Note to readers: Some of the characters in the flashbacks may be slightly different as for the majority of this fanfic takes places ten years before the war between humans and gummies.

PART I

Many Meetings

970

The familiar magical purple mist rolled across the open plain where once stood the proud old castle of Gummadoon. Lost in the time stream for a hundred years the mist rolled round then took the shape of the castle once more. War with the humans had made this impregnable fortress flee a hundred years before. Now vulnerable and exposed it appears among the enemy for one single day. As the magnificent structure becomes reality before thy very eyes the mist creeps through the forest magically inducing potential threat into a heavy slumber.

Now solid to the touch and exposed to thin eyes it stands in all its glory untarnished by the slow decay of time. The waning moon and sheet of stars in the dark night sky the only witness to its return. Guard up and staffs in hand the knights stand alert and ready for the potential attack. For to neglect this duty could prove deadly to many. War between humans and gummi's had caused them to vanish a hundred years prior. Humans in years gone by had grown greedy and distrustful and sought out their secrets for there own evil plans.

Soon after war had broken out and the gummi's fled across the sea, but the humans gave chase blinded by their own greed to know their secrets. They'd chased them right across the plain towards the sea swords drawn with intent to kill. Then they'd appeared the knights of Gummadoon. They'd held back the humans so the other gummi could escape safely but in doing so their own escape had been cut off leaving them only one option. As the final human attack had come chasing them into the city they'd fled into the time stream with a spell cast by their gummi councillors.

Now here again just a hundred years after remembering and feeling it as only yesterday they watch. The plain is silent, no war cries or the sound of steel on steel or the thud of a lifeless body, just a blanket of heavy silence. Now is the time to remember deep in their hearts the sacrifice made by one so young to buy them the time for their own escape, Aurelia, a human child raised by them. She'd been found at the tender age of five years old and had been raised by them since. Growing up with them sharing in their joy and sorrow. She had been only fifteen at the age of her death.

The three high knights walked out of the great hall the meeting with the council now over and their plans made. Walking along they separated Sir Blastus and Sir Gumlittle going to the training grounds where most of the knights were, while Sir Plucki headed in the direction to the knights tower. Walking in and up the stone staircase until he stood outside her little wooden door. Grasping the doorknob he turned it slowly and opened the door. It squeaked loudly on its hinges but swung open to reveal her small and dusty room.

A small window was directly opposite him while her little bed lay to his immediate right, her mauled brown teddy bear missing one eye and half an ear lay still on her pillow exactly as she'd left it. To his left was a small washbasin and the wall was covered in drawings from when she was little to her latest creation. Walking in, the door slowly closed shut; he glanced round the room then sat down on the small bed and picked up the little toy. He smiled remembering the first day he'd met her and how she'd been clutching the toy to her.

Flashback

860

Passing steadily under the shade of the green trees above and the bushes lining their path. They'd journeyed through the forest after screams had carried on the winds to the castle. Coming to the forest edge where the cliffs were they were about to turn and head back but the sound of a child crying had made them continue. Rounding the corner they came to the cliff, where only a few feet away a young child no more than five stood clutching a teddy bear in her hands and staring down at the bottom of the cliff.

They stood there momentarily stunned debating whether or not the child was doing what they thought she was doing, and she slowly turned to face them, revealing her tear stained face. She seemed to tremble under their gaze, and they saw the sadness and confusion, which reflected in her eyes, and she clutched her teddy bear even tighter to herself, afraid of what they might do. Casting her eyes to the edge of the cliff, she wondered whether they would stop her, and turned her attention back to the knights who had recovered from the shock and were staring at her intently and watching every movement she made should she choose to jump.

She croaked and sniffled as she wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve, and studied each of the knights with interest.

The knights noticed her studying them, and smiled, as they looked her over. Her hair was fiery red which was incomplete disarray fell just past her shoulders, and her ocean blue eyes which had once held mischief and happiness were now filled with great sadness.

Sir Plucki dismounted his unicorn and proceeded to take a step forward, toward the child but immediately stopped, when he saw the child backing up and staring up at him with large frightened eyes, and she edged closer to the cliff edge. He stood there for a moment unsure of how to go about it, not understanding why such a young child would want to kill herself, and he caught her glimpsing over her shoulder to stare at the cliff bottom again

That one glimpse was all he needed and he took off after her, the child turned to stare at him again then screamed and she turned her back to them and ran the few shorts step to the very edge of the cliff.

Taking flight, she clutched her small teddy bear tighter to her chest, and she curled into a ball, closing her eyes tightly and let out an ear splitting scream as she fell.

Her screams echoing among the rocks and throughout the forest, he heard his friends gasp as she disappeared out of sight to below, and he jumped, landing at edge of the cliff, on his stomach with a loud thud, his paw reaching out below, and wrapping round something.

Feeling a jerk, the child fall coming to an abrupt halt, he looked over the cliff edge, his eyes meeting her's, and he saw the fear and shock that lay in her eyes. Heaving her back on to the cliff, out of harm's way, he felt her small hand beats his, and her feet kicking wildly in attempt to get him to loosen his iron grip on her as he pulled her back up onto the cliff and safely into his arms.

Keeping her close to him, he heard his friends sigh a huge relief, and he felt the small child beat on his chest. Walking over to his companions, he listened to the child's crying and wailing, and he mounted his unicorn, taking the reins from Sir Blastus. Hearing the child whimper, he looked down to see her clinging to him, and saw his companions scrutinizing the young child.

Giving orders to return to Gummadoon, he felt the child stir again, withdrawing from him, and she tried to break free of his grip again, without much success. Pulling the child closer to him, he whispered soothing words in her ear in an attempt to calm her down, but she seemed not to be listening instead continued to struggle in his arms, occasionally whimpering from time to time.

Riding at a steady pace, her struggle continued, until he felt her go limp in his arms.

Looking down at the child in his arms, he saw her eyes closed, and smiled knowing she had passed out from pure exhaustion.

End of Flashback

Smiling at the memory, he remembered that she had given them all quite a scare, and he stood from the bed, and walked over to her small window. Looking out across the stalls, and the main gate into Gummadoon he remembered the day he and his companion had returned from patrol that day with the child, and all the attention she 'd received.

Flashback

860

The sight of their home appeared before them, standing tall and strong and they approached the huge gates, shaped in the crest of the gummi kind.

The small child who laid in the arms of Sir Plucki still asleep slowly started to stir and the young knight tightened his hold on her again, in case she tried to escape from his grasp.

A low rumble brought his attention back to the gates and they opened wide enough for them to enter, and he guided his unicorn through the gates and into the centre of Gummadoon, his companions following closely behind.

Trotting through the crowd and into the training grounds towards the stables he immediately noticed that he had the attention of all the residents and knights who were looking at the small child he had in his arms.

"Sir Plucki" he heard someone from the crowd call his name.

Bringing his unicorn to a halt, he dismounted, and turned to see Councillor Berrybaum coming towards him.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Councillor Berrybaum looking at the child in young knight's arms.

"Councillor Berrybaum" he bowed then proceeded to continue and explain as his unicorn was lead away by his friends. "She was found alone in a dangerous situation".

"Is she hurt?" asked Berrybaum concerned.

"No" whispered Sir Plucki as not to disturb the slumbering child.

"Take her to sick bay, let one of the medic take care of her" replied Councillor Berrybaum now with genuine concern.

Then just as they were about to depart, and continue with their duties, the young child chose that moment to wake, and she groaned, and began to stir in the knight's arms, and she opened her eyes to stare up at the two.

For a moment they just stared at one another, and he could tell she knew she was in a different place, and she buried her face in his arm, causing both gummies to chuckle at her actions.

"She's shy" commented Berrybaum, then left the pair, and he disappeared into the crowd.

Looking at the child he had in his arms, he smiled, then left the training grounds, intent on going to sickbay to have her looked at, and he felt her clinging to him, even though before hand she had protested.

End of Flashback

Sir Plucki chuckled at the memory; she'd always been shy, even when she had become a teenager she had still been shy.

He remembered that after taking her to sickbay she had latched onto him, and refused to let him go so he had stayed with her, during that time she had hardly spoken a word, but she did give him her name.

When he had finally managed to get her to sleep that night, he appeared in the Great Hall, where after a long discussion the Councillors agreed that the child could stay with him, and his two friends Sir Gumlittle and Sir Blastus until they found her parents, however the knights knew that, that was no easy task.

End of Part One

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