Ye, look at me, uploading a chapter that's not a month late. Enjoy this while it lasts
EDIT 7-28-17 okay, again clarity, edited for added humor, changed some shit with bobbys dialogue bc it always fucks me up every time i go back and reread it. next chapter is it, dudes. next chapter we get the real changes
Ninety-nine Rokador elite on the wall,
Ninety-nine Rokador elite,
If I lose my patience,
And one gets shot down,
Ninety-eight more thrice-damned complaints on the wall.
Saint Dane groaned internally as Lady Reena's complaints continued on, no end in sight. She had been whining about the guards that patrolled her corridor 'eavesdropping' on her 'private meetings' with Lord Jedda, and that there was 'absolutely nothing going on that would be worth eavesdropping on, no way!'. To be honest, the demon had stopped listening the fourth or fifth time she started repeating herself, instead imagining all the creative ways he could pluck out her eyeballs and feed them to her. He tried to keep his inner thoughts hidden, for his low opinion of them would not be appreciated if it became known.
Lord Jedda chimed in every once in a while, nodding along and adding onto the ridiculous lie his mistress was weaving. The whole thing was grating on Dane's nerves, giving him a slight headache. He cradled his head, the urge to obliterate them and abandon this blasted territory rising. If I could just shut them up, all it would take is a single thought…
They went silent at a commotion outside the meeting room. The double doors were thrown open, admitting a scared-looking Pendragon and the flustered guard that had tried to keep him out. Pendragon nodded briefly at the confounded elite members, then started pulling at Dane's arm.
Reena looked scandalized that she'd been interrupted. "Ex-cuse me?" she shrieked. "Just who does he think he is, barging in on an extremely important meeting with the Rokador elite?!"
Bobby jumped. He looked meekly up at Dane. "Is this a bad time…?"
Golden opportunity. "No, it's perfect," Dane replied, smiling. He raised his voice so the others could hear. "In fact, we were just finishing now."
"B-but!" Jedda sputtered. He seemed lost. It would have been funnier, had Saint Dane not been about to lose his mind. "The guards!"
Dane pinched the bridge of his nose and growled under his breath. "If it is such a problem," he said, barely restraining his anger, "then move them. Fire them. Kill them, for all I care. I don't see why you had to come to me about this."
He grabbed Pendragon by the arm and marched out, ignoring their matching red faces and indignant muttering. The guard followed them back out, resuming his position and stifling giggles.
They walked a ways down the corridor and stopped, Dane having cooled down enough to remember the reason for his leaving in the first place. He released Pendragon's arm and asked "So why the sudden emergency?"
The boy blanched, having forgotten his earlier panic as well. "The ring."
A trickle of dread worked its way down Saint Dane's spine. No, it can't be. He started walking, Pendragon jogging to keep up with his long strides and continue his explanation.
"Okay, so, not so long after you left it started glowing, right? And at first I didn't think much of it, because it seemed a bit magical but honestly anything having to do with you is always at least a little bit magical." He twisted the sleeve of his white robes and looked away awkwardly. "Well, then it started spewing music and growing, and I thought 'What if this isn't normal? What if it's not safe? What if it's a bomb or a weapon or a gateway for something dangerous that's coming through right now and I'm about to be killed violently?'
"So basically I turned tail and ran to get you just in case, and if it is dangerous, there was in there to get hurt, and if it's not, then no harm no foul, right?" He finished rambling and looked at the demon hopefully, but Dane wasn't paying attention. His mind was already on what the Travelers were trying to send Pendragon.
They had no doubt noticed his absence, and were sending messages around to find out if he was okay. Saint Dane didn't know if reading their messages would trigger Pendragon's memories to return, but he didn't want to take the chance. Besides, even if he didn't remember, the boy would still have questions. Questions Dane wouldn't be able to answer if he wanted to keep going with his plans.
They got to their chambers in record time. Dane strode right in, but Pendragon hesitated at the door, wary of any possible dangers lurking within. The demon snatched up the envelope sitting innocently on the cot, angling his body so Pendragon couldn't see the familiar scrawl of his friend from Cloral.
'Bobby-
'Hobey, mate, where ya been? Gunny, Kasha, and I are worried sick! Last we saw of you, a giant rock left a dent on your head on your way through the flume to Zadaa. Boon sent a message to your acolytes, but they haven't heard from you either. Hope you haven't gotten in a tum-tigger without us already!
'We're sending something to Loor too, if it turns out you didn't get this. You were headed to Zadaa, maybe she knows where you are.
'Hobey ho!
'-Spader and the gang'
This could be bad. Very bad. If the warrior girl got wind the lead Traveler was missing on her territory, where she knew the demon was working, there would be nothing stopping her from tearing the place apart until she found them. He needed to hurry, move his plans along before something happened.
A hand on his arm jerked him out of his musings. Pendragon was standing on his toes, trying to see over Dane's shoulder and read the letter. The demon pulled away, frowning.
Pendragon huffed and crossed his arms, grumbling. "Why you gotta be so freaking tall, man? Seven feet is ridiculous. No one is seven feet tall."
Dane quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe I like being this tall," he said, folding the letter back up and slipping it and the ring into his pocket. "Maybe I enjoy towering over people."
"Maybe you're compensating for something," Pendragon muttered under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing." Pendragon flashed his mentor an innocent smile, which did absolutely nothing to make Dane feel better. "So, what was that letter about?"
"Don't worry about it," he dismissed. "Just a message for me. There was no danger, but thank you for telling me anyways. And getting me out of that meeting."
Pendragon rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess I did kinda overreact."
Dane chuckled. "A little. But it was understandable. You were in an unfamiliar and frankly concerning situation, and reacted accordingly." He steeled himself and put his hand on the ex-Traveler's shoulder, smiling as warmly as he could. "Don't worry, dear boy. You have nothing to fear with me around."
Suddenly the demon found himself with an armful of Bobby Pendragon. He almost pulled away, but the boy was nuzzling into his shirt and holding on rather tightly, and his body was warm and solid and comforting, and wow it had been awhile since Saint Dane had been hugged if even his worst enemy was making him like this. He pushed the thought aside with the justification that mentors should be able to comfort their charges and not be awkward about it. This is completely normal, he told himself as he settled his arms around Pendragon's shoulders.
Just as quickly and unexpectedly as it happened, it was over as Pendragon jerked away, his face crimson. Dane realized rather belatedly that his own features were heating up, and cleared his throat.
"I-I just wanted to, uh, thank you," Pendragon stuttered out, pushing Dane towards the door and ducking his head, trying vainly to hide his blush. "Thank you, f-for uh, reassuring me and caring for me despite m-my amnesia, and stuff, a-and yeah basically thank you but now I need to be alone so okaythanksbye."
The door slammed shut behind the demon, the sound of the crude lock being thrown following. He stood in the stone corridor, blinking, his mind not fully processing what just happened.
He shrugged and did what he did best: blocked it out and continued on.
Besides, dinner with the elite was in an hour. He needed to get ready and steel himself for the inevitable headache.
