Londaros

The days were still chilly but Miri ignored it, she was busy packing her things when the maids saw what she was up to.

"My lady! What are you doing?" One of them asked, there was a thin layer of contempt in the girl's voice.

Miri looked up, "Jasreth's healed. I'm going to go be with my family."

The maid frown and turned around, "Country bumpkin." She grumbled as she went to go find the nearest captain. This new queen to be was not nobility, the entire country was already set to their ears at the thought of their prince marrying so beneath him. And she was leaving him when nuptuals were so close to the horzion? Did she not know that the prince would be king and how many women are already trying to throw themselves towards him.

Jasreth was listening to the reports with satisfaction, the preparations were well underway. They were a few weeks away from leaving the capital.

"My lord" A captain rushed in and whispered something in Jasreth's ear. He frowned suddenly and stood up, the room went silent as he strode out.

Miri was just about packed when she spotted Jasreth. He looked at her packs and frowned, "What are you doing?"

"Oh good, I was about to come and find you." Miri said with a smile, she grabbed his hand, "I'm going to find my family. They're in the City of Light."

"Miri." Jasreth said with a sigh, "I can't let you leave by yourself. It's not safe."

Miri smiled, " I can take care of myself. You don't have to worry about me. I've saved you... twice." Her smile was dazzling and Jasreth found it hard to not be dazzled. He steeled himself, "Miri, wait a few weeks, I promise I'll go with you."

Miri shook her head her face showing her anxiety and worry, "I can't, I don't feel right, something's going on and I have to go find my family. I feel it."

If she let now, it was over. All his plans. Jasreth looked down, "Aren't I your family?"

Miri rushed to him, "You are!"

"Then why can't you stay with me?" His voice was low, almost morose.

"Jasreth, I love you more than words could say. I'm giving up everything to be with you." Miri said with a smile, "But, right now, I need a few weeks to make sure that my family is alright. I had promised to go with them, but I stayed to take care of you. Now I need to go. You can understand that, can't you?"

Jasreth sighed, "It seems that I don't have all of your heart."

Miri paused, watching the pain on his face, she took her hands in his, "How can I prove to you that I am truly and only yours?"

And so Jasreth told her.

Miri took a step back, and looked at him, "Is that what truly will make you believe that I love you?"

Jasreth nodded, "It is."

Miri sighed, "When did you know that I was fae?"

"The first time I saw you." He didn't mention how mesmerized he was, watching her smiling at him, underneath the purple fern. He steeled his heart. This was necessary. This was needed for his plans. For his happiness and hers.

Miri looked towards the direction of the City of the Gods, and whispered "Then you shall have it."

Suddenly a pair of flame red wings rose from her back, beautifully red and brilliant, they shown in the sunlight like two petals.

Miri took out a silver knight and took a deep breath.

She gripped her wings and slashed.

Blood bubbled forth as the wings fell off her back. She stumbled, bitting her lips as the immense pain seemed to overwhelm her. She took the giant and beautiful wings and held it out to him.

Her smile was full of love, there was no regret in her actions, "Here, my token of love." She was offering him the symbol of her queenship and power. She was offering him her world in that one moment. A covenant between them that she and him were tied together.

Jasreth took the wings and laid them carefully on the table.

He turned and saw that Miri had grabbed a green healing crystal and was about to heal herself.

Gently, almost lovingly, he took that out of her hands, "Here, let me"

Miri smiled up at him as he held her in his arms, totally trusting this man.

"You will heal. I will make sure you heal." Jasreth said as he kissed her on the lips, passing something into her mouth, he looked into her eyes, "But you can't right now."

"What?" Miri whispered feeling as if the world was melting around her. She was so dizzy, she thought it was because he was helping her heal. Whatever he had given her was making her so sleepy.

Jasreth held her gently and lovingly, he whispered, "I love you so much that you are part of my soul. The only way I can be with you forever is to make sure we live forever. You will be by my side until the end of time. But, my love, right now, you have to suffer just a little. Just a little, for me."

She fell into the darkness, wondering what had just happened. She had just given him her most precious gift. Wasn't she supposed to be leaving? What was going on?

Jasreth carried the sleeping woman back to her rooms and applied medicine to her back himself, being so careful that even the maids stared in shock. When did this prince whose was dark and ruthless show such a tender side?

"This medicine, it will heal her?" He asked the physician. The man nodded, "Slowly, but surely it will heal her."

He kissed her face and called his mages, "Make sure she is comfortable and asleep while we plan."

Turning to the maids, he ordered, "I want someone by her side at all hours. When it is time to apply medicine I will do it personally. I will feed her, and whatever else that needs to be done. If even a hair is out of place, I will skin all of you."

There was not much time left. Jasreth knew that he had what he wanted, it was time to move.

Three days later, the court of Londaros was gathering for a great feast when Jasreth stood up.

"Father, I would like to make a toast." Jasreth called out, he was resplendent in black, a smile at the corner of his lips.

The king looked at his oldest son, and gave a nod. Ever since this son of his had come back from the City of Thieves, he had become a changed man. Just a few days ago, the king had given his son half the army of Londaros.

Jasreth looked around and smiled, "Today, is the day I take the throne."

Silence. Absolute silence followed. Jasreth continued, "Londaros has gotten weaker and weaker over the years. We worship the fae and their gods, while our neighbors become stronger. It is time to change. We should control the fae as our neighbors do. We have their ancient scrolls, we know more than anyone. We need to become stronger."

The king stood up, shaking in rage, "You...Guards!"

But no one moved. Jasreth smiled, "Father, if you think that I started plotting today, then you deserve to be usurped."

Jasreth snapped his fingers and guards took his father, mother and brother and forced them to kneel to Jasreth.

They looked at the eldest son in disbelief, but Jasreth merely smiled, "We as a nation have made a choice. We will take what is ours and my rule will be eternal."

---

Capital of Dycathion

Killian's men was in preparation to go with him to the City of Light when Killian was summoned to the throne room.

There the king and queen sat, looks of consternation on their faces as a beautiful lady wept elegantly beside them. Her bright red hair shook as she cried, a picture of beauty in distress.

"Killian, are you going so soon?" The queen asked, she sighed, "You need rest."

"I need the truth. If the Fae are uprising then I will need to be there to put them down." Killian said after a moment. The king and queen looked at each other worriedly. And then looked to the lady with a shake of their head.

"We have done all we can." The King said to the lady, "Once he makes a move, I will not question his judgement."

The queen looked at the girl kindly, "You have some questions for him don't you? We have gotten him out to see you, now you should take your chance."

Suddenly the lady stepped forward, "Why have you been so cold to me?" She accused Killian, her eyes full of tears."

"My lord, why won't you see me?" Eugenia kept sobbing, "Why won't you see me?"

Killian frowned, "Who are you?"

Eugenia stopped mid-sob and looked at him in disbelief. Killian looked at her but could not place her face. He had heard that some woman was trying to get into his rooms, but he'd put a stop to that with a few harsh words and a threat of death to any fools who tried that tactic.

"I'm the one who rescued you!" She said after a long, awkward moment, "You said I was the most beautiful woman you'd every seen!" Her face was starting to turn red.

"No. You're not." Killian said that almost automatically, and then frowned, not sure why he knew that as if it was a fact set in stone.

Eugenia gritted her teeth, "You said you would marry me."

"You? Never." Killian said, again, that familiar feeling returned. He felt satisfied, as if he wanted to turn around to someone and say, "See? I would never marry anyone but you."

There should be someone by his side. He felt so sure in that moment that he had someone to say those words to.

But there was no one in his life. Why did he feel as if he's missing something. As if he's missing a piece of himself. His heart was so empty it ached. His heart had never ached before and at first he thought he was ill.

It was a pain that never went away, an ache that was worse than any physical pain he had ever experienced. He didn't know why he felt that way, but that if he did not stop feeling that way, then life was not worth it. He pushed those thoughts down and looked down.

Eugenia mistook his silence him weakening towards her, and walked towards him her arms extended, "Were all those things a lie? You and I, you said we belonged together. You said that we were fate. How could you forget?"

Killian's head had begun to hurt. His eyebrow raised slightly as he watched the woman approach.

The King of Dycathion opened his mouth to warn the woman but Queen Peya put a hand on his arm, "Don't ruin it." She said with a smile and a sparkle that her husband was usually afraid of.

Eugenia kept walking forward, her hand outstretched. In the last moment, she seemed to trip and fall towards his arms. She let out a small and helpless squeal that would melt the hearts of most men.

Most.

There were great windows in the Dycathion castle, ones that lead directly towards the gardens. And those garden, having been destroyed recently by an unfortunate ball, was now just becoming a thing of beauty.

Gardeners looked up in surprise as a ball of silver and red flew past them, screaming in fear and agony as it crashed through the windows, bounced down the steps and through no less than ten walls of the recently manicured hedges.

The queen held out a hand to the king and said smugly, "You owe me."

The King sighed and held out a bag of coins. He glowered at his general, "Why do you always aim for the windows?"

Killian bowed, "There was something dirty by my feet. I only wanted to keep the great hall clean."

The king sighed and resolutely decided that he would get reinforced windows next time. He stared at the note in his hands, and then took a more serious topic, "The Novorian throne as been passed to Jasreth. He has declared war on the Fae in the City of Light. He asks for an alliance."

Killian thought for a moment, "What do you plan to do?"

The king smiled, "You can decide how to answer. He is, after all, your half brother."

Killian nodded, "I'll meet him and see what he's offering."

With that, he bowed and left the throne room, not even giving the crumpled heap of woman the time of day. But as he passed a solider, he whispered, "Make sure that our spies see what this Eugenia is up to. I don't believe for a moment that she is as innocent as she pretends."

---

Somewhere

Cybelline looked at the duck and the duck looked at her. It's green head was very shiny and it had healthy stock of feathers. It was a fine mallard.

The duck sighed, "Do you know where this is?"

Cybelline shook her head, "The last thing I remember was touching the God Tree."

The duck laughed, rather, it quacked as if Cybelline had said something funny and ignorant.

"God tree? That little thing could be called a God Tree?" The duck seemed to be caught in a moment of mirth. It quacked louder. Then it seemed embarrassed of the sound coming out of its mouth.

Then It looked at Cybelline pitifully, "Are you sure this is the form you prefer?"

Cybelline thought for a second, "No."

The duck looked relieved and was about the change when she said, "I like mandarin ducks more. They're really colorful."

The mallard looked offended. Cybelline only smiled, "But you can stay a mallard if you prefer."

The duck sighed, "Fine. if this is what makes you happy." And it changed to a beautiful mandarin duck. Cybelline resisted the urge to pick it up. So. Cute.

Cybelline looked around at the endless ponds and rivers, "What is this place?"

"This place?" The duck paused, "Is the birth of all worlds in this realm. A place outside of time, a place where worlds begins and ends."

"Huh?" Cybelline said after a moment.

The duck waddled to a small pond and waved at her, "Look."

It was the one where the duck had placed the sapling. In the water, Cybelline watched as the sapling grew into a grand tree. Grass sprouted from the tree and land as well. The first beings grew from the earth.

"Those" the duck said contemptuously, "Are what you call higher gods." Cybelline watched, fascinated as the gods created beings in their image. The more people there were, the bigger the pond got. But it did not seem to overflow into the other ponds by it. Instead, a tendril stretched out, farther and father until it reached back towards the river.

Cybelline watched the river flow into the different ponds and the different ponds flow back into the river.

"The river is the river of time, it creates ponds where worlds like yours exists." The duck said, they walked from the small ponds to the thundering river, where a boat waited for them. The duck waved to Cybelline, "You can get on the boat." And then it jumped into the river.

Cybelline watched, a little stunned and then got on the boat. After all, what could she do at this moment? She looked down into the crystal blue water and swore that she saw rainbows of fish and all manners of creatures in the water. Had there just been a mermaid that passed by?

They traveled upstream until they came to a grand lake, the source of the river and a tree that stood tall and proud. King of the Dominion. Its bark was ancient and its roots reached into the waters. It was larger than the sun, larger than anything that she had ever seen, Cybelline felt like an ant when she looked up, unable to see where it ended.

It seemed to be waiting for her.

The duck waddled up toward the shore, "Don't dawdle, we have a lot to discuss. And try not to touch the water, it might turn you int a water buffalo if it's in the mood.."

Cybelline rubbed her forehead and then flicked herself.

"Why are you hurting yourself?" The duck called back to her.

"I don't know" Cybelline said honestly, "I think I'm going a little crazy"

"No, crazy is when you ask a Sentinel to turn itself into a duck." The duck grumbled, "Just be patient, all will be clear soon."

"Sure," Cybelline said, "As long as I don't die or burst into flames, I'm a happy, happy camper."

-----

Author's Note:

Hello lovely readers! I hope everything is well with you and that you're taking care of yourself - mentally, physically, emotionally. Please take a moment today and remember a good thing or a happy thing that has happened. For me, it was that I got to share another chapter.

As work picks up, I find it harder and harder to write, but, I want to give my readers a little bit of joy in these times. As always, thank you for reading, voting, and commenting. I love it and I am wishing you a healthy and safe time.

Rin