Ugh. I apologize for the lack of updatingness. I've been quite sick with the flu and in bed for about a week now. I'm still feeling a little queezy, but I figure I have to update before I lose what few people read my story. So, if it's a little short and confusing, blame the stupid virus that's reproducing in my cells. Erg.

Sirenic Griffin: Again, apologies for the wait. I'm glad you like the story. I'll try and get back on schedual.

mistyqueen: Thanks. :c)

Ereshkigal Girl: I know how you feel. Bleck. But, can I ask you what your name means? Ereshkigal sounds kind of familiar, but that just might be because I've typed it for pretty much every update.

Here's the chapter.

pukes

-Lulai

Chapter Eleven: The Marketplace

Lia woke up to the early morning sun in her face and considered rolling over and going back to sleep. She sighed and decided that she may as well start the day, as she had no real idea how she was going to start the day. She reluctantly flung off the covers and swung her legs out. She wiggled her toes on the cold floor then stood up.

Walking over to where her clothes were hanging, freshly washed, she mused about what Robbie and she were going to do. They couldn't just walk up to the castle and ask her sister what she had done to their father. Perhaps there was someone in the marketplace they could ask.

"Lia, are you awake yet?" Robbie asked, opening the door.

"Robbie!" Lia shrieked, throwing her dress up to cover herself.

Robbie turned bright red and backed out of the room, with a barely audible, "Sorry."

Lia sighed when the door closed. Her shift was indecent by general standard, but it was better then nothing. She pulled her dress over her head and ran a brush through her hair. She quickly plaited it and tied it off with a blue ribbon.

"I am ready now, Robbie," she said, walking into the common room. Robbie was still looking pinkish and wouldn't look her in the eye.

"Oh, stop being such a niddlehead," Lia said irritably, opening the door to exit the inn.

Robbie let a slow smile creep across his lips. He'd seen the princess in her underclothes! He followed her out the door. He liked her hair better undone. His grin deepened at the thought.

They stepped out of the lobby onto the main road. Robbie offered her his arm, and she took it without thinking, then gasped.

"Robbie! Your arm!" she exclaimed. "What happened to it?" She pulled the tunic back from his shoulder to examine the white scar. She poked at it and looked at his face for any hint of pain. There was none.

"Lark healed it," Robbie explained, shrugging off her hands. He threw his other hand towards the shops. "Shall we?"

"Sure," Lia said, settling her arm more firmly in the crook of his elbow.

The marketplace was mostly as she remembered it, except… There seemed to be a pall cast over the whole town, even as the sun was shining. No one really seemed to be smiling, and although the merchants were still as loud as ever, there was no buzz of friendly chit-chat.

Lia walked up to a fruit merchant with Robbie in tow.

"Two apples a copper!" the merchant bellowed. Lia held out her hand to Robbie in which he deposited a copper coin from the bag on his belt.

"I'd like to buy two apples," she said, handing him the coin. The merchant handed her two green apples.

"What has happened here?" she asked him.

"Wha' do ye mean?" the merchant queried, handing a melon to another customer.

Lia thought carefully about how she was going to phrase her question. "I was here two years ago," she started cautiously, "and the city seem very full and friendly. Now it's so grey and hurried."

"Ah," the merchant said to her. "Tha' would be on account of her majesty tha Queen." He lowered his voice and looked around nervously. "Some say tha' she be apractisin' magic up there in tha castle. Tha otha princess, Annalia, tha nice one, she disappeared two years ago, and tha King not too long after tha'. T'was all downhill from there."

He motioned Lia closer. "Some also say tha' tha people she magics, they still be there in the castle. Ye'd better watch yerself, girlie."

Lia nodded. "I understand. Thank you." Robbie handed the vendor one silver coin for his information. The merchant bowed to her, and they walked away.

Lia was nibbling on her lower lip in thought.

"What is it?" Robbie asked her quietly.

"The thing that has bothered me the most," she replied after a moment, "is where did Claire learn magic?" Her brows came together slightly. "She never did well in her studies and the only thing that really interested her, before Prince Frederick, was clothing."

Robbie thought about it for a while, and they walked along together in silence.

Robbie spoke up first. "I don't know about your sister, but, honestly, I wonder why Lark has even bothered with us. I mean, what does he have to gain by helping you?"

Lia shook her head. "I don't have any answers," she said. She looked up to where the castle loomed, almost ominously, over the small town below. "I think all the answers are in there, but I have no idea how to get in there."

"Stop! Thieves!" shouted a voice from behind. Lia and Robbie turned their heads, and to their amazement, a man pointed straight at them.

"What?" Lia exclaimed at the same time that Robbie said, "We're not thieves!"

"Stop them, someone!" Lia and Robbie noted the futility of their protestations. They turned and started to run down the back alleys as a horde of people chased after them.

"We… have to… get… to the castle!" Lia panted as they ran. "I know some hiding places there!"

Robbie nodded, and turned down another alley, leading towards the gate.

"Got ye!" An armoured man grabbed Lia's arm, jerking her to a halt.

"Get off of me!" Lia yelled, struggling to break free.

"Let her go!" Robbie said, drawing his sword.

"Robbie!" Lia shouted, "Behind you!" Robbie whirled around and blocked the sword from another soldier that had appeared from behind them. He managed to disarm the soldier, but before he could savour his victory, he heard an enraged bellow from Lia.

"Let me go!" The soldier was practically lifting Lia off the ground in an attempt to carry her away. Lia was resisting as much as she could, but she wasn't nearly as strong as the soldier.

"Look out!" she called suddenly. Robbie turned again, but too slowly. The soldier brought the hilt of his sword down on Robbie's head.

"Stop struggling or we'll kill yer boyfriend," the soldier sneered, holding his sword at Robbie's throat. Lia immediately stopped squirming and let the soldier tie her hands.

She glared at the soldiers. "If you knew who I am…"

The soldier holding her laughed cruelly. "We know who ye are, Princess. Yer sister ordered us ta bring ye in." The other soldier had tied Robbie's hands and feet and was now hoisting him over his shoulder.

He pushed Lia ahead of him, towards the castle. Lia gulped. Her stomach sank with every step. She was going to see her sister again after two years. What would Claire do to her this time?