The Understudy of an Alchemist

53. Concerns For The Scroll

The rain lashes loudly against the firmly bolted windows, with the blackened clouds provoking even occasional lightning flashes outside, yet even the excitement of a thunderstorm cannot drag my attention away from my main concern. What exactly had happened in the Demanitis Chamber. Oh, and also maintaining my so far unbroken winning streak.

Eugene had participated in our the first round of cards, while Rapunzel had sat off the side showing her parents pictures and drawings, pleased at the fact how much more in detail they were remembering their previous lives. Ivy, as usual, had been right. But then without really any warning, both the princess and her partner had suddenly had to leave right in the middle of the game due to a mysterious message that they had received from Cassandra's owl, creatively named Owl.

All of us had simply assumed that he had gone off with his owner, but apparently he had not; as he'd flown up upon the window with a piece of fruit and a message tied around his leg alluding that the source of this plant would lead to where the Captain of the Guards was currently located.

And both Rapunzel and Eugene instantly recognised the plant.

I practically fell over when Rapunzel read out the word 'Captain'. "But he...." I began to stammer, aware of how stupid I sounded. "He led the search party that my parents were in!" Rapunzel and Petunia turned to me in astonishment, but I most assumed that it was mostly just due to the fact that I had finally broken my nearly four month silence relating to my parents. "But that could mean........" Rapunzel trailed off, as she reread the letter to be certain. I nodded my head before she could finish that sentiment. "They could still be alive."

Varian sat up now, his eyes wide at the sheer possibility. "Are you sure?" I shook my head. "Not particularly." As I said this, Rapunzel's expression hardened with purpose at this small chance. "Then Eugene and I will have to go over to Tirapai Island in the hot air balloon."

"I'm coming with you." I insisted, but Rapunzel shook her head at my suggestion, her voice firm, almost like a parent's. "No. That island is far too dangerous." The sheer audacity of her assuming that I would care about that was almost humorous. "I'll be fine. You may even need my rocks!"

If she had been firm before, she was now commanding, her voice didn't even rise an octave however as she reinstated her refusal. "Absolutely not. After what happened in the Demanitis Chamber, I would be homicidal if I took you with me. No."

Her gaze flickered over to Ivy, Petunia and Varian now, as she added, "You four stay here until we get back. Understood?" I shook my head in protest. "But my par-" "We'll be sure to ask the Captain about them. I promise." Rapunzel reassured me, yet it wasn't the reassurance that they were alive that I wanted, what I wanted was to see them again. Hear their voices again.

~*~

And now fifteen extremely tense rounds of Meow-Meow later, and neither of them had returned. If it weren't for the privacy allowing us to talk about subject of the red rocks, I was fairly sure that I would have jumped out the window to follow Rapunzel and Eugene by now.

"So you're sure that it was you who moved the rocks? Cassandra wasn't hiding out in the chamber somewhere??" Ivy presses as she scowls at her selection of cards that are fanned out before her face, before reluctantly pulling out a Jack from her pile and slapping it upon the messy stack that we have formed. "Change to Spades."

I shake my head, as I protest this, annoyed. "Cassandra wasn't there. We would have known. And even if so, why would she free me? She was trying to trap me in there!!" I absent-mindedly place a six of spades upon the pile as I say this. Petunia shrugs at this notion. "Maybe she was testing you?" She tries to peer over Ivy's shoulder to see her cards, and is rewarded with a sharp slap upon the wrist from her.