"Please tell the Empress she has awaken," she heard a familiar voice say. Cynthia struggled to grasp the meaning of the words. But she knew not whom the Empress was waiting for to wake up. Her hand brushed to her cheek, where she felt a burning sensation, much like a sunburn. How did it get there?
"Cynthia. What happened?" said the entering Empress.
"Oooo!" Cynthia suddenly remembered it all. "My Empress, we have to hide the Queen of Chelestra! She is in danger! Hurry! The Seakings, they are planning a attack at dawn on the 20th of Mai!" (Mai is the way the spell the month May in IR) "At the Ford of . . . Of . . . . Of First Snow! The Ford of First Snow. There's going to be a sleighing party there! The Queen of Chelestra is scheduled to be on it! We must warn Patti! They found out she can see in the future! They want her bad" Cynthia was hysterical; therefore her always perfect grammar slumped.
"It's already been done. How did you happen upon us?" The girl ruler wanted to know.
Cynthia got a far away look on her face. "I . . . . I . . . . I was in a room! A room of red. My rose room in my lower palace. I had left my favorite covering there, and I went back to find it. I was suppose to be in my upper palace . . . . . And I guess they forced their way in there. I heard them talking, and I knew who they were. Tompa Goons and Trranin Veet. I hid . . . . I hid behind my sofa. I heard their plans, I heard all of them . . . " Cynthia looked up. "I tried to sneak off . . . . I tried to be as quiet as I could. But then, they stopped talking. They . . . . " She stopped. Her hand went to her cheek. "They hit me. I felt the force of his hand. It hurt so. O my, it hurt. I went to the stables and saddled Vienna, and . . . . I don't remember." Those last words were whispered in her silvery voice. "I . . I forget."
"Queen Cynthia, darling, you are in danger! Not just Queen Patti, but you also. Has your mind forgotten that you fond out the secrets?" Doni Lee exclaimed.
"O," it dawned upon her just like that. "What am I to do?" she asked quietly.
"Let me think of that, now I must go and tell Patti and wonderful idea I have just thought of!" Karen's face flushed as read as possible with secret knowledge.
"What?" Cynthia begged.
"Never you mind, this doesn't concern you or me," Karen said, whisking out of the room. Toebon-nea and the other lasses followed.
"Patti! Patti! I have a wonderful idea! It is my best one yet!!" Karen yelled throughout her palace. Her boots made a pounding heard all through the palace. Her girlish antics were well known, so no real worry was taken. Her lasses were running to keep up with her.
"Karen what is it? You are positively pink!" Patti laughed, putting her arm around her comrade’s waist.
"Why, it is perfect! You are going to go to Shamal's house, but why not marry him?" Karen said.
