*Avis' POV*

Everything seemed to be happening in a blur, yet incredibly slowly. Though I know we were in more trouble then I ever have been in my life, I thought it was hilarious. I mean, come on, what fifteen year old doesn't find it hilarious when someone is dying due to Hot Cheetos? Almost everyone at school is immune to those bad boys, and they don't even effect me anymore. When Gilan keeled over, choking, gasping for breath, not being able to speak, I found it highly amusing. When Halt threatened Jacklyn's backpack, which I knew contained her flute, I thought it was funny how easily she gave up. Halt gave her back her backpack and I glance around the room, noticing all of the craftmasters staring at us. Some in horror, others in amusement. Those like Lady Pauline and Master Ulf, held small smiles they were trying to hide, where as the Baron and Gilan were staring holes through our heads.

"I have had just about enough of you." Baron said darkly. Wow, we really pushed him to the limit. "If I can't keep you under control in the ward, how are you supposed to learn discipline for when you move onto a craft?"

"We are just not used to your customs here. Where we are from, we have more freedom. We find it quite restrictive." I explained. Jacklyn stands next to me, hugging her backpack to her chest.

"The place you both are from sounds fictional to me. Made up. Doesn't it?" He asked his craft masters. They nodded in agreement.

"This Neevadar, and Texusy sound made up." Master Nigel said stiffly. I glared at him.

"Nevada. Get it right!" I said harshly. I wasn't kidding, we Nevadans are extremely prideful when it comes to pronunciation of our state.

"Texusy?!? It's Texas! This place is so uncultured!" Jacklyn exclaimed. I rose an eyebrow.

"Jacklyn, you do realize realize what you just said, right?" I whispered. Baron Arald looked furious. He stood, looming over us, again, I'm a really short person.

"Uncultured? Uncultured?!?" Baron clearly wasn't asking what it meant, simply what the heck she was thinking. I believe Jacklyn misinterpreted it.

"Yes, Uncultured. Meaning not cultured, stupid. Would you like the textbook definition? Uncultured: Not characterized by good taste, manners, or education." She folded her arms and looked smug, however everyone in the room was gaping at her outburst. I bit my lip to keep myself from snickering. Normally I'm not disrespectful to adults, and I hate others being disrespectful to adults, but it was funny, you have to admit. She just yelled at a bunch of scholars and educated men and women about not understanding a word.

"I think they get it, Jacklyn." I whispered to her. Jacklyn's face suddenly fell, as if she just realized what she had said. She seemed to shrink and she stood.

"You have a lot of nerve speaking to me like that." Baron Arald said angrily. "You two have caused me so much stress the past two days, and I have been in wars that have caused me less stress!" I noticed Halt, Sir Rodney, and the two younger rangers nodding in agreement.

"They need to learn their lesson, Baron. I suggest the farms." Nigel sneered. I felt my stomach drop. I live on a small ranch at home, and it was a lot of work. But a medieval farm sounds like torture. No water hydrants and hoses to transfer water? No bailed hay, no perfect flakes? It sounded much harder then home. Of course, I couldn't tell the Baron that.

"Pardon me, Sir, but I grew up on a farm. It wouldn't exactly be 'disciplinary material'." I said, trying to get us out of the hard labor, that we probably deserve.

"No, Nigel, not the farms. They'd find a way to goof off there as well." Baron said irrationality.

"Separate them!" Someone, I'm not sure who, exclaimed. Several others muttered in agreement.

"No!" Jacklyn and I shouted simultaneously. "Please, Sir! We are far from home, and the two of us only have each other left of home. Please don't separate us!" I elaborated.

"I believe separating the two of them is a little harsh, though I do not object. You two need discipline, and clearly you will not grow up unless you are separated. You both have lied, and deceived us in the short time you have been here. I think you are lying about your country, though clearly you aren't from here, but lying is not an attribute I wish to see in my wards." Baron Arald said firmly. I glanced at Jacklyn, my eyes widened. Though we've only known each other for four short days, she's all I have left of our time period. I would rather go home than continue this journey alone.

Jacklyn's mouth slowly broke out in a grin and she spun around, setting her backpack on the ground and kneeling next to it. She began to dig through until finally she came across a book. I immediately recognized it as an Atlas.

"I can prove we haven't lied about where we are from! We haven't lied to any of you. We have told the truth this whole time." She opened the atlas, flipping through until she came across a map of the UK.

"This is where we are now." I said pointing to England.

"Is that a map?" Halt questioned, by the tone of his voice he sounded rather curious. "It's so detailed."

"Where we are from, we have detailed maps of every inch of the Earth. This here is what you all call Araluen, but where we are from, we call it England." Jacklyn explained. She flipped to a world map and gasps could be heard around the room.

"Halt, Isn't that Hibernia? It looks so small compared to everything else." Will said. Halt glared at him.

"Yes, Will." He said, his voice having a certain edge that made Will clamp his mouth shut of any further comments.

"There are all of the countries. Here is Nohan-Ja, and Skandia, and Gallica." Jacklyn said, flipping to each map. She finally came across a detailed map of the United States.

"This is The United States Of America. Where we are from." I said, showing them the map. "I'm from Nevada, right here. Jacklyn is from Texas, right here." I said pointing to the mentioned states.

"They are as real as Araluen, or Celtica. Your people simply have yet to find our country yet. But you will, one day." Jacklyn said. Nigel looked amazed as he looked the map over. He slowly took it from Jacklyn's hands and examined it closely.

"There is no way they are lying about this, My Lord." Nigel announced.

"We haven't lied, Sir. Deceived, maybe a tiny bit, but that's not a crime." I reassured. Baron Arald sat down in his chair with a sigh, looking at the two of us before turning to each of his Craft Masters.

"I believe you. Now go. Gilan, escort them back to the ward. I don't want to hear of any more trouble, girls." He said. We grinned at each other.

"Wouldn't dream of it!" I exclaimed. Jacklyn turned to Nigel to fetch the Atlas, but Nigel seemed reluctant to give it back.

"If it's alright with you, I would love to study this a bit." I smirk at Jacklyn.

"Of course." I said. Gilan then grudgingly led us out the door.

***

"I don't get how you two managed to weasel out of trouble, but be warned, I will be watching you both closely." Gilan said darkly as we walked back to the Ward.

"Don't you have like a fief to get back to?" I asked. Gilan hesitated.

"I have someone covering for me. I'm going to stick around a bit longer." He said.

"You'll just be bored. We are now officially, Boring children." I said smiling. Jacklyn didn't seem to be following the conversation as she examined something in her backpack.

"Good, Halt didn't damage my flute." She said, sighing with relief. I glanced at Gilan, who holds his breath, looking as though he was fighting back the urge to punch Jacklyn in the face. A little self control, buddy.

"Good thing too, you should play for us, right Gilan?" I asked the Ranger. Gilan shook his head quickly.

"No no, I'm good. This is where I leave you. I trust you'll make it back to the ward by yourself from here." Gilan said stiffly. I snicker under my breath. Jacklyn clearly forgot about how Gilan despised flutes. In the Ruins of Gorlan, Gilan admitted his hate for them, and made a promise to harm the next flute player he came across. I knew that pushing this would get him to leave.

"We can manage, thank you, ranger. Better wash up now, you've got a little soda, every where." I said, gesturing towards the sticky mess covering the Ranger. He had clearly forgotten about it because at the mention, it put a scowl on his face.

"Goodnight!" The two of us said as he marched away. As soon as he was out of sight, I smiled at Jacklyn.

"I do believe we were planning on looting a kitchen for this evening's entertainment, Lady Jacklyn." Jacklyn smiled.

"That we were. Well better not let plans go to waste, Lady Avis. All those delicious pastries are simply calling to us." I grinned and we quickly hurried to the kitchens. Let the fun begin.

***

So not the most interesting chapter, but it was fun to write the Baron do angry! I was going to write about the kitchen, but the chapter would have been too long, so I reluctantly leave it to Jacklyn. :(

~Avis