Chapter Eight

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 Tommy slept under one of the beds again, forgetting that last time there had been no way until the doors were unlocked in the morning. As soon they were open, he snuck out as quickly as possible. He had disappeared from work again, and he had a distinct feeling that Roy might actually fire him this time.

 Once he had hidden the flower and pulled his shoes back on, he realized how tired he was. He had been with the princesses all night, and floor under the bed had been very uncomfortable. Perhaps if he just lay down for a little while, he would feel all right and could get back to work. But as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was fast asleep, and in his dreams, he saw Princess Kobra.

~~~~~~

 "Well, it's about time you woke up."

 Tommy opened his eyes wider. Roy was watching him from his bed on the opposite side of the room.

 "How long have I been asleep for?" Tommy asked.

 "Hours. The sun's going down now. Imagine my surprise when I got back here to find you suddenly reappeared, asleep in your bed, as if nothing happened. Whatever you were off doing must have made you rather tired."

 Tommy sighed. "I'm sorry I was-"

 "Are you sorry?" Roy cut in. "Are you? Because you don't seem to have a problem with disappearing on me. You know, I actually like you, kid. Sure, I don't know where you came from or why you came here, but it's been good having you around. I'd be sorry to get rid of you."

 "Are you really going to fire me?"

 "Anyone else would. How can I rely on you if you're going to just disappear like that? I can't have someone like that working for me."

 "It's Tommy."

 "What?"

 Tommy took a deep breath. "My name is Tommy. I grew up on a farm a long way away from here. I left home because I thought I could be an adventurer, which was completely stupid of me. On the night before the day I arrived in this city, I had a dream. I'm meant to do something here. And that's all I can tell you without you thinking I'm a madman."

 He waited for a reply. Roy stared at him, unblinking, and then closed his eyes.

 "You know what, kid?" he said. "Tommy, I mean. I actually believe you. And you probably shouldn't tell me anything else. You know, all I ever wanted to know was your name. Your real name, not some nickname."

 "I know. But Roy, can you please just call me Tommy when we're alone? I...feel like I shouldn't say who I really am just yet."

 Roy sighed. "Fine. Now, why don't you go to the kitchens? You must be hungry, and I'm sure they'll take pity on you and give you some food."

 "All right. Thank you for not firing me."

 He nodded. "Sure. But you had better be here for work tomorrow, or I might give it some extra thought."

~~~~~~

 Princess Kobra didn't look Stargazer in the eye that morning as he greeted them, and he in turn didn't look at her. They hadn't said a word to each other since that afternoon in the garden. When Roy himself was there to greet them the morning before, she knew he had followed them there again. So, she wasn't surprised at all in see in her bouquet a little branch with golden leaves this time, just like the ones in one of the forests they walked through every night.

 Kobra quite honestly didn't know what to do. The gardener hadn't come forward with what he knew, and he hadn't accepted her money. It was like he was deliberately trying to torment her.

 She decided to go speak to Roy after breakfast. Perhaps he could tell her something about this mysterious young man.

 He happened to be walking past when she hurried out of the gardens. When he saw her, he smiled and gave a quick bow. "Good day, Your Highness."

 "Good morning. I must speak with you about something important."

 "Very well. May I ask what it is?"

 "It is about this assistant of yours, the one who calls himself the Stargazer."

 Roy's smile disappeared. "Him? Well, what about him?"

 "I want you to tell me about him," Kobra said. "Whatever you know, anything you know about him."

 The gardener seemed truly at a loss for words. He stood there silently, apparently unable to think of anything to say.

 "Well?" she snapped.

 "I-I'm sorry, Your Highness. I was merely surprised by the question. I'm afraid I only know very little about him. He calls himself Stargazer because it was a name given to him when he was younger, and I believe he comes a long way away from here."

 "And is that all you know?"

 He nodded, staring down at the ground. "That is all I know."

 She sighed. "Thank you, Gardener."

 She slowly walked away, getting the feeling that, for the first time ever, Roy had lied to her.

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