A/n- I am so incredibly sorry! I haven't updated in so long (5 months to be
exact). School has kept me from working on the story and since it is the
Thanksgiving holiday I have had enough time to add this chapter and
hopefully another one to this story. One thing I do promise you is that I
will finish this story although I think it will take me a long time to do
it. Now without any further ado here is the 7th chapter:
ON THE ROAD TO BAST
The sun had crawled its way over the horizon by the time everyone had waken up and had breakfast in their stomachs. With the tents and supplies packed tightly away, they headed towards Bast, but along the way they planned to make a stop at the Gnome Caverns for Natalia, who had important business there.
Once the small procession was on its way, Natalia made her way towards the front of the caravan where William was walking. Once she was by his side, she said cheerfully, "It really is a nice day today isn't it."
William puffy-eyed from sleep and walking with a slouch muttered, "It's too early for conversation."
"I have another question for you," Natalia said yet again cheerfully.
"I bet you do," William groaned.
"You seem a little grumpy. You're not a morning person. Are you?"
"What gave it away?"
Natalia rolled her eyes and said, "You are being completely impossible."
"Oh, I am. Am I? Now what about you? What's the deal with you and all these questions you keep asking me?"
"Can't somebody be a little curious?"
"There should be a limit to your curiosity," William muttered to himself, " or else I think I'll go insane."
"Stop being such a grouch," Natalia said pointedly.
"Okay just ask your question and let's get this over with."
"This shouldn't take long." William rolled his eyes. Natalia ignored it and continued, "So what's the deal with Durant? He's not like the rest of you."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh sure you do."
"No, I don't," William said persistently.
"So he's not connected to the royal family or anything right?"
"Yes that's right," William said gradually getting irritated.
"And I'm guessing he's not a high ranking commander in the Royal guard."
"No he's not," William said looking around perhaps for some kind of help to get him out of this situation.
"He's not actually apart of the royal family, is he?"
William took a big gulp and in a weak voice said, "No."
Natalia smiled knowingly and said cheerfully, "Thanks for all the help."
Natalia casually dropped back to where Durant was walking and said, "I think I've figured it out."
"Oh really." Durant said smirking slightly.
"Well, I know your apart of the royal family of Frell from my sources and I'm guessing you can't be a king because there would be more protection surrounding you than just four other men. You can't be a distant cousin because there wouldn't be so much secrecy and the mission's too important. So that could only mean and what is also left is a prince. Am I right?"
Durant looked over at her with his dark, mysterious eyes and smiled, "I have to say I thought it would have taken a bit longer for you to figure it out, but I must say I am now not all that surprised that it was so quick."
"Why were you so sure that I would have found out?" Natalia questioned curiously.
"Well you just demonstrated your knowledge of discovery and figuring out the impossible. You are very good at observing your surroundings and at analyzing character. You have an amazing gift although you have missed one observation. You didn't realize that I have been figuring you out all this time and I think I've reached a conclusion. I have figured that you don't like to give anything away about yourself and you have been keeping everything that has hurt you locked inside yourself. I am sure that life has not been too kind to you and in so being you have shut yourself away from civilization only until now. You are at a difficult point although you wouldn't want to admit it. You have a big choice ahead that might not seem so serious now but in truth will probably be the biggest turning point in your life. It is your choice to either join into where you belong, your own human kind, or to be sucked back into the unfulfilling life of isolation that you fell into," Durant said with all seriousness, casting a look over to her with those eyes that seemed to search through her entire soul.
Durant turned his eyes back on to the road and continued in saying, "I'd think about it if I were you."
Natalia was in a mind of deep concentration. There was much to think about after hearing Durant's testament. He pretty much summed up all her feelings and conflicts. He brought to surface all that was killing her inside, and all that was trying to break free of her stronghold of angry and sadness that just wouldn't let go. She wanted to tell him right then and there about her father's death, but yet again Natalia took the pain and sorrow and pulled it back into the depths of her heart.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The journey became a silent one after that, at least on Natalia's part. She was still contemplating the earlier conversation with Durant all the way through the morning till noon.
The little company stopped along the dirt path and set up lunch in the shade of the elm trees. Jonathon immediately got to work on making the food.
"You have been unusually quiet this morning," William said while taking a seat next to Natalia.
"I've just been thinking," Natalia said nonchalantly staring at a lone iris flower swaying in the rare cool breezes that whistled through the trees.
"For all these hours, I must say I was sorely missing your usual barrage of questions," William said smiling cheerfully.
"Oh really," Natalia said smiling slightly, eyes still transfixed on that iris.
"Yes indeed. It seems you have found my weakness of keeping a secret but I have yet to figure out yours."
"Good luck. I am sure you'll find it impossible."
"We'll see," William said smiling slightly.
When lunch was over, the caravan started back on their journey to the Gnome Caverns.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She is a complete mystery to me. From the first time I met her in her tent, she has kept me on my toes ever since. William looked across at her as they walk along the dirt path through the woods. She had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. It seemed to hold all the values of green into those innocent seeming eyes, but under those quiet eyes was a fiery spirit that was well known to him. Those eyes looked up at him quizzically and Natalia questioned, "Uh, William are you okay?"
William came out of his trance and smiled, "Why should I not be okay?"
"Well just a minute ago you were staring at me,"
"Oh was I, you must have been mistaken," William said innocently turning his eyes toward the path.
"Maybe I was," Natalia said looking at him oddly for a second before glancing through the woods.
William took an inaudible sigh and released the tension his shoulders.
After many hours of walking the sun started to fade below the horizon. The group made there way to an outcropping of rocks and Natalia held up her hand for them to stop.
"The caverns should be right behind that boulder," Natalia said pointing to a huge piece of rock.
"How do we actually get around that huge rock?" Baldric questioned.
"Simple, we go under it."
"Now how will we do that?" William said skeptically.
"Ye of little faith," Natalia said shaking her head.
She went over to the boulder and at its base she started to trace symbols in the earth that seemed to look Gnomic. After finishing the last symbol, the ground shaked a little as the earth opened up and an entrance way revealed steps leading to the underbelly of the Caverns.
a/n - one other thing I think I might add, I have changed Natalie to Natalia for 3 reasons. The first reason is that Natalia fits more into medieval times than Natalie. The Second reason is that I like Natalia better than Natalie and finally the third reason is that Natalia fits my main character's character better than the previous name. And I give thanks to my reviewers: Fluffy the Teddy bear slayer, sara, Kat, Kate Hughes, chibi-chingo, fyredragon, veggiehead, dragonlass, dark fairy, Juls
ON THE ROAD TO BAST
The sun had crawled its way over the horizon by the time everyone had waken up and had breakfast in their stomachs. With the tents and supplies packed tightly away, they headed towards Bast, but along the way they planned to make a stop at the Gnome Caverns for Natalia, who had important business there.
Once the small procession was on its way, Natalia made her way towards the front of the caravan where William was walking. Once she was by his side, she said cheerfully, "It really is a nice day today isn't it."
William puffy-eyed from sleep and walking with a slouch muttered, "It's too early for conversation."
"I have another question for you," Natalia said yet again cheerfully.
"I bet you do," William groaned.
"You seem a little grumpy. You're not a morning person. Are you?"
"What gave it away?"
Natalia rolled her eyes and said, "You are being completely impossible."
"Oh, I am. Am I? Now what about you? What's the deal with you and all these questions you keep asking me?"
"Can't somebody be a little curious?"
"There should be a limit to your curiosity," William muttered to himself, " or else I think I'll go insane."
"Stop being such a grouch," Natalia said pointedly.
"Okay just ask your question and let's get this over with."
"This shouldn't take long." William rolled his eyes. Natalia ignored it and continued, "So what's the deal with Durant? He's not like the rest of you."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh sure you do."
"No, I don't," William said persistently.
"So he's not connected to the royal family or anything right?"
"Yes that's right," William said gradually getting irritated.
"And I'm guessing he's not a high ranking commander in the Royal guard."
"No he's not," William said looking around perhaps for some kind of help to get him out of this situation.
"He's not actually apart of the royal family, is he?"
William took a big gulp and in a weak voice said, "No."
Natalia smiled knowingly and said cheerfully, "Thanks for all the help."
Natalia casually dropped back to where Durant was walking and said, "I think I've figured it out."
"Oh really." Durant said smirking slightly.
"Well, I know your apart of the royal family of Frell from my sources and I'm guessing you can't be a king because there would be more protection surrounding you than just four other men. You can't be a distant cousin because there wouldn't be so much secrecy and the mission's too important. So that could only mean and what is also left is a prince. Am I right?"
Durant looked over at her with his dark, mysterious eyes and smiled, "I have to say I thought it would have taken a bit longer for you to figure it out, but I must say I am now not all that surprised that it was so quick."
"Why were you so sure that I would have found out?" Natalia questioned curiously.
"Well you just demonstrated your knowledge of discovery and figuring out the impossible. You are very good at observing your surroundings and at analyzing character. You have an amazing gift although you have missed one observation. You didn't realize that I have been figuring you out all this time and I think I've reached a conclusion. I have figured that you don't like to give anything away about yourself and you have been keeping everything that has hurt you locked inside yourself. I am sure that life has not been too kind to you and in so being you have shut yourself away from civilization only until now. You are at a difficult point although you wouldn't want to admit it. You have a big choice ahead that might not seem so serious now but in truth will probably be the biggest turning point in your life. It is your choice to either join into where you belong, your own human kind, or to be sucked back into the unfulfilling life of isolation that you fell into," Durant said with all seriousness, casting a look over to her with those eyes that seemed to search through her entire soul.
Durant turned his eyes back on to the road and continued in saying, "I'd think about it if I were you."
Natalia was in a mind of deep concentration. There was much to think about after hearing Durant's testament. He pretty much summed up all her feelings and conflicts. He brought to surface all that was killing her inside, and all that was trying to break free of her stronghold of angry and sadness that just wouldn't let go. She wanted to tell him right then and there about her father's death, but yet again Natalia took the pain and sorrow and pulled it back into the depths of her heart.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The journey became a silent one after that, at least on Natalia's part. She was still contemplating the earlier conversation with Durant all the way through the morning till noon.
The little company stopped along the dirt path and set up lunch in the shade of the elm trees. Jonathon immediately got to work on making the food.
"You have been unusually quiet this morning," William said while taking a seat next to Natalia.
"I've just been thinking," Natalia said nonchalantly staring at a lone iris flower swaying in the rare cool breezes that whistled through the trees.
"For all these hours, I must say I was sorely missing your usual barrage of questions," William said smiling cheerfully.
"Oh really," Natalia said smiling slightly, eyes still transfixed on that iris.
"Yes indeed. It seems you have found my weakness of keeping a secret but I have yet to figure out yours."
"Good luck. I am sure you'll find it impossible."
"We'll see," William said smiling slightly.
When lunch was over, the caravan started back on their journey to the Gnome Caverns.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She is a complete mystery to me. From the first time I met her in her tent, she has kept me on my toes ever since. William looked across at her as they walk along the dirt path through the woods. She had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. It seemed to hold all the values of green into those innocent seeming eyes, but under those quiet eyes was a fiery spirit that was well known to him. Those eyes looked up at him quizzically and Natalia questioned, "Uh, William are you okay?"
William came out of his trance and smiled, "Why should I not be okay?"
"Well just a minute ago you were staring at me,"
"Oh was I, you must have been mistaken," William said innocently turning his eyes toward the path.
"Maybe I was," Natalia said looking at him oddly for a second before glancing through the woods.
William took an inaudible sigh and released the tension his shoulders.
After many hours of walking the sun started to fade below the horizon. The group made there way to an outcropping of rocks and Natalia held up her hand for them to stop.
"The caverns should be right behind that boulder," Natalia said pointing to a huge piece of rock.
"How do we actually get around that huge rock?" Baldric questioned.
"Simple, we go under it."
"Now how will we do that?" William said skeptically.
"Ye of little faith," Natalia said shaking her head.
She went over to the boulder and at its base she started to trace symbols in the earth that seemed to look Gnomic. After finishing the last symbol, the ground shaked a little as the earth opened up and an entrance way revealed steps leading to the underbelly of the Caverns.
a/n - one other thing I think I might add, I have changed Natalie to Natalia for 3 reasons. The first reason is that Natalia fits more into medieval times than Natalie. The Second reason is that I like Natalia better than Natalie and finally the third reason is that Natalia fits my main character's character better than the previous name. And I give thanks to my reviewers: Fluffy the Teddy bear slayer, sara, Kat, Kate Hughes, chibi-chingo, fyredragon, veggiehead, dragonlass, dark fairy, Juls