*Horteka*
"He should wake up in a few hours." Hans, Urala and Clara all sighed in relief, and Isapa continued, "I'm going to go see if the king needs me. You know where I can be found." The fat priest left the ship, headed for the elder's hut.
"I'm so glad! He's going to live!"
Hans laughed at Clara's happy outburst, and said, "Yeah, your life wouldn't have any purpose without Gilder to chase around." Clara's expression became slightly sad at that comment, and confused, Hans asked, "What, did I say something wrong?"
"No... It's just... Ah, you wouldn't understand..."
"Are you sure? Sometimes it's better to tell people your troubles."
"Hmm? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
Hans looked surprised for a moment, then decided to leave Clara be. He and Urala went to chat with Lilly, who was making repairs on the bridge. Clara decided to go see if Gilder was awake yet. As she walked through the hallways, she could hear Belle and Nara talking excitedly about wedding plans for her and Gilder. Clara smiled at their antics, then continued on.
She reached the room that Gilder had been staying in, and sat on the bed near his feet.
--This sort of reminds me of two nights ago, when I was thinking about my past.--
To her surprise, Gilder started to move around a bit, then he groaned and opened his eyes.
"Ugh... I'm on the Primrose... Someone, please tell me that this is just a bad dream..."
"I really wish that I could, my old friend."
"...Clara?"
She nodded, and said, "It's me. We're docked at Horteka."
"What happened?"
"That's what I'd like to know. Hans and Urala found you with a shot knee surrounded by five dead people who were from the phoenix."
"Oh, that..." Gilder grimaced. "Their orders were to recapture me, and to kill me if I refused." He started to sit up, but Clara pushed him back onto the pillows.
"You've been unconscious for several days. You should rest."
"All right, I will." Clara was at the door of the room when she heard him say, "Wait."
"What is it?"
"Why are you here, and why didn't you try anything funny?"
Clara smiled, and said, "Cupil came to me with a massage about your location, and you know that the real me wouldn't take advantage of you while you're hurt."
Gilder grinned slightly, and said, "Sorry, Clara. It's sometimes hard to remember that you use a false personality as well."
"Well then, that shows how well I do it!"
"Gilder, talking to Clara willingly? Clara, not making advances at Gilder? Hell must have frozen over!"
The captain of the Claudia glared at Hans, who laughed and came into the room, accompanied by several other people.
"Marco? Ilchymis?!"
Urala quickly told to two captains that the new arrivals had some important information, then Ilchymis spoke up.
"The phoenix attacked Valua last night. All of the buildings have been destroyed, only two-thirds of the population escaped, and we barely escaped."
Marco, looking annoyed, said, "Enrique and Moegi were taken prisoner, as well as Vyse, Aika and Fina, who were visiting them."
Gilder growled in annoyance, and said, "I lose consciousness in a bad situation, and wake up in a worse one."
Ignoring Gilder's comment, Urala said, "We have to go find them." Everyone agreed instantly, and started making preparations to leave Horteka.
"He should wake up in a few hours." Hans, Urala and Clara all sighed in relief, and Isapa continued, "I'm going to go see if the king needs me. You know where I can be found." The fat priest left the ship, headed for the elder's hut.
"I'm so glad! He's going to live!"
Hans laughed at Clara's happy outburst, and said, "Yeah, your life wouldn't have any purpose without Gilder to chase around." Clara's expression became slightly sad at that comment, and confused, Hans asked, "What, did I say something wrong?"
"No... It's just... Ah, you wouldn't understand..."
"Are you sure? Sometimes it's better to tell people your troubles."
"Hmm? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
Hans looked surprised for a moment, then decided to leave Clara be. He and Urala went to chat with Lilly, who was making repairs on the bridge. Clara decided to go see if Gilder was awake yet. As she walked through the hallways, she could hear Belle and Nara talking excitedly about wedding plans for her and Gilder. Clara smiled at their antics, then continued on.
She reached the room that Gilder had been staying in, and sat on the bed near his feet.
--This sort of reminds me of two nights ago, when I was thinking about my past.--
To her surprise, Gilder started to move around a bit, then he groaned and opened his eyes.
"Ugh... I'm on the Primrose... Someone, please tell me that this is just a bad dream..."
"I really wish that I could, my old friend."
"...Clara?"
She nodded, and said, "It's me. We're docked at Horteka."
"What happened?"
"That's what I'd like to know. Hans and Urala found you with a shot knee surrounded by five dead people who were from the phoenix."
"Oh, that..." Gilder grimaced. "Their orders were to recapture me, and to kill me if I refused." He started to sit up, but Clara pushed him back onto the pillows.
"You've been unconscious for several days. You should rest."
"All right, I will." Clara was at the door of the room when she heard him say, "Wait."
"What is it?"
"Why are you here, and why didn't you try anything funny?"
Clara smiled, and said, "Cupil came to me with a massage about your location, and you know that the real me wouldn't take advantage of you while you're hurt."
Gilder grinned slightly, and said, "Sorry, Clara. It's sometimes hard to remember that you use a false personality as well."
"Well then, that shows how well I do it!"
"Gilder, talking to Clara willingly? Clara, not making advances at Gilder? Hell must have frozen over!"
The captain of the Claudia glared at Hans, who laughed and came into the room, accompanied by several other people.
"Marco? Ilchymis?!"
Urala quickly told to two captains that the new arrivals had some important information, then Ilchymis spoke up.
"The phoenix attacked Valua last night. All of the buildings have been destroyed, only two-thirds of the population escaped, and we barely escaped."
Marco, looking annoyed, said, "Enrique and Moegi were taken prisoner, as well as Vyse, Aika and Fina, who were visiting them."
Gilder growled in annoyance, and said, "I lose consciousness in a bad situation, and wake up in a worse one."
Ignoring Gilder's comment, Urala said, "We have to go find them." Everyone agreed instantly, and started making preparations to leave Horteka.