Rose should have been happier. She was riding in a carriage, a royal carriage, on her way to the palace. But she was just nervous. Really, really nervous. She hadn't had any time to properly dress. Her hair was still up in a messy bun. Her hands were covered in dirt from rooting through bins of herbs with dirty roots. She was sure she looked like the lowliest peasant.

They traveled in silence. It only took fifteen minutes. In those fifteen minutes Rose managed to work herself into a fit. She was almost hyperventilating.

"Calm down girl. Nobody's even going to notice you," Mistress Yaga said in a way that may have been meant to comfort Rose.

Rose gasped when they got out of the carriage. The palace was gleaming in the sun.

"It must take 100 people to get a place this big so clean," Rose thought in awe. She could only imagine how many people it took to keep the inside clean. She didn't have much time to think about the palace's cleaning schedule. Thomas and Mistress Yaga were practically racing to the doors and Rose had to scramble to catch up.

"Wait here while I inform the King of your arrival," Thomas said when they got to the hallway. Rose went white.

"The King? The King was going to see them personally?" she panicked. Her daydreams involving the king never involved her looking like a farm girl straight from planting. But like Mistress Yaga said, it wasn't like she would be noticed. And to make sure of that she would just hide behind Thomas and Mistress Yaga the whole time.

They waited in the massive hallway for Thomas to return with the king. Rose used this time to study the palace. There was a beautiful staircase to the left. Priceless paintings and wall hangings were strewn everywhere. This far exceeded the palace of her dreams. She was still lost in admiration when Thomas returned with the king. Mistress Yaga nudged her in the ribs to bring her back to reality.

"Pay attention girl! The King approaches," she hissed. That sobered Rose up. She slid behind Mistress Yaga.

Thomas reached them first, then the king, then a man who she assumed to be some noble. She gasped at the sight of King Wendell. He was the most handsome man she'd ever seen. He was so… regal. His chin was so strong, his nose so straight, and his lips so tempting. And his eyes, oh his eyes. They were a blue that she had never seen before. Almost like the sky and the ocean mixed. He was so tall and lean, and golden. He actually took her breath away! She looked at the wall hanging just to right of him so that she wouldn't stare into those crushingly beautiful blue eyes.

"Your Majesty the Healer Mistress Yaga and her apprentice Rose," Thomas said.

Briefly her gaze slipped to the king again. Her eyes traveled over his body. He looked like a sculpture. His arms looked like they would be perfect to snuggle up in. They looked like they could pin her up against a wall and… oh dear! Where had that come from? She saw that he had caught her looking at him. Oh no. She could feel her face becoming a shocking pink.

"What must he think of me?" she groaned inwardly, "Probably just that I'm a silly peasant girl that's star-struck,". Which was partly true. After all this was the KING.

He bowed his head, and they curtsied. The king then expressed his happiness at their arrival. He consulted with Mistress Yaga to make sure that she had been properly informed of the situation. Rose of course still didn't know the situation. She was resigned to the fact that she would have to pick up the information as they went.

Shortly they were walking towards their patient. Mistress Yaga was upfront with the king and his noble. Rose stayed obediently behind. Soon though, the noble fell behind to talk with Rose. She wasn't exactly educated in the ways of the court, but surely nobles didn't associate with commoners.

"Hello, Rose is it? My name is Tony Lewis. Lovely to meet you," he said warmly. Rose didn't know if he was flirting or just being nice. Of course up until now the flirting she had encountered had not been nearly so gentile.

"Thank you my Lord Tony. I am honored to meet you," she replied, hoping that that was a proper response.

"Please please, just call me Tony. I like it much better," Tony said with a grin. Rose smiled and agreed.

"So you work with Mistress Yaga? You're braver than me," he joked. That made Rose giggle.

"Why would you say that my… er Tony?" she asked lightly.

"Well the woman seems just a tad overbearing. As a matter of fact that what she reminds me of, a bear," he said.

Rose almost burst out laughing at that. Come to think of it Mistress Yaga was like a bear. Of course that wasn't a bad thing. Bears were very strong and noble animals.

"Mistress Yaga is a good person. She has only ever shown me kindness, and treats me as if I were her own kin," Rose said. Though it may have sounded rehearsed, Rose meant it.

"So how long have you been in training?" he asked to keep the conversation flowing.

"Oh ever since I was born I have been in training. Mistress Yaga's knowledge is vast and if I don't learn it all then it will be lost when she is gone," Rose said seriously.

"Do you ever take vacations, you know like to see your family?" Anthony asked. When he saw Rose's eyes tear up ever so slightly he regretted the question.

"I have no family. My parents died when I was a baby and as far as anybody knows my grandparents are dead as well. So you can see how fortunate I was to have Mistress Yaga. And why I am so eager to continue her legacy," the girl said quietly.

Anthony didn't have time to say anything else because they had arrived at their destination. Thomas led them to a bank of doors. It seemed as if Mistress Yaga knew which one to go into, but she had to wait for permission.

The king commanded Thomas to open the door, and one by one they all entered the room. Rose was saddened when she saw the scene in the room. A little girl covered in bandages was laying unconscious in an enormous bed that seemed to engulf her. Two people who Rose assumed were the girl's parents were huddled up against the bed. She could tell from their fine clothing that these must be the visiting dignitaries from the 2nd Kingdom. It was clear that they loved their daughter. Rose would not let this family be torn apart.

"We will save you little one," Rose thought fiercely, "we will,".