This chapter took me about two days to write; it was really fun. :) I ended up writing a one-shot for a different series when I was halfway through this, but that's just testimony to the fact that my attention span is very, very tiny. :)
Anyways, this chapter was originally going to be twice as long, but I wanted to get this up more quickly, and it made me feel like I was actually making progress to have something to show now.
I give thanks once more to who kindly went through and checked this over for me before I put it up! She's my life-saver.
So: Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Fablehaven. I do love Warren, though!
Seth wandered aimlessly through the house looking for anything to distract him. He wasn't really surprised that he couldn't seem to find anyone, though; everyone was going places lately.
Everyone except him.
Even though Grandpa had made him a knight he hadn't had any missions. It was so unfair! Kendra had gotten a mission within her first hour!
As Seth finally wandered into the kitchen he found someone at the table. "Hey Grandma," he said. "Where is everyone else?"
His grandmother looked up from her book and smiled at Seth as he sat down across for her. "Kendra is in the garden, trying to talk to fairies. I'd advise not going there just now." Seth silently agreed. Ever since he had turned that one fairy into an imp, the others just hadn't liked him. He doubted from the way they acted that he could ever regain their friendliness. "Your grandpa is out visiting a friend who he thinks may have some clue about where the fifth hidden preserve might be." Seth nodded; Grandpa had mentioned that a couple of days before. "Tanu and Coulter are out meeting with friends all over the world trying to find out more information about the last hidden preserve as well… and about Warren."
"What about Dale?"
Grandma shook her head. "I'm not sure; I haven't seen him all day. He's probably at Warren's cabin."
Seth felt a tingling guilt inside of him as he thought of Warren. It had been months since their trip to the dragon sanctuary, but still they were no closer to finding Warren than they had been then. It wasn't exactly anyone's fault- they were all trying. But they were busy with openly facing and competing with the Society at all times. Even Warren himself would have agreed that the fate of the world took importance.
Still, Seth felt like he should be doing more. Out of everyone, except for maybe Dale, he was doing the least right now. It felt to him like he was letting Warren down by letting the others try to pick up the work in their small bits of free time- but what could he do to help?
"I'm going to go see if I can find Dale, Grandma," Seth said. She nodded absently, having gone back to reading, and Seth left the room.
He now had permission to wander areas of Fablehaven that he knew well, so long as he asked for permission first. The cabin was one of the easiest places to get to; he went there often, with or without permission.
When Seth reached the little cabin in the clearing he knocked carefully on the door. "Dale?" he asked out loud before he entered. Dale was sitting at the table, staring down at the surface, but he looked up when Seth came in.
"Oh," he said before looking back at the surface of the table. "Hey, Seth."
Seth hated how dejected Dale looked. This whole situation was the most unfair to him. Dale had lost his brother twice now, and this time there was nothing he could do- just like Seth himself.
Seth sat down across from Dale. "How are you?" he asked carefully. It wasn't a simple question nowadays, for any of them.
Dale shook his head. "Don't worry about me." It wasn't an answer, but Seth had to accept it. He knew that pushing Dale to his limits right now wasn't the brightest of ideas. He'd made enough mistakes in the past.
They were silent for a while before Seth dared to say what he knew they were both thinking. "They're all working hard to get Warren back, you know. We're going to find him."
Dale nodded slowly. "You think you will."
For a moment Seth wasn't sure what to say, but then… "Didn't you once tell us that you would never know the day to give up on him, because you would never stop trying to get him back?"
Dale looked at him sadly. "There is no way, Seth."
Seth glared fiercely at Dale, his guilt that he'd done nothing fueling his anger at Dale for giving up. "There is a way; we will find it! We won't give up on him, Dale! You shouldn't either."
When Dale didn't respond Seth took a closer look at him. Dale didn't look well at all- he was pale, too thin, and altogether sick looking. Seth felt guilty for getting angry, for yelling. "We will get him back home," Seth said in a somewhat kinder tone. "I won't give up."
Dale nodded slowly, more to stop Seth from continuing than to agree. "Alright Seth."
Seth sighed and put his head on his hand, staring down at the surface of the tale in a mirror image of his older friend. He meant what he said, but how could he help Warren? What could he possibly do?! Just when Seth started to feel like screaming from all of the pent up frustration he felt, he heard a soft voice on the wind- or so it seemed.
Seth… Seth cocked his head, trying to listen carefully. Come to me.
Graulas?
Seth… come to me.
"Seth?" Startled, Seth looked to Dale. "Are you ok? You looked… confused."
Seth shrugged. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thought I heard something is all."
Despite himself Dale looked slightly worried. "Are you sure you're fine?"
Seth smiled slightly. "I'm the one that should be asking you."
Dale managed to smile back. "I'm fine."
Seth nodded, knowing that it wasn't the full truth, but knowing that Dale was trying to make it true. They sat for a while in silence, but Seth's mind had now wandered.
What could Graulas want? He had helped Seth before with the plague, and a few months later he had turned Seth into a shadow charmer. But what could he help with now? All of Seth's problems seemed to be beyond Fablehaven, at least for now.
Still, Graulas was too important of an ally- maybe only to Seth, but still- for Seth to ignore him now.
Seth knew what he had to do. As soon as the first opportunity presented itself, he would sneak away from the house. It was worth losing his privileges for this; he finally had something to do.
I have the ideas for the next chapter set, but there is one slight problem that I need to figure out. I'm just going to re-read the third and fourth books before I actually write it to make sure that I get it right. :) Better safe than sorry!
So, thanks to anyone who has read these two chapters so far; please review! Any ideas, comments, constructive critism; please tell me! I'd love to learn how to do better.
Until next time…
