Chapter Twenty

- Return Trip -

Hours ago, she woke up from her uneasy sleep. It all troubled her, the things about Lord Zane. It shouldn't trouble her. It wasn't supposed to trouble her. But it was. She tried to put in mind the things Jack had said, that it wasn't her fault, that she caused none of it. That is bound to happen. Fate. Destiny. And yet, Ridley Silverlake can't help but feel that she caused the world to fall in turmoil. She can't help but feel that it was all her fault, her responsibility, that she troubled the peaceful workings of the world. And it all started from a simple Blood Orc attack. She sat outside Fort Helencia, watching the birds screech, fly and the butterflies flutter past. Cross Ward. It was all the white-haired, ponytailed donkey's fault. She dug her hands in the earth. It wasn't supposed to be complicated. It wasn't. Why should it be complicated? It had to be her. It had to be a light elf. It had to be a blood orc. It could have been simple - a wolf attacking them, perhaps, and there would be a medic and her injury wasn't so serious. If she knew this was going to happen, she should've just had them leave her alone and let her die.

"If this is what's going to happen, I should've just died." she muttered, trying bite back the tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't cry. She didn't wish to attract anyone's attention, although she did long for Jack's neverending concern.

"Well, if you did die, what good will it do to the world?" Words that she expected from Jack Russell. She turned around, anticipating the brown-haired sixteen year old, but he wasn't there. Instead, a much smaller man holding a bottle of beer and red-nosed appeared before her. His wild, tangled hair stuck out in different places, and he burped, smelling of faint whisky.

"Grigory?"

"Aye. Sit down, m'lady." the dwarf said as he sat down and drank a mouthful of dwarven wine. "Don't be sayin' things like that, Miss Ridley. You know you being dead means the world being different." he said.

"But if I died, Lord Nogueira wouldn't have died. Lord Zane wouldn't have had contracted the Algandars for some reason, Hap must still be alive, and there wouldn't have been any war." she said, softly. Grigory shook his head, wild hair dancing absurdly.

"No, no, no. Remember, it was another insolent human who brought the blood orc. And there would still be a war. And if you died, a lot more people would be sad." he said, again drinking a large amount of his liquor.

"Well, who would be sad? My father's already sad now. The knights won't have time to be sad if there IS a war. Lord Nogueira is alive. Ganz and Gawain are alive. Who would be sad?"

"Well, I would mighty think you forgot someone! How about your boy, Jack Russell?"

"..."

"Don't tell me you really did forget him!"

"I didn't... notice. He's always been there for me, but I've always been so concerned over the others. Especially the ones who died."

"Ahh, well." The dwarf placed the lip of the liquor bottle on his own and drank noisily. After the last drop, he looked dazed and burped loud. "That was one good drink! Mind if I go on and take the other?" Ridley shook her head as Grigory bobbed along the green earth and made his way back inside the fort.

For a while, Ridley sat there. She watched as Serva and Clarence trained, as Gil practiced his sword training and, eventually, as Grigory sat on the broken stone walls outside and drank his drinks. Jack. She can't believe she forgot Jack. But what difference does it make? He hated her in the first place, and it wasn't that different from what she felt about him before. But he was dead worried when she got hurt. She frowned as she watched the others, going on about their lives.

"Heya, Ridley! Fine day, huh?" It was Jack, smiling cheerfully and beaming at her. She nodded and managed a little smile.

"Don't tell me you're still shaken up from what you saw."

Ridley didn't reply.

"Aww, come on, Ridley! Lighten up! Lord Zane's fine. Stop worrying too much." He sat down beside her, feeling the grass beneath his palms.

"I'm fine, Jack. I just had to think things through."

"Ah. Well, come to think of it, you are stubborn, even to yourself."

She frowned at his remark and rolled her eyes as he chuckled lightly. Today was the day they were supposed to deliver Lord Zane's peacemaking message. Whether they'll accept it or not, though, she didn't know. But they should be prepared to take the feedback to Lord Zane.

Gil, the light elf, floated down beside them, his expression passive and eyebrows raised. "Master Jack, Lady Ridley, Lord Zane has give the signal. You may go now. Please have Lord Zane's message reach the castle."

The two nodded and stood up. "Sure, sure."