There was a knock at the door that drowned out her thoughts and her head jerked up in surprise.
"Wh...Who is it?" She demanded boldly, sitting up on her cot.
A young boy entered and walked up to her, giving a slight nod of his head. He looked much younger then some of the other boys she had seen walking around in that blue and black armor. His blonde hair and soft features made him quite attractive which only reminded Andrea that she probably looked that absolute hell.
"Hello, Miss. My name is Chesta. I'm glad to see you awake and I'm sorry if I've come at a bad time but Lord Dilandau wishes to speak with you."
Andrea gritted her teeth and growled irritated beyond belief. Her anger had shocked Chesta but even more so made him worry. He knew that Lord Dilandau was hard on them, his Dragon Slayers, and took pity on the girl in front of him wondering what he had done to her.
"Ummm... Miss, are you alright?" The second the words left him he regretted it; such a stupid question to ask someone in the infirmary.
Andrea however was busy with her thoughts, "Who does that boy think he is? Ordering me around like some slave! I'll show him even if it kills me! I'm certainly no worse off if he does!"
"Um, Miss?" Chesta tried again to get her attention.
"I'm fine!" She shouted at him, causing him to recoil slightly. She felt a bit bad for yelling at Chesta. He seemed like such a nice person but now was not the time for softening. Climbing out of bed she walked over to Chesta.
"Take me to him." She was still a bit short with him but her voice was gentle this time.
She walked behind him with a look that could kill plastered on her face. She couldn't stand it anymore! She had lost everything by making a stupid gamble! Adventure indeed! She should have known that starting your life all over again wouldn't help anything! Now she'd lost her family and friends and maybe even her life before this day was up.
Chesta looked really uncomfortable in this situation. This girl had the same look in her eyes that Dilandau did when someone pissed him off. After a moment he remembered what Gatti and Miguel had told him earlier about the golden fox. He took a breath before trying to speak to her.
"I'm really sorry I have to do this. All the Dragon Slayers are talking about you and that fox. From what I've heard you must have gotten attached to it quickly. I'm so sorry about what Dilandau did, but please, try not to hate him, he really isn't as bad as you must be thinking right now..." He hesitated again before continuing, "You must feel so alone... I heard you have no family or friends on Gaia, that you're from the Mystic Moon."
Andrea stopped abruptly. She couldn't believe he was standing up for that ass and how could he possibly know how she was feeling right now.
She looked at him with a questioning glare.
"I take it that it is true then?" He stopped and turned to face her when he no longer heard her foot steps following behind him.
"How did you know?" she questioned him suspiciously.
"I heard the rumor from the other Dragon Slayers though I didn't know how valid it was. I feel for you, I truly do. I lost my entire family when I was only 9 in a war. The village I lived in was destroyed and as far as I know I was the only survivor. It was Dilandau that found me and took me in to train as his Dragon Slayer."
Andrea stared at him in disbelief. "Why is he telling me all of this? I don't understand," she thought, "I feel so selfish now... he lost his entire family in a war and I left mine behind... they're still there... somewhere..." Her heart was softened by his words and the anger she felt only moments ago was filled again with her despair. She felt she would never be rid of it.
"But hey, don't worry about it! We should get going, Dilandau will be furious we made him wait." Chesta smiled at her comfortingly. He saw her mood change and was somewhat relieved because now, just maybe, she would survive her encounter with Dilandau.
"Yeah. I guess your right." She mumbled as she continued to follow him questioning Dilandau's motives for taking in a homeless child.
Within a minute they arrived at the door to Dilandau's chambers. It was a deep dark red, close to black, which Andrea didn't find very surprising. When they arrived she still wasn't sure how to react to Dilandau, she'd had so many thoughts of vengeance but now that she didn't feel quite so alone she was re-thinking her suicidal thoughts.
"Wait here. I'll tell Lord Dilandau you've arrived." He bowed his head to her and turned to the door hesitantly walking in after a placing swift knock on the door. Before he'd made it more the three steps into the room he was thrown back into the hall by the force of a punch from Dilandau himself.
"How dare you make me wait!" He screamed.
Dilandau walked towards Chesta, sword drawn. He looked like the devil about to take the life from his next victim, his eyes seeming to have the flames of hell reflected upon them. He placed the tip of his sword on Chesta's neck and that's when something snapped within Andrea. She wasn't going to let another person get killed or even hurt because of her.
