The Princess Quest

Chapter 7: Birdsong

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"Would you please pay attention?" Roya said, exasperated, as she watched Calypso roll sushi on a wooden board.

"What? He doesn't look very threatening," said Calypso, indicating the servant boy. 

The boy nodded in her direction, and squirmed a bit in his chair. Roya had insisted that they tie him up, and question him.

"You said you'd question him, so question him. I said I was hungry, so I'm making food," said Calypso.

Roya sighed, and drew her dagger. She pointed it at the boy. "Who are you?," she asked, leaning forward a bit to accentuate her blade.

"Andrel Birdsong," the boy said, "and you don't need that. I'm not a spy,"

"Exactly what a spy would say," piped Calypso from the background. Roya gave her a look, and turned back around.

"What are you doing here?"

The boy looked guilty. "I was banished from Lyria for-um-reasons."

"What sort of reasons?" Roya asked.

The boy narrowed his eyes. "Private reasons"

"Are you an assassin?"

"No"

"A criminal?"

"No"

"How old are you?" Roya sighed, giving up.

"14," replied Andrel.

Roya cut the ropes, holding him to the chair. "You can stay," she said. She looked him up and down. He had white, freckled skin, short brown hair that was not brushed, and the sharpest ears Roya had ever seen, apart from hers.

"Hey, maybe he could help up us," said Calypso

"I refuse help from the likes of him," said Roya indignantly. 

Andrel looked offended. "Excuse me, but I happen to be very smart. And I'm good at reading people. You seem to be stubborn, slightly stuck up, and have a passion for alchemy. You," he pointed at Calypso, "are a passionate peacekeeper."

"How did you know I like alchemy?" asked Roya, suspiciously.

"The way you were picking the blueberries. You made sure that the stems would stay completely intact, because blueberry stems are needed for healing potions. No one but an alchemist picks blueberries like that."

"Damn, he's good," said Calypso, obviously impressed. "He would be good to have on our team. He's alert and observant, and pretty smart."

"What are you guys talking about?" Andrel asked.

Roya and Calypso layed out all the details for him. "Count me in," said Andrel.

"Alright," said Calypso, "We need a horse tooth. Now, two of you are banned from Lyria, and there's no horses in Ocaelyn. Well, there's seahorses and kelpies, which would work, but according to our priests, if I ever step foot in Ocaelyn again, the kingdom is cursed. Which leaves one option."

"Miraelin," said Roya. They all looked at each other. It would be a dangerous journey. But they had no other choice. 

"Aright, lets do it," said Roya. "But we have to do the Acceptance Ceremony first. Or else we'll die remember?"

"Right," said Calypso. "We'll do it early in the morning. It won't have been twenty-four hours by then."

"Let's get some sleep," said Roya.

"Where will I sleep?" asked Andrel.

"Outside, or the floor," said Calypso. "I have a spare blanket," she went over to one of the old, termite-destroyed cupboard, pulled out a blanket, and tossed it at him. He grabbed it, and settled down on the floor by the fire. Roya and Calypso climbed into their respective beds. Roya thought about what her life would be like, if she hadn't been banished and almost assassinated. She would be living a normal life, completely oblivious to her surrounding world. Who knows, what if she had been the one to give Andrel's banishment order for whatever his "private reasons" were. She didn't want to think about it. She let herself fall into sleep.