A Dreamer's Knight

Chapter 33 - Egress

"Supper time!" Mikaen called out as he and Teria drew near the guards.

The soldiers examined the contents of the trays. One of the soldiers commented, "Why are they getting food this late?"

The other guard said, "It's the lot from Jai Vye. Still a little time-sick I'd imagine."

Mikaen and Teria traded a look of triumph at this. Their suspicions had been correct.

The guard put the cover back on the trays. "All right. Go on in."

As Teria and Mikaen entered the tent, Mikaen said, "All right, who's hungry?"

To his great relief, no one in the tent appeared to be injured. Rydiana was sitting in the corner, Tyrn holding her close and whispering reassuringly in her ear. Next to them was another sentient with white feathered wings and a dour expression, a Galden with a smile that looked as though it had been chiseled onto his face, and a short and rather pretty dark-skinned woman that Mikaen recognized as a Rimstakken. There were a few idestans as well, but of more immediate interest was the man in the green-and-gray striped shirt laying back in a chair as though he hadn't a care in the world.

Mikaen couldn't help himself. "Of course you'd be here."

"Who, me?" One said innocently. "I was just taking a stroll through the forest when I was captured!"

"Really." It was Teria who spoke, her voice laced with sarcasm.

The cheerful-looking Galden smacked his lips. "Is that for us? I was just thinking about food." As he reached for the tray, Mikaen noticed that the young man's arms and legs were cybernetic. Save for the dark gray skin and the joints, they looked remarkably similar to normal limbs.

The sentient with the dour expression looked at the cyborg with an expression of disgust. "By the Creator, Maxim! How can you think about food at a time like this?"

Maxim shrugged."You don't want any, just say so, Kajex. I'll eat it myself; it smells delicious. How 'bout you, Tyrn? Rydiana?"

When the young lovers didn't respond, Kajex snorted, saying, "Tyrn, if you keep staring at her like that, you'll go cross-eyed."

The shorter girl put down the complicated bit of machinery she had been poking at. "Well I am certainly having hunger. We've all of us been put to walking all day, and the only thing I've been having to eat is a package of peanuts with an overabundance quantity of salt."

One hopped up from his seat and walked to Teria. "I'll take that."

"What are you doing here?" Teria hissed, not letting go of the tray.

"Just trying to be helpful."

"I don't need your help, Glen."

"Well, tough. You're getting it anyway."

They wrestled with the tray for a few moments before One finally wrested it from her grasp. He blew a raspberry at her before handing the tray to the Rimstakken.

She took the tray from him a little hesitantly. "Much thanks, Mister Glen."

"Null problem." One said, turning back to Mikaen and Teria, "Mind if I see one of your rifles for a sec?"

This drew curious glances from everyone in the room. The stares went from curious to shocked when Mikaen actually handed One the rifle.

"Ah, nothing quite like a Salvine Combine Rifle, Keergo model if I'm not mistaken." One popped out the clip, revealing a glowing blue battery. Slapping the clip back into place, he continued, "Still new, from the looks of it. Y'know, the Jarre series tended to have sticky triggers."