Hero's Journey

Chapter 54

The day they are supposed to set off, Delia wakes with dread inlaid deep in her heart.

With laden legs, she gets to her feet and swiftly bathes and dresses for the day. However, the trivial morning procedure of readying for the day does nothing to ease her discomfort. It's there, sickeningly twisting inside her like a slimy, parasitic worm. Yet, she has no inkling as to why.

After forcing down a small breakfast of fruit and warm bread, Delia heads to the main library as to wait for the others that will be joining her.

Thoughts cloud her mind, making the disgusting feeling within her tighten.

I have come so far with Kagon, we have faced so many adventures together and even apart. We've grown close as has Kip and I. He is rightfully part of our trio, he's apart of us. I've tried and tried to chase away my past, to scramble away from the lie I've sown. I'm still torn up from all that has happened before I left my father and brother, but I still feel like I've come a long way. Why then, does the lie that has brought me this far still jab in my
insides like my Rorian dagger?

Delia bites her lip hard, trying not to retch. She hasn't felt this horrible in a very long time.

Placing her head in her hands, she takes deep breaths. The nausea dispels some, but she still feels terrible inside.

Why is it bothering me so much now? It has always been there, nipping at my heels, but it's never bothered me so much.

As she questions herself, the answer comes to her easily. It is because she knows that she can trust Kip and Kagon and they think they can trust her.

But they can't.

"Oh, Fates." She groans.

"Delia!"

"Are you alright?"

Heswyn and Thil rush to her side with Kip trailing after them, appearing concerned. They must of come to see her off only to be met with her moaning in pain.

At their appearance, Delia straightens and pulls on a shaky smile. "Sorry to worry you both, I just have a stomach ache is all."

Kip sends her a worried glance, but stays strong and silent at her side.

Heswyn attempts to get the scribe to sit, however she is adamant that she is fine.  By this time, Kagon has awoken from his beauty sleep and descends down the stairs to meet with Delia and Kip to head to the docks where they are to meet with Maude.

Upon surveying the situation, he saunters over to his scribe, brow crumpling lightly.  "What's wrong?"

"Delia's stomach hurts."  Thil answers, watching as Heswyn rubs Delia's back in a motherly fashion.

"Will you be okay to go on in the journey?"

"Yes, of course I will!  It's just a mere stomach ache."

Kagon nods and Delia can see him take in her faux smile and the thin sheen of sweat glistening upon her brow.

Delia takes a gulp of air and straightens, gently pushing away Heswyn's comforting hand.  "I'll be fine.  We should hurry before the ship leaves without us, yes?"

Kagon shrugs.  "I doubt the ship will leave without us, but if it's nerves that ail you then let us say our goodbyes and leave."

Delia nearly sags in relief.  She hates when all attention is directed at her, especially with how her stomach already clenches with heavy emotions.

Tugging on a more realistic smile than the other, she adjusts the bag slung around her shoulders only for it to slip off and tumble to the ground.  Its contents spill on the marble floor like a flood.

"Sticks and stones!"  Delia curses, bending down to shove her fallen belongings back into her bag.  Kip kneels down also to help her.

"Aren't you going to help?" Kip lightly jabs at the unchivalrous hero.

Kagon sighs and begins to help his scribe as well, picking up her open journal from the cold ground.  Without even realizing it, his eyes skim the open page.

In the moments that Delia looks up and slowly realizes what Kagon is doing, the world becomes breathless.  She feels shockingly apathetic in those first seconds as the inevitable that she has been dreading ever since she met the hero, becomes a terrible reality.

Then, the world finally takes a gasp of stale air and the weight of her lies fly away, replaced with the weight of something else. Shame.

No! Her mind shrieks, but outside she appears to be a blank piece of parchment.  As blank as the page that Kagon reads.

Slowly, Kagon looks up and their gazes lock.

It is then that Delia's exterior cracks and her eyes fill with tears.