Mairwen danced to her heart's content. She enjoyed dancing immensely, but after a time she grew weary of countless dance partners always asking the same questions. Aside from a few boys that she knew, everyone asked her about her plans for the future, wondered if she knew how beautiful she looked, and inquired what it was like to have an Empress for a mother. She could only have the same conversation so many times.At last the princess pulled herself away from the crowd of dancers and headed toward the Spring Garden, where Alaron sidled up beside her. "Are you enjoying the party?" He asked. The Prince looked very handsome in his blue and white tunic and pants. A lighter blue, shortened cape was draped loosely across his shoulders like a kingly robe. Alaron had opted to represent the royal colors, and they sat well upon his figure."Oh brother, it has been a wonderful celebration! Dancing with father was certainly the highlight. The music, the excitement: it has been pe

Mairwen pulled the orange-tinted glasses from her dress. She had been talking with her mother about them when they were getting ready, and she had slipped them in her pocket on a whim. It seemed the Fates were with her. She put the glasses on her face and used the knife to reflect the images of the ballroom. It was distorted, but she could make out four figures on the dais. A bright light was beaming from one of their hands. Feeling braver, the girl moved around Junayd and looked into the room. Unlike the others, she did not instantly become a statue. This was a relief, because she had no back up plan.By the thrones, three men stood gloating and discussing their next move. Mairwen recognized Alaron and the strange general, but the third figure was completely unfamiliar. Now that she had a fuller view of the room, a few people were moving through the crowd, stealing odds and ends off the wealthy mannequins.The man with the shining ball was defending the thieves' actio

Outside the palace, three figures emerged from the ground. Alaron was leaning on his mentor, panting heavily. His face was pale as he limped toward the outskirts of town. "How could she stop us?" he wheezed."Her Majesty has a proclivity for lucky breaks," Xander answered. "You should have let me kill her when I had the chance."The prince did not disagree. He was too weak. "Save your energy, my boy. We have to get out of Valiant before we are captured," Cafer said gently.Xander put his shoulder under the boy's other arm. "What is wrong with him?"The gnome shook his head sadly. "The explosion he used to free me from the cage was very powerful. It took all his energy to perform the feat. Magic can be a costly venture." The gnome almost felt bad for what he had done to the boy. But self-preservation made him glad Alaron knew magic."I am fine," the prince said as he nearly dropped to the ground even with the two others supporting him. "I am strong

Aurora felt like she was floating in a sea of darkness. She tried to collect her thoughts, but every time she caught hold of a memory it would dissolve and float away in the watery void around her. It was as if her mind was trying to protect her from some horrible reality, but she could not remember what.Occasionally Aurora would hear voices from the darkness that she could not make sense of. The sounds were both familiar and foreign. Once she even heard a lovely story about a princess which made her cry, but she could not say why. Aurora lay adrift. An eternity passed. All was darkness.Then the darkness lightened and faces around her began to take shape. Aurora knew their names: Devrim, Brinn, Nanny, Zan, Mairwen…They all caused the lady to smile. With them she was safe, wanted and home. But another face formed and the dark-haired woman cried out. The blue eyes staring at her were both forbidding and pleading. As she recalled all that had happened, his name e

Into Valiant the trio rode. Devrim took the lead with Junayd second and Gandr third. They traveled by the main road out of town, which allowed them to ride their horses, albeit only single-file. They were dressed as soldiers because then they and the horses would be generally ignored. It worked. No one paid them attention. But even from his height, Devrim could hear the gossip in the street."Do you think the rumors are true? Is Prince Alaron really Empress Aurora's brother?""The Prince seems to think so. He left in a hurry after he realized he would not get her throne.""But the Princess stayed. She must truly love the Emperor and Empress.""And the Empress must love her too. Why else would she keep her siblings alive when they threatened her rule?""The Empress has been a good ruler, but can we trust someone who lied to their own family?""I think...." On and on the conversations went as the three passed through the streets. Devrim held t