Review Corner:

succorelle: No, no, dear. Ishtar is not going to be a prostitute. She just wants to get out of the castle without fuss. Keep reading, for more Ishtar in disguise subplots will be coming.

pinkclove: thank ye. I'll try to update sooner next chapter. I appreciate your comments.

dani: Don't worry. I will be continuing this. I plan for this to go for at least ten chapters. More if something happens. Squee!

Vampire Ice Queen: pairings are still undecided. But it will either be Ish/Du or Ish/Dar.

Sailor Tiamat: Duzie isn't cooperative so much as Ishtar is like a force of nature. He just gets swept up in whatever she's doing. She's rather like a tsunami, isn't she?

Chaos-Empersonified: Oh he can do more than that! By volume eight, we find out part of the plot Sharlen is involved in. Yay!

The Flower Maiden

Chapter Two: The Search

Written By:

Samanda Hime-sama

"Lady Ishtar is missing!" A maid came running into the main hall.

Darres was pissed but not surprised. "She ran off again?"

"Yes." The distraught maid told him.

Darres started walking. "I'm going to go find her."

"There's one more thing." The maid said hesitantly.

Darres turned to face her. "What?"

"Some clothes are missing." The maid wrung her hands. "As well as her cat, her jewelry and her sword."

She paused and tried not to cry. "I-I don't think she's coming back."

"Sir Keld!" Darres walked into his study.

Sir Keld was already irritated. "What is it?"

"Lady Ishtar is gone." Darres told him.

Sir Keld was incredulous. "What?"

"She's gone." Darres repeated himself. "And I don't think she's coming back."

Sir Keld was infuriated. All his planning gone to waste! "Find her. I want this wedding to happen as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir." Darres sighed and started his search.

"I miss him already." Ishtar sighed.

Duzell didn't bother to ask. He already knew she was missing her bodyguard. He simply purred to reassure Ishtar that everything would be okay. He couldn't talk since he was in his kyawl form. They had to stretch their money as far as possible, which meant they had only bought one horse.

Stealing a horse from the royal stables wasn't an option this time. It would have been too easy to track the stolen horse. Buying a horse from a local farmer had been a smarter idea.

:Where are we going?: Duzell telepathically sent to Ishtar. The road was almost empty, besides the two of them. So they felt safe talking about their plans.

Ishtar smiled. "To see Falan of course. She'll give us shelter for a couple of days till we can get on our feet."

:Why?: Duzell started to become irritated.

Ishtar told him. "Because I'd feel safer having a few more disguises and having someone know where I'm going before we head off to find Phelios."

Now Duzell was getting worried. Ishtar had a plan? And it made sense? The world was definitely going to end.

"We also need to do something about my hair." Ishtar sounded regretful. "Either cut it or change the color. It's too recognizable."

Duzell was smart enough not to comment about that. :How are we going to get into the castle without anyone seeing us?:

"With this." Ishtar pulled out the Ruelle Mirror.

:Ishtar...: Duzell warned her.

"I know but it's the safest way." She said and put the mirror away. "By the time they track the signal and make their way here, we'll already be gone."

:Fine.: Duzell sighed.

"Here's the castle." Ishtar announced. "Let's hide in this grove of trees while I call Falan."

Duzell just growled in frustration but let Ishtar have her way.

"Ishtar!" Falan cried out in surprise. "You know-"

"Yes, I do." Ishtar cut her off impatiently. "Will you help me?"

Falan smiled. "Of course."

"Okay, here's what you can do." Ishtar began talking.

"Darres!" Yuujel hurried down the hallway after the upset bodyguard.

Darres turned around. He growled. "What?"

"We've got a lead." Yuujel stopped right in front of him. "Ishtar just used her Ruelle Mirror to contact Falan."

"Where is she?" Darres swore to himself that this time he would do more than spank her. Walloping her with a belt sounded appealing right now.

"She didn't say." Yuujel made a disapproving noise at Darres' profanity. "But I think you should head over to Ci Xeneth just in case."

"Fine!" Darres threw up his hands. "The Old Man wants you two to marry as soon as possible so I'll just hurry over there pronto."

"Now, Darres." Yuujel turned on his legendary charm. He stepped closer and breathed into his ear. "If only it was you I was marrying. Just imagine the passion filled nights we would have!"

Darres stumbled back from Yuujel, already red. He stared at Yuujel in shock. Unintelligible words fell from his mouth as Yuujel chuckled. He began walking away.

"See you later, lover boy." He called behind him as he strolled down the hall.