Queen's Island

8. Thank you, I love you.

"So.. so you're what?" Pon said.

Dreamer, Pon and Tefi were sitting at Dreamer's front door of his old brick cottage. They were all holding cups of tea made by Pon, with Tefi sitting cross-legged at the entrance, refusing to come in.

"Yes, I am Dreamer's daughter." Tefi replied. "But i refuse to associate with my mother. To abandon me at such a young age... to die for a lost cause..." She narrowed her eyes. "Foolish."

"..That's not true. Your mother loved you with all her heart. She never abandoned you, Tefi, she died saving our whole Kingdom." Dreamer said.

"Wha- so Dreamer...you?" Pon spluttered.
"Pon I love and cherish you but your questions are way too personal." Dreamer replied. "But yes."

"So Dreamer- I mean Dad, shouldn't you be King then?"
"Well... I wouldn't be very good as a King, Tefi. I shut myself away to raise-"
He gave Pon a rub on the head.
"-You two."

"Mm. I know, you're way to sweet and genuine. Creatures in power only care about two things - Money and titles." Tefi said.
"Yea!" Pon perked up.

"Well, I wouldn't know, I'm too old for politics." Dreamer said.
"...Would you like to be King, though?" Pon asked.
"That could be arranged." Tefi said.

"No, no." Dreamer turned his head to look at Tefi.
"..You're all grown up. I'm so proud of you... But..."

"But?"

"But wouldn't you like to live here? Live with me and Pon? Please..." He looked down at his hands. "I thought I lost everything and then you just... reappear. I.. I don't know. It's not very important.. I just thought.."
Dreamer sniffed and started to cry.

"I just thought I could... have my daughter back?"

As Pon went over to give Dreamer a hug, Tefi stood up.
"I'm sorry, but I've changed. I'm not a little girl anymore. I need to... move foward, look into the future." she said.

"And you have to aswell."

Dreamer wiped his tears away. "I guess you're right.. I need to let go of the past but, but it's so difficult..." he mumbled.
"It is for you, I can see that." replied Tefi. "But I know you. You'll get through it."

Dreamer pulled Pon and Tefi into a big bear hug. "Thank you... I'll let you leave now..."
Tefi walked a few steps away from the cottage.

"Wait!" Dreamer shouted. Tefi looked back.

"Stay safe."

"I will, Dad." Tefi said, and continued.

"Wait!" Dreamer called.

"...I love you." he said.
Tefi smiled. "I love you too."
She then dissapeared into the silent night.

--

Some time later, Dreamer was still standing at the doorway, staring into the darkness.
"Get some sleep, big dude." Pon tapped Dreamer on the back. He flinched.
"Oh. Sorry."

Dreamer went inside and slumped into an old, crimson armchair by a cozy looking fire. Pon flung themself onto a mattress in the corner. Dreamer snapped hisfingers and the fire magically went out. The room was dark and silent.

"You miss her." Pon whispered. "The Queen."

"Yea..."

"You loved her very much?"

"Mm. It's... tragic. I can't get over it. I find a love to love like no other can. And she leaves this world in such a noble way... to protect the lives from an even higher power..."

Dreamer was speaking of powerful beings, stronger than any Ruler of their realm.
Godseekers.
Entities of pure light and power, each controlling their own universe. Some forgiving, others not. The last one was not.
It is possible to become a Godseeker, but through impossible tasks, legends say.

"The Queen died using her magic to protect our world from a destructive Godseeker." Dreamer told Pon.

"I wish it was me instead..."
"No, no!" You're doing exactly what you told Tefi you weren't gonna do."

"Yea... I won't dwell on the past from now on."
Pon got up and stood eye level with Dreamer, who was sitting down.

"Listen... You're a father to me, Dreamer. You took me in when no one wanted me. At this point I can't explain how grateful I really am; And you're getting old and sad.
I am going to care for you until the day you die."

Under the mask, Dreamer's eyes widened, and Pon gave him a tight hug.

"Thank you, Dreamer." Pon said. "For showing me who I truly am."

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