Disclaimer: I don't own the series…:p

Chapter 6: Investigations

"Jenna, there you are!" Jenna could see Marcia striding towards her. "The carriage is here."

Jenna's heart sunk. Of course. She was going to go around the Castle with her betrothed, Merrin, to let everyone know who their future queen shall marry. She couldn't understand why people should know; the crown only goes to the queen anyway, never to the husband.

Marcia urged Jenna to walk faster. Soon, they were outside and Jenna was stunned by the sight before her.

A golden carriage with intricate carvings flashing under the morning sun, tethered to a dozen white horses. The horses were so white and clean, and the carriage so glistening, that it was blinding to just look at them. Behind the carriage was an entourage of servants and guards.

"Marcia!" exclaimed Jenna. "What in the world is this?!"

Marcia looked sheepishly at Jenna. "Don't put all the blame in me. The Ordinary Wizards did all this, you know how they are." Suddenly, Alther appeared beside them.

"A wonderful sight, isn't it?" He said to Marcia. "It took me hours to assemble everything, and I must say it is truly an advantage to be a ghost, flying and passing through walls easily—" He broke off at Jenna's furious glare.

"You did this, Alther? How could you? This is unbearable!"

Trumpets sounded. Marcia pulled Jenna towards the carriage. "Complain later, Jenna—"

"Marcia, you are not making this easier for me! Honestly, a horse-drawn carriage!"

Marcia turned to Jenna, her hand on the small door, "Princess, no more complaints. Please, it's late—"

"Princesses never complain, do they?" They both turned at the cool, smug voice. Merrin was walking toward them, his lips curled in contempt.

"Of course, they don't. And you have no right to meddle with what they do and say." There was steel in Marcia's green eyes.

Merrin snorted. He climbed into the carriage and sat there like a king. "Not meddling. Planning to ride."

Jenna reluctantly followed after him, her nose up in the air. She was thinking how rude and conceited and insane Merrin was. Who does he think he is?

Throughout the ride, Jenna was too distracted and uneasy to notice her surroundings. The people crowded along the road, cheering and waving at her. Occasionally she gave a smile or a tiny wave, while beside her Merrin beamed and wave as if he was wearing a diamond-studded crown. The nerve of him, thought Jenna. It was very uncomfortable there. She sat as far as she could from Merrin, her stomach in knots. Even though the sun was so bright, she could sense a certain coldness about Merrin; years with Septimus had made her sensitive, even though she was no wizard. There was something forbidding about him.

And he smells something like spoiled food or horse dung, she thought. How unpleasant.

• • • • •

From a distance, Beetle watched the procession. It was his free day from the Manuscriptorium, and he was glad. His first days as Chief Hermetic Scribe did not go as well as he had hoped. The scribes were stubborn, lazy, irresponsible. Just yesterday he had to deal with a scribe sneaking out quills and parchment to sell in the market. A few days ago, a scribe was sent to the infirmary for accidentally stabbing himself with a large quill.

Scribes today, he thought as he made his way through the crowd, making sure that he was not within sight of the carriage. He was trying hard not to be seen by Jenna, whom he could see clearly. Jenna's face was gloomy, her arms crossed over her chest. Merrin was the opposite: beaming and glowing.

"The pig," he whispered furiously. A small boy beside him stared.

He couldn't really understand why he didn't want Jenna to see him. Maybe he also didn't want Merrin to see him too. He sighed. He just didn't want to.

Even from afar, he could see how striking Jenna was, with her dark hair gleaming in the sun. She had the imposing air of a royal, stubborn yet fearless. A true princess. He longed to talk with her again, to see her smile—

Someone shoved him, then another. The crowd pressed against him, and he moved out, breathing hard. He stood near an old ramshackle shop.

"Must get it. Must get it. Master ordered me to. Amulet. Crown. Amulet. Crown. Get it…" Beetle turned at the voice. Behind him stood an old man, staring at the procession. He had a wheezing voice, chanting the same words over and over again. Beetle listened, but couldn't understand. He looked closely at the stranger, and with a gasp saw that he was nearly translucent! Faintly, he could see the outline of buildings through the man.

The ghost didn't seem to notice him. Its eyes were glazed, dead, staring ahead. Beetle looked away, troubled. What was going on around the Castle? Odd things just seem to be popping up everywhere.

And speaking of odd things, there was something fishy about Merrin. For one, he was sure Merrin would never agree to marry Jenna. Unless…unless…

Merrin suddenly turned his head around and met Beetle's suspicious eyes. His lips gave the smallest hint of a sneer.

Like being woken up by freezing water, Beetle suddenly realized that he should do something. He mustn't allow Jenna to be married to Merrin, who clearly was up to something. He must investigate.

Looking around, he realized that the ghost was gliding slowly away from him, toward the procession. No one seemed to notice. An instinct told him to follow it.

Beetle pushed through the crowd, not losing sight of the ghost. He mustn't be seen too. Suddenly, someone in the crowd cried out. Turning, he saw a driverless cart heading his way, out of control. People leaped out of its way, and, too late, he fell into it as it hit him.

The cart rumbled and rattled through the street, Beetle riding and holding on for dear life. He hollered. The cart was nearing the procession, and it was going too fast. Way too fast.

As the cart reached the road in front of the procession, the wheels suddenly sunk into a deep trench dug in the ground as a sewer. At the sudden halt, Beetle flew out and landed on a heap of horse dung.

Beetle lifted his dung-covered face. "Disgusting," he muttered. He was embarrassed by his quick ride, which had indeed caused a commotion. He saw Jenna looking at him, startled and concerned. Beside her, Merrin guffawed.

"Beetle? Are you all right?" called out Jenna.

Merrin snorted. "Obviously not. You could see for yourself."

Beetle forced a grin and tried waving enthusiastically. "Um, having some fun, Jen!"

The procession moved on, Jenna looking unconvinced. He couldn't blame her. After all, wallowing in dung isn't exactly his kind of fun.

He struggled to get up, wincing at the strong odor. His eyes flew across the snickering crowd, searching for the ghost. Now it was probably gone. Possibly his only hope of finding out what Merrin's up to.

Then he gasped. The ghost stood only a few feet away from him, looking at him.

"Nosy, nosy. Get rid of. Meddling, meddling. Get rid of…" the ghost intoned in a lifeless voice.

• • • • •

Jenna was bewildered and concerned about what had happened. She was just thinking how this day couldn't be anymore gloomy, when a cart flew out of nowhere and Beetle suddenly splat on horse dung. It would have been funny if Merrin wasn't there, giving out a terrible chill and uneasiness.

Now she was desperate for this ridiculous ride to end, and to get as far away as she could from Merrin. She must get things straight and she needed help to do so. She needed Beetle.