AN – LET'S GET DOWN TO IT!

The King

Sarid stared at Arthur, her eyes wide and brows slightly furrowed down.

"…Sarid?" He asked, approaching her. "It's me, father."

"…" She kept staring, and he reached out to her, Sarid stepping back.

"Sarid?" He asked.

"…You…you left."

"What?" He asked.

"You…you left." Sarid told him. "You left me."

"What?" He asked. "No, I'd never-"

"LIAR!"

He jumped, Sarid having indescribable anger in her eyes.

"You left me that awful night! You lied to me and left me!" Sarid yelled.

"S-Sarid, I-"

"No!" She yelled, clapping her hands over her ears. "I…I don't hear more lies! I don't want your excuses! I…I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!"

"S-"

She spread her wings and took off, flying fast out to the forest.

"Sarid!" Flint yelled, going after her on foot. Arthur stood looking horrified, everyone standing in silence.

"…Uhm, Sir?" Hannah asked, approaching him.

"…You…you're Hannah?" He asked, she surprised.

"Uh…Yes sir, but going by your appearance, you need medical attention." She told him. "If you could please come with me, I'll take you to the clinic."

"…Thank you." He told her, she taking him by the arm and leading him toward it, Doc suddenly snapping out of his trance.

"Artie!" He said, hurrying after them.

"Doc?" Arthur asked, looking at him.

"I…We…You're alive?"

Sarid tried to land, though she hit a branch and crashed, managing to turn the landing into a roll. She then sat, panting, her mind racing to the point she couldn't discern a single thought. Her limbs shook, cold spreading across her chest and into her bones, and she curled up, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Sarid!"

She lifted her head at the distant voice.

…Commander Flint.

"SARID!" He yelled again, closer.

"Commander?!" Sarid called out, still shaking. She heard rapid footsteps, and he appeared, sliding down a decline and to her, hugging her, and she hugged him back.

"Sarid, Sarid, you need to breathe." He told her, Sarid shaking horribly. "Sarid, breathe, breathe…"

Sarid tried, Flint pulling back some, making a fist. He opened it slowly, then closed it slowly, Sarid breathing as he opened and closed it.

"You know him?" Hannah asked Doc.

"…Yes." He admitted. "We all served together in the Shroud war."

"…" Hannah blinked, then shook her head. "He needs medical attention."

"Right, right…" Doc said, help her to help him. They got to the clinic, taking him inside and to the exam room.

"Sarid…breathe…" Flint told her calmly, Sarid able to breathe right. "Now…I can see you're not okay. What's distressing about seeing your father again?"

"…Everything." Sarid said, her shaking voice becoming angry. "He…he shows up now…expecting me to go back to him and want to see him, after EVERYTHING he did…"

"…Sarid." Flint said. After moment, he sighed, rubbing her head. "I know Artie isn't perfect, but-"

"Artie?" Sarid asked, looking at him. "You…"

She moved away.

"…You knew him."

"…" Flint dropped him eyes, then looked back at her. "Yes, I knew him."

"…" Sarid stared at him, her brows furrowing down. "YOU KNEW HIM?"

"We all served in the shroud war." Flint told her.

"…You…knew him?" Sarid asked, shaking.

"Sarid, I-"

He reached out to her, but she moved away.

"You…you KNEW HIM?!"

"Yes, Sarid, I knew him."

"…" Sarid stared, slowly lowering her head and lifting her hands to it.

"…Sar-"

"NO!" She yelled, making him jump. "I've been lied to enough, I want no more lies!"

"When did I lie to you?"

"…"

She stared at him, looking away.

"I never denied knowing him."

"…Before Yuletide." Sarid said. "I…I was telling you about him, and…"

"Did I lie?" He asked. "Did I deny knowing him?"

"…You acted like…like you didn't."

"I don't know the man you told me about." He told her. "I don't remember him being like that."

"…Then you didn't know him." Sarid said.

"…Sarid." Flint said gently, she looking at him. "I would never knowingly lie to you.

"…" She sat, then looked upset, looking down. "I know…"

He reached out to her, and she hugged him again, crying on his shoulder.

"You know him, papa?" Mercer asked Mortimer, who was sitting in the waiting room, shocked. Everyone had gathered there, some having to wait outside.

"Yes…" Mortimer said.

"Is it true?" Asher asked. "That man's her father?"

"…Yes." Mortimer told him. "…I…We…"

"We thought he was dead." Pip told him.

"Wait, if you were imprisoned…" Autumn starts, "then how'd you know, or uh…think, he was dead?"

"Mortimer told me." Pip told her.

"How'd you know?" Mercer asked Mortimer.

"…I got a letter, about ten years ago." Mortimer told him. "Another man we had served with came here and…the whole place was destroyed…he only found Sarid in a shelter. He wrote Doc, Harry, Merlyn and I letters telling us about the old kingdom…"

"…So…now what?" Xanos asked. "Given her reaction, she's…not happy to see him."

"He abandoned her." Asher told him.

"He'd never!" Merlyn told him. "I know Sarid is upset with him, but-"

"Upset?" Raven asked. "You call how she reacted upset?"

"Okay, I see your point." Merlyn told her. "But I worked for him when Sarid was a child – he loved her more than anyone or anything!"

"Forgive me if I find that hard to believe." Asher told him.

"Hey," Reginald said, standing up, "we only have her side of the story."

"That doesn't change the fact that people can lie and manipulate." Esmeralda told him.

"He would never." Merlyn told her. "He has his issues, like anyone else, but he wouldn't do that."

"Sarid seems to think he would." Asher told him.

"Think, Asher." He told him. "Sarid was child when all of this happened. Given what had happened, the destruction of the kingdom and being left alone, she was no doubt traumatized! She couldn't rationalize it, or she came to a conclusion that didn't account for everything because there were things she just couldn't figure out at that age."

"But then he should have been with her!" Asher told him. "Why did he leave her there all alone when she needed him?"

"I…" Merlyn sighed. "…I don't know."

"…"

A silence hung in the air like a heavy blanket, when the exam room door opened, Hannah stepping out.

"He has some minor injuries, mostly callouses that broke open, and is malnourished." She told everyone. "But he'll pull through…"

Merlyn, Mortimer and Pip let out sighs of relief, Pip standing and going toward the door.

"Pip?" Mortimer asked.

"I'm going to go find Sarid." He told him. "I don't know what her reaction to this will be in the long term, but it won't be good."

Flint still sat, hugging Sarid, who sat silent, curled up against him. He smoothed down her hair with one hand, his other having his thumb running back and forth over her wrist.

"…Sarid?" He asked.

"…Yes sir?" She croaked.

"We need to go back to the village."

"NO!" Sarid said, snapping up so fast she got to her feet, then stumbled and fell back down.

"Sarid-"

"No!" Sarid told him. "I-I don't want to see him, or be near him, or hear any more lies, or…"

She curled in on herself, putting her head on her knees.

"Sarid." Flint said gently. "I don't know what happened, so I don't know what to tell you about that, but I can tell you avoiding the problem will not make things better."

"…" She curled in tighter.

"Sarid…" he said again, going over to her, "please. I want to help you."

"…" She started shaking again, feeling the chill in her chest get worse, her head light.

"…" Flint sighed. "You don't have to see him. You don't need to be near him. But please, let's go back to the village."

"…" Sarid kept shaking, but lifted her head. "I…I want to run away."

"I know." Flint told her, kneeling down and putting a hand on her shoulder. "That's how you've always dealt with things. Hiding, but Sarid…is that really a life you want to live?"

"…" Sarid got an upset look, looking up at him. Holding her arms out, he hugged her again, her face buried in his shoulder. She cried a bit more, then started to stand up, Flint helping her. She walked with him, his arm around her shoulders, tears streaming down her face. Getting near the village, they saw Pip up the trail, he hurrying when he saw them.

"Sarid!" He called, getting near them, Sarid looking up at him. A choked sob escaped her and she hugged him, he hugging her back. "Sarid, I'm so sorry…"

"It…It's not your fault…" She told him.

They stood in silence for a bit, Sarid lifting her head and wiping her eyes.

"Let's get back to the castle." Flint told her, she nodding. They walked with her to the village, Flint's arm around her, and they went to the castle and into it, going up to her room. She sat on the sofa, shaking, Flint and Pip wondering what to do.

There was a knock, both of them looking at the door.

The knock sounded again, Flint rushing over to it and opening the door, seeing Hannah with her medical bag.

"I saw you three coming this way." She told him. He stepped aside and she walked in, going to the sofa and sitting beside Sarid, putting down her bag.

"…" Sarid said nothing, but stared at the dark fireplace.

"…Sarid?" Hannah asked. "What do you need?"

"…" Sarid pulled her cloak around herself, closing in on herself. "…I don't know."

Hannah's brows furrowed up with worry.

"Can I put a hand on you?" She asked her.

"Yes."

She put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sarid." Hannah said carefully. "I know you're outraged at seeing your father. But I need you to understand, we want to help you. But we need to know what happened."

"…" Sarid's shaking got worse. "…I…"

She hugged herself.

"I don't want to talk about it." She told her.

"…Sarid." Hannah told her gently. "It's going to hard, recalling a traumatic memory…but avoiding it won't help."

"I put all of it behind me and I was doing fine." Sarid told her. "It…it's his fault…all of this is coming back…"

"Sarid." Hannah told her. "How could he have known-"

"Because!" Sarid snapped, her head snapping up. "He left! He knew what he was doing, he only ever cared for himself and just left me!"

"Sarid." Hannah told her. "We need to know what happened."

"He left." Sarid hissed.

"We need more-"

"That's all that matters!" Sarid snapped, looking at her. "I needed him and he left me!"

"…" Hannah stared at Sarid with a straight face, Pip and Flint looking at each other.

Slowly, Hannah took her hand off of Sarid's shoulder and stood, holding her bag.

"Mr. Pip, Mr. Flint, I need to speak with both of you privately." She told them. They nodded, and they left the room, going out of the castle and going down to the training area before the castle, stopping there.

"So long as Sarid is…like this," Hannah told them, "she won't say anything more. She needs a reason to tell us the whole story."

"…" Pip and Flint looked at each other, Flint's face serious.

"…Pip?" Flint asked.

"…" He sighed. "…Let's get Artie."

After a bit…

Pip, Flint, Doc, Mortimer, Arthur, Merlyn and Hannah all stood in the patient wing, around Arthur's bed, he still fast asleep.

"We had to give him a sedative." Doc told them. "He kept saying he needed to see Sarid…it was the only way we could get him to be still."

"We understand." Mortimer told him.

"First things first." Hannah told them, looking at Pip. "We need to know what happened that night. All we know is that the kingdom was destroyed…but you were there. What…what happened?"

"…" Pip's eyes dimmed. "…All of you may want to sit down, it…it's a long story…"

A young Pip sat in a tiny chair, holding a tiny saucer and teacup in his hands, red-gold light of late afternoon streaming through the windows. Child Sarid sat across from him, a silver and sapphire tiara on her head, wearing a beautiful blue dress. Her eyes were a gorgeous blue like the sapphires, her golden hair in a braid.

They sat in Sarid's room, a bed fit for royalty against the middle of the right wall, wood painted white and having blue bedding. There was a nightstand on either side, a toy chest with stuffed animals, dolls, wooden sword he had given her and other toys was near the table they sat at. On the left wall was a fireplace with a painting of her and Arthur above it, both of them smiling. Out on the rug of the room was a toy horse that had a small rope to pull it around with.

"More tea, Mr. Pip?" Sarid asked.

"Why thank you, Sarid." He told her, holding out the teacup. Picking up the teapot, she pretended to pour tea into it, then set it down. Pip pulled back the cup, pretending to sip some. "The tea is excellent, Sarid!"

"Thank you!" Sarid beamed, the door to her room opening.

Stepping in was Arthur, his dark red hair neatly combed and wearing furs and fine linen. A polished crown of gold sat on his head, his black boots polished to a shine.

"Daddy!" Sarid cheered, jumping up and running over to him. He smiled, holding out his arms and picking her up when she reached him, kissing her cheek.

"Hello sweetie." He told her, smiling at her. "How has your day been?"

"Good!"

"That's good." He told her, then looking at Pip. "Anything to report?"

"The tea is excellent." Pip told him. "Other than that, no."

"Ah…" He said, then looking at Sarid. "You'll have to tell me the recipe one day."

"Yes sir." She nodded. He set her down, Sarid hugging him and he smiled down at her. A bell rang, Pip standing.

"Supper time, your majesty." Pip told Arthur, who nodded.

"Let's go." He said, taking Sarid's hand and leaving the room with her, Pip following. Sarid skipped alongside Arthur, who smiled down at her lovingly. Reaching the dining hall, a short table was set for supper, the few nobles at it. Arthur went to the head of the table, picking up Sarid and put her at the chair next to the head, Pip standing beside the other side of the head, the chair empty.

Arthur sat at the head, the others sitting, including Pip, who sat across from Sarid. They ate, then they all retired, the nobles to their homes and Arthur to his study with Sarid and Pip. He sat in his chair, Pip standing guard by the door and Sarid sat in Arthur's lap, he reading to her. The story was a fairy tale, the usual – dragon guards princess, prince saves her, live happily ever after…

"Daddy?" Sarid asked.

"Yes sweetie?"

"If I ever get captured by a dragon, can I free myself?"

He looked at her incredulously.

"What?"

"Could I free myself?" She asked. "Oh! Or I could try and tame it, then I'd have a dragon friend! Or if I couldn't, then…then I could fight it!"

"S-Sarid, why…"

He looked at Pip.

"…You've been teaching her sword fighting again?"

"Yes, sir." Pip told him, nodding.

"Pip…" He sighed. "What have I told you about that?"

"Not to."

"And?"

"She asked."

"…" Arthur sighed again. Picking up Sarid, he set her down on her feet on the ground, put aside the book and went to Pip. "You know what I told you about that."

"And?" Pip asked. "Everyone should know how to defend themselves."

"She has the guards and me, then one day she'll have her husband, and-"

"What if he's the one she needs protecting from?" Pip asked.

"…" Arthur stared at him, Sarid looking between them. There was a sudden knock at the door, Arthur looking over at it. "Come in."

A guard opened the door, standing at attention.

"Your majesty, a message from High Mage Merlyn has arrived, marked urgent." He told him.

"…" He looked at Pip. "We'll finish this later."

He turned away, then went to Sarid and hugged her, kissing her forehead.

"You sleep good, sweetie." He told her.

"You too, daddy!" She told him, then going over to Pip. He picked her up and went out of the study, going to her room, where two women attendants were waiting. He handed her to them, and they took her into the room, the door closing and he stood outside of it for a time, until the door opened.

"Thank you." Pip told them. They went down the hall and he went into the room, Sarid jumping up and down on her bed, wearing a lovely blue nightgown. "Getting the rest of your energy out?"

"Yes sir!" She told him, smiling over at him. He smiled back and closed the door, going over to the bed. Sarid landed sitting down, her hair still braided though her tiara sat on the side table.

"Do you want to practice sword fighting more?" He asked. She looked up at him, then got a worried look.

"But…daddy said he didn't want you doing that…"

"And?" Pip asked.

"…I don't want to get in trouble."

"You won't get in trouble, I will." He told her, pulling a chair over and sitting down beside the bed.

"I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I'll be fine." He told her. "I want you to be able to defend yourself."

"…" Sarid looked down, thinking. "Daddy…he said that I have the guards…"

"Well, it takes time for guards to get places, and even they have limits to what they can do." Pip told her. "Say the person you need to defend yourself from had you in their clutches and threatens to do something if the guards move. They can't do anything, but you can. Break his fingers, elbow the gut, bash the knee with you heel, things like that."

"…" Sarid looked down again, smoothing her blankets. "…Daddy says I'll be married one day. What about my husband?"

"Well, it's the same with the guards…" He told her. "And…well…marrying someone doesn't mean…that they're a good person."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there are bad people in the world, Sarid." He told her. "Monsters that look like normal people. Some will want to marry you, but not for love. They want power, wealth, a pretty wife, and…well…"

"…Well what?" She asked.

"…If you can't give them those things, they…they'll toss you aside."

Her eyes went wide.

"But…why…?"

"…" He picked her up and set her in his lap, hugging her. "Like I said, there are bad people in this world. They only think about themselves, and how to use people to their advantage…I never want you to meet such a person, but I can't protect you from everything…That's why you need to learn to protect yourself."

"…So…if I meet one, they can't hurt me?" Sarid asked.

"That's right." Pip told her.

"…" She looked up at him. "How can I tell?"

"Well, words are leaves and deeds are fruits." He told her, setting her on her bed. "Watch what someone does as opposed to what they say. And remember: everyone has their flaws. No one is perfect, and if they seem to have no flaws, then that's suspicious. And listen to their words, how they say things. They may say something a way that they want to sound one way, but can be taken another if you pay attention."

"…" She nodded and he smiled at her.

"I have faith that one day, you will grow into a strong young lady." He told her. "But that won't be handed to you, and you can't just walk up to it. You will have to fight, run, climb, and dive for it…but then that's how it is with anything worthwhile."

"Yes sir." She nodded. "…So can you show me sword fighting?"

"Of course!" HE told her, scooping her up and taking her to the middle of the room, setting her down. Getting the toy sword from the chest, he handed it to her, and then stood before her.

"Now, remember: you need a good grip on your weapon, and a firm stance…"

He walked her through some basics, parrying and striking, until she was fighting to keep her eyes open. Taking the sword, he put it away for her, then picked her up and tucked her into her bed, smoothing down her bangs.

"Mr. Pip…?" She murmured sleepily.

"Yes, Sarid?" He asked softly.

"I'm going to try and be a great…" She yawned. "…fighter…"

"That's good." He told her with a smile. "If you like, I could have Mr. Flint visit us during the summers."

"Mr. Flint…?"

"He an old friend." He told her. "He runs the military school in Julo, and he's the greatest fighter I've ever seen. I could ask if he'd train you."

"Really?" Sarid asked, her eyes widening some.

"Yes." He said. "But you'd have to be bigger first."

"I'll grow as fast as I can…" She told him, making him smile.

"You take your time." He told her. "Right now, just focus on your studies and having fun."

She nodded, then curled up on her side, closing her eyes. He smiled softly at her, then snuffed out the candle on the side table and went to the door, quietly opening it and stepping out, then closing it behind him.

Going down the hall, he went to the quarters at the end, opening it and stepping in. There was a partition in the middle of the room, beds lining the walls. He went to his and sat down, slipping off his boots, set his weapon aside and then laid down, staring into the dark. The soft snoring of the others in the room slowly lulled him to sleep, his eyes slowly closing.

KRA-KOOOOOM

Pip shot up in his bed, hearing distant screaming, the room shaking.

SARID!

He jumped into his boots, grabbed his weapon, and took off running, throwing open the door and down the hall, getting to Sarid's room, the door open. Drawing his great ax, he ran in and Saw Arthur picking up Sarid. He wore his robe, boots on his feet and his blade in hand.

"What's going on?!" Pip asked him.

"The kingdom's under attack!" He told him, holding Sarid close, she holding onto his robe, eyes squeezed shut. "We need to get her to the shelter and then join the defense!"

"Yes sir." He nodded. "I'll lead the way, keep Sarid safe."

He turned, going into the hallway. They ran down it, hearing a cracking noise, looking back to see the end of the hall where the study was had collapsed. They made it to the stairs, going down them and getting to the throne room. Guards were running about with the servants, trying to get them to safety, one of the grand windows shattering as a gigantic brown and orange creature came in, smashing into the ground, killing or injuring guards and servants as and then shot through another window. Pip felt fear rush up his back into his head, recalling the Shroud War, but charged. More creatures came in, looking up at him.

They were also brown and orange, some looking like wingless dragons, others humanoid with swords or a long spear. The charged, Pip letting out a battle cry, swinging his ax and crushing the skull of one, then spinning around and decapitating one, raising the handle of his weapon up and bashing then end into the face of the other, the spike at the end piece the face, collapsing it.

One of the dragon creatures charged him, jumping forward and opening its maw, he side stepping and bringing the head of his ax down between its jaws, severing the lower jaw from the head, then spun and brought the ax down on the neck, decapitating it.

"COME ON!" Pip yelled to Arthur, both of them running through the gap between the creatures, Pip bashing one that came too close. The doors had fallen, they climbing over them and getting to the top.

Pip's heart sank.

The homes were ablaze, fires burning so brightly that the stars were gone, leaving the sky a black void overhead. He heard screams and shrieks, more of the brown and orange creatures chasing people down, other creatures with them.

"What's happening?!"

He blinked, then heard the voice that had spoke, looking to see Sarid terrified.

"MOVE!" Pip yelled, grabbing Arthur's weapon arm and pulling him along. They made it down the doors and kept running. Pip jumped over a burning corpse, a blue creature moving towards them, then lifting its hands. A light centered over its chest, then fired at them. Pip grabbed a broken piece of furniture and threw it before them to block it. The furniture went pass them, showing the creature was dead.

What? Why…

He looked at the furniture, seeing it was a mirror.

AH!

They kept running.

Another blue creature approached, Pip pulling out his magic mirror, and when it fired, he held it up and shot it back at the creature. A green and grey-ish creature appeared, holding some type of gun, aiming it at them.

"MOVE!" Pip yelled, pushing Arthur and Sarid aside, the creature firing at them. He then heard footfall, his mind racing. Looking behind him, he saw the wall of the building they had ducked behind was partially destroyed, he raising his ax and bashing the rest of the wall in. Grabbing Arthur's arm, he pulled them through into the burning building, furniture destroyed, a bucket of water tipped over onto the floor. A guard stumbled past, some pink-purple creature in his head. His head raised, showing his skin turning grey and cracking, his eyes black voids. The creature began to release from him, Pip bringing his ax down on it, killing it.

They made it through the building, more of the brown and orange burrowing creatures appearing around them. Pip let out a battle cry, one of them charging. He jumped aside and dug the spiked tip of his weapon handle into it, making it fall. Another charged, Pip bringing his ax down on the head of, killing it. The final one moved back when Pip looked at it due to the look in his eyes.

"COME ON!" He yelled at it, and it charged. He rolled forward and swung his ax, cutting into the underbelly and killing it.

Pip felt something on his leg.

Looking down, there was a blue glowing tentacle wrapped around it. He swung his ax to cut it, when a green one shot out of the dark and grabbed it, pulling at it. Yanking it back, another pink one joined it, both of them able to yank it from him, sending it flying away. An orange tentacle grabbed his arm, and he yanked against it, when the two started pulling him. Digging his heels into the ground, he pulled and fought with all his might, the other two grabbing him.

"PIP!"

Looking back he saw Arthur, horrified, holding Sarid who watched with terror.

"GET HER TO SAFETY!" He yelled.

"But-"

His legs fell out from under him, he landing on his stomach. He was pulled, the ground tearing up as his fingers dug into it. He looked up at Arthur, aware of his own tears of fear.

"GO!"

He was dragged into the dark, seeing Arthur running with Sarid looking at him from over his shoulder. The broken ground and other items hit his armor, he releasing the ground to keep from losing a finger or hand. He reached down and grabbed at the tentacles and yanked at them, trying to get them off, when he saw he was approaching a wall of fire. It parted, pulling him through it. He was stopped, held down on his knees with his arms above him, looking up at four figures. They all wore similar robes, one orange, one blue, one green and one pink, all of them having black piping on the edges. From their hands came the tentacles holding him.

"You have been a pain." One said in a demonic voice. Pip scowled up at them, lowering his head.

"Save your intimidation tactics." Another said, the four of them parting to show the Shadow Man.

Pip's eyes went wide.

"You…" He said.

"Hello again." He said, approaching him. "I remember you and your cursed friends…"

"What are you doing here?" He asked. "Revenge?"

"Oh, well…yes." He said. "The Terrarian family has...history with me, you see. So, I promised to end them."

"End…"

His eyes went wide.

Sarid.

"That's right." He said. "Even she must die."

"She's a child!"

"And?"

Pip got his feet under him, forcing himself forward, the robed persons having to brace and lean to keep him back.

"IF YOU SOME MUCH AS LOOK AT HER-"

"You don't scare me." The Shadow Man told him. "You obviously won't serve me willingly. Such a shame, you're quiet the loyal fighter."

Pip glared.

"I have no use for you." He said, turning away and waving a hand. "Kill him."

The four robed persons moved back, raising their free hands. Pip grit his teeth.

They began speaking, he able to pick up words from the magic language.

They paused to breathe.

Pip opened his hands.

"UMBRA CALVA FAX!"

Flaming skull apparitions shot from his hands, hitting them. Two were hit square in the face, killing them, one tried to move aside and was hit in the side of the face, deep voice crying out, and the last was hit in the chest, knocking out their breath and doubling over. The tentacles holding Pip disappeared, and he charged the final person, grabbing their head and snapping their neck, making them fall. Turning to the last one standing, they held their face with one hand, blood leaking from between their fingers, their skin whiter than snow.

He charged him, when they shot their arm upward.

"MULTA EGOMET!"

He got blurry and suddenly multiple of him appeared, all of them identical.

Pip instead turned and charged at the Shadow Man, who was watching with vague surprise. He pulled back a fist as he neared-

He shot up from the ground, entangled in pink tendrils.

Looking back, he saw the last robed person had their free hand on the ground, blood still falling from their hidden face. Their shoulders rose and fell, a hand taking Pip's jaw, forcing him to look forward.

The Shadow Man stood, studying his face.

"I must admit, I'm impressed." He told him. "You killed three of my high mages…"

Pip spat at him, hitting his face. The Shadow Man merely wiped it away with a black cloth.

"Oh yes…I can use you, even against your will…"

Pip shrieked with pain.

"The next thing I knew, I was at the dungeon, a prisoner." Pip said, his eyes dim.

Everyone stood silent, looking at him with eyes filled with fear and sadness.

"…I don't want pity." He told them, looking up at them. "I don't want any of you to feel sorry for me. I just want Sarid and Artie to be okay."

"…" Mortimer put a hand on his shoulder, Pip looking at him. "I'm amazed at how you've handled all that."

"I haven't really." He admitted. "I've been taking sleep medicine to help at night, it's not bad during the day…"

Doc looked at Hannah who nodded. His brows furrowed up with worry.

"I wish you had told us." Doc told him. "Talking about traumatic events with another person is shown to help a great deal."

"I know, but…hm…" He hummed.

"Well…we have an idea of what happened." Flint said. "But we still need to know how Sarid saw the whole thing."

"You mentioned a shelter?" Hannah asked Pip.

"Yes." He nodded. "It was built away from the castle to keep it hidden. In case of an emergency, the royal family was to go there while the situation was dealt with."

"And Sarid was the only living member of the royal family…" Mortimer said.

"That's right."

"Wait, so…" Hannah started, looking at Mortimer, "you knew about Sarid before coming here?"

"Yes." Mortimer nodded. "We kept in touch with each other through letters. After…after what happened here though…we started falling out of contact. Before coming here, the closest we had seen was Doc and Flint coming to my wife's funeral four years ago."

"…" Hannah got a worried look, Doc putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, sweetheart." He told her. "We're all together now, and now...we fix the past."

AN – I guess this is good? I dunno, I just…want to get a chapter posted. Sorry for the wait, I had no idea what to write. All I had was Arthur showing up, and that was it. I didn't even really have Sarid's reaction thought out.

Kevy365: Thank you! And who knows…? (Not me, I haven't thought that part through…)

Person: Thanks! Updates aren't set in stone, unfortunately, it really depends on chapter length…and the writing itself.

Obsessive Reader: Oh hey! Here's a new chapter!

Gizmo Gear: You're fine, I had planned this from the very beginning.

Pinkpony4: I went back and read this and actually found more…I think it's my word document, it's like it loses or mixes up things when I open and close it, and it no longer shows spelling errors. SO THAT'S FUN.

I think it's just there's always three or four on you at anytime, which is just…UGH. And thank you!

I don't know about seven years old, but I know girls are having them earlier and earlier, which I think is either because A) they're getting the nutrients they need sooner or B) hormones in food. I did hear that drinking so much soda a day can cause it to happen sooner, but I'm not sure. As for Sarid, I don't really have an explanation other than I haven't written that happening yet.

I wouldn't say Hannah doesn't trust Merlyn, more like…she knows he knows something but it hesitant to share, but that is because he's worried about Sarid. He felt like talking to Hannah about it would be going behind her back somehow. And yeah, Hannah's definitely the mom friend.

Yikes. I like snow, but unfortunately we rarely get it. ;-; It's so pretty!

No spoilers~ And yes! Whisper is a friend.

Flint is a good parent who just wants what's best for Sarid, which is how the seed got planted for however long it was. More on him later, but as for Lance…while he is being used, he went into it willingly.

Yes, yes they do.

It is interesting how the heroes will let villains do their thing and just stand there like "well this is happening", though I did want to have Sarid lampshade it. For the guilt, it was a type of psychological combat they tried to use on her, though it didn't work how they intended it. As for Hannah, I'd say she falls more into a good big sister type of guardian.

Yeah, I though the pendant thing would be funny. I wouldn't say she's always wanted to do that (at least not yet).

I LOVE ANIMAL CROSSING. I'm trying to get New Horizons right now, but I need to lose more weight first. Hans' accent is fun to write – I'm actually trying to learn German right now and I thought it'd be interesting to try and write the accent. Did you know German has like five different ways to say the word has/have? It is VERY annoying to try to remember. And yeah, Sparkle means well but…Hm.

Flint is a friend to children. He's more than happy to show them how to better defend themselves or try to help them.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I do not regret the ending to the last chapter!

Oh. Sorry.

I actually learn to swim pretty quick from what I remember. I still love swimming even if there no where for me to do it. :'D

Thank you so much!

Wow. As for quarantine, I AM LOVING IT. I don't have to go anywhere, talk to anyone, I can just stay home, bake, write, exercise and play video games!

To everyone: Thanks for reading, and stay safe guys!