Chapter 7: Fairies and Princesses
"Seth, slow down!" Vanessa cried after him as he ran down the halls.
"I can't!" He called back, "We have a lead on her! We can finally find her, but we have to get there first! She is going to do something she'll regret and she'll hate herself for it!"
"Seth, we need a plan." Vanessa grabbed his wrist, "We can't go charging in to face Ronodin without a plan! We need to wait a bit, make sure everything is in place. Maybe the fairy folk can still lend us a hand!"
"I can't leave her there." Seth emphasized, "You know what's going to happen!"
"Seth, you know I hate light creatures, all but your sister." Vanessa said, "As much as I would love to see them lose one of their precious shrines we can't let that happen. I'm all for letting it fall if it weren't for Kendra. If we want to help her, we need a plan alright?"
Seth sighed angrily, "I never use a plan." He said, "I don't need one."
"And that's your fatal flaw," Vanessa said.
Seth had to chuckle at that, "You're quoting Percy Jackson on me?" He asked.
Vanessa looked at him seriously, "It isn't just some saying from a book, we all have one." She said, "Don't even try to deny it. Your flaw is that you'll go rushing into battle, you're too excited. You need to think things out."
"And Kendra is about to break her's," he said, "Personal loyalty. What does that say? A fatal flaw is something you cannot erase Vanessa. If she helps destroy that shrine, she will be undoing one of the hardest things for her to change. What will happen to the little things then?"
Vanessa opened her mouth and closed it, looking defeated. He had a point and Seth knew Vanessa knew this, but she seemed to be determined to make Seth think it out. "And you won't help her by following yours." She said, "Ten minutes and then we'll head over there. Deal?"
"Fine." Seth said as he whipped around, "Let's go."
Vanessa smiled. "Besides, you don't want to leave without your girlfriend." She sang, stretching out the last word.
"I hate you," Seth huffed as he reopened the door to the throne room.
"No, you love me." She said, "Now let's head back in. I promise this won't be long."
Seth nodded as he walked through the now open doors and came back to see the fair folk king. "I'm sorry I ran out your highness," he said, "I was hoping you may be able to aid us on our journey."
"I'm afraid I can offer nothing," the fair folk king said, "You know our neutrality is one of our most important qualities. I may have told you where Ronodin is heading, but I am afraid I can do no more for you. A piece of advice is to only save what can be saved, but that is all I have left to offer."
"Father!" Garrett exclaimed, "We can't leave them with no aid! What about Kendra!"
"Remember your place." He said and Garrett stiffened angrily. Seth instantly felt a little remorse towards the prince. Seth didn't know how he coped with such a life, he would have snapped the moment he was born if he had to be like this.
He remembered the last time this happened and the stiffness in Garrett's mind and physical body. It was exactly like this time.
"Father, I'm with my brother," Eve said. Seth was surprised at her boldness. Her brother had just gotten shot down seconds ago. Respect.
"Eve, now is not the time for this." Darogel said thinly, "Please."
Eve ignored him, "I propose we send them with a few of our people for protection." It didn't take an idiot to see she meant herself, Seth smiled when he locked eyes with her. She winked at him and turned back to face her father, anticipating his reaction.
"Eve, please leave the room." Darogel said, "I am not in the mood for this right now."
"Have you ever been?" Eve asked.
"Burn," Warren whispered under his breath. Vanessa elbowed him in the rib cage but had a small smile of approval herself.
"Eve, please leave the room." He repeated.
"What if I don't want to leave the room?" Eve asked, "What if I wanted to stay here?"
"Eve," Warning was placed in the king's tone, only adding to Eve's amusement.
"I think I'd like to stay here," Eve practically purred, "The seats are ever-so comfortable in here. And the view is so much better from this spot." For a second, Seth could have sworn Eve made eye contact with him, making him blush a violent red.
"I am the king." Darogel said, "You will listen to me. I say you are to leave this room at once. You are grounded."
"Seth, what does grounded mean?" Eve asked, turning to face him.
Seth was surprised she was bringing him into this, but he could also see where she was going. "Grounded means you're not allowed to leave the house. Restrictions, to be said simply."
"Good enough," Eve said and Seth couldn't help but feel a little offended. "Father, how can I be grounded now if I've never been allowed to leave the house before? I mean, haven't I been grounded my entire life?"
The king was stunned at her words, unaware of how to respond to that. Eve had never pulled a stunt like this, even as disobedient as she was. He also clearly didn't know how to respond. "Johnathan!" He sputtered, "You know what to do."
Seth watched as a guard walked over to Eve and grabbed her wrist. Seth was about to interfere, but Eve winked at him once more as the two vanished into thin air.
"I apologize for my daughter," Darogel said finally, "I'm afraid it is time for you to go. I bid you farewell and good luck on your journey."
"What happened to Eve!" Seth blurted out.
"That guard has a very rare talent," the king said, "He can teleport. Only short distances and maybe once every week, but he can teleport. He brought Eve to her room."
Seth looked like he was about to protest, but Vanessa stepped in. "We thank you for your council," she said, "We will be leaving now." The king nodded and waved a hand, gesturing for them to leave his throne room. Vanessa grabbed both Seth's and Warren's wrists and pulled them out of the room.
"Too bad he couldn't help us more," Warren said.
"We'll be fine without him." Vanessa said, "But first we have to get to Kendra."
"What about Eve?" Seth asked, "We can't just leave her here!"
"We don't have enough time," Vanessa said, "We have to go now if we want to drop them in time. Seth, do you want your sister to do this?" It was a low blow, but Seth knew she was right.
"Fine," Seth said, "Let's go help Kendra."
"Seth, I thought you cared about me." Came a playful voice from behind him. Seth whipped around and saw the princess Eve, standing right behind him. A well-earned smirk resting upon her perfect features. "I thought the knight would save the princess?"
Now Seth was the speechless one, only adding to Eve's enjoyment. "How did you get here?" He asked lamely.
"I bribed the guard," she said, "When he was supposed to teleport me, I used my talent instead to hide us. A good performance if I do say so myself."
"You're good," Warren said respectfully.
She dismissed his compliments, "No time to praise me," she said, "We have to go find your sister, Seth before it's too late! Oh boy, an adventure!"
"Where are we going?" Kendra asked curiously.
"You, my love, are going to help me settle an old debt." He said, "Something only you can help me with and something I need you to do."
"You like your riddles." Kendra remarked, "What's it going to take to get a straight answer from you? I don't mind helping you, but I would like to know what I'm doing." There was a lot of truth in her statement, but also a little suspicion she couldn't get rid of. An instinct, but call it what you will, because it doesn't matter anyway, for she ignored it.
Ronodin chuckled, "I trust you Kendra, so I will tell you." Her heart warmed at the idea he trusted her, despite her lost identity. "Do you remember how I was talking to you about someone named Molea earlier?"
"You're going to tell me your story?" Kendra asked curiously.
"Not yet," he said, "But I will tell you a little about hers. My dear, Molea tortures creatures without mercy. She sends her people through these gateways she calls shrines to do her bidding. We are going to cut off the shrine, making it so her pain cannot spread to this world."
Kendra looked over at Bracken, who had a strange fire in his silver-blue eyes. The more she saw this boy, the more she wondered about him. And about them. She shook the thought from her head, this boy had broken her heart. There was never an us and there never will be. She had told him that she and Ronodin told her that. No us. Me. Him. Me and Ronodin.
"That's terrible." Kendra said finally, "Why would she do that?"
"That is the question I ask myself every day." Ronodin' said. Suddenly, he turned around and gripped Kendra's shoulders tightly. "This is especially dangerous for you, you don't have to do this if you don't want to."
"Dangerous?" Kendra asked nervously.
"Yes," he said, "My dear, I will not force you to do this. It is your choice but, think of all the good things that will come from this action. I would do it, but it has to be you."
"Why?" Kendra asked innocently.
"I cannot explain it," he said, "But you must know how important this is to me. Before you got your identity lost, you would have done this for me without any hesitation. We may not be able to go back to those days, but we can make the past reality once more."
"It doesn't exactly sound like a choice," Kendra said, "But I think I trust you. I'll do it."
Ronodin smiled victoriously, "I knew I could count on you." He said, "You're coming back to me, you're ignoring the lies you have been told and have ignored countless attempts at manipulation." He gestured in Bracken's direction, who was still bound from earlier. "I couldn't be prouder to call you my girlfriend."
Kendra blushed, "Thank you." She said.
"You're welcome," he said, "And we're here."
Kendra knew she shouldn't have felt such awe for such a terrible place, but she also couldn't help but admire the beautiful shrine. Beautiful flowers were blooming, luscious grass growing, water flowing from rivers and waterfalls. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, not that she remembered many beautiful things. How could such a beautiful thing bring so much pain?
As if reading her mind, Ronald answered her question. "It helps hide her." He explained, "She is also very vain. Likes to keep things beautiful as if she is."
"The more I hear about her, the more I hate her," Kendra said, only a little lie in the words. The woman from her dream couldn't be the same person… could she? She shook the thought from her head. She trusted Ronodin, one of the only people currently she had met, but she was pretty sure she trusted him. She wouldn't start thinking like this, she couldn't betray him after all he had done for her. Kidnapping, no, saving her.
"I'm glad to hear you are reclaiming yourself." Ronodin smiled.
"Quick question," Kendra said, "Does Seth work for Molea?"
"No.," Ronodin said, only adding to her confusion. "They have a temporary alliance. They both want to rule the world but without the other. Think of it as we work together until only we are left. Then the strongest will take the lead. Does that make sense?"
"I suppose." Kendra said, "But I'm still a little confused."
"That's natural." Ronodin said, "You lost your identity. Of course, you're a little confused."
Kendra felt a little relief that he understood her situation. Gosh, she hated having no memories. She was starting to hope Molea would hurry up a little faster… No! Molea is a terrible person. She scolded herself and was relieved when Ronodin started talking again.
"Are you ready?" Ronodin asked.
Kendra nodded, "What's the plan?"
"Kendra, do you trust me?" He asked, "This plan is only going to work if you trust me. I need you to say it before we start the plan."
Kendra hesitates but slowly nodded in response. Ronodin smiled back, "Good. I need you to use that trust."
"What do you mean?" Kendra asked.
Ronodin smiled as he pulled an arm tightly around her, pulling out a hidden dagger and holding it up to her neck. She was trapped, with a dagger at her neck.
Trapped By The One I Love, Or So He Says. Is This Truly A Ruse?