The Storehouse Revisited

Entering the gates of the Castle Valiant, Ezer could not help but smile at his disguised wife. "Just like old times, my love--you pretending to be the Empress and me trying to keep my hands off of you."

"Hush before someone hears you!" Anna blushed. "And until I remove this wig and veil, you better call me Your Majesty."

"I'm looking forward to it," he said vaguely, leaving exactly what he was looking forward to up to his wife's imagination. Though his Cheshire grin betrayed his inner thoughts.

The pair entered the palace gates momentarily lost in each others' eyes, drawing a curious glance from the sentries who saw.

With everyone's rapt attention solely on the incoming carriage, no one noticed a suspicious figure duck away from the crowd and seek out a quiet alley. He quickly jotted down a few notes on a scrap of paper and stuffed it into a small ball.

The contraption, which looked significantly like an elven message ball, whirred to life. Unlike the small flying orb which belonged to the golden skinned creatures, this brown hovering globe was powered by mechanical gears.

Releasing his note and its container to fly away in the air, the man pulled his cloak tight to his face and hurried away like nothing had happened.

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Within the walls of the palace, a group hovered beside the window of the Council's meeting room. The grey-haired man pressed his lips together. Nothing seemed particularly special about this section of glowstone as far as the doctor could see.

However, the bags for the remaining members of the party were pressed up against the wall waiting for them. The three men who would be going on the journey each looped a bag across his chest (which was no small maneuver for the two holding the cot). Once everyone was ready, Aurora was wheeled up against the stone.

Before beginning, the Empress paused and cocked her head to one side, listening.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't make it," she called.

"As if you would leave me behind!" A voice answered indignantly. Hanna marched down the hall and joined the rest. "Everyone must always wait on a Fate, not the other way around. Though my usual spectacular entrance is somewhat stunted just now. What a shame!"

"Did everything go as planned?" Aurora tilted her head.

"Anna and Ezer have returned and are safely back in the palace. We can proceed as planned." Hanna reported. "I welcomed them myself and ushered them inside. Most people don't like to get too close to me. I'm not sure why...I am delightful!" When no one jumped onto her self-praise, she raised one eyebrow. "Really? No one wants to flatter the Fate? I suppose we better get on with things then."

The fiery-haired woman nodded. With a deep breath, she pushed her hand against the wall, searching for the symbol of the Fates. Under her gentle touch, the wall began to waver like shifting sand until it completely disappeared. At the same time, the golden chain around the ruler's neck glowed.

"Astonishing!" the Doctor murmured. 'How could a passage appear from a stone wall except by magic?'

Colvyr was impressed as well, but more by the glowing necklace than the dark chamber that had formed. He turned his tiny body to pull at the shining beacon, and seeing no harm in it, Aurora removed the jewelry from her body and looped the Fate's chain around the child's neck.

The new position allowed the chain to better illuminate the tunnel as they moved forward--as Colvyr's body was no longer blocking it--but the woven metal also found a new home more than once in the boy's mouth. The Empress diligently pulled the boy's hand and the object away until he gave up on his efforts.

As the light around the boy's neck grew brighter and brighter, they could see more of the dark tunnel around them. The Physician could only guess where exactly they were, yet it felt like a shift in the atmosphere was occurring. At last, they breached the other side of the tunnel into a large open space.

A thousand fireflies burst from the boy's neck and lit upon the sconces around the room, bathing them in a blue fire.

"More magic! I shall never get used to it. What is this place?" Walking over to one of the many bookshelves, the doctor examined its contents. The books were beautiful, with ornate covers spanning every kind of topic. At least that was with the books he was able to read. Many were not in human-speak.

"This is the Storehouse of knowledge. Don't touch that! The Storehouse only allows the one wearing the chain to touch items within its treasure trove. Isn't that right, Storehouse?" Aurora's last words were filled with affection.

The Storehouse made a noise akin to a purring cat in response, which pleased the Empress and prince, but sent chills through the rest of the company.

The doctor's eyes opened wide. "A sentient room? How novel!" He marveled over the implications of such a thing while Aurora tried to puzzle out a mystery of her own.

"Where are your friends?" Hanna asked the humans.

"We aren't early, I know. They should be here." Devrim shrugged.

"It is very strange. Just wait. I am sure they will not let us down." The Empress assured the others. "Something must have held them up."

Nurlan and Zan set down Nanny's cot on one of the long wooden tables.

"I am sure they will not make us wait days like last time," the Guardian said mildly. He plopped down in the chair and propped up his feet in another seat. Nurlan followed suit.

"Days?!" the grey-haired man exclaimed. "We could be here days?!"

Devrim pursed his lips. "It is unlikely. I am sure..." he paused. A purple set of lights joined the blue ones on the sconces.

A high pitched exclamation rang out and the purple lights quickly dissipated.

"What was that?" The doctor watched as the three other men pulled their swords and moved out of the chamber into the next one.

"Unusual," Hanna answered emotionlessly.

Not liking Hanna's answer, Aurora stiffened. "Be careful!" the woman called after the trio of heroes.

They were gone only a short while before returning. "No one is at the other exit. Could it have been a fluke?" Devrim wondered.

"Never!" Hanna crossed her arms.

"I do not think the Storehouse has flukes, my love. Something must have happened to make whoever entered leave." Aurora hugged the child in her lap as she tried to think.

"An intruder, perhaps?" The doctor twiddled his thumbs nervously.

Hanna guffawed. "No one can enter here without a Fate's chain. If they try to intrude, the Storehouse will give them a swift kick in their rear. It is not pretty to see."

"It's true," Devrim agreed. "It nearly killed me once when it thought I was a threat. I would not want to be on its bad side."

The lights appeared a second time, and purple flickers mingled with their blue counterparts.

"Hello! Any humans in here?"

"Over here!" Aurora replied, very happy to hear the familiar masculine voice.

"Is it safe to come? I do hope no one will try to take off my head as I enter." Ithel's deep baritone laughed echoed into the room.

Zan rolled his eyes. "Very funny as always, Your Majesty. I won't make that mistake twice."

"Forgive my numbskull brother. He has been waiting to make that joke all day." Brinn entered the chamber with Ithel, elbowing her elder sibling in the ribs. The elven Fate's chain hung around the she-elf's neck

The redhead's face lit up as she saw Aurora and Colvyr. She picked up the little boy and cuddled him in her arms, then pointed to the golden necklace that he was chewing once again.

"Already passing down the family heirlooms, I see. Ah! It's so good to see two of my favorite people! I missed you!" The elf kissed the child on the cheek and embraced the woman gently.

"I hope I am on the list of your favorite people!" Alvar objected as he entered behind the golden skinned beauty.

Brinn cut her eyes at her husband as one side of her lips curled. "I will consider adding you," she joked. Then she examined the chair in which her friend was sitting. "What did Lover-Boy do to you?"

Devrim arched his brow. "Nothing, Princess, and you know it! You got the message ball so you know she was attacked. I'm surprised you weren't here waiting to sweep her away!"

"We had some last minute details that needed to be handled. I have been peeking in all day to see if the lights were on. When I saw them a moment ago, I went back to grab the other three. Sorry if I confused you." Brinn glared at her husband and brother. If they had been checking with her, she wouldn't have looked so foolish.

"Who else is with you?" Aurora asked counting only three elves when by Brinn's math their should be four.

"Oh, Gandr stopped to look at some strange painting of a human in a wolf pelt. You would not believe some of the stuff that is in here!" Ithel looked scandalized.

"How curious!" The Empress acted surprised. While she was willing to admit her family secrets to her husband, she had no intention of baring them before this whole group.

Fortunately, Gandr appeared before the conversation could progress. "I'm here! Ready to go and report to the Castle Valiant." He saluted Devrim.

"Glad to have you," Devrim shook his forearm. "We will need all your shape-shifting power to hide so many people's absences."

"Happy to be of service, friend," the halfling nodded.

"Well, I think we are all set. If someone will help Colvyr let these two out back into Valiant, then we can get on our way." Aurora looked at the grey-haired man with a gentle smile. "We've left the poor doctor in the dark long enough. It's time to for all to be revealed."

"Good," Hanna said with a determined nod. "The sooner we get on with things, the sooner I can use my magic again and return to my delightful self."

Of course no one argued, for a magic-less Fate was a very cantankerous creature indeed.