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."Those are the wild animals," Chamber-pot Emptier whispered over her shoulder.She was a bigboned girl with gentle eyes that reminded Maggie of the calvestethered by Laundress's hut.It had taken Laundress a while to make herunderstand what they wanted of her, but now she seemed to feel obligated togive Maggie a tour."They're brought in from Outside," she said."And they're dangerous.Maggie looked sideways at the wicker cages where Sylvia and Gavin had walkedearlier.From one a brown-gray wolf stared back at her with a frighteninglysad and steady gaze.In another a sleek black panther was pacing, and itsnarled as they went by.There was something curled up in the back of a thirdthat might have been a tigerit was big, and it had stripes.Page 80 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Wow," she said."I wouldn't want to chase that."Chamber-pot Emptier seemed pleased."And here's the castle.It's called BlackDawn.""It is?" Maggie said, distracted away from the animals."That's what my grandpa called it, anyway.He lived and died in the courtyardwithout ever going in." Chamber-pot Emptier thought a moment and added, "Theold people say that you used to be able to see the sun in the sky-not justbehind the clouds, you know.And when the sun came up in the morning it shoneon the castle.But maybe that's just a story."Yeah, maybe it was just a story that you could see the sun in the sky, Maggiethought grimly.Every time she thought this place couldn't surprise heranymore, she discovered she was wrong.But the castle itself was impressive.awe inspiring.It was the only thingin view that wasn't dusty brown or pallid gray.Its walls were shiny andblack, almost mirror-like in places, and Maggie didn't have to be told that itwasn't built of any ordinary human stone.How they had gotten it to thisvalley was a mystery.Delos lives here, she thought as Emptier led her up a stone staircase, pastthe ground floor which was just cellars and storage rooms.In this beautiful,frightening, impressive place.Not only lives in it, but commands it.It's allhis.She got just a glimpse of the great hall, where she'd seen slaves setting along table yesterday.Chamber-pot Emptier led her up another floor and into aseries of winding corridors that seemed to go on for miles.It was dim in this internal labyrinth.The windows were high and narrow andhardly let any of the pale daylight in.On the walls there were candles inbrackets and flares in iron rings, but they only seemed to add wavering,confusing shadows to the twilight."His bedroom's up here," Emptier murmured finally.Maggie followed herclosely.She was just thinking that they had made it all the way without evenbeing challenged, when a voice sounded from a side corridor."Where are you going? Who's this?"It was a guard, Maggie saw, peering from under her hair.A real medievalguard, with, of all things, a lance.There was another one in the oppositecorridor just like him.She was fascinated in the middle of her terror.But Chamber-pot Emptier of the not-so-quick wits reacted beautifully.She tooktime to curtsey, then she said slowly and stolidly, "It's Folder from thelaundry, sir.Laundress sent her with the sheets and I was told she could helpme.There's more work because of the guests, you know.""It's Chamber Maid's work to spread sheets," the guard said irritably.Chamber-pot Emptier curtsied again and said just as slowly, "Yes, sir, butthere's more work because of the guests, you see-""Fine, fine," the guard broke in impatiently."Why don't you go and do it,instead of talking about it?" He seemed to think that was funny, and he turnedand elbowed the other guard in the ribs.Page 81 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlChamber-pot Emptier curtseyed a third time and walked on, not hurrying.Maggietried to copy the curtsey, with her face buried in the sheets.There was another endless corridor, then a doorway, and then Emptier said,"We're here.And there's nobody.around."Maggie lifted her face from the sheets."You're absolutely wonderful, you knowthat? You deserve an Academy Award.""A what?""Never mind.But you were great.""I only told the truth," the girl said placidly, but there was a smile lurkingin the depths of her gentle cowlike eyes."There is more work when guestscome.We never had them before three years ago."Maggie nodded."I know.Look, I guess you'd better go now.And um-Emptier?"She couldn't bring herself to say the entire name."I really hope you don'tget in trouble because of this."Chamber-pot Emptier nodded back, then went to reach under the bed and retrievea ceramic container.She walked out again holding it carefully.Maggie looked around the room, which was very big and very bare.It wassomewhat better lit than the corridors, having several bowl-shaped oil lampson stands.The bed was the only real piece of furniture in it.It was huge,with a heavy wooden frame and carved bedposts.Piled on top of it were quiltsand what looked like fur coverlets, and hanging all around it were linencurtains.I'm probably supposed to take all that stuff off and put the clean sheets on,Maggie thought.She didn't.The rest of the furniture seemed to be large chests made of exotic-lookingwood, and a few benches and stools.Nothing that offered a hiding place.Buton one side there was a curtained doorway.Maggie went through it and found a small anteroom-the wardrobe Jeanne hadmentioned.It was much bigger than she'd expected, and seemed to be more of astoreroom than a closet.Okay.So I'll just sit down.There were two stools beside a figure that vaguely resembled a dressmaker'sdummy.Maggie dropped her sheets on a chest and pulled one of the stools closeto the doorway.Through the space between the linen curtains she could seealmost the entire bedchamber.Perfect, she thought
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