Finding Sunshine

Sunny weather

Chad took a deep breath as he knocked on Rains room door.

It opened and rain stood there. Was she disappointed it wasnt Zarak? she sighed and opened the door wider to allow Chad to walk in as she walked away to sit on her bed. Chad followed her, closing the door behind him.

"since when do you knock instead of pushing your way through?" rain said annoyed at his presence.

Chad chuckled. He missed her unapologetic attitude. He loved that rain spoke her mind and what a beautiful strong mind she had.

"I've been working on it" he said smiling at her.

" Is that what you were doing for this past year?" her annoyance growing into anger.

"I'm sorry I left." Chad started but before he could continue rain cut him off.

"It's not that you left, I understand why, I get it now." rain felt tears burning behind her eyes.

"it's the fact that you didn't love me enough to tell me. You didn't tell me anything. You knew all of this and never mentioned a word." by this time her tears were streaming down her face.

Chads heart felt heavy. Rain was the only one in the world who ever made him feel any ounce of love and he loved her with his whole being. he couldn't stand to know she thought he didn't love her.

"I couldn't tell you" he said.

"How could I tell you that.." Chad felt a lump in his throat. He wasn't good at letting anyone in. He always struggled with opening up.

he cleared his throat

" It's my fault any of this is happening. If I wasn't so selfish and immature. I thought that once you finished school we could move away and start a life somewhere no one could find us. You were the only home I needed."

He kept his eyes locked into rains eyes.

"I didn't understand anything about universal promises. Had I thought of anyone else besides myself I would of known and both our parents would be alive. There would be no war. My father sent for me after our mother's were taken. By that time the damage I caused had already been done."

Chad broke his gaze and looked away trying to stop himself from crying.

"I'm sorry."

Rain could feel his guilt and sorrow. It's always been hard to read him, she would get a small glimpse here and there but he always hid his emotions really well but this time he seemed too tired to hold his walls up.

"I need time to process this" she said softly. Still unsure of how to feel. She loved him but this man standing in front of her is a stranger.

"Of course." Chad said facing her again.

"I'm leaving for a couple of days. while im gone, we'll need your help."

Rains eyebrow shot up "My help?"

"we think there's a traitor amongst our allies and we need you to feel them out at our next meeting." he said with a serious tone.

"I can try" rain said unsure if she really could.

"That's all we ask." Chad said reassuring rain that there was no pressure.

he nodded and stood up to walk towards the door.

"what's your power" Rain asked before he could take a step

"Besides being a dumbass?" he joked

He turned to her and smiled.

"yes, besides that" rain let out a small laugh

Chad let out a sigh as he ran his fingers through his wavy short hair. He missed her laugh but he knew it wasn't the right time to tell her that, shes going through so much she doesnt need him confusing her.

"Im a tracker. I could of been a good bounty hunter. when we were kids I'd find all of Zaraks secret sweets stash." he face lit up remembering the times his brother would find all the empty wrappers after he had eaten everything. They would tussle but Zarak was much smaller that zeek so he would always pin him down and give him a wet Willy before running for his life.

"I can see someone or somethings trail in my mind, all I need to do is picture what I want to find." It's also how he found Rain. He had seen her his whole life but never once intended to find her untill that night her mother came to the king.

"But I can only see where my target has been. so when it comes to this war, I can't see where they'll hit because it hasn't happened yet."

"Is that where you went?" rain asked referring to this past year.

Chad nodded without looking down at rain.

"I was always days behind them and when I finally caught up..." this time tears uncontrollably ran down his face. " It was too late." Chad said as he hid his face and sobbed.

Rain couldn't stand seeing him like this. She has never seen him so broken but suppose that's what finding your mother dead does to you.

"with this war coming there will be more deaths." Chad said through his tears while taking a few deep breaths to calm down.

"But if we get married there will be no war right?" Rain asked. She didn't want any more people to die. it's just marriage and she actually was fond of both Chad and Zarak. A life with them wouldn't be so bad.

"We could just get married today!" There would be no need for preparation for war.

"It's not that easy. We need a snow royalty to witness the marriage. The snow king will not approve but we think there's a chance his wife or they're daughter are persuadable."

"I have an aunt?!" Rain had no idea her mother had a sister. Why didn't she know this?

"Two years younger than Xara. she never married. No one knows why."

"Maybe I could talk to her and she would agree. I could travel there and"

"No." Chads voice stern. It caught rain off guard.

"I'm sorry it's just.. it's too dangerous for you to go." he said in a more softer tone.

Rain nodded not wanting to push the subject.

Chad squatted down and looked up at rain sitting on her bed.

"I know you want to help" he said softly while staring into her teary eyes

"but we need you here, safe." He grabbed her hands and held them to reassure her but really he just needed to feel closer to her.

"I can't just sit here when innocent people are going to die" she said with pain in her voice "I know I can help. I can..."

"babe" he cut her off again.

"You will still help, just here, protected. I can't lose you too."

Rain has never felt this strong of a bond with him. Chad was truly opening up to her and it made her love him all the more.

She nodded, she knew this was a fight she wouldn't win.