[h2][b][color=f26522]Adelaide[/color][/b][/h2]

[i]The morning came too soon[/i] Adelaide thought as she dragged herself out of bed to the unmistakable sound of Volak screeching for food. The vulture was on a fast track to becoming a rather troublesome guest at The Smiling Goose Inn with his consistent disobedience and constant squawking. It might not be so bad if other guests didn't think of him as just an eyesore and instead saw his stray feathers and beady, curious black eyes as a compliment to his handsome personality as Adelaide did. Adelaide, on the other hand, was always grateful for his presence, after-all she was only here because the bird was and there's never been an easier way to convince father to let her accompany him on trips than to offer to keep the awkwardly large and energetic travel companion in check.

Adelaide couldn't complain about the inn itself; despite being under father's house arrest her stay here had been rather enjoyable. Last night her and Ciara devoured a delicious oxen roasted in honey, served with garlic bread and the raspberry wine was to die for! The journey from Alma Castle had been much longer than the girls had anticipated and rather than just buying food along the way father instead insisted that there was something to be learnt and that preparation is the key to every journey - something Adelaide already knew to some degree. After enduring almost a full day without substance the pair couldn't wait to gorge down the meal after being seated by a polite young man at one of twelve polished oak tables that gave audience to a marvellous stone fireplace and a fancy looking bar which nicely decorated the lobby. The living rooms weren't too shabby either, Ciara declared that she didn't like the bright drapery and bedcovers but Adelaide thought they added some much needed colour to Maceron and welcomed the theme.

'SQUAAAAAAWWKK!!' 

'Can you please shut that little bastard up!?' Ciara moaned as she pulled the striking orange pillow over her head. [i]Okay. Maybe they are a little bright[/i] Adelaide reconsidered as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and got up to open the large panelled window that overlooked the narrow, colourless streets of Macaron. 

'Ciara!! Don't call him that!' She protested, snapping out of her thought. As she did so Volak let out another long and deafening squawk before scurrying across the room, cascading clumsily into the dresser and awkwardly wrestling his way out of the recently opened window.

'See! How is he not a little bastard?' Ciara asked, eventually getting up too. Adelaide just couldn't help but to laugh at the crack he'd left in the window on his way out and began reading a note that father had left. 'He knows exactly what he's doing...' her sister continued, 'Father goes missing for two days and he starts flailing around breaking things as if he can't just sit still, and we KNOW he can... What's it say?' Questioned Ciara, changing the subject as soon as she noticed Adelaide pick up the note.

'Long or short?' Adelaide replied when she finished reading the message.

'Short.' Came the response, almost before Adelaide had finished speaking.

'Don't leave the inn, don't talk to anyone 'til I get back, the usual.' Adelaide answered, watching in awe as Volak circled majestically above the city. Sometimes, very rarely, but sometimes, she envied that bird and this was one of those times; as he soared freely above so effortlessly Adelaide couldn't deny the vulture had a personality of it's own, Volak eventually swooped down low and out of sight, [i]to wherever he wants to go[/i].

'Let's go shopping!' Ciara announced out of the blue as she stood up readily, it didn't take her long to get herself looking presentable but from the quick do Adelaide knew that her sister wasn't intending on impressing anyone today. She also couldn't help but notice the devilish look in her sister's otherwise innocent, blue eyes. Adelaide knew that look, a look reserved for mischief.

'Did you not hear what I just said?' Adelaide didn't want to stay inside either but rules were rules and they were there to be followed 'Father said that we're not to leave and we're not supposed to spea...' But before she could finish her protests Adelaide found herself being dragged out of the bedroom, hurried quickly through the lobby with a few sharp shoves and out of the gigantic dark green door of the Smiling Goose onto the bustling streets and into the tide of people sweeping through them. As she wrestled through the dense crowd to keep up with her almost possessed sister Adelaide heard a familiar soft voice shout out from a short distance ahead 'You don't ALWAYS do what he asks, do you?!'