(A/N Alright, it all quite hurried, I know. But, it is a "medieval" time, even though itis in the future. Alright, that was confusing, but I think that you all get it. I hope you do. Yes, I am a little bit confusing.)

Chapter 16: A Hurried Decision

"Endor, I am getting worried." Marcia said. She and Endor was out on the Wizard Way. "They didn't get home last night, and if they haven't got home when we're back... Something must have happend."

"Don't you worry, Marcia." Endor replied, calmly. "They might... eh, you know, have rent a room somewhere and... lost track of time."

She wished she hadn't said that. Marcia looked as though she had turned sick. "You think... Joseph would do that?"

"Honestly, I don't." Endor said. "But, well, you never know. Like Silas Heap always sais."

Marcia grimaced. "Do we have to talk about him?" she wondered. Endor almost giggled.

"You've heard that he's getting a kid? Again."

"What?" Marcia wondered, "Again? Really?"

"Yep." Endor replied.

"Jeez." Marcia understood why people wanted children, yes, but she did not understand why people wanted so many of them. Why not just be happy with, well, two or three? Why five, six or seven? Or even worse, eight. They went silent. After a few hundred yards, Endor opend her mouth again.
"Marcia?"

"Yes?"

"What if they'd get a child?" Endor wondered, "What would you do?"

"Endor," Marcia said, getting very, very bored on the subject, "Please, don't even make me think about it."

"Sorry." Endor replied, "I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright." Marcia sighed. "I know, I'm just being childish."

Joseph watched Cashmére stride across the room, towards him. Thinking about it, she was beautiful. Not like some of the girls in the Port, who passed by with their short skirts and low-cut, revealing blouses who sometimes winked after men, she was beautiful. Typical. He had to stop thinking like that. Cashmére plled a hand through her hair.
"Jose."

"Cashmére?"

"Slept well?" she asked. Joseph begun to feel anxious. Was there something wrong? Hopefully not.

"Yes." he answered, smiling. "Infact, yes. Thanks."

"Did you like your bedroom?"

"What is that for a question?" Joseph wondered.

"I don't know." Cashmére sighed. Both of the laughed, a little. Cashmére did not know what to say. She was suppoused to ask him; but she couldn't. She knew that he would laugh at her. She knew it.
"Cashmére!" Naomi rushed into the room, throwing her arms around Cashmére. "Cashmére!"
Naomi laughed and pinched Cashmére's cheek, as Naomi always had done when Cashmére was a little girl. Cashmére's mother and Naomi, Erianna, had been very good friends. Erianna and Trassimma had hated eachother. Naomi was, for the moment, beaming with hapiness.
"Cashmére, where on earth have you been?" she asked, in latin. Cashmére scratched her hair.

"Well, I-" she begun, but Naomi didn't seem to have the intention to let her finish. Instead, she turned to Joseph.

"Joseph Overstrand!" at this moment, it should be added that Naomi and Trassimma had got along quite well when they were younger. "How you've grown! When was the last time I had the pleasure to meet you?"

Joseph cleared his throat. "I don't remember." he said, politely. Naomi turned to Cashmére again. Her face no longer radiated happiness, it was a rather darke look.

"Now, Cashmére," she murmured quietly, once again in latin, "I have to ask you a very, very embarassing question. But you have to answer it honestly."

Cashmére almost blushed. She didn't know why. "Okay." she replied, not knowing what to say otherwise. This was not like Naomi. She used to be happy and peaceful. Not like this. Not this cryptical and mysterious. Not this gloomy. Naomi took a deep breath, and opend her mouth.
"Has Lucian ever touched you in any inappropriate way?" she asked.

"What?"

"Cashmére, it is very important that- if anything like that ever has happend- tells me that-"

"He has not, Naomi." Cashmére replied calmly, "What does even make you think of it?"

Naomi sighed. "The same night as you dissapeard, Lucian came into my room and-"

"No, he didn't!" Cashmére gasped, "I can't belive it."

"You didn't even let me finish." Naomi said, slightly reproachfully

"I'm sorry." Cashmére replied, "Please, finish."

"He came into my room and he..." Naomi took another deep breath, "He branded me. With his seal. He told me that if... I didn't vote as he did, things would get bad."
Cashmére put her hands at Naomi's shoulders.

"Naomi, are you alright?" she wondered.

"Yes I am." Naomi tried to smile. Then she leaned closer to Cashmére, and asked:
"And how's it going with Joseph. I heard..."

"It's not going good at all." Cashmére answered. "I don't even know how to tell him."

"Just tell him." Naomi whispered, "He only got to alternatives. Yes or no."

"How's that suppoused to make me feel better?" Cashmére wondered.

"It was not meant to mae you feel better." Naomi said, and smiled. "See you!"

"Goodbye." Cashmére replied, and Naomi left the room as quickly as she had entered. Which was odd. Cashmére had barely answered her questions. Maybe, Cashmére wondered, Naomi understood that she had to be alone with Joseph... or, Naomi had just gone mad. It did not matter right now. Honestly. Cashmére sat down again. She was close to take Joseph's hands into hers, but she didn't. Instead, Joseph took her hands into his.
"Is everything alright?" he wondered, and Cashmére felt a little bit warmer than usually.

"Yeah." she replied, and tucked her hair behind her ears. Again. It felt as though she had done that very much lately. "But-"

"But what?" Joseph asked. Cashmére took a deep, deep breath.

"Joseph..." she begun, "We've got a problem."

Joseph tried to smile. Again. "I knew that, Cass." he said, but not in a snappish way.

"It's a really big problem." Cashmére replied, "Bigger than what you think. You see, you might get arrested."
Joseph nodded.

"Yes."

"And we both know how the Eastern Snowplainian jail is. It's horrable."

"Yes." Joseph nodded. Cashmére moved a little bit closer to him.

"I don't want to see you there, Jose." she said. "And it happend to be so that I am... looking for a partner."

"Huh?" Joseph looked shocked. Cashmére sighed again.

"Do you want to marry me, Jose?" she asked. Joseph looked as though she had hit her with a rock.

"What?"

"I know it sounds stupid." Cashmére replied. "But, on the other hand, it's not a horrable idea."

"No, it's not." Joseph replied. He was suddenly smiling. "It a really clever idea. Really."

"It's a hurried decision-"

"Who cares?" Joseph replied. "I think that both of us know that hurried decisions sometimes are the best."
He went up from his chair, and lifted her up, embracing her tightly.