“The slimy little welp actually thought to demand an allowance from me” Raven huffed. “I’m thinking you did not agree Husband, and what did happen to our little brother’s face” I said gently not knowing how foul of a temper he may be in. “What he deserved, and I did not a a thing to him, he slammed his fist into that yon mirror, a piece hit his face” he scowled. I didn’t really understand the issue as money is not something we ever need think of, we have always handed it out freely where needed, I told him.

He then explained that Echo being born close to what is known as the Blood War and growing up in a time now known as the Black Years, felt it was Raven’s responsibility to make amends by doing whatever Echo demanded. Echo, has been staying in the castle for the past few days, last night however he did not. He returned today, coming to Raven telling him that he could either step down as King, so that Echo could replace him, or open the west to his rule.

I almost laughed! It was sad, I’m sure, the world Echo had been raised in during my absence. But Raven only destroyed the west and I said as much to Raven. “Sit, Please Dreya” he answered, taking my hand and leading me to the bench by the hearth.

Surely you remember the images you saw before you remembered who you were, there was a time, the black years, it wasn’t only the west. This is all still so sensitive for me, it has not been as long for me, I was never allowed to forget. You think it a curse Father put on you, taking away your life. What would you be now, had he not? If you had continued on through all the pain? That was what it was like for me. My pain and hate consumed me for thousands of years. How I wanted to kill you, I had dreamt it every night since you left. Yet you came to me willingly, you gave yourself to me. It is hard even for me to think not long ago I was this beast, roaming, killing. Then I saw, the truth and I wept. When we fought I saw you fall to the west. I covered the lands destroying searching for you, but always the west. It has been less than five hundred years that I confined myself to the west. Less than five hundred years have the people known light, has Echo known light.

His voice was true and strong as he told me these things and more about the black days. The hate was gone, now replaced by an unhealable guilt to the people of the land, our family, and our brother. I understood, I could not give Echo control of the west. I did not trust him. Raven could not just step down as King and my husband. Together for love of our brother we devised, what at the time, we thought would be a good solution.