King's Sword

Scream

VANCE

"My legs are sore." Adelaide groans as we walk up to the small dinner we're supposed to meet Arthur at. I smile down at her before adjusting the beanie on her head.

She handled killing someone so well I was worried she would break at some point, but we've been walking and running for an hour and this is the first time she has complained. Probably because she can see the dinner and knows there's a remedy to her pain.

I open the door for her and she rushes past me to the bathroom as I shoot for the closest booth to it. The waitress comes out to me and pours two cups of coffee and nods towards the menus silently before walking away with a tired expression. A few moment later, Adelaide comes out with my jacket in her arms as she sits next to me.

"Put it on, you must be freezing." She says but I look at her in her thin long sleeve and shake my head. "Vance, I'm sweating."

"Drink water." I sigh before leaning back in my seat exhaustedly. Adelaide doesn't even look down at the menu, her nervous eyes are fixed on the windows and surrounding people. "They probably think we already got picked up."

"And if they don't?" She asks back at me seriously, making me sigh as she nods as if to say exactly. "We left Lorie." She groans into her hands but I roll my eyes.

"Did you know Lorie wanted to sleep with you?" I ask, curiously turning to her as she frowns over at me. "I'll take that as a no."

"I'm flattered." She sighs.

"I heard this place has the world's greatest Mac and Cheese." I say with a smile. Adelaide shuts her eyes tightly, surely debating wether to entertain me or not.

"Where did you hear that?" She gives in.

I point at the sticky laminated menu on the counter, her eyes following my hand before she presses her lips together containing a smile. I rub her back gently as she scoffs.

"I know what you're doing." She whispers.

"What am I doing, Sweetness?" I reply in the same tone, taking the coffee before me and bringing it in to take a sip as she watches.

"You don't have to monitor me for signs of shock." I nod as I put the mug down.

"Have you considered the possibility that I simply enjoy your smile more than your frowns?" I ask humorously and she shrugs. "I hate the way you scream." I admit quietly, making her brown eyes turn to me attentively, her dark brows furrowing in slight confusion. "I really fucking hate it, but when you laugh it's like you override them in my head."

"I'm sorry." She places a hand on my leg. "To be honest I hate it when you sing songs you don't know the words to." I let out a surprisingly loud laugh that makes her chuckle.

"That's how I learn the lyrics!" I try to defend myself but she shakes her head.

"You sing gibberish so loudly." She laughs with a hand up to her chest, throwing her head back like a beautiful masterpiece. "And you try to sing all the parts at once."

"Some people can multitask."

"You are not one of them!" I roll my eyes with a smile as she settles down and sighs. "Can I tell you the truth?"

"I don't think you're even capable of not telling me the truth." I say while turning to face her completely and she does the same.

"When I arrived at the house all those months ago, I was so sure that the pain would swallow me whole." Her eyes stare into mine as she speaks, gold flecks shimmering in them as she shakes her head. "But every time I felt it, surrounding me like a cloud of smoke, every time I convinced myself there was nothing left of me... you emerged," Her smile grows. "Torch in hand, scaring all the monsters back into the dark."