Forgive me for not updating in so long. Life's kept me busy as always. Also sorry this chapter's kind sentimental. I just need to build up the character's relationship for it to fit. Please review
Chapter 2: Cielo
Link's POV
The girl stares at Zelda and I with a hint of wonder. She's holding her wounded arm covered by my sash tightly. For a girl she's rather tall, almost my height and somewhat lanky. She pulls in her tiny lips and looks at the ground, tapping her foot as if she's musing over what to say. After what seemed like ten minutes, Zelda breaks the silence.
"How do you know that song?" she approaches the girl slowly, calmly, and carefully. The girl lifts her head and stares straight at Zelda. She doesn't move or back away, in fact, she's smiling.
The wind picks up and lifts her dark shoulder length hair. The strands reflect the sun, glowing light bronze and caressing her small face. Her skin is a light tan, though her diamond-shaped face appears lighter. Her large navy blue eyes are framed by her eyelids like downward crescents surrounded by thick lashes.
"How do I explain it without sounding crazy?" she sighs. She gazes up at the Goddess statue again and points to her with the hand that wasn't bandaged by my sash. "I heard a voice coming from this statue. It told me to repeat after her the song that I just sang. I really have no idea what it means though," she laughs sheepishly. Before I ask her about the statue, Zelda runs to the girl and grabs her arm, the one that was bandaged.
"Ow! Hey! Wha-" the girl shouts.
"Don't you know what this means? Link I knew she isn't a threat!" Zelda laughs facing me and smiling. She's jumping up and down and giggling wagging the girl's arm, and causing her to grimace.
"What threat? Me? I wouldn't hurt anyone!" she stiffens and pulls her arm from Zelda's grip, wincing as she did so. "You thought I was a monster or something? Do I look like a monster to you? I am 100% human thank you very much!" she pouts.
"Pffft," I stifled a laugh. The way she swells her cheeks and frowns is ridiculous, childish even. What is she, two?
"What's so funny? Just because I don't have elf ears like you doesn't mean I'm a freak!"
"Your expression-" I began.
"Is adorable!" Zelda squeals. "But what's an elf? Are they creatures where you come from? All the humans here have ears like we do!"
The girl crosses her arms. "Well humans where I come from don't have huge ears like they do here."
I approach the both of them, continuing to stare quizzically, at the girl, although acting amused. "Well obviously. Do humans like you run away from others trying to help them?"
The girl swells her cheeks again and looks at the ground. "Well, I- well I didn't know what to expect! Don't blame me for running! You could've eaten me for all I know!"
I burst out laughing. The time Skyloftians commit cannibalism is the day Groose calls Zelda ugly.
"Link, don't laugh at her!" Zelda scowls at me, then smiles at the stranger. "We're a peaceful village here in Skyloft. The only monsters you have to worry about are the ones that come out at night! But we have knights to protect us here. They're guardians of Skyloft. In fact, Link and I are training to become knights at the knight academy!"
"Knight academy? Is that like school here?" the girl cocks her head to the side.
"We'll explain all this to you, but first we have to get that wound tended to before it gets infected." I point out.
"That's right! Let's take you to Henya! Not only is she a good cook, but she treats injuries well too!" Zelda walks the reluctant girl from the sacred circle back out of the entrance. I chuckle and follow them out.
"Oh by the way," she stops. "We forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Zelda." Zelda beams at her. The girl rotates her head to look at me then back at Zelda. "C-Cielo. I'm Cielo."
"Nice to meet you Cielo. I'm Link." The girl, er, Cielo gives a small smile. "Nice to meet you too," she utters softly. I return the smile and we begin walking back to the Knight Academy. I wonder how the others will react? Hopefully Henya will be nice enough to treat the girl before the Masters object.
At the knight academy….
"Shhhhhhhh! Let's not alert any of our classmates, the teachers, or my father." Zelda pokes out the bottom door of the academy and searches for anyone in the halls. Cielo pokes out her head above hers. "Will they attack us or something if they see me?"
I poke out my head above theirs."Is this sneaking around even necessary?" I searched down the hall and strangely there seems to be no one.
While we went down the stairs from the sanctuary, the students and teachers ran about outside to the bazaar and others' homes. Seeking an opportunity we ran and leaped from the upper level of the academy, each of Cielo's arms supported by Zelda and I. Luckily, Cielo's condition did not inhibit her legs, though they were shaky. It was good timing too since the students were scurrying from the bazaar toward the entrance of the Goddess statue. From what I could glimpse, none of the masters were to be found outside.
I just hope their presence isn't in the academy.
"Why not?" Zelda whispers. "It's more fun this way."
We tiptoe across the hall to the cafeteria, where Henya was preparing dinner. The kind, yet strict elderly woman ceased stirring whatever broth she conjured up and faced us. Her eyes grow large and she jumps, almost knocking over the pot. "Oh? What do we have here? May this be the girl the Masters and students were shouting about? "
"Henya, please. If you'd like I'll take over the cooking but could you please treat Cielo's wound!" Zelda clasped her hands together, and bowed.
The woman sighs and hands the wooden spoon to Zelda. "Well you know I don't like to leave injured an injured child suffer. And if you two brought her here with no harm done, then I'll do it."She goes over to the sink, washes her hands and scans the messy counters and cabinets. "Link, bring her to your room, dear. I'll get the supplies in a moment and you can watch over her there. Plus, it'll buy us some time to explain."
I beckon Cielo and we search the hallway again then run to the door to my dormitory. I open it and let Cielo go first then close the door. She steps slowly to the middle of the room, hands clasped behind her back and tilting her head toward the bed, dresser, and the bookshelf.
"Your room, it's….interesting to say the least," she stares curiously at model of a bird I made on the shelf.
"Well I don't decorate much." I shrug. "Zelda's room is much nicer. You can sit on the bed if you want."She sits down cautiously looking at the bed, as if it'd collapse as soon as she sat on it. I smile. She's being too nervous. I suppose small talk is all she can manage for now, but I have a million questions for her. Though what if she doesn't want to talk about it? I'll start off small.
"So, Cielo. Seeing as you're not dangerous-"
"You'd like to know where I come from?" she finishes my sentence.
"Well," I sheepishly start rubbing the back of my head. "If you don't mind, I'm curious."
She looks down at her hands, twiddling her thumbs. "What did you see, first of all?"
I rack my brain for a moment. "It wasn't much. I was flying my Loftwing until I saw you fell from the sky. As soon as I knew you were possibly a person, I flew to catch you. I only saw you when you when you were above the island, so sorry about that." I chuckle a little. "What I don't understand is why the knights weren't able to save you before I did. They usually sense when anyone in skyloft falls off the island."
Cielo crosses her arms. "It might be because I'm not one of your kind, so they couldn't save me right away unless they saw me. Nevertheless, you saved me so I thank you for that." She gives me the same smile on the sacred circle again. She has pretty eyes. Eh?! What am I thinking?
"Oh, you're welcome! Don't think much of it! People say I'm too nice! Hehehe….ehhhhh," What is wrong with me today?
I hear Cielo murmur something. "At least she didn't…she didn't let me die after all…she knew that…"
"What's that?" I inquire. Talk to herself, much? This girl gets stranger every minute.
"Oh! Nothing! Just saying things to myself!" she jumps and stiffens.
We hear a knock at the door.
"Eeep!" Cielo squeaks and jumps behind the side of the dresser.
I chuckle and casually open the door just an inch. It's only Henya with a box of herbs, bandages, and what looks like a sowing kit. Zelda's carrying a bucket of water and a washcloth.
"Alright, sorry it took so long." The stout woman bustles past me along with Zelda as I close the door after them. "What are you doing behind the dresser, child? Come sit here on the bed so I can look at you!"
Cielo tip toes and sits back down on my bed.
"Link keep watch and act like you're on duty! We'll make this girl a little more presentable in the mean time!" Henya shoos me out of my room and shuts the door.
I shrug and scan the hallway for any of the students or the Masters. Honestly its my room!
I hear a creaking upstairs, must be the door outside. I run up the stairs to see Pipit and Karane walking ahead. "Hey there, Link! Did you find the girl?" Pipit waves and approaches me.
"No not yet!" I lie, smiling. Really I don't get the point of keeping her a secret. I know no one In Skyloft would hurt her, but it's not like I knew her well myself. Oh now I'm having doubts!
"Really? I thought she went to the Goddess statue, or did you check every knook and cranny she could hide? You have to think these through too, Link." Karane chastises. "But then again the Masters are over there now, and I have no idea where Groose and his friends have gone off to."
"Perhaps they might be in the ca-" I start.
"Eeeoww!"
"Eh? What was that?" Pipit looks over my shoulder.
I gulp. "It might be Zelda, yeah! She might have burned her fingers while helping Henya in the kitchen!"
"Now why would Zelda be doing that at a time like this? Come on, we'll see for ourselves!" Karane confidently bolts down the steps. I chase after her along with Pipit right behind.
"Wonder where it came from?" Karane slowly inspects the hallway and holds her ear to Cawlin and Grooses door.
"I thought we already checked the rooms," Pipit glances at my door.
Don't make a sound, don't make a sound, don't you dare make a sound! I grit my teeth in hopes that Cielo keeps quiet. Seriously, I thought Henya was fixing her wound!
"Link, you didn't check yours did you?" Karane raises her eyebrows.
"Uh, well yeah I just did and I was just going up outside to check on you guys!"
"Well, then Zelda and Henya are in the kitchen?" Pipit jogs and reaches the cafeteria.
"Maybe, they went outside?" I shrug. How long could I keep this up?
"Ok then,…..I guess we'll check if the Masters found anything," Karane sighs and goes toward the door.
"Wait, how about the cave?" Pipit suggests. "I bet no one's checked there yet."
"But there's monsters in there! And we don't have any weapons, not that Sir Eagus would let us use them anyway," Karane huffs, "But we're upper classmen! And I've got just as good sword fighting skills as a knight!"
"That's not the point, she's outsider remember? She could just have abilities we don't know about!" Pipit points out.
"How about we stop talking about it and just go there!" I drag them both out the doors.
"Whoa, Link we're going!" Karane yanks out her arm and dashes up the boxes to the upper floor.
"Wait for us!" Pipit jumps after her. I follow close behind, it's the only thing I can do to distract them now. Only thing is what'll I do when they find out she's not there? The masters,Fledge, Groose, and his cronies will be back, and Henya and Zelda will have to come out some time. Nah, I'm sure they'll fix Cielo just fine. But how will we explain this to the Masters? Why am I worrying so much about this? Link just focus on pretending to search dammit!
We got to the stone path to the other side of the lake. Leaping from stone to stone we reach the other side and sprint up the elevation to the cave opening near the waterfall. Luckily, the masters didn't put the barriers up but we were still never allowed to go in.
"Should we really go in without weapons, though? I just don't feel like pushing myself today," Pipit grimaced a little at the dark depths.
"What are you scared? It's just Keese and Chu-chus, nothing to worry about! Even Link encountered them before, right Link?" Karane snickers.
True I have, although I younger than these two. I haven't been to the cave before, but a couple years ago Groose dared me to sneak out during nighttime and only come back after an hour. That incident didn't end so well, as I got numerous scratches from Keese on my arms trying to bat them away. The chu-chus stung me while they clung to my legs but I kicked them off eventually. The only thing that frightened me even more was that Mia, Zelda's pet either turns ferocious at night or was entirely different monsters bit me so many times I bolted back inside the Academy in tears. Gaepora and Master Horwell had a fit and reprimanded me for being so stupid, but not nearly as bad as Henya. "The hell were you thinking! Running off like that even when we told you there's monsters out! I swear I'd beat your ass even further if you weren't covered in scratches!" Zelda was pretty mad about that too, and didn't believe me when I told her when her "precious" Mia was a lethal little bastard. Well of course I didn't say that to her face, but she still didn't believe it. Groose, well, he of course denied it and made fun of how I sounded like a baby the next day.
I just hope Cielo doesn't turn out like that when night falls. I look toward the sky. The sun was setting pretty fast now.
"That was a pretty bad experience! Let's not repeat the same mistake! We'll just run like hell around the cave and rush outside the exit. We can call our Loftwings out there if she's not there. Sound like a plan?" Pipit turns to me and Karane.
"Sure, and besides." Karane pulls something out from the bag at her side.
"A dagger? Did you sneak that from Sir Eagus's storage!?" Pipit gawks at the jagged blade.
"Just a little insurance, in case, well you know. I'll put it back, as soon as we're done with the cave." She grins proudly.
Well this just got a little more unnecessary…
"Uh….ok then. Let's go!" we dart inside.
Cielo's POV
"That was a close one!" Zelda sighed. As soon as Link, Karane, and Pipit, as Zelda has told me their names, left, we scurried to the bathroom. Literally, it was only the bathroom. No toilets or anything, just hampers aligned on the shells as well as other bottles of who knows what. I am sitting next a circular bathtub with light green water.
"Do know how to keep a low profile, dear. We're lucky they didn't insist on barging into Link's room!" Henya shakes her head and puts the supplies down. She gets out a needle and some sort of transparent thread. "Well at least I've cleaned the wound and applied the paste. Now I'll just stitch it up and we're done!" she holds my hand pricks the skin with the needle, sowing the skin back together. Strangely I feel nothing, only little ant bites. "Just need to get you washed up and out of those outlandish clothes!"
I pout. "Outlandish? These are my pajamas!"
"Pa-what m'dear?" Henya cocks her head, even Zelda stares blankly.
"Nevermind," I sigh. Apparently they don't know about red polka dotted blue pants and a black shirt as night attire.
"Ummm, ok. Do you want me to check if Wryna has any spear clothes? She looks just about her size." Zelda puts a hand on Henya's shoulder.
"Good idea. Fetch them for me, while I finish stitching her." Zelda nods and moves out of the bath in a hurry.
Henya now faces me, "Now dear, Cielo was it?"
I nod.
"Now fill me in on this situation here. The only thing the masters told me was that there was a strange girl running around Skyloft and to be on the alert. I don't know what the hell the commotion is seeing as you're no threat, so tell me, if you can tell me?" She arched an eyebrow, while tugging swiftly at her needle.
"Mmmmm, well I-I was falling and Link catched me on his, Loftwing? Yeah, that's it. Well, more like crashed on the island, but the bird wasn't hurt badly." I explained, releasing only little information as possible. I didn't feel like explaining anything still.
"How'd you cut your arm? It's my understanding that when a person falls from a great height and survives they usually break something."
"Well I cut my arm on the fall here."
"Where though? There's no islands that far up in the sky."
"I-" I hesitate, "I don't feel like sharing that right now."
"Well for the safety of Skyloft, and to gain our trust you have to tell us more than that!" Henya gives a small smile. "You can't expect the Masters and the rest the students to readily let you stay. Oh, but do you tend to stay I wonder?"
I stay silent.
She sighs. "Look, dear I don't mean to be that pushy. If I was elder I'd leave you alone, but the longer you stay silent the less willing anyone will help you here."
I turn my l left hand to a fist. She's right, Fi said I'd have to stay for about three years to prepare.
"Well, for starters I don't know exactly myself how I got here. I was imprisoned…so to speak… and released into the sky. I happened to be above this island when I was falling."
"Imprisoned? Do you know by whom?"
"No, it was some kind of monster, a really big monster. I almost died if it wasn't for this girl. Well, I'm not sure what she is really, she's entirely blue and made out of stone or metal. Her name was Fi, does anyone in Skyloft know of someone like that?"
"Hmmmm, not that I know of. Never heard of someone like that, not in legends either." Henya frowns. "But she saved you, so how come you still fell?"
"She left, and the prison broke apart. Next thing you know the prison shatters, cuts me, and I'm falling to my death." I chuckled.
Henya nods and smiles. "Now we're getting somewhere! At the very least that will suffice. Not very helpful, cause of the fall but helpful nonetheless. What about where you came from?"
"I don't know how I got here, only that I've very far from home."
"I see," Henya ceases her stitching, puts the needle in a cloth, and puts her supplies back in a wooden box. She gets out some leaves, and starts running the newly sown skin. I could feel a nice tingly sensation, burning but nice.
"This will make it heal a little faster. I'll rub more once you're out of the bath! You do know how to use a bath do you?"
"Ehhhhhh….."
She sighs "Child, you have a lot to learn. Now hurry up and strip so I can wash you!"
Link's POV
"Well that was a waste of time!" Karane lands elegantly at the plaza.
"At least we know she's not there!" Pipit and I land beside her. We wave back to our Loftwings, who were flying back to the nest before nightfall.
"Maybe she's scurrying about in places we've already checked! This girl's really good at hiding!" I march after her. From the plaza we could see Zelda not far off, rushing with some light blue clothing out of Wryna's house.
"Oi! Zelda! You found her anywhere?" Karane calls out.
"No nothing yet! Bye!" She runs past us toward the Academy.
"Wonder where she's off to in a hurry and with clothes?" Pipit gazes after her.
"Laundry?" I shrug. I don't know myself.
We went back to the upper floor of the academy to find Gaepora, Master Horwell, and Master Owlan talking amongst themselves. "Ah there you are!" Gaepora breaks their conversation. "We were just wondering where you three were!"
"As you can see we didn't find her," Karane looks at the ground glumly.
"We checked in the cave," I say, perhaps this will enrage them a little for enough time to stall.
"You did what!?" Owlan gaped.
"We weren't harmed at all! And we didn't go unguarded!" Pipit defends scowling at me for admitting that so soon.
"Sir Eagus let you use a sword?" Master Horwell inquires.
Karane holds her arms behind her head, and chuckles embarrassed. "Define "let.""
BOOM! "ZELDA I'M COMING!" We hear Groose holler from below.
"What in the goddess's name-" Gaepora and the rest of us arrive downstairs to see Groose banging on the bathroom door.
"For the love of Hylia, stop banging on the dam door you brute!" Henya screeches at Groose who still continues to bang on the door.
"How could let her in there without my protection!" Groose scowls at Henya.
"Protection? She's in a bathroom? Have you know respect of privacy?! She's fine dammit, stop acting like an idiot and stop banging on the door!"
"I have to make sure!" Groose pulls on the knob frantically.
"A-HEM!" Gaepora clears his throat loudly, signaling Groose to face him. "Might I suggest you tell us what in goddess's name are you banging on the door WHILE MY DAUGHTER'S IN THERE!?" he growls.
Groose gulps.
Ahhhhhhh priceless!
Groose stands ground, frowning and pointing at the door. "Well if you must know, Henya just told me that the girl's in the bathroom. AND ZELDA JUST WENT INSIDE!" he sobs. "What if that thing hurts her?"
In response, Zelda voice calls out muffled from the bathroom. "I'm perfectly fine as you can hear! Really, did you have to bang the door? And she's not a THING GROOSE! She has a name thank you very much, and a human at that!"
"You see? What did I tell you? I just came out of there myself to stitch the poor girl's arm." Henya crosses her arms smugly.
"You treated the girl already? Why didn't you tell us beforehand?" Gaepora questions her.
"Well first off, she's shy as you can tell. But she's informed of her situation. How about I explain in the dining room?" she gestures to all of us. We follow her, and sit down on the tables. The Masters sit together, Groose and his cronies, and Pipit, Karane, and I sit together near the Masters.
The less I have to explain the better.
Cielo's POV
"There we go, now you look like a Skyloftian!" Zelda beams and claps her hands at my attire.
It's not bad; at least it's my favorite color, sky blue. I'm wearing a long-sleeved tunic with a lighter colored skirt. Like Link's sash I have my own version around my waist, except violet. The tunic has navy blue designs of wings at the sleeves and the collar.
My hair isn't quite dry yet, but I insisted in combing it.
"Those potions worked wonders!" I admired my skin, which is nice and smooth.
"Yes, Luv certainly knows how to do her craft." Zelda smiles, helping me comb my hair. "She runs the potion shop at the Bazaar, if it wasn't for her and Henya, we'd be in big trouble without remedies and hygenics."
She very gentle combing my hair, almost like my mother…..Speaking of family."So Zelda, this Gaepora guy, the one who was just talking now, is your father?"
"Well yes, he's kind of like the headmaster of our Academy. Not that I get any special treatment or anything! I still have to attend the academy, but I really like it here. What about you?" She gazes at me from my right, combing the sides.
"Me? As in family?" a throb twisted a knot in my stomach. I didn't think much about them until now. I've almost accepted that this wasn't a dream, but I still have this hunch that as soon as I fall asleep in this world I'll be back in my own home. But what if I don't? Three years to prepare for guiding this hero of the goddess or whatever, then we start on the official task. But how long will that take? I can feel here! I feel Zelda combing my hair; I felt near death, I felt the feathers of Link's loftwing. What more proof do I need?
But I can't stay here, I have family and friends. My heartbeat fluttered frantically, and I was rubbing my arms, though I'm not cold.
"Hey, you ok?" Zelda holds my hand.
I nod. "Hey Zelda?" trying to change the subject.
"Yes?"
"About the song I sang, how did that prove I wasn't a threat to you?"
"Oh, well that's song is kind of special to our people. It's called the Ballad of the Goddess. The lyrics serve as a clue to the Chosen Hero in our legends."
"Chosen Hero?" I perk up.
"Yes, long ago when this island was in the surface, our Goddess Hylia appointed a Hero. The song supposedly helps him in his quest."
"Who is the chosen hero and what surface?" I ask, growing interested.
"No one knows his name, and the surface I speak of is the land below the clouds. This legend was centuries ago though, so we don't know what the surface is like. Our loftwings cannot penetrate the cloud barrier."
"I see," I reply, disappointed. He's surely dead by now, but who's to say the role hasn't passed on?
"So because I have this connection, you trust me?"
"Well it confirmed my thoughts." Zelda giggles. "But you're a really nice person overall, now that we've met."
"Thanks." I smile. "You and Link, were very kind to me, and yet you didn't even know me."
"You're welcome."
"Oh and Zelda?"
"Yes?"
"Since I have to gain everyone's trust, I'll be honest with you. I'm scared out of my wits to explain myself in front of them!"
Zelda laughs. "Oh don't worry, the masters are very understanding. Henya is explaining everything to them. You're not much of a talker are you?"
"You noticed?" I chuckled.
"Of course! Link isn't much talkative either, but you'll get to know him and the others around Skyloft! That reminds me, how long do you plan to stay? That's terrible that you've been imprisoned, but how do you plan to get home?"
Gah! I was just trying to-oh fuck it!
"I don't know…" I shiver.
"Cielo, are you o-oh," Zelda covers her mouth in worry, for she sees the tears streaming my cheeks.
Link's POV
"How long does she plan to take?" Groose grumbles, chin resting on his hand.
"It shouldn't be too long now, give her some time," Henya sets down dinner to all the tables.
I sit silently, tapping on the table and stare at the direction of the bathroom.
"Link, eat something they'll be out in just a moment. " Pipit begins eat a spoonful of broth.
"You said that ten minutes ago," Karane stares bored at the wall fiddling with her soup with her spoon.
At last we hear a click and out comes Zelda and Cielo to the dining room.
I blink a couple times and a little heat rushes to my cheeks. Not sure why Henya and Zelda decided to give her a makeover but-
"You gave her clothes?" Groose gasped in disbelief.
"It looks rather suitable," Karane grins and put a thumbs up.
"So you've finally decided to come out now, eh?" Henya looks at Cielo up and down. "Nice choice Zelda."
"Oh, not really mine. This used to be Wryna's favorites until she grew out of it. I do like it though." She smiles at Cielo, who at the moment is gazing at me. Her eyes alone, seem to scream "Can I go back to the bathroom now?"
Zelda pulls Cielo by hand and has her sit next to me, and Zelda beside her. I give Cielo an encouraging smile.
"Before we continue eating, I have an announcement to make," Gaepora stands up. "It appears we owe, you Cielo, an apology for misjudging you. I hope you forgive us for assuming you as a threat, even though you had no desire to from the beginning."
"It's okay, really. It's my fault for not explaining." Cielo's utters a soft voice. "I must apologize for my….rash behavior." She says louder.
"Teh," Groose and his buddies stifle a laugh.
"Henya has told us the unfortunate incident which befell you." Master Horwell continues. "I'm sure that is why our encounter was very uncomfortable."
"….Unnecessary." Groose whispers something to Cawlin and Stritch, making them snicker.
"Moving on,"Master Owlan, takes over. "You are welcome to our home in Skyloft, lest you don't create any …..severe harm to our island."
"I would be honored, and thank you for your kindness," Cielo rises and bows.
"Hmph," Groose and cronies of course turn away.
If they want to complain, why not just sa-
"Would you like something to say, Groose, I presume?" Cielo crosses her arms. My eyes avert to her firm expression. Her voice is more, solid….authoritative. Did something happen between Zelda and Cielo in the bathroom?(and no get your mind out of the gutter)
"Huh?" Grooses turns around. Cawlin and Stritch look confused too.
"I said, was there anything you'd like to say? You guys seem to be enjoying yourselves back there, care to share it?" she grins smugly.
"She does have a point," Pipit smirks.
"What's got you so giddy?" Karane joins in.
I suppress a laugh. Way to stand up to him, Cielo.
Awkwardly, Groose faces back. "Nothin," he mutters.
"Once again, I thank you for your hospitality. I will be sure to repay my debt to you." She bows again and sits down. A few minutes the rest of us are eating soup again. The volume rises in every group's conversation, including ours. Pipit and Karane warmly introduce themselves. I nudge Cielo to gain her attention, and winked. The smile at the Goddess sanctuary beamed upon her face, but with a hint of mischief too.
Things here might get a little more interesting.
Once again I'm sorry for the boringness.[ Avoids rotten tomatoes.] But I'll speed things along in the next chapter. Any suggestions please do review. No harsh comments, and thank you for reading!
