Quest for the Rose
Chapter 9
The night was well lit by the moon and the stars. Their path lead back behind the castle, the opposite road to the mountains. “I hope we make good time tonight. We may make it to the forest in three days.” Lorri and Lygia stayed to the back, silently thinking of the time ahead of them. “Three days is much to long to go without my son,” Lorri whispered, only Lygia hearing her. “I know, dear friend. You’ve always wanted a child. I promise we shall get him back.” “I know. But I feel as if every minute we spend on the road is another minute I grow closer to losing him.” She looked up to the road that lay in front of them. “Like I’m slowly forgetting things about him” “Forgetting?” Lorri sighed, looking up to Striker in front of the small band in the night. “I can see it Striker too. It’s like… We seem to… forget so many things. Like… What the world out side the painting was like. I lied when I said I could sing every Backstreet boys song. If it were not for Striker looking so much like Nick, I would have forgotten them completely.” Lygia just smiled. “Failing to remember every Backstreet boys song ain’t so bad.” “Gia, that was just an example. There are many, oh, many more things. I wish you could understand” “I do” there was a frighteningly serious tone in her voice. “You do?” She nodded, almost unwilling to talk. “Lorri, I can’t remember my wedding day!” she whispered. Lorri held her friend as they walked. “I fear that in three days… we might not know each other”
Chapter 10
Three days passed and they still felt as far from the forest as when they had started. “I can not understand it!!” Striker shouted. Anger filled his blue eyes deeper then he had ever even felt. “This is where the forest should be. We couldn’t have passed it! But how can an entire forest disappear?!?” He threw down the map, cursing and kicking at the ground. “Calm down, my love,” said Lorri, placing her hands on his shoulders from behind. “Calm down? Calm Down!! Our son is in grave danger and you tell me to calm down?” “Shouting about it will not help!” He sighed, panting heavily. He turned to her, tears in his eyes. “Come,” he took her hand and led her behind a small grove of trees, away from the others. “I can not help it, sweet angel. I am frightened. I have not felt this frightened since… I can not remember!!” he shouted in aggravation.” “My love, I have nothing I can say. Nothing to offer. Nothing… but my love.” He smiled, still feeling lost as to finding his son, but glad to have his partner by his side. “I suppose the others are waiting for us.” He nodded and hand in hand they walked back to there camp… only to find no one there.