"He has lost his mind," Rayni stated calmly to Myra who sat across her. As soon as she had woken up that morning she sought out Myra, whom she found reading through books in mages house tea room.
"I can understand why you think that," Myra affirmed as she took another sip of her tea. "But there is not a trace of magic on him,"
"So he genuinely believes that I am his angel?" Rayni asked, a slight frown on her face.
"Yes."
"It is just not possible,"
"Why does that matter? He is a stubborn man, once he believes in something he does not let it go easily,"
"Once he finds her, all of this will mean nothing," Myra's eyes met hers sharply, and she took one slow sip before asking;
"How are you so sure that they will meet?"
"His necklace glows, the gem on it is a special one. It connects the holder of the gem to the one they love most," Myra raised an eyebrow.
"What if the one he loves most is you?"
"What? After how long he spent looking for his angel I do not think his feelings would have been swayed so quickly," Rayni retorted.
"He loved her as a child, that was years ago!" Myra exclaimed, tired of having heard of this 'angel' for so long. "Really, after all the time that has passed Rex should really accept it as childhood love and move on," Myra thought it was ridiculous how much time Rexander spent obsessing over his angel, when realistically his angel was a short few months in the span of the many, many years he had lived since her and the many years he was going to live after as well.
"His face when I mentioned her said something else,"
"And so? Have you seen his face when he looks at you?" Rayni looked at Myra confused, what did she mean by that? "You must have noticed," When Rayni continued to look confused Myra scoffed loudly. "My Lady, the way he looks at you says everything. He loves you,"
Rexander, loved her?
"I have played the role of his wife, so he has gotten lost in our act. The moment he sees her he will forget about me,"
As they all have done before him, Rayni left unspoken.
This was not her first time seeing such a story play out. In her past lives no matter what she did and no matter how sure she was that they loved her the moment their beloved returned, she was doomed to be tossed aside. In this life she was determined not to suffer. Once she helped Rexander she would leave and with all the funds and skills she had collated she would live her life free from anyone and do all that she pleased.
She would settle elsewhere, somewhere close to sea and a place so far away that no one who knew her would be able to see her again. She could start afresh as new person, who is not bound by family or name.
"My Lady I understand your fears but please rest assured Rex will not leave you so easily, especially now that he has called you his angel," Myra consoled, having noticed Rayni's tense expression.
Over time, just like everyone else attached to Rexander, Myra too had come to have her own special relationship with the Lady of House Bhukam. At first she was apprehensive, thinking this diamond would be demanding and the state of Valkore would by no means be enough for a lady of her background. However she was proven to be very wrong. Her lady, though was sharp with her words and was scarily observant, was also incredibly kind and caring.
Myra noticed that Rayni had initially tried to uphold a cold personality, keeping all those around her at arms length, but such is the thing about a persons nature; No matter what you do you, cannot hide it. So inevitably Rayni's warm persona was uncovered and her golden heart shone through bringing everyone around her closer to her.
Surely, there could not be a single person in Valkore who had a bad word to say about her. It was amazing how quickly she had won them all over. Even if a time came where she was no longer their Lady, their loyalty would not waver and they would still think of her fondly. After all, she not only helped their Lord, but in turn each and everyone in Valkore had been touched by her actions in one way or another. They owed her a great deal but not once had Rayni ever brought attention to her good deeds. Neither was she arrogant or cruel for someone so intelligent and blessed. She shared everything she had, whether that be knowledge or wealth, and asked nothing of anyone. Myra found that characteristic of Rayni's to be particularly admirable. She knew Rayni was a woman riddled with secrets but she also knew that Rayni was a good person, and as such they had nothing to worry about. Myra just hoped that Rayni would one day open up to them, enough so that she would tell them of her troublesome past. How long would Rayni bare her burdens all alone?
"That is the very problem Myra, that he has called me by a name that does not belong to me," It was like the fates were taunting her. Giving her everything she wanted only to one day take it away.
"He loves you, there is no denying that my Lady." Rayni smiled sadly, like she did not believe Myra.
"Thank you for listening to me, I should head to the library now," Rayni excused herself, and left still just as troubled as she had been when she had arrived.
"Was the Lady here?" Gareth asked, walking down a few minutes after Rayni left.
"Yes," Myra answered, still pondering Rayni's words.
"What has you so worried, is the Lady okay?" He sat down by her as he bit into an apple.
"Rex told the Lady that she was his angel," Gareth did not seem surprised and continued eating his apple like normal.
"Bout damn time," He remarked.
"That is not strange to you?"
"No, Rex ain't good at telling apart his feelings but I think it was quite obvious that it was never just a deal for him," Gareth answered, Myra and him, being his most trusted friends, were the only ones that Rexander had told about his marriage contract with Rayni.
"True. The Lady is worried though. She thinks once Rex finds his lost love he will forget about her,"
"No way would he do that. If we're bein honest Rex's love for his angel in the mountain or whatever is closer to an obsession than actual love. I think its guilt actually, but whatever. What he has with the Lady is real, they match each other so well! He loves her, and it is damn obvious."
"She loves him too, but I think she holds herself back in fear that his feelings will change,"
"The lady don't need to worry, that girls dead. No one survived what happened in the Blue Mountains. She ain't ever coming back,"
"So they say...but the Lady is adamant that she lives so it makes me wonder,"
"Even so, so what if she comes back? You've seen Rex, he is too far gone. His love for the Lady is something else and it will only grow. By the time that girl comes back Rex would have long forgotten her,"
---
"Rayni," Rexander called. He was slightly annoyed to see her still in the library so late, after reminding her countless times not to be so late coming back.
"Oh, you are here my Lord," Rayni looked up from her book and only then had she realised how dark it had gotten.
"How many times must I tell you to be more considerate of the time?" Rexander huffed, as Rayni quickly packed her bags and put away her books.
"It is my bad, I will take more care next time," she brushed off, to which Rexander only sighed as he took her bag from her and held her hand.
"What?" He asked her when she looked at him cautiously.
"It is not cold, why are you holding my hand?" Rexander thought her question was cute, and remembered their conversation from the night before. He gave a cheeky smile and answered.
"It's late, and the streets are quiet and dimly lit. Its better if we hold hands for safety,"
"I do not think many are keen to attack the King of Warlords no matter how dark it gets." Rayni muttered but she did not argue further and let Rexander guide her back to their house.
"Rayni, what were you like as a kid?" He asked her, curiously as they walked.
"The same as I am now," was her response, though Rexander knew that was not true.
"Really? So you have always been kind and smart?" He asked playfully trying to get a response from her.
"Yes, and you? What were you like?"
"Well, I was actually a troublesome kid. I used to make mischief and not listen to anyone,"
"I find that hard to believe," Rexander was so responsible and mature now and even back then. She had seen him a few times when they were still young and he had just started off as a blacksmiths boy. He must have been in his early teen years then, but even so he was diligent and reliable from what Rayni heard and caught glimpses off.
"Yeah, I was always in trouble and I had a bad temper. Not many people could handle me, I used to fight loads,"
"Were you angry because life was tough for you?" She asked recalling all the work Rexander was made to do, and the poor treatment he suffered.
"Something like that. In the Blue Mountains, I was acting for attention. Why does everyone get it so easy? Is what I thought. But then, when I left the Blue Mountains and life actually got hard after that. It made me tougher and in turn that made an unruly kid like me straighten up. I learnt what hard work and discipline meant then," Rexander explained.
"Look at you now, you have come such a long way," Rayni spoke with genuine admiration and pride, her words instantly filling him with warmth. "I saw you at the beginning of your journey, back when you were just lanky boy with a disheveled appearance and a serious face. Who would have thought that, that boy would one day become one of the Continents' most respected and valiant Knights?"
In all honesty, Rayni did. She watched him from within the castle walls, seeing his dedication and talent sparked something in her and she had always believed in him and his dreams. The moment her dark eyes met his forest green all those years ago, she knew that there was something inexplicably special about him that always stood out to her. She remembered cheering for him in his early fights, back when her quiet support was the only one on his side.
How time has changed everything, now the whole world cheers for him - what use did he have for her silent support?
"How come I do not remember seeing you?" Rexander asked after a few moments of thinking.
"You were so consumed in your own world,"
"No, you must have hidden from me," He said adamantly.
"Why would I hide?" He shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know, but I do know that if I had seen you then I would definitely not have forgotten you," Rayni gave him a disbelieving look.
"I was not always the Diamond you saw in the Empire you know," Rexander squeezed her hand and gave her a wide grin.
"A diamond is always a diamond, Rayni. I would have noticed you anywhere, even back then," Rexander had so confidently assured her that Rayni had no words to refute him.
"Ah, what perfect timing," Myra greeted them as they entered their cottage, she was sat on their sofa idly flicking another book on the history of Valkore.
"Whats wrong Mai, why are you here so late?" Rexander asked, taking a quick glance around before adding, "Where's Bear?".
"He is patrolling with the night guards, just a while ago they found dead animals scattered around the outskirts of town," Rexander's demeanour changed, his face instantly looking much more aged.
"What do you think it is?"
"Not sure but the animals did not die because of fatal wounds, they all passed away due to heart attack,"
"That cannot be a coincidence,"
"Have you heard of ShadowMen?" Rayni asked, attracting their attention to her.
"Yes, but they have been extinct for years,"
"Maybe from the other lands but Valkore has survived in isolation from the rest of the continent for years,"
"What are these creatures?" Rexander questioned, never having heard of them before.
"Quite literally, as their name suggests, they are shadows that can take the appearance of anyone. They trick you into a trance and slowly take your life force,"
"Why are they attacking animals then?"
"When they first grow they do not have enough power to absorb a humans life or even change appearance so they live in the shadows of animals and slowly take their energy - eventually killing the animal. They do this repeatedly and grow stronger." Rayni explained flicking through her red notebook.
"Every time they take a life, depending on the person or creature it absorbs it gains power. Meaning if they absorb a water mage, they gain water magic. If they absorb a tiger they can grow fangs and so on." Myra added.
"So right now they have a strength of a bunny,"
"Multiple bunnies, they should be able to change appearance and kill humans soon,"
"How do we stop them?"
"That is the issue, even if you kill them they can come back to life. They were eradicated using pure light magic in the last Great War, but as you know pure light magic has become incredibly rare now,"
"There is another way," Rayni announced, after finally finding the page she was looking for. "When ShadowMen infest an area, where they nest is called the Forest of Illusions. Their leader resides in that Forest, he is the source of their power and cannot regenerate like the other ShadowMen so if we can kill him then all the ShadowMen will die."
"Their power is strongest inside the Forest, it will be dangerous," Myra cautioned.
"It is our only option, the Leader is weak when not surrounded by its men. So, as long as we separate him from the others then killing him should not be very difficult."
"How do we find the Forest?"
"With magic, I should be able to find it but it will take a few days,"
"We should deal with this quickly before they gain anymore power,"
"Agreed, as soon as Myra can locate them we will set off. I will have our Knights on standby."