The Guardian Crusade

                                          Volume II

                                                       Chapter 15

“The people here are nice.” Kristin said as a couple walked past them and lightly bowed to Kevin.

“Yeah they are.” Kevin said as he smiled back to the couple.  “How are you holding up?”

“You’re here so I’m ok.” She said with a light smile.  “I know I should be freaking out but Nick and Alex, their ok and I just can’t get upset about that.  Everything you told me about this place to true and it’s becoming oddly familiar. “

“I had no idea about Alex doing the whole Elvaan thing.” Kevin told her.

“I’m still confused on that.” Kristin said.

“When they sent Alex and Nick away they put a spell on them so they would look like us, when we came back they left the spell active because well look around.” Kevin said as he waved his arm in the air quickly.

“Lessen the shock value?”

“Exactly.” Kevin said with a nod.  “Aj must have found a way to break his and looks like he did.”

“Why?” She asked.

“Before we left, Rayne was arrested by the Druids, by the Elder Druid.” Kevin told her.

“That Drania girl?” Kristin asked.

“No, Rex-something or other.” Kevin said thinking.  “She didn’t like Rayne, cause apparently the whole Druid thing is an Elvaan only kind of deal so when Rayne, a Human became a Druid it pissed this chick off and she made Rayne’s life hell, she brought Rayne up on some bogus charge, her trial was going on when we left.”

“So where is she now?” Kristin asked.

“Dunno, we left before we found out what happened.  Aj said he could handle that on his own, more of a King thing, and he knew we wanted to get home.  Now I’m wondering if he wanted us to get the hell out so he could break the spell.”  Kevin said as they headed down the road to the Healing Springs.  “But I’m guessing since Drania is now Elder Aj fired her.”

“So what happen with Nick and him this morning?” Kristin asked.

“Aj’s pissed off at Nick cause Nick went on a ‘find myself’ adventure with Nalia and while he was out looking for them all that stuff happen to Rayne and she almost died.” Kevin said remembering seeing her on the floor in the room.  “We walked in on Nalia trying to break up the too fighting with each other and some how she got hit, pissed off Nick and he hit Aj. Aj then kicked them out of the city.”

“Can he do that?” She asked.

“He’s King darlin’ he can do anything, pretty much.” Kevin said as they walked into the Healing Springs.  They looked around the lawn and didn’t see Aj on the benches.

“He really does love her doesn’t he?” Kristin said.  “Is that why you let him stay?”

“It was a lot of little things, he started taking responsibility for these people, helping them, guiding them, encouraging them, and being a leader.  I’ve seen that part of him before but only for a split second.” Kevin looked around the Springs seeing if Aj was there.  “He started to just, own up to stuff ya know. He started..”

“He started being a man.” Kristin said with a light smile.

“Yeah.” Kevin replied.  “To bad he had to go to another dimension to do it.” His wife started laughing.  “But to answer your question, yes he loves her, there’s something there between those two, you’ll see.  When she wakes up and they start going at each other, you’ll see.”  Kristin smiled as she followed her husbands gaze as he looked around at the couple of Elvaans standing by a cave.

“Maybe he finally took a nap?” Kristin said with a light laugh.

“Maybe, I gotta look at the eyes, his eyes are the same, otherwise I can’t tell if it’s really him, let me check that room, if she’s not there they moved her back to the pools.” Kevin said as he headed to the resting room door.  He looked back to check and see if his wife came with or not and she was following behind him.  They walked into the cave and as their eyes adjusted from the sun to the dark they saw someone standing over Rayne.

“Alex?” Kevin said still not familiar with his new look.  The man jumped and spun around.  Kevin didn’t recognize him at all.

“Oh, are you a Priest?” He asked.  The man still didn’t say anything and he began to fidget behind his back.  Kevin looked behind him and saw Rayne, then looked at the Elvaan again.  “Who are you?” Kevin asked as he stepped forward.  The man lunged at Kevin and Kristin shouted in fright.  Kevin grabbed the man as he tried to run out of the room and slammed him against the wall.

“What did you do?” He yelled at the Elvaan.  “Are you with Drania?”

“Drania...yes, yes I’m with Drania.” The man said quickly.

“Larsung?” A voice said from beside Kevin and he looked, still holding the Elvaan against the wall, he saw Avit standing in the doorway with Kristin.

“He said he’s with Drania.” Kevin said.

“He is one of the High Druids.” Avit said as he stared at him.  “What were you doing in here?”  Larsung kept his mouth shut and a couple of guards came running in.  They took him from Kevin and brought him over to Avit.

“Take him to the jails, I will be there shortly, and do not let King Alexander see him.” Avit told them and they nodded.

“My wife and I came in, we were looking for Alex, we saw him standing over Rayne, I think he had something on him.”  Kevin said to Avit as he walked over to him.

“I pray he did not do anything.” Avit sighed as he looked at Rayne.  “I will get a Priest to check.” Avit said as he looked back to Kevin. “It does explain how Drania was able to get to her in Sarila when she herself was in Winnol.”

“Has Drania said anything new?” Kevin asked as they walked out of the room.

“No, she still denies everything, and I know Alex is angry but the state Drania is in right now, I do not think she can do much of anything.” Avit said as Kevin stopped walking.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“Drania was to stay in her house while Rayne went to Sarila; my guards told me that Drania did not leave her house.  Last night I took her to jail she has not ate a single thing, she has not spoke a word, and I tried questioning her again this morning like I told Alex I would but she would not talk, I thought perhaps something else was going on.”  Avit explained to them.  “Now with Larsung saying he is with Drania I guess I was wrong.”

“Maybe that’s what she planned on, maybe she didn’t plan on Larsung getting caught in there.” Kevin said.

“Perhaps.” Avit said with a nod.

Aj slept in his bed the towel he had wrapped around his waist from the bath he took barely covered him.  He was just going to lie down for a second before getting dressed and going back down to the Healing Springs but his eyes won the battle.  So here he laid, sleeping until the sound of someone at his door woke him.

Slowly and sheepishly he crawled out of the bed and grabbed his robe that hung off the dresser door.  Wrapping it around him and tying the belt up, he walked over to the door and opened it.  There was no one there and he was about to close it when he heard a whimpering sound.  Looking down he saw Paq sitting in front of him.

“Paq?” He said confused as he knelt down in front of her.  “Rayne…” Aj said as he quickly stood up.  He closed the door to his room and started to run down the hall, the wolf followed behind him as he ran out of the Castle.  When he came to the street the Healing Springs were on, Paq stopped him and wouldn’t let him go that way.

He ignored her and started jogging down the road when the wolf jumped in front of him and growled.  Aj looked at her confused and he stopped, watching her.  Paq calmed down and started spinning in circles, then she walked to Aj’s left and started heading back up the road to where they just were.

Confused but knowing the wolf wanted him to follow her he started heading back and then turned right heading down the same street that led to the Castle.  They headed south down the road, and kept walking until they reached the park.  Aj knew this park; in the back is where the Druid Building was.  He looked at Paq and wanted to know more on why she wanted him to follow her here. 

She walked down the path and led him right to the building.  He noticed as they walked inside there was no one around and now that he thought about it he saw no one in the city, no people, no guards, nothing.  Following her down the hall she led him to the Council room.  Slowly he opened the doors and saw the room he had ripped apart with his wind spell, the room where Rayne had been put on trial.  He looked around at the seating scattered across the room, and then he looked up at the podium and saw Rayne lying on a bed, just like the one in the resting room.

Quickly he ran to her wondering why she was here.  He looked her over and didn’t see anything wrong.  Aj looked around and saw no one in the room and then he looked down and saw Paq walking across the floor.  The wolf walked over to the head table and started growling.  He looked at the table trying to see what the wolf was growling at, then as her growling turned into barks and howls she arched her back.  She snarled and showed her teeth and Aj looked back at the table as a figure started coming clear.  His eyebrows fell in confusion as he stared at it, slowly the robe came into focus, the hands came into focus, and then…

“Alex” Kevin said and Aj opened his eyes.  “Alex wake up”

“Rayne?” Aj said confused looking around, wondering where she went, wondering why he was back in his bed.  “Was it a dream?” He asked himself.

“What?” Kevin said and Aj looked back up at him.

“Nothing” He said shaking his head and shaking out the cobwebs.

“Anyways get up there’s news on Drania.” Kevin told him.

“What, what news?” Aj quickly said as the name snapped him awake.  Kevin told him what had happened down at the Springs, how him and Kristin were looking for Aj and what they found in the resting room.

“Larsung, of course that fucking brown noser.” Aj said as he clenched his fist.

“Avit thinks that’s how they got to her in Sarila, Drania couldn’t leave.”

“But he could.” Aj said as it all fell into place.  “Where is he now?”

“Down in the jails with Avit.” Kevin said as Aj sat up and grabbed his robe.

“Dude” Kevin said as he spun around covering his eyes.

“Did the Priests find anything?” Aj asked as he clipped the last button of his robe closed, ignoring Kevin’s little freak out.

“No, they said she’s ok, well nothing new.” Kevin said as he looked at his friend.  “Avit said he would search him when they got down to the jail.”

They walked down the hallway and then down the large staircase.  Kevin was talking but Aj wasn’t hearing a word of it, his mind still focused on his dream.  What a weird dream it was too. 

“Hey” Kevin said and Aj looked up.  “Are you still here?” He asked.

“Yeah, sorry I had a weird ass dream.” Aj said lightly shaking his head.

“Alex!” Someone shouted and they spun around and saw Halian running towards them.  “What is this about Larsung?” She asked with worry.

“She’s fine, he didn’t hurt her, I’m going down now to find out more.” Aj told her.

“I’m coming with you.” She said.

“Hali” Aj said in slight protest.

“Alex I was Queen before you were even born, I can handle myself in a jail.” She said and lightly smiled at him.  “And if I remember correctly it was I that snuck one of your own spies into this very jail…” She said looking at him.  Both Kevin and Aj lightly laughed remembering.

“Ok let’s go.” Aj said with a light sigh.

“Where’s Kris?” Aj asked as they made their way down the stone steps.

“She’s with the others; she had enough excitement for one night.” Kevin said with a small smile.

“I am not apart of this, I swear to you Avit I would never hurt Queen Rayne, she is my friend.” They heard Drania say as they walked down the hall.

“Come now Drania stop this we have been caught.” They heard Larsung say as they stopped outside of the cell door.

“Larsung shut up!” Drania yelled at him.  “Why are you doing this, why are you telling them these lies.”

“Because it is the truth, you sent me to Sarila because you could not leave.” Larsung said.

“No, No I did not, I was at home I never saw you that day.” Drania pleaded.

Aj took a deep breath and then walked into the cell room; everyone stopped talking and looked at him.  When he looked at Drania she looked away, he could tell by her eyes she had been crying.  He then looked at Larsung, he was looking at Drania.

“Tell me why you two did this.” Aj said as calmly as he could.

“I did nothing.” Drania said her face stone cold.

“She did this because she wanted you. She wanted you and she knew the only way that would happen was to kill Queen Rayne.” Larsung told him.  “And I did it because if she got caught I would be next in line for Elder.”

“But you got caught.” Aj told him.

“Only because she did not finish the job in Winnol.” Larsung said looking at her.

“I did no such thing.” Drania said her voice strained and tired.

“Is that why you went into the resting rooms?” Aj said as he stepped towards Larsung.  “To finish the job?” He said angrily as he got in Larsung’s face.  Avit walked up to them and pulled Aj away.

“Drania why do you still deny it?” Avit asked her.

“I am innocent, I do not know why Larsung lies but he is, I would never hurt Queen Rayne nor do I want King Alexander.”  She said as she looked away.  “All I can do is sit here and hope that the truth will come out.”

“If it is not you than who?” Aj asked.

“Perhaps Larsung, since he is so eager to convict me.” Drania said looking at him.  “Perhaps he set me up and since he got caught is placing the blame on me as well.”

“All the while you stay completely innocent, oh well done Drania.” Larsung said as he scoffed at her.

“Well either way you’re both sitting in here longer.” Aj said as he turned.

“For how long?” Drania asked her tone somewhat demanding.

“Until Rayne wakes up and tells us what happened.” Aj said and then he left the cell.

Everyone including Avit followed him.  He stopped in the hallway and waited for Avit to lock the door, then they all walked around the corner Aj stopping and turning around.

“What did you find on him?” Aj asked.

“This” Avit said as he handed him a bottle of green mist.

“What is it?” Kevin asked.

“Poison” Avit said his eyes locking on Aj.  His head snapped up and he looked at his General.  In a flash the anger went through him and he headed back towards the cell.  Halian, Kevin and Avit stopped him and it took the three of them to hold him back.

“Let me go, I’m going to shove this down his throat.” Aj growled.

“Alex” Kevin said as he pushed Aj up against the wall.

“I’m going to kill him Kevin, I’m going to fucking kill him.” Aj snapped.

“No you’re not.” Kevin replied.  “You’re going to stay here and calm down.  Then we’re going to go see Rayne.”  Aj stared at him; his nostrils would flare as he breathed out heavily the anger wanting to be let out.  He looked away and closed his eyes trying to calm himself.

“Take this.” Aj said as he held out his hand to Avit.  His General took the small bottle from him and as he did Kevin let him go.

“Let’s go.” Kevin said as he put his hand on Aj’s shoulder.