Long time no update. This is dedicated to my friend S.M. who, without her knowledge, gave me the push i needed to finish this chapter.

Misplaced pride

As Andros enters the tent, he finds Mikaela pacing around the room. When she felt his presence she slowed down and turned to look at him before resuming her pace. The paladin shook his head, walked to his bed and took off his gloves before sitting on his bed and starting to take off the rest of his armor. In the meantime Mikaela kept pacing without saying a word. Then, not being able to stand the constant tapping of her feet on the floor, he spoke up:

"Alright. What is it?"

"What is what, Andros?" She asked, not even looking at him and continuing her pacing.

Andros sighed. "Look Mikaela. I really don't understand why you're taking this so hard."

The Amazon slowed a bit but didnt stop. "Take what so hard?" She said this in a would-be nonchalant voice, if not for the cold tone in it.

The paladin in the meantime had gotten up, opened the worn-out chest at the foot of his bed and was now putting his gloves and bracers in. "Oh, come on. Don't give me that." He replied calmly. "I know that you're upset because Estele took a few of your kills today."

Mikaela stopped dead in her tracks and Andros expected her to come up with some sort of protest, or beat around the bush as she usually does. But she didnt avoid the subject this time. In fact, she was quite direct.

"She took more than just a few kills, Andros." She said in a cold voice, and he didn't even have to turn to look to know that she was wearing that stony expression. 'Cold fury' he called it.

"It's still no reason for your pride to get hurt."

"At least I have pride, unlike some of us." She bit out scathingly.

The paladin took his armor as well as the gold he had found during the day's adventures and put them in his chest. When he finished he turned to look at the Amazon. "You have pride, Mikaela, but it's quite misplaced."

Then he approached, patted her on the shoulder and headed for the exit.

"Don't be too long. Dinner will be served soon and if you're not there Gheed or Zeke will steal all your food." He said with a small chuckle before he left, completely ignoring the disbelieving look on Mikaela's face.

--

Roine's staff made contact with Zeke's shoulder with a loud 'whack' and a muffled scream immediately followed. The sorceress then grabbed the choking necromancer by the collar and gave him a nice shake.

"That was my sausage." She snarled savagely.

The others around them looked on either in mild interest (as was the case with Exxos) or in surprise. Estele and Faelach were new and not too used to Zeke and Roine's childish fights.

"Wooeewafft." Came the half-spit reply. The three observers didn't understand anything but Roine apparently did because she gave him another hard shake before continuing.

"Yes it was. It was on my plate, you filthy s'wit!"

And this is the position Andros found them in: Roine bent over on Zeke and shaking him hard, and the necromancer with his head rolling from one side to another with food coming out of the corners.

"Stop doing that or you'll end up killing him." He said.

The sorceress turned her head to look at him for a moment then continued choking the poor kid. "Yeah, hi Andros. And he deserves to die. He ate my sausage."

"Well, that's a fair trade then. You may proceed." He said walking over to Exxos and sat down, barely suppressing his smile.

Roine, of course, didn't need the approval since she was already doing that (proceeding), but nevertheless thanked him.

The four ate in silence watching the show that Zeke and Roine provided, until Estele spoke tentatively.

"You know… you won't get your sausage back like that. It's gone."

Roine sighed, and to everyone's surprise and Zeke's relief, she let him go.

"Ehn, you're right. I'll get him back some other way." Then she sat down and continued eating what was rest on her plate as if nothing had happened. The necromancer coughed a few times, swallowed the disgusting substance in his mouth that was once Roine's sausage and glared.

"You're crazy." He said simply, as if that settled it.

"No more than you deserved." She replied carelessly.

--

"Where d'you think Mikaela dissapeared to?" Asked Zeke a while later. He, Roine, Faelach and Estele had said goodnight to Exxos and Andros and were now lazily making their way to the tents. The amazon had never showed up for dinner. Not that Zeke was complaining. He got to eat all her food. He was a growing boy after all.

"I don't know." Shrugged the druid.

"Andros probably knows." Said Roine. "They discuss pretty much everything with each other. They even share the same tent."

"They share it with Exxos too." Corrected Zeke.

"But he doesn't seem like much of a talker, does he?" said Faelach.

"True..."

Then they walked in silence for a wile.

"I think Mikaela doesn't like me." Everyone turned to Etele who had been quiet and thoughtful the whole way. Zeke and Roine were surprised, but the druid gave her a sharp look.

"Where did you get that idea from?"

"It's just a feeling..." She started saying in an even smaller voice but Faelach cut her off.

"Well, it's not true." He said firmly. "You haven't done anything wrong. She probably just needs some time to adjust to the idea of two new additions to the group, that's all."

"I hope so..." Mumbled the assassin and then fell silent again. Roine shot Zeke a worried look, who continued to look puzzled. Faelach decided to change the subject.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?"

"I dunno." Yawned Zeke. "Andros said something about discussing it with Mikaela. But I think we're finally gonna get some real action though."

Roine rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. We'll probably be devided into groups again and, as usual, Mikaela will give us something easy, just to get us off her back."

"Why do you say that?" asked Zeke surprised.

"I don't think she takes us that seriously Zek, do you? She thinks of us as kids or something. She even trusts the newbies with more important tasks than she trusts us. No offense to you guys," she added to Estele and Faelach.

"None taken." Grinned the druid.

"Like today, she told us to have a day off. Like we needed one! Now usually I would not complain about a day off at the Academy... But this is entirely different." Continued Roine.

"But Exxos didn't go either today, did he?" Said Zeke.

The sorceress gave an impatient sigh at her friend's stupidity. "Yes, but it was only today. She just wanted to test the newbies without much interruption I'm guessing. Of course, Andros is never an interruption, is he?" She said this last part in a sweet yet poisonous voice.

"Now that you mention it I would have to agree..." He said thoughtfuly. "I mean, she usually sets us tasks like finding potion ingredients for Akara, or helping the Rogues safeguard the camp. Not much of a challenge, is it...?"

"Oh, Zeke, Zeke. My poor ignorant friend... Finding potion ingredients for Akara is something as important as killing Andariel herself! After all, everyone who goes on those dangerous adventures get their healing supplies from Akara. When they're not getting them from the monsters they've slaughtered, that is. So anyway, it's as if we're the heroes!" Exclaimed Roine sarcastically as she made exaggerated movements with her arms and then slapping Zeke hard on the shoulder.

Stel and Faelach shared furtive smiles, but Zeke rubbed his soulder and merely looked at his sorceress friend wearily without speaking. It wouldn't be too wise to mess with her when she weas in this mood.Who knew when a punch would fly his way?

Roine just continued her ranting.

"But seriously. She cannot stop us this time. She has no right. We're part of the team too! Who made her the damn leader anyway?! Like Akara can't get the potion ingredients herself. Even if she is too busy, she can send Mrs. Finne's chickens to fetch some for her. And the Rogues? Oh, yes. They will surely need our help. No beast so much as dares come close to the encampment, let alone enter it! And we are so useful, too! The only job they have for us is to polish their fucking bows!" She paused and took a few deep, angry breaths.

"Calm down, dude..." Said the necromancer catiously.

"Shuddap!" She snapped at him, and Zeke didn't dare make a sound.

They continued to make their way silently from then on, with Roine gritting her teeth and making sure to crush every single of the crunchy leaves that had the misfortune of ending up under her boots. When they finally reached their tents Roine just stormed into hers, muttering angrily to herself.

Estele gave the boys a helpless look before saying a quiet goodnight and entering the tent after the raging sorceress. Faelach shrugged at Zeke and followed the example. The necromancer, who was now fuming because Roine had let out her anger on him again, followed the druid into the tent they shared.

--

(This is in honor of my friend Taki, who's afraid of me for the same reason.)

Right. Im already working like a dog on the next one. These first chapters may seem kinda boring to some of you, but it was kinda necessary to introduce the characters and all. Anyway, I'm getting bored of just talking. In the next one, there's bound to be moreaction.