Legacy's Prince

Chapter Thirty-Three: Bastian

The sweet sounds of morning birds beckons me to waking. Yawning, I sit up and stretch my arms over my head. Shaking the last remnants of sleep, I rub at my eyes, expecting to find Dezden packed and ready to go home, but I don't.

Dezden is nowhere to be found. I scowl as I kick the blankets off myself to investigate. Has he already left? I was hoping we could at least say goodbye before he went home for the break.

As I open the door to the washroom, I discover that he is still here, and he is not preparing to leave either. He's still sleeping in the tub, bubbles lazily forming and popping over his head.

"Dezden!" I shout.

"Egh?" he grumbles as his head pops out of the water.

"You're going to miss your boat!" I call.

"I don't have a boat," Dezden mutters as he slips back under the water.

"So you're swimming home?" I ask.

"Blub, blub, blub-"

"I can't understand you underwater, Dezden," I sigh as I punch the bridge of my nose.

"I'm not going home," Dezden grumbles as he pokes his head above water again.

"Why not?" I ask, genuinely surprised. Though Dezden hasn't spoken much about his homelife I've never heard or sensed he had any ill feelings towards his family.

"Can't afford the ticket," Dezden replies nonchalantly.

"I would have gotten it for you!" I exclaim, wondering why Dezden didn't just say something. He knows I have more than enough money to buy a ticket to and from Malmar.

"Thank you, but you've done enough for me as is," Dezden smiles before slipping back under the water.

"Done enough-what is that even supposed to mean, I-"

"Oh, by the way!" Dezden exclaims as he pops his head above water. "I finished those translations."

I blink, scratching at the scars on my chin. I can't tell if this is just Dezden being scatter-brained, as usual, or if he's genuinely trying to change the subject. Either way, my curiosity gets the best of me.

"And?" I ask.

"It was just a journal from someone who lived in the year 439 K.A. Not much useful, but I left them on your desk."

"Thank you-"

"You're welcome, now let me sleep! Not all of us are morning people like you and I finally get to sleep in!" Dezden grumbles before sinking beneath the water again.

I back out of the washroom, closing the door to give Dezden some privacy to sleep. I still wonder if, perhaps, he's dodging questions about his home and family on purpose. I still don't know much of his family other than that he has one. I haven't even heard a mention of Dezden's father yet. He doesn't appear to be in a good mood, though, so pressing him about it now won't help anything.

Besides, it's not any of my business, is it?

I get dressed and walk to my desk, finding Dezden's translations. I take the stack of papers, along with my art kit, and head outside.

It's a gorgeous day with blue skies and an ever so light breeze. A perfect day to relax and clear my mind of, well, everything; Tarron's past, the dragon's extinction, Tempest. I inhale deeply as I walk through the emptying Academy for a place to read.

There's too much hustle and bustle going on in the dorms area for me to concentrate on reading here. Perhaps the greenhouse would be a better solution? As I make my way there I can't help but ponder what the next week is going to be like.