Chapter 2- Long Time No See
"TAL!!!"
Tal had barely entered the room before he was engulfed with hugs from the former Freefolk. You would think that they had not seen him only twenty minutes ago. Only Malen, Ebbitt, and I separated ourselves from the sudden embraces filling the room. Living with Icecarls did not really leave us to be accustomed to such displays of affection. Moreover, I really do not see the purpose of them.
Ebbitt, after becoming bred to the Icecarl ways after the circling, became rather taken aback when Tal embraced him all of a sudden. Malen smiled faintly at the sight, while I rolled my eyes at the ceiling. As the former Freefolk rejoiced over Tal, I ignored them and spoke with Malen.
"What happened after I departed the Castle?" I asked, trying to block the loud whoops coming from Clovil, who apparently had gotten over his whacking from Gill.
"A great change has swept over the people here," replied Malen softly, gesturing to the celebration in the main hall. "No longer is there a barrier between the people about their place, for the Underfolk are no more and the former Chosen have accepted that they are not better than others."
Half an hour later, we were ambling down the hallway towards the chamber Malen had prepared for me. As she spoke of the events in the Castle, I smiled and glanced around the laughing people passing us by. It felt much more different now than the past. No Aeniran shadows flickered around us, no Chosen making an attempt on my life, no Red Rays of Destruction nearly blasting me to pieces.yes. A great revolution had transpired here.
Malen interrupted my thoughts. "I must go now," she informed me. "I have my duties with the arriving Crones. Already I am late."
"Of course," I nodded. "Go on ahead. Don't want the Crones biting your head off."
Malen grinned and clapped her fists. Then she hastened through the corridors, dodging between the passerbies. I shook my head carefully as I watched her leave. Malen's behavior was a lot less rigid than the other Crones, but I could not help but wonder why they never reprimanded her. Maybe they just found it as a phase.
I reached the doorway to my compartment and unlocked it with the proper series of light patterns from my Sunstone. Indigo.blue.white.red.a click in the doorknob told me the door was now open. I entered the room and collapsed on the bed. It had already been a long day. Yet, sleep was not granted to me. I still had to return to the celebration and greet the people, and a banquet was to be held in my honor later tonight. I settled for deep meditation.
A soft knock on the door unsettled my contemplations. Was I ever going to have a time for myself? "Enter." I answered.
The door opened and Tal's head poked through. "You okay?" he asked. "You left with Malen as soon as I got to that room there. No hello for me? Meanie."
I blinked. Dark take it he had noticed. "It wasn't you.It was.Clovil." It was half-true. I think.
He nodded carefully and sat in one of the chairs near the bed. "So.uhh.you look different. As in good.I mean.never mind.Erm.Long time no see?" He looked away.
I raised my eyebrows. "Nice save there, oh Emperor of the Castle. Watch what you say."
He grinned rather sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Apology accepted." I replied. "It was nothing anyway. Besides, you look different too."
It was true. I guess both of us had changed. Actually, come to think of it, nothing had changed for me except my fighting skills, my weapon, my height, and my hair, which was down to my back now. Tal, however, had grown rather tall, his hair was still all over the place on his head, and-, and I don't know. He just seemed different.
He gave a mischievous smile. "Well, War-Chief, as leaders of our people, I think we should go to the hall and actually speak to them. Ready to go?" he asked.
I sighed. "Ready as I'll ever be."
"TAL!!!"
Tal had barely entered the room before he was engulfed with hugs from the former Freefolk. You would think that they had not seen him only twenty minutes ago. Only Malen, Ebbitt, and I separated ourselves from the sudden embraces filling the room. Living with Icecarls did not really leave us to be accustomed to such displays of affection. Moreover, I really do not see the purpose of them.
Ebbitt, after becoming bred to the Icecarl ways after the circling, became rather taken aback when Tal embraced him all of a sudden. Malen smiled faintly at the sight, while I rolled my eyes at the ceiling. As the former Freefolk rejoiced over Tal, I ignored them and spoke with Malen.
"What happened after I departed the Castle?" I asked, trying to block the loud whoops coming from Clovil, who apparently had gotten over his whacking from Gill.
"A great change has swept over the people here," replied Malen softly, gesturing to the celebration in the main hall. "No longer is there a barrier between the people about their place, for the Underfolk are no more and the former Chosen have accepted that they are not better than others."
Half an hour later, we were ambling down the hallway towards the chamber Malen had prepared for me. As she spoke of the events in the Castle, I smiled and glanced around the laughing people passing us by. It felt much more different now than the past. No Aeniran shadows flickered around us, no Chosen making an attempt on my life, no Red Rays of Destruction nearly blasting me to pieces.yes. A great revolution had transpired here.
Malen interrupted my thoughts. "I must go now," she informed me. "I have my duties with the arriving Crones. Already I am late."
"Of course," I nodded. "Go on ahead. Don't want the Crones biting your head off."
Malen grinned and clapped her fists. Then she hastened through the corridors, dodging between the passerbies. I shook my head carefully as I watched her leave. Malen's behavior was a lot less rigid than the other Crones, but I could not help but wonder why they never reprimanded her. Maybe they just found it as a phase.
I reached the doorway to my compartment and unlocked it with the proper series of light patterns from my Sunstone. Indigo.blue.white.red.a click in the doorknob told me the door was now open. I entered the room and collapsed on the bed. It had already been a long day. Yet, sleep was not granted to me. I still had to return to the celebration and greet the people, and a banquet was to be held in my honor later tonight. I settled for deep meditation.
A soft knock on the door unsettled my contemplations. Was I ever going to have a time for myself? "Enter." I answered.
The door opened and Tal's head poked through. "You okay?" he asked. "You left with Malen as soon as I got to that room there. No hello for me? Meanie."
I blinked. Dark take it he had noticed. "It wasn't you.It was.Clovil." It was half-true. I think.
He nodded carefully and sat in one of the chairs near the bed. "So.uhh.you look different. As in good.I mean.never mind.Erm.Long time no see?" He looked away.
I raised my eyebrows. "Nice save there, oh Emperor of the Castle. Watch what you say."
He grinned rather sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Apology accepted." I replied. "It was nothing anyway. Besides, you look different too."
It was true. I guess both of us had changed. Actually, come to think of it, nothing had changed for me except my fighting skills, my weapon, my height, and my hair, which was down to my back now. Tal, however, had grown rather tall, his hair was still all over the place on his head, and-, and I don't know. He just seemed different.
He gave a mischievous smile. "Well, War-Chief, as leaders of our people, I think we should go to the hall and actually speak to them. Ready to go?" he asked.
I sighed. "Ready as I'll ever be."