Just going to say that I am sorry that the chapter is short.

Tarra

Chapter 8

An Even Bigger Surprise

Tarra lay snuggled under her warm blankets. 'I will always remember what happened today,' she thought, grinning.

After it started raining, she and Ben had walked back to the castle, laughing theentire time. Tarra felt warm inside. After Ben had escorted her safely a little ways away from the front gate, they had looked at each other for a long time. 'Ben is a friend I will always have there for me, whenever I need him.'

The thought made her feel giddily with joy. They had agreed that if Ben could find time off, he would come back to her window in the next few days and they could maybe take a walk or something. Tarra couldn't wait. Suddenly the realization came that she had never found out why he had wanted to meet her at 3 o'clock.

Another thought was that she had never found Brannon.

"He probably gave up looking for me and left," she said aloud to the empty room. She grinned. Poor Brannon. "I wonder if he's still in his study?"

Tarra realized that he was probably in a sour mood because she skipped class. 'Poor me,' she thought. She was probably in trouble.

'Thank God no one saw me come back in the castle.' It had seemed no one had missed her at all for the few hours she had been away. It made her kind of sad to think of it.

"Surely someone realized I was missing..."

At that moment a quiet knock came from the door.

"Hello?" Tarra asked.

"Its me." answered Mark.

"Oh...Well, come in."

Mark slowly walked in and quietly closed the door behind him. Then he turned and faced her.

"What did you do all day?" he asked, getting right to the point. Tarra stared at him for a minute.

"I...uh... I was out. Why do you ask?"

"Brannan told me you didn't go to any of your classes."

Now what do I do?' Tarra thought to herself.

"Oh...well, uh, I was a little busy today."

Mark stared at her. "With what, may I ask?"

I bit my lip.

"Its none of your business, Mark." Mark shook his head.

"While mother and father are gone, it is my business, Tarra. Father told me it ismy responsibility while he's gone that you go to your classes and behave, along with everything else I have to do."

I stopped.

"Where did mother and father go? When? Why wasn't I told?"

I was mad. Why didn't anyone tell me? Mark answered with a hint of spite.

"Mother wanted very much to tell you. But you where nowhere to be found—again. Do you know how hard it is when you keep disappearing? We never know who your with, what your doing, where you are... If you where abducted, we wouldn't even know! Do you understand how serious this is, Tarra?"

Mark had never talked to me like this. To Marina sometimes, but never me.

"Where did mother and father go, Mark?" I asked again. Why wouldn't he tell me?

"First tell me you understand. Promises me, Tarra! Promise me that you will stop leaving like this. It isgetting to hard on all of us. Even if you don't become queen, you need to stop acting like a... a peasant, and more like a princess!"

"What if I don't want to be a princess, Mark? Ever think of that? What if I wish I was normal, and that no one was ever watching me? I have feelings to, you know. I'm not a child, Mark!"

Tears coursed down my cheeks. I tried not to cry, but it was impossible.

"Where did mother go, Mark?" I asked for thethird time. Mark sighed.

"You have to tell me, Mark."

He finally nodded.

"You know that duke that came by a few days ago?"

I thought back. Hadn't mother said something about a duke the day I met Ben?

"You might not remember; after all, you where missing that day."

I glared at him. "I remember."

"Well, Mother and father went with him back to Bast for... business reasons. But on the way mother fell very ill and they are going to stay in Bast for a while."

I looked at Mark. He had his head bowed, and he looked sadder than I had ever seen him.

"Do they know what the sickness is?" I whispered. Mark shook his head.

"They have an idea, but they're not really sure. And until they find out..."

"They can't do anything." I finished for him. He looked up.

"I'm sorry for yelling like that. I'm just... not in the best of moods." I stared at him. He looked scared.

"Oh Mark, if you had just told me... I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have blown up like that."

I got up and hugged him. Mark embraced me back. After he pulled away, he said,

"She'll be alright, Tarra. She's just sick—nothing to worry about. Their just going to stay in Bast because... because they probably haven't gotten their...uh—Business reasons all worked out yet."

I looked at him. I wanted to say, 'Mark, you're a terrible liar.'But I knew it was best to just agree.