Ascendant Vacation

Chapter 2

We were finally on our way to Libeth and I was about to lose my mind.

"Are we there yet?" Fink asked

"No, Fink, we're not there yet," I said. "It's been about 30 seconds since you last asked. Now move your legs. You're taking all the room."

"Am not taking all the room."

"Why don't you come sit by me Fink." Imogen offered. "You two have been arguing for the past half hour."

"Not my fault," I said.

"Jaron, if you keep arguing you will be back at the castle in the boring meetings before you can say Fink!" she said.

"Why are you punishing me? Fink is the one who keeps talking." I replied.

"Wow, they really do act like brothers," Tobias put in.

"Do you want to be a part of this?" Amarinda asked.

"No way! I'd much rather talk with you." They started making moony eyes at each other.

"Are you two gonna kiss? Tell me so I can look away," Fink said. Tobias started blushing and Amarinda giggled.

"No," she replied.

Fink turned to me. "Are you and Imogen going to kiss? I just want to make sure."

"Not with you around," I said. Imogen playfully slapped me. "What was that for?" I asked.

"There are little kids here," she responded.

"I'm not little!" Fink said, offended.

"Yeah you are," I said.

"Jaron, are you arguing?" Imogen asked, a little bit of an edge in her voice.

"No..." I said innocently.

"Are you sure?" She asked again. Didn't she believe me the first time?

"Are we there yet?" Fink asked.

"I'm not even going to answer this time," I huffed.

"Wow! Jaron made a smart decision!" Tobias joked.

"Well now I have to make a bad decision to balance out the universe," I said.

"Please don't," Imogen said. "I like it when you make good decisions."

"You hear that?" I said excitedly, "Imogen likes me!" Imogen smacked her forehead in exasperation.

"Jaron, we're engaged! Of course I like you," Imogen said.

Mott, who was driving the carriage, called out, "Coming up on Libeth!"

"Oh thank goodness," I said. "I like you guys but after being cooped up with you I NEED to get away from you."

"Even me?" Imogen teased.

"Of course not Imogen, I love you," I said.

From up front with Mott Harlowe called back, "We've reached Libeth! Just a little farther to my estate."

"How come Harlowe got to ride up front while I had to sit back here with you guys?" I griped.

"Because we're the adults," Mott responded.

"Ugh. Adults get to do all the good stuff while I'm watched every minute."

"Yes the adults get to watch because when we don't you run off and we have to track you down. Or you get captured. Or you run off," Mott scolded.

"Point taken," I said. I would argue but I couldn't. I had run off to get out of a regent's meeting last week so my track record wasn't the best.

"We're here!" Harlowe interrupted before I could think of something else to say.