Enter Abyss

Chapter 23; Ancient legends and forgotten kings.

After that day, Pip felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders; she found herself walking with a skip in her step once more, and even Mordren noticed her change in mood.

"You seem happier," he commented one day as they finished training and began walking through the palace, passing the time till their muscles stopped aching and they could fight another round.

"It's only because I got to hit you today." Pip replied, still keeping her voice guarded.

Just because she and Cogs had made up didn't mean she was going to suddenly fall in love with Mordren or some rubbish.

"I thought so. You did do rather well today, you know."

"Oh, I know."

He gave her a look, "I suppose you thanking me for a compliment would be too much to ask, then?"

"You're very perceptive, aren't you?"

The prince sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. For a moment, he stayed quiet, and it was then that Pip took the moment to notice that they had journeyed outside the halls of the palace and were now making their way through the streets.

"Oi, just where do you think you're taking me?" Pip demanded, slowing her swaggering gait to more of a stomping stroll.

"I thought you might want to see a bit more of the city." Mordren said, giving her a charming smile that nearly made Pip want to kick him in the shin.

Instead, it just made her blush, which made her angry-- most things tended to make her angry, come to think of it-- and she avoided his gaze, mumbling, "Well, I didn't want to see it with you, that's for bloody sure."

"Tsk, tsk, such coarse language coming from a delicate flower such as yourself is quite undignified."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING DELICATE, YOU CROW-FACED NINNY?!"

But much to Pip's surprise, instead of cleaving her head off then and there with his sword, the prince merely started laughing, the sound rich and cool, like a bubbling brook or a summer's gale. She had noticed that about him; he had a terribly good sense of humor.

Why, she had called him worse during their training sessions and he had only grinned-- sometimes calling her names back.

Granted, he was only ever truly nasty to Galen when they came across one another-- which wasn't often-- and as for how he treated the servants, it was mostly with coldness, but never outright distain. Needless to say, Pip had a feeling he was warming up to her. Naturally, she still despised him... even if he was good-natured from time to time.

Looking over at him once more, Pip glared at his stupidly handsome face; at his sharp jaw, blazing eyes, and straight nose.

Blimey, people that nasty had no business being handsome.

But just when Pip was getting bored of walking, Mordren stopped before what appeared to be a large building carved completely from stone.

"By Threndas' great goggles..." Pip gasped, staring at the structure with wide eyes.

It was, if possible, even grander than the palace, grander than the temples back on the surface world. Tall spires twisted high into the air, nearly touching the cavernous roof that housed the kingdom of the Abyss, buttresses held tight to carved stone walls, and large windows peaked out into the semi-darkness like sightless eyes. And, unlike the temples in the center of the Rose District, this sort of place did not hold to it an air of bleak desolation, but rather, of quiet grandur. As if it were the sort of place that wouldn't let you do fun things like shouting at the top of your lungs.