"Invade your home?" Aurora did not understand what the angry fairy was saying."Yes, you are trying to walk into the entrance of my homestead. What business have you with me?" The fairy lowered his expressive, bushy eyebrows so that his eyes were almost completely hidden."No business with you exactly, sir," Zan answered, "but—""Humph! If you have no business with me, then you have bothered me quite enough. Now shoo!" The fairy held out his hands in a brushing motion to rid himself of the strangers. They turned to walk away from the curmudgeon when they realized that they had no idea where to go."I don't suppose you..." Aurora was shocked when the fairy grabbed her arm suddenly."Did you hear that?" the old fairy looked around warily.The Empress stopped and listened. "What?"The fairy relaxed. "I could have sworn I heard an unwanted guest about to ask me for a favor, but I must have been mistaken."Aurora puffed her cheeks. "Listen, sir..""My name is Reyan. Have the decency to use

The next morning, Aurora was refreshed and ready to go, but Zan and Gandr seemed almost more tired than when the Empress had last seen them. They had dark circles under their eyes and glazed over expressions. Something had robbed them of their sleep."Gede really knows how to talk," Gandr explained."He wanted to know everything about our world, and it felt rude not to tell him," Zan added."I can leave you here," Aurora offered. "I am sure Gede and I can manage." But the two men refused her kindness. They would work to keep awake and be useful. "Suit yourself," the Empress agreed after their protests.Gede walked with them through the wood to a nearby valley. The lush low area was shaded by steep protective walls, making is a perfect safe haven. In the valley were a herd of unicorns were munching quietly on grass. While the elves' unicorns were penned and sheltered, these roamed free."Do these unicorns belong to you?" Aurora asked Gede.The fairy shook his head. "No one can own a un

Aurora started at the two fairies in disbelief. They were laughing so hard that tears were streaming from their eyes.The feelings of anger at Reyan and relief that the fairies would help her were both pushed aside to make way for her extreme confusion. Why were the males, who had just seemed ready to come to blows, now acting like the best of friends?"You are not so bad when you want to be," Bolemir commented as he gasped for air. He gave the older fairy a firm pat on the back."You are not so bad yourself, you old windbag," Reyan jokes as he shook the other fairy's forearm.Prem shook her head and pulled her lips tight. She ushered Gede and Niko out of the room after sighing at her husband."What exactly happened?" Zan asked Aurora."I thought I knew," she answered, "but now I am not so sure…""Did the fairies agree to help or not?" Gandr queried. He was completely unsure how he should be feeling. He was not alone."Yes, they agreed, no thanks to Reyan…he tried to sink my efforts i

The first gnome to pop out of the ground was met with one of Mairwen's arrows. Although she had not had many arrows left after the battle with the pirates, Mairwen had fashioned some with wooden arrowheads that would still hurt considerably when met with flesh. The arrow hit its mark and the gnome sunk to the ground in pain. Seeing their comrade go down, the gnomes on either side ducked into the earth for protection. "That way! Archers, lay down some cover!" Devrim ordered while pointing to the gap the princess had made. The other archers shot from the back of their steeds to try to widen the hole. Although none of them were used to shooting form horseback, most arrows got close enough to scare the gnomes into a momentary retreat. Devrim and Mairwen led the group through the hole over the uneven ground. As soon as the horses began to file through the gap, the archers could not continue their onslaught. Moments after the arrows stopped, the gnomes reappeared to cut off the fleeing h

The Emperor's troops had been so exhausted that the final watch had been unable to be vigilant. Therefore, it was easy for the band of men in lightweight desert clothes to overtake the imperial group. They had even done it without alerting anyone until it was too late.The leader of the group, Metehan, held one of the men dressed in fine clothes at the point of his sword before he could waken. But the grey-eyed man's reaction was confusing when he realized that he was captured. Rather than be afraid, he seemed annoyed at one of the other men in his group. 'How odd!'The other man, who was burly and in a general's uniform, also seemed relaxed enough to argue. The two men bickered back and forth until Metehan could take it no longer."Enough! Are you not the least bit worried that you have a sword at your throat?" he asked the man at his feet.The grey-eyed man scanned the group briefly, barely turning his head against the sword. It seemed he was looking for someone in particular, but h