Ta dah! Next chapter is up. Oh, and Regal - don't fret. I wouldn't kill off anyone! Unless they were non-essential characters...
Raine: Like Deryn?
Exactly! Okay. Let's go-o-o-o!
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The ship was gone. Raine was gone. He had failed again to protect her. Why couldn't he prevent this sort of occurance from affecting her? Why couldn't he guard her? No matter how hard he tried, something always managed to happen. And now she was gone...
Regal stood on the dock that evening, staring out at the hazy, sunset of a horizon, in the midst of a gentle sea-breeze. Karla could have been anywhere by then...how were they to find her, and rescue Raine? It was impossible--
No. No, it wasn't impossible. He didn't have a choice. He would save her, he couldn't leave her in the hands of those barbarians. He couldn't...
"George. I would like you to find out where that ship was headed. There should be records of the schedule," he said, his voice quiet as he didn't turn.
"Of course, master Regal," consented the other man, bowing his head and turning to do Regal's bidding.
The rest of the group now knew about Deryn's sister, as he and Sheena had informed them rather quickly upon finding them. But not quickly enough, he thought guiltily. Not quickly enough to protect Raine, to protect his wife. The woman he loved now...
"Don't worry, Regal. Karla won't get away with this..." Sheena looked downward at the ground.
"No. She will not," he replied gravely, his expression hardening.
"I'm sure Raine's alright," reasoned Zelos. "After all, like Sheena said - there's no point to killing her til you've been captured as well. In fact, it would hurt her chances to get you at all."
"I hope she's okay." It was a very distressed sounding Colette now.
He could feel rather than see Genis' horrible, anxiety-filled, angry stare behind him. Not at him, but it might as well have been. It was his fault, after all. "If I hadn't listened to her..." started Regal.
"Then Karla'd have you both and all hope would be lost," finished Zelos, folding his arms. "Dude, relax."
"Shut up, Zelos," sighed Lloyd.
Sheena glared at the red-head. "You're so insensative. Augh - can't you just not talk for once?"
"Look. There's no reason to grieve over anything until we have evidence that Karla's been stupid and gone through with the Half-Elf Execution--"
"Zelos!" snapped Sheena. "Just stop!"
"He is right," said Regal. He could not afford to assume that Raine had been killed. He had no choice but to hope for the best as he searched for her. Searched until he found her...which he would.
"Master Regal."
Regal turned for the first time, to face George, who was returning. "You know where it was headed, then?" There was a note of hopefulness in his voice, one he did nothing to hide.
"Yes, sir. It appears that this particular ship, was bound for Sylvarant's Palmacosta." George clapsed his hands behind his back.
Palmacosta...That was a long way off. But with the Rheairds, there was a chance he could reach the city in time. "Thank you." With those two words, the Lezareno's president brushed past them all determinedly, toward the entrance to his own Resort Town.
"Hey! Regal, wait." Sheena trotted after him, followed by Genis, Lloyd, Colette, Presea, and then Zelos. "You're not going alone. That would just be stupid."
"I cannot endanger anyone else," he said firmly.
"That includes yourself," said Lloyd, shaking his head. "I want the Proff--er...Raine...to be safe, as well. But That doesn't mean I'm about to let you go search for someone who wants to see the end of you both, alone. No."
"We're going, too," nodded Colette. "I want to help Professor Sage!"
Zelos nodded as well. "If there's a damsel in distress, I'll be there," he said, cockily, folding his arms.
Regal blinked at them all for a few moments. They all genuinely wanted to help him...It was just like their first journey. They were all in it...together. "Thank you..."
Sheena clapped him on the shoulder with a smile. "Don't mention it, big guy. Let's go!" She dragged Zelos out of the resort, and Regal followed them with everyone else. His mind once more turned to Raine, and the guilt he couldn't supress.
It was his fault she was alone, now, at the mercy of Karla Salri - or possibly lack thereof. Raine...I'm sorry...You told me to go. I didn't want to leave you...Why did you make me leave you? Raine, please. Hold on. For me...we're coming.
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Awwww. You're so cute, Romeo. Going to your beloved Juliet's rescue, accompanied by your fearless friends and--
Raine: Are you quite finished?
...I guess...
Raine: Good. Honestly...
