“So what sort of training do I need?” asked Clark. He and Glib stood facing each other in the clearing outside the wizard’s cave.

“Again with the questions!” Glib snapped, flicking Clark’s ear sharply with one bony finger.

“Ow!” Clark danced away, putting a hand to the offended area. The wizard raised his hand to flick him on the other ear, and without thinking Clark grabbed his wrist.

They froze for a second. Then Glib took his wrist from Clark’s unprotesting hand and began to applaud. Clark stared at him.

“Excellent!” Glib exclaimed. “Most excellent! A noble does not allow himself to be unwillingly touched by any man. By grabbing my wrist, you acted exactly as you should!”

“You mean I…noble?” Clark said as his brain began to sort this out. “What do you mean, noble? And how is this training?”

“Questions!” Glib raised a hand, poised to flick. Clark stepped out of range.

The wizard smiled, and said, “You learn quickly. As it is, you are lucky I was going to answer your questions before you asked them. I am training you, my boy, to pose as a noble in order to complete the task I will set for you. This means you must learn the martial arts as well as the pastimes of a nobleman. You will learn to carry yourself with pride, not like a dirty working peasant, as well as horse riding, genteel speech, the art of flirtation, and of course, dancing.”

“Dancing?” Clark repeated incredulously. Glib raised a wispy eyebrow, daring him to continue. Clark held his tongue for a few seconds, then muttered, “Is it permitted to ask why?”

Apparently the wizard heard him. The other eyebrow rose to join its brother in almost disappearing into Glib’s forehead wrinkles. Clark expected to be flicked again, but instead Glib said, “A well-phrased question, not just the first thought that jumps into your uneducated head. Well done. As a reward, I will answer. Dancing is the true test of nobility. A man who can grace the floor without effort can be nothing but a noble, for who else would have the leisure to learn?”

This didn’t particularly tell Clark what he wanted to know, but he said nothing again.

The wizard eyed the expression on his face. “As to why this training is necessary, I may not reveal all the details now. But it is essential that you must learn to perfectly play your part. It will be your task to rescue Drákon from the blight that has overshadowed her for many years.”

“And for that, I have to pretend to be a noble, even though I’m really not?” Clark asked.

The wizard tightened his lips and said nothing, and Clark realized his mistake. About to say, “Sorry,” he thought better of it and instead said, “My apologies, sir.”

“Very good. You learn well already. We will, in fact, begin with the noble’s weapon, the sword. In swordplay you shall learn the most important lesson: a noble is always aware of precisely where his body is. As this is essential to master the sword, we shall, as they say, kill two birds with one stone. Now hold your sword point up, boy. Never let it dip, remember that. And keep your eyes on me, not on the weapon itself.”

For the next several hours he talked Clark through the different points of handling a sword. Clark felt woefully inept, but the wizard seemed strangely pleased.

“Are you certain you’ve never held a sword before, boy?” he asked when they had finished for the evening. “You are learning remarkably quickly for one who has no weapons training.”

“I know some weapons,” Clark admitted. “Not sword, but bow, and quarter staves, and knife, and sling. And I know how to dance, too. Line dances, square dances, that sort of thing.”

Glib wheezed out a laugh. “Unfortunately for you, from what I understand of those dances you very frequently switch partners so that your chosen girl cannot tell how badly out of step you might be. With the noble’s dances, any lady you dance with will know immediately if you make even the tiniest mistake.”

Clark felt the blood drain from his face at the very thought.

“Not to worry,” Glib said with another hacking chuckle. “That is why I am here. When I am finished, you won’t know yourself, boy.”

Over the next few weeks Clark sometimes wondered, late at night when he was bedded down in the wizard’s cave, why he stayed. The wizard never told him what he was being trained for. Maybe because, after he grew used to the routine, he rather enjoyed learning to be a noble. He still felt a clumsy oaf at swordfighting, and stupid to boot, swinging a weapon at nothing. But Glib said he’d never seen a student progress more quickly. The general lessons on acting and sounding like a noble felt like he was playing an amusing sort of game of pantomime. Dancing was all right, though Clark never had a partner because the wizard was far too old and bent to keep up with him for more than a step or two. At least, that was what Clark was pretty sure the reason was, though Glib never said so.

Maybe he stayed because it gave him some sort of sense of purpose. His mother hadn’t really given him one, after all, and he’d found in the last weeks he had little taste for wandering. He wanted a fixed goal. Or at least one nearer and easier-sounding to reach than just ‘destiny.’

Where Glib found the horse Clark would never know. But this animal seemed almost a different species than the shaggy draft horses and sturdy ponies at home. It was sleek and beautiful, but Clark could get no nearer than a five-foot radius without the horse rearing or attempting to kick him.

“High-spirited, that’s what he is,” Glib said when he first showed the horse to Clark. “All great noblemen’s horses are. Won’t even let me near except to give him his dinner. We’ll keep trying. Eventually you may be able to ride him.” The horse rolled its eye at them so that the white showed all around. Clark rather thought the animal could smell his low birth and was refusing his approach on that account.

Clark wanted to ask Glib how he was supposed to learn to ride when his practice horse wouldn’t let him come near. But several days with the wizard had taught him that Glib would simply refuse to answer any question he considered ‘forward.’ Therefore, he could see that he would have to take matters into his own hands.

That night after the wizard had gone to bed, Clark snuck around to visit the horse in the side cave where Glib had been keeping him. Glib seemed to have no shortage of space, though Clark attributed that to some magic. All night Clark just sat there, allowing the horse to get used to his presence. Every night thereafter, if at least for a few hours, Clark would go visit the horse, getting closer each time.

He doubted the wizard knew what he was doing. Glib never rose until at least 10AM, and Clark was always careful to get back into his own bed before then.

At last, the evening came when the horse actually deigned to allow Clark to touch him. Clark stroked the sleek neck, noting the dirt that came off on his fingers and resolving to give the animal a thorough grooming some other evening. The horse was still eyeing him, but seemed to be relaxing more and more under his touch. Clark allowed his fingers to move off the neck and down the nearer side.

About halfway down, the horse whinnied and shifted away.

“What? What is it?” asked Clark, puzzled. He went forward and patted its neck again. The horse quieted.

“Hmmm.” Clark took a few steps back to look at the area where he’d been touching when the horse shied. There, about in the middle of the ribcage and a tad closer to underbelly than back, were a set of scored lines like scars. They seemed a little high and far too straight for stirrups to rub them. Clark knew about stirrups because enough horses being ridden had passed through the village for him to observe them and their function. But what were these marks, then?

“Spurs,” said Glib when Clark asked. The wizard had finally decided that it was time for another try with the horse the very day after Clark noticed the marks. “They’re sharp things that attach to boots when you’re riding. Nobles use them when they really want a horse to go fast. Sometimes they use them too much and they leave scars.”

“Will I have to use them?” asked Clark, eyeing the marks nervously.

“One thing at a time, student of mine,” Glib replied. “You are a long way from going fast enough to need such things. Now, let’s see how you get on with him today.”

Cautiously, Clark approached the horse, who he could have sworn was glaring at him but let him come near anyway. He stroked its neck and back, and it actually dropped its head a little so that it could still see Glib but didn’t have to have Clark in full view.

Clark glanced back at the wizard. Glib was missing eyebrows again, as they had been swallowed up by his forehead wrinkles. His mouth was agape as well.

“He seems to like me better today,” Clark said apologetically.

Glib blinked, but he still seemed far away. “Well, it seems you’re just a little bundle of surprises,” he muttered. He sounded so annoyed that Clark almost stepped backwards.

“What?”

The pleasant old man was back so fast Clark felt he must have imagined the previous mood. “Perhaps we’ve caught the beast in a good humor,” he said with a toothless smile. The horse tossed its head, as if he’d understood this. Glib shuffled backwards, and added, “We should take advantage of this while it lasts. There’s the horse’s bridle over there. Go and get it, and we’ll see what we can accomplish.”

Only the next day Clark was sitting on the horse, saddled and bridled. He felt about ten feet off the ground, and it was all he could do not to clutch the front of the saddle.

“Sit tall, boy,” Glib commanded from the edge of the clearing. He had elected to stand as far away as he could while still within speaking distance. When he’d tried to assist Clark in lengthening the stirrups from their absurdly high positions, the horse had nearly taken out a chunk of his arm. But it no longer seemed to mind Clark at all.

“Pick up the reigns, but don’t clench them in your hands. You lose control that way,” instructed Glib. Clark did so, still feeling like an invader in sacred territory. Peasants didn’t ride horses, it just wasn’t done.

“Now, press your legs against the horse’s sides. He’s expecting it; he’ll move. That’s your command. Use your legs to tell him how fast you want to go, and your hands on the reigns to tell him where. Always remember, you are in control, not the animal. You know best. The moment you relinquish that power, you might as well be back on the ground.” When Clark didn’t move, Glib said irritably, “Well, go on, boy!”

How it happened, Clark never knew. By some instinct, he nudged the horse forward and away they went. First a walk, then a trot. Clark’s muscles seemed to already know what to do to stay in balance and guide the horse. He rapidly lost his uncertainty as he urged the horse faster and faster. He heard the wizard screech something at him but he didn’t care. This was surprisingly easy, for the first time in too long he felt sure of himself. He could go anywhere on a horse’s back. The horse seemed to share his enthusiasm, and for a time both of them forgot about everything but the rush of speed.

Clark could feel when the horse was growing tired. He nudged and pulled back gently, and the world came back into focus with a bump. He was sitting in the middle of Glib’s clearing. He’d never left. But where was the wizard? Clark twisted around to look.

Glib was leaning against a tree. He looked a little pale and was clutching at his heart, but he seemed more resigned than frightened. Clark nudged his mount into a gentle walk, remembering to pull up far enough out of range that the horse couldn’t bite.

“What on earth did you think you were doing?” Glib demanded in a strangled voice.

“Is something wrong?”

“Wrong?” Glib repeated. His tone rose higher until it was almost shrill. “Wrong? You ask me…when I’ve never seen…such horsemanship in all my life…” He trailed off into a series of slightly strangled noises.

“Are you all right? Do you need some water?” asked Clark. He suppressed a grin. It sounded very much as though practical Claire Tenek had taken over her son’s mouth for an instant.

“No. No. I shall be fine. But…” He squinted at Clark suspiciously. “Are you quite certain you’ve never ridden a horse before?”

“Quite certain,” Clark replied, in the noble’s voice he’d been practicing.

Glib managed a shaky smile. “Well done. But I think that’s enough for today. Get down now, and I’ll tell you how to care for a horse once you’ve ridden it. A good noble must know these things, but usually has grooms actually perform the tasks. In this case, we must make an exception as there are only the two of us.” He started towards the cave, then noticed that Clark hadn’t obeyed as he usually did. “Well, what are you waiting for, boy?”

“Ah…Honored Wizard, is it permitted to ask a question?”

“I suppose,” Glib replied with a sigh, clearly bracing himself.

“How exactly do you ‘get down?’”

--

Much faster than Clark would have liked, the wizard proclaimed him ready.

“Ready for what?”

“Just when I thought I’d broken you of the impertinent questions,” said Glib.

Clark dodged the flick so fast that Glib blinked. “You learn far too quickly for me,” grumbled the wizard. “I mean, you are ready to begin your gallant quest. And yes, I shall tell you what that quest is,” he snapped when Clark opened his mouth.

“Your task is this: you are to journey to the castle of the Evil Overlord.”

“The Overlord’s castle? You mean, the Overlord of Drákon?”

Glib tapped his foot irritably, and Clark remembered himself. “My apologies. Please continue.”

“Better. You shall go disguised as a noble, for the sole purpose of slaying the Overlord and freeing the land from his line’s tyranny forever!”

For once, Clark could think of no immediate questions. He’d lived under the Evil Overlords his entire life, though they had always seemed impossibly distant. The local Legions of Terror garrison was the highest form of authority most of the village was even aware of. Sure, the older residents still told tales of the times the fortieth Overlord had come north to inspect the Northern Legion and inflicted unspeakable terror into the populace, but that had all ended over ten years ago. The current Overlord had always seemed…disinterested, at best. No one in the north had ever seen him, since he had never been considered a serious contender for the throne until the unexpected death of Overlord Daros and his two eldest sons.

Clark thought back. He remembered the day a contingent of the Legions of Terror had ridden into the village to proclaim the accession of the forty-first Overlord. He thought he’d been about seven or eight years old then. There had been a lot of bellowing by a big man on a horse, who then left behind a notice posted to a tree for the village to read. It gave a brief account of recent events in the capital, ending in block letters with LONG LIVE OUR ILLUSTRIOUS OVERLORD ORDARNIS. Clark remembered that clearly, because he’d had to ask Claire the meaning of ‘illustrious.’ He also remembered she’d gone around that day as if a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She’d made a special pie to celebrate that night, without really giving a clear reason for such extravagance.

The terror of potential royal visits had faded over the years for the villagers. There had been too many other mundane things to take care of to really excite much speculation about why their new young Overlord never cared to personally look over the wilder reaches of his domain. It was simply a cause for universal local relief.

The terror had stopped for them, but perhaps it hadn’t for the rest of the country. Perhaps the realm was suffering from neglect, or even repression. Glib seemed so positive of Ordarnis’ tyranny. And it was a fixed purpose. Perhaps a destiny, even.

Glib’s voice brought him back to the cave. “No questions? I am impressed. This proves without a doubt you are ready.”

“If you say so,” Clark agreed, his thought still mostly elsewhere.

“Of course, I do not send you without a secret weapon.”

Clark’s ears pricked at ‘secret weapon.’ Glib laughed. “Ah, now I see I have your complete attention. With this talisman in your possession, you cannot fail to slay the Overlord. But you must first obtain it. It lies in a cave several days’ ride from here, over the border in Drákon. The place is remote, but I will give you directions to it. What you will face inside it, however, I cannot say. I have faith that you can overcome whatever the challenge is. When you have obtained this talisman, come back here, and I shall tell you how you are to enter the Overlord’s castle.”

He gave Clark directions and even generously packed a bag of provisions while Clark readied his horse, whom he had decided to call Venture. It struck him as a suitably noble and heroic name. When he mounted, he felt he could accomplish anything. As he rode into the trees, he thought he heard a strange noise like a laugh behind him. But when he turned, the clearing was lost from sight, and he easily forgot it in his excitement.

“… but really the most important thing about Camilla is--”

“That I have to let her come to the conclusion we want her to by herself,” Baldor finished. “Jade, you’re babbling.”

“I’d just like to reiterate my opinion that this is a bad idea,” Jade stated, and Baldor noticed that she was dragging her feet just a bit more. Baldor grabbed her arm and pulled her forward towards Camilla’s room. They didn’t have any more time for delays.

“Unfortunately we’re out of options,” Baldor said. “I am never, ever going to get that ballroom cleaned up and decorated in time without a miracle. According to you, your sister can supply said miracle.”

“Maybe,” Jade said for what felt like the millionth time to Baldor, who couldn’t really deal in ‘maybes’ right now. “I don’t know what she did. It might not even be possible to do it here.”

“I don’t care about ‘what ifs’ right now,” Baldor said, stopping in front of Camilla’s room and swinging Jade around so she was facing him. “I care about asking. So go ask!”

“Fine,” Jade muttered, straightening out her dress and turning to the door. “But you had better let me do the talking.”

“I’ll do whatever I have to to get a ‘yes,’” Baldor declared. “Short of risking the security of this fortress, of course.” Jade rolled her eyes at his disclaimer and rapped on her sister’s door. It opened a moment later to reveal the golden and stunning figure of Princess Camilla of Danesea.

“Jade,” she said pleasantly, beaming at her younger sister. Than her blue eyes turned to Baldor and the widened in what he could only describe as absolute joy. “Oh Jade! Is this him?! Is this your suitor?”

“Suitor?” Baldor repeated as Jade flushed bright red.

“Oh, no. No, he’s not my suitor, Camilla. This is--”

“Lord Baldor of Gyvrea,” Baldor said with a flippant bow. “Steward of this lovely castle, at your service.”

“Oh,” Camilla said shyly as she held out her hand and curtsied. Baldor leaned forward and gently brushed his lips against her hand. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“While it grieves me to say this, I am afraid that I am in need of your help, dear lady,” Baldor said as he straightened up. He motioned to Camilla’s room. “May I?”

“Yes, of course,” Camilla said, stepping aside to allow them into the room. “Although I don’t know how much help I could be.”

“I think you may be just what I’m looking for,” Baldor said. “If the tales your sister has told me about your brilliance are even remotely close to the truth.”

Camilla blushed. “Well, perhaps. I’ve never known Jade to spin wild tales.”

Baldor glanced at Jade and raised an eyebrow, not believing that statement for a moment. Jade glared back and took control of the situation, as she had said she would earlier.

“Camilla, when we were younger, do you remember how you cleaned up the dinning room after that incident?” Jade asked.

“Me? Clean?” Camilla asked, blinking her wide eyes in confusion.

“Remember?” Jade pressed, giving Baldor a worried glance. Suddenly he wondered if he was about to hear a very embarrassing story. Camilla shook her head.

“I was upset with the Oes Ambassador’s son so I put a slab of raw meat in his pants and set some of the hunting dogs after him?”

“Oh, yes,” Camilla said gravely, glancing over at Baldor, who was now red in the face from trying not to laugh. Fortunately Camilla seemed to believe that he was embarrassed about hearing about a Princess acting in such a fashion. “Jade always did have a bit of a rebellious spirit--”

“The dogs chased him into the dinning hall and ruined the entire place setting for that night,” Jade interrupted.

“Jade was practically in tears when she found me,” Camilla confided in Baldor. “She felt really bad about what had happened and wanted to clean it up before anyone noticed. I offered to take care of it for her.”

“When I arrived in the hall for dinner, the place looked perfect again,” Jade finished. “I don’t really know how you did it, Camilla. It was a miracle.”

“Oh, really, it was nothing,” Camilla said, practically beaming with pride. “But, I still don’t see how I could be of any help.”

“Well, you see, my dear, we’re having a bit of a ball here at the fortress,” Baldor explained. “And every member of our serving staff is working their hardest to get everything ready, but I’m afraid we’re a little short-staffed. I believe that we’ll never get the ballroom done in time.”

“And you want me to help you get it ready?” Camilla asked.

“If it’s not too much trouble,” Baldor agreed.

“Well, I’d have to ask,” Camilla mused. “But I’m sure it wouldn’t be.”

“Thank yo-- wait? Ask?” Baldor repeated.

Camilla gave him a shy smile. “Of course. You don’t expect me to do this on my own, do you? Now, Jade and I will get everything ready. Could you meet us in the ballroom in an hour with everything you need to clean it up and decorate it?”

“Um, you know, maybe we had better rethink this,” Baldor said. “Since you’re going to be asking for help and all--with security, and…”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Baldor,” Jade said, grabbing his arm and leading him back to the door. “Honestly, you worry too much.” She lowered her voice. “I promise I won’t let a security issue get into the castle, but we should at least see who she gets for help. It must be something useful if she can call on it for help both here and in Danesea.”

“But…” Baldor started to argue, but he didn’t get a chance as he found himself outside Camilla’s room.

“Well see you in an hour,” Jade said sweetly before the door closed in his face.

“Thanks, Jade,” Baldor said to the door. “But you know, if I wanted to die, I would just attack Ordarnis outright.”

Sighing, Baldor went to do as he said. He recruited a couple of guards who were off duty to help him fill buckets with soap and water, collect rags, mops and brooms, and gather all of the decorations in the ballroom. Throughout the first half of the hour, he prayed, begged and pleaded to any higher power willing to listen that Ordarnis did not notice what was going on. Of course, on some level, Baldor knew better than that.

“What are you doing?”

Baldor looked up from his list of things they still needed to see Ordarnis at the entrance to the ballroom. Torsten stood at his side, looking very nervous. “Ah, there you are,” Baldor said. “I was wondering when you were going to come snooping.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Ordarnis said.

“I should think that it’s obvious,” Baldor said. “I’m getting the ballroom ready to be cleaned and decorated.”

“Why?” Ordarnis asked. “I’ve seen your progress reports. You’re nowhere near ready to take the staff off their other duties to do this. In fact, I doubt that you’ll ever be ready.”

“Don’t get mad, but…” Baldor trailed off as a distinctly dangerous glint appeared in Ordarnis’ eye.

“That is a very bad way to start a sentence,” the Overlord said softly.

Baldor took a deep breath. He would get this over with quickly in hopes that Ordarnis would be just as considerate with his death. “Jade was telling me about this time with the Oes Ambassador’s son and how she put meat in his pants and sent dogs after him and the dogs chased him into the dining room wrecked the dinner table, so Jade went to Camilla for help and the she was able to clean up the room somehow, so I thought that Camilla would be able to help us with cleaning up our ballroom but then she said she was going to ask for help and Jade promised she wouldn’t let anything bad into the castle and-” Baldor paused for a breath. “And, um, well, here we are… I… guess.”

Ordarnis groaned and lifted a hand to rub at his temple. “You were planning on having a team of guards lying in wait in case anything did go wrong, right?”

“Right,” Baldor agreed, even though he hadn’t been.

“Good,” Ordarnis said. “Torsten, why don’t you go select a handful of guards for this job and make sure they’re properly armed with crossbows, since Baldor seems to be spread a bit thin right now.”

“Yes, sir,” Torsten said.

“I’m going to see how Linwood is doing,” Ordarnis continued as he turned to leave, a squad of guards quickly flanking him. “I’ll see you both later.”

“Goodbye, sir,” Torsten said as Baldor waved. Once Ordarnis was gone, Baldor brought that hand up to his face and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Baldor…”

“That girl has everyone in this castle wrapped around her finger,” Baldor grumbled. “Including him.”

“Especially him,” Torsten said. Startled, Baldor looked up at Torsten, who acted as though he hadn’t said that.

“You’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with this job since you killed Duldr,” Baldor observed.

“Weirith killed Duldr,” Torsten corrected. “I just became trustworthy. Now, how long do we have until Jade and her sister get here?”

“About twenty minutes,” Baldor said.

“Than I had better hurry,” Torsten said, nodding to Baldor before leaving the ballroom. He returned fifteen minutes later, alone. However, Baldor didn’t doubt for a second that the guards were already in position within the secret passages that went around the entire ballroom.

“So, any idea on what we’re about to see?” Torsten asked.

“None whatsoever,” Baldor replied as the door opened again. This time it was Jade, and she quickly jumped out of the way of the entrance and off to the side so she could hold the door open.

“Alright, this way, single file, no pushing,” Jade called into the hallway. Baldor stretched his neck forward to see who she had brought. A mouse ran into the ballroom. It was soon followed by several more mice, and then, rats.

“Ah!” Baldor yelled, raking his hands through his hair. “Rats! In my--! Rats!” Torsten made a small motion with his hand, probably ordering the guards to hold their fire, although Baldor couldn’t imagine why. There were rats in the ballroom! The ballroom they were supposed to be cleaning.

The rats were soon followed by rabbits and ferrets and squirrels and chipmunks and then birds! And then deer! Baldor couldn’t believe his eyes as he watched the animals flock to the center of the ballroom around the supplies. Camilla came in last. She was dressed down in a simple outfit. Well, simple by her standards, meaning that Jade might wear something like it to an afternoon of tea party with someone important. Two birds fluttered over to her, the ends of an apron held in their beaks. They situated the apron around her waist and tied it.

“Thank you,” Camilla said to the birds, who whistled at her before landing on her shoulder. “Alright,” she said firmly, clapping to get the animals attention. “We have a lot of work to do. This whole room needs to be cleaned and decorated. Now, get to work.” The animals stared at her as if they weren’t sure what to do. One of the birds chirped and Camilla flushed. “Oh, yes, of course. How silly of me. Would you like to start?”

If birds could look proud, that little one was beaming with it and he flew up into the air and let out a shrill of chirps that almost seemed to have a tune to it.

“Come, come along and sing a song

While we work all day

Come, come along and sing a song

To chase the work away.”

Baldor gaped at Camilla. Was she actually singing? He didn’t have too much time to worry about that as all of the animals lunged forward and grabbed a hold of the cleaning instruments. They scattered throughout the ballroom and started to clean it.

“Grab a dust pan, mop and broom,

Shine those floors until they bloom

With a perfect, polished, shinning light

That blinds me!

Come, come along and sing a song

While we work all day

Come, come along and sing a song

To chase the work away.”

“Jade…” Baldor whispered as the younger princess made her way to stand next to him and Torsten. Camilla was following the animals about the room, directing them to either work harder or to fix something they were doing wrong.

“Hmm?” Jade asked.

“Can you…” he waved at the animals, “do this?”

“In theory, I suppose, since all Princesses can use their voices to call on animals for help, especially with cleaning,” Jade explained. “But I don’t know how much good it would do, since I tend to attract toads and snakes and those kinds of animals.

“Take the dusters way up high

Way up high into the sky

Use the feathers to trap the dust

That makes me cry!

Come, come along and sing a song

While we work all day

Come, come along and sing a song

To chase the work away.”

The room was actually clean. It looked the way it did this time last year, after almost the entire staff had spent the day cleaning it. Baldor was amazed and shocked. This was absolutely wonderful! He couldn’t help it. He started laughing. This was almost too good to be true.

“Seize up the decorations

Weave them all around

Make this room so beautiful

Like a stunning sound!”

At Camilla’s call, the animals picked up the decorations that had been laid out and started to distribute them across the room. Soon the ballroom was more than beautiful and clean, it was stunning. Baldor couldn’t get over how good it looked, or how fast Camilla and her animal companions had managed to get it done.

“Come, come along and sing a song

While we work all day

Come, come along and sing a song

To chase the work away!”

Camilla finished her song as all of the animals crowded back to the center of the room. “Oh!” she gasped, looking at their handiwork. “How wonderful! You all did a marvelous job!”

“Camilla,” Baldor said with a bow. “I am in your debt. I don’t know how I shall ever thank you for this.”

Camilla flushed with pride. “Oh, it was nothing, Lord Baldor, I was happy to help.” She glanced at Torsten. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“Lieutenant Torsten,” he replied with a nod.

“Are you Jade’s mysterious suitor?” Camilla asked, causing Jade to choke.

Torsten merely shook his head. “I’m afraid not, Princess.”

“Oh,” Camilla sighed. “Well, I’m sure I’ll meet him soon.”

“Right, very soon,” Jade agreed, steering Camilla away from Baldor and Torsten and back to the door. “But now, don’t you think we should get your friends back out into the wild?”

“Oh, of course!” Camilla said. “Come along!” she called to the animals before drifting out the door, humming the chorus of her song to herself as she went. The animals all seemed too eager to follow her and soon they were all gone, even the rats. Once they were all out, Jade moved to follow.

“Jade,” Baldor said, calling her back. “What’s this about a suitor?”

The princess turned bright red. “Um, well… you see…”

Several hours later Baldor lay on the floor of the ballroom, staring up at all the work that had been done. That was an immense weight off his shoulders, and Baldor couldn’t help but feel relieved as he stared up at the decorations that promised he wouldn’t have to worry about the ballroom anymore.

“How…”

Baldor lifted his head to see Ordarnis at the doorway, staring at the clean and decorated ballroom in disbelief. “Hello,” Baldor greeted.

“How?” Ordarnis repeated. “This room always takes a few days to do and requires most of the staff. How did you do it in a few hours with no one?”

“Torsten hasn’t told you yet?” Baldor asked.

“He said I’d be happier not knowing,” Ordarnis muttered.

“Would you let it go if I said the same thing?” Baldor asked, thinking about the rats.

“I suppose,” Ordarnis said. “But I can’t say I’m happy about it.”

Baldor shrugged. Ordarnis wouldn’t be happy either way. “Did you know Jade told her sister that you were courting her?”

“What?” Ordarnis demanded, which Baldor took to mean ‘no’.

“Back when she first arrived, Jade needed help on getting you to hold up your end of the bargain,” Baldor explained. “She went to Camilla and told her that she had a suitor instead of the truth.”

“Smart,” Ordarnis mused. “Camilla probably wouldn’t have believed or understood the real reason.”

“I figured you’d see it that way,” Baldor yawned as he got to his feet. “I just didn’t want to run the risk of you getting jealous later if you happen to run into Camilla and she asks you if you’re Jade’s suitor.”

“Why would I be jealous?” Ordarnis asked. Baldor studied the Overlord, to make sure he was actually as confused as he sounded. Suddenly Baldor began to wonder if he and Torsten were the only ones who had figured this out.

“Oh, about her keeping something from you,” Baldor said, waving his hand dismissively.

“Envious,” Ordarnis corrected.

“What?”

“You mean that I would be envious of Jade keeping things from me.”

“That’s what I said.”

“You said jealous.”

“Did I? I guess that in itself proves how tired I am,” Baldor said, clapping a hand on Ordarnis’ shoulder. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Ordarnis replied, after flinching away from the hand, and Baldor knew that the Overlord didn’t buy his ‘I didn’t know what I was saying’ act. Oh well, at the very least it would give Ordarnis something to think on.

Authors' Note: Really, there's no excuse for taking so long. We've both been crazily busy, and now this next chapter is taking forever to write. So for you, dear readers, we're posting earlier than usual. Enjoy.