Traitor to the Crown

Chapter 2

"Is there ever a possibility that we can settle down and stop the whole going off onto life threatening adventures thing?" Manx asked, lifting her heavy pack of provisions and supplies onto her back.

Vaskin looked over at her and said, "This'll be the last one for awhile I think. We'll start off on foot so we can do some more detailed tracking, as well as travel at a leisurely pace."

Manx nodded nervously and said, "Won't pitching our tents on the ground open the possibility of things crawling into them while we sleep? And why can't we take a dragon? I mean, the Empress has command over all the dragons and people of this world, so wouldn't that be the most logical option?"

"We are NOT taking Hadrix on this mission, and any other dragon might not give us time for each other." Vaskin said, implying that he wanted this quest to be him and her alone together.

"So we are walking across the entire Valdt?" Manx groaned, her feet already sore at just the thought of it.

"Not exactly. I have a route planned out through some of the most scenic places here, because I know there is so much of this world you haven't seen yet, and if it was mine I would give you this world." Vaskin cheerily replied.

"What use would I have for this world? It's not like owning it would make annoying people go away, seeing as Leif is Empress and yet she still can't keep her obnoxious brother in check." Manx said.

"You'll grow to love this world! I'm sure of it!" Vaskin said, shouldering his pack and bursting out the door, almost running into Kaeoryn's battle axe.

Manx gave her father an embarrassed look, and Kaeoryn shrugged, still trying to look ominous. But Vaskin wasn't going to let his girlfriend's frightening father ruin a perfect day.

"Hi there, uh, sir! Nice axe you got there! Real uh...shiny and uh...sharp, I can really see my reflection in it." Vaskin said, inching around the tiger like warrior and his huge battle axe.

"Seriously, though, where in the Valdt does he find axes that big?" Vaskin whispered to Manx as they turned to leave.

"Creator knows." Manx said, rolling her eyes. She had already made sure to give her parents a good farewell that morning, hoping that she'd be back home as soon as possible.

"Okay, so I've totally mapped out our path, through the Swamps of Confusion, past the plains of A'dure, under the Mountains of Weeping Stone and to the Eastern Shores. Then, we'll catch a boat across the Lunar Sea and through the lands of Solemnity. We'll head East as far as East can go, because if Lyrica is still around somewhere, that's where she'll be." Vaskin said with optimism and confidence in his voice.

"So basically we're taking the scenic route that leads to nowhere?" Manx asked, raising an eyebrow.

Vaskin blushed a little and said, "Yep, that's basically what we're doin'."

"Isn't the Empress smart enough to figure that out?" Manx asked.

"Nope. After all, whenever Lyrica has disappeared, she's always headed East. So if she's still around we might bump into her eventually." Vaskin said.

"Great. I'm following an idiot on foot on a trail that leads to nowhere, looking for a lunatic undead dragon that could potentially be hazardous to my health. Thank you for instilling me with that confidence of certain death, Vaskin." Manx sarcastically remarked.

"Oh, death isn't certain. I mapped us the safest route." Vaskin said, winking, as he began walking East.

"Since when are swamps of confusion and mountains of weeping stone safe?" Manx asked.