Remember Who You Are

The people of Felnor were astounded. Princess Vivian had returned. Her story of sacrifice, as all stories of the Twelve Dragon Princesses, had inspired kindness and bravery in many a young girl. It wasn’t long before news of the princess’ return reached the very outskirts of the kingdom, where Illior now lived. After the royal family’s passing without seeing their daughter again, he was wrought with grief and guilt. Upon hearing of her return, he made the long journey to the castle.

Vivian was shocked to learn that someone she knew yet survived. He explained to her about the mark of servitude and asked after the other Vivian. Where was she? Had she found a way to return to her own world? Vivian looked sadly at the phoenix that remained by her side despite her role in the transformation. Truly, Vivienne must despise her. So why did she remain? Was she perhaps plotting revenge? Vivian hadn’t wanted this to happen, had even tried to prevent it. She would give anything to reverse what had happened, even accepting the cursed necklace from the dragon Kaen and remaining enslaved to him for all time.

Vivian rejoiced at Illior’s return. Having borne a dragon’s mark herself, she understood the unbearable pain of disobeying orders, and so bore no ill will for the broken man. And broken he was. This was not the proud and powerful man she remembered. He seemed to have shriveled into himself despite having not aged. The guilt of the two girls’ imprisonment coupled with the loss of his entire family as they grew old before him weighed heavily on his shoulders. He had spent every waking hour researching the dragon’s mark, desperately trying to find a way to right the wrong he had committed, forced or not.

Through his research he had learned the most probable relocation site of the phoenixes, for they were the beings most likely to be capable of dispelling the dragon’s curse. Though the mark was now removed, Illior was desperate to aid Vivienne in returning to her own world and her own form, as he was to blame for her predicament. Illior proceeded to inform Vivienne and Vivian of how the phoenixes were able to travel between worlds.

“Are you truly going to leave?” Vivian inquired one morning as she prepared to meet with the people of Felnor.

Vivienne nodded. ‘I have to go. This might be my only chance of becoming human again.’

“I understand. But, from what you’ve told me, they may not take kindly to your request. Here, take this.” She went to fetch something from underneath her pillow before flouncing back. When she returned to Vivienne’s side she was holding a necklace, its golden pendant in the shape of a bull preparing to charge. “I hoped it might help you when you feel homesick.” She fastened the necklace about Vivienne’s vibrantly feathered neck.

Vivienne wrapped her long neck over Vivian’s shoulder in the best approximation of a hug she could manage. Tears collected in her eyes, and no words were necessary for her to convey how deeply her gratitude ran. She turned to Illior who had decided to accompany her to see his mission through.

Vivienne opened a Passage and, before stepping through, told Vivian ‘This isn’t your fault. You did what you were able. A human is no match for a divine being.’ With that, she stepped through the Passage before Illior, and was gone.

The world into which Vivienne and Illior entered through the Passage was densely forested and miserably humid. ‘Are you sure the phoenixes would have come here?’ Vivienne asked into his mind.

Illior shuddered, recalling how Kaen had used the same method. “I’m certain this is the correct location, but it should be a volcanic wasteland.”

‘Perhaps they’ve moved on. It’s been more than a thousand years since they left your world.’

They continued to travel to new worlds, each equally as peaceful as the last. Finally, on their 97th attempt, they found them.

‘Verene?’ one of the phoenixes gasped. ‘How is this possible? You died on Terra and never emerged from the ashes.’

‘I’m not Verene. I’m a human. My name is Vivienne.’

The other phoenixes looked at her. For a phoenix to be reborn as anything else was most unusual. It had never happened before.

‘No, sister, you are Verene. You have always been Verene, and always will be. Do you truly have no memory of me? I am your sister Anka.’

Vivienne shook her head. ‘I’m not your sister. I know you want to believe your sister has returned, but I’m not her. I came to you hoping you could help me return to my original form. If you can’t help me, I’ll find someone who can.’

Anka was disappointed. She had just regained her sister. ‘If that is truly what you wish, then I will help you. I only ask that you stay here until morning. Night falls quickly on this planet. You will be safer here.’

Vivienne hesitated, but she knew Anka was right and eventually gave in.

The next day, and many days after, Anka came up with one reason after another as to why they couldn’t leave yet. The weather was too foul. There was a sandstorm on the planet they needed to travel to. Their mother was nearly back from a scouting mission and deserved a proper farewell. The excuses continued day after day, month after month.

‘I am certain you will remember with time’ Anka thought to herself. ‘Remember who you are.’

After several months had gone by with Anka showing no signs of intending to go with them and instead seeming to stall them for her own machinations, Illior pulled Vivienne aside one day, out of earshot of the other phoenixes- especially Anka.

“Vivienne, I think it would be wise to move on, with or without Anka’s assistance.”

‘You would have me leave my sister?’

“She is not your sister. She is trying to keep you here, to prevent you from ever leaving. Do you not see that?”

‘Leave. I do not need one who would sabotage my family.’

“Very well. If you wish for me to leave you with your ‘family’, then leave I shall. I suppose the princess’ necklace failed you.” As he lifted the small golden bull that hung from her neck, it caught the light and Vivienne recalled everything.

‘I-I forgot who I was. I’m sorry, Illior, and thank you.” She opened a Passage back to Felnor.

Vivian ran out to greet them when she heard of their return. “I didn’t think I would see you again.”

‘The phoenixes tricked me. I lost sight of myself. I began to truly believe I was Verene.’

“If I may,” Illior spoke up, “it is possible that you were Verene at one point, but you are wholly Vivienne. I will find a way to return you to your form, Vivienne. I feel it is my responsibility to do so for the part I played in your transformation. We will find a way.”