"OH VINE-DRAPED WALLS AND HALLOWED HALLS. THE PROUDLIEST SIGHT THERE IS. WHEN GREY AND SERE OUR HAIR HATH TURNED WE SHALL STILL REVERE OUR LESSONS LEARNED IN OUR DAYS AT DEAR OLD SHIZ. OUR DAYS AT DEAR OLD... OH-OH-OH-OLD. DEAR OLD SHIZ-ZZZZ."
When we reached Shiz, Nessa got a new pair of shoes—of course. I got nothing. I didn't care. When Nessa tried to apologize, I shrugged and said, "What could he have gotten me? I clash with everything." She sighed and I knew she just wanted me to be happy.
I set my suitcase down, and sat on it. Then, looking up at Nessa, I said, "I am happy. I really am. I've everything I could ever want—I'm going to Shiz, Father gave you new shoes, and I have someone who loves me." I froze, realizing I'd said too much. Nessa stared at me and asked, "Who?" I thought hard and asked, "Can you swear to me before all the gods of Oz that you'll never ever, ever, ever tell Father?" She nodded and I said, "Say it so I can hear you, Nessa." Nessa sighed and said, "I swear before all the gods of Oz that I'll never ever, ever, ever tell Father." Then I said, "Remember that Raoul of Goldenlake guy I mentioned?" She nodded and I hissed, "We're sorta in a relationship." She grinned at me and then she started snickering. I glared at her and then she stopped. "Why can't I tell Father?" she demanded suddenly. "I can't lose Raoul, not now, not after we've finally admitted to the fact that we're together, Nessa, in front of just about everybody we know—Alex, Sir Myles, Queen Lianne, Thom, Alanna, Coram, George, Lighfingers—he's funny, but he gets drunk a lot—Marek, Ercole, Rispah, Mistress Cooper, Jon, Gary, Geoffrey, Douglass, Sacherell, Maude, Duke Gareth, Aram Sklaw—he scares me—and just about every other person at Court." She nodded.
Then everyone started staring at me and I snapped, "What? What is it? Why is everyone staring? Is my underskirt showing? Do I have something in my teeth? Oh. Okay, let's get this over with. No, I'm not seasick, yes, I've always been green, no I did not chew grass as child." I couldn't have gone on forever, had not been for the fact that the principal had just walked into the room.