Honestly speaking, despite my attitude, and devil my care performance, I felt like shit. Both physically and generally. One one hand I was weak, my body was slow, my movements lagging, something that would be terrible in battle. The thing that made it all worse though was the way that Beatrice moved to avoid me again, like we were back to square one in terms of after the warehouse thing. I had been making such good progress too, so the setback was even more biting.
We made it around Half way to Spellerguard before It was decided to make camp. By this point the setup was so natural to the point where we worked and did our jobs without someone designating. I was in charge of gathering firewood, Selene would unpack our Sleeping bags and things while Aiden would do a check of the ATV to ensure everything was good as well as gather herbs for potion brewing before going to bed, Beatrice was in charge of counting our supply of food and water. Liora was in charge of monster checking, and Thalia would set up a tarp and sleeping areas.
The work was like that of a well oiled machine that required every person to do their role perf-.
"Hey Aiden, can you count the stuff for me, Ill go with Jax on firewood duty in case his wounds start acting up."
Beatrice said, perfectly cutting off my internal dialog as I stopped and turned. Aiden seemed just as surprised as he said.
"Uh sure, if you want to."
Aiden and I met eyes as we initiated our super secret skill, Brolepathy!!!(not an actual skill)
The special skill that would allow the tightest of bros to communicate only through blinking and vague body movements. With this seemingly niche skill whole conversations can be exchanged without alerting anyone. I blinked my eyes in rhythm and swirled my paws in opposite directions.
"Dude, what is she doing, I thought she was avoiding me?"
Aiden looked back, cleared his throat and spun on the spot and tapped his finger on the trailer.
"I don't know man, on the plus side here is your chance to fix whatever was done."
The girls all stared at us with this look of confusion and second hand embarassment as it seems that the capacities of Brolepathy expanded to reveal the female mind for a brief shining moment.
"What the fuck are those two nutjobs doing?"
This skill must be developed further. Who knows, in just a few years we may revolutionize the male to female interaction by allowing men to understand things foreign to them, like the female mind.
I believe Beatrice must have been watching me fight as she ran over and delivered a solid punch to my face as I spiraled and crumpled to the ground, my snout throbbing as Beatrice began to drag me towards the woods.
"Quit being weird you mangey mutt!"
Beatrice barked through clenched teeth as Aiden and the others watched as Aiden asked quietly.
"I thought you were helping…. prevent… injuries."
I ended up walking on my own after a minute as Beatrice began speaking in a strange language that I recognized from the amount of times she had looked at the small little white glows that flew around her. They even seemed to be having an argument as Beatrice seemed flushed with anger as she snapped at the air where the floating balls were while barking at them in that strange language.
I tried my best to work around them, allowing her all the time she needed to sort out her issues with Sera, and if I'm remembering right Melt, wait no it was Malt. As I did I couldn't help but feel Beatrice's occasional glances at me before she walked over, cornering be against a set of twin trees I couldn't squeeze through. While size wise I had the advantage, I really didn't want to test that against her.
"Jax, we need to talk about what happened in the dungeon."
I turned back to Beatrice as she locked her intense and slightly hostile gaze on me. In a weird way I no longer felt like I had the size advantage anymore. I shrunk back as I asked.
"Uhh, sure, are you looking for an apology about hiding the vow thing because I'll totally apologize for that, I was in the wrong and I am so-"
Beatrice cut me off with a shake of her head.
"I'm talking about the fact that you're hiding the fact that you're still not fully recovered mentally."
As she said it I felt a shiver run through me, the kind of shiver you only feel when someone is looking into something private you wern't sure if you were ready to share and find you're still not fully prepared for. I looked down, refusing to meet meet Beatrice's eyes as I felt that small voice that was new since I woke up, almost like a persistent dark thought.
We need to kill her, she will tell the others and we will be alone again. We can't tear apart our father if we are alone.
It spoke in an almost sickening way using the voice of Orion, my brother. I looked at Beatrice, expecting a stern expression or a steely resolve, but instead I was surprised to find that she was looking at me with…. Is that pity?
"How long were you planning to wait to tell us about this Jax?"
Beatrice asked. She sounded concerned, even a bit angry. The thing that stung though was that the anger in her voice oozed a sense of betrayal. I took a moment to collect myself before I turned to Beatrice and said.
"I… I was planning to hide it until I could find a fix on my own."
I could have lied, I could have reassured her that I was trying to find a good time, Orion's voice in my head never encouraged it, but something in me refused to lie about this right now. Beatrice looked me in the face as she asked with a tint of venom in her voice.
"Is it because you think we're weak? That we can't handle hearing about this?"
"Its not! It… This…. I…. I just didn't want to be alone again, ok!?"
I finally explained, my words caught as if my mouth was a trap before finally rolling out in a rush. Beatrice looked at me with an unreadable expression as around me Vines rose up covered in white petals.
Party member Beatrice has evoked the pact
A Primrose garden rises around her
I watched as the towering vines rose. This was Beatrice's offensive skill she had used in the dungeon with the necromancers.
"Wait, Beatrice please."
I said desperation tinting my voice. I knew it, she was going to try to chase me off to say I was going to drag this party down, that I was going to get someone killed by hiding things. I knew she was right, I knew it was the correct thing to do, but fear gripped me anyways as I tried to move and step back, but the vines wrapped around my paws, holding me in place. Orion's voice in my head screamed at me to break free, to rip apart these vines even if it means tearing my own arms off, they will regrow anyways and kill her, we must before she tries to take away our chance to get revenge.
I closed my eyes, awaiting the strike, or to be grabbed and thrown, but instead there was a feeling of warmth that spread through me. Orion's voice, a moment ago booming and hostile, was now no louder than a barely audible whisper. The vines around me receded as Beatrice watched me as if looking for something.
Party member Beatrice has evoked the second clause of their pact
A Primrose garden gives its vitality to you
"I, I don't, what did, huh?"
I asked dozens of questions in my mind, most not wanting to wait their turn. Beatrice turned and began to walk back to the pile of firewood and gathered a group with her paws to carry.
"I didn't get rid of it, I can't. The best I can do is suppress it if it starts to run wild like it did. This needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, understand?"
I stared after Beatrice as I found small wells of tears beginning to gather in my eyes as I nodded. Beatrice paused, her mouth open as she was reaching for her pile before she looked back and said, this time in a more shy tone.
"You helped me not be alone anymore, I'm just returning the favor is all."
I nodded, fighting to hold back tears as I spoke the only thing on my mind.
"Thank you."