Mother stood perched next to me, Father by her side. Father said in neutral," Are you alright? "

No- The Cleansing was too strong," Yes, of course. "   

" You never told us about Silver? " Father shook his head," Why we could be Silvers! "

The ring allowed him to smile for just a moment.

" How did you know? " I mean he had only just said it here two days ago.

Wait did that mean I was expected to marry Abigor .... I let the thought slide and looked at my parents.

Father slid a hand over Mother's, and Mother shook her beautiful hair and leant a bit closer to me.," The rumor's flying over the entire city, though we are above that so we came to see. No we must be Silvers, get him to marry you. "

Awesome. Do you really care I almost die? Nope it seems not.

I forced a nod and then slid into neutral and my Father gave me a nod back," You will be a Silver. "

Then they left, and I sagged with relief.

The pretty lilac door sung open and the brown-haired nurse called Joanne came in with Abigor in tow, her face bright with embarrassment," Are you sure sir? " I heard her anxious voice ring along the outside corridor before they came inside.

Abigor's hair was shimmering with water droplets and so was his black and white suit, I glanced out of the window and sure enough the sky was dropping silver rain. His face was set in a frown as he stopped at my bedside where I sat, my hands on a blue and green newspaper edition, black and white letters sprayed over the top.

He waved Joanne away and I gave her an apologetic smile.

" What's wrong? " I muttered when Joanne had 'left.'

I handed him a thick empty page of the newsletter and my ebony green ballpoint, before I handed it over though I quickly scrawled.

Say something unobvious.

" No, it's fine," he put on a casualness. Then he grabbed the pen and slumped onto the ground next to me.

There's rumours about-

I grabbed the pen and page.

Why? Why did you save my life you hardly know me and you're a Silver? Tell me about the rumours.

"That's great. "

I watched him write words onto the paper slowly, considering each word. Then the paper was handed back to me.

"How are you?"

In perfect italics, It's complicated. There's rumours about the troupes that you sent it out. Some say they are dead, some say they made it.

"Great," I echoed in a monotone. I gave him a small smile, his purpley eyes focused on mine.

Hope. Thank you again ... why Abigor- This is Not good for my sociality. Why did you have to put the whole marriage thing??

I just realised that Abigor didn't know me in the slightest but there he was, spilling his life out to me. So I added.

Why are you doing all this?

His green eyes seemed to shrug," Mhm, I missed you. "

Because you will be a Red but I can alter you to a Purple and then no one would question it when you married me.

Uh.

I raised an eyebrow and shoved the newspaper on the bed.

" Me too," I said, gritting my teeth. Now wasn't the time to ask.

Okay then, well can you go away already? A friend's coming to see me.

He glanced at the note than focused on me, just marry me and you'll be fine.

I shrugged and pointed at the door. No way in Hell.

He glared up at me then stood up and ran an uncertain hand through his hair. He took the paper, slowly tearing it up then smirked," Have a great day darling. "

I raised both eyebrows and reached for a glass of water on the little grass green table. Even the water was like gold here, sweeter and purer than anything from the Purple Household.

"Goodbye."

The door shut with a clank and very quickly Joanne's thin hand opened the flowery door and she came in with Deborah. Deborah stood in a thin robe of clear sky blue, her red carpet of hair dancing behind her, hazel eyes glimmering with anxiety.

" A Blue -Deborah- "

She stopped when she saw my look and headed out of the door again.

She scanned her eyes over my bandaged shoulder, a little clear tube was poking out of my wrist, leading to one of the bulky machines standing here and there.

Tears shone in her eyes, and her voice trembled," Are you okay Fara? "

" Yeah I'm fine Debbie, look at me, perfectly fine. "

Her hazel eyes still looked troubled but she snorted a bit," Yeah, yeah. "

"Guess what Fara, today my friend's grandad made Opal biscuits here-"

She drew out a large crumbly biscuit iced with blue little moons, and underneath the cookie hung a thin piece of paper.

I took them both and handed her a large grin. Smart Debbie.

" Thanks so much," and I took a large gulp of the sweetness taking care to make munching noises and leave little crumbs everywhere," Very crumby. "

Then I slowly opened up the thin fragile yellow paper, reading the words inked in blue while Deborah chattered on, me giving an occasional agreement and a few sentences, making more munching noises.

In a small neat words Fara, I'm here yeah but I am really just to distract. I really hope your okay, do you think the President's son smoothed it over for you? It really seems so, cuz apparently yer gonna marry him? Really girl!

I shot her a very indignant look, she laughed.

Anyways, the others made it and they'll refuse to tell you but they're kinda half dead, they found a gate they refuse to talk about and well a few died on the way but they don't know much more. Yeah they're a total wreck.

Astoria told me to tell you that how are you and what happened and what's going on and that she hopes your okay and will get well. She wishes you luck for the Test and says to keep your head straight and that you might get out of it cuz of the president's son. She also wondering why the man of the man who killed your Grandma? But then she added sorry don't tell Fara that.

I gulped, I'd known that, but he wasn't him and then I shoved the thought away.

Darian said the same thing but also added that you should keep safe and stay away from dodgy people and keep your head down once you're out.

And Alarie forced me to write the exact words, Fara are you alright, we're all okay. Be careful okay and don't do anything wrong that the President's son kicks you out, are you being treated well? Are you all good? Listen don't worry you won't be a Red I'm thinking up something, it'll be okay don't stress your little head.

My eyes widened with worry, what plan, what plan? I interrupted Deborah's constant chatter," Yeah, how are the Purples and Blues? Did they ask after me? "

"Yeah they are amazing, one has an idea for some school project your doing together? "

"Which one? "

"Andrew or something? "

"Tell him to wait, that I've got something in plan," my voice softened a touch. Then I looked down at the paper.

Eat the paper when you are done Fara.

I stuffed the crinkly paper into my mouth and gulped the hardness down.

Deborah's happy chatter faded and she smiled slowly at me," Are you really alright? "

"Yeah, yeah. You? "

She nodded then shook her head and the mask of excitement fell, showing a young person heaved with piles of stress.

I heaved my arm up and slowly touched the ends of Deborah's soft greasy hair," Don't stress Debbie, it'll turn out good. "

Joanne's sharp knock came, without her footsteps padding down from the corridor outside. She was listening.

Joanne's flushed tired face nodded at Deborah," Miss Sunstar needs her rest. "

Deborah took the hint and grinned at me, slowly entangling our arms that had formed a hug without me realising.

My shoulder sighed with the effort and my head ... who knows what it was doing the past minutes.

We pulled apart and we said our goodbyes, then she was gone and Joanne was taking my temperature and fiddling around with the machines.

" Do you really stand outside and listen to conversations?" Was the first idiotic thing that came to my mind.

She flushed a deep red then sighed," What gave me away Princess? "

" Oh nothing," I blushed a puce," Ignore me Miss, why am I a Princess? "

"You're treated like one. "

I slid into neutral and felt so horrified when I shrugged," I'm a Purple not a distgusting- " I glanced at her blue coiled fire-" pathetic, servant. "

Then I winked giving her a small pat on her beautiful golden palm then put a finger on my lips.

She looked slightly deflated then sighed, a small spark in her eyes, then gulped loudly for the ears outside.

Then she continued the procedures and helped me eat, my shoulder weighing down on me. When the light turned off I took a breath and thought.

Tomorrow there were only two more days.

I couldn't go through with this, becoming a Red. And my parents would disown me if I became a Purple not a Silver. Without endangering myself or the others the only way out was marrying him. Why was Abigor going through with this? Why did he care so much? Why was he stroking my hair when I was 'asleep'? What happened to Darian, Astoria and Alarie? What- Happened to them?!? Fear pounded through my head, while I was here playing at Princess anything could have been happening to them.

The thoughts banged around in my head along with the endless thrums of a Cleansing raging in my mind.

Uncertain dreamless sleep settled on me after hours of wondering.