Slayer [revised]

Chapter Six

            I wake up rather late, my heading pounding from the lack of sleep during the ceremony, staying up to talk to women who claimed they would die to be in my place or men who went on long rants about how they would kill the dragon. It was a long and uneventful night, the only thing making it better was Grant, who constantly butted in with some rude comment or gesture that got the crowd all worked up. I smile, thinking about it as I pull on my clothes for the day before flying down the stairs.

            I grab a sack off the hook in the massive pantry off to the side of the kitchen. Quickly, I stuff a half loaf of fresh bread, a large block of cheese, and two cups. I open several drawers, scavenging around in them until I find the little tablets that transformed water into rich, syrupy juice that I purchased from Roy's Amazing Creations Shoppe. I toss them into the bag before hurry to the stair well. "And where do you think you are going Missy?"

            I turn, seeing Savvy leaning against the counter with a basket full of fruits and vegetables. "I thought I would have a picnic outside because it is so nice out. Plus I really want to relax and avoid people and God knows if I'm not in the castle they will never be able to find me." Savvy gives a nervous chuckle but eyes me with anxiety.

            "I don't know Ellie, it is pretty dangerous out there and we need to be even more careful now that the competition has started. Maybe you should just stay inside to eat." I sigh, my mind racing to think of any way that she will let me go out and meet Alex.

            "What if Grant comes with? I don't know where he is now but why don't you just let him know and he will join me? I still have a few things to get so it won't be like I'm out there all alone." The anxiety in her face lessens and I can see her happiness in my choice of partner. I know she trusts Grant more than anyone else because of the way he treats me.

            "Yes I suppose. He is on duty for a little longer so go ahead and do your running and then I will send him off to look for you." I beam excitedly as I hurry down the stairwell. I try to walk casually around the town but my heart is racing, urging me to the river. I sprint across the open field and head straight for my bow. Keeping the sack on my back I carefully shoot two fish, narrowly missing a pulp male Karbon. I gut and decapitate the two fish quickly, then pull my bow and quiver onto my back and trudge up to the clearing.

            "Wakey, wakey eggs and bakey." I call out to the clearing as I make a seat on the forest floor. The sun shines through the trees, baking the soil into hard sand, but leaving the soil under the shade soft and cold. I flop down into a shady place and pull the sack off my back. I leave it on the ground while I quickly fill the two cups with water than hurry back, hoping a hungry raccoon won't find my sack of goodies. I collect a few sticks from around the clearing to make a fire to cook the fish, but still no sign of Alex. "Hey, come on out or I'm going to have to eat all this food myself!"

            "Jeez selfish, didn't your mother ever teach you patience? Isn't that supposed to be some sort of character trait for a princess?" He grins evilly at me as I shoot him a joking glare. He also has a sack, which he drops into my lap before taking a seat across from me. He starts a smoldering in the sticks I've collected while I prepare the fish. After it is all done cooking I shift through his sack and divide all the food up evenly amongst us. We both get half of the bread, half the cheese, a cup of flavored water, a handful of purple berries, an apple and a fish. For the first few minutes we silently scarf down the food, but soon I catch Alex staring at me.

            "What?" I say in between taking bites of my fish. He eyes me carefully before taking a bite out of the bread I brought.

            "Nothing," he says in a casual voice but something about his ornery look made me not believe it. I press him but he stays silent. I pout, trying to make him feel sorry, as I drop a few of the purple berries into my mouth. They taste sour but the inside flesh is sweet, creating an odd flavor and a sort of tingling sensation in my mouth. I take a few more and pop them in my mouth, chewing carefully like if I don't pay attention to the flavor change then the berries will stay sour the whole time. "Do you like 'em?" I nod approvingly, whatever they were, they were delicious. Like he is reading my mind he replies with, "I thought you would. They are called Purple Gales. Anyway what was with the little trick earlier, huh? I mean it was rather amusing but I didn't understand it."