The Butterfly and the Wind

The Keeper suddenly looked like the tutors Aurora had as a child. She shrunk slightly under his gaze.

"What did I say you needed to transport the Seed?" He asked crisply.

"You said we needed something pure so it would not get contaminated. But we have no such box!" The Empress looked to the others, who all shrugged.

"I didn't say it needed to be a box. You did. All I said was that it needed to be pure and preferably enchanted. And you have brought just that." The Keeper motioned to his hand.

"The flower from the sand people? It isn't magical." Aurora furrowed her brow.

The silk bloom was pure white, but it was made by humans, not magical beings

"Ah, but it is enchanted, just not in the way you think. For what purpose was this flower created?" The Keeper spun his free hand, trying to pull out her thoughts.

"It was made for a bride to wear at her wedding." Aurora nodded slowly.

"Would you say this was a happy union?" The tall male looked a the white creation, turning the stem around in his hand.

"Absolutely," Brinn answered. "I have become an expert at spotting true love, and boy did those two have it."

"Ah, you see? Love is one of the most powerful forces in the world. It imprints on things, like this bloom, but only if nurtured. Have you been tending that love?" The Keeper asked seriously.

The bride had told her to tend the flower too. Was it a coincidence?

"To be honest, I have no idea how to tend love," Aurora bit her lip. "And I spent quite a bit of this trip unconscious from the injury to my leg."

"That flower helped get you through the worst of your injury, and you held it close whenever you got restless. I've heard you say yourself how much you like it." Brinn wasn't a gardener, but she thought that kind of attention was worth noting.

"And when you lost it, your husband risked his safety to keep it and tuck it in his clothes. Then he rode across the landscape to return it to you. I would say that is love also," Reyan added, surprising the others. "What? I can't be sentimental once in a while?"

The Fate nodded. "Those things help cement the foundation of love that was already there. How long have you had the flower?" 

"Only a few months." Aurora's answer made the Keeper frown. 

"Usually you need years or longer to make a vessel strong. But this will have to do. It is not like we have any choice." The ethereal being pushed back the edges of the cloak. "Alright Butterfly and Wind. I will need your help on this delicate operation." 

"I know he wasn't talking about me." Reyan crossed his arms.

"Please? The Keeper said he needs you. Can't that be more important than your pride?" Aurora batted her eyes at the fairy. 

He looked away with a pout. "That look is cheating and you know it. Fine, I will help. But if he calls me 'Butterfly' again, not even the Maker will be able to help him." 

"What do you need?" Brinn relaxed, letting her golden skin shimmer. 

"I need you to use your wind magic to gently lift the Seed into the air. The....fairy will make a small portal from the old flower to the new one. Then I will use my magic to lower the Seed and make sure it is situated properly in the vessel for transport to the Mystic Spires." The Keeper paused. "I could do this all myself, but we only have one chance at this. If anything goes wrong, we are done." 

Wind magic was good for lifting and lowering, especially small objects like the Seed, but sideways motion could be very tricky. The best aim would be letting Reyan put the portal right over the perfect spot. 

"As for you two," the Keeper pointed to the humans. "You, Star, hold the flower as still as possible. It is yours and should respond best to you once the Seed is inside. And you, Crown, hold her steady. Even a small jostle could make everything go wrong."

Aurora thought about asking for a chair, but she hadn't seen any at all in the Tower. Did the Keeper ever sit? She hoped he knew what he was doing asking her to hold still.

It was all too easy for her to fall over on the slick ice.

"Understood." The Empress took the silk flower from the Keeper. 

Devrim wrapped his arms around his wife. "I've got you," he whispered, filling Aurora with warmth. 

Brinn and Reyan stood on either side of the couple, ready to steady them if the need arose. 

"Good. Just like my vision," the Keeper nodded. "Are you ready?" 

"Yes," Aurora hoped she was telling the truth. 

"Then we will begin." The Keeper looked at the flower in the dirt and focused on it. "As carefully as you can, barely lift that seed out of the bloom."

Brinn stuck out her tongue and bit down. Her fingers began to move slowly. A breeze swirled in the room. The petals around the shining diamond of the Seed began to flutter lightly. Then the whole bloom began to sway. 

"Careful!" The Keeper resisted the urge to surge forward. Touching the flower was a bad idea, but so was letting the jewel of a Seed tumble off of its home. 

"Keep your cloak on," Brinn snipped. Sweat was beginning to form on her brow. "You make me nervous and I'll be sure to mess up." 

Taking slow, even breaths, the elf added power to her wind. The little diamond wriggled and then lifted lightly from its perch. 

"Hold it there!" The Keeper ordered. "Now, Fairy, make the portal in the empty space." 

"No I was going to do it on the ground," Reyan liked the Keeper's attitude even less than Brinn.

Portals needed space to take something from one place to another. While he could theoretically make a portal within the flower's petals, it would cut the flower or the seed into pieces if he missed even slightly. So, the air was the best place for transport. 

Reyan concentrated and the air wavered and opened slightly. The corresponding hole appeared over the flower, startling Aurora. Fortunately, Devrim was there to keep her arm still. 

"So strange!" she whispered. Looking down into the portal, she could see the petals of the magical flower replacing where the silk bloom should be. It was a surreal sight. If she stuck her hand through it, she would be able to touch the flower while avoiding the Seed. 

'Not that I would do that!'

At last, it was the Keeper's turn, he placed a second column of wind under the receiving end of the portal. "Release the Seed." 

Brinn happily obliged. Her hands fell to her side. The Seed dropped. 

"That was too fast!" The Keeper's eyes opened wide. 

"You said release so I released!" Brinn defended herself. 

The Keeper moved his hands to increase the wind, sending the Seed quickly upwards. The portal disappeared before it could go back through, and the Seed soared into the air. 

"No!"

The Keeper and Brinn both manipulated the wind to slow the gem's descent. 

It came down too quickly and at an odd angle. It would miss the target. 

"No!" Aurora moved the flower to catch the gem in the center of her silk vessel.

She almost fell over, but Devrim stopped her just in time.

'Got you!' 

The gem landed peacefully on the target...

...or so they thought. 

Aurora tried not to panic. "What's happening?!"