Irbis, a girl with mysterious past, was brought up by a political refugee. After being robbed and left all alone in this world, she goes to Tinalden to look for some help. If only she could have known what other adventures she would have to face...
They stood before the palace. How funny, Irbis remembered how she was looking at it through her spy glass. How she admired it then and couldn't even imagine that she would live in it. Well, actually she spent there just one night and after all not in the most representable part of it. But nevertheless... The palace was very beautiful, the most beautiful one in the city. Nata, though she wasn't a historian, told that she heard that it had been being built for a couple of ages. The best masters of different corners of Westonia were invited. Besides, that year the city was 800 years old. There was going to be a great fest and lots of various events.
"Who knows? Will I see it or not?" Irbis said quietly.
"You may refuse to participate in this game, miss," Nata spoke gently.
"Not now... I've signed the contract. Besides, I have nowhere to go..."
"I can plead for you before our Master Manager to give you a job. Though the servant's life conditions are not very good, we maids get along very well."
"I see that you are a very good friend but, alas, I have already signed the contract. Now I can only either make or break."
"What is your name, miss, if I may know?"
Irbis told it and explained its meaning.
"It's all very interesting. Irbis... This must be a beautiful animal."
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"It was a bit smaller than a leopard. It had soft silvery fur with characteristic rosettes on it, a rather long tail and grey eyes. Ounce was really beautiful and freedom-loving beast. Only now it is completely extinct and almost legendary and mythical."
Suddenly the girl stopped after looking at the water in a fountain and whispered to her companion:
"I've seen that man already. He is watching us. He is the behind the column. Turn your head unnoticeably."
Nata carefully looked in that direction.
"Do you know him?" Irbis asked.
"No."
"You know... Who knows what will happen to me? I want to have great fun."
The girls went somewhere. The man went in that direction. The girls turned round the corner and he followed. Then one more corner... Then one more... Then the man found himself at such crossroads where you had a choice of five ways and he a bit dropped back. Hey! He noticed the girl in self-made costume on one road. When he came there he could find no more signs of her. Then right where he had stood before a girl in a maid's dress was seen. They were surely scoffing at him. He went there. Again there was a game of hide-and-seek. The man ended up in a wide street and with losing their trail. Like the loser of the childish game he was ready to surrender and call for the winner. He turned to the left and loud "Boo!" resounded before him. It was so unexpected that he fell on the ground behind him. Irbis laughed heartily and the poor man eventually became humbled.
