"Elryn: Chapter 8" by Brian D. Saul

I found myself standing in the center of a small town, dimly lit by a blue light the source of which I was unable to determine. There was a strange feeling of familiarity to the whole scene. The cobbled streets, the well in the center square, an inn with an old sign so faded only the word 'Inn' was still readable. A short ways to the north also stood a large stone building of some sort, a keep perhaps. Very likely the home of whomever ruled this little town. In the opposite direction lay a small temple, to what god I was unsure. People milled around me going about their daily life. Each of them gave off that odd ring of familiarity, but why? I had never seen any of this, nor any of these people.

It took me a moment to realize something amiss with the scene, pieces of it were missing. Large chunks were taken out of buildings, freely revealing their insides. Sections of the street had portions missing, revealing only blackness underneath. Even the sky above me had those holes in it, which too opened into inky blackness instead of a clear blue. As I watched, very slowly, stones faded from sight, holes got bigger, people walked off into nothingness. It was about then I noticed that in the middle of the street stood a small brown haired girl. She too was fading from sight, but at a much slower pace then the rest of the world.

“Answer quickly little M'len, for you've lost so much already.”

I wheeled about to see who had spoken, but saw no one. The voice too sounded familiar. Dreams, that was it, the dreams. This was the same as before... Before what?

“What do you mean, what have I lost?”

The voice ignored me and continued, the sound echoing eerily through the increasing blackness around me. “Your emotions got in our way last time, you lack such a block this time,” it started out cryptically. “The life you cherish so much. Would you give it for the life of one you loved?”

I scarcely gave the question much thought, it was an easy answer. “No, I'd-”

“That is a pity,” the voice stated with a low dissapointed tone. “Perhaps when she comes of age the little M'len will be willing to carry out that which her mother was unwilling to.”

“Let me fini-” I snapped, but it was too late. Whatever the voice was going to do, it had already set into motion. The strange feeling within me immediately diverted my thoughts. There was, for a moment, an odd sort of flutter in my abdomen. Following quickly behind it was a pain so intense my knees buckled beneath me and I collapsed. It had felt as though someone had clutched my innards in their fist and was trying to pull them out of me.

I'm not unwilling, you hadn't let me finish! Or so I would have said were I able to speak. An anguished cry, however, was the only thing I could manage. As quickly as it started, the force let go and withdrew. The tone of the voice was that of curiosity as it spoke. “If it is so important to you little M'len I will let you speak.”

The pain had subsided enough that I could talk, but I definitely was not about to try moving. “I refuse to say I will simply throw my life away for someone else, even one I care for,” came my reply, as honestly as I could manage it and as loudly as I could. I wanted to be sure the damned thing heard me this time. “I see very few circumstances where one must die to save another.” The voice was silent for the next few minutes. I came to notice that most of the town around me had vanished, and even the little girl seemed to be fading faster now. She seemed to hold a great importance to this scene, but why?

“Very well,” the voice finally commented with what I could swear sounded like a relieved sigh. “We shall see. Now, awaken, little M'len, before you lose your hope of getting it all back.” Everything was gone now, save for the little brown haired girl, and even she was but a vague outline anymore.

I blinked, filling the darkness with the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling. The light scent of herbs wafted through the air, it reminded me of...nothing. No, that wasn't right.

I tried to sit up, but succeeded only in letting out a small cry as a sharp pain radiated through my abdomen. My hand went to it and found the whole area was sore and tender to the touch. It was about then I realized I wasn't wearing my own clothing, but the dread that filled my mind overshadowed that realization. It couldn't be. The dream was brought on by the pain, not vice versa. That was simply absurd. Or so I tried to tell myself, inwardly I didn't believe a word of it.

As I lay there looking around at what of the room I could see, I heard footsteps drawing close to me. “So you are awake,” I heard a feminine voice call out as she approached. “You recovered faster than I expected.” I turned and looked at the approaching woman, who faltered a moment as my gaze met hers. She was quick to recover and averted her own eyes just as quickly. “I'm sorry, after being with the little one all night I should have expected the same from her mother.” I gave her a look of confusion but let the comment pass for now.

“Where am I?”

“You mean you don't know?” The elderly woman knelt by my side and examined where my right arm should have been. “I guess that explains a lot,” she said gravely. “I'm terribly sorry about your arm.”

The short sleeve of the tunic I had been put in dangled unfilled at my side. “My arm?”

The woman frowned and put her hand gently on what remained of the shoulder. “I know dear, it must be a lot to take in so fast,” she said with honest sympathy to her voice. “First you wind up tossed Gods know how far from home, and now this.”

This time she kept her gaze on me as I stared into her brown eyes. Slowly a smirk broke through my confusion and I laughed. It hurt like hells to do it but I couldn't help myself. Given her reaction she must have thought the shock had driven me mad. “Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine. I lost my arm years ago.”

The woman returned a puzzled look. “Oh? Then how-” she looked thoughtful a moment. “Was there anyone else with you?”

“No, duels are done alone.” My voice trailed off a bit as something else occurred to me. I was unable to remember who, or even why I had been in a duel. All I knew was that I was, and that it was my opponent’s fault I was here. Where was here anyway?

“A duel?!” She looked both shocked and horrified by it. “Then, perhaps it was their blood...”

“No one got hurt, it's impossible.” How was it I could remember a strange detail like that, but nothing of any real importance?

The horror seemed to drain from her face at my mention of that part, instead she looked unsure. “That's strange. Then, how is it your clothing and your daughter's had so much blood on them?”

My look went a bit confused again. I was getting a tad annoyed at so many things making so little sense. “Daughter?” I tried to sit up again but only succeeded in letting another small cry escape my lips. Gods, what did that thing do to me?

The woman, obviously either a healer or a mother herself, was quick to examine the area as she spoke. “Yes, she's simply an adorable little girl. She stayed by your bedside most of the night. I only just recently convinced her that you would be fine and she should get some sleep.” I winced as she prodded a particularly tender spot.

“It's nice to know someone else cares,” my voice faltered a little with the next part, as though something inside me was trying to keep me from saying it. “But I don't have a daughter.”

I winced again as a startled finger probed a bit too hard on the flesh and I noticed the woman’s face had paled noticeably. She quickly regained her composure and spoke to me in a level tone. “I wouldn't lie to you about this miss...?”

“M'len.” I shook my head and corrected myself. I was so used to being called Miss M'len by the teachers it just seemed the natural way to respond. It didn't even occur to me that I was completely unaware of what teachers or at what school. “I mean, just Elryn. I didn't catch yours?”

“Arymil,” she told me with a smile, then continued. “Then as I was saying, I've got no reason to lie to you. Those eyes of yours-”

“Yes,” I answered shortly. It wasn't hard to tell what she was going to ask next. “They are, as far as I know, a unique trait of my family.” Arymil's smile broadened as the other meaning behind her question became clear. Had I a daughter she would invariably have the same colored eyes as myself.

No, this had to be some kind of sick joke. I really had no desire to be a mother, her claim that my daughter was in the next room was adsurd. I didn't have a daughter. As if in reply to my mental declaration, I felt a crushing pressure in my chest, but it wasn't a physical pain. Why would I get emotional over something I didn't have? “Let me see her,” I demanded, my voice faltering as I did so.

The woman seemed quite startled by my sudden change in tone. “You should rest dear, I'm sure when she wakes up she'll run immediately to your bedside.”

My next few words came in a much more subdued voice. “I can't. If I lay here any longer, I'm sure to fall asleep. I'll lose everything if that happens.” That declaration rather startled me, perhaps because I had not fully realized what I had said until I had spoken it.

The elderly woman, who had been surprised enough by this, seemed to just give up trying to make sense of any of it. I didn't wait for an answer as I forced myself into a sitting position. Not the worst pain I had ever felt, but it certainly seemed like it at the time. It was then her husband ran into the room at the sound of the muffled cry and leveled a crossbow at me. To think, I had been wondering how things could have gotten worse.

He wasn't much taller than she was, and appeared roughly the same age, although for their ages they both looked in extremely good shape. His hair had not completely grayed yet, but it was more so than not. Were it not for the crossbow aimed at my chest, I'd have even went so far as to say he looked rather distinguished. His face however showed none of the gentleness his wife's did, and while it seemed to soften ever so slightly as his gaze went to his wife, it showed nothing but contempt for me.

She shot him an angry glare and he quickly lowered his weapon, although if looks could kill. He stormed out of the room muttering things I was probably glad I couldn't hear. Arymil sighed and lightly shook her head. “I apologize for his behavior. He's terribly protective of me, and he doesn't like mages.” There was clearly more to the explanation than that, but I didn't pry; there were other things on my mind.

With another wince of pain, and a bit of her help, I quickly regained my feet. Just as quickly I nearly lost them again before she caught me. “Please dear, you really should rest, I'll bring her out to you.”

“I'm fine,” I breathed, “stood up to fast, that's all. If it's not too much trouble, could I have something to drink.” I asked her in a sick little voice. With the pain so intense I had not even noticed the upset state my stomach was in until the movement aggravated it. It took me a bit more convincing but eventually she agreed to let me see the little girl while she attended to some tea. She was, for a while, quite adamant about not leaving me alone in my state. My state, really, you'd swear she thought I was going to die on her. I quickly decided, judging by how she treated me, that whether or not she was a healer, she was most definitely a mother, and a rather overprotective one at that.

Quietly I made my way into the girl's room, and carefully sat myself on a small rocking chair next to the bed in which the little brown haired girl slept. The room, I had to admit, was quite comfortable. The stone walls on which several paintings had been hung, were lightly polished. A few tiny shelves dotted them here and there, themselves covered in little trinkets and other knick-knacks. The decor as a whole made it clear this room was where their children had stayed. Presently, the only child occupying it was the unknown little girl who slept soundly on the bed in front of me.

She was indeed a beautiful little thing, and looked so completely peaceful as she slept, as though she had not a care in the world. Whether I liked it or not, a part of me did wish that she was indeed mine.

Arymil walked into the room some time later. I had just sat quietly by the young girl's side not doing anything but watching her and thinking. She carefully laid a small cup on the table next to me and sat on the edge of the bed near the little girl's feet. “What's her name?” I asked her as I tried to reach into the tunic for something. “... And where's my clothing? I need something from my robes.”

“I don't know, she was too concerned about you to tell me. All of your clothing is drying outside. Your things are on the table in the other room though. What was it you needed?”

“There should be a few small vials with them? Could I have one please?” She nodded and returned a few moments later with one of them. While she was out, I could hear her, and whom I could only assume was her husband, exchange a few quick words. They involved things like, 'wretched mage', 'I still don't trust her', and probably the most disturbing, 'I should have killed her when I had the chance'. I felt lucky it was her, and not him, who was in charge of my welfare.

“If I may ask, what's in there? I'm sorry, but my husband insists, and I'd rather not make matters worse than they already are.” There was an obvious note of regret to her voice as she spoke. Clearly she had things under control, but she seemed torn between him and myself. I guess I couldn't blame her, it was a nice house, and I could only guess they had been together for a long time. My stay, I decided, was not going to be long. I didn't entirely understand why she was going through so much trouble for me, but I didn't want to cause any more trouble than I clearly already did between the two of them.

I pulled out the cork and added the usual small drop to the cup, then placed the vial in the tunics pocket. “Just some medicine to settle my stomach a bit. It's only a cold or something of the sort, nothing serious, nor contagious.” I nearly gagged as I tasted it, however. I was used to the flavor of mint covering the taste, but as good as I'm sure the tea would have been, it did little to mask it. The medicine was probably the vilest stuff I had ever tasted. I would most certainly have to have a talk with the healers once I got home.

The little girl before me stirred a bit in her sleep, probably woken up by my coughing. “Mommy?” I heard her tiny form softly mutter. She turned her head slightly and opened one eye a little to look around. My heart skipped a few beats when our eyes met, and it wasn't because the eye that now looked up at me lacked any visible pupil either.

Her other eye quickly snapped open and she looked up at me; her face was all alight. For reasons unknown to me I felt a sense of relief when I saw her other eye was normal. Those violet eyes of hers.… violet eyes... violet? Violet, why did that word seem so important? Those eyes though, the same as my own, glowed with the visible happiness on her face. The little girl practically dove off the bed and onto me, nearly knocking the chair backwards as she wrapped her arms tightly around me. For some reason the pain didn't bother me at that point.

I slowly ran a hand over her head. Something inside my mind broke loose as my fingers passed through her fine hair, and a few scattered memories began to float into view. “There, there, Violet.” Was that her name? Violet? Yes, yes of course it was, how did I forget that? “You stayed with me throughout the night?” The little girl in my arms didn't say much but she nodded even as she maintained her death grip of a hug on me. I spoke softly to her, lowering my head onto the top of hers. I wasn't entirely sure what else to do but try and comfort the poor thing. “Thank you. Your mother must be very proud to have a little girl like you.” Her mother... Something else broke loose and it felt like some strange wave washing over me when the memory came to me. Me, I was her mother. How could I forget my own daughter? I grabbed hold of her and held her as close to me as I could.

Violet cried as I held her, but not because she was sad. “I knew you wouldn't forget me.”

Arymil decided at that point it was best to leave us and quietly walked out of the room. I could hear her and her husband talking in the other room, but their voices were quieter this time. At the time, however, I just held Violet tightly in my grasp. In a few moments, I had nearly lost the only thing I had left. Slowly, little things began to occur to me, oddities I had not noticed earlier. Why couldn't I recall with whom or where I had this duel? Or the names of the healers? Nor even Violet's father? Why couldn't I remember anything? Additionally there was a profound sense of loss as those thoughts occurred to me. I didn't know why, but something inside me told me it was not simply due to some lost memories either.

***

Eryk sat atop their favorite spot, their little hill overlooking the island. Both he and Elryn looked off into the sky as the sounds of their children playing filled the air behind them. Despite technically being Adel's daughter, Eryk still treated Violet as though she were his own. The littlest girl Katherine, however, was truly theirs. She was such a lively, radiant child.

Eryk stood behind Elryn, took his wife in his arms, and gently kissed her on the cheek. “You can deny it all you want, but you're a wonderful mother Elryn.” He paused a moment to take in the lovely little smile that crossed her face. She didn't say much, but then, today was just a quiet sort of day. The two sat for a while before Eryk, at Violet's urgings, joined the two little girls in a game of tag.

A scream pierced the otherwise perfect calm not long after. It was a familiar, heart wrenching sound. He looked frantically towards where Elryn sat, but already the hill was vacant; a few meager wisps of dust were all that occupied the space now. “Girls, we have to get out of here!” He shouted as he wheeled about, catching only the last few seconds of what was left of Violet's image disappear. His own daughter followed shortly after, even as he tried in vain to protect her.

Over his sobbing, Eryk heard a voice call out to him. “It's so peaceful.” It was familiar, and it's every word seemed to mock his misery. “So quiet now, isn't it?” Eryk turned to see Vin standing over him, a cruel smile across his lips. “No more 'daddy, I want this' or 'daddy, can you',” his smile twisted into an evil grin. “And no more of that insipid 'daddy, I love you'.”

Eryk was to his feet in a flash, and soon he found his hand tightly clenching Vin's throat. “Bring them back!” He growled, but still Vin's mocking went on.

“I even rid you of that one armed freak,” he continued, even as Eryk's grip tightened. “Imagine... Her as a wife, and a mother, of all things. A second rate mage who can't even win a simple duel.” Eryk's grip tightened more, and still Vin continued. “She's an abomination,” he choked. “She never wanted to be a mother. Never wanted Violet. And your own precious little daughter, she doesn't even know, does she? Never wanted her either...just a little thing growing within her, like nothing more then a parasite.” Eryk's free hand gripped something he was not immediately aware of as Vin's unrelenting mockery continued. Mere words, but they cut into his heart deeper than any blade ever would. “You could never be happy with three creatures which shouldn't even exist.”

His grip on Vin's throat was released and Eryk clutched the unknown object in both hands. With one fluid motion he drove the blade in his hands through Vin's midsection. “They were my family!” He screamed. The blade made a sickening sound as he wretched it further up within Vin's torso. There wasn't shock nor horror on Vin's face as one would expect from someone who had just been stabbed. Instead, he laughed, and the mocking sound chilled Eryk to the very bone.

Eryk awoke with a scream which seemed to carry further than it should have on the unnatural wind. The sky above him was bright and sunny, not a cloud in sight, yet what light filtered through the trees failed to bring any warmth to his shivering body. Emptiness was all that seemed to surround him. Jura had been with himthe night before, but now even she had left and he found himself alone.

Slowly, he picked himself off the ground and leaned against a tree, trying to gather his thoughts. He didn't have much success though, it all just swirled around uncontained in his mind. Eryk believed what Jura said; he had to, to believe she was lying would have also meant to believe that Elryn was dead. That wasn't a thought he was willing to accept. Additionly there was Jura's other news. If he was to believe that Jura was telling him the complete truth, then that would also mean....

He shook the thoughts free from his head and hurried off into the forest. No, he could think about that later. There was more to it than what Jura had told him, he was sure of it. Yet until he heard the entire story behind it he would try best to not think about it.

Inevitably, he failed. The dream had been his most vivid ever; he remembered every little detail to it. The light breeze, the giggling, even the scent of Elryn's hair. Then there was the younger of the two girls. His daughter. Not created, but born naturally. Naturally? No, try as he might, there really was nothing natural about it. The things Vin said to him slipped back into his mind, 'creatures that shouldn't even exist' he had said. Violet was never meant to exist, he wasn't even sure how she came to be exactly. And his own daughter... How could such a thing even happen? Vin was right, neither of them were supposed to be here, and Elryn at the center of all of it...

No! He tried his best to shake the thoughts from his head. Gods, what was he thinking? He cared for Elryn more then anyone... How could he even think that?!

He held a hand over his face as he walked, muttering slightly to himself. “No, must not think like that, not after all this, I can't...”

So wrapped up in his thoughts was he that he scarcely noticed the woman he nearly tripped over. “You should be more careful Eryk, you'll do no one any good if you go and hurt yourself running into a tree,” chided Mara from her seat on the ground behind him. Plenty of light filtered down through the trees, and were his thoughts not too preoccupied to notice he'd have sworn it went out of it's way to shine on her.

Eryk snapped back to his senses and looked behind him, then quickly ran to her side. “I-I'm sorry, I didn't even see you. I hope I didn't hurt you.”

The elegantly dressed woman laughed and stood up. He was so caught up in helping up the woman he thought he knocked over that he didn't even notice that long blue dress of hers seemed untouched by the wind. “No harm done, I was waiting for you actually. Figured you'd head to Tyra's first so you were bound to come this way. Jura and the others are waiting there. You slept later than expected.” She put her arm around his and started off, pulling him along with her.

Eryk was more confused than anything, his thoughts were a wreck and he no longer knew what to make of any of it. Mara was clearly concerned as she walked alongside him, but he hardly took notice to her. The wind too was getting to him, that incessant howl which started as Elryn vanished from him. Try as he might, he found himself unable to form any coherent thoughts about anything. It was funny, he knew where he was headed, he even knew he intended to find her no matter what, and yet he felt lost. Despite Mara right alongside him, he also felt alone. As though the only thing that ever mattered to him was suddenly wretched from his grasp.

...It had been, hadn't it? To think, it never occurred to him until now. Now that the one thing he valued most in the world was taken from him, now he realized what it truly meant to him. How foolish he had been not to realize sooner. Maybe this whole mess could have been avoided with a few words. Maybe had he known, had the courage to say it, she'd have stayed with him, she'd never have went to that stupid duel. All he needed was a simple “I love you, Elryn.” and perhaps this whole ordeal would never have happened.

Mara stopped at that point and firmly grabbed Eryk's shoulders, giving him a slight shake to get his mind back to reality. He did not realize it, but he had said those four little words aloud. He also did not immediately realize tears were streaming down his face.

Eryk stood and stared at her, unsure what to say or do. Again it was Mara who took the initiative.

“You can think about that later, Eryk,” she said very firmly. “Right now we just have to get to Tyra's, there's things to do yet. Not everything happening involves you, you know.”

Her bluntness was like a good kick to the head. There he was losing his mind, and not once did it really occur to him what the others might be going through. How could he be so selfish? “The others,” he started, rubbing away the blurriness in his eyes. “How is everyone else doing?”

Mara smiled lightly and again proceeded forward. “Everyone still seems to be in shock.” She started calmly. Eryk certainly understand that feeling well. “Sure there have been little accidents, and Elryn definitely isn't the first to be lost to a spell gone awry, but this...” she paused a moment when the noticed the pained look on Eryk's face and quickly moved on. “It's not just that of course, but also that hole Vin tore open on the beach. We've got a barrier keeping it from ripping itself any bigger, but that's about all, we can't get very close, and that's going to make repairing it hard.” Mara looked off in the direction of the beach. “But that's not what you wanted to hear about, is it,” she said absently, still staring off into the woods.

“The others are doing as well as can be expected, I suppose. The news of Violet's survival, which also seems to suggest Elryn survived too, has helped immensely.” That was right. According to Jura, Violet had survived. Surely if a child could, then someone as resilient as Elryn had as well! Or so he tried to tell himself, true or not, it brought him the tiniest degree of comfort, and right now he needed every ounce of that he could get.

“Merick has resorted to burying himself in his books. If not for a way of finding them faster, then for a way to seal Vin's damage. The fact she's alive I think is what's keeping him going.” Eryk wasn't entirely sure how someone could relax enough to read at a time like this, but he had known Merick long enough to know he had his own ways of coping with things. It eluded him how a book could provide so much comfort, but to the sagely old man, they did wonders.

Mara paused a moment, taking a deep breath, or was it a heavy sigh, before continuing. “Tyra, on the other hand, is taking it really hard; Jura is doing what she can for her.” Mara just sort of left that particular part hanging and moved on. “Jura looks like she's taking it well, but don't believe what you see, Eryk. To her she just lost a daughter, and blames it all on herself.”

Her? No, it wasn't her fault, she had done everything she could. “... Daughter?” Eryk asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh, it's, um...it's tough to explain Eryk. To Jura we're all her children... Why do you think her mothering works so well on all of us?” She said with a wry sort of smile. For some reason, he got the idea there was more to it than that. “She feels the loss of anyone the way a loving parent would the loss of their own child,” Mara added with a regretful sigh. “It's painful to watch her like this. Anyway, enough of that. Adel is the one we're worried most about right now. She still hasn't woken up.”

Eryk's thoughts wandered on him again as he considered all this. He didn't even know she existed until a few hours ago, and the thought of losing his daughter for some reason tore at him. Not nearly as much as the loss of Elryn, but it effected him nonetheless. Eryk was not even entirely sure it was all right, he didn't even know she actually existed, but the thought of losing her got to him. ...If the loss of a child he wasn't even entirely sure he had bothered him, he couldn't even imagine what Jura was going through should Mara's words all be true.

Then there was Adel. Even if Mara had been incorrect about Jura, Adel had just lost a child. “She did take quite a shock yesterday.” Not only had she lost Violet, but he was unsure what kind of shocbk to the system having her mind overwhelmed like that might have had on her.

“It's not just that. Adel's been through a lot, we all know this, and we all know what strong emotions do to her. While this wouldn't be the first time they've overwhelmed her, it's the first time she's lost someone she's cared for so deeply.” Mara wrung a portion of her dress in her hands nervously before adding, “Adel's mind is terribly fragile...” Her voice trailed off as she stared off into the distance again, leaving the words just hanging there. Eryk tossed the phrase around in his mind a bit and prayed she wasn't implying what he thought she was. “We don't know,” she cut in even as Eryk was preparing to ask the question at hand. “We'll know when she wakes up.”

Again the two resumed their silent trek through the forest. Eryk hadn't quite realized just how far he had walked the night before until now. Everyone tended to think of the island as small because of how few people actually lived there, but in truth it was a rather large place, and the fact they had been walking for so long reminded him of that very nicely.

Finally, after some time, the forest came to an abrupt end and walls of Tyra's house became clear through the trees. Even from the distance and with the wind blowing the wrong direction, the light smell of herbs permeated the area. It was strangely comforting to find one thing right as it should be among all that's happened in the past day.

“Is it true Mara?” Eryk asked as they appoached the house. “I mean, my dau...um, what Jura told me last night?”

Mara sighed and lightly shook her head. “Honestly Eryk, we're not sure. Jura really never should have told you.”

“No, it's okay, I'm sort of glad she did.” Eryk lowered his head slightly and averted his gaze from her. He was glad he had been told, right? Even if she was taken from him, even if there was the chance it was all a mistake, he'd have wanted to know he might have a daughter. ...Right? 'Creatures that shouldn't even exist.' he mouthed silently as Vin's words haunted his mind again.

Mara must have caught sight of him talking silently to himself, because she gave him a good swift smack to the back of the head. “You must never think like that!” Mara had always seemed the calmest of all the elders, perhaps that was why seeing her eyes as enraged as they now looked startled him severely. She narrowed her eyes and nudged him forward. “Go,” Mara said shortly. “You and Jura have a lot to talk about before you go letting silly things like that get to you.” Her form shimmered slightly and disappeared, leaving him wondering if he had imagined the entire trip.

It had taken him a few good minutes to make up his mind wether he really wanted to or not. He was usually so sure of his actions, why was he now questioning everything so heavily? Tyra answered the door a few moments later once he finally got up the nerve to knock.

“Oh Eryk, hello,” Tyra said wearily. Her face was pale and, as she walked back to the living room, he noticed at tired sort of limp to her, and had to actually catch her as she nearly fell over. It didn't take a healer to know she was running a fever. He did what he could to help her into a nearby chair, she had insisted on the one closest to where Adel now slept. Eryk could tell Tyra was fighting it, but she fell asleep shortly after he sat her down. He was sure she hadn't been off her feet since he left the house the night before, otherwise she would have already been asleep. The woman was so exhausted there was no way she could have stayed awake otherwise.

Eryk was well aware of the effect all this must have had on everything, but to see Tyra in such poor shape because of it... He gently ran a hand over her head after he pulled a blanket over her, then turned his attention to where Adel slept. Her breathing was shallow and her form otherwise completely still. She still wore the clothing she had the previous day, dirtied as they were from her collapse. Another sign Tyra was in worse shape then he had thought, she'd normally never have let her remain in such filthy clothing.

“Finally asleep?” Came a quiet voice from the kitchen. “Good, I was about to knock her out with one of these pots.” Eryk finished tending to Tyra and stepped into the kitchen once he was content she wasn't going anywhere.

In front of a work area which dominated the center of the kitchen Jura stood tending to a small pot of, well, he wasn't entirely sure what it was. It had a rather pungent odor, yet somehow smelled strangely sweet at the same time. “I swear,” Jura started to say as she put a small pinch of something into the pot. “She's the best healer this island has, even the clerics come to her at times. But this, and you two as well,” she pointed a spoon accusingly at him, clearly Elryn would have been included were she there at the time, “worry her to no end! She's been completely beside herself lately, and now this happens. I'm not going to let her worry herself into an early grave.” The elderly woman added quietly, stirring the pot ever so little. It was clear that among her yelling she was trying to hide the worried tone in her voice.

“Will she-”

“I'll worry about her.” Jura cut in, looking up from the pot to give him a small smile. “You've got enough to worry about without having her on your mind too.”

Eryk approached the small counter area and leaned on it. Ornately finished cabinets lined the walls, he was sure contained within were more herbs, spices, and various other remedies then he could ever imagine. The counters were topped with white marble, with flecks of something blue running therough them. Atop the counters, and just about any other available surfece were a variety of jars, several of which had been opened and likely used recently to make whatever it was his nose now hovered over. “What is that any way?” He asked, wrinkling his nose at the strange combination of smells. It was a silly thing to ask but he wasn't really sure how to start off with what he actually went there for.

Jura looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and actually laughed. At the time, he failed to see what was so funny. But here he was, his mind a mess, the town in only the Gods knew what peril, Elryn probably somewhere even the Gods couldn’t locate, with him amidst all of it…and the first thing he asks, is the contents of a tiny pot on a stove. It may have been inappropriate given the circumstances, but Jura just couldn’t help herself.

“Thank you Eryk, I think I needed that.” He of course had no idea why she had said that but he was glad to see her smile all the same. “Just something to help Tyra rest and clear her mind a little.”

“… You’re going to drug her?” That shouldn’t have surprised him as much as it did, she had done the same to him a few nights ago.

She licked a little bit of the concoction off her finger and looked about the open jars before finding what she wanted to add. “I recall telling you not to worry about her. She’ll be fine, just trust me for a change?” The elderly woman actually managed to sound hurt that he didn’t seem to, she knew otherwise of course, but she wanted to end this line of questioning immediately. Those few little words disarmed any arguments he could have made immediately. After all, he was putting every once of trust he had in her right now.

Some time passed with only the sound of the small pot bubbling away to break the otherwise silent room. “What are your plans now?” Jura asked, ending the awkward silence between the two of them. There was so much he wanted to ask, so much he didn’t understand, and so little that made sense. Was his intended plan of action even the right thing to do in the first place?

“You’re going to help us seal that hole, right?” The small woman asked in a completely calm, almost emotionless, tone.

Eryk could do little but stare at her helplessly. “N-no!”

“No?” Her voice maintained that almost mocking calm. “We need you here dear. That thing's only going to tear itself bigger and we’re going to need everyone we can get to fix it. You want there to be a home for Elryn to return to when she gets back, don’t you?” She smiled ever so little, but it was solely for effect, there was no joy to be had from her torment.

He took a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm in the face of her callous words. “Even so,” he stated clearly in as calm a voice as he could muster at this point. “I have to at least try and find her. I can’t just sit here while they’re out there, not even knowing if they’ll return at all.”

There was a sudden softness to her eyes that in his anger he failed to notice. “You care that much? That you would jeopardize the lives of everyone here for the sake of her?”

An eternity seemed to pass between the time she asked her question and the time he answered. He hesitated for but a moment, but to his mind that hesitation meant he may as well have given up completely. Eryk pushed those thoughts aside and answered her, refusing to let them get in the way. “I don’t even know where to start,” he admitted in a low tone, “but I have to try.”

He was surprised by feeling a pair of arms wrapping comfortingly around him, and accompanied by a lightly spoken, “forgive me.” Jura pulled herself away from him and he noticed a grin across her face, and a curious glint to her eyes. “You looked like a child lost in the woods. I had to do something or we would likely be here all day avoiding the subject.” While it may have seemed like a cruel thing to do at the time, a good verbal smack to the face worked.

“I just don’t know what to think of it all. I know what I want to do, but…”

Just simply smiled, it seemed an odd little beacon amidst the fog of his mind. “To have so much happen at once, and to lose so much at the same time, I’d almost question your sanity if you weren’t uncertain, dear.” She leaned to the side and peered past him into the room beyond, he wondered why for a moment until the light sound of sobbing reached his ears. Eryk turned to see who it was but Jura grabbed his arm firmly. “Let her be for now.”

“But-“

“It’s likely Adel. Despite the state she’s in she’s done this a few times throughout the night. There’s nothing we can do for her until she wakes up.” It seemed a terribly callous thing for her to say, but try as he might to convince himself otherwise, she was right.

“Now,” Jura removed the pot from the burner and set it aside to cool, “where shall we start?” His only reply was a questioning look. “Obviously this is all terribly confusing, so where shall I start clarifying?” Eryk almost laughed at that but managed to restrain himself. The ever secretive Jura, now offering up information willingly? As if he wasn’t confused enough.

Something did come to mind offhand, however, so he asked away while she was feeling helpful. “How is it you can be sure they’re still alive?” It was perhaps a morbid question to start out with, but he needed to know what the chances were.

“For starters Violet was alive when my spell found her. I may have lost contact, but I can tell you if the rift was to kill her,” Jura’s voice caught slightly at that. “it would have done it the moment she dove into it.” She paused for a moment to spoon some of her brew into a small bowl, her speech halting only as long as it had to, and resumed just as Eryk was about to open his mouth to speak.

“Rifts like that are most stable when first formed.” Eryk couldn’t help but wonder how she knew an odd bit of information like that, it wasn’t like the things were an everyday occurrence. Again she continued before he could ask anything. “I realize it might not look good, with how limp Elryn was when she vanished, but it was likely due to the pain. If Violet survived the trip though, surely Elryn did as well.” That particular part she was simply being optimistic about, honestly she wasn’t sure what happened to Elryn but all she could do was hope for the best.

Jura stirred the contents of the small bowl before again licking a bit of it off the end of her finger. “Perfect,” she said to herself and walked out into the room and over to the sleeping Tyra.

Carefully she sat herself on the arm of the chair in which Tyra slept, and ran her hand down the side of the pale womans face, ending with a gentle shaking of her shoulder. “Wake up dear.” The elderly woman said in a tone that reminded Eryk of a mother speaking to her sick child. It was a strange thing to think, her treating a woman probably as old as she was, as one of her own, but he couldn’t dispute what he now saw.

Tyra’s eyes fluttered open a moment later and she muttered something Eryk couldn’t hear. “Just rest dear, she’s fine,” Jura reassured the stricken woman while placing a hand firmly on her shoulder to keep her from getting up. “Here,” Jura offered up the bowl and a thin silvery spoon. “It’s just some soup to help you regain your strength.”

Tyra eyed the bowl skeptically. “What’s in that?” she asked weakly.

Eryk listened intently as Jura rattled off a list of ingredients. Recalling Tyra’s lesson from the other day he was surprised by what he heard mentioned, but not as much so as the fact that Jura was actually admitting to what she put in it. What came next was a list of a few vegetables, some basic herbs and spices for flavoring, the basic things one would expect of a meal. Afterwards came a short list of a variety of medicinal herbs. Among those, however, he recognized at least two types of sedative.

If Tyra actually understood what Jura said she made no comment. She simply took the spoon in her hand and ate as instructed. “You’re losing your touch.” She said with a weary smile. “This actually tastes good.” Jura could do little but laugh, and even Eryk managed an honest chuckle.

Carefully Jura reclaimed the bowl and little spoon as Tyra’s limbs gradually went limp and her eyes slowly closed. “How long will she be asleep?” Eryk questioned in a concerned tone.

“Two days, if I got the recipe right.” Jura stated with a yawn. Either fatigue was beginning to set in for her too, or she simply tasted her own cooking one too many times. Placing the bowl on the center table she moved to check on Adel’s own condition. Jura eyed the girl curiously for a moment, before finally speaking in that characteristically firm, yet motherly voice. “Come on dear, you’ve rested enough, time to give her some of her own.”

Slowly Adel’s eyes came open to reveal a pair of white bloodshot orbs, Eryk couldn't help but to avert his eyes. “How…?”

“Mothers intuition. Just how long have you been awake?”

Adel raised a hand to her temples and wincing in pain as she sat up. “Since Eryk arrived. Mom needed her rest and I know she wouldn't get any if she knew I was awake.” Jura looked ready to scold her for her silence, but Eryk, who had slinked over at some point, cut in before she had a chance to.

“How's your head?” He asked even as she rubbed at her temples.

“Strange,” she said with a peculiar pause. “It hurts, but it doesn't. Everything just feels sort of fuzzy. D-don't worry, this is normal when I get overwhelmed.” She added quickly, heading off his next concerned question.

Eryk eyed her appraisingly, trying to get some sense of what was going on inside her. After all that had happened, she seemed so calm, and that seemed to bother him greatly, especially when he considered what Mara had told him.

Adel narrowed her eyes at him. “I'm perfectly sane Eryk.” She spoke in a quiet, hurt sounding tone. All the while her own eyes seemed to be looking over him. “Perhaps you should worry more about yourself,” she stated tartly. “You've hardly got a coherent thought in your head.” The two of them simply stared at once another wordlessly. Then, slowly, Adel's eyes widened and Eryk saw a variety of emotions flicker across her face as the full meaning behind his worry seemed to dawn on her.

“I-I'm sorry, it's just that, I know Violet is okay.” Adel lowered her head, a hand pressed to her forehead.

A sharp clap off to the side distracted both of them and they both turned to see Jura standing in the doorway. Neither one of them had noticed her stand up and walk away. “Now, if you two are finished,” Her tone as she spoke was clearly annoyed and impatient sounding. “I believe we have a lot to talk about. Come along both of you, let Tyra get some rest.”

Adel had stayed behind for a few minutes to attend to some small details before leaving the house, while Eryk obediently followed Jura towards town, oblivious to his surroundings. Adel had seemed so calm, and yet she had seen everything he had the previous day, it baffled him how it was she could be so completely sure of it. Maybe, he thought, she simply refused to even consider the alternative possibilities. So distracted was he by his own thoughts he scarcely even registered Adel as she caught up to them.

As if in pure defiance of everything going on around it, the weather was positively beautiful. The sun shone brightly high above them, and a few wisps of clouds slowly meandered their way across the blue background. Despite the unnatural wind that now whipped across the island, there was also a slightly noticeable, yet gentle breeze, which in itself contained that certain crisp chill air gets as autumn approached. The few sprinklings of trees they spotted on the way towards town swayed strangely in the winds, as though unsure which of them to obey.

The sounds of hammering filled the air as they approached the town, which was, as per usual, bustling with activity. Amidst the usual daily chores, however, were people who were securing things as though a storm were coming. Shutters were fastened, windows were boarded up, and anything that wasn’t nailed down, either was, or was brought indoors. “What are they all doing?” Eryk questioned as they strode into town. There were the standard greetings, and more then enough sympathy, yet still the atmosphere held a sobering feel to it. People wore grave faces as they went about their chores, and the usual chatter, gossip, and bits of laughter that usually filled the air were strangely lacking.

“Preparing for the worst, dear.” Jura stated calmly, taking a moment to direct a few passing students. “We have to take down the barrier to seal that hole. If the wind is this bad with it up, you can only imagine what it’ll be like once its taken down. It’ll be hard enough keeping everyone safe as it is, we don’t need debris flying around too.”

Adel meanwhile was squinting at something further down the cobbled street. “What’s that?” she asked no one in particular. The crowd seemed to part ever so slightly to make way for whatever it was. This was no sign of quiet respect, though. Instead it seemed more like they were simply avoiding it. Adel drew in her breath sharply and stumbled back slightly, staring at Jura wide eyed. “W-what…?” Wether she intended or not, she suddenly sounded terrified. A terror aimed not at whatever now made it’s way through the crowd, but at the elderly woman that stood by their side.

Eryk scanned the crowd a moment, not immediately seeing whatever it was that terrified Adel so badly. Then as more people got out of the way, he saw the object of Adel’s terror. “Vin!” he hissed, reaching for a weapon that was not there. Apparently, he was going to have to do this with his bare hands.

Despite having just about taken off at a dead run, the hand clenched around his arm held him with surprising force. “Let me go Jura!”

“So you can do what, strangle the life from him?” Jura asked coolly. “Look at him Eryk. There’s nothing you can do that matters any longer.” The elderly woman spoke in a deathly quiet voice. Within those piercing green eyes of hers, Eryk saw a glint of something that made him shiver.

No longer did Vin carry himself with the puffed up, overblown pride he had so often before. His facial features were drawn and gaunt. His eyes no longer seemed to hold a gleam of vicious desire, instead they were distant, vacant looking. Even his clothing were shabby, as though he had slept in them and just didn’t care enough to change or even straighten them out a little. He not so much walked down the streets, as he did shamble, no longer caring enough to raise his feet.

Jura let go of Eryk’s arm, who no longer made any move towards his would be target, and turned to face Adel, who took a few steps back from the tiny woman, her eyes wild and fearful.

“All the child cared about was recognition. He could have killed Elryn, could have killed your own daughter. He laughed after the two of them were gone, did you know that Adel?” Jura spoke quietly but with a certain icy calm to her voice. “He would have struck down anyone solely for the bragging rights. I simply took from him the one thing that mattered most to him.” Despite the cold, pointed tone of her voice, there was an ever so faint look of regret to her eyes.

“T-that’s horrible!” Adel chocked.

“So was what he did.”

Eryk looked back and forth between them, trying to make sense of their conversation. Given their conversation he thought he had an idea of what they meant, but no, that couldn’t be. Jura in the meantime had already started walking again, the two of them reluctantly following several feet behind her.

“It is.” Adel spoke softly, her voice trembling as she answered his mental questioning. “You could end his life like you want to Eryk,” he winced at her words. The thought had of course crossed his mind, and had Jura not stopped him he very well might have. Now though, something about Adel’s tone made him ashamed he had even thought about it. “As he is right now, he’d probably thank you.” Eryk could do little but stare at her as they walked, his eyes drifting to the emaciated Vin as they went. “He’s magically dead Eryk, there's not even the slightest spark of energy in him.” Adel practically choked on the words, as though the very thought made her physically ill.

Eryk’s eyes widened, “I didn’t think it was possible to live like that.” Her expression darkened but she said nothing more. He shivered again as they walked a short ways behind Jura, until now he’d have never thought the otherwise kind, motherly woman capable of such a horror.

They arrived at Merick’s home a few moments later and were greeted by the sound of someone from within cursing, quite loudly at that. “I’ve told that girl a dozen and one times to stay out of my spellbooks!” Merick ranted as they let themselves in. The living room was a mess. Not the mess Eryk had grown accustomed to seeing, but a complete wreck. At least four piles had toppled over, presumably to get to some tome buried deep within them. Dotting the other piles, floor, chairs, and any other surface that would hold them, were dozens of open books, their pages turned to matters involving the present subjects at hand.

“And can you believe this mess she left me?” The old sage flailed his arms out, indicating the ruins around him.

“Merick, dear,” Jura said lightly.

“Not this mess,” Merick added quickly, “this mess!” He motioned into one of the side rooms, in which Elryn and Eryk had indeed left a substantial mess just the other day. “It took me all day to get this room clean, and then I go and find that? I swear when that girl gets home…” His ranting trailed off for a moment. “I’m going to ward everything in here against her.” He shouted halfheartedly as he walked over to the three visitors.

“I see you’ve been busy.” Jura said with a gentle smile as she embraced him. Merick smiled slightly as he pulled himself away, for a moment looking almost boyish.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I did a little research.”

”A little?” Eryk thought as he eyed the vast array of open material. Either he researched at an incredible pace, or he hadn’t spent nearly as much time cleaning as he claimed. Adel just sort of giggled at the thought.

The old sage took a deep breath, and continued. “I suppose we should get started then?” He asked for no particular reason, he was going to begin if they were really ready or not. “First, I won’t bore the two of you with details on why Elryn and Violet are both okay, you’ll just have to take my word for it. The theories are rather confusing, involving the timing of it all, the energy put into it, the barriers protection, and well, lets just stick with the fact that it was stable long enough for them not to have been torn apart by it, okay?” His tone as he spoke took on a tinge of surprising firmness, more akin to that a teacher uses when addressing a class then anything else. Eryk did notice though he had the annoying knack of talking too quickly, and there were times he wondered if he even stopped to breathe.

The worried young man spoke quietly, unsure of exactly what he was saying. He also received a rather puzzled look from Adel. “What about Elryn’s…” his voice trailed off as he tried to think of the word which now escaped him. Illness most certainly was no longer valid, and ‘condition’ just sounded like a more technical way of saying sick.

“Pregnancy,” Jura added helpfully, receiving a sheepish grin from Eryk for forgetting, and an utterly shocked one from Adel. Her expression quickly melted into a thoughtful, almost worried look as Merick resumed his speech.

“That’s where things get complicated.” He said, as though this entire ordeal wasn’t complicated enough. “I’ve looked over my own books, the information Jura gave me, what proof remained of her spell, her apparent illness, several-“ Jura coughed lightly, a gentle way of saying ”get on with it.” The old sage smirked slightly and proceeded. “Had I not seen it all with my own eyes I wouldn’t have believed it. To be honest I’m still not sure that I do, but it all makes a strange sort of sense.”

Both Jura and Eryk listened intently as he spoke about his findings, Eryk because this was all truly alien to him, and Jura simply curious how much of his matched what she knew. Adel on the other hand sat quietly, seemingly lost in thought. Were she actually paying attention, she showed no signs of it.

Merick continued on, his otherwise professional sounding voice getting more excited as he went. “Now I’m not entirely sure what it was designed to do, but if her bragging meant anything, I have an idea.”

“Bragging?” Eryk questioned. “She bragged to me almost daily and even I don’t actually know what it was supposed to accomplish.”

“Ahh, but you’re not her father.” The old sage stated with a fair degree of pride. Eryk held his tongue concerning the obvious comment at hand. Merick was the closest thing she had to a parent, and it occurred to him that was very likely the only reason. Still, the thought she had told Merick, and not himself, raised an irrational sort of jealousy within him.

“Anyways… Her theory was really quiet interesting. By her logic, the reason the Ancients were better with magic was because they were different then us.”

Jura, who had patiently listened this whole time, got up from her seat, a small pile of books by the door, and began to pace. “Don’t mind me dear, go on, with all that’s happened I just can’t sit for so long.” It was a fairly transparent lie, but Merick just nodded and continued on with his lesson.

“See, Elryn tried one method to eliminate that difference, although I’m fairly positive it wasn’t through the means that actually happened. I’m not entirely sure why it did happen actually.” Merick raised a hand quickly, silencing the question Eryk was just about to ask. “As you’re well aware she tends to do things hastily. She wanted her power, and she wanted it now.” He paused a second, realizing he could have probably phrased that last part better. “It seems the best way the spell saw fit to do it, was to all but destroy her body and remake it as it healed her. As you’re well aware, a permanent change can take years depending on the complexity of it, and an Ancients body calls for several things modern day females lack. …Curious that, did you realize it was only the females the Ancients seem to have altered?” Jura gave him a sharp look to keep him on track. “It seems it was easier for the spell to rebuild her then it was to make room for what it needed to do. The damage, you see, was necessary.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Adel sounded very flustered as she spoke up. “You can’t change something that’s not there. If she were to turn herself into a cat, permanent or otherwise, she’d still only have three limbs.” As she spoke she sounded gradually more aggravated and her face had an almost scared sort of look to it. “And it’s simply not possible that she’s… It can’t be.”

Jura made her way over to the young woman and gently embraced the now openly sobbing girl, speaking softly to her. As she led the poor girl outside she turned to address the two men. “Explain the rest to him, you can fill me in later.”

“What just-“ Merick started to ask before Eryk cut him off.

“What about Violet?” He asked, steering the old sages train of thought elsewhere. “How does your research explain her?”

“I’m not entirely sure, I’d just be guessing, I’ve never seen anything like it before. But as best I can tell, Violet is a magical misunderstanding.” His cander amazed Eryk. The way he could so calmly explain what happened to Elryn, and now just as calmly describe his grand daughter as no more then a mistake without so much as a pause.

“I don’t believe Elryn wanted children, ever, to be honest. It, however, seems Adel did, and very strongly for some reason…which is strange when you really stop to think about it. Any way, and this is where things get odd, while Elryn may not want a child, her body does. While she doesn’t know she’s pregnant, her body does, and I think that might have been enough to fool the spell.” His voice this time trailed off as he ended his explanation, and his expression darkened as he came to the same conclusion Eryk had. As if things had not been bad enough for Adel as it was, to now learn that her own daughter was nothing more then a mistake.

Nothing but the occasional uncomfortable look passed between the two of them for several minutes while they waited for the two women to return. Eryk was quietly poring over the information, trying to make sense of it. At one point, he had made the mistake of picking up one of the nearby medical journals. The page it had been turned to had a fairly detailed medical diagram of a woman, according to the accompanying text, in the late stages of pregnancy. Despite himself he shuddered and quickly put the book down.

Merick chuckled. “Unsettling isn’t it, the thought of a life growing within another. Had I not found it listed in so many medical texts I would have never believed it myself. You know Eryk,” the sage started with a sly grin. “The books only really detail one way this could have logically happened.”

Eryk looked at him blankly a moment, then slowly his eyes widened with understanding. “I…she…we never…” He sputtered, his cheeks flushing a deep red.

Mericks grin broadened and he laughed. It seemed to diffuse some of the tension in the room. “You’re a good boy Eryk. It makes me wonder how you ever got mixed up with someone like Elryn.”

Eryk, still red in the cheeks, went oddly quiet. Now that he mentioned it, it really was. Had certain little things happened differently, he would surely have just been another friend and not as close to her as he was. Even his being here, such a series of small things, and now he found himself… A light touch to his shoulder brought his mind back, Merick clearly had not expected the reaction he got when he made his comment.

“Maybe it’s best we continue on.” He started, trying to get Eryk’s mind back onto the matter at hand. “One thing that troubled me, and that’s that Adel is right. You can’t create something from nothing like that, there’s no blueprint for what the spell had to create within her.” He old man tugged thoughtfully on his beard and sighed in frustration. “But, there are several things among what they recovered I don’t yet understand. I've never seen runes like them before.”

Eryk couldn’t hold back a smile. “That’s hardly surprising, that girl takes so many liberties with her spell they scarcely resemble their original forms any longer.”

Merick smiled also, but continued on in that peculiar tone he used when explaining something he didn’t fully comprehend. “Even so,” he explained. “I’ve always been able to tell what it was supposed to do. But these…” Merick retrieved a piece of parchment from a nearby stack. It was around then that the two women reentered the room. Adel looked to have calmed considerably, but Eryk could see her hands shaking ever so slightly.

“Go on dear, we're okay,” Jura stated as if to cut off any lines of question. Without a word, Adel seated herself on the floor, an unreadable look in her eyes, which themselves were marred with a myriad of tiny red lines.

Eryk pulled his eyes from her and instead directed them to the parchment Merick now held, on which was a series of lines more complex then any rune he had ever thought possible. Idly, he traced the patterns in his mind, trying to discern the proper pronunciation of it, but to no avail. It was almost as if the design wasn’t meant to be understood by him.

“They’re creation runes.” Jura stated, as though what she had just said wasn’t completely insane. “You’ll have to excuse me dear, but I think this is where I should take over.”

The sage merely stared at her dumbfounded. The creation spell didn’t have runes, everyone simply knew it, but it wasn’t the kind of thing that was possible to transcribe.

“These were what enabled the spell to create things within her that haven’t been part of human anatomy for over five thousand years.

Merick sputtered unsuccessfully through his first attempt to speak. His next phrase wasn’t much better, but it was at least understandable. “B-b-but ho…not possible!” He took a moment to catch his breath and compose himself a little better before continuing, his voice frantic and a bit faster spoken then was probably necessary. “Scholars have been trying to put those down on paper for ages, and you’re saying that in just a few months, Elryn succeeded in the impossible?” Simultaneously, Merick’s voice was filled with pride at his adoptive daughters accomplishments, yet at the same time he seemed positively livid.

“Not quite.” She had a faint smirk on her lips, as though she were enjoying tormenting him. “Would it help if I told you she simply finished a five thousand years worth of research?”

Merick suddenly looked unsure of his rage and seemed to consider the idea, likely trying to decide if that was an acceptable amount of time for such an accomplishment.

“Okay, now where was I?” Jura took a deep breath before continuing. “I don't believe Elryn even knew what those were, she likely thought them to be something else. The M’len line has been around for almost as long as humans have, that is, if you’re to believe the old texts.” She paused for a moment to let this sink in, and went on to say, “Their task, it seems, is to fix a mistake. I’m not even sure if any of them were aware of it, but they all contributed towards this research, knowingly or not.”

Mericks shoulders slumped in defeat. “It might be possible, I suppose, to retain that research knowledge past creation, but that-“

“That doesn’t explain why though.” He glared at Eryk as he finished his sentence for him.

Merick cleared his throat and continued. “I’ve read the books Jura, I’m well aware of the peculiarities of her family. But what you propose now, I’ve never seen any of it.” Again, he sounded annoyed, though Eryk presumed this time it was because it meant Jura had books on the subject he had not yet read.

“Different tastes. You collect myths, stories, facts, epics,” she rattled off a fairly extensive list of things. “I tend to like the more eccentric stuff. Really, it’s amazing what a good prophecy can foretell.”

The old mans eyes bulged and he made strangled noises. “Y-you-“ he started but didn’t have much success continuing for a few moments. “You put all of this, their safety, her spell, her present condition…all of it, was merely gotten from the words of a madman?” He shouted, as though that simple phrase dismissed everything he had, but a few moments ago, been so positively sure about.

“As a matter of fact, I have. I’m well aware how books usually describe M’len, and this was no different. It was something akin to,” she paused a moment in thought. “Ah that’s it. “A human abomination, with eyes the shade of an evening sky.” Now I for one think the sky around that time is a very lovely shade of purple.”

Merick seemed more then a little irritated by that, but less due to the source and more because it did sound like the typical description. People the world over liked to describe peculiarities like that in as many words as possible.

Meanwhile, Adel had lifted her head for the first time since returning and looked to Eryk. Even now, knowing the state Vin was in, his thoughts drifted back to him carrying out the final scene in the waking world. Hearing something else refer to Elryn as an abomination set him off again. It was then he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder, and turned to see Adel, and as though reading his thoughts herself, Jura spoke.

“Don’t let it get to you too much. Merick is right about at least one thing,” she seemed to emphasize the one in that phrase. “The author was indeed mad, and clearly didn’t have a very high opinion of humans.”

“So,” Merick said irritably. “To speed things along, lets say I believe those vague words describe her, how are you so sure about the rest?” He seemed to smirk slightly, he was sure he had her now.

“For one dear, it mentions a change made through knowledge long forgotten.” She paused to think a moment. “Not those exact words mind you, the author went off on quite the tirade about human stupidity. It really was amazing, it went on for pages, in half a dozen other languages, and insults I’d have never dreamt of, finally she started to repeat herself and it continued.”

“Forgotten?” The sage scowled. “No one ever knew it!”

“Don’t take it personal, deary,” the little woman patted him gently on the cheek. “As for her pregnancy…I really wish you’d just take my word for it.” The look she got said volumes and she let out a dramatic sigh. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She hadn’t of course, but that was hardly the point. “It went something akin to ”And a child shall grow from the seed planted by her lover.” The two men winced, and Eryk turned a rather pretty shade of red.

“That’s an awfully crude way to put it.” Merick choked.

Jura herself just laughed, “you have to admit it is a fairly accurate way of putting it. But it’s to be expected, she was an awfully crude person, and I’m not entirely convinced human.”

“She?” Merick sounded a bit shocked. He had clearly missed Jura’s mention of the author’s gender earlier.

“Yes, after that her words took on an almost envious tone, and I really can’t see a man getting envious about that sort of thing.”

“Envious?” he said it as though it were the second most insane thing he had ever heard, all this prophecy business obviously being the first. “Nine months of what I can only imagine to be the most uncomfortable thing next to torture, ending in hours of pain that would make even the hardiest warrior cry, and for what?” Merick continued on, not noting the dangerous glint in Jura’s eyes. “A child one can simply create with a few days casting. I can see why the ancients did away with it.” He had not intended to be as offensive as he was, but with all that had happened, and the incredible nature of the evidence now presented by Jura, his nerves were on edge.

Were it not for the fact that a conscious man listened only slightly better then an unconscious one, Jura would have punched him. As it was, he cringed back from the icy glare and suddenly looked very sorry for what he had said.

Jura reigned in her anger and instead turned to the still red raced young man. Her tone had reverted to the calm, motherly sort without the slightest hint of anger to it. “Don’t worry yourself dear, we know you’ve been a perfect gentleman around her. If it puts your mind at ease, I’m fairly sure it wasn’t Elryn this was directed at.”

It was around then Merick chose, wisely perhaps, to leave the room. He headed off into the kitchen, one of the few rooms not stacked with books, to get, as he claimed, something for the group to drink. Despite the old sage's collection of myths, legends, and folklore, those were all just mere stories told for fun. He could never put his faith into something that his research didn’t prove to be true, and here Jura expected him to believe all of this, based solely on the words of a loon!

Back out in the living room, Jura was explaining things further to Eryk, and, to a lesser extent, Adel, who had for the most part sat completely silently. “There’s a lot of things here and there, that point to someone other then Elryn, the biggest being a vague date given. Prophetic descriptions usually, cryptic as they are, are fairly accurate and precise, and nowhere in them does it mention a girl missing an arm. Something like that is just a bit too much to overlook.” Jura went on, more to get her entire point across then anything, she could have ended just at the date as that alone was rather good evidence to her point. It was also vague evidence, and if she was to get Merick to believe a word of it she needed everything she could get. They were going to need his help, and he wasn’t going to be much use in his present stubborn state.

“Secondly, it clearly states it happened through more natural means, which clearly didn’t happen this time. The date itself is enough proof though I’d think,” she sighed and rolled her eyes skyward. “But Gods don’t get my started on that one, it took me ages to figure out what in the hells she meant, and even longer to find out her point of reference. But in the end it should have come to pass about ten years ago, it was to be her mother’s task, not hers.”

“But her mother…” Eryk simply let the comment hang. He had never found out what happened to them, just that neither parent was alive any longer. Elryn always spoke very fondly of them when she did, but she did so rarely. That fact had always sort of bothered him, and left him wondering, that just maybe if he had known them, he might be able to understand her a bit better.

Jura gave a small nod. “That’s why it has fallen to Elryn. Prophecies really don’t like to see themselves fail, so they change the rules when necessary.” That left Eryk more then a little baffled, hearing her talk about such a thing as though it were alive. “Circumstances changed when her mother died, so it changed to suit the new conditions.” She paused as she saw the puzzled look on his face. “Don’t try and understand it too much dear, Merick could turn this into a week long debate. Not that he’s listening of course, he doesn’t believe in any of this.”

The statement hung there for a moment, and then they all heard a series of footsteps stalk loudly back into the kitchen. “Do you remember what I told you last night?” Eryk thought a moment, but, try as he might, he couldn’t. In fact, he could remember little from the previous night, and would have likely even forgotten about what she said about Elryn’s potential pregnancy had the dream not firmly welded it in place.

She sighed but continued. “I suppose all things considered, I can’t hold that against you. Now, like it or not, admit it or not, you two care very deeply for one another, that’s why things turned out the way they did. I firmly believe that had anyone else but you carried her home that night, this would never have happened. You two love one another greatly, that’s one of the requirements of the spell, and while she may not have desired one now, the fact of the matter is, if she ever did, even if only subconsciously, it is likely you she would have wanted a child with. Thus why she now finds herself carrying your child. Her spell took a few matters into it’s own hands.”

Eryk felt a lump in his throat and try as he might, found himself unable to speak. Silently, he berated himself for his own shortcomings. For never saying anything, for being to blind to notice, for not protecting her like he promised so long ago. …Right there she was, only a few feet in front of him, and he could do nothing but watch as it happened. “W-what Merick said, is it true?” He said in a shaky voice, trying to compose himself.

“From a male standpoint I suppose,” she conceded. “Of course, if the books are any indication men really traditionally never took this sort of thing well. The pregnancy was one thing, but the actual details tended to make them a bit ill.” She eyed the young man a moment. “I suppose that’s what you want though, right?” He nodded mutely.

Merick had quietly stalked into the room and stood near the door, listening intently. Without so much as looking over, Jura questioned the whereabouts of their drinks, to which he muttered darkly, but didn’t otherwise move. “First, it’s important to note how infuriating it is to find reliable information about certain things. There are certain details, which are the same no matter what, but many that vary from person to person. What one feels strongly, one might barely notice, and another won’t experience at all.”

“Her illness, for one, is one of those such things, though from what I’ve read her particular case is among the worst, probably due to all the changes that need to be done. All things said and done, her body wasn’t designed for any of this.” The little woman then gradually went on to describe various other aspects of what she knew about, which, all things considered, was woefully inadequate. She blamed both herself for poor research, and a poor selection of actual available materials. The books were useful from a medical standpoint, but they lacked any sort of personal experiences, which really didn’t help any of them all that much since none of them were doctors, though Adel was likely the closest to such a thing.

Jura wisely decided to glaze over certain matters, the actual childbirth being one of them, and she could see both of them getting a little green even with the vague description she did give. Adel, being the healer she was, listened with considerable curiosity to it all, while towards the end the two men looked more then a little uncomfortable.

Eryk looked to Jura with a grave expression on his face, as though he were staring into the face of the judge about to sentence him to death. He’d have surely admitted at that point, that he felt like it. “This is my fault then, right? I mean, if I had never touched her, she wouldn’t be going through all this right now.”

Jura stared at him blankly a moment, a glint in her eyes much like that of a sharpened axe. Her laugh however was more like a little silver bell then sharpened steel. She even went so far as to embrace the confused young man. “If I hadn’t seen you two together so often, I’d be almost inclined to say you’re too good a boy for her.” Jura peered out the window as she let him slip from her arms and noted the sun visible on the horizon. “Oh dear, we’ve been here longer then I intended. We really should be going, they’ll be here soon.”

The other didn’t get much time to ask who or where as the little woman wordlessly ushered the three of them out the door, despite protests of still having so much to research from Merick.

They did, however, have time to talk as Jura hurried them through town towards the pier. They didn't use it often, but the town did keep one in decent shape for the few ships they saw a year. “Just where are you taking us Jura, and why? I have a lot I could be doing right now.” Merick protested.

“why, you’re leaving of course, remember? At least, I’m sure Eryk and Adel plan to, because they can’t leave their loved ones out there, can they? And we can hardly let them go alone.” She said it in such a calm, matter of fact voice that it took Merick a moment to realize that he had of course, never agreed to any of this. Eryk had expected it, it was his intend after all, but Adel seemed as confused as Merick.

“Tyra,” she said softly, “I-I can’t just leave her without saying anything.”

“And I’ve got things to get, I can’t leave without my cart, it has all my travel gear in it.”

“The cart has been taken care of dear. And I’ll worry about Tyra, don’t worry, it’s best she not have anything more to concern herself with in her present state, it’ll only make her worse. Once she’s recovered more, I’ll tell her.” Adel didn’t say anything else, she just looked ahead and frowned. It seemed a fairly callous thing to do to the poor woman after everything she’s been though, to just take her only daughter from her without even a goodbye. “Your things have been prepared too Eryk, I hope you don’t mind.” She asked more out of courtesy then anything, it was a bit late for protesting by this point.

Eryk, for his part, remained quiet as they walked, trying still to piece things together in his mind. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that Jura seemed to be giving him the means to do so, leaving to look for her seemed almost fruitless. He didn’t know where to look, how to go about doing it, or even what he’d do if he found her. …No, he knew what he’d do, probably embrace her and never let her go again. Not until she kicked him and told him to stop it, at least. Despite himself, he smiled at the thought. He'd of course regret it later, Elryn could kick awfully hard.

The pier was only a short ways down the beach from the presently sealed rift. The group could see people around the area, presumably keeping the barrier intact. The actual rift itself was a tiny thing for the damage it was capable of, from this distance appearing only as a tiny black dot hovering in the air.

As the group approached, they could all already see a ship in the process of docking, the captain on deck shouting commands to a few people milling about the pier. It was a small ship of a design Eryk was unfamiliar with, he wasn’t the most worldly of people, but most nations had a very distinctive design to their ships. It certainly was not the cargo ship Eryk had expected, it looked more like it was built for speed and maneuverability then anything.

Jura handed Eryk and Adel a small necklace before they reached the beach. “Here, wear these, and once you leave here, never take them off.” Her tone was suddenly very commanding.

“What are they?” Eryk asked as he looked over the small medallion on it. A small crystalline sphere, with what looked like, runes etched into it’s core somehow, and he’d have sworn a faint light flitting around inside now and again.

“It’s what will let her contact us when we leave.” Merick told him. Clearly he had more to say but looked suddenly very uncomfortable.

Jura took over gravely. “It’ll let you remember us.” Eryk and Adel exchanged glances then looked questioningly at Jura. “This is a special place, as I’m sure both of you have begun to realize. No one comes here unless they’re supposed to, and no one that shouldn’t know it exists, does.” She paused only briefly, giving them time to take that in before continuing. “There are powerful wards around this whole island. Even I’m not sure what they all do or how they work, but what I do know for a fact is one of them affects your memory. Once you leave here, if not properly protected, you’ll begin to forget about us. Profound memories will still exist, but they’ll reshape themselves into something that’ll fit the outside world. Everything else is simply forgotten.”

It took a moment for that revelation to truly sink in, and Adel was the first to say anything, her voice very afraid. “But Violet, she…oh gods, she won’t remember me will she?” The young woman asked, verging on tears.

“You need not worry dear, Violet was born here, so wards won’t effect her.” She reassured the frightened woman.

“But Elryn-“ This time it was Eryk’s turn to sound fearful.

“Right,” Jura said quietly. “The spell works fast, faster when you’re asleep and can’t cling to things. If she was unconscious long enough, it will have had enough time to erase everything. It’s very possible she won’t even know Violet.” Adel’s eyes widened but Jura cut off her words. “But,” she quickly added. “If it hasn’t had time to erase it all, there’s still a chance. Violet is with her, and she remembers us. It takes time for a change to fully root itself in ones mind, for a time the old memories would still be within her, it's just a matter of finding them. If Violet can keep her mind on those long enough, it’ll eventually overcome the ward.”

The news struck Eryk like a mace over the head, but he couldn’t find the right words to speak up on the matter. Thus the group continued towards the ship, the mood darker than it was but a few moments ago.

“Jura!” A voice called from the deck of the ship.

“Glad to see you made it back so fast captain.” She replied with a smile. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen you, I’m terribly displeased that you didn’t stop in to say hello.”

The captain winced, “yes, about that…”

“Entirely my fault, I didn’t want anyone to know I was here.” Merick spoke up, probably saving the poor man's hide.

“We came back as soon as we got word, you people can’t stay out of trouble for more then a few hours? My men will be done here shortly, then we can set to work.”

“Actually dear, I need you to do something else first.” She motioned towards the three people accompanying her, and the cart Merick was now looking over thoroughly parked near the end of the pier. “Just a small favor, then I’ll forgive you for not giving even the smallest of greetings yesterday.” Guilt, Eryk noticed, was probably more lethal in Jura’s hands then the sharpest of swords.

Eryk could almost hear the man's sigh from down on the docks, but could clearly see his shoulders slump and an almost helpless look cross his face. “It seems I am at your mercy.”

“Wonderful!” Jura said almost girlishly. “I knew you’d agree. I need you to load up that cart and the horses, and these three here. Take them to Sylos.”

The captain coughed lightly. “The new ruler there and I don’t quite get along very well,” he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Something about his desire to hang me has soured our friendship. I'm sure once he calms down and realizes his wife and I were drunk at the time he'll let it pass though. There’s a small town nearby that would do just as nicely, the people there are friendly too. I did them some favors a while back so they’ll give me a head start before sending the guards after us.” There were a few laughs among the men, and Jura could do little but roll her eyes to the heavens.

“Long as you get them somewhere and don’t get them in too much trouble. I rather like these three and would be most displeased if anything were to happen.” She looked warily over her shoulder, back towards the rift. “Just hurry it up, I hate explaining myself to the others.”

The captain smiled slyly and barked orders to the sailors, who were quick to stop what they were doing and go about undoing it. The cart and horses were loaded in what seemed record time, and before they knew it the ship was ready for departure. A very efficient group, Eryk noticed.

“I’ll contact you three when I have the time, just see to it you get there safely. We can work out the details once you arrive.” She in turn embraced all three of them, then like a mother seeing her kids off, ushered them all onto the ship. Without another word spoken, Jura turned to leave, heading further up the beach, away from the ship and the rift.

Merick parted ways quickly and went below deck to check once more on his things. “I wish they wouldn’t handle it all so roughly,” he grumbled as he stalked off. The deck of the ship Eryk immediately noticed was surprisingly clean, not nearly what he’d have expected given the scruffy look of most of the sailors. One particularly rough looking man approached Adel, his thoughts clearly visible on his face. It took but a glare to send him scurrying away, strings of exclamations trailing after him. Clearly, her eyes disturbed something deep within him for he suddenly found it necessary to commune with his god at great lengths.

“I wouldn’t if I were you boy.” The captain warned as Eryk started towards the bow of the ship. Sitting there, nestled between the railings, was a woman. She looked decidedly out of place, with long white hair streaming down her back, spilling across the deck, and wearing what looked like a dress of all things. “She’s in another one of her moods, and Jura would have my hide if I let anything happen to you.”

He then turned to Adel, and addressed her in a tone that would have surely swept most women off their feet. “Worry not lass, they look mean but they’re all quite harmless. Shall I show you to your cabin? You appear to have had a rough day.” He gently took her hand in his, and stared into her blank eyes without so much as a flinch. Eryk could scarcely believe that she was actually blushing. “Thank you,” she said timidly. “Some rest will do me good.” She proceeded towards the stairs with him leading, but along the way added, “But if it’s all right with you captain, I think I’ll sleep alone tonight.”

He looked at her mutely, and broke out laughing, a sound which was soon joined by her own. Even Eryk found himself chuckling to himself. It was a pleasant sound that broke the tension nicely, and he was sure, if the mood stayed as somber as it was, he was going to lose his mind. Although he was sure they had a long trip ahead of them, the light hearted nature of their captain seemed to set him at ease for some reason.

***

Jura sat among a small outcropping of rocks as she watched the ship pull away from the dock and speed off. “I’m getting too old for this.” She muttered, wiping her tear streaked face.

“Nonsense,” it was Cai who spoke. “You're as young as the day I met you.”

“That's part of the problem...” Jura added quietly.

“And yet you continue to do this to yourself.” Cai said as she leaned back on the rock the two now sat on. “Soreck is on his way here you know, he’s going to be positively infuriated that you let them leave. What in the name of the Gods were you thinking, Jura?”

She turned to face him, In her misery the youthful look had all but vanished, and the years weighed heavily upon her. “I had to,” she said quietly, her voice losing it's ever present sureness. “You can’t understand how important all this is.”

Cai sighed and sat down next to her. “It’s bad enough Elryn and her daughter are out there, but now those three, and Zay and his crew too. We need everyone we can get Jura. It’s going to be hard enough fixing that thing with the ones here, we need all the help we can get. What good does having them out there looking for her do?” He tried to sound calm for her sake, but the fact of the matter was, there was nothing to be calm about.

“Maybe nothing,” Jura conceded. “It’s entirely possible it’s just a waste of time, but I don’t think it is. You just have to believe me on this Cai.”

Cai just stared at her helplessly. It was impossible to reason with her when she got like this. “What about Vin?” He asked with a slight shudder. “The entire town's scared to death to go anywhere near him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they avoid you for a while. What did you do to him?”

Her aged face suddenly contorted into one of hatred. “I took what mattered most to him, just as he took it from those three children. Once Elryn is safely among us again, I’ll consider undoing it.” Her expression melted into something a bit more thoughtful. “It bothers me though. We haven’t seen Gren in quite some time, Vin was the last one he sent here, but he didn’t say much of anything useful while I questioned him.” It was a nicer way of saying she practically tortured the poor boy, but no one needed to know what happened to him while he was in her care. “Something about him and this whole ordeal makes me nervous, he’s made mistakes before, but this pushes the limits even for him.”

Jura then did something uncharacteristic of her; she simply laid her head against Cai and seemed to drift off somewhere. “I’ve done this for too long, Cai.” The little woman said wearily. “All I’m ever saying is farewell to those I love. I just want to rest…” Her voice trailed off strangely and she went quiet after that, her tear filled eyes stared up into the evening sky as her head lay in Cai’s lap.

Even Soreck, who was as Cai predicted, absolutely livid about what had just happened, had his words cut off as he saw her lying there. She looked-for all the world-like a wounded child, and try as he might he just could not muster the strength to yell at her as he originally intended. He solemnly stalked back to town, leaving Cai and their motherly elder in peace.

***

The wagon rumbled its way to one of the farmsteads on the outskirts of Luos. The driver had made these trips often, but this time was special.

It had been roughly three days since the town was rocked by a shock wave, and panic quickly set in amongst the townsfolk. Everyone imagined their worst fear had again descended upon them. Instead, Arymil, the owner of the home he was now headed to, did. That was the reason he was on his way there now, despite his usual pickup being almost two weeks away.

He reigned in the horses, hastily unhitched them from the wagon, and then left them and the wagon near one of the storage sheds.  Then he headed towards the quaint little cottage that Arymil and her husband owned. His pace at first was a normal walk, but as his anticipation grew it, too, gradually grew faster, to the point he was actually running.

As he rounded to the front, a soft feminine voice fill the air with a light humming. “Good morning Arymil!” He shouted as the owner of the voice came into view.

The form gasped and nearly fell into the flowerbed she was tending. She got to her feet, he noted she swayed a little as she did so quickly and shook her head, then aimed a piercing glare at him.

Before him, dressed in a dark purple robe, stood a girl no bigger than a minute. In contrast to the dark hair and robes, her bright violet eyes flared. He stammered an apology before he realized he was staring.

The little woman dusted herself off.  “Arymil’s inside,” she said shortly.

His eyes widened as the initial shock wore off. Arymil had set everyone at ease when she had come into town and informed everyone of what happened. No one particularly liked the fact that a mage was staying in town, but they had known Arymil long enough to know she was a good judge of character. Specifically, she mentioned a mage and her daughter were staying with them. Then, this must be…

“Pleasure you meet.” He stammered, letting his tongue go off without proper thoughts to direct it. “Um, I mean, that is to say,” he continued, fumbling over his words. The young girl watched with a raised eyebrow and a bemused smirk.

“Pleasure to meet you?” she offered.

“Yes! Yes it is!” He reached out his hand to shake hers as a simple greeting. Even his mess of a mind couldn’t screw that one up.

Instead of grasping the hand he was sure was hiding within those robes, he firmly grasped an empty sleeve. Frantically he groped higher, hoping the sleeves were merely longer then he had thought. His search was in vain, he found neither hand, nor arm, and quickly withdrew with a rather frightened look.

Again he stammered out a multitude of apologies, hardly noticing the girl was on the verge of laughter. “Was there something you wanted?” She asked calmly and with a positively straight face as his apologies slowed down enough for her to get a word in.

Amidst it all he failed to notice the two figures watching him from the window. The two of them too clearly resisted laughing so as not to alert the guest as to their presence.

“Oh, oh yes! I’m here to collect their produce for the town market.” His voice still shook as he answered. “I, um…I also heard there was a mage and her daughter staying here.” He blurted out. She actually laughed at that, perhaps it was because it was the first complete sentence not including the word ‘sorry’ she had heard him manage so far.

“Is she inside?” the young man asked warily.

She gave him a curious look. “Arymil? Yes.”

“I mean, is your mother around?” The girl's eyes hardened dangerously for a moment, then she smiled. “It’s just that I’ve never met a real, trained, mage before.

One of the forms disappeared from her perch by the window and ran outside giggling. “Found you!” The tiny brown haired child shouted to her mother, who was now kneeling in the perfect position to catch her daughter as she flung herself at her. She stood again, rubbing her cheek against the little girls hair even as the guest stared at her like a man about to die.

“I suppose you were expecting someone taller?” He deftly nailed his coffin shut with a single nod, his face paled as he instantly realized his mistake. “Stunningly beautiful, golden blonde hair, and buxom enough to fulfill any male's fantasy?” She said acidly. The little girl emphasized each of her mothers words with some sort of tiny action, a nod, wave of the hand, or any sort of thing her mother was presently incapable of doing herself.

“I think he’d make a good turnip.” The young mage said with a certain light to her eyes.

“Radish.” The little girl piped in. “I like them more.”

“You’ve never had a radish.” Her mother accused.

“It’s more fun to say!”

Her mother laughed. “Radish it is!” She turned back towards the young man only to find him sprawled out on the ground, having fainted dead away. “Oh, my. That wasn’t supposed to happen.” Were she not holding her daughter she'd have probably collapsed in a fit of giggling.