Adira wanted to hurry up and return to Hector's side, which meant she needed to complete her task with the Sundrop. The sooner that job was over, the sooner she could devote all of her attention to her brother.
Even though she hated traveling with people, and preferred to watch them from a distance, only stepping in when it was completely necessary, she had a different strategy this time. She was going to personally see to it that the princess was kept on task. No distractions. No field trips. No stalling every single morning because the youth seemed to lack the drive to get right on the road.
Adira joined the group, and kept them on the path. She woke them up every morning to get an early start, and when a sudden storm hit and they wanted to seek shelter in a clearly suspicious shelter, she adamantly refused. The storm wasn't that bad, and Adira was able to effortlessly make a safe and simple shelter for them to stay in for just an hour while she worked with the horses to get the caravan unstuck.
The princess and her friends were not in the best of moods, and Adira was running out of patience herself. They were all acting like children who have never learned how to share space with each other. When Adira heard their bickering and tempers get just a little too out of hand, she briefly left the horses to the caravan and checked in on the youth.
"You know, me, Hector, and Quirin used to have a hard time getting along with each other." Adira said cheerfully. "King Edmund had little tolerance for our bickering. He would handcuff us together and refuse to free us until we took responsibility for our own feelings, instead of lashing out at every perceived slight."
Granted, Adira and Hector had never really stopped fighting, but they had certainly stopped arguing about insignificant matters. They argued passionately, but only about truly important matters. Adira had stopped getting so worked up about the smell of animals that followed Hector wherever he went, and he hadn't gotten mad at her for walking so loudly.
Adira raised an eyebrow at the group before her. "I know some pretty good knots. I can find some ropes or vines, and we can try the same exercise, if you want."
"As fun as that sounds, I'm going to have to say no." Fish skin said, speaking for the group. Adira frowned at them.
"Then show me it's unnecessary." Adira said. "You're adults. You're friends. Start acting like it." She didn't care if they talked things out, kept their bad moods to themselves, or refrained from doing the activities that annoyed the others so. She just wanted peace and quiet for a few minutes.
Adira gave them a warning look before returning into the storm and finishing up with the caravan. They were ready to get on the road again. She insisted that she would navigate and keep watch, and the rest of them needed to sleep. If they weren't conscious, they couldn't argue, and they couldn't find any excuse under the sun to stall going to the Dark Kingdom.
While they travelled, Adira adopted the role of the leader of the group, just because she took charge. She knew that Short Hair and Fish Skin weren't particularly thrilled about it, but she couldn't care less about what their opinion of her was. This wasn't supposed to be a fun vacation, and these young adults needed to learn that they wouldn't always be able to be around people that they liked, and they needed to learn to work with others.
It was a skill that everybody needed to learn, but especially for someone who wanted to be part of the royal guard, or who was planning on marrying into the royal family. Really, Adira was doing them a favor.
When Rapunzel mentioned to Cassandra in passing that Eugene had seemed distracted and upset lately, and she wanted to take a day to go off with him to cheer him up, Adira had pushed herself into the conversation and told them that they weren't stopping. If Eugene was upset because he was concerned about what might happen in the Dark Kingdom, putting it off wasn't going to make it go away. They just needed to reach the Dark Kingdom, reunite the moonstone and sundrop at last, and put an end to all this torment.
With Adira spurring them on, they reached the Dark Kingdom within just a few days of leaving the Great Tree. Finally, Adira could put her quest behind her, and she could help her brother at the same time.
She had thought that she would need to protect the youth from King Edmund's protective fury, just like she had thought she had needed to do against Hector. This time, at least, she was right. Edmund fought them with the wrath of a man on a mission. Adira knew she really shouldn't be relieved about Edmund's reaction, but after seeing Hector look so defeated, it was nice to see that at least one of her brothers hadn't changed so drastically after all this time.
"Your Majesty." Adira addressed him when there was a lull in the fight and she was between Edmund and the others. "I need to speak with you."
"Why should I listen to a word that you have to say?" Edmund growled. "You escorted trespassers right to our door."
"I did so for a purpose, but that's not actually what I wanted to talk to you about." Adira said.
"It's what we want to talk about though." The princess stepped past Adira, approaching the king who was still holding his knife against them. "You're Majesty, I'm Princess Rapunzel of Corona, and I-"
"I don't care who you are." Edmund said. "You shouldn't be here. Return to your own kingdom, and forget whatever Adira told you to bring you here." He must be feeling particularly merciful today if he was willing to let them walk away with their lives. Edmund must believe that they were innocent youths who'd been pulled in by Adira, and they wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for her. She was actually fine with him seeing things that way. It would make it easier to talk.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Rapunzel stood up straight. "The black rocks have started to invade my kingdom, and they've caused all kinds of destruction. I have to stop them."
Edmund sighed, looking like he was showing restraint. "I relate to your cause, princess. Truly, I do. I tried to do the same thing years ago, and all it brought was more destruction and heartbreak. Leave now, before you follow in my footsteps and lose everything that you hold dear."
The Sundrop made a pained sound. Fishskin stepped up next to her and took her hand. He glared at Edmund. "Look, Mr. Doom and Gloom, maybe this won't work, but that's no reason not to try. I mean, you've gotta have a little hope sometimes, right?" He didn't sound very convincing, and Adira suspected that he was just repeating something that the Sundrop had said to him to try to cheer him up. Still, Edmund was looking at him with a still shock. The king looked like he had seen a ghost.
Adira took advantage of Edmund's stillness. "Brother, Quirin calls Corona home. He's one of the people who had been hurt directly by the black rocks."
Edmund hesitantly forced his eyes away from Fishskin as he looked at Adira. "What happened to Quirin?" Much like Hector, Edmund had always put his loyalty to the moon first, but he didn't ever forget about his brethren.
The Sundrop shifted uncomfortably, like she always did when somebody mentioned Quirin or his son. "T-there was an accident. Quirin's trapped in an amber made of the black rocks. Nobody can get him out."
"I believe only the power of the moon can release Quirin, as that's what put him there in the first place." Adira said.
"That's unfortunate to hear." Edmund said, and Adira knew that he meant it. "But the moonstone is too powerful. It can't be destroyed. I tried."
"But you didn't have the power of the sun on your side." Adira gestured to the princess. "She does. If you just let her try, she may succeed."
"And if she doesn't?" Edmund frowned. "What then?" Well, then the moonstone would destroy the princess. Adira wasn't about to say as much to the youth. That was a worst case scenario that she really didn't think was even a possibility worth thinking about. Adira genuinely thought that the most likely scenario was that the power of the moonstone and the power of the sundrop would cancel each other out and either do nothing, or abandon their vessels. The moonstone would just be a rock, and the princess would be a normal person.
"Please, Edmund." Adira pleaded. "Just consider it."
He was quiet for a moment before he nodded. "What were you wanting to speak to me about?"
"Hector." Adira said. There was a flash of fear in Edmund's eyes. He'd already gotten bad news about one brother. He was terrified of learning about a terrible fate befalling Hector. Adira quickly continued before Edmund could get too worried. "I spoke to him at the Great Tree. He wants to leave the Brotherhood, but he refuses to unless he's officially, and preferably honorably, released from his service."
Edmund's eyes narrowed. "And why should I believe you?"
Adira felt a cold fury within her. "What would I have to gain from lying about this?"
"I don't know." Edmund admitted. "But you and Hector have always been at odds with each other. You pranked each other all the time as children. This seems to be going too far though."
"I wouldn't go behind his back like this." Adira said. "There's a difference between teasing Hector, and forcing him to leave the Brotherhood. I wouldn't do that to him, and I would hope that you would know me well enough to know that."
"I had thought so, once." Edmund said. "But twenty five years is a long time. For all I know, you've changed in that time."
"If it's possible that I've changed, why don't you believe that Hector can change too and that he sincerely wants to leave?" Adira asked.
Edmund blinked, looking blatantly stunned. "I suppose you have a point." He steeled his expression. "Still, I respect Hector and his devotion too much to just take your word for it on such an important matter. I need to hear it from him myself."
Adira had almost forgotten how infuriating her brothers were. She understood where Edmund was coming from, and a part of her respected him for it, but she was too frustrated to really acknowledge it. She had come here to speak to Edmund on her brother's behalf, and all for nothing. She needed to return to the Great Tree and bring Hector here himself.
Adira barely refrained from groaning. She was so tired of being around people. She had intended to stay here to help the princess convince the king, but she didn't think that Edmund would hurt them, and she no longer wanted to be here.
"If I need to get Hector, then that's what I'll do." Adira raised an eyebrow at her king. "I'm assuming they will be safe with you."
"I won't lay a finger on them." Edmund said sincerely. There was something in his expression and tone that Adira wanted to understand, because it made her feel like something more was here, but she couldn't be bothered to take the time and effort to find out more.
"Okay." Adira said. She looked at the princess. "I wish you luck, princess."
"Thank you, Adira." The Sundrop said. "For everything."
Adira nodded and made her way out and back to the Great Tree. With any luck, by the time she returned the princess would have achieved her destiny, destroyed the moonstone, and perhaps even moved on from the Dark Kingdom, leaving Adira alone with her brothers.
She knew it wasn't likely to happen that way. The princess had a tendency of lingering for far too long, and she would probably be ecstatic to meet Hector, just because she was excited to meet everybody. Still, Adira could dream.
Hector waited anxiously for Adira. It was odd. He'd been on his own for twenty five years. The past twenty years had been especially difficult, and when he let himself stop to think about it he felt a cold darkness in his soul, threatening to swallow him up. It was a feeling that he had come to be really familiar with, but it was stronger than he had come to be used to.
He felt like this darkness was going to completely consume him. That he would lose himself to the cold grip that was just waiting to pull him down. The one thing keeping him from losing himself was the very thing that he thought he had lost all those years ago. Hope and trust in his siblings.
Adira had come to the Great Tree, and though she'd been ready for a fight, she hadn't sought it out. She'd defended him from his new friends, even though she surely hadn't forgotten his harsh threat last time they'd seen each other.
She had volunteered to help him, even though Hector knew she didn't understand. The thought that she was going to help him, and that they could rebuild their shattered relationship, it awoke the hope that he thought had been killed.
He was encouraged by this feeling, but also terrified by it. For so long he'd been gradually losing himself, and he knew that it was just a matter of time before he lost all control. It was inevitable, and his fear didn't change that. The only thing he could do was keep calm and hold on as long as he could, because getting upset just sped up the process. Really, he was just stalling, and he knew it.
And then Adira showed up, and Hector could feel a change. Not only could he finally see a light at the end of the tunnel, a chance to finally move on before he was swallowed by the darkness, but he could make things right with his sister as well before it was too late. It was more than he'd thought he would ever get, and he didn't want to pass up this opportunity.
But he was scared. When Adira was here, he had felt a calm control that he hadn't felt in years. He'd felt like himself after so long, and he'd missed it. He'd missed her. As soon as Adira had left though, even though he knew why she left and he trusted that she would return, he'd been slammed with the feelings of anger and despair that had become the constant of his existence.
Adira's presence brought him clarity, but her absence made the madness even stronger, and it was frightening. Hector had to briefly debate with himself what he should do when Adira returned.
He wanted to be with his sister, but he couldn't be with her at every second of every day. There would be times when he would be away from her, and he would fall. The inevitable would come a lot sooner, and it was scary to think about.
But if he avoided Adira and sent her away, things would just go back to the way they were before. He would still lose himself, it would just take a little longer. The question was, did he want to have control for longer, but be just as miserable and alone as he'd been these past twenty years, or did he want to allow himself some peace and contentment for the first time in far too long, but submit to the darkness a lot sooner?
Really, there was no question to it. He was scared of the future, and didn't want to think about what Adira would say when she found out the truth, but he wanted to enjoy the present while he could. He wanted to remember what it was like to have a family and feel joy.
And selfishly, he really wanted to remind his siblings that he was more than just the furious, violent, blindly devoted warrior that they surely remembered him to be. He wanted them to remember his mischief, and gentleness, and loyalty that he still had for all of them.
Time had been a complicated thing for him these past twenty years. He knew exactly how much time had passed, but there were many instances when hours, days, and even weeks and full months all blended together and just passed in a blur.
When Hector saw Adira return, no more than just a few days could have passed. It was faster than a casual journey would take, and Hector felt relieved and honored. He abandoned his vantage point and went to see his sister.
"You're back." He said, making her jump and whirl around. She hadn't heard or seen him coming. She gave him an apologetic look, and Hector knew that her mission for him had failed. He felt that cold grip inside him scream and tighten, and he saw Adira shiver as a strong breeze passed through.
"I can't move on." Hector commented. He didn't even have to ask.
"I'm sorry, Brother." Adira said, and she definitely sounded like she meant it. "I spoke to Edmund, but he doesn't believe that you would really want to leave the Brotherhood. He wouldn't take my word for it. He'll only do it if you talk to him about it yourself.
Hector had to take a moment to calm himself, to try to release the darkness threatening to overwhelm him. Hope wasn't gone. There was just a little more that he needed to do. He could handle that much. It would just be a few more days. He'd waited for twenty years, he could wait a little more. Especially if he had his sister with him.
"I guess I'm going to the Dark Kingdom." Hector muttered. If he was being honest with himself, it would be nice to see his home again, even if just for some closure. "Will you come with me?"
Adira blinked. "Are you sure you want me to? We were never very good at traveling together."
"I'd like nothing more than to have you at my side." Hector said.
Adira smiled. "In that case, of course I'll come."
Hector was relieved, but there was also a spark of fear. There was something important that he needed to talk to her about. Actually, there was a lot that he needed to tell her, but he didn't know if he could take it. This was as much as he could handle right now, and it was still a lot.
"Sister, can you promise me something?" Hector asked. Adira looked a little frightened at the request, but she nodded. "Don't leave me alone. I-I can't take being abandoned by you guys again."
Adira flinched as though he'd struck her in the face. "Hector, I never meant to leave you. We just had different paths."
"I know." Hector said, though there was a rare vulnerability in his voice. "I know why you had to leave, but I-I needed you." Twenty years ago, his brethren was all he'd needed, and it was all he didn't have. "I need you now." The past couldn't be changed. It was too late for that, but maybe it wasn't too late to make things right before everything went wrong for him.
Adira swallowed thickly and nodded. "As long as you want me by your side, that's where I'll be." And Hector couldn't help but believe her. Adira was a lot of things, but not a liar. She maybe hid the truth sometimes, but she never blatantly lied. Hector felt the fear and darkness inside of him loosen, and he almost felt back to his old self.
"Thank you." Hector said. "You have no idea what this means to me." It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she was saving him.
Adira gave him a sad look. "Can you tell me why this is so important to you? I'll still help regardless, but I want to know. I want to help."
Hector shook his head. "I should tell you, and I want to, and sometime I will, but I can't. Not yet."
Adira looked disappointed, but she didn't push it. "Okay. But as soon as you're ready, you'll talk to me, won't you?"
"Of course." Hector said. Adira looked grateful at his promise, even though he was blatantly hiding things from her. She really was much more than he felt he deserved.
They left the Great Tree, neither of them looking back. This had been Hector's home for twenty five years, but still he wasn't sad to leave. It had felt like a prison of isolation and duty. He was ready to move on, and with his sister at his side, he had that push he needed to actually go through with it.
Hoping that he would never have to come back here again, Hector left the Great Tree behind him and, after so long, finally made his way back home.