I am soooo sorry I haven't updated! I don't know what it is… but I think I need to be in the buzz of things at school…and we've just gone back, and inspiration has struck! HUZZAH!

ARGH! Year 10 is scary…

Sorry

Enjoy!

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"Ahem hem." A voice said. Sophie pulled herself from Arzhur's arms and found the attendant standing behind him. In front of him was a large silver trolley, with a flat top and a few drawers on the front.

"Oh… sorry" Sophie said, blushing. She sat back in her seat. Arzhur followed suit, sitting opposite her. Sophie leaned down and picked up her 'book bag' from where a guard had placed it under their table. She pulled out her current book, 'Eldest', by Christopher Paolini. She began to read, but stopped halfway down the page when she felt eyes on her.

Sophie looked up, ad her eyes met Arzhur's.

"What are you reading?" he asked

"Eldest" she said, holding up the book so he could see the cover. "It's about dragons and elves and dwarfs. It's really good."

"Oh." He said, "Well… enjoy" He leaned back in his seat, and began drumming his fingers against the table. Sophie looked back down at her book, but found she couldn't concentrate. Arzhur's drumming was getting louder and fiercer, and very distracting.

"Look." She said, sighing. Arzhur stopped his drumming and looked back at her. "Would you like something to read?"

"Yes please." He said sheepishly, sitting forward eagerly, ready for a distraction. Sophie rummaged through her bag, pulling out a book, contemplating it, then replacing it. It took her a moment to find something suitable, when she pulled out another book. She stopped, looking at it, and then handed it over.

"Alanna: the first adventure. Song of the Lioness. By Tamora Pierce. She is, basically, my favourite author." Sophie said. If Arzhur liked his book, she'd give him the rest of them to read, and finally have someone to talk to about them!

With Arzhur settled, she began to read again. After a half hour of steady reading, her eyes were getting sore, and the attendant had come with more drinks. Sophie took a break, and looking over, she noticed that Arzhur was already over two-thirds through the book.

"Enjoying it?" she asked.

"Oh yes!" he said. "It's almost all true! The training methods for knights, the weaponry, even the way they worship their gods!"

Sophie sat for a moment, thinking about something that had been on her mind for a quite a while.

"Arzhur." She said. "You and Merlin told me that your Gods would bring you back when England was in a time of great need. Now, if I'm right, and we don't stop Jazinta, there may be a world war in the making… if she can get the supporters. But why weren't you brought back during the first and second world wars? Or one of the other wars between England and their surrounding countries?"

Arzhur opened his mouth, and then closed it, pausing to think.

"The Gods haven't been as attentive as they should have been. Time is different in their world. When they did look during a time of war, it was usually too late to help because there wasn't enough warning, or the war had already passed, or was winding down. They can't direct our fates, or direct our paths unless we worship them fully. After the last world war, which they missed almost completely, the gods vowed to be more attentive and send help, namely me. They looked in the morning I joined your tour, and left me in London. I'd been wandering for a few minutes before I was almost hit by a certain bus. And that is the story of how I got into this world. Now if you will please excuse me, I must be getting back to my book. Alanna and company are calling!" With this said he picked up his book and began reading again. Sophie smiled, and patted herself on the back.' Another successful Tamora Pierce enthusiast created. I can't wait for him to finish them," she thought, leaning back and beginning to read again.

But she couldn't concentrate. Her thoughts strayed, and again she began to wonder why Jazinta wanted them. Would she kill them? Or would she use them as ransom for as much territory as possible? Sophie kept reading, but she soon realised that she was re-reading the same paragraph repeatedly. Shaking her head, she blinked a few times, trying to make her eyes work properly, and started the page again.

When she had finally immersed herself in the forest of Ellesméra, the attendant came up to them and announced that they would be landing soon, and to buckle their seatbelts. Arzhur moved to sit next to Sophie again, so that they both would be facing forwards, and going down backwards. She sighed, happier now that she knew some of her questions might be answered soon.

After a shaky touchdown, during which Arzhur squeezed her arm so tight that his nails left marks, the two teens stood and stretched their sleeping legs. Gathering their bags, they rejoined Mr Tate, who now held the door open to a state car. It was black and rather plain, except for the two little Garcian flags fluttering on either side of the engine. The flags were yellow, a green 'x' from corner to corner, with a few green splotches in the centre at the top. They looked familiar, and it dawned on Sophie that they were in the shape of the Garcian Islands.

"Welcome to Garce" Mr Tate said, practically pushing them into the car.

They ended up sitting in the same seats as the drive to the airport in London, Sophie and Arzhur sitting opposite Mr Tate. The drive began silently. After ten minutes, Sophie looked at her watch and saw that they had been on the plane for four hours.

"Um…" she began. " What's the time?"

Mr Tate checked hi pocket watch, and said, "It's eleven am Garcian time. I would suggest you set your watches, as I believe you will be here for quite a time."

After setting her watch, Sophie leaned back and looked out the window. Arzhur, after glaring at Mr Tate for a short while, followed suit, looking out the opposite side.

After an hour of driving through Ganduma, their car left the capitol city and continued along a solitary road, through the hilly countryside. Climbing higher up, out of her window Sophie caught glances of the ocean. Turning her head, she could see out the other window, looking down onto the Island.

Higher up, she caught glimpses of pale yellow, almost cream, Sandstone higher up the mountains. After a few more minutes, it came into full view.

The Garcian Royal Palace was a magnificent sight to see. On one of the higher mountains, overlooking the seaside capitol city, it was made of creamy yellow sandstone, and stood three stories high. It was longer than two King George Squares, laid beside each other, and about as wide. There weren't any gardens around the Palace, but in front of it, there was a stone courtyard, with a fountain spurting water. In the fountain, there was a statue of a man atop a rearing horse, holding a tall flagpole, topped with a Garcian flag.

"That," Mr Tate said. "Is Daved Garce."

Sophie couldn't tear her eyes of the statue. 'So this is Daved Garce. The man who made his own country.'

After another ten minutes of driving, they pulled up in front of the Palace.

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"Your majesty" A messenger came running in, and breathlessly breathed into Queen Jazinta's ear. "The two Children from England arrived at the airport just over an hour ago. They will be here in about a half hour."

Jazintaflapped her hand lazily. The messenger bowed and left, his job done.

Jazinta sat on an ornate green throne in the centre of the room. A pair of green double doors was the entrance, decorated with yellow detailing. A long green carpet made a path from the doors to the steps at the front of the dais, on which Jazinta sat. The yellow walls had a few paintings in yellow frames, of people wearing the Garcian Royal colours, wearing crowns.

"Steward." The Queen called. "Prepare ze arranged rooms for our gueztz, and give zem vat zey need, wizin the pre-zet boundariesz. Tell the Cookz to get a move on, lunch iz to be served at half pazt vun zis afternoon, in ze Dining Hall." The steward, after quickly scribbling down the details, bowed, then walked out of the room, never turning his back on the queen, as followed proper etiquette.

"Mikkel" She said. A blonde haired man stepped into the centre of the room. "zhou know zhour duty, vat zhou shall do ven the 'gueztz' arrive. Go, and be ready to greet zem."

The man nodded, and said "Yes, Your Majesty." And turned, and left the throne room.

Jazinta then announced, "Ladiez and Gentlemen, I zink it is time ve adjourned. Lunch zill be served atvun zirty, as pre-arranged, in ze dining room. I expect to zee zhou all to greet our vizitors." The Queen stood and left, the people in the room curtseying or bowing as she passed. Once she was out of the room, they followed suit, heading to their quarters to change into attire suitable for a formal lunch.

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When Sophie and Arzhur stepped out of the car, they were greeted by a tall, blonde haired man, who looked to be only a little older then them, and an elder man, both dressed formally in business suits. They were both wearing yellow sashes with green badges bearing the Garcian flag.

When Mr Tate saw these men, he bowed and saluted them.

"At ease, Tate." The elder man said. "Your duties are now over, you are dismissed."

Mr Tate bowed again, and then got back into the car.

"So he's just leaving us in your hands? Sheesh…" The elder man cut off Sophie.

"I am Colonel Bodil Harald Pedar, and I have been placed in charge of you two. Miss, if you would follow my protégé here, he will escort you to your rooms and explain what you will be doing here. At half past one, in ten minutes, you will be expected at lunch with Her Majesty, Queen Jazinta. You sir, shall follow me."

Before they could say anything, Colonel Pedar turned and strode off. Arzhur, after glancing at Sophie, who shrugged, followed him into the Palace. Sophie turned and looked expectedly at the blonde man.

"The Colonel didn't introduce me. My name is Mikkel Kolinkar Svend." He looked around quickly, there was no one else around now that the Colonel had left. "I don't have a proper position, though I'll just tell you that I am very powerful in the Garcian Government and court. I will show the ropes, I suppose, of our Palace, and try to make your stay as comfortable as allowed."

"What do you mean, allowed?" Sophie asked

"Well you see." He began, "you didn't actually know you were coming to Garce, correct?" Sophie nodded, and Mikkel continued. "The Queen has brought you here for specific reasons, though I cannot tell you exactly what they are. She has made sure that we know the rules, which she has lad down specifically for you two. Truthfully, she doesn't want you to leave for quite a time. Now, I don't know about you," he said, smirking, when Sophie's stomach began to growl, "But I'm hungry, so let's hurry and get lunch as soon as possible."

Sophie, after thinking for a moment, watching Mikkel, nodded. He turned, and she followed him to her room in the Palace.

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After banging on the door for an hour, when he finally regained consciousness, Mr Orton was let out of the broom closet by one of the cleaners.

"Where are Arzhur and Sophie?" He shouted, looking around frantically. Mr Johnson, who had come up to check for the last stragglers so they could leave for the museum, came over and said

"Why, they left earlier with a man from the government… Tate I think he said his name was. Quite a nice man, though he had a bit of odd accent, and he wouldn't show me his ID."

"Tate?" Mr Orton said. "Oh dear lord no! Tate is one of the Garcian Queen's top agents. I think, by now, the two of them will be in Garce! We have to save them!"

"What? Why are they in Garce? What will I tell Sophie's parents! I don't even know where Arzhur came from; let alone how to contact his guardians! Richard Johnson you idiot! You'll be fired for sure!" He ran off, completely forgetting about the other students, muttering about plans to flee during the night and move to the Ukraine to avoid the questions from Government personnel and parents alike.

Mr Orton shook his head, then whipped out his phone, starting action, ready to help the Australians who he was sure were in trouble in a foreign country…

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Sophie looked around her room, taking it all in, holding her breathe in case it wasn't real.

"Wow…" she breathed.

Her room was just like one that would be found in a pala… oh wait. She was in a Palace. It was magnificent. A mahogany four-poster bed, with green hangings, complete with yellow tassels, around the posts and the top of the bed. The quilt on the bed was white with thin green stripes at intervals, but was folded down at the top to show a green silk under layer. Three large windows were on the far side of the room, overlooking the fountain and courtyards, overed in Green and yellow tasselled curtains. Mikkel strode over and began to open the curtains. Sophie followed suit, letting sunlight in to show more of the room. There was a mahogany desk opposite the bed, with green leather on the top, with a yellow trim. Facing the windows, on the right side of the door, was a mahogany wardrobe. Sophie peeked inside, expecting to find it open, but instead was greeted by the sight of many colourful dresses, fit for any type of evening.

"What the…?" She said.

"For state functions, things of the like. I felt that you should be properly outfitted for your stay, so you didn't feel upstaged by the glamour, if you could call it that, of the Garcian court. There is also a bit of Jewellery in the top left desk drawer. It's almost time for lunch. Change your clothes, freshen up a bit. I'll be back soon to take you to the dining room." Mikkel left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Sophie stepped up to the wardrobe and opened it again. "Now…Which of you to choose for my first appearance in the Garcian Court."

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Well… 10 pages… the bed will soon be on my blog (the addy is on my homepage thingy), the desk is my desk… I dunno bout the wardrobe... tis just plain…

I have to decide on a style of clothing for the Garcian court… any suggestions are welcome…BAH! Australia day is a big con… ignore me… bad mood… stupid parents and their stoooooopid parties…