The Unwanted Wendigo [ManxMan]

Chapter Twenty-seven: Troublemakers

~Chapter Twenty-seven: Troublemakers~

I wake up from my food coma almost a full week later, expecting the kingdom to be under attack or utterly destroyed. Instead, everything is...normal. Because of this, I can only guess that Felix has not found anything yet that would allow him to declare war officially and that he has also been stealthy enough in his search for information that the gods have not caught on to what he is doing.

Still, after that talk with the two brothers, I imagined waking up in the middle of something straight out of a war movie, but upon leaving Valentin's house for the first time in days, everyone is still going about their business without a worry - well, okay, maybe a lot of them are still worried since at least two cities have been attacked under odd circumstances, but they aren't god-level concerned yet - and I find myself almost disappointed. Not that I actually want there to be another war, as I only just witnessed the end of one a few years ago, but it would at least be interesting.

Besides, it'd be pretty exciting to see Felix and Nero leading the charge like they do in my imagination.

After a moment, I stop swimming, as I realize that I might not actually want to see that, and I am sure that Atasah would definitely hate every minute of it. After all, people who lead the charge are far more likely to die than those either directing the fight or those staying out of the battle entirely. That does not mean I think a good leader is one who only orders people to fight from the sidelines, but...Felix is growing on me like a weird, conflicted fungus; it is too early to lose him to something as stupid as a war with gods.

Though I receive some weird looks from the Mer swimming on the streets around me, as I did kind of stop mid-swim, I pay them no mind. Instead, I focus in on the budding little feeling of warmth that has unraveled in my chest like a Christmas present at the thought of the newly-dubbed Fungus King, trying to name it. Because I try to focus on it, the feeling starts to vanish, but before it does, I decide on what to call it.

Fondness, eh?

Huffing in amusement at that thought, as developing a fondness for some Mer was not part of my plan when I came down here over a month ago, I swim the rest of the way to the palace, where I intend to spend yet another day. Giselle and Valentin will probably not appreciate that I left the house without telling them, but they were also not there, so it is not like I could do any more than leave a note. And I did leave a note, because I am a good house guest and do not want my hosts to panic over my sudden disappearance when I am fairly certain they have already been told about my little encounter with the son of Poseidon.

Well, it's either that, or they have somehow remained oblivious to the guard stationed in their living room - the very same guard that I snuck by on my way out.

So, yeah, I will probably be in trouble when someone finds out that I just left, but considering the fact that I did make it clear to Felix about not wanting guards, he has only himself to blame for actually assigning one to me if she freaks out. Besides, I left a note. Someone will notice it...eventually. Probably.

It'll be their own fault if they fail to check under my pillow.

I am just toweling myself off in the entrance room to keep from dripping water everywhere when, from somewhere in the hallway out of sight, a voice that is only vaguely familiar calls, "Hey, Wendy."

Dropping the towel in the used towel bin, as I am probably dry enough now, I poke my head through the doorway to look out at the cooridor. Two female Mer, who I only recognize on sight because of how much I spend with the rest of their family, are speed walking towards me. I am not entirely sure how they knew I was here and thus able to be called out to, as there is no way they could have seen me through a wall, but I decide not to question it for now.