Redemption Of A Princess

Chapter One
by Phealea

It was the day after Talula was found and the healers had done their work and had left. Litto and Rob were off getting some much deserved rest. Dawn had broke and rays of bright light began to slip into the room Talula had been resting. As the light grew brighter Talula finally opened her eyes. She let out a soft yawn as she sat up, she twitched slightly as her muscles were still a bit tender. Talula's eyes gaze down at the edge of her bed and she gasped a bit in surprise.

At the foot of the bed Phealea stirred from her own slumber. She was half sitting in a chair and half laying on the bed. The movement of Talula's awakening also brought the frost mage back to the land of living. Phealea slowly sat up in her chair and rubbed her eyes before she focused again on her friend.

Talula smiled slightly. "Mornin' Miss Phea, sorry if I woke you." She said with a bit of drowiness still lingering in her voice.

Phealea just looked at Talula with a sad look on her face. A long silence stretch between the two women as they just looked at each other. Water began to glisten in Phea's eyes as she continued to look at Talula. Talula shuffled a bit under her covers as she began to say something, but was cut off.

"I am so sorry Lula... All of this is my fault. Light Lula, with my own hands I put you through all of this. I was a monster of the worse kind. I was a slave to my own power and logic. I froze my own heart to prove myself to everyone because I was afraid I was holding everyone back due to my own fears." Phea said in a soft voice as she looked down at the bed.

"I thought my own emotions were making me useless to everyone. I held back the family because I wouldn't go to Outland and I thought I let everyone down... It was then I decided to go through with a rare ritual that would make me resistant to magic and attune myself further to my own frost magic. However, it froze my heart and pushed my emotions deep. I was driven by my logic and ambition and no emotion to stop my hand. I lived for power and everyday I slipped a bit further into my own darkness. I craved more... so much that I was going to destroy my last shred of humanity... I would have done it if not for you." Phealea continued as she sniffed back a few tears.

"I saw you and you helped bring my emotions back and it was then I realized that I was a monster. I knew then I had to find you no matter what to make everything right. I needed to find you, no matter what. I almost took your life and for what, Lula? My own damnation. I caused your pain, I let the druid torture you and did nothing until it was too late. Lula, I would do anything for you. No matter what it is, if you want to kill me then I will not stop you. Nothing I can do can make what I did right, but... but... I... I don't know what else I can do... I.." Phealea finished as she balled up her fists for a moment.

Phealea closed her eyes tight and wrapped her arms around herself. She began to shake and then she finally let go. She fell to her knees and embraced Lula in a soft hug. For the first time in years tears began to fall from the girl's face. Phea gripped the back of Talula's gown and cried softly into her friend's shoulder. All her pent up anger and sadness flowed from eyes as she wept.

Chapter Two
by Talula

Talula was still trying to remember all the common she once knew and had trouble following the conversation. She understood the sentiment, though. She gently embraced the human girl's head and made soothing noises. "Phea, stille. Stille. Not cry."

It was important that the girl understand what she was about to tell her. She thought long and hard before speaking.

"Yai swear, to Tai, to Kennia, to Von. Yai swear dat Tong is clann... family. Yai swear, treat all Tong as family. Tuig? Family make mistakes. Family make right again. Yai treat you as clann. You ni me, family. Yai Tilgi... forgive. Is mistake. Is fixed."

This only served to make the mage cry harder and Talula was concerned that someone would hear and come in before she could finish. It was important that Phealea understood the nature of their situation. The gnome waited a bit and then whispered to her friend.

"No tell Tai. No tell Krelle. No tell Tong. De no understand. De..." she made a squishing sound accompanied by a gesture that looked like she was wringing out a towel. "Forstand? Between you and between me."

She couldn't easily access all the words to explain that Phea was now her charge. That even though she was forgiven for this mistake, that Talula took responsibilty for Phea's future actions. Should the day ever come when madness once again settled on the mage, that the gnome would take care of the problem herself - just like she had for the rest of her family.