Chapter 8: A Change Of Plans

A large, young man followed Reginald through the travel door, as well as a packing mule. Once together, the two turned to face the gate, at which the doorman asked, "Name and business?"

"I am Reginald Schoet of Santeem Castle, and this is my companion," the scout replied. "Here are our documents and- oh… my!" Only now did he notice Alena and Cristo still standing just a few feet away on the other side of the gate. "By the Master!" he stammered. "You fool! Let us through, now!"

"What?" the doorman said. "I can't do that without-"

"Damn it!" Reginald interrupted, roughly grabbing the doorman through the gate. "That's the Princess over there! Let us through, you damned fool!"

"W-what?" the doorman stuttered, at a loss for actions as he tried to free himself from Reginald's grasp.

"By the Master, if you don't let us through this instant..." the scout spit through clenched teeth, seemingly unaware that by restraining the doorman, he wasn't speeding things up.

Alena watched the scene in front of her with a touch of amusement. Although it definitely was a shock to find Reginald here, of all places, the fact he was in a panic over her possibly running away at that moment was ironically comical considering she was on her way home anyway. She glanced at Cristo, who was sharing her amusement with a light half-smile. It was strange they would even be so calm at this moment - she honestly did not know how she would react in the event they were ever discovered. Perhaps she would have tried to flee before, when she was still mere days out of Surene, but Brey was correct in that her wanderlust would eventually wane. At this point, Alena would just as soon prefer a royal escort home than put up fight. Still, though she had no intent of making things difficult, the princess found herself in a slight defensive posture should Reginald and his companion unfortunately overreact once they were through the gate.

Eventually, Reginald and the doorman sorted themselves out, and the gate's large iron bars creaked open. The tracker rushed forward, but stopped short of the princess when he noticed she didn't try to run. "P-Princess!" he said. "By the Master, I cannot believe it's really you!" At that he knelt down, his companion following his lead. The doorman remained dumbfounded by the gate, utterly baffled over what just transpired.

"Hello, Reginald," Alena casually said. Though not exactly friends, she'd developed an amiable first-name association with the man over the years, as he'd often tell tales to her of distant lands he'd been sent to scout on behalf of her father. She wondered if she'd be able to impress him with her own tales now having survived her journey through the Wild Lands. First though, she needed to deal with this awkward moment. "Funny running into you here. Doing a little sight-seeing?"

"P-Princess…?" he stammered, confused.

"Wait!" she said, feigning shock. "You're here to drag me home, kicking and fussing all the way, aren't you?" Placing her hands on her cheeks in mock fear, she turned to Cristo, almost singing, "By the Master, whatever will I do? I don't want to go back!" She spun back to face the scout, grabbing her whip and pulling it taut in her hands. "I guess I'm just going to have to prevent you from doing so," she playfully smiled, finding it difficult not to burst out in giggles.

Reginald remained speechless, his eyes befuddled. Out of instinct, his hand drew towards the dagger at his belt, unsure whether he would have to actually fight the princess.

"Oh, get up, Reg," Alena finally said, grabbing his arm and lifting him off his knees. "I'm only kidding. There's no need for this ridiculous display." She paused for a moment to let the two men re-gather themselves before adding, "You don't have to worry, we were going home anyway."

"Oh… that's a relief to hear!" he said, somewhat composed now but obviously still reeling from discovering her. "Princess, if you don't mind me asking: what are you even doing here? And Cristo! You're here too? How did you get here? Are you fine? Your hair! What hap-"

"Reg. Reginald!" Alena said, holding her hands up to stop his barrage of questions. "Please, calm down. Everything's fine. Just please, calmdown." Once satisfied the scout had done as she asked, the princess asked a question of her own. "I'm sure we could go long into the night about 'what's and 'where's, but what are you doing here? I can't believe my father would send people to look for me this far away."

Reginald scratched the back of his head. "Um, well…"

"All right, fine," Alena huffed. "I am in Cape Caran, but that's just a coincidence. It's still silly of him to-"

"Um, Princess," the scout politely interrupted. "We didn't come here to look for you."

Now it was Alena who was caught off-guard. "Oh? Then… why are you here?"

Reginald gave a concerned glance over to the doorman, who was still trying to sort out what was happening between the two groups of travelers. He then turned back to Alena and replied in a hushed tone, "We really shouldn't talk here. Is there somewhere more secluded nearby?"

After a shared confused look between the two, Alena and Cristo took Reginald and his companion to the nearest tavern. Although they didn't know whether it would be as secluded as the scout hoped, they wanted to keep some distance from Caran's Crest, lest they find Brey there. If it was true the old tutor was a wanted individual, then it could be possible Reginald was here looking for him. Alena figured it'd be wiser to learn his reason for being in Cape Caran first.

Along the way, Reginald introduced her and Cristo to his companion, named Willem. A couple years younger than Cristo, Alena was somewhat familiar with him, though never engaged in conversation. He, too, was a scout for Santeem, and a part of Reginald's own elite team. His taller, stockier stature made him a rather peculiar scout, but his vision was remarkable, allowing him to spot objects from vast distances away with fine detail, and thus was often regarded as the best long-range scout in the kingdom. As was common for all official trackers of a kingdom, they wore magical cloaks that allowed them to evade peripheral detection, often sliding into the shadows of the scenery. Even now, in the gloomy early evening of Cape Caran, the duo effectively blended with the surrounding buildings.

Only a few buildings down the road from the watch tower was a small hovel simply named Ted's Tavern; it could be no roomier than any typical peasant dwelling, so probably of ideal size to hold the conversation Alena was anxious to start with Reginald. Sure enough, the tavern revealed itself to be quite small and empty, save a large man and a full-bodied woman wearing a rather revealing bodice at the bar. The group seated themselves, and the woman took their orders, soon after bringing them all glasses of water and a feebly hidden disappointed look over the frugal patrons.

Alena hadn't even taken a drink from her glass before she asked Reginald, "So, why are you here if you weren't looking for me?" Hoping to quickly dispel her worry over Brey, she lightly added, "Are you looking for someone else?"

Reginald smiled. "Disappointed, are we, Princess?"

She returned a half-hearted chuckle. "Well, I just assumed that, with me being a runaway and all…" Finally taking a drink from her glass, Alena was surprised that the water wasn't nearly as stale as she would have guessed, given the establishment. "And please, could you refrain from calling me 'Princess'? I've been trying to keep a low-profile."

"I'd imagine so," Reginald said.

Willem, who seemed a little hesitant to offer an opinion, couldn't resist adding, "Judging how that guard in the watch tower didn't know who you are, I'd say you're doing a very good job of it."

"Well, it's…" she started to reply, but quickly realized the topic was straying. "Look, I'd love to tell you about everything, but could you please just tell my why you're here?"

"All right," Reginald said, his face turning serious. "It's probably best that you know now, rather than discover it upon your return."

"What?" Alena pressed, growing a little irritated over the scout's evasiveness - he really seemed hesitant to reveal his reason for being here. "What's going on?"

He leaned closer into the table, taking a steadying breath as he did so. The scout had no idea how to tell it to the Princess, nor how she would react. Hoping calmness would prevent any unfortunate scenes from her, he said, "A sickness has fallen upon your father."

Silence hung in the tavern for long moments. Reginald could see in her eyes the news unnerved the Princess but if she felt any stronger emotion upon hearing it, she was certainly burying it deep. Considering Alena and her father last saw each other under unfortunate circumstances, it could be possible she might feel some misplaced joy. For her sake, Reginald hoped not.

Cristo eventually broke the silence, simply asking, "Do you know what's causing it?"

Reginald was surprised by the bodyguard's frank tone of voice, figuring he'd be more considerate of Alena's feelings in this matter. "We do," he replied at length, "but it's not that simple. This isn't some rudimentary flu that can be treated at the temple. There's more at work here."

"How so?" Cristo asked.

"The Reverend Bishop Marcello was summoned to the castle," Reginald continued after a quick sip from his glass. "He discovered the sickness was the result of a powerful curse, one that seemed to emanate from the very heart of Vah-Kirgol." At the mention of the Zenithian Hell, Cristo sucked in his breath and withdrew into his seat, as though the very words stung him.

Reginald glanced back at the princess, again surprised she displayed no reaction. "I'm sorry, Alena," he said. "The Reverend Bishop said unless the curse was lifted soon, your father's life could be in jeopardy." He paused for a moment, expecting her to respond. When she didn't, he added, "It's fortunate that you were finally going home. You should be there for him. Whatever trouble you've had before-"

"What does this have to do with you being here, Reg?" she flatly interrupted, not even looking at the scout. Her eyes seemed fixed on a crack near the center of the table.

"Alena... you don't have to talk about this. If this is upsetting you..."

"Damn it, Reg," she quietly said, a cold irritation in her voice. "I don't know how many times I've asked you. Are you going to answer me or not?" She still did not glance up.

Reginald backed away a little, shocked by her tone. He couldn't tell whether she was trying to avoid her emotions concerning her father, or if she simply didn't care. However, if she needed to hear his mission to deal with it, so be it.

"We're trying to find a cure for your father," he replied, a small frown on his thin lips.

Alena finally looked up. "Here, in Cape Caran?"

"No," Reginald slowly said, swishing the water in his glass a little as he did so. "We're only passing through, on our way to Scàtch Desert."

"Why, what's there that can help him?"

"Apparently an illegal bazaar was set up some years ago. I was surprised to hear of it myself, but I guess our country's never really paid attention to the desert, so it made for a convenient black market destination." Reginald took a quick glance over at the tavern's owners, making sure they weren't trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. Satisfied, he turned back to the princess and continued in a far more hushed tone. "We're hoping to find something there that is rumored to be powerful enough to undo the curse afflicting your father: an elfin elixir."

Alena looked to Cristo. "Would that help him?"

The bodyguard lightly shrugged. "It's said that elf magic is far more powerful than any human's, even one as mighty as a Reverend Bishop," he offered. "Whether an elixir of theirs can undo a Hell-Curse, I cannot say. I don't think anyone knows, to be honest. Elves are seldom seen anymore - most folk figure them merely a myth."

The princess turned back to Reginald. "And you believe this bizarre will have some? How do you know?"

Resisting the urge to correct her, the tracker replied, "We have our leads. They aren't strong, I'll grant, but they're the best we've had so far."

"What are they?"

"Alena… Princess..." Reginald stood up, Willem doing likewise right after. "Please, you shouldn't concern yourself with such details. This is our mission, so let us take care of it. You should be getting home as quickly as you can. No one knows how much time your father has before-"

Alena stood up as well, placing her hands on the table as she did. "I'm going with you," she firmly stated.

The tracker's eyes widened. "W-what? Princess, you can't-"

"Yes, I can," she said. "And I will."

"Princess..."

"Don't make this difficult, Reg," she coolly said. "I'll follow you if I have to, or go by myself if I must, but I'm going to that bizarre."

Reginald was unsure how to respond. He looked to Cristo, hoping the princess' bodyguard would talk some sense into her. "She can't be serious."

Cristo stood up, shrugging. "I guess we're going with you."

"What? You too? I would have thought you, of all people-"

"You thought wrong," Alena interrupted, silently thanking Cristo for his support with a nod in his direction. She paused, taking in a calming breath in the hope no more sudden outbursts would happen. "I'll be honest with you, Reginald, I was intending to go back, but after what you've told me, I can't just sit back and do nothing." She then looked the tracker straight in the eyes. "If there is the slightest chance your lead can save my father, then by the Master, I will do everything I can to help. I couldn't live with myself if I hadn't tried."

Reginald looked at the two of them for long moments, held speechless. Alena was known to be reckless, sure, but not so grimly determined. And Cristo, after showing such worry for her safety the night she ran away, was simply abiding by her decision. These were not the same people he last saw over two months ago - they clearly went through significant changes since then.

Yet, while they'd undoubtedly faced some challenges making it to Cape Caran (he still didn't even know how they got here as it was), the scout was unsure whether they'd be able to fend for themselves. Scàtch Desert wasn't too far away - three days travel with good pace - but the trip could be dangerous, being so close to the Wild Lands. The last thing Reginald wanted to do was put the Princess at risk, especially after having just found her.

However, he also knew she was serious about going there, with or without his party - and it was his own fault too. Had he not told her their destination, or even not revealed her father's affliction, she could very well be boarding on a ship headed for Santeem Castle at this moment. Instead, he was being coerced by the Princess to bring her along. As such, he figured the responsible thing to do was all travel together. Lady Luck certainly is fickle, he thought with a bitter sigh.

"Very well," Reginald finally said. "I guess I can't refuse you, Princess. You can join us. Please, though, don't do anything rash. The road to the desert is untamed. Who knows what danger lurks."

Alena knowingly smiled at Cristo. "I think we've seen more than our share of 'danger' in our travels to know how to deal with it," she said. Turning back to Reginald, she added, "But yes, I agree. We'll be a far more formidable force together, anyway."

Reginald smiled, glad she came to the same considered conclusion. The Princess definitely had matured since she ran away.

Upon leaving the tavern, it was decided they should leave as soon as possible, covering whatever ground they could before the night grew too long. Reginald and Willem were well-stocked, their mule carrying a sizeable load of provisions for the trip - despite this, Alena mentioned there was one more thing she needed before they left. This confused the scouts, considering her and Cristo seemed about ready to leave anyway. Still, they did as she asked, agreeing to wait for her at the village's entrance until she got back. At that, she turned down the road back towards Caran's Crest.

Her excited momentum propelled her through the building's entrance, slamming the wooden doors open to the surprised reaction of everyone within. Seeing it was Alena though, most of them returned to whatever activity they'd been previously occupied in. One individual in the tavern, however, kept his surprised eyes on her much longer.

"Alena!" Brey called out from the corner of the eatery at the same table, sitting exactly as she imagined he would be. Once the princess darted towards him, he asked, "What are you doing here? I thought the two of you already left."

"Oh, Brey!" she excitedly said. "You'll never believe what has happened!" Then, at quite a rapid pace, she proceeded to repeat the dilemma concerning her father. As she did, Brey's expression hardly changed, taking in all the information with reserved interest, occasionally giving a worrying glance over the princess' shoulder to make sure no one was trying to eavesdrop. While Alena seemed oblivious to the matter, Brey immediately recognized the necessity for public discretion concerning any ill news regarding Santeem's ruler.

"...And now we're heading west to some bizarre in the desert," she finished. "Reg thinks they may have something that can help my father."

"A bazaar, you mean," the old tutor calmly corrected. Scratching his chin, he muttered to himself, "Interesting there'd be one there…"

"Brey," Alena said, leaning over to grab his arm, "I want you to come with us."

The old tutor's eyes widened. "Me?"

"Yes, you. It's perfect, see?"

"I'm not sure I follow you, Alena."

The princess gave a light, frustrated sigh. "If you help us in this, I'm certain my father will clear all the charges on you. He has to if you save his life!"

A small frown formed on Brey's mouth, but he did well to hide it from Alena under his beard. "You're 'certain', eh."

"Yes, I am," she insisted. "And don't worry about Reg. I'll make sure he doesn't try to arrest you or anything. We'll go to the bazaar, get what we need, and head right back to Santeem Castle. If you present the cure for my father's curse yourself, you'll be welcomed back as a hero!"

This time Brey couldn't help but smile. "Just like that, huh."

"Stop being so condescending, Brey," Alena frowned. "I admit it probably won't be that easy, but I'm sure we can adjust my plan along the way. Just… please, come with us? If this works out, you won't have to run away."

The old tutor was silent for long moments as he considered her plan. Alena couldn't figure out why he would take so long to do so. Granted, there were some significant flaws in her plan, but she was positive things would work out. It had to.

She was about to press her argument further when Brey stood up from the table, simply stating, "Perhaps you're right. It might be a good idea for me to go that bazaar after all."

"Thanks, Brey!" Alena smiled, giving him an affectionate hug. "I knew I could count on you!"

The old tutor smiled. "I'll just grab my things, leave a note at the travel door informing of my change in plans in case Neddi comes back, and we can be on our way."

"I'll run up and grab your things for you," Alena said. "You can finish up whatever business you have here. Same room, right?" Brey nodded and the princess was off in a dash, overjoyed.

Watching her run upstairs, Brey allowed his frown to form again.