Despite having been the first one to get to sleep, Trent was the last one up. Celia and Matt were sitting together guiltily
and looked to him as he rose. Their eyes shown with the confession of a sin they had not yet comitted, one of which Trent
was thus far ignorant.
They had talked for nearly half an hour in hushed tones as they watched the sun rise over the prairies and hills of the
princedom before them. Celia began to speak quickly, seeking to put off what she really intended to say as long as possible
with pleasantries.
"Morning Trent, did you sleep well?"
"I always do. What about you, Babe?"
"Pretty good I guess..." She said, trailing off.
"Yeah, me too." Matt interjected as he looked to Celia, hoping that she would start things off.
"So what's for breakfast?" Trent asked good naturedly, not dreaming what this silence concealed.
"We want to stay here." Celia said, relieved to have gotten it out but not knowing what the words might do now that she'd
spoken them.
"I guess we could, I was thinking of checking out the town and finding some supplies." Trent said, not quite grasping the
full meaning of her words.
"We want to stay here for good." Matt elaborated.
"That would make it kind of difficult to get home, wouldn't it?" Trent asked patiently.
"Trent, we're not going to get home at this rate. Look what we've already been through! The prince here is decent to us,
the world isnt run by a pseudo-fascist funk rock group, and the only thing close to being an Orwellian nightmare seems to
be the government of Australia, who's jurisdiction we don't seem to be under. What if the next dimension is one populated
by burning barrels of napalm or something? This might be the closest thing we'll find to home." Celia said as she looked to
Trent imploringly.
She didn't feel guilty for wanting to stay. Anyone, even Trent, would surely feel the same. But she felt guilty for having
been the first to propose what seemed like the prudent course, both to Matt and now to her lover. She was going against Trent's
very being and questioning the leadership that, she now realized, he'd always had.
Matt, Celia, and Chris were surely disparate creatures. A Starbuck's employee, an arts major and a research assistant never
would have found eachother, much less become friends, if not for the gravity like pull of the one they were all drawn to.
Celia knew that Trent's orbit wasn't going to stop here longer than the 24 hours they were alotted. Something drove Trent
on, some certainty and strength that made him almost magnetic, that made his presence the banishment of so many of her fears.
Already she was feeling silly for wanting to turn from the path of adventure this strange wizard led her along.
After only a moment's pause to digest her words Trent made his reply. "You're right. This place is safer. But it's not
home. And I mean to get us all home safely. I won't make you come, but you know you need to. We're a team and the only way
through this is together. I know you're worried, Celia, but staying here means we die back home, it means all my research
and work was for nothing."
Celia looked down, murmering softly. "How do we know this isn't home?" She asked almost rhetoricly.
"If this was our own world we'd feel it. That's all I can say... What do you think Matt?" Trent asked, turning to his friend.
"I'm with you Trent..." Matt said, his own arguments having fallen along with Celia's.
"You sure? The next world might be worse you know..." Trent teased playfully as Celia moved over to his side and they entwined
their arms as Trent shared some of the breakfast they'd prepared.
"You heard the man, they don't have a Starbuck's here. What more motivation do I need?" Matt said with a chuckle. All the
worry and uncertainty was gone now, and the three friends could enjoy the last hours of their respite in fellowship as they
shared their thoughts on the trials they might next meet, together.
They were soon saying their goodbyes to Prince Leonard and some of his family who had turned out to say goodbye. However
the royals were puzzled when the three friends walked back to the plain they first remembered coming into. Princess Shirley
called after them "You're not thinking of going off into the wilds without even any supplies on your backs are you?" She asked
fretfully.
Trent looked to his companions for some idea of what to do. The truth was surely out of the question.
"Just a quick stroll to where we need to meet our bus, ma'am." Matt said politely.
"I'm sure it is." She said, somehow knowing that something hadn't been fully revealed to her and her husband. She rushed
back into their home and brought out an umbrella with a smile, handing it to Matt. "Here, take this along to keep the sun
off your backs. Honestly you lads will get barbecued out here as little as you've got on. Be careful!" She said in a motherly
tone that brought smiles to the party's faces.
The looks on the royal family of the Hutt River Province were more puzzled though when, bearing the princess' umbrella,
they stepped through a glowing disk that had suddenly appeared and were seen no more.
On to CH 17
