Bittersweet Reunion

Bean remembered when she first met Elfo; the little one waddled into the church unannounced and turned the wedding upside down. She remembered all the times that Elfo would compliment her, try to put her on the right path, and always say comforting words to ease the pain that ached her heart. It is an incredible feeling when you lose someone; you don't realize how much they mean to you. You don't realize how much you cherish something or someone till they are no longer in your life. That's what Princess Tiabeanie was going through as she walked through the gates of Dreamland.

When Gearald announced the returns of the knights and Bean, her older brother Tavish was ecstatic. But his face went from excited to confused when he saw the party's current state. He immediately saw why. His little sister was holding Elfo's lifeless body in her arms. Pendergast reported to Zog and told him everything that had happened, from Lucius and the Dark Legion to the dragon's world and the events that transpired with Elfo. To Pendergast surprise, Zog wasn't upset. By now, the king would be roaring at the top of his lungs about the failure of their mission. However, a forlorn look dawned on the redheaded king's face. The only order Zog gave was to lock Koga in a cell; he surrendered with no argument.

Word spread throughout the castle of Elfo's passing and soon spread to the kingdom. Everyone had given Bean her space as she and Luci were in the room where a statue of her mother resided. Everyone stayed away except her older brother. Tavish stood a few feet away from her. The prince didn't know what to say. How in the world was he going to comfort her? Was there anything to say? He opened his mouth to speak, but Zog entered the room before he could. The two made contact before the king walked over to Bean. It was like the princess knew he had entered as she slightly raised her head.

"Don't," said Bean, seriously.

"Beanie, listen,"

"Get. Out."

"It wasn't supposed to be this way—"

"WELL GUESS WHAT?" Bean screamed as loud as she could. Her voice bounced off the stone walls. She gently laid Elfo on the stone floor, sprung to her feet, and turned to face her father. "IT DID! ALL OF THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE YOU WANTED YOUR STUPID IMMORTAILITY! WELL GUESS WHAT? THERE IS NO IMMORTAILITY! ELFO DIED FOR NOTHING! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! EVERYTHING HAS ALWAYS BEEN YOUR FAULT! YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT WHAT I WANTED OR WHAT TAVISH WANTED! YOU'RE A GREEDY SON OF A BITCH AND I HATE YOU!"

Tavish's jaw hung open; he had never seen his sister so angry; this was years and years of anger and frustration spilling out to the floor, and it splashed onto Zog. The king lowered his eyes to the floor. "Yeah…yeah, I deserve that…" He spoke in a quiet tone that Tavish didn't know he had. "I deserve all the yelling and cursing. But I just wanted you to know, both of you," He turned to Tavish and then back to Bean. "That I didn't do all of this for me. Everything that I sacrificed wasn't for me to live and rule forever," Zog walked up to the podium and placed his eyes upon the statue of his late wife. "It was for her…" He put his stubby hands onto the statue.

Tavish stepped forward, his face full of curiosity. "Father, what are you talking about?"

Bean, irate and confused, glanced angrily at Zog. "What are you trying to get at? Mom's been dead for fifteen years! Quit trying to manipulate us!"

"Bean, Tavish, this is your mother," said Zog. The twins stared at their father in bewilderment. "You probably don't remember that day, Beanie, but the taster, he was running late that day. You were such a little monkey switching the trays around. Your mother ended up drinking the poison instead of me."

But, of course, how could the two not remember? It's been engraved in Bean and Tavish's minds all of their lives. Tavish remembered holding Bean in his arms while he watched his father and mother toast. A loud gasp escaped from Dagmar as she dropped the champagne glass, Zog running over to shield the two of them. It didn't do any good, of course; the twins watched as their mother turned to stone and died before their eyes. It all replayed in their head clear as day.

"I didn't want you to remember because I didn't want you to feel guilty," Zog said, sorrowfully staring at his daughter. "I'm terrified of female emotions, and because of that, I've been grasping at straws, trying to find a way to bring her back. But…it's all a pipe dream now…" The king lowered his head and walked past his children. Before he left the room, he looked at the two; at that point, it was best not to say anything, so he left.

Tavish had come here solely to comfort his sister. Now, he didn't know what to think or say. The prince looked at her; Bean stared at the statue, transfixed on it. There was nothing else that he could tell her at this time. He lowered his head and left the room.

Luci watched as Tavish left the room. "Well…that happened," The sub-demon turned to Bean. "Welp, it's a good thing I snagged this from Elfo's body before we left." He held up the amulet with his tail. "Hey, Bean, I got the amulet right here. Hey!"

"It's all my fault," said Bean. "I'm the one who killed mom…I'm the reason that…mom…I'm so sorry…" She reached and grabbed the stone hand of her mother. "Mom…I'm sorry…"

"Bean," Luci stepped closer to her. "You do realize we can bring elfo or—"

"We don't have Elf's blood, Luci! Just get that useless thing away from me!" Bean smacked the amulet away from her and slid to the exit. "We don't even know where the hell Elfo's elm is! And they'll never let us near them!"

"Huh…I…did not think that through…" said Luci. "Bean I…I'm so—" The room lit up with a purple glow. Luci turned around and saw that the amulet was glowing vibrantly. "What the…"

Bean turned around and stared at the amulet. She walks over and picks it up. There was blood in it. The amulet didn't faze out like it did before. Inside the vial was the blood of a pure-blood elf.

"Who did that?" Luci asked.

Bean stepped out of the room and looked down the hallways. No one was there. She stepped back into the room and gazed at the amulet. So many thoughts ran through her head. She held the amulet that can bring back anyone from the dead. But the real question is, right now, who would she choose? Bean looked at Elfo, her best friend, the friend who fought against Lucius and was always a ball of optimism and support. Or, her mother, her one and only mother. The one who would've been alive if it wasn't for her.

"I don't know who to choose…" said Bean, sounding like she was losing breath.

"Bean," said Luci. She turned to him. "Close your eyes and do the right thing. Pick what you truly want."

"What I truly want?" Bean thought. "The one I truly wanted all my life was…"

Bean looked at Elfo. "I'm sorry, Elfo…" She kneels and kisses him on the cheek. She walked over to the statue and placed the amulet around her neck. The light shined brightly, blinding Bean and Luci.

Once the light disappeared, there she stood. Dagmar blinked, and she looked at her hands. "What? Where am I? What's going on?" She placed her eyes on her daughter. Her mouth hung open in shock. "Bean?"

The tears rushed out of Bean's eyes. "Mom?"

"Bean…it-It's really you? What…I don't understand—" Bean didn't give Dagmar a moment to finish her sentence when she ran up and wrapped her arms around her. The princess sobbed and sobbed into her mother's chest.

It had been fifteen years since Dagmar had been alive, but she didn't forget how to comfort her daughter as she wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly.

Queen Dagmar had returned.