bit like a commoner.
Chelsey hurriedly moved to catch up with him. "I-I'm Chelsey Coble. I come from.....somewhere." She whispered. She didn't know what she should tell the guy or anyone for that matter. She heard a chuckle and realized it was Tobe.
"Well, of course you come from somewheres. I could have told ye that. I can see that ya probably don't want to talk about your home so I won't nag you about it, but you still didn't answer my first question. Where are ya going, especially when you're dressed the way you are?" Chelsey's blush reddened, but then she remembered that he didn't know she was wearing her pajamas.
"I'm going to see King Jonathan and Queen Thayet, if their still ruling, that is." Chelsey didn't think Prince Raold, Jonathan's son, would be king yet. Jon should only be in his late forties or early fifties. She glanced at Tobe, wondering why he stopped. He was staring at her with amusement in his blue eyes. "What?"
"You certainly are a weird one. Everyone knows King Jonathan and Queen Thayet are still ruling. You must come from far, far away, and don't your people wear shoes?" Tobe wondered. Chelsey sighed. What made her think Jon wasn't the king anymore? She also was thinking why Tobe was still in Tortall. He must not have left once his four years of serving Kel were over, she thought happily.
"Well, I'm not everyone Tobe, and of course we wear shoes. It's just that, well, I dunno. I left my home during the night and didn't have time to dress properly." She explained, hoping her answer would satisfy him enough. Tobe seemed to ponder about this for a second and continued walking. Chelsey followed closely.
"I guess that could be so....but.......how did you know everyone calls me Tobe?"
Chelsey froze. She would have to be more careful when talking to someone next time. She can't tell the people things she isn't supposed to know. "Um.....I think that's enough asking me questions. It's time for me to ask you a couple of things. First of all, what are you doing in the markets, and do you work at the palace, because I really need to talk to someone from there and I don't think the guards will let just anyone in?"
"No, I don't they will let just anyone in. For your information, I decided to take a walk into town since it was such a nice day. And yes, I do work for the king and queen. I take care of the horses for the pages, squires, and sometimes the queen's own. My friend Loesia works there to."
Where have I heard that name before? Chelsey thought. She hated when the answer was close by, but seemed to be no where in sight. "Oh! You mean Loey, your friend from Haven?" Too late, the girl thought angrily. As soon as the words were out, Chelsey threw her hands over her mouth. Tobe eyed her for a second, his face showing how puzzled he was.
"How did you.......oh. Forget about it. You either won't tell me or you'll lie bout it." He was right. She would have lied about it.
They continued walking in silence. They reached the end of town and started back towards the place. When they got there, Chelsey wondered if Tobe would let her go with him. She really needed to talk to someone from the palace since that was the only place she thought anyone with the answers she was looking for would be. She hoped she would get a chance to talk with Numair Salmalin, since he was one of Tortall's greatest mages. Chelsey tilted her head up and looked into Tobe's very blue eyes.
"So, can I come with you? I need to find some answers and I think that Numair Salmalin might have them. If not him, then I'm sure someone else in there does." Chelsey begged more than asked him.
"I'll see if Loey can find you some work. Have ya ever dealt with horses, or any other animals?"
"No....I don't think so, unless you count taking care of my two puppies. They can be a handful you know." Chelsey joked. Tobe's smile turned into a laughing grin. She was happy she had made him laugh. It was diffidently a first in her book to be on such friendly terms with a guy.
"I s'pose we could find you some work for you to do and a place to stay. I hear that Daine and Numair are looking for someone to help take care of their daughter whilst Daine is away."
Now it was Chelsey's turn to grin. She had never found out what Daine and Numair named their baby, who would now be seven. "That would be great!" She thanked him as she threw her arms around his neck in a hug. She quickly let go and blushed a deep red, wishing she would have just given him a verbal thank you. Tobe didn't seem to mind though as they both headed towards the palace stables.
(Hope you liked this chapter. Thank you for your reviews and as you can see, I didn't make the stranger a thief. I was wondering what would happen to Tobe once he no longer had to serve Kel, and decided to add him to my story. I'm not guaranteeing anything, but do any of you guys want to makeup a character for my story? I need to make Chelsey some friends and such, and need some ideas. I don't really care what age they are, as long as they aren't related to any of the actual Tamora Pierce characters, such as Daine, Merric, Neal, Raoul, or anyone like that. They can be a noble, commoner, thief, servant, knight, whatever. Just give me their name, where they come from, age, appearance, if they have the gift, and their family. Note: if their a servant or something like that, then they probably won't have any magic. Thanks for reading.)