Water

Aurora stared, reading the same page for the hundredth time. Her mind could not focus. Having received a brief account of what had happened at the fort from a messenger late the night before, the Empress had been unable to sleep. Instead Aurora found herself pouring her time into working on her son's problem: ridding his body of magic and its damage.

After sunrise, Councilman Birger had joined her in scouring the books for a solution. As promised, he had diligently come every day to read with her, and when she was particularly tired, he would read aloud to her. Just now they were sitting quietly in the palace library when Aurora slammed the book shut in frustration.

"The princess should have been here by now. Perhaps the messenger did not know to find me here. Nurlan!" Aurora called. The guard appeared instantly. "Make sure the front gate knows where to find me. I want to know the minute Mairwen and Brinn enter the city so I can meet them when they arrive"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Nurlan bowed and left.

"I am sure the prisoners slowed their progress, Your Majesty. The princess and spymaster will be here as soon as they are able." Birger tried to comfort her.

"I would have ordered the prisoners all killed if I had known they would delay Mairwen's return," Aurora muttered quietly. Birger's eyes grew wide, and the Empress realized that she had spoken her thoughts out loud. "Which I know would be very wrong, Councilman," she added definitively for his benefit. "Everyone who surrenders deserves a fair trial, even if it is inconvenient for me."

Rather than embarrass herself further, Aurora went back to her book. There was nothing in it of value, and she cast it aside for the next. Sensing her frustration, Birger ventured a question. "Have you tried that library that is, you know, hidden?" He had been in the tunnels once years ago to help fight against Cafer and had recently learned of the Storehouse.

Aurora gave an unqueenly grunt. "The Storehouse will not help. I have tried every combination of language I can think of to find a book that will help me. All I want to do is rid a human of the damage caused by practicing magic. Is that so hard? But the Storehouse ignores me or rumbles in response. It is like it knows that Alaron stole the Semblance Stone and then used magic. I get the feeling it wants the boy to suffer the consequences."

The Empress could not consider the other option: that there was no solution. That was unthinkable. Aurora opened the cover of the next book with a loud thud. "We must solve this puzzle on our own, Birger."

Birger nodded and said a silent prayer for the Empress's sanity. She was strong, but everyone had their breaking point. The prayer seemed to work, because the Empress's face softened as she looked at a page. He watched as her as she turned back and forth between the pages. "What is it?" he inquired at last.

"Probably nothing. This is the third myth I have read about the Fountain of Youth. But this one also says the fountain has healing powers…" Aurora's words dropped off as she thought.

"Water comes up often in myths, Your Majesty. I read earlier about a River of Life." Birger rummaged around and pulled out two books. He opened the first and found the correct page. "Here!" Then the councilman opened the second book. "And this one speaks of a waterfall that renews the earth."

"We all need water to live," Aurora reasoned. "It would make sense that people would make up stories about such a necessity."

Birger frowned, "But every myth grew out of a grain of truth, or at least what someone believed to be true. What if the fountain, the waterfall and the river… what if these places of healing really exist?"

Something inside Aurora's head was triggered. "Say that again," she beckoned him.

"What if these places exist?" Birger repeated.

"No, say those things in order just like you did."

The Councilman thought for a moment. "The fountain, the waterfall, the river…what if they are real places?" He spoke slowly.

"Or what if it is one place?" The fuzzy image that had formed in the Empress's head came into clear focus. "When Devrim and I were in the land of magic, he was badly hurt by a griffin. We placed him in the river and it healed him. We kept some of that water in our water skins. Do you know if we still have any of it?"

Birger shrugged. "I will have to ask Chief Zan, but it is possible. But Your Majesty, that is only a river, not a fountain or waterfall."

Aurora's eyes sparkled. "Don't you see? No of course you do not. You were not there. Sometimes I forget that I have seen so many things that few have…." she rambled.

The red headed man tried to focus on her words, but they were jumbled and confusing. "What did I not see?" He asked at last.

"Oh, yes, sorry. I will explain. From the Fates' castle, the Mystic Spires, a mighty waterfall flows. It hits the ground, and from a single river, it forms all the waterways in the land of magic. At the top of the falls is a small pool or fountain. When I waded into it, I was able to meet the Maker himself." A blush came to Aurora's cheeks. "The fountain is also where Devrim proposed. That location is etched in my memory. Fountain, waterfall, river: now do you see?"

Birger could not help but get caught up in her excitement. "Of course, you must me right! That's amazing! If it pleases Your Majesty, I will go at once to see if any of this magical water is left."

"It pleases me," the Empress agreed.

"Glory to the Empress," Birger bowed and scurried from the room in search of Zan or anyone else who might have a clue if the water still existed inside the Castle Valiant.

Around her the library's assistants cleaned up all the piles of books except the three that the Empress held in front of her. "Set these aside for future reference." Aurora handed the set to a young page, who whisked away the books.

Without warning, Birger reappeared in front of her. His face was beaming. "That was the easiest quest I have ever been sent on, Your Majesty. Zan was just on the other side of the library."

The Guardian materialized from behind a bookshelf. "Your Majesty." Zan bowed. "I know where the magical water went. The doctor has it. May we escort you to the infirmary?"

Nurlan arrived in time to hear the last words. "Nurlan?" Aurora said sweetly. She could see the soldier was winded from delivering the last message personally.

The burly man nodded. "I will tell the front gate to notify you in the infirmary when the princess arrives," he agreed without being asked.

"You can send a servant," the Empress reminded him.

"And risk them getting such an important message incorrect? No, Your Majesty. I will relay your wishes and return to you shortly." Nurlan jogged off.

"Thank you!" Aurora called after him. She was always amazed how loyal he was. How loyal all of them were to her. She had wanted to wallow in self-doubt and pity, but those around her had refused her the option. The Empress was truly thankful. "Let us go see a doctor about some water!"

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"I know exactly what water you are talking about. I have been using it in small doses for years. I save it for my most hopeless patients. I gave you quite a bit when you were injured, Your Majesty," the doctor stopped when he realized that he had called Aurora's case hopeless.

The Empress waved off his concern with a weak smile. "We all know how far gone I was. But that would explain why I am healing more quickly than expected." Aurora had attributed the healing to the Fate's chain around her neck, but the water made far more sense.

"Do you have any left?" Zan asked anxiously. Birger, who was standing next to him, wrung his hands in anticipation.

The doctor frowned. "I think I used the last of it on Her Majesty. We could not risk losing her." Seeing the downcast faces of the three before him, the doctor could not take it. "But I will go check to be sure."

"Thank you," the Empress said quickly as she watched the old man's retreating form.

After an eternity, the doctor returned. His face was sad. "I checked everywhere…" he paused. From behind his back, he pulled a small vial with a few swallows-full of liquid. "This is all I have left," he announced with a grin. Aurora threw her arm's around the doctor's neck and kissed the old man on his cheek.

"Thank you, doctor." Zan reached out to take the vial.

"You are a true hero!" Birger commended the physician.

"I love the praise, but may I ask why you need such precious water?" The doctor eyed them all curiously.

Aurora smiled genuinely. "To save my son from himself, Doctor. And hopefully save the world."