11A/N: I was writing up chapter four and decided that the last bit was just asking for a cliff hanger. cackles Evil evil evil.
"WHERE IS SHE?"
Anna was holding Dracula by the neck.
"She's downstairs having breakfast!" Dracula threw Anna backwards. She stumbled and Gabriel caught her before turning his attention to Carl.
"Carl, go down and check."
Anna turned to Dracula.
"And where were you? In five words or less."
Dracula held up his hand and rose a finger for each word.
"Out for a walk." Realising he had one left, he added "Bitch."
A few minutes later Carl came up with Ikalyia, who was munching an apple.
"What's going on?" she asked between bites.
"You had better not scare us like that again." Gabriel walked up to her, pointing threateningly. "We like to know where you are."
"Well I'm sorry I was hungry."
Gabriel nearly growled but made his way back to the other side of the room.
"Being royalty doesn't mean you can be a bitch."
Dracula was about to advance on Gabriel, but Ikalyia made her move first. The arrow which had made its way into the wall by missing Dracula now missed Gabriel's nose by mere centimetres.
"Now, something else I did this morning was accompany Vladislaus to the museum. The director is willing to let the east wing for 800 rupees."
Anna stared.
"We could pay that for three and a half months."
"And with my money, we could extend that to ten. However, I know how to extend that period." she smiled mysteriously.
"How?" asked Carl.
"Just be sure you're all in the bar at eight o'clock tonight."
And that was that.
That night was a sort of talent show. Different people took place on a temporary stage performing different types of shows. There were a few good ones, but mostly it was a huge bore. After ten or more people, a girl walked onto the stage with a violin. Her hair was in an elegant knot and descended in cascades down her back, a few wisps over her shoulders. She was wearing a dress which looked like that of a peasant, except that it was much cleaner, and only descended to her calves; this was topped by leather riding boots which went to her knees. Dracula and the others stared.
It was Ikalyia.
She struck up a tune, tapping in time with her foot. There were bells on her leg, adding to the beat. It was a dancing type of song. When her voice began to sound, it was clear and steady and filled the room.
"Once upon a time, I was just a little bone.
I was just a little tiny rib and the rib cage was my home.
Some days I'd wonder how it would feel
To be my own person, to eat my own meals.
I'd never have to make a plan, just be a
A little piece of a bigger man.
And Adam rocked my world,
I was his biggest fan.
No such thing as being a girl,
He had the whole world
In his hands."
By the time she finished the chorus, the whole house was tapping in time and cheering her on. There were people walking among the crowd, collecting money in baskets, which were filling fast.
"Now that was the life, no worries, no pain.
Just staying in my place and grow a little more each day.
I never had to make a plan, just be a
A little piece of a bigger man.
And Adam rocked my world,
I was his biggest fan.
No such thing as being a girl,
He had the whole world
In his hands."
The house was about to come down, people had gotten up and were dancing.
"And I started to wonder,
'What's this spell I might be under?'
It's time to break away.
It's time to feed this hunger.
Never had to take a stand,
Just be a little piece of a bigger man.
And Adam rocked my world,
I was his biggest fan.
No such thing as being a girl,
He had the whole world
In his hands.
The whole wide world in his hands,
The whole world in his hands.
He's got you and me, sister,
In his hands."
She struck up a finish with her violin, and everyone cheered.
Vladislaus ran up to the stage and hugged Ikalyia.
The innkeeper, after having taken his percentage, presented Ikalyia with 4575 rupees. Ikalyia and the others went to bed at the museum drunk. Vladislaus managed to do the same after finding a beer bellied man outside.
Life was going good.
A/N: Hope you liked these chapters! And I sincerely hope they made up for the time during which none had been posted. The song is Adam's Rib by Melanie Doane. I've only heard the 'soft remix' version, and thought it'd be perfect here. Hope you liked it! I also just HAD to add the five words or less thing. Buffy had done that to Spike and he called her a bitch.