"What do you mean you're leaving?!"
"I'm leaving." Vixen rolls her eyes as she states the obvious. I close my mouth and give her an unimpressed look.
Vixen was currently packing up her things, not that she had many. She was only here for probably two weeks and now she was leaving. There was some stuff she needed to sort out. We needed her help as much as we needed her here. The witch was already beginning to grow on us and it was too soon to see her go.
"You'll be fine pumpkin." She eventually sighs, taking me out of my nervous daze. She looks up at me as she comes closer with her suitcase before dropping it at Corrin's feet.
"Ow!" He exclaims and Vixen scoffs, mumbling something about him being a 'baby' before looking up at me with an assuring smile. She places her hands either side of my cheeks as some emotion hits her when she realises that this will be most likely the last time that we will see each other. I frown down at her sadly.
"Don't go. Please stay just a little longer." I bring my voice to pleading now but she only pats my cheek chuckling.
"I can't stay anymore Keylin, you know that. Don't worry, we will see each other again." She states before bringing her hands down away from my face and taking the suitcase from beside Corrin. She smiles at him and begins her journey to the entrance of her tent.
"When?" I question her just before she leaves the tent and our lives for good. She stops however and turns around as if thinking about it. When her eyes light up and a mischievous smile forms on her face, she turns to me and smiles softly.
"The wedding."
I frown in confusion at that and I'm about to ask her what wedding but she turns and disappears, literally.
"Well, She was always one to make an exit." Corrin chuckles and I roll my eyes, shoving him to the side slightly and he smiles over at me, chuckling.
"I wonder what she meant by wedding. Who's wedding?" I wonder with a frown as Corrin and I leave the tent. Corrin turns to me and smiles.
"Could be anyone's, even yours." He says quietly and I stop and turn to raise a brow at him. Sending him a look as if he were crazy.
"You're crazy if you think I'm getting married."
"God's Ok! Don't attack me I was just joking." Corrin chuckles as he slings an arm around my shoulder as we continue to walk. I let out a sigh as a small smile begins to form back on my lips. It felt just like old times with Corrin. I was happy he was here, even though we didn't see each other most of the time because Corrin was actually helping out the Dry Landers with cooking during meals. He was always a great cook and even though I'm sad I don't always get to see him, I'm glad he gets to do what he loves here, there's a place here for him.
Of course it took a lot of convincing on both mine and Bow's end for the elf to stay here. The only reason Corrin is alive right now is probably down to Bow smoothing things over with father. Bow and Corrin have put aside their differences for me and are now civil at least. I wouldn't ask for anything more.
"When do you start work?" I ask curiously, turning to him.
"I still have another two hours before I have to prepare lunch. I'm making the bread this time."
Corrin muses before scrunching his face at the thought of making bread. I chuckle. Making bread was Corrin's least favourite of cooking. He loved making soups and cutting vegetables, even de-feathering a bird but overall despised making bread. The dough never comes out right for him and I remember watching him when he was with his mother back in the High Peaks in their kitchen when I was probably 10 years old. She would scold him for burning the bread and ever since then, he insists that the damn thing was out to get him.
Corrin bumps shoulders with me.
"What did you have in mind?" Corrin questions. I look up at him with a smile gracing my lips before contemplating on how we can spend our small bit of time together.
"Do you wanna go to the forest? We can relax and talk or something?"
"That sounds good." Corrin smiles.
"Let's go."
—
"I'm glad you both are back together." Corrin states after I explained Raen and I had made up. I didn't mention Raen's past to Corrin though, knowing that it was a personal matter that Raen wouldn't share to everyone.
I send a look to Corrin, knowing well that Corrin despises Raen because of how he treats me. In Corrin's eyes, to not treat an elf like the prince or princess he/she is would be a crime and would deem them unworthy of their love. I found it ridiculous but Corrin said it was the truth. Why not worship each other rather than disrespect them? He had a point.
Corrin only sends me an assuring smile before changing the topic, shifting on his seat on the forest floor as he looked up at me, I was eyeing the tree I was going to climb with a determination in my eyes and daring-ness.
"Some men and women at the kitchen were talking about you." Corrin says and I turn around with a frown.
"Yeah?" I question quietly before clearing my throat and bringing my hand up to scratch the back of my head.
"What did they say?"
"They said you were touched by a Shadow."
I mentally curse at this before giving one last longing look to the tall tree and making my way back over to sit next to Corrin. Knowing that this was something I needed to explain rather than run and hide from. Raen wasn't right when he said I only ran away from my problems.
"I guess it's true." I sigh as I sink down onto the ground. "It was an accident though."
Corrin shakes his head as a small laugh leaves his lips and I look over to him curiously.
"You've changed so much Keylin. I remember the boy that was afraid to eat his lunch at school in case Tobias and his goons would take it."
"I ate in the boys' bathrooms for a year." I state sheepishly looking down at my knees.
"Oh I'd love to see you do a number on Tobias now. If you even asked for his lunch I'd say he would pee his pants."
I chuckle at that. Remembering our encounter in the woods when I set the elves free. I wondered did they make it back to the High Peaks, either way I knew that was my last time to see him. He didn't look close to peeing his pants that time but I didn't care.
"I don't think so. It was you he was afraid of Corrin, whenever you came he looked like he pissed his pants. That was always the best moment."
"When he pissed his pants or when I came to save you?" Corrin questions in amusement and I turn to him with a smile.
"Both."
There's a comfortable silence that falls over us after that. We found ourselves reliving our memories of the past in the High Peaks a lot and it somehow grounded us. It made us remember the times before all of the shit happened. When we were kids. I still remember the day we pulled that prank on Tobias and his gang. It was one of the best days of my life.
"Sometimes I wonder will I ever go back to the High Peaks again. Will we ever see our families again?" Corrin suddenly questions thoughtfully and I turn my head to look at him now, a look of worry for my friend crossing my features. I bite my lip.
"I have made peace with my fate and knowing that I will most likely never see Avus again, I am happy I spent my childhood with him and I will always have the memories but I am happy where I am right now. With my father and brother. I have friends here. People that I never thought would care about me. Who love me. You can always go back whenever you want Corrin. I'm not saying you don't have ties here but you're not a prisoner here anymore. You are free to return if that is what you really want."
"I know." Corrin says before taking a breath, looking down at his hands. "I just miss them, you know?"
"I know Corrin." I smile sadly at him before bringing a hand up to touch his shoulder in reassurance.
"I guess I miss my-"
"Get up."
Both Corrin and I looked up in surprise at a voice. I was more surprised that I didn't even hear someone approaching as I was too occupied with Corrin. Then again, if they didn't want me to hear them, it would be easily done.
"Both of you, up."
My jaw clenched however when my eyes landed on a scruffy Dry Lander holding a pistol in his hands, aiming at us threateningly. He was shaking slightly from the cold, only having a loose shirt on and trousers with deep holes. He had dirt on his face too, like he hadn't washed in days and I suddenly became alert as I got up. His shaking hands turn his pistol on me and my eyes widen.
"Woah.." Corrin chuckles as he places a hand on my shoulder, pulling me backwards to try and direct the attention away from me. The man eyed me cautiously as Corrin spoke.
"Hello there sir, is there something wrong?"
Corrin questions calmly and the man narrows his eyes at Corrin and it unnerves me when he pulls his gun on my friend. Corrin holds my wrist in place, knowing me well that I would tell the Dry Lander to piss off.
"Food." The man says hurriedly. "Whatever you have, give it to me now."
Corrin frowns before emptying his pockets, protruding a pen, an orange and rock. The man snatched the orange and I watch as he bites into the fruit. Eating it whole within seconds.
"You too!" He grumbles at me harshly pointing his gun at me in emphasis and Corrin gasps at the action.
"I don't have anything."
"Show me." He narrows his eyes at me and I sigh, my hands turning my pockets inside out. I feel the man's fingers grip around my shirt at my chest area before he pulls me out from behind Corrin who pleads the man that I haven't any food in my pockets.
I glare at the man who's face is only a few inches from mine, cringing at the sight of his dark yellow teeth. He smiles at me knowingly.
"Let me go."
"Give this to me and I will." The man grunts as his grime coated fingers move to take the silver winged necklace between his. I narrow my eyes at him and take my necklace out of his grip, tucking it under my shirt as I look at him.
"No." I state firmly and the man freezes to narrow his eyes at me. "We don't have much else for you so just let us go. There's a camp about two mile that way." I nod in the opposite direction of our camp.
"They'll be more than happy to take you-"
The man bunches my shirt up, pulling me closer as he pulls the gun firmly against my side. Digging it into my ribs.
"Did you not fucking here me cunt?" The man sneers in my face and my eyes turn into slits as I look at him. Blood boiling now in anger.
"I said." He clicks his tongue as he smirks at me. The man was crazy.
"Give. Me. The. Fucking. Necklace."
"Just give it to him Keylin." Corrin says quietly. I turn my head back and notice that he was red eyed and frightened. When I look back at the man, he was smirking at me. I knew right then that this man wasn't going to let us go. He was going to make us suffer whether I gave him my necklace or not.
"Fine." I grit out and the man's smirk widened.
I get out of the man's grip who holds the gun slightly higher, turning to smirk at Corrin as he seems to look him up and down.
As I bring my hands up to take off my necklace, I elbow the man in the face, taking him off guard and we wrestle with the gun in his hands. I stomp on his foot and knee him in the balls while he head-buts me and elbows me in the stomach. Corrin screams from behind us. Telling me to stop.
Two shots fire from the gun but I eventually get it off of him. The man I notice, looks behind me in fright before turning and bolting. I watch in confusion as he does, throwing the gun to the side in victory.
"See Corrin? He was a coward without the gun." I say as I'm turning around but all colour drains from my face when I notice Corrin on the ground, clutching his stomach as blood seeps out of it by the minute and staining his shirt. I can't help but stand frozen as I look down at my friend. My vision becoming more blurry by the second.
"Corrin?"
"K-Keylin.." He chokes out and I fall forward to his side. Immediately getting onto my knees and pulling him close to me as gently as possible. Being careful not to hurt him.
"Corrin!" I cry out through my tears. "W-We have to get you up, we have to g-get help-"
"N-No, too l-late." Corrin chokes out on his own blood and I look down at him in fear, my breathing beginning to escalate in panic as I hold his bloody hand. He looks up at me with tears gushing down his cheeks. He was scared but managed to smile through the pain to assure me.
"B-Be s-strong..for m-me." He squeezes my hand lightly but I could feel his strength fading quickly along with his eyes. He was leaving me.
"Corrin!" I choke out, nose running along with my tears as I rock his body close.
"I'm so s-sorry. Please stay."
"L-love y-you Key."
I sob at that. My face crumbling in pain as I notice the glint leaving Corrin's eyes, his body was beginning to grow heavy in my arms and I could feel his bloody hand in mine begin to loosen as he began to slip.
"Please don't go Corrin. No no don't leave me, Corrin!"
I sob as I clutch Corrin's limp body in mine, not caring that I had Corrin's blood covered on me or the fact that it was getting dark and the rain clouds were baring over my head. I clutched my best friend close. Refusing to believe he was taken from me just like that because really. This couldn't be happening. Corrin couldn't be gone.
"I'm dreaming." I whimper out as I rock Corrin and I back and forth. Fixing my eyes on the gun I threw on the grass beside his body.
Wake up Keylin.
Wake up.
—
"I found them!"
I thought I heard someone say but I wasn't sure. I couldn't see in the black of night and I was freezing cold. My ears were tingling uncomfortably and my tears hadn't dried, they mixed with the rain.
I felt arms tug me up and away from Corrin's body, I lost it and screamed. Thrashing around and managing to hit the person trying to pull me away. This loosens their grip on me and I crawl back, taking Corrin's body in my arms again as I hold him close. Shaking as I cry.
"Keylin?" I hear Malakei's voice from the side and I turn to him. He was kneeling beside me and had his hand out showing that he meant no harm as the rain poured down onto his skin, soaking him quickly. He took sharp breaths as he looked down and back up to me. His eyes landing on Corrin before he socks in a breath, features softening as my lip began to wobble.
"Key...it's going to be alright. Just give me your hand ok? Let's get you out of this rain ok?"
"I-I'm dreaming s-so its o-ok." I say to him through my stuttering and Malakei frowns at me.
"What do you mean?"
"I-it's not r-real. C-Corrin isn't dead." I state as I hold my best friend's bloody body closer to me. Malakei only continued to stare at me and I couldn't make out what he was thinking but when the thunder lights up the sky above us, I shiver and clutch Corrin close to me whimpering.
"You need to get out of the rain Keylin!" Malakei says loudly over the storm and I shake my head just as I hear footsteps coming towards us and they stop not too far away.
"He's not dead!" I scream at Malakei in frustration.
I squeal when I feel more hands moving over my arms trying to pull me up and I thrash, tears flowing as someone takes Corrin from me. My eyes fly up to the Dry Lander taking Corrin's body in his arms and hoisting him up to carry him. He turns away and I scream at him.
"No! Corrin!" I scream as I move forward and Malakei moves to my side, holding me back. I crumble to my knees feeling weak having not moved from the same position in a couple of hours.
"Don't leave me Corrin!"
I scream at Corrin's disappearing body and Malakei pulls me into his lap, his hands going around me tightly as he hugs me. I notice him crying as silent tears roll down his face. Maybe it was just the rain. I don't know. I don't know.
"Corrin!" I sob before turning my face into Malakei's chest as I cry.
"Please don't leave me." I whisper as I shake in Malakei's grip, he only runs a hand up and down my back and arms, trying to bring circulation and warmth back into my body.
"Please Corrin.."
"He's gone Keylin." Malakei whispers sadly into my temple, resting his forehead on my head as he sniffled. "He's gone."
"No." I whimper, clutching Malakei close to me as more tears and sobs slip from me. Mal cries at that, clutching me closer as he pulls my small and fragile body closer to him, trying his best to shield me from the rain.
"He's gone?" I sob and Malakei nods. His hand coming up to cradle the back of my head, pulling me closer to him.
"He's gone?!" I scream in frustration, anger; every emotion getting the better of me and I didn't know why. I was angry that he left me. I was angry with myself.
"He's gone.." I whimper and Malakei shushes me as he rocks me back and forth. The rain beating down on us and I noticed Malakei starting to shiver.
"C-Cold." I whisper into Malakei's neck and not a moment later, my body was being lifted from the soggy ground and I looked up to see a wet Malakei looking down at my shivering form. I clutched his wet t-shirt in my fingers as I take long cold breaths.
The storm grew faint
**
Im sorry guys😭 trust me when I say there is a reason for doing this to Corrin. I want you to see how it affects Keylin; who depended on him for so long and for so many years. He has really grown throughout the two books and is still learning how to stand on his own too feet. Something like this can really make or break a character and I want you to decide for yourselves how this has/will affect him😔
I'll update the next part Thursday ❤️
R.I.P Corrin Ruffelio