Ash: Chapter...three, right? Yumeì?

Yumeì: ZZZZzzzzz

Ash: YUMEÌ!

Yumeì: Kya? Kyun jes rahein hei?

Ash: ?

Yumeì: Oh, uhhhhh. I think its chapter four? That was the question, right?

Ash: Go back to sleep.

Yumeì: Okay. ZZZZZzzzz.

Ash: Dumbbell. I guess it was a bad idea to wake her up at three in the morning. Unfortunately, that is the only time Shun is actually sleep. I don't own the characters. Just the story. (:

Shinoru's View:

Shinoru could barely open his eyes. Okay, forget barely, not at all. He felt like someone had dumped sawdust on him while his eyes were open. Possibly a bit of chili powder along with it. Suddenly he felt his eyes burn. Yelping he sat up.

"YUMEÌ!"

A squeak confirmed her presence. He swore vengeance.

"Jeez! It's only a bit of chili powder. No need for the language!"

" Damn you, Yumeì!"

"Did you just say what I thought I just heard you say?"

Shinoru heard her trip over something.

"Oops."

"Get...out." he growled through gritted teeth.

"What?"

"Out." he snarled.

"Well excuse me!"

He heard the small stomping of her feet. He sighed and tried prying open his eyes. He saw nothing except a bendy, watery environment. His eyes stung like heck. He felt the flood of tears run down his cheek. He didn't regret yelling at Yumeì, one in the least, but he did chastise himself on cursing. He was better than that. Shaking his head he saw specks of red fly from his eyes. They were too bright red to be blood, so Yumeì hadn't been trying to kill him. It was just chili powder. She had tried to kill him once. She had put a teaspoon of chili powder in his eyes as a prank (she had somehow managed a unseen spoon above his head. It was set to trigger when he woke up.). He had lost quite a lot of blood and would have been blind to this day if Tabitha hadn't heard him cry out while walking through the hallway. She had healed him. Then, she had Yumeì help the maids scrub off the chili powder. It was rather hard to do so, due to the food coloring being in there. It was rather satisfying for Shinoru.

"Ah-hem."

Instinct took over. He pulled a dagger from its hilt and flung it at the source of the sound. He heard a shriek then he heard the dagger clatter against the stone wall. Something clattered to the floor.

"Oh, snap! Who was it this time?",he yelped.

"Nice way to wake up." muttered a strange voice. A fear of the unknown gripped him. Being temporarily blind, and all, he was defenseless. He was going to murder Yumeì when he got out of this.

"Well I managed to get a hold on the wet cloth."

Shinoru tried to get to his feet. Since his dagger was gone, he would have to run for it. Or fight blind. Both choices sounded really bad. The tortures for Yumeì that gathered in his head just got ten times worse. While thinking he could feel something cool touch his face. He lost his balance -internally and externally. Stumbling backward, he tripped over the bed post, and landed on his bed. Hard.

"You must calm down. How else am I to clean the spice from your face?"

He was temporarily dizzy, but when he realized what was going on, his face burned. Just made a fool of myself.,he cried internally. Opening his watery eyes, he saw a girl of sixteen. Her eyes were hazel-green. Her dusty brown hair was short and at the ear. She was staring at him like he was a weirdo. He groaned and smacked his head with his hand.

Shinoru's View

He managed to get himself out of bed to help the new girl pick up dropped towels. He had managed to remember what happened yesterday. The girl was no other than that newcomer from Tortall. He couldn't remember much of what happened after the introduction and a small dinner. He could remember dropping on his bed like a stone. Keladry. Yes that was her name. Pretty name, Keladry. Much prettier than Yumeì. Speaking of the devil, Yumeì came marching in imperiously. Shinoru had the instinct to murder her on spot.

"Nice job scaring the maid away, Shin."

"What maid?"

Yumeì rolled her eyes.

"I not that mean to leave you helpless. I sent her to give you a wet towel to clear the chili powder from your face. Next second, she screaming down the halls. Now that I think it was...oh...murderous royalty! Run away! I think that was it. Oh wait, it was."

She glared pointedly at Shinoru. He shrugged.

"Don't pour chili powder on my face, and you won't have to worry about frightened maids. Currently, that should be the least of your concerns."

"Well it isn't. Oh, hello Kel. What are you doing here?"

Kel removed her hand from her mouth. She had obviously been laughing. Her hazel eyes were sparkling with barely suppressed tears of mirth.

"Oh, well, I needed a wet towel and I just happened to see the maid carrying one, so I followed her. I didn't know she was running an errand. And I just ran into him."

"U-huh." Yumeì looked strange. Shinoru did not like that look. He heard her mutter,

"So soon after the Queen of Neathia, too."

He growled, "That will happen the day I fall into a sandpit."

"That can always be arranged.", Yumeì said wickedly.

"How's Jesse?"

Her hair, her bangs in particular, fluffed up like a cat's. That permanent little blush on her face just got a bit redder.

"None of your beeswax!"

"Thought so."

"You better watch out the next time I get my hands on a textbook!"

They both quit their bickering when they saw Kel staring at them.

"Are you sure both of you do not belong to a House for the Mad?"

Yumeì's View

Yumeì and Kel sat at the top of the observatory tower. It didn't take a genius to see Kel was scared of heights. Kel had gone gray when she mentioned going up the tower, but she came none the less. At the top, Yumeì just flopped down on the hand-knitted rug. She had always admired the view up here. Kel seemed more relaxed now that they were at the top. They had been silent for 15 minutes when,

"What's with the Queen of Neathia and Shinoru? Where is Neathia?"

Yumei's fingers paused above the rug's fluffy strings.

" Funny story, actually. Neathia is South of here."

"There are more countries south of here?"

"Yep. Gundalia, Neathia, Vestal, & Chrystosophsis. Except...Chrystosophsis is now a province of Verithigo. The Queen of Neathia has captured two particular hearts. Namely the twins."

"The two Princes?"

"Yes! Except, I guess Shin is over her now..."

A messenger, of age 14, came running in yelling in Verithigese.

"Whoa, boy. Slow down."

He took a deep breath and repeated in Verithigese,

"The Prince Shinoru got stuck in a quagmire. It would be helpful if you...helped him out?"

Yumeì tried suppressing laughter before bursting. She fell to the floor and howled. The little messenger got scared for a second, and Kel waved her hand to dismiss him, slightly red herself. He ran out.

Yumeì managed to get a hold on herself.

"Fate has weird ways!" she gasped, wiping away tears.

"Helping him is out of the question. So the question is: Should I laugh at him, cry, or do both and look hysterical. And when I have that sorted out there's always the question if I should do it while he's still stuck in there or when he's out..."

Kel looked strangely at her.

"What?"

"You wouldn't really leave him out there would you?"

Yumeì sighed.

"Honey, you really need to catch on to the jokes here. Of course I wouldn't leave him out there. Not for forever, at least. Getting himself stuck in a sandpit has only proved myself right. Thank You, Goddess!"

Yumeì's View

Yumeì's decision on "the question" was final. And that was appearing hysterical. No surprises there. And she decided to do that the moment Shinoru got out of the quagmire. He came in an intimidating fashion, storming right up to Yumeì.

"You planned this didn't you?"

It took Yumeì a moment to answer simply because she was laughing too much.

"No, but it was about as funny as it would have been if I had planned it! The Gods don't like you Shun! They don't like you at all!"

Shinoru looked like he was about five seconds from slapping her, when a messenger came hurrying up. It was not the 14 year old but quite a different man.

He whispered something to Shinoru, who nodded. Then the messenger ran off.

"What was that about?" wondered Yumeì.

Shin's face was unreadable.

"The Queen has called a council."

Ash: Yep, short notice peeps. Wrote a lot.

Yumeì: ZZZZZzzZZZZzzzZZZzz...

Ash: ): No smart comment this time. This is depressing. OH NO SHUN IS-

Shun: Tabitha?

Ash: I'M NOT HERE! *slams laptop and turns off*