The Guardian Crusade

                                          Volume II

                                                       Chapter 19

“So your friends left last night?” Avit asked as him and Aj sat in the dinning hall alone.

“Yeah, they’re gonna hang with Nick, keep and eye on him.” Aj told him as he scooped up some more eggs on to his fork.  “I’m glad Brian changed his mind too.”

Avit lightly smiled.  “Halian must still be sleeping.” Avit said.

“Or she’s still with Rayne, she relieved me last night.” Aj said. “Anything on Rexil?”

“No, but the guards said they noticed a higher amount of animal activity outside of the city walls.” Avit told him.  “That might be nothing in most cases but when dealing with Druids.”

“Yeah I understand.” He nodded.

“Should I post extra guards around the gates and entrances?” Avit asked.

“Not yet, don’t want to alarm people if we don’t have too.” Aj told him and Avit nodded agreeing with him.

“What did the spies say about her house?” Avit asked.  Now that Aj had been here long enough, the Winnol Elvaan Spies were given back into his control.  After Marsa died Avit was handed command until Aj understood the running’s of the Kingdom.  Now that he did, the Spies report to him and only him, unless otherwise specified.

“They said she retired to her house around 11 at night and she went out for errands this morning, I haven’t heard back yet.” Aj said as he finished his breakfast.

“Will you be heading back to the Springs?” Avit asked as he stood up from the table.

“Yeah, I need to check my desk for any reports first, who knows maybe Nick blew up Augem last night.” Aj said with a shrug.  “Were we involved with that war?” Aj asked as they walked into lobby.

“The one between the Humans and Dwarfs?” Avit asked and Aj nodded.  “No, that was over the Volcanic lands in Southern Kalica, it was not our fight. Our history records show our King at the time made sure the two understood this was their quarrel.” Avit told him.

“Does our history books say what happened there?” Aj asked as he stood over his desk looking at his General.  Avit stopped walking and looked at him.  “Nick may think I don’t care but I am still a Guardian.”

“I do not know, the Library would have all the history books of course.” Avit suggested.

“The one in Darlawind.” Aj said.  “Maybe I’ll teleport out there after lunch, if we find anything in them; we can send the books to Nick and Nalia in Tokia.” Aj said as they walked out of the meeting room.

“Well I must excuse myself I need to escort Drania to her new jail.” Avit said making it sound like normal talk.

“I will be in to question her some more later.” Aj said as they looked around.  It’s not that didn’t trust the people, they didn’t trust the animals.  Who knows if there was a mouse hiding behind the wall or a bird outside of a window.  They had to make sure no one heard them talking too much.

The two men separated, Avit heading down to the jails to get Drania and Aj heading out into the City.  He said hello and nodded to the people as they greeted their King.  Some gave him flowers and told them they were for Queen Rayne, some just sent their best wishes his way.  By the time he got to the Springs he had a bouquet of flowers. Bringing them just under his nose he inhaled them, the smell was sweet.

Walking across the lawn area he noticed there was no one around but he could here the whispers of people talking in one of the caves.  He walked into the resting room and saw she wasn’t there, so he walked back across the lawn to the other side and into the Pool caves.  He smiled seeing her even if she was unconscious she still made him smile.  Aj placed the flowers down in the corner with all the other flowers and gifts that had been given to her.

Kneeling down he looked at some pictures that had be drawn for her by the school kids.  He smiled as he saw stick figures of him and Rayne or just pictures of her, two stick arms, two stick legs, but hair that went on forever.  The sound of water lightly splashing took his attention from the pictures and he quickly turned around wondering who was in Rayne’s cave. 

“Rayne?” Aj said as he stared at her as she sat up in the water.  She slowly pulled her arms out and looked at the water falling from them with confusion.  “Rayne.” He said again as he walked over to her pool. 

“Dyn?” Rayne said looking at him confused.

“No beautiful it’s me Alex.” He said as he knelt down and took her hand.

“Alex? I…I do not know an Alex, where is Marsa, I wish to speak to Marsa right away.” Rayne said as she looked around.

“Marsa?” Aj said confused.  “I…I’m going to go get a Priest.”

“Yes well that would be most kind of you.” She said as she looked at him.  The tone she took with him, the way she looked at him or how she didn’t look at him, started to make his head spin.

He walked back out into the lawn area and over to the cave where he heard the Priests talking earlier and retrieved one of them.  He followed the Priest into the pool room but he stayed in the doorway.

“Your Majesty…” The Priest said.

“You’re Majesty?” Rayne said shocked. “I beg your pardon but my Father is still alive and you will not address me as such.” She told the Elvaan Priest.  The silvered hair Elf turned around and looked at Aj.  Well it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what was wrong with her. 

“What happened to me, why am I here?” She asked looking at the Priest.

“What is the last thing you remember?” The Priest asked her.

“I was with Father; we were going to Sera while Mother was on her trip in Pomic.” Rayne told him.  “Where is Father did something happened to him as well?”  She asked and the Priest looked at Aj again.  “And why do you keep looking at him, who is he, I have never seen him in this City before.” She said looking at the both of them.

“All will be explained You’re…Princess.” The Priest said correcting himself quickly.  Aj didn’t know what to say or do he turned from the door and walked outside sitting down on the stone bench.

When he heard someone walking across the lawn he looked up and saw Halian coming towards him, she looked worried, probably because she saw him sitting there.  He stood up and quickly looked back at the cave.

“Alex what is it?” She asked.

“She’s awake.” Aj told her, he wanted to be happy but he couldn’t.

“Why do you look sad?” She asked worry still on her face.

Aj looked at her and then took a deep breath.  “She says the last thing she remembers is leaving for Sera with her Father while you were in Pomic.” He told her.

“Well that was over two years ago.” Halian said a little stunned.

“I’m guessing.” Aj said.  “You better go in there, she’s asking for Marsa and her Dad, so.” Aj told her as his voice drifted away.

“Oh Alex she does not remember you.” Halian frowned.

“Not a clue, she actually thought I was Dyn at first.” He told her as he sat down.  “I’ll be out here if you need anything.”

Halian went inside the cave and he found himself staring at the grass.  He heard them embrace each other, he could hear Rayne cry, he could Halian cry but no one was there to hear him cry.  That feeling came back, the feeling he thought he would never have again when he found her, forgotten.  The look in her eyes said it all, the love wasn’t there, nothing was there.  He sat there searching her eyes as the image sat in his mind but he still couldn’t find anything. 

“Alex?” He heard and he looked up to see Halian standing in front of him.  “She’s well enough to go upstairs now.” She told him.  “When she’s settled I will tell her what happened.”

“Ok.” Aj nodded.

“You should be there.” She said as she put her hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah I just need to go to my meeting room, see if the Spies have reported in.” He said as his hand drifted over his pocket.

“Alright.” She replied with a light nod.

When Halian went back into the cave Aj left the Springs and walked back to the Castle.  He walked into his meeting room and over to his desk, there were no reports but he wasn’t really there for them.  Reaching into his pocket he pulled the ring that he had carrying around with him for days.  Opening his upper right hand drawer he placed the ring inside, he stared at it a moment and then closed it. 

Hearing the happiness of the people outside he knew Rayne and her Mom had come through the lobby, he lightly sighed as he left his desk and walked out of the meeting room.  Aj tried to smile as he walked past the people, all of them telling him how wonderful it was but they didn’t know, they didn’t know she had forgotten, forgotten him.

“Mother please tell me what is going on, why did you take me to Marsa’s room, where is he?” He heard Rayne say as he walked down the hall.  The door was opened and he walked right in, seeing Rayne standing at the bedside.

“I most certainly will not get into Marsa’s bed.” Rayne told her Mother. “If I have lost my memory of the past two years, tell me why you brought me here.”

“It’s not Marsa’s.” Aj said and both women looked at him.

“You again?” She said looking at him confused.  “Who is this man?” She asked looking at her Mom.

“This is, this is Alexander.” Halian told her.  “He is Marsa’s son.”

“What?” Rayne said confused.  “Dyn is Marsa’s son.”

“Marsa has two son’s sweetheart, Alexander is a Guardian.” Halian said and Rayne looked right at Aj.

“A Guardian...” She said and Aj thought she looked like she was in awe.

“Marsa sent him away to protect him but he came back because..” She stopped not sure what to say to her.  “Remember your Father had to go to Hevi because of the rebels?”

“Yes” Rayne nodded.

“Those Rebels turned out to be Ignis and his army.” Halian told her.

“From the Tale?” Rayne said shocked.

“Yes” Halian nodded. 

“Who, who are the other Guardians?” Rayne asked.

“Alexander’s friend Nickolas, Nalia…”

“Nalia?!” Rayne said shocked as she looked at her Mother.  “Nalia is a Guardian?”  Halian nodded.  “But that is only three who is the other?”  Her mom looked at Aj and then back to her.

“You are sweetheart.” Halian told her.

“Me?” Rayne said and Aj saw fright come over her face.  “I…I can not be a Guardian.”

“You are Rayne, and you, Nalia, Nickolas and Alexander beat Ignis, you saved Pixcadia.” Halian told her.

“I did?” She spoke in a whisper and Halian nodded at her.  “Where is Father?” She asked and Aj found himself wanting to run, he didn’t want to see her go through the loss of her Father again.

“We lost many people in the War Rayne.” Halian began to tell her.

“Where is he? She asked.

“Your Father was killed Rayne.” Her Mom told her.

“No.” Rayne gasped as she put her hands over her mouth.  “But, I…I was just with him I know I was, we were going to Sera.” She cried and Halian pulled her daughter into her arms in comfort.  Aj closed his eyes and walked out into the hallway.

“Who else?” He heard her say.  “Who else did I talk too yesterday and tell me today are dead?” He heard the anger in her voice.

“Marsa.” He heard Halian tell her.  “Tas, Nati and..”

“No Mother.” Rayne said and her tone made him listen harder.  “No Mother do not tell me Dyn, please tell me it is not Dyn.” Rayne pleaded and the slight panic.

“I am so sorry Rayne.”

“Not Dyn, no” Rayne cried and even though they were muffled by her Mothers shoulder, they could be heard down the hall.