Aurora was in the nursery. The twins were playing quietly as she knitted a blanket. When had she learned to knit? How had she gotten here? Where was Nanny? Aurora looked down at the blanket. On it were land masses and oceans. They were crafted so carefully that they seemed alive. The Empress stared at her handiwork. She ran her fingers along one of the oceans, and her hand came back wet."Wow, Mother! You have the whole world in your hands!" Mairwen exclaimed. Her eyes were big and innocent…too big. She went back to playing with blocks silently."Thank you, dear," Aurora found herself saying. Alaron turned toward her. His face was not right either. His mouth was too large. He was fighting an imaginary enemy with a wooden sword. The Empress looked as he played. She could feel someone was watching her, but she could not see them. A chill ran up her spine."Mother?" Alaron said, pausing between strokes. "Who was born first?""What?" Aurora could not c

"You cannot seriously believe the Fates exist!" Cafer mocked in yet another Council meeting. Zan glared at him, and Cafer averted his gaze. The councilman needed to tread carefully. "And even if they did exist and you could somehow visit them, how would you find them?" This was a valid question."Oh, I have an idea," Aurora smirked.—————Earlier that morning Aurora had gone to see Nanny. "Do you remember that song you sang for me once?" Aurora asked.Nanny gave her a baleful look. "You will have to be more specific, dear.""The one about going to find a white palace. The words were strange."Nanny's eyes widened slightly. "I remember it, Your Majesty." She sang the song. Again the tune filled the Empress's soul. The lifting melody gave Aurora a sense of flight."That's the one! What does it mean again?" Aurora needed to know."Beyond the land of ice and snow, you'll find a land of green. There mak

Aurora and Devrim hurried through the darkness of the tunnel, their only light the glow stone that was part of the walls. The Empress wrapped the Guardian's cloak around her tightly as she followed Devrim through the tunnel. She had been wary of using it because Zan was so much taller than her, but Aurora found as it wrapped around her shoulders that it adjusted to her height and build. The pair had placed many items inside the recesses of the cloak before leaving the palace, including money and weapons for protection. The weight of the cloak never changed. As she made her way underground, Aurora wondered what else she would discover about this magical garment. The novelty of adventure pushed her to move quickly, always anticipating the next discovery. When the passage forked to lead inside and outside of the city of Valiant, Devrim paused and looked back at her. While the tunnel leading up inside Valiant was paved with glow-stone, the second passage was dark and unfriendly.

"Good sir, do you mean to rob us?" Devrim asked carefully. He hoped the words would sink into Jarog's thick, drunken skull."Lay off, Jarog!" someone from Jarog's table called. "Tell them you were joking." Aurora noticed the friend would only confront the large inebriated man from a distance."I would listen to your friend," Junayd said with an easy smile. He, like Nurlan, had his hand at his belt.Jarog realized his error. He squinted hard to clear his vision and laughed. "You men can't take a joke." He laughed again awkwardly then abruptly stopped as no one was laughing with him. Another curiosity struck him. He turned to the figure whose face was shrouded in a dark hood. "What's with your friend there? Can't he talk?"Aurora sat up straight, but sunk her face deeper into the cowl. He could not have seen her face either way, but it couldn't hurt to be safe. Devrim spoke up for her, "Our friend is quiet. Is that a crime?" He was obviously referring to th

"Berry!" Aurora cried out as she ran over to her horse. The beautiful black mare lay on the ground shaking violently. "What's wrong with her?" She asked Devrim frantically.Devrim came alongside the horse as well and removed the loosened saddle. "I don't know. Her breathing is very labored.""We need help!" The Empress told Devrim, though it was obvious. Neither of them knew anything about horses other than how to ride. Nurlan and Junayd, having heard Aurora's scream, came running into view. "Berry is in trouble! We need physician," she told them quickly.The two soldiers didn't hesitate. Nurlan jumped onto his own horse, grabbed Junayd's horse by the reigns, and took off for the closest town. Junayd scanned the ground, running over to nearby bushes. He pulled a leafy green plant out of the ground and brought it to Aurora. "Get her to chew on this. It will calm her." The girl accepted the plant and coaxed Berry into a chewing it. After many minutes, Berrys breat