Mendeve: Descendants

Chapter 13

After all the twists and turns through the hallways, they reached the stairs at last and descended. They met with Ricky and Ryan who were already waiting for them at the bottom of the steps.

As they reached them, Maddie glided into the room. She was dressed casually, her hair plaited in a neat braid.

"Oh good, you're all here. I thought I was going to have to drag you all downstairs to eat. Oh wait, where are the other two?" She asked looking around.

Just then, Ace and HD came in to view at the top of the stairs.

"Wait! I'm hungry too!" HD raced down the steps.

Ace rolled his eyes, still taking his time, walking down step by step.

"That should be everyone, yes? Come, come! I'm sure you all need a good meal in your stomachs after the day you've had." Maddie said as she led the way to the dining hall.

They followed Maddie to the dining hall which, would obviously be, bigger than the one in Galia. The table itself could fit more people than the maximum amount of customers that squeezed themselves in The Changeling.

The two soldiers that they saw Maddie with earlier that day, were also seated. They were dressed in casual wear as well.

They stood up at the sight of them entering, and bowed. They stayed standing until all of the ladies took their seats, then seated themselves.

Dinner was already served on the table. And still warm, by the looks of it. Belle's eyes roamed at everyone that was seated and noticed no one had taken the chair at the head of the table. Her father's chair.

Belle's train of thought came to a halt when she felt her stomach growl in protest, and started digging in like everybody else.

"We'll start our trip to the summit by tomorrow. I'm sure you all need a good night's sleep in a proper bed before continuing." Maddie said while eating.

"But we still have to summon Nuelae's King." Ricky frowned.

"Already done." One of the other men said.

"We've taken care of everything in our Region. All we have to concern ourselves with is getting well rested tonight, and making our journey tomorrow without raising any unwanted attention." Maddie continued.

HD's laugh escaped, earning silent stares from everyone. Well, everyone save Ricky. Ricky was glaring at him so hard, Belle was sure HD was being killed at least ten times in ten different ways in Ricky's head.

"Did I say something wrong?" Maddie asked.

HD grinned widely and opened his mouth to say something. But one look at Ricky's death glare had him returning his gaze back at his food, poking it with his fork intently.

"Oh please do say what's on your mind. Everyone's opinion here is welcome. Now, you were about to say something?" Maddie prodded.

HD looked nervously at Ricky, who turned his glare upon his food, before he answered.

"It's just that you want to journey to the summit without raising unwanted attention. That's impossible, since we'll be passing through Atheria. Even if we used the long way and bordered Orous, the vampires are sure going to sense us." HD said confidently.

"There's no way to hide a large group gallivanting around two Regions. If the humans don't suspect a thing, the vampires wouldn't be dumb enough to make that mistake." He continued. "Just saying."