Chapter Two
"Maria? What are you doing in Kirsla?" Fayt asked, bewildered. Last time he'd checked, Maria was supposed to helping Cliff with something.
"Oh, yeah, Cliff decided he didn't need me so I dropped by," Maria explained. "Besides, I've missed you Fayt." Fayt's face turned red for a moment, making Maria laugh and Nel smile. (Albel, however, was completely oblivious.)
"I missed you too," Fayt smiled, still a little red. Even Maria was turning a little red now.
"Hey, uh, would you like to go get something to eat?"
"Sure," Fayt answered, and to Nel and Albel's dismay, the two quickly left them behind-completely forgetting their mission.
"This is Woltar's doing, the senile old fool. What is he trying to do?" Albel mumbled under his breath.
"What?" Nel asked, eying his suspiciously.
"Nothing too significant, just an old man sticking his rotten old nose where it really doesn't belong..." Albel replied. "So what do we do now? Those foolish maggots are long gone now..." Nel sighed, not exactly looking forward to spending an entire afternoon with her ex-arch enemy.
"Let's go back to the inn and wait for Fayt to return," Nel said dully, turning back towards the inn.
"How boring," Albel sighed. "Surely you can think of something to do. I hate boring waits."
"Well, maybe it'll teach you some patience," Nel said, already on her way.
"I swear you're all out to torture me...,"Albel grumbled and reluctantly followed Nel to the inn. When they finally got there, Albel felt suddenly tired, but he didn't show it. He simply sat in one chair and continued to be bored out of his mind. Suddenly Nel came into his room, making him jump a little.
"I think I'll go get some supplies before we go. You wait here in case he gets back." Albel sent her a blank stare.
"I'm starting to feel my coming is very unnecessary, and this place is rather dull," Albel sighed.
"I don't know, work on your penmanship or something. I'm not going to be gone that long," Nel said, leaving. Albel glanced back to the table in front of him. There was paper and a pen there, but Albel didn't see any reason why he'd be writing anytime soon. But...he was bored, and even though he was tired, he didn't feel like sleeping just yet.
Reluctantly he pushed the paper in front of him, but he hesitated before picking up the pen with his good hand. It felt awkward in his hand and he didn't like how it felt. Slowly he tried to write his name on the paper, but it hardly legible and his hand was shaky. He tried again, but it wasn't much better.
"Bah, useless junk anyway...," he said, dropping the pen in his frustration.
"Wow, your handwriting's horrible." Albel turned around in his chair to see what fool had been watching, feeling angry at whoever it was. Seeing it was only Fayt, Albel tried to relax and turned back around.
"You try writing with your right hand when you're left handed...so, how was your little date with that girl, whatever her name is? I've been rather bored." Albel shrugged and Fayt scratched his head.
"'Date'? No, it wasn't a date...!" Fayt replied defensively. "Hey, where' Nel?"
"She went to get supplies."
"Oh." Silence filled the room, Fayt unsure of what to say and Albel not really caring.
"Hmph. I'm going to bed." Albel said simply, getting up. He wasn't in the mood for, well, anything.
Albel couldn't sleep. He'd tried, but something was really bothering him, though he couldn't say what. He remember what Woltar had wanted for him to do-have a family-but he wasn't fond of the idea. Not that he'd given much thought to it before, but he didn't want something terrible to happen-which Albel saw seemed to happen to every family. Besides, who could love Albel the Wicked? Only a fool. Damn that old man, Albel thought. He sighed. What good was it to be angry? He knew if he didn't find someone, Woltar or the king would certainly set up some marriage. No, they wouldn't dare...They know I'd kill whatever poor girl they'd found, Albel shook his head. If all the trouble those two were causing wasn't enough, now he had to enter a dragon infested area.
Somehow, he felt that had to be Woltar's doing too. But he knew complaining would do no good and even though he didn't want to admit it, the crazy old man was like an uncle to him. That uncle you can only visit so many times and you always want to strangle, but an uncle nonetheless.
Suddenly he heard someone move. Who else was still awake?
"If we don't go, nothing might happen between them."
"I don't know...I mean, they'll probably hate us after this..."
"Not if we succeed, which we will. Don't be so pessimistic. Now let's go."
"...Alright." Albel had intended to keep listening, but his weariness caught up with him and he fell asleep.
Eh, kind of short. Alas, a boring chapter! More up ahead though...!
Next chapter: Everyone had started their journey looking for him, and now they've all gone and left him!
