Sorry for the delay. I'm currently drafting the rest of the chapters for this fanfic. Right now, I'm still working on Syrena and Lockslear's part in this fanfic. So, if I revise, I'll revise and post. Otherwise, I'm back drafting the rest of this story.

That said, enjoy. :)

*.*.*

Syrena sat on the nearest fountain's grey stone ledge. The water flowed from the pipes, sending crystal clear water down to the two stone basins below the pipes.

Syrena sighed, pulling out a piece of circular copper metal on a cord, which hung around her neck. The piece of copper, which looked more like a penny, but was split in two, with a small piece of a round metal cylinder attached to the two pieces of copper, making it look like it could be worn as a necklace. And so, it did, for it was Syrena's father, her Dark Unicorn father, who had shapeshifted into a Hill Unicorn during her foal years, who went by the name of Hornblower, passed to her the cord with the copper metal attached.

Keep this with you, always, her Dark Unicorn father said with fatherly compassion, I will find you when I can. For when you have this piece of copper, you'll know I'm always around. You'll know I'm always with you. Always.

Syrena sighed a second time, this time in remission for all the times her Dark Unicorn father walked away, leaving her to her misery and sorrow until they were reunited on the white sandy beach only days ago. True, she had gotten at least eight hours of sleep, before she and Whipstaff went off on their separate journeys early the next day, but it didn't change the fact that she missed her parents so much. Just seeing their faces and enjoying their company was enough to last a day or two, before she made her venture southwest to the Land of Talking Animals.

She wouldn't give up, even as she stuffed the piece of copper back underneath her red blouse. She would find a way to convince Lockslear that what she was doing was right, as well as convince him that she needed his help and he probably needed her help, too.

.

Syrena looked up, hearing the front door to Lockslear's house creak open. She looked back at his house, stunned to see Lockslear stepping outside, panting for some reason. Wait. Oh no! Syrena rushed towards him, grabbing him in time before he collapsed on the dark brown ground.

She lifted him up, bringing him back inside the house, where she set him down on the bed. She made her way back to the front door, closing it, before approaching him again. His hands were clammy, while his skin was pale and sickly. She looked at the water jug, pressing her hand against it, allowing fresh, cool water into the jug. She poured the water for him in an empty glass sitting nearby. That done, she drew the glass of water to his lips, tilting his head up, to make sure he drank the crystal-clear water.

"Here. Drink. It'll keep you sober and help you remember what went on here, between you and me," Syrena explained, promptly.

Lockslear shook his head. "I don't want it!"

"You have to. You're all hot and sweaty!" she said, wiping some sweat from his brow. "Yuck," she murmured, as he laughed.

"You really find me disgusting?" Lockslear asked, chuckling merrily.

"Here. Drink up. You need your strength," Syrena said, bringing the glass of water to his lips again. At first, she wondered if he would actually drink the water. She sighed in relief when he did. She watched him calm down, the colors returning to his face. She sighed in relief, realizing he was sobering up.

He opened his eyes, looking at her in mild interest. "Who are you?"

"I'm a friend," Syrena said, correcting herself, "Well, I'm a new friend of yours, or I should be. You shouldn't be here alone, not after you're drunk. That's why you need someone to take care of you, when that happens."

"And why would you do that?" Lockslear moved his hand to his forehead, wiping some sweat from his brow. He sighed, looking at her again, becoming more interested in her by the minute. "Are we—Are we mates?" He recovered, telling her, "I mean, Aslan told me my mate would come to me when I was drunk."

"That could be anyone," Syrena said, knowing it felt right being around him, more so than she expected. It wasn't the same feeling she had with Whipstaff. She knew they weren't meant to be together, in a romantic way. But with Lockslear, it was different. A feeling that maybe they were soulmates. She was surprised that Aslan didn't mention this sooner.

Lockslear sat up, informing her, "Listen, I'm sorry we got off on the wrong track. I just want to make it up to you."

"How? You tried throwing a beer bottle at me," Syrena said, hesitant towards him.

"I'm sorry. I was trying not to hurt you," Lockslear apologized, hoping she would understand.

Syrena was unnerved. She wanted to stay with him, but she needed to remember her task: to get Lockslear back to the Land of Unicorns, so she could open the barrier, and set the unicorns free for once. This must happen. Lockslear needed to come with her, in order for them to go safely into the Land of Unicorns.

She looked at him with great concern on her face. Somehow, she could trust him, but after the beer bottle accident, if she could call it that, she worried that her life might be on the line. Would Lockslear pull something like that again? Aslan said that Lockslear was gentle. Well, in the brief time she met him, he already proved that he was grumpy and depressed when he was drunk, even up to the point of throwing beer bottles across the room, smashing them out of anger and rage.

Could he be trusted? That's what she wanted to know.

Lockslear got her attention, showing concern, as well as sorrow. He truly was apologizing to her. But would he go with her to the Land of Unicorns? Well, she had to do something then, shouldn't she?

"Look, I'm sorry I did that to you," Lockslear said, locking eyes with her. "You seem nice, but I have this feeling you're more than that to me, whoever you are."

"I'm Syrena," Syrena introduced herself.

"Syrena," Lockslear said, mesmerized. He nodded, telling her in appreciation, "I like it. It suits you."

Syrena nodded several times. He truly was handsome, wasn't he? "I'm glad you do."

Lockslear glanced away, breaking their moment. "I probably should drink more water, and then get moving. I didn't think that water could cure drunkenness."

Syrena passed to him the glass of water, standing up and walking around, while he took another drink of the water. She stopped by the table, observing the utensils still sitting on the table's wooden surface. She was bored and wanted, more than anything, to tell him everything about her. But how was she to prove herself to him?

She turned and faced him, determined to seek out some sort of proof that her quest was real, that what she said was true. But how was she to do that? Would he understand? He was already glum about his own travesties. Hmm… maybe if they worked together, give him something to do, then maybe, just maybe, he'd have some authority in this realm, the Land of Talking Animals, to assist her with her own task.

"Lockslear, do you have some authority in this realm?" Syrena asked him, curiously.

Lockslear looked up at her, a serious look on his face. Was that good or bad?

"What do you mean? Of course, I do. Alindor didn't revoke my inheritance, nor my ability to rule elsewhere. It's just…" he calmed down, lowering his head in shame, "…I just don't know where I'd rule, if I get the chance to do that."

"Maybe in the Land of Unicorns, they'll let you rule, if they wanted to. That's up to them, the leaders of the Unicorn breeds," Syrena suggested, calmly.

Lockslear snickered like a cat. Syrena looked at him in intrigue. Was he a cat? Did he have the ability to shapeshift, too? She should have known there was more to him than meets the eye. Of course! Aslan told her to transform before Lockslear, didn't he?

"What proof do you have?" Lockslear asked, looking at her in interest, "What are you? A shapeshifter? A Unicorn? What?" He sat up, realization striking him as he set the glass of water down on his bedside dresser, a moment after he drank some more water down. He looked at her, telling her, "Look, I'll strike a bargain with you: if you show me your shapeshifter abilities, I'll show you mine. And then, I'll come with you. If you don't have shapeshifter abilities, then we'll work around it. What do you say?" He smiled at her with bright eyes.

Syrena thought it over. Yes, this could work.

"You—You want to shapeshift, too? You want to see my Unicorn side?" she murmured, looking at him in interest.

"What? Your… Unicorn side?" Lockslear asked, noticing the grey device for the portals sitting on his bedside dresser. No! Silvestra's pardon had come true! He was in the company of Syrena, the Rogue Unicorn who fled her homeland… or so he hoped.

He looked at her again, surprised when she transformed into a white-standard coated Hill Unicorn, stunning him and making him fall backwards on his bed in fright. His legs trembled. Was she going to hurt him?

No. Instead, he breathed deeply, sitting up as she approached him with kind eyes. He inched his hand closer to her, petting her muzzle. He calmed down, transforming into a golden house cat, surprising her, too.

Lockslear chuckled, enjoying this. "So, I'm a cat and you're a unicorn. What are the odds of that happening twice?" He chuckled, calming down as he told her, "Come on. Let's transform back into people." He transformed very quickly into his human form, right as Syrena transformed, too. In Lockslear's human form, he wore a black tunic, a dark brown jacket, grey trousers, and black boots.

Syrena was dressed in a red tunic underneath a brown jacket, as well as brown pants and black boots. Her grey cloak rested along her shoulders, fitted together with a green leaf brooch. Lockslear looked at her in amusement. They had a similar taste in clothing, but different, depending on their clothing styles.

He nodded, impressed by her again. Why did he have this feeling they were meant to be together? Why did he sense she was, indeed, his mate?

"Are… Are you my mate after all?" Lockslear asked, getting her attention. "With you, I feel more like myself. I don't… I don't feel like we could be just friends, but something more than that." He chuckled, stunning himself, "Ah. It's wishful thinking." He looked at her again, telling her, "You're beautiful."

Syrena chuckled. "Thank you. You're dashing."

"Well," Lockslear teased, "I try to be." He wanted, more than anything, to wrap his arms around her, to hold her, and kiss her, but he went against the thought, just in case she felt awkward around him. Well, he wouldn't stop trying to get her attention. Now that she was here, now that she was with him, this seemed appropriate. "So, when do we leave?"

"What?" Syrena asked, stunned and excited to hear this.

"Well," Lockslear spoke, timidly, "you agreed that I come with you, and I'm willing to accept that."

"I was suggesting it anyway," Syrena said, surprised.

"I know," Lockslear said, jokingly. He smiled at her, admitting, "I want to go with you. If I can't be a ruler in my own realm, then I might have the authority in other realms. I am a prince after all, in need of a throne, a crown, and a castle." He smiled, saying, "I'm coming with you."

"Thank you," Syrena said, adjusting her new clothes. "When do we leave?"

Lockslear smirked. "Whenever you're ready to go, we'll go… and me, too, I guess." He rushed over to his bathroom to do his business. Syrena had to wait a few minutes, before he came out, before she went into his bathroom to do her business. After she was finished in his bathroom, washing her hands all the same, Syrena followed Lockslear outside.

At first, Syrena thought they would stay in his house to eat breakfast. They didn't, making Syrena wonder where Lockslear was taking her this time.