GOOD heaven's child, come in come in, we can't have you standing around out there in the rain catching your death!  That's it, take off your shoes now, don't be dragging that mud in, ahh, lovely lovely.

Come come, by the fire. . . can I get you some tea?  Why are you looking at me like that, with your jaw hanging slack and your eyes all wide like that?

Oooooh, we've not met before!  I am his majesty's crystal ball, Merribell.  *GASP*, so that no good Gaston sent you out the wrong way and into the rain for a soaking?  Don't' you fret child, I'm sure Azeauro will have a nice date for him with a glass cutter soon enough.

Yes, yes its true, the king, then a prince, made Gaston when he was drunk.., which is not like him I assure you, but young and among so many older students, and so shy as he is, well ::sighs lightly with a wistful tone:: he just wanted to do well.  He doesn't like to fail you know.

Me? Oh!  Ahhh, yes so long ago now, he was just 8 when he made me, the other students in his classes around 20 or so.  Apprentices, they were assigned as all good sorcerers to capture essence into a crystal, for scrying and other purposes of mystical knowledge.  ::she hovers, bobbing proudly:: and I was the best, His professor said so, beautiful, magnificent........ so much for Gaston and his haughtiness.  ::he voice lowers:: he wasn't even graded!

So young and sweet, he's been a wonderful master to me.  Unlike most, I am free to flit wherever my curiosity takes me, and unlike Gaston "I" was given his majesty's more noble traits.  He is so shy, though, such a pity, he really needs to take that face out in public more often I say.  But what can you do?

Well, enough about me, we'll get you dried off and you can move along and see the rest of the castle.