ShadowRose18: this is the re-written version of JoM.

If people really did like the Dark Archer part, which is almost done anyway, I'll post another story, finishing that off. It was pure character development, but it would have gone back to the basic story.

I'll take out the author's notes of the chapters up to now and then the new ones will have author's notes again. Also, I should warn you. I do have mood swings, but they usually don't affect the story I'm writing (especially a pre-written-in-my-brain one like this). If anything, it'll just affect the author's notes.

Anyway, enjoy

Series: Children of the Red King/ Charlie Bone Series

Author: Jenny Nimmo

Pairings: mainly TancredEmma but a bit of CharlieOlivia and BillyOC

Disclaimer: If I owned COTRK, Charlie probably wouldn't exist and Tancred and Emma would be together already. I also wouldn't have a fanfiction account and wouldn't have wasted hours and hours of day-dreaming the rest of this story. So don't take down my story, 'kay? :)

Chapter 1 – Meetings And Fangirls

"Who does she think she is?" the murmur of voices reached Emma's ears. She looked behind her.

Emma was standing in a small group of boys. Her friends surrounded her, Charlie Bone, the boy who could listen and travel into photographs and paintings, Lysander Sage, the African who could call up his spiritual ancestors, and Tancred Torsson, the boy who could control the weather.

"Hey, Em" Tancred's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Uh, yeah?" she replied quickly.

"What were you looking at?" he asked, glancing over her shoulder in the direction that she had been looking previously.

"Nothing, don't worry," said Emma, "anyway, were we going to meet up this weekend at the Pet's Café?"

The Pet's Café was a small shop run my Mr. and Mrs. Onimous, good friends of Charlie and everyone, and it was also the meeting place for Charlie and his friends. By friends it meant the group of endowed who were not of the side of "evil" and some others. These included Emma, Tancred, Lysander, Gabriel Silk (who could feel emotions through clothes), Billy Raven (an orphan who can understand the language of animals), Fidelio Gunn (a brilliant musician), Olivia Vertigo (a dramatic girl who can create illusions) and Benjamin Brown (Charlie's best friend and knew Charlie when he was "normal").

"Yeah, we'll meet up there. I want to find out where Naren is too. Mr. Onimous might know" replied Charlie.

Then he saw Olivia and ran over to meet her to tell her about the coming weekend and to see his crush once more. Lysander, Tancred and Emma just raised an eyebrow and laughed.

The group of girls several metres away were still standing in their group and glaring at Emma, like she was a vulture taking their food.

Emma soon became uncomfortable with the situation, but before she could leave, Lysander saw some of his friends from one of his new courses that he was taking, and he left to greet them. Speaking of new courses, Emma remembered that she was going to be starting a ceramics course today.

Emma turned to go, telling Tancred that she needed to get her book from her dormitory, but the group of girls were already standing beside them.

"Emma Tolly?" the leader of the group asked. The leader was a tall blonde, probably in the same year as Tancred, with freckles all over her face and a firm frown. Her hair reached mid-way down her back and her side fringe was kept off her face by a single blue clip.

"Yes?" Emma responded coolly, knowing not to lose her dignity.

"We'd like a word with you. Alone" another girl said.

"Is it girl talk?" asked Tancred, curious to know who these girls were. He knew that Emma didn't associate with these people.

The girls gasped and immediately responded; layering over each other and making it come out as an excited buzz.

Emma frowned. She now realized who these people were. Fangirls. Of Tancred.

Emma needed to think of a plan fast. Tancred was already shooting signals to Emma saying 'help!'

Taking a deep breath, Emma stepped forward into the group of girls and said, "Tancred, I think Lysander was looking for you."

Tancred, resisting to breathe a sigh of relief, stepped out of the crowd and followed Emma to the hallway. Once there, he took a gigantic sigh of relief.

"Phew! Thanks for saving me, Em" he said.

"You're welcome" replied Emma, smiling gently.

Tancred opened his mouth to say something, but the bell rang for class to begin. His mouth snapped shut and they both headed to their separate classes without another word.