Chapter Seven

To Midnight

Boa sat at the dinner table with a blurry look in her eyes, she was so tired. After the morning's drama she had gone through every piece of paper that had anything to do with her charity. She tried to think back to the day they had argued and wondered who it was who had decided to go against her, after her adamant decision not to interfere with Midnight.

Maybe now the people who had taken it upon themselves to make the decision were feeling stupid? After all she had warned that Midnight needed none of their help, wasn't this now proof? She couldn't imagine that anyone would take the money for their own ends; they were supposed to be helping people, not lining their own pockets. Boa thought her faith in individuals may well suffer if it was found to be true. She liked to think the person had acted on impulse, truly believing that Midnight was in need. Not out of greed.

But no one had come forward to speak to her, and so she was beginning to think the worst. The money had been embezzled somewhere, and all fingers were now pointing at her and Carrion. She felt sorry for Carrion, it was easy to blame him for this, more so than her. But she wasn't prepared to let them get away with it. It wasn't her fault, and it had nothing to do with Christopher.

She couldn't taste what she was eating, and she couldn't hear what was being said to her. Her mind was racing over possibilities of what may have happened. She didn't even notice when Filth the monkey arrived in the dining room with an over the top clumsy flourish.

He bowed to the King and Queen and waved to everyone else sitting further down the great dining tables. He then produced two brightly coloured balls and began balancing them on his nose. The King roared with laughter that made Boa jump, and she looked around to see if anyone had noticed. No one was looking at her, except one person, a lone figure standing in the doorway.

Boa gasped and jumped up. No one paid her any attention, all eyes were on Filth. Hurrying down the side of the room, Boa grabbed the man's arm and dragged him away from the diners.

"Quiffin! What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming back for months!" Boa said excited.

Her brother stroked the styled beard on his chin with a wide smile.

"I took a detour, besides, I heard you were in trouble little sister, although I doubt you have told them," he said jerking his thumb in the direction of the King and Queen.

Boa blushed.

"I can handle it. Besides, how'd you find out?" she asked leading him away and into towards the gardens.

"I have my ways…" he replied secretly.

Boa raised an eyebrow.

"Oh alright," he said relenting. "I was speaking to Lord Carrion, surprising how much we have in common actually…too much for comfort anyway."

Boa looked at the floor. Why had he gone to see Carrion before coming to see her? But she didn't want to start an argument, he had only just returned. Instead she just smiled and grabbed hold of his arm as if she feared he wasn't real.

"How is the crusade going? I haven't heard very much, have you been writing to father? Have you got to Midnight yet? What is it really like?" Boa asked with bright eager eyes.

Quiffin laughed, a perfect copy of the joyous laughter of his father. Boa waited impatiently for him to answer her.

"No, I have not managed to get to Midnight yet, quite honestly I have been avoiding it. Whenever I have inquired for Lord Carrion's permission he has always been away from his hour and here. So my sister, I decided I must return. I can't say I am looking forward to going there, especially if it's Lord cannot stand the place either."

"Shh," Boa hushed him. "Don't say that, that's not why he's here. He's very, very proud of Gorgossium."

"Oh I know," was all Quiffin said to that. He looked at Boa with a wary eye.

"Besides, everyone will point fingers now at that place. No you have to carry on like normal Quiffin, you have to visit, then all the talk will stop," Boa said nodding at her own idea.

"Carry on? Now, why ever would I do that; when it is clear that Midnight is a place of low morals, where charitable money is stolen?"

Boa looked at him aghast.

"But," was all she could manage to say.

"But what?"

"It's not his fault, and you are not doing a very good job as a supportive brother if you refuse to help me," Boa said folding her arms across her chest for comfort.

"Listen, I might respect Carrion for the power he has at his fingertips, but that does not mean I would not rejoice to see him fail, and the sooner the better. I don't like him being anywhere near you, and the fact that he has designs upon you disturbs me greatly. You might want to walk around with your eyes shut, but believe me, he is dangerous, he is not your friend, and he will hurt you given the chance."

"Christopher would never…"

"Boa!" Quiffin shouted, and then stopped himself from continuing in such a tone. He added more quietly; "I wish you would wake up to this. It isn't a game Boa, and the more you treat it like one the harder it's going to be for you to end it."

Boa's mouth fell open again.

"It's not a game!" she said annoyed. "I am just doing my job, and whatever these 'designs' are I can handle it. I've already spoken to him about it, we're fine, and it's Finnegan that my attentions are for, not Carrion," Boa assured him.

Quiffin shook his head and looked away from her. What could he do? Lord Carrion was the most powerful man in the Abarat, besides his father and a few others, but on one would dare to stand up to him. The only person he had ever seen put him in his place was him little sister, and he knew why he listened to her.

He could not warn Carrion off, he would end up being disposed of in a highly suspicious, but untraceable way, and that wasn't going to help Boa much.

Boa looked as though she was thinking hard, but Quiffin didn't want to guess what about. She seemed to be doing one stupid thing after another these days, but sending money to Midnight was undoubtedly the worst.

"Fine, well if you won't go to Midnight, then I will. I'm going to see it with my own eyes. I'm fed up of people talking about it as if it isn't real, as if it's one big nightmare. I'm going to prove to the Abarat that it is just the same as everywhere else!" Boa decided looking at Quiffin as if she would murder him if he dare defy her.

He bowed his head.

"Fine," he replied. "But you must do this properly, and for goodness sake explain to Finnegan. You must not be seen alone with Carrion during any part of the visit if you want to escape rumours, take your handmaidens and keep them with you at all times."

There was not point trying to dissuade her. Their father, for some unknown reason, trusted Carrion and would no doubt agree to this visit. All he could do was offer her some advice.

Boa smiled.

"I'm going to right this wrong I made," she said happily. "This will do so much more good than money. And if I ever find that person that stole it, well… I will tell them that they didn't succeed in destroying me."

Quiffin frowned.

"What do you mean if? You mean you don't know who did it? You really believe that it wasn't Lord Carrion?"

"I didn't send that money," Boa told him. "It was an inside job, someone working for me did, one of my advisers. They're trying to destroy either me of Lord Carrion, and I won't have it. Now you understand why I have to go? It's my reputation as well as his that is suffering."

Boa shrugged, she couldn't make him understand, but someone who would was only a short walk away. Smiling at her brother one final time, Boa went in search of Carrion. She would tell him her plan, and then he would ask her father for permission. He was more likely to be granted it than if she asked for herself, and then she would worry about Finnegan later.

She hoped that he would understand, that this was duty and not love, and that as a Princess she was forced forever to make sacrifices to keep her image pure, and as a guide to all others.

Author's note: I just have to add here that, "Duh! Boa's such an idiot!" Now that's out of the way, thank you for all the reviews!