A Boda of New Beginnings for a Once Wandering Heart Chapter 9

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Chapter 9

Al: You too, Riquet? I’m kinda surprised…you seem so smart, and you’re a good teacher…

Mitile: Al, if you’d like, do you wanna join in on my brother’s class?

Al: Sure! 

Rutile: Okay, let’s make a circle everyone! Today’s special lesson is about…weddings! 

Town Children: Yaaaay!

Rutile: Do you know how many sayings there are about brides? There’s tons! To finish off today’s hard work, I’m going to quiz you on one of them.

One saying says, what will happen if you make a present for the bride, and manage to keep it secret until the wedding day when you give it to her? 

Riquet: She’ll be happy? 

Rutile: True! She would be, but there’s something else that will occur!

Child: What is it?

Rutile: I’ll give you a hint. We often hold weddings outside, right…?

Mitile: On the day of the wedding, it’ll be clear skies!

Rutile: Aah, Mitile! You’re so close!

Another hint. If you see this on a joyous day and in a clear sky you’re sure to smile!

Al: Ah, is it a rainbow…?

Rutile: Ding ding ding! Everybody clap for Al!

Receiving praise from everybody makes him shrink in embarrassment, but he didn’t look to hate it at all.

Rutile: It’s just a saying, but wouldn’t it be nice if it was true?

Al: …I want to try that. To make it the best wedding ever.

Rutile: That’s very sweet of you, Al. What shall we make?

Al: Uhhm…I can make flower crowns.

Mitile: Flowers and shrubs grow everywhere here, so that’s perfect!

Riquet: The first paper decoration we made was flowers too. Do you like flowers, Al?

Al: Only ‘cuz you don’t need any money to pick them. I made a flower crown and gave it to my friend…Lizzy, once. 

Ever since last night, Al’s been more open about himself and Lizzy, talking freely. 

Rutile: Alrighty Al, let's go flower picking with everyone!

Al: Okay. It’s been a while though, so I wonder if I still remember how…

Rutile: Hehe. From now on, you’re my student.

He crouches down, meeting eyes with Al. 

Al: Your student…?

Lizzy wanted to go to school too…if she had a teacher like you, I bet she’d love it.

Uhm, if we find Lizzy, can we take another one of your classes together?

Rutile: Of course! You’re always welcome, and I think I’ll love Lizzy too. 

Al: …Heehee…

Al giggles as he stares down at the compass he took out. I realized then that the engraved letters he kept tracing over spelt Lizzy’s name. 

Al: Oh, Rutile. There was something else I wanted to do for the wedding…can we talk while we make the flower crowns?

Rutile: Sure!

After that, we picked plenty of flowers. Al had created a splendid flower crown,

to which everyone complimented, only making him feel more excited to give it to Emily. 

Riquet: Al, keep fidgeting like that and she’s bound to find out.

Mitile: Should we hide the crown at my house for now?

Al: I-It’s fine! I’ll go hide it somewhere in the room they gave me!

Al: Where should I put it…? Maybe the forest would be a better spot…

(Huh, there’s something on the floor. What is this…?)

A veil…for the bride! Right, Emily did mention that she was going to fix it. 

The flower crown and the veil…they both would look good on her.

Lizzy, I got better at making flower crowns. I’ll make another one for you too.

Owen: …

Al: Woah…y-you scared me. Who’re you…?

Owen: I’m Owen.

Al: Do you need something?

Owen: Porranborn. I’m looking for that dessert.

They said I’d be able to eat it, but it’s nowhere in sight. This sucks.

Al: You can eat it at the wedding.

Though this one was postponed because of me…

Owen: I heard. You made a real mess of the venue.

You must really hate the bride and groom that much, huh.

Al: …No…I know how it may seem to you, but I actually really love those two. 

I’m happy for them, truly. 

Owen: Yeah, yeah. Well I hate weddings.

Making a promise just to be together forever is stupid. What, you can’t be together forever without one?

Al: …Are you together with somebody who you won’t make promises to?

Owen: What?

As if I’d ever. I’m with no one.

Al: …He’s gone.

A promise…

Woaaah!? …Shoot, the veil’s being taken by the wind!

I have to catch it! Ugh, why’d I leave the door open…!

It just keeps on going…running’s no use. I need to fly!

(But…can I? What if I fall again…?)

Ack, there’s no time for that!

Al: (The wind is so strong…if I don’t speed up I’ll lose sight of it.)

(Faster, faster…! Almost there…it’s within hand’s reach, I just need to…)

(Grabbed it! But…)

(I overdid it. This is bad…I feel my power weakening…I’m falling…!)

W-Waaaaaugh!

Al: …Ow.

(I can’t move my legs…that was quite the fall.)

Ah! The veil! Where is it…

No, it’s ripped…did it latch on to something? I need to fix it…!

No use…I’m still behind in magic. I even managed to fly this far though…

I need to contact someone…but…

…They’ll think it’s my fault again…

Even if it was the wind, no one will forgive me this time…

I may not even see Lizzy…she might be long gone by now…

…No, no, no! I can’t think like that!

I’ll see Lizzy again, and the wedding will go perfectly! That’s what I’ve decided…

They don’t have to forgive me, just, just let me do this…!

Mitile: Mr. Leno, Master Sage! Have you seen Al?

Lennox: No, not for a while now. What’s the matter?

Riquet: He went to go hide his present for Emily, and disappeared.

Akira: What…?

Riquet: He did say he would hide it so that she wouldn’t find it, but it’s strange that we haven’t seen him yet. 

Rutile: And his compass was left on the floor of the front door…

Lennox: We can split up and search, but first Rutile, can you use magic on his belongings to track him down?

Rutile: I’ll try…! Lizzy, lend me your power. 

Ortonik Setomaouge. 

When he said his spell, the arrow of the compass that’s meant to point north changed direction. 

Rutile: Let’s go to where this arrow is pointing!

We flew straight away to where the compass pointed. Yet these were the vast lands of South, so even spotting Al was difficult. 

Lennox: Riquet, Mitile. Can you check over there?

Mitile & Riquet: Yes!

Lennox: Let’s continue searching every nook and cranny of this field.

Rutile: Oh Al, where are you…

Akira: (Why now, when we’re about to find Lizzy…)

The setting sun dyes the grass bed red, and the wind that swept our skins grew colder. …Night was soon approaching.

Staring at the edge where sky and land meet, I noticed what seemed like a white bird in the corner of my eyes flapping about.

Akira: (What’s with it…?)

Looking closer at the nearby cliff, what was flapping about was actually a thin cloth flowing in the wind.

Rutile: That’s…that’s a veil!

Lennox: …! Let’s hurry.

They fly their brooms to the bottom of the cliff.

As we descended, that familiar deep green hair entered my vision.

Lennox: It’s Al…!

Our reflection in his eyes shook. 

Al: Lennox, Rutile…

Rutile: Oh no, he’s badly hurt…

Lennox: Al, you’re safe now. 

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