Legend Of Dragoon Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Dragoon II ❯ Jealousy ( Chapter 28 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
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Chapter 28) Jealousy

Orrin was very scared at this point. He never imagined he'd see Derreck acting so erratically. He needed to go find Liza. As he left the room, Derreck turned over on his side and into a fetal position, falling silent almost instantly. Orrin didn't walk down the hall, he ran, as fast as he could. On his rush through the hall, he bumped into a man in a faded purple cloak. Orrin had no time to turn and apologize, so he did so as he ran, "SorryIneedtogetsomeone.Pleaseforgiveme!!"

Once Orrin was outside of the structure, he started darting a glance back and forth, looking for the farmiliar blue-silver clothes that Liza wore. He couldn't see her, no matter which way he looked, so he figured she had to be on the other side of the ship. Staying close to the ship's central structure, he ran to the other side of the ship. There he was able to find Liza, who was gazing out into the ocean. As Orrin approached, she didn't even notice, her mind was lost in the waves the ship rode on. Orrin finally got to her, and he put his hand on her shoulder to support himself. She jumped at his touch, but she turned and saw that he had run to her, so it was something important. "What is the matter, Orrin? Is something wrong?"

After being able to collect himself, Orrin told Liza of Derreck's erratic behavior. Liza seemed a little terrified, as she had never seen or heard of her brother acting in such a way, so she told Orrin, "We will go back to the room then, but we will not run. You are already over-exerted." Liza led the way back to the room, walking very briskly. On the trip back to the room, Orrin noticed the salty taste of the air that he had missed on his rush to find Liza. He followed behind Liza as well as he could, still feeling achey from his mad dash. They made their way to the structure, and when they got there, went to the door and entered.

Liza followed the hall to the room, and her brother. She finally reached the room, and as soon as she saw Derreck curled up in a fetal ball, she rushed to him. She reached the bed, put her hand to her brother's forehead, and she pulled back almost immediately. "He is burning up. Orrin, find some washcloths in the restroom and dampen them in warm water!" Orrin did as Liza said, and he soon returned to her with the damp cloths. She applied them to Derreck's forehead, and Derreck's face took a sudden change to relaxation. Liza turned to Orrin, "Could you leave the room for awhile? I will see if Derreck is coherent and find out if he can tell me what is wrong."

His heart was racing from all the excitement, and felt that fresh air would calm him some, so Orrin went outside. The first thing he noticed outside was how fast the wind blew out on the ocean. This too Orrin had missed when he went to find Liza. He walked across the deck to the side railings. Collapsing his back against them, Orrin closed his eyes, hoping that listening to the waves would slow his accelerated heartbeat.

~~~~~

Liza took patience with her brother. Derreck was apparantly half-coherent. He had moments of rationality, and then he would break out in his "I HATE the water" rants. She had indeed never seen her brother acting this way, and it hurt her to see him so. When Derreck had settled down again, Liza tried asking her question again, "Derreck..., can you tell me what is hurting you?" Derreck made no reply, but he sat on the bed staring at the ceiling. After some few moments, Liza sighed, "It is hopeless... I will just have to-" Derreck sat bolt upright before Liza, causing the moist cloth to fall from his forehead yet again.

Slowly, Derreck turned his upper body towards Liza, and immediately embraced her in a hug. Liza couldn't help but feel the heat radiating from her brother. The heat was so bothersome that Liza didn't even notice as Derreck slid his hand into his sister's pocket and took the blue stone. As he let go of the hug, his hand went immediately behind his back, so Liza wouldn't see what he took. Liza laid Derreck back down and replaced the wet cloths. Derreck then closed his eyes and remained motionless.

After a few minutes, Liza was certain that Derreck had fallen asleep. She got up from the bed and headed for the door. She turned just before leaving, "Do not worry, brother. You will be better soon. I will find the ship's doctor." She went into the next room, where Rashe'm lay alone in his bed. "Rashe'm? I hope it is not a bother for me asking, but could you please keep an eye on my brother every once in a while? He is very ill. I would greatly appreciate it." Rashe'm sat silently in his bed for a moment, but then he sat up and said, "I got nothing better to do, so I guess I can."

Liza ran to Rashe'm and gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. Rashe'm was taken by surprise, but Liza was quickly back out of the door way saying, "Thank you. I am going to find a doctor for Derreck. I will ever be grateful." Rashe'm watched her leave and finally snapped from his spell of shock. Usually, he'd be the one kissing the dame, not the other way around. But he did as he said he would, and he went into Derreck's room to make sure he remained stable.

Derreck laid in bed, fully awake and aware. His plan had gone just as he desired. The Blue Sea Dragoon was his, and Liza knew nothing of it. Although he remained motionless and quiet, thoughts reveled in his head, "The rest of my plan shall go very well. Foolish, foolish sister, it is time for me to take back the honor I am deserved, you wretched whore. The boy shall present no problem, and with the buffoon in here watching me, things will go smoothly." Without drawing Rashe'm's attention, he quickly slid the stone to his own pocket.

~~~~~

Orrin was nearly asleep when a booming voice inquired, "Feeling alright, Orrin?" He opened his eyes to see Al standing in front of him. Slowly, Orrin nodded, noting that his heart rate was back to a comfortable pace. Al sat next to Orrin against the railings, "I heard the commotion. And Liza went looking for the ship's doctor. I'd have been scared pantsless if I had been in yer position, Orrin..." Al's statement comforted Orrin somewhat, but he still felt uneasy about everything. "The way he was talking, Al... it was like he was... someone else. The Derreck that we were travelling with wasn't the Derreck that was in the room." Al could see how much it was bothering Orrin, so he had to do something to take his mind off of it.

"I'll tell ya what, Orrin." Al started, "Remember me telling you that my adventures with Guaraha would have to wait for another time?" Orrin nodded, and Al continued, "We have some time to kill before dinner, so I think I could tell ya at least some of it now." Orrin liked the idea, as he was curious as to where Al and the Wingly sage had gone. "Now, listen up, Orrin. Yer the first person I'll have told this. I never even told my parents everything. Those days were really what changed my life forever." So, Al began his tale.