We waited, seated, talked for a little bit... then we waited, seated, and talked for a lot longer than a little bit. They weren't long fascinating talks either, just the occasional remark here and there to break up the monotony festering more and more.
Taking turns one at a time - I say 'nice staff', the witch says 'thank you', then I'd go 'how long do we wait for others anyway?' and she'd go 'Um'.
Just 'Um'.
Not every time, just most of the time… in fact, the last time I asked her that, she gave Adalia and I this long meandering spiel about how patience was a rare virtue that shows in the most talented of individuals, and that she sees 'great promise' in us so long as we continue exhibiting that lauded virtue for just a little bit more longer than a little bit.
Y'know what I think, frankly I think she was just stalling for time. You know what else I think? I think there's probably a real good reason why her closed-off section of the library in particular wasn't attracting the same kind of traffic flow as her peers around her.
I counted, actually. Always consistent, four to six individuals passing by within five-minute intervals. More than enough people for a perfect game of Medieval Jeopardy, and yet alas, always they just strolled on by us… some may glance once or twice, but ultimately, the seats to our sides would stay unfilled forevermore.
And I think she was also starting to catch on to my ever-growing suspicions, because out of the blue, she took her turn in breaking the monotony once more.
"Funny story, actually," She began, adjusting her elbows proper, leaning inwards towards us for a tale told with a sweet sickly smile. "Apparently there's a rumor being spread about by some bumbling fool accusing me of rigging the game so that there's never a winner to any of my questions. I mean, can you actually believe that?"
"Would you believe me if I said yes?" I muttered, lethargic, staring at her, slouched in my seat. "Now you're gonna tell me that it isn't true one bit."
"It isn't true one bit at all."
"Oh, is it?" I gasped, baffled, utterly shooketh to my bones.
"Okay, I admit, perhaps last year I was a bit too... overestimating in the knowledge of the general public, and perhaps the questions were indeed a bit too unconventional for most…"
"Unconventional," I pursed my lips, nodding slowly. "That's like the fancy people way of pronouncing 'bullshit', right?"
"Rest assured," She said sharply, her sultry smile turning stiff as stone. "I've taken measures to ensure that this year a fair and just experience can be have by practically everyone."
"Who's everyone?"
Thank God she wasn't actually a real witch because right then she looked as if she would want nothing more than to hocus-pocus a zipper and lock to my lips then vanish the key never to be seen again.
Then, just right before I could say any other thing that could risk an impromptu visit to the E.R with a certain witch's staff stuck up my ass, something loud exploded somewhere off in the distance.
Scratch that, it was actually more of a whoosh than a boom, like a violent roaring wave careening and crashing into the shore…. and that shore was us.
And that wave? That wave was a crowd, a crowd of cheering and whooping… drifting closer and closer our way.
The cheering outside sounded familiar, dreadfully familiar. I only know one person here that could elicit such a response from the masses.
I didn't get to dwell on it for any longer. Before my very eyes, I saw the unthinkable, unfeasible… someone actually traversing into our enclosed space.
Someone with a shining pearly-white smile twinkling charm, someone whose chest puffed greatly with the swell of confidence, suave… someone who clearly knew too much just how handsome he really was, and he wasn't at all discreet on showing it to the world one bit.
"Ah, well, well, well!" The Witch exclaimed, shooting upwards, her hands echoing suddenly clasping shut. "Talk about a small world! What brings you to my side of the nation, Leon?"
I tried not to look at those ever-flowing, ever-dazzling, golden locks of his or even dare spare a second's glance into those baby-blue eyes… but then that would mean I'd have to look through and behind him where his large herd of like-minded admirers stood peeking through the entranceway giggling and whispering amongst themselves, and frankly I didn't know which was worse.
"I found myself with some free time actually," Leon replied, matching her glee. "I thought it wouldn't be so bad every once in a while to take a stroll, see the sights…"
"Not much of a sight here, sadly," said the Witch.
"On the contrary…" He paused, quiet for a moment, then to my dismay I somehow managed to creep into his peripheral view. "Oh wow, it's you again! What a coincidence, I never expected to see you here."
"Yeah…" I hissed in sharply, straining a smile back. "It does feel a little bit… unconventional, doesn't it?"
"Ah, yes, true, true," He nodded, chuckling… then almost abruptly stopped at once. "Erm, I hope you don't mind me asking but the Elf-Knight you were with, Ash yes? Did she… go to the restroom or something? I don't see her anywhere."
Well, wouldn't you like to know? I don't mind answering that one, actually.
"She's busy," I said, not bothering to hide the bluntness in my voice. "She has another thing going on at the moment… probably won't be showing for a long, long, long while."
Now it was him sucking in a mouthful of air. "I-I see, that's kind of a shame… I was hoping to talk with her a bit more, maybe about some poetry… or anything really."
Poetry.
Leon, if you're really clueless as to why she hasn't called you yet, which I'm undoubtedly sure has never happened to you before, she actually lacks the proper equipment in order to do so in the first place…
That, and your phone number is now lying in a ditch somewhere for some wandering passersby to pick up and shoot you a call randomly at like three in the morning, but you don't need to know that.
"Hmm?" He glanced right, noticing Adalia clinging still quietly onto me this whole time. "This must be the friend that you mentioned before."
"You could say that."
"Hello there," He shifted himself closer, meeting her with his signature smile. "That's a lovely costume you have… a Vampire? You look absolutely stunning in that, pretty genuine looking too. What's your name?"
Adalia greeted him in her own special way, speaking in the language of the meek, and saying absolutely nothing back to him. Needless to say, Leon didn't exactly speak her lingo, so I decided to interpret it for him.
"She doesn't talk much," I said, shielding as much of her as I can from view. "Large crowds sort of unease her, so if you don't mind…"
"I see," Leon leaned back, stepped back. He did well in hiding it, but what with his faded smile and dispirited gaze, I could tell he was a lot more than just disappointed right then. "Well, anyway, I should take my leave in that case. It was nice meeting you again. Um, give Ash my best, won't you?"
I nodded, smiled, more eager than most to see him go, but just right before he could take that final departing step out of here… the Witch decided that some much-needed payback was in due.
"Hold on, Leon, wait a moment!"
No please, don't wait a moment.
"Since you have some time to spare, you know…"
No, he doesn't know… he doesn't need to know, stop! Witch, please.
"We are a bit short on players for our game, you see… so if you're feeling up for it, maybe you and some of your followers could join for a session or two? What say you?"
I say nuh-uh, I say no way… Witch, I'm subtly, sneakily shaking my head at you! Look at me shaking my head at you! Look at me and see my non-consenting self! Stop looking to him for an answer, I'm your answer! The bells are ringing here, hello?!
"Um, well..." Leon had his lips narrowed.
Hesitation. That was hesitation right there. Say no, say no!
Alas, despite my valiant unspoken efforts, he never would say no, sadly. I never got to hear it… because the Witch just had to hit him with the one-two finisher that sealed our fates entwined.
"Who knows? Maybe by the time we're done, his Elf-friend will be too."
Leon needn't any more convincing from then on, and so thus… my next five minutes were no longer being spent on staking out for potential opponents passing by, instead, that time was used more efficiently staring at the ones that beset me on either side.
Leon and his secretary to the left, plus a squealing pair of his doe-eyed fans that got lucky on the draw to the right. What fun this would be, I'm sure.
"Hey, listen," Leon prodded at my shoulder, reaching an open hand out towards me. "May the best man win, alright?"
Slowly, I held out mine… and he clutched it tight.
"Hey, how about we go for a bet?" He suddenly said, still holding on. "If I win, you introduce me to Ash. I'm kinda interested in getting to know her for a bit."
"Uh-huh," I blinked at him, tugging my hand back. "And say, if I win? What's in it for me?"
He didn't have an answer to that for a long while, he actually had to take a moment to contemplate it… apparently, the prospect of me and Adalia winning this did not cross his mind at all.
"Uh, if you win, let's see… ah!" He shot up a finger, a light bulb flashing above his head. "You want a backstage pass to the stage play coming up? I can get you access! How's that for first place? Pretty good, eh"
You know, I was disgruntled before, I didn't like him being here, but I could accept it still, I could put up with it despite my grievances… but now I'm just insulted, offended… the fucking audacity...
You come into my game, into my relaxation time, and think you can just hand out first prizes like that all willy-nilly, and you actually think I'd say yes? Must be plenty confident you'll win this, aren't you?
Well, guess what? Thanks to you, now I'm confident too… see, now the thought of you winning this is straight out of comprehension, I can't see it happening anymore, because I won't let it happen. Now I'm in it to win it more than ever before.
Call me childish, immature, whatever - I don't care. For once, I just wanna have a go at wiping that smile off his perfectly chiseled, perfectly symmetrical sorry excuse of a face… and I'll make sure he'll never forget the moment I do so. This went beyond winning now... this is about sending a message.
I smiled back at him. "Deal."
He smiled even wider. "Awesome."
"Sorry for the wait, everyone!" The witch returned from the entrance, proclaiming aloud. "Since I can't involve myself in the actual process due to certain circumstances from last year's event, I'm only allowed to oversee the quiz to prevent any bias and/or doubts, and so, I procured a volunteer scholar I found to take my place instead."
A volunteer scholar. Is there such a thing? More than likely I think she just ensnared a random staff member wandering about the place and tossed some robes onto… oh.
Oh no.
Please tell me it isn't so.
No.
"I would like you to give a warm welcome to your newly-appointed questionnaire - Nick of the Grand Archives!"
People clapped. I didn't. People smiled. I didn't. We all heard him before we even saw him. Heard him in the rumble of floorboards, in the jitter of loose wood.
A second later, a robed, hooded figure slowly marched inwards, his garbs especially tight around his body, hugging, shaping the bulging outlines of a giant of a man.
Then from somewhere in the darkness of his hood, a booming voice echoed all around.
"Hello everyone."
Echoed to me.
"Hello, clown."
Hello, Nick. How… unconventional seeing you here too. Funny how these things can happen, eh?
Ha ha ha... ha...
Is it too late to take back that bet now?
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