Extraordinary

Brinn returned void of news from Valiant, and the crew were packed and prepared to go on their way a few hours before nightfall. King Ithel had tried to convince them to stay one more night, but the group could feel the pull of urgency.

What if the creature moved? Would the map change to reflect that? There were so many mysteries, and only swift action would help find the answers. This was why they needed to leave immediately.

"Utku!"Aurora ran and embraced her old friend. The unicorn had become a proud and radiant stallion, a far cry from the small colt she had helped to heal on her first trip to the land of magic.

Utku whinnied, and Brinn translated quickly. "He says he is happy to see you too. He says life is much more exciting with you around. He also says that he hopes this will be a grand adventure like the last time."

"A talking horse?! Extraordinary!" The doctor marveled.

Zan furrowed his brow. "It's no wonder I don't understand their accent. You got all that from that single whinny?"

"Unicorns are very compact in their speaking of the ancient tongue. I am surprised mother did not teach your their shorthand way of speech." Brinn cocked her head to one side.

"She tried, but I was miserable at it. I am much better with the dragon's rumbling drawl," Zan recalled the quiet moments Lanassa had spent trying to tutor him. He was incorrigible when it came to certain magical accents. Even these past few days, the former Queen had been quizzing him about how much he remembered. It was a pleasant distraction from all that was going on, and had helped him brush up on his skills.

"Dragons are the easiest of all to understand outside of those who walk on two legs. Even baby elves can understand those creatures," Brinn chuckled.

"Yes, well, not everyone can be an elf," Zan sighed.

"You can say that again!" Brinn realized she had spoken out of turn, "But Guardians are pretty impressive too."

Aurora patted Utku on his neck and returned toward the palace entrance and her child. Colvyr was on his caretaker's hip with the stoic former queen nearby.

Taking the little boy into her arms, the Empress kissed him on the nose. She received a sloppy kiss on her cheek in response. "I will be back soon, my little love. Be good for Nanny and uhh..." Aurora paused and looked at Lanassa.

"He can call me Nanah," the red-haired elf said proudly.

The stout caretaker coughed and scratched her nose. "That sounds suspiciously like 'Nanny,' Your Majesty," the nursemaid scowled slightly.

"Nonsense," Lanassa waved her hand above her head as if she were shooing a fly, "Nanah has always been the shortened version of my given name."

"Always?" Brinn called from where she was standing.

She received a severe look from her mother in response. "Always," the Queen Mother repeated. "Isn't that right, Zan?"

"I will do anything for you, madame, except lie." Zan bowed with a smirk.

"Zoltan?" the she-elf shifted to her husband, who was in his chair nearby with the King and Queen.

The king stroked his chin. "I want nothing more than to make you happy, but this name is news to me as well."

"Nana!" Colvry squealed and reached in the direction of the palace.

"See? The little prince already calls me by that name. You all are just jealous of his affection for me," Lanassa reached out her arms and took him before Nanny could object. The Queen had the little boy wave to his mother before carrying him inside in all her regal elegance.

"I do hope you do not hate me for leaving." Aurora looked at Nanny apologetically.

Nanny clicked her tongue. "Don't be silly. Queenie and I will get along well enough. I've dealt with far crustier folks than her." Nanny tipped the Empress's chin like when Aurora was a child. "You better not be worried about old Nanny. If anything, you have your own crusty fellow to wrangle."

Their eyes traveled to Reyan, who was stretching out his wings in the fading sunlight. He had at least not needed to be reminded of the rule to keep his gossamer wings stowed away while indoors. The wizened fairy suddenly snapped his head toward them, as if he somehow knew they were watching him.

"Are we going or what?!" he grumbled at the Empress.

"Of course, Reyan. Just a moment more. I am just saying my goodbyes. Perhaps you would like to as well?" Aurora called sweetly.

"Goodbye!" he waved and flitted off to the farthest end of the palace grounds by the gate.

"I see you know how to handle yourself," Nanny chuckled. "We will both have our work cut out for us. Be safe, dear one." The nursemaid hugged her former charge, ignoring elven protocol to its utmost.

Fortunately none of the royals left behind were in any mood to point this out. In fact, Calla, Ithel and even Zoltan took their turns embracing the human ruler of which they were so fond.

Ithel pursed his lips. "I would tell you to watch out for my sister, but I know she would likely punch me if I did."

"I will miss you too, brother!" Brinn hit her brother lightly in the arm and kissed Calla on the cheek.

"We will look out for each other," Aurora promised. "Thank you for the provisions and the help."

"May the elves and humans always be friends. We will see to it as long as we live," Ithel bowed smoothly.

"May your journey be short and your efforts be fruitful," Calla blessed them.

Zoltan nodded. "We wish you well, faithful cohort."

"I wish Junayd were here. He would have liked that name," Nulran said, realizing too late he had spoken aloud. He, the doctor and Ithel had been trying to let the goodbyes happen without their interference. The general cleared his throat. "Not that I miss that fool, but I can see him making a song about it."

"We will have to hold onto all the details so he can compose us a ballad upon our triumphant return," Aurora smiled. She pictured the advisor with one of his many instruments, serenading all of them in the great hall. Somehow, the thought lightened her mood considerably.

With a final flourish, the Empress mounted Utku. The rest of her cohort followed her lead, except for Reyan, who had wings. Only the doctor struggled to get on his unicorn, but a push on his rump from the patient mare's nose got him on her back at last.

"Lead the way," Aurora motioned to Reyan, who had come to her side. The fairy floated upward and then toward the palace gate. He was pleased to see that the guards there were at attention, saluting as he passed by.

"That's right, you know who is worth honoring," he mumbled.

"You know they are saluting the prince and princess, right? Brinn is second in line to the throne after all," Aurora whispered.

"Let me have this!" Reyan hissed as he nodded and waved regally to the guards.

They gave him a strange look but were wise enough to keep their thoughts to themselves. The six horses and one fairy made their way out of the city and into the open magical countryside.

"The city was truly beyond my expectation. I have never seen such extraordinarily tall towers." Phileas gasped as he took in the pastoral scene. "And the wonders never cease! Look at the colors of the leaves! How extraordinary!"

Aurora sighed. "The fall leaves in the elven kingdom are a favorite of mine." 'They remind me of my first real kiss,' she thought to herself as a blush came to her cheeks.

It had been many years since that moment in the fading light when the grey eyed man, who was barely more than a boy then, professed his love beneath the fall fairies leaf-changing magic. Yet that kiss, and every one after it, still felt fresh on the woman's lips as if it had just happened. Aurora's fingers came to her mouth as she smiled.

"Truly extraordinary," the Empress said aloud, though it wasn't about the leaves or the city.

"We are clear of the city now. Is everyone ready?" Reyan asked.

"Ready for what?" The doctor asked. He had assumed they would be traveling overland on the backs of the unicorns. He was partially correct.

"Are you sure you can handle taking all of us?" Aurora didn't want to overexert the old fairy,

"Are you kidding? A fit specimen like me could handle groups three or four times this size for days on end!" Reyan boasted, then gave a lopsided smile. "And if I end up needing a boost—which I won't!— I know two lovely ladies who can lend me Fates' chains as needed."

"Yes, well, get on with it then, you braggart!" Brinn blew a little wind into the fairy's wings.

Reyan straightened his beard and then focused on the area in front of them. A magical portal appeared showing the land just about as far as they could see.

"What is this?" The doctor wondered at the magic before him.

"Think of it like a rock skipping across a pond," Nurlan explained. "We are about to do a lot of skipping only across the land."

The doctor's mouth fell open. "Land skipping? Why that's—"

"Extraordinary! We know," everyone finished the old man's thought. From then on, the doctor worked his hardest to find other descriptors for his amazement.