Chapter 7 #2 (violet)

Jessan led amira to her seat by the king, and then went to sit with all of the other staff members. amira's golden dress made her long black hair look very shiny. she glanced at jessan. it was his move now. to get them out safely, he would have to turn off the light. soon. all of a sudden, the room went black. she could here the jester and the tumbler shouting rude knock knock jokes at the sky, and the ladies in waiting falling over each other to get away from them. amira searched for jessan. he had performed his part well, but how was she supposed to find him now?

all of a sudden two big hands were around her mouth. pulling her to the door. had jessan not been the one to perform the job? had someone else gotten there first? then, a feather floated down to her shuffling feet. then she knew what was happening. that had been delia's idea and way to tell amira that everything had gone smoothly and that amira should not worry. all she had had to do was stand there and be present. she took jessans hands off her mouth and held one tightly. he led her out of the frenzy. they met delia outside and ran down to the stables where they had hidden their things, and saddled their horses.
"wait, every one check your pockets! which one of us has that spell? i had almost forgotten!" amira said excitedly. she had been wondering who the paper would choose. jessan was the one to come up successful.

Chapter 7 (veruca)

"A what?!" asked Jessan and Delia at the same time. amira had just gotten down to the room.
"A hippotruckle. they get younger by the year, and i think that the Old One is one of them!" cried Amira, who was nearly screaming now.
"Amira, please shut up." said Delia, I'm sorry to be so mean but people are sleeping and we don't want them to report us to the Old One."
"She's right. you need to calm down..." Jessan said soothingly.
"Calm down!!? The old hag just killed my mother and you are telling me to CALM DOWN!?" this was it. Amira was finally cracking.
"We're sorry, love, but you don't want to get us thrown in the dungeon do you?"
"no... i'm sorry Jessan, and Delia. I should learn to control my temper." amira looked down at the small gold bracelet that her father had given to her as a birthday gift. She knew by now that the braclet contained magical powers. she then looked out the small round mirror at the corner of delia's bedroom (they had decided to meet there). amira saw the last bit of lightning die away and turned toward her two most trusted friends.
"We will have to run away sooner than expected. i know that we weren't supposed to leave for another day, but... we don't know how fast the Old ONe will act. She might be plotting to kill us as we speak."
"I was just thinking that myself." delia's voice was quavering.
"Oh, no!" Jessan hit himself on the forehead...rather hard, "Oh crud! I cant believe i forgot!"
"What is it? you must tell us!"
"As i was walking in the hallway to get to delia's room, i heard someone talking to the king. It was one of the court's judges. He was saying that the Old One was to have her coronation tomorrow afternoon! 'Everyone in the castle must attend' is his exact words. I am so sorry i completely forgot at the first mention of 'hippotruckles'." he winced as if he was about to be hit in the head with a club.
"No, no, no, no, no..." delia was on the verge of tears.
"I have an idea." said amira who was overwhelmed at the information just given to her. "we must sneak out of the Coronation Hall just as she is about to be crowned. Some one will have to create a diversion..."
amira and Jessan looked at delia.
"What? Oh, no, no, no, no..."

Chapter 6 #4 (violet)

back in her room, amira could contain herself no longer. 

"How could she!!! this is all her fault i know it!" amira's blood was boiling now. she couldn't believe that this could be happening. 
"Amira, it's not the queen's fault she died." Jessan was trying to soothe her, but it wouldn't work this time.
"NOT the queen! the old one!!! this is her fault! her name is written all across everything that has gone wrong so far!"
"You guys, first of all, we forgot to lock the door." Jessan leaped up and ran to other side of the huge room and bolted the doors shut. "and second, no matter how rude this might seem, people are trying to sleep." amira tried to calm down "and most of all, if it is the old ones fault, then we are going to have to leave, and soon. we don't know who she will go at next. her intent on ruling is clear, but she could want to go through every one." amira noticed that delia wouldn't look her in the eye...
"Delia, is something wrong?" Jessan must have noticed too. how curious. 
"Well, i think it's time i tell the two of you something. something that might help. you see, your father did tell you that am not a true princes.. he was right. where i come from, kings and queens are married, but they have separate families. they have what they call boyfriends or girlfriends. they can go as far as they want wit h them, but under no circumstances, are the alternate families royal. you see, this isn't the first time i have tried to escape someone like the old one. two years ago, when i was thirteen, someone like her came to live in our kingdom. my father never really cared about me, he had only wanted sons, royal or not. many different times he tried to... dispose of me. the 'old one' was one of those ways. when i was given a necklace, i suspected something similar was going on. you see, things were different when it happened the last time. people would go into her living quarters, and never come out. the only reason i am sure that this is not the same old one is because mine was older."
at that amira jumped up and ran to the door.
"Where are you going?" Jessan asked her.
"To see the wizard, and you two are staying here. pack up, i'll be back in two hours."

amira found the wizard in bed, sound asleep. not for long.

"Foulin! FOULIN! get up, i need you help!" 
"Sarah, Sarah, don't do this to me!" foulin said groggily.
"Sarah? this is amira! if you aren't up soon i will take your cauldron!" that go t him up. and dressed.
"What is it, dear?"
amira told him what had happened. then she asked if there were spells or potions that could make people younger.
"THe only thing with that power, dear, are hippotruckles. they look like old women, but are actually creatures that get younger by the year."