Gold

The Vocalization Situation

She had slept better than she expected. Lately she hadn't been sleeping very well. After pirate attacks, a sleeping potion, actual magic visions, and nightmares who would? But that last night she had slept well... Perhaps too well.

She yawned soundlessly, before attempting getting out of bed to wake her companion.

She meant to gently shake him and utter, 'Good morning, Luke.' But no sound came out.

Aurelia tried again. No sound. She tried screaming at the top of her lungs. Still no sound.

In her panic she quickly shook Luke awake as gently as possible. He was a pretty heavy sleeper it appeared. He drooled in his sleep too. If Aurelia wasn't in such a panic she probably would have found the way her best friend did that hilariously adorable. She was in a panic though and decided to interrupt his rest.

"Five minutes, Lia..." He groaned, pulling his blanket over his head. Aurelia huffed. He wasn't going to get five more minutes. She persisted.

He rolled over and looked at her, groaning. "Whaddya want?" He mumbled.

She tried to explain to him what was wrong, momentarily forgetting that the problem was with her voice. She chose to point at her throat in a panic instead, as if it made more sense.

Lucas just looked confused. "Just tell me what's wrong, Lia." He said, suddenly more awake.

Aurelia pursed her lips, frustrated. If she could tell him, she would, but then again if she could tell him she wouldn't be having the problem in the first place.

She pointed to her throat again, opening her mouth silently as she tried to explain that she couldn't talk.

Lucas brushed his now messy, copper brown hair from his eyes as he sat up, now fully awake and still as confused as ever.

Aurelia sighed, before ducking into one of their bags. One of them had to have brought a quill, right?

"Do you need something, Lia?" Lucas asked, as she rummaged through his bag to find what she needed.

She pulled out an empty journal, a quill, and a container of ink. She quickly scribbled on the first page of the blank journal using the quill before handing it over to the prince.

"You can't speak? That explains the not explaining yourself part. Why can't you speak?" Lucas said, after looking at the page.

Aurelia sighed and shrugged. She didn't know why she suddenly couldn't talk. She could speak just fine yesterday! In fact, she was probably talking too much yesterday. She scribbled a reply.

"I don't know. Why do you think I can't talk?" Lucas read. He set the journal down and looked at her, his eyebrows raised. "Why would I know? I'm just as clueless about this as you are! What? Did you anger a witch?"

Realization donned on both of them. Witch... Of course. Who else would have do this.

"Nona mentioned something about you talking too much, didn't she?" Lucas asked, trying to remember what exactly was said yesterday.

Aurelia hesitated, trying to remember too, before nodding. Lucas sighed. How the heck were they supposed to get Aurelia's voice back? Maybe asking nicely would work? He doubted it would be that simple.

"I think it's time that we had an another chat with Nona and her sisters." Lucas suggested. He sighed. They had to start somewhere.

Aurelia sighed too, silently. She crossed her arms with an upset huff. This was not how she had planned today to go.

Life always seemed to be just so dang peachy. Great.