Sabre had fallen asleep on my shoulder as we made it to our wagon. It was situated in the middle of the trail, it was the biggest of the ones I'd seen so far. Actually clean and empty, unlike most of the others. A single driver sat at the front, asleep, an old man snoring deeply.
"I apologise, excuse me for a moment." Charles awkwardly said.
He hurried to the old man climbing up to his driver's carriage. It was clear he was angry and embarrassed as he swiftly slapped the back of the old man's head.
"What in the gravy milk?" the old man shouted, startled. He reeled back looking up at Charles' towering figure in dismay.
"We assign you one job, Jerry, and you can't even do it properly."
"But we stopped so I was just taking a rest." the old man named Jerry groaned still rubbing the back of his head.
"You were meant to be watching the wagon,"
"Well it's here ain't it?" he said hesitantly, then double-checked.
Seeing the wagon still attached he breathed a sigh of relief. Charles wasn't impressed, in fact, he was infuriated even more. Jerry became frightened at how red Charles' face was becoming.
I walked up to them curiously, wanting to defuse the situation. As Charles was about to go on a rant, I lightly coughed behind him. He briskly turned away from Jerry and faced me with a smile plastered over his face.
"How unbecoming of me, I was nearly about to yell. Ha...ha.... erm well Jerry come with me." Charles forced a cheery voice, suppressing his bubbling emotions.
He stepped down from the driver's carriage, unable to look at Jerry's face as if not to get incited. Jerry, the thin, tall and frail man followed. I went in tandem, and we returned to the back of the wagon.
"Notice anything?" Charles asked, still smiling.
"Erm? Looks a bit cleaner?" the old man answered, scratching his head.
"What- happened- to- all- the- supplies?" Charles ground out each word, his mouth twitching.
The old man didn't register the question for a moment then looked alarmed at the empty wagon.
"Its-its all gone...." he exclaimed if entirely clueless.
"Those supplies were things personally gathered together by my family for the wizard-"
Charles was about to reprimand him, but something about watching his tall figure cower from Charles' short frame made me chuckle. This Jerry fellow was a complete actor, from the moment we found him asleep, to his pretend shock. He was good, Charles had wholly bought into his act. I would have too if something wasn't telling me he was lying. I don't know what it was, but I just felt as if I could see through him. See his inner emotions....his soul. And there was no malice in it, I could tell he was a kind person.
-Charles awkwardly stopped again, my reaction threw him off, and he froze. The silence started becoming heavy, and I decided to intervene.
"I'm sure Richard has brought supplies for us anyway."
Charles thawed and nodded rapidly.
"Your right, it's probably fine then," he nervously agreed, "well, I shall leave you to it."
He sped away abruptly, not wanting to make a fool of himself any longer. Once his shadow wasn't in sight, Jerry started laughing.
"I ain't never seen him like that, he's lovestruck."
"Lovestruck?" I ask.
"Ha-ha couldn't you see the way he was staring at you. I seen fair a maiden but none as pretty as you. Many eyes must have also been staring at you."
"Eieee? Are you saying anyone who stares at me is lovestruck?" I asked alarmed.
"Aiyee, most likely," Jerry answers laughing.
I pout, narrowing my eyes at him. My senses told me he wasn't lying. And when I thought back to Charles' weird demeanour, that explanation did fit.
"You know what happened to our supplies," I accuse taking back power.
He freezes, slowly sweating.
"I ain't got no clue what you are talking about" he finally responded.
"Don't worry I won't tell, I-"
The sound of rushing wind was approaching, and I looked up to see Richard heading my way. He was sat on the flying carpet, and he wasn't alone. A man stood next to him, dressed in a black cloak which contrasted his bright blue hair. The long glossed hair blew back in the wind, revealing two pointed ears. Half his face was scarred and unsightly.
'Elf?' I thought to myself. I immediately noticed his ears were the same as the elf boy. Yet that was all they had in common. He didn't share the purple skin; his own a pale white, almost ghostly and ethereal. His face was fierce, intensity radiated off him like he was on constant edge.
Richard landed in front of us. Jerry gazed at the carpet in amazement as did the people around us. Such magic was foreign to them. Richard paid them no heed, but the elf was uncomfortable, looking around. But that was all it took to scare everyone off. His face naturally fearsome, although unintentional, it gave off terrifying glares.
"Ah, Aurora I would like you to meet my old friend Percival."
I mustered the friendliest smile I could and reach out a hand to shake his. Which he ignored completely responding to me with only a single word.
"Girl"
I was a bit taken back, not sure how to move forward from that. Richard quickly interceded.
"I apologise for that Aurora, in elven culture, it is uncustomary for youngsters to greet seniors so informally. A simple bow would suffice, " Richard intermediated.
I nodded and faced Percival once more, this time nodding. He gave a slight grunt as approval and Richard laughed awkwardly.
"Erm, Richard we've lost our supplies, but I figured you brought some right?" I said, moving on.
Richard's awkward laugh somehow got even more uncomfortable.
"Eh, well that is a shame because I hadn't brought any..."
"What?!" I nearly screamed, almost waking Sabre.
Richard turned apologetic, clasping his palms together.
"I ascertained that they would provide for us, so I forgot to bring any."
"Then what are we going to do for food?!"
"You need not worry, I am a part of the hunters assign to the trail. I have plenty of food to share," Percival assured us.
"Why don't we all chat in the back of the wagon, we'll be due to be moving soon."
They went and entered the back of the wagon. Throughout the entire thing, not once acknowledging Jerry's existence. Not even sparing him a glance. I looked at him sympathetically, he forced a smile as if to tell me not to worry. His eyes telling the fact that this isn't wasn't uncommon for him.
"Aurora?" Richard called.
Jerry shoed me away as he got into the driver's carriage. I stepped into the back of the wagon.