35. Time

Before they could do or say anything, Donisemon appeared before them. He looked grumpy and said:
- "You messed up all the fun I was having" - he gesticulated a lot - "I simply cannot understand you."
- "Understand what, you demon?" - Isabella said, taking a step forward.
- "Mazanlold tried to kill Richard and now they are buddies." he looked at the two, then looked at Caoilainn - "then you abandoned Caoilainn and you are back together. I cannot follow all this." - Caoilainn looked down and held her left arm with her right hand. Isabella continued:
- "A demon like you cannot understand friendship and trust! It is much more than you think!" - suddenly the Duke started laughing before replying:
- "Is it? We shall see." - he laughed more - "you shall see the great Demon Duke Donisemon again!" - Isabella leaped to attack him, but he disappeared. In a flash, they were on the surface, and the keep disappeared.

They welcomed the breath of fresh salt air, the sunlight and the mild wind. Despite the moment of relaxation, Caoilainn was clearly devastated. Not looking up, she said:
- "I am sorry, everyone. I said some horrible things today and I put you in danger. I am truly sorry." - Isabella hid her frustration and said:
- "It's quite alright Caoilainn" - she swallowed her anger - "it seems you were tricked and it happens." - Isabella breathed in and out - "the important thing is that we are safe and reunited again." - Caoilainn still did not look up. Richard said:
- "We really were in danger and you did not care." - he hesitated - "I thought you had abandoned us for good" - hiding a few tears, Caoilainn replied:
- "I am ashamed of this, but the Duke fooled me, he showed me some horrible things."
- "Still" - Richard answered - "you trusted him more than us. This is hard to excuse. And..." - before Richard could continue, Mazanlold intervened:
- "Please, be considerate of Caoilainn, Richard. The Duke plays very dirty and he tried to convince me too. He knows about our dreams and fears and is quite capable with words and illusions." - he looked down - "he deals low blows and puts you on the spot. And trust me" - he hesitated - "demons are masters of lies, it is hard no to get fooled when he knows your weaknesses." - he looked up. Caoilainn looked at Mazanlold, hopeful. Richard, however, insisted:
- "Still, I must admit I expected more. But I guess relationships are like that" - Caoilainn looked down again and said:
- "Maybe I can try to talk about all that happened" - Mazanlold said:
- "No Caoilainn, I don't think you need to expose yourself that way." - Richard was going to say something, but Isabella spoke:
- "Please, let's stop here. Caoilainn said she is sorry and ashamed." - she took a breath - "we are all hurt in one way or another." - she looked up - "but actually, the solution is not immediate. We've solved the immediate issues, we are reunited, safe, and Caoilainn apologized. Now, let us return to the inn and give ourselves time. Time to reflect, ponder, tend to our wounds and make amends." - she looked at each of them - "Time is the lord of reason. Can we accept this process and go on?" - all of them consented, despite the fact that Caoilainn hardly looked up, Richard was unhappy and only Mazanlold was quite satisfied.

With that, they returned all the way, to the inn, had their dinner and went to sleep with minimal talk. Each in their own way put their trust in time.

Caoilainn was again at her prison cell. She looked around and she was completely alone. She noticed she was tied up with her hands behind her back. On the wall in front of her images started being show. She saw the throne of Solerelos, and sitting on it was Isabella with a most fancy scarlet dress, sitting, supporting her crowned head with her right fist. Besides her was Mazanlold standing up, wearing a golden armor with the crest of Kitatik and Richard wearing a smaller crown sitting next to her. She saw herself kneeling before them spreading her arms and asking for a servant role in the castle. Isabella turned her head and guards took Caoilainn away. Then, on the images she saw herself alone in her orphanage bedroom. Seeing this she tried to escape the ties, but the more effort she did, the more pain she felt. She shouted, but no sound came out of her mouth.

Caoilainn woke up dripping with sweat, her covers were on the ground and her heart raced. She touched her face and noticed tears. As she returned to herself, she left the bedroom silently, took some water and went to the balcony. There, she wasn't alone, sitting on a chair was Isabella, looking at the sea.

Isabella looked up and saw her friend dressed in loose purple pajamas and looking like she had just fought a monster. Isabella offered the chair next to her and Caoilainn sat down. After a brief moment watching the sea, Isabella asked:
- "Can't sleep?" - Caoilainn simply replied:
- "Yes, bad dream. And you?"
- "Just looking at the sea and thinking. It's been a long day."
- "Yeah sure" - Caoilainn said, not looking at her friend. They remained silent for a few moments and Caoilainn started shaking.
- "It's a bit chilly here" - Isabella said - "do you want some lavender tea I brewed?"
- "Yes, I would love it" - Isabella served a cup from her teapot. Caoilainn grabbed it with her sleeves and had a drink. - "thank you."
- "You are welcome." - they spent some time there.

Even if the waves washing away were calming, and the tea was warm and soothing, and her friend was trusting, Caoilainn didn't feel at ease. Her mind raced thinking about all that happened that day and all she had done. Guilty and shame mixed up in her head weighing her heart down. She mustered some courage to say:
- "Isabella, I need to say, I'm sorry for today."
- "What do you mean, Caoilainn?" - Isabella asked.
- "I am sorry for completely distrusting Mazanlold and Richard. Most importantly, I am sorry and ashamed for not trusting you Isa, when all you ever did was prove you are the most trustworthy and loyal person I know and my best friend." - she looked down - "I've been so unfair that I don't think I can look you in the eye again. I don't deserve to be forgiven, but all I can do is say I am deeply sorry."
- "I am not sure what to say" - replied Isabella. She noticed Caoilainn was looking down and probably crying. - "please give me a moment." - Isabella got up and turned around. She walked a bit on the small balcony, looked at the sea and breathed some fresh air. Caoilainn did not move.

Isabella took her time before sitting down and saying:
- "I think I should be honest with you. For the sake of you, of our relationship, and of myself too." - she hesitated - "the truth is... I've felt really hurt today. It really hurt me seeing the way you rejected us, the way you talked with us and most of all, the way you distrusted us." - she looked down - "and specially me. We have been best friends for so long, we have such a history together." - Isabella let a few tears - "I cannot deny I was really disappointed." - she stopped. Caoilainn took a few deep breaths before asking:
- "It makes me ashamed to hear that. I barely know what to say." - Caoilainn hesitated - "however I need to ask one thing, I just need to know... if you were that hurt, why didn't you say sooner? I know I cannot demand anything, but I think as friends, you could have told me sooner, for your sake." - Caoilainn looked away - "I am sorry, it feels unfair to ask that, but I feel I have to know." - Isabella sighed hearing that. She again took her time before saying:
- "You are bold, aren't you?" - Isabella stared at Caoilainn, but Caoilainn was unable to look back - "The answer is simple. I felt it was better for the team. We all were very stressed, you and Mazanlold had just fell into a trap, we got almost killed and Richard was very angry and annoyed. I thought that voicing my pain would hinder us all, so I hid it away and changed our focus." - both sighed.
- "That hurts a lot doesn't it?" - Caoilainn replied - "to hide your pain that way."
- "It does" - Isabella answered - "but I do what I think is best for everyone." - then they went silent again. Isabella again got up and moved a bit before sitting down. She ran her hand over her face and asked - "Caoilainn I am trying my best. We are both hurt and we both don't know how to move on." - she paused - "so, I must ask, if you are able to talk about that, what happened between you and the Duke?" - this time it was Caoilainn who took her time and her tea before being able to continue.
- "Well" - Caoilainn said - "the Duke went into my cell and offered me to be his mage in exchange for learning all kinds of magic and being respected, specially when he took the kingdom of Solerelos to him." - Caoilainn spread her arms - "I don't know his plans or how powerful he is, but I honestly refused and I didn't care. I tried not to pay him any mind. But I said that I believed you would come to rescue me." - Caoilainn stopped. Isabella waited before asking:
- "Then?"
- "Then, he showed me images which he said were recorded of you three. " - Caoilainn answered - "first he showed Mazanlold negotiating with him, paying him a lot of attention and abandoning us to become a warrior of the Duke." - Caoilainn shed some tears - "I did not want to believe, but it did seem real, it was hard to ignore." - she looked down - "and then I said, that you and Richard would never abandon me." - Caoilainn stopped again. Isabella said:
- "Take your time." - Caoilainn shed more tears before continuing:
- "He showed me a recording of you and Richard on the beach, walking together, talking, laughing, watching the sunset together. You were so playful, so laid back, he made me believe, that's what you were doing that knowing I was trapped. It made me feel fear, fear, fear" - she sobbed - "fear of abandonment, fear of being abandoned again... he must have known my past." - she paused - "I don't know how much of this is true, but it felt very real and broke me. If Mazanlold was not so trusting, I fear I... I"
- "Stop!" - Isabella said putting her hand in front of Caoilainn's face - "let's not worry about what might have happened right now. Let us think a little" - Isabella again got up to think. She took some time and hid some tears before sitting down and saying - "I know now what happened."
- "What?" - Caoilainn asked, raising her head.
- "The Duke manipulated the truth to fool you. Me and Richard did walk on the beach and have fun, but it was right after you left, we had no idea you were trapped. We never watched the sunset, we left before lunch. We just took some time off while we waited you." - she touched her chin - "that must be the same thing with Mazanlold, the Duke tried to propose something but he denied the proposal. Otherwise, all would be different."
- "Yeah, it does make sense when you put it that way..." - Caoilainn replied after some time.
- "You know Caoilainn, I understand what happened, he exploited your fears and pitied you against us. It is not too different from last time, but he got you good this time." - Isabella looked at Caoilainn - "I understand you Caoilainn, this is not easy, and I am happy that all worked out in the end" - Caoilainn's face shined, she felt understood - "I must be honest, I've been hurt and I don't know how long the pain will last... and I'm sorry for that. However" - Isabella smiled determinedly - "I forgive you, Caoilainn, I understand you and forgive you." - Caoilainn looked down:
- "But I don't deserve forgiveness."
- "Maybe you don't, but I forgive you not out of merit, yours or mine, but because it is the path of love, the path I believe in." - Isabella held Caoilainn's hand to catch her stare - "I want us to be good together, to go on with our friendship and dreams. And forgiveness is the way. If you are sorry and willing to be better, I will always forgive. Until the bitter end." - Caoilainn's eyes shined with happiness and a new stream of tears. She instinctively hugged her friend who also cried. It took some time for Caoilainn to say:
- "Thank you Isa, from the bottom of my heart. I promise I will do my best for you, always."
- "So do I, Caoi, so do I." - they spent some time, releasing all tears and finishing their tea, before going back to bed.