Chapter 6: Reclaim The Lost
"What errand were you talking about earlier?" Kendra snuck the question over to Ronodin.
"You don't have to worry about that," Ronodin promised. "We'll worry about that all in due time, though I recommend you get some sleep. You're going to need it."
"What about Bracken?" Kendra turned her attention to the respective boy. He was sitting on a log nearby, gagged and bonded. He had barely acknowledged them the whole walk and to be honest, Kendra had a strange sense of worry over him.
"He'll be fine." Ronodin said, "Go to sleep hun. We have a big day tomorrow." Kendra grudgingly pulled a sleeping bag out of her massive backpack and spread it across the rocky ground. She desperately hoped it wouldn't feel too rocky, she would have trouble sleeping. But poor Kendra was so tired, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Kendra opened her eyes to be standing in a large, grassy field. She looked down and saw she was also in a large, silk dress that flowed gracefully around her. She stared at the dress in open awe, for she had never seen such a magnificent dress. Except in her dreams.
"Yes, Kendra." A beautiful figure materialized in front of her, "Yet without your identity, you remain as intelligent as ever."
"Who are you?" Kendra asked.
"I was hoping I was wrong," the beautiful figure continued to materialize, flowers appearing in her long, wavy hair, blooming as if it was the last day on earth. "But alas, it is true. My handmaiden, you are without your identity."
"So I've been told." Kendra said, "It's not like I remember much."
The female laughed, a sound like melodious bells. "Kendra, my dead." She said, "You must not fall to Ronodin's trickery. He has been deceiving you, doing the very things he said your family has been doing. Along with my son."
"Your son?" Kendra asked.
"You truly have forgotten a lot." She said, "He travels with you now."
"Ronodin?" Kendra asked.
"Heavens no." The female explained, "My niece is another thing entirely. My son is the one who truly loves you."
"So Ronodin," Kendra confirmed.
The female smiled sadly, "There is another companion with you." She said, "Ronodin says he doesn't love you, but you are the reason he still fights. Why do you think he was so willing to go with Ronodin? It's because he didn't want to leave you alone."
"I get it." Kendra said, "You're trying to steal me away."
"I'm giving you a choice." The female said, "Kendra, I do not know how to reverse your condition."
"Well, that's helpful," Kendra said, it came out a little meaner than she had hoped.
"But," the female said, "I am Molea. I can help restore some of your memories."
"You can do that?" Kendra asked hopefully, "But how do I not know you aren't just planting wrong things in my mind? I wouldn't be able to tell."
"True." The female said, "You wouldn't."
"But you can still restore my memory?" She asked.
"I can restore your memory from the memories of others," the female explained, "I can take memories that others have with you and plant them in your mind. It wouldn't be the same, but it may help you see what you are doing, my sweet Kendra."
"I said it before," Kendra said, "How do I know I can trust you?"
"I am Molea." She said as if it explained everything. "And you, my dear, are my handmaiden. Now rise, my child, I will search for the memories you need, whether you believe them or not. Do not fall for Ronodin's trickery. Do not hurt your true love any more than you already have."
And with that, Kendra woke up.
"So we're doing this?" Vanessa confirmed.
"Yep," Seth said as he pushed open the door, that quite possibly led to their final hope.
"You're supposed to be super dramatic about it!" Warren complained, "Like this door, leads to our only hope! Or even an 'I guess so!' Gods, I'm surrounded by amateurs!"
"I do hope you don't mean me." The fair folk king said from his throne. Warren squeaked as the tips of ears turned red at the king's words. Leave it to Warren, Seth realized. He noticed right away that both Kendra's friend Garrett and... Eve was standing beside their father. Seth could see Eve's face light up with joy at the sight of Seth, through Seth had to admit he probably looked the same way.
Seth bowed his head and talked with a formality, "Lord Darogel." He said, "We come to you humbly to ask for advice. My sister lost her identity in the plight of the Wizenstone and we hope to know where she is hiding."
"Her identity?" The king acknowledged,. "To lose one's memory is one thing, but identity is something else entirely. Some of the darkest magic."
"Is she alright?" Garrett asked, most likely worried about the sake of his sister.
"She's been kidnapped by Ronodin." Vanessa said gravely, "Our puppet."
"Mendigo," Garrett remembered.
"Correct," Vanessa said, "He was tampered with and stole Kendra away from us last night. We don't know about her whereabouts, but being with Ronodin would not be old for her. He is a smooth deceiver and has a silver tongue for lies."
"I have heard stories of the dark unicorn." Darogel said, "But even stories have their hints. But helping you might violate our neutral policies, something we cannot overthrow."
"No matter how hard we try," Eve muttered under her breath, "Or at least I."
"Ronodin isn't exactly on the Dragon's side." Warren but in, "So you wouldn't be violating this preserve's neutral penalty, would you?"
Lord Darogel smiled, "I suppose not, would it." He said. It took all Seth had for his jaw not to drop on the ground. I mean, he desperately wanted this guy to help him, but he didn't expect it to be this easy! I mean, technically Warren had a point, but not to dis his cousin, he didn't expect that to work.
"Do you know the story of Ronodin the dark unicorn?" The fairy king asked. Seth suddenly felt very dumb for not considering this, for the tips of his ears turned pink.
"No." Seth managed as his companions nodded in agreement.
"Same here." Vanessa agreed.
"Ronodin wasn't always a dark unicorn." The king of the fair folk explained, "He was once a pure unicorn, just like any other. Some might say even purer, because of the way he loved his family."
Seth's thoughts drifted back to his sister. It scared him how much this story was reminding him of her.
"One day," Darogel continued, "His parents died protecting the fairy queen. His mother was even with his sister, though the baby died with her mother." Seth's fists turned white. He almost forgot that most people didn't know about the fairy queen is a unicorn and the fact that Ronodin was her niece. No matter he felt as bitter as he did.
"Ronodin was furious at this." The king continued, "His anger corrupted him and his horns and he left the fairy realm and did not resurface for many centuries. That is, until recently."
"Just before the war," Seth confirmed.
The king nodded. "He swore one thing to the fairy queen before he left." He said, "That he would see her burn of which she least expected it. To feel the pain that he had. To erase her work and her love like what happened to him. His smooth personality is only to cover the darkness gnawing at his heart. Most say he will stop at nothing to fulfill his oath."
"But what does that mean?" Seth blurted out.
"His oath." Darogel said, "What did he swear?"
"That he would watch the realm burn," Warren realized, "At the most unexpected hands, just like him."
"And how would he do that?" Vanessa inquired.
Darogel smiled sadly, "Where do we meet with this realm? How can Ronodin do this?"
"The shrines." Seth realized, "He's going to the shrines!"
Kendra woke up to finding Bracken watching her from over on the log, the emotions hard to read on his face. If she didn't know any better, she would almost say his gaze was… longing. She glanced over to see Ronodin fast asleep in a sleeping bag to her right.
She knew she was going to regret this, but she walked over to Bracken and pulled off the gag. He looked up at her and rubbed his jaw, most likely from all the time he had spent wearing the gag. "Thank you." He said.
"I have a question for you," Kendra did her best to sound brave, "You are going to answer it." He nodded slowly. "Who is your mother?"
He looked surprised at the question, the reason why she didn't know. "She did it." He whispered to himself, "She did it."
"What did she do?" Kendra pushed.
"She's helping-" Bracken was cut off by Ronodin putting his gag back on. Kendra quickly looked down at her hands and realized he must have snatched it from her. She paled, has he been awake this whole time?
"She's helping manipulate you." Ronodin finished, "Kendra, have you been getting dreams?"
Kendra's face flushed, "Only tonight." She said defensively, "I needed some answers from him, I didn't mean to wake you. I was going to tell you as soon as you woke up." Whether that was true or not, she had no idea.
"Kendra, I told you that you can't listen to them." Ronodin finished fastening Bracken's gag with one swift pull.
"I wasn't listening to them." She tried, "I was just confused. The dream was talking about him." Kendra was confused at the way how Ronodin's face looked, almost a little… bitter. Not an emotion is commonly seen on him.
"Who?" He asked. Kendra looked to Bracken for a reason she didn't know, but he did not advise even his eyes. She was on her own for this.
"I don't know her exact name." She said honestly, "She called herself… Molea. I think."
"Molea," Ronodin confirmed and Kendra nodded slowly. "I should have known. What did she say to you? Did she do anything to you? I don't want you to get hurt, I can't lose you and she may be hurting you." That time, Kendra was sure she saw Bracken snort.
"She didn't say anything." She lied, "Except to trust her son."
"Are you sure?" Ronodin walked up to her, "I don't want you getting hurt by her, not like I did."
"What do you mean?" Kendra asked.
Ronodin smiled, "This is not a well-known story." He said, "Even he doesn't know it," he gestured to Bracken.
"Tell me," Kendra said.
"I will in due time my dear." He said, "But it's not the time for that yet. I worry if I tell you the story now you will try and rush what we are about to do. Be patient, your answers will be coming soon."
He looked at her, "I don't tell you everything yet to protect you, Kendra. I want you to have a moment of innocence and happiness before you force the truth upon yourself, do you understand?"
Kendra nodded, hoping what he said was true. If he was trying to protect her, she knew right away that she could trust him.
She Says She Can Help. So Does He. What About Me?