42. Moving Forward

Brooke and Meredith finally arrive home. No furies. No countries. Just here in Alagracia. This was home and there was no place like it.

           It didn’t take very long to arrive at the docks of Alagracia’s unexplored lands. Dawn had not come yet. The wide plains of home spread before Meredith and Brooke, alien to Ellis and Athena. They glanced around, observing their new surroundings. Meredith eagerly hugged Brooke, her skin jumping with excitement. “We made it, we made it, Brooke!” she exclaimed. Well, that was the bright side of this situation. No furies. No countries. Just here in Alagracia.

The winds were fresh and salty. The ocean, the waves Brooke and her friends sailed across laid behind them as they progressed from the docks. However, what were they going to do? Over the seas and plains, Brooke saw the palace. Its gold brimmed windows glimmered from afar. The beauty it once had was gone to Brooke. That was where she suffered and that’s where her father was. She feared for him. She worried if he was okay. Were they interrogating him? Brooke wanted to barge in there, murder those b******s holding her father, and rescue him. This wasn’t a fairytale, though, and she couldn’t charge in there with a single sword, demanding someone free. A happy ending appeared vague from that position.

In addition, she didn’t want Meredith involved anymore than she already was. Those interrogators took Brooke in because they thought she had an idea of where her mother was. What will they do if Meredith announced the known information that Brooke had not murdered her sister? The king will suspect something. What will happen to her? The way her mother described her warning, it didn’t sound good. Brooke sighed. Meredith’s energy failed to rub off on her.  

            “Have you forgotten our situation?” Brooke murmured, busting Meredith’s happy bubble. Her eyes lifted to the sky and caught the tip of the mountains. Rogue. She was able to see him now. More than two years passed since the king caught her in the princess’s blood and sentenced her. Did anything change? Did Rogue believe that she would do such a thing? She hoped he didn’t. She hoped he knew her better than that. She wouldn’t blame him, though; there was obvious evidence against her. Who would believe that a defected crossbreed hired by some goon killed the princess and she tried to stop him, but failed? She wouldn’t believe any of that. What will he say to her? What will she say to him? Her mind drew a blank.

            They found themselves beside the entry wall of Alagracia. “I don’t know what to do,” announced Meredith as she groaned. “Do I go to my palace or no?”

            “What will you do once you get there?” Brooke inquired the anxious princess.

            Meredith clasped her hands together and pursed her lips. “Demand your father be released.”

            Brooke chuckled. It was nice that Meredith sought her justice, but rushing into the palace irrationally won’t benefit them at all. “Then, come with me first.” Brooke decided Meredith will be the accountant of her story. Besides, if she went on her own, more than likely, she was going to rebel against Brooke’s intentions and confront her father anyways. She was a stubborn woman. Brooke knew that was definite.

            “Why?”

Brooke wondered what Meredith would think of Rogue and then thought inversely. What did he think of the royal family? Maybe nothing like many things. He wasn’t interested in politics. They made his head hurt. “Just do it.”

Meredith crossed her arms, feeling blinded as to where Brooke planned to lead her. She had so many questions to ask her father, but she supposed it would have to wait. “Oh fine, but where are we going?”

            “Yes, Miss Brooklyn, I am unfamiliar with this territory.” Athena paused and for she showed uncertainty in her appearance, her eyes scouring for any territory she recognized. She only knew Meredith through the popularity of her country. Never had she visited it. Traveling on Athena’s back would be quicker. Meredith, Brooke, and Ellis hopped onto the giant tiger. Brooke directed her through the entry wall.

Soon enough, Brooke heard the rushing sound of the Lavender Stream. Brooke jumped off Athena and she came to an abrupt stop. She knelt on the grass, decorated with dew, and dipped her hands into the soft purple waters. She splashed her face with it and tasted its sweetness on her tongue. She missed everything about the stream. Brooke smiled and looked back at the people staring back at her. She knew it looked as if she had lost her mind. Brooke blushed at her impulsive behavior and apologized. Meredith laughed at the homesick woman and waved her hand dismissively. Ellis saw a fish fly out of the water. Spring was fishing season. She leaped into the water for it, but only managed to get wet. Brooke and Meredith laughed at the silly anymalis. Athena even chuckled. She hopped onto Athena again, refreshed, renewed, and anxious. This was home and there was no place like it.

Ellis and Meredith said nothing as they continued into the small forestry before the mountains. Brooke dismounted from Athena and a dog scampered to her feet. She remembered the first time she saw his joyful muzzle when the academy rejected her. He wagged his long tail. The dog had grown the last time she saw it. Rogue must have kept good care of him. The dog barked happily at Brooke. She looked at the cottage. It was the same without a single change. The chimney blazed with smoke and she smelled food. Same old meat and bones. Hog tusk special. Or maybe a rabbit; it was spring after all. Brooke chuckled to herself.

            “Hyper again, ay Connor?” Rogue laughed and opened the door. Everything froze for a moment. Even the sun seemed to stay forever under the break line. Brooke’s heart went silent as she met his blue eyes, blue eyes that once possessed a stern impatience when she tried to calculate a way to counter his stance on the field. He looked the same as well, perhaps aged. Brooke saw a white strand in the midst of his hair. It was like a needle in a haystack, so he wasn’t that old. He told her his age one time, but Brooke couldn’t remember it. Now she couldn’t even remember how to greet him. Was she supposed to hug him? Say hello? Say something?

            Rogue pulled her into a hug after moments of silence. “Brooklyn, I am so happy you’re alive.” Brooke burst out in tears, sobbing into the sleeve of his shirt. Rogue had always been like a grandfather to her. He didn’t give her a glare. He didn’t shun her away. His first reaction, his first emotion at seeing her was relief that she was even alive. Brooke felt loved. In return, she loved him too.

            Ellis and Meredith dismounted from Athena. The dog growled at Ellis and she hissed at it. “Don’t do that!” Meredith scolded.

            “And the princess is alive,” he acknowledged, squinting his eyes as if the people standing before him were spectacles of his imagination. He shook his head, his body grumbling with a large laugh. “I bet you have a story to tell.” He smiled to Brooke and stepped aside to allow her entry.

            After entering the cottage, the dog scratched at the door, and Ellis hissed a final time. The house wasn’t messy. Brooke blinked twice. No clothes on the floor. Rogue stirred his pot and cut the fire off. The glow from the hearth made the portrait above beautiful. Meredith sat uncomfortably on the sofa and admired the portrait. She asked about and Brooke explained to her that they were Rogue’s wife and child. “Would y’all like som’thin to eat?”

            “If it’s something that’s fluffy and furry I don’t want it,” replied Brooke.

            “Fine, I’ll give you the side dishes then, how about you, Princess?”

            The word sounded funny. Here, she felt as if she were an ordinary citizen, visiting an old relative that she just happened to meet. She was surprised when she stammered as she spoke. “Y-y-yes s-” Meredith cleared her throat. “I mean yes sir, but I don’t-”

            “Damn, is everybody around here some kind of vegetarian?” He mused.

            “Not everybody likes meat the way you do, Rogue.”

He shrugged and fixed them a plate. Rogue gave Ellis a fish from his refrigerator after she kept gawking at the fish plague on his wall. They ate at the coffee table as Brooke explained her story. Meredith pitched in some parts. When she finished, Rogue leaned into the sofa chair, humming, his brow arched at Brooke’s incredible story. The fire crackled. Brooke played with her food as she waited for a response from Rogue. “I am sorry for my father’s actions.” Brooke and Rogue looked at Meredith hiding her sorrowed face behind the strands of her hair.

“For what, it’s not your fault.” Brooke said becoming annoyed.

“But you suffered unnecessarily and I could have- I-” Brooke pulled Meredith into a sincere hug. She never thought to blame Meredith for anything that happened. Perhaps, Meredith felt shame for her father, but Brooke didn’t want her dwelling over something that happened to Brooke.

“The Celestial Command?” Rogue’s face had never seemed so thoughtful. “I’ve heard of it once, but I don’t know anything about it.”

“I was afraid of that.”

Rogue frowned, rose, and put away the plates. He returned and plopped down. “Wait, if Rain said she didn’t think Victor would go so far, do you think it was him that set you up, Brooklyn?”

Meredith’s eyes widened at this realization. The world crashed from beneath her. It was a thought that she tried to stuff into the corners of her mind ever since Rain had told her who her father really was. She didn’t want to believe it. No, she couldn’t imagine it. The person that really killed her sister was her father. Her best friend. His daughter. His ill daughter. His own flesh and blood. All to frame a woman whose mother bore an ancient power. She felt rage and hatred poison her heart. How could-? A tear slid down her face, hot, angry, and partially afraid. What stopped him from killing her? She stood. Rogue and Brooke stared curiously at her. “I must put a stop to it at once!” she declared.

“Sit down, Meredith,” Brooke argued.

“No!” She had that fierce glint in her eyes, but Brooke gave her a fierce glare as well.

“Don’t be an idiot!”

“But I-“

“You’ll only get yourself in trouble again.” Meredith knew she was right. It felt like déjà vu now as she remembered their time in the Wilderness of Desdemonia. She sat down dejectedly. “What do we do?” she asked helplessly.

“Stay here and think it over,” Rogue offered. Brooke nodded and Meredith groaned. “I’ll get the blankets.”

Brooke and Meredith lay on opposite ends. Ellis slept on the floor in front of the hearth. As Rogue spread the blanket over Meredith and Brooke, Brooke asked, “What was teaching my mom like?”

“Mmmmm, fun and challenging.”

“Was she better than me?”

“In stealth and speed yes, but you harbor more strength.”

The words encouraged her. One day she would cover up her weakness in those areas. She noticed a cell phone sticking out of Rogue’s pocket and gasped. She slipped it out and held it up. He blushed and attempted to swipe it back. She never thought she’d see the day. Rogue touching technology was incredible. He was a technophobic and said he preferred the old, medieval ways, the period in which he was born. Rogue shoved his hands in his pockets. “Wow.”

“Shawn got tired of me dropping by unexpectedly and bought me this weird contraption. He showed me how to work it, but I might have forgot.” He took the phone and hung it upside down. “These buttons are small.” Brooke had a cell phone, but rarely used it since she didn’t call anyone and no one called her. “Would you like to see him?”

The question caught Brooke off guard. Did she want to see Shawn? What would he say to her? Did he believe her a murderer? She didn’t want to face him for the fear of that rejection. Maybe some other time, when she and Meredith figure a way out of this situation. Or maybe…Brooke shook her head.

“Are you sure?” Rogue’s eyes were expecting.

“I don’t want to see him,” she declared. Rogue nodded and retired to his room. 

 

Author's Note

Dear Reader,

I enjoyed writing this chapter, imagining someone returning home after being away for so long. Everything aged, except the bonds Brooke had made with Rogue and Shawn. Find out if Shawn forgot about her or not in the next chapter. I think it's the next chapter.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely JazzSoulKeke,

God bless