continue our journey and leave Fillidore tomorrow morning."

"I don't think that's not going to happen." Flora said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I have a bad feeling my father will do something to all three of you before you ever get the chance to leave."

"Like what?" Figment asked, "What's the worst thing he could do?"

"He could use some kind of spell to turn you into one of us." Flora replied, "To make you three Woosoes just like me and torture you all forever."

"Can he really do that?" Rachel asked.

"It's possible."

"I DON'T WANNA BE A WOOSO!" Figment freaked out, "I LOVE MY OLD SELF!"

"Figment, calm down!" Dreamfinder ordered, "I'm sure this is just a wild idea." He turns to Flora and says, "Please say that it is."

"I'm not completely sure." said Flora, "There are other things he could do to you, but I'm too afraid to tell you."

"Then we will have to keep our eyes completely open on him tonight at the feast." Rachel proposed, "How soon is it from now?"

"It shouldn't be long now." Dreamfinder said, "It's getting pretty late in the afternoon."

          Suddenly, a knock on the door was heard. Figment answered it and in came the king himself. Small gasps were made when everyone saw KaZing walk in, but not as big of a gasp as the king will make when he sees Flora standing next to Rachel.

"Hello, hello!" the king cheered as he came inside, "I just wanted to see if everything is alright and-GASP! GUARDS! The prisoner has intruded and is bothering the gods of their luxury!"

"Coaxoch didn't escape!" Rachel yelled.

"What did you just say?"

"Coaxoch didn't escape the dungeon. I pardoned her from her crimes. She is under my influence now and no one else's."

"Oh, I see." the king said, gripping his fists with anger behind his back seeing to it that nobody notices, "Then is she to do anything as far as labor is concerned?"

"You mean community service? Flora- I mean, Coaxoch seems a bit young to be doing that sort of thing. She's only a girl."

"Yes, she is, but all pardoned prisons in the Wooso clan must serve at least three days of labor before being given the full grant to be free from their prison, as part of Wooso regulations, and that includes children, too. But you are the gods, and lovely goddess if I may say so myself, so you may choose what to do with that child. In the meantime, I have arranged some tailors to come in and have you three prepared for tonight. They will be here at any moment. The feast starts in a half hour. Don't be late!"

          And with that, the king left the bedroom in a cheery tone, perhaps a bit too cheery. Everyone stood there speechless. They didn't know what to make of it. They were just talking about how cruel King KaZing must be and just waltzes in a good mood as if he were either trying to fake his way to their trusts or if Flora was wrong about him and he was being serious. He did seem to come in and out in a hurry. Then again, he has to prepare everything for tonight. It doesn't make sense.

"What the heck did he just say about regulations?" Rachel asked.

"That all Woosoes including children who have been pardoned have to do a community service in order to be free." Dreamfinder clarified.

"That's not fair!" Figment exclaimed, "Children should be free automatically! In fact, children shouldn't go to jail in the first place!"

"Well at least the king can do nothing against Flora's well being anymore, so that's a good thing."

"So am I really safe?" said Flora, "Will my father not harm me anymore?"

"I hope so." said Rachel, "But I wouldn't keep my hopes up just yet if I were you."

"Let me take the labor service."

"What?" Rachel, Dreamfinder, and Figment exclaimed.

"If I do the service, I can gather all I will come to know and tell you what my father plans to do next. I want to do good for the Woosoes' sakes, for everyone's sake. Let me be your servant."

"Well..." said Rachel, "okay. I don't like doing it, but-"

          The door knocked again. It must be the tailors the king sent over. This time Rachel opened the door and she, as well as everyone else, had guessed correctly. The tailors came in giggling with excitement to be at the presence of their gods and goddess. Respectfully, they bowed to them and then they got to work. The Wooso men took over Dreamfinder and Figment's outfits while the Wooso women took care of Rachel's. They have brought in the finest fabric woven in the Wooso civilization: silk, cotton, and linen. The women made sure not to mess up the flowers the little Wooso children had put in Rachel's hair. It gave them the perfect inspiration on what color and style Rachel should wear at the feast. Flora stood by and watched the dress up happen, worrying what her father might be doing. For sure, she figures that preparing the feast is only a small matter he is working on.

"Flora." Rachel called over the Wooso women, "Is it possible for you to bring me some water?"

"Sure!" said Flora, "I'll go get some right now."

          Leaving the bedroom, Flora scurried along to do her service for Rachel. Little did she realize she is being watched. As Flora went on her own through the main hall, a hand came out from behind and covered her mouth. Screaming through that hand, she got pulled back with one of her arms behind her. When Flora turned her head, she found that her father is the one restraining her. It turns out that the king was outside waiting for Flora to come out sooner or later. He figured she was going to do whatever the gods would tell her since Rachel had pardoned her from her crimes in the dungeon. When the girl came, he sought his chance to pounce on his prey and take control over her for just a little bit.

"Peep a single word about what I have in store for you and our gods," the king threatened in a hushed gruff tone, "and I will make you squeal to your last breath!"

          KaZing let her go immediately and went on his way. Flora had been correct all along that the king is up to something. And now that he had been given the ultimate threat of her life, she has to choose for herself. Should she keep quiet and let Rachel, Dreamfinder and Figment become victims of the king's greed and wrath? Or should she stay true to them and have her life taken by her own father in the end? Frightened out of her wits, Flora hurried to the nearest fountain with an empty bowl, filled it with water, and ran back to the immortal's bedroom.