Traitor Part Three

Raylan was pulled by the elves into the dungeons. "You can't! You can't kill her! She's innocent!" But he was thrown into the cell. He began to cry. He had failed Carol. He had failed to keep her safe. He felt he had failed all his loved ones.

Felix and the Adoraburrs snuck down to the prison blocks. The fox who led them looked carefully at the little fluffy bouncers. Listen. I'm gonna draw as many as I can away. And then when you do, get him out.

Roger that. Saluted Adorily.

Be careful. Implored Adorabelle.

The fox went out into the open. A guard spotted. "Look! It's that fox again! Get him!"

Activating his sun powers again, though they were weak for it was night and not day, Felix drew many of them and then started a small fire to some bushes. He hoped it wouldn't cause so much damage.

Carol was taken away to a chamber where the moon shone over them. She was changed to some shackles attached to the wall and forced to stand in the centre of the room. Moono approached her menacingly. "Where's Zym?!" she demanded.

"Don't worry. We've made sure he's comfortable,"

Carol glared. She didn't believe him. "The queen will not reward you for this,". Moono pointed his staff at her neck again and she silenced. "Just please…" she begged in tears. "Please let Raylan go,"

"He is weak. Like all worthless humans are,"

"He is more…an elf than you will ever be," she sneered.

"Kill her," ordered the lord.

An executioner approached. He was masked in grey and silver. He had a tall axe with moon-shaped blades. He raised the weapon. Carol became scared. She had to get out. She felt a loose finger on her right hand. She didn't want to do this but she had to.

"Goodbye, step princess," mocked the cruel lord.

"He was more just the king to me," she said. "He was my father,"

"Give him my regards,"

"Sorry, but you've given me no choice. Aspiro Frigis!" she drew the rune and touched her chains. The right chain turned to ice and shattered, freeing her hand completely.

"Seize her!"

"Aspiro!" Carol drew the symbol and blew a powerful gust of wind from her puffy lips and all the guards were thrown back again the wall. Quickly she cast the ice spell again and freed her left hand. She made a run for the corridor.

Moono recovered quickly and growled and made after her.

Raylan banged helplessly against the door. But he heard shouting, "Fire fox!". His heart jumped. It was Felix. It had to be. They dashed to the window and looked through the bars and saw a bit of smoke rising from the forest. He hoped it wouldn't be enough to burn the grove down. Just then he heard little clicks and turned towards the door. He turned and saw it was open. The three little Adoraburrs hopped out of the lock. They had morphed together to fit into the keyhole to set him free. Breathing in relief, he fell to his knees and scooped them into his hands, shedding tears of joy. "Thanks, guys," they nuzzled his face.

"Hey!" a guard outside just down the corridor shouted. The Adoraburrs jumped. They had snuck past him but now they had been spotted. Raylan quickly put them into his hood and they hide under his hair. He then did a leaping rolling out of his cell and before the elf guard could react, he was kicked into a wall and knocked unconscious. Raylan found his blades and cape and bag and Carol's items and fled the prison, desperate to get to her quickly. He couldn't fail her. If she was killed, he would never forgive himself. And he would never face Ezran and Willow again.

Carol frantically rushed through the corridors, hearing guards behind her. She had to find Zym and then Raylan quickly. To her alarm, more people were being called to put out some small fires. She knew it had to be Felix. She just hoped he wasn't doing too much damage. She turned a corner and cast the ice spell again, causing the floor to freeze and her pursuers to slide into a wall, getting knocked out with a face slam. She barged into a room and quickly slammed them shut. She found Zym, drugged in a cage. "Zym!" she rushed over and released him, cradling him in her arms. "Come on. Wake up!"

The baby dragon's eyes flickered lightly. Carol…

"It's me," she shed tears of relief. "Come on. We gotta find Raylan and get out of here,"

Zym saw a blade raised. Look out!

Carol turned around and saw Lord Moono about to kill her. Quickly she rolled out of the way right before the pointed end of his staff could stab. She faced him. He pointed his weapon at her. "How can you do magic? Did you steal it?"

"I didn't steal it. I learnt it!"

"Impossible! Humans aren't meant to learn magic!"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Hand over the baby!"

Carol frowned and cradled Zym protectively. "Never,"

"So be it," Moono prepared to strike at her when all of a sudden, a dart struck his neck. He collapsed. Behind was Ethari, fully geared up with daggers and a bow and arrow.

"Ethari?"

"Come," he said.

Carrying Zym in her arms, she followed him quickly out of the palace and safely through the village towards the lotus pond without being seen. "Stay here," he urged. "I'm gonna find Raylan," he pulled his hood over and pushed her behind a bush. He dashed over. Carol could nothing but hide as she heard screams of 'fire' and shouts from the guards and saw smoke rising from the trees. She looked over at Raylan's lonely floating flower; she felt deep remorse, feeling nothing but hatred for Viren more than ever. No matter how much she hated the Moonshadow Elves for killing her father, she knew deep down that holding the same hatred for them as Viren did would do no good.

Raylan snuck through the village, the little Adoraburrs on his shoulders. He had to get to her. He just turned a corner when he saw…

"Ethari.."

"Come," he pulled his hand.

"No. I won't leave without Carol,"

"She's safe,"

Raylan stopped struggling. "What?"

"We must go now,"

Suddenly Felix leapt out of the bushes and bit Ethari, thinking he was harming Raylan. "Felix! No!" Raylan picked him up. "That's Ethari!"

Felix realised who it was and dropped his ears. Sorry.

"Please forgive him Ethari. He thought…"

"We have to go," his foster father pulled him by the arm towards the pond and when she saw the boys, Carol rushed out and ran into Raylan's arms.

"Cary…!" he felt like he could cry.

"I'm okay, Ray,"

"Is Zym okay?" he saw the baby dragon in her arms.

"He's still drugged," she said. "Felix!" she knelt and her fox licked her face but he purred sadly seeing Zym so weak.

"Come on!" urged Ethari. "Follow me or we'll never get out of her,". He and Raylan ran ahead. Carol was about to when she saw something shimmering underneath the surface. She investigated. She dipped her hands in and felt something. She pulled it out. She gasped.

Ethari and Raylan dashed through the woods away from the Silvergrove, getting as far away as possible. But Felix stopped running when he saw Carol wasn't with them. Carol! He barked.

Raylan stopped. He gasped when she wasn't there. "Cary!"

Ethari came back for him. 'We have to go!"

"No! I'm not leaving without her!"

Suddenly Carol appeared, still holding Zym. "Come on guys!". Ethari twisted his head to Raylan who just shrugged. Quickly they fled through the forest, getting as far away as possible but suddenly they heard hordes of elves pursuing them.

"We can't outrun them!" cried Cary.

"We won't!" Ethari whistled and instantly two Moon mounts appeared. He mounted one and Raylan mounted another, Carol hoping behind him. Felix sat behind Ethari much to his discomfort. Quickly he pulled out a moon opal and crushed it. "Mystica-Arbora,". As they fled the home of the Moonshadow elves, they turned invisible. Carol clung onto tight to Raylan, still holding Zym in her arms. They crossed through leagues of forest until the mounts couldn't take it anymore. They came to a section of tall trees with large roots. "In here!" Ethari urged them to hide. "Stay here! If I'm not back by sunrise, leave without me!" he rushed off.

"Ethari!" Raylan tried to run after him but Carol pulled him into hiding.

"There's nothing we can do," she said, shaking her head at him. He looked out worriedly, afraid for his guardian. Ethari had betrayed the Moonshadow Elves to help them escape. He prayed he would be safe. They lay down next to their mounts, keeping extremely quiet. Felix decided to keep watch with the Adoraburrs just in case. Carol tended to Zym, still weak and needing to sleep until the worst of the drugs had worn off. She noticed how quiet he was. "Ray…"

"I'm sorry," he cried. "I nearly got you killed,"

"No," she wiped his tear away. "You didn't,"

"I never should have brought you here,"

"It wasn't your fault," he said. "We both wanted to come here. This was just as much fault as yours. But we're together now. You haven't failed me the slightest,"

"I promised your family I'd protect you and you could have been killed,"

"But I wasn't,"

"And if you were?" he hide his puffy face from her comforting eyes. "I never would have forgiven myself,"

"No," Carol reached over and hugged him tightly. "We're here now and the mission is still on. We must be strong. For Zym. And the queen,"

Raylan melted into the warmth of her arms and quieted down. They spent the night in their hideout. And not a single Moonshadow Elf soldier had been spotted by the spotters. They were safe. Ethari had successively driven them away. They just hoped his tricks had managed to deceive them. They prepared to leave but Ethari didn't come back. Raylan hung his head. He didn't want to leave him. Not like how he regrettably left Runaan. But the blacksmith appeared out of the blue and rushed over to them.

"Ethari," the warrior breathed.

"Oh Ray-Ray," the blacksmith embraced his foster son and Ray hugged him back tightly. Carol smiled and so did all the companions including the Dragon Prince who was much better than before. "Forgive me," implored Ethari in tears.

"No. I still left Runaan behind. I didn't want to. It's still my fault he's dead,"

Raylan hugged Ethari again and they grieved for their beloved loved one. Carol looked at Felix in the eye. He purred. "Runaan is alive," she spoke up. Ethari and Raylan pulled apart and she approached them.

"No. His flower sank," Raylan shook his head.

"Yes. But it still glowing underwater. Look," Carol pulled a lotus flower with a dim glow from her knap sack," as she showed the ornament to her protector and his guardian, the colour white covered their faces. "I don't know how. But this means….

"Runaan is still alive out there," exhaled Ethari, shedding tears again. For the past two weeks he had thought his beloved husband had died…but the compassion in Carol's voice gave him strength to hold onto hope. "Then we have to find him," Ethari's heart was full of joy again. "But first we must deliver the Dragon Prince to its mother. It's what he would have wanted us to do,"

"No Ethari. You can't come with me," shook Raylan's head.

"I made a promise to your parents I'd protect you. And I know the safest route we can take to get to the Storm Spire on time,"

Raylan hugged him. "I'm so glad you're coming,"

"Me too. Besides can't go back. Not after what I did to save your lovely friend," Ethari smiled fondly at Carol. She approached him, expressing her deep appreciation to him for saving her life.

"I promise you Ethari," vowed Carol. "I'll do whatever it takes to help you both find Runaan,"

Ethari was stunned. "You would do that?"

She nodded. "Yes. You saved my life even though it meant betraying your people. That's a debt I need to repay,"

"But Carol…" Raylan was touched by her generosity but something inside him twisted. "….he tried to kill you…and he…" To him, helping Runaan would mark her as a traitor to the people of Katolis.

She was silent for a second but the elves saw her scrunch her fist. "I will never forgive him for what's he's done. But my dad told me before he died to not take revenge no matter what happened to him," she uncurled her fists; it was a sign to Raylan and his adoptive father that she would not let revenge cloud her mind the same way it did to Viren. "It's more Viren I blame for provoking that attack. What he did was wrong, and he should have been brought to justice. And you both love Runaan. How could I ever hurt you two by prolonging his suffering?" She was putting forward their feelings before her deep hatred. No human had ever done that before.

Ethari smiled fondly at her. He glanced at Raylan. "You truly have made a wonderful friend," Raylan hid his face; he struggled to hide his true colours. He glimpsed sympathetically at Carol and approached her, taking her hand. "I am truly sorry for your father's death," he apologised. "And I'm sorry for what my husband did; all he sought was justice,"

Carol shed a tear. "I know. I probably would have reacted the same way too," he wiped his nose. "But it was my father's dying wish for us to bring the prince back to his mother and end this war. I won't dishonour his wishes by becoming like Viren,"

Raylan's face stiffened thinking of the cruel mage who had wanted them both dead.

"Then we leave now," said Ethari. "The dragon Queen may not have long left,"

"Then we must hurry," said Carol determinedly. "Otherwise, this was all for nothing,"

"I can send a message ahead of us," Ethari pulled out an arrow. Raylan saw it looked exactly like Runaan's red shadowhawk arrow but this one was glowing white. "This arrow will carry a message of life. If the queen knows her little one still lives perhaps she'll be able to hold on,"

"Then send it," said Raylan. "And we make haste,"

Ethari held up his bow and arrow with a message of life. "Regina Draconis!". The arrow flew through the air, turning into a magical white hawk which soared ahead of them, flying at the speed of light.

"Let us pray it reaches her in time," prayed Raylan. He and Carol slipped fingers, exchanging glimpses of worry. Ethari saw something. A spark between them. He remembered seeing that spark earlier in the hall when he had pleaded with their people to spare her life. Something was definitely up.

Regrettably needing to interrupt their moment, he said, "Come on. We must make haste to reach the queen,". They mounted their moon mounts and together they galloped off into the rising sun. It was now a race against time to return the baby to the mother. If the mother perished, then so would the only hope of peace.

"Any sign of her?" Ezran had heard that Willow had been off on a flight the other night but was disheartened to learn that no one had seen her seen. He became afraid.

"I'm sorry your majesty," said the soldier. "We've searched everywhere. But we found no trace of your sister or your dragon friend,"

"Well keep looking. Let no one in this kingdom sleep until she's safe at him," begged the king. The soldier headed off.

Caldor is still with him. "Perhaps I should try and use some magic,"

Ezran nodded. "Yes. Please do. Why didn't I think so before?"

The doors opened and the crow lord arrived. He held up a letter. He looked nervous. "My king…this came from Prince Kasef,"

Opeli took it and opened it. "Oh no," she breathed.

"What is it?" asked Corvus.

"It's Willow," breathed Opeli, turning pale. "Kasef has her. And he wants to meet at the royal canyon tomorrow,"

Ezran gasped. Caldor and Corvus exchanged horrified glances. First Amaya. And now Willow…the king couldn't take it anymore. Did this mean there was no chance of peace at all? Did this mean everything they had done was for nothing?

That's another chapter done. Just got back from Australia. What an adventure it was. What did you all think? And Ethari is joining them. I hate how they only included him in one episode of Dragon Prince so far, so I decided to give him a bigger role in Season 3. And he notices the attachment between them. Please let me know what you all thought of Carol promising Ethari, she'd help him find out what happened to Runaan. And by the way, we'll see more of Viren, Claudia and Soren in the next one. See you all soon