Chapter 49: 2-2: Normalcy

I poked Quaza in the side as she came to. She slapped my hand away with a few choices swears.

“What are you doing Hayli?”

“Making sure you’re alive.” 

“I was just sleeping.” She turned to my dad who was sparing with Nox, both happy to have someone else strong to fight with, “Can’t you control you daughter, Sir Lord?”

“Please call me Swyr. And are you not her mistress?”

“Doesn’t actually work that way.”

"It did back in my days."

"Why are you coming with us, again?"

"As I said, your highness, I wish to talk to your mother."

"About what?"

"Nothing that you should worry about."

"I find that hard to believe, Lord Swyr."

I walked casually to where Caela was fishing, or rather sitting with a long stick with a rope tied to it in her hands and staring blankly at the waters of the pond. I plopped my ass down next to her.

"What are you doing Hayli?"

"Getting away from my father. Catching anything?"

"What do you think."

"Are you okay? You seem upset. Is it what happened back in the village?"

She shook her head, "No, no. I've just been thinking to myself, and I pissed myself off."

"What about?"

"I want a girlfriend. Like you and Quaza."

"I'm not dating Quaza."

"But you sleep together."

"I've slept with you before too."

"But every night pretty much?"

"Weren't you saying something?"

"Right, any advice?"

"What's your type?"

"Girls."

"That is not helping Caela."

"Sorry, I really don't know."

"Okay what people have you had crushes on before?"

"There was this one girl I met when- oh!" She stopped pulling hard on the pole until she comically fell backwards and landed in the grass and decent sized boot lay tangled in her line. Caela swore and broke the rod and tossed it and the boot back in the water. 

"You were saying something."

"Right. Well, she's not much of a memory in my mind, so that won't be much help."

"Well, don't worry. I haven't had a girlfriend either."

"I still don't believe that."

"Unfortunately, you should. Because Hayli Summer is forever single." I said walking away.

We started walking again not long after and made our way over the next few days back to the Capitol where we were immediately escorted to the throne room and then out of the throne room when Honi noticed my father. 

(By the way, have you ever noticed how odd it is that humons don't have horns? Even if the animal we are associated with does? I mean Quaza looks more like a Deer Humon than any actual Deer Humon I've seen. More like Doe Humons. I mean my dad and cousin have the water dragon look with those horns, I just look like a sea green lizard. Really not fair. I mean seriously, I may be beautiful, but the racist types always call me a lizard. Or a snake if they notice my tail. Despite the fact Snake Humons don't have fucking ears like mine. Sorry, sorry. Ranting, I know.)

Quaza grumbled that she was also sent out while sulking on the floor. Nox was struggling to stay awake as she leaned against the wall while Caela had rushed off to the bathroom as soon as she heard the first syllable escape from the Queen's painted lips. I for my part was picking off some dried mud that had gotten on my tail. I really hoped we'd get to stay and relax for even just a couple of days. It had been too long since we had any normalcy in our lives. A woman cannot survive while being sent on stupid little quests while the world could be in actual danger.

"Nox. I'm bored." Quaza complained.

"Then go entertain yourself. I want to sleep."

"Can't and neither can you sleep until my mom dismisses us both."

"What if I leave and you stay here."

"I command you to stay here."

"You let Caela leave."

"She said she had to piss, Nox."

"She's been gone ten minutes now."

"Maybe she went to take a dump as well."

I giggled and shook my head. "Quaza, let her go. I can take the punishment of standing near you all alone."

Quaza glared at me and sighed, "Fine. Nox, you can go."

Nox bowed and ran off to her room to presumably fall asleep on top of all the covers while I was left to continue to wait for whatever Quaza was waiting for.

"Hayli. Your father. What is his game?"

"What are you asking?"

"I'm just asking if you know what he wants?"

"No, no. After father un-mind controlled me and left a human bolted to the floor in his house, he hasn't told me anything more than what you heard on the way here."

"Hayli, can you stop saying insane things so casually?"

"Sorry, I guess..." I shook my head. "I guess I just take after my father."

"I really wish they'd tell us everything they know so we could solve whatever that idiot Vern and crew are doing."

"They probably don't trust us to understand it."

"More like she doesn't trust you four."

"Three."

She frowned and counted, "Right. Three."

We had not much longer to wait, thankfully. A little bit later my father emerged a bemused expression painted across his square face. 

“Well? Did she say she needed us?” Quaza asked.

“No, you are free to go.” He began, “And free for the week.”

“Really?” I asked jumping up like a snake had bit my ass.

“Yes. Those other Rune Items Bianca gave out- your mother, Quaza, has told she wishes to gather some of them. Unfortunately, a precious daughter of mine broke the mind control one, though.”

“So, the week is for recon?” Quaza asked.

“Yes. And then when her Highness decides which are important enough, we’ll send you to get them.”

“Aren’t they in Human territory?”

“Not all. Just most.”

I nodded and yawned, “I think Nox had the right idea.”

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Quaza nodded, “I agree. Let us get in our bed.”

“Can you not say it like that?”

“Would you rather sleep on the floor?”

“I’d rather sleep with a girl that isn’t you.”

“Well, unfortunately for you, I am all you have.”

(Look I know Caela and Nox are options but… I just feel like that would be wrong to do.)

The next morning, Quaza decided to finally be a proper hostess and take us for a walk around the city that she would one day be ruling and ruling from.

"And this is the market. Don't buy from here. The prices are bad."

"Quaza, just because you never learned to haggle..." Nox shook her head smirking.

"Actually, Nox, these prices suck because they're too low."

"Yeah, that does sound like an issue a rich girl would have." I replied.

"Hayli, you are also a rich girl. Nox is the only one of us that's not rich and she's basically rich because she works for me."

"Yeah, but I support an economic system that doesn't have multiple hundreds of percentage points mark up from the cost to produce to the price to sell."

"How about we move on to the Entertainment District."

"Is there a theater?" I asked.

"An Opera House actually."

"Anything else?" Nox inquired.

"Um. There's a restaurant that I hear is good. Want to check it out?"

We all shrugged in unison and followed Quaza further into the city. I had to be pulled away from entering the Opera when we passed it and a revue, I had heard good things about, was being performed within the hour. The restaurant had a hand painted sign with the name "Lavon Vas Chanki". Huh. Weird coincidence.

Quaza quickly got us inside and seated like she was important or something. I ordered fish for my meal, while the others ordered whatever they ordered. I picked at the free bread they gave us while Quaza continued to do her duty as a hostess and try and make conversation. 

"So, Nox. Wonder how your brother is doing."

"Which one?"

"Really? Why would I care how the dirt eater is doing?"

"Maybe you wanted to know if Ulther had a breakthrough in his craft?"

Quaza groaned, "Hayli, you think you'll be fine if we eventually have to face your Shield and cousin?"

"Sairah is going to be tough for me but Ilyah no."

"And you Caela?"

"I don't really care about any of the Heroes."

"And that's why I like having you around." 

"Speaking of this, shouldn't we try and contact the polycule?" Nox asked.

"Right. We could use them to help reduce all the work we need to do. I shall mention that to mother tomorrow."

I leaned over to Nox, "How are you and the twink twins?"

"Why do you call Vern the twink?"

"I mean... he was one. Is one?"

"Really? Huh. Well, guess I got the muscles in the family." She joked.

"Hey, Quaza?" Caela asked.

"Yes?"

"If they make us pair off, I want to go with Hayli."

"I mean I was going to make you go with her anyways. It's unbalanced the other way. If that's fine with you, Hayli."

"Better than being with you. Plus, I'll get a bed to myself."

"We'll see."

The waitress piled food in front of us and the feast began. Caela and Nox with their normal humanoid teeth cut their meat but the princess and mine own sharp teeth shredded the meat in front of ourselves whole. It wasn't long until Nox was carrying a full Quaza on her back as we made our way to the castle again.

(Okay, I am going to be honest, just repeat this situation a few more times in your head. That is all we did. I also forgot to write what I did down, and my father yelled at me. So, yeah. Oops.)

Caela and I curtsied while Nyx bowed to the Queen. 

"Hello, my beloved daughter and other candidates. I have two places for you to go to. For my daughter and Nox, there is a farm in Neucontre that's crop yield is suspicious. Go and find whatever is causing it. Such a thing would be a boon to our supply efforts."

"Of course, Mother. It would be an honor. You wouldn't mind if I gambled a bit, would you?"

"Nox, you seem reasonable. Do you believe you could curb her from wasting a fortune?"

"I can try your highness."

"Good. Now, Hayli and Caela. Actually, yours is simple. There's a human town northeast of Honopolis that has been suddenly producing strong mages and guess what we suspect it to be. Right, Rune Item. Get and bring it back- or save that break it so the humans can't use it."

"Human territory? Is that safe?" Caela asked.

"Eh, it's near the border still so you two not being humans won't be an issue as much. It's the other two main points of you that might be frowned upon."

"What does she mean Hayli?"

"Girl stuff."

"Oooh. Shit. I hope we get done quick then." She turned back to Honi, "We shall do as you ask of us, our Queen."

"Great. That is all. You may go and prepare. You leave today. My daughter there should be a carriage awaiting you. Hayli, there would have been a train, but we've stopped those for now for reasons you should be very aware of. So, visit Malo when the two of you are ready. She just got back yesterday."

Caela went to go and pack for the two of us while I decided to take a quick triple to the oracle for some good luck hopefully. I made my way to her secluded little area and opened her door. The Oracle, Gakila, nodded as I entered. She did her little ritual and sighed as she simply told me, "This Hayli will meet people on her trip."

"That's all?"

"This Hayli is not one to give more of the vision I saw to."

"Well, thanks anyways."

"Of course. Say hello to them for me."

"Who?"

Gakila shrugged and said nothing.

I left and reunited with Caela, two large bags in each arm, and followed her to Malo. The Spatial Mage merely sighed in annoyance as we entered the room.

"Are you ready?"

We answered in the affirmative. Malo place a hand on each of our shoulders and squeezed a bit harder than she need to. And then in a flash of vertigo we found ourselves in a field of flowers. Malo pointed in the general direction we were supposed to go, apologizing for not getting all the way there and then teleported a hundred yards away, yelled in frustration and started walking in the direction of the border.

"Well, Caela. Shall I show you what the human kingdom is like?"

Caela laughed, "Sure. Ooh, maybe I'll get a girlfriend here."

"I think you'd more likely get driven out of town."

"Maybe you'll get one."

I was the one who laughed this time, "Let's just get going." 

And off we went.