[The Royal Palace, Tortall]
"Ouch! Oh, gods, my EYE! "
"Who is that? Where the hell am I? I was in a room of flowers- pink flowers- and now I'm HERE? "
"Who cares? WHO ARE YOU?!? "
"I should ask the same question! "
"It's dark in here... I CAN'T FEEL MY BUTT!!! "
"Did I need to know that? "
"Yes. "
"This dialogue is getting confusing, I can tell. Can we get names now? "
THE POWERS THAT BE: sigh Fine, fine... You there!
"Which one? "
TPTB: Errr... One of you shall be Lana. Lana of Rell.
"That's me, I guess, as I happen to be female. "
The door opened. A young woman in the uniform of the palace maids stood framed in the doorway. "What in th' gods' names are ye doin' in there? " she demanded.
"Holy crap! I mean - Heavens! " the newly named Lana of Rell jumped back from the astonished looking man next to her.
"My lady! It may not be my place to speak, but Ð that was rather unlady-like language! "
The maid raised an eyebrow. "P'rhaps ye should head along to yer rooms? "
Lana blushed and nodded.
"Um, where should I go? " the man asked. "I don't think I've been named yet. "
TPTB: ARGH!! Can't you people do anything by yourselves?!? Fine, then! You shall be. . . erm, Prince Char of Rinn.
"Char? " He looked up in disgust. "No one names the lead male Char. And where is Rinn, anyway? "
TPTB: Between Tyra and Tortall! I had to give you a country, so I made one up; now stop complaining!
The maid drew the sign against evil.
Lana glanced up. "Um, Powers That Be? I think you're frightening the maid. "
TPTB: Humans... So easily intimidated. They hear a few voices and assume the world is coming to an end.
The maid ran.
Lana looked at Char, who shrugged, and glared up at the ceiling, which seemed to emanate a feeling of guilt.
"This is your fault, you know. "
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[The Dancing Dove, Corus]
"But Da, there was a VOICE comin' from the bloody ceiling! LikeÐ like one of th' gods was there. Even YE wouldn't steal from under the nose of a god! "
Marek Swiftknife sighed. "Getting those plans was important, Kester. Now you'll have to sneak BACK in. It might not work if you get caught. What if the Provost finds you? "
The girl grinned. "Then I'll run. "
"Kessie... What would your mother say? "
"She wouldn't- she'd just kill ye. "
Marek thought that over. "True. "
"Well, she's a'ready not happy wi' me thieving here. Thinks ye're a bad influence. "
"At least I'M not a treacherous, backstabbing- " He stopped, seeing Anci in the doorway.
"No, no, no. " She scowled at him. "What am I, Marek? "
He glared and kept silent.
"Stop it. I hate when ye fight. " Kester snapped.
"Kester Euana Swiftknife, you will NOT get in the middle of this!" they said in unison.
"And why not? "
"Because it doesn't concern you! " Marek replied.
"It most certainly does. "
"Kester," Anci snapped, "You will stop this Rogue nonsense this instant. The next time I catch you over here- "
"Mum, I'm EIGHTEEN! I can decide what to do with my life! " She stomped out of the room.
Anci glared at Marek. "This is your fault, you know. "