Little Veena stood in the throne room. Her head hurt, and she wasn't sure why. It had started as soon as she had woken up that morning. It was constant, but nothing too bad.

She looked around the throne room. Where was her father? This was the most likely place for him to be. If he wasn't here, where could he be?

The sound of boot heels on the stone came from behind her. As she turned to face the sound, her father's voice rang out.

He smiled at her as he walked up the stairs leading up to the throne room. "Veena, what are you doing here?"

She smiled at him in return. "I was looking for you, Daddy." She then frowned. "My head hurts."

He walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. "I'm sorry, Precious. I can't do anything for it. I'm afraid."

"But you can fix anything!"

Her father looked visibly upset. "No, Veena. I can't."

The little princess frowned. "So I have to wait for it to go away?"

"Afraid so, but would like come with me to the library? We can curl up in a chair, and I'll read to you."

"Okay."

Chapter 25

The stone walls around told her that they were no longer inside the Castle but below it. The stone walls were rougher than the stone walls had been earlier.

"This is starting to remind me of Castle Greyskull."

Glancing behind her, Veena frowned. "How does this remind you of Greyskull, Adam?"

Adam gave a slight smile. "Important things are hidden in its depths, too."

She shook her head. "What?"

"Ah, yeah. You've never had to go to the Crystal Chamber."

Before Adam could answer, her father spoke up. "Actually, Castle Greyskull used inspired by my castle in some ways."

The pair turned forward as he continued to lead them towards the unknown.

Veena frowned as they turned yet another corner. "Where are we going? It feels like we've been going around in circles."

"We're almost there. I had to be careful in the creation of this room. I could not allow it be found."

Suddenly, her father stopped inside a room with still more hallways leading off of it. He gestured around him. "Stand to the side. It'll take a moment to open it up."

Veena nodded slowly as she, Adam, and Cringer moved to the side of the room.

The Goblin King flicked his wrist as a crystal formed in his hand. He then tossed it into the air. The crystal floated up towards the ceiling, instead of acting like it had been thrown. Slowly, the room began to glow around them.

"Well, this wasn't what I was expecting." Adam moved closer to Veena.

Veena gave him a quick side glance as a staircase began to form in a circle in the middle of the room, leading down even further below.

After a few moments, her father nodded. "We need to hurry. The path won't stay for long." He then started to descend down the stone stairs.

Adam glanced over at Veena. "You go first. Cringer and I will follow."

"Okay." She gave a quick nod.

Slowly, Veena followed her father down the stone stairs. Stone walls met her on each side as she continued down. Hearing Adam and Cringer starting their own journey down, she glanced behind.

"We're right behind you, Ve. Don't worry."

As she continued downward, it became darker and darker. Veena had to actually place her hands on both walls to find her way down. Soon she was barely able to move any further. Then slowly glowing bubbles began to descend from above her, giving just enough light to see. Slowly, she continued to descend down the staircase. When she reached the bottom of the spiral stairs, Veena was met with a stone archway.

Stopping for a moment, Veena glanced behind her towards the darkness, while before her beyond the archway was a soft glow. She could wait for Adam and Cringer to join her, but she didn't want to cause more trouble for Adam. After all, they would be down soon enough anyway.

Taking a deep breath, Veena raised her chin. She would go forward on her own, at least. Adam would be there when her father explained everything. That was fact. So it wasn't like she'd be alone.

As she began to move forward, Adam's voice drifted down to her, causing her to pause.

"Hey, Ve, could you give us some more light? Cring won't move anymore." His voice echoed off the walls.

Sighing, Veena shook her head. Smiling, she raised her right hand. Inside her palm, a sphere of light began to form. Once it was about the size of a small ball, Veena tossed it into the air. It exploded filling the entire stairwell with light. At least, she hoped it did.

"Thanks. Could you wait for us? I don't want to end up in the dark again."

Veena continued to shake her head as Adam and a clearly scared Cringer walked down the stairs.

Smiling at her, Adam stepped off the final step. "Thanks again."

Nodding, Veena looked down at Cringer, who was clinging to Adam's side, trying to hide his face.

Adam looked down at him as well. "Hard to believe he's Battlecat isn't it?"

Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. "What?"

Giving a nervous smile, Adam reached behind him and began to rub his neck. "Ah, yeah. You only knew about me."

Looking back down at the clearly worried tiger, Veena frowned. "Why am I surprised? It makes total sense."

Frowning, Adam lowered his arm. "Ve, I'm sorry. I would have seriously told you everything if I had been able to."

"Adam." She really didn't want to start this now. Now was not the time.

He shook his head. "Only Man-at-Arms, the Sorceress, and Orko know. I have only been able to tell one person, and that was my sister."

Veena gave a slow nod. "Okay."

Sighing, Adam walked towards her. "Veena, do you really think I don't want to tell anyone? Almost everyone thinks I'm a coward because I have to run away to transformed." Adam was fighting back tears.

"Teela told me, but I never thought you were a coward." Veena began to fight back her own tears. After a moment, she took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to start this."

Adam nodded. "I know, but I'm still sorry I didn't tell you."

Veena glanced behind her at the archway. "You're forgiven."

Glancing at the archway himself, Adam frowned. "So ready to hear everything?"

Nodding, Veena turned to face the archway. "As I'll ever be."

Together the trio walked through the archway into a circular room. The walls looked as if they were paneled in wood, but the largest panel looked more like a window than the rest of the panels. In each "window," was a sky, and it wasn't the same sky. Each one was different. There was even one with two suns.

Veena slowly turned trying to look at one, as Adam looked around as well.

"Definitely, not the crystal cravens."

Turning to face the center of the room, Veena frowned. Her father stood next to what looked like a crystal ball sitting upon what appeared to be a trio of twisting branches growing out of the floor.

He turned to face them. "is the argument over?"

Veena glanced at Adam. Of course, he had heard all of that. How couldn't he? There hadn't been a door.

Groaning slightly, Veena walked towards her father. "It's nothing."

Her father raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes." She gave a nod.

He tilted his head slightly. "Are you sure?"

Veena glared at him as she reached the crystal ball. "Yes, I'm sure."

Adam and Cringer walked up beside her, as her father shook his head and waved his arm.

The room slowly began to dim.

"How much do you remember before you went to that cottage?"

Frowning, Veena glanced at the crystal ball. "Nothing really. My memories have only really ever been quick flashes, except for a few things."

Her father nodded. "I had truly hoped that you would remember more on your own." Sighing, he looked at the crystal. "This will be painful. I'm afraid." He then looked behind her, she assumed at Adam. "This will not be comfortable to watch."

"I'm not leaving her."

Nodding again, her father walked to stand opposite of her across the crystal. "The reason you can't remember things clearly is because to protect you I took your memory."

"Took my memory? What did you do to me?" Veena fought back tears.

"You've recovered some of them on your own, but the rest remain here." He rested his hands on the crystal ball.

"Why take them from me in the first place?" Veena shook, looking at the crystal before her.

"Because I had hoped that I could hide you, but she still found you."

Veena took a few deep breaths. "Who is she?"

Her father sighed. "Mizumi."

"It's not like I know who she is. Remember."

"She is the Queen of Moraine, and the cause of all of our pain."

"What did she do? You know I don't. So get to the damn point already."

Sighing, her father removed his hands off the crystal. "Touch the crystal. You'll regain your memories. Then you'll understand."

Veena stood looking at the crystal ball before her. All of her answers were within her reach. She only had to reach out and touch the thing before her. The problem was she was both terrified and elated. Both emotions were fighting inside her, but there was no choice. Slowly, she reached her hand out and placed her palm against the cool crystal. Her entire would then went black.

Finally, after so much work, I got this finished. So hope you enjoy it. Reviews are always welcomed. Thanks for any given.

CL