Finding the Dungeon [publishing]

Chapter 17

The grass rippled across the wide, open field. The sun gazed down on the dozing couple, asleep next to a picnic box and checkered blanket.

Boa was frolicking in the meadow of buttercups and daisies, with Nyxie sitting in the gold pasture, nearby.

"Boa, come over here!" she called. The boy scurried over to the woman, eagerly waiting for her to put a daisy crown on his head. She was wearing a simple white sundress, with a ringlet, bracelets and necklaces of white clover adorning her.

Boa had been changed - by Nyxie - into a white top and golden dungarees that matched his hair. He giggled and ran off into the tall grass, out of sight.

Ryuu was sat inside the carriage still, doing something secretive that he wouldn't tell anyone about.

Eria's eyelids fluttered open and stared upon Leo's face.

"Bubba?" she whispered in his ear.

"Hm?" he murmured, his eyes still closed. He wrapped his arms around Eria. "What is it, babe?"

"What are we going to do after we find the Dungeon?"

"Find my powers."

"I mean after that..."

He sat up and hugged her tighter, pressing his cheek to her lips. "I'll marry you."

She smiled. "I'll be waiting."

"Go back to sleep then. It'll be quicker then."

"If you say so..." she lay her head down in his lap, and he cradled her until she fell into a deep sleep under the hot summer sun.

He stood up, placing her head safely on the blanket, and ran over to Boa.

"Hey!" he laughed, chasing Boa.

"Onii-san!" said Boa gleefully, "Betcha can't catch meeee!"

Nyxie chuckled from her spot, and sheltered the poor boy when he came sprinting over to avoid Leo. She squeezed him in her arms.

"Back off, this one's mine," she announced as Leo approached.

"No, he's mine!" Leo playfully tried to grab Boa out of her grasp.

Boa shrieked as Leo began to tickle him, and unsuccessfully tried to hide further into Nyxie's shelter. (Author's Note: This is because Nyxie is quite a petite woman, and Leo is a full grown male.)

"Quickly, Boa! When I say run, you need to sprint away as fast as you can!" Nyxie whispered. "Now... GO!"

There was a mixture of laughs as Boa escaped, and Nyxie partially tried to block Leo's exit.

"Go on Boa, run!"

"No! Get back here!"

Boa looked behind him for a split second, and then found himself running into Ryuu. He touched his hair, realising his daisy crown had fallen off long ago.

"Ruu?"

The man rolled his eyes, and picked up the young boy.

"Eeeeeee!" Boa shrieked as he was lifted to the full height of Ryuu - six feet four inches.

"Aw, put him down," Leo called, only half-way between them and Nyxie. Boa stuck out his arms as if he were pretending to be an aeroplane.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Ryuu teased.

"Over there," Leo nodded his head back to where Eria was sleeping.

"What? She's your girlfriend now?"

"What did you think she was?"

"Uhm..." Ryuu swung Boa back down.

"Awww..." Boa wailed. "I want to go back up!"

"Now you made him cry!" Leo protested.

"You're the one who told me to put him down," Ryuu snapped.

"Shut up."

"No, you shut up!"

"Little ba-"

"Shush!" Nyxie shouted, Boa already on her hip, sucking his thumb as if he were only a baby. "Don't make this escalate."

She stormed off to the carriage, waking Eria on her way back. The two men stayed out, watching the girls pack up and head inside, silently.

"Uhm. Sorry?" Leo started.

"Hmph," Ryuu retorted, striding inside as well.

"The heck?" Leo mumbled to himself. "What's with him?"