//------------------------------// // Retrieval // Story: The Runaway: Journey to Tambelon // by Hope Caster //------------------------------// Spike and Sendak nearly froze until a glare they couldn’t possibly see forced them to turn. Rarity slowly made her way towards them, careful not to put too much pressure on her wrapped hoof. “What were you thinking coming here!” she growled the moment her eyes met Spike’s. She put a little too much pressure on her leg and fell forward a bit, as she let out a hiss of pain. Instantly, Spike rushed to her side. “Are you okay?” He said, helping Rarity find steady footing. “I hurt myself on the way here,” She said wincing in pain. “Nothing too bad, just need to get home and-” She stopped talking when she noticed a mark on the side of his face. Rarity let out a gasp and quickly turned his face to have a better look. “What happened?!” Spike’s shrank a bit, knowing that the answer would cause great conflict regarding his family. “It’s nothing-” “Do not lie to me!” Rarity demanded, having Spike flinch. “Rarity, there’s no need to be angry at him for that,” Sendak said, coming to Spike’s side. “I know. I’m not faulting him. I’m mad that he’s lying, again. ‘Playing in the garden’,” She spat on the ground. “We should have known better! And that being nothing?” She turned Spike so that the welt could be seen by Sendak. “That isn’t nothing! Fortunately, Sendak, you seem to be wise enough to know what happened. Please enlighten me to who I should be angry at for striking a child!” For a short time, Sendak remained silent. Rarity merely glared at him through it all, applying pressure in a bid to break his will. “It was the King,” He finally said. “They must have had a disagreement-” “Disagreement? You call this a disagreement?!” Rarity shouted “Sendak, I don’t know what’s worse, Spike wanting to come here, or that you let him come. You’re supposed to be a wise sage that can guide Kings and Kingdoms alike, yet, you think bringing Spike of all people to see Scorpan was justified! What in the world would possessed you to think this was a good idea?” “Spike he-” He paused, “-Him and I wanted to know where Kindle went off to. We both wanted some closure. I’m an old man with not many regrets in his life. Nearly none if I’m honest with myself. But, Rarity, not knowing where Kindle went or what happened to her, I will die miserably if I don’t find out.” Rarity’s uninjured hoof suddenly whipped across his face. He didn’t feel any anger at her though, it was not even close to the retribution he deserved. “You selfish, arrogant, fool of a mage!” She shouted. “Tirek, that emotionally stunted bull, has more sense in his pinkie finger than you have in that thick skull of yours!” “I never thought it would escalate, I expected to be with him-” “Well, were you? Were you with him?” Rarity asked, yelling at the top of her lungs. “From where I stand you weren’t.” “I wasn’t. The queen wished to have some words with me,” Sendak admitted, though there were parts of his story left out. “My duties got in my way. I’m sorry.” “You’re not sorry! You didn’t stay with him because it you barely cared about Spike and cared more about Kindle!” Rarity stomped her hurt hoof on the ground winced in pain. She growled lowly as she glared at the sage. “That’s who everyone but Haydon seems to care about! I am in pain because of you, Spike was struck because of you, this entire debacle is because you cling to this childish notion that the two-bit whore is still alive!” The moment she said it, Rarity could feel her innards sink. She turned her heads towards Spike, only to see him looking towards the ground. His face was dark, and he trembled in anger. “Spike, I-Perhaps I misspoke. I meant-” “You meant what you said,” Spike grumbled. “The only time anyone is ever honest about her is when you’re angry and yelling.” “Only when we’re angry and yell-” Rarity let out a hmph as her stare hardened. “You have no right to say anything about me, Spike! You snuck out of the house, to the castle no less!” Spike wanted to say something but found himself unable to fight with her. Looking towards the ground, he said, “You’re, right I did. Let’s just go home. Grandma’s probably worried sick.” He made his way towards the castle, followed by Rarity who cursed herself to no end. The journey back to the mansion was quiet, but the moment that they entered the foyer, Haydon was there to greet them. She displayed a mix of emotions, relief, sadness, fury, all of which were just in the eyes of a third part. Spike soon found himself sitting on a chair, in the kitchen while his grandmother paced the room. At first, she showered him with kisses and words of worry, fright, and relief. She thanked the high heavens that he was safe and mostly unharmed save for the mark on his face. However, once the dust settled, and he was forced to recount his time at the castle. She began scolding him harsher than she had ever scolded anyone before. “What were you thinking!?” She nearly shouted. “Do you have any idea how worried I was when I couldn’t find you? And to think Sendak helped you. Foolish Bull, he can think twice about showing his face around here!” “I’m sorry,” Spike murmured. “Not to mention that Rarity’s hurt, your hurt and-and-” “I may have struck Sendak,” Rarity muttered. Her glare turned towards Rarity, accompanied by a smile. “Well at least some good came from this! Did you also happen to smack my youngest son?” “I did my best to avoid him, ma’am. And I don’t think I was in the best condition to handle him.” “You and I will see a doctor as soon as we can, Rarity.” Haydon turned to face her grandson. “And you, first, where on earth did you get that cloak?” “Sendak gave to me,” Spike lied. “He said it was a gift from my mom.” “Unbelievable. He couldn’t just give it to you here?” She seethed. Haydon became lost in thought until she let out a sigh. “Go to your room. Rarity will fetch you for dinner. Just study until then. After dinner, go straight to bed, in your own room!” “Yes, Grandma,” Spike said with a sigh. “And I’m sorry for what happened Rarity, I should have known better.” “It’s alright, it’s not like you wished this to happen. I will see you later tonight.” While Spike went to his room, Haydon and Rarity retreated to a waiting room. “What am I going to do, Rarity?” Haydon sighed, putting her hand over her eyes as she shook her head. “It might be time to have the talk with him, Haydon. And if I’m honest, while I was yelling at Sendak, I might have let it slip that Kindle was likely dead, and that she was a whore.” “Oh Rarity,” Haydon sighed. She put her face in her hands and began to think. “You’re right though. I wish you didn’t say it to his face, but you’re right. We-I need to stop sheltering him. I think it’s time that I have a long talk with him.” “The poor dear will be crushed. Tirek won’t be happy about it either.” “Tirek should have accepted reality years ago.” Dinner was held late in the evening. It was quiet, dreadfully so. Even simple requests like ‘please pass the carrots’ felt taboo. Haydon, mixed with feelings of both pity and anger towards Spike, hardly looked at her grandchild as she ate. Spike did the same, never lifting his gaze from his plate. Rarity herself felt out of place. For the first time in a long time she didn’t know what to say or do, except take a sip of wine every so often. It was a sentiment that Haydon shared. Soon, much to everyone’s relief the meal came to an end, and Spike returned to his room. “Weren’t you going to talk to him?” Rarity asked as she gathered the plates. “I will, I just wanted to make sure that I could do it alone, Rarity. I don’t see much use in dragging you further into this.” Haydon waited for about ten minutes, formulating her thoughts, before finally standing from her seat, gulping down the rest of her wine, and going towards Spike’s room. She knocked twice. No answer. Two knocks again. Still no answer. She called out his name before opening the door. “Spike,” she said, seeing the dragon in his bed, rolled up in blankets. “Spike, I think we need to have a talk about your mother.” Spike only murmured something to himself, shifting slightly in his bed. Haydon let out a sigh and took a seat on the edge of the bed, turning slightly to look at the sleeping form of Spike. “Spike, sometimes, adults tell children things that aren’t true. It’s not out of malice, we lie because we think it will protect people we love, like I did with you. I know it’s not the best thing to do, but, it’s hard to say things that we know will hurt our loved ones-” “Mom’s not coming back,” Spike said. “She never was coming back.” Haydon let out another sigh. “No, she’s not.” “She’s likely dead, right?” “Yes, I think so.” “I already knew, Grandma. I think I knew the minute she left,” Spike said, his voice dripping with venom. “I’m sorry Spike, we-I should have told you sooner.” She waited for Spike to do something, anything. “Spike, please look at me.” He didn’t move a muscle. She reached out and gave his shoulder a loving squeeze. “Alight, if it’s what you need, I’ll give you some space. I’m so sorry, Spike. I love you.” She got up and left for the door. “I love you too, Grandma” Spike said, just as Haydon reached the exit. She smiled, but it soon faded, and she left him alone. That night, both Haydon and Rarity had trouble sleeping, tossing and turning as their dreams were haunted by dark shadows and phantoms. It was Rarity who woke first, though it was late in the morning. She took it upon herself to check on Spike. She gave his door a few knocks, once, twice, three time, before calling out his name, and finally opening the door. All that greeted her was an unmade bed. “Kindle’s room,” Rarity whispered to herself. Surely, Spike was there. He was disobedient but safe. Unfortunately, that was not the case. What she found was far, far worse. On a bare bed, was Kindle’s key. Her wardrobes with dreadful and horrible adventuring gear had been looted, her shield was gone, but worst of all was the sight of sheets and blankets that had been used to create a makeshift rope that led out an open window. Rarity rushed to Haydon’s room and threw the door open. “Haydon!” she cried. Rushing to her side, Rarity shook the Gargoyle awake, crying out her name. “Rarity, what’s bothering you?” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned loudly. “Can it wait until after we’ve had coffee? I didn’t sleep well last night,” She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “No, absolutely cannot! It’s Spike, he’s gone!”