Chapter 216 - Contained

"Kerina, what are you doing?"

"Please work. Please work."

"Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!"

*Eaaak*

"What is she thinking? She just going to stretch out her hand and….."

"Scarlett, just watch."

"Awurroooo!!!!!"

"WHAT THE?"

"Huuuuhhhh!!!"

"...My Empress. We both kneel before you."

"Grrrr!!! Grrrr!!!!"

"It's okay Wilds. They're not going to hurt you."

"Please....climb on."

"Okay, thanks. I….."

"GRRRRRRR!!!!!"

"Austin, I think he only means me."

"But I am royal."

"....Not of Everone."

*Ruraaaaa….bu…boom*

"Let's get these Wilds to Adam.

Scarlett!!!!"

"What? So she gets to ride on its back, but I don't?"

"I need her to be my eyes…and you….my protector. Make sure the Wilds are….."

"Yea…..Yeaa. I'll herd them like sheep. Not like fox and shee belong together or…."

"HEY!!! Do you want me to turn them on you?"

"NO!!"

"Then do as I say.

LET'S FLY!!!!!!!!!"

"Adam, where is Scarlett? She's been gone for hours."

"She left? What's with you youngungins? I told you that if you leave, go with a buddy. Where did she go?"

"She said she had an old Crib where she kept supplies and food."

"And she still isn't back?

....Let's go find..."

"SIR!!!!! SIR!!!!!

You're going to want to see this.

ADAM!!!!!!"

"What now? What is it? Are those Beasts ba…oh my…."

"They're bringing an army. We barely defeated the ones we had."

"Dragons, maintain your position. Hopper, get ready."

"Kerina….ummm…..do you see what I'm seeing? They are preparing to attack."

"Hiyaaa!!!! Tell them the queen approaches."

"But I….uuugh."

"What the? Who is that running towards us? It looks like Austin, but she's..."

"STOP!!!! STOP!!!!! DO YOU NOT RECOGNIZE YOUR QUEEN? LOOK UP!!!! LOOK UP!!!!"

"Queen? Austin isn't queen. She doesn't even...Oooooh!!!!"

"What…what is…..HOLD YOUR FIRE!!!!"

"Beastling, drop me off by the door?"

*PHIROOOOO...BOOM*

"Kerina…how…how….I thought that."

"Save it, Hopper. She's here now."

"Adam."

"Yes, my girl."

"I've brought as many Wilds as I could. I was wondering if you could…..heal them?"

"Heal them? Ma'am, these are not capable of such. These are monsters and animals. That's all."

'You're wrong Hopper. They're people…..just like you...just like me...just like Scarlett.

Adam, please….give them a second chance. I have no idea how Healers work, but if it is time you need, then I promise I can make them sit still as you do your makeover."

"It's not about time, Kerina. I need….."

"ADAM, JUST FINISHED CHECKING UPSTAIRS AND DOWN. FOOD IS SHORT AND WATER IS OUT."

"THANKS RAV. YOU CAN COME DOWN NOW."

"So, can you help me?"

"Rav, is there a small dribble of water somewhere? Then I can restore it to all the pipes."

"Now that I know…."

"Adam, answer me."

"KERINA…..I'M NOT GOING TO HELP YOU."

"Wha….whaa…why not?"

"I think I saw a sprig upstairs. Follow me."

"Walk with me, Kerina."

"What about the…."

"It's still light enough outside. They'll be fine just sitting here.

Come on."

"So, why won't you help me? I thought Healers help everyone. Don't tell me you're like a Messenger who professes they can help, but then other then keeping the peace, like Aaron; they leave."

"Don't you dare compare Healers to Messengers. All Messengers like Aaron do is make sure the Traditions and the peace is kept. They can't interfere with civil matters unless the king tells them they can. Healers on the other hand, share no distinction."

"Then why are you being distant with me?"

"It's at the end of the hall."

"Thanks."

"Can you, or can't you help?"

"Look, I want to help; I really do, but I know that you're not doing this out of a willing heart."

"Who are you to judge me?"

"If I can heal spirits, then I can also see them; and right now, yours is scared. This last 'feat; of goodwill you will perform, is nothing more then a passing of the batone. You want to frame all this on Tim so that the people think, maybe he is a good guy.

If that happens, then you're in the clear. No more people storming your place trying to find you."

"There's nothing wrong with that. I just want the good of this kingdom to thrive, so it's either I die, fake my death, or place something so grand on the king that the people will realize looking forward is better then looking back."

"........Then sit!!!!!"

"I don't want to."

"And therein lies the problem."

"Look, everybody knows you're a good Queen, everyone can see it, but I'm not the one discriminating. You are.

There are more than just animals on this planet, Kerina. Turning them all to humans just means that many more humans that are going to try to beat down your door."

"They're pressuring me. I….I…..I haven't even lived my full life on this planet. Trust Scarlett. She is not a….."

"ROYAL!!!! But you are."

"I didn't want to be born one."

"Oh, how we all wish we could go back in time and change our paths."

"Maybe we…."

"God didn't make us to be clones, and He didn't make us to time travel. He bore us with a destiny and everytime we stumble, we either forgive it, face it, or be buried by it. Nowhere, did He say we can change the past."

"You don't have to be a baby about it, Adam."

"YOU'RE THE BABY!!!!!

Thank you Rav.

Ladies first."

"No, age before beauty. I insist."

"How about ba…."

"Look. I'm…."

"No, you look here Kerina. On the outside, in others eyes you will look like the hero and I the sidekick, but God doesn't look at our actions. He looks at people's hearts...…and so do I.

I'm not going to be a sidekick to a whiney, bratty, selfish, stuck up kid who doesn't want to grow up because they're tooo...scared. You can make all the 'genuine' excuses you want, but God will always know the truth.

And so will I."

"The Pipes under here."

"Here, take my coat and plug the hole. We can't have anymore spills. This is precious water."

"You need a stretcher or something to go on your back. I saw one in the other…."

"It's okay. Just help me down."

"Adam, what about….."

"Ehemmmahemmmamirahemmmameee."

"I said, do you know the parable of the Ten cents. The one where it was tax day for church and there were two that gave a lot. In others eyes, they were seen as worthy, but secretly they hid the rest of their loot behind the walls of their house so no one could see it. Hours later, a widow came and gave all that she had. She could've made as many excuses as she wanted, but she knew what to do and why she to do it."

"Yeah, I know that story. The husband and wife died and the widow lived."

"No!! They all died, but God came for the spiritual and not the physical. This is not a fairytale, girl. Life, is not a fairytale. Life is all about moments and whether you choose to stand on the moment, or let the moment stand on you.

You watch, there will be a day where they will be able to force you on the throne, and you'll love it. So why waste all this time running when you know that it'll come to pass?"

".....Because I like running."

"Everybody does, Kerina. Everybody does. Now help me up."

"I got your right."

"I got your left."

"One, two…..*heave*"

"Is it fixed?"

"The water is, but I don't know about the 'Well'."

"Here's your coat, sir."

"Thank you. Night is high upon us. Let's get these Wilds outside. That is, unless….."

"I'll stay. You'll just have to stick way more closer to me then normal."

"This call for a celebration. I'll gather the food downstairs."

"We'll meet you down there, Rav. Just give us a minute."

"Good luck, girl."

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it."

"KERINA!!!!"

"Coming, Adam."

"So, have you decided?"

"I need time."

"Kerina, your blood may be holding all the power, but it is not holding time. You're going to have to decide soon. This home may have a Healer in it in case few get hurt, but not many others do.

The cries in the morning....will be on you.

I'll see you downstairs?"