Cǽrvelle-The Journey

Day 78, 5th Day of the Month of Joy

I awoke late the next day, turning over in my bed as I tried to get back to sleep. However, with the sun illuminating my entire room, I was forced to wake up, shrugging off the sheets and averting my eyes from the sun, as I got up and closed the blinds. With the sun's glare lessened, I returned to sit on my bed, stretching as I tried to remember what Alexandra and I were doing today. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, before getting up and exiting my room, descending the stairs to grab the hotel phone, calling down to the kitchens and requesting a simple breakfast. I sat back down at the dining table, contemplating the Red Knight dilemma from yesterday, as I waited for my meal to arrive. While I waited, Alexandra descended the stairs, sitting down across from me at the table, lacing her hands together atop the table.

"Did you order breakfast?" she asked. I nodded, and she fell silent.

We waited for no more than a minute before we heard a knock on our door, and I got up to open it. The metal food cart rolled inside, pulling up to the table and unloaded two plates of eggs, sausage, and toast, before rolling back away and back out the door. I shut the door behind it, before sitting down at the table and picked up my knife and fork, digging into my breakfast in stony silence, as Alexandra did the same. Halfway through eating, however, Alexandra spoke up again.

"You can tell Sir Xavier you'll accept his offer at the dinner tonight."

"What?" I said, half-spitting out my food. "I told you, I can't join them!"

"You have to Collin!" Alexandra yelled at me. "I don't like it either, but it's a necessity!"

"But they're murderers! They killed and kidnapped everyone I know here other than you!" I yelled back.

"You think I don't know that?" she yelled at me. "They killed my entire family! It's because of them that I grew up in that shit village instead of a castle!"

"So why the hell do you want me to join them?" I asked, and I saw tears in her eyes.

"I don't want you to join them, Collin." She said, choking on her words. "But it's our only choice!"

"FINE!" I yelled, standing up at the table, knocking my chair over. "FINE! I'll join the stupid Red Knights, but the second I have the chance to get out, I will!"

Alexandra sat in silence for a moment while I stood over the table, panting.

"Thank you, Collin." She finally said, nearly silently.

"Don't thank me." I replied, standing up straight. "Let's just get ready for this bloody dinner tonight and get it over with."

"We should go get new formal wear for the dinner as well." She added. Still looking down at the table.

"Well then we'll get that before we head to dinner."

With that, I walked away from the table, heading up the stairs. I entered my room, sitting down on my bed as I held my head in my hands. I sat in silence for several moments, listening to Alexandra's footsteps as she ascended the stairs and walked past my room as she headed into her own. I got up and dressed after a few minutes, putting on my typical clothing and strapped my sword and pistols to my belt, before walking back out of my room and down the stairs, where Alexandra was already waiting, already dressed and ready.

"Let's go." She said, and I nodded, as we headed out of the room, descending the elevator and leaving the hotel.

We strode up Korf Street for a few blocks, looking into various shops, finding curiosities ranging from antiques of various ages to unique kitchen wares and outrageous gadgetry. Finally, we stopped inside a tailor, and were greeted by an aged satyr, who shook our hands with his own very shaky ones.