Chapter 8: Join the Party
They all had slept in that morning, worn out from the previous days marathon walk and the late conversation with Lisette.
And Lisette had problems of her own. She was fighting to get a firm grip on her emotions. She had been devastated by the revelations in her mind link with Auron last night. But she couldn't change her behavior or her attitude towards him in any way. He'd see through it in a second. She just needed to find the right opportunity to tell him what she so desperately wanted to.
Tidus had assumed Auron would be in an even fouler mood today, considering their late start. But the silent guardian only seemed slightly preoccupied.
"When do we get out of these woods?" Tidus asked no one in particular, as they all sat around the morning fire.
"We should be out by mid-day, the terrain is mostly open grassland after that." Explained Lulu. "Good! Cause I'm gonna scream if I get one more mosquito bite." Rikku chirped.
"Where are you headed Lisette?" Yuna inquired. "North, along the same route I believe." Lisette replied, praying that she wasn't appearing too obvious.
"Really? That's great! You can just stay with us then!" Rikku exclaimed, leaping to her feet and spinning in a circle.
Yuna laughed at her young Al-Bhed cousin. Apparently, she had become utterly fascinated with their visitor. Probably due to the fact that she was such a grown-up and rather mysterious and exotic Yuna supposed.
"Sir Auron?" Yuna queried, asking the question without asking.
Rikku ran to Auron and bravely reached up to tug on his robe. "Please? She's really nice, and she's a good fighter too, and I wanna hear the rest of her story!"
Yuna watched as Auron reached down and put his hand on the top of Rikku's head to quiet the babbling girl. He at times seemed to show more patience with her than the others... Yuna suspected the stoic guardian was genuinely fond of the perky little thief.
"I suppose there's no harm in it." He sighed, then continued... "As long as the pilgrimage continues without delay and she makes no trouble." Auron declared, emphasizing his last words by locking his eye to Lisette's face.
Lisette didn't need her gift to know what Auron was thinking... What is your purpose here?
"Rudely put, but I accept your hospitality." Lisette shot back, meeting Auron's steely gaze with her own.
"Hmph!" Auron grunted, as Tidus and Rikku laughed in unison... this was going to be fun.
They all had slept in that morning, worn out from the previous days marathon walk and the late conversation with Lisette.
And Lisette had problems of her own. She was fighting to get a firm grip on her emotions. She had been devastated by the revelations in her mind link with Auron last night. But she couldn't change her behavior or her attitude towards him in any way. He'd see through it in a second. She just needed to find the right opportunity to tell him what she so desperately wanted to.
Tidus had assumed Auron would be in an even fouler mood today, considering their late start. But the silent guardian only seemed slightly preoccupied.
"When do we get out of these woods?" Tidus asked no one in particular, as they all sat around the morning fire.
"We should be out by mid-day, the terrain is mostly open grassland after that." Explained Lulu. "Good! Cause I'm gonna scream if I get one more mosquito bite." Rikku chirped.
"Where are you headed Lisette?" Yuna inquired. "North, along the same route I believe." Lisette replied, praying that she wasn't appearing too obvious.
"Really? That's great! You can just stay with us then!" Rikku exclaimed, leaping to her feet and spinning in a circle.
Yuna laughed at her young Al-Bhed cousin. Apparently, she had become utterly fascinated with their visitor. Probably due to the fact that she was such a grown-up and rather mysterious and exotic Yuna supposed.
"Sir Auron?" Yuna queried, asking the question without asking.
Rikku ran to Auron and bravely reached up to tug on his robe. "Please? She's really nice, and she's a good fighter too, and I wanna hear the rest of her story!"
Yuna watched as Auron reached down and put his hand on the top of Rikku's head to quiet the babbling girl. He at times seemed to show more patience with her than the others... Yuna suspected the stoic guardian was genuinely fond of the perky little thief.
"I suppose there's no harm in it." He sighed, then continued... "As long as the pilgrimage continues without delay and she makes no trouble." Auron declared, emphasizing his last words by locking his eye to Lisette's face.
Lisette didn't need her gift to know what Auron was thinking... What is your purpose here?
"Rudely put, but I accept your hospitality." Lisette shot back, meeting Auron's steely gaze with her own.
"Hmph!" Auron grunted, as Tidus and Rikku laughed in unison... this was going to be fun.