Halonar II

Queen on Queue (In progress)

"Good morning." He smiled.

Teresa was the first to shake the man's hand.

"Queen Sorulen has not been expecting you as I have. Regardless, she is prepared to address your arrival... Be it even days late."

"Apologies again." Teresa took a bow. Out of the corner of his eye, Hadwyn saw Marco elbow Benson, who followed suit, grumbling. Meanwhile, Hadwyn stood like a dimwit, with his hand still out. Perhaps he was still groggy from his sleep schedule. Or perhaps it finally hit him that while it was noon back east, it was morning in Zyenur.

"I will at once make the Queen aware of your arrival. Until then, make yourselves comfortable. I will tell the maids to prepare your rooms."

"Oh, there's no need, really! We have much to attend back to the mainland." Teresa gave Hadwyn a look. He turned away upon seeing it.

How will I explain the dead ends? He thought.

Vikas nodded. "Yes, I understand your urgency. But nonetheless, I will have your rooms prepared, should you change your mind."

"Thank you very much." Added Kela.

"My pleasure. But I really must be going now." He motioned behind them to the streets behind them. "Like I said, please make yourselves comfortable." He turned to leave. "Oh, and one last thing before I forget..."

The group waited expectantly.

Vikas seemed to be deep in thought for a moment. "Well," He said, chuckling. "Looks like I forgot. Take care then."

After Vikas departed across the short bridge, stolling between the camouflaged guards who uncrossed their spears, and disappeared behind the stone wall of the courtyard, they noticed Benson was missing. Hadwyn was tasked with finding him. While the rest of them looked for somewhere to eat.

"Ben?" Hadwyn called out. Teresa, Kela, and Marco were already headed down the street. If Benson were there, they would have spotted him already. So Hadywn took it to himself to pry through the bushes that laid across the stream. The guards eyed him suspiciously, but took no action of any kind.

Hadywn was sure they would cut down any person, hero or not, should they lack the clearance to enter. He silently discarded the possibility that Benson had wandered beyond the stream anyways.

Speaking of wandering, what the hell was Benson up to anyways? Did he get sick again?

Just as Hadwyn was about to turn around to join the rest of the team, he heard a gurgling sound somewhere nearby. He searched. There.

Benson was on his knees throwing up behind a bush. He hurled out chunks of a mysterious substance.

He grumbled upon seeing Hadwyn. "There goes my breakfast. Dammit."

"Come on, Teresa and the others are searching for a good eat.The Queen is occupied anyways."

Ben clutched his stomach. "I think it's getting better now. God, I hate Reach-jumps." He looked at Hadwyn.

"So, have you told him yet?"

Hadwyn was caught off guard by the question. He knew what Ben was referring to, but it had come completely out of nowhere.

"No." He answered simply.

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Do you plan on telling him at all?"

Hadwyn fidgeted with his hands. "Maybe when the time is right. You're not going to tell him are you?"

Ben shrugged. "I don't see why I should. Let's go meet the others, but I don't think I will eat anything."

It was a Planacoquus restaurant. Obviously, Marco had chosen it.