Rynu stopped with the light unicorn in front of a house with stables, the unicorn using his front hoof to bang against the door loudly.
"Alright alright!" A voice said from inside, opening the door quickly to reveal a thin man with wild brown hair. "You again?" The man looked at the unicorn in confusion.
The unicorn snorted at such an indignant greeting and moved aside to show Rynu.
"Rynu! Thank Gods... Come inside, lad." The man looked out at the unicorn and nodded in thanks before he whickered and ran back down the dirt street toward the forest.
Rynu looked around the large wooden house, noticing someone sitting in front of the fireplace covered in a red blanket, wrapping it around her head.
"Rynu- are you alright?" Conintor said in concern, leaning down in front of him to see his expression. Rynu flinched as the man wiped a bit of ash from his face, not liking the close contact.
"I'm fine." He muttered in frustration, trying to back away from the man.
The girl on the floor tensed, looking over at Rynu with wide red eyes. "Rynu? You're alive?"
"Pheona!" Rynu yelled, ignoring the man to run over to his cousin, stopping in front of her to see if she was alright. "Are you hurt?"
"No." Pheona said, her red eyes glazed over with a familiar expression. He knew that expression well- his mother had shown that defeated expression every time his father had beaten her. His chest ached to see it on his normally cousin.
"Well I'm glad you're not… why are we here?" Rynu looked up at Conintor, unable to help but feel mistrust toward him.
"He knew mom and dad. They used to hang out there a lot- and... " Pheona said softly, her voice devoid of all emotion.
Rynu watched her in concern for a minute before looking back at Conintor. "You're Conintor?"
"Con for short." The man nodded. "You're welcome to stay here as well. I'm glad you kids are alright."
"Is… is mother okay?" Pheona asked Rynu, looking up at him with wide eyes.
Rynu froze, shaking his head gently. Pheona groaned in pain, her hands clenching at fistfuls of her black hair as she sobbed. "I don't have anyone now." She said through her crying.
"You have me. We'll stick together." Rynu hugged his cousin, hoping she would be alright. He had been through this kind of thing before- so he knew how to deal with the pain. Pheona however, had never had anything really horrible like this happen to her.
Conintor watched the two children, unable to help but feel bad for them. He looked out the window, his face pained as he saw the smoke billowing from the forest in the distance.
Rynu and Pheona sat in their familiar spot outside of Thane's study. This time it was Pheona looking scared, and Rynu trying to cheer her up.
"Where will we go? What if they decide not to keep us together?" She whispered with dread, looking over at him.
"We'll be fine either way. I can try to find you wherever you go." Rynu said, looking at the door as Conintor talked with Thane, his voice calm and collected. They both jumped when the door suddenly opened, Conintor walking outside and Thane exiting after. Conintor walked in front of the children, kneeling in front of them.
"How would you two like to stay with me, together?" Conintor looked at them both hopefully. "I can't help but think that if we try to get you two new families, you'll be separated and I don't want to do that to you. So, I'm offering you a place in my home. I don't really have a family… but maybe we can be a family together."
Pheona looked up at him with wide eyes, misting with tears before she nodded softly. Rynu sighed, knowing that if Pheona was staying with him, he would have to as well. He still didn't trust the man, though.
"Very well, then. I wish you happiness and hope things turn for the better." Thane nodded to him, his eyes stopping on Rynu momentarily before walking back down the hall to tend to his other duties.