Nine Kingdom

"Okay, well in the morning we will head north then, there is a port town about three days away, then we will take a ship to Aria which will take about a week and then we will see what state it is in" Alastair said laying down on one of the beds "I suggest you all get some sleep"

 

Vitan did the same, laying down... However, he could not sleep. So much had happened in only one days time. The thoughts pestered him and continued to keep him from sleeping...

Bheliar also sleep, however his sleep was peaceful. He trusted Mya and therefor worried about nothing. However, it was a known occurance that while people did dream, demons did not. Bheliar simply slept and his mind created nothing of any worth.

 

" Alright... once well rested our mines will be less troubled ..." Suri said with a sigh as she walked over to her bed and sat down on it, she then laid down and pulled the blankets over herself. Surprisingly it didn't take long for Suri to drift into a deep slumber.

 

Eins only nodded as he found himself a place to sleep. Right now he was planning on joining them in their journey. Right now he was to tired to dwell on it, instead he soon fell asleep.

"Guess I'll sleep down there too." Drei said. Not that it matter to much where he would sleep.

 

For the rest of them awake, Mya looked around. "The rest of you can sleep wherever you'd like, Just don' make a mess. I don't want to get yelled at by the priests." She went to her room and closed the door behind her. She then changed into her sleepware and laid on the bed falling asleep.

 

The night went peacefully. At dawn the towns people awoke and started preparing for the day, Alastair awoke a few hours later. He went downstairs to get himself breakfast.

 

Vitan awoke hearing Alastair rumaging about. He got up and looked around him. The Suri had slept in her own room, while the guys had to be crowded around in their own room. Vitan looked at Eins sleeping before he too went downstairs to eat. Once down he started up a conversation with Alastair "Hey, good morning..." Vitan drowsely said.

 

Alastair had been talking to the serving girl when Vitan arrived. "Morning" Alastair said as he ate his food. The girl asked Vitan if there was anything he wanted to eat.

 

Vitan told the girl what he felt like eating and she took the order with kindness and swiftness. Vitan then looked at Alastair. "What time is it?"

 

"Early morning" Alastair said looking annoyed "Very early morning" he added as he kept eating. The girl returned after a while with Vitan's meal. "Enjoy your meals, if you need anything just come and get me" she said politely she said as she went to the kitchen.

 

Vitan thanked her and then began eating his meal, which was very delicious. "Yeah, I'm not really a morning person either... Y'know, it's strange waking up in a different house. I've lived in my own home, or rats nest as some called it, for such a long time." Vitan looked at Alastair "How many times have you done something like this? I mean, wake up in other people's home and not your own?"

 

"Ever since I was exiled, actually ever since I set out on my journey from Aria. I don't mind it but knowing there is a place to go back to does make it both harder and easier" Alastair said as he finished "Knowing there is a place better then where you are makes it hard to keep going, knowing the only thing stopping you is your self. But on the other hand I would give anything to keep my home safe" He fiddled on with a ring on his finger "What about you, how are you feeling about your home?"

 

Vitan watched the man and realized this guy could probably go on with stories for a while, but Vitan also noticed that Alastair didn't seem to fond of his own past. "My home was... I loved my home. I mean, I used to live with my father. He was a blacksmith and enchanter. I admired him, but he passed away a long time ago. Since then the streets were my home. Whatever job I could find, I took. But mostly I wandered the streets picking up loose change." Vitan took a second and wondered about the city's present day condition "I can't believe my home is sitting in ashes and ruins now..."

 

"Its not the only place in ruins" Alastair said staring off into the distance, remembering all the destroyed places he had seen. "But anyway, there is a caravan heading north in a few hours, the lovely serving lady informed me about it. If we join it we will be well protected and it should only take a day and a half of travelling instead of three, from there we are only a ship" Alastair stopped speaking for a second, obviously discomforted by the idea of travelling by water "to Aria" he finished as he stood up and took his plate to the kitchen.

 

Vitan listened intently and recognized it as a solid plan. However he noticed the hiccup Alastair had when mentioning the sea, but decided not to bring it up. Vitan continued to eat his food, which was almost done. He wondered what kind of horrible thing Alastair had seen "So, how come you are so opposed to the empire? I mean, you said you had some Serephim blood in you, shouldn't you be on their side?" This question was like a double edged sword. Vitan was curious, but at the same time he was suspicious. Sure the man had saved him, but the empire and it's agents weren't to be taken lightly... this much Vitan knew.

 

"I was exiled when I was fourteen, I lost any right to inherit from my father and grandfather, my mother who was also exiled took me to her home city, its on the North coast of Aria and is a harbour city, and the I was conscripted to fight in the Aria against the Seraphim. The army unit I served in was decimated by airships, as was the city we defended. After that the army survivors scattered and I started travelling with Alyssa, I saw a lot of places that the Empire invaded, many looked fine but other..." Alastair trailed off for a bit "Well, I must make Gabriel answer for what he has done" he said quietly.

 

Vitan went quiet, clearly he had brought up the wrong topic. Vitan could hear the anger coming from Alastair's voice and decided to leave the topic alone. "So, hey, when are we leaving again? In a few hours? I might try to go into some shops and stock up on some supplies before we leave."

 

"Go wake Suri and take her with you" Alastair said as he left the inn. He headed to where the group had landed the other day, he headed towards the tree line and found Alyssa asleep a few metres back. He inspected her wounds, the skin under the damaged scales had already healed but the scales would have to be removed. Alastair started pulling the scales off, which was painful for Alyssa but she stayed silent.

 

Vitan nodded to show he understood Alastair. He then finished his plate and put it in a sink, washed it, and then left it. Vitan went upstairs and went into Suri's room. She was fast asleep when Vitan started nudging her "Hey." Vitan whispered "Suri, wake up."

 

Suri seemed to be lost in some sort of dream, a dream full of bloodshed and the scream of a woman but Suri couldn't quite figure out who it belonged to. She began to stir when she felt someone shaking her and she shot up. " W-what.. what's going on?"