In My Possession

Chapter 18-I stole your Shampoo

I woke up the next morning way too early due to a suprise breakfast date with Nathan. When the manservant had come to tell me I was like a bear being woken in the middle of hibernation-Furious. It was only eight for crying out loud! I let Jean sleep, one of us might as well rest. I blidnly grabbed a t-shirt and jeans, stuffing my feet into some shoes. Looks wise I only took enough time to wash my face and brush my teeth. Applying a little concealor for some stubborn zits on my chin. Feeling slightly mroe awake I headed thourhg the ornate halls and down onto to the patio.

Surprisingly the table wasn't set, nor was Nathan there. I turned to a passing servant to ask them where they were but they answerd before I could speak.

"Breakfast is in the courtyard this morning." The maid said pleasantly, giving me a short bow and then hurrying away.

"Courtyard, right." I said aloud, wondering where that could be. No doubt it would be outside but the property was just too big to search. I knew I could have asked someone for directions but I wanted to put off seeing Nathan. I carefully made my way into the gardens, following a path made of stepping stones that led me through a maze of roses, deliahs, poppies and clementines. Nancy had been really into her flowebed and I had spent many saturday's helping her weed and care for her plants.

I wondered for another ten minutes before I stumbled unto an enclosed clearing-the courtyard. Walking thorught the entrance in between two hedges I made no apology for my tardiness but simply sat down at a brass table, Nathan fumin across from me.

"You were supposed to be here twenty mintes ago." He said slowly, trying to control his frustration. His left fist clenched and unclenched.

"I got lost." I said simply, puring my self some orange juice from the nearby pitcher. I watched NAtahn cooly over the brin of my cup as I took a sip.

"Whatever." He muttered, gesturing to the attendent to uncover the food. I took a moment to absorb my surroundings. The courtyard was about a hundred square feet, surroundmy hedges with a fountain in each corner. We sat at the center under a large, brass gazebo shaped to look like roses where climbing up the sides. Altogether it was quite pretty and our small table was crowded with allthe breakfast foods a girl could want. Pastries, toast, eggs-cooked every way, pancakes, french toast, breakfast sandwhiches, fresh fruit, and in the middle of the table was minautre fountain that had hot chocolate streaming out instead of water.

I laughed in delight and immidiantley bent forward with a mug to capture some of the creamy liquid. Nathan was carefully dissecting a pieac of ham, looking bored as he slowly place each bite into his mouth.

"I guess this isn't unusual for you." I commented when I noticed his lack of enthusiasm.

"Actually, I don't often get this kind of buffet. I'm more of a cold cereal type of person. BUt I'm so glad you took the time to sterotype me." He responded in an annoyed tone.

I didn't respond, knowing I'd just start a fight with him. Instead, I chattered to the attendent, asking him what his favorties were and life at the palace was like. He was a humble and good natured man and I enjoyed talking to him although Nathan grew more sullen as the conversation went on wihtout him.

The rest of the week went by without incident. I went on  a date every day with a different son. We would go boating on the lake, watch a movie in the their theatre room, or go into the city for a round of minigolf. For the most part I didn't mind. The activities were fun and when Caleb and I went to a nearby amusement park I got to bring Jean and her butler friend too.

The only down side was the homeshcool course they had made for me. I no longer took math or science but had heavy courses in the History of Adamar. In english I focused on how to write speeches or letters to foreign royalty and how to speak to visiting dignataries. The most dull of a the classes however was Politics. For three hours everday I learned about Adamars government and how to run it. I started sitting in on the meetings that the King and Queen had with the prime minister and other major officers. I spent one veyf boring day going over the finances of Adamar, resulting in me beating my head against the table as the instructor droned on about calculations, taxes and tarriffs. This was my 'light' schooling, after I was married I would participate in much more demanding classes. More and more I was aondering if I could put offf marrying for a couple years.

Jean didn't seem to mind my busy schedule, she spent her time either watching t.v., flirting with the servants or with the Queen looking over the crown jewels, a sight I had stil yet to see. The queen had been very distant to me. Whenever the King saw me he would roar a greeting and ask me about my studies. The Queen, on the other hand, would say she would love to chat but had to go somewhere. I had never figured out why she had ran off crying during my testing and when I aksed about it Ethan shrugged. "I don't understand anything my mom does."

There was one class that I enjoyed though. Every other night, Howard would come to my room and escort me to the gym where he locked the doors witha flick of his hand and instructed me the art of magic. At first he started out with a lecture on the nature of magic.

"Unlike the fooligh folklore of today suggests, magic does not come from a wand, amulet or even us, but from nature. You and I can summon nature's power nad manipulate it with our mind. We are nothing but conduits for the spirit of the earth."

It had all sounded very wiccan like and voodoo to me until he taught me some basic tricks. I learned how to levitate objects, sending small objects speeding towards my teacher who would duck in annoyance. I learned how to turn electrical devices on and off with my mind. I couldn't believe the thigns I was doing although they weren't that impressive as Howard reminded me.

"You are doing mothing but parlor tricks!" He yelled, willing me to form a rock out of nothing. "You must concentrate! See the rock in your mind and will it into being!"

"I can't concentrate when you're yelling at me!" I would object which would result in a another scolding about talking back to my elders. I learned to grit my teeth and ignore him as I practiced honing my skill.

And then the day came when Jean had to leave. Howard had said Jean could only stay for two weeks and she'd been there eighteen days, a result of me promising to wrok harder on my magic if she could stay just one more day. Or Two. Or three. But eventually Howard had put his foot down and demanded Jean return home.

"It's going to be so wierd going back to school." She siad as she folded up her clothes and laid them neatly in her suitcase.

"I'm gonna miss you."

"I know, I'll miss you too. Who am I gong to hang out wiht at school? Be my wingman when I"m trying to hut on boys."

"Jean, there are probaly about ten boys at our school and their all in relationships." I reminded her, rolling onto my stomach and staring at the ceiling of my bedroom.

"You know I could steal any of them away if I wanted to." She siad confidentetly.

"Oh, I"m sure." I said sarcastically and Jean whipped me with her scarf, making me giggle.

"Come on, help me carry my things to the car." She said, zipping shut her bag and handing it to me. It was unnessecary though. THe minute we stepped out in the hall five servants offered to help us with our bags. And so we walked down unburdened to the car.

"Cammie do you think they'l mind that I took their shampoo from the shower?" SHe asked under her breath. I laughed.

"Yout took the shampoo? It's not a hotel!" I siad smiling.
"It's not like they cna't afford to get a new one, their royalty!" She defended herself, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And now they will have greasy hair." I siad in mock solumnity. Jean smiled ruefully and reached out to hug me. I embraced her fiercly and then reluctantly let her go, opening the car door for her.

"I'll see you soon Cammie! They can't keep me away forever!" She declared sticking her arm out the widnow, she shook her fist at the palace as she drove away.