CROWNS I: Of Desolate Hope | ✔

35. Elias Knows

"Elias," said Dek, pacing around anxiously in front of them. "It seems your wish has come true..."

Elias' heart raced as he guessed what Dek was about to tell him. He felt the stern gaze of Eliza fall upon him. It's finally time to find out! Apart from the training with Kellar, he had had a good day. The morning had been filled with eating and fooling around with Eliza and the start of the afternoon hadn't been too different with the exception of feeding the tortoises and causing havoc in the baths. However, the heat had started to get to him and he felt rather sluggish. This day is about to get so much better.

"Don't look so smug Elias," continued Dek, fidgeting with his dark blue tunic. "It's not all good."

Although this dampened his heart, Elias was still eager to find out. He knew that when Dek started to twiddle his thumbs, bad news usually followed. Not all good for you maybe but it is for me. "You've been hiding this for too long, you must have known that the truth would be exposed soon. It was always gonna happen. You don't need to cry about it."

"Tell us," ordered Eliza, reclined on a white bench covered in pillows and other soft items.

Dek's grave expression didn't change. "As you can probably guess, the letter...it's finished," he said in hushed tones. "And-"

"So what's in it?" asked Elias, keenly.

"Wait," replied Dek, deep in thought. "Be patient. If I were you, I'd never want to know."

"Then it's a good thing you're not me! You're so boring and depressed sometimes, just tell us!"

"Senra submitted it to the Seran a couple of weeks ago-"

Elias felt his anticipation ebbing away and becoming a grey wave of frustration. "So you've known for two weeks that it was ready?" he exclaimed, much too loud for Dek's liking.

"We had to check everything was in order first," answered Dek, sheepishly. "Fortunately, we think that it is. Unfortunately for you, it means that this life of luxury you've been enjoying has ended."

"What do you mean it has ended ?" asked Elias, nervously. Despite being content that the letter was finished and that he could finally do what he had been training tirelessly for, something bothered him. The Cazar had been his home for a number of months now and the thought of being without one frightened him. From the day Dek had plucked him from the streets, Elias had never looked back. A thought that Elias had once had a long time ago resurfaced in his head. What happens after this? What's next? His anxiety soon faded into disbelief. "Are you sure it's ready?" he added. "Th-there could be mistakes and... stuff. I just wanted to know what was being written, I'm not in a rush or leave or anything. I can wait. We can wait...if you'd like." He turned to Eliza for reassurance but she shrugged, visibly uninterested.

Dek pulled a strained smile.  "It's fine," he said, "we've already checked it and everything is as it should be."

"What about the actual plan? That hasn't been finalised yet!"

"Elias," said Dek, sighing, "we've been over it one thousand times. All you have to do is get there. Our contact will sort everything else out. I've heard Castland has been rather troublesome due to an alleged unfair arrest but you will be far from that. Kellar will keep the both of you safe. There's nothing to worry about."

"Famous last words," chimed Eliza, staring up at the huge painting of a blue sky on the ceiling. 

"Thank you, Eliza," murmured Dek. 

Elias didn't make eye contact with anyone for fear of them finding out that he wasn't as ready as he'd thought. "If the letter is ready to go..."

"Then you're going," said Dek, disconsolately. "I presume...both of you?"