Among Races

Chapter XXX: Nineteen Hours

            "David..." says Beth in her motherly voice. In his private study room, the boy paces back and forth, seeming very unsettled. He responds, stuttering, "I- I- I don't know what to do. I've always known what to do a-all my life. I've been doing everything for my family, and now... N-now... even father's gone, and I..." Once again, his eyes start to well up with tears. The gnome walks in front of him to stop him in his tracks and tries to look at him in the eyes. She places a palm on his cheek as she reassures him, "You will be able to lead your men and the volunteers. I'm sure of it." The elf boy sighs as he turns around saying, "I- I'm sorry, Lady Beth... I know I'm supposed to be the son of my mother and I'm expected to be the best that I can be at all times, and yet... I'm over here whining about how I suddenly don't know how to lead my own army. I need to get myself together! Angela is out there and she needs help!" She sighs a bit, looking at the boy. "It doesn't matter whether you're a little boy or a grown up man. In the end, you're someone with emotions too. It's difficult to lead people to the right path, especially at a time when you're lost yourself," Beth tells the young paladin. He stares at the floor, still feeling terrible. Behind him, the lady gnome continues, "You and your army will be able to save Angela and the others. You're not in the position that you are right now for nothing... I'm counting on you now, okay?" After brief silence of thinking, the boy turns around to face her, with eyes still on the floor, and says with refilled determination, "O-okay!" He looks back up at the gnome and he sees her smiling at him with confidence in his abilities. He smiles back in relief.

            Meanwhile, about a mile outside of the Kingdom of Solljus, "I know we put them here somewhe--" Maze stops at the sight of their bags. "There!" she says as she points, then runs toward them. Drae casually follows behind with both hands in his pockets. The little dwarf picks up one of her bags and pats the dirt off it. She glances over the other dwarf who has just reached his things. She puts her backpack on as she says, "You better start talking before I sell your nuts to slavery, and don't even try to play dumb with me." Drae picks up his bota bag and replies, "If I don't do that, you wouldn't understand me," before drinking from it. Maze squints her eyes at him and says, "You freaking piece of..." His drinking is cut short by Maze smacking him on his torso. Wanting to laugh with his mouth still filled with water, he automatically twitches by closing one eye and half-assedly raising one arm in defense as he playfully tries to escape. He swallows, relieved he didn't do a spit-take. Maze says in a more serious and worried manner as she looks up at him, "Drae..." He sighs as he crouches to get the rest of his things and responds, "Maze, I've been there in that godforesaken kingdom for more than seven years of my life. What would you expect?" She continues to look at him and wonders, "Huh. I just didn't know you had it you to even care about that place." He doesn't reply as he simply stands and walks back toward the kimgdom with his backpack and duffle bag. The silence given to her makes her realize. "T-that's not it, is it?! Drae!" she says as she quickly gets her stuff and once again rushes after him.

            Zoaine slams their room's door open as Rizz comes running in. The happy halfling says, "I'll bring my bota bag, my ukulele, my extra strings...! Umm... oh. That's all of it." Zoaine chuckles at this as she approaches her bed and asks her "A little too excited, aren't you?" "It's my first time to leave the kingdom!" she answers as she looks at Zoaine with sparkling eyes. "Oh yeah... I guess you are too young to have travelling history," the elf says while gathering her things. She takes their bag of food and checks it. "Hm. One piece of bread left, huh?" says Rizz, who was suddenly over the elf's shoulder. Zoaine quickly closes the bag, then says, "Jesus, Rizz. Stop using spells just to sneak up on me!" The halfling chuckles in glee and says, "But I didn't use any spells!" "Don't do that again," Zoaine continues and gets off her bed to pack some clothes. Rizz replies, "But I didn't even play a single string!" as she continues to laugh.

            The elf and the halfling go around town to spend the last of their few riches to buy food. "Thank you," Zoaine says at one of the vendors as she hands her pieces of silver. She glances over the nearby shop where Luke works at. "I got the polisher for your bow!" Rizz says slightly out of breath, running towards her companion. When she reached her, she notices her looking at a particular direction. Rizz asks, "Something you want from the old elf's shop?" "Old elf's shop?" Zoaine says as she looks at the halfling. Rizz hands over the polisher. "Yeah, he used to drop by the our part of town a couple of years ago. He used to help every now and then, a lot like what you used to do too!" says the young halfling with a smile. "How come I've never seen him?" the elf asks, playing with the polisher. The halfling thinks, "Hmm from what I remember, shortly before you found us, he apologized to the townspeople, including my parents. He told them he wouldn't be able to visit anymore, but I don't remember if he said why." "Maybe because he didn't," Zoaine remarks as she places the polisher in her pouch. "Mmmaybe," the little halfling replies, "I heard he's returned a year ago though. Wait, was this the place you were talking about? The one about the mister who tried to save you?" "I'm not giving you permission to call him that way," Zoaine says, still upset about the fact that she even had to be saved. "So he hired the mister?" Rizz says as she ponders. "The idiot was probably looking for work like the rest of us," Zoaine mumbles to herself. "Looks closed though," she continues to say, but louder. The elf turns and starts walking away. Rizz gasps and quickly says, "Zoaine, look! Arrows!" "Arrows?" the elf says as she turns back around. "There! By the window!" says the halfling as she points. Zoaine spots them and says, "Well, what do you want me to do about it?" Rizz answers by running towards the shop. "H-hey! Rizz!" the elf calls out and trying to whisper at the same time so they wouldn't get in trouble. The halfling peeks through the window while Zoaine arrived behind her. She sees the arrows and says, "Woah, there's got to be about dozen of them." "Yeah!" the little girl says as she starts opening the window. "What are you-?!" "What?" the halfling responds, "The mister's leaving with us anyway, we can just pay him when we see him." "That's not the point!" Zoaine says, "He's probably going to think we stole something else if we just took what we wanted without him knowing." "It's not like he's going to think a little girl would let you steal, Lady Zoaine," she jesters as she takes the arrows. The elf gives her an unimpressed look and says while taking the arrows, "You know, I'm worried when you make  smartass jokes like that sometimes. Makes me wonder whether you're really an innocent kid or not." The halfling simply giggles while they both begin to walk back towards the castle, all set to start their journey in saving the kidnapped children of the Kingdom of Solljus.