58 Mem

"So what are we to call you?" Dawn asked the girl who had been trying to coax the children into playing with her for the last half hour. She really wanted to be heading back to see if she could find Raven.

"Hmm?" The girl looked up, her pretty eyes blinking, "Oh! Sorry," She proceeded to give a half bow from where she was sitting, "Everyone just calls me Mem."

Thorn let out a gasp, "You're Mem?" She then threw her arms around the woman in an exuberant hug.

"Oh!" Mem patted the child's back, "Yes. I am. Ah, I do love children. So innocent and pure. Regeas agrees with me, what about you?" She had turned to Dawn as she asked this.

"Yes, I suppose so." Dawn then glanced back the way they had come, thinking that she really hoped their missing comrades were alright. She spoke absentmindedly, "Who is Regeas?"

"Oh, he grew up with me and my brother." She had gathered up the child in her arms, looking ridiculously pleased with herself. "Well, he is a bit older than us, and he is incredibly wise. Pretty good at getting Sylv's mind to be a little saner as well."

Dawn was starting to get confused. She had no idea what to make of this elf-girl. She seemed bit off for a Nix'Rylian. Much more open and friendly.

The smug smile on her lip did not leave as she looked up at Dawn and then asked calmly, "So what brings a bunch of other landers to this beautiful land?"

"Well, you see…" Dawn kept it brief, and concise, only saying the barest facts.

"The Grimshades?" She tilted her head, "I don't think I've heard – Oh! Those people. I haven't run into them, but some of my people ran into them. Nasty bunch, from what I've heard."

"Your people?" Dawn furrowed her brow.

"My children." Mem's lips were now curved into a small soft smile, "My family. The future of Nireal. The crossroads approaches and I am preparing for it. These children are really cute!"

Thorn giggled as Mem nuzzled her.

"The crossroads?" There was something familiar about the term but it took Dawn a moment to recall, "The unicorn mentioned that as well…"

That caught Mem's full attention, "You met Regeas?" She blinked, "He's the only unicorn who would mention it as it was his mother that divined it alongside my aunt."

Dawn was startled. But then a suspicion snuck into her heart, "Is Sylv your twin?"

"Yeah, oh Regeas mentioned us, didn't he?"

"Especially you, I think. You're the Lass he went on about?"

"Ahuh." Mem grinned, "Along with every other title that has been bestowed on me."

Dawn found a smile coming to her face and she tried to keep her voice calm, "He mentioned that you had great healing abilities. We have a companion who cannot see, do you think you could-"

"I could certainly try. Which one?" A serious look came to the girl's face as she stood up.

"Raven is not with us, he fell into the earth right before we were captured."

"Oh…" She pursed her lips, "Not much I can do about that. Sylv could but finding someone underground is not my strong suit. I can come with you until you re-find him though? Lets me still play with these cute kids you have!"

Dawn felt relieved and thought about the other request she had for Mem but decided to wait until there was no one else there. On the chance that nothing could be done the less people knew about it the better.

It was better if only she had to go through the disappointment. And everyone would be disappointed if they had the hope that the most well-liked king in the world could be brought back and then found out that he could not actually.

So, she turned to her companions and suggested they head back the way they came. It was as she turned to walk back that Zyph landed next to her and nudged her in the arm. She was glad to see her griffon again and stroked his beak in welcome.

They did not make it very far before they had to stop for the night. She watched Mem as she hung up charms on the surrounding trees, tapping them lightly as they glowed green.

"What are those?"

"They're meant to ward off creatures for eight hours. My brother made them for me."

"Where is your brother? The way you talk about him you seem close, and yet?"

"Oh, Sylv is off trying to claim his birthright. Or have it stop killing his sanity. Whichever you want to say." She shrugged nonchalantly, "Which I suppose I could also just say that he is preparing for the crossroads in his own highly important way. His preparations are more important than my own, after all I am more preparing for the aftermath, you see, if things go well that is, while Sylv is preparing for the actual event."

Dawn fell quiet for a bit, then she spoke quietly, "Can I talk to you privately?"