Chapter Three
Back in the Crimea Castle Throne Room, Elincia, Titania, Boyd, Lucia and Geoffrey were just hanging around when Rayne bolted in.
"Where is she?!" He shouted.
"Who?" Elincia asked.
"Marcia, where in the hell is she?!"
"Hey, watch it," Boyd snapped, "you're in the presence of the Queen of Crimea! Show some respect!"
"I don't care," Rayne shot back, "Where is she?!"
"Why you litt-"
"Enough," Geoffrey interrupted Boyd from continuing, "Elincia, you may speak..." He bowed.
"Thank you, Geoffrey." She bowed her head, then shot her attention at Rayne, "How may I help you?"
"What are you, deaf? Where's Marcia?" Rayne rudely asked.
Elincia was getting annoyed at this point, but didn't show it and just answered, "She went with my two strongest men with your other partner, Fayt, to look for Cameron, the Laguz from yesterday."
"Damnit, Marcia..." Rayne muttered. Then, he was just about to grab his stuff when two guards stopped him with their lances.
"Hold it," Elincia started, "I'm afraid I can't let you go after her."
"I'd like to see you stop me." He replied angrily.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I guess I can't make you stay," Elincia said, then the guards lifted their lances, "but if you leave the capitol, you'll die."
"Is that a threat?" Rayne smirked.
"No, it's a promise." Elincia started to tremble a little.
Rayne noticed it and then laughed, "Ha, I get it! The big, strong Queen is gonna sick her minions on me if I leave 'cause she's too damn weak to fight for herself." Rayne started mocking her, "Oh, look at me! I'm Elincia! I can't fight for myself, and I'm a cry baby who can't run this country!" He stopped mocking her and went back to insulting her, "Oh, I'm scared now! You are a weak, spineless, useless waste of space!"
Everyone's jaw dropped and they were speechless. Elincia closed her eyes and tears ran down her cheek. Then she just calmly walked to her room, starting to cry. Albel entered the room when Rayne started to insult the Queen.
"Nice going, moron." He said, punching his arm.
"I don't believe you!" Lucia stormed towards Rayne, "Elincia helped you in so many ways! And what do you do in return!?" she was face to face with him, "You yell at her, mock her, and throw so many insults at her... What the hell is your problem?! Marcia and Fayt are just fine with Sam and Ike! Don't you ever insult her again, understand?! Or else!"
"Are you trying to pick a fight?" Albel snapped.
"Sorry, but I don't fight weaklings! It wouldn't be fair to you!" Lucia shot back.
"Alright, that's enough!" Titania ordered, she pointed at Albel and Rayne, "You two, back to your rooms!" They did what they were told. They were startled by her.
"And Lucia, drop it." Geoffrey added.
"But... Okay..." Lucia turned her back on the two guys, "Geoffrey, I'm going to go check on Elincia."
"Aright, see if she's okay." He responded.
As Rayne and Albel were walking down a hall, Albel said, "Hey, let's go to the garden and train instead."
"Sweet," Rayne replied, "alright, let's go."
Suddenly, before they could move, Mia appeared in front of them with her sword leveled at their necks and said, "Alright, I want to know, and I want to know now. Who made Elincia cry?"
DAMN! SHE'S HOT!Rayne's mind was going crazy with thoughts for Mia. "I did, so what?" he finally answered, "Why? Want to make something of it?"
"Maybe..." Mia stated.
"Well then, let's make it a little more interesting, if you win, we'll both go apologize to Queen Elincia. But, if I win, you have to go out with me fore-"
"Hell no! NO DEAL!" Mia blurted.
"Why not?" Rayne asked, getting annoyed.
"Because... I'm already with someone..." Mia blushed.
"Well, spit it out!" Albel snorted.
"Cameron Hyuga..." Mia blushed heavier than before, "He's so strong, brave, and he's super cute!" She sighed dreamily.
"...This is boring. Let's just start fighting!" Albel yelled.
"It's no use," Oscar walked into the hall, "once Mia's like this, she's stuck like that for a long time. She just loves Hyuga... Well, in any case, you better get some sleep. It's late."
"...Damn..." Rayne mumbled.
"Alright..." Albel grabbed Rayne by his shirt's collar and dragged him back to their rooms.
"Good night, you two. Don't be late for breakfast." Oscar said. Then Oscar turned to Mia and said, "You should get to bed soon, too."'
Mia sighed, then said, "Oh, alright." She reached for a heart shaped pendent that was around her neck, "Cameron, be careful." Then she held it closely to her heart and put it back under her shirt. She started walking towards her room for a night's rest...
Meanwhile, southwest of Daein's capitol, Nevassa...
"Damn it..." Cameron was running through the trees, "Where's that lazy TruBlade Stefan?" A dim light was coming up in front of him and he jumped off the tree, landing on the ground softly. But, luck was not on his side. He took a step forward when a twig snapped underneath his feet and a single arrow was shot from the distance, sticking into a nearby tree. Appearently, Cameron stumbled across a Bandit Hideout.
"TRESSPASSER!" the bandit shouted, "Kill him! Take his gold and possessions!"
"Agh, I don't have time for this!" He said. A few more arrows started flying directly at him. "Flame Rotation!" Cameron spun at a fast pace and was surrounded by a fire barrier that burned the arrows, the ground, and the trees around him, into ashes.
"He's not human! He's a sub-human," a bandit screamed, "watch out!"
Cameron's rage was unleashed and darted into the center of the hideout and shouted, "Engulfing Flames Explosion!" He charged up his fire energy and unleashed it directly below him, causing the entire area to be swallowed up by the flames emitted by him. He was dazed by the amount of energy he unleashed and fell backwards. When he stood up, he looked around at the burnt scar he left. "Damn it!" He roared, "Why do I keep destroying things?!" He broke down right there and collapsed. Then, it started raining lightly...
Back at the road...
"Ugh, I'm sooo tired..." Marcia whined.
"OH, MY GOD!" Ike just lost it, "AGAIN!?"
"Ike, calm down." Sam said.
"Oh, I'm sorry... It's these boots." She explained, "They're killing my feet."
"Are you going to be okay?" Fayt asked.
"I-I'll try..." Marcia said quietly.
"This may seem odd, but," Sam started, "get on my back."
"Huh?" Marcia looked at Sam wierdly.
"I'll carry you. It'll save us time, and Ike's sanity." Sam joked.
"Oh, ha ha... Very funny." Ike sarcastically remarked.
"Uh, well, okay..." She climbed onto his back, "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Sam started to walk, "just hang on, alright?"
"O-okay." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Fayt, how fast can you run?" Sam asked.
"Pretty fast." Fayt replied.
"Alright, Ike, are you ready?" Sam asked.
"Yep. On three, we go." Ike started counting, "One. Two. Three!"
Sam, Fayt and Ike started running as fast as they could to reach the border town faster. As they ran, Marcia asked, "How long will it take to get there?" Sam answered, "At this pace? In a at the most, a half hour. Maybe less." then he just kept running. Sam was in front, followed by Fayt, and finally Ike. About twenty minutes after running, Sam's ankle started to hurt, and he started slowing down. The others did the same.
"What's wrong, Sam?" Fayt asked.
"It's my ankle. It's acting up again." Sam said.
"What's wrong with it?" Marcia asked as she jumped off of Sam's back.
"Well, it's a long story... And I don't really like talking about it." Sam replied.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Marcia softly commented.
"It's alright. And look," Sam pointed in front of him, "there's the town, Yonway."
"Whew, finally!" Marcia jumped up and down, excited.
Suddenly, a complete stranger came out of nowhere and snuck up behind Marcia, smashing her back with his fist, which knocked her out. "Heh, an Ashera Icon! This'll fetch a pretty penny." his voice sounded gruff and dark.
"Marcia!!!" Fayt yelled.
"Halt!" Ike commanded as the thief ran off with the stolen item.
"Oh, no you don't." Sam said, opening the new Elwind tome that he recieved from Mist. Then he chanted, "Elwind!" and blades of wind formed, surrounding the thief. Sam moved his wrist in a pattern, and the air blades shot directly through the thief, slicing him to the ground. Fayt ran up to the thief, kicked him in the gut, and took the icon back.
"Marcia!" Fayt yelled again as he ran up to her, "Marcia, are you okay? Marcia?!"
"This isn't good," Ike said.
"No, this is the best possible thing!" Sam retorted sarcastically, "We gotta get her to a hotel. There's one in Yonway. I know the owner."
"Alright, let's go." Ike said while picking Marcia up.
"Hey," Fayt snapped, "be carefull with her!"
"Don't worry, I've done this before." Ike stated.
The three of them ran to Yonway as fast as they could, darted through the gates and to the entrance of the Crawshord Hotel. Sam opened the door fast and heavily, causing a few people in the hotel to glance at them. The receptionist was talking to the manager when Sam briskly walked up to the desk.
"Pardon me," Sam started politely, "could we get four rooms tonight?"
"Oh, hey Sam," the manager greeted, "sure. Hilda, if you'll please..."
"H-here are th-the room keys." She stuttered, "They're the last four doors on the right, down that hall." She pointed.
"Thanks, Wil, Hilda." Sam said, taking the keys. "How much is it?"
"Uh... F-four hundred gold..." She shyly answered.
"Ike, Fayt, take Marcia to one of the rooms." Sam said, tossing them a key.
"Oh, Hilda, don't be silly," Wil said, "How does one hundred sound?"
"O-one hundred, sir?" She said, uncertain of his comment.
"No, no, it's fine." Sam said, taking out a small bag, "Here's three hundred, it's all I have."
"That will do." the lenient manager said.
"Thank you." Sam started walking to Marcia's room.
As Sam walked in the door, he saw Fayt on the edge of Marcia's bed and Ike was staring out the window.
"Sam," Fayt started, "can't you do something?"
"Well, I have a heal staff, but I don't think that'll do any good." He replied, "It's only for bleeding, open wounds. But, I'll try." Sam reached for his staff that Ike put in his bag and held it over Marcia. Then Sam chanted a few words in the Ancient Language, and the staff started glowing a deep blue. When the glowing stopped, Sam put his staff back in the bag. Fayt just stood there, annoyed.
"...Well?" Fayt remarked impatiently.
Sam sighed, then said, "She's unconscious. There's nothing more we can do except wait until she comes to."
"Damn it." Fayt mumbled.
"Well," Ike started, "it's getting late. I think I'll turn in."
"Alright, here's your key." Sam handed a key to Ike, "Don't lose it."
"heh, don't worry." Ike said, "'Night." Ike walked out of the room.
"See ya in the mornin'." Sam said. Then he turned his attention to Fayt, "You better get some sleep, too."
"I know. I will." Fayt replied.
"Alright. Good night." Sam walked out.
Marcia, Fayt thought, I'm sorry. This would've never happened if I paid more attention. Fayt drifted off into sleep beside Marcia...
(ATTN: Now, I know what most of you are thinking... If you don't like it, then shut up and never read this again. If, however, you do like it, then please leave your comments in a review. Thank you, and remember, don't insult. Criticize.)