Breaking the Seal Part 2

Young Raylan sat alone in his room, looking at the painting of his mother and father when they were young. His mother was pregnant with him in the picture and his father was gently touching the belly bump with gentleness; they are proud smiles on their faces. A tear fell from his eye. There were still so many things he didn't understand about them.

"It's time for school Raylan," spoke a voice.

He didn't turn.

"You don't wanna be late," said another one.

Raylan still wouldn't move. Runaan and Ethari came walking up to him. Their hearts dropped when they saw him so desolate as he looked at the picture of his birth parents. "You know if you really want to talk about your parents, you can always talk to us," the blacksmith tried to say to Raylan. He reached to touch his shoulder but the eight-year-old elf was suddenly packing his picture in his bag and scurrying off out the door. He sighed.

Quickly the husbands followed after him, walking behind him through the Silvergrove Village to the school. Raylan was still in a gloomy state. "Please tell us what is wrong," Runaan implored.

"I'm fine really," Raylan said, still not looking at them. They arrived at the school. Before Ethari could say anything, Raylan said, "Bye!" quickly and jogged off before they could say anything or give him a comforting hug.

Ethari sighed. Runaan hugged his husband. "You know it's never been easy for him, my love. We've just gotta do what we can to treat him with love and care,"

"I don't think he'll ever acknowledge us as parents,"

"He will," Runaan wasn't sure his words were effective. They watched remorsefully as their adoptive son walked into his school, his back still turned on them.

Two years had passed since the last night she ever saw her mother. And Caroline had never felt more alone than ever in her whole life. Her stepfather hardly came to visit her. Opeli was the only grownup who would come and nurture her in a motherly manner but nothing could compare her to the mother Carol had just lost. The young princess would sometimes come and visit Ezran and Willow, to try and play with them but all those good moments they had weren't enough to lighten her darkened heart.

One cold miserable day, she walked along the corridors by herself. She was going to try and speak to the only parent she had left. She didn't care if he would ignore her. He couldn't do that. He was the only father she would ever know. But nothing could prepare her for what she was about to hear. When she arrived at his bedroom quarters, voices echoed from behind the slightly open doors. She tiptoed closer and peered through the gap. She saw King Harrow and Viren talking.

"King Harrow, I understand how difficult it has been…" said Viren. "But you must try to step up for the sake of your kingdom and your children…"

"I wish I knew how to," Harrow was deeply depressed. "But that's the thing. How can I be both a king and a father to my children at the same time? Without Sarai…" his voice dropped.

"I know," Viren comforted. "But you have friends, your majesty. I actually might know a solution to your problems," Harrow rose his head to listen. "You see I can't help but notice that you seem to be having a problem having that stepdaughter of yours around the castle.." Carol's heart twists hearing him say that. "I can't imagine what it must be like having to raise a child that's not even your own. And I can't help but realise a lot of nurses have been fired because of her presence…and it seems much of the kingdom disagrees with you having her around. I was thinking…maybe you could send her to an orphanage," Carol was stricken with shock. "It would save you the pressure of being a child to three. There'd be less conflict between you and the staff and your kingdom and she'd feel happier living somewhere that's more her style considering she's common. She wouldn't have to be mocked by anyone," She couldn't believe what he was saying; she stared intently at the absent-minded king.

"Maybe you're right," Harrow answered, much to her heartbreak. "Maybe she should be raised somewhere else,"

Caroline struggled to hold back her tears. "I knew it," she murmured emotionally. In an instant, she was running down the corridors. Opeli, who had been searching for her, spotted her.

"Carol! Wait!" she tried to chase her but the young princess dodged a corner and hid behind a tapestry. The kind high cleric failed to find her and walked off in another direction. The heartbroken child dashed off down some stairs and out through a side door into the open air.

Raylan sat outside in the school courtyard. Alone. No friends. He observed kids playing together, talking about their families. Just then he heard cruel voices from a nearby spot under some tall trees. He peered over some giant roots and saw some bullies.

"You see the way he walked away from Runaan and the blacksmith?" one jeered.

"He just can't accept them as parents because he wants his mummy and daddy," another said.

"If they didn't care about their job, they'd be here raising him. Instead, they've left him. Probably not coming back any time soon,"

Raylan was brought to tears, hearing them speak like that. He felt abandoned. A bell rang and several students started heading inside but he remained glued to his spot. As he did, the gang of bullies passed by and sneered seeing his wet face.

"Nice seeing you lonely unloved boy," one mocked. They went inside and Raylan was all alone by himself. He pulled out the picture of his parents again. He wanted them so desperately. He didn't want to believe he had been abandoned at all. He couldn't take it anymore. Being all alone like this. He needed to be with them. He was going to be with them. With a determined face, he climbed up over the roots, out of the school grounds and made a dash through the forest.

Carol sprinted through the forest, pushing past bushes, and running down muddy roads. She had gotten as far away from the kingdom as possible. The kingdom of misery. She ran for miles until she reached the river. Out of breath, she took a seat. She cried into her knees. She couldn't believe that the king had just considered sending her away to an orphanage. Just like that. He had been so distant since the awful loss they had both shared but she never thought he would go so far as to do something like this. She couldn't take it anymore. She now wished it was he who had died and her mother who had returned.

Suddenly it began to rain. She became cold. She had to find shelter. She ran along the river until she came to a tall tree with giant roots. She crawled under the tree and lay on the dry soil, sheltered from the rain, heartbroken and more alone than ever. Unloved. Unwanted. She cried, wishing her mother was here with her more than anything. She stayed in that position for a long while. The rain pounded down around her. But then she heard shuffling from some nearby bushes. She twisted her head and saw some leaves moving. She became scared. She pushed herself further back under the tree. When out of the green amongst the rain appeared…

A beautiful baby fox. All alone.

No family. No mama. Scared and heartbroken. Like her. She sat up slowly eying the lonely creature with tender eyes. She crawled forward into the open. It spotted her. It shuddered back a bit, wanting to retreat back into the bushes. But she offered a warm hand very slowly. It stepped forward very gently and sniffed it. Carol giggled a bit as it licked her skin, finding it ticklish. "You're very cute," The cub purred. "You're alone aren't you," it whined, dropping its ears. "I know that feeling. I feel so alone too," she shuffled back a bit. "Maybe we could stick together. We can take care of each other," She sat back down where she was and invited the little creature to cuddle up beside her. Trusting her, it purred as it rested next to her. They slept together under the tree.

Raylan had dashed for hours through the Moonshadow forest, cold and tired, but determined not to give up. It had turned dark and it had rained heavily upon his head. He felt the wind blowing in his face. It meant he was close to the Midnight Desert. He reached the very edge. It was the quickest way to get to the Storm Spire. But the moment he stepped onto the sand; he saw giant serpents dead ahead. Snakes that were grey with green glowing eyes. Or blue with red glowing eyes. They were dangerous. He felt the instinct to go around the desert but as it was still raining, the snakes went back underneath the sand. They hated the rain.

Recklessly he decided to continue going. He was light on his feet. He could make it through with the rain providing protection until he'd find somewhere to stay safe.

Carol and the cub slept quietly in the rain. It began to die down slightly. She wanted to keep on going. Picking up the still sleeping cub, she kept on walking under the wet rain. But the further she walked… she more tired she became. She began to sneeze. She began to cough.

Raylan was becoming very tired. But he couldn't give up. He suddenly noticed that the rain had begun to die down. The blue snakes with red eyes poked their heads out of the sand. He screamed. His cover was blown. They tried to snap at him but he dodged them before climbing up a tall dune to get to safety. He panted. Suddenly he felt a pair of fangs pierce his ankle. He fell down, rolling down the dune until he landed on his back, his strength suddenly waning.

Carol became weaker and weaker. She became ill. She was freezing cold. And she was coughing like mad. She would die out here. Pale as snow, she fell against the bed of wet grass. The fox cub woke up from the impact and purred, licking her face, trying to wake her up. But she died very quickly. A child out here in the bitter weather was a cruel permit to death. As she lay there dying, the rain died down and the night sky twinkled like stars. She envisaged her mother reaching down to her, reaching to hold her in her arms to sing her lullaby and let her know everything would be okay.

As her green eyes lay weakly open, she saw a mass of wings from the heavens. It descended towards her. A graceful creature landed before her. A long snout hovered above her face. Her weak eyes saw a pair of black beady eyes.

Young Raylan's eyes heard wings from above him. He saw a creature high in the heavens, glowing in the flash of the glistening stars above him. It landed before him. His blurry visions made out two black beady eyes.

The fox snarled at the creature, protecting Carol. But it snorted gently, assuring her that it meant them no harm. Just then he saw Carol's eyes closing. He purred in horror. She couldn't die. The creature stared down at her with pity sensing her feeble heartbeat. It lowered its horn to her chest.

Raylan felt the tip of a horn touch his chest. And then all of a sudden he felt a powerful surge of energy flowing from the horn's tip into her chest. He felt his entire body regaining life and energy.

Carol breathed slowly in and out as the glow of the horn restored her energy, her heartbeat accelerating more than ever. As the creature pulled back its horn, she sat up and before her was a majestic flying unicorn, purple all over with a lavender mane and hair and mighty wings. It had a silver horn and stars lining around its kind black eyes and down its snout.

"And when I woke up. I was feeling well again, more alive than ever," Raylan explained. "It was a Star Creature. A flying unicorn from the heavens,"

Carol was awed. "That's exactly what saved my life. I didn't know what it was doing in the human kingdoms but without it, I wouldn't be here today. What happened afterwards?"

Raylan stroked the unicorn, thanking it for saving his life and healing him. "Thank you," the flying unicorn brayed affectionately. It then kneeled down before him and cocked its head to its back. "You want me to ride you?" the unicorn brayed again. He didn't know what to say. "Thank you," he stood up and slowly walked to the creature. He gently lifted his leg over his back and the majestic creature rose up. It was so tall that the elf clutched tightly onto its mane, afraid he might fall. It opened its mighty wings and with a powerful flap, it carried the young eight-year-old elf high into the sky. The elf was petrified with fear; he clung on tightly. But he trusted the beautiful star creature. As it carried him across the sky, he admired the stars twinkling like diamonds. He had never seen the stars so close. It was amazing. It was the most incredible thing he had ever seen. They flew through the night for a long while and then the unicorn's horn glowed purple, and ahead of them Raylan saw a portal appearing in mid-air. They flew through. And the next thing he saw were trees below him. They were back in the Moonshadow Forest.

Carol stroked the creature. "You saved my life. Thank you," the creature nuzzled in her hands. It then licked her fox friend's face. "Are you from Xadia?" the unicorn brayed. She took it as a 'yes'. The rain poured down on them. She began to freeze again. The creature positioned itself behind her and she felt its wings envelop her, keeping her and the fox cub warm and safe against her chest. She felt safe. She almost felt like she was in her mother's arms again. She fell asleep.

"Why did you take me back here?" Raylan asked the unicorn. "I want to go to the Storm Spire,"

You're needed here. It brayed.

"I'm don't know what you just said," he said.

Right after he spoke, the star steed descended towards a mighty tree and landed on a thick branch. And before the kid could ask a question, they heard voices and they both peered down to see Ethari and Runaan searching desperately under the trees, calling out his name several times. Raylan couldn't believe they had come out here just to find him. He saw the pale colour of their faces. They loved him. They wanted him back. He imagined his mother and father in that position, worried for him, wanting him back. He hadn't realised how running away had caused them so much pain. He had spent too long wanting the parents that had left him that he had neglected the parents who had taken him in, loved him like he was their own son. How could he hurt them like? He grasped the blue pendant around his neck. He remembered how much pain he had seen in his biological parents' eyes when they left home. They didn't want to leave him. They had become members of the Dragon Guard to protect Xadia, to guarantee its safety and well-being to ensure he would live in a protected world. And they left him to be looked after by their closest friends who loved them like family.

"What have I done?" he lamented. He looked at the concerned face of the star unicorn. "Thank you," he patted its neck and hugged it tightly, thanking it for taking him back home.

Ethari shivered in the cold. Runaan comforted him with a hug. "Everything's gonna be all right," he said. "It's gonna be okay,"

"I hoped we'd find him soon," the blacksmith sniffled.

"I'm right here," spooked a sudden voice that lifted their hearts from the depths of their chests. They turned around to see a guilt-stricken, tearful Raylan standing next to a tree. Instantly with tears of joy, they slid to their knees as he ran to them and they embraced him tightly.

"We're so glad you're safe Raylan," Runaan cried for joy.

"I'm so sorry I ran away," Raylan cried. "I never meant to cause you both so much pain. And I'm sorry for the way I've treated you two,"

As they let go, Ethari cupped his cheek and wiped his tears. "You've nothing to be sorry for. The important thing that matters is that you're safe. We know we're not your parents. But we want you to know we love you very much,"

Raylan was brought to tears again and he embraced them tighter than ever. As he held their hands and they walked to their mounts, he turned his head around and saw the star unicorn and nodded. He bowed its head before spreading its wings and flying back up into the heavens.

Daytime came and the sun was shining bright along the river. As the flying unicorn brayed and awoke, its wings were raised and Carol stretched her arms yawning. The cub yawned in her arms. She sat down, stretching her legs whilst the unicorn flew up to pluck some apples from the tree with its teeth. It landed before her and she took a nibble. "Thanks," she said with her mouth full. She was so hungry and her grumbly tummy had almost kept her awake all night.

She raised an apple up to her rescuer. It refused at first but she insisted. It accepted the gift and then licked her face making her giggle. She stroked it much to the envy of the little cub. The unicorn licked its face and it licked its nose back. The little girl giggled.

Suddenly they heard loud neighing from across the river. They turned their heads to see soldiers on horses across the river. Leading them were two men. A man in silver and gold carrying a staff. And a man in armour wearing a crown. She gasped. She hid behind the unicorn in fright. The creature knelt beside her, cocking its snout to her back. Quickly she climbed on and it elegantly flapped its wings and took off into the sky.

Viren from across the river heard the mighty wings but when he turned his head to see what lay on the other side of the stream, he saw nothing. He saw the depressed state the king was in. "I am so sorry my king. How foolish I was for my words,"

"No. It's my fault. I failed her. And I can't do it again. If anything happens to her…" his voice dropped; he couldn't bear it.

The flying unicorn took Carol to a tall tree where they sat on a tall branch on a tree, hoping to stay hidden. The creature kept her safe in its wings. Still, the soldiers kept searching along the river. The child urged the unicorn to take her far away but the creature wouldn't. She didn't understand why. It cocked its head to its back again and reluctantly she mounted it again. It took her to a giant pile of boulders lying at the foot of a cliff near some mounds. Peeping over the rocks, they saw the humans approaching. The kid shuddered away out of sight, still afraid. No matter how many times she heard the king call out her name, no matter how desperate his voice box echoed across the silent air, she couldn't come out into the open. The unicorn tried, again and again, to gently nudge her into the open without being seen, afraid of Viren and his staff but she refused.

"You have no idea what he was gonna do to me," she whispered.

"Your majesty…I strongly suggest we keep on going," Viren insisted.

"No. I know she's here. I can feel it," the king's instinctive words weren't quite appeasing to his men. Instead, he spoke up with all his heart. "Carol, I know you're there. I have something I really need you to hear,"

Carol's heart jump. She hugged the cub who whimpered quietly in her arms. The unicorn stayed very silent too.

"I'm so sorry that I drove you away. You remind me so much of your mother that I can't bear to look at you without remembering her. I wasn't there for you when you needed me. Instead, I made you feel so unwanted. And I only made it worse with everything you heard me say. What kind of a dad does that make me? A really lousy one I guess," he sighed, regretting everything he had said. He was not in his right mind that night but if he had known that she had been standing out that door, he would have bit his tongue before even agreeing to what Viren was suggesting. "Well, I just want you to know that…none of what you heard was because I didn't care about you. It was because I thought I was failing you as a father. I wanted to give you a better upbringing but instead, I only made things worse and I hurt you in the most awful way imaginable. And I'm so, so sorry for that,"

Carol felt tears leave her eyes. He really did care about her. She looked at the unicorn, seeing the truth in its eyes. It knew he was looking for her.

Harrow looked again, hoping his adoptive daughter had heard his words. But he sighed. It seemed like it was just his mind playing tricks. He turned to leave. But then he heard something. He turned around slowly and could see Caroline standing in full view only ten feet away from him. The little cub behind her legs. He released tears from his eyes. "There you are lassie," he breathed in relief. His joyful face made her face brighten and in seconds, she was pulled into his warm arms that felt as snug as her mother's.

Carol cried. "I'm so sorry I ran away. I just thought…"

"No darling. I'm the one who should be sorry. I don't know what I was thinking,"

"Did you really mean everything you said?"

"Of course, lassie. Please forgive me, lassie,"

All Carol did was hug him again and he gifted her with the biggest warmest embrace that any child in the world could wish for. Behind his back, Viren frowned deeply. All that empathy he had said for his word from that night was pretend. He wished she was lost and dead.

"I see you've made a new friend," Harrow reached a hand forward to stroke the little cub. He sniffed his fingers and trusted him. He pressed his hand against him. "He's beautiful,"

"Can we take him home?"

"Of course," Harrow could clearly see how much the cub meant to her; they formed a loving bond. "Has he got a name?" She shook her head. "How about Felix?" she nodded. "You like that?" the fox purred and yipped for joy. "Come on. Let's take you home,"

He lifted her and her new companion onto the horse and together he pulled off his cloak and clipped it around her shoulders. Then holding her close, he led his steed and the searching party back towards their home. Without him noticing, Carol turned her head and she saw the flying unicorn soaring into the heavens. Never to be seen again.

"Being rescued by that unicorn made me realise that there was more Xadia than what humans were taught. And I became so intrigued with why it used its magic to save my life, that I wanted to study it myself," explained Carol as she finished her story.

"Amazing how we were both saved by the same type of creature," said Raylan in wonder. "I never the flying unicorn again,"

"Neither did I. I never really told anyone. I told my dad a few years back and he was astounded. I always wondered what became of it,"

"Star creatures are the rarest in the world,"

"You ever met a Startouch elf before?"

"Never. I doubt there are many left in the world,"

As they finished their story, Carol reached into her knapsack and pulled out the scroll her dad had given her the day he had died. "I've had his letter for a few days now, but I just can't bring myself to open it. I know it sounds crazy, but it's like there are words he hasn't said to me, and they're all right in there. They're just waiting to come to life.," her voice turned to deep sorrow. "But then once I read it...once I read the last word...then he'll really be gone. Forever," she wiped a tear.

Raylan side-hugged her sympathetically. "He's always with you Carol. Even if it doesn't seem like it. Something my father told me before he and my mother left,"

She exhaled. "Thanks, Raylan,"

"I'll go and check on the others. When you read those words, you won't regret it," he gave her another smile and then gently placed Zym beside her, grabbed a rope and swung down to the lower deck. She looked at the seal, wondering if this was the right moment.

That's another chapter done. What did you all think? I hope you all enjoyed it. What do you all think will happen in Season 5? If you could answer this question in some reviews and send over any potential ideas, it would be most helpful. See you all soon