

The Lost Shell of Mahon

Book 1 of the Dalthimus Series

By

Casey Phelps

SMASHWORDS EDITION

*****

PUBLISHED BY:

Casey Phelps on Smashwords

The Lost Shell of Mahon

Copyright 2013 by Casey Phelps

Thank you for dowloading this free ebook. Although it is a free book, it remains copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed for any commercial or non-commercial use without permission from the author. Quotes used in reviews are the exception. No alteration of content is allowed. If you enjoyed this book, then encourage your friends to download their own free copy.

Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.

##

## *****

##

Many thanks to the beta readers who helped my story come to life, those who helped me re-write, and find and fix my errors.You are all my heroes!

For my husband who without his support I never would have typed a single word.

To my readers, thank you forchoosing my story, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

-Casey

*****

THE SHELL OF MAHON

*****

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Note from the Author

****

## Introduction

**Telling of time by the Dalthimus Moons**

*December – Cold Moon

January – Snow Moon

February – Hunger Moon

March – Crow Moon

April – Pink Moon

May – Flower Moon

June – Strawberry Moon

**July – Thunder Moon

August – Red Moon

September – Harvest Moon

October – Hunter Moon

November – Frosted Moon

The year begins with the crowning of the current king, and is marked by each year of the rule.

*The crowning of the King starts under the Cold Moon, marking true winter, and the longest day of the year, the 3rd day of the Cold Moon.

**The Sceadu dance is on the longest night during the Thunder Moon.

****

## Chapter 1

_Once upon a time..._ **I've always thought that's how a story like mine ought to start. I'd never set out to make a journey, never thought about a knight coming to rescue this anti-story book princess, I never really thought of anything outside my own little ordinary life. You might hear that word a lot, ordinary, it is all I had before. Before what you might ask, well for starters, little did I know outside my small town there's a whole world out there and then there's another world and it's full of magic! Yeah, I know, sounded hokey to me too.**

My name is Chelle, well its really Raechelle L'eonis Mahon, but that is really a mouthful, who knows what my mother was thinking, and well you can throw a princess in there... But we aren't there yet; this is where it all began.

In my eyes, I'm an average teenage girl, just about to graduate high school, with red hair that never does what it should, and always a little more weight than I want, but never the drive to actually workout. I love to read, it's my own escape from the boring everyday mundane...yeah I know I'm rambling it's what I do, I've been told my whole life, I talk and tell stories like it's one big run on sentence after another. That's why I read, because writers do it so much better than I do.

Well as I said before, I came from a town where ordinary happens, and fairy tales are for little children. We learn in school how fairy tales originated as cautionary stories told in days past warnings to children who don't like to follow rules, or from people unsatisfied by their current life and pretending to live an extraordinary one. No one actually believes in that kind of stuff, right?

As usual, the major complaint for most teenagers world(s) wide, yes I said worlds... as in plural, there's not much to do, and no place to go, but plenty of trouble to get into... And that's where my friend Elaine and I come in. We've know each other since my family moved here right after I was born. Our moms are best of friends so we are really more like sisters. She's the reason I got in this mess in the first place...

She of course, is the skinny one with straight blonde hair who rolls out of bed as the typical sleeping beauty. I hate her almost as much as I love her.

This town we came from was Ternith, just a dot on the map of regular old Caspara. We sat north of the Capitol and south of the Bay. Most everyone has a bit of forest and a lot of green as their backyard, and we spent many summers traipsing those woods in search of anything a little less normal. And that's where we found it.

It was Saturday, so no school and our parents got together as they often did. Elaine and I went down to the stream beyond my backyard, and dipped our feet in. After, half an hour of discussing the inconsequential, we got bored and set off the well-worn path winding along the stream. That's when I noticed a huge tree... Its roots were all spread out and gnarly, like it was pulling up from the ground, trying to take off and got caught! It was nothing short of terrifying and I was sure we needed to explore. Elaine noticed a hole that came up under the tree where the roots were pulled away, it was much too large for an animal to have made it, and she dared me to go in. The scaredy cat wouldn't have set foot any closer to it, and neither would I had I known what I'd find inside.

As I crawled down, I realized I had enough room to stand and it was similar to the mouth of a cave, I reached up to call Elaine down (if I was going to get dirty so should she!) The ground shuddered. I lost my balance and stumbled. The roots above my head snaked forward rapidly enclosing the space.

Elaine swears as soon as I disappeared inside, so did the tree... It was as if it never existed, but she could hear me as I screamed...

****

## Chapter 2

**Speaking of the prophecies of old, sent from the Lord Sun and given to man in the times before the Anshan were evolved, is strictly forbidden in our laws. Anshan collaborating or willingly seeking company with the human slaves, or protecting said creatures are punishable by the death of the servant and the exile of the Anshani.**

Book of Laws, written by the council of Dalthimus

Stone, and more stone, rise up to meet his gaze. A hundred years of solitude, in his subterranean prison. How he longed for the Sun, the light, the warmth, His voice.

He knew that his sentence was almost up, and they would come soon.

Artileon tamed his inner madness and turned from this dismal cave, his thinking space, his niche carved out of stone to placate his desire to return to the surface and the service of His Lord Sun. Every day he added to the marvel, depicting the story of his captivity, and mourning his freedom.

None of the council knew of his excavation this far into the deeps; this was his hidden place, his lair. It was entirely fitting for his beast.

He carefully crafted pictures from the stones, and painted the scenes in vivid detail. Lately he had found his thoughts were upon the prophecy and he had started in on a picture of a shell.

He remembered well the time before his captivity, he wasted so much time pleasing his father the king, and placating the whims of his precious council. As a young child he thrived on trying to gain his father's attention and praise. Law after law they passed furthering their causes to separate and condemn the human slaves. The _Ladisians_ had become the centrifugal force behind the council. They held sway over the assembled men that lead to the changes in the laws. Though it was not always so. He watched as he grew up to find the council and king had become increasingly paranoid of the gifts that were given to the Humans by the Lord Sun. They wanted to control the magic of the gifts, even if they could not wield it themselves. The most powerful gifts slowly disappeared as the oppression began. The humans were simply afraid of what would happen if they showed promise, no one spoke of their gifts, and they stopped teaching their young, it was as if the magic was forgotten.

Until the day the prophecy was once again written in the skies. It was like a ray of hope was sent to the humans, but in the cold heart of the _Ladisians_ it was a threat.

After the prophecy, the council's business became more secret, they met in the deep places, and they subjugated the human slaves trying to master the human's magic. This began the _Time of Darkness_.

Any who crossed the council met the king's wrath, the king no longer held the power, but catered to the darkness that held the council. No one knew what this darkness was, or where it came from. We were creations of light, servants of His light, the Lord Sun. Even those who mentioned The Lady of the Moon and acknowledged her power, were reminded that she was merely a reflection of the Lord Sun's light. The Lady was His daughter a semi-deity, whose role was to reflect His light in our darkest time, to remind our world of Him. They were our source of magic, the first beings on this world and had created us all.

When Artileon had matured he became more and more disgusted at their dark accomplishments. By the time he truly understood the encroaching darkness, and the failure to see the Lord Sun's light in the council's plans, it was too late.

****

## Chapter 3

"... **and once someone wise told me that it is darkest just before the dawn;" metaphorically I'm guessing here that means it's going to get really bad before it decides to get any better, oh boy!"**

Chronicles of the Princess Chelle of Mahon

Chelle

So now it's time to panic, I think I left off with the screaming; well its pitch black, did I mention I'm terrified of the dark! And spiders... There's nothing in the world worse than spiders. By this time, I was thoroughly freaked out and I frantically scraped at the roof as if this might help in my current predicament. When it became painfully certain, that this wasn't helping I started shuffling forward, I could feel the dirt overhead with the dangling roots hanging down brushing at my hair and pulling at my clothes. I can't tell you how long I was down there, just that I kept shuffling, what direction I couldn't tell you, how was I going to find a way out, and I worried what would I find when I did...

All of a sudden a bright light blinded me, and a gruff voice asked me (not very nicely I might add, especially when I couldn't see and was lost and frightened!)

"What are you and why are you in my lair?" "W-what am I?" I said blinking away the blindness.

"Yes, you may stutter but I do not," the gruff voice retorted!

I am starting to see a little more clearly, and I see a disheveled albeit handsome face staring back at me. He looked about a year older than me, about 19. He had a strange ethereal otherness to him that I couldn't quite place.

The small light only showed me a tiny bit of my surroundings. I was in a tunnel of dirt and rocks. The walls and ceiling were close and smelled of well, dirt and rocks...

I sarcastically responded at his rude questioning... "Human and what might you be?!"

"Human?!" He exclaimed, "That's impossible... Who are you and how did you find this place?"

I was getting quite tired of his snarky attitude by now, and replied annoyed. "Of course I'm human. What else would I be? And why should I answer any more of your questions, when as you can probably tell, if you had a brain, I'm lost, and you're rude!"

At this he looked most astonished as if he couldn't believe I had spoken to him this way, and proceeded to laugh.

This of course made me want to deck him. However, before I could move, he grabbed my shoulders and told me that wherever I'd come from I should run as fast as I can from this place. "I can't," I said miserably. "The tree closed in on me, I'm afraid I'm stuck. Can you tell me where I am?" He started walking and looking around as if trying to figure out where I'd come from, and whether or not he could return me. I stumbled along behind him, afraid of losing this small blessing of light, and hoping maybe he could find my way back out. We seemed to walk for a while, before he turned to face me as if he just realized I was still following him.

"Forgive me; this must come as a shock to you. I am Prince Artileon and this lair you've stumbled upon is my hiding place. I'm in exile from my people, for treachery in cavorting with 'humans'" emphasizing the last word. I gasped a prince and a handsome one at that and wait... He keeps saying human like he isn't... "What are you then?" I asked. Then I added "your highness" hastily. I figured it couldn't hurt, though I might've added a little sarcasm, so it probably didn't help. "In your world I would be a beast," he growled. Again with the gasping, you'd think I'd learn to roll with punches here...

"I must've hit my head, or fallen when I climbed in that cavity at the base of that tree; this has got to be just a weird dream..."

"Unfortunately, for you... It isn't" said a creepy voice...

A loud roar erupted as the prince spun, to face this new intruder. He didn't have a happy face that's for sure, the new guy looked even smarmier than the prince and I immediately found I disliked him.

"You'd think your highness, that you'd find better company than this filthy mongrel, especially when you face your freedom soon," creepy voice guy sneered.

"Brother, it's so nice of you to visit, I'm having all sorts of unexpected visitors today, this 'thing' just popped up out of nowhere, and I have no idea where it came from." Prince Artileon responded as if he was receiving a duke and I was something the cat drug in. I was furious, "I am not an 'it' or a mongrel, and though I'm decidedly filthy it's not my fault!!"

They both ignored me, with disgust written on their face, such a change from this prince I saw before. I had to admit, I was more scared now than I was of the spiders and the dark... And I inched towards the wall.

The prince ordered me to be still, and I froze. Then he addressed his brother, asking when the ceremony would begin and what would they need to do with the abomination (meaning me). "Artileon you may wish to kill her and rid yourself of this stigma of the curse once and for all, showing your loyalty to your people."

Artileon growled, but shook himself as if warring within himself, he shifted and it's almost as if the lines around his body blurred. He cursed, and then said, "Aremi, my brother, so be it, it must be done, the prophecy cannot be fulfilled, she shall be brought to the _ceremony_ as a sacrifice. She shall die before the council, when I declare my freedom."

I gasped; kill me, for exploring a tree... I started pinching myself trying to wake up from this dream turned nightmare. Aremi, turned swiftly his long cape billowed as he...what he disappeared! "He disappeared... Like into thin air, and, wait you're... You're going to sacrifice me!!!" I said hysterically.

" **Silence**!" the prince roared. "I do not know how to get you out of this, but on my honor as a prince of Dalthimus, you will not die if I can help it... This ruse was to buy you time and save you from Aremi's claws!"

Though cowed by the barely contained rage in his voice, I looked at this person in front of me and saw the beast and the man, death or savior.

"You mean to save me, even though I would buy your freedom?" I asked quietly.

He did not even turn to look at me, or deign to answer my question.

****

## Chapter 4

**All humans found after the summoning will be brought to the attention of the council, for testing, and if found in possession of a gift, they will promptly be relieved of their freedom and become servants of the higher good. The greater good for all Dalthimus requires the servitude of these magics to be practiced only under supervision of those wise enough to control it. Magic gone out of control is a danger to our country and people, and must be placed in the safe guards within the council's walls.**

Article 1.2 of the laws regarding humans

Written by Councilman Daltim Quarm

Amendment approved his holiness the King Framond of Dalthimus

Aremi

I have in my dreams met a most beautiful creature, she wills me to come to her. I must admit I am obsessed, I must feel her presence to feel whole.

She walks through my subconscious telling me of the dark secrets she could share to make me a most powerful and noble king. She whispers mutinously of the failings of my father king and my traitorous brother.

I felt her first when I stumbled upon my father's council, they were meeting secreted away in the depths of the palace dungeons. It seemed they were quite comfortable speaking in the darkness; the men were speaking to the Ladisians. Their voices hushed as he pushed the door open to expose the group. I walked confidently in, inclining my head to the dark power of the Ladisian Priest. Up close he oozed the same inky repressive dominion of the woman that shadowed my days and filled my subconscious mind.

At first they looked on me with suspicion, and then the High Priest held out his withered hand in welcome. The councilmen left and I was drawn into the midst of the Ladisians wrapped in dark crimson mantles. It started as a rush of brotherhood to protect their secrets from betrayal. I was brutally hazed, and then in the midst of the beatings I was given the poison they later named as the Iubit. I woke on a stone altar stained in dark rivulets... unable to remember much of the experience. I was informed of secret meetings, and quickly fell in with the group's fanatical approach to worship. The first time I stared to the depths of the blood red eyes that bored from the skull of the Ladisians, I was taken on a dark high. I became addicted to the intense euphoria, the power that unfurled from the drugged haze of worship. My mind was touched by the divine and I knew her then, I reveled in the release.

****

Chelle

I stared around as I followed the stranger steadily through the cavern, I noticed the dirt had all but disappeared and stone slapped under the soles of my shoes. I noticed where roots no longer tangled above me, spikes of stone protruded from the ceiling far above the tips only just visible in the absolute darkness that surrounding the orb of light that lit just the path ahead of us.

"Why are you not supposed to talk to humans? And what is the prophecy you were talking about? And this curse?" Here goes the verbal response I automatically adopt, when out of my element; if I ask a whole bunch of questions I might just get the most important answered.

"You ask too many questions about things I cannot answer!" he said angrily. "You try my patience, and that is not a good thing since I hold your life in my hands," he reminded me.

I refrained from asking anything else. I stood watching him, the transformation of the man who arrogantly accosted me, to the powerful and haughty prince, and now a man who looked as though the weight of the world rested on his shoulders, and was shackled by the lost hope of freedom.

"What is your name?" he demanded.

"Chelle," I said...

He turned and looked quizzically at me, and the kind of look that said what kind of name is that... I laughed hollowly, "It's a childish name from a friend, and my full name is, Raechelle L'eonis Mahon."

It was the prince's turn to gasp this time. "This surely changes things..." he said cryptically.

"Changes what exactly?! I'm so confused right now... You're Highness." I said exasperated and still a little afraid.

"Your name... More importantly could you be the one the prophecy spoke of... You are in more danger, and are more dangerous company than I thought." As he said this he started impatiently pacing.

I could tell he was thinking so I bit my tongue to keep from asking what the crap that meant!!!

Finally he looked up, and looked straight at me... And it was as if he was looking into my soul. I lost myself in those eyes, a stormy gray, that is until I realized he'd started to speak.

****

## Chapter 5

**"The story of my people started when the sun first touched the horizon and it looked upon the barrenness of this plain. The Lord Sun spoke to the winds and gathered them to him to blow out a new creation on the face of this plain. This creation was a wily creature, it was a human.**

A man to be exact and this man went to war against his brother, killing him and when he did, the Lord Sun spoke out a curse, and in his anger the man turned into a beast. Thus began the Anshan people. Half man, half beast. Our anger brings on the beasts that share our soul. We were much stronger than the humans; we were uncivilized, but ruled mercilessly.

The Lord Sun thought to save the humans from the beast, and said; to break this curse answer the riddle.

A tiny shell, though strong as she must be

Save the man, sheltered beneath.

Stronger still the two shall be,

Blood and fire to walk through and seal,

Oh come to us our Shell of Mahon.

The Anshan were livid that a human would bring strength and in their ignorance sought to destroy them from the face of this plain. Thus they were trying to thwart the Lord Sun's prophecy.

Story of the Anshan, as told by Prince Artileon

He told me the story of his people, He was quite the story teller, and I was entranced by the smooth voice that carried just enough edge to betray the beast that lurked beneath his pewter eyes.

He ended his storytelling with the cryptic phrase, "I never really understood what the Shell of Mahon was until now."

He broke our reverie with an abruptness and said, "That's enough for now our time here is at its end and we need our strength for the events to come," and with that he dismissed my ramblings and to my dismay strode away, the light seemingly to follow.

I broke from my stupor and ran to follow the light. I ran straight into the prince as he paused inside the threshold of a larger cavern made to look like a luxury suite! There were tapestries and rugs strewn all covering the hard floor. There were pillows all around and furs to soften and the walls! They glistened... They were painted in a pattern; it was the most beautiful room I'd ever seen.

"It's beautiful," I breathed. The prince raised his eyebrows, "Oh, you like my prison?!" Abashedly I tore my gaze away from its splendor and apologized.

"No, it's nothing to apologize for, I have lived here in exile for 100 years, and it has lost its beauty for me. All I see is the world above and life I should have lived."

"A hundred years!" I exclaimed.

He smirked; he laid out some cheeses and breads. I hadn't realized how hungry I was. He gestured for me to sit on the pillows and to serve myself. I did, and he watched me; curiosity on his face as I did. I know my face looked like a tomato, as I became more and more self-conscious, and I blurted "What are you looking at me like that for?" He was startled, and abruptly got up and left.

He left me, he really left me. I started to panic. As I paced I calmed myself, and I explored the room I found myself in, not daring to go too far from the light. Then I realized how tired I was, and sank into the pillows. I didn't think I would but before I knew it I was fast asleep.

****

## Chapter 6

**I dreamed of a place filled with light, the brightness was epic, you'd think I would be blinded, with the white on white motif, but everywhere you looked there was more white that seemed luminescent. As I looked up I noticed writing upon the ceiling, the words I couldn't quite make out, it was almost like a book where you read, and re-read only to find you cannot comprehend. This was distressing considering I am quite the avid reader. I ignored the writing and looked around only to find I was all alone, in this blank space, it seemed to be a hallway of sorts, with large frames of nothingness spanning as far as the eye could see.**

From the chronicle of the Princess Chelle of Mahon

Then I woke with a start.

"Sweet dreams, little human?" smiled the Prince who I was really hoping was all some warped version of the strange dream I'd just witnessed. Then my strange reality set in, and I was really surprised I slept at all.

"I'm sorry; I was so tired after you left. I must've fallen asleep. I was really hoping this was just a bizarre dream, but no such luck." I mused voicing the ideas running through my mind at the moment.

"No, no such luck." He stared. "This may come as an impertinent question, but may I ask what you were dreaming about?" He asked.

"Well it is certainly a strange question, how did you know I was dreaming?" I countered. I was always a dreamer, so dreaming even here wasn't so surprising, I could always recall my dreams too in detail, which always surprised Elaine. She never could and always woke up blank each morning. I attributed her sleeping beauty charm to this discovery. I was always rumpled and bleary eyed, as if my dreams took something out of me, pressing against my psyche trying to reveal some secret of the universe but never quite overcoming a mystical barrier in my mind.

"What is important right now is to know what exactly you were dreaming," he said irritably.

"Well, maybe I do not recall..."

"Do not play games with me, may I remind you that you are the one in danger here, and I am not in the mood for games with some child!" He roared, and yes when I say roared, he roared! His face took on that shivery quality I noticed when he spoke angrily to his brother earlier. As if he was forcing himself to stay together, as if his anger might make his very essence re-make itself. Rearranging his face into another creature, and I was reminded that he called himself a beast.

Shakily, I responded standing my ground, "I am not playing a game, but I do understand that I was sarcastic, but I deserve even on a basic level, some sort of explanation, as I have not had any since coming to this place."

If I would've blinked just then, I would've missed the almost imperceptible change, his shivering particles shifted almost immediately back into the calm stoic expression favored by the prince.

"I must know, the nature of your dream, it is imperative, but I also understand your need for answers, to your questions even if you have an enormous amount of them."

Granted this small concession, I nodded, and then told him my dream. He listened intently, and then stood brooding over what I had just told him. As he thought, so did I but not about the strange dream as I didn't think anything of it, dreams are just that, our subconscious doing its thing. Making a strange set of circumstances make less sense that was what mine decided would help me in the long run. I was not amused.

What I was thinking though, was of that shifting. His face seemed to re-materialize right in front of my face. To create a monster in place of the seemingly human face that paced around the room in front of me. That's when it really dawned on me, I wasn't even sure still where Dalthimus was, and what kind of place this would be, and I was relying on this barely contained beast to rescue me (total damsel in distress scenario here). I was even less amused by this new line of thinking; I wasn't normally someone who needed rescuing. What would you really need rescuing from in a small town? I thought of myself as fairly well rounded, maybe circumstances will be that I can use those wits I've got (my nickname for any knowledge I have mixed with a large dose of sarcasm), and a well-placed punch in the nose.

However, looking at Artileon I realized that I was no warrior and I wouldn't probably be any more than a casualty in this...well I don't even know what trouble I've found myself in yet. That made me think it was just about time for some answers, apparently we were thinking along the same lines, because Artileon started by saying, "this is a most complicated dream, I know of this place, it is in the palace, my father's home."

"I dreamed of your home! How is that even possible?" I blurted earning a glare. He continued as if I hadn't spoken, "It is very possible that you are dream walking, it isn't a common gift, but a very powerful and useful one."

Keeping that glare in mind, I thought to myself a gift, well that definitely gives me points in the maybe not going to die here category I had going.

Then he squashed any hopes of that, placing it into the more dangerous category, by saying. "This is a gift the council would kill to get their hands on, and extort any power that comes along with it. The danger here is that humans are basically extinct and your features are easily distinguished. Also your hair is a color that none of my people carry anymore, it will stand out and complicate any hopes of disguising you."

He went on to tell me about the Lord Sun, who sounded like an amazing being that I would like to meet, a deity who never allowed his divinity to overcome his protection of even the weakest of his creations, and filled the world he set into motion with light and hope.

He then described the world that I had found myself in. It sounded fairly normal, until you get to the people turning into animals and the assortment of animals, people, and creatures I'd never encountered before.

The beings Artileon mentioned I wasn't quite sure if he made up to scare me, I was tempted by the imagery he created of the lands of Dalthimus. I was most interested in the nature of the Anshani people that shared a bestial form and held a more humanoid form.

I couldn't have dreamed this up if I tried... well in my world I suppose, here who knows. I was told about the gift of dream walking and how I would know the difference of a dream and a vision, and that they were really important.

"The main difference between a vision and dream waking is this, a dream is something that has happened, is happening, or will happen. It will be as if you are a ghost in the world you are shown. These events are not usually something that can be changed. In a vision, this will be something that comes as a precognition or warning." He explained.

He also told me that it was rare and hadn't been seen in a human in the last one hundred and fifty years, of course that might be different since he was imprisoned for about one hundred years and before that he'd only known of one.

His explanation became stunted as if he was in great pain telling this story. Fifty years before he was imprisoned any humans that were left were slaves, he befriended one that lived and served in the palace. Through him he learned of the prophecy, and they sought about a way of finding this shell. However, this friend, the slave was taken as a prize servant for his father the king's favorite concubine. She wanted a plaything, to use as she willed, however no one was to touch the chosen concubine except the king and it was punishable by death, he served her as best he could trying to never be alone with her, since she made advances towards him trying to lure him in to her bed. One day she had called him to her, and gave him a last chance to lay with her, he refused. She was so angry that she grabbed at his robes, and ripped them as He fled her presence. She bruised and scraped her arms, and tore her clothing, and summoned her guardians. He was accused of trying to force her, and killed because she was refused by him a mere slave.

His heart had been broken. He mourned the loss of his friend, and his brother Aremi schemed a way to wrestle the power, he had become quite corrupted by the council. He went on to say, "You see, as the first-born son, I will inherit my father's throne; with me out of the way...He would inherit instead."

"I was captive by my grief and then because I lamented this slave, my friendship and grief was deemed traitorous and I was imprisoned one hundred years. All humans are supposedly gone now, they were wiped or smuggled from this plain and are no more. All hopes that the prophecy and our curse would be healed were executed."

He quit speaking for a while after this revelation, and we sat to a meal again bread, and cheeses, with strange but delicious fruits.

"So about this prophecy," I wondered aloud. I took a bite of the juicy fruit and found eating it to be difficult if you are having a serious conversation as the juices have a tendency to run down your chin and make you look ridiculous. I wasn't relishing the fact that with no napkin in sight I would most likely be using my sleeve.

"You said before that you and your friend were looking for the shell, what is it exactly?"

"Funny you should ask," He replied. Luckily he did not notice my lack of table manners as my mess was compounded by the fact that my face and hands were all sticky. "We never found it, but we were looking in all the wrong places, it refers to a 'she' I never dreamed it would be a human, but what would be more fitting than a human to save all the rest? It would also explain the reason that humans were forced into slavery and eventually ceased to exist on this plain, the evil darkness was working to thwart the prophecy by removing the cure."

"A human, so you found her? How when you've been imprisoned all these years and how did you find this out?" I asked surprised.

"Tell me again what you call yourself?" he countered.

"Chelle," I said. Then it dawned on me what he meant.

"So you think I'm this shell of Mahon?" And I'm supposed to save a man? Not to mention all of mankind, and your race? What does it all mean?"

I suppose I ramble when I'm nervous...

****

## Chapter 7

_A tiny shell, though strong as she must be_

Save the man, sheltered beneath.

Stronger still the two shall be,

Blood and fire to walk through and seal,

Oh come to us our shell of Mahon.

Stupid prophecy...I couldn't believe that it would all be waiting on me, an unlikely heroine who stumbles upon the problems of another world.

Continued from the chronicles of the Princess

I could tell by now, that my ramblings, and questions, no longer annoyed the prince, instead, he was quite amused.

"I am so glad you find my reactions to finding out I'm the savior of your world, amusing." I snarled.

"I just can't quite believe that I have finally found what I have searched for over one hundred and fifty years, and it just appeared in my cave just as I am to be released from my prison, and now I have no idea how to push the rest of the prophecy into play, it changes everything." He was quite pleased with himself, and yet you could see the thoughts whirling through his mind.

"Well," I said "It logically starts with saving a man who is somewhere underground, sounds like maybe he is imprisoned... hey you are underground and in trouble now that you've found me..." I trailed off speaking as I caught his glare.

"I need no help, and certainly not from a child such as you, and I am not a man!" He growled.

"Well looks can be deceiving, and if you don't need my help, than what is our plan on getting out of this place, and not sacrificing 'the last hope' and all that." So said my sarcasm I can't help it, it just comes out of my mouth, I might've regretted this as soon as I said it.

At this he vanished, just like his brother, and again I was left to occupy myself.

****

Artileon

She may be the shell, and the salvation of our world but she infuriates me. This child who knows nothing of our world, nothing of the danger she courts with her uncivil tongue. It matters not that she makes sense, I can hardly imagine spending much more time in her presence if she continues to provoke my beast I'll no longer hide my truest nature. I cannot give her a reason not to want to help, she has to save us. She insists on calling me a man, I have too long been ruled by my beast to be looked at as noble as a man.

I am at odds with the fact that the stubborn person in his sleeping chamber will somehow be the future of his people. He had spent years working on possible meanings searching the ancient writings, and secreting away anything dealing with the prophecy. To be thrust into meeting her at a time that held such danger to her, he recognized that he had been entrusted with her fate. He felt inadequate; he was unused to the feeling and found it was unpleasant.

He was quite troubled at her youth, her relatively wide-eyed view of his world. He wasn't quite sure what he had been hoping for but this girl wasn't quite it.

He thought back to his days as a young man; after his mother had passed his father found it his obligation to 'teach' him about women. His mother had been like a wolf in sheep's clothing she acted the courtly lady, and then her forked tongue divided and conquered those who were weaker.

The women his father presented at first were courtly ladies. They were quite dull, and meek, easily offended by his disposition. They were little lambs courting the beast. As he was not impressed by the females in this group, his father sent women who though lovely on the outside; he at once found they were shallow and offensive in their attentions. He was repulsed by the way they fawned over the acerbic princeling. They were merely vulgarity dressed in silken trappings.

The woman who raised him was a bear in a nurse's apron; she was honestly the only woman he had respect and affection for. He simply refused to entertain his father's enticements. He figured that fate would find a mate for his beast and he was in no hurry to add that complication to his life.

He paced his lair to attempt to reign in his beast, and when that didn't work he began painting.

It seemed fate had an irritating sense of humor.

****

Chelle

When he appeared later, I tried to be more accommodating. I wasn't trying to aggravate him, I felt very insecure the task of saving the world daunting. I am sure I wasn't what he was expecting, and suspected he was more than just slightly disappointed.

I asked him about the dream, and the words in the hallway of his home. I wanted to know about why I couldn't seem to read them, though they appeared English. He told me that it is the royal decree naming his family and it's descendants as the ruling family for all time. It wasn't readable since I was not of the royal line; it would be a blurred apparition of wording that would seem incomprehensible. A magic that was long forgotten, and was used to write the prophecies, but no more were prophesied, and no more were written, the Lord Sun no longer spoke to his people in the same way.

Prophecies were only given in the sky or in dreams to the humans. They were all recorded in the palace under the same spell as the decree. Due to this lack of response from the Lord Sun, the council turned from following the prophecies, calling them delusions of a race that was exterminated. They still in public serve the religious aspects of the Lord Sun, but mostly it is made up nonsense to keep the masses in check and complacent to the ruling class. They were jealous and sought after dark ways to use magic or control it. Some found it and have devoted their madness to it. No one knows where they get their magics, but they are never used for good, they only serve dark purposes. Their magics are best used to kill, maim, or incapacitate a foe. About this time, the _Time of Darkness_ started. It was as though a shroud covered the land and shielded us from the light of the Lord Sun.

These who have devoted themselves to the magic and its sources are _Ladisians_ they were immediately given seats among the council and given status as religious leaders.

"Like a monk, whose divine purpose is to control or destroy?" I said ominously.

This surprised the prince, but he agreed. Then he stared at me, and his eyes glowed, luminous like a wolf's. "Your face, what it is on your face?"

Thinking the worst, I thought it was a spider, did I mention my extreme fear of spiders, and I started jumping up and down swiping at my face trying to get whatever was there off. The speed with which he crossed the room was astonishing, and he held my face in his hand. I couldn't have moved if I wanted to in his iron fisted grip, yet it was gentle as he traced a pattern on my cheek towards my ear, and across my temple. I realized I had stopped breathing, and sucked down my breath. He seemed to realize he was tracing a finger on my face and this was the closest in proximity he had been to me other than me running into to him when I first came here. He smelled like a fresh spring, crisp and clean as though water clung to him and he had just stepped from a chilly mountain stream.

This made me even more self-conscious, as I remembered I was still dirty from climbing in the tunnels around his cave. I thought, he had a bath, and why hadn't I been given that chance I smelled like dirt, and a little bit if body odor though it wasn't too unpleasant.

I thought of my quick dip of my feet in the stream with Elaine and longed for the cool water and the familiarity of home.

He briskly removed his hand and backed away. "Curious, I would have thought your gift was mainly the dream walking and prophecy, but this is truly remarkable."

I was trying to follow along, but I couldn't fathom what was on my face that he would trace and wonder about it... until he showed me a mirror.

On my face was a sunburst; in a royal blue color...the rays of the sun curled this way and that giving a tribal look. It was pretty cool! But I had never gotten a tattoo I was terrified of needles... yes I am afraid of many things, but hey they all make sense to me.

"What does this mean?" a timid voice asked, and then I recognized it as my voice.

"It means that you are very special, and you have a special kind of magic, it is the mark of the Lord Sun, and it is a blessing from Him to show His favor."

He then lifted his shoulder length black mane and showed a similar marking to my own on his neck. I timidly reached my fingers to graze the mark; he quickly dropped his hair and straightened.

"If it shows I have magic, what kind, and what kind do you have?" I assumed it meant the same human and non-human. I was partly correct.

"My kind is not known to have this blessing, I was given it because of my help and friendship of the slave that was killed, and my magic was given at the time of my imprisonment. I had in my youth studied the prophecy and things of that nature. In addition to the kind of powers my kind possesses, I have control over water. I can pull it from the air, I can... _demonstrate_ " he said.

"Demonstrate?" and that was all I was able to say before I felt a warm drizzle on my skin as if I was standing in the rain. I looked to see the drops of water taking the dirt from my skin, and forming a puddle at my feet. Then it all evaporated and I felt as if I'd taken a luxurious shower, and my hands immediately went to my hair, the moisture was sure to have left its mark. No surprise when I found it floating about my head like a halo gone wrong. I guess magic can't be perfect, as I tried to slick it back down, it felt amazing to be clean.

"Thank you," I murmured appreciatively.

"You're more than welcome, I would have been demanding a bath if I was as dirty as you." He stated. I pursed my lips to keep from saying something back, which would not have helped this easily angered fiend keep his cool, and would've lead to another disappearing act I was sure.

"On another subject, I was thinking back to what you said and I too agree that a plan is in order. First, I must tell you about the release ceremony."

"Oh, the one for which they are waiting for my debut and sacrifice," I responded.

He grinned, "I am glad you can keep your humor when you are looking at a rapidly approaching death, but your wit will be better put to use if you know what we must do to ensure that you survive."

"Sounds good to me, I'm listening." I told him.

He went on to tell me that the council will lift the magic they placed on this place, allowing us to leave this prison, they will first send a council member, most likely his brother, to inform me that my sentence has been lifted and escort me to the ceremony. Well, escort both of us, I suppose.

"As you have no doubt noticed, we travel differently than humans from your world. We call our means of travel sifting, as we are sifting our bodies through time and space to appear elsewhere. It is also the magic that you may or may not have seen that also changes us into our alternate form. Each family, or bloodline has a type of animal, some better than others, mine is a white lion." He explained.

I must have made an impressed face, for he beamed at this revelation of his character. He continued saying that they would travel, and I could too as long I was I touching him, and we would end up at the same place. Our escort would then present us to the council, and the ceremony. He would be introduced first, and I would be discussed later. I would very likely be caged like an animal. There was an outburst that was easily quelled by one of the prince's famous glares. Then at this ceremony, they would cut the prince's hand, to collect his blood. Mixed with the elixir made and blessed by the Ladisians would show his ability or not to maintain his title and inheritance. If not, he would be stripped of his title, and be forced to live out his existence as an outcast. After the verdict is proclaimed, they will reinstate his name or remove it, and he must prove his future actions will speak true as his blood. There would have to be a sacrifice, atonement for the betrayal. I would have been made a sacrifice either way, but this is where my sacrifice would take place. As such I would have a mini trial, the mark on my face, and my apparent humanity, as well as the ability to carry a child would be testimony against me, and I would be sentenced to death. I would also face the blood trial, and it would no doubt show that I am human and therefore must die. The Prince decided that we should take what we know and brainstorm what course of action we should take to get me away from the ceremony when the time came.

We toiled and talked for what seemed like hours, and I must've just dropped off into sleep as we were discussing things, because I was dreaming, and it was the same one from before, but this time, I could clearly read the writing on the walls. It was mainly like the prince said the declaration of the family as the rulers of the country, as I read I noticed there was a part about the prophecy so I honed in on that part, as it must surely be important.

****

## Chapter 8

**The writing on the walls, spooky...**

... **In the days of the last king, we will find the most precious of us all. Our Mahon will serve as Queen, protecting all future races, and completing the beast and man of this family. She will stand before her people as seer, Queen and beloved. The prophecy has spoken and thus it remains, she will pull down the Lady, and her minions will be put to dust.**

The Queen's line will be the beginning and the end of the kings.

" **The Declaration" written in the year of the king MIV**

I woke up and immediately looked for Artileon, he was obviously watching me sleep, which is a little unnerving but I had pressing matters to discuss with him.

I told him of my dream. The clear words noticeably distressed him, as only his family was allowed to read the lines. They were _magicked_ to keep others from knowing those lines which belied the import of the prophecy. It was treason against the family to relay these words to any creature. I reminded him of the part about the part with my name in it, and he was sure it must be a mistake; he didn't remember that part being there. He said it may be important so we will not discount this new vision, but we will check it against the actual writings when we are able to spirit you away from these caves and the eyes of the council.

There were other questions I had, but more importantly we had to finalize our plans.

The time passed and I could not tell day from night in these times, only by our times of hunger and my need for sleep did I count the time we passed, it was about three days in this inaccurate timing I'd taken to using, that the council sent Artileon's brother to fetch us. Aremi was disgusted at the mark on my face; he reached to briskly grasp my face and acted as though it burned his hand. The force sent me stumbling into Artileon.

The trip was terrifying, and I consciously patted myself down praying that I got all my parts back after the trip, the other two didn't look disheveled at all. I adopted their stance, and schooled my face into the one I'd practiced on my parents for so many years, a look that said I'm innocent, and also bored and I hoped it conveyed the air of 'I am so not concerned about what is happening right now.'

It must have worked because Aremi turned and looked at me saying I'd cleaned up nicely, but I should be afraid very afraid, that nothing could save me now.

_The Ceremony_ was apparently their courtroom such as it was, not just an event. It was an open aired arena, like the coliseum but smaller, holding the council of about one hundred members, and then the _Ladisians_ whose masks hid their faces sat in gilded chairs on a platform in front of a huge stone alter. The picture was quite imposing. We stood at the base of about twenty steps that led to the platform. Everything, even those chairs I realized now, were made of stone. They obviously weren't thinking of comfort as we stood in the sun, beating down on the heated stone at our feet. My clothes definitely stood out, as I was wearing my favorite white (well dirt colored now) converse with the silver swirls, and skinny jeans, and a linen shirt that loosely covered a tank covered in sparkly sequins. My hair was glinting like flames in the sunlight; it hung down my back and framed my face.

Everyone else was in, leather, coarse fabric robes, and metal, all in various amounts covering only their torsos, and legs just past their knees, arms were bare, and feet were in very uncomfortable looking shoes. It was a good Greco-Roman look they were going for. It worked for the prince and his brother as they stood facing the council and their magicians.

I had to keep from making my face betray our plan, but I had it running through my mind as the proceeding wore on. I winced as the prince was cut, and was in awe as the blue smoke arose. Blue smoke that was a good thing, it was the royal color. They poured the cup into a small dish and an oracle from the _Ladisians_ cult was brought forward to read the blood. I am not sure what he saw, but he proclaimed that this was indeed the heir to the royal throne, and he would not be stripped this day of his title and home. The council was in an uproar, apparently they were all hoping for a negative outcome. The _Ladisians_ silenced the crowd when the leader of the group threw off his cowl to expose a horrid face, marked with lines and reddened around his eyes. His eyes looked like molten lava, staring into nothingness.

"Do you question the _Ladisians_?" He roared, and his roar out did Artileon's by far, because the crowd seemed to cow to his presence, all but Artileon and I were cringing in fear, we were fearful, but it was almost like the magician's words were tangible and oppressive to the group assembled.

"We find the prince the rightful heir and ruler, and he will proceed to show his faith, and luckily for him he has procured us a sacrifice fitting of his crimes and reinstatement of his faith."

All eyes swiveled to me, I was glad earlier to not be of much notice before, and not to be placed into a cage. However, a cage to hide me from this multitude would have been welcome in that moment. The prince tensed, but otherwise didn't move or betray any emotion for my predicament. His brother grabbed my shoulder and said "such a pretty sacrifice." As we three advanced to the stage, the altar loomed in front of me. I saw the anathema; the _Ladisians_ had used to cut the prince and began to wonder about this plan. I spared a glance at the Prince's hand and was shocked to find it was already healed just a puckered pink line to show that he was recently wounded. The knife was a sort of stone as well, a crystal blade, honed as thin and sharp as a piece of glass, the hilt ended in a multi-faceted cut to resemble a diamond. A new cup was brought forth, and I whimpered as they drew the edge across my palm, I didn't register the pain until the blood welled and my hand was tipped to pour it out into the waiting cup.

The _Ladisian_ priest pulled a vial from his robe identical to the one that held the elixir that was poured into the prince's blood, and it was poured in to mine, if everything then had gone according to the plan, we would have sifted from the ceremony at this point. But of course, it didn't go according to plan; it blew up in blue smoke.

****

## Chapter 9

**The blood of the ruling family, when mixed with the elixir will show their ability to rein with an expressed blue smoke. Should the heir be tested for his ability to rule, this is the test. An anathema of pure crystal will try the blood and the blood will be read in the elixir. Thus will any be tried, and found with the blue smoke to be the ruler of this people.**

**The book of the** _Ladisians_ **, adopted by the Council**

Blue smoke, but it wasn't supposed to do that, everyone stared in shock. Only the ruling family, the heir would pass this test. The council was in an uproar, and the prince and I were seized.

Earlier in the same day...

Aremi pushed the limits of his time, procuring a potion for the untimely demise of his father king. He rose up from the apothecary, and went to his father's side taking the tray of food and refreshment from the servant as he did. Pouring the ghastly potion in the glass of mead he swept into the royal chamber and sat at meat with his father. A man he despised and a position he wanted, he was angered at the weak willed man that ceded his rule so easily to the council, and to his undeserving brother. All this would be remedied soon enough. The potion would do its work as he attended the proceeding today. The _Ladisians_ promised the throne to him, as long as he could imprison his brother and that he would not pass the test of royalty, because of his lack of loyalty to the faith.

At the ceremony he was so overconfident, waiting for the shock and dismay of his brother's demise. To be awarded freedom and lose everything he possessed.

It all went right along with the promised affair, but when the blue smoke arose from the chalice, and the priest deemed him fit to rule, instead of charging him unworthy and striking his title, he joined in the uproar. Duly chastised by the _Magister_ , head of the order of the _Ladisians_ , he realized they must have a plan and he would wait, they would not go back on their promises.

****

Chelle

In the panic that ensued Artileon and I were separated, only to find ourselves bound tightly together. We were taken to the palace dungeon, and in this place magic was dampened, so for the time we were stuck, our freedom was so short lived, but at least it was a change of scenery. The prince was fuming as he was supposed to be released and wished he knew what was happening. The fact that my blood had an unexpected reaction was warring on both of our minds, but it made me remember something I missed before.

"The prophecy and the declaration, the prophecy says the shell will go through blood, and the declaration I can see it, so maybe my blood has some magical component to it matching what yours must have to bind you as the heir of the throne."

"That's an interesting thought, I am amazed that is what you are thinking through this whole debacle, I have known only few women in my days upon this world, and few would be plotting an escape or riddling a prophecy to save the world. It is truly amazing the depths of your soul." He said more to himself than to me, though how he could forget we were tied together was beyond me. Chagrined he must've realized he spoke aloud. I smiled back at him, who knew his praise would boost my ego so much; I finally felt like something more than just another problem or obstacle, and felt a part of this whole mess.

"Depths of my soul, huh...What exactly do the Anshan believe about souls and what comes after this life?" I questioned him.

"Souls, well as the _Ladisians_ are our most followed religious leaders; they say all of creation was given three forms. However, it all depended on what kind of creature you are; the humans were body, soul, and spirit. The animals were given the body, the spirit, and a natural instinct. Since the Anshan was formed of the man and the beast, they were given their bodies, spirit, and their animal. So you could say we lost our soul and were given a beast, and with it came the ferocity of my people."

"I can't imagine losing my soul, even to get an animal form, that's horrible," I said. He laughed, and I immediately apologized, thinking how rude that had been.

"It is true, and it is said that we will mourn the loss of our soul until our mate is found and then we can be whole."

As he said this the door to our cell opened and in strode the guardians. They were heavily armored and walked with an air of strict discipline. They informed us brusquely that we were summoned before the king.

We were untied but you could still feel the dampening of the magic around us as we were led through the palace walls. As we walked I glimpsed all that I could of our surroundings, the halls were all white, everywhere white like in the visions, but the light was wrong, it seemed shadowed and dull, as if the life was being bleached from the walls. I looked up and saw the declaration on the ceiling; this marked the passage to the throne room. We were told to wait outside of heavy looking metal doors. I saw that I could still read and frantically searched for the place about the prophecy, but as those great doors swung open, we were pushed along into the great throne room.

The walls were, you guessed it white, everything again was white, the walls were marble, and the grains were silver and crystalline. The dais to the left was empty but it was graced with a white fur-lined pillow and scattered white leather rugs. The throne was a white crystalline masterpiece, carved in the image of a great lion leaping from his haunches and shadowing the King sitting upon it.

The King from far away looked grand in his white robes with silver so bright you could see it from the entrance fur that encompassed his broad shoulders gave him a menacing presence, and his white beard, and head of silvery, and white hair glistened. As we neared, I started to notice the age in the King's eyes, the gaunt feature of his face, the way his skin sat sallow upon his bones, as if he was wasting away in front of your very eyes.

Artileon bowed himself on the ground, when we reached the steps before the throne. I ungracefully, fell forward and prostrated myself before the king. I glanced to see what was going on, and the king not even addressing me as worthy of attention spoke softly to his son.

"Rise, my son, and allow your father King to gaze upon your face, these years have been unkind to such an old man as I, and I wish to see you."

Unsure of what I was supposed to be doing I looked in askance to the Prince, he nodded, and I slowly rose to my feet as well. I stood to the left and slightly behind the Prince but I could see both his and the King's faces as they spoke.

The Prince's eyes matched to steel orbs his father had, just younger in presence. Their features were very similar and you could see the feline grace that gave them both such a handsome visage. From there the similarities lessened, showing the healthy countenance of the son, and the ailing father.

"Father King, these are troubled times, but I am glad to see you alive and... on your throne," said Artileon.

"I noticed your slip of the tongue there my son, and I assure you, that I am alive and well, and will remain so, I have an ailment today and that is all," stated the King imperiously.

"Yes, my Lord King, of course," said the Prince.

"I have heard of the circumstances of today's _ceremony_ , as your brother was attending in my honor, and I am quite afraid for your safety as the council discusses the fate of our ruling." The King said accepting Artileon's words as apology.

"That's impossible, they do not have the power..." trailed the Prince.

"That is where you are wrong, my young prince, these years have brought many changes during your captivity, they indeed have the power to do almost anything they wish to," declared the King.

Before the Prince could reply to his outrage, he remembered that his father must've passed the rulings to allow for this change in the seat of power and kept his own council on the matter.

"So what is there to be done, my father King?" Artileon bowed as he said showing his concession of power to the King.

"I am weary, I have believed the council, and the _Ladisians_ and listened to their counsel and approved their rulings. It is as though I am unable to go against their wishes in anything they request. I have failed to protect my people and have allowed your brother to be tainted by them, what I am speaking is truly treason, but I'll not have you killed and the power of this throne leave from this place. You are the rightful king to come; you had the presence of mind and strength of will to do the duty of the throne that I have conceded to our enemies in sheep's clothing posing as our friends. I have come to realize that I am failing and I do not possess the strength to continue."

"I lied when I said this is some malady, I do believe that the scheming brother of yours has poisoned me and has set the wheel in motion of my death and his ascension to the throne."

"He is not in line for the throne, how does he see that it is his to ascend?" Demanded Artileon.

"You were not supposed have come out favorably in the Ceremony today my informants tell me that you were to meet an untimely death upon your release. This human you have at your side, she definitely caused a riot, and how I wished to have seen that. Come closer my dear and let me see you."

I was shocked he was speaking about me, to me. I stepped forward cautiously.

"Do not be afraid, and come closer give me your hand," Said the King gently.

I did as he said and when I touched him, I immediately fell into a trance reliving the scenes from today's escapade. When he released me Artileon, stepped forward and caught me, with an angry glare towards his father he said "You could have warned her, she is not accustomed to magic and had no idea what you were going to do to her!"

The King looked surprised at the vehemence of his son, and smiled wryly.

"My son has truly spoken, I apologize Princess, I should have asked your permission before reliving your memories, and most humans here know of my gift and are servants to be commanded. I have not met a free human in eighty years. All the others are gone, and before that they were not as radiant and strong minded as you, they were barely more than scared cattle."

Turning to his son, "Better, my beloved son."

Prince Artileon was shocked at the apology from his father, and wasn't sure what exactly brought it about. Before he could ask however the king spoke to me again.

"May I have your name child?" I looked to Artileon before I answered, he nodded knowing of no other way to withhold this information and not knowing if it would matter anyways, long since anyone had thought of or read the prophecies.

"Raechelle L'eonis Mahon," I stated for the king.

"Curious indeed, I can see why other than the obvious of course that you are protective over her, she is the Mahon, she is the answer to our problems and yet she creates so many more. Curious, still she is titled as L'eonis," he said.

****

## Chapter 10

**L'eonis**

The chosen or mate of the male heir to the throne of Dalthimus. As his mate she will be called and titled as the L'eonis, as he is titled the Leon. This a lifetime position and its only annulment is through death, the L'eonis should she outlive the prince, will keep her title but have no ruling power, and the next in the line will take the throne.

**Excerpt of '** _The Naming'_ **from The Declaration**

"Well as I am still the ultimate authority and you are my appointed heir, and named as such. You both have passed your trials, which is a feat to be commended. I declare your freedom. It will not ensure the life you once had in these walls, as I must also send you on a quest."

"I know that when you were younger you studied the prophecy, it has come to my attention that now is the auspicious timing to reach its fruition and I so declare it your right to the throne upon completion."

"So be it my father king," said Artileon soberly.

"The quest will take you from this court and throughout the lands of Dalthimus. There is a scholar named Brothimus. He has agreed to help aid you, you'll find him at the great Library, and that is the first step of the quest. The leaving of the vicinity will also lessen the proximity to the council and their goals to wrestle the throne from your dead fingers."

"Go quickly and make haste, before the council has knowledge of what is done. You will have escort to the bridge and from there you'll be given horses and provisions for this leg of your journey."

"Lord King, what of you..." I started.

"Such compassion, but have no worry for me as I will be dead before they can pronounce any punishment on my head. This poison hastens it even as we speak. I hope my son, that you will mourn my loss. My iniquities are being accounted for, but I was your ally now when your need is greatest. I am sorry for my past sins for failing my duty and not protecting what should have been protected, but know that my death's wish is that you return the peace of the Lord Sun upon our people and our throne will be reborn to its rightful power."

"The sun has marked you both and your blessing will aid you in your journey, not all have left the ways of the Sun." he quietly added.

We were dismissed, and the guards marched us out the castle halls to the stone battlements that ran the length of the front of the palace, there we reached the bridge which spanned across the chasm that separated the palace from the rest of the kingdom. Awaiting us was a set of fresh horses, packed for a journey. Good thing I knew how to ride a horse I thought wryly to myself. I wondered aloud how far away it was to where we are going, but the prince caught my eye, and said, "We do not speak until we are a safe distance to ensure the safety of our speech and those who aid us."

As we mounted the horses, the guards withdrew and marched back to the palace proper. We rode forward, and out into the coming day.

The chasm was about a mile wide, and the bridge loomed over it as the last defense to ward off an unseen foe. The bridge was wide enough for five horses with riders to walk abreast. We rode quickly, and before long we were on the other side. The Prince started going off to the west, and I followed.

"We are going west for the better part of the day; we will have to make camp under the stars this first night as we will not clear the forest before dark." He said.

"Oh, I love camping; one of my most favorite activities, me and Elaine always used to take a few novels and just disappear for days in the woods behind my house..." I said conversationally.

I stopped as he came to a halt in front of me.

"We are not on a pleasure trip, and you should remember that we are not friends. We are on a quest from my father as his dying wish; you will keep you rambling and questions to yourself and show yourself worthy of the honor you were lucky to find today."

I was taken aback at the harshness. I couldn't just have kept my mouth closed though that would've been smart.

"Oh, your most gracious highness, that you would stoop to such lowly traveling companions as I, I will endeavor to please you by keeping my mouth shut!" I uttered furiously!

The horses chose this to be excellent timing to spook, and I did all that I could to keep from losing my seat as my horse reared and then charged into the heavily wooded forest and away from the path we were on. I was just about to gain control or so I thought when I suddenly pitched forward and landed in a swift flowing river. The current swept me off my feet and my jeans and shoes weighed me down. I am usually an excellent swimmer but this current was too strong and it pulled me along as I struggled to keep my head above the water and watch for rocks or anything I could get hurt on or could grab hold of. I felt a great surge of water rise from underneath me, propelling me as I screamed. The force of water rushed me to the bank, roughly splashing over me as I was deposited on the sandy shore. I looked up to find the Prince staring down at me.

****

## Chapter 11

"... **Young prince you've reached the long awaited day, you've been the bane of my existence and rarely the one for study, I am not sure the halls would hold you for much longer. The beast that reins you will find solace and when it does you'll find your way back here and I'll be there to see the day you need the halls of learning and stop seeing them as the halls of torture."**

The graduation ceremony of the Prince Artileon, parting words from his mentor Master Brothimus

I sputtering looked down at my once again wet clothes, as they miraculously dried before my eyes. Remembering the prince's gift was with water.

"You saved me, thank you." I said breathlessly. I sat a moment catching my breath and then said.

"I do not know what spooked my horse; it was as if a wild animal was attacking her. I've never seen a horse so scared, and I have been around horses my whole life."

The Prince's eyes went wide, and then said roughly, "That was because they believed that were."

"Huh?" I said eloquently.

"I was sifting, in my anger my beast is always barely contained and your prodding furthered it past my best to subdue it. The animals sensed a predator and spooked." He said.

"Oh, well that makes more sense," I waived his obvious discomfort at the subject away. "You didn't happen to find my horse, while I went swimming did you? Otherwise this might be a very long trip."

The prince laughed, the sound was a strangled gravelly noise, as if his throat was unused to the sensation.

"Went swimming, that's an interesting way to put it, and yes, the horses are grazing, yours anxiously followed you as it was _magicked_ to find you. That is how I knew where you were to pull you from the river. I hope you are not injured I see no obvious signs, are you well?" he asked.

"Yes, I am fine, and again thank you." I replied.

"I am supposing we are far enough from the palace to speak of our travel plans," I ventured.

"Yes, and we should probably rest after the excitement my anger caused." He looked away to hide some unnamed emotion on his face, and then continued. "We are going to the Library. It is a place of great learning. It holds every piece of literature our world has ever produced, it is a city unto itself, and it houses the scribes, and others who protect the words and chronicles of our people. It is there that we will find the scholar Brothimus, find our help, and discover the next step in our plans."

"Brothimus is a very well-known scholar and he studied the prophecies in the days before the council, though it is forbidden now there are still ways and no one views this world of knowledge as a seat of power, so they leave it be and rarely enforce any outsider laws inside."

"The building itself is a round structure, with five wings jutting from its sides, they say from the aerial view that it is like a sun, with five rays pointing out. Each floor houses a certain set of knowledge and learning, on the ground floor is the school, this is for all the ruling class and the common. All children are required seven years of study at the academy. Then the second story is the adepts, those wishing to study to be a scribe or a scholar. Third, is where the scholars and scribes live and work unless they are teaching in the lower levels, and the fourth, is the library proper holding every scroll, parchment, and book you could imagine."

I tried imagining over the next few days the marvel that he described, and it never came close to the real thing.

Day two of traveling we found an inn, and in searching our bags I found a dress and robe. A robe with a hood to cover my flaming head of hair, Artileon felt he should explain my garments. My usual garments were 'not acceptable' said Artileon. I put on the dress and was not sure how this was more acceptable. It fit snug and cinched in my waist, pulling my small waist into display. It added more curves than I was used to seeing on myself,

I was pleasantly surprised that the long skirts did not twist around my legs and trip me up or hinder me as I rode. I think the Prince found me very unladylike; but he did not seem to like the change in attire any more than he had liked my men's clothing. His scowl only deepened, but at least he hadn't made any further comments so I could pretend to ride in companionable silence.

We came in at nightfall, and left before the sun came up to avoid notice. The next night we were under the stars again, it was warm enough even at night you needed no fire, just a light blanket. My favorite part of our travels became the unusual feeling of the cleansing water flowing around me, whisking the dust and completely feeling refreshed. I am sure that Artileon thought my laughter and joy at the daily ritual was strange and childish. We had our stores of food, more of that bread, and cheeses and dried fruit, and skins that refilled themselves thanks to Artileon's gift.

I began to wonder about the lack of meat, but before I spoke my wonderings aloud we spotted the looming structure of the Library ahead. It was a gray that spoke of practicality and function rather than form, but its heights, and lines had a graceful if fear inspiring aesthetic. We approached by mid-day and were greeted by a stable boy, who took our horses and led us through the stables to the inner gatehouse. The guards at the gate looked bored, but snapped to sloppy attention at the sight of new faces. We announced ourselves and stated our business. They were astonished to be meeting a prince, but nearly bowed over themselves over a human, and a girl at that. I pulled the hood from my cloak to my shoulders and my face was framed by my mass of red curls. The whole courtyard stopped and stared. They gestured and pointed and whispered rushing away to spread who knows what kind of rumors. I turned to see an amused face on the Prince to my right.

"Care to enlighten me?" I asked.

"They are not used to seeing beauty displayed here, and the sight of your tattoo is quite noticeable. You are traveling with infamous company as well." And he shrugged as if this was explanation enough for the flurry of activity around us.

A portly young man appeared before us, bowing to each of us and said.

"Follow me sir and miss, I will take you to see master Brothimus right away. He is expecting you in his personal study."

We were taken into the hall of learning; it would seem our famous arrival had made its rounds as many students and teachers alike paused as we passed to stare at the newest rumor come to life at the hall. We were walked through the corridor to the stairs that wound around the hall to the upper floors. We stopped at the next level to walk through another corridor and turned in a large room that was filled with young people writing furiously copying with extreme focus and precision, well that is until we walked in and then not a scratch of a quill was heard. Not until we had left the room to find yet another set of stairs could you hear the master scribes telling the young adepts to stop their ogling and retain their focus and begin their writings again.

This staircase seemed to skip the next floor and take us straight to the top floor, which opened out into the most magnificent library a bibliophile would die to explore. Without pause we were ushered into a small cramped space that was wall to wall bookshelves filled with books stuffed every which way. A small man sat at the only desk in the only available chair. Though I noticed his was also covered in books, and he perched upon them. I could just imagine with his short stature that his feet would be dangling, not quite reaching the floor and the books were adding a little height. He quickly realized he was sitting in front of the next king, and quickly dismounted his book/chair and bowed.

"Your highness, what a pleasure, it has been quite a few years since you were at the academy, for what do I owe you the pleasure of this visit?"

"It has been quite a time my dear friend, always straight to the business of things. I suppose that will never change." Artileon laughed.

"Ah yes, ever avoiding of the subject at hand, it too hasn't left you either. Some things truly do not change." He replied.

I smiled at the exchange.

Then the scholar noticed me, and exclaimed, "Here I am being a rude host, and shame on you my Prince... I've yet to be introduced to the fair companion you've brought to our halls."

"I am Raechelle L'eonis Mahon..." I said. I inclined my head to the scholar after saying my name. Then I couldn't help my smile.

The look on the scholars face was priceless, as if he was opening a book on Christmas morning. He drew a circle over his heart (I learned later was the sign of the Lord Sun's blessing) and said, "Raechelle, my dear did you say?"

"Chelle for short, but yes, that is my name."

"Bless me Lord Sun for I have seen the day the Shell of Mahon has graced our world." He crowed.

He grabbed me and with a strength that surprised me given his short stature whisked me off my feet in a circle causing an avalanche of books and scrolls to clatter to the ground unceremoniously. This brought a hullabaloo of scholars and scribes running to see what a spectacle I'd become.

He whooped and crowed as he shared the news across the astonished crowd he drew. The prince leaned against the bookcases and took in the scene smiling.

Then scowled as he heard the Master scholar exclaim that his words of parting were coming back to haunt the Prince and he has returned to the halls of learning, maybe this time he will succeed where he failed before.

As the impromptu celebration wound down, Brothimus took us to the kitchens in search of refreshments. We sat to eat and I noticed here the Master was back to business and started to ask why we were here.

Begrudgingly, the prince mumbled that we needed help, and that the king had set the quest before us and that our first task was to ask Brothimus for his help.

Brothimus brightened at this, reveling in the thought that the young prince had to ask for his help, and genuinely sought it. The fervor of the study of the prophecy was scorched into his mind and written across his stormy eyes.

"Wonderful, then my help you shall have, we will start right away. I am assuming dear that you know how to read and that you can aid us in our studies?" He asked excitedly.

"Yes, I can read very well, and I'd give anything to explore any part of this library that you'll let me! It's a dream come true." I replied wistfully.

"Ah, a girl after my own heart, good thing you came with this brute, he reads like a snail and complains every word of the way." He smiled fondly at the scowling Prince.

We followed the gaily-prancing Scholar, who was receiving odd glances and outright stares from his pupils and colleagues alike. I'm guessing this was outlandish behavior for the Master Scholar, and it quite amused even the before mentioned scowling prince.

We reached the scholars private study and to my surprise adepts and scholars were busily setting up tables with rolls of parchment, and scrolls, and books pulled for our perusal and use while studying.

While we ate, they had pulled every reference to the prophecy mention in this world since time began and man recorded.

I eagerly picked up one that Brothimus pointed to and started reading; I looked up to see the Prince squabbling with him about his assignment. I'd already skimmed and found three references to the prophecy, and each one merely mention that the shell would come in the time of great need.

****

## Chapter 12

_In the time of great need,_

The darkness shall fall,

When the Princess shall come

From the ethereal hall.

From the brightness of the sun,

Then she'll pour into his form,

Saving the man from

The depths his own self.

*Another version was written that changed the word princess to shell Excerpt from the scroll of Parth, on the subject of the prophecy, Copy contained only in the Library

Line after line, scroll after scroll they read and re read sharing all that they found, the adept scribes furiously writing every word we said and citing our sources as we spoke about them. A sandy haired youth, with a gap in his front teeth, looked up and said, "We already read that one and it said, shell now it is saying princess. Is there an error?" This caused a flurry of activity from the adepts to find and compare both copies. There were two of them and in them the only wording changed was princess and shell.

"Well, I thought we already thought I was the shell, but I am certainly not a princess..." I started.

It was the prince who decided to inform me "The name L'eonis is akin to the Leon in my name Artileon. It is a title given to a female princess, or queen. It is usually only given to the chosen of the king, or the named heir. Consequently you are a named princess. As well you have passed the test given by the _Ladisian_ priests."

This caused a collective gasp in our audience. He continued ignoring this, "Therefore you and I are both the named and confirmed heirs to the throne, and none can contest a trial of blood. Remember the way that my Father King spoke to you, it was to show that it was equally your quest and your throne, though you might have missed the nuance, I almost did." I got the impression these things are not taken lightly, and didn't press. For the remainder of our time I was referred to as the princess. I had even quite a few of the adepts fall over themselves to bow to me, as an heir to the throne. It was quite a spectacle.

Finally, we came across a book written by the Ladisians, a forbidden copy of their policies and dictates. We found that across the forbidden lands and red-sanded hills, there the great horned beast will aid the princess and her magic will be awakened. It wasn't much to go on, but it was all we were able to find.

We slept on hard cots, in the library, and discovered sleep was not to be found when a journey is but hours away.

I tossed and turned and finally crept out of my cot and walked to the table strewn with papers and picked up the one about the princess. I muddled through comparing the prophecy to this one, and found she was still supposed to save this man, and hoped the magic she is supposed to find will be enough.

As the dawn approached, the groggy academics shuffled from their beds; while we ate they packed our provisions and set us on our way.

The Prince and I settle into our travel pattern, and talked casually. He told me of the lands we were traveling to; they were referred to as the forbidden lands. They were called that precisely because most fearful mothers and fathers forbid their youngsters from venturing there. Tales of monstrous beasts roamed these lands, one in particular a white beast, with a horn. It was said this was the fiercest of the creatures. The horn he had upon his brow was said to be as long as a large man's forearm and his flanks were to be as tall as a man.

As he was regaling the tales of hideous creatures, it struck me again that I was riding alongside a beast, a Prince of beasts, but a beast nonetheless.

I interrupted his monologue to ask "Do you only change to a beast when you are angry?"

The Prince seemed shocked at this line of questioning, and almost just continued in his monologue, then he faced me and said, "No, I can change any time I want, and my mind is the same in either form."

"May I see your other form?" I asked.

This truly surprised him, "You want to see the beast huh?" His smile was quick and for the first time seemed real.

Like a flash, he dismounted his steed, and flipped the reins to me, "Tie up the horses and get down, so they don't bolt and throw you like they did last time."

I followed his instructions, and walked to where he'd pointed out a rock to sit upon for the transformation.

Then, he started shimmering, and I found myself looking at the most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my life. His fur was so silky looking I just had to touch it; I stood to walk to where he was standing when I heard a rumbling noise. He was growling at me!

"Quit that, neither you nor I are in danger, and you said yourself that you have presence of mind in both forms, I want to feel your fur."

He quieted and lay down and started to lick at his paws.

I ran my fingers lightly through his mane. It was as though I ran my hands through strands of silk. I must've, sat there petting him sometime, because I felt him shift and I woke up curled up against him.

I stretched, and started to get up, and he laid a paw across my lap preventing me from moving away. I looked at him, and he was growling. It wasn't as though he was upset at me though, it was as though he sensed danger, and was telling to be still and quiet. He got up and stalked towards the edge of the clearing when out sprang another lion, this one slightly smaller, and golden instead of white. They stared each other down, and I noticing a tree with lower branches scrambled as high as they would hold me. The two lions nipped at each other, circling and trying to find the others' weakness. The smaller attacked, and then it was all a frenzy of fur, and teeth, and the din or growling and roars of pain was astonishing. Finally, the larger of the two pinned down the golden one and bared his teeth as if to say _'I win"._ Then he let the smaller lion up, and he streaked off into the woods. He changed back in an instant and his eyes went to my hiding place in the tree.

"That was a good idea, to climb up and away from danger. I should trust you to your instincts more often I think." He mused to himself.

"What just happened?" I stammered.

"That was the first of what will come, the council has found us that was my brother," He commented.

We mounted back up and continued on our way.

****

Artileon

I marveled at her reaction or lack thereof. I had never changed in front of anyone outside of my family before. She was not afraid, not until we fought did she recognize the danger, even my growls, she silenced as irrational. I was always suppressing this bestial side of my nature, but she acted like it was just an extension of who I am. She certainly never touched me as a man that way, and she curled up, pet me like a tame animal, and fell asleep.

Curious, she even seemed to understand my warning, to be still and quiet and that danger was near. It was amazing that she had the presence of mind to move quickly and quietly out of danger. I thought back to the roles women held in our society, they were docile, and meek. This woman had a strong will, and a ferocity that spoke to my animal nature, and granted her worthy. Even now, after the whole exchange she rides beside me as though nothing changed, I merely was a curiosity and now I am the man she accompanies on the journey.

****

Chelle

Well he certainly brooded after the fight, I wanted him to know I thought no less of him in either form, and it was actually magnificent to watch him fight with his brother. It actually didn't dawn on me till now he might be hurt.

"I didn't ask before, and didn't want to intrude upon your thoughts, but are you injured?" I asked.

Startled, he responded that he was fine, it was then I remembered the cut on his hand that had healed so quickly, I then sought out my hand, I had not given it thought since the ceremony it had not bothered me. I unwrapped the bandage around my hand to my shock I found it completely healed just a silvery line to mark that the skin had indeed broken. I wondered at it, and thought when had it healed? So I asked "Do all people here heal quickly?"

He stopped abruptly, and noticing my un-bandaged hand, he grabbed it studying the healed wound with detail, "No, it is not an uncommon phenomenon, but it is a mark of the _Anshan_ people to carry this magic."

He studied me, and then started forward riding with a little more speed than before. Riding swift enough that I could not find breath to speak again, this ended our conversation. I do believe that was his intention.

They traveled swiftly and made the edge of the forbidden lands in three days of travel. They rode from before dawn, to dusk, only stopping in the extreme heat of the day to rest the horses and lead them to the water from the river that we still followed west. We travelled until the moon was fat in the night. Nearing what Artileon called the Flower Moon.

It was at a mid-day rest we found a copse of trees standing next to the bank of the river, we sat beneath their shelter as the horses drank and then sought grass to nibble and wander. My eyes were closed, and I was reclined against the tree, as I felt the thunder of hooves, I sat up. The Prince tensed as he caught my alarm.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I felt someone is riding this way." I said.

"How could you know this?" He questioned.

However, before I could answer the sound of the same hooves I felt before were heard and not long after a rider-less steed came into view. We stood at the ready, and I realized the Prince had drawn a dagger, nice to know we weren't completely defenseless, but I myself had nothing. Why hadn't I thought of this before?

As the horse neared I noticed it wasn't merely a horse this thing was huge, what is that giant mammoth breed of horses, Clydesdale...it was like that but maybe bigger. It had the most pristine white coat and its hooves though it walked on the same dirt we had ridden through, were as polished silver. On his brow was a giant horn it looked like marble. It was carved intricately with a flowering design, ending in a translucent tip that gleamed as it caught the sun.

I heard a clear voice in my mind; it was like the sense I had felt from Artileon, when he warned me in his animal form, but clearer like crystal bells ringing melodic.

" _Welcome, child and beast. We have not had the likes of you in our company for centuries. Know this the only reason you are not brought to the court to pay for your crimes of trespassing is your marks of the Lord Sun, and your resonance of mind to use your astonishing gift of true speech."_

" _True speech?"_ I said in my mind.

" _Yes child, I can also sense you have a great quest, that you must request my aid, this is not a task to take lightly, as I said you merely wandering into our home carry's a punishment of death. We take our borders very seriously, and commend you for your efforts."_

"Ahem, Princess...what exactly going on?" asked the prince aloud breaking our silent communication.

"Oh, you couldn't hear?" I asked innocently.

"Hear what, you were just staring at this monstrous horse!" He bellowed.

"Careful of your speech and anger around this mighty stead, you may not understand his speech but he does yours." I stated in the giant horse's defense.

" _Careful little princess, you are teasing the lion, it is not always the wisest course of action,"_ said the mystical creature still speaking in my mind.

"And I am not a horse, those pathetic creatures you ride are not my kin, I am a _unicorn_." He said aloud.

"A unicorn," I repeated in awe.

****

## Chapter 13

" **A little below the elephant in stature, the shape of an ox, strength and speed are extraordinary, they will spare neither man nor beast, no creature can tame this cloven breed even when captured at a young age."**

Rambling of a patient in the house of the mindless when asked about the horned beast of the forbidden lands.

The unicorn, his name was beyond our tongue to pronounce. So he gave us his title instead, Re'em. He had known of Artileon, and that strange events were happening throughout the land, much was in turmoil. He had not however heard of a Princess, he was intrigued that he would miss such a detail. Artileon introduced me as the Princess Chelle. The unicorn's eyes widened and he inclined his mighty head towards me in difference. He said he understood our quest then, though he wished to know what brought us here. He told us as he escorted us to his court, of a plight that had come upon the young unicorns. These foals were taken to their beds, and nothing seemed to help ease their sufferings, he had hoped our lands would have encountered the same and would have a cure for the malady.

Until we passed the settlements of the unicorns we could not have imagined the severity of this plague, the streets were silent, as though funeral pallor hung in the sky and suffocated the towns energy and diffused their joy. No animals roamed, no one strayed from their homes. No one moved about or greeted us; our welcome was not coming from these poor folks.

The homes were rough wooden structures that held no doors, only cloth coverings that the unicorns brushed aside. There were herbs that hung in every door way that added to the strangeness of the towns, instead of warding the stench away the breeze brushed past the staleness. The homes towered over our heads, looming in the shadow of the day.

I glimpsed one small foal that hid her face in her mother's flank, her wide dark eye watching us as we rode by. It broke my heart that this innocent little one could fall ill.

We moved through one village, and had stopped just as we left the main road to leave, and at last a young unicorn came forward to ensure we left and did not turn back. Re'em nodded, but it was not returned.

On, we traveled and each settlement was as the one before it, only suspicious glances and wary guards were viewed and open hostility was felt.

We camped for each night well outside any settled area for the threat that pressed us on our way. The fifth night we traveled through the forbidden lands we were brought to a wall with a giant stone door set into its midst. In the door a larger-than-life battle was waged, man and beast entangled, with the Lord Sun depicted his rays reigning supreme over the fray. It was superb.

This was statelier than the palace of the king, which was grand but lacked the finesse of these walls and this gate. The warriors that guarded these gates had the military perfection that the outlying villages lacked, but they were still wary of these strange visitors that walked their lands.

"Lord Re'em, we are glad to escort you to your father, but these vermin must stay outside the walls." The guards informed our escort.

"Inform my father the King, of my company and relay the message that I bring a mind speaker, though untrained, with the mark of the blessing, and her escort the Prince of the Beasts," said Re'em haughtily as if his words brokered no argument from the guard.

"Yes sir, right away my lord." The guard took off, and went to inform the king.

We waited, and I took the time to gaze around the courtyard just inside the gates.

I was fairly used to the idea of everyone seeing me as vermin, but I could tell in the posture of the 'Prince of the beast's' he was not.

" _Princess,"_ the voice in my head returned. This voice was not the same though, it still had the melodic cadence of the Re'em, but this resonance was deep like the chords of a bass.

" _Do I know you?"_ as always I was inquisitive.

The voice smiled (do not ask me how I know this I just do) and said _"I am the Che'Lin king of the unicorns, it is my son Re'em that you have traveled with and I am looking forward to meeting with you in person. However, you are in much danger in this court. Women in this whole realm are not kindly looked upon, most do not have the gifts you possess, the marking and being the last of your kind do not sit well with my people, and also you have come at a time of great tragedy. I will not have the ability to favor you as guests, but have decided against my counselor's wisdom to allow you help in your quest, as long as you find the cure for the ailments of our young. It is a high price and does carry its own peril, but no knowledge or power is worth gaining without cost."_

Just then the voice stopped speaking, and I heard it aloud, as I looked up to find the king coming our way.

"Son, you bring a disgrace to our gate, you and your entourage may not enter. If you wish to be allowed inside you must wash at the blessed river Rul, and I encourage you to leave this present company before its paganism rubs off on your psyche." The king dismissed us entirely and walked away.

Re'em was outraged, and the whole courtyard was shocked into stillness.

The king bellowed an order for all to pray for the return of the Lord Re'em to his right mind, and to spend the day in silence, and the gates swung closed, stirring up the dust at our feet and blocking our entrance to the city of the King.

I heard Re'em muttering under his breath but I could not make out what he said, I could tell he was furious and wasn't sure how to handle the verbal dressing down he'd just received from his father.

"The king he spoke to my mind..." I started.

Re'em and the Prince swiveled to look at me. I hesitated then told them of the king's words. Re'em snorted and sounded amused, and Artileon asked angrily "Well what kind of help did he give against council if he just blocked us from entering his city."

It was Re'em who answered, "I am your help, by barring my entrance, and he has indicated my help is to be given instead of being removed from you. Sending you out without help was a ruse, because I am your guide. I can aide you with the Princess's magic; the cost indeed is high, but not impossible. We have no idea where to start with the plague, and it is only a matter of time before it is too late to remedy and then your quest will be forfeit and our support though back handed as it may seem will be reneged."

"That is what I assumed the meaning of his words, as well." I said contemplating the greatness of the task I now had to accomplish.

"Well to start I need to see someone who is sick, I cannot begin to diagnose a problem without seeing what exactly is wrong is there someone who would let me examine their child?" I asked.

"That too I can help with, I know of such a couple, they have aided me many times, even in exile from the court as I find myself now they will help. They have a foal that was taken with the plague, and a healthy son that was not touched yet. They will allow you to examine them both if there was a way to help their youngest." Re'em said thoughtfully.

We started off to meet the family he spoke of, and didn't have far to travel. There was a comparatively small hut on the outskirts of the forest surrounding the city of the king. There lived the family Rune, and they happily allowed us into their home.

After they learned of our quest and the task set forward to receive my training from the unicorns, they were equally happy to be of any help.

I immediately was taken to the rear of the hut, to a room that held a foal a sickly color of gray, sweat matted his once white fur, and his horn was lack luster. His eyes were matted and crusted, and he labored to breathe.

Not thinking of contamination to myself I immediately knelt down, I listened to his heart, and his breathing by laying my head upon his sweaty fur.

No one spoke as I examined the youngster as thoroughly as I knew how. As I did, I remembered the time Frankie my Chihuahua ate chocolate (highly toxic for dogs but my favorite snack, and therefore my fault that he got sick.) Yes, I still felt terrible about this. He showed similar signs to what the foal was exhibiting.

I ventured a guess, "All the sick are showing the same signs?"

"Yes" said his mother, "to varying degrees."

"Can you tell me of what you've tried already?"

We went through all of the herbs and concoctions they had tried, and I asked about what the foal had been doing around the time he started showing signs of illness.

They went round and round discussing possibilities, until the foal spoke in my mind. He didn't have much strength so it came across as a whisper.

" _In the forest, I was in the forest."_

****

## Chapter 14

**Moon flower- The Flower of the Lady a poisonous plant, with berries, purple flowers, every part is quite toxic, but has been used in medicines to deaden pain.**

AKA: In our world it is called the Bella Donna, nightshade, or the beautiful lady.

"In the forest," I said aloud.

Everyone peered at me like I'd lost my mind, as this was completely off subject.

"He told me he was in the forest," I explained.

"He hasn't spoken in weeks" exclaimed his mother. "I certainly did not hear anything."

"She is a powerful mind speaker indeed," mused Re'em.

The mother hastened to her son's side and he merely nodded his head. It was as if that statement had brought him from a hallucinogenic state and then quickly lapsed back to the non-responsive dream-like sleep he'd exhibited before.

"I truly think he has been poisoned, it covers all of the symptoms, the only thing I can't understand is why the toxins have not worn off and he hasn't returned to normal, as well as why it affected so many...I must visit the forest." I demanded of my hosts.

Re'em offered to lead us and we set off into the eternal twilight of the heavily treed forest. We walked in silence as we considered the futility of searching the forest for an unlikely target.

I picked a flower, from a near-by plant, it was a midnight blue/ purple and absolutely gorgeous, and I wove its strands into my hair.

Artileon turned back with a question and upon seeing the flower he promptly yanked it from my hair. Taking a few hairs with him, ouch.

"What are you thinking, this plant is highly poisonous!" he exclaimed.

His outburst brought Re'em careening into our huddle.

"I know this plant; it is one we use for pain. It is called the Lady's flower, or the moon flower." He said questioningly.

"What does this have to do with the moon, or a lady?" I inquired.

"Ah the mysterious Lady of the Moon of course," He answered. Now I'd heard of the man in the moon, but never the Lady of the Moon.

"The conniving daughter of our Lord Sun, she is willful and wields a power to rival even his reign over the skies. This is a medicinal plant but very toxic. All of the plant is laced with poison that could kill even a foal, or a human. I am not sure but by his reaction it seems that also is toxic to the beasts." He further explained.

I thought back to the words of the young foal and the feeling he gave though it was such a light touch of his mind so addled with the effects of what I was sure was poisoning.

"If this plant is used to help relieve pain, but it is toxic how you do administer it? And is it used on all patients?" I quizzed them.

"It is ground into a powder, and watered down, most will put it into a tea, or chew its fruit to garner the affects they wish to use, and yes in varying degrees it is used on all ages." Re'em said.

"I think I know what is wrong with your foals, but now what to do to solve the problem?"

"Do you care to share, _Princess_?" Artileon said stressing his annoyance with the term that the unicorn addressed me though he introduced me as such.

"I believe that the young unicorns must have ingested this poisonous plant somehow, and that when they were treated they were given this same poison to relieve their pain, putting them further under the toxins influence and producing the catatonic state they are currently existing in." I said unsure of my findings.

As a quiet stirring of the leaves of the forest swirled at my skirts, I breathed in the fragrance of the forest, the fresh scent of the earth; something crossed my mind so quickly that I lost the thought when Re'em spoke.

"Why hasn't anyone thought of this, it's brilliant," exclaimed Re'em exuberantly.

Even Artileon has to admit that it had a valid point. We gathered a few leaves, twigs, and flowers to bring back to the hut. The family was waiting for us when we returned, and shared our findings. They immediately realized their error and started looking for an antidote for the poison; they were inadvertently giving to their children.

The sick smell of sweat and the excretion of the poison were nauseating. I began stirring the air and opening the door flaps and windows to let fresh air in, and took the dried herbs and replaced them with fresh ones, I took a deep breath as I passed a large bush. It reminded me of my mother and her favorite scent of candle...Sage. I thought the smell was comforting. I bound it tightly and not having wax to fragrance I swept through the home with the tips of the plant smoking. It was as if the hideous sickness was purged from the air. The foal began to relax, and his fever broke.

It was found that allowing the body to rid itself of the poison, by flushing with copious amounts of water, and then administering a willow bark tea would set the body's natural immune system in order to fight the symptoms. Still, it took three weeks for the foal to completely recover.

We were hastened back to the city gates, and brought our evidence with us to show our apparent success at a remedy for the plague.

The king sent out a decree, and it was made known how to help cure the young foals of their sickness. There was a great celebration as the sickness was turned back, and the young were returned to their frolicking.

We sat at repast as honored guest at the king's tables due to our recent findings.

"I wonder how the foals all ended up eating this and it spread throughout the whole kingdom?" I knew immediately that I shouldn't have spoken when the whole room was silenced by my words.

****

Artileon

My unlikely companion constantly amazes me. She shows such wisdom for her youth, then immediately follows any stroke of brilliance with things like this. When would she learn, there is a time and place and not many in this realm for you to utter your wonderings for everyone to hear. The court was hushed, as this weighed on their minds around us.

I saw Chelle wince as she realized her error, or as someone spoke harshly to her mind. I never could tell which. Then the room erupted as this brought about a new line of thinking. This plague was brought for some reason, and otherwise as she pointed out it wouldn't have spread across the widely spaced towns in the forbidden lands. But who would do such a thing, and why?

Chelle was red as the focus was turned her direction, she was the one with the answers, and she was the only one who would ask these questions. She at first cowered in her seat, under the weight of their lofty glances. Then she straightened her spine, and her eyes flashed as she stared defiantly ahead.

" _Silence!"_

The room was so still, where had this come from; it rang in my mind like the crashing of a waterfall.

Apparently all had heard this, and the king, and his son, stared at Chelle. I turned and looked as she had stood, scooting her seat back. She held the air of a princess, and spoke.

"Please, I understand that you are all aware of the ramifications of my words and that this trial of your people is not over as we celebrate the news of the young returning to health." She spoke and commanded the attention of the whole room.

"If you have something to say, do not let it be in the whispers of confusion, let them be heard, as we should find the culprit who seeks to destroy your future."

I will not tolerate the din you create when you speak all at once, but know that I will hear you and that you may speak your mind. Be at peace, as I will do all that is within my power to find this death bringer and bring them to the justice of your people."

She sat back down, with stately elegance, and the torrent of questions rained down on her head, they yelled, they raged, they frothed at the mouth in their outrage, but they took her powerful words to heart. They each addressed her individually, and in turn she heard the voicing of the entire assembly.

They mostly said the same thing, rewording it as if they were bringing out some new point. She simply listened and repeated affirming she heard their plea and addressed the next person. Her tolerance was of a saint, I bristled under the lofty council and their treatment of her.

At the end of the evening she said that we would retire and in the morning continue our discussion on the matter. "It would not do to continue, if we do not have the freshness of mind to bring forth a compelling argument." She countered their indignation.

The next day she was brought before the king, and this time I noticed she was no longer wearing the strange clothes or tattered robe I had given her as disguise. Today she wore an emerald dress, trimmed in silver and her hair was artfully arranged laced with silver ornaments. This was fitting for the new stature she had adopted in front of the people who now held her in both esteem for finding the means to end the plague, but also the harbinger of the greatest evil that it was still unknown how this plague started. She was beginning to look like the princess her blood told her she truly was.

The first item addressed was the fact that no one had gleamed any new information from the foals that had recovered. So she asked the king for a party to go out and question each foal and their families and friends. It took some time for this to be reported back, and there were more things to pursue, the next question was how could a people so cut off from the rest of the realm of Dalthimus have enemies and who would they be.

Only one person brought up any sort of new information after the obvious statement against our still being in the forbidden lands and that we were the only travelers to make it this far and stay this long. This was counted as absurd since we also remedied the plague, and had yet had motive to support such actions.

On the third day, since the conclave began, an elder unicorn came before the assembled court and sought to speak to the princess. "Have you thought my dear princess, that maybe it is the Lady behind the flower?" She spoke cryptically.

The rest of the court dismissed her ramblings as a warped older mind that had no business to speak before the court. She was removed before I could question her further and find the meaning behind her warning.

The next day the reports started coming in and we saw that almost all the stories were identical, they were all in the forest, but none remembered going there or remembered why they had gone in the first place and furthermore most knew of the plant and that they should never ingest its poison.

The Court was getting restless as this point as no new information or even a single culprit had been named. They called forth the king, and said we should withdraw and remove the taint of the intruders. That the people would heal themselves and they could live with the answers we had brought to light in our time, but that no more aid would be given.

I decided it was time I spoke before the court, "I believe that you are mistaken in your haste to withdraw your support, and I feel it necessary that the princess should be allowed to access the aid that was promised to her." I could tell they were surprised as I had stood motionless and silent in the hall not bothering to entertain the madness that had overcome the court.

"Furthermore, I agree that this discussion is important and should be continued, I call for a movement to allow the princess the mornings to train with the Lord Re'em, and any who wish to help her in her magic training, as was promised, and then after we break for mid-day we will convene our efforts here. What say you?"

The council grumbled and murmured before the king commanded a verdict to be made, the council voted for this change. I was surprised at this; it seemed that the loudest dissenters were in the minority here, and that the unicorns truly did warrant the positive influence of the princess. I noticed to my chagrin that they still refer to me as the _Prince of the Beasts_ but they call her _their_ princess.

****

## Chapter 15

" **The night was ethereal as if I floated through a fog, I felt insubstantial as if I didn't belong in this place. The melody I felt more than heard was hauntingly lonely. I was in a forest glade, peering into a small clearing. In the clearing was a beautiful child, she wore a filmy white gown, tied with flowers and vines, they twined her head in a crown, and fell beneath her midnight locks tangling as she twirled and sang this haunting song.**

The child stooped low and breathed on the earth beneath her feet calling her children to heed her call...

What rose was shadows, seething and roiling among the fog..."

Chronicles of the Queen year of the Shell

Chelle

I began my magic training the very next morning and I awoke up with nerves. I don't know where this figure I had become came from; it was as if I was floating through someone else's mind and living their bizarre life.

Thinking about my dreams in the night... I'd had another vision and this one was quite unsettling. I woke before I learned the message that was given to the insidious shadows that gathered at the Lady's bidding.

I felt mentally bruised at the end of my training with Re'em. I had quite the audience who quickly tired of watching us stare intently at each other while we silently communicated.

After the training we ate with the king, and his advisors. I sat to the side nursing my headache from concentrating hard all morning, and Artileon seemed content to continue his brooding. At the end of the meal I told him of the dream. He had no idea what it meant, but that he would think on it.

Chelle found herself once again in the court facing the numerous people who had grievances both for her and for the King and his son to weigh.

She noticed the lack of the presence of the prince as he had been in her presence since the time she left her world and entered this one. It left a strange feeling in her chest that she couldn't quite name. Pushing this thought from her mind she entered the fray of accusations and needs of the people.

Artileon after speaking with Chelle, and hearing the newest vision, he was reminded of the elderly lady who came in to speak before the court. He asked after this lady's whereabouts and went in search of her.

As soon as Artileon found whom he was seeking and learned what he was to learn, he knew he must make haste to find the princess. The knowledge he gleaned from the elder woman was that of the lady of the moon and her shadows.

****

Aremi

After his brother beat him mercilessly, shaming him, he knew he could not face the council. He sought the solace of his lady; he had begun his training to become as the Ladisians. As priest and king he would be the most powerful ruler the land had ever seen, the Lady would bless his rule and together they would bring all of the lands under the mighty rule of the Lion and the Lady.

He pulled out the trance-inducing drug used by the Ladisians to contact their lady. It was from the poisonous moonflower; he put a single drop and waited for the unconscious meeting to take place. He cleared his mind and removed any emotion from barring the entrance of the lady's minions, the shadows.

The lady smiled as the unwitting princeling gave his body and will over to her shadow child. She had charged them to use the princeling as a means to create havoc on the plans to break the curse and re-invoke the Blessing and favor of the Lord Sun.

Little did he know that every time he allowed the shadow children to possess him, a little more of their essence stayed behind, stripping his will and making the perfect puppet for her master plan to rule the Lord Sun's creation and destroy the girl he had long foretold would 'save' the beasts, humans, and restore peace.

Aremi under the compulsion of the lady's shadows went about the woods, and finding a cabin in the woods, he set up a workstation to create the trap the Lady had in mind. In this mindless state he gathered the deadly moonflower creating an intricate bundle, that when lit created a haze of smoke that permeated the forest clinging to its mists and spreading out its compelling fragrance.

He set about making these bundles and traveled through the forests lighting them and letting the forest disperse its poisonous cloud. The shadows went through the mists with their own magics to aid in the demise of the unicorns that would fall into this foul snare.

He made his way through miles and miles of forest until his mind snapped and his body no longer functioned, and the shadow knowing his host was rendered useless to continue, exorcized himself and returned to the lady. The body was left in the heap in the woods, in the middle of the forbidden lands.

Aremi woke to find himself in the caress of a soft cocoon. He heard the crooning of a woman, and the noises of a fire crackling, and food preparations being made. He struggled against his blankets but found he was unable. He wasn't sure about what had happened, but his mind seemed muddled and confused. A strange woman who, hummed and never spoke slowly nursed him back to health. Never being released from his cocoon and his frustrating silence he was trapped within his own mind. No recollection of who he was, what had happened, only this prison of blankets and smothering attention of his saving grace and ironically his captor. The only thing he knew was that his brother would surely come to save him.

****

Cian

Most of the young unicorns knew of the danger of the forest; know which plants to eat and which not to eat. The children would dare each other to enter the forest if you dare and bring back a poisonous moonflower to show that they really did enter the depths of the forest. Cian was the younger brother of the village bully, and so when he was ridiculed he fled the countenance of his brother and his ruthless friends. Into the forest he ran to show them once and for all, he was not a baby. They wouldn't call him that if he brought back the moonflower. Cian went deeper and deeper into the dusky forest. He jumped at every twitter and creak, and at last found himself in a clearing. Entering cautiously, he went forward to pick the moonflower at the far edge. As he left the relative safety of the trees, he noticed a vapor coming from the same direction as he went to retrieve the flower. It was sweet smelling faintly of... and that was all he remembered until he woke up feverish and weak upon his bed.

****

## Chapter 16

" _The beast shall carry her shadow, if she begins her reign, fire will fall, and shadows will consume"_ **I heard the collective voice saying.**

(Yeah, for more ominous poetry that doesn't make sense, I thought.)

Jada- the wise ones

We worked endlessly on making my mind stronger, until I surpassed Re'em's skill and we started on projecting. I caught on pretty quickly. I had done this before in the court, and I had commanded the attention from that day on, showing my ability was not one of the smartest things as many of the dissenters in the court were poisoning our efforts to bring the death bringer to justice, because they were afraid of my skill.

The court had taken a recess today and the two princes accosted me in the hallway outside the courtroom. Both looked as though they couldn't wait to share so I waived both of them to follow me; I had to have some water.

We were in the kitchens and away from any courtly ears. Of course the prince had also told me it was easy enough for him to stuff the ears of the staff of the kitchens with water and it would muffle their conversation. It was all safe and no harm done, it would simply dissipate and they would return to normal hearing.

I looked between the two, and chose Artileon to go first to the dismay of Re'em. He had gone off and I was wondering what he was up to so my interest in the matter was peaked. Re'em I had been with all day and couldn't have anything too pressing to share.

Artileon went on to tell us of the older woman that had come in before and was dismissed as senile; she described the shadows and the lady's use of them. I knew immediately that this had something to do with my dream. As we had discussed we kept this gift to ourselves and hadn't shared it with the unicorns. So I added this knowledge for a further more private discussion. Then I addressed Re'em to tell me of his news. He told me that the unicorns had scholars in their midst much like the Beast's had theirs. The Unicorn scholars would read the skies and then interpret them. He wanted to take me there to show me anything they had on mind speaking and its uses, and to see if they had anything about the prophecy.

He had spoken to the king, and in turn the king had given the court a recess until we returned to the court after seeking the scholarly unicorns.

So it seemed we were headed off yet again to seek out a path for our quest. Or an answer to our current set of problems, I'd take whatever I could get.

Luckily, we did not have far to go. The Jada, as the scholars of the unicorn realm call themselves, live under the stars and call no place their home. They stay close to the outside world of course, because they do not have time to waste on the menial tasks that living requires, so they barter their information and wisdom with those who would take care of their other needs.

So I was told to look forward to a day of brushing a giant unicorn until their coats were shiny, and untangling the furry mess around their hooves. Curling their manes and tails and brushing perfumes throughout, in order to get the information we needed.

A lady scholar met us; we addressed all the scholars by their title of Jada. The Jada brought us into their midst and we set about to tell them our business, they would only address Re'em, as though the Prince and I were beneath notice. It was quite annoying. Soon, we set about our tasks for the Jada, I began grooming, and Artileon, was sent to stack wood and cut more for the coming winter months. Re'em was sent to carry water back and forth from a stream to their camp, a trough was set along the camp and he filled it to the brim with fresh water. As night fell, we were told our efforts had indeed earned us favor and we would be rewarded with a reading from the stars.

They all took a stance in a ring around our uncertain trio, and gazed to the heavens in search of some hidden truth to be told.

" _The beast shall carry her shadow, if she begins her reign, fire will fall, and shadows will consume"_ I heard the collective voice saying.

Yeah, for more ominous poetry that doesn't make sense, I thought.

The Jada collectively turned their steely gaze to me, and said

" _The child princess has the power to save the world, he is bound to take her to the fire hills and she will be successful, but she must carry a solitary burden. Her heart will be broken, a sacrifice must be made, and her soul will be poured out to save us all."_

Creepy, they stared and then unexpectedly all turned and went into the forest leaving the three of us standing in the light of the Thunder Moon.

I was starting to get the feeling that saving the world wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. I was no hero, or a princess, or anything special at all I was just me. Deep down, I was afraid.

****

Artileon

It was strange to see the princess brooding; he knew the reading of the stars had a distressing effect on her. He wondered at the change in her since stumbling upon his prison, and integrating herself into his world.

Then he thought to what he had heard at the reading...

The two cannot fail,

For the world is at stake,

Her shadows to over whelm,

And the people's will to break.

He was brought forth from the depths, but her soul shall entwine his nature and thus begins the healing and the curse will be broken. If he does not allow the love entrance, the spell will be broken and she will die.

Back to the poor guy who was brought from the depths, and love what a folly. His nature did not love, that showed weakness. His kind allowed for favor and a mate was chosen by their nature, not by the man. They were truly beasts, and none could love a beast.

****

Re'em

That had to be the strangest reading I had ever encountered, the pale light of the moon shone and I know a message was given, both the human girl and the beast heard something, and I heard nothing. Then I felt a sharp tug, and a sliver of my soul snaked from my being, and wrapped around the words that fell onto my deaf ears...

They were both moody and irritable as we left the camp of the Jada. I wanted badly to know what they had heard, but both seemed lost, and confused with what had been spoken.

Finally a caw broke the silence and the startled Princess jumped. The trio found that very funny and their fear dissolved into laughter over such a trivial matter. When they returned to the court he realized they had not searched any of the scrolls.

The next morning, during their training session, the king joined in. He wanted to know of the mental progress we had made, and also of our visit with the Jada.

The princess also added the sour prince to the mix and we agreed she might practice on a non-mind speaker. She began by telling the three of us her version of the night with the Jada. They were overjoyed at apparent ease she had to communicate with her mind and the imagery she relayed while she spoke.

Then they asked the Prince his reaction and he said that it was amazing, her voice came through as a waterfall in his mind garbling but beautiful and her version, of the words they spoke are not the same as his. So then he relayed the words given to him, he tried speaking in his mind to the princess, but it didn't seem to work. They were astonished that the two were given different telling's, and then Re'em told his version how he heard nothing, but of the pulling.

They all wondered at what he would be bound to.

Later in the same week, as they went about doing more of their studies, practice the mind speaking, and of the business with the court, they received a decree from the _Palace of the Beasts_.

****

To all inhabitants under the Lord Sun,

We regret to inform you of the death of our beloved King Framond of Dalthimus. His holiness the King has passed from this life and now walks the eternal lands of the Lord Sun. His two dearly loved sons, the named heir Prince Artileon, and the Princeling Aremi survive him. As well as the L'eonis, who accompanies the Prince Heir at the King's behest a quest of Royal import. Any who wish to mark the end of the King's life the memorial pyre will be lit on the rising on the Red Moon. It will be attended and officiated by the Council.

We request that this decree be read in the general populace and in the entirety of the realm. As the whereabouts of the bereaved Prince Heir and beloved Princeling at this time are unknown; the council will hold court as Regent until the Heir is crowned. Upon the receipt of this letter, let us pass on our deepest condolences in this tragedy and we join you in mourning.

Condolences,

Written by Councilman Daltim Quarm on the Behalf of the Court of the King of Dalthimus

****

"Outrageous, they make it sound as this was an approved task set forth with their blessing, and not that they had imprisoned us and had tried to kill us. Much less would love to send out a letter informing the realm of your demise, so they could crown their precious acolyte your brother." I said quietly to Artileon.

"I think it is more interesting not only do they assume the power of the throne so easily, but that my brother is not there already. If they have lost him, they have lost their seat of power, and they must be floundering in this mess." He responded.

The Unicorn king, dismissed the court, and asked for us and Re'em to stay behind.

"You do not find this news surprising?" the king asked noticing our lack of outpouring of grief at such news.

"We learned of his proximity of death, and were headed on our business from his side due to the nature of our quest. It was only a matter of time before it reached us," said the Prince. "Moreover I am less than pleased that they have named the princess as this will make our quest that much more urgent and dangerous. The court will run whether I am there at the moment or not, and though they thought to draw us out for the pyre, it is from the king, I must not return until the task is completed, or all will be for naught."

"I understand," said the king "the cost of your endeavor ever increases, I am truly sorry for your loss and the inability to grieve as is warranted in this time."

Re'em spoke up then "This is perchance not the best of timing, but on the news of this could it not also be a return of our court's senses that these two be on their way, they have done what we asked of them, the princess has received what training I can offer. They have received the next place for the journey; I think we must allow them the chance to move forward."

"I think you speak wisely though I do not wish to send them away, I have become accustomed to the presence of the Princess in my court the people respond well to her ministrations. She will be a great asset to you young Prince... well I should say King." The King agreed.

Artileon's head swiveled at the kings words, "Not King yet." He murmured.

The king had the news taken to the outlying villages and sent words to ready the Lion, and L'eonis for travel.

It was with great pomp and circumstance that we left the court the next morning, the unicorns came out to fare their princess a safe journey.

As they neared the gates, Re'em and his father bowed their thanks. Re'em stepped forward "I have been thinking on the words from the Jada, and the binding, as I spoke to you yesterday I found that I must indeed be bound to you princess and therefore I will journey with you, if you will allow."

I was stunned, and searched the King and Artileon's faces; neither seemed surprised though Artileon's face was shadowed.

"I do not see why not, it will most likely be a long journey and one that we might not return from. You may come at your own request, it will not be said that I lured you on a fool's errand and bring the tentative friendship we earned here to an end." I spoke clearly.

The king nodded, and to my surprise Re'em smiled and waved triumphantly to his people and they broke out into thunderous applause.

Quite puzzled, I must remember to question him about this later. (See I am learning to keep my wondering to myself, or at least until better timing!) We set out to the cheering of the crowd, and set a brisk pace toward the Fire Hills.

****

## Chapter 17

**Fire Hills as described by Artileon.**

The Fire Hills are the ancient battlegrounds of the brothers in the history of the Anshan. This is where one brother fought, and lost his life and the animal replaced the soul of the people. They are called red not only for their bloody history however, but the sandy loam is stained red as though the very ground cried for the blood of the slain sibling.

He forgot to mention that when the heat of the sun roasts the valleys created by the hills, the haze rises up distorting your view and the vision of fire dances in the hills. Then Re'em informed me of the less historical value of the bloody hills was the creatures that claimed the land and its victims. Spitting cactus, and wasting lizards. These alone might kill you but the worst is the red tailed _Morx_ with horns like a ram, a snout like panther, and a whip like tail that pierces as though it was a dagger. It has a terrible temper and is territorial. I found myself disliking this place almost immediately.

We camped in a wide open space on the crest of a hill, overlooking a barren valley. As we ate, I remembered the unicorn's farewell to their Prince and had to ask Re'em why they had responded as such.

"Re'em I must ask..." I started.

He started laughing, "I'd wondered when you'd get around to asking," He said.

"It is the testing of our people, that a Prince cannot be named until he has completed a charge worthy of his people. I had yet to find a reason to leave much less a need to pursue, so I had not earned the respect or title that is my due. My people were very pleased not only to find I was finally mature enough to go, but that I chose you to endeavor with."

I was astonished. I almost blurted out well glad to have you on board, but I realized the consequence of his words. Why would they be happy it was me he was helping, and what did that mean from him. It was as if Artileon could guess my thinking or maybe he'd already come to the same conclusion. He glanced my way and then I had to think why would he care, it wasn't as if he or I had chosen this. I'd shown up in his prison and thrown his whole world off kilter.

I had too many ideas running in my head and I lay down for the night. I had to at least rest my body, if not my mind for the travel ahead of us in the morning.

Almost immediately I was asleep and taken into a dream vision.

Aodh, fire, the place of fire. Here the meaning for your trials will converge. Come find me, little princess, but know you might have to choose, only two may succeed thus said the tellings of the Jada. Choose wisely, for the wrong choice will determine the fate of this entire world. I was shown to an island, and oasis in the sea of red sandy hills. The island had the feel of sweltering oppression and dragged at my being. I was shown the marking to follow a well-worn and cut out path, to a circle of stones. Here.

I was shaking violently, and rough hands were grabbing me, I started awake and started to scream, fighting my unknown attacker.

"Ooompf," my assailant landed on his rump in the sand as the Prince tore him away from me.

"What is the meaning of this?" He demanded angrily.

I peered at my attacker and recognized it as Re'em, who looked as shocked as I was.

"She was in danger, the thread it pulled at my soul, I felt the oppression of her soul in her dream, and she was in an ensorcelled place." He pleaded.

I was dream walking, not actually in danger, wasn't it? No one had explained entirely the ability I had, so it was possible my soul was visiting these places as I dreamed, maybe that was why I always woke up groggy and drained.

Artileon explained what I had just come to realize. I sat in dread that Re'em was right he truly was bound to my soul and experienced the effect of the dreams, and who knows what else. I imagined this came as quite a shock to him, as having the twain abilities made me that much more of an abnormality.

Though he did not see this as a bad thing, if anything he seemed to admire the uniqueness of _His Princess._ Oh, boy this guy. I told them of my dream; I might've left out the choice part. At least we had a destination in the fire hills, I am sure they are lovely but I'd like to get out of here as soon as we can.

To turn the subject of conversation away from me, and his adoration I asked him about the lore of his people. He told me while we started our sandy trek.

"Well, I am not sure what the _Beastly King_ has told you," he started.

I cringed at the obvious demeaning tone he used for Artileon, and I had to bite my tongue not to come to his defense. As if he needed me to defend him, he never even blinked when someone spoke about him or his people that way as if he was too much a beast, to have human emotions. When I zoned back in Re'em was still regaling the might of his people, when I realized he told the same story in essence as Artileon. I looked at him in surprise, "you mean you can change to human form too?!"

Artileon and Re'em stared at me as if to say what took you so long...

I then grilled them about why the unicorns stayed in their alternate form and do all the different types of animals form their own groups, and is that why no one eats meat... Until Artileon gave me the _'you're rambling'_ look.

I smiled and started thinking about all that I had learned that day.

Humans were the only creatures that did not change from their original form, keeping their soul. The animal natures that came forth after the curse started creating groups unto themselves. They were unruly, and wild as their natures appealed unto them. Until the Lion, who by natural selection was named the King of the Beasts. He was by far the most cunning and the most ruthless. His kingship was passed down upon his line; the only animals that did not subject themselves to the King and his rule were the Unicorns, the Mare and the Humans.

The unicorns did truly stay in their animal form as a matter of principal, why hide the nature given to them, and they only chose to change for the required needs. The sifting of an animal's nature did not need to be complete, so some even chose to partially sift and would keep the best of what they felt their nature had afforded them. As you would not want to cross a _Sifted Animal_ and eat him for lunch, they do not hunt their subjects. They will prepare true animals for an annual hunt. This also coincided with the holiday to celebrate the Lady of the Moon, and her _sceadu_ dances. All will change under her darkness that night.

"The _sceadu_ , that's pretty close sounding to shadow..." I spoke to myself, but Artileon nodded in acknowledgement of what I'd said.

That night the admiration of Re'em was at its worst. I noticed a wry smile on the Prince's face at my displeasure at the added attention. The unicorn, made quite a spectacle of showing me his human face. He was quite handsome, he had the same shimmering quality that Artileon had, and he sifted into clothing much the same style as Artileon's garb. He was tall; gargantuan really, I looked up squinting at his height. I guess to be such a tall unicorn the man would be too, and he was not fat in any way but extremely muscular much like a body builder, he was huge. If someone was going to ask if I had ever met a giant, this is exactly what I would picture. He looked extremely uncomfortable as a human, but set about doing humanly seeming things. It was quite a sight. His efforts must've paid off though, since Artileon was sullen at this show for my benefit. He stalked off to go look after the horses, and left me with the _prancing pony_.

When he returned, I used my mind speak on him. I wanted to see if I could project to him only or if I would project to everyone in ' _hearing'_. It worked, as Re'em testified to not hearing our silent conversation, though he was sad not to be included he said he understood the significance of my inquiry.

I thought ' _prancing pony'_ indeed, and Artileon chuckled.

I hadn't meant that stray thought to get away, but Re'em did not get offended so I assumed I was in the clear.

As we began our morning routine of packing up our belongings and setting out I once again practiced allowing my thoughts to one or the other, and then both. As we rode I sent a picture to each of them of the island we were trying to find.

I only got a picture of a giant ox-like creature, and a feeling of intense fear as a response.

The warning I had gotten was too late to be of any benefit, I had no idea where it had come from either. As I looked to my left, I saw the beast rear up and attack the Prince. As I screamed, he told us to flee. Re'em took my reigns and forced us away from the fray. I looked over my shoulder to watch as the great horned creature gored the stunned horse, and the prince falling into the danger of the hooves that stamped about. I couldn't see any further as the red sand billowed and cast a fiery glow to the scene.

****

## Chapter 18

' _Come find me, little princess, but know you might have to choose, only two may succeed thus said the tellings of the Jada. Choose wisely, for the wrong choice will determine the fate of this entire world.'_ **The words echoed ominously in my head.**

"We have to go back!" I shouted wrestling my reigns back from Re'em. "You can't go back, you saw what that creature did, and this is what the Prince would have wanted." He said unapologetically.

"I have to go back; the beast may have gone away... maybe we can save him." I said earnestly.

"That beast will never leave its prey. The Prince is gone, and he did what he could to ensure that we were able to get away. Even still, if we were to find the Prince and the beast had left, it is too late. The beast secrets a foul poison on his tusks, there is not medicine to cure this ailment, he will perish." He said adamantly refusing to allow me to turn back.

As we broke camp, I devised a plan to break away from Re'em. I must see it for myself or I would never forgive myself for allowing him to suffer that way. As soon as I saw the rise and fall of the unicorn's breath and the faint rumbling of his snoring, I ran for my horse and mounted, shooting off as I heard his shouting for me to come back.

I didn't turn around or hesitate instead I went at a full gallop in the direction we had left Artileon, praying that when I did reach him that it wouldn't be too late.

I searched the sandy area for the signs of the struggle and was about the lose hope when I spotted the broken cactus, and crushed bushes that surely witnessed the brutal attack of the creature with the tusks. The _Morx_ as Re'em had called it. I went more cautiously now, and dismounted nearly toppling over as I caught sight of the Prince's body, the horse had thrown him away from the fight and in the Monster's haste to take his prey he hadn't noticed the battered Prince. I ran to his side, and looked at him, his face slightly bloated and red from the sun's heat, and his lips parched and broken from lack of moisture. His hands covering a tangle of torn and bloodied fabric and as I lifted it I gasped in dismay. He had been stabbed by the _Morx's_ horn, and necrosis had set to its dismal job corroding the wound. I felt his pulse and saw that he was still alive; I couldn't just leave him. As I sat in anguish, Re'em caught up to me and stood silently watching me. Then he sifted and reached down to lift up Artileon and placed him on the back of the horse. He grabbed the horse's reigns, and then sifted, telling me to get on his back and we would head back to camp. I could tell he was angry and thought I was foolish, but he understood my lack of belief in the fatality.

At camp Re'em wouldn't speak to me, he was fuming at my disregard to my safety and my inability to face the facts.

I settled in for the night for real this time...

' _Came...back...'_

"What?" I asked.

Re'em looked at me and told me he hadn't said anything.

' _For...me...why?'_

I looked at Artileon, in shock. I opened my mind to him and his mind replayed the awful sight of what had happened that day. I shook in fear of the scenes, and answered his question.

' _I will always come back.'_

He was talking to me in my mind, I couldn't believe it, and I asked him if he had sent me the warning, ' _yes'_ was all he could reply.

The next morning, I washed and bandaged Artileon's injuries to Re'em's dismay and continual grumbling. I gave him lots of water and shaded him as best I could, then we had to come up with a plan for how we would continue. Re'em said obviously I was mad and we should leave the Prince to die, I was merely prolonging the agony of the poison. At that point I walked away to the crest of the next hill still in sight of the camp but far enough away that I was alone. As I stared out across the crimson dunes I couldn't believe what I saw.

I sent the picture of the island back to Re'em and Artileon, and said ' _we found it_.' Re'em came running and shouted in triumph that we had made it.

' _Go'_ I heard through the link with Artileon. I hesitated then set off down to the edge of the water that surrounded the tiny island. Truly an oasis, it was a cool retreat from the sandy ridges and glaring sun. I could barely restrain myself from jumping in to the inviting water. " _Wait_ ," commanded Re'em.

I turned to see what the matter was, and found the _Morx_ had beaten us to the lake. His shriveled carcass had made its final resting place in the watery stillness. It was as if the waters sucked the life from the giant creature. I then noticed there were no sounds, no animals, and no birds. There would surely be a multitude of animals in an area that housed water in an arid climate such as this. I pulled back from the shore like it was on fire.

We walked back to camp and helped the prince to a new camp on the outskirts of the lake. In the heat, it was wonderful to just sit in the coolness that blew up from the water.

As the sun set, the water reflected the rays as if flames were coming from its depths. Re'em and I sat in awed silence...

" _Come_ _"_

That was the voice from the dream I recognized it at once.

" _Alone_ _"_

I also recognized its finality.

Well it's show time...

I walked closer to the shore as a small raft floated my way; a pole was attached to the craft.

"No, you are not getting on that, and it is too small to carry both of us." Re'em said indignantly.

"Re'em, it is calling me. This is more than you, and I, and Artileon, it is our world and it's what must be done. Princes and Princesses, Kings and Queens must all make sacrifices for the greater good." I said quietly.

"I must go alone, and face my trial, remember yours was to get me here safely and you completed that journey." I said with more poise that I felt at the moment.

He didn't seem to notice, and nodded. He was not happy with it but he could not argue.

I stepped cautiously onto the raft, and set the pole into the water and cast off from the bank. From there I hadn't need of the pole as an unseen force dragged me along to the silent shore of the island. As I neared it, the oppressive air collided with my lungs. I forced a breath and could imagine the tugging on my soul as Re'em had described it. Would he too in reality feel this, and if it took my soul would it also take his, would that be my choice?

The island had lush vegetation, and was eerie in its silence. She could imagine getting lost in the maze of palm fronds, and curly ferns. She swept away vines, and steered her way along the barely visible trail, not much more than a dirt path littered with dropped and decaying leaves, and rimmed with strange flowers and mushrooms.

The air was sultry and hung in the air as if it was tangible, and irritably she wished she could swipe it away as easily as the low hanging leaves and branches barring her forward progress. She wondered about food, she hadn't thought that far ahead when she ventured into the interior of the island, thinking it wasn't that large of a space, but as she dove forward into the heart of the mirage she was sure it had grown as she lost sight of the shore. The path wound through the moss covered trees, seemingly without end; she was getting hungry and tired.

She could imagine it would swallow her in a cocoon of compressed air that would smother her if she allowed herself to rest. The very island seemed to live from the energy leeched from the air. She noticed the light waning, and wondered just how long, this trek had taken her.

She thought about turning back, but as she glanced behind her, the shadows loomed as though a great beast was behind her, just then a cacophony broke loose, and her fear gave way to a burst of energy as she ran. The leaves deadened the sound of her fleeing into the depths of the forest. She wondered at the enormity of a beast to make the sounds he was creating, she ventured a glance behind her, and all was still. Nothing was there, no shadows, just the ever present mists curling, and seeking out her breath. She was breathing raggedly wondering where this unknown entity was now, was it just lying in wait for her to stop, and waiting to attack. She continued walking but her breathing became more and more labored, the weight of the air pressed on her, she was just so tired.

She stumbled forward and her feet caught on a low vine. The vine slowly crept up her leg; she fought it, squirming and twisting. It was no use, she was so fatigued, and it caught her up like a hammock in the heights of the trees. As she relaxed the thick rubbery vines loosened, not letting her move freely but enough to allow her to breathe easier. Then softly a breeze came up and she found she could no longer fight the exhaustion and fell deeply asleep.

'Chelle, Chelle... can you hear me... you have to wake up.'

'NO please just let me sleep I am so tired,' I thought, I groggily opened my eyes. What I saw confused me, I remembered fog, but it was now white, bright, wispy fog that seemed less menacing and almost warm and comforting. I also realized no trees, vines, and I was free...

I turned to the voice that woke me.

"Artileon!" I ran to him and threw my arms around him not even thinking.

"Well, I am pleased to see you too," he laughed shocked at my unusual outburst. I backed away and blushed completely embarrassed. I had no idea what made me do that....

"I am glad to have to ability to speak with you but I have to warn you, and get you to wake up, you are in grave danger, we cannot get to you, or help you. The island is going to kill you if you do not achieve your goal and return to us as soon as possible," said Artileon.

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to achieve, things were chasing me and if I am dreaming now, than I am pretty sure I'm in a cocoon of vines at the moment high up in the trees, and it chokes me and constricts if I struggle, not sure how to get out of this." I replied anxiously. "I am losing my strength to talk to you; the poison is slowly killing me. I can hear the unicorn as he prances he is beside himself, and keeps muttering about hurrying. I think it hurts him to be far from you, or something about you is making him sick...."

I lost the link with him, and was plunged back into my own reality. I was falling through the vines, crashing through the high branches that grabbed and scraped me only slightly breaking my fall from the heights above, and landed in a heap on the forest floor. Apparently they were tired of holding me. I checked myself over wary of the vines hanging suspiciously still. Bruises and welts from the vines, and scrapes from my free fall covered my torso and elbows and knees. Overall not too bad, I was alive, now what do I do. I had no idea where I was, so I had two options... I could go traipsing through the forest and look for the path, or climb and see what I could find that way. So steering clear of a tree with vines, I climbed and climbed.

At the highest branch I could reach I pulled up to find the path not too far to the right, and just dense forest as far as I could see. No end of trees, no sandy shore, no safety with Artileon and Re'em. I realized the mists were not as heavy this morning, and I hastily climbed down and set off down the path. I trudged forward thinking I should use the forests boon gratefully and walked as fast as I dared. I really was beginning to think this island was bewitched. I thought back to the dream conversation I had with Artileon, and he said the island was trying to kill me. I wondered if the mists were the main culprit here robbing me on the energy it required to reach my destination, whatever/wherever that may be.

I went as far as I could until the ground started getting mushy, the dirt path, turning to a sticky mud, that gripped my feet and held me back from pursuing the path any farther. Deeper and deeper the mud got, it reached up my legs and tugged at my legs. I thought to myself, if climbing worked before I might try that route again. I found a suitable tree easy to climb, and found myself back in the tree tops viewing the forest that surrounded me. It all a seemed as before trees and vines as far as the eye could see. Until I spotted stone; I almost passed right over it, covered in moss, and water trickling down the face of the massive rock formation.

I wasn't too far from it, but that mud would surely slow me down some. Being close to discovering something though, I couldn't help but be optimistic. I scurried back down, and carefully made my way to the rock. I noticed the mists were back en masse.

I was struggling in the effort from the dragging mud, and the breath the mist seemed to steal from my lips. Finally I rested my hand upon the rock, and scraped the moss back from the surface. On the rock were engraved pictures and words.

****

## Chapter 19

**The lady stood with her back to the fire and addressed the shadows that caressed her, pleading for her attentions. She smiled as she gleaned from them, the dire situation the three had found themselves in, the alluring scents that trick the mind into wasting away and slowly dying would be the next task the witch would set upon the unsuspecting maiden, and as the island leaches the human's life energy, so too the unicorn's soul is wasted. Her hopes were finally within reach, she sent the shadows back to watch and bring her the news she waited impatiently for.**

Aemelia watched through the stone, as the young girl wondered through her island home. She had been watching her progress from the moment she came through the void from the other world. She had written the prophecy of the shell, the princess, and now here she was. She was the ancient power that had spelled the White Castle at Dalthimus to cover up the writings and cause the weak of mind to forget. She knew of the lady's wishes to harm this precocious young lady, and despite herself, the witch was finding the girl more and more endearing.

She knew the cost of denying the Lady anything. She had survived this long by hiding away and practicing under the veil of her mists and away from the memories of her past.

As she contemplated her choices, and the way she commanded even the hard hearted beastly prince's attentions. The way the unicorns admired her courage and her thoughtfulness, the witch could not imagine the patience to deal with them and their crises. Mostly the way she never assumed these attentions, and her believable innocence. She had not long enough in this world to turn her naivety into bitterness, instead she won the hearts of the people.

She might just be the answer to the problems of the realm; maybe this prophecy should be helped and not thwarted. She had intended to end their only hope after centuries of faith, but now she almost rooted for the young child to succeed. Aemelia had seen enough for now, knowing the child could figure out the meaning of the prophecy on the rock and would soon stumble upon her lair. She must prepare for her arrival.

She gazed upon her home in the rock on her beloved island. It was my mists that threaded their way to catch away her breath, and the shadow that scared her in to my vines that captured and entrapped her for the night, and lastly the squelching mud that sapped her energy as she fought her way to the rock. Now the last enchantment was upon her, she would see how the child would fare through the trial of the Louhi, the trance.

She knew she did not have much time to make up her mind; maybe the Louhi would make the decision for her.

Chelle started frantically scraping back the moss that clung to the drawings. There were flowers in the moss that were especially difficult to pry away. As they were ripped from the rock they would disintegrate into a fine powder that seemed to cling to her hands and face, and float in the mist.

Finally, she stepped back to see what she could decipher from the stone. It was the prophecy, the whole thing, written out for her.

These flowers were sure fragrant, the thought poked through her focus on the rock. What a pleasant smell, I could just sit and enjoy that smell forever, I just need one of the little vine hammocks and I'd be set.

Chelle shook herself, those kinds of thoughts weren't going to help, and Artileon needed my help, and who knows what will happen to Re'em if I do not make haste to find the cure.

She read the prophecy quickly, and then saw the pictures...

There were a pile of stones, a cave, a woman, a table, an eye, and arrows following a path. This woman must be the one who called to me, and the one person who might be able to cure Artileon from the beasts poison. Maybe even have an answer to the tie between Re'em and me.

I turned away from the rock and went to wipe my forearm across my forehead, and brought another whiff of the floral dust to my nose. It was if my mind just shut off and locked me within. I could see myself in slow motion watching as I slumped to the ground. I blinked, and then everything was black.

I could hear voices floating around in my head, I was trapped in a dreamlike state I could still think but I couldn't seem to move my body. I was floating above watching the scene of my body lying on the muddy ground at the base of the stone. The flower dust must have forced me into the prison of my mind. I watched as the mists coiled around my hands and feet, as if testing their unresponsiveness. They writhed around the limp form and began sipping at the aura of energy that wavered in a protective bubble around me. I was forced away from the sight, as my mind took me from the macabre scene. I was whisked through the forest back to the two men I had left on the shore of the island. I found Re'em standing administering the salve to Artileon's wounds and wrapping them. When he was suddenly rigid and convulsed as he fell, he cried out for me. His body landed with a thud, and you could see his aura being torn from his body, swirling to protect mine fighting with the mists back inside the forests. Artileon sensed unrest even in his comatose state and thrashed, but could not overcome the effects of the poison from the beast's horn. He too cried out for me, and I wished for the ability to scream, as I was again whirled from the horrid events that were beyond my control.

I found my sense of self again as I reached a cabin in the woods, they mirrored the ones in the Forbidden lands, and inside was a woman, who seemed agitated at my presence, calling me a cursed ghost, but she caused me no harm as I was forced to see a figure of a man, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets. He was trying futility to escape, calling her a madwoman who had captured him. She crooned to her charge and said that was no way to treat the woman who saved him, and until he learned to behave he would stay in his wrappings. He vowed to return this same state to her when he could gain his freedom and his brother would save him. Only then did I notice that I knew this person, it was Artileon's brother, the face that was once proud and arrogant was a husk of the former healthy countenance, his eyes were hollowed and haunted. He pleaded to my spirit saying that his brother would help him, if he knew he was in trouble, and why hadn't he come yet.

I felt the familiar tugging and again the roller coaster threw me to the next scene, the unicorns were in court discussing the demise of their beloved prince Re'em. The magic of the quest for the heir provided the king with knowledge of the charge's health. He felt in the horrific moment that Re'em no longer drew breath. If I could cry, I would be balling at this point, I couldn't take any more. I had not only watched his death, but been the cause as his spirit was taken to protect mine. I saw his father, the intense grief that etched the lines on his face, and aged the unicorn king, the black robes of mourning washing his features into grey pallor. I wasn't even allowed to grieve at this, I was shuffled to the next view and it was the court of the Beasts there the throne was held by the corrupt council, that sought to kill the crown prince, and ultimately overthrow the government. What a time they were having, it seemed the people were not interested in their rule and challenged them at every turn. They were not used to being at the beck and call of the masses of people, and masses there were demanding the return of their princes and a return of the correct rule.

All at once I fully realized the danger of the quest failing, every people of this realm were counting on us to free them from this curse. Whether they knew the name to the evil they knew their fate rested with those on those who undertook this journey with me. I knew it was time to fight the prison my mind had created for my roaming spirit, and I felt myself tearing back to the island. I slammed back into my body, and woke with a gasp. I sat up, gulping air, and turned at the sound of footsteps behind me. There in the mist stood a girl about my age, as I focused on her I realized she was the exact image of me. I recoiled in shock pulling from the muck, trying to free myself from its embrace.

"I am Aemelia, I am the one who called to you, and I must commend you. You have overcome every task set forth to prove you, and I had every intention of ending your quest with your death and providing darkness its home in our world. However, the time I have spent watching you I have found you to be worthy of the quest, and worthy of the prophecy I wrote before the council." She crooned.

Her eyes stared at me like a hawk; her movements were fluid as if she wasn't quite substantial. I couldn't take my eyes from her. She smiled, not kindly. "Yes, you are mesmerized by my appearing as you, it is one of my favorite trysts. As that is my name, Aemelia or emulate..."

"Do not let it frighten you, if I had meant you harm you would have met your demise in the mists already. I called them back, at your return from the _Louhi_. Though I am afraid that you had to make a choice, and that I warned you about."

"A Choice?" I interrupted.

"Yes dear, a choice. One to live and one to die, when you went back for Artileon, you sealed the young unicorn's fate. But, a choice had you not made; your soul would have been stripped instead of his." She murmured.

Tears slipped down my face, "that was the choice, so I killed him..."

"No dear, he knew the risk, and accepted the fate. He could have turned you away, and he chose to follow you to the end. He was proud of his part in bringing peace to the realm. Mourn him if you wish but do not forget that he also chose."

"How could he choose? I saw the aura being ripped from him..."

"He came before me and pleaded that you not leave this world so that the quest could be fulfilled and the realm be saved. He saw the future that could be and he chose," She replied.

"Also you have the prince to worry about, he still has life, but only if you wish for him to."

"Of course! What must I do?" I insisted.

"You agree too hastily, but that is one of your virtues, your help has aided every person far and wide whether or not you realize it, just the idea of hope, of change is a powerful idea. There are many who would squelch this fire that ignited the people. Powerful people. I was one of them, now I am going to aid you instead, know that this will end my help you can never return here, this place will be cursed, and I will accept my fate in defying the lady."

"Th... The lady... she is the one I dreamed of, why?"

"Her reasons are her own and she does not share she only commands, if we are to have any chance we must no longer dally here, come into my lair." She said as she melted into the swirling mists. I followed, as I noticed the mud slid from me as if it were simply water and the mists parted for me as an honored guest.

I followed the notched grooves that curved around the stone, and followed the misty apparition to the mouth of a large cave. Along the damp wall were green orbs of lights that bobbed as the mists caressed them. I walked and marveled at the sheer size of the inside of the cave, the heights were speckled with sparkles that danced in the green lights glowing. The black flooring was smooth and polished to reflect even my own disheveled appearance. Disgusting, my fiery hair was wild, my face smudged and my body bruised, my clothing was torn gone were the silver threads and emerald satin of the dress. No more the princess, I looked like a homeless vagrant.

I walked into a chamber filled with bubbling potions and was met with a small flying object, it was attacking my hair, I batted at the thing and shrieked as it dove toward me over and over. Until I realized it wasn't trying to hurt me, it was merely playing in the wavy strands. I looked closer and it was a dragon. A tiny dragon, I held out my hand and it flitted to my fingers, front nostrils to the tip of his tail he spanned my four fingers, he rested his chin on my index finger and had his tail wrapped around for support on my ring finger. He was a crimson color, with tiny black wings. Slowly he lifted up and flew to my ear to be closer to my hair, and I shrieked again as he bit my ear.

Dodging the little beast, I ran to the witch. The witch startled turned and grinned at the little beast. "Oh, he likes you, well that is good I was afraid what he would do if he didn't."

"He bit me, and you think he likes me?" I inquired.

She just handed me a mirror. I looked at my ear, and the bite was bleeding, however it was strange it wasn't torn it was a design. I studied it a bit longer until it formed an intricate tattoo of a miniature dragon going down my ear and onto my neck.

"What does it mean?" I questioned in awe.

"It means he has marked you as a favored of the dragon," She said simply.

"It is a great honor, he is not one you would like for an enemy," she chuckled to herself, turning again to her mixtures. I walked towards a giant ball off to the corner it looked like a crackled glass ball, similar to gazing balls you see in a garden, but over ten feet tall.

I reached out to touch its surface, but the dragon sat on my hand and I reacted by pulling away.

"He is warning you from the visions that you would see might deter the path you must take and change the choices you must still make on your journey."

I swung around to gaze at Aemelia who hadn't even turned from her work.

"Well what am I to do?" I asked "How is it you are going to help?"

"Patience was never anything you were good at, give me some peace child, and I'll explain."

So I sat in the cushions placed to the side of the room, and found myself extremely sleepy. Here I am in scary situations and I fall asleep the first comfortable thing that comes along.

I dreamed quickly of the place I last spoke to the prince, he was quite agitated...pacing.

"OH, Chelle..." He froze when he finally saw me. He ran to me and gripped my hands, he quickly dropped them. "I'm sorry I had to see if you were real. I had such visions, and I fear something has befallen our friend Re'em," He said.

"Yes, he has given his soul to save mine. He has died defending our quest. His last hopes were for peace across our realm and he truly believed it lied in our fulfilling the quest." I said somberly, quiet tears streaming down my face.

"What? He is dead..."He was silent for a moment.

"So you are truly alive, and well? I had feared that you would be killed. I do not feel your fear or hurt though, so you must have found help."

"Truly I am alive and well, I am sorry to worry you so, and I have found help from the witch. I have passed her tests and she has deemed us worthy even of her betrayal of the wishes of the Lady who is trying to thwart our mission." I reassured him.

"You passed the witches trial, that's impossible...truly you are a wonder..." He mused, "The witch is renowned for her trials and her ability to look like anyone, or anything she wishes..."

"It freaked me out a little, when I saw myself coming through the mists all right!" I muttered.

"This is truly more dangerous than I expected. I am surprised you made it through, though I suppose by now nothing about you should surprise me, which is a good thing..."

"You've been hanging around me too often lately, you're babbling..." I smiled.

He started to laugh, and faded as we lost connection.

I woke to the witch humming, and the dragon rose from the nest he had made in my hair. I started brushing out his nest and the mess of red curls that needed a shower something awful. I noticed the witch changed her appearance.

"I see you saw the error of red curls and a small dragon," I giggled.

She snorted and laughed along agreeing with me. She turned and said "I am thinking my dear child, that you would like to freshen up a bit; sleep seems to have done you some good." She showed me to a smaller chamber, that held a small pool of water deep enough to stand in, but not over my head, and a waterfall that flowed fresh water into the pool. The pool was cool and refreshing; I washed the tangles from my hair, the dirt from my body and just enjoyed for once the feeling of being clean and fairly safe for the moment. I stepped from the pool to find a new set of clothes. It was a garnet colored dress, the trim was rose, and it flowed from my shoulders like a Grecian goddess. I spotted a pair of sandals and strapped them on my feet, and a cord I wound into my hair braiding it and pulling it into a knot at the base of my neck.

I walked back to the witch's potions room. The dragon made a chiming noise at my presence, he was excited to see me but not excited about my hair choice. He sulked to his ledge high up in the sparkling ceiling.

"Much better, I must send you off looking the part! You are much more presentable, though our friend will miss his nest." She nodded up to the ledge with the sulking dragon.

"Before you ask, yes; the dragon will be accompanying you." To this the dragon swooped joyfully and came and landed on my shoulder, chirping. "Well I can tell he is very excited about this, you sound as if you are not joining us?" I asked.

"No, my dear, I would not bring success upon your journey, for the wrath of our lady will be born this day. Jyar will assist you though. Many do not know but he has the power to heal and he has said he would like to be part of your journey to change the world." Aemelia stated resignedly.

"Well, Jyar you are very welcome, and Aemelia thank you." I said somberly feeling this was a day of death for the kind witch, and her familiar was an enormous gift.

"Do not worry yourself for me; I can see it on your face already. I have helped and done my part, you have a guide, and the healer. Go now leave this cursed island, and may the Lord Sun bless your way."

She ushered me from the cavern, and I blinked at the brightness of the sunlight outside. Jyar flew ahead his scales flashing in the sunlight and cutting through the heavy mists, they hung low as if indicating their mistress mood. He jutted through the foliage to chirp at me and I knew he wanted me to follow him, and he lead me quickly through the dense forest, and we were at the shore in no time. The mists did not bother us, the vines did not reach, and the flowers just sat innocently. We reached the shore and the boat came into view. I reached for the wooden craft and boarded the dragon flitted through the murky waters. He was not bothered by the deathly oasis. We landed on the other side and I scrambled off the boat to the place where I left Artileon and Re'em. I saw Jyar land on the unicorn's forehead, and he made a keening sound mournful and sad. Then shook his head and went to the comatose Artileon. He landed on the bandaged torso, and curled up as if to sleep. I was amazed as he started to glow and the light quickly immersed the Prince's whole body. Like waves of heat rolling off the dragon's scales, the healing rays spread through the prince. It took a long time; I just sat and watched as the sun went down. Then the light flowed away and the dragon and Artileon just slept. Afraid to wake them I made myself comfortable and fell asleep too.

In the morning's light I awoke. The dragon and Prince were still sleeping. The dragon was glistening, and the prince looked much better. His face had its color back, and the burns that had covered him were healed his lips were no longer parched and broken.

The dragon was asleep on the bandages so I could not see any more of the miraculous changes the dragon had done overnight. So I set about seeing to our supplies and what we would need to continue traveling. I was purposefully not looking at the place where Re'em lay, though I could not help my mind from wandering to deep sorrow at the loss of his friendship. I came away from the horses and sat beside our fallen friend.

I brushed some sand from his face, and smoothed his hair he was in human form. I pulled him from his pose of rigid agony and pulled a flower and placed it upon his chest, when I did I noticed a paper in his pocket. I pulled it out to look at what he had written.

****

Dearest Raechelle,

I know that if you are reading this then I am no longer a part of your journey. I had hopes that I would have the time to woo you to our court, my people adore you and you will be a great queen. The prophecy did not say which throne you had to sit upon.

Since I am no longer living you must also know that I chose to follow you wherever this path lead us, and I did make the choice and you have no need to feel responsible for my death. I am truly grateful that I was allowed to accompany you this far and that my death helped you in some way to further our goals of peace, and to end this curse. You will be honored as a friend of the Forbidden lands as I was honored to be a friend to you.

Furthermore, I ask that you would return me to my father; I know that you'll likely have more important things to do, but you went back for the prince, please come back for me. There are two more letters I have each addressed if you would give them to the intended reader I would be eternally grateful.

I bless you from my resting place and hope you find what you are looking for.

Goodbye, my princess.

Re'em

****

Here come the tears, I couldn't hold them back. I leaned over his body and cried.

Artileon woke to hear Raechelle crying. He sat up, groaning at his unused muscles, when a red winged thing rose from his belly, and chimed. He was astonished to see the young dragon in front of him. The dragon went to Chelle and landed on her protectively. He walked to where Re'em lay and Chelle was crying over him. He set his hand on her back with the dragon eying him warily.

"OH, Artileon!" She exclaimed.

She turned and cried some more, crumpling a paper in her hand. His heart broke to see her distressed, and help her until she quieted.

"I'm sorry, I just..." she blubbered.

"It's ok," he stumbled on the words unsure of how to comfort her.

"Oh, I am so glad you are ok, I was so worried." She started looking him over. So he let her check and remove the bandages while he just stared at her. In the week he had been ill he had dreamed of her, and now standing in front of him, his dreams had not done her justice.

She had pulled off all the bandages and there was nothing but a pink scar pulling the muscles and skin taught and as she was examining his stomach, he noticed the dragon tattoo on her neck, he reached out and traced the red dragon.

She froze when he touched her, his touch sent shivers down her back.

He stepped back from her tracing the wound on his stomach and she pulled up and her cheeks were bright red. He looked at her again, the dress she had on was a deep red and flowed like water across her body, you would think it would clash with her hair but it complemented her completely. Dragon marked, she was dragon marked, and the dragon had healed him.

"Dragon marked..." He said.

"Dragon marked?" She repeated.

"Yes, I do not think I have ever met anyone who has been dragon marked, not even the witch was marked though he was her familiar. He has lived alongside her for most of the last one hundred years. The dragon will choose only one to place his mark, and will devote its life to the one he marks. It is the highest honor and rarely given."

"May I see the mark again?" he approached her hesitantly, and she cocked her head to the side to afford him a better view, he traced his fingers along the sinuous lines of the dragon.

"The mark also awakens the ability in you to shift. You are no longer an ordinary human; then again I am not sure you were ever ordinary." He said softly.

"I am going to change into a dragon!!!" I exclaimed.

"I did not say that I said that you can sift now, I have no clue what you can sift into, or when the gift will manifest," He explained.

I sat down in the sand my head spinning with this new change of events. The dragon was flitting around and came to land on my shoulder, making little chiming sounds. I knew he wanted me not to be sad, and wanted me to be happy for the gift. I sighed, and said thank you and gave him a small smile. At this the dragon jumped and did flips in the air. This earned him an even broader smile. He landed and then sifted, startling me. He was very short and had a red beard. Beady eyes, and wore the most unusual outfit made of metal links shaped like dragon scales. "I am Jyar, my princess I am a dwarf, but mostly a dragon." He smiled; it was slightly askew and mischievous. I should have been used to this however; it still surprised me that every being here was two natured. His voice was gruff and gravelly; it somehow matched his rather curious appearance. He reached down to take something from the sand, and quickly went to the water.

" _Stop!!!"_ The prince and I shouted at the same time.

Jyar just grinned, knelt down and washed the item he picked up in the murky water. He stood and walked to where I am sure we were standing with our mouths agape and eyes wide, as nothing happened to the dwarf. I belatedly remembered him swimming in the waters the day before. He explained, "After years of traveling with the witch I was given certain gifts, her magics have no effect on my person, or objects I handle. You can say I am immune, before I had to cross just as you did taking the boat across and stomping through her mists, now I can fly and even take a nice refreshing dip in the waters if I want!"

Then he sobered, "or I could..."

He was rubbing a shiny stone in his fingers; it must be what he had picked up and washed off. He presented it to us both to see. It had the dragon's symbol of friendship, and the stone hummed with the witch's power. As we watched the stones magical glow dimmed from a fiery red, to purple, to blue, to a transparent icy blue. The etched symbols only visible as the dwarven dragon rubbed its facet.

"She gave her life in sacrifice to this quest, let us honor her by fulfilling it and thwarting the plans of those who would have us fail."

Amelia the witch was dead.

****

## Chapter 20

**The MARK of the Dragons - the most sacred of oaths, binding a life to a life. Not only that a magical change the shifting from one form to another. The Second nature can only be given to a human. The bearer of the mark will be given a life span to match the dragons, and is impervious to ailments and diseases."**

Well, this marks a major turning point in my life here the more I learn and the more in encounter of these strange creatures of which I suppose I am myself, I am astonished. I am more than a little afraid, what would I be, would I like it, would I want to change, would it change who I am. Until now I never questioned going home to Caspara or staying here in Dalthimus, what time had passed, how this would affect my life in either place, or what future I had to look forward to. Is it bad I never even spared a thought about going home, not that I called a place here home, but here I had purpose. I had my family back on my world, and my friends. Here on this world, I had made sort of a new family out of my companions. Certainly my family missed me, if any time had passed since my trip down the dirty tunnel, as I had missed them. Of course not knowing how much time had passed since coming here, I couldn't believe I had already been here six months.

Here I was needed, people depended on me, trusted me. That was a powerful feeling, but what after this was all over...

I was brought out of my revelations to hear the dragon keening a mournful song. I looked to our fallen friend, and the tears welled up in my eyes yet again. The dragon sat once again on the unicorn's forehead, the Prince hummed along a haunting duet to the dragons lament. As they hummed, I walked forward and brushed a few grains of sand, wondering what we were to do now. As my fingers touched Re'em a glowing was showered over his body, and the sands rose around him encasing him in a tomb of swirling sands. Glass formed a clear enclosure laced with the designs I recognized from Re'em's horn, and depicting his heroic death and his undying friendship and loyalty. I am not sure what made me reach out, I felt compelled to touch the glass. As I did, it pricked my fingers, taking the blood that welled from the cut, and it swirled in the designs showing the thread that had bonded the unicorn to my soul.

I took a deep breath as I stepped away. It was beautiful and fitting burial of the Princely Unicorn. The dragon came to rest on my shoulders, and ended his song. Artileon traced away the tears that were staining my cheeks, and said.

"This is the temporary resting place of a great friend, a loyal unicorn, and hero worthy of the name. His sacrifice was for the whole of the world we live in to chase away the darkness and bring back the light. We will return and take you home as we complete our journey, you will not be forgotten. Goodbye."

He walked away, leaving me and the dragon. I stood empty, I had nothing left to give, was it wrong of me to have nothing left to grieve my friend. I checked my pocket for the letters he had given me; I looked again at who they were written to, one for his father, and one for Artileon. I glanced to where the Prince was slowly putting things together for a meal. I handed him the letter, taking off where he had stopped preparing. He sat to read what I had given him. After reading what was written, he sat for a while, then not speaking to anyone he got up and we broke bread and ate in silence. The dragon said that Artileon should allow time to mend internally. The poison was gone and the external injuries were mended, but he was not completely healed. On the rising of the Harvest Moon we broke camp leaving the oasis behind. The dragon was curled up in the nest he made in my horses mane. We agreed this was the best place for him to ride, even though my hair was his favorite. I was afraid of his falling out and or me swatting him as we rode. My hairs were known to be unruly, and I wasn't used to him on my shoulder or in my hairs, his little claws tickled. He told us we should continue our journey towards the setting of the sun, there we will find our answers. I have no idea how he knows this, but when in dwarf form he constantly rubs his icy stone. It disappears when he sifts and that is his preferred form, and with no other means of transportation for him it is the easiest for him to travel with us.

So our travelers set off in the sunset... but this was not the end... but another beginning.

The days were long, the nights were longer still, yet they never seemed to get enough rest, and stayed edgy. The days on the sandy dunes were blistering, and the nights grew colder as we traveled. At last we came upon the edge of the sands and like walking from one page of a book to the next they were looking at grassy plain, long tall grasses that waved and said farewell to the Harvest Moon and welcomed the Hunter's Moon. We were happy to leave the sand in our bags, and shoes, and clothing behind, but found no shade. So the cold sun shone down on us as we rode along. Before too long the sun set upon the grassy plains and we made camp. The nights were giving way to winter's chill.

Now that I was no longer simply a " _human_ " and I had been given the " _gift_ " of sifting. I was inundated with the hierarchy of the beast.

****

## Chapter 21

**Hierarchy- in nature this is simply an order of increasing wholeness. The whole of one level becomes a part of the whole of the next. In human nature however we mess this up and the sum of the parts doesn't always make up a whole. Yet we cling to the hierarchy as if it is a religion, I suppose to some it is.**

Each bestial variety has chosen it's royal line, through which the kings and queens would be descended, some of the varieties, have chosen to rather join with a stronger group, and in the days of the Lord Sun, these members would have a non-royal but noble beast on the ruling council. This has deferred in the present times to "The Council" run by the order of the Ladisians and they are the true ruling power in these troubled times.

The rulers were set forth originally by the ruling families chosen by their kind at the time of the Lord Sun, during his time on the plane he would bless the ruling families once chosen and they would then set the rules and ordinances for the society. Any numbers of beasts now are abdicating their royal status to be joined with the conquering kingship or freely surrendering to the fiercer and stronger royal parties.

The four prominent families were Leones, the Unicorns, the Dragons, and the Mere.

Leones, this group was chosen by many of their relative felines, and most preferred to leave the leadership to this ruling family, they were thus named of course the L'eonis, or Leon. Passing on the name to the oldest, or most capable princeling, or princess marked the next in line for the throne. In this line either male or female can inherit. There was also the prophesy which names the line and mentions the shell. In the dark times, no Princess has been named and the title was passed on to the mate of choice for each Leon, lessening the power of the title.

The next line was the unicorns; these are passed to the oldest male living descendant that can pass the trials. At the end of the trials the princeling can then wait for the reigning king to pass on the crown, or choose to force a council vote and a popular vote among the citizens, thus upon gaining this vote would take the crown, by either abdication of the former king or by force.

The next line is the dragon, if you notice so far that the beast behind the person also controls the line of royalty, the ruling families frown upon any multi-bestial relationships to bring forth any children. The offspring is generally an outcast of society not claiming either bestial parentage and not in line for the throne.

The dragon is the top of the hierarchy, even though their numbers are few, their powers are much wider, and their abilities are much stronger than most other beasts. They are solitary unless they find their human counterpart and can pass their extra gift on to the human they choose.

The ruling class will not choose a human for this reason, because their bond is so strong that the dragon does not outlive the breakage due to the death of the human. Most dragons then do not actually search for their human bondmate until they reach one-hundred years. This allows them to reach the adolescent stage of their lives and they are more likely to outlive their bondmate's death. A bondmate bond that lasts for more than one-hundred and fifty years tends to cause the premature death of the dragon as well, the longer the bond, the stronger and therefore the harder the breakage is on the older dragon. With the passing of the laws to eliminate humans in the realms we have found that dragons have become recluse and are not found in any society, though they have their governing laws, and their king, they do not have a community, and find solitude the best balm for losing their bondmate. Most humans or beasts will defer to the judgment of a dragon on any matter, as they can speak to others in their subconscious minds, no matter the distance separating them. The highest punishment from the king is to lose that bond to the other dragons, and therefore becoming separate from the combined consciousness.

These are the highest forms of the royal lines on land due to their organized authority and established communities. There are smaller communities within these groups they are governed by a noble class beast from the ruling entity. There are of course others but these are the ones that rule the majority of Dalthimus.

The underwater creatures have their own system and they are run by the Mere, or the mere-people. The Mere are vicious, and cruel, they rule the waters with iron control, and are not challenged for power. The Mere rulers are all male, they are given a species to rule and they are tested on their competency from the Mere king. The king usually appoints his sons which are many based on their favor with him. The penalty of betraying the king or inability to command their responsibilities results in death. If no male heir is in line for the throne the throne may be graced to the eldest female offspring should the King choose to do so, this is not common however.

Not much else is known about this realm, as those above the water are not generally invited below. Those who are generally meet a watery end.

Many of the watery creatures enjoy luring those from above to drown in the depths below, enjoying the ethereal beauties that few behold.

So went my "training" as I should know of all these things as not only dragon marked but as the L'eonis. Apparently an L'eonis had not been tried in a thousand years; the title was just given to the princesses that married the kings. I was not the first, but certainly one of the few, and definitely the only human named, though I kind of lost my human status.... So who knows what I am now.

I also learned that only dwarves are dragons, and feline beasts are "human" in their other form, as well as the unicorn are always giants.

They tried teaching me some astrology, or astronomy never did figure out which meant what. I like the stars they are twinkly and bright, but I cannot tell one from another and his brother or constellation. It was all way over my head; they really tried to stress to me the importance of the moon, as the daughter of the sun. I get that there are phases but not sure how it was supposed to mean anything to me.

Apparently it is her turning her face from the creation, her job is reflecting the Lord Sun's light and she was angry at her father, and thus began the cycle of the moon. She sounded like a spoiled teenager to me, but what do I know.

****

## Chapter 22

" **And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."**

Mark Twain

Daltim wrung his hands together nervously. He hated meeting with the Magistrate, the man's scarred visage was enough to put nightmares to shame. The bloody colored robes that gradually fell into black shadows at his feet added to the menacing presence. Power hung to the man like a second skin. His darkness manacled the high councilman in his thrall.

Daltim was worried about what the Priest would say of the failure to find the Princeling. They had sent the fanatic boy to learn of the whereabouts of his brother and the 'princess'. The Magistrate had become enraged when he learned of the escape at the hands of the king. He had gone in to meet privately with the ailing king upon his death bed; no one questioned when he pronounced the king dead within the hour.

He could feel the noose of fingers tightening around his neck, in fearful anticipation of his arrival. The darkness touched him first, seeking out his fear like a drug writhing and encasing him in tendrils that fed hungrily.

The Councilman sank to his knees and awaited the Magister's words to even raise his eyes from the rough ground. Knowing that if their plots and schemes ever came to light and the deprivation of the weaker men of his company there would be no mercy for the atrocities they had committed. He cringed as the bony fingers rested heavily on his neck, wrapping like death around him.

He waited for whatever fate hung in the Magister's dead eyes.

"Your trembling is beneath you, I have need of you for now. You do not need to fear a death sentence at this time. Though, I am admittedly angered." He spoke as if he hadn't a care in the world belying his violent temper.

"Rise." He commanded.

I stood keeping my eyes from meeting his gaze showing difference but wary at the same time. His voice was only this calm when he was close to losing control and ripping through whoever happened to be closest.

However, one could always count on his smile. You do not ever wish to be the object he gains interest in, it will be a tortured end for that individual. More so if you feed his shadows with your emotions and cries. He had only seen the man smile one time, and had carried the mutilated remains of what had been a hysterical young girl from the dungeons.

He was only glad that he was not initiated or asked to participate in the rituals or 'worship'. It was truly something of nightmares the screams rang and the smell of blood permeated everything that the shadows touched.

"I have a request." The Magister smiled, and my blood ran cold in my veins.

****

## Chapter 23

**In the times before the Ladisians took control of the council and began their crusade to end the human's existence from Dalthimus, and the time of Darkness had come. There was a wealthy family, this family was strong in the gifts, each child was presented to the Lord Sun upon their birth and in return his blessing was given to each child by the mark on their faces. It came to pass that on the dawning of the time that the laws were passed to enslave or slaughter those who possessed magic, and lead to the slavery of all the humans, a child was born into the family. This was to be their first and only child; the mother's family was a lesser noble of the royal house, and the father a gifted human. The mother under the stress of bearing the child during these troubled times died during the birth of the child. The family was aggrieved and knew that this was an evil omen, thought to kill the child thus not allowing the taint of this omen to touch their blessed family and they might be spared the slavery that was passed to all those who were gifted. The husband aggrieved of the death of his beloved wife, knowing of his family's desire to end his child's life, took pity on this little girl. He stole her away to the temple of the Lord Sun. He went and asked for the blessing to be given, surely his family would not kill a blessed child. He was heartbroken when no blessing came forth from the Lord Sun, knowing then that there was no hope for his child he left the infant on the steps to the temple. He ran to the watch tower overlooking the sea and cast himself into the chilling waters.**

Unbeknownst to the family, or the man, the priestess had watched the man's distress and had immediately fallen in love with the child. The Lord Sun looked upon the desires of his priestess knowing that she too would be killed if she were to stay, and that he no longer would be welcome among the hearts of the people, he gave her the child, and sent her to another world, with no knowledge of what they had left behind.

As we travelled yet another part of the realm the grasses waved us on. There came up a breeze and we were huddled to the warmth of our steeds. Wrapping our cloaks around to warm ourselves, the Hunter's Moon waned and the wintry wind beat down upon us. We came to a road, it looked as though it hadn't been used for years, and was in disrepair. Deciding that there might be water or shelter we followed the shallow path of a road. The scenery slowly changed as a few trees popped up and we were glad to have the covering.

We camped beneath the canopy of shade and I started humming it was a melody my mother hummed to me when I was a small child, and started singing the song as she had done to me as I clung to her in my fear.

****

The trees are singing

The lullaby child

The grasses are swaying

It adds to their guile

Pulling the sleepy one

Deep into dreaming

And all the while

Baby in my heart keeping

****

It was a melancholy tune, haunting me from my mother's whispered lips comforting me and filling my heart with longing for my simple life I left behind. I remembered the many nights I had woken to strange dreams of frightful places and nightmares plagued and haunted me. The night was something I dreaded and my room looked like Christmas. The lights illuminated my reality and banished my fright. I had always had dreams, only now do I realize the scope of this gift. I had continued humming as I pondered these things, when Artileon's deep voice added a harmony to my tune; it filled the camp and floated on the breeze.

"My mother sang that lullaby to me when I was a small child, every time I was afraid, she always said there was more to it, but couldn't quite remember where she had heard it and it seemed no one else had ever heard it in the small town I lived in so I didn't know where it came from," I said.

"It is a lullaby here as well though I have never heard it in a human family, it is strange that you would have the same lullaby," Artileon murmured. Yes, curious I thought.

That night I was taken into a dream.

I watched a heart wrenching story of a family torn apart and of a small child loved by a priestess. At the man's demise I screamed for the man to not lose hope, but my words fell upon deaf ears as I watched him plummet to his death. I cried as his wife died giving birth to her child, and whispered the name that was to be given.

Raechelle L'eonis, it was her dying breath.

In a haze of confusion I watched this infant given to the priestess and as she turned to face the night, it was the face of my own mother.

I awoke to the stillness of the night, tears streaming down my face. I grappled with the enormity of the tale I witnessed and resigned myself to the truth of it. The dragon chimed mournfully in his slumber, but Artileon was watching me warily.

"You cried out in your sleep, you had another vision?" He asked.

"Yes," my voice was hoarse, I was too numb to speak, and he came to sit by my side. He placed his hand on my shoulder and grasped my hand in the other and simply said " _show me_."

I sent him the images from my dream; new tears retraced the paths the old ones had already taken. He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned into his embrace and took comfort from his understanding.

I cried myself out, and fell to sleep. This time my gift was silent and I found rest. I woke this time refreshed and snuggled in the warmth until I realized with a start that I had fallen asleep and I was snuggling Artileon. I looked up at his face as I realized he too had fallen asleep and hopefully hadn't noticed me snuggling him, though my face was beet red.

"Yes I noticed," Artileon was chuckling laughing at me deepening my embarrassment. I scowled at him, until he said "now stop moving I was comfortable and you were keeping me warm."

I was taken aback at his ease, he was normally so aloof. I hadn't seen him interact with very many people. He never seemed comfortable in other's presence nor did he ever engage in any physical contact. In fact he made a point to stand apart and his body language warned any of the danger of getting too close.

I thought that it was a shame I had not seen him interact with his mother, and family. I mustn't have been guarding my thoughts well, since he grunted. He sighed and began to explain. He was never fond of his brother, and his mother was very fond of Aremi, and his father was in love with his job as a ruler, his heart was with his people. He had no time or love for his offspring or wife. They were necessary, a means to an end, procuring an heir for the throne. So he had a nurse maid with a scowling and demeaning personality, and he mirrored her quite well. He upset the friendly Brothimus at the academy and the old teacher was never able to get what he wanted from the young princeling always challenging him. Copying his father's aloof behavior and never managing any relationships that did not in some way profit him.

The banter Brothimus had earned with years of constant upkeep wasn't something that came naturally or willingly from Artileon. Until the man he had been imprisoned for, a mere slave, but his friend. His only friend. He found that to have friendship, or love meant to know loss and that was too great a cost. This only compounded the problem and lead to his imprisonment and lead to their current predicament.

His eyes glistened, and then he shifted as if to get up. I stubbornly said, "Hey quit moving around I was comfortable and you are keeping me warm."

I smiled at him, inwardly wondering where that came from.

He shrugged and pulled me closer, and we sat and companionable silence and watched the sun rise lighting the grasses as they swayed and glowed from the new days beginning.

Jyar awoke and was grumpy that we didn't invite him to snuggle. I couldn't contain my giggles. We all got up and started arranging our supplies for the day's ride.

Remembering my dream I recounted all I had learned that night. Seeing my parents deaths and my own birth and adoption by my mother and leaving this world for the safety of the world I grew up in.

I belonged here.

" _Yes you do,"_ Artileon answered in my thoughts.

We started up the road we had found the day before and before the sun had risen to its highest point we saw on the horizon a citadel. As we neared I was swept into a dream I had as a child.

It started every time the same. I was looking out across a panoramic view. I was standing on a terrace looking across the cliffs below, the turbulent surf crashing against the black granite stones. The gray waters sparkled and frothed as the stones gathered the warmth of the sun, and radiated it upwards casting its shimmers across the scene. The clouds kissed the horizon and erupted with the last rays of the sun as it slipped beneath the waves. My hands gripped a worn and weathered rail, a solid bastion of safety.

"I know this place." I said.

Artileon said "we are nearing the black cliffs, and the Sea of Gray. The citadel was once owned and then abandoned by a distant relation to the royal line."

I remembered my hands in the dreams and in every dream as I looked at my hands I noticed a ring I had never worn; I described it to Artileon, and Jyar. The ring was carved with a vine up one side its leaves encasing a faceted jewel, and an L was chiseled in to the other side. This Artileon explained, marked one as a member of the royal house, it was given to the child through whom the line passed, but he couldn't explain why I had seen it or why I had worn it in the dream. He showed me the ring he wore, though similar something was different about the ring from my dream. We rode ahead, towards the citadel.

The closer we got the more dismal the surroundings, it wasn't merely abandoned it was crumbling. The grounds were covered in withering vines, the trees were dried and emaciated husks. The stones were a testament to their craftsmanship and stood the windows and doors, were shattered and decayed. We pushed into the crowded courtyard and surveyed the ruined structure. I was compelled to go inside I had to find the place I had dreamt of. I walked assuredly my feet guiding up through the gaping doorway, and into the grand hall. The tapestries were ragged and faded, furniture overturned and ravaged by the elements. I strode across the hall and continued to the staircase, I could hear my companions following, and Jyar's warning chimes to be careful. The first landing had no effect on me so I continued upward, as a neared the second landing I happened to look down and saw a small doll. I picked her up and brushed the dust from her face, I caught a glimpse of a laughing child her dress billowing as she ran frivolously through the hall, dropping her favorite dolly in her haste. I took the doll with me as I climbed the last few steps and took off down the hallway passing door after door, after I reached the fourth door I peered inside to where the sun glinted through the broken glass of the windows and I walked carefully inside. There was fear in this room, I was gripped by a dream and I watched these terrible events unfold.

There was a man who the small girl had run to see. The man lovingly picked her up and twirled her around. He asked her to go play on the landing while he finished his business, she stepped out to the railing, and gripped the wood, running her hands along, looking at her beloved sea, and she was wearing the ring. This was the girl in the dream, I had seen her memory. We both spun around at a loud crashing as we watched her father fall to the ground. She rushed in and in a panic ran to the men in the room, saying that they must come help her papa.

Her mother was brought in to quiet her, and they said they had come to take her away. Her mother was crying but they took her anyways and they took away her ring. She was taken to the palace and was raised there, she was told that she no longer would carry her name, and she heard the maids whisper poor thing...

What she did not know was that she was the true heir, and the king wanted no competition. Her new name was Alice.

I snapped from the dream, and found myself no longer standing but in Artileon's arms. He put me down steadying me. I gingerly took Alice's dolly, and walked to the desk. I stared at this place where the young child watched her father die, and then continued to the balcony. There I shared the events I had seen. Tracing the bannister as she had done, I tried to figure out why this was important. There were still too many pieces to this puzzle. Jyar went exploring in the room, and Artileon sat at the desk and started opening and closing drawers. He found a large silver key in one, it was in a handsomely crafted box, and the lock had rusted and was easily broken. We examined it and decided our new adventure would be to find what it went to.

Afterwards we would find a place to wash up maybe find food of some sort, and set up a place to spend the night. I started down the hallway opposite the way we came in from the stairs; Artileon went to each door and peeked inside.

Jyar was nowhere to be found. I came across a door, different from the rest; the carvings were still in good shape it stood slightly ajar. I gingerly pushed it and it swung easily. I walked into a small child's room; it was lavish, even in its decay. This must have been Alice's room. The silky coverings on the bed were a soft pink, what was left of the canopy was a beautiful lace. One the walls was toile, but instead of people sitting for tea they were the beasts at play. Lions, lionesses and their cubs. In the corner was an ornate chest it stood on four legs, the carvings matched the box we had taken the key from. In the carvings I noticed the letter L and the vines, the box was jeweled rubies and emeralds peeked from the eyes of the beasts. In the side of the box not in a place you would look a large L was carved it was deeply cut, and I realized this must be the lock, I told Artileon in my mind to come to where I was.

He came in and I showed him the chest. He pulled the key from the box and slid it into the L. I heard a click as her turned the key and music started to play slowly as if its gears were waking up from their long slumber.

It was my lullaby.

I was mesmerized as the chest unfolded before my eyes; Artileon said that this was a gift for an heir to the throne. Each one is created specially and it holds their most precious possession.

As he unfolded the four corners of the box they revealed a velvet lined interior. Continuing to pull the stiff fabric came up and under was a small jewelry box. He tried to pry off the lid and it wouldn't budge. I saw a note that must've been under the box.

****

To whoever has found and unlocked this chest, I am most pleased. Only those of royal blood have the sight to find the place of the hidden key, and lock. They are covered to ensure that what lies inside are protected. They must also not wish harm to the owner of the chest. I am proud and saddened that I cannot meet you as I am most likely no longer alive. This chest holds the world's most precious possession; it is given to the rightful and true heir. This final test is placed on the small jewelry case. This spell will prove the rightful heir is the only one with access to the prize within. This prize is promised to hold the power of darkness at bay, and will keep those who protect the weak in safety. It is a blessing and a curse as all power is wont to be. The fact that this prize has been hidden is most grievous as it came with the loss of the princess. I can only hope that through time the Lord Sun will remember his people and in their time of need return with the Shell and save us all.

Blessings and peace to you in these troubled times.

You will need all the help that I can afford you. Good luck on your journey.

The Priestess Sibel at the birth of the Princess Mahon L'eonis.

****

I handed the letter to Artileon, and he traded me the box. I was ready for a struggle as Artileon had. I simply lifted the lid and the box sprung open. Inside was the ring the child had worn. I raised the ring from its folds in the velvet and held it to Artileon. Jyar chose this moment to fly into the room and join us, chiming and swooping through the air when he saw the ring. He sifted and began telling us how the dwarves had fashioned this ring for the last true Princess. It had been lost for as long as one-thousand years. No true princess has been named since. That princess fading into a time forgotten and the King of that time had delved deeply into paranoid depression of the time of darkness. No female heirs had come from the line since that time. Artileon shook his head; he plucked the ring from my outstretched hand, and turned my hand over placing it upon my finger. The stone lit up, and flashed. Lightening flashed from the sky, and thunder rolled.

" _Princess,"_ Said Jyar and Artileon solemnly.

"I don't understand..." I was amazed. I mean I had been named a princess and that was supposed to be miraculous, but this really proved it. I had all along taken the blood test as a fluke, but now even more tangible proof this was real.

"I think I am beginning to put the pieces together, I think the child Alice from your vision, and the Princess Mahon L'eonis was the same. She was stolen away and lost her heritage; she was raised as distant member of the royal family but not as the heir. She must've had a child, and passed on the line, unbeknownst to the rest of the family. You must descend from the last named Princess." Jyar spoke quietly.

"I remembered the name, the last breath of my mother Raechelle L'eonis, I took that name into the new world and I have the Surname Mahon. My mother's name is Sibel. Look at the Priestess' name on the letter." I was starting to shake.

Artileon said "that can't be, the events around your birth are roughly three-hundred years ago."

"Maybe time does not pass as it does here on my world," I said.

Jyar knelt to the ground and bowed to me, I urged him to stand up and get off the dusty floor. When to my astonishment Artileon went to his knees as well.

"What has gotten into you two?" I was quite embarrassed.

' _It is the custom and you truly are The True Princess, the Heir, and lastly the Shell.'_ These thoughts echoed in her head.

****

## Chapter 24

" **How many of our daydreams would darken into nightmares were there any danger of their coming true."**

Logan Pearsall Smith

The moment the ring was placed on the finger of Raechelle, a glorious display of lightning arced across the sky, it broke through the darkness. In the sky the lightening would flash the face of a lion roaring through the clouds. The thunder was deafening and people stopped in awe and wondered at the sight.

The Lady of the Moon, paced furiously across her meadow, even her shadows were of no comfort to her. This was not going according to plan, the ring was lost for one thousand years, and this " _princess_ " just stumbled upon it. She shouted in rage at the sky, and rain began to pour and she scowled as the lightening continued to flash causing the rain to sparkle like diamonds falling from the sky. She summoned her shadows to take her before her Ladisians.

The council is found to be flailing under the scrutiny and displeasure of the people. They are in an uproar that the Prince has not been found. The council had not realized how much the king had shielded them from the constant needling of the public. They demanded answers that no one could produce. They were meeting to discuss what to do, and had brought the Ladisians to answer their queries.

The lady appeared fierce in her anger, and the _Ladisians_ cowered at their menacing goddess. The shadows crawled around her obscuring her feet, and making it seem as though she floated through the chamber. She gathered their immediate silence and she shared her displeasure at the progress of the quest, and demanded to know why had nothing been done to prevent this latest development. The Shell had quit the plague she had sent through the Forbidden lands, had won over the witch, the princeling brother was lost, and now it was as if a brilliant light concealed the way to watching and searching for this nuisance.

The council learned in this moment that truly empowered and lead the dark magic of the _Ladisians_. As they come to the realization that the Lady controls the power of the country and who had spread the current time of Darkness and the agenda they had pushed through their laws they cringed in dismay. It was if a shroud had been torn from their clouded minds to reveal the true nature of their dealings.

As the Lady sulks she disperses her trusted shadows and releases them upon the people, as they writhed from around her they spread _a darkness_. This darkness spread out and permeated the air, suffocating any light. The people across all the land were plummeted into her palpable darkness.

As soon as the darkness falls you can hear the people cry out in fear. People rushed about and cowered in their homes knowing the terror of the shadows that have come to freely revel in the dark. The _Time of Darkness_ was now perpetual night.

****

Artileon

Chelle is so surprised at our reactions, and to be honest I am shocked myself. I am so enthralled by this young woman. She has overcome these obstacles and faced sacrifices, and here now she fulfills the destiny laid before her.

The lightening brings us back to the present and I watch as the Princess steps to the casement, and peers into the gloomy darkness watching the sky unfold the lion's silhouette and the rain begins to fall. We felt the darkness as it deepened and became full of malice.

I turned to see Chelle, and she radiated a soft glow. It grew from her to light the whole room, dispelling any darkness and every shadow. She said quietly almost a murmur, she can feel the hope of the people it is still alive, they are praying even now for the blessing of the Lord Sun to turn away the darkness.

She quietly paced to the window again and looked to the moon, it was as though a shadow pulled across the face she could not completely turn from the light, but covered it to not let it shine through her shadows. The Frosted moon cowered under the covering of darkness.

****

Daltim Quarm

His deadened arms hung limply throbbing the pain now was a constant battle. He cursed every moment he found consciousness. The stench of poison rose from his cold flesh, and sweat mingled with blood dripped from his fingers. The lacerations wrapped around his arms in macabre tattoos. The symbols laced with poison and magic. He shifted and bite down not wanting to drag the attentions of his tormentor, he had not produced a single sound throughout the whole trial knowing it would only bring a much worse torture, how much worse he could only imagine from the mutilations that had been on that poor women's body. The poison kept him from sifting and he could find no solace in his true form. Not that his small frame would have afforded him any relief but the comfort of hiding would have been a welcome shift. His beady eyes shifted nervously as he heard the chains being removed from the door behind him. The sound of the metal grated against the rusty doors, and then the door grated over the stony floor announcing the entrance of a visitor.

A beautiful lady stood in front of him, surveying his state. He saw no indication that the mutilation bothered her. She stood in front of him, and then lowered her face as she traced her finger though his blood and brought it to her lips.

She inclined her head as she was intrigued by something,

Her voice was as innocent as a child and she said.

"They say you do not speak, you do not feed my shadows. You have endured my priest ministrations and still you live, you are immune to my poison you simply push it from your body. This makes me curious. I think I will take you from this place."

Daltim could not believe his luck, or was her interest worse than that of the Magister. This lady must be the infamous Lady of the Moon. He inclined his head, wincing as he did.

She laughed and it was cruel and cold even as it was beautiful.

****

## Chapter 25

" **There is strong shadow where there is much light."**

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Chelle

I was taken across the land to view a ruined temple, a young woman in a flowing cloak sprints through the snow to the remains and lights a single candle, her prayer lends the candle a glow that reaches out past the woman. The light dances with the falling snowflakes. It is a light of hope, she takes another unlit wick, and lights yet another candle, and places them at the high places of the temple. The lights shine like a beacon. Slowly through the villages and the towns, it pierces the inky black of night. The young woman begins to walk from home to home, and candles are lit, with hope.

As the candles held by the people are brought forth to be lit, more and more start to gather, and the darkness cannot hold that place, the shadows are cast from the temple. Talk slowly spreads, and with it goes a hope. The Lion will save us; it is a sign from the Lord Sun.

Hope now lights the bleak casements warding the inhabitants against the night of shadows.

The candles float through my dreams...

_The darkness lasted through the week. I am plagued with the candles in my dreams. The hope stirs my soul. I find no rest, but I also have no guidance. I am lost in this predatory darkness. The shadowed moon wanes toward the dark of the moon. The long night is sinister the sable mantle is dismal. I felt myself walking to the bannister, and though I knew I was still asleep, I could feel a tugging at my soul. I placed my hands firmly on the railing; wearing the ring I faced the direction of the rising of the sun. Light shone from my hands and grew until I had to shut my eyes, and still I saw the brightness as the sun rose over the restless waves and suffused the new day with a beautiful warm light._ I opened my eyes and woke to the new dawn.

Jyar found the princess awake upon the landing grasping the wood as if her life depended on it; he flew to her and found her glowing much like the night before. Her face was radiant as she stood and an aura wove around her surrounding her in an ethereal halo. The aura pulsed as a heartbeat, strong and steady. The stone from the ring upon her hand pulsed in rhythm to Chelle's light. He finally recognizes what he missed before, the stone is no ordinary gem, but it is a _Solarsteinn_ ; a Sunstone.

This stone was a stone of legend. Many have sought for this stone, and failed it was fabled to lead one to the Lord Sun; its whole purpose was to navigate and find the light. He watches Chelle anxiously as she pulls from the vision that had her wrapped into the rising of the sun.

Artileon walked out just in time to catch her as she collapsed in exhaustion, and carried her back; he set her upon the bed in the child princess's room. He pulled a small chair up to sit beside her. She fell into restless slumber and he began to sing Chelle's lullaby. He watched as the anxious dragon hovered nearby. He spoke to her mind, and sent calming words and comforting images she seemed to relax. He laid his forehead to her hand.

He tried to quiet his mind, and too fell unconscious. He walked onto a plain, where he found Chelle sitting her back to him, she was watching the sunrise. She was whispering _"I felt their prayers, and their hope. I helped to bring the sunrise. I am not sure how to get back."_ I reached out to her, and said "follow me." She gazed at me and asked how I had found her, I reached out and gathered her up in my arms and said, _"remember how when I was wounded you came back for me, you said you would always come back,"_ she nodded _. "I will always find you, always."_

I watched as tears welled up in her eyes, and she shook with her sobbing.

"Why are you crying?" Artileon pleaded with Chelle. She said she knew what lay ahead, and that I could not always follow, but I would do the right thing when the time came, I only had to follow my heart.

****

Chelle

I awoke refreshed and felt wonderful, I turned to find the prince leaning over the edge of the bed, and Jyar's anxious keening. Artileon woke and demanded "What did you mean?"

"What did I mean?" I said quizzically. "What are you talking about?"

"In the dream just now you told me that I would not be able to follow you, but that I would know what to do when the time came?" He was frantic, and I had no idea what he was talking about. I was peacefully dreaming about home, watching my mother and father and enjoying seeing them doing so well.

"We must have had different dreams?" I guessed. "I feel great, just like before when you walked in my dreams before. Wait, you were walking in my dreams can you do it to?"

"No, I can only walk in your dreams, and I do not know why, just like I can mind speak to you, and only you. You are changing the subject though..."

He was quite perturbed by his version of the dream, it seemed like another test was upon us, and it doesn't sound like any of us would like the outcome.

We walked out into the new dawn, the first to break through the endless night.

We gathered what supplies we could find, and Artileon helped us on the cleanliness factor pulling water for us to bathe. We walked out onto the courtyard and I gazed back to the house my mother had been born in and the tragic lives that unfolded here. I turned my back on the despairing memories and walked into the freezing morning. We travelled yet again facing the sun, and we reached the markings of the end of the lands of the Gray Sea. This was no man's Landing.

Jyar sifted into his dwarf form and began saying that he had noticed during the dream with the sun that the ring had changed, we took a look at it and found that it had indeed changed. It was now glowing, illuminating Chelle, and drawing her toward the light of the sun. He told us of the legend behind a _Solarsteinn_ , and that it would help us find the Lord Sun, we finally were really going to meet the Lord Sun, and perhaps break this curse, it was both terrifying and elating.

Chelle could still feel the sun's warmth, as though it was hope and love, and peace. It broke through the snow that had begun in the night. For the first time she truly gathered the importance and the global need for redemption and that people believed in her. She wondered again at the thought of what she would do or would she have the chance to decide what and where she would continue her life. Her family in her dream was well and happy. She thought of Re'em and his sacrifice and knew in her heart she too would give her life for the people, she looked at her dragon, and knew he would be with her till the end, but what would happen if she returned. Her next thought was of Artileon, he had been by her side, or walking in her dreams since she entered Dalthimus, and the times he had been away it was as though part of her was missing. Could she walk away if she had the choice, maybe she wouldn't have one.

****

Artileon

I am still concerned about this last dream, what could it mean, that I could not go with her, and what would she have to do, hadn't she done enough. I couldn't bear the thought of her coming to harm; surely she was worth more to this world alive than her meaningless death. If it came to that he would plead for her life, and would do anything to ensure that she lived.

****

## Chapter 26

**The mists swirl and part before a great tree, it towers upon the peak of a barren mountaintop. Under the umbrella of leaves is a stone altar, and standing beside it is a young man. He is peculiar; his eyes are golden and shine with kindness. He wears a white robe emblazoned with a sun, identical to the tattoo on my face. Its golden threads add richness to his otherwise simple raiment. He smiles as though greeting a child, and gestures to stones on the ground a pathway. It wound its way to the steps of the altar, on it were written the words of the prophecy. The whole prophecy...**

****

The Prophecy of the Shell

A tiny shell, though strong as she must be

Save the man, sheltered beneath.

Stronger still the two shall be,

Blood and fire to walk through and seal,

Oh come to us our Shell of Mahon.

In the time of great need,

The darkness shall fall,

Then the Princess shall come

From the ethereal hall.

From the brightness of the sun,

Then she'll pour into his form,

Saving the man from

The depths his own self.

Her heart will be broken,

A sacrifice must be made,

And her soul will be poured out to save him."

He was brought forth from the depths,

But her soul shall entwine his nature

And thus begins the healing and the curse will be broken.

If he does not allow the love entrance,

The spell will be broken and she will die.

****

She turned her head to see Artileon beside her, a solitary tear running down his cheek. He looked pleadingly at the place the Lord Sun had stood.

"No!" We were all startled awake by the Prince roaring. He came up to me and grasped me, and said, "I will not let you die. You will not die, you cannot die."

I touched his cheek, and replied, "I am afraid that is a possibility, but I know you can save me."

He held me tighter and whispered fiercely, "You have already saved me; I won't let anything happen to you now."

I gasped as he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. He then nuzzled my hair and held me. I leaned against him, and laid my head upon his chest. His heart beat rapidly, and a strange noise came from his throat...

I listened closer was he purring? I smiled against his chest.

Jyar buzzed about our heads, trying to get our attention. We broke our embrace, now it was awkward. Jyar sifted and asked what he had missed?

Artileon chuckled, and then sobered as he recounted the dream.

Jyar was alarmed and worried about me and promised he too would not let me die. I asked him, should I die what would happen to him; he refused to answer and sifted quietly back to dragon form and chimed mournfully.

We all silently gathered our things to eat before we travelled again. I looked up to find Artileon staring at me intently. Before I could ask, he came and sat next to me, and I leaned against him as we ate. The ring on my hand started to warm, and I glanced down; the sunstone was pulsing and pushed out. It lit up the area and produced a map showing the way to the mountain we saw in our dream. We discussed our route, and it faded once again leaving only its warmth behind.

After they travel for some time, they came upon a small mountain. Small, but a mountain nonetheless. Chelle stared at it in dismay, how were they going to climb a mountain.

"You are glowing again" said the Prince.

So I was, the ring followed and shone upon a path that looked as though it disappeared into the stone of the mountain face, as they walked toward it, they found steps roughly carved into the mountain side. They dismounted their horses, it was sad to think they had to leave them behind but there was not much room on the narrow flight of steps. They quickly repacked their supplies to what they could easily carry and followed the ring's lighted path. It was not an easy climb, the steps were uneven and some too large, and some chipped and worn away by the elements. Luckily the lighted path melted the ever falling snow, that would have made the climb that much more treacherous. The found a small landing and rested. Jyar scouted ahead since climbing was taking us so much longer than riding had to make progress. We set off after him, and continued upward. It was only due to our lighted guide that we made it safely and with only scrapes and bruises.

Ok, it was my fault we had scrapes and bruises, I miss-stepped and fell back into Artileon, and caused us both to slide and bounce down the stairs. As we climbed the snow and ice fell heavier and heavier, we could feel the cold in our bones. I was frozen by the time night truly fell. Artileon thought we should rest while it was night. The Snow Moon above was frightening in its murky shadows and made climbing impossible. He pulled out things for a fire and a covering made from skins that he set up like a tent. He saw me trembling, and sifted.

Bringing his furry warmth, he knelt at my feet; I sat and warmed myself pulling my fingers through his glossy mane.

In the early morning a chiming dragon woke me, I was so warm and comfortable and stiff from the previous day's work out, that I didn't want to move. I cracked my eyes and peered at the small flying menace. I growled at him.

Artileon lifted his maw, and chuffed. He was laughing at me. I swatted him. His tail twitched, and he shook, and sifted. I sat up and looked at our dragon who was buzzing in excitement. He settled down and sifted barely taking a breath as he told us, what awaited us. He had travelled to the top of the mountain and met the Lord Sun. He described the place Artileon and I had visited in our dream. He puffed out his chest, prying his thumbs into his dragon scale armor proudly. He said that he was praised as a loyal dragon and given the task to escort the Prince and Princess to their fateful meeting with the Lord Sun.

I giggled at his preening, and said he was a very good dragon, and an even better friend. He blushed, and sifted back to the shimmery red dragon, flitting to my hair, making a nest.

Artileon laughed at this, placed his fingers on my wayward strands of red. He brought up fresh water melting the snow that had settled in the night around us. We might as well be presentable. I noticed my poor red dress had seen better days since the cave of the witch. The beautiful ribbons were fraying, and hung limply from the neck and sleeves. I looked to Artileon's clothes which never seemed to wear; I asked him why his clothes looked so much better than mine.

"Mine are woven by magic, and your gown is lovely. Do not worry, you look beautiful as always." He answered.

"Beautiful?" I questioned. He curled his fingers gently around my neck and lightly kissed my cheek. "Yes," he breathed.

He took my hand and they walked together to meet their destiny at the top of the mountain, he assured me that they would find a way to keep me alive and break the curse, there had to be a way.

****

Chelle

At the peak, we met the Lord Sun; it was just as we had seen in our dream. He was so gentle and kind, and yet sadness marked His wise countenance. He nodded at me and I knew then. My fears were confirmed then and yet I found peace knowing my sacrifice was worth the cost. I would've done it alone for Artileon, for Jyar, to bring back Re'em. I would die to save this world, my home.

****

Artileon

I walked forward at the request of the Lord Sun. The weight of this moment sat upon my shoulders. I read the sorrow on the Lord Sun's face that he too felt the enormous cost of our quest. The solemn stillness was ethereal. The Lord Sun placed his hands on my arms, he was telling me to restrain my beast. To calm myself, I could not quit trembling. He inclined his head and removed a hand from my arm and placed it upon my forehead. My eyes closed instinctively, a vision of my past swam before me, the good and the bad, the choices I had made. The images passed quickly, and then almost halted at every significant moment since Chelle had stumbled into my world. At every instance my heart jolted at recognition of the time I had spent with her. I was taken to a field, and quickly realized it was the place I had met Chelle in her dream world. Here he met me and placed his hand over my heart. The heat from his touch burgeoned into a fire consuming me. Screaming in terror I focused on the fact that I felt no pain, and watched in detached horror. He pulled his hand from my chest pulling out the remains of my charred and blackened heart. It crumbled in his hands to reveal a word burned into the deity's flesh.

Rae'chelle.

I barely register my shock as the Lord Sun pulls his hand from my head, and I am plunged back into reality.

****

Chelle

He called to Artileon first, I did not hear what he had to say, but Artileon was tense and angered. The dragon had already met him the night before, so it was now my turn. I knew before he spoke to me that this was my final moments.

I must make a sacrifice for the whole realm. I looked at Artileon, and I rise upon my toes and whisper "Do not be afraid, be strong for me, this is what we set out to do, I will not let fear destroy our people."

He looked at me and this time I placed my hands upon his cheeks and kissed him. We both cried our tears salty as they mingled down our faces. I beckoned to my dragon, and said "you and I both know this is what must happen; I must willingly and freely give up my life for the people, my soul" he shook his tiny head and a lament went up. Sweet and sorrowful, the music filled me with peace, and I knew my time was over. I walked to the Lord Sun, and he said "it is time my child, I believe you know what you must do."

Artileon shook with rage "why, why does it have to be her" Jyar landed on his shoulders which shook, he sifted to his beast, and roared. The two taking solace from the other as they can do nothing but watch me as I mount the steps to the altar. Standing in the shade of the large tree, I hear the last sounds I will ever hear.

The sound of the Lion and Dragon in the lamentation song and my heart broke. The whisper of the rustling leaves, the quiet and stillness of the freshly fallen snow. I hear the soft chanting of the Lord Sun, he is saying the lines of the prophecy, it is written across the sky as it is fulfilled.

****

Artileon

Chelle stands upon the mountaintop she walks determined and poised. She truly is fit to be the queen, certainly the queen over this beast. I shake in my rage that she is being taken from me, and all I have is that I'll know what to do when the time comes.

She stands there radiant; she lifts her head, and takes a deep breath. She stills and looks straight at me, I have shifted and my beast is roaring, frothing, barely contained in my grief and anger. I look at her, such love, I can see her heart breaking at my lament, and I still and remember that she asked for my strength. I watch as my heart lifts her hands and uses the ring to force the light across the land sending out her soul and her last breathe to cover the people. It is as though her soul is a veil pulled over me. It covers me and my beast responds.

The Lord Sun walks to my side and says; now it is your chance to choose.

Choices, he speaks of choices... "I cannot lose her, I cannot live without her. I thought she was to be the salvation of my people, she was to rule as the queen, how if she dies. She has made her choice she is the sacrifice needed, her soul is the salvation. I do not know what to do."

"I would take her place, if I could, I would die for her, and I would die with her."

He smiled and gestured to the glowing figure robed in her resplendent soul.

"You have chosen well," the Lord Sun said "as she carries the light, you must carry the darkness."

"Then I choose to carry the darkness, my beast is my darkness, my curse."

The Lion saunters up next to Raechelle, and lies at her feet. He feels the light envelop him, as he succumbs to the darkness. Chelle pours her soul to cover his beast; he welcomes her soul to intertwine with him. Whispering, "I love you."

****

Jyar

I watched as my dearest friends gave their very souls in sacrifice to save the people. To save me, I recalled Artileon's words that Chelle had already saved him, and the dragon too realized that she had indeed already saved them all. She willingly gave all that she had, and wanted nothing in return. I watched as the light from her ring engulfed the stone and as the lion lay at her feet. A wind erupted from her heart, wrenching her soul and spreading it out. Her soul like an ethereal halo covered the place where the lion lay, and wrapped his beast, a flash rang out and I was blinded.

I landed roughly, stunned until I regained my sight. As I trembled under the weight of the curse, I could feel it breaking within me. Then lifting as a million stars the magic was taken away and I felt whole and new. I stumbled to the stone altar, the tree was smoldering and I looked upon the remains of the only two people I had ever loved. I knelt beside them, and looked to the Lord Sun. The Princess had collapsed over the still form of the Lion, who no longer held his form but was the young Prince. I placed my hands upon both their faces and cried.

****

Chelle

I had no chance to stop him, and I helplessly watched him meet mine and his death as my soul ensorcelled him. Once I had started there was no way to stop, I killed him. The last of my soul ripped from me and I lost consciousness. In that second I recounted all the people I had met, the journey that brought me here. "I love you." That was my last breath.

I opened my eyes; I am confused and my mind wanders over the events I have just encountered. I glanced around me trying to acquaint my mind to the place I had found myself. I was back on the same plain as my dream. The lush grass softly caressed me; a gentle breeze calmed my disorderly mind. The fresh soil brought an earthy aroma with it a sense of serenity. It was quiet, it was lovely. The sun was rising and it was warm and beautiful. I know that I have died; but I can't help but look for Artileon.

I stood and stretched as though waking from the dream. The whole idea surreal when I think in reality I am in the dream, but no longer a part of reality. As I wander and notice a large mound and run towards it. I fall to my knees. Here is the beautiful white lion, I caress his face and beg him to wake up. The white glossy mane wafted in the slight breeze but he was still. I waited for any sign that he was not merely a mirage in my hopes of not being alone.

"I love you, please wake up." I pleaded.

A small rising on the heavy animal, and the tickle of his breath over my hands, and my eyes filled with unshed tears. He opened his eyes, and licked my hands. He sifted and held me close, kissing my face. "I love you, too."

I was complete in that moment knowing we had done all that we could, and in the end we still had each other.

I had a curious feeling that started in my stomach, strange warmth spreading outward. I glanced at Artileon, and he was rubbing his chest as if he too felt the peculiar sensation.

We both watched as the sunrise came closer, it moved determinedly in our direction. The light surrounded around a glowing figure, it was the Lord Sun; he was brighter almost so bright you couldn't look at him directly.

"You have done well, you have broken the curse, and though you asked for nothing in return.

With your sacrifices also comes the awakening of your greatest gift, love. Love has set you free from the bonds of the death sentence." The Lord Sun smiles at the pair.

"Now hope and love will come with each sunrise, no longer hampered by the darkness. Your strength comes from these two things. It strengthens the people who walk this plain, and myself." He reached forward and touched our hearts.

The warmth had turned to a burning sensation now, and it was intense. I gulped the air and it seemed to singe my throat, I was gasping. I reached for Artileon in my panic, and found I was no longer on grass but on solid stone. It was rough as I scraped my fingers expecting the soft grass instead of unyielding rock. I took another breath, it was cool and refreshing. I opened my eyes to see we were back on the mountain, I was alive.

****

Jyar

I could not leave them. I clung to them both, as my tears fell making rivulets down Chelle's gown, and across Artileon's chest. I cried until I had no tears left. I laid there for the entire night, and did not stir until the sun rose the morning after.

I gathered my strength to leave the altar and begin a memorial for my beloved friends. As a dragon, I rose and hovered over them. I noticed the trails my tears had made, had spread and soaked my friends, where the moisture ran shimmered and glowed. Chelle's hand twitched covering the spots my tears had touched, and Artileon growled. The Princess coughed and gulped the air. I could not believe my eyes. They both sat up and stared at me as I stared at them. I flew in circles, jubilant and shrieked my joy to the rising sun.

****

## Chapter 27

_If you accept your limitations, you go beyond them._

Brendan Behan

We all sat in awe and watched the sun rise, it was like none other. The Lord Sun was truly in power, the curse was lifted. So what would happen to the Anshan people now?

I looked at my dragon friend and asked are you all dragon now, or can you still sift?

He sat and showed me he could still in fact sift.

Artileon wondered at this too. He sifted finding his beautiful white fur. I felt bereft and reached to find my center. I was surprised to find a shimmery white lioness, she knelt before me.

I marveled at the creature here in my mind. I reached down and the moment I touched her I sifted. I looked to my hands and found paws, I picked them up and the early morning sun glinted off my sharp claws. The feeling of my strong muscles rippling beneath the heavy fur was potent. I shook myself, feeling my fur shake. I chuckled, making a wheezing sound.

Artileon circled me, and licked my face. I returned the favor and the tackled him. We wrestled and tumbled. The dragon swooped in to pick at whoever was winning. Artileon sifted and indicated I should too. I did, again finding my center and waving to my lioness. Opening my eyes, I smiled.

"See beautiful, my dear." Artileon said.

I blushed. I was glad that the animal natures were still there, and that I had found mine. I wondered at the change though. I thought the animal nature was the curse. I directed this thought to Artileon and he suggested that now he is not ruled by the animal nature. It is still a part of him, but his curse is no longer an animal with a human shape, now he is a man no longer ruled by a beast. Love makes a huge difference.

"I suppose we need a plan, what are we to do now?" I pondered. "I think the first thing we must do is to return to our fallen friend, and take his remains back to his father and the Forbidden lands." I said somberly. Artileon and Jyar agreed and said we would journey back to the cairn we encased Re'em's body in, and return to the Forbidden lands. However, we had released our horses when we climbed the mountain. So we were going to have a very long walk back.

I asked Artileon about this, and he responded.

"Remember when we first started out and I spooked the horses flinging you into the rushing river? The horses are magicked to follow you. They were released to take care of themselves find shelter and nourishment and water. You will simply need to call in your mind to them, and they will eventually make their way back to this place."

The horses did not respond very quickly, and we waited. After a day or two, the horses neighed signaling their arrival and we gathered our belongings and began to ride. This time we rode with the sun on our backs. We began our travels back through No Man's landing, stopping to rest and forage for more supplies we reentered the house by the Gray Sea. No longer haunted by the ghost of lives and deaths from the past, the house held no demons for me now. I insisted as we passed that I saw the frolicking child with her father dancing in the wild brambles.

We crossed the fiery hills of sand back to the small oasis to find our fallen hero. He protected my soul, and sacrificed his own to make sure the people would be saved. Five moons had passed since the unicorn had passed. It seemed like so much had happened.

I reverently went forward and touched the covering Jyar had made over his body, and it crumbled beneath the slight touch. I gasped in horror at breaking the beautiful cairn. Artileon came forward pulling me from the glassy shards that fell.

Then we shaded our eyes as the Lord Sun appeared above the ruined monument and proclaimed that in service to his friends and love of his people this valiant unicorn is called back from the place of dreams. He walked to the body of our friend and took his enormous hand as if he were a small child and said _"Arise."_

Re'em's eyes blinked open, his eyes betraying the surprise at finding himself in a ruin of stones. He sat up and looked bewildered at us all. His eyes found the Lord Sun, and he bowed, and said his thanks.

The Lord Sun responded, "I am thankful to you all; you have truly reminded me why I created this land, and demonstrated my love. You have overcome the curse. We have one more evil to worry about and we will need you all to accomplish this."

"But the curse was broken..." I stammered.

"Yes, child... but the reason the curse was brought was the wickedness of the hearts of man. There is an evil one spreading sickness and evil thoughts to my people. Whoever this is must be stopped."

"You do not know who it is?" Artileon asked.

"In my weakened state I could not find the culprit, I have been blocked from my people; I could only hear their hearts breaking, and losing faith and hope. As their faith ended and their hope was destroyed I was fading. When you found the ring holding the Solarsteinn hope returned and it has infected the land.

Re'em interrupted, "Who has the sorcery to turn the heart of the people away from you? The only other who holds any true power other than you is your daughter..."

"My daughter is a spoiled child, and as such she is truly given to her own devices. I cannot imagine that she would want to overthrow me her own father." The Lord Sun denied the involvement of his beloved daughter.

"If it was her though, how would we stop her?" I asked tenderly, placing my hand upon his shoulder.

I knew that the malicious semi-deity had in fact been consorting with the witch, that the Ladisians followed her commands, and committed their atrocities in her name. He placed his hands on mine, and squeezed. "It would be out of my power, what gifts I have given I cannot take away, such is the magic of this land. Just as I could not break the curse, it was left to you to sacrifice yourselves. Should she be found guilty of this danger there is much reason to be troubled."

"Sacrifice yourselves?" Re'em said "But you are standing here, I do not understand."

I reached for my lion and sifted; in my mind I said, _'no longer a soul but truly Anshan. I was the combination of human and Anshan. I gave the light of my soul to break the curse, and it took my life. Artileon gave his to conquer the darkness, and dragon's tears and our love brought us back to life._ ' I showed him our final days.

Re'em faced Artileon, and smiled. "I knew she would be beautiful, and I see you have finally found a heart."

I pulled out the letter he had written to his father before his death, and handed it back to him and said, "Maybe you can give this to him yourself."

"At this I must say, truly, the power with which I created this land, was wholly given to my creation, that includes the powers that my daughter possesses. Only my creation then can overcome the darkness as I cannot be in its presence." The Lord Sun blessed our travels, and diffused taking the light of His presence but leaving us with the serenity of being in his company.

We travelled back to the forbidden Lands, and to the palace of the unicorn king. We were met with the awestruck folk as we passed bearing the very alive Prince Re'em. As the news of his demise had spread, and now a jubilant rumor went and spread out before us as we made our way through the small villages and rambling forests. We were followed by the throng of people who wanted to witness this miracle.

The king came forth and wept, as he saw his son. The silver unicorn tears flowed and glimmered as they streaked the white king's muzzle. He declared to all who had assembled.

"My son has returned the curse has been lifted. He who we thought was dead and never to return to us, has come home whole. He accomplished his task, and has met his trial. Behold my son, Behold your Crown Prince, and coming King!"

The multitude pressed and clamored and a horn sounded the jubilant news, a cry went up for the newly crowned Prince.

The king then turned and hushed the people. He held out his hands to me, and welcomed me and Artileon and L'eonis and Leon to his palace once again and thanked us for each sacrifice. He then thanked them for returning his beloved son. He took my hand in his own, and said that our two kingdoms should no more be enemies, that the Anshan should be a whole people not divided.

We dined and celebrated with the court, Artileon and I were seated with the King and Re'em in a place of honor. Jyar flew through the hall basking in the adoration of the unicorns. They were marveling at this rare showing of the reclusive race. He chased the foals through the halls, shrieking and laughing. He pulled their manes and tails, to the chagrin of the older nobles. He dipped in soups and knocked over crystal goblets. He was quite a menace. Even in their displeasure they were pleased to have the small dragon to grace their hall, the first ever dragon to come to the Forbidden kingdom. We were asked to extend our stay to the sceadu dance that would take place the next week. The sceadu was held under the Thunder Moon.

"I have never been to a sceadu dance I said, I looked at Artileon and Jyar, they nodded (well Jyar swooped in the air and I took that as a yes) and said "we would be honored."

We went into the preparations of the sceadu dance. The dance was more of a wild romp through the lands and sounded slightly dangerous. The unicorns wore their animal form for most of their lives, I had only searched for mine twice, on this night all would behold my lion. Then racing and hunting in my lion form. I felt like I needed to practice being a lion, what if I embarrassed myself.

Artileon and Re'em and Jyar all ganged up on me and said not to worry so much, that I will be a natural. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to call upon my lion in the pressure. They all laughed at my worries. They kept me busy the rest of the week, only allowing short breaks from working to gather supplies and materials for that night's magical dark hunt.

I managed to sneak away to my rooms, and found a beautiful white gown had been made. I washed up from my work, and braided my hair intricately; I had found golden strands to weave in the braids that I piled on my head. As I donned the dress, I noticed underneath the folds of luxurious velveteen there was a small thin box. The box was sealed with a wax emblem with a dragon imprinted thereon.

I smiled as I touched my dragon mark, proudly displayed with my hair arranged as it was. I carefully broke the waxed seal, and opened the box to display a diamond necklace, it matched my ring with the leaves curling around and dangling to display the jewels they encased.

At the door was a knock, I called for the visitor to enter. It was Artileon. He asked if I liked the dress he had asked for. I said it was beautiful.

I showed him the necklace, and he helped me clasp it around my neck.

"The necklace is dragon made. He must have been making this for some time. It is a rare and priceless gift." It perfectly complemented the ivory gown. It was beautifully embroidered with the leaves, and among the vines there was a lioness, proud and noble. All in white glossy embroidery thread, upon the velveteen fabric.

He kissed my neck as the necklace was settled, and held my hand as he led me to the looking glass. I was shocked at myself. I had not seen my reflection since the witch's cave dwelling. I had the same fiery red hair, but the clothes and jewelry led me to see myself differently. I looked like a princess; I saw a confident and proud visage that matched that graceful lioness.

"Not just a princess my love, a queen." Artileon murmured.

"I am only now getting used to being princess, and I am not ready to be queen." I replied.

"Then truly a queen you are; only the wisest rulers recognize their own weaknesses and fears. Only they overcome them for the people, and the ones they love." He said lovingly.

"You may cling to the title Princess but humbly I claim you as queen of my heart." He kissed my forehead, and my hand. "Until later my sweet."

He left me staring after him. Before our journey, humbly wasn't a word in his vocabulary. Not even being imprisoned under the earth had claimed a hold on his pride. The quest had truly changed us all.

I sat upon the bed, and calmed myself. I pulled my legs up and sat cross-legged. I meditated on the changes within myself and looked for the lioness in my mind.

What I found instead was myself, young and as I was when I arrived here in my long lost converse sneakers, t-shirt, and jeans.

"I know you weren't searching for me, you might have even forgotten me. Though I have to say, I like this look on you...er...me. I am here to remind you that not all is at it seem, there is still darkness, remember to cherish your time with those you love. The hardest part of the journey is yet to come. I also have a gift for you; you have met your lioness. However, you have not yet met the lady dragon."

"Dragon?" I walked with this specter of my past self. I did not know it was possible to have multiple forms. I was met with a white dragon; her glittering scales were like diamonds. Her eyes were fiery orbs of emerald green that matched my own. I could see wisdom and agelessness in her gaze. Her talons were gracefully curved and deadly sharp, her tail long and sleek. She was also much bigger than my tiny red friend. Her flanks rose to my hips. She could easily carry a man; her strength was evidenced in the rippling muscles that shifted under my scrutiny. Her wings were translucent and sparkled as though carved from precious stones. I reached out to touch her as I had my lioness and we converged meeting consciousness's. I was at once met with the crowded consciousness of the dragon race. I was met by the master's and welcomed to their collective intelligence. I was in awe and overwhelmed at their long-awaited jubilation. I felt out and noticed my indelicate claws on the bed; it was now in shreds, and sagging under the weight of my newest form. I reached back and spread my wings. I really had wings. I unfurled and felt the pleasurable whoosh, as I beat them forward.

I launched from the remains of the bed. I flew to the balcony and busted through the doors, and chuffed in embarrassment. I screeched a terrible roar, startling quite a few people below. I took off from the landing and soared into the air. I was absolutely free! I heard Jyar join me, he was talking excitedly so proud of my transformation. He had been waiting and hoping I'd find her. He thought I would be smaller though. I chuffed again, laughing and I found that it produced smoke in my nostrils. I wheezed and coughed and gagged on the strange sensation. I coughed and sneezed blowing a small fire ball as I did. A tree below set fire and I panicked flapping my wings forward and fanning the flame making it grow larger and now another tree caught fire. I blew at it again causing another much smaller fire ball. Finally I landed and started clawing at it, until I felt a bucket of water splash against my back. I shook the water droplets off, and stared at my assailant. It was Jyar, in dwarf form and he was bowled over in laughter. I snorted my displeasure at being laughed at. He regained his breath and put out the fire. I pulled back into my mind and thanked the dragon. I returned to myself.

Jyar was still chuckling as we ventured from the forest and walked back to the Palace. I was not as amused. Apparently I am a ridiculous dragon. I sulked until as I walked back into the palace courtyard, the unicorns all knelt before me. The y fell to their knees, their noses to the ground and their ears falling back. I gazed around at the unicorns and walked forward nervously. Prince Artileon ran out and reached out for me, he whisked me in to the air, spinning me around.

"Did you see the white dragon?" He asked. He set me back on my feet.

"Surprise! You are looking at her..." I said a guilty grin now plastered on my face and gestured to the bowing masses behind me.

"You?" he laughed heartily. "I should have known when were you going to tell me?" I smiled and said "I just found out myself, I went looking for my lion, and there was a dragon instead."

I turned back to the people, and said "Really you must rise, this is absurd. I am sorry if I scared you and beware the smoking tree I didn't mean to set it on fire." I shrugged and the people laughed. They went back to their business.

"Re'em and the other unicorns are slightly crazy about dragons I see..." I said and Jyar chortled.

"Why don't you set forests on fire when you laugh?" I said scornfully to Jyar brushing past him and Artileon.

Jyar explained that I was a young dragon and I would learn to control it, as well as block the other dragons from my thoughts.

"That was really overwhelming, I had no idea! They were really excited, that is not quite the word for it, but very glad I found my dragon form." I said. "Yes, there are so few dragons anymore; any new dragons are quite the reason for jubilation. We also have very few female dragons. Likewise we were afraid that you would not find your dragon, especially after meeting your lioness. Most people do not have more than one successful bestial transformation. I'd say that you have two and they were both very successful." Jyar was quite proud of himself I could tell.

****

## Chapter 28

**Light no longer holds the same significance without its shadows; fear not the shadows, least of all those who hide beauty from the shadows of their own unhappiness. Be careful for we often only see the shadows of ourselves projected over others.**

Chronicles of Princess Chelle

The Sceadu Dance

The celebration went on around us, and I wondered who I would find tonight to celebrate the lioness, or the dragon. Who would want to come out to play?

Night fell, the Thunder Moon shone brightly. There was magical quality to the night, they snuffed out every light, and reveled in the moons raiment. Those who had not reverted to their human form for preparations did so now to come before the steps to the palace. The king and crown prince walked first to the landing, and Artileon and I followed with Jyar. As we stood before the people, a small child walked forward. I noticed it was Cian the young foal from the village the one we had met and helped to find the cure to the plague. He pulled out a flute, and another child brought forth a cello, and yet another with a strange instrument I wasn't familiar with. They began to play, slowly nervously at first.

Then beautifully their song took flight and they people began to dance. Luckily Artileon had taught me the dances, as we were on the platform above the people dancing. I took turns between the Prince, Re'em, the King and even Jyar. We all floated within the intricate steps of the dance and matched the ageless rhythm of the music.

The dancing came to the end of the song. As they finished they immediately struck an odd clashing chord, and another tune began. The horns rang out, adding to the cacophony and all the people cried out!

" _Sceadu! Sceadu!"_

Then Shadows began their dance with the moon, beautiful and wispy tendrils they spun and swirled high in the heavens. The light and shadows played across the faces of the assembled revelers.

Then you could see the face of the Lady, she favored the child I had seen in my dreams. Coal black hair framed, and dark eyes peered from a pale round face. One couldn't tell if she was benevolent, or malevolent, merely beautiful and cold.

Then one by one the people sifted to their animal forms and poured from the courtyard into the waiting night.

The shadows danced as we ran into the moonlight. I found my lioness on this night. She shone in the moonlight, a striking silhouette against the dark night. I raced her through the forest, winding around the trees, panting with the excitement. A beautiful white lion joined my frenzied running; Steel eyes met mine as we swept under the low hanging branches and over the brambles.

As we exhausted our energies we rounded back to the palace. We found a hill high above the trees, and together we roared in the exhilaration of the event. Scaring the inhabitants of the forest below and sending the birds from their roots high up in the trees. We raced back to the feast.

At the end of the celebration, we were asked what we would do next. I looked at Artileon, and said "next we must find your brother."

Artileon looked surprised, I continued. "In my vision I think in his current predicament we will find he has repented of his ways, he nearly lost his life in his folly. He followed the Ladisians and the council; if we are truly to fight this evil darkness we might need his help."

"You speak truly, and I trust your intuition but where to start this search for him?" Artileon said.

"I believe I can take us to the place and he is housed in the Forbidden Lands."

I told him how when I faced the witches trial I had gone through the kingdom and had seen Aremi and his captor, how he had been wasted by some disease.

"Then we must make haste and find him, and hopefully return him to his health. We shall see if he has truly turned from his shadows and whether his help can aid us in this next quest." At his direction we said our goodnights, for in the morning we would say our farewells.

In the morning much to the regret of the unicorns, Re'em and the king walked us to the gates and blessed our journey home. We walked through the Forbidden lands, people waved and cheered for us as we passed their villages and towns. A far cry from the reception we garnered so many moons ago.

We travelled through the various small villages and went through many forests. Forest after forest with Artileon saying these woods look the same as the last one, are you sure you know where to go.

I assured him and on we went. After searching for almost another moon, we happened upon a very small village. I inquired of their very shy and quiet inhabitants whether there was a woman who lived alone in these woods. They said there was a witchy woman, no one knows if she really is a witch only that she lives alone and is very strange. They set us on the path, and we walked into the forest. It was dark and eerie; the silence that met us as we neared the woman's home was almost tangible.

"You are not welcome here, go away," screeched a woman's voice from behind the shutters of the small home.

"We are looking for a young man; I think you may have seen him pass this way?" I inquired.

"There is no man here, I live alone, now go from this place." She shouted again at us. We walked closer and there was a mumbling. "I believe I hear someone else in there surely you have no need to lie to us my good lady." Artileon said.

"Brother..." rasped a voice from inside.

"Aremi!" Artileon strode forward and pushed the door ajar. Inside the woman was batting at him furiously with her broom; Artileon was defending himself from her attacks.

"He's mine, I found him." She shrieked over and over. "He doesn't even know who he is, just his name and that his brother will find him, he is of no use to you, go away and leave us be." She tried to reason with us. I walked into the small strange hut, it was dim and dingy. It smelled of various unknown herbs burning.

My ring lit up and the woman stilled. She fell to her knees, and apologized. She crept forward trying to grab my hand and kiss it. I pulled my hand back, and shrank from the woman.

"You are the ONE, the one to end the darkness."

"What do you know woman?" inquired Artileon.

"I will only address the Queen." She said stubbornly.

"Answer his question, please. And rise from the floor." I soothed. She did as she was asked, and slowly came to her feet. She was an ugly thing, and crooked. Her scraggly hair hung limp and dull around her full face.

"The ONE will come with the shining ring, and she will take the darkness away. She is the dragon, she is the Lioness, and she is the one." She repeated this every time we asked her what she knew.

Exasperated, I sighed "but what does that mean?"

"You may have him my queen, and you must leave this place." She dismissed us. We tore open the cocoon around Aremi and had to carry him from the bed to the door. He seemed steady upon the horses and we set off. I looked back at the strange woman, and she was muttering.

"Mistress will be unhappy with the one, the dragon, the Queen. No queen but the mistress, unhappy with the one, the one is precious. Protect the one."

We had to stop often as Aremi would tire quickly. He seemed no more than a husk of the man he once was. He only mumbled "brother will come for Aremi, no more shadows, I am sorry..."

We started assuring him he was safe that we did find him; he never seemed to hear it never seemed to matter. So we gave up, and hoped we could find a healer to help him when we reached the palace.

****

## Chapter 29

**Most people think that shadows follow, precede or surround beings or objects. The truth is that they also surround words, ideas, desires, deeds, impulses, and memories.**

Elie Wiesel

The Palace of White

The Palace of White or the _Palace of the Beasts_ loomed above them; I had never even once looked back to the place we had fled shortly after the blood Ceremony and incarceration. I had quickly seen the throne room, the dungeon, and the white hall. The bright Harvest moon shone onto the hoary stones. The castle stood as a beacon to the city surrounding it. The darkness had turned the stones from a lustrous white to a lifeless grey. Candles and whispers of hope spoke through the darkness and made the night quiver in its might. The lights shone from the ramparts and high places shining throughout the evening.

Now we walked the halls, and had our rooms. There was a lovely young woman who came to help me dress and wash, and tame my wild hair. She would lovingly brush the strands until they were glossy and she would fix an intricate hairstyle. I had told her not to bother or go through the trouble, but then I saw her disappointment and allowed her to do as she pleased. She picked out the most complicated gowns, without her I'd have had to wear my nightgown around the palace.

The council welcomed us back to the palace proclaiming a great feast, the Ladisians seemed to disappear and the people rejoiced in the streets for the return of their Prince and Princess. The streets were lined with rose petals that the still warm nights turned into a gentle perfume.

With no power to back the council, and the knowledge that they would answer for their crimes the council bowed over themselves to try and regain favor with the new rulers.

Knowing now that Aremi was no longer fit to rule in our stead they had no claim to the throne and thus no longer had any power nor did he wish to.

They quickly relinquished the daily duties and were relieved to no longer have the long conferences with the masses that came before the royalty.

The council was disbanded, and trials were held to select a new council. There were so many things to do; the royal pair was constantly busy. There were many sent forth to find the missing Ladisians, and the dungeons were searched and emptied.

The Hunter Moon and Frosty Moon brought their own challenges as winter once again sets across the lands. A declaration was sent out.

****

To the inhabitants of the Land:

We will declare the 3rd day of the Cold Moon, a day of great feasting and rejoicing. We invite all to celebrate or attend the coronation of our

Crown Prince Artileon,

And our

Beloved Princess Raechelle L'eonis.

They will be crowned together on this morning at the rising of the sun.

The Blessing of the Lord Sun be upon you.

Greetings from the New Council of the Dalthimus throne

****

The preparation of the coronation was in full swing people fluttered to and fro, we were measured and poked and prodded, we tried on garments, and shoes, and tasted foods until our heads swam.

****

Artileon

I went into my brother's apartment to see how he fared today. I had taken to visiting him every day since we found him in the woods. My new found heart ached with the sight of him huddled in the first few weeks unaware that he had been rescued, that he was safe and he had not even recognized that his brother had come. Those few words becoming his mantra, he only spoke to Chelle and me.

The servants refused to enter his rooms afraid of the mentally disturbed prince. After searching for anyone who was willing to take on the challenges presented with helping this particular patient, we felt lost. Chelle would come in to speak and he would touch her face with awe, then shuffle back to sit in the large chair looking out the window. She and I would talk to him, telling him about our adventures, Chelle was better at talking to him she had a different perspective having been transplanted here. She would tell him all about our world and through her eyes; I fell in love with her more and more. I also fell in love with my people.

This day I went in only expecting to find the hunched figure, instead I found him dressed and groomed. He even met my eyes when I walked in. I halted in shock at the transformation, a tear fell wetting my cheek. He had quickly looked away, but even looking at the ground he had a smile on his face; I looked around and saw a young man jabbering away nonsense. He froze when he noticed my entrance and then scurried from the room faster than I could even think to ask him to stop.

I asked Aremi who his friend was not really expecting an answer, but was pleasantly surprised when he said quietly. "Friend, help." And smiled. I told him I was happy he had a friend and I hugged him. I wiped away the tears that had escaped and drew away; I looked at Aremi's face. I noticed first the lopsided grin stretched across his face that mirrored my own, and the tears glistening in his eyes. I never was able to catch the boy, but my brother steadily made progress.

****

Chelle

I often escaped the tumult by taking to the sky and flying over the city of Parth. I learned that the name of the city surrounding the White Palace was named such, after a long ago king. The inhabitants would cheer, and I would roam the skies. I would also run along the castle walls, as a lioness leaping from the ramparts and battlements. I would also walk the streets and meet with the vendors and buy from the markets. I would visit and volunteer at the temple.

More and more people flooded the ruins of the temple; they would remove the rocks and debris, and had cleaned and lit the entire structure with glowing candles. The effect was stunning. No move was made to rebuild, merely light the looming remains.

I would say my prayers and light my candle. I was presented with a small token one day, it was a candle shaped into a large circle. I noticed a crack and found that it actually was two candles, that fit together, two wicks that when burned would melt the candles together. The priestess giggled, when I asked what it was for. She just shook her head.

The day before the coronation the King and Crowned Prince of the Unicorns arrived to join in the festivities. I noticed in the entourage was Cian; I asked if he had brought his flute and the boy shyly nodded. I said he would have to play for me once again. He flushed and I could tell it meant a lot to him. Word spread of the attendance of the Unicorn court and it was certainly the first time they had ever witnessed a coronation in the Beastly Court.

The day arrived and true to form my lovely maid had picked the most outrageous costume, the white brocade gown was jeweled and had a crest on one side there was the lioness, on the other was the dragon. In the middle was a tree the branches and leaves hung above the mighty creatures. They were delicate and all in silvery threads, the dragons had emeralds for her eyes, as did the lioness.

She placed the dragon necklace around my throat. Around my shoulders was placed a white fur mantle, the clasp was an L like the carving on my ring. My hair was woven with silvery threads and laced with jewels. She walked me to the large mirror to appraise her handiwork. I was amazed. I assured her that I thought she had done beautifully.

We walked to the antechamber behind the throne room, there was a curtain hung between our respective places, but I could hear Artileon arguing good naturedly with his manservant who was fussing over his clothing and hair. I stifled a giggle. The maid and manservant peeked across the curtain, and gave each other knowing smiles. There was music, and the people in the throne room all hushed their conversations.

I was beckoned forward; I could hear the awed appreciation as the Prince strode to the dais.

****

Artileon

I couldn't help but smile at the large stone chair my father had once occupied, for next to it was a beautifully carved smaller throne. Lined with furs and pillows for my beautiful princess, it had a crest with the dragon and lioness, and the tree. I looked across the gathered sea of faces. My brother wore a silly grin upon his face, he had regained some of his memories and some charm, but the arrogance and pride was stripped from his demeanor. Love had broken this curse as well. I awaited Chelle's appearance.

I could not imagine coming to this day without her. It would have been meaningless and trivial. Now it was a blessing to lead our people together. She was so calm and gentle; the people loved her, almost as much as I did myself.

****

Chelle

He was so handsome. He had on white much like I did, his shirt carefully embroidered the silvery threads matching my own, and the heavy chain of the armor he wore was polished and shone brightly. He also had fur upon his shoulders and a white cape flowed behind him attached with a matching L clasp. His steel eyes warmed as he saw his brother, and I was ushered forward.

The crowd gasped appreciatively, but I only had eyes for the Prince. He turned slightly to look at my entrance and tears rimmed in his eyes.

We both walked forward, and the newly anointed priestess met us, with the High councilman. They read the roles and responsibilities to which we each agreed. We swore our oaths. Artileon stepped forward and knelt, the Priestess handed the High Councilman the crown. He raised it and said "With the blessing of the Lord Sun, and the power invested by our laws and customs I crown thee, and name thee King of the Beasts. Rise and take your throne."

The people roared in elation as he did stand and walked to his throne and sat.

A hush went through the crowd as the Priestess reached to take the second crown and hand it to the High Councilman. I knelt in the same fashion as Artileon did. The Councilman repeated "With the blessing of the Lord Sun, and the power invested by our laws and customs it is my highest honor to crown thee, and name thee Queen of the Beasts. Rise and take your throne."

All the people rose to their feet as I walked to my throne, and sat beside my beloved King. The noise was deafening as the shouts of the people erupted through the hall.

Artileon raised his hand; and they fell silent once more.

"I have one announcement more to make," He said. He stood and reached for my hand, I stood with him, and he knelt before me. The hall was hushed with anticipation and abated breath.

Jyar flew to his waiting hand and presented him a ring.

"My dearest Queen would do me the honor and become my wife?"

My hand flew to my mouth, I was astonished. I went to my knees and tears welled up in my eyes, and said "Yes."

If the din was deafening before now it was downright painful, the people were shouting and clapping and weeping and jumping for joy. The people were riotous for some time in their joy and celebration.

Until a cold wind swept through the throne room, and the flames in the scones wavered. The shadows deepened. A pregnant hush filled the hall. In walked the infamous Lady of the Moon.

The childlike goddess slithered forward her shadows caressing their goddess. Her midnight blue gown shimmered and added mystery to her pale countenance.

"I have come to give a gift to show my favor." She declared imperiously. "On the next day in the fullness of the Lord Sun's glory I shall show a sign in the heavens. This is my gift to you and my well wishes upon your reign and upcoming marriage. Blessings to you all."

She clapped and disappeared theatrically from the chamber.

The people wondered about this upcoming event, and murmuring about this rare occasion they filed out of the hall to go out to feast.

The merriment lasts well unto the hour of the celestial sign to be wrought upon the sky. The people flood the streets to see what blessing the lady will bestow.

As we gazed upon the skies, writing appears in black writhing storm clouds, like inky lines blotting out the sun's warmth and beauty.

The suns wrath in one day I will hold

Framing the sky in darkness

Hidden the world will be,

I will Triumph over the dying magics

And through their weakness

The shell will return to her rightful place

Oh praise the lady and her eclipse

I watched slowly as the moon, no one had noticed her still hanging in the heavens comes and slowly covers the Sun. It is a solar eclipse, and the world is plunged into darkness. The people cry in alarm as the darkness engulfs them and bedlam breaks out.

There is a pain in my chest, I am in agony.

I clutch at my chest, as the wind rips the breath from me. I cry out, and I reach for Artileon. I just touch the tips of his fingers and I am pulled away. I scream for Artileon, I can hear him roar in frustration. I am lost and the wind whips at my body, I am tossed and shoved and then I land roughly falling to the ground. I have my eyes shut firmly against the darkness. Until I no longer hear the wind, or feel it ripping at my clothes. No longer do I hear the people, I open my eyes.

There beside me bubbles a quiet brook. I am sitting on lush grass beneath a great tree. I am wearing a pair of white converse, a t-shirt and jeans.

The End

###

## Note from the author:

Thank you for taking the time to read my book. Please take a quick moment to leave a comment or rating. This book is free; the only payment I request is feedback, I would love to hear what you have to say.

If you would like to leave a comment or are interested in finding more information about me or my books visit me at:

<http://caseyphelps.wordpress.com/>

Or write to me:

dalthimus@gmail.com

****

Keep reading for the first two chapters of the next book in the Dalthimus series...

## Return to Dalthimus

coming 2014 (visit me online for more info on release dates)

## Chapter 1

The Lord Sun cannot believe the words of his shell, and her friends. He placed his head into his heads and wept upon his lonely mountain, for his daughter, and all that he had lost. Remembering the time before time began.

He was a rural farmer on the world of Caspara, he'd loved the hard work and effort that paid off each year with the fruits of his labor to feed his family another year. His beloved wife Anha was more beautiful than the sun, her black silky hair hung like the willow cascading across luminescent eyes. She had a wild liveliness to her that was contagious. She had loved to run amok in the fields swirling and twirling with mirth.

One day she brought him the most joyous news, they were to have a child. With a gleam in her eye she said, with your luck it'll be a daughter that will be the undoing of her doting father. Little did they know the import of the words she spoke and the events that were about to unfold.

As the months passed his lovely wife swelled with the growing child. She no longer danced in mirth, she was fatigued and distant. Her sleep was disturbed by dreams she often woke screaming in the nights. Even when he croaked and pleaded she would not share these terrors with her husband.

One fateful morning he noticed that her eyes were dull and shiny, her pale face was drawn and the shadows that ringed her eyes were deepened. He gathered her up in his arms and set off to the brook that meandered behind their home. In the copse of trees that stood sentinel over the spot they came to share each other's company. He placed her gently on a bed of leaves, the subtle breeze played with the tendrils of hair that slipped from her hair bands.

They sat in silence, until he started to sing a lullaby...

The trees are singing

The lullaby child

The grasses swaying

Adds to their guile

Pulling the sleepy one

Deep into dreaming

And all the while

Baby in my heart keeping

His wife's eyes filled with tears and said simply "I'm sorry my beloved."

He hushed her and kissed her forehead, "you have nothing to be sorry for my love."

She quietly sobbed, and murmured.

"I am sorrowful for what will come, not for what I have done. Know this that my love will guide you that will be enough."

He was bewildered at these strange words from his wife. He decided he must take her back to their home and call for the doctor. He bent to take his wife from her resting spot, and leaned against the mighty tree sending up a prayer to any that would hear for his dearest one.

At that moment his world ceases to exist for him and he was in a barren place. Standing upon a mountaintop, the tree he had leaned on for support there upon the rocky terrain. His wife cried out and writhed in his arms. He shuffled to a flat stone surface, and laid her there. She cried out louder this time and reached across her swollen belly. It finally dawned on him that it was time.

He bleakly looked at his surroundings, no living thing stirred. A wind howled at the mountainside, its lament to the travail that had gripped his wife. He held her and she spoke weakly through the contractions.

"Remember what I told you before that love will be enough...."

She gripped his hands as terror flashed across her face. Her body was not strong enough to bring forth the child. Her eyes widened with the travail that gripped her weary form. Then her body convulsed and she lay silent, a last breath escaped her lips, and her hands fell from its grip on his.

This cannot be; it cannot happen this way. He screamed his rage to the heavens, then remembering the child he took her from his dead wife's womb and wept.

Rain began to fall as he wept. His rage flashed across the sky. It rained down to wash the little girl that clung to his chest.

The sky darkened and matched his gloom. The little babe giggled and cooed. His heart softened and said to the fullness of the night

"My beloved child shall be named Luna for she comes in my night, to remind me of the light that must surely come in the morning."

Thus began the deity of The Lord sun and his beloved daughter the Lady of the Moon. He called the world into meaning as he saw fit, and so began Dalthimus.

****

## Chapter 2

" **A dream you dream alone is only a dream. I dream you dream together is reality."**

-John Lennon

Artileon

I had dreamed of the day I would become king, and never had my dreams actually matched the reality of the day. My imaginations had never seen the beautiful queen at my side, or my brother as my friend. We had journeyed through the land on a quest to save the world. We gave up everything in order to save everything. We learned through the trials and sacrifices and it honed us into rulers worthy of our thrones.

We have begun our rule with healing for our people, and hope across the land. We forged a new path to the light of the Lord Sun, out of the darkness and evil that had stained our world.

I take this throne, the throne of my father before me. I gaze across my people, my eyes fall upon the girl who came from the depths of my prison and threw my world into chaos. My new queen, the Shell of Mahon, the true heir. She hardly resembles the fiery little thing that rode across the desert sands beside me, stood toe to toe with a unicorn, and gave her life for a people she came to love.

I raised my hand; and the gathered crowd fell silent. I watched as an eyebrow rose on the lovely queen's face. I knew she was already suspicious. I can see the questions going through her mind. I feel her nerves getting the better of her as the hush spreads across the waiting throng.

"I have one announcement more to make" I stood from the throne I had just been handed, and reached for Rae'chelle's hand. Her tiny hand slips into mine, as she stands. I knelt to the ground before her. The robes pooling on the smooth marble floor. The crown heavy upon my head as I gaze up at her.

Knowing this to be his que, the small red dragon Jyar flew to my waiting hand and presented me a ring. I am now the nervous one as his tiny claws graze the palm of my hand, and I look upon the tiny ring I hold out to Chelle. I fix my eyes upon the woman I anxiously kneel before and ask.

"My dearest Queen would do me the honor and become my wife?"

Chelle was surprised, her hand flung to her mouth, stifling her gasp. She fell forward to her knees, holding up the crown she had forgotten was placed on her head and with tears welled up in her eyes, she said "Yes."

If the din was deafening before now it was downright painful, the people were shouting and clapping and weeping and jumping for joy. The people were riotous for some time in their joy and celebration. I could not keep the smile from my face, as I pulled her hand towards me, and pushed the ring gently on to her finger. I lifted the hand to my lips and planted a kiss lightly on her knuckles. Then I dropped her hands all together and placed my hands on the sides of her face, bringing my lips to meet hers as the noise doubled. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her, her eyes shining with love. The tiny red dragon was flitting over our heads and raining red glittering dust over everyone.

Until a cold wind swept through the throne room, and the flames in the scones wavered. The shadows deepened. A pregnant hush filled the hall. In walked the infamous Lady of the Moon.

The childlike goddess slithered forward her shadows caressing their goddess. Her midnight blue gown shimmered and added to her pale countenance.

"I have come to give a gift to show my favor."

"In the next day in the fullness of the Lord Sun's glory I shall show a sign in the heavens.

This is my gift to you and my well wishes upon your reign and upcoming marriage. Blessings to you all."

She clapped and disappeared from the chamber.

I can't help but worry about the unprecedented arrival of the goddess. I smile tightly as the gathered guests do not need to see a worried King. Chelle is glowing and probably still reeing from the events of the day, she walks with me in a daze.

As they filter out of the throne room and go to the festivities that are happening all around our city, the people wonder about this upcoming event, but go out to feast. The merriment lasts well into the night and even the next morning, the day of the celestial sign. On the arrival of midday the people flood the streets to see what blessing the lady will bestow. We all flood our crowded streets, we are joined by our friends from the Forbidden lands Re'em and his father the King of the Unicorns. We stand with our eyes staring off into the heavens waiting on the showing of favor.

The blue sky is clear with not a cloud, the sun shines warmth across our faces. When all of a sudden, across the sky is written in black writhing storm clouds, like inky lines blotting out the sun's warmth and beauty.

The suns wrath in one day I will hold

Framing the sky in darkness

Hidden the world will be,

I will Triumph over the dying magics and through their weakness

the shell will be returned to the rightful place

oh praise the lady and her eclipse

Before I coud comprehend the meaning behind the words. I watched in horror as the moon, no one had noticed her still hanging in the heavens, comes and slowly covers the Sun.

It is a solar eclipse, and the world is plunged into darkness.

The people cry in alarm as the darkness engulfs them and bedlam breaks out.

There is a pain in my chest, I am in agony. I stumble slightly.

I clutch at my chest, as the wind rips the breath from me. I cry out, and I reach for Chelle. I just touch the tips of her fingers and she is pulled away. She screams my name, and I roar in frustration. I fling my hands out as the wind whips at my body. I cannot find her, she was right next to me, even the darkness seems to slip like oil between my fingers. The pain is sharpened even as the darkness retreats, it hangs on my heart as if a part of my soul has been ripped from me. A sliver of the sun pushes past the dark barrier of the moon.

****

Chelle

A crushing weight settles on my chest, I shudder with excruciating pain.

I clutch at my chest, as the wind rips the breath from me. I cry out, and I reach for Artileon. I just touch the tips of his fingers and I am pulled away. I scream for Artileon, I can hear him roar in frustration. I am lost and the wind whips at my body, I am tossed and shoved and then I land roughly falling to the ground. I have my eyes shut firmly against the darkness. Until I no longer hear the wind, or feel it ripping at my clothes. No longer do I hear the people, I open my eyes.

There beside me bubbles a quiet brook. I am sitting on lush grass beneath a great tree. I am wearing a pair of white converse, a t-shirt and jeans.

I stared in disbelief, doubt raged through my mind at the loss. I began to wonder if it was all a wild dream, that I was merely sleeping and the terrible thought was crushing. I looked at my hands and saw to my immense relief the ring of power, and scrambled to the edge of the brook to examine my face. There the blue sunburst and the red dragon mark sat in my skin.

I traced the lines as they blurred as my eyes filled with tears, and then my exhaustion and fears subsided into delirious giggles.

I wondered how I would explain this to my mother.

I slowly gathered myself dusting off the sandy red dirt that clung to my jeans after being deposited back on my world.

Caspara.

No longer her world, no longer her home she felt a stranger, and alone. Her heart ached for her king and dragon. She glanced at the other ring she wore upon her left hand, engaged to a man worlds away.

Steeling herself against the tears threatening to tumble over her cheeks, she steadies herself with a deep shuddering breath and set off for the village she called home once upon a time.

A small wooden sign that she took for granted at the place the woods met the road into town proclaimed to passersby the village's name, _Ternith_.

I crinkled my nose at the smell of the asphalt that smelled of the tar they had plastered across what used to be a gravel road. I wondered what else had changed and what time had passed in my travels to Dalthimus.

She snuck back to the cover of the woods and approached her family's home from the back entrance. Staring with sudden homesickness she examined the small structure. The brick was painted white, her mother had always hated the ugly gray that was there originally and she often begged my father to paint it. They had good-naturedly squabbled over it for some time; I wonder how she finally convinced him. I took in the forest green shutters and the terra cotta shingles on the roof, with the ivy climbing lazily up the sides. Roses bloomed in the garden marking her path to the patio doors. The breeze played with the laundry that hung to be dried in the sun. At that moment I was saddened to find that my home had irrevocably changed and that so had I.

Syble walked out to the porch with a glass of sweet tea. She numbly went to the small table and sat heavily. Her eyes not focusing, she stared blankly. Her eyes raked the forest until landing on me, her eyes lit up. She sat motionless unable to comprehend what she was seeing. I frowned that she wasn't running through the flowers to greet me, maybe I was in trouble. My lips trembled as I said "mother."

She gasped and stood up knocking her drink to the ground shattering the glass, and ran to the shelter of their home sobbing hysterically. Her father had heard the noise and came careening through the house to see what had upset his wife. I had been immobilized by the reaction of my mother.

I was frozen in fear, what had passed in my absence that would evoke such a response. He held and soothed his distraught wife while searching the yard for what had disturbed her. The evidence of barely contained anger was written plainly on his face. His face went slack upon locking gazes with me.

"It can't be..."

His voice broke, and tears streamed down his face. He hushed my mother again and set her upon a chair in the kitchen. Seeing that she was fine, he went to the doors and strode forward. He marched through the flowers and came to stand in front of me. Both of us had tears running down our reddened cheeks at this point. My heart was broken for my parents. He reached out and touched my shoulders, then my face, traced the tattoos, staring in bewilderment.

"Please say something daddy," I pleaded earnestly.

"Rae'chelle" was all he uttered before embracing me and weeping. He broke the embrace to look again at me.

"We had lost hope of seeing you again. Your mother has been beside herself."

"I'm so sorry," I snuffled.

"Come inside we will have to convince your mother that you are not an otherworldly specter." I looked at him seriously, this man was not who I had left behind. He went on to explain, "Everyday she comes and searches the yard for you. She spends hours waiting for you to walk up the path. I have done everything I could think of to make her snap out of this sadness. I painted the house; I planted and nurtured the roses. I cultivated the vines, just as she always wanted."

We walked into the house, and into the kitchen. My mother trembled in her perch on the kitchen chair. I dropped to my knees before her, taking her frail hands into my own.

"Mother it is truly me, I am home." I did not think I had any more tears but a fresh flood wetted my cheeks.

She stared at her hands, and then followed mine up to my face. I searched her face for any recognition, for any sign of my mother. She took her hand from mine and reached out to touch the tattoos on my face. "You are no daughter of mine child."

The words hit me like a slap to my face. I couldn't comprehend the betrayal I felt from her blank state and callous statement.

"Of course, it is me mother. It is Rae'chelle. I am back." I pleaded.

"Torment me no more, haven't I suffered enough already. Leave this place. My daughter is dead." She stood and walked away, leaving me dumbfounded and broken.

"Leave her be for now child, it will take some time. I'll make some tea."

"I'm not sure I have time." I said.

He stared at me and said that now I was talking like my mother. Ominous sayings and dark murmurings. She sleeps in your room now with your lights lit up she never leaves after dark falls. She walks clear of the shadows and wants lights on all the time.

"She has good reason to be afraid of the dark. I have a great many things to tell you, most will be hard to believe. I think that cup of tea is just what we might need." I said somberly.

####

