Traveling Star, Wandering Chaos

We're Royally Screwed

I held the journal with shaky hands while Minh paced around the room. I dropped the journal on the table and stared at Minh, "Hey, so on a scale of one to ten, how screwed are we?" I asked. Minh stopped in his tracks and locked eyes with me with a panicked expression and shaky hands. "There is no word on earth to describe how screwed we are," he answered, continuing to pace around the room. I looked down at the journal again, I had so many questions. What was the Golem? Who is the person who wrote this? And, more importantly, where are they now? Does this mean we're gonna die? No, no, come on, stay positive. Maybe, they were talking about some different heroes. Yeah, probably. I look at Minh again; it's been a while since I've seen him this panicked; I would be making fun of him right now, but... never mind don't worry about it, not now at least. I go over to Minh, placing my hand on his shoulder, "Minh let's calm down for a sec, maybe they're talking about some other heroes."

"I'm sorry? Last time I checked, the Golem was supposed to end the war, yet it's still going on!"

"Well, maybe it failed."

"And are you actually willing to take that risk?!"

"Uh, um, maybe we could ask Althea and Eugene about it? They might be able to help." I suggested. Minh slapped my hand away from him, I could  tell he was mad at me.
"Help?! As far as I'm concerned, they are the enemy!"

"They're ur friends, not our enemies!"

"They're YOUR friends, not mine!" He argued, stepping back from me, "Althea is royalty, Eugene is her knight; if anything, they're probably going to be the first ones to throw us under the bus!"

"That's not true! Althea and Eugene are good people, they wouldn't try to hurt us."

"And how would you know that, ma'am?! We've only known these people for what, half a month?! How stupid do you have to be to just trust practical strangers?!"

"They aren't strangers!"

"That's what YOU think! Maybe, it's just me, but I'm not gonna hinge my life on people I barely know and I'm not letting you do that either." he reasoned. Damn it, I hate to say it, but he's making a point. Every single time I try to make a point, he shuts me down, and we just go along with his plans. Why can't the world just let me win for once?! I groan. I can't really argue with him, "Fine, what's the plan?" Minh smiled, walking to the bookshelf with his scheming face. He took a few books and gave them to me, "First, we're going to need information, 'cause information is power. We already know where our exit will be, so we'll need to figure out how to get there, undetected, and obviously get supplies as well," he rambled on, walking in circles like some rabbit that's been still for too long; a habit I've seen too often. I just sat on the table, books in hand, watching him think. This wouldn't be the first time I saw him like this. I've practically gotten used to it by now. As he continued mumbling his schemes and plots, he turned to me for a second, "Do you know where Althea or Eugene are right now?" he asked.

I shook my head, "No, but I could ask around."

"Good, ask around and we'll go from there."

"'Kay," I say, getting off the table and walking out of the room. I looked back, seeing Minh still walking around the room, "You coming?"

"Not now, I'm conducting research," Oh I get it, I'm doing the grunt work, yay me!
   
I rolled my eyes and exited the basement. I walked around the castle, going up to every servant, butler, maid, and guard, asking where Althea was. Why Althea? Because I just like talking to her more, plus I feel weird talking to Eugene. I was told that Althea was in the study, so I headed there.
   
After a minute or two and getting lost multiple times, I finally arrived at a big door, similar to that of the library. I was about to open the door before I stopped myself. I should knock first. I knocked on the door, and then a voice came from inside, "You may enter". I pushed open the doors to see Althea sitting at a fancy chair and an even fancier desk. I came in, looking around the room. The study was a small circular room with a reading corner near a bay window, a wall of numbered drawers across from it, and a dark wooden desk and chair with a big map above it across from the door. Everything was so shiny and clean, plus it smelled like flowers, too. Althea looked up from her papers and gave me a smile, "Aliya, good to see you," she said, setting her papers aside and getting up from her desk.