Tanwen closed the distance and placed a clawed finger underneath his snout. Pushing it upwards, she forced him to look her in the eye.
"You promised me that you would not dwell on my passing and that you would endure it of your own free will, but the Dragon Goddess told me that you continue to hold back even after she handed you someone on a platter?!" Stated Tanwen.
Orian looked up in shock.
"What do you mean 'handed on a platter '!!? Are you telling me she was responsible for what happened between me and Violetta?!!" Accused Orian.
Tanwen smiled.
"She'd never mind control her children and force them to love each other, it's not her way. But she did manipulate events to ensure that you two would meet.
She thought you two would be good for each other, Violetta didn't exactly have the happiest life either. But even she was surprised at how fast you two 'clicked'." Said Tanwen with a hint of amusement.
She grinned as Orian blushed in response to her teasing.
"You must have had a lot of pent up frustrations to work out!!" Joked Tanwen.
"Because my body wanted you!!! When I saw her, I saw you!!!" Stated Orian.
Tanwen shook her head in disapproval.
"You are so deeply confused!! Your memories are fragmented!!" Stated Tanwen.
"How can you say that!!? We were together for centuries!!?" Yelled Orian.
"We knew each other for less than a year!! And we were never romantic during that time!!" Retorted Tanwen.
"I know you like I do the back of my claw!!" Said Orian.
"Do you really? So tell me? What is my favorite flower?" Asked Tanwen.
"Orchids!! Of course!!" Stated Orian without hesitation.
"Roses, actually!" Corrected Tanwen.
Orian froze open mouthed.
"... you... you're lying....!!" Stated Orian.
"What about my family? What is my sire's name?" Continued Tanwen.
Orian could not answer.
"This... doesn't prove anything...!!" Retorted Orian hesitantly.
"Ok then... we'll try something simpler!! What color was my scales while I was still alive?" Asked Tanwen.
"..."
"..."
Orian tried to get a hint by studying her incorporeal form, but as light passed through her body, it was very difficult to identify the color.
"...Purple...?" Stated Orian after some hesitation.
"It was white, actually. " stated Tanwen.
"So my memory is a bit hazy? I still care about you!" Stated Orian.
"The person you 'long for' in your dreams doesn't exist, Orian. During the time that your past self was imprisoned in that 'shell', the witch drove him mad with her constant torments, as well as the acts he was forced to do.
This caused his memories to become fragmented, as the source of his misery. Some gaps in those memories began to form in order to protect himself.
When he was reborn as you, the long periods that those memories were inactive caused those gaps to spread.
In desperation, your mind attempted to fill those gaps by adding information about other individuals in order to create a more complete picture.
You can't remember what I looked like, so your mind attached what you know about Lavender's appearance to me, fooling you into believing I looked like her.
Many of the personality traits you assumed are from me are actually chunks of memories of other individuals you have lost over the years." Explained Tanwen.
"But I recognized you!! Twice!!" Retorted Orian.
"I didn't say you lost all of them!! Enough remained that you were able to pick up on them. Violetta has many of these false traits you have attached to me. It's why you reacted the way you did!" Exclaimed Tanwen.
"So what happened to Mimereus then after he transferred into me? Is he erased then?" Asked Orian.
"I tried to reconnect with him, you know. While I was in my Revenant vessel. I quickly determined that although there were similarities between you two, you are not my former mate.
Storm's ideals were imprinted into you, something that Mimereus didn't have. It caused your personality to shift to such an extent that you're a stranger to me. I meant what I said when I left. 'You are not Mimereus anymore, you are someone else, and you don't have to carry his responsibilities anymore. " stated Tanwen.
"What about you then? Whether I like it or not, I'm all that remains of your mate! I can't go on and leave you without him! I owe it to you!" Stated Orian.
Tanwen smiled.
"You always were dutiful, another of Storm's traits you inherited... Haven't you figured out what I did to you to remove your guilt of what happened in your past life yet?" Asked Tanwen.
Orian shook his head.
Tanwen peered over her shoulder.
"I think you should come and speak to him yourself!!" Called Tanwen.
A golden glow suddenly illuminated the space around them as a second specter appeared.
One that Orian recognized immediately.
"This is impossible!!!" Exclaimed Orian.
Standing in front of him was a perfect copy of his past self.
"When I cured your grief, I took all that remained of Mimereus with me except for a copy of his memories as I felt you would have need of his wisdom.
The dragon goddess then took those fragments and rebuilt him from scratch for me. Without the madness and guilt of his captivity eroding his mind, he is as I knew him before his attack on the Dark Heart.
So you see... you don't owe me anything and in truth you're chasing after a mated female. " said Tanwen in amusement.
"So is this really him though? Or just a reflection of him?" Asked Orian.
Unlike what he was expecting, it was actually Mimereus who answered.
"Truthfully... I'm not sure myself... I don't feel like an imitation however, and my family believes I'm close enough to him that I'm not an imitation. " stated Mimereus.
"Seems you missed a piece of him though... if I'm still feeling attraction to you..." stated Orian.
"...Yes... unfortunately that part I wasn't able to remove without stripping all memory of me as Lavender from you.
The two memories were too deeply entwined, I can do it for you if you want? My offer still stands?" Stated Tanwen.
"No... I don't want to forget you..." stated Orian.
"You see though? You don't owe me or your ancestor anything! We're reunited now and at peace. Knowing you will carry on his legacy. " Explained Tanwen.
"So you're saying I should just move on and be with Violetta!?" Asked Orian.
Tanwen shook her head.
"I'm saying don't let your sense of responsibility to me cloud your judgement. You don't owe me anything anymore.
Get to know her and if she's compatible with you, then don't hesitate to pursue it. " stated Tanwen.
The landscape around Orian grew blurry and her voice became distant as he felt something tugging at his being.
Pulling him back to the living world.