Cale~

"Leo, LEo, LEO!" I bark at the suddenly still griffon. His eyes are  a strange fiery green and his face is grim, "What is wrong with him?!? He must be in a trance." 

Junior Riser shakes the now flightless Leo . He seems to return, but something has changed, I can tell.

He saw the jewel you lunatic, a voice that reminds me sickeningly of my own father's chants in my head kill him now... Use the stone. You know you can. He is weak now.

"You guys wouldn't believe what just happened," Leo murmured.

"I'm sorry," Amethyst shifts her soft gaze back to my face, "Cale, could you please summon carriages? Like right now." She knew something was wrong

My hand shakes on the hilt of my rapier, "It would be my pleasure. We could most certainly  strap Leo to the top of one carriage, and Calspar to the other. That would be good."

"Umm, I think I'll fly," Leo  shot me a weird glance, "I-I need to clear my head."

Carriages, I whispered to myself, I want a carriage. Two would be better. I really would prefer not sitting with that Calspar, his smell reminds me of dirt.

Out of the haze two fine carriages roll into vision. Jenny Riot stared at me with disgust. When Amerhyst turned her head I stick my tongue out at her.

"Let's go," Ella whispers.

We piled into the carriages. Unfortunately, I end up stuck with Calspar and JR . Amethyst accompanies us as well, but her company is far from sickening.  As soon as the door closes I cannot help but hiss.

"Something is off with Leo," I mutter coldly, "He's losing it, I just don't know how. I bet it has to do with that blasted Eternity Jewel."

"Of course," Sarcasm reeks in Calspar's voice, "Because you are a pure, trustworthy little angel."

"Who ever said you might not have the Stone of Tremulousness?" JR suddenly cut in, "You're sixteen. That's the age when you receive it."

I can see Amthyst stiffen with hurt at her comment.

"Even if I did that has nothing to do with this,"  My own voice shook at the statement.

"Excuse me," Amethyst cut in, "I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm bleeding."

She hoists her skirts, revealing a long trail of Crimson blood escaping from a large scrape.

"I must have scratched myself on some brush or something," She forces a smile, "It doesn't really hurt though."

"I have some bandages-" Calspar began.

"No," I interrupted sharply, "I have bandages that won't give her adventurer who never bathes rash."

I turn and open my pouch. I hadn't opened the small silk bag hanging from my hip since I'd left. Nothing important in it anyway. But as I opened the bag and began to rummage through it, something caught my eyes. A tiny note had been dropped in the bottom on top of a wrapped object. I open the note

You're sixteen, so I'll take my chances. Make sure King Quintus dies. This will do the trick. I knew since you were young you had it in you. Pay no mind to their foolish jewel. Poor old Quintus won't even fork it over to his only daughter.

I gasp, crumpling the note in my hand. Something inside me reaches for the  parcel. I tug at it's cloth cover.  Joyce Rona and Calspar aretalking, Amethyst has other worries. One tiny  peek must be alright.

I pull a tiny part of the cloth off to peer at the stone. It's truly beautiful, the same color as my eyes, dark and shimmering. Fear is true power.

I knew they would come to destroy it. To destroy the jewel. To destroy my nation. We must destroy their's in return Cale. 

"Is something wrong Cale?" I suddenly feel Amethyst put a hand on my shoulder.

I shove the stone into my pouch and turn to face her. 

Correct....

they dropped it, recollected it, and are now off to North Castle to destroy it.