The Fell War - Chapter 29 (Patreon)

Alfre was never so happy to see the snowy, cloudy skies over Spade. Nor had she ever been so excited to approach the grimy, smelly docks, absolutely crowded with the lower-level Fell that had been left behind. They parted like the Red Sea as the gangplank was lowered and Atticus led the way off the ship and into the roars of the celebratory crowd.

Alfre stepped up to follow the stream of players down the rickety wooden plank, jumping when two sets of hands wrapped around her elbows.

“Okay,” Spica said into her ear as she and Elias practically carried Alfre down the gangplank. “You’ve been kinda mopey for the past two days. What happened?”

“Nothing you need to worry about, I’m fine,” Alfre insisted.

Elias eyed her dubiously. “Al, I can tell when you’re lying.”

“I never said you can call me Al,” Alfre grumbled, ignoring Spica as she began humming the song Alfre had inadvertently referenced.

“Just tell us,” Elias pleaded as they set foot on the far less rickety wood of the docks.

Alfre sighed. “Wally has decided that he’d rather not be in a relationship with me if it involves Canus and Abital.”

Spica faltered in her stride, her shock far more obvious than her emotions tended to be. “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that, darling.”

Elias frowned deeply. “You’re certain? We were so sure he’d follow you to the ends of the earth.”

“I’m certain,” Alfre said with a small nod, letting her friends steer her in the direction of the guildhall. “Really, I’m alright. I’ll be mopey for a few days, but I think most people are after a rejection like that. Besides, I still have Abital and Canus. Two out of three isn’t bad.”

“He’s not going to leave the guild, is he?” Elias asked, worry evident in the way his ears drooped.

“No, no,” Alfre assured him. “He’s more than willing to stay in the guild. He said he didn’t want to abandon his friendships. Or the garden.”

“Him and that garden,” Spica muttered. “Where is he, anyway?”

“Probably helping Traveler find her way to the hall,” Alfre groused. “Seeing as we left her behind.”

Elias flushed pink at the realization. “Oh! Well, I feel bad now.”

“Should we turn back?” Spica asked, turning to look over her shoulder at the swarm of people disembarking.

“Maybe just wait for them at the end of the docks,” Alfre suggested. “So we’re out of the way, you know.”

They paused where the wood of the dock met the cobblestones of the streets, waiting patiently for Traveler and Wally to make their way through the adoring crowd. June and Doremi passed them as they waited, hugging each of them in turn. Hunter gave them a nod as he marched by with his guild, Henry waving a bit more enthusiastically to Spica as they went. Lance passed by with some stragglers from the Knights of the Burning Oak, clasping hands with Alfre for a moment before moving on. Even Ludovico and Maldrom greeted them as they passed.

Eventually, Traveler and Wallace made their way towards them, Traveler leading Wally by the hand like one would a child. By that point, Abital and Canus had joined Alfre and the others in their waiting.

“Quite the welcome!” Traveler exclaimed with a laugh. “Never thought I’d see the day when someone greeted me like that!”

“It’s very overwhelming,” Wally said, his voice a little shaky.

Alfre smiled gently. “Then we should head home. It’s bound to be quieter there.”

“Do we have enough linens for Traveler’s bed?” Elias asked as they turned to wander up the familiar streets.

“Oh, probably, we bought far more than we ever expected to need,” Spica assured blithely, linking hands with him as they went.

Traveler released Wally’s hand to trot up beside them, humming contently as she took in the sights of the city. It’d been far too long since she’d been in Spade. Wallace followed close behind, content to listen to the conversation.

Alfre found herself walking a little slower, watching her friends as they made their way up the street. She found herself suddenly very glad she’s won that little writing contest what felt like so long ago. How many people could claim they met their best friends by falling into a video game world? How many people could claim that their friends followed them into battle with an evil empire without a shred of hesitation? She couldn’t think it was many.

She felt Abital’s comforting hand settle on the small of her back and Canus’ firm grip wrap around her shoulders. She smiled. Yes, even though she’d lost Wally, she could be content with this. Perhaps it was better this way, it was much easier to hold two hands than three.

It took Traveler five seconds to find the guild’s ledger and another two seconds to sign her name to it. It took the four of them thirty minutes to make her bed, breaking out into a pillow fight mere seconds after the first sheet was set. It took them another ten minutes to calm down enough to wander back down stairs to eat. It took them hours of simply sitting in front of the fireplace and talking before they felt ready to even think about sleeping.

And once she was settled in bed – Abital on one side, Canus on the other, and Beira at her feet – it took Alfre no time at all to fall asleep.