The Way It Should Be

Chapter Forty-Six

I wake up to see Darren and Harkat are still asleep. I get out of my hammock and walk over to Darren's hammock.

I stand over him for a few minutes, getting ready to cry as I imagine what it would be like if he dies in one of these trials. I bring my hand down and play with a few strands of his soft brown hair.

"Alicia... What are you... doing?"

I yelp as I quickly turn to the short gray monster's hammock.

"Thi-thinking."

"Of what?"

"What if Darren died..."

"Why?"

"Because I worry about my best friend."

"You shou...ldn't worry..."

"I know. But that seems really mean."

"When have... you cared... about... being nice?"

I sigh. "What do you know? Its not like I've known you long."

He sighs, "Well... you need... sleep... I've seen... you haven't... gotten a lot... over the last... few years."

"No, that's ok, I'll be fine."

"I don't... think you... will be..."

Shortly after that Darren woke up.

"Good m- night." I remember the vampire way. Even though we are in a mountain they still sleep during the day.

"What is going on?" He asks.

"Just waiting for you to wake up."

"Why you so close to my bed?"

"No reason." I back up a bit.

I look down at the ground, in front of where I am sitting.

Just then the door of the cell opened with a loud "thud" and a blonde haired vampire practically runs in.

"Darren, y'know its not to late, you can still quit the trials now!" Kurda yells.

"I know, but I'm not going to though. Besides I can quit when I feel its to much of a hassle for me." He smiles.

Kurda looked grim. "You can't do that." He said simply. "If you do, they - being the princes - will put you in a cage and drop you above the pit of stakes."

"What?!" I yell. "They can't do that!"

"They can, and will. It is our law. If one fails the trials they must be executed. The only way out of it is if you are a prince."

"No! Darren stop! Don't go through with the trials! It's not worth it! You'll die!"

"I must, for Mr. Crepsley."

"No you don't!" I whine.

"It is stupid how the pride of a vampire comes before his own life, but that is just our way." Kurda says. "We better get something to eat now, before its all gone." And with that we leave for the hall.

When we get to the hall, Mr. Crepsley, Seba Nile, Vanez Blane, Arra Sails, and Gavner Purl were already there eating and talking about old times.

It was fun. Darren, Harkat, and I talked and joked for a bit before the older being started talking to us.

"So Darren." Seba said and we took our focus off of each other and on the vampire. "The thing about the trials is we usually have to train for years before actually doing them. Since you can not train for years and you are being rushed into doing them, I thought I could help by asking the princes if we could use an old law."