(EyesOfAmethyst ugh. . . I'm so tired. . .)

And I lost him. Great. I kick at some dirt in anger. After trailing Clay for seven minutes, he some how seemed to vanish magically. I groan and rub my neck. Oh well. I guess I'll have to find out where he goes later. . . If I even want to know that story. Shaking my head, I begin my trek back to Dixie's house.

"Ow! Ugh stupid needle." I tell the needle I was holding. It getting close to nighttime, so I had decided to do some hemming and adjusting of clothes. When I got back to Dixie's, she had for some reason thought that I would need (or want) a corset. Apparently she had been out all day looking for one that would fit me, and after hearing that, I didn't have the heart to say no. I hate tight clothing. I really do. But Dixie guilt tripped me into taking it. I doubt I'll wear it, but I could at least try it on. There is one problem to this plan though. I had taken out the corset's pink ribbon and found a black one, but now I didn't know how to redo it. Good job Aira, you broke the present Dixie gave you! Great job!

I sigh and pull the needle through the pants I was hemming just as Amethyst walked in. Aira what are you doing? She asked. "

Nothing, just hemming these pants.

Oh you found some in your size?

I nod. "Yup, but they were ripped on the bottom when I got them so I have to hem them," A thought hit me. "Hey, do you know how to string a corset? The original ribbon was pink so I found a black one." It's not that I don't like pink. But Kate had said she wanted a pink ribbon so I thought why not? She nodded. "You have to put it on so I know how tight to set it." I obey, getting up and put on the corset. I felt Amethyst loop the ribbon into place and then felt a tight tug. I wince, but try to remain still. She loosened it and I let out a breath of relief.

"Hey Ari," I turn. "Did you lose weight? You look a lot thinner than you were when we first arrived here." I playfully punch her shoulder. "Are you saying I was fat when we got here?" She smirked and shook her head. I smile. "Yeah I have lost a few pounds because of training." Amethyst squealed happily and began speaking, but I spaced out. She really loves it here. . . She'll be so sad when we have to go.

"Wait, really?!" I say, shocked. I can't believe this. . . I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!! And after I told her not to fall in love!! I swear. . . That boy is dead meat. "I was just joking. . . I'M GOING TO KILL CHASE!!" I declare loudly. I promptly stood, ran out the door, and started my mission on finding Chase. I checked the guard tower. Nope. I checked the library. Nope. I checked the tavern. Nopety nope nope. But I did get a clue from Mr. John. He said that Chase was usually at his house doing "lord business" on most days. After asking, he gave me directions to his house and I went on my way, thinking of which way I should kill him.

After a bit of walking, I found Chase's house. It was made out of red bricks, and was big but not overly large, with vines creeping up the sides of the walls. Stomping up to the door, I pounded on it, seething with rage. "Who is it?" Chase's muffled voice called from inside. "It's me, Aira!" "The door's open. Come on in if you want." Oh you will pay for making the mistake of letting me in! I think as I push open the door and come in. His house was nicely furnished, but I didn't stop to admire the decor. I practically flew up the stairs, mind set on finding Chase. Slamming open all the doors on the top floor, I finally found him.

He was in a small room with a large desk in the center of it, book cases crowding the back walls. He was sitting at the desk, pouring over a large stack of papers, thick books strewn around him. He glanced up briefly and I was surprised to see how much older and tired he looked. "Ah," he looked back down at his papers, uninterested. "From the slamming of the door, I'm assuming your here to kill me." He stated, signing a piece of paper and then picking up another one. "Yeah, um. Aren't you going to. . . You know run away or something?" I ask, angry subsiding. He shook his head, picking up another paper.

"Honestly being dead sounds more appealing right now. Besides, I have to do this or else Starry Night won't get any food from the neighboring villages. If you want to kill me, go ahead and do it. I'm already dead if I don't get this done." Well that's not fair. I think mildly disappointed. I couldn't fight him now. He looked so tired. What's the point of hurting him if he already looked half dead from stress? Sighing I step up to the desk and pick up one of the papers.

This month Quickgate has provided 23 boxes of soap, 17 barrels of oil, wine, ale, and cider each, 9 cows, 7 calfs, 3 pigs, and 6 sheep, two of which are pregnant. We would greatly appreciate it if you paid us accordingly for the provided merchandise. One box of soap is 6 gold, one barrel of oil 32 gold, one barrel of wine 21 silver, one barrel of ale 17 silver, one barrel of cider 52 copper. As for livestock, the cows are 37 gold each, 24 gold for a calf, 20 gold for a pig, and 19 gold for a sheep, but since two are pregnant, the pregnant sheep are 23 gold each. Please pay the full bill for all items. If you fail to pay in full, Quickgate will have no choice other then too break off its alliance to you.

                                         Best of luck,
                                       June Ambrose,     
                                     Lord of Quickgate.

What the heck? This is like some kind of confusing math problem! I remember having to do stupid problems like this for homework. I'm not the best at math and these kinds of problems really get me angry. I scoff and grab a spare sheet of paper and a pencil. I'm going to figure out this problem wether I like it or not! I really need to review my math. I'll really hate myself if I forget how to do this kinda stuff when we get home.

Chase's P.O.V

28 stalks of sugar cane, each of them are 41 copper each, so I need to pay, I glance at an open book of numbers besides me. 1,148 copper coins. I scratch that down on a sheet of paper. Geez, everything's getting more expensive. I rub my temples. Ugh. . . This is going to take forever. . . Wish I had- "Can I have that?" A voice startled me out of my thoughts. I look up and see Aira pointing at the book of numbers. I glance down at the book and then back at her, confused.

"Why?"

"It has answers to math problems, right? Like 84 times 32?"

"Yeah."

"I need it."

". . . Why?"

"Because I do, can I just have it?!" She snapped, getting annoyed. I raise my hands in surrender and hand her the book. She took it and began flipping through the pages, muttering to herself. I try to go back to what I was doing, but I glance at her every now and then. She's mumbling to herself, looking down at the book, then a piece of paper, then scribbled something down on a different scrap of paper. After a bit she erased something and curse at herself then went back to the book. What's she doing? I pull the piece of paper towards me and read over it quickly.

Gold:
Cows
333

Sheep
76

Soap
###

She had scribbled something out. I tilted my head slightly, curious. What was she doing? Wait. . . I pull the other paper too me and read it. Hold on, this is the taxes for Quickgate! Is she doing it? Why? This doesn't concern her! I push back the papers, making sure she didn't notice I had looked at them. So she's doing these. . . Why? I swear this girl is confusing. . . One minute she wants to kill me, the next she's helping. Why couldn't she be more like Amethyst? Sweet, caring, not confusing Amethyst? I briefly remember our kiss. She's just so. . . I smile to myself. Aira looked up from the book and gave me a look. "Why are you smiling?" She demanded. I immediately drop the smile and go back to doing my pile of papers, mind whirling.

After about forty-five minutes, Aira let out a sigh, closed the book, and rubbed her head. "1,333 gold, 646 silver, and 884 copper." She said. "What?" "This," she shoved the paper at me. I take a hold of it and look.

Gold: Silver: Copper:

Cows. Wine. Cider.
333 357 884

Sheep. Ale
76 289

Soap
106

Oil
544

Pregnant sheep
46

Pig
60

Calf
168

Gold Silver Copper
1,333 646 884

The page was full of scribbles and eraser marks, but there it was. The entire payment for Quickgate. I lower the paper and raise an eyebrow out her. "Why did you do this? I thought you wanted to kill me." She stretched and cracked her neck. "What's the point if you want me too?" "You didn't answer why." She leaned against the desk, face close to mine. I felt my cheeks grow hot but don't turn away. "Does it matter?" She asked, unfazed by our closeness. My voice caught in my throat and I managed to nod. She tilted her head and stood up, looking at the pile of papers still left for me to do. She frowned. "I suppose I needed something to do," she selected another paper and held it up to her face. "Besides, it seems a bit unfair that your doing this all on your own." I took a deep breath and propped my elbows on the desk and put my head in my hands. "It's not supposed to be fair. I'm the Lord. It's my job to take care of everyone." She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Still. Your just a kid aren't you?"

I don't respond. It doesn't matter what my age is. It never matters. No one cares that I'm young. All they care and know about me is that I'm the lord. That's it. I doubt Aira even cares. She's probably just asking because she thinks I'm incompetent for the role of lord. Gah! If only Amethyst- I freeze. Did. . . Amethyst ever ask about my lordship? I don't think she. . . No she must have! She must have been concerned and asked me about my duties at some point! I try to remember a time where she seemed interested in my work but come up with nothing. No way. . . Has Amethyst never asked me about this?

"Hey? Hey! Yo, Chase!" I jump at the sound of Aira's voice. While I was busy thinking, she had left and returned with a chair. "Move over." She ordered, sliding the chair next to me. I move my chair over and watch in amazement as she sat down and began looking through the papers. "What are you doing?" "Helping. Hand me that scratch paper." I give it to her, staring.

"Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because I don't really have a reason not too." She answered, reading a sheet of paper. I felt my heart quicken. Why is she. . . She never really seemed to like me. . . So. . . Why? Why is she going out of her way. . . Just to help me? I slowly get back to work, Aira beside me. I still love Amethyst. She's so amazingly talented and beautiful, I can't help but love her. But perhaps I shouldn't keep Aira out of bounds. Who knows? Feelings change.