As I said, not mine. Keep reading, I liked this chapter!

Satori

Part 2

Knife Blade Balance, also entitled, Of Temper's Fraying

*~*

"Articana, come here and help me get Princess Shalieya's breakfast ready! These crescent rolls will not prepare themselves!"

"I'm coming, Constance!" I answer and enter the palace kitchens. I wonder absentmindedly why she did not just project an image of herself through the walkway to speed me up, Gourd knows she hasn't done it to me often enough. When I enter through the doors I immediately notice the menacing look on her face; it certainly isn't a glare of supreme happiness that she is sending in my direction. At least the glare isn't coming from all directions, that's enough to drive you insane. Perhaps I haven't earned multiple glares yet.

"Where have you been girl? I had to mix the batter and fetch the pies from the orchard myself!" she replies, close to a rage now. There goes my idea of her not being as angry as any other day. Any day having to share a room with me is torture for the stout woman. And it's clear by the way she treats me she knows I feel the same way about her.

"I'm sorry, Constance, it won't happen it again," I answer, in what I hope is an apologetic, sorry-sounding voice so she'd partially get off my case. But, of course, there was no way in Mount Rushmost she was going to let that happen.

"I should hope that you are sorry! We don't feed and clothe you to laze around in the courtyard when you're supposed to be working!" Constance looks down at me again- I lower my eyes, glancing away. "That's where you were, wasn't it?" The fact that I refrain from answering satisfies her for the moment. In silence we finish preparing the breakfasts.

Of course, Constance has no idea of where I'd really been. I was getting too good at hiding true emotions from others; I've only had to do it for the latter part of my life. I've learned that the less I said to others, the less I could be hurt by it. And that was the way it was, with everyone, exempting of course my only friend. I hadn't been lazing around in the courtyard – I'd been visiting the stables looking after one of the stallions that I had claimed as my own. My friend, Heneric, the old stable hand, let me brush and feed him when I wasn't being pelted with chores (or stones). Heneric was the only one in the entire kingdom who felt sorry for me and my problems. He even let me name the stallion; I called him Blackhurricane because he is entirely midnight black, except for a triangular stripe down the left side of his face and another on his hindquarters. He is an extremely beautiful and intelligent horse and only behaves for Heneric and myself, making my plan so much easier.

You see- the other reason I was down at the stables was because I am planning on running away. Heneric was helping me plan my escape. I am so sick and tired of being made fun of just because my talent hasn't surfaced yet, God knows, I STILL have seven years left to find out, that's still a fair bit of time.

Heneric has told me of a strange mage who had the power to look into the future and see what was to come. Jade was her name, but not much else was really known about her. Except that she is found in the deepest, darkest regions of the uncharted Xanthian forest, beyond even Mount Parnassus where the Simurgh perched, that's a long ways away from where Arcturo's land is located, almost the entire expanse of Xanth was between the two areas! Also, Jade's home is guarded perpetually by monsters like the Thunderbird, hippogryphs and, on occasion, a dragon or two. Add that to the fact that her home is only visible to visitors at dawn, and you were left with one very hard to access woman! I've argued with Heneric, saying that it would be more practical to just see the Good Magician Humfrey, but for some reason, Heneric argues emphatically that I go to see the mysterious Jade. I'd later wormed out of him that she was so mysterious that few actually knew of her existence!

Leave it to Heneric to convince me to go and find the absolute least accessible person in all of Xanth for an answer to my question. Maybe she won't charge me with a year's service, as is the fee for an answer from the Good Magician. Maybe… yeah, like I was going to get something from HER without biting off an arm and a leg.

I've had enough of being made fun of because I had no visible powers; I am convinced that somewhere deep inside of me there has to be some sort of magic talent, no matter how insignificant and 'spot-on-the-wall' variety it is. Both my parents had good magical talents, as much as I hate to admit, so somewhere inside of me there's got to be something. Running away from here to ask Jade about my future seems like the best answer to my problems. Besides, I'd heard tales of a man from North Village while I was living at Castle Roogna, he hasn't found his magic talent and he's a few years older than me, I wonder what will happen to him? Maybe he found what he was looking for. Bink was a very nice person, it would be a shame for him to be exiled to drear Mundania.

It might be a good thing, to worry about your own predicament, rather than problems of those from your earlier years. Tonight, after everyone's asleep I'm going to head out on Blackhurricane and never look back, on my way to find the truth. Easier said than done of course, story of my life, you see, there're sentries and magical alarms guarding the courtyard and the edge of the magic path leading from our village after the sun sets. You might say Lord Arcturo is paranoid about monster attacks, but you can't blame him. If I were a monster I wouldn't mind ridding the world of him myself… Besides the sentries, I have to get through the rest of the day on good behavior otherwise the royal (pain-in-the-ass) family will lock me up in the pantry, again.

*~*

"Articana! Hurry and bring the dessert out to the Lord and his guests!" Constance yells to me as my head surfaces once again from my already numerous trips to the pantry. "Recis is unloading food from the supply wagon for the prince's birthday tomorrow night and can't do it himself."

"Are you sure that I should be the one to bring out the dish?" I ask carrying out a platter of assorted berry cakes, "I am not fit to…"

"Do you really think they care so long as they get their food? Then again do you think that I really care, girl? Straighten your skirt, fix your hair and hurry up!" With that, a very agitated Constance takes the berry cakes and quickly places them on a silver platter. Then she less than gently places the platter in my outstretched arms and pushes me out the door.

Almost tripping over myself I manage to look at least a little bit graceful as I collect myself before the serving dish falls to the floor. Walking as calmly as I could to the high table where the Lord and his family dine, I place the platter in front of him and wait for him to send me back to the kitchens.

Now, remember what I said about my life's motto being "easier said than done"? This is the perfect example. The Lord, who for some strange reason has a special spite against me, notices I'm not his usual maid bringing him his supper. (Very observant of him too, I was flattered he made the distinction, seeing as how his usual waitress was dim-witted and had a far more buxom figure than I.) He looks my way and I am positive I see a smirk on his face. Arcturo deliberately ignores me standing there and continues to eat the dragon steak that had been placed in front of him by some other unfortunate waitress. He left me to stand there until he and the rest of his company, who don't like me much either, finish eating the main part of the meal. Then, with what I am sure is another smirk, he addresses me.

"Excuse me, slave, but we would like another serving of seaweed soup before we start on the berry cakes."

"Of course, milord," I reply curtsying in the ever-so-proper way I'd been taught by Constance. I take the bowls from him and the rest of the company.

"Oh, slave, I neglected to mention, I would like mine to have extra ground spice, and make sure that it is warmer than last time."

"Of course, milord," I reply through clenched teeth. The way he said the word 'slave' makes my blood boil. I have to root myself to the floor to keep myself from cuffing him on the side of the head.

I go back to the kitchens and refill the bowls and with the utmost care not to spill any on the floor, I walk back to the dining hall. I work my way around the table, distributing the bowls to the guests first. I start with the Duke Lansten, then Duchess Cardita, Prince Dallis, Princess Shalieya, Lady Sarian and lastly (and leastly) Lord Arcturo, where I say to him,

"Here is you seaweed soup, milord. This time with an extra dash of spice and just a bit warmer," and with that, I pour the soup over his head. I let that sink in and add coolly, "I am not a slave and will never be, I don't have to take any of this crap any more and sure as hell I'm not going to take it from you!" With that said and done, I turn on my heel and walk calmly out the double doors, my dress swishing around my ankles with a satisfied sounding rustle.

I slam the doors behind me. And as I wait with bated breath at the closed (and now locked doors) I distinctly hear a very angry, very pained scream erupt from the Lord's location at the high table.