The Achievement Junkie 283 Splitting Up Again

Members of the party trickled out of their bedrooms without any kind of order. They would all go downstairs and gravitate around a large table until the took a seat and ordered a meal to start the day.

Eliza made sure that she, Daliea, and Lina would be the first two at breakfast. She wouldn't let herself miss the chance to tease Jack about the previous night. Also, she brought Daliea along almost instinctively. Without Keela, who was always going with her to places, Eliza sought someone else's company. And though she didn't realize it yet, Eliza also wanted to allow Daliea to feel included around Jack, unlike what Keela had started to feel.

While Lina began her morning feast, the pair of women didn't have to wait too long. Soon, Jack and Maura were spotted coming down the stairs.

Their appearance was normal and unsuspicious, yet Eliza could see something different in Maura's eyes. A part of Eliza felts jealous as she watched Jack escort Maura down the stairs, something he didn't do with Eliza.

As the couple neared the table, a tinge of blush flooded Maura's cheeks.

"Maura, there's nothing to feel bad or guilty about." Eliza reached across the table and held Maura's hand in support. "If anything, we should both be mad at Jack for making us wait so long."

"Where's the waiter?" Jack spoke loudly, not wanting to let that conversation carry on much longer. "Waiter, we'll get two breakfast specials with extra pancakes. And two glasses of your freshest juice."

"Of course, sir. I'll bring the juices right away," the waiter replied with a bow before he hurried off the kitchen.

"Eliza, Maura," Jack then looked to both of his women. "I'm sorry for troubling you and making you both worry. Please, don't think I don't care about you… Because I do."

"You only care about us?" asked Eliza, hinting at something else.

Jack sighed, "No… I… We may have been forcefully married, but I've grown to really, really care you both."

"How much do you care about us?" Eliza continued to poke at Jack's statements.

"I…" stammered Jack. "I… I've never really said that before, so it's really hard to say."

As Eliza was about to stoke the fire again, Maura took initiative. The Spellsword reached out with one hand to turn Jack's head and stole a quick kiss from her husband. "I love you, Jack… I haven't always, but I've grown to love you after all we've been through."

"I… I love you too." The answer that was on the tip of his tongue had been coaxed out of him. Jack looked to Eliza next with a tender smile. "I love you too."

"I love you too, Jack." Finally satisfied and not wanting to be outdone, Eliza stood up and leaned across the table to steal a kiss of her own.

To the side of them was Daliea, the grey-skinned girl that wasn't able to hide her embarrassment nor her envy. Her relationship with Jack could be described as unusual. She had nearly forced herself on him back in Reinolt but out of duty for her fallen tribe and not out of emotion. Now, she was able to see who Jack truly was, yet two others had become his wives already. Daliea didn't know what she should do with her newly developed emotions.

"What about Daliea?"

That question grabbed the attention of everyone at the table, including the drunkards who were hungover at the other end.

Hearing Eliza's question, Daliea froze. She wanted to both run away and stay to hear the answer. It was a difficult decision but her body tensed up, not letting her actively choose which path to take.

"I…" Jack took a quick glance at the blushing shadow goblin then looked away, trying to hide his own blush.

Thinking that things were too easy, Eliza prodded again, "Jaaack… Come on, you can be honest with us. Since you've already got two wives, why not have a third?"

"Pppphheeww!!"

Jack coughed and spat as his wife spoke openly about Jack's relationship options.

"We don't mind, do we, Maura?"

"No… Actually, I'd be happy," added Maura, feeling much more confident around Jack after the night before.

"See, since your wives don't have a problem with it, why not just make Dalie-"

"We're not discussing this now!" Jack shouted, no longer hiding his red face. "We've got things to do we need to head out as soon as possible. Now's not the time for this."

As the waiter neared them with the two newest orders, Jack reached out and pulled his plate down. He stuffed his face with great speed, not showing any manners or decorum whatsoever. Of everyone, Jack was the first to finish eating and then stood up. "I'll be waiting outside. Don't waste any time."

While Jack walked away, Eliza giggled, "I'll take that as a yes."

"W-what do you mean, Eliza?"Daliea asked. 

"Isn't it obvious? He's willing to take you as his next wife."

"What?!" holding her hands up in protest, Daliea stood up. "No, no, no, I could never do that to you and Maura."

"Daliea…" Eliza grabbed Daliea's had, not letting her escape. "Maura, please tell Daliea."

Maura also started blushing, but she didn't hide it. "I… At first I didn't like the idea of sharing Jack, even with Eliza. But… since it's you Daliea, I would be happy if you became his wife."

"Huh?!"

"Daliea, listen to reason. We both know that you've had feelings for Jack for quite some time. Isn't that why you joined in the first place, to make him yours?" reasoned Eliza, getting the goblin girl to quiet down. "Keela felt like an outcast around Jack because of Maura and me, but we didn't know that. I don't want you to feel that way, so please be honest with us."

"Daliea, would you want to be with Jack if you had the chance?" Maura asked.

"I…"

"Be honest," repeated Eliza.

"I… I want to be with Jack."

Eliza smiled. "Good, then that's what we'll work toward next."

"Mhmm, I'd like that," giggled Maura. "Then we can all be like real sisters. I'd like that."

Outside of the hotel, Jack didn't know what his wives were plotting but he wanted nothing to do with it. The man was already struggling to open up to his feeling for the first time and more of that kind of talk would only make things harder for him.

Jack patiently waited another ten minutes for the rest of his party to turn in their room keys and make their way outside.

"Are we ready?" Jack asked.

"So, how are we doing this? Who's taking Appa, you or us?" Rydel answered with a question of his own.

"You'll be the ones to take Appa. We got him for party travel, and that means for the majority," stated Jack. "I'll be fine. Churstin Canyon isn't too far from the border, so it won't be hard to get there."

"Then I think that's it unless the girls had some last-minute shopping to do," joked Rydel.

"Nope. We're all set. The shopping can wait till Estonya, right Lina?" replied Eliza.

"Right!"

"Then let's go." Jack led the team as they exited the city and wandered into the woods. Once out of sight from the road, he took out the giant beast of a bird. "Appa, you'll be with Eliza and the others for now. I've got something else to do, but I'll be back in no time. So what they say, okay?"

Appa nodded to the other party members, showing them Appa's willingness to listen and work with them.

Everyone began to mount the bird, all save for Jack, who also took out Bowzer to let the fox try and say his goodbyes.

Each of his wives kissed Jack before climbing the bird's back and the men all said goodbye in their own ways, usually with a nod of the head. Daliea was the last to say goodbye as she approached Jack with blush in her cheeks and wandering eyes.

"Daliea, calm down. I'll be fine and don't worry about that conversation from earlier." Jack opened his arms to hug the goblin girl. "See, I've already forgotten all about it, so you should too."

Nodding slightly, Daliea step closer to Jack and held out her arms, but her blush grew brighter and brighter.

Jack wasn't sure what was wrong with Daliea, at least not till it was too late.

Daliea's hands didn't wrap around Jack's back for a hug, they caressed the side of his face and his neck. Next, she jumped up to match Jack's height. Once there, Daliea's tomato red face rushed forward until Daliea's lips met Jack's.

It lasted only a second, but it felt much longer to the shocked Jack and the embarrassed Daliea.

With that over, Daliea hurried onto Appa while wondering how she let Eliza convince her to do such a thing.

The stupor on Jack's face was priceless as he struggled to wave goodbye as Appa took off, leaving the blushing hero alone with Bowzer.

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