The rest of the bath passed without much more excitement; there were a couple more farts, the soap bar slipped out of Blake's hand and hit him in the eye, and a splash of water got onto Mallory's chicken, but beyond that it was pretty quiet, up until the moment the pair was shown where they were to be sleeping for the night.<br/><br/>"Huh?"<br/><br/>Margo smiled, her eyes twinkling as she watched the confused boy standing in the doorway with his arms dangling limply at his sides.<br/><br/>"I said this is where the two of you will be sleeping, dear. I hope the bed is big enough, I'm sorry I don't have another - I know you kids probably want your own, but you'll have to make do."<br/><br/>Blake stared at the wide rectangle, his eyes roving unblinking over the soft blankets and the plump pillows - it looked like something taken straight out of his wildest and most farfetched dreams. It was set down on a base that looked like it was polished wood, and it even had posts at the ends.<span style="font-style: italic">Probably f'firewood in case i'gets cold</span>, he thought sagely, applying his own brand of logic to the situation. Still, it was hard to believe someone could possibly own a bed like this without possessing vast amounts of wealth. He himself was accustomed to sleeping on whichever patches of dirt seemed the softest, and areas without shit on them were usually bumped to the head of the list.<br/><br/>"Are y'- you a Queen?"<br/><br/>There was no way anyone short of royalty possessed such a thing, and the fact that she had one just for<span style="font-style: italic">guests</span>was mind-blowing. She was probably an Empress, living in disguise among peasants like they did in the fairy tale books he'd heard about. He'd owned one of them, but he never got past the first page. The missionary who'd gifted it to him told him that if he wanted a future he'd have to 'hit the books', but no matter how many times Blake punched the thing he never learned a single word. The memory still brought back pangs of shame as he remembered his failure.<br/><br/>Margo only laughed, calling him a silly little goose, and then shut the door firmly behind her.<br/><br/>"Can'ya believe it, Mal?" he asked, moving over to the bed and pouncing onto it, bouncing lightly at the center as he sprawled himself out, smiling from ear to ear. "S'like sleepin' on a cloud."