Erk, Serra, Priscilla - The Triangle of Love
By Davis(Davis3 on FFN)
Chapter 5: Conversation By the Fire

Note: After reading your responses, you suggested that Erk asks either Lyn, Matthew, Pent, Louise or Nino for advice....okay, that can be arranged. Erk has already asked Lyn and Matthew in an earlier chapter, but not the other three yet....making it worth while. Erk will first ask Nino in this chapter, then Pent and Louise in the next one. Priscilla will be fine with it, but Serra? That's....something else right there.

Also, thanks for telling me that I made Priscilla act out of character....I feel so ashamed....but it will be fixed in this chapter.

As for the thing with the taxes....it was something I made up. It was not meant to be a part of the plot, rather something utterly pointless with some humor. Besides, I don't even know how taxes work!

Erk, Serra, Priscilla – The Triangle of Love

The incident in the village was one I wished to forget as soon as possible. The way Hector had to pull Serra and Priscilla away from each other and get slapped by both of them; the villagers gazed at us and viewed us as being either odd, or dysfunctional. Never had I seen his lordship get so angry over something like this. He said that they were to be kept apart by having them on opposite sides of the camp and have escorts making sure they stay out of trouble and away from one another. He also said something about giving them much harder duties as a punishment for causing such a problem, but I hoped that he was kidding.

The camp was quiet tonight as the events I just spoke of were fresh in everyone's minds, but I knew that people had to be out like they were the other night. They had to be as I had a mission of my own to complete. I knew much about Serra and Priscilla, but their recent actions have gotten me thinking otherwise. Why do they act like they do whenever it involves me? In the past I've seen them do things when it came to healing wounds and using magic, but this was something that obviously had gone too far.

My stress....now it was as frail as a newborn child, and hanging on by a mere thread which was worn and ready to snap. The arguments....the fighting....this was something I could not take for much longer. I was not the only one for the entire company were becoming stressed by the problems of Serra and Priscilla. This stress made us all miserable and the morale as of late was rather low. I heard that some of our members were thinking of leaving as they couldn't handle these problems.

Some of them blamed me for much of the stress and I had to agree with them. I was the source of the problem and as such, I had to fix it. It would be easy if I talked to both ladies one at a time, but whenever that happens, the other always appears at the worst of times, thus resulting in their squabbles. This is why I decided to speak to someone else, other than them. I had to know why they ended up arguing whenever the subject turned to me. The night was young and the cool air made me calm....just what I needed. As I walked about in the night, I felt the piercing eyes of those who blamed me....watching my every move with hatred. Other eyes were those who wished to leave, but there was one pair of eyes that decided to follow me.

At first, I thought it was Serra, or even Priscilla whose eyes were the ones I saw following me. Upon ten minutes of leaving my tent I made a small campfire out of the leftovers of one that had been used recently and sat down to think. Those eyes approached the fire and I turned the moment their shadow appeared in the light of the fire. It was not Serra, or Priscilla who had paid me a visit, but rather the girl known as Nino.

She had only been with our company for a short time and already, her presence was accepted by everyone. She may be young, but had a cheerful expression and enjoyed herself. She had so much energy, that every new thing she saw was like a new experience. However, she did not seem to be as cheerful as she usually was. I stared at her for just a second and bid her sit down....she followed me for a reason so it is best that I let her speak her mind.

" Thanks." This was the first thing she said to me in quite a while. The last time she and I spend time together was when I showed her some books. She could not read at the time, but it was the pictures that impressed her so. " You don't mind me sitting here with you?"

" I do not mind. I was hoping for someone to talk too as there is so much on my mind right now." I said to her as I stared into the fire.

" You're concerned with that incident in the village earlier today huh? Everyone here knows what happened as Lord Hector described it to us. When I heard what happened, it me very sad as two friends nearly broke their bond of friendship due to problems with love. I find it unfair that some of the others are blaming you for all this." Nino said.

As soon as she said those words I turned to face her. She smiled at me in order to cheer me up, and she was doing her best to succeed. " I apologize if I appear as rather cold. It is just that I am at a crossroads right now. I really need to talk to someone about why Serra and Priscilla are acting the way they are over me. I feel as though their arguments are my doing."

" If you'd like, I could talk to you about your problems, although I will be honest. I'm not much help when it comes to things like love, but I'll do my very best." I felt as though Nino was willing to listen so I explained to her my troubles. By the time I had told her everything, she felt confused at first, but she quickly understood what it was I was saying. " Whoa....that is one big problem you have there Erk. I can't really help you that much, but I hope that what I have may be helpful to you."

She seemed willing to help me, so I asked for her advice. " I think Serra and Priscilla are doing this as each of them love you and wish for you to choose one of them. Yet, both of them hate each other as they share the same interest. I think they're competing to see which of them deserves your love....that's all I could come up with. I'm sorry if I'm not more helpful than that." That did make sense, but she was right....I needed to know more. But what I did know from Nino was the start I needed.

The way that they argued....it felt like a competition....and yet at the same time, it felt like something more....much more. In my opinion they hated seeing the other with me and as a result, their anger causes them to lash out at each other and others in Hectors' case.

" Erk...." Nino began.

" Yes?" I asked her.

" What do you see in them anyway?" Nino asked me which was quite a surprise, yet one I knew the answers to, from my own experiences and from the information given to me by Matthew and Raven.

" I see Serra as an annoyance when she talks too much and over reacts at the smallest of things, but I see her as being kind and generous....as well as not afraid to speak her mind. Priscilla....I see her as being quiet and concerned about other people's feelings and not her own. She can be moody at times, but she is very sensitive. And when she gets an idea in her head, she sticks with it no matter what happens."

" Um...."

" What's wrong Nino?" I asked.

" You seem to know so much about them, but....what they know about you?" That was a good question. Maybe they don't know me as much as they should other than from the times each was with me when I was but a mere escort. But, the one thing both of them know is that I appear as being uptight and one who does not know the meaning of the word "fun". As I was about to answer Nino's question, she was looking at another person who approached the fire....it was Priscilla.

At first, I thought she was going to go crazy seeing me with Nino, but when she came up to me, she had tears in her eyes and looked rather sad.

" Priscilla...."

" I came to apologize Erk for what happened earlier today. I shouldn't have gotten into that argument with Serra and made Lord Hector angry. I feel as though I've made things worse for everyone. I do not deserve your love for what I've done. I am so sorry for putting you and everyone else through so much stress. Whether or not Serra will accept my apology remains to be seen, but...." I interrupted her before she made herself feel worse.

" Priscilla....it is not you who is at fault. You do deserve my love, but I need time to make a decision and after what happened today....my questions lack answers."

" I understand. You need as much time as you can get, so I will give you that time. I have to return to my tent so....I'll see you later Erk." Priscilla said as she started to walk away, but before she left, I had to ask her just one more question.

" You don't mind me talking to Nino do you?" I asked this in case she thought I was in love with her, which was not the case, but Priscilla might see it that way. Her answer was rather surprising, even to me.

" No, I don't mind you two talking to each other, or with anyone else for that matter. Serra may react with anger, but I react with understanding. I shall not bother you any longer this night." Priscilla then bowed at me before leaving to return to her tent. Nino just watched as she left and was speechless. That made two of us.

Priscilla was right about Serra who had been ordered not to be out at night by Hectors' own words. She, being Serra was one to get mad quite easily, and takes things too seriously thus resulting in trouble. But, I for one think she doesn't do it on purpose. Serra can be protective if she really wants to be. At this time, Nino had to leave for it was beyond her bedtime, so I said goodnight to her. I remained by the fire I had made with Nino's advice and Priscilla's words in my mind. I wish I could know more information, but who could I ask? Who, among all others would have knowledge of love?

Then it hit me, just like that. I did know of someone who could help me and I was surprised that it did not come to me sooner. My master, Lord Pent! I heard that he chose his wife, the Lady Louise out of many others for reasons that he enjoyed. It has been a while since I last spoke with him, but maybe, just maybe he can provide me with what I seek. After all, he always encouraged me to learn as much as I could. Of course, I had to wait until the next morning, for he and Lady Louise were to return from a special journey.

End of Chapter 5.

Note: This chapter is a little shorter than the previous ones, but it was worth it. Many of you wanted to see Nino in this story and she has made her presence felt. In Chapter 6, Pent and Louise will appear, and Serra will do something....good, bad, crazy, who knows....except for me of course.

Please R&R

--Davis--