Dungeons & Disappointment

Chapter 41: Alocertha

"Here Trevon, take this!"

She shoved a rune into my hand, then dragged her hand across some of the runic engravings, and it began to glow orange. The stone grew warm in my hand, and I felt a strange sense of power within the stone.

"This is a new invention of mine." She said. "I figured out a way to infuse a spell in the stone into an indefinite state of suspension. The spell will never activate unless I speak the command, and then, BOOM!!! The spell activates!"

"Wait, what spell is in this one?"

"Oh, just fireball." She said. "Think of it like a magical bomb. Just one command, and boom!"

"Boom!" I repeated. "Man, you really are quite the sorceress, huh?"

She gave me that smile again. "I take so much pride in the magics that I can produce. That's why I am very, very careful with the suitors that I choose. If I can, I would love to have a man thats appreciative of magic."

"Well, I like your magic." I said, gesturing at some of the potions. "I'd hate it if someone told me that I couldn't help anyone anymore. So I get what you mean about the magic. Does your father know that you want to be more careful with the suitors?"

"Yes, but he is rather impatient with me finding a suitor. He wants me to find one soon."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but she thought better of it, and instead, she held out her arms. I wordlessly held out mine while nodding in affirmation to her. I thought she might just hug me, but instead, she scooted over to me and cuddled against my chest, shivering a little bit in her outfit. I stayed silent for a little bit, letting her calm down, but she shivered again.

"Uhm, want to get dressed into something more comfortable?"

"Well now mister, what would you like me to get dressed up in?"

"Noting really, I mean, you look really good." I said. "I just don't want you to be cold."

She blushed a little and looked away. "That's really kind of you to say. Thank you!"

I gave her a smile, thinking about how hard it must be. Most likely hundreds of nobles, all of them vying for you love in the worst and most embarrassing ways possible, each one seeming worse than the last. She seemed relieved that I was laid back around her. Pour on the laid back charm. I thought.

"Hey, Alocertha?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you like to do for fun?"

She beamed. "Well, like I said before, I like magic, but I have a little hidden hobby that not many people know."

"What is it?"

She leaned into my ear. "I like drawing."

"Wait a minute. You draw too?"

Her eyes widened even more, and she nodded. "Trevon, can I draw you?"

"Sure, what pose?"

"Well, surprise me!"

I stood, drew my halberd and held it at the ready, putting a determined expression on my face, as if I was facing down an enemy army. Alocertha giggled with excitement, then scrambled to her dresser, grabbed a crude looking pencil and a sheet of paper, and she laid down on her bed, studying me. She hummed to herself, then smiled and started drawing.