November 28

Word Count: 1580

Was it guilt settling in? Was that why Lynah couldn't seem to sit still or get comfortable on the blanket? It was disconcerting in the least, and getting worse as the day progressed. Lynah was sitting here out in the beautiful sunshine with the only man who had ever really treated her as a human being, and Trevelyn was stuck inside. Wouldn't Trevelyn want her to be happy?

"Why were you so anxious to come back here?"

"What? Oh, I guess it's home. We weren't supposed to be away," Lynah replied, shifting her legs.

"But what happens next? Where do we go from here?"

Lynah paused for a long time before honestly stating, "I don't know."

"You were right. I don't belong here. I don't know if I belong in the forest anymore either. Malek went in search of the girl, the brother went in search of knowledge, the noblemen went to help the brother, and the princess had to go home where you followed. That leaves me. I need something to do."

Of all the times suitors had asked Lynah to provide them with a manly heroic quest, she'd never failed to think of a quick answer. To fetch rare flowers from the mountains in the east, or fabrics from the lands in the west, she sent them anywhere, as long as it took them an extremely long time to get back. But Lasser's question wasn't designed to catch her attention, or prove his love. He truly wanted something to do. She didn't think he'd appreciate "marry me, become king and rule Galadin for one thousand years," but it was the only thing she could currently come up with.

Conversation stopped until the dragon let out a few sparks to catch their attention.

"You know, someone could ask the dragon," Snult said as he peered into the basket. Lasser smiled and handed some roast beef to Snult. He happily took a bite. "My compliments to the chef."

"Well?" Lasser asked when Snult said nothing further."

"Well what? I don't recall anyone having asked the dragon anything." Lasser rolled his eyes.

"Right then, Snult, oh Great and Mighty Dragon…" he began.

"Are you patronizing me? Because if you are, I'll be happy to return to my full and natural size and squish you like a grape."

"Not quite. But if you have any suggestions, I'm asking you for them," Lasser replied. "Please."

"Now that's more like it. You've known me for less than two days and already, I'm being treated like a second class citizen."

"Did the other Great Mages treat you that way?"

"Most of the time… unless they needed someone big and bad to be intimidated. Dragons are very good at that, you know."

"Really? Couldn't have guessed. Does that mean I have the power to squish you like a grape?"

"I'm not going to answer that question."

Lasser laughed. Lynah, by this point, had figured out that their threats were just lively banter between friends.

"But as I was saying," Snult began again a bit more serious in tone, "the mages did have their own home, Tamarin."

"Like the brothers?" Lynah asked.

"Yes, it's where they got their name. The brothers were the servants and workers for the mages. They served as the long arms of the city. If someone had a problem that couldn't be fixed by a brother, they would send a message to the mages and it would get solved. Once the magic began to disappear, the mages could no longer support Tamarin, and so they expelled their immediate scribes and servants who left for the monasteries throughout the land. The mages locked the gates of Tamarin and closeted themselves away within it to conserve the last of their power. It was a shame. Tamarin was a beautiful city, full of peace and the food, well… it was a shame."

"So what did you do after they closed Tamarin?" Lynah asked.

"Went to sleep in my cave. By that time, I knew if I wanted to survive myself, I'd have to hibernate."

"And when you woke up, the mages had left a key to return their power to the world," Lasser said, trying to fill in the gaps.

"They were also supposed to leave the book, but plans might have changed."

"The question is, how do we get to Tamarin, how do we open the gates, and what have they left behind for us?" Lasser said.

"That's three questions, actually, and I know the answer to one of them."

"Which one?" Lynah asked.

"Oh, it's a two week journey on foot."

"By horse?" Lasser questioned.

"I meant horse feet. By dragon it's oh, an hour." Snult stretched his wings.

"You haven't forgotten the way?"

"Good." Lasser got to his feet. Lynah could tell he was getting excited at the thought of having something to do. He was probably just about to mount the dragon and head off right there and then.

"We'll have to get Trevelyn," Lynah interrupted. She didn't want Lasser to start thinking he was going alone.

"The princess?" he asked. She could tell he was slightly annoyed at the thought.

"She is a Great Mage as well," she argued, "and I think we should have as many Great Mages there as possible, in case something goes wrong. We might need more than one person to unlock the gate. Don't things usually come in threes?" She knew she was grasping at straws. She grabbed the picnic blanket and shoveled everything back into it. "Besides, we're going to need some supplies. I don't intend on going hungry, and I don't intend on starting off an adventure without my friend."

"And you think the king will let his precious princess go on an adventure?" Lasser asked.

"No." She stated with definite assurance. "He doesn't have to know about it."

"You want me to defy the king?" Lasser asked incredulously.

"As Snult said, you are a Great Mage, greater than any mortal king. The duties that ruled our lives as mortals don't apply any longer. The king is a good king, for the most part, and he's going to have to learn that his daughter is no longer tied to him in the same pattern of responsibilities. He shall just have to find himself another heir." Lynah crossed her arms and nodded her head with full confidence.

It had just come to her now, the inner peace that came with knowing that somewhere, deep inside her, she had the power to say no to her father. She had the power to convince the entire country she was a maid, but that was beside the point. When she and Trevvie switched back, her father would see to reason and find another person to rule Galadin. After all, it wouldn't be fair to the people to give them a queen who would live for a thousand years.

With picnic basket firmly in hand, Lynah began to march back to the castle. Lasser, slightly confused, tagged along as soon as Snult, with an indignant huff had flown atop his shoulder. Agenda firm, Lynah was going to set everything right, and then the three of them would take off for their ancient past and future home.

Brother Valdin had apparently been heading to find her. Without so much as a word, he grabbed her hand, changed direction and pulled her into the castle. Lynah had just enough time to check and make sure Lasser was still following, when Valdin pulled her up the stairs practically three at a time, no easy feat for the non athletic brother. He yanked her into her rooms, or rather the princess's rooms and finally let go.

Her mother was crying, sobbing. She was sitting on the bed looking very unqueen-like with a red swollen nose and tear glazed cheeks. Lynah took a few steps toward her, when her father grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Wake her up. Wake her up!" he shouted.

"Wake who up?" Lynah asked confused.

"My daughter. She won't wake up." Lynah's eyes widened as the king shoved her towards the bed. Trevelyn slept peacefully with a rather serene visage. Her hair had been artfully laid about her head which rested on Lynah's favorite embroidered pillow.

"She's to be married tonight!" her mother sobbed.

"Married?" Who said anything about her being married tonight? Oops, Lynah thought.

"In an hour, so wake her," her father demanded. Lynah sat down on the bedside. "Trevvie?" Maybe it was a ruse to get her in here. Lynah would have tried something like that, but Trevvie was usually more straightforward. "Wake up?" Lynah picked up Trevelyn's hand and dropped it unceremoniously on her chest. Several shocked courtiers gasped. "Do we really need such a huge audience?" Lynah asked her father. With one quick glare he sent them all skittering out. Lasser remained, refusing to be budged by a glare.

"Okay, Trev, the coast is clear. I promise I'm ready to tell the truth." Lynah waited. Nothing happened. She pulled open an eyelid. Trevelyn didn't flinch. Lynah grabbed her wrist. Her hands were cold, but there was a pulse, and her chest was moving up and down in a slow, but steady rhythm. "Well, she's not dead."

"We have figured that much out. What's wrong with her?"

"I haven't a clue. Lasser?" He shook his head. "Snult." No response from the dragon either.