~ Chapter Twenty-Five ~ The Pesasi

" Fallon returned and said to Alaisdair, " Come. We must head out - we will go North and then a bit West."

"What about the net? Don't we need to take that? I know this is the tree," Alaisdair said with conviction.

"yes, you are correct. Last night two of Chad's men picked it up and took it to the armory. Chad hurried into the party and forgot it until you spoke up."

"Oh, we still need to take it though. Right?" asked Alaisdair?"

"Yes, we do, but Chad is getting it and will catch up with us as we walk." said Fallon, "But I have more to tell you about the Rogue Stallion."

"You call him a Rogue? Is he that nasty?" asked Alaisdair,

"Yes, very much so. You know that, and you know him."

"Hold it, Fallon! I've never seen him before; you and the soldiers were trying to catch him, and he escaped and flew off."

"Okay, you and I need to have a man-to-man talk. I hoped this would only be necessary after we captured the Rogue," Fallon continued, Let's try to walk while I tell you the tale of the Rogue."

Perplexed, Alaisdair decided to listen to the knowledgeable Fallon, especially about the monsters in this area. "Okay, I will listen."

"We all know you here in the Land of Myst. But, we know you in the other times and lands as well," Fallon continued, "It's almost as if we all live in a giant book."

Alaisdair stumbled along in a daze, attempting to understand precisely what Fallon was talking about. He had odd dreams of kings and kingdoms and weird-looking cities. But Fallon's speech was bizarre.

"Okay, Fallon, I need to trot," said Alaisdair, "so my legs do not get tangled as I go. We must sit and talk if this is as important as you say. Or can it wait?"

"No. You are right. Come over here, Alaisdair, in the shade of this tree. I will try to be brief, and it can be if you wait to ask questions," Fallon chuckled as he thought of Alasdaiar's impulsiveness.

"Never mind - just let me finish a sentence or two before you interrupt. This is how it goes; believe me, this is the story." Fallon said.

"First, you come into this timeline at least once a year, and so far, you do not remember any of us. Each year, we all remember what we remember and up to the end of where we are going. It's like you are rewritten repeatedly, and once you start remembering, you can only go on to the next adventure after going to the conclusion of this one. Do you remember anything? So far?" Fallon asks.

Ignoring The question, Alaisdair asks, "Fallon, do you remember having this sit-down talk with me on this journey?"

Fallon sat straight up and said, "NO! I don't. We were always walking."

"Then, Fallon, this scene may be the breakthrough for all of us. Start talking!"

"The Rogue is one of your wife's countrymen. In fact, he was a childhood friend and wanted to marry her. However, she refused because she did not love him. He then went on to woo another, but death took her. At that time, he became insane and was hospitalized.

She loves you. It was love at first sight for the two of you. You have been married for fifteen years so far this time around and have two children." Fallon is going to continue, but Alaisdair interrupts him.

"Whoa, whoa... I'm only nineteen," sputters Alaisdair.

Fallon says, " Let me go on, please. And you have a good brain on you, and this tale will not confuse you."

"Okay, I am listening," said Alaisdair as he leaned back against the tree, then quickly sat forward.

Fallon saw what he did and said, "No need to worry. This portion of the enchanted forest has been a comfortable area for thousands of years." The tree indicated a thumbs up to Fallon.

"Now, back to the story of The Rogue. Your wife has been harassed by The Rogue throughout the past fifteen years when you are infrequently away from her, or she has not been able to be with you. Do you have a question, Alaisdair?"

"Why does The Rogue think he has a chance with her, especially as you say we have two children? And why has she not told me?"

"There is more. The Rogue was in an accident when young and had brain damage. So, to him, his reality is the only reality. He wants to believe she is his and needs to convince her. She was able to get out of her bonds and flee home."

"Bonds, what kind of bonds?"

"He had her tied with ropes to his bed. He refers to it as their marriage bed," Fallon hung his head as in shame.

"Why didn't she tell me?" Alaisdair asked angrily.

Looking up into Alaisdair's eyes, Fallon said. "You have yet to return to her. You went to your Scot roots to prepare your entrance. This is your fifteenth time. And this was the first time it got this serious - usually, he would follow and try to talk to her while she was shopping. She thought he was harmless, but he is not rational regarding his story and where she fits in." Fallon replied.

"Where was I during these times? Off on a mission?" 

Again, Alaisdair was angry, this time with himself.

"She usually travels with you, as do your children. But in this area, only she is here, not your children. They are with your wife's parents, their grandparents. In this timeline, neither your son nor daughter are born. And this is the first time The Rogue has made it into this time and area, hoping to kidnap her and force her into marriage. He thinks he can change your history, and your children will be no more. But...."

Alaisdair again interrupted, very agitated." So he thinks of erasing my children? How... dare... he?"

"Alaisdair, calm down, calm down. Your calmness and compassion are what conquer the monsters. Not your anger," cautions Fallon.

Alaisdair let out a deep roar while his legs expanded another seven inches, and his chest became of a full-grown man. Dazed, Alaisdair falls to his knees and calls upon God to deliver him from all evil and give him the strength to capture and deal fairly with The Rogue.

Alaisdair's spirit is still agitated, and he bows his head and says, "Almighty, please forgive me. My anger needs taming."

"Tell me the rest, Fallon, and don't leave anything out. I don't have time to waste on child's games. My family is in danger. Albeit, I did not know of this family until you knocked me senseless with this information. But I have visions of my children. No one will harm them, and they will go away alive. The Rogue will be stopped. The final word from me on this monster."

"Yes, I see blood lust in your eyes, and you must calm yourself before you can overcome and take him down. Ask me any questions, and I will answer as I know."

What is my connection to the King? Our King.

"He is your sire," Fallon said.

"I am asking if he and I are related. I already know he is my King."

"Yes, you are related, "Fallon continued to speak after looking at Alaisdair's stern face. "He is your father."

Alaisdar said, "Why wasn't I told this? It may have opened my mind to remembrance sooner. And you, Fallon, are you related to me, too?

"Yes," said Fallon as he tugged on his beard.

"How?" Alaisdair asked.

"I'm an uncle married to your mother's sister."

"No, my mother has no sisters, only brothers."

Fallon said, "Your Mother and Father, the ones you know are your foster parents."

Alaisdair put his head down."I am getting a headache. This is overload."

"Yes, I know. We only wished to tell you after you had a couple of victories. There is a lot to take in and a lot of action to do, too," Fallon said.

"Tell me about my children," Alaisdair demanded.

"No," Fallon said, holding his hand in a stop motion. "That is the right of your wife to discuss with you. But, I will tell you, your daughter is fourteen, and your son is twelve."

Deflated somewhat by the delay of his essential needs to know, Alaisdair asked about The Rogue, "What weaknesses does he have? And his strengths?"

"He is sly and has a sweet-talking tongue, can almost hypnotize with his speaking. And, of course, he has proven he does not care about human life that is unimportant to what he wants," Fallon then asked, "Are you well enough to continue on today's journey?"