Gwah. -=dies=-
Flash: Don't mind her, she's just... dead.
Mesoforte: Eh, thanks. Sorry it was such a long wait again.
Li Kasumi: Well, I wouldn't call this "soon", but at least it's an update!
Link015: I'd throw a frying pan at you, except I do the same thing. A lot. o.o;
Capito Celcior: Oops! Thanks for pointing that out. I'm still learning German, so... I need to work on spelling. .
Kadevi: You reviewed my story? YAY!!! -=bounces around=- -=needs to add more detail=- .
The Mastah Classah: AA's are dumb, eh? -=shrugs=- This chapter's a bit longer... I think. o.o;
Balm: pokes me
-=still dead=-
Sap: Eh, just start the story, she'll revive on her own.
............................................................................ .......................................
"Grandmother! I'm back!"
An elderly woman turned to the door in time to see her tunic-clad granddaughter enter. She smiled warmly at her. "What took you so--Mia! Look at what you're wearing! Just a tunic, in such cold weather?!"
Mia blushed slightly, responding that it was all she had with her at the time. Her grandmother "tsked", and ushered her to her room to change. Once the mercury adept had donned warmer clothes and a pale blue healer's robe, she returned to the main room of the small house.
Her grandmother stoked the fire, cooking a somewhat thin soup over it, as food wasn't easy to come by in winter, living in such a remote area. Though only five miles away from Imil, capital of the eastern winter kingdom, it could have been 100 for all they could tell.
Mia came forward as the old woman beckoned, sitting near the flickering fire for warmth. Soon, the soup was done, and her grandmother split it between them, setting two bowls aside for the orphans the family had taken in. They ate in an uncomfortable silence. Though only halfway finished with her soup, the elderly lady set her bowl down, asking Mia of what had passed. The mercury adept responded, telling the whole story.
Firelight danced over the woman's face as she thought, a frown on her face, her forehead creased with worry. "Mia."
"Yes, grandmother?"
"There's something that I need to tell you."
-=sching!=-
-=sching!=-
Felix grumbled about the noise as he woke up. Sleep had been a welcome release from all the hellish events of late. Even so, he left the relative comfort of his tent to find out the source of the disturbance.
Not too far off from camp, he located Garet. The mars adept was determinedly sharpening his sword, pulling back every now and then to inspect or polish it. Jenna was there as well, having created a small light with her psynergy. She was studying an old map of the castle they'd found a while back. Upon hearing her brother's footsteps, she looked up.
"You can't sleep either?"
"Actually, Garet woke me up."
The mars adept flashed an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I keep forgetting how keen your ears are at times."
"Wow, you expanded your vocabulary again."
"Hey!"
Jenna giggled as her brother and her best friend poked fun at each other. Slowly, dawn broke, waking the rest of the camp. Soft sounds of rustling cloth and a popping fire filled the air as the pre-dawn mist rose and dissipated.
Briggs made his way over to the trio, Chaucha and Eoleo remaining by the fire to help with breakfast. The former captain of the guard stood behind Jenna, eyeing the castle map. He then took a pen, dipped it in a nearby ink bottle, and drew on several more passages.
"I discovered all of these by mistake while wandering through the castle. You may find 'em useful. I doubt too many others, save possibly Alex, would know these secret halls well."
"Hmm." Felix glanced over, and picked up the map. He sanded it to help the ink dry faster, then grabbed a piece of charcoal and lightly started tracing possible routes. Briggs stayed where he was, occasionally pointing out potential danger zones; areas where some of the guards often gathered.
Meanwhile, Sheba was at her usual place down by the river. Once again, she mindspoke with the boy from before, the one who claimed to be a servant close to Alex. Though she still didn't really trust him, any information that had a chance of being true that she could glean from him would be useful.
--Can you tell me what the heir looks like?--
--Um, I've only seen a charcoal drawing in Alex's quarters... wait, why are you asking? You're close to him and his sister, right?--
--True. Describe that drawing to me.--
--Okay... it was done before Alex came and overthrew the previous lord, so I don't know how accurate the images will be. The girl has lighter hair and large eyes, but looks like she has a sweet personality.--
--Sweet?!-- That didn't make sense... Jenna was the devil's incarnate at times, even when it wasn't THAT time of the month. --Go on.--
--The boy has mischievous dark eyes and a warm smile. Everything else I could tell you about them wouldn't matter, it's only about the clothes.--
--And the parents? Are they depicted there too?--
--Yes. The father has a worn face and dark hair. His eyes are tired, but hold compassion. The mother has kind eyes and a slightly pinched face, as well as pure white hair.--
Now THAT was odd. Jenna was too young to have remembered her parents very well, but Felix had said that his mother's hair was a dark magenta, not white... A snapping twig behind her made the jupiter adept freeze, and she bid the boy a hasty goodbye. Sheba's grip on her staff tightened, and she whirled only to meet an intense gaze.
"So... you've returned."
A nod.
Sheba nodded in return, and beckoned to the newcomer. "Felix and Jenna are this way." The newcomer nodded again, and followed her through the trees.
Ivan groaned, and leaned his head against the wall. Even though he was proud of his abilities as a jupiter adept, speaking mind-to-mind- over such a distance took a lot out of him. Piers stood in the doorframe, waiting patiently for him to recover.
"Did you find anything new?"
"No, but the girl seemed uncertain of my descriptions."
"Of the family?" A slight frown crossed the mercury adept's face. "Odd. I mean, we know that she's with the heir and his sister... right?"
Ivan sighed. "I'm not so sure anymore. Besides, she doesn't fully trust me yet."
"Oh, how wonderful," came Piers' remark.
Ivan glared. "That had better have been sarcastic. I'm too tired to tell right now." Piers gave a sheepish smile and mover over to where the shorter adept stood, casting ply on his head and toning his headache down ever so slightly. "Ah, thanks-"
"No, thank YOU. I'm about to find the so-called RIGHTFUL lord and lady, and it's all thanks to you, my little caged birds." Alex moved out from behind the curtain which had previously concealed him, smirking evilly. "Now, my little caged birds... time to die."
............................................................................ .......................................
Zephyr: -=pokes me=- Nope, still dead.
Sap: Well, she better revive to write the next chapter.
Flash: Think reviews would help?
Balm: Probably. REVIEW!
Flash: Don't mind her, she's just... dead.
Mesoforte: Eh, thanks. Sorry it was such a long wait again.
Li Kasumi: Well, I wouldn't call this "soon", but at least it's an update!
Link015: I'd throw a frying pan at you, except I do the same thing. A lot. o.o;
Capito Celcior: Oops! Thanks for pointing that out. I'm still learning German, so... I need to work on spelling. .
Kadevi: You reviewed my story? YAY!!! -=bounces around=- -=needs to add more detail=- .
The Mastah Classah: AA's are dumb, eh? -=shrugs=- This chapter's a bit longer... I think. o.o;
Balm: pokes me
-=still dead=-
Sap: Eh, just start the story, she'll revive on her own.
............................................................................ .......................................
"Grandmother! I'm back!"
An elderly woman turned to the door in time to see her tunic-clad granddaughter enter. She smiled warmly at her. "What took you so--Mia! Look at what you're wearing! Just a tunic, in such cold weather?!"
Mia blushed slightly, responding that it was all she had with her at the time. Her grandmother "tsked", and ushered her to her room to change. Once the mercury adept had donned warmer clothes and a pale blue healer's robe, she returned to the main room of the small house.
Her grandmother stoked the fire, cooking a somewhat thin soup over it, as food wasn't easy to come by in winter, living in such a remote area. Though only five miles away from Imil, capital of the eastern winter kingdom, it could have been 100 for all they could tell.
Mia came forward as the old woman beckoned, sitting near the flickering fire for warmth. Soon, the soup was done, and her grandmother split it between them, setting two bowls aside for the orphans the family had taken in. They ate in an uncomfortable silence. Though only halfway finished with her soup, the elderly lady set her bowl down, asking Mia of what had passed. The mercury adept responded, telling the whole story.
Firelight danced over the woman's face as she thought, a frown on her face, her forehead creased with worry. "Mia."
"Yes, grandmother?"
"There's something that I need to tell you."
-=sching!=-
-=sching!=-
Felix grumbled about the noise as he woke up. Sleep had been a welcome release from all the hellish events of late. Even so, he left the relative comfort of his tent to find out the source of the disturbance.
Not too far off from camp, he located Garet. The mars adept was determinedly sharpening his sword, pulling back every now and then to inspect or polish it. Jenna was there as well, having created a small light with her psynergy. She was studying an old map of the castle they'd found a while back. Upon hearing her brother's footsteps, she looked up.
"You can't sleep either?"
"Actually, Garet woke me up."
The mars adept flashed an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I keep forgetting how keen your ears are at times."
"Wow, you expanded your vocabulary again."
"Hey!"
Jenna giggled as her brother and her best friend poked fun at each other. Slowly, dawn broke, waking the rest of the camp. Soft sounds of rustling cloth and a popping fire filled the air as the pre-dawn mist rose and dissipated.
Briggs made his way over to the trio, Chaucha and Eoleo remaining by the fire to help with breakfast. The former captain of the guard stood behind Jenna, eyeing the castle map. He then took a pen, dipped it in a nearby ink bottle, and drew on several more passages.
"I discovered all of these by mistake while wandering through the castle. You may find 'em useful. I doubt too many others, save possibly Alex, would know these secret halls well."
"Hmm." Felix glanced over, and picked up the map. He sanded it to help the ink dry faster, then grabbed a piece of charcoal and lightly started tracing possible routes. Briggs stayed where he was, occasionally pointing out potential danger zones; areas where some of the guards often gathered.
Meanwhile, Sheba was at her usual place down by the river. Once again, she mindspoke with the boy from before, the one who claimed to be a servant close to Alex. Though she still didn't really trust him, any information that had a chance of being true that she could glean from him would be useful.
--Can you tell me what the heir looks like?--
--Um, I've only seen a charcoal drawing in Alex's quarters... wait, why are you asking? You're close to him and his sister, right?--
--True. Describe that drawing to me.--
--Okay... it was done before Alex came and overthrew the previous lord, so I don't know how accurate the images will be. The girl has lighter hair and large eyes, but looks like she has a sweet personality.--
--Sweet?!-- That didn't make sense... Jenna was the devil's incarnate at times, even when it wasn't THAT time of the month. --Go on.--
--The boy has mischievous dark eyes and a warm smile. Everything else I could tell you about them wouldn't matter, it's only about the clothes.--
--And the parents? Are they depicted there too?--
--Yes. The father has a worn face and dark hair. His eyes are tired, but hold compassion. The mother has kind eyes and a slightly pinched face, as well as pure white hair.--
Now THAT was odd. Jenna was too young to have remembered her parents very well, but Felix had said that his mother's hair was a dark magenta, not white... A snapping twig behind her made the jupiter adept freeze, and she bid the boy a hasty goodbye. Sheba's grip on her staff tightened, and she whirled only to meet an intense gaze.
"So... you've returned."
A nod.
Sheba nodded in return, and beckoned to the newcomer. "Felix and Jenna are this way." The newcomer nodded again, and followed her through the trees.
Ivan groaned, and leaned his head against the wall. Even though he was proud of his abilities as a jupiter adept, speaking mind-to-mind- over such a distance took a lot out of him. Piers stood in the doorframe, waiting patiently for him to recover.
"Did you find anything new?"
"No, but the girl seemed uncertain of my descriptions."
"Of the family?" A slight frown crossed the mercury adept's face. "Odd. I mean, we know that she's with the heir and his sister... right?"
Ivan sighed. "I'm not so sure anymore. Besides, she doesn't fully trust me yet."
"Oh, how wonderful," came Piers' remark.
Ivan glared. "That had better have been sarcastic. I'm too tired to tell right now." Piers gave a sheepish smile and mover over to where the shorter adept stood, casting ply on his head and toning his headache down ever so slightly. "Ah, thanks-"
"No, thank YOU. I'm about to find the so-called RIGHTFUL lord and lady, and it's all thanks to you, my little caged birds." Alex moved out from behind the curtain which had previously concealed him, smirking evilly. "Now, my little caged birds... time to die."
............................................................................ .......................................
Zephyr: -=pokes me=- Nope, still dead.
Sap: Well, she better revive to write the next chapter.
Flash: Think reviews would help?
Balm: Probably. REVIEW!