Missing Maiden
By: Jason Page
Hilton was a booming coastal city and was the only port city on the continent of Lacour. The carts that stood outside yielded many different commodities. Many travelers from the continent of Cross made Hilton their first stop heading to Lacour Castle. Hilton's tavern, Stone attracted crowds with their extravagant wines. Claude, Rena, and a few of their friends, slept at the local inn, Hilton Island.
At daybreak, they slowly arose. Rena rolled to her side, making the book Ocean of Stars fall onto the floor next to her bed, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Claude's hand fell off of his bed and hit the hilt of his sword. He instinctively gripped the handle, and sat up. Celine slowly sat up;her sheet fell off of her chest. She slouched forward and her silver hair fell in front of her face. Tossing her hair behind her shoulders, she turned to sit with her thin legs off the bed and adjusted her gown straps. Ernest's third eye opened and he stared at the ceiling before opening the others. Opera pushed the cotton pillow onto the ground and sat up with there hair tangled. She let out a long silent yawn while rubbing her third eye. Ashton was the last to wake up. He mumbled in his sleep, "Oh, the almighty triumph...overthrow all of the ene...." He awoke on his side with his hands clutching a dream sword. He moaned then blushed as he noticed everyone staring at him, then flinched after hearing Gyoro and Ururun yawn.
"Everyone have a good sleep?" Claude greeted. They all replied and mumbled to each other about their dreams if they remembered them. Ashton frowned, "I had a dream that I fought all ten wise men by myself." They all grew silent. A courteous knocking was at the door. Claude looked at the others; they nodded at him in unison. Claude cleared his throat, "Come in!"
A young maid slowly, yet calmly, opened the door, "Good morning ladies and gentlemen." They all responded respectively. The bleach-blonde maid pulled in a cart carrying orangeade and corn potage and delivered breakfast-in-bed to the visitors. They all thanked her for her kindness; she kept a smile on her face the whole time. It was truly service with a smile. On her way out the maid turned, "By the way, the blonde girl wanted me to tell you that she woke up early to go to the pier." The maid silently slipped out of the room.
"That Precis," Rena commented, "She's always so energetic." The others added in a mumble in between spoons of potage. One by one, they finished eating the went into the bathroom to change into their day wear.
"I need to get a hamburger," Ashton announced, "Ready you two?"
"You're still hungry, darling?" Celine asked. Ashton pointed to his back, "Gyoro and Ururun ate most of my potage." The two dragons let out a satiated belch. Ashton put his twin swords at his sides and left the room. Opera looked into a mirror and brushed her hair. Celine did the same. Rena adjusted her hairpin while, next to her, Claude fitted his headband. Ernest stretched with his whip in his hands.
"I guess I'll go to Stone," Opera announced, standing up. Ernest hopped off of his bed, "I'll go too," he added. The two Tetragenes waved bye to Claude, Rena, and Celine and left the room. Celine stood up while fluffing her hair, "I guess I'll check out the Seaside Music Shop, darlings. I want to see if I can still play the violin."
"Music is so soothing to the soul," Rena commented, "I love the calm melodies of the lyre." Celine smiled, adjusting her headdress. She picked her crest rod and started walking toward the door. Her white rove was less than an inch from dragging on the floor. Celine waved her wand leaving a trail of glistening stars leading out of the door. Claude stood facing Rena and placed his sword at his side, "I'm going to go check on Precis and make sure she's not getting into any trouble." Rena smiled and nodded, "Mind if I tag along?" Claude grinned, "I don't see why not." He held the door open for Rena and she smiled brightly at him while exiting the door.
"Good morning," Paula, the inn clerk greeted, "Did you have a nice night?" Claude and Rena told her they had a wonderful night. The glass doors of Hilton Island displayed Lacour's coat of arms. Stepping outside, Claude and Rena got a breath full of refreshing ocean air. A crowd had gathered a short way away from Hilton Island and was apparently in front of the Seaside Music Shop. Claude and Rena merged with the outside of the congregation. They slipped by the watcher until they were in the innermost ring. Celine stood proudly while playing Enter the Hero on the violin with perfection. Everyone was quiet. Even th music cart owner, Mr. L. Prima and the neighboring tool cart owner, Rosso was captivated by the harmonious melody. The end of the song was followed by a hardy applause. Celine bowed, "Thank you, darlings. It was just okay."
L. Prima called Celine over to his cart waving his hands vigorously, "You're-a a good musician-a. I like-a your song-a. You can have-a the violin-a, it's-a on-a me."
"Thank you, darling," Celine replied. Claude and Rena approached Celine, "That was really good, Celine. How long have you played the violin?"
"I've been playing since I was a child, darlings." Claude stepped forward, "Have you seen Precis?" Celine shook her head, "As soon as I left the inn I came here. The only person that was with us I saw was Ashton arguing with Gyoro and Ururun. he's over there at the food store." Her arm extended to point to the food store where Ashton stood flustered. Claude and Rena thanked Celine and went off to question Ashton about Precis' location.
"No Gyoro! I'll get you the chicken skewers. Ururun, can you be quiet? Do you want the skewers too?" Ashton argued. he gave each dragon a skewer, "Can I get my hamburger now?" The twin dragons were quiet. Claude and Rena Approached Ashton, "Hello Ashton," they both greeted. Ashton was startled, "Huh? Oh, hi."
"How have you been?" Claude asked. Ashton sighed, "Gyoro and Ururun have been pains," he pointed to the dragons on his back. Claude sympathized, "I'm sorry about the whole Salva Drift incident."
"It's okay, I should have been paying more attention," Ashton sighed. Gyoro and Ururun bowed their heads. Ashton took the hamburger from the counter of the food store, Munchies, and started eating. He gobbled it quickly so Gyoro and Ururun wouldn't steal it from him. Rena stepped up, "Have you seen Precis around?" Ashton shook his head and forced himself to swallow a mouthful, "Didn't the maid say that she went to the docks?"
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Rena announced, "Let's go, Claude.... Thanks Ashton!" Claude thanked Ashton as well and Ashton waved to them while finishing hamburger.
Sailor loaded cargo onto transport ships to be sent off to the continent of Cross. The ocean was calm and clear accompanied by a light breeze. Sometimes the breeze sped up and mixed with the ocean to make a refreshing mist. Other than the diligent working sailors, there were a few men, women, and children lounging on the pier.
Claude and Rena stood at the center of the pier and looked up and down for Precis. She wasn't there. Claude and Rena decided to ask a sailor if he had seen Precis.
"Excuse me sir," Rena said, "Have you seen a blonde haired girl running around..."
"Did she have some kind of mechanical contraption with her?" the sailor interrupted. Rena answered, "Yes,sir."
"You don't have to call me 'sir'. The lass you're looking for was buggin' me with a lot of questions a while ago. She left with a couple that had three eyes." Instantly they knew she had to be with Ernest and Opera.
"Thank you, sir," Rena said. Claude said the same and ran off. The sailor grumbled, "You don't have to call me 'sir'." Claude and Rena ran past the Skill Guild and down the paved walkway to reach the tavern. The painted sign next to the tavern door said TAVERN STONE- Open Midday to Midnight. Claude and Rena stepped into Stone.
The boisterous chatter and songs of drunken travelers overwhelmed them. There was a scent of liquor in the air. The proprietor was sliding drinks across the table to Stone's customers. Claude and Rena stood in the doorway and scanned the room for Opera, Ernest, and Precis. A partially drunken man staggered up to Claude and pulled at his arm, "Come an' have uh drink wid me." Rena stood cautiously on guard. Claude planted his feet on the floor, "I'd rather pass on your offer, however have you seen a three-eyed woman and man with a blonde girl?" The drunken man pointed Claude's arm to the stools in the front. Claude shook his arm loose and hurried to the front of the bar with Rena close behind him.
Opera was sipping at a mug of apple cider and talking with Ernest who was drinking Hassaku tea. The were interrupted when Claude jumped into the seat next to Opera.
"Oh my! Claude, you startled me," Opera yelped.
"When did you..." Ernest jumped.
"Sorry, but I came to check on Precis."
"Precis? Oh her, she left when we came in here. Said something about Skill Power." Opera announced. Ernest was watching two men argue under the influence of alcohol, "This is an interesting place," he commented. Rena squeezed in between Claude and Opera, "Opera, Precis went to Skill Power?"
"Yeah, she said she was going to ask them about Mech Operations or something," Opera paused to take a sip of cider, "Ern, didn't Precis say she was going to Skill Power?" Ernest's mug was suspended before his mouth, "Yes, she did." Claude stood up and turned to the door, searching for a clear path to the exit. Opera went back to her chat with Ernest. The proprietor leaned toward Opera and Ernest, "There's always a rowdy bunch every day," he pointed to a corner with some wild acting men, "There's today's." Neither Opera nor Ernest knew how to respond.
"Well, things happen," Ernest came around to say. Claude finally spotted a clearance, "Rena, let's advance forward." They rushed to the exit to meet the clean air outside. They both took a deep breath to clear the alcohol vapor from their lungs. After diluting their lungs with clean air, they made their way to Skill Power.
They opened the door to the small skill guild and heard the chimes as they stepped on the activator. The explainer, advisor, and guild master all focused on Claude and Rena, but Precis kept talking. After noticing that they weren't listening, Precis looked to see what caught their attention. Claude and Rena exhaled exhaustedly at the sight of Precis' face. Precis ran up to them, barking like a puppy. Claude bowed his head and rubbed his forehead, "That Precis."
"We were looking all over for you, Precis," Rena stated with mother-like anger, "Where were you all day?"
Precis started her story, "First, I woke up before everyone else did, so I took my Bobot out with me to walk around. The morning ocean air called me to the pier. Bobot and I sat there until the sailors came." Precis put her hands on her hips, "The sailors were big meanies because they said that I talked too much. So I left the pier and started to walk back to the hotel, when I dropped Bobot. I guess he got scared, and he started running, so I had to chase him. While I was chasing, him he ran into Opera. Opera and Ernest wanted me to go in Stone with them." Precis held her hands in front of her, "'I can't go in there,' I told them, them I decided to come here to ask the skill men about Mech Operations and Mech Knowledge, see?" Precis smiled childishly after telling her story.
"Young maiden," the guild master called out, "Were you just browsing, or were you going to buy a skill?" Precis smiled while shaking her head negatively, "I've already purchased one, dearie." The guild master smiled in acknowledgment. Claude and Rena started to leave, "Let's get outta here," Claude said. He and Rena left the skill guild.
"Precis!"
"I'm coming!"
