Coming or Going?

"Is there anything else we should do before leaving?" Zan asked the Empress. However, Aurora did not seem to hear him. Her mind was elsewhere.

The Empress sat in the nursery playing with Colvyr one last time before their imminent departure. The little prince was gleefully pulling a rolling duck around on a string, and squealing as it chased him.

Brinn, who was laying on her stomach on the nursery floor, used her wind magic to give the little duck some extra speed. It nipped at the little boy's heels, bringing an extra burst of laughter and speed to the tiny child.

"Auntie Brinn, you are quite a trickster. That little one is going to miss you." Aurora's eyes were brimming with tears. She had never left her child for more than a few days, and there was no telling how long this journey would take her.

Seeing the woman's words for what they were, the elf nodded knowingly. "Prince Colvyr will be well taken care of by Nanny and Queen Mother Lanassa. And I will be back to save him from all their spoiling very soon."

Brinn's words had the desired effect as the Empress released her crumpled grip on her gown. "Of course. He will be in good hands." The fiery-haired woman scooped up the little boy as he ran by and blew a raspberry on his cheek. "You will be so drowned in affection; you'll barely notice I am gone!"

The doting mother squeezed her son before releasing back to play. She wiped her eyes as she traced his wandering path with the duck in tow.

Zan cleared his throat. "Your Majesty?" He tried again. "Forgive me, but..."

"No, forgive me," Aurora interrupted. "I heard you the first time. There is nothing left to prepare that I can think of. I am just not ready to go, if I am being honest. I was hoping for news of any kind from... anyone."

Glancing toward the mirror, which was sitting on the small table next to her, Aurora sighed. It had been more than a day since she had sent her last mirror message to her daughter, and had still received no response. This troubled her deeply.

"I can go and check to see if Anna has heard from the Emperor," Brinn offered. She rose from the floor and stood ready to leave.

"I do think your other four visits to her were quite enough for today, thank you...yet..." The Empress hesitated.

The elf disappeared from view and Aurora felt a cold finger run up her neck as the Fate's chain slipped over her head. Obviously the golden necklace felt no malice from Brinn or it would have reacted to her touch.

"I'll be back before you can finish listing all my amazing qualities," the disembodied voice teased as Brinn left the room.

"I hope the Storehouse doesn't end up getting upset with Brinn for all her traveling," Aurora said absentmindedly. She turned and looked at Zan. "I do not suppose you have heard from Hanna or any of the other Fates."

Zan furrowed his brow. "I am afraid not. the Fates have been eerily silent since they took Hanna. This would be a much faster journey if one of them would make it for us."

"Not that any of them except Hanna would make the trip anyway. But it would have been nice. Any help to speed our journey would be welcome. I don't suppose we could track down Wai?" Aurora's mind was finally on the trip to find the 'Abominable'. Wai was a useful ally because she had transported both of them at different times around the land of magic.

"That thought did cross my mind, but none of the elves have seen the nymph for a few weeks now. I supposed I could..."

"Don't you dare try to contact that fairy imposter when you can have the real thing!"

A portal opened into the nursery and an old fairy with flowing white hair stepped out onto the marbled floor. Although his countenance was angry, there was mischief in his eyes.

"Reyan!" Aurora leapt up and hugged the fairy. He accepted her embrace with a red tinge to his cheeks. "I have missed you," she said warmly.

"That's right. You better have missed me. I don't want to hear any talk of contacting anyone else to replace me, you hear?" Reyan kept his scowl, but he squeezed the woman lightly in spite of himself.

He released her and looked at the child, who had stopped his playing to stare at the new arrival. Colvyr tilted his head in fascination, but did not seem frightened. The fairy pulled a cookie from his pouch and handed it to the child. The young prince did not wait for permission, grabbing it greedily as he stuffed it into his mouth.

"Those cookies are world famous," Reyan told Colvyr proudly, a smile finally gracing his face. The prince nodded and received another cookie as a reward.

"You are as bad as Lanassa," Aurora giggled.

"Ah yes, the elves." Reyan's scowl returned. "Why was there no one at the barrier to let me in? I am not trying my luck to see if I get skewered by elven magic. I had to wait until a sentry came by and then convince him that I had business with the royals. It is a good thing I am so persuasive."

The Guardian and Empress exchanged a look.

"We hadn't heard from you, Reyan, so we assumed you weren't coming," Zan straightened his shoulders. The old fairy was crotchety, but he did not need to be inconsiderate.

"In what world would I turn down the opportunity to help my close personal friend? Really, Zan...Who do you think I am?" The fairy puffed out his chest, offended.

The Councilman opened and closed his mouth many times. There was no good answer. He looked to Aurora, who was hiding her smile daintily behind her hand with her eyebrows raised innocently. "My apologies," he said at last.

"You can say that again!" Reyan tipped up his nose. "Humans always think the worst of us magical folk."

"Now that's not fair. You thought the worst of us when we appeared at your home." Aurora tilted her head, making Reyan rethink his words.

"Yes, well I never said I was perfect," the fairy grumbled. "Just exceptionally close…"

Colvyr pulled at the fairy's arm and held out his hand. Reyan handed him three more cookies.

"That's too many!" Aurora moved to retrieve them from her son.

"You worry too much," Reyan rolled his eyes. But covertly he removed one from the little boy's stash. Clearing his throat, the fairy quickly changed the subject. "So…Obviously you, Zan and I are heading out on this journey, but, uh... who else is going on this little adventure of yours?"

"You bring the number of our total up to six. Princess Brinn, Prince Alvar, Zan, Nurlan, and I are all going," Aurora answered him definitively.

"You are forgetting someone…" Zan said with his lips pulled tight.

"No, I am not…" Aurora crossed her arms.

Reyan smiled, his pearl teeth shining. "Ooh an argument I didn't start?! Count me in. Who's not coming?"

"Phileas needs to stay with Nanny and Colvyr or go back to the palace," Aurora picked up where she had left off with her advisor only a short while ago.

"Phileas?" Reyan did not know the name.

"The Doctor…" the Empress and Guardian said together.

"A doctor is a very handy thing to have on an adventure." Reyan nodded.

Zan grunted his agreement. "Very handy indeed! As I have said, Your Majesty, the elves have healers and the palace does as well, but without the doctor, we have no one. Phineas wants to go, too. He has volunteered."

"By that measure, I should bring Colvyr. I'm sure he would love a little adventure," the Empress began to pace. She held up her forefinger. "And don't you dare tell me that I am being unreasonable."

"Your Majesty, I would never!" Zan began.

"But you were thinking it, we all know it," Reyan prodded.

"The doctor is too old..." Aurora ignored the fairy's goading. "He will not be able to keep up..."

Zan pressed fingers to his temple. "I might have agreed with you were it not for the help of the unicorns. And now we also have our close personal friend."

"Her close personal friend," Reyan corrected him, "No offense."

The Guardian moved around the fairy and continued his impassioned plea to the Empress. "Your Majesty, we haven't faced an enemy like this before…"

"Exactly. I do not know if I can keep us safe. The doctor brought me into this world. What will I do if I cause him to be removed from it?!" Aurora held her head in her hands and fell back into a velvet chair.

Small hands came and pulled at her fingers and Colvyr tugged himself into her lap. She hugged him tightly. "For the same reason I cannot take Colvyr, I will not take the doctor. They must be safe."

A hand came over her shoulder. At first she thought it was Zan trying to give her some final words of wisdom, but the craggily knuckles did not belong to him. Aurora had no idea when the doctor had entered now how much he had heard.

"I have lived a long and happy life, Your Majesty. It has been a most excellent existence in Valiant. Yet I always felt like something was missing: that the world had more to offer. This was the selfish reason I wanted to go to Oblivion with you. Now look at me! I'm in the land of the elves! Yet, I do not feel my journey is done. I think it is only beginning. Please do not deny me this chance to see the world and serve you in the process. Even if I die in the process, know I will do so without regret."

Phileas squeezed the woman's shoulder. Had he said enough to make his case?

However it was a muffled sob from Reyan that broke the lengthening silence.

"I'm not crying!" He said before anyone could claim otherwise. "There was a bee sting…or something." Reyan paused. "Now, let the old man have his dying wish, will you? Seven is a better number anyway."

Aurora simply nodded. Deep down, she knew him coming was the best decision. In the end, Seven, not six, would leave the elven lands that very day.