Disclaimer: this is the last one of these that I'm gonna do, so here it is: everything that you don't recognize is mine. Everything that you do recognize belongs to Tamora Pierce. There, happy?

Chapter 3

*=emphasized words **=thoughts

Mina opened the door that led from her room into the hallway with an exasperated sigh. This was the third time that she had called for a bath. The maids just couldn't seem to remember her request. After a day of riding, all Mina wanted was a bath and she couldn't understand why that was such a complicated request.

Frustrated, she stomped down the hallway to Tanner's room to see if he was having the same problem. To her dismay, she found him standing in his wash room, toweling his blonde hair dry. He looked up when she walked in (without knocking, as usual) and said, "I didn't know that the new style was hot, sweaty, and flushed."

"It's not," she replied, "I'm having a problem getting the maid to understand that I need a bath."

"I can't imagine why...." Tanner smugly replied.

"Neither can I!" she responded in an agitated tone, not catching the sarcasm in his voice.

Just then a knock sounded at the door. Tanner, pulling on a shirt, opened the door.

The maid standing there curtsied and said, "I came to see if you needed anything else, my lord." She smiled flirtatiously.

Aggravated, Mina came to stand behind Tanner. The maid's eyes widened at Mina's cold glare.

"No, thank you, I'm fine, but my friend here seems to be having trouble getting someone to bring her a bath. Do you think you could take care of that?" Tanner replied.

"Of course, my lord," she turned to Mina, "would you like your bath delivered here or to your rooms, my lady?"
"My rooms, thank you," Mina said curtly, her temper flaring, "And I don't appreciated you assuming things that you don't understand."

"Yes, my lady." The maid curtsied again and then left.

"What were you so mean for? She was just asking a question." Tanner remarked, shutting the door.

Mina groaned, "Did you hear what she asked, though? She was completely out of line."

"Well, would it be so bad if what she implied was true?"

"I never said that. I don't want rumors flying around that we're sleeping together. Because we're not and I don't want people to think we are." She said this very quickly.

"Wait a minute. Slow down. Don't lose your temper, I happen to like some of the things in this room and I don't want to see them burnt to a crisp because you got mad."

They both paused, remembering other times when Mina had lost control of her temper. Most of those instances had resulted in the scars that they both possessed.

"Alright, I'm fine now," Mina said after a few moments.

"Good, because it's not my fault that you're a pyromaniac and I don't want it taken out on me."

"Oh, don't worry. I only take it out on you when I'm really angry." She grinned at him. "So what are we doing tonight? Is there a ball?"

"No, not tonight. I thought we'd go down in the City and see what we could find to do there."

"Works for me. Now, I'm going to go take my bath. Can't go dancing if I'm not clean."

"You and your vanity."

"Hey, you're the one who spends *forever* on his hair."

"Very funny. Go bathe, you're starting to make the room smell."

She glared at him and called a ball of pink fire to her hand just to make him nervous.

"Don't do that. You know it makes me nervous." Tanner said guardedly. He knew what could happen if Mina really did get angry.

"I know," she responded, "that's why I do it."

She bounced out of the room tossing the ball of fire at him. As she turned the corner, she heard him curse and deflect the fire.

Okay, I really don't like this chapter that much and I know it's pointless and kinda boring, but I felt like I needed to update, so here it is.

Love you all!!

Betsy

P.S.— review!!!!!!!!!!!!!