ba-ack anyway this is going really slowly so bear with with me but there will some action in this chapter no matter how longI will have to make it!YOU LAZY PEOPLE REVIEW ME! sorry sorry huff well anyway read on! Read on!

'Ah, well continuing our earlier conversation, who, ahem, are you looking for? Maybe I can help you...?' Gareth asked, demurly motioning for the guards to leave.

'One lady Alanna, mage-knight.' Xylia spoke bluntly.

'Lady Alanna?'

'Yes,' Xylia internally cringed, maybe he wouldn't be able to help her, and then where would she be?

'hhmmm, sorry, I can't help you there, she's gone roaming,' he chuckled 'Jon pissed her off and now she's avoiding Corus...'

'Jon? Oh nevermind' She shook her head, she was crushed, this was her only lead.Now the only thing she could do was go back intotown and try to listentto more gossip. Thatdefinitly did not sound appealing.'Thank you, your grace. If I may take my leave?'

Gareth the Younger was not blind, and could easily see she was heartbroken that he could not help her. 'Wait, not yet,I think at least I can tell you where she was last seen.'

Xylia looked up at his face eyes glittering with newfound hope. 'Oh yes please if you would.'

'Well now,' Gareth started as he pulled out his maps.'She was last seen here...'

Xylia sighed. She had just spent the last hour or so speaking with Lord Gareth about where Lady Knight Alanna might be headed next. He had also suggested that she go visit her husband George, at Pirate's Swoop.

While she had been thinking, Xylia had unknowingly drifted outside, into the orchard.

Mark wasbalanced lightlyon a wooden ladder, carefully cutting the dead and diseased braches off an apple tree. It was so relaxing, standing there, in autumn, feeling the cool breeze sift through his jacket. Ah, the joys of being a groundskeeper he thought wryly as he picked an apple off the tree. Climbing down the ladder, and as he sat,took a bite out ofthescarlet colouredapple. hhhmmmmm...this is the life.He leaned against the tree comfortably.

'Excuse me!'

Mark started and turned his head towards the speaker.

'Could you please not pick the apples off the tree?' Xylia stood there, disgruntled at the young man's disregard for the tree. She knew it caused only mild discomfort to the tree but when people had picked apples off her limbs, she didn't like the feeling at all.

'The apples on the ground aren't that bruised!'

'Wha-what?' Mark's expression was almost comical he was so surprised. 'The tree?...apples... HUH?'

'The tree, it feels...um a minor irritation, when you pick the apple directly from the branch, especially from a thinner, newer branch.' Xylia explained, never thinking that this might be weird to a human.

'So the trees? They feel stuff?'

Now it was Xylia's turn to be surprised 'Of course, why wouldn't they?...'

They talked for who knows how long because neither of them own watches and never took the time to look up at the sun.(A/N: though actually you really shouldn't lookup at the sun 'cause it'll hurt your eyes,really you should look at shadows) Xylia and Mark soon became fast friends.

Xylia was tired. No she was exhausted. As she walked into the tavern where she was staying, (Lord(duke?) Gareth had reccomendedit to her) she sadly decided that food would have to come after sleep.

Not that the amosphere in the tavern wasn't inviting, on the contrary, if she hadn't been so tired she probably would've sat and gotten some food, but no cider or ale, not after what happened in Rainebloc. Some of the barmaids had heard she'd never drank before and decided she should have a go at it...theres more about some singing and table dancing and fish and chickenbut no worries!;)

When she arrived in her room, she just managed to strip before falling into the bed...