The Things We Do

Chapter VIII: Aurora

    Aurora had been walking for hours. When she left the moon had been at the center of the sky, but now it was setting. She thought of going back, but she had twisted and turned so many times she didn't know her way. In her rush, she didn't think to first acquire a compass, nor leave a note for her family, nor get any supplies.
     Her hunger was growing, when she saw a bush of berries. They were white with a small black dot on one side, and there were many of them. Aurora dropped to her knees and reached out to pick some, when she heard a strong voice behind her. "Wait! Those are poisonous!" Aurora turned. A tall man, dressed only in a grass skirt who's torso was covered in scars stood holding a spear. She tried to stand but she was too weak. "Take this instead." he held out a handful of berries. "I hope you like them sweet, they're wild strawberries. There's a huge grove north of here, or I think it's north. When I got taken I didn't have a compass."
     Aurora looked into his eyes as she took the berries. He had deep blue eyes, and she could tell that under the dirt his hair was reddish-blond. "Perdido?" she asked. The man stepped back. "Aurora?" he answered, his eyes wide. He dropped to his knees and hugged her, letting the berries fall to the ground. "You were so close to home, why didn't you come home?" she said through tears. "I lost my way, but we're here together now. You look so different, how long has it been?" he asked, pulling away to look her in the eye. "Ten long years, Perdido. Ten long, lonesome years." he fell back. "Ten years? I've been gone for ten years!" He stood up and began to pace.
"Why have you come here?" he asked at last. "To find you. I haven't been the same since you left. I moved into Lost Queen's home like we always talked about. Let's go home, Perdido. And in the morning we tell the others." She said, rising.
     "Please. Do you know the way?" Aurora tensed. "I've gotten lost too." he nodded. "Let's retrace your footsteps. You came from that way, let's go." They started walking together, hand in hand, and things seemed right once more. "Why did you come here in the first place?" She asked. "I didn't want to. Last thing I remember was leaving your place after we'd gone to the river that day. Someone had hit me over the head and I woke up on the far north coast. I was badly injured, so that took time. I tried to get back but I got lost. There were setbacks, but believe me I tried. I'm sorry you waited for me for so long, but I'm so glad to be with you again."
     They continued to walk around where Aurora's footprints lead. They came to the end of the wood when the sun was rising, and Perdido began to cry. "I was so close this whole time." Aurora rubbed his arm in an effort to comfort him, telling him that it would be alright now.
     They walked towards Aurora's new home to get him cleaned up while Aurora got some of his old clothes. "I'm not sure if they'll still fit, but it'll have to do for now." She told him as she laid them out on the bed. She left and sat at the table while she waited, pulling out the box of letters she had saved. He emerged from the bedroom, the clothes still fitting, though the shoes were a bit too small. She smiled at the sight, never thinking she would have him back. A part of her feared that he would be killed by an arrow thrown through the window again, waking her up again, but no such thing happened. They left the house, when Aurora saw her father running up to the house.
     "Aurora!" he yelled as he got closer. When Perdido came out of the house, he stopped in his tracks. "Perdido?" he exclaimed. Perdido kneeled to him. "True Lover. I have returned. I was lost in the woods for so long, I lost track of time. Your daughter has found me and brought me back." he nodded, signaled for Perdido to rise, then spoke. "I am so glad you have returned. I know Aurora has... struggled with your loss. Though Aurora is now better, her mother is worse. Scheven came back last night in another attempt to assassinate your mother and I, and he and Sorren have been working with Luna and Soleil. They're to be executed at noon, but your mother isn't alright. She's gone through this before, but I wasn't able to talk to her then. The only people who helped her were, well, Scheven and Arlie." he looked up at the house, thinking. "Who's Arlie?" Perdido asked, confused. "Oh, I forgot you didn't know. Lost Queen's real name was Arlie. But those fancy titles are done now, your mother has decided that enough was enough and she needs to hear our names again." Aurora couldn't believe this. "What about the other names?" she finally said. "My real name is Beau. Your mother, Aurora, is Anastasia. And Lost Lover is Xayah, and I think it's time we went to see her."
     The sun was halfway to the center of the sky when they came to a small cottage by the river. They had gone to Scheven's old forge and retrieved the shiv that was Arlie's downfall. Her blood was crusted on, for no one thought to clean it after Aurora's mother ordered that it be taken from her.
     Now that they were here, Beau took a deep breath before knocking on the door. A lovely elf woman came out, a waterfall of white-blonde hair following her. "Beau!" she exclaimed once she recognised him. She hugged him then offered for them to enter. "It's been so long since you've come to visit me, and you've never brought others. Who are you?" she said, coming over to Aurora. "That's my oldest daughter, Aurora. This is her..." he trailed off. "Boyfriend, still, right?" Perdido said, looking over to her. "Yeah. This is my boyfriend, Perdido." she said, happy to reinstate their old relationship.
     The woman got them all tea and sat them down at her table. A few frogs hopped around in a small bowl in the center, which had water and a few clumps of dirt for them to sit on. "So, why have you come here? You always come by yourself." she asked Aurora's father. "We need your help, Xayah. Scheven tried to kill me and Anastasia twice now, and he's been working with Sorren, Luna and Soleil. Anastasia's gone mad again. Last time she had Scheven and Arlie to help her, now she doesn't have either. I'm scared I, Aurora, Tage nor Selene can't help her. I think the only way to get her back to her normal, or at least the normal she's been in for thirty years now, is to bring back Arlie." Xayah's eyes widened. She looked down into her cup. "Arlie can't come back Beau. Not again." a tear trickled down her face.

"I've been reading-"

"If there was a spell to bring her back do you not think I would have found it!"

"Xayah listen to me-"

"She's gone! She's left me over and over and she's not coming back."

"What do you mean, over and over?"

"Nothing. All I'm saying is that she's dead. There's one spell I found that might work, but I don't have what I need. I was too late."

    Beau threw the shiv on the table. Xayah carefully picked it up and examined the dried blood. "Are we too late?" he asked. Xayah began to cry. "No." She got a bowl from the cupboard then handed it and the shiv back to Beau. "Hold these. I'll get everything else. She ran down the hall and came back after a few minutes holding a satchel. "Let's go." she said before scooping one of the frogs, who she called Sally junior, and placing the frog on her shoulder.
    They ran to Arlie's grave, where Xayah threw down the satchel. "Dig her up." She ordered as she began to work. As Aurora dug, she watched as Xayah took the bowl and filled it with water from the river. She opened the satchel and poured different substances into it, when they had finally recovered the skeleton. Beau got into the grave and pulled it out, handing it back to Xayah. Without hesitation she laid the skeleton on her lap, the skull facing the earth.
     Xayah lifted the now wet and magical shiv above her head and pierced the spine. A bright red flash illuminated from the shiv, blowing Aurora into the river. After struggling to get back on the bank, she saw Xayah holding a living, breathing body. They took Arlie and all the supplies back to Xayah's, explaining the past thirty years to the seemingly twenty year old Arlie.