Chapter Two

Ramon's heart was light, far lighter than it had been for years. He and Kalin had talked for hours that first night and on many occasions since, sharing their frustrations over their royal duties and how they were treated and were expected to treat others. They wanted to mingle with everyone, from every class, and not subscribe to all the nonsense about only associating with other royals. They wanted time to themselves, to not constantly have the pressures of running their kingdoms on their shoulders alone. They wanted . . . so much that they were not allowed to have.

Most of all, however, the more they talked, the more they wanted to be together, to have their kingdoms united as they had once been in the long ago past. They wanted to be free to enjoy each other's company, even to rule together as friends and allies, and those were dreams that could never be.

Despite knowing that, it didn't stop their longing, or their determination to talk to their parents and try to convince them to move towards reuniting the kingdoms. The ball had been a step. It was time to take more steps.

It was hard, sadly, for hatred and distrust to end. The ball had shown that some were ready and willing to move on, but that others were not. But Ramon was undaunted. They would keep trying. Next they would have a grand feast for everyone from both kingdoms. Ramon would personally oversee it all from his end, while Kalin would be in charge on his side. Somehow, one way or another, they would do this. They would set things right in their kingdoms and then, perhaps, at last they would have their own dreams realized as well.

Their families, at least, supported their ideas for helping their kingdoms. But when it came to the close bond they had been developing and nurturing, neither family was pleased.

"Why, Ramon?" his mother exclaimed in distress one night. "Of all people to come to care about, why does it have to be someone whom you can never be with as you choose?!"

"And why can't I, if we fix things?!" Ramon countered. "Kalin is . . . he's different than anyone I've met before. We understand each other, complement each other, as no one else does for me or for him! Don't you see, maybe we were meant to be drawn together. Maybe this will repair everything after so long!"

But she just smiled sadly and sighed. "Oh, my darling . . . if only love truly was that powerful."

"Isn't it?"Ramon replied. "Isn't that what we believe, what we teach? Isn't that what's drilled into me every day when I have to try to figure out how to work this pendant? Isn't it my desire to protect that's supposed to make it work? What is protectiveness if not love?"

She really couldn't argue with that. So she sighed again and patted his cheek. "You will make a good ruler someday," she said. "You are just what our people need."

"And Kalin," Ramon said firmly, "is just what I need. I'm what he needs too. We both feel it, that we should have been brothers."

She gently brushed his black hair away from his neck. "But sadly, my son, you are not. Nor will you ever be."

"We already are in our hearts," Ramon said.

The strange dreams continued to pester Radley as he slept. Kalin, too, was starting to dream of the same scenarios, from his point of view. By the time they both woke up come morning, they found that they had snuggled even closer against the cold. Outside, white was drifting past the window.

That snapped Radley fully awake. "Oh wow."

Kalin grunted. "What?"

"It's snowing out there," Radley announced.

Kalin swept his hair away from his eyes. "That's going to complicate driving to the City," he said.

Radley got up and went to the window to look out. "It's not too bad," he said. "Of course, by the time we eat and tell the Bunch and arrange a flight, maybe it'll be a different story." He sighed a bit. "Or is the whole idea crazy? Going halfway around the world chasing a legend we didn't even know about twelve hours ago?"

Kalin stood as well and walked over to his friend. "That legend changes a lot we thought we knew, if it's true," he pointed out. "We have a right to know."

"Yeah, we do." Radley sighed. "I was dreaming about it some more."

"Now I was too," Kalin grunted. "I don't know if you just influenced me into thinking about it that strongly or if there's more to it." He paused, pondering something. "Are you on good enough terms with any relatives you have over there that you could ask them if they know about it?"

Radley pondered. "I only met my great-great-grandparents once, but they seemed a lot more open-minded than Grandma," he mused. "When I was thrown out, I was so devastated and hurt I believed all the family felt like she did. Maybe they didn't, though. I've meant to write to them now that the family is getting back together, but I haven't yet." He frowned. "I'd feel kinda bad to only get around to that when I want something from them."

"You're sure they're still alive?" Kalin frowned. It still sounded unreal to him.

"I think I would've been told if they aren't," Radley said. "I still have their address and phone number. I'll call them."

"Right now?" Kalin looked at the clock. "What time is it over there?"

"It should be afternoon," Radley said. He went back to the bed and reached for his phone.

Kalin smiled a bit. "I can make breakfast so you can have a private conversation, if you want."

"I'd be fine with you making breakfast, but stay a while," Radley implored. "If I can reach them, I wanna introduce them to you."

Kalin was touched, but looked hesitant. "Do you think they'll approve?"

"What's not to approve?" Radley said fondly. He started to dial.

In a moment a dignified and gracious Spanish woman answered the phone with a holographic transmission. "Radley!" she exclaimed in happiness, and followed that up with a joyous greeting in Spanish.

Radley had to smile. There was nothing to worry about. "Hola, Grandmama," he said, and returned the further greeting in Spanish. Then in English he said, "This is my best friend, Kalin Kessler. Kalin, this is my great-great-grandmother, Valentina." He grinned. "Valentina means 'Strength, Health.' It fits perfectly."

Kalin nodded, still feeling a little dazed to realize that Valentina must be at least 127 from Radley's prior reports of her age. "Hello. . . ."

Valentina laughed. "I have to say, I wasn't expecting my name to fit as perfectly as it does." She spoke perfect English with a musical Spanish accent. "Hello, Kalin! It's so good to see that you two have finally found each other again at last! Antonio and I rejoiced when Lucia told us the news!"

That caused both of them to stare in shocked disbelief. ". . . Grandmama?" Radley finally asked. "Uh . . . what do you mean by that? You sound like you knew we met before."

"Oh!" Valentina scoffed. "Did Lucia still not tell you? She can't stop me from telling you now! You both met in another lifetime and together your efforts saved the world from a terrible being of darkness that wanted to swallow everything! Your parents prayed valiantly to God to save you both and allow you to live together in peace, which was all you both wanted. That blessing was granted. In addition, both the Ramon and Kessler family lines were to be blessed with long life forever after, so that you would always be surrounded by family as well as each other."

Radley and Kalin exchanged a shocked look. "So . . . we were reincarnated?" Radley finally asked.

"Well, I guess that's what they call it, but I prefer to just think of it as a second chance in more peaceful times," Valentina said. "You're both the same people you were then."

Radley slumped back. ". . . I just had dreams about this last night and this morning," he said in overwhelmed disbelief. "We were thinking of flying to Spain to look for a copy of the legend of Prince Ramon and Prince Kalin. And you're saying the family knew all along about this and wouldn't tell us?!"

"The whole family line knew!" Valentina exclaimed. "When you were born, Lucia immediately saw the resemblance between you and every known depiction of Prince Ramon. It terrified her. She always refused to believe the legend, but there was the proof of it right there! And when you got older and your hair just started going the way Prince Ramon's did, right down to the wisps on top and the piece hanging in your face, Lucia couldn't deny it any more. She hid the paintings and all references to the Prince so you wouldn't find them and start believing you were him."

Radley just stared. ". . . This is still really difficult to process," he said. "Are you saying they also knew about Kalin too?!"

"Oh yes," Valentina nodded. "When you met as children on your way to see us, Lucia was extremely shaken. She saw the resemblance between Kalin and Prince Kalin right away. The blue hair and golden eyes are a dead giveaway! We had many long conversations once you arrived here in Spain. Antonio and I insisted you be told and Kalin be found again and brought to you, and Lucia was adamantly against it."

"But why?!" Radley cried. "If we were meant to live in peace together, why would that upset Grandma so much that she would do all this to keep us apart and me in the dark?!" He was gripping his phone tightly, his knuckles white. "Was she really so against the concept of reincarnation that she would ruin lives just so we wouldn't believe in it?!"

Kalin gripped Radley's shoulder. Whether they were to really believe this legend or not, this woman's actions were outrageous. And now bitterness was rising in his heart. If he had only known, and he could have been raised happy instead of with his abusive father . . . !

Valentina sighed. ". . . There is one other part to the legend," she admitted. "The same evil was supposed to rise again and you would have to beat it again. This next time, however, you were supposed to succeed without being killed. But Lucia was terrified of that battle. She wanted to deny it and your part in it. She thought keeping you away from Kalin would also keep the rest from coming true. Ultimately, she was trying to protect you."

". . . Considering she threw me out and disowned me, that's pretty hard to believe," Radley replied. His voice had darkened. He had been welcomed back now, after eight years, but the scars of those years still dug deep. Learning all of this only made the betrayal feel fresh and new all over again.

"I've never really understood Lucia," Valentina admitted. "She took everything my children tried to teach her and turned it upside-down and inside-out!" She softened. "But she does love you, Radley. On the legend, I think deep down, she must believe it herself. It wouldn't frighten her so if she truly believes it's just a legend."

Radley let out a shaking breath. ". . . I guess that makes sense, at least," he conceded. ". . . So what now? Do I call her next and confront her with knowing the truth?"

"You could," Valentina agreed. "Or I could get a copy of the legend right now and read it to both of you. We certainly haven't hidden it away around here!"

That brought a bit of a smile. "That would be great, Grandmama. Thanks."

"I'll be right back!" Valentina got up and hurried away from the phone.

In the interim, Radley slumped back into the bed's headboard with a groan. "Just when I thought things couldn't get any weirder," he lamented. "I don't know what's the worst thing about this—that apparently we have to fight the great evil again or that Grandma knew for all of our lives about this and wouldn't tell me and deliberately kept us apart because of it!"

Kalin gripped his shoulder. "I'm still trying to deal with it myself," he said. "I know what I said before about not meeting Yusei, Jack, and Crow if I'd been with you back then, but I think I was destined to meet them too, no matter what. I can't not be angry that I was pushed away from you because of a myth."

Radley reached and clasped Kalin's hand. "I'm not going to be quiet about this," he vowed. "After we hear the story, I really am going to call Grandma and tell her we know. I want to hear the explanation from her."

"Good," Kalin said.

". . . Even hearing all this, I'm still not sure I believe we were these past people, either," Radley said. "They could still be our ancestors and we just resemble them a lot. It's not unheard-of."

"We'll probably have to decide for ourselves about that," Kalin said. "But what I'm wondering is, why have we suddenly started having these scenes come to us in our dreams? Does that mean the new battle is close?" He clenched a fist. "We've already fought to save the world in the past. Why should we have to do it again?"

"Especially if this is a fight our ancestors already won?" Radley sighed. "I don't know. I don't understand any of this."

Kalin frowned. "I wish it would be that the fight in the Duel Monsters' world was the prophesied event. Then we'd know we've already come through it."

"That is a nice thought," Radley mused. "But it sounded like whatever the evil was, we'd be facing it and fighting it together."

"I'm proud to fight alongside you," Kalin said. "I just want us to pull through it."

"Yeah," Radley said softly.

Valentina returned with an aged and framed scroll of parchment. "Here it is!"

Radley regarded it in amazement. ". . . How old is that?!"

"This copy was penned in the 18th Century," Valentina said proudly. "There are others that are older."

"Alright," Kalin said. "Let's hear this legend."

Valentina began to read, translating the Spanish into English with ease. Radley and Kalin both listened attentively. The story basically followed what Radley had relayed to Kalin in his dreams, but also included a scene of Prince Ramon and Prince Kalin talking in a garden the night before the battle and Prince Ramon presenting Prince Kalin with yellow roses as a symbol of their undying friendship. Kalin and Radley both stiffened at that. When it drew to the painful climax describing their deaths following the fierce battle, they gripped each other's hands. Whether it had truly been them or not, this was not pleasant for them to hear. The conclusion, describing the promised blessings for them and their families and how the families still looked ahead to when they would be given their second chances, was only partially successful at soothing the pain of the tale.

Radley drew a shaking breath when it was over. "Thanks, Grandmama," he rasped.

"I know it's a lot to take in all at once," Valentina said. "You should have been told from the start, or at least as soon as Kalin came into the picture!"

"I'm definitely going to bring that up with Grandma," Radley vowed. "And I'll demand to know what she has. You said 'paintings'? There's more than the one of u-the princes charging the being of darkness?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Valentina said. "Many aren't well-known outside of Spain and our family, but Lucia has so many. She has the largest collection of anyone in the family aside from Antonio and myself."

"Where does she even hide them?" Radley said in disbelief. "I didn't see any, ever."

"I believe the villa has a few secret hiding places you never knew about, Radley," Valentina said. "One is a room right off Lucia's bedroom."

". . . Yeah, I never would have found that," Radley said.

"Well, good luck talking with her, but remember, she really was trying to protect you," Valentina soothed.

"That's still a little hard to believe," Radley sighed. "What did she think she was doing when she disowned me? There's no way that could have been protectiveness."

"I never did know what she was doing there," Valentina said. "She never even told us about it for a long time. We had no idea!"

"I should have tried to contact you," Radley said regretfully. "I was hurting so bad, I thought it was all the family and I couldn't bear the thought of being rejected again."

"We definitely would have contacted you if we'd had your number," Valentina said. "But as horrible as things were, you found Kalin and all the others you were meant to find, so it was all turned to good!"

"Yeah . . . it sure was," Radley said with a sad but genuine smile. He hesitated. ". . . Grandmama, can I ask why the family has mostly all been so excited and looking forward to the princes coming back? I mean . . . is it just because of wanting to see them be happy?" He shook his head. "It's something that's really hard for me to get used to when I've been brought up all my life being told that reincarnation isn't true."

"It definitely is because of wanting to see you both be happy," Valentina soothed. "Until Lucia stopped teaching about the legend, everyone was taught that reincarnation usually is not true, but that it was granted in this special case because of your and Kalin's sacrifice and your pure desire to be happy. Your families mourned and could not be comforted until these blessings were granted."

". . . If the stuff wasn't put away until I was born, though, does that mean Mom knew about it too?" Radley wondered.

". . . Yes, she knew," Valentina said. "But Lucia taught her that it was just a family legend without truth."

"She must have been pretty shocked when Grandma suddenly changed her tune and got so scared," Radley remarked.

"She called and talked to me for hours," Valentina agreed. "I tried to help her see the beauty in it, but she was focused on the part about the evil coming back, as Lucia was."

Radley heaved a sigh. "Thanks, for being honest with us about this," he said. "But . . . until we can come to terms with it, can you please . . . not talk about the princes like they are Kalin and me? I still don't know I can believe I lived another life before this. It just flies in the face of everything I was taught and want to believe."

"Of course," Valentina said. "But . . . if the evil being does come back, I'm afraid you'll have no choice but to accept it, dear Radley."

"Right," Radley said. "Well . . . Kalin and I have a lot to talk about." He glanced to Kalin, who nodded. "Thank you again, Grandmama."

"Call a lot more!" Valentina said. "We don't have to talk about the legend. Just please call. I will call too."

"That would be great," Radley smiled. "I'll do that."

They all said Goodbye and hung up.

". . . So the legend has the garden," was the first thing Kalin thought to say.

"And yellow roses, my favorite flower," Radley said. ". . . Oh boy." He slumped back into the pillows on the bed. "I still don't know what to think. I mean . . . I guess it's a beautiful story, but . . . think about all the people who died with pure desires to be happy. Why would we be given second chances when so many aren't?"

Kalin grunted. "That's what I've wondered about myself in this life over and over, with no satisfactory answers."

". . . That's a good point," Radley conceded. "I've wondered it about myself too. It's mind-boggling enough when it's granted in one lifetime. But . . . to be given a whole other life for a second chance . . . that seems like the principle is being taken to another level." He sat back up. "I've heard of existential crises, but I never expected to be faced with one like this."

"I don't know what I think," Kalin said, "maybe because I don't have the same aversion to reincarnation that you do. But I will say that if I still wanted to die, the thought that I would just be brought back to live another life would be abhorrent to me."

Radley gave him a sad smile. "I can imagine. Well . . . at least I'll say this—being given a second chance to spend more time with you is the best kind of reincarnation. I believe we would have been in Heaven together regardless, but I think if we need to accept this legend as our reality, I won't have too rough a time under the circumstances."

Kalin still looked troubled. "I've believed for a long time now that we were destined to be together, and if this legend is true, it proves it all the more. It makes me feel the more ugly inside, that I didn't realize you were special when we first met. We loved each other so much in that past life, if that was us, and then I didn't even recognize you here!"

"Oh Kalin. . . ." Radley sobered. He couldn't say he was surprised by Kalin's sorrow, but it made him sad too.

"I know, I wasn't in my right mind, I can't fully be blamed. . . . But I can know those things in my head and not in my heart," Kalin said.

"Yeah." Radley laid a hand on Kalin's shoulder. He could tell this was a time when words were not going to help, so he didn't try.

Kalin reached and gripped Radley's hand. After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke again. ". . . We finally have an explanation for the longevity in our families now."

Radley smiled. "I'm glad it's yours as well as mine."

Kalin nodded, but still looked somewhat unsettled. "What happened to your great-grandparents?" he wondered. "I don't hear any mention of them still being around. Were they killed?"

Radley shook his head. "They're alive. They just decided to retire from the family business. They're happily living in the Mediterranean."

Kalin relaxed at that. "Good. I'm guessing that this long life can be cut short by acts of violence."

"I'm sure too," Radley said softly. "We've just been really blessed."

"And we'd better continue to be," Kalin said.

"I agree." Radley stood up. "You know, I'm not up for confronting Grandma yet. Let's make breakfast. The Bunch will be coming over soon and we'll probably need to tell them all of this even if we aren't flying to Spain."

Kalin nodded. "Telling them will definitely be a better experience than calling your grandmother," he deadpanned.

Radley laughed. "No arguments there."