Guys, I know I'm slowing down with the updates. Sorry about that, but I will continue to pump these babies out as much as I can. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and keep them coming!
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When they had gotten far enough in the wood Fawkes had doubled back and taken them to a cave he had found earlier that day. It was damp and dark, but at least it would keep them hidden for the night. The woods were not a safe place for them, especially at night.
"Rhoswen?" Fawkes called out to his sister gently, but she ignored him and continued on mumbling to herself.
"She's dead... She's dead..." Rhoswen continued as she rocked herself back and forth with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees that were pulled to her chest. Fawkes watched her, feeling useless to help her, his only sister, his only family. He was more then worried about her current state of mind too. She had been sitting in the same spot on the ground before the small fire for a bit, shaking her head, rocking back and forth, and mumbling the same phrase over and over to herself.
"Rhoswen, " Fawkes started again and stood up from his seat on the ground. He laid Bry gently on top of his coat he was using as a makeshift bed and knelt before Rhoswen. He looked into her eyes, but she wasn't starring back. She was looking straight through at something that was in her mind. She continued to mumble as he slowly laid a hand on her arm, "Rhoswen?"
"She's dead." Rhoswen mumbled and then blinked, being broken from her hypnosis. She looked at him and shook her head again, "Grandfather killed her."
"He did. She's been dead for nearly fifty years...but," Fawkes replied and trailed off. He squeezed her arm gently and shook his head, "But evil doesn't ever really die."
"I don't understand." Rhoswen gave a small cry and hung her head. She closed her eyes and laid her forehead on her knees.
"I know." Fawkes sympathized with her and looked towards the mouth of the cave. He peered out into the darkness that was illuminated by the glow of the waning moon, "I didn't at first either. It took me a while. Actually, the day I figured it out was the day I left Kissing Town."
Fawkes moved beside her and sat down. He stared at the fire, the flames dancing on the walls, and then at Bry that breathed slowly from pain. Though Rhoswen had saved him from death, his wing was completely shattered and Fawkes doubted he would ever fly again.
"Maleficent was struck by the sword and she did fall from the cliff with the shield, but she wasn't dead. She slithered away, like evil usually does when they feel defeat, and came here." Fawkes looked around the cave and sighed heavily, "She came here and placed the shield on this mountain. At the peek. It's been there all this time."
"What about the fire?" Rhoswen asked and lifted her head. She stared at the flames of the fire while she remembered the green flames that had sat on the peek, "And the lightning?"
"When Maleficent died her evil formed some kind of...a barrier or something around the peek. To guard the shield. To keep us away." Fawkes looked to Rhoswen and watched her carefully. He could see tears falling silently down her cheeks and saw the fear and confusion swirling in her eyes as the flames dance in them.
"And her screams?" Rhoswen bit out, "What were they?"
"A trick. It's her evil. It felt the presence of the sword and was trying to keep it away. It happens whenever it gets too close." Fawkes explanation, though it made sense to her unlike most things that had been happening, did nothing to make her feel better. So many things rushed through her head. She was having trouble focusing.
"How did you find it?" Rhoswen asked slowly and looked to the sword that stuck out from his pack. It was jeweled on the white leather hilt with sapphires and diamonds in a neat design. The blade was a glimmering silver, which she hadn't seen it as ever, "Why isn't it glowing green?"
"The wishing well in the Little Lamb Village." Fawkes looked back at her again from the fire, "I found it at those Peep's farm and washed it in the water. That's when that Tony fellow popped in with the dog."
"That's what you were doing there...?" Rhoswen whispered to herself and shook her head. He hadn't been there to help her or to see her, but to cure the sword of Maleficent's evil. She wanted to yell at him, but fought against it, "Where did you find it?"
"At the witch's ruin castle by the river in the fourth kingdom." Fawkes replied and leaned back against the cave wall, "It was in the tower."
"...I was there." Rhoswen gave a harsh laugh as more tears rolled down her cheeks, "I was on a boat in that river and then I saw Bry. So I jumped out and followed him to the ruins. I never...I never even felt you there."
"You weren't supposed to. I broke the tie for a reason Rose." Fawkes replied as Rhoswen nostrils flared. She clenched her hands tightly, her right arm stinging all the way up to her shoulder, and grit her teeth.
"You broke the ties?" She tried to keep herself calm, but fund it difficult. She had thought he was dead. She had cried to Wolf that she thought her brother was dead because she couldn't feel him anymore, but he had purposely broken them.
"I had to." Fawkes replied and looked back at her again, Rhoswen closed her eyes and felt her nails dig into the palms of her hands.
"Why did you have to?" She asked slowly, trying to reel in her anger. Fawkes stared at her a moment longer and then looked away. He wasn't supposed to talk about it. Especially not with her. He stood up from his spot and walked back over to Bry, "Why Fawkes!"
"Because I was told that I had to." He replied and picked up Bry carefully in his arms. He was older then her, if only by a mere minute or two, but she made him feel like a child. Rhoswen's eyes narrowed at him as her knuckles turned white.
"Who told you!" Rhoswen shouted and looked over at him, "Who! Tell me who!"
"Fauna!" Fawkes shouted back and then fell silent as he stared back at her. He quickly looked away and stared down at the bird in his arms.
"Fauna...?" Rhoswen's anger was quenched by the name. She unclenched her hands and her jaw loosened, "Our Fauna? The fairy?"
"Yes...she found me wandering in the forest of the second kingdom and told me that I had to break ties with you." Fawkes replied and took a deep breath. He sighed and looked back over at her. He could see she was having such trouble understanding. Not only this or about Maleficent, but about everything that had happened. His expression went soft and he looked away from her, feeling ashamed for the first time by his actions, "I didn't want to Rhoswen. I really didn't. It was the only connection you had to me and me to you, but she said it was the only way I could go after the sword. Without the sword we can't get the shield and without the two of them together we can't save the eighth kingdom."
Rhoswen kept quiet and listened to him as he spoke. She didn't know what to say or how to feel anymore. Everything that had happened, everything that might happen...it was too much. She closed her eyes and wove her hands through her hair, gripping it tightly, but not pulling on it. She took a deep breath and tried to will herself to understand it all, to be able to work through it all, but she just couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel anymore.
"Rose...you have every right to be angry with me, but with the sw-"
"I'm not angry." Rhoswen spoke up. Her face was twisted, unable to put a specific emotion onto itself, "At least I don't think I am...I'm just...I'm so confused Fawkes. Everything's gone horribly wrong. I don't know left from right anymore."
She fell silent again and squeezed her eyes as tightly together as she could. Fawkes watched as she fell to pieces before him. He had never seen her so upset. He had never thought it possibly she could be so upset. Carefully, he set Bry back down on his coat and stood up, approaching Rhoswen slowly. He sat down beside her and pulled her to him, wrapping a secure arm around her.
Rhoswen wrapped her arms around his waist and hide her face in his shirt. She allowed herself to sob in hopes that once she was done crying, done letting everything go, she would be better. Everything would be better. Fawkes let out a short breath and then wrapped his arms around her tighter. He closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him as he felt his own tears beginning. He kissed the top of her head and shushed her.
"Shhh...It's alright. Everything is alright." He whispered to her softly and listened to her cries. He felt the back of his throat sting as she hugged him tighter as though holding on to him for dear life, "It's alright Rhoswen. Shhhh...It's okay. Everything is going to be alright."
He knew that something along her journey had happened to force her to crumble in such a way. Something he should have been there for. Something he should have protected her from. He felt it in his blood, his heart, that it was something so terrible that it had broken her heart. In turn it had broken his as well.
"I promise I'm going to fix this and then everything will be alright again." Fawkes spoke up again and looked out towards the mouth of the cave. He went to speak again, but was halted as he felt a small cry build up in him. When he had suppressed it, but not the tears, he spoke again, "I-I'm going to fix everything, Rose. I'm going to get us home...I promise I will."
"You're not going by yourself, Fawkes." Rhoswen turned her head and stared at him hard, "You're not going alone. Period. End of discussion."
"Rhoswen, I have to." Fawkes replied exasperated by her. They had been debating the topic since they had woken up this morning. There was absolutely no way she was going to let him go alone and there was absolutely no way in Hell he was letting her follow, "You're not coming."
"Oh yes I am." She replied and looked back over at him. She had been relentless in arguing with him that she was going to follow. She even threatened at one point that if he left her behind again she would climb the peek and face whatever evil Maleficent had left behind without him or the sword.
"Please, you have to go back to the others." Fawkes begged and looked over at her. She crossed her arms and shook her head.
"No. I won't. I don't even know where they are now." Rhoswen lied as she put out the fire. She shook her hand, trying to free it of the sharp stinging. She knew exactly where Tony, Virginia, and Prince Wendell were; Dragon Mountain. It wasn't too far from them either, but she didn't want to go back. Despite feeling as though she should.
"Please Rose. You can't come." Fawkes argued again and stood up with his pack on his back. He carried Bry in his arms and held him up a little for her to see, "I can't take him with me and I need someone to look after him."
"Okay, now that's not fair." Her hard looked dropped and was replaced by irritation. To use an injured falcon to coax her out of going was low. She shook her head and looked towards the mouth of the cave, "Anyway, I have as much right as you do to go after the sword and shield. Now, since you went after your sword all by your lonesome then I really have a right to go along to get my shield."
Fawkes fell silent and stared at her hard. He ground his teeth and clicked them before looking up at the ceiling of the cave.
"Heaven help me..." He mumbled under his breath and looked back at her. He really didn't want her coming along, "...fine."
"Good." Rhoswen smiled and walked over to him. She took Bry from his arms and cradled him against her chest, "Let's go then."
She walked to the mouth of the cave and stepped out into the sunlight. Fawkes stayed behind a moment longer and then shook his head. He put his hands on his hips and watched her as she continued walking away. His mind floated back to the day Fauna and the other fairies, which he had neglected to mention, had cornered him in the forest.
"Fawkes!" Fauna rushed over to the young man who was chopping wood.
"Fauna?" Fawkes asked as he stopped himself from chopping another log. He watched as she got closer, her tiny wings flapping wildly and her eyes wide. She landed before him, Flora and Merryweather close behind.
"You must go to Maleficent's castle straight away!" She shouted through a small pant.
"How did you find me?" Fawkes asked, axe still held above his head.
"It does not matter!" Fauna shouted and took a step closer, "You must go now!"
"But you can't tell Rose." Merryweather spoke up and wagged fat a finger at him.
"Tell Rose what? What's at the castle except stone and bad memories?"Fawkes asked as he set down the axe and leaned on it. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked down at them.
"The sword!" The three fairies shouted at once. Fawkes's eyes went wide as he tried to get his mind working again.
"The sword?" He asked finally, "It's there?"
"Yes and you must go now before a new witch finds it!" Fauna shouted as Merryweather tried to push him to a start. Fawkes stood his ground easily and looked back at the other two.
"Why can't Rose know?" He asked and looked down at Flora.
"Because she loves you and would follow if she did." Flora replied with her small, gentle voice, "It is not safe for her. Not yet anyway."
"Under no circumstance can she follow." Fauna spoke up and stared up at him, "No matter what she says, does, or promises to do. She cannot go. She must stay with the outsiders she is traveling with. The future of the kingdom depends on the bonds she is making."
"How so?" Fawkes asked and looked down at Fauna. The three fairies looked to each other with mixed feelings. Fawkes could tell that Fauna thought it was a bad idea to tell him. Flora, on the other hand, thought he should know. While Merryweather was just too excited to keep the secret bottled up for much longer. They looked back at him slowly, Fauna's mind made up.
"It does not matter. What matters now is the sword." Fauna started and shook her head, "Rhoswen must stay with the outsiders. If she doesn't then-"
"It's a wolf!" Merryweather blurted out and smacked her hands over her mouth. Fauna looked to her incredulously, making Merryweather shrink back into almost nothing.
"He's Rosie's true love." Flora spoke up softly with a smile despite the hard glared from Fauna. She looked to her fellow fairy and smiled warmly, "He deserves to know."
"A wolf?" Fawkes asked and looked to Fauna. She nodded her head, confirming it, "Why doesn't that surprise me."
"He's not just a wolf! He's the half-wolf grandson of Little Red Riding Hood!" Merryweather blurted again, but grinned up at Fawkes this time.
"Yes, well," Fauna started, but fell quiet. She was unsure of what to add to that information, "She must stay with the outsiders while you go after the sword and shield. It's the kingdoms only chance."
"And she must never know?" Fawkes asked as the three of them shook their heads, "And how am I supposed to accomplish that? We have a bond."
Fawkes wondered how he could ever keep something hidden from his sister. She was already looking for him and she knew exactly where he was at all times. His little journey had actually turned into a game of cat and mouse and she was slowly winning.
"You must break the tie."
"Yeah and that worked well for a little while, didn't it?" Fawkes asked under his breath to no one. He stared at Rhoswen's diminishing figure as she walked through the woods and sighed heavily as he shook his head, "The fairies are going to kill me."
