Disclaimer: Don't own
I'm really sorry I haven't updated-I've had this thing finished since before I posted chapter 3-I just haven't had the time to type them up and post them-There's only five chapters in all-and I don't care if your disappointed with the ending of this story-I happen to think it's adorable. So, here is Chapter 4-and I shall have 5 up shortly (I'm typing it up right after this one!
RUNE
Chapter 4
Three days passed without another confrontation, though Rath and Thatz had stopped speaking. It had hit the castle hard, no one knew what to say or what to do-with it's leader and Security chief at odds the castle was barely functioning.
On Rath's orders Rune was kept away from Thatz. He had hoped to talk to his lover about the child, about Rune-about everything-but every time he tried he was met by either a stony silence or a full scale argument that Thatz would then storm out on. So Rath was at somewhat of a loss as to what to do.
He was sitting in thoughtful preoccupation (actually trying to remember how Rune had dealt with an obstinate Thatz), in his throne room, on the steps, when little Rune wandered in. A rather serious expression on his little face. He made a beeline for Rath when he saw him, climbing onto his lap and startling him out of his thoughts.
"Mister Waf." Rune began without preamble. "Why awe you sad?"
Rath blinked in surprise. "Sad?" he repeated finally.
Rune nodded. "Yes, sad. You awe sad, Mister Fatz is sad, Mister Wuwalk is sad, everybody ina castdle is sad. Why?"
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean Rune." Rath said.
The child gave him a deliberately disbelieving look. "You and mister Fatz fight dontcho?"
Rath nodded slowly.
"And dat makes you sad-and Mister Fatz sad, an' da whole castdle sad." Rune continued. "Mister Fatz is angwy 'bout me… you fight 'bout me dontcho?"
Rath was startled by the insight the child had-he hadn't noticed how his and Thatz's moods had dictated those of the castles inhabitants. With a sigh he set about to try and explain the complexities of the situation to the child.
"Rune, you mustn't think any of this is your fault, it's just that your namesake-"
"Wha's a 'namesake'?" Rune interrupted, frowning.
"A person you are named after. In your case, your namesake was Rune. Thatz and I loved Rune very much-but one day Rune disappeared, and since then Thatz has felt betrayed. He always hoped that Rune would come home to us, as did I-but he didn't. For five years we have had no word of Rune, or what might have happened. And then you came-with the water Dragon-that dragon once belonged to our Rune, and it makes Thatz angry that he might be gone forever, without ever telling us why. It's not really you he's angry at-you ju7st happen to be his best target."
"Oh…" the boy frowned. "So ifin I wasn't called Wune would Mister Fatz like me?"
Rath smiled and ruffled the child's hair. "I don't know-but your name is Rune, and as soon as Mister Thatz comes to his senses he will see just what he's missing and love you as much as I do. Come on, lets go find Ruwalk and go play in the lake-what do you say?"
The boy giggled and slid off Rath's knees. "I gotta go find Watew!" he cried and made a run for it.
Rath watched him go and smiled. "He is so like him-too like him." He said with a soft sigh. He sometimes found himself wishing that it was him.
"He could easily have been Rune as a child." Ruwalk said suddenly, coming in the door smiling.
Rath nodded. "Sometimes I wish it was." He confided quietly.
In the shadows behind the throne, where he had stopped, frozen when the child had first entered. Thatz's eyes narrowed as his mind began turning as something clicked to life. Rune had said something about it- a long time ago-when they had found that elfin princess he had been so hung up on at the time-Tintlet or something… But that wasn't important-what had he said at the time?
Trapped in the body of a little girl…
Yes! That was it!
Thatz spun abruptly on his heel-it all made such sense now. Why he had found the child to be so much like Rune-because it was Rune! Only Rune trapped in the body of a child, with no memory. It all made such sense now!
He went to the library, to compile a list a list of places Rune could be being. Trapped, by a Demon.
He had to be right-this was his last chance of getting Rune back. He just had to be right!
X
Rath left Rune in the care of Ruwalk and made his way back to his rooms to dry off, only to stop in shock when he saw Thatz hastily tossing clothes into a bag. He was frozen for a moment. Was Thatz intending to leave him?
"Thatz?" he finally managed to choke out.
Thatz looked up and his cheeks reddened. "The note explains everything." He said, picking up his bag and moving to pass.
Raths glare froze him to the spot. "I don't want to read a note Thatz-I want you to tell me what's going on."
"Thatz looked at him. "I've worked it out Rath. I've worked it all out."
"Worked what out?" Rath asked, frowning-worried by his lover's earnestness.
"About Rune Rath. I know what happened to Rune. I know where he is-or at least, I have a list of the places he is. I know Rath!" Thatz said.
Rath's frown softened, but his expression was still worried. "Thatz stop-your only hurting yourself."
"No Rath-don't you see-that child is Rune-only he's been trapped in that child's body! You remember he told us about that elfin princess-and if she can be trapped in a child's body then so can Rune. Don't you see? He's been trapped by a Demon. It explains so much! Why Water is with him, how he knew the kind of cookies I eat. How he notices things children just don't notice! Only Rune was ever so in touch with how the castle felt. You can't say it's just a coincidence Rath-you can't!" Thatz said, his voice almost pleading.
Rath looked at him, sorrow shining from his eyes. He had thought about all of this already. But the more he thought the more he had come to realise that it just wasn't true. No matter how much this child seemed like their Rune, he wasn't.
"Thatz-can you at least wait until morning? Please." He asked.
Thatz looked at him with a helpless kind of expression. "We have a chance to be whole again Rath-and you want me to wait until morning?"
"Yes Thatz please-for me. Give me one last night with you before you disappear as well." He said. He wouldn't stop Thatz-if he still wanted to leave in the morning he would let him go-but he was going to give him every reason to stay tonight. He wasn't sure he would survive if he lost the other half of his heart.
Thatz felt his heart tug at the look in his lover eyes. This was why he had intended to be gone before Rath had returned. But he could not refuse him. "All right Rath-until morning."
Rath enveloped him in a hug, holding him tight. "Thank you."
Yay! And I should have the concluding chapter up before you finish reading this one-I hope. Oh, and to clear some things up before you start complaining-the thinking is not mine-it's the characters, if it doesn't make sense that's the way it's supposed to be because the character is fixing reality to fit the situation-which is what people do all the time.
Anywho, enjoy! AND REVIEW FOR EACH CHAPPIE, PLEASE.