And we wonder why I haven't ended up in a mental asylum.. *sighs* it's on my bucket list I swear XD ...
~*CHAPTER 7*~
Night was now falling, and any attempt to see oncoming traps was an epic fail. The moon wasn't even visible, covered by the gray clouds of the early night.
"We should have brought a flashlight," Julian mumbled. They couldn't even see each other- that's how dark it was.
"We can imagine one."
"Don't you think I would have thought of that earlier? It doesn't work," Julian snapped.
"Why are you getting angry at me? Excuse me for trying to offer some help!"
"Well, you're not helping!"
"Can we just stop arguing for a minute? Stop being so difficult, Julian. A least I'm trying to help on a mission that I wasn't even supposed to go on in the first place. If it was in my hands, I would have been home eating Nutella and watching Sherlock Holmes. So at least try and make things work out here," Adelaide bit back. "You said it yourself. As much as we both hate to admit it, we have to get along for this to work out."
Julian knew she was right. He's the one who practically begged for her to help him, and yelling at her every now and then wasn't the solution.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "It's just the pressure of this whole thing is getting to me. It's been a long day."
"I know," Adelaide sighed. "I'm sorry, too."
"Friends?" Julian reached out his hand in attempt of 'making temporary peace' with Adelaide. She smiled and shook it gently.
"Friends," she confirmed.
*****
The trail up to Mendela was quite amusing to walk on, so far. Casanova and Adelaide were, for once, not arguing, but rather getting to know each other.
"You like the color blue?" Julian asked, eyeing Adelaide up and down. "You seem like the type of girl who likes pink and stuffed animals."
"What am I, five?" She teased, holding up her hand to prove her point. "Well, you don't seem like the type of guy who likes Red Skittles."
"Well, looks can be deceiving," Julian shrugged.
"Yeah? Look who's talking!" Adelaide defended. "You contradicted yourself, because you said the same thing."
"I guess I did," Julian said with a grin. "Then it's only right for me to say."
"You're weird," she said with a frown.
"So I've been told," Julian smirked.
"Someone told you that you were weird?"
"Yes," Julian said. "And good-looking."
Adelaide groaned.
*****
The first, orange-hued rays of sunrise kissed the still dust laden rubble with the same lovable care as the undertaker with the recently departed. Those soft rays that should have brought warmth and comfort to the new day only acted to solidify the reality of their yesterday. Adelaide and Julian both wished with all their might that the sun would rise faster so they can continue walking to the enchanted town of Mendela, which on a daily basis would be occupied with mythical creatures, or otherwise deserted city. Unfortunately, you can't argue with the sun.
"Is that what I think it is?" Julian asked in awe, staring far ahead.
Adelaide, on the other hand, squinted her eyes in frustration. "I don't see anything."
"You're blind."
"Thanks, Casanova. Way to make me feel better," Adelaide grumbled.
"No seriously! Look!"
Adelaide moved behind Julian and pushed him to the side, taking his place and trying to pinpoint what he had seen, ignoring his automatic "hey!"
"I don't really see- whoa." Finally realizing what he was talking about Adelaide spotted the nearby town of Mendela.
"Are those people?" Julian confirmed.
'They are. At least I think they are."
"Thank god. I thought I became delusional or something," Julian sighed in relief.
"Trust me, Casanova, you're delusional," Adelaide said with a smirk. Julian's prevailing smirk instantly turned upside down as he muttered something under his breath about her being impossible.
He's the impossible one. Not to mention annoying, crazy, idiotic, and a total dickhead. Adelaide thought silently, a grin making its way up her face.
"What's that grin for?"
'I called you a dickhead in my head," she said, laughing.
Julian scoffed but didn't comment.
The trail ended at the top of the hill of Mendela. As usual, their hunch was correct. Mendela was occupied by humans just like them, who were surprisingly very nice and helpful.
"Hi! Welcome to the town of Mendela," a particular woman greeted kindly. "Do you need help finding a place to stay? There's a hotel nearby that accommodates visitors."
"Actually, we're on our way to-"
Julian covered Adelaide's mouth with the palm of his hand, silencing her, and shooting her a warning glance. "Actually, that's a wonderful offer. Mind showing us where it is?"
The woman's eyes darted between Adelaide and Julian uncomfortably, but with Julian's heart-warming smile, she seemed to accept them and happily led the way.
As expected, they got a few curious glances from the villagers, which soon turned into smiles, waves, and welcomes.
Once the woman was far ahead of them, Julian turned to Adelaide furiously.
"Delle, what were you thinking? We can't let anyone know that we're switching the Rings. They'll have our heads in no time!" Julian scolded.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
Sighing, Casanova waved it off, and they both quickened their pace to catch up with the woman.
"I'm Adelaide, and this is my friend, Julian."
The woman smiled. "Nice to meet you. Adelaide and Julian. I'm Nina."
Nina was uncomfortably silent throughout the walk, so Casanova decided to ask a few questions that might help them both later.
"So, do you guys have a ruler or something?"
"Indeed we do," Nina replied. "Our king is named Creon, after Princess Jocasta's long-lost brother."
"Jocasta?" Adelaide echoed doubtfully.
Nina nodded. "Jocasta was Abraxis' wife. She was a princess, as I mentioned before. Her brother as named Creon. One day, when they were playing, Creon wandered off into the woods. They couldn't find him after that."
"So no one knows what happened to him?" Adelaide asked.
"No one has any solid proof of what became of Creon. Legend has it, that another town found him and crowned him as king," Nina replied sadly. "But again, there is not solid proof."
"They couldn't contact nearby towns and ask them about him?" Julian offered.
"Back then, cities hated each other, and they never really talked to each other except if there is a war or they need to sign a peace treaty," Nina explained.
"That's stupid," Julian mumbled. Nina shrugged.
"So what happened to Jocasta?" Adelaide asked.
"She became depressed, and went months without eating. Even Abraxis couldn't get her to eat," Nina said. "In the end, she asked Abraxis to disown her as a wife, but he refused. When she threatened to run away, Abraxis took her hostage."
"Oh my gosh," Adelaide whispered. "Is she still alive? Why did no one bother to get her?"
"Of course she's alive," Nina assured. "Abraxis is like royalty, so no one had been able to talk him out of it or argue with him. If we did, it would be off with our heads. He isn't known for his friendliness. He's worst than the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland."
"So is Abraxis still a prince?" Julian asked.
"No, he's more powerful than a prince."
"A king of a nearby town?" Julian asked again.
"Nope," Nina said with a giggle.
"Then what is he? He can't be your king since you guys already have one? Is he a god now?" Julian questioned.
"No silly," Nina laughed. "Abraxis is the Ring Bearer."
Before any of you decide to kill me, I'm going to say that you're going to have to think the of the logical consequences if you murder me. I may or may not have spent 12 hours in a jail cell, and let me tell you it wasn't pretty. (BUT IT WAS SUPER AWESOME!! I THINK I MADE FRIENDS!! I mean.. It was terrible)
Until next time,
Jelly beans and marshmallows,
~R. W. Shadowfax
PS I'm excited for Easter XD