Why Not For Life?

umm.. the next chappy, a LOT(okay maybe not, but alcking on other stuffage) of dialogue, and not completly edited yet

Aliciona Ecreal woke up with a headache pounding at her head. Feeling over to her side, she searched for her book containing all that she was to do that day. Although it was not there. In fact, nothing was there.

“What the-?” She murmured sleepily, letting her eyes adjust to the bright light in the room. It felt so weird, and she had this dark, disgusting feeling inside of her that this was not her home.

As her eyes finally cleared, Aliciona took in her surroundings only to find..

“Where the hell am I!?!?”

Lydia glared at the large corn stalk stubbornly. The plants just weren’t working with here today. It was as if they were just TRYING to aggravate her to death. And if she got mad she wouldn’t take it out on the plants when she was mad right? Right?

“Heh!” She murmured coldly at the tall green stalks, “You little hell stalks REALLY believe I won’t burn you to a crisp without a second thought. Oh you deprived little hunks of vegetable.”

“Uh Liddy?” A quiet voice came out…

Which OF COURSE our dear Lydia did not hear. And so she continued, “Oh how you are going to get it! It makes me giddy just dreaming about it!”

At this time Lydia was half purring. Little did she know, of course, that she was being watched by two disturbed men.

Seeing that Riam doing anything just wouldn’t work, Korreth cleared his voice and started, “Hey, Lydia! Or what was it Riam said? Liddy? What is talking to vegetables your new profession, or are you just practicing for some weird voodoo ritual?”

Lydia turned around. Her mouth was opened in a horrified shock, her cheeks bright red.

“Wha-What,” she blurted, embarrassed to death that they had seen any of her, ahem, conversation, “Y-you guys w-were watching?”

Korreth smirked his famous smirk, winking at her shamelessly. “C’mon girl, what do you expect? After all, that talk is reserved just for me. Remember?” The young man purred at her, his grin now almost covering his face.

Riam watched the whole conversation with an eyebrow raised. These two would really be an interesting twist to what was happening. All he hoped was that the two could stay on task long enough to get anything done with out arguing….

“I can’t believe you!” Lydia huffed angrily at the black haired man, “Why do I have to be stuck with somebody like you, of all people?! I’d rather just work alone!”

Saying this Lydia stomped off toward Kearia, untying the horses rains. After the horse came loose she jumped on it and rode off at a quick canter towards their, no her, home.

Korreth only watched with a slightly embarrassed look on his face. “Oops,” he said, laughing softly, “Did I go too far?”

Riam looked at the man with a look that said how-the-heck-can-you-possibly-think-you-didn’t, before leaving to retrieve his horse from where it was tied by the storage cottage. “C’mon Korreth,” He started at the older man, “Let’s go ‘fore she gets any madder than she already is.”

Sighing Korreth followed him on the horse which he had borrowed. Sometimes he just didn’t understand women, or their tempers.

Lydia growled dangerously at the boys as they entered the house. While Riam wasn’t the one that had been aggravating her, she wasn’t exactly in the mood to direct her anger away from him. In her mind, they both deserved it.

“Nacrebar,” she murmured, turning around as she stood so that she would not have to look at him, “You told me you had a map. Give it to me.”

Bewaring the young women’s wrath, Korreth did as Lydia asked. Quickly walking up to Aliciona’s mom’s room, where he had been staying he searched for the ancient map.

Korreth hadn’t expected Lydia to react so drastically. It was probably just because of what had been happening of late, though. Or at least, that’s what he hoped. He didn’t think that what he said would have any effect on the girl. And the fact that it had could only make him wonder what had happened to make here think so strongly against it. Most people wouldn’t take it as an insult, but she had….

He had told Liddy that if she felt so bad without her mom that she should, ‘run home to her daddy, wherever he was.’ And that what in the heck was a father doing in a different country than his daughter, anyways.

Korreth sighed. Now that he thought of it, he had never heard of a Mr. Ecreal. In fact, hadn’t Aliciona Ecreal been her mother’s maiden name? But if that was true, then why did Lydia react so badly to it? While love children weren’t always thought well of, Lydia’s reaction didn’t fit that. It was almost as if Lydia’s eyes showed sadness, or even regret.

“Ah! Here it is!” He whispered joyfully, racing downstairs to where the rest of the group was waiting.

Lydia raised an eyebrow coldly at him as he entered, and said, “So you’ve found it? At least you can do something, even if it’s still not much.”

“Heh heh,” Korreth replied jokingly, “so you still don’t trust me do you? What am I supposed to do, kiss you?”

“You think that will help ho-” Lydia started, but was cut off be a loud half choked sound.

Riam was leaning over the kitchen table – which he had previously been sitting calmly at – half choking on his drink from trying to laugh.

“RIAM!! I do not think that what happened was funny, and especially not funny enough for this!! Riam I said, RIAM!! Urgh! What is it with you men?!”

By this time, of course, Korreth had joined in the laughing. “Ahem,” He said, recovering his ‘dignity’, “I really didn’t think I was that funny, do you dear Lydia? Oh, wait, of course you don’t! Now, moving on. From the treacherous upstairs of this evil house-”

GLARE.

“-I, Korreth Nacrebar, have brought you, my dear friends, a great map. But no, do not leave,” Korreth was now pacing around the room, like an actor auditioning for a play, “for this is no ordinary map! This wonderful map lists all the magical places and happenings of our great world of Lacino. All you need do is but ask. It is also said,” He leaned into the center of the table, grinning, “that this treasure has the ability to show you any place of which you desire, in or out of this world.”

Lydia and Riam were amazed. The ability to see any place of your desires? No that just couldn’t be true! Magic is one thing; they grew up with this but… that? It just couldn’t be possible!

Gathering her lost composure, Lydia looked away from the map to look at Korreth and said, “So, if the map can do all that you say it can then show us.”

“Okay,” He started moving his finger over the map, “You have heard of the Gillian Ruins, right? Well then, let’s see if there is anything recorded there.”

Placing his finger over the place entitled ‘The Gillian Ruins’ Korreth pushed down on the spot. The place quickly rose up becoming 3-D on top of the map. In the center of the map there was a large swirling blue circle that recorded a portal to the Ellian Hills.

Korreth grinned at the two teens proudly before continuing, “You see? It is truly a wonderful map, is it not?”

Riam smiled at him, “Yes, I have a feeling it‘ll help us a lot in the future.”

“Yeah that’s all good and well,” Lydia sighed, looking her two teammates, “but that was not the power that I wanted to see. What of the other power you spoke of? Can you show us that?”

“I would… except for one small problem…”

“What.” Lydia growled, this man was starting to kill her.

“Well,” He started slowly, aware that he was on dangerous ground, “Like I said, its only a legend. While it is a legend I believe to be true, I still don’t know how to activate it. I was in fact hoping that we could attempt to find out how while we were here…”

Sighing, our dear heroine leaned back in her chair. She knew it was not his fault, but still! If he didn’t know how to use the power then why did he even mention it in the first place? It’s a well known fact that magical secrets are best found when they aren’t looked for!

The other two watched fretfully as she pushed herself off and away from the table. “Liddy?” Riam asked quietly, worried about his old friend.

Looking back at him she smiled before turning and continuing to walk, “don’t worry, I just need a small rest.

Korreth and Riam sat in uncomfortable silence as she left confused on how she really felt.

“Argh!” Korreth growled hopelessly, “why does that woman always have to be so confusing! I say, if you think something say it, or shut up. She has no right to lie straight at our faces like that!”

“Shh, calm down Korreth,” Riam replied quietly, “Plus, maybe she wasn’t lying… She did look pretty tired, after all, and it has been a long day…”

Korreth leaned back in his chair. It wasn’t that he necessarily wanted to annoy the girl - all the time, that is – but she just always seemed to take offense at everything he said...

Next to him Korreth heard a soft chuckle, growing into a full laugh. Looking over he saw Riam leaning back in his chair, laughing at something. “You are so hilarious!” He said loudly.

Korreth raised an eyebrow at the boy, “All ask about THAT later, but for now what in the heck happened to the nice quiet boy that was sitting here a moment ago?”

“Well,” Riam started, smirking, “I guess he decided to waltz away as you embarrassing yourself over there!”

Korreth smirked at this, “You talk about me embarrassing myself! You should see yourself with that stupid grin on your face!”

Riam smirked back at him evenly, “Yeah maybe but YOU should have seen yourself. You like her don’t you.”

“WHAT!” Korreth half choked, “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!”

Riam’s smirk grew, he could be so fun, “Oh c’mon I’ve see the ways you look at her! And your face just now proves it!”

“And YOU sound like a teenage girl!”

“I grew up with one if you don’t forget.” Riam replied smoothly.

Korreth glared at the younger boy. He was a hard opponent, but he would not win.

Meanwhile…

Aliciona watched the door expectantly. She didn’t understand this. She had been sitting in this danged room for over two days now, and still no-one had come to get her. They, or at least she assumed it was a they, came by ever four or so hours to give her food through a slot, but never showed themselves to her. Not even once.

Suddenly a knock was heard over the silence of the room. “Hello?” A voice called, muffled by the metal door, “Is an’one there? Oh no… Please don’t say that she’s left…. I-”

“No wait!” Aliciona yelled quickly. She heard the steps of the woman walking cease and sighed. So it looked as if she WASN’T to be left to die. Looking up at the ceiling she whispered softly, “Thank the heavens…”

Author's Note

Nothing much :P Your free to say anything that need to be edited though.