24. good night

Sophia sat up in the dimly lit room in Airyglyph. The fire was dying and she could find no wood to give it more strength. She simply worked with what she had and strained her eyes to see in the darkness and focus on her task. Her fingers worked deftly on the project before her. The tiny silver needle glinting in the light as she weaved it in and out of the material. It was well past midnight but she was determined to accomplish her goal before they set off the next morning.

So much was riding on this. She poured all her hopes and dreams into each stitch of the needle. She was so busy concentrating on her project that she failed to notice she was no longer alone. So startled was she at the sound of his voice that she almost dropped her precious work.

"Fool what are you doing still awake?"

She regained her hold on her work and looked up to see Albel Nox emerging from the shadows. The dark seemed to dull his features. That is all but his eyes. The crimson orbs stared down at her hard as ever.

"Albel? What are you doing up?"

His lips curled up on one side in a snarl, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"That's the very question I asked you fool. Staying up 'til this hour will only make you even more useless on the battle field than usual."

Sophia cast her gaze away from the man before her and to the object in her hands. She hadn't known Albel all that long. In fact this was probably the most time they had spent with each other since he joined their group. She did know enough about him to guess he would not understand the importance of what she was doing. He would probably see it as sentimental garbage.

"What I'm doing is very important."

He strode over to the empty chair across from her and sat down. His arms were crossed over his chest and she noticed for the first time he was not wearing his claw or armor. It seemed odd to see him without them. It made him look, however slightly, less dangerous. The arm he wore his claw on was covered in a thick layer of bandages. Her curious side wanted to ask what had happened to him but she had more manners than that. Asking such a personal question of someone she hardly knew was impolite.

Albel continued to glare at her. "Oh, more important than having the strength to heal the others in battle? You do know that is your place don't you? You are the healer in this little war party." He gestured with his good hand as he said war party in a way she could only assume was sarcastic.

Her features melted into a pout. She felt greatly wounded by his words. She took her responsibility as the healer very seriously. He had said it as if that were all she was good for, simply mending wounds and sending the fighters back off into battle.

"For your information I'm not just a healer. I do my fair shear of attacking. And another thing I don't just heal the others I heal you too you know."

"Ha" he spat "I don't ever recall you helping me. Not that I need your help in the first place."

Sophia felt her anger rising. She shook her head and once again picked up her needle to continue on her project. Now he was just being a jerk. He was acting all high and mighty like he never needed anyone's help. Well she wasn't about to let him have his way.

" Maybe you can't recall me helping you because I'm SO skilled you don't even know I've done it. But if you'd rather go running off on your own, with no help from anyone, don't let me stop you. If you want it that way the next time I see you struggling I'll just let you run your own course. You'll regret it when you're dead for good because no one revived you."

She watched from the corner of her eye as he leaned forward in the chair. His face was now quite close to hers and she started to feel a bit apprehensive. After all he was 'Albel the wicked' no telling what he would do. She could see his eyes were still narrow slits. His expression however seemed a bit lighter. It almost looked as if he were smiling, just in the slightest way.

"Are you trying to insult me worm? Your quite brave for something so small."

In truth he did intimidate her quite a bit but she also had her pride. It might be the death of her but she simply couldn't let this arrogant man get the better of her.

"I'm not trying I already did. Maybe if you weren't so full of yourself you could have picked up on that."

Each stayed were they were for quite some time. She working on her project and him just staring at her. The silence around them was only interrupted by the soft sound of needle and thread working steadily and the occasional crackle from the fire.

"Why waste your time making that thing anyway?"

She looked up at him. She found it interesting that a person like him would know of something like this. She had assumed she would have to explain it to him like Fayt had her.

"You know what this is?"

He leaned back and turned his gaze to the fire instead of her.

"It's that stupid wishing charm those fools in Aquaria are so found of making. As if insignificant flowers could ever turn the tide of fate or battle. What a moronic concept."

She stared down at the bundle of flowers that rested on her lap. She was so close to finishing, just a few more flowers and it would be complete. If she let him put doubt in her mind now it would never work.

"I don't think it is. I've put my hopes and dreams into each flower. Wishes for us to all come out of battle unharmed and safe. I've prayed for all those effected by war and the Executioners. I believe it will work. Simply making it has given my as much hope as I've put into it."

Albel only grunted a reply and they feel into silence again. She had strung another flower on and started on the next when a thought hit her.

"Your right that one flower alone can't do much. But when grouped together like this, all connected, they may just give us the strength we need to save our world."

She was about to stitch the last flower on when the needle slipped from her grasp and priced her finger. A small dorp of blood fell onto the pure white flower she held, staining its perfect petals.

"Ouch!"

Before she could even inspect the injury for her self a much larger hand engulfed her smaller one. Albel looked over the injured digit closely. A small amount of blood began to trickle down from the wound. He brought the finger to his lips and kissed it softly. She was so shocked by his actions she couldn't bring herself to pull away. As quickly as it happened it was over and Albel was on his feet and retreating from the room.

"If you're done you should get some sleep. After all, I may need you to heal me tomorrow."

With that he was gone and Sophia was left stunned and confused. That was the last thing she expected from someone like him. She looked down at her flowers and then to her finger. The blood had already stopped and she could hardly tell where the injury had even been. Picking up her needle she strung the last flower on to the charm. Contemplating what had just happened she made her last wish.

She held up the wishing charm admiring her work. There was a lot of hope in those small flowers. The one stained with crimson seemed to stand out the most but not because of the stain.

There was so much hope in the charm. For her present situation, for all those around her, and maybe hope for the future.

A/N

The theme for this was good night. So it could be taken as someone saying goodnight or having a good night. The setting for this is back when they had only first met. I think I did well on this theme. I'm happy with myself for updating quickly. I'll try to keep it up! Thanks for your reviews.