Kendra Sorenson shivered. The cold October wind cut through her clothes. The moon, a waning crescent, shone meekly through the clouds, as if scared to release its full light on the sleeping world below. "Where is he?" Kendra wondered, looking out over the naiads' pond. Although there was little light, she was not blind to her surroundings. She looked, hopeful, at the small island, where the shrine stood. Bracken had promised to come tonight, the night before her sixteenth birthday. He said he had a surprise for her. Inside the hedge surrounding the pond, no creature could harm Kendra. Outside, Mendigo the wooden puppet waited, ready to bring her back and defend her if necessary.

All of a sudden, a blinding flash arose from the island. Kendra ran over to the closest gazebo, not daring to come to close to the water. Naiads enjoyed drowning people. However, Kendra's hope faded as a creature rose up from the bushes on the island, flapping wings softly. The astrid landed next to the gazebo, and walked up to Kendra.

'Hello Kendra. Remember me?' He said in a dreamy, yet deep voice.

'Crelang, right? Yes I do, you where one of my bodyguards when we fought the demons.' Kendra replied, not trying to hide the sadness in her voice.

'Exactly. Her Majesty ordered me to come here. She found out Bracken had promised to come here tonight.'

'Well, it's my birthday tomorrow, and he said he had a surprise for me…'

'Kendra, I'm extremely sorry, but the surprise is that he won't be coming. Ever. You see…'

'What?' Kendra interrupted, 'What do you mean? He's not, he's not dead, is he?'

Crelang smiled. 'No, Kendra, but it could actually be considered worse, for you… You see, Bracken's married.'

'Married? When? How? Why?' Kendra asked, shocked. Bracken, the most caring, handsome, and charming man ever, married?

'When, tonight. How, well, with all the usual procedures. Why… Kendra I'm sorry, but he's the prince. And there really are too little unicorns. Besides, he agreed to it himself. Three hundred years ago. He was just stringing you along, the entire time. If Her Majesty had known, she would have stopped it.'

'But, Bracken said she wanted me to come and visit?'

'She does. But not because of Bracken. Look, Kendra, I can't stay too long. I'm sorry, we all are. The Queen said she'd be in touch.'

'But, Crelang, he told me I'm the first girl his mother actually approves of!'

'She does approve of you. But Bracken lied about what she approves you for. You're the most noble human ever, perfectly suitable as handmaiden, but not really as ancient unicorn's wife… I really need to go, Kendra.' Crelang patted Kendra on the shoulder, and took flight again, flying back towards the shrine. With a blinding flash, he disappeared.

Kendra walked over to the pond. She sat down, sighing deeply, and cried. How could Bracken have betrayed her like that? Why did she always fall for the guy who ended up abandoning her? She'd wanted to become an Eternal, just so she could be with him, and now everything was hopeless. She might as well jump in the pond, her life seemed empty, destroyed, lost.

Without warning, a watery hand shot out of the pond and wrapped itself around Kendra's ankle. 'Kendra!' she heard someone shout behind her, but the naiad was already pulling her into the water. She did nothing to resist. Then, two pairs of hands grabbed her arms, and started pulling her back onto the land. One pair let go, but the other held on tight, eventually pulling Kendra out of her captor's grasp.

'Pity.' Kendra heard the naiad mutter, as she disappeared under water again. Looking up, Kendra looked right into Warren's green-brown eyes. He took off his jacket and draped it over Kendra's shoulders. Mendigo stood next to him.

'Kendra, I'm so sorry. Raxtus showed up, and he told us about Bracken. I came to get you. I guessed, since you were letting yourself being drowned, you'd already heard.'

Shivering, Kendra stood up. She was actually pretty happy Warren and Mendigo had rescued her. Her reaction had been a little extreme.

'Mendigo, go back to the house. I'll make sure Kendra gets back safely.' Warren ordered the marionette. Putting his arm around Kendra, he guided her towards one of the gazebos. 'Kendra… I don't really know what to say. I mean, you've been really unlucky. First Gavin, I mean, Navarog, and now Bracken.'

'Yeah, the only one who's ever really been in love with me is a satyr!' Kendra said, still crying.

'Look, don't cry. It makes me feel bad!'

'Warren, I've just been scared to death. Being pulled in by a naiad, well, it's not a nice way to die!' Kendra said, swallowing back the tears.

'Alright. Say, Kendra, this is going to seem strange because I'm your second cousin, but I'll try to be a replacement-Bracken.' Warren said, turning his head away. Was he blushing?

'I don't need anyone else to leave me!' Kendra said jokingly. Life already looked slightly better. Warren was hot.

'No, not like that…'

'Don't worry. I get it' Kendra interrupted her new "boyfriend", 'but let's keep it friendly, okay?'

'Certainly. Seth's getting stronger with all the training I'm giving him, and I wouldn't want him beating me up because I've got my hands all over his sister!' Warren replied laughing.

Kendra shivered again. She was soaked from her waist down.

'Come on, let's get you back home.' Warren said. Keeping one arm around Kendra, he guided her towards the exit. Bending down in the grass, he picked up a large sword. Kendra recognized it immediately as the sword he had taken from Lost Mesa, about a year ago. Kendra rested her head against Warren's shoulder. Maybe, with Bracken gone, she should focus on more realistic relationships. Her second cousin may seem far-fetched, but not half as far-fetched as a traitorous, flirtatious, thousands-of-years old unicorn.