Custos Unicorium 1 ~Longe Aluid--Something Very Different~

Chapter Twelve: Confirmation of Nuts

"Regina!" 

My head whipped groggily around at the sound of my name. The mission had lasted all night, but our efforts resulted in little more information. That bothered me. The haven was in great trouble, add in the lack of sleep, and the last thing I wanted to see was...short...and blond.  

My mother. Ugk, not right now! I waited until she caught up with me. I didn't particularly want to, but standing still felt so good. 

"Regina! Hey!" Chrysthy wasn't pushing that damn rumor on me? Maybe she'd given up. 

"Hi," I mumbled, barely audible due to lack of sleep. By the time I realized someone else was with my mother I was pretty much sleeping standing up.  

The second person was tall, he had broad shoulders, thick muscles, his shoulder-length black hair was that of a warrior. He was clothed in dark leather, covered by heavy armor. Before he even spoke, I knew exactly what his voice would sound like. 

"Khalon," I said, "father." 

"Regina," he smiled, "how long have I been gone? You've grown so much. And you have yourself a new job, I hear." 

"Yeah." I didn't know what else to say. Yeah, mom hates it. Yeah, and everyone there is in deep-shit trouble. I assumed he knew the first one. The second could cost me any chance to save them. I left it at yeah. 

"Do you like it? Is is fun?" Khalon's casual questioning had me wondering what he was trying to get at. Did he agree with Chrysthy? 

"Yeah, Koriun's a great unicorn, and Hayden's really nice. It definitely stays interesting. The haven's not quite what most people think." 

"Most people think you shouldn't be there," Chrysthy interrupted. Ah. There it was. 

"Chrysthy calm down," my father urged, "Regina is old enough to take care of herself." 

"She can't fend off the entire village!" 

"There's no proof that she'll need too." Khalon's voice was dark, but not angry. He really believed in me. 

"I won't quit mom," I calmly joined, "Koriun needs me--" 

"Oh bullshit!" Chrysthy tore herself from Khalon's embrace. "That's just something they do baby! The unicorns make you think they need you, when really all that time you've been spending around them they've made it so that you need them! That's why Keepers leave when they loose their virginity! They go far away to where no one's even heard of the haven so they don't have to think about how the unicorn they need doesn't want them anymore!" 

Chrysthy's words hit, and they hit hard. Koriun did need me. I'd seen him, how hurt he was, telling hi story of why he was at the haven... well I'd heard it at least. Had it all been a hoax? Were my friends lying to me? Or maybe just Koriun? Maybe he was lying to Hayden and I, who were in the same boat? K--Koriun wouldn't do that...would he? 

For all as hard as Chrysthy's words had hit, her next few hit ten times as hard. Probably more so. 

"You're the one messing it all up! You're the only one! I swear, you're going against everything the haven means!" 

A huge wave of emotion crashed into me. Fear, anger, rage. Mostly rage. 

"You agree with your damn rumor! You want me to loose my job just as bad as you think everyone else in the village does! You bitch!" I screamed. Chrysthy had taken me over the edge, and she wasn't going to walk away unscathed. 

"No! Regina! I didn't mean--" 

I didn't listen. Turning to walk away I caught a glimpse of my father's face. It was surprised, confused, bewildered. Good. At Least I knew I had some support in my family. Fucking shit. This was all a pile of fucking shit.