6. The Ring
Albel sat up in the dimly lit cavern. His red eyes just starred at the ring resting in his right hand. Every now and then the cavern would lit up brightly because of the lightening cracking through the sky. He could hear the sound of the heavy rain fall from inside of the cave. Sighing lightly his eyes wandered towards the sleeping form of Nel Zelpher.
Flashback
A young boy was walking beside his father. He looked about eight years old and had many features of his father. Starring up at his father with those dark red eyes "Father. Why are we here..in Aquaria territory?"
The man just simply smiled; he had a shaggy black hair which fell to his shoulders. Dark red eyes just like his son and he was dressed in common clothes. Usually he was to always wear his Airyglph uniform but where he was going required him to dress normally "Albel, I'm going to Aquios to see an old friend of mine."
Confused and startled "A friend? A friend of an Aquarian?" Albel spatted out questions to his father. Glou just shook his head lightly and smirked while starring at the busy town of Aquios. A smirk crossed his lips as a young man came to view lifting a box on to a wagon. Albel on the other hand kept a cautious eye on the Aquarians and honestly didn't get his father for his reason going here.
"Nevelle" Glou called out from behind the young man who was busy lifting boxes. The man turned around and his emerald eyes widen at the sight. It was as if he was lost for words.
"Glou..is that you?" he asked quietly and glancing around nervously. Hoping no other crimson blade members herd the Airyglph's name.
"Yeah. Long time." Glou chuckled at his old friend's nervous behavior as he approached Nevelle. He leaned in close and whispered in his friends ear "Were dressed like peasants I doubt they can tell the difference" he said.
Nevelle blinked and backed off from Glou "Yeah...but" he eyed the crimson scourge "You have the only kind of sword nobody has on you right now!"
"Hah. What sword? Not like anyone is going to stare at my hip" he chuckled and smirked. His red eyes glanced at his old friend "Eh. Quit looking so nervous. Your going to make everyone suspicious about me" he joked.
"Father, what is going on? Who the hell is that?" Albel asked glaring at Nevelle who only just gave a light smile towards his way.
"Oh. This is my old friend, Nevelle Zelpher" Glou told his son and noticed Nevelle blinks his green eyes.
"Is that your son..he looks so much like you. Kinda frightening" Nevelle just commented.
"Frightening? Hey that is my boy your talking about...anyways" Glou rested his right hand on his son's head "This is my son, Albel" he told his friend.
"Albel hmm. Nice to meet you." Nevelle went to shake Albel's left hand but Albel moved it away giving him a glare instead.
"Albel!" Glou snapped out and his red eyes glared at his son. He did expect his son to be rude because of the state their two kingdoms were in.
"Hmp. I don't need to shake his hand father. He is your friend not mine!" Albel grumbled out and turned away from Nevelle's view.
"Oh. It's alright. Doesn't bother me" Nevelle laughed lightly trying to lighten the negative atmosphere. With a smile Nevelle turned towards Glou "Well, since you came all this way. How about you stay for dinner at my house?"
"I wouldn't mind." Glou said then turned to his pouting son and gripped Albel's right wrist. "Don't even think about not coming. It would be rude to decline such an offer!" he told his son and sighed when he noticed Albel's red eyes narrow his way.
"RUDE? How can it be rude? I don't see any connections. He is our enemy! What if he poison us with the food he is serving or worse hand us straight towards the Aquarian Queen?" Albel shouted causing many townsfolk to glance there way and Nevelle starring quite dumbfounded.
Glou narrowed his eyes and slammed his hand over Albel's small mouth. Leaning down to his ear he whispered quietly "Shut up boy! Do you want them to find us out?" then removed his hand from Albel's mouth. Glou laughed nervously "Sorry! Just some messed-up boy playing a role.." he tried to persuade the townsfolk it was just an act. A sigh of relief escaped from both Glou and Nevelle as the townsfolk went back to what they were doing.
"Let us not chat here. Come, my house is up this way!" Nevelle told them as he pointed upward to the road. Without hesitation Glou grabbed his boy's arm and pulled him along for the walk to Nevelle's house. The walk seemed endless for Albel was busy shouting out rants and going berserk with his tantrums. Finally making it to the house; all three stood before it starring up and Nevelle smiled lightly "Welcome to my home."
What a home it was for it was not just a plain old house it was a mansion. For the name of Zelpher is a pretty wealthy family name. Nevelle opened the black gate and walked towards the front of the door. Glou followed after but Albel was rather hesitate for he noticed this mansion was located close to the Aquarian castle. Only did Albel come when Glou called for him and not wanting to piss off his old man anymore he obeyed.
The mansion had a rather pleasant feel too it. Two huge windows just a few inches away from the double huge brown doors and it looked as if it had some kind of rich color curtains. Albel didn't like it; nothing like to his place for they never had flowers growing just about everywhere in the front green area of the house. Walking inside the entrance hall a maid was attending to her chores "Oh, Sir Nevelle. Welcome home!" the young woman said with a bow of her head.
"Hm. Where might Kira be?" asked Nevelle while resting his hands on his hips. Suddenly the huge doors leading towards the dinning room opened. A young woman with long black hair that went to just a little past her shoulders dressed only in a towel ran and clung to her husband.
"Oh my love! You have return!" she giggled out and felt a stare on her. Glancing behind Nevelle she realized Glou "Oh my!" she let go of her husband and went to hug Glou "Glou! It has been ages!" she told the young man.
"Honey, I was only gone for a hour." Nevelle just commented and sighed watching his wife go hug on to Glou. He noticed the embarrassed look that Glou gave and knew why for his wife was only in a towel "Honey! Get some clothes on!" he scolded his wife.
"Erm Kira, nice to see you has well" Glou said trying to keep control of himself as the young woman hugged him. He noticed his son's questionable look and sighed with relief when Kira let go of him.
"Oh come now. Not like a big deal. Sides I had just came out of the bath" she told her husband while pointing at her dripping wet hair. Her lavender colored eyes glanced at the young boy standing near Glou "WOW what an adorable boy!" she exclaimed as she embraced Albel "Is he yours, Glou!" she asked.
Albel struggled under Kira's grip "Get off of me! I'm no rag doll!" he growled out and tried pushing the woman off him.
"Yes. This is my son, Albel" Glou told Kira and sighed watching Kira's eyes light up.
"Albel! What an adorable name!" she clapped her hands together and smiled "You shall marry my daughter and make beautiful babies!" she giggled out.
"...Marriage! Babies! What?" Albel managed to say feeling a little frustrated and pissed about what was going on at the moment.
"So Nevelle, you have a daughter?" asked Glou after hearing Kira's comment. A smile crossed Nevelle's lips as he gave a light nod.
"Oh yes! We have a beautiful daughter named Nel!" Kira giggled out and grabbed Albel's hand. Pulling him up the steps "Come, I shall introduce you to my daughter." she said with excitement.
"Um, Dear! Don't you think you're a bit pushing it?" asked Nevelle as he watched his wife drag Albel towards his daughter's room. Glou just stood watching and couldn't help but laugh out loudly at the sight. Albel tried to escape from the crazy woman's grip but it was no use the woman was using unknown strength to keep a hold on him. Sighing as he felt his captor make a sudden stop he glanced and starred up at door she was about to open. She opened the door to reveal a rather plainly looking room but had a slight element of girl living there.
Sitting at a desk was a young girl reading a book and the sudden sound of a door open caused her to look away from her book. Blinking her green eyes she starred at her mother giving her an odd look "Yes, mother?"
"I'd like to introduce you to a son of my old friend Glou." Kira told her daughter and rest her right hand on his shoulder "This is Albel Nox." and she then smiled at Albel "This is my daughter, Nel."she told him.
Nel got off of her chair and approached Albel giving him a light bow "Hello!" she looked up at him with a small smile.
"Um..hello." Albel replied while looking away scratching the back of his head with his left hand. He seemed sort of nervous most likely because this young girl was cute and he hated to admit for she was an Aquarian.
There first meeting was awkward for Kira left them alone in a room to get to know each other more. Nel tried to play with Albel but he was not interested in playing house or dolls like her friend Clair would usually would. Albel had a hard time to make a conversation with her because he was never really good with women.
Finally it came down to the question "Do you have a mother and a father?" Nel asked and noticed Albel glare at her. Did she say something to offend him? She didn't understand his sudden glare and obvious anger which covered his facial features.
"I have a father. My mother passed away when I was two years old." he said and noticed Nel bow her head to him.
"Forgive me. I should had not asked such a question." Nel said.
"Bah. Whatever" Albel snapped and turned his back to her. Nel felt horrible for what she said so she walked towards him and embraced him from behind.
"When I'm sad or lonely. I hug my Mr.Bear" she said to him and she could feel Albel tense up in her arms.
Albel blinked at her comment and starred at an old bear sitting on her bead just inches away from her pillow.
A year later...
Sitting outside in the green grass in the back yard of the Zelpher estate Albel was under the shade of a big tree. Nel was next to him a sudden wave of shivers ran down his spine when he felt her rest her head on his shoulder.
"Aw. Cute little child love." Kira exclaimed from a seat near a small round table outside. Glou just gave a chuckle and Nevelle rubbed the back of his head.
Albel reached for something in his pocket and pulled out a ring. The ring was rather plain looking just a golden band with a diamond and two sapphire stones beside the diamond. He didn't understand why his father had given him this ring on which his mother wore before she died. Starring at Nel who was quietly humming to herself Albel coughed to clear his throat.
Feeling eyes one her, Nel turned to look at a rather red faced Albel "What is wrong? Are you sick because your all red in the face." she asked with concern.
Albel shook his hand and blushed throwing a ring at her lap "Please marry me!"
Glou slammed a hand at his forehead "Well that is not the most graceful way to ask someone to marry them." he told Nevelle who just laughed.
"My they are growing up so quickly!" Kira said as she starred at them with sparkles in her lavender eyes.
"Marry you?" Nel blushed almost confused with his words. She though didn't have a chance to answer for Glou and Albel were about to be arrested. Glou quickly grabbed his son's arm when he noticed a arrow heading straight in to a tree just several feet above Nel and Albel's heads. A scream came from Nel at the sudden shock and she felt her Father weight hovering over her little form to protect her.
Albel narrowed his eyes "No! Father let me go!" he yelled at Glou as he was being dragged to the near wall for them to climb over to make an escape. As he was heaved to the top of the wall by his father he looked back at Nel "When this war is over..please tell me your answer!" he shouted towards her.
Years pass and the war kept getting worse it looked as if it would never end. News of Glou Nox death had been filled throughout the two kingdoms. On a rainy day in Airyglph a funeral was taking place. As the crowds died down and the coffin laid above ground a hooded figure stood beside it resting a hand on the coffin's cover case. "You know. If it was not a funeral I'd be slaying you." said a voice from behind the cloaked figure.
Turning around to notice it was Woltar who just threaten him. A small smile crossed his lips "It must wait. For I too just want to pay respects to an old friend of mine."
"Nevelle, you're an enemy to this kingdom. Yet you dare show your face to an Airyglph funeral?" Woltar asked him while resting his right hand at his sheathed sword.
"I may be an enemy. Does not mean Glou was never my friend." he said towards the old man and sighed "I shall go now. Only what happened to the boy?"
"None of your business." Woltar replied and watch Nevelle walk away through the heavy rain. Further in the graveyard Albel was sitting on a tombstone starring at his left arm which was heavily bandaged up. He didn't understand why his father would throw his life away just to save his life. Was he not a failure? "..I don't understand father." he sadly said.
"Albel?" a voice called out for him causing him to snap his eye sight away from his left arm to the figure who called him. There stood Nel only she had a black hood on and she came closer to him to comfort him. Albel watched as her right arm went to touch his shoulder and he narrowed his eyes at the sigh of her runes. Before she could try to embrace him, Albel's right hand slapped her away from him. Nel stumbled back in confusion and looked up at him with concern.
"Don't touch me, Fool. Your just like those Aquarian maggots now!" Albel shouted at her and got up from the grave stone "You're an eyesore!" he kept spewing hate towards the young girl sitting in the mud who only looked up at him helplessly. His anger grew much worse when he noticed the tears brimming her eyes "Don't cry fool. You only look weak! Those runes tell me you and I are enemies clear as day." he told her and started to walk past her crumbled form.
"I..don't understand. Albel, I don't want to be your enemy!" Nel shouted after him as his back was to her. He quickly turned around with a hard glare filled with flames of hate "Woman, do not call me Albel for we are not formal. We are enemies!" he growled out and started to walk away from her.
End of Flashback
"Now I remember. How I think about it is another story.." he said to himself while looking at the sleeping Nel. Sighing he put the ring in a safe spot to give to Nel later for he did find something which had belong to her now. He longed for sleep yet he pushed himself to stay awake for he didn't want to have those burning nightmares anymore. Starring at the fire he could see it going down every minute soon the cavern had gone pitch black. The only light was the few second flashes of lightening outside.
It had gotten colder for the fire was the only warmth provided. He knew if he awoke Nel it would had been for nothing since her MP was practically warn out for now. A sigh escaped his lips as he crossed his arms in front of his chest trying to provide warmth for himself. His red eyes started to drupe before he knew it he was falling asleep. The night went by quickly and the sun was now shining brightly.
Nel awoke first but sat up and was startled; her wrists were bounded and so where her ankles "What the hell?" she said while looking around and noticed they were not in the cave no more but in a huge cage. Glancing frantically she noticed Albel's laying form and she tried to awake him by calling his name several times. A groan came from Albel as he opened his eyes to stare at a bond Nel.
"Nel?" he called to her and blinked looking to his own wrists for they were bind as well. Not to mention the cave was no longer a cave but a cage. Starring outside they could see the forest and a few people. Wait people, they didn't look like people for they had a horn on their foreheads and little pointy ears. What was going on; who brought them here to this place and soon they were to find out.
For the leader wished to speak with them...
TBC
A/N: Finally updated. Between work and all I been to tired to write. Well anyways I hope everyone enjoys this chapter update. I hope to update as soon as I can. Thanks for the reviews and please review! Till next time, seeya!