The streets of Laviana were crowded full of people that morning. A look of annoyance on her face, the tall, slim figure slipped unseen between the excited townsfolk, knowing that their attention was entirely on the bevy of arriving stars. Some whispered that the queen herself might even show at the airport, to greet the stars personally, and the atmosphere was electric.
The girl paused in the shadows of the royal palace, pursing her lips as she watched the jet plane make it's descent towards Laviana's bustling, busy airport. The logo gave it away as an American jet, even at such distance, and her eyes narrowed.
"So, they still come." She murmured. "Despite the fact they don't stand a chance. There will only be one winner in this competition...and it won't be Jewel!"
She slipped back into the darkness, hurrying down the back alleyways and back to her hotel. She had no desire to watch as the public fawned over yet another band of competitors for the trophy she had already set her heart on winning.
"Besides, I have a just cause." She murmured. "But they will soon learn. They have seen nothing yet!"

"Wow."
Sylva gazed around the lobby of the Hotel Victor, an impressed look crossing her features. "Wow! This place is really something else...are we truly gonna stay here, Phyllis?"
"Well, no, we're just admiring the decor." Phyllis muttered. "To be damn honest, it wasn't my first choice of hotel...but I figured it'd do. They had rooms, after all, and that's the important thing."
She scooped up her case, indicating for the quartette of girls to follow her. "We're gonna book in, and then I want you girls down in the rec room as soon as you've changed out of your travel clothes. I wanna brief you on this contest. No sleeping off jet lag till then - I have some house rules and you're damn well gonna hear them."
"Sure thing, Aunt Phyl." Nancy agreed, though she exchanged confused looks with Copper as she did so. "Are we sharing rooms?"
"Yep. You and Copper will share, and Sadie and Syl will share." Phyllis nodded. "I'll be down the corridor."
She pressed the bell at the end of the desk, waiting impatiently for the petite woman behind the counter to attend to them. Finally she cast the executive a pretty smile, opening the book that lay closed in front of her.
"May I help you?" She asked, in delicately accented English. "I think you must be for the Battle of the Bands, yes? I have here your bookings - you are Miss Phyllis Gabor?"
"Yeah, that's right." Phyllis nodded. "And this is Jewel. We have three rooms booked...they ready?"
"Of course, Miss Gabor." The girl nodded her head, turning to the board behind her and taking three keys off their hooks. "Your rooms are 212, 213 and 218. I apologise for them not being together, but we are very booked. Laviana is not used to such many people arriving!" She pushed the keys across the desk. "212 and 213 are the rooms to share. 218 is a solo room. I wish you good day, and that dinner will be served here at half past seven."
"Thank you." Copper smiled at the girl, scooping up one of the keys. "We're looking forward to seeing something of Morvania."
"I think you will find it a very pretty country. We have much mountain terrain, and beautiful old buildings." The girl said warmly. "I hope you all enjoy your stay in Morvania!"
"Okay, enough with the small talk." Phyllis growled, grabbing up the other two keys and tossing one to Sylva, who caught it deftly. "Remember what I said, girls. Get changed, and I'll meet you down in the rec room in about half an hour. All right?"
"We'll be there." Sadie nodded her head. Phyllis fixed the English girl with a dark look.
"I'm keeping my eye on you." She said pointedly. "So watch your step."
"Well, she's in a lovely mood." Sylva observed, once the executive had gone. "Guess we'd better do as she says, huh? We don't want our heads bitten off."
"No, might make it hard to sing, then." Nancy said, amused. "Maybe it's that time of the month."
"With Phyllis, who knows?" Sylva shrugged. "Okay, Sadie, you coming? If we've only got half an hour to change, I'll race you for the shower!"
"Hey, no fair!" Sadie protested, as her companion scooped up her case, making for the only free lift. "Syl, wait up!"
As Jewel made their way to their rooms, the girl behind the desk scooped up the phone receiver, dialling a familiar number and waiting impatiently for it to be picked up. At length a voice came down the line.
"Well?" It demanded. "What is it, Nerysa? What do you want? I'm busy!"
"Just to tell you that the Americans arrive." Nerysa said quietly. "They check into the Hotel Victor, just as you said. Why is it they interest you so greatly?"
"Let me just say that the fewer questions you ask, the better for us both." The voice returned smoothly. "You will be paid, as promised."
"I don't understand."
"The Americans are here to take part in the Battle of the Bands." The voice said wearily. "But there is an old score to settle. They are accompanied by Phyllis Gabor?"
"Yes, Miss Gabor checked them in." Nerysa agreed. "But..."
"Miss Gabor has been here before." The voice murmured. "They may well be spies...you have done well to tell me this. We must find out more about these Americans...and what they want. Many years ago, Americans threatened the Morvanian throne. Our Royal Family may be in grave danger. You will keep me informed of their movements...the future of our people may depend on it."
The phoneline went dead, and Nerysa stared at it blankly for a moment, before returning the receiver to it's home. She pursed her lips.
"I wonder what is the problem. The Americans do not seem a danger." She mused, returning to her paperwork. "But then, I do not know why they fly so far, just for a musical competition. Maybe it is true. Maybe they are spies. Either way, I must do my duty for Morvania. There is no harm in being safe."

"So, what do you make of it all?"
Sadie dropped down onto her bed, resting her chin in her hands. "Phyllis' rules and regulations, I mean. Do you think she has a hidden agenda, or is she just mad because of what happened in England?"
"I'd say a bit of both." Sylva glanced up from where she was carefully filing a chipped nail, pursing her lips. "I don't get her, though. We're not allowed to leave the hotel without telling her where we're going, we're not allowed to go anywhere alone...and we're not to give statements to reporters unless we fully understand the questions we're being asked. I mean, what? How long have we been doing this damn job, anyhow? We're not children. We can handle the press. And it's not like Morvania is a hostile nation. I looked it up on the travel channel last night, after I spoke to Mom. It's one heck of a tourist resort. Right out of a fairy tale, almost. Gothic castles and old buildings and beautiful snow topped mountains - even in the summertime! It's not dangerous, and we're not a well known act here. What's gotten her goat?"
"I bet it's all my fault." Sadie sighed. "I'm sorry, Syl. I snuck out in Kent, I almost got banged up for murder because of it, and I caused chaos on our last tour. It's my fault she's gone mad with the security regs this time. After all, you girls might be old hands at this game, but I'm not. I'm still a rookie...and I'm still learning what to do."
"I think you're doing just fine." Sylva assured her. "Okay, the business in England was a bit of a mess, granted, but it wasn't your fault that Neal jerk attacked your sister, or that she brained him trying to get away. It wasn't your fault that the cops were screwed up and got the wrong Monahue to begin with...they wrecked our tour, not you. And you stood by Georgia when she needed you...noone can criticise you for that. After all, I'd have done the same thing for Anna."
"I should have helped Georgia a long time ago." Sadie shook her head. "But at least I prevented her from going to prison. Now she'll get help and counselling and I hope she'll be all right." She sighed. "But Phyllis pretty much told me when we got back that I was on my last chance. One more alarum with me as the cause...and I'm outta there. Kaput. Gone." She gestured. "Yesterday's news."
"At least she gave you that." Sylva pointed out. "Heck, she must like you." She grinned. "Most people she hates get thrown out. Look at what happened to Eric Raymond! And he only embezzled from the company. You got accused of murder!"
"Phyllis didn't fine me for that." Sadie responded. "She fined me for breaking the law yet again - for not telling her about my prior convictions when I signed my contract and filled in those forms. She coulda had me done for that...gee, maybe she does like me." She looked rueful. "Funny way to show it, mind you."
"Well, either way, you're still a Jewel, and we have a contest to win." Sylva shrugged. "Tomorrow we'll get a view of the competition, since Phyllis said we were meeting at the Theatre where it's all going to be held. It's supposed to be some Mediaeval building...I can't wait. I mean, can you imagine? People put on plays in it five hundred years ago...and it's still standing? Maybe it'll have a ghost."
"I hope not." Sadie shivered. "I'm looking to have a nice, quiet, uneventful stop in Morvania, to tell you the truth. England was enough excitement for this Jewel."
"Well, I suppose we ought to take a look at the scripts Nancy gave us last night."
Sylva stifled a yawn, rooting in her hand luggage and pulling out several sheets of folded manuscript paper. "See if I can make any sense of this before we get instruments tomorrow. With Phyllis in the mood from hell, I wanna be prepared."
"Sounds like a good idea to me." Sadie came to sit on the end of her friend's bed, peering over her shoulder. "Mine's in my case, but...hey, hang on a minute!"
She snatched up the top sheet.
"Hey!" Sylva protested. "I was skimming that!"
"Well, wait a moment, will ya?" Sadie retorted. "If this is her idea of a joke..." She got to her feet, marching across the room to the door that interconnected their room with the one next door and banging on the solid oak panelling.
"Nancy Pelligrini, you have some explaining to do!" She exclaimed.
"What's all the noise?" Nancy swung back the door. Sadie waved the sheet of music.
"This!" She responded. "Nancy, what's the big idea? Why did you give us the scripts for this song? What are you playing at?"
"Not playing at anything." Nancy shrugged her shoulders, lounging up against the doorpost. "Mom said it was a good song, and it was chosen to be our song in Morvania. There a problem with it?"
"Yes, there's a damn problem with it!" Sadie exclaimed. "It's my song!"