43 Giving It Up

Raven had woken up before anyone else. They had not set a watch last night because they all felt at peace here. He was not sure what time it was but it was quiet.

There was so much life here that Raven felt at home. He was glad that they had had this bit of relaxing in the middle of their journey. He hoped that the others found it as therapeutic. That this moment was just as precious to them as it was to him.

He meandered over near to the lake and sat down by it. Listening to the splashes of the water as he smiled to himself. It felt nice just being alive in moments like these.

Perhaps it was due to the circumstances but Raven found himself able to let go of his disappointments. There by the lake in this woodland glade he let go of his past love, that bittersweet memory, and finally managed to ease that pain within this atmosphere.

There was no point dwelling on a foggy past that he could barely remember anything about. The present and future mattered far more. He would learn from any of the mistakes he could remember doing but he would not dwell on them either.

Anyway, he still could not even remember her name so even if he had still wanted to find her he could not have. And he had lost that desire to even do so now.

He was broken out of his thoughts when he heard the snapping of a twig underneath a familiar step. No one else quite walked like his queen did.

"Careful Raven, you don't want to fall in the water, do you?" Her voice was friendly and she sounded a lot happier than normal. He was glad of it. She had brightened up his life and he genuinely wished for her happiness.

"Hello Dawn." He laughed softly and fell backwards turning his face up to the sky. He could feel the sun's soft warming rays and felt that it was going to be a beautiful day, "I am not afraid of getting wet. Did you sleep well, my queen?"

"Better than I have in a while." He felt her sit next to him. She was quiet for a bit, "It is rather nice here…"

"Aye." Raven nodded. He was in complete agreement there. It was incredibly nice here.

"Arrion would have loved it." Sadness crept into the queen's voice.

As Raven had never met Dawn's husband he could only take her word for it. He did have a feeling from the bits and pieces he had heard about the Lumnan king that he would have rather liked him. He truly felt sorry for Dawn losing this man who she loved so dearly. Their feelings from how she acted seemed to have been mutual for each other.

He hummed in agreement though. Afterall, she must have known her husband better than anyone and if she said he would have liked this place than obviously it must have been so.

He felt slightly envious of Arrion honestly even as he felt sorry that Dawn had lost him. His own failed love affair seemed all the more pitiable when compared to what lengths Dawn was willing to go to just to avenge her husband's death.

Even though he was envious he also wished that Dawn had never had to do so and that she could have kept her love. Better that such a love be able to live and be nurtured rather than be cut short by death.

He kept these thoughts to himself as he and Dawn kept each other company in a comfortable silence.

He was glad that it was Dawn who had found him on that shore line. That he got to go on this adventure was something he was thankful for. Meeting all these people and growing friendships with them was a wonderful experience. And he was sure it would give him the opportunity to truly rediscover himself.

Even if he never fully remembered who he had been he could make himself a new identity and perhaps that was what he should do.

Already he was learning so much about himself, including some of his ancestry. His family had roots in Nix'Ryl and perhaps he might have distant family here as well. Who knows? He might find relatives on this journey.

That might not be likely but there was nothing to stop him from keeping an eye, figurative of course, out for it. But no matter what once this was over he was sure he could make himself a simple life and surround himself with animals and keep watch over them. Maybe he would even come back here. He had a feeling that the unicorn would accept him as a helper in watching over his woods of he asked.