We arrived safely to Pharyss with no more problems. Since we arrived in the company of the royal carriage we were promptly admitted through the gates of the city. It was a huge sprawling city that sat on a plateau-like hill. From the level outside circumference that was marked by the high stone walls, the city gradually rose up the hill to the level top which was obviously the wealthier district. In the center of the plateau sat the royal castle. It was made out of white and grey stones and sported large stained glass windows on the ground floor. The towers and roofs were all topped with elegant spires from which golden flags bearing the royal crest waved in the wind. Victoria and Giselle informed me that the princess had invited them to the castle for dinner that night.

"That is why we are heading to the castle, of course." Giselle said.

Victoria was quick to discourage any hope that I too would be attending. They were still sore over the fact I had spoken to the prince. "But you don't need to trouble yourself with going. I know how tiring it is for you to sit at large dinners and talk to people. You can go find an inn for us to stay in. I'm sure you will find one that is up to our standards in quality. I do not want to stay in some hovel."

Giselle nodded. "Oh, Ebony, that would be so helpful. Try to find somewhere with a suite so we can each have our own rooms. Make sure they have nice people there too and serve good food."

I sighed. It would have been nice to go to a royal dinner but there was no way that Giselle and Victoria would let me attend. They would probably make up some lie about how I felt ill or some other malady had befallen me. Perhaps it was for the best, maybe they would forget that the prince had wanted to speak to me. "Of course, I will try and find a nice hotel near the castle."

The sisters said a hurried thank you as they exited the carriage once we arrived at the castle. It was lucky that even after a day of travelling they still looked presentable enough to dine with royalty. I heard the prince inquire as to me and then the explanation that I was just so tired after a long day of travels and wanted to go straightaway to an inn. I expected that to be the end of it but there were a few mumbled sentences I didn't catch then a soft tap at the carriage door. It opened and Prince Christian opened the door. No chance of my being forgiven for anything now.

"You really don't need to escort her, your highness." Giselle was saying. She had even gone so far as to put a hand on his arm as if to pull him back.

Victoria joined her sister in trying to stop the prince from whatever he was doing. "I'm sure she will manage fine with the driver. It won't be but an hour before she is settled into an inn somewhere safe and sound."

Christian only smiled at me. He didn't even glance back at my step sisters. "I'm sure Miss Ebony would benefit from a guide. The streets of Pharyss can be quite confusing for someone who has just arrived." I tried to protest but he climbed into the carriage anyway and sat across from me. He closed the door behind him.

"That's my brother, he is always so gallant." I could hear Joslynn saying outside the carriage. "Come, let us go eat. Our cook is one of the finest in the city."

"You really didn't have to miss out on dinner to guide me around the town." I said as the driver turned the carriage around and left the castle courtyard.

"Nonsense," Christian said. "Why would I want to spend another dinner in the castle when I could show a charming young lady around the city on her first night here?"

I smiled shyly. Prince Christian was very brusque when he spoke. "You hardly even know me; you only met me this afternoon."

"Joslynn only met your sisters this afternoon and tonight they are dining at the castle. It is very unfortunate that you are too tired to join them." He spoke as if he had seen right through Giselle's and Victoria's lie. It was almost impossible to believe, but it seemed as if the prince was more interested in me than in my stepsisters, though I could not fathom the reason why.

I decided I would clarify my family situation to him once and for all. "Giselle and Victoria are not my true sisters. They are my stepsisters. My mother married their father when I was young."

"Then it is understandable how you are so different from both of them. They are both undeniably beautiful, but they remind me so much of the insipid woman of the gentry who can speak of nothing else but the shallowest of subjects. I'm sure they are both charming girls, but I would rather spend my time with someone I find more interesting." I noticed that he was leaning slightly toward me. I was unsure of what to do; I had never had a man so interested in me before, let alone a prince!

"You find me interesting?" I mimicked his body language and leaned slightly towards him. I never thought it would happen, but now I was trying to act with the ease and confidence that Giselle and Victoria had around men.

He tilted his head and smiled ever so slightly and flirtatiously. "Exceedingly interesting," He said. "A woman who is willing to get her lovely dress dirty to help a lowly driver and one who would pet a Tarahinian horse so willingly without fear. I can only imagine what other surprises are in store for me the more I get to know you."

I bit my lip and I was sure that my face was quite flushed. I looked away and said something to try and calm my rapidly beating heart. "If you are going to show me a decent inn to stay at, perhaps you should inform the driver on the best route to one."

"Quite right," He said. I pressed my back into the seat as he leaned across the distance that separated our two seats. His arm reached over my shoulder and I became acutely aware of his closeness. He was quite literally leaning over me to open the small window that allowed the passengers to communicate with the driver. When he instructed the driver on the way to go, I did not hear any of his words even though his lips were mere inches from my ear. It was that fact that drowned out his words with the beating of my heart. He closed the window and sat back down across from me. His retreat back to a farther distance did nothing to calm my racing heart. My head was still spinning from the nearness of him. He had been so close I could smell him. Even though he had been riding in a carriage he still managed to smell like wind and warmth and outdoors.

I think he knew exactly what he was doing to me. He was a prince and most assuredly had a wealth of knowledge on how to attract a girl's attention. He had sure caught mine. I could not imagine how I, a girl who had never had a man call on her once, had managed to capture a man's attention and it was not just any man, it was the prince. I tried not to stare at him in awe as the driver followed the prince's directions to our destination. I could not think of anything to say and Christian was not speaking either so I felt terribly awkward sitting in silence with a prince.

I looked nervously out the window and cleared my throat. "So where are we going?"

Christian smiled. "It's a lovely place on West End. It's called the Gilded Leopard. I think you will really like it."

"It's not me that has to like it." I said quietly, but not quietly enough that he didn't hear.

"Then who has to like it?" He asked. He leaned his elbows on his knees and folded his hands. "You're the one who is going to be staying there."

I really did not think it was appropriate to explain the actions of my stepsisters and the cause of them because Prince Christian was the cause, but I had already alluded to it and I doubted the prince would drop the subject so easily. I choose my words carefully and tried not to give too much away. "Victoria and Giselle have very exact tastes; they will be most upset if I choose a room that does not meet their requirements."

"That's silly," He said. "I think they should take your opinions into consideration as well."

I shrugged. I didn't know what to say. Giselle and Victoria didn't take anyone's opinions into consideration other than their own. Luckily the carriage stopped before I had a chance to reply. Like a gentleman, Christian helped me out of the carriage. He had definitely chosen a grand location. The hotel was grand and had four giant columns standing in front supporting a balcony where people sat at tables dining. On either side of the wide steps that led up to the main doors sat two golden leopard statues. Giselle and Victoria would surely be impressed when they arrived.

I shook my head, "Oh no, this is much too extravagant. I'm sure it is much more than we can afford."

He just smiled and put a hand on the small of my back to lead me up the steps. "Don't worry about that, the Gilded Leopard has always housed friends of the castle free of charge. You see, it was founded by one of my ancestors so royal guests are always welcome."

That has been the third installment of the Pharyss story, I hope you all liked it. Good news, I now have a (barely) working computer again and whenever I get the Microsoft Office programs on here I will try to start up again and hopefully get over this writer's block.