Someone pointed out to me that fact that Kaddar's children are half Tortallan so it wouldn't make sense for Jake not to be able to inherit the throne. Sorry about that. I've decided to change that. Thank's for the reviews! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Are you alright?" asked Skky as she gave a towel to the weary traveler.

"Yes," said the young man, "But I have an urgent message for the king."

"Go on," urged Skky, this was getting exciting.

"I bring news from Carthak; Emperor Kaddar has been enchanted and has fallen into a coma. If something is not done soon the country will fall apart, just as it did under Ozorne's rule."

Skyy was shocked, "I'll get a messenger to tell them right away, in the mean time change into these dry clothes," she handed him a pair of britches, boots, and a cotton shirt then left to tell the king. She had never intended to find a messenger but outsiders never understood why the people of Tortall did so many things on there own when they could get a servant to do it for them. Skyy quickly went through the endless corridors and passages until she found the kings study. She knocked loudly on the door.

"Come in," called a rough voice.

Skyy bowed, "Your majesty. I have just received word that Emperor Kaddar has fallen into a sort of enchanted coma. Many people are afraid that the country will go insane without him to hold it together."

The king stood up, "Skky this is no laughing matter, are you sure of your source?"

She shook her head, "I do not know him but he has just ridden in with this news not half an hour past."

"Take me to him," demanded the king, who looked very tense.

Skyy nodded and led him to the room where the rider was.

King Jonathan and Skyy walked into the room to fine the young man sitting on a chair eating a piece of bread. "Mithros!" said the king.

"What?" asked Skyy, things just kept getting more and more interesting.

"Prince Jakelle we'll move you to a privet suite immediately, had I known you were coming I-" The prince cut him short.

"King Jonathan, you needn't worry about getting me a room immediately I am quite content to sit here and discuss this matter with you right now and here."

"Very well, but I shall send someone to prepare a room for you while we talk. Is there any food that you would prefer?" asked Jonathan.

"No thank you, this suits me quite nicely," said Jakelle as he took a bit of bread.

"Would you mind leaving us alone, Skyy," it was a dismissal for Skyy.

"Yes your highness," said Skyy with a sigh as she shut the door behind her. She never got to do anything fun. She spent the rest of the night sulking in her room.

The next day Skyy sat under her tree and read again, or at least tried to. The wind kept blowing her long brown hair into her face and turning her pages without asking. As she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear she noticed someone was walking towards her. She didn't feel like standing up so she just waited for them to come to her.

"Hello," said the person.

Skyy jumped to her feet, "Prince Jakelle! I did not realize it was you if I had known-" He cut her short, as it seemed he had a tendency to do.

"Please, don't worry about all that court stuff, I hate it. Call me Jake," said the prince.

"Alright," muttered Skyy.

"I just wanted to thank you for getting me dry clothes and food and all that stuff," he said, "And I wanted to ask your name."

"Well, you're welcome," said Skyy, who was slightly confused, "My name is Skky Salmalin."

"Mithros!" cried the prince, putting a hand on his head, "You're the daughter of Numair Salmalin and the Wildmage!"

"Yes, but don't make such a fuss, my life really isn't that interesting," sighed Skky.

"You must be kidding," said Jakelle in disbelief, "You are the child of the two most powerful mages in Tortall! Your life must be action packed!"

Skyy shook her head, "My parents worry too much about me to let me do anything fun. What about you? You're a prince; your life must be full of all sorts of adventure."

"Are you kidding? I have to go to stupid formal parties and wear uncomfortable clothes. Yuck! Not for me. Luckily I don't have to go to court functions very often," said Jakelle.

"Why not?" asked Skyy as she sat down under the tree again. "I'm not really all that close to Kaddar. I'm his half brother. After his father died our mother remarried to my father. They had me. Kaddar never liked my father, he's Tortallan, and I couldn't inherit the throne anyway, since he has children so it doesn't really matter. Besides, I hate court so it's all for the best," he said as he sat down next to Skyy.

"So what do you do when you're not at court," asked Skyy.

"I study magic. I was trying to get my black robe but I'm not nearly there yet," said Jakelle.

"Is that why you want to talk to me? My magic?" asked Skyy backing away.

"No," said Jakelle, "Please, don't leave. I don't know anyone here. I didn't mean to offend you or anything. Would you mind showing me around? We don't have to talk about magic, unless you want to."

Skyy nodded, "Alright, I didn't mean to make you think that I don't like you or anything, it's just-"

"Just what?" prompted Jakelle.

"I just don't like magic, I'm sorry Prince Jakelle," said Skyy weakly.

"That's okay; we don't need to talk about magic. I wont even mention it if you don't want me to. And call me Jake," said Jakelle.

Skyy smiled, "You're a talkative one aren't you?"

"That I am. So are you going to show me around or not?" wondered Jake.

"I think I will," said Skyy brightly.

"Good, let's go get horses," said Jake and they headed for the stables. They spent the afternoon exploring the Tortallan shops which were full of amazing things. Skyy found that she liked to spend time with this foreigner and started to show him around every day.

One morning she met Jake at the stable as usual, but something seemed different about her. There was a shine in hers that hadn't been there before.

"I've been wondering," asked Skyy sheepishly, "Can you take animal shape? Horse imparticular?"

"Yes," said Jake.

"Good," said Skyy, "Then I'd like to do something different today." Jake looked very confused.

When they reached the edge of the forest Skyy spoke again, "I was wondering if you'd like to go for a run."

"A run?' asked Jake, now very confused.

"In horse shape," Skyy explained.

Jake smiled, "So, Skyy the daughter of mages does have magic after all. I was beginning to think you didn't have it and that that was why you didn't like the subject."

Skyy frowned, "I do not have the Gift as my father does, which was rather a family let down though I do have wildmagic and the Sight."

Jake cocked his head, "So, why don't you like to talk about it?"

Skyy sighed, "When I was little no one would let their child play with me if they knew of my powers, they thought I would corrupt their children. So I never mentioned or used it unless I was made to by my parents or the King."

"I see," said Jake thoughtfully as her ran his fingers through his hair.

Skyy's face lit, she decided they needed a subject change, "Race you to that field!" Then she shapeshifted into horse form and took off at a gallop. Jake soon fallowed suite.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That's all for now! Hey, and when you're reviewing please be gentle about how you say things for me to improve on. I started another story but it got such a bad review that I took it off. *sniffle* that just crushed my poor little heart.