Tales of the Pearly Kingdom (Pearly Tales Vol. 2)

159. Wandering Vampire's Entrance

"Is that too selfish?" She asked herself. She honestly wondered how much selfishness she was allowed. She... wanted to come on this expedition... she'd made a selfish wish to get away from the Pearly City, just once more. Even though it was their time of need... She'd been...

...She'd been terribly selfish, and it ached. It felt like she had abandoned her family and was running away.

She didn't even have to set up her tent. She wanted to be here and in some ways she felt unneeded. She couldn't turn tail and go back to Calphian. She didn't want to, but in many ways, she was second guessing what she wanted.

"I don't think it's too extravagant." Hans remarked while scratching his head. Hans was a Mandragoyle a new race Cal had managed to throw together. A grey skinned man with the wings of a bat on his back. He was the representative of the Mandragoyle clan. More importantly, she had fought beside him before. He and his wife Cordillia had joined her on this expedition and it brought her some amount of peace to have them here. Cordillia was the representative of the Avian clan and Cal's Familiar, along with her clan.

Thanks to Cal, Hans had been transformed from a grotesque Gargoyle into a mandragoyle but, when Clera knew him, he was a Harpy male. And then there was Cordillia who, along with her race, had evolved from Harpy to Avian. But again, when Clera knew her from back in the day, she was just an owl.

They were training under her, a political move. But she welcomed them as her Lieutenants since they garnered a lot of respect among both the veteran Light Clan Elves and the New Races that made up her expeditionary force. Their efficiency wasn't the only problem.

"It keeps out the rain and it will let you hold war councils; I think it's fine." Cordillia said as she casually wrapped her arm around Hans's bicep. She leaned her head into his shoulder and nuzzled his arm as if it was just the most natural thing.

They were just so lovey dovey all the time. GET A TENT!

She was not too old to date or find love, it... it had just been a while that's all. So, what if she never had a boyfriend before? She had been BUSY! Taking care of her family. Shayley's etiquette lessons, Playing the mediator between Fauna and Sinder who were always competing at something, making sure Fina was taking care of herself and didn't just stay in her room all day, helping Gisella cope with Flamel's wild benders and their strange almost lover-like relationship. Making sure Shayley ate her vegetables! Stopping Sinder from teasing Gisella. Keeping Flamel from drunkenly charging into Fina's room when she couldn't find anyone to drink with her. Making sure Fauna wasn't working herself to death and got some actual sleep.

She just didn't have time for anything else. Everyone saw the noble side of the court... but Clera knew better... Clera had been the big sister so long she didn't know how to do anything else. And now that Cal was back... was it shameful for her to admit that it had become too much?

Fauna was the most outspoken against his behavior, but she was the kind who was loyal to a fault... but even she had someone she was waiting for. Fina had become even more of a shut in, Sinder was a wreck of nerves and gossip, Flamel had drunken herself into a stupor, Gisella had retreated into her work away from everyone else. And Shayley had been too love drunk to notice. The court had fallen apart and she couldn't do anything about it. Sure, there were many things that were better. But she... she just couldn't do it anymore.

Cal had asked her to take care of everyone, she thought that she could. But as the city became worse and worse, she couldn't handle it. Everyone came to hate the Guildmaster. The feeling of failure and not doing their job when the Half-breed massacre happened. But after everything, when the people disappeared, and Cal couldn't or wouldn't help... that was the last straw. She had to believe Cal knew something that she didn't, but she couldn't turn a blind eye to it anymore. She felt too helpless to remain.