: Shouldering her mug and fixing the strap so
: that it lay all nice and comfy-like, Kimmy
: followed the Gang and her friends to the
: Castle. As she walked along, she looked up
: and had to do a double-take!
: She stopped dead in her tracks causing the
: Poet to bump into her!
: "Wouldja look at that! Very very
: spiffy!" Kimmy said in appreciation
: as she finally took in the Castle.
: "Gosh," Kimmy breathed, "it
: almost looks like Disney World!" She
: continued to gaze upwards as Fay gently
: pushed her along, forgetting to be
: disappointed that it didn't look like
: Jareth's Castle Beyond the Goblin City...
: "I wonder if it's more like Cinderella's
: Castle or more like Sleeping Beauty's with
: the dragon underneath it?" she said
: aloud as she gleefully watched the flags
: fly from the various sized turrets. Quick
: glances were shared between Krys, Faira,
: and Presto. They wondered if she had heard
: their conversation from earlier.
: Kimmy peered briefly at the two guards before
: them and looked at the entrance. Above it
: hung a red banner with a fiercesome
: looking Hawk and a strange looking sort of
: scepter gripped in one of its talons.
: 'That kinda looks like the smoke hawk the
: Storyteller lady made and-'
: Her thoughts broke off as she happened to
: glance past Hank talking to the guards and
: caught sight of...
: Kimmy gasped in delight! "It's the
: Storyteller! Look! Look! She's talking to
: that tall guy in the funny hat with the
: beaky nose!" She jumped up and down,
: waving and trying to get a better peek
: while Fay giggled a bit hoping she
: wouldn't be embarrassed by the
: part-kender.
: Kimmy suddenly froze her antics as she
: thought, 'I'll get to see TWO stories
: tonight! Oh!' And with this thought firmly
: implanted in her caffine immune brain
: cells, or what there was of them, she
: bounced on her toes, impatient to get
: inside and meet whoever it was they were
: supposed to meet first!
:
:
:
Kryschenn had felt uncomfortably like a shepherd making sure there were no strays from the flock as they approached the castle. That wasn't to say she thought of her friends as sheep. She just wanted to make extra sure they didn't get separated so the wolves could descend on them again.
Heck with it. She didn't care how the guards or the townspeople or the Things That Were Watching Them felt. She drew her sword and carried it openly until they reached the castle, finally sheathing it only when they were within the outer walls.
As they were waiting for the guard to let them pass into the palace, she heard Kimmy's excitement about the castle and the comparison to Sleeping Beauty, with the dragon under the castle. Kimmy just may be right about that, she said, sharing glances with Presto and Faira. Did she overhear what had been said earelier, or was it just coincidence? Even Presto didn't really know for sure if there was something in the catacombs.
Excitement burst out when some of them had spotted the Storyteller again. Krys gave a quick shake of her head towards Iris, who also seemed to have been upset by her inability to reach Zeo in time to be of any help. No, she signaled. Let's not get distracted again.
Eventually they were escorted in and introduced to the old Councillor. He acknowledged them as a group but didn't really seem to take in their individual introductions. Nor did he let them explain the reason for their presence. They were obviously the companions of their honored guests, that was enough for him.
"I apologize that the Princess cannot receive you herself at the moment," he said smoothly, interrupting their efforts to tell why they were here. "Indeed she was not expecting guests. But come. I shall see to your comfort and you shall be presented to Her Majesty at dinner."
Kryschenn thought about the rules of hospitality which required her to disarm almost completely while a guest in someone's house...technically her sgian dubh was the only weapon permissible to carry under someone else's roof.
Screw it. This baby wasn't leaving her side. Patting her sword hilt lovingly, she turned to take a quick head count. Aye, all present.
Now what? She looked at the Young Ones, who seemed relaxed enough in the councillor's presence. The group began to follow him, somewhat unsure of where they were being led.
They had not gotten ten steps when a familiar voice called out from the top of a staircase. "Is that you? What was out there?"
They all turned, as Bobby called out, "More people from back home, Sis. How's Terri?"
Wow. Sheila had certainly turned out lovely. And graceful, as she descended the stairs without making a sound. "She's still the same. I'm sorry, Bobby. I know how hard this must be, with the way you feel about her." That last comment was said with a surreptitious and longing glance toward Hank, who either did not notice or, more than likely, pretended not to.
"These guys from Earth," Bobby said, "they think that this mental guy here can maybe reach her mind while she's asleep." He gestured at Cole hopefully.
Some turned their eyes to look at Cole expectantly. Other (mostly female) glances went back and forth between Sheila and Hank, and romantic plots began to form.
