Chapter Text
Chapter Title: My Castles Crumbling
Aphmau hits the ground
She watches the light faded from within and with that Laurence followed.
"GARROTH"
Her voice filled the void as the portal finally silenced
Aphmau sat for a moment with Laurence crouched beside her.
It was a reflex, he didn’t have the answers. He was just there
Back where they were once more
The leaves from the surrounding trees had sought refuge against the floor
"Who the hell are you "Aaron sternly asks
"I've changed a lot since you last saw me….
"Aph are you hurt at all, "
Finally, his mind was back in the present, It had seemed though that Aphmau was not quite there.
She shook her head before Laurence helped her to her feet.
He stands slightly in front of her as they observe the person who just saved them all from that unknown place
"It has been a long time and for that I apologies,Your Highness"
She almost zoomed in on her face analysing its ageing features…It couldn’t be…But anything was seemingly possible with whatever had just occurred
"ZOEY"
"Yo-u remember me, thank the heavens"
She walks over, past Laurence and puts her arms around her.
"You’re home....it's okay, "She told her while holding the princess who clung to her with dear life.
"Levin...Malachi"
"They are both well...Some time has passed since you've been in this realm"
"How much time"Laurence asks taking a few steps towards her
"....10...years "
"TEN YEARS "
Aphmau stumbles back. It was a few short moments they were here in this spot….Zane yet again had thrown her life into more discourse
"I'm afraid it is so Your highness "
"I must see them at once"
"Before you.."
Aphmau rushed away in the direction of the village but as she reached it, She could never be prepared for the sight before her.
What had become of this place
Stood at the crumbling
The remains of her home, were nothing more than rubble
"I was going to warn you"
"What has happened here "
"We moved inland a couple of years back when we returned...In fear...We thought Zane might attempt to capture the village but he never did. He never came back at all…As well as that we've had a bandit problem. Most of the village left after we came back but not all. "
Slowly they progressed through what used to be a prosperous village, so full of life, now it seemed haunted by the ghosts of a time long before there
"It didn't age well," Katelyn mutters
"...Katelyn.."They heard someone hiss.
Aphmau walked on and through the broken streets of what was once a thriving village.
How could she have allowed this to happen? Fighting a war with Zane was risky but this was a cost she had not thought of. All her remaining memories were in this place. Now it was as if she had never existed
Her home
Her body continued to carry the broken princess through the cracked street of the ghost town. Was this a sick dream? A nightmare.
"I understand Alexis, Thank you...I will see if she's out there "
Aphmau soon paused in her place as she saw him. Behind her, the footsteps had also stopped. They did not need to progress only to watch on
"Dante …
"Oh..my...No....this can’t be real...
Aphmau..You're
He ran over and hugged her tightly
“You’re alive "
"Dante "
The princess sobbed as she clung onto the man who had protected her all those years. The one who she promised she'd be back. She broke that promise—her big brother.
"I cannot believe it is you...After all this time...I missed you...I missed everyone...And Levin and Malachi they will be ever so delighted to see you. They missed you greatly. We all did...I just... "
"It's okay Dante...I know,"
"You haven't changed a single bit, "
That much was true, It seemed even in 10 years Dante would be unable to age. Something which always pestered Garroth.
They both drove him wild, causing trouble for him. All of that could never occur once more.
"Aph I cannot...I'm sorry...I just...Shocked..."
He steps back and sees everyone else
"I'm so glad you are all here "
"Laurence "
"Dante "
Laurence walks over and hugs him too
"You don't know how glad I am to see you"
"I'm glad I was missed...You look exhausted but I guess I should cut you some slack it has been ten years "
"Yeah...I kind of was filling in for the three of you while you were away...Speaking of...
"Garroth...We couldn't save him...."
Dante stepped back from Laurence.
"He's gone…Was it Zane? did he "
"No...He's just stuck in there "
"Where have you all been "
"Hell...If that's not the correct term we've been dammed " Aaron says
"We went to the Irene Dimension. Obviously, not by choice it was the doing of Zane "
"And that is why you were away for so long"
"Yes...Ten minutes in there is ten years here."
"Aph I am so sorry"
"Dante you have nothing to be sorry for...I told you we'd come back and we did...Maybe it was ten years but we are here now,"
"Come on let's get you back to the main settlement. It isn't exactly safe out here."
They nod and begin to wander back through the old ruins and the gate.
Aph breaks away slightly from the group Dante is leading and heads off in a familiar direction.
“Aph where are you…
Laurence followed her a few steps behind.
The Plaza.
She hears the sounds of a voice she could recognise anywhere...Donna.
"Well if I’ll be dammed look who finally decided to show up, She's ten years late but.."
"Donna it's good to see you,"
She tightly embraces Aphmau, like letting go would mean she'd disappear again.
"Where in the name of Irene did you go,"
"That's just it, for sure I don't know, I need to talk to Kenmur and Emmalyn to gather some more information,"
"But everyone's alive and well,"
"Not all of us returned out of there, Garroth he...He stayed behind but we will get him back,"
"That's the kind of fire I missed. Things haven't been the same since you left. Dante did what he could and even helped us build up this place but most folks left after a couple of years. Summers were dry and winters were harsh and as you know the land here isn't the most fruitful,"
"So Dante's in charge now,"
"Well, he was until a couple of months ago when Levin and Malachi filled the post. But Dante and Zoey have kept this place alive all these years. They never gave up on us or your folks. But I'm glad you're back, It hasn't been the same without you princess."
"And how are you and Logan,"
"Ahhh as Happy as can be. We've have four little gremlins running around, I love em but they're hard work. When they're back from school you'll have to meet them... Anyway, look at me talking your ear off I should let you go. You have a lot to do I'm assuming,"
"Thank you Donna everything you said was very helpful,”
She walked away and back to Laurence through the square where they were heading back to the others.
As she stepped back towards the others a young girl rushed past her
“DADDYY….”
Running straight into the arms of…Dante?
”Everyone this is Nekoette…My daughter…”
”Princess Aphmau it’s an honour to meet you Daddy and Mama have spoken so much about you,”
”And it’s a pleasure to meet you too Nekoette,”
Those eyes they could only belong to….
”APHMAU,”
”Nona….”
She turned around and felt the impact of Nona's embraces
“YOU'RE HERE….I cannot believe this…I missed you terribly.”
”I missed you too Nona…And that is your daughter and you two are…”
”Married yes…You missed an awful lot but you will catch up in time Your Highness.But thanks the heavens you are home.
We truly have been blessed from Irene herself. I will make you all of the sweet treats you could all ever want but first, you must all rest,”
”Nona is right, let me take you to the treehouse,”
”Treehouse ?”
The Next Day
Aphmau headed down the ladder. When she reached the bottom she stopped for a few brief moments
She glanced over at the castle she once called home now just a statue in time. She had so many unanswered questions. So much knowledge of the people in her old life that she had to gain
including her own sons.
She headed out of the settlement with caution.
She heard voices and the sound of swords.
she hid behind a crumbling wall and peered over to see Laurence and Katelyn sparing.
”What do you think will happen then,”
”Honestly your guess is as good as mine, this place is not anything of what it used to be.”
”What if Aphmau wishes to rescue Garroth,”
The metal clattered against the concrete
”Then I will have no choice but to go with her, It’s my duty,”
”Do you want him to come back,”
”He betrayed us, Katelyn,”
”Wow…Spying on your own friends that’s new,”
She immediately hid behind the wall again and saw Aaron leant against the tree
”Im not spying” She hissed
”Then what are you doing,”
”Fine, whatever I didn’t mean to I was just going on a walk, what are you doing,”
”Answer me this your highness, are you going back in there to rescue him,”
”Despite what Garroth did he’s still my friend and I care for him, I cannot leave him behind,”
”But what if it’s better in the long run,”
”How can it be I need Garroth…I always have. I can’t leave him Aaron. You’ll have to excuse me,”
Aphmau gets up and begins walking towards the settlement.
She couldn’t just allow Garroth to spend the rest of his days within that realm.
Lost to time as her home had been.
Laurence knelt at the gravestone.
He’d read it thousands of times
10 years
was everything he believed a lie?
Every word he said was a calculated and carefully worded lie to entrap everyone into submission to the greater scheme
To bow to Zane
He wasn’t here to ask, so how would he ever know?
”…Laurence…
Back with the realm was where her voice had always guided him
He got back up to his feet and turned to face her
“Aph…
”Mind if I…
”Go ahead…
She takes several paces before standing right beside him and he turns back around
“Don’t worry I won’t attack you…
….To soon…”
He hummed before smiling
”Maybe just a little bit according to those lot we’ve jumped ahead 10 years so maybe not,”
”It will take time to adjust. And sure it’s a bit weird I mean Dante has a kid and is head guard, and My kids are now adults. Zoey aged twenty years, Donna has four kids, Kiki also has a daughter…Alexis and Kyle are whole-ass adults and Garroths is gone. Things are fucked.”
”That’s one word for it…
“And for the first time in a very long time, I have no idea what I’m doing, I haven’t felt like this since…Before I first met you…Again.”
”Aph…Things were carnage from the first moment we were back….I think this is what normal people call the quiet part of life. We don’t do quite.”
”You can say that again,”
”So what are going to do then your highness,”
”First I'm going to see my kids, then, we figure out how we’re going to save Garroth,”
”Sorry, Save Garroth…
”Yes Laurence, Save Garroth we are,”
”Whatever you say you're the boss,”
A Few hours later
Laurence and Aphmau walked back into the settlement and stopped as they reached the treehouse
The wind changing around them…
The world once again shifting
"Ma ??”
She glances around, it was undeniable
Aphmau runs towards both of them
"Levin...Malachi,"
Her arms brace their shoulders and she clings onto them. Each of their heads fell into the nook of her neck
A silent sob escaped her mouth, finally reunited with the only family she had ever known.
They stood there for what felt like an eternity, no one daring to break their moment, how could they?
"You don't know how glad we are to see you…mama,”
”I-..There is so much I need to say but…
Aph lets go to wipe the tears from their faces
"You and me both,"
"We thought you were gone..."
"I -I'm so sorry..."
”Whatever for you are here aren’t you, We are just grateful you are back…Speaking of What happened Mama,"
"Zane is the short answer, let's discuss this later, I want to hear about the last 10 years from the pair of you,"
They both smile.
Malachi glances over past Aphmau
"Laurence??"
"Hey, kid,"
Malachi quickly embraces him and Levin soon follows.
"I'm glad to see the pair of you looking so well,"
"Well the last couple of years have been difficult without all of you but your home and I'm glad,"
”Well it looks like you did a pretty good job around here…”
”We couldn’t have done it without Dante and Zoey I mean…They did everything…
”And we can’t wait for you to tell us all about it…Come on,”
“Right well let’s head back to the house,”
”Which is ??
”You May remember it,”
In the Capital
"Your Supremeship,"
"What now,"
"It is the Princess of Phoenix Drop, She has returned,"
"Repeat that once more,"
"She has returned alive,"
"And Zane Ro'mave,"
"Unaccounted for as well as his brother,"
"I see, Inform the Lord immediately,"
"Right away your Supremeship,"