The Strings in the Shadows

Chapter. Three- In which Kitchen Boy meets Shadow

"Huh?" Now he was the one not listening. He'd started to tune out her voice near the end.

"Show me where you found this!" She waved the notebook in his face, like he'd forgotten it was there. "Maybe Macintosh left another notebook, or a message, or something else!"

"Oh. Right," Jack mumbled. He didn't really want to show the lady his favorite reading spot. As soon as he did, she'd probably kick him out to have the spot for herself. Jack sighed. The way she was holding the book so tightly, he'd probably never get to read it. Not that he wanted to anymore. A book by some crazy engeneer didn't really appeal to him. "You really like this mechanik stuff, lady?" He said to change the subject.

"Of course I-," The girl's animated face became guarded and suspious, like she just remembered she was talking to someone she just met, and a lower class servant to boot. "A small hobby, one that I hope you will keep to yourself." Her expressionless face had returned.

"Yes, lady, I will," Jack replied. Inside he wondered, why was the Ghost lady keeping a likeing of machines secret?

They sat in an uncomfortable silence as the noble flipped reverantly theough the notes by this supossed great inventor. Technically speaking, it was impolite for one of lower bearing to leave first without permission from nobility, so Jack was trapped thirty feet above ground. Somehow he sensed impoliteness would best be avoided with this noble girl. She felt strange to Jack, almost like she was a dragon sleeping comfortably upon a mountain of gold, ready to scorch anyone who came close and Jack was the intruder trying to steal her treasure.

"My name is Kaira," the noble said stiffly, in the robotic, polite tone peole get when they're reciting conversation starters, looking up from the book at Jack. "I realized I have yet to intruduce myself. This situation is hardly normal for me, half because people ussually know who I am, and half because we are talking in a tree. Though I suspect you guessed my identity." She seemed to be watching him closely.

Jack couldn't help grinning. He had guessed right, he was in the company of the Crown Prince's Shadow. "I think being a Shadow is one of the most amazing ways to live, Lady Kaira. Even though they are a tad..." Here he wanted to say creepy, but at the last second changed it to a better, less insulting word,"alarming, I think the tales of a Shadow's deeds are the funnest thing to read in history books. It's like every time a Shadow is involved, legendary history is made."

Jack saw no change in Kaira's face, but her voice seemed less cold as she said, "Oh? You're odd to think so. Most people see an assassin or a murderer when they see me or my family."

"Well... That's just a part of who you are, Lady. I bet you've got lots of different parts people can't see in a glance. You're probably a great dancer," Jack said before he could stop himself. He blushed as he immediantly mentally yelled at himself. A great dancer?!? What the hell was he thinking?! Was he flirting with a noble? He was! She wasn't some kitchen or dairy maid! She was the Crown Prince's cousin, practically royal herself, and he was a fatherless kitchen boy!

Kaira laughed, and Jack smiled weakly. At least she hadn,t taken offense, dunderhead! He continued to silently berate himself as she said,"Oh, if you've seen me dance! I'm graceful as a fighter, but in those stupid high heeled shoes my legs go jellier than blood pudding!" She laughed again.

The noble's laughter was infectuoiis, soon Jack was joining her. The Castle Bell rang out twice in the distance.

Kaira's head snapped up, her laughter dying. "I'm late. The guard change is coming. They'll see us!" Kaira started to climb down the tree so fast it seemed like she'd fallen of the branch they'd been sharing. "Come on, Jack! One of the guards is smarter than the others and always checks this tree for spies or people climbing over the wall!! We need to leave!"

The last thing Jack wanted were rumors about him and a Shadow sitting in a tree. At the very least, Lady Kaira's familiy would investigate him. That would mean, at least in Kaira's talented family, invisably stalking him, which woukd further mean he wouldn't be able to sneak into the library anymore. At the very worst, he'd be thrown in prison for assaulting a noble. Or possibily decapitated.

Jack noisily half-fell-half-climbed down from the oak tree. When he got to the bottom, he couldn't see Kaira. Great, he thought, just when she was acting like a normal person she took off.

"Jack!" A voice hissed. He turned in the direction and saw no one. "Hide! Now!" What he now recognized as Kaira whispered. He ran toward the tool shed he had previously discounted as a good hiding place. Spiders were nothing commpared to the alternative. After closing the shed door behind him, Jack counted to six hundred under his breath. He lost track a couple of times, but after roughly ten minutes had passed he caustiously opened the shed door.

When nothing happened, Jack stepped out, ready to run back to his apartment. He quickly realized he'd stepped on something and looked down. In the dirt was Mactintosh's notebook with what looked to be a note sticking out of it. Jack scooped the book up, stuffed it into his slightly-cobwebby apron pocket, shook out some spiders in his hair, aand began to carefully, but quickly, make his way back to his home. Once there, he opened the piece of paper he found in the notebook.

It read, in small, loopy letters:

Jack, thanks for letting me look at this. The guards will be in their guard houses in about a minute, and then it will be safe to go. I'm leaving Macintosh's book with you. It's not polite to take someone else's library book, although I suspect you probably took this from the library without telling anyone, didn't you? Don't worry, I won't tell.

I do have a favor to ask of you. Please don't climb the oak again. I don't want anyone to know I go up there, and you climb so noisily. You're like an elephant. Do you know what those are? They're big gray animals, big as a house, and they stomp around so loud they make the ground shake.

Oh, and Jack, you'll be seeing me soon. You didn't really think I'd be okay with never reading his notebook again, did you?

Kaira Wellington

Jack reread the note a few more times and smiled. From the hour he'd spent with her, he'd imagine the next time he saw her would be just as adventurous as before. He laid the note next to his other treasures on the window sill.

And he would try his utmost not to flirt this time.

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Looks like Jack's in over his head, huh? I did like having Kaira compare him. To an elephant, although Jack's more like a giraffe, tall and lean, but still capable of making lots of racket!

Peace out, Demigods!