• Yvany was washing colthes back and forth in constant motion, but Justin was always there to get in her way. He continuously kept asking to help out with the daily chores and would get in her way until she said yes or found her way past him. This time he was standing exactly where she needed to go but wouldn't budge.
    "Move, I need to get back there." she growled.
    "Not until you say I can help." he insisted.
    "You'll only get in the way." she argued. How had this happened? It was only a couple of minutes ago he had her laughing.
    "No I won't." he assured her. He was trying to get an excuse to stay to see her but she was being complicated, as usual.
    "Oh Yvany! Just let him help!" Celvia called from the other side of the house. Justin smiled smuggly and Yvany wanted to hit him.
    "Again, you'll only be in the way."
    "Again, no I won't."
    "Well, you're in my way now." she hissed. She tried to push him with the bucket but he only stepped foward causing her to step back. He shut the door that was behind him so she couldn't push him through.
    "Move, I have got to wash these clothes." she demanded. He took the bucket from her and set it on the ground causing the water to slosh everywhere. It sounded like he muttered something but she wasn't paying attention. Why does he want to help so much, she wondered. She let out a quick breath and turned to leave before he grabbed her and spun her around.
    "You never answered me, why don't you want you me to help?" he asked.
    Because I don't want to see you every day because I might still love you, she thought. Instead she said, "Because we have too many busy bodies around here and don't need another."
    He looked at her as if he was trying to find the answer that was hidden in her eyes. she picked up the bucket as he moved out of the way. As she entered the wash room she sighed. She threw the clothes in the wash basin and left the room.
    "Celvia, the last bit of clothes are in the wash room." she called through the house. Yvany walked outside to find Justin feeding the chickens.
    "What are you doing?" she asked.
    "Feeding chickens, why?"
    "I thought you had left." she said sitting down.
    "Nope." he said sitting on the bench next to her.
    A long silence fell between them. Yvany looked down to her hands, unsure of what to say. She opened her mouth to say something but Justin beat her to it.
    "I'm sorry I fed the chickens, that probably made me in your way." he mumbled standing up.
    "No, I liked the help. Thank you." she said grabbing his hand. He looked to her for a moment and then sat back down. He looked down to their hands, still intertwined. Then he looked up to her and she smiled at him. She laid her head on his shoulder.
    "I'm sorry, that was rude of me." she apologized.
    "What ever happened to our future, like, you and me together?" he asked taking her by suprise.
    "I-I don't know, I guess when you left I kinda just, I don't know, got scared." she replied. He was about to reply when Celvia came hurrying out of the house.
    "Darling, your cousin is here- oh, I'm sorry." she said looking to Justin and Yvany.
    "Elizabeth is here?" Yvany asked. Celvia nodded and Yvany jumped up, but not daring to let go of Justin's hand.
    "Aren't you coming?" she asked Justin, pulling him off of the bench they were on. They hurried throught the house to the front door. There in front of them Stood a woman with incredible long blonde hair. That was almost the only difference between her and Ynany.
    "Beth." Yvany nodded.
    "Oh don't act like that, come here and give me a hug." Elizabeth smiled. Yvany hugged her, but it was an akward hug.
    "Why, hello there." Elizabeth said looking Justin up and down.
    "Uh, yes, hello." he muttered. A carriage appeared and the royal teller elegantly stepped out.
    "Justin, you are needed at the palace. Your father has some matters to discuss with you."
    "About what?" Justin asked stepping off the front porch. The teller gave a pointed glance at Yvany and then led Justin back into the carriage.
    "Sorry I have to leave so suddenly, it's a prince thing. Good-bye." he called out, mainly to Yvany. Yvany looked to the fading carriage sadly but focused back on her cousin.
    "Why did you decide to show up so suddenly?" Yvany asked as she picked up Elizabeth's bags.
    "I wanted to spend more time with the family, you know, pick up the family name." she smiled sweetly.
    "And. . .?"
    "Fine, I'm here to look for suitors." she sighed.
    "Why?" Yvany asked calmly.
    "Because, if they're not smart and wealthy, I'm going to be forced to marry Uncle Jared."
    "Hmmm, then I guess it makes scense that you would want to leave."
    "Yeah, have you seen Uncle Jared? One more peice of chicken and he'll have a heart-attack. He has more rolls than a bakery."
    "What about Joe, I heard he grew up to be nice."
    "Joe? Oh yeah, no. Joe married to his sister, they're expecting kids soon."
    "And what about his brother?"
    "Al? Oh god no, he's six years younger than I am."
    Yvany laughed and placed Elizabeth's things in a room.
    "Of course you can stay here, and there are plenty of guys here." Yvany smiled.
    "What about the dark haired one that was with you in the doorway?" Elizabeth asked.
    "Who, Justin?"
    She shrugged, "I guess, I don't know his name, but he looked perfect."
    "You go near him and I will kill you in your sleep, then you won't have to worry about any suitors." Yvany growled.
    "Whoa there, calm down. You don't have to be all touchy." Elizabeth said taking a step back. Yvany walked out of the room leaving Elizabeth there to get her stuff unpacked. Justin left and now I'm alone, she thought miserably.

    Why was she so sesitive about that guy, I mean, she probably has forty guys after her right now, Elizabeth wondered.
    "Yvany?!" someone called passing her room. They stopped and went back to the doorway.
    "Uh, hi. I didn't notice you come in." he said holding out a hand. Elizabeth took it, breathless. He was beautiful.
    "My name is Timothy, you are?" he asked.
    "I'm uh, I'm Elizabeth, but just call me Beth." she replied. He smiled and nodded.
    "Uh, you wouldn't happen to have, a wife I suppose?" she asked.
    "No, not the last time I checked." he smiled.
    "When's the last time you checked?"
    "A couple of seconds ago."
    She laughed. That's a good sign, she thought.
    "Did you know you look extremely like Yvany?" he asked.
    "Yeah."
    "She's beautiful."
    "Oh yeah, I guess."
    "You do know I just said you were beautiful, right?" he asked. She looked at him strangely.
    "I said you looked like Yvany and then I said she was beautiful. If you look like Yvany then you're beautiful too." he explained.
    "Oh, then, thank you." she blushed.
    "This is a weird question, but do you have a suitor?"
    "Wha- what?"
    "A suitor, you know, like a boyfriend."
    "Uh, n-no."
    "Do you want one?" he asked.
    "That's the reason I came down here."
    "Really?"
    She nodded and then explained everything.

    Wow, was all Timothy could think as he stared into the eyes of Elizabeth, Yvany's cousin. She's almost exactly like her, better even, if that's possible, he thought. He remembered what he was doing a couple of minutes ago.
    "Oh, uh, I've got to go find Yvany. A man named James wanted to see her." he said standing up. He walked out, leaving Beth to unpack. He stepped down the hallway and peeked into Yvany's room.
    "Hello?" he called out. Yvany popped into view.
    "Yes?" she asked.
    "A man named James said he would like you to accompany him."
    "Oh, well, tell him I'll be there in a second, I guess." She didn't want to see him, she wanted to see Justin!
    She walked out of the front door reluctantly and looked a James, whos was waiting for her beside his carriage.
    "It's nice to see you, my beauty." he grinned.
    "Flattery gets no one no where, now tell me what you want before I chase you off with Sandra's gun." she threatened.
    "I can't simply say hello to the prettiest women here?" his smile was bigger now.
    "No, you can't, but you already have, so goodbye now." she said bluntly. She turned around to go back inside but Beth was blocking her way.
    "Now, now, Yvany. Is that any way to talk to our guest, who is clearly from royalty." she gushed as she looked right past Yvany to James. James looked startled to see two Yvany's, or at least Yvany with another woman that looked a lot like her. Beth stepped around Yvany so he could get a better look at her.
    "Beg my pardon Yvany, but I do believe I have found a woman that just might be prettier than you." he breathed.
    "I don't care. I told you, flattery gets you no where." she said simply and walked back inside.
    "Maybe not with her, but it can get you many places with me." Beth said seductively.
    Timothy looked through the window to the scene outside. Why is it, whenever I find a girl that I like, a Scarboa boy has to come and snatch her away, he thought miserably. He watched sadly as Beth took James's hand and walked with him, down a dirt trail.
    "Timothy, I really don't mean to bug you but, I can't find four of the chickens and night is going to fall soon." Yvany said coming up to him. She was out of breath and the little parts of hair that were out of her ponytail were sticking to her face with sweat from chasing the chickens into their coop. She was absolutely beautiful.
    "Please. Sandra would be quite upset if the fox gets ahold of any of them."
    "And the fox only comes out at night?"
    "Yes."
    "Then we've only got a few hours to find them, and they could be on the other side of the village by now." he said walking out of the door with her following. They searched around the house and then set out towards the village, looking while they were walking. The sun was starting to hide itself behind the trees.
    "I think I see one!" Yvany yelled when they were about half way through the entire village. She started running towards it and Timothy followed quickly behind. When she got to the chicken, she stopped abruptly, causing Timothy to slam into the back of her. Sandra was in front of them talking to a man who owned a hide stand in the market, with the four chickens sitting around her feet.
    "Oh, hey guys. What are ya'll doin' here?" she asked, finally noticing them.
    "We were looking for your missing chickens." Yvany replied pointing down to the hens.
    "Oh, they're not missing. They follow me everywhere I go." she replied smiling.