Tarra

Chapter 3

Tarra rushed home. Once she made it over the fields, she was surprised to find a party in front of the castle. Her sisters Millie and Marina, and her brother Mark had gotten together at least fiftteen knights to look for her.

They where so frantic and worried that no one saw her approach. Quietly walking up to Millie, she whispered, "Don't worry, Millie. I'm here."

Millie turned from the guard she had been talking to and saw her. It hurt Tarra to see tears in her sister's eyes.

"Tarra!" she exclaimed,

"I have been so worried! Where have you been?"

Tarra quickly walked into her sisters open arms. After a few seconds she tried explaining.

"I went to see Sirus. I-I don't understand why your all so worked up. I told mother and Mandy that I wouldbe going."

Millie nodded. "We know that. But you know that you're supposed to be back before supper. Tarra, supper was hours ago, and it is dark! I was so scared." Millie quickly hugged Tarra again.

Finally, she let go and turned to a group of people.

"May I have your attention, people? Tarra is here!" The crowd of people separated and Marina and Mark emerged. Marina was the first to run to Tarra.

"Tarra, I am so angry I could scream! Where have you been?" Tarra hugged Marina tight. She knew that Marina got mad when she was worried, just as Millie would start crying.

After hearing a lecture from Marina about going out late, and also receiving a few threats of never being allowed out of the palace walls, she and Millie went to talk to the guards and tell them that I was back. That was when Mark walked over to me and bent down.

"You really scarred your sisters, I hope you know that." I nodded. Mark was a wonderful brother. He treated me like I was an equal, which I'm afraid my sisters forgot sometimes. When I talked to Mark, it was like he magically changed to my age, not the seventeen- year-old that he was. And even after he started courting, he always had time for me.

"I, of course, did not worry at all; I know you well enough to know that you are not crazy enough to do something rash. Unlike some people." He darted his eyes toward Millie and Marina. We both grinned.

"Now you'd better go see mother. She has been as worried as Millie."

I nodded, said goodbye, and left them.

Once I got to the stairs I realized that mother might be angry. She might even say that I couldn't go out tomorrow, and that would be terrible. What would I say to Ben? And was Ben coming to see me? Here? What would I tell Marina? Surly she would be curious and bother be until I cracked.

By this time I was at mothers door. I took a deep breath and knocked. A servant maid answered. She looked so scarred it almost scarred me. But when she saw me her facial expression totally changed. It was a look of relief and happiness and as if I had just saved her live. Maybe I had.

"Who is it?" I heard Mandy say inside. The maid turned.

"It's the princess." There was silence, and Mandy said,

"Which one?"

the maid answered, "The right one."

I was tired and worried about my mother, so I pushed the door open and walked in. the queen was in her bed. She was very pail. I ran up to her and hugged her. She seemed not to realize that it was I at first, but soon she hugged me back, tighter than Millie and Marina had combined. "Oh, Tarra, your home!"

I nodded for the third time that day. She sighed.

"I knew you where safe. I guess I just overreact with all the what-ifs."

I smiled and hugged her again. I had forgotten how over-protective she could be. We talked for a little while (with me carefully avoiding subjects like Ben) till she told me thatit was time to go to bed. I agreed, hugged her a final time and then left her room. She seemed to try to hide it, but her demeanor was week and tired compared to how she had greeted me that morning.

On my way down the hallway I bumped into father, or, better known as, King Charmont.

"Hello, father."

He bent down and hugged me. "I heard about your little adventure today. Is your mother doing better?"

I nodded and told him that I had just seen her, and that I was on my way to bed.

"All right, sweetheart. I'll see you at breakfast. Sweet dreams."

I nodded and grinned at him. "Sweet dreams, father."

With that I left him and headed for my room.