A/N: Okay, we're going to go back a little, but the last part does pick up where chapter 36 left off. And sorry for the delay in posting this, it just took me awhile to figure out exactly how I wanted to go about it.

Now I only have three more chapters to go! I'm so excited. I even know what I want to name the last chapter. =D

Posted: April 7, 2010

Chapter Thirty-seven: Curse

The four friends piled out of the movie theater, along with dozens of the other patrons who had seen the comedy with them. With the distraction of the crowd, Spud took the opportunity to take Trixie's hand. She looked surprised as she watched Spud place his index finger to this month, before leading her in the opposite direction towards a different exit.

Outside the cool wind greeted them as the moon, high in its orbit, illuminated their features. "Jake is going to come looking for us," Trixie spoke as she leaned against the building and crossed her arms.

Spud shrugged as he took the space beside her and mimicked her movements. He smiled down at her. "I only need a few minutes," he began. "It's been too long, I've just missed you." Trixie couldn't help the sudden rush of heat she felt on her cheeks at just simply standing next him. She then smiled sadly, lowering her eyes towards the ground, as she remembered that this was only a visit for him. "Can I ask you something?" Spud wondered, causing Trixie to look up at him.

"Of course."

He took a deep breath. "Neither of us are who we used to be," his voice was somber. "And to think so would be an delusion, but I need you to know, that the way I feel about you, has never changed." He turned his body towards her. "My return, isn't just for the sake of a visit."

"I kind of figured that." Trixie, in reply, turned her body towards him. "I know, what you want of me, but I'm not sure if I can."

Spud reached out and stroked Trixie's cheek. She closed her eyes as she felt his touch. "Do you need me to say it? Do you need me to make it real?" Trixie once again looked at him at the question. "Come to Dinya with me and be the queen you have always been in my eyes."

"Spud, I just can't drop everything I've ever known and just leave. Do you know what that would do to Jake? And what would I do about Jerry? Though I would want him with me, ripping him from Jake would be cruel."

"I understand your concern, but there is no need to be-"

"Excuse me?" Trixie snapped. "You want me not to be concern about my husband and child?"

Spud's brow furrowed. "That's not how I meant. Come on now, Jake isn't stupid, I'm sure he's put together why I've come back. He knows how I feel for you."

"How you feel for me?" She looked at him in disbelief. "How about how I feel for Jake?" she asked, causing Spud's face to slowly fall at what her question implied. "Don't look at me like that." She turned her gaze away from him, not able to stand the sudden hurt within his expression. "I mean, it's been over a decade. What did you expect?"

"I- I expected you to keep your promise. That night you said you would wait for me."

"I didn't even understand what you had made me promise!" she admitted. "And then that morning, you left me alone and naked and some hotel room, without so much as a note from you. Do you know how horrible that made me feel?"

The man before her looked apologetic. "If I could-"

"Shut up!" she yelled at him. "And listen to me," she demanded. "You made me feel special," her voice had become soft, "you made me think you cared about me and then you turned around and made me feel like some kind of cheap whore." Trixie took a staggered breath before lowering her head. Spud could do nothing at first as he watched the tears roll down her face. He then just simply took her in his arms and held her close. "You're a bastard," she whispered as she buried her face in his chest.

"I never meant for you to feel that way, not when that night meant so much to me," he confessed. "My test for the throne was brutal. There were moments where I thought I wouldn't survive, but then I remembered what I was fighting for. It wasn't for some crown, or some fancy title, it was for this moment right here. For the moment I could hold you again."

Trixie then slowly began to shake her head as she pulled away. "No, I can't do this," she decided. "And I won't."

Spud suddenly looked desperate. "If you are worried about Jake, it will take a some looking into, since he is blood related to me, but I can make it so that we never existed to him."

Trixie looked at him in complete shock. "Are you out of your fucking mind?" the question had come out of her mouth before she could think. "Do you not remember Jake's complete breakdown after his mother's death?" Spud's shoulders dropped. "Do you remember how bad it was?" Spud nodded, his throat suddenly becoming dry. "Now imagine us not there. What do you see?"

"An unstable dragon in a city of ashes." There was then silence for a good moment before Spud spoke again. "I don't know what you want me to do then."

"Just stay. Stay with us," she asked of him.

"Please, don't say things like that. I'm so tempted to," he admitted. "But I have other duties, that I can not abandon."

"What about the duty of friendship? What about the vow we all made? You broke that."

"No!" Spud yelled suddenly. "Do you not see me standing here? Do you not see me trying to make it right?" he questioned.

"You asking me to abandon Jake, makes nothing right," she tried to tell him.

"Trixie please," he moved in closer to her, trying to sound calm. "Before you completely shut me down, I just need you to think about it. Just think about it." He then slowly leaned down and kissed her lips. Despite herself, Trixie closed her eyes, as tears escaped from them.

A moment later, they heard a throat being clear. Trixie jumped at the sound and quickly turned around to see Jake at the exit door. He just looked at her, his expression sad. "Uh, I-" he began and stopped.

Trixie felt horrible as Jake struggled with what to say. "Jake, this isn't-" Jake held up his hand, and her words fell dead.

"I'll be in the car with Haley," he finally said, and went back into the building.

Trixie looked at Spud, slightly shook her head and then ran after Jake.

OoOoO

Emperor Ezekiel was one of the seven kings of the Dinya dimension. War had raged between the kingdoms century after century and there seem to be no sign of peace on the horizon.

The Emperor had two children, twin daughters by the names of Ariel and Leela. Though twins, they neither looked alike nor had the same qualities. Ariel, being the first born, by four minutes, was groomed as a warrior, for she would one day take the name of Empress, and so would continue to defend their land like those who came before her. She had long red hair, and dull green eyes, which once used to be so bright before they were darken by the sight of one too many battles. Her personality was of a stoic nature. She was not quick to anger or make a rash decision, but when her calm demeanor failed her, there weren't many who didn't know it.

Leela, had short black hair and fierce brown eyes. Unlike her sister, her crown was always upon her head, but contrary to the belief, she had no desire for the throne. As far as she was concerned, that was her sister's duty, hers was more of the political nature. She was often the one in long meetings with counselors and advisers. Resources were running low, and the villagers were the ones suffering. "This war must end," was always her goal.

"This war is older than time," Ariel told her. "You alone will not be able to end it."

"And neither will you!" she countered. "Not with swords, or magic, or blood."

"I have a better chance of ending this war than you with your silly notions of peace. This war will not be won with talk or paper." Ariel spoke softly.

"You act as if I have never seen war. As if I had never stood by you and father on the battlefield," Leela pointed out. "There has to be a better way and I will find it."

"The only way this will end is if there is only one ruler of Dinya."

"I don't believe that."

Ariel shook her head. "It doesn't matter what you you believe. It's true." She then began to walk away.

"I plan on proving you wrong!" Leela called out after her sister.

The red head scoffed. "How?"

"I-" she paused. "I plan on taking the throne."

"What?" she turned back to her. "You never wanted to rule."

"No," she agreed. "I never have, but I will not watch another group of soldiers, younger than we are, head off towards battle." She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "Come our eighteen birthday, I will take the test for the throne as well."

"You have gone mad," Ariel looked at the other in disbelief. "You have not seen battle since you were thirteen. How do you expect to compete against me?" A moment later two balls of dark purple energy came barreling towards her. She blocked them with her own powers, which gave off a white and yellow color. She then looked at her sister in shock.

Leela stood before her, her hands aglow with the dark light. "Do not think me weak," she warned in a low voice before putting her hands together. The the light grew until it surrounded her body and then she vanished.

Ariel only frowned. . . she had never learned transportation.

OoOoO

Jake and Trixie had dropped Spud off at his sister's and Haley back at Johnathan's. The long car ride home was filled with nothing more than the sound of silence. When they finally arrived home, Jake got out of the car and walked towards the house as if he couldn't get away from Trixie fast enough. He slammed the front door behind him and headed straight upstairs. Trixie came in a moment later, Jerry, who had been in the living room, watching tv, greeted her there. "Mom?" he looked concern.

"It's okay, sweetie," she reassured him. "Just go finish watching your show."

"Are you sure?" he asked. Trixie smiled at him before nodding her head and then going upstairs, but Jerry had not moved. He stayed right there, in case he was needed.

Trixie found Jake sitting calmly on his side of the bed, hes fingers laced as he leaned on his legs. She stood in front of him. "Jake?" she said softly.

"I don't want to hear it," his voice was cold and detached.

Trixie signed before getting on her knees before him. He slightly turned his head away from her. "Please, don't be like this," she begged of him as she rested her hands on his knees. "Just look at me." He honored her request and when he did, Trixie slightly jerked back. His expression was so emotionless that it had taken her by surprise. Jake was such an emotional creature, so to see nothing on his face, was frightening.

"What?" the sound was crisp and sharp leaving his mouth. Trixie went to speak, but realized she didn't know what to say. "Forget it," Jake spoke when she took too long. "I don't even know if I care about what you're going to say. Want to know why?" He once again waited for a response, but none came. "I thought we were passed this."

The woman before him looked at him curiously. "Passed what?"

Jake scoffed. "You, trying to hurt me." And in that moment, pain could be read in his expression. "I made one mistake. One," he stressed. Trixie didn't have to ask what that mistake was. It was the mistake that would always have her question him. "Sometimes, I can't help, but to think, if I had been more devoted. If I had just let Rose go, maybe you would have never had a reason to cheat on me. Maybe we would not have lost six years of your marriage. Jerry would be calling me dad, instead of Gregory. And maybe, just maybe, you would be able to say no to Spud, because you loved me."

"It's not that I don't love you-" she tried to explain.

"But how does a dragon compete with your knight in shining armor?" the words came out like acid.

Outraged at what he said, Trixie stood. "No, it wasn't like that!"

"How was it not like that?" he wondered, slightly pushing her back so that he could stand. "You knew I would come looking for you. Don't you think it's already eating me up inside that our future is up in the air now that Spud is back? Did you honestly think I needed that concreted into my head?!" he yelled down at her.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you," she said truthfully. "We were just talking and-"

"I know what you were talking about," he cut her off, his shoulders falling, as if in defeat. "So when are you leaving?"

OoOoO

It's was Ariel's eighteenth birthday. She was in her room dressed as a commoner as she prepared for her test for the throne. There came a knock at the door. "Come in," she called as she packed a few things into a brown knapsack.

"Mi'lady?" came the soft voice of a person Ariel knew all too well.

She smiled as she turned to greet him. "Eskaw, my friend." She hurried over to him and gave him a hug. "What are you doing here?" she asked as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Today is the first day of your quest. I'm not going to see you for many years. You know I had to come and wish you luck," he told her.

"That is so sweet of you," she told him before going back to her things. "I guess you heard about Leela as well?"

Eskaw nodded his head as he pulled up a chair beside her bed. "Yes, and I must say, it came as a great surprise to me."

"It came to a great surprise to many people." She sat down on the bed. "Her battle skills are not like mine. I looked at the list of the trophies of the creatures we must collect from. She has not trained for many of them. How does she expect to pass? How does she expect to survive?"

"You are worried about her," the red headed man realized.

She looked at him in disbelief. "Of course I am, what kind of sister would I be if I were not?"

"I understand," he told her. "It's just, you have no time to worry about her. This quest is designed to test you in the most horrible ways. If you don't remain focused on your goal, you may not come back."

Ariel lowered her head. "I have never let my emotions get the better of me. I won't now," she assured him.

Eskaw smiled. "It does me good to hear that. Because upon your return, I plan on asking your father for your hand."

Ariel's head snapped in his direction. She gave him a long hard look before breaking out into a smile, her cheeks turning red as he smiled back. "Eskaw," she whispered.

"Don't look so surprised." He walked over to her and pulled a small box out of his pocket. He then opened the box. "A little something for you. As a token of my love."

Ariel reached for what rested inside, it was a black cubed shaped pendant on a silver chain. "It's beautiful," she told him. She then read the inscription, which were in red letters. She giggled. "You remembered."

Eskaw shrugged. "How could I forget?" He then took it from her. "Here, let me put it on you. Promise me you'll never take it off."

"I promise," she replied as it hung around her neck.

"Good." He then took her in his arms. "Now all you have to do is come back to me alive."

"I promise that too," she said as she returned his hug.

OoOoO

It had taken her longer than she had planned, but after nearly seven long years, Ariel finally began your journey home. It wasn't easy living like a commoner when she had been raised as a royal. She had to earn her own way in the world. She had taken any work that had come her way, and the money she earned, went towards killing the twenty creatures, she had been assigned to collect trophies from, each more dangers than the last.

Many of nights had been spent, hunting, tracking, stalking. Sleep had been rare and on some occasions so had food. But what had gotten her through was the thought of one day returning home. This day.

As she approached the castle gate she was stopped by two guards. To prove her identity she pulled out the royal ring of her line. She used to wear it on her left pinky finger, but she had lost that three years ago. She remembered spending a week looking for her severed finger so that she could recover the ring. The battle with the Chimera she had lost it to had been one of her more difficult quest.

Upon walking into the royal chamber she was greeted with an unexpected sight. Leela was sitting upon her father's throne. Leela gave a strange look to the woman who had just entered the room, but immediately recognized her sister. She stood, her crown, marking her as Queen, resting upon her head as if it had always been there. "Welcome home," Leela greeted Ariel with a soft smile as she approached her.

"What is going on?" Ariel asked, now noticing the swell of her sister's stomach. "Where is father? And what is that on your head?"

"You should rest. I imagine your journey has been long," Leela said.

"Imagine?" Ariel looked at her curiously. "Why would you have to imagine something you have been though as well?"

"My love," came a voice behind them entering the room. His head was down as he looked at some parchment in his hands. "I just got word for the Draco Kingdom, they have agreed-" he stopped short as he finally looked up and saw the woman before him. "Ari," he whispered.

"Eskaw." Ariel couldn't help the smile that came to her face as she saw him for the first time in years, but then she noticed something. The small crown upon his head. She turned back to her sister. "What the hell is going on?!" she demanded to know.

"Ari please, calm down. I will explain everything," she promised her.

After sitting down with her sister, Leela went on to explain what had happened. Their father had died in battle a few days after they had started their test for the throne. The Elite Palace Guards were sent by the Royal Advisers to come and find them and bring them home.

Leela was found in a village a days' journey away from the castle. They had searched for Ariel for over a year before giving up, assuming her dead, and forcing Leela to take the throne. When she became of marrying age, the advisers selected Eskaw, as he was the obvious choice, since he had already been approved by their father. They were not in love at first, but love soon followed. Ariel could only stare as she watched her sister absentmindedly bring her hand up to touch the black pendant around her neck. The one that was identical to the one she wore now, the one she had promised never to take off.

Leela then went on to explain, how the war was soon coming to an end. She had been meeting with the other Kings and Emperors to set up treaties. The war had done a lot of damage, had eaten up so many resource, and had cost too many lives. Most of them were hesitate and suspicious at first, thinking it was some kind of trap, but if all seven could come into agreement, they would sign for peace. It had been two years of negotiating in the works, but the Draco Kingdom had finally accepted all the terms of the treaty.

Ariel sat there in complete shock as she let everything sink in. Her father was dead. Her sister, who never even finished the test now set upon the throne. The man, whom she loved, whom she thought she would be marrying, was already married to her sister, and they were having a child together. And the war she had been fighting in, for longer than she could remember would soon no longer exist.

Ariel realized she no longer had a purpose in this world and it was all Leela's fault. This second born child, who had stolen her rightful birthplace. Ariel had been through so much in the last seven years and now learned it was all for nothing.

She became outraged, tears streaming down her cheeks as she leaped across the table and attacked her sister. Leela was quick to defend herself. Blocking the other's energy attacks as they came towards her. The commotion soon had the Elite Palace Guards coming into the room.

Ariel, not in her right mind, had nothing but Leela in her line of sight, so she was stunned when she was attacked by the guards, her hands bound so she could not use her magic. She screamed and yelled to be released.

Leela asked her advisers what she should do. It was clear to them, that the news had been too much for her. That she would have to be committed for a time, until she was better. Leela agreed and told the guards to have her sent to the far end of the kingdom, where they had the finest doctors to give her the proper care.

As the guards carried her away, Ariel's voice became calm as she began to speak. All turned to her, her demeanor strange. Leela's eyes grew wide as she listen closely to her sister's words. She became panic as she told the guards to cover her mouth, to not let her speak, but it was too late, the enchantment was complete.

OoOoO

Spud stepped through a portal and deeply inhaled the air of his home world. It was nightfall as he walked through the forest and came to a clearing where his winged horse resided. He threw the large bundle he had with him onto the creature's back before getting on himself and taking off.

About ten minutes into his flight, the bundle began to squirm. "Struggle any harder and you'll fall off," Spud warned.

"What do you want with me?" Jerry asked angrily.

"Thought you were suppose to be smart?" Spud wondered. "Isn't it clear? You're going to help me. . . end our curse."

To Be Continued. . .

A/N: Okay, for those who missed it. The reason Johnathan couldn't bring Susan with him to Dinya was because she was of Dragon blood and one of the kingdoms in Dinya is made of dragons. . . and Grandma wasn't having that.

A/N: 4-8-2010: You know what I just realized? I had three Jewels of Eskaw, and I only worked in two, didn't I? Dammit! Let's just pretended he made the third one a lot later, okay? Okay! =D