A Third Career

It was a short while before the group happened upon a large gathering of former abominations. They were tied together and being separated into smaller companies. Aurora immediately recognized the voice commanding the Imperial troops, though she had never heard it be so loud or forceful before.

A beautiful soldier stood on a rock. Her helmet was in her hands and her long hair floated in the breeze. "Tear off another piece of the tent and give him at least a loin cloth. We don't want anyone to freeze before they go to trial."

"Eira!" Alaron had never noticed quite how attractive the soldier was. But something about her bearing just now exuded confidence and poise.

Eira stepped down from her perch and marched over to the company, falling to one knee before the Empress. "Your Majesty! Guardian! I am so glad to see you alive and well."

The soldier kept her head lowered, afraid the tears welling up in her eyes might be perceived as weakness.

"Arise, Eira. I can assure you that we feel the same way about you. Quite a task you have taken upon yourself!" Aurora looked around at all of the hustle and bustle.

When the Empress had said there was a lot of work to do, she had meant it, but the young soldier had already begun the herculean effort without needing to be told.

"You are going to make us look bad, Eira. By the end of this you are sure to make General!" Alaron didn't mind looking bad. It meant less work for him.

"I would never do this for the accolades," Eira answered honestly. Her mouth tilted up slightly. "Of course I would be foolish to refuse."

"One question," Aurora lowered her voice. "Have you seen the Emperor or princess since the fighting ended?"

The soldier felt a pang in her heart. "I have not. I went looking, but there was so much ground to cover and so much work to be done. I do not want to abandon my mistress, but I know she had Princess Brinn by her side. Would you like me to pass off these duties to redouble my efforts in pursuit of her?"

Worrying that the Empress might think her derelict in her duties, Eira tried to give her reasoning without telling the fiery-haired ruler what to think.

Fortunately Aurora understood. "I do not think that is necessary. Thanks to the fairies, the chance of a surprise attack by the remaining abominations is very low. I do not think Her Highness is in any danger now. And far be it from me to stop you from all the good you are doing here. Thank you for your service."

"Your Majesty." Eira bowed. With permission, the young woman went back to making sure the former abominations were clothed and sorted.

It would be days, possibly weeks before the work was done, but it was heartening to see any kind of progress after such a vicious battle. Instead of being utterly exhausted, those Imperial troops who were uninjured were energized by the victory enough to press on.

They would rest at nightfall. Until then—work.

Now that the group was firmly in friendly territory, Aurora addressed those walking with her. "If you all need to stay and rest here, you may. As soon as I find a more comfortable place, I can send someone to fetch you. You look like you could use a rest, Guardian."

Alaron had been putting up a brave face in front of his mother, but she could see by his slow, measured walk that he was in pain. When Jaymes had offered to escort the Empress, the Guardian had refused help from the halfling or any of the other members of the party.

"I am fine, Your Majesty. Just a little tired. But I shall accept some assistance if that will ease your mind. I am not giving up on this until I have seen the whole camp." Alaron was careful in his wording so as not to draw too much suspicion.

"I will help the Guardian," Gandr said easily. "Compared to that evil scientist weighing me down, this will be a pleasant change."

"How about the rest of you?" The Empress did not want to burden anyone with her business. While she had requested them to accompany her, Aurora now realized just how long of a journey that might be. It was unfair to ask that of her companions.

The others looked from one to the other, but none of them seemed keen to take the ruler up on her offer.

Dania spoke up, "I do not think I can rest until I know that Princess Mairwen is safe. If it is all the same to you, I would like to continue with you at least until that mission is complete."

Alaron's heart was warmed by Dania's care for her friend over her own comfort. While no one would have blamed the woman for needing to sit after all she had been through, her genuine concern was a testament to her character.

All of the faces nodded in solidarity with the brunette scientist. It made sense that Alvar and Gandr would want to check on Brinn, but Jayme's and Eliana's unwavering determination strengthened Aurora in a way she could not describe.

The Empress hummed lightly. "Very well, let's be off."

They traveled slowly for a half hour. With all of the people moving about, Aurora and Alaron kept stopping to scan the crowd. Depending on the status of the Emperor and Princess, they could be just about anywhere and doing anything.

Questioning the soldiers did little to ease Aurora's mind. Some could have sworn to have the princess here or the Emperor there, but no one seemed to know if they had actually survived the deadly skirmish with Taran and his men.

Aurora looked around and noticed a tree into which something had made a devastating crash. She slowed down to survey the phenomena. "Gandr, Alvar, is this not where the Emperor and the army were waiting for the signal?"

Looking at a map and being on the map were not the same, but she was relatively sure of her assessment. Both males nodded.

"This tree. It is devastated! Do you think this happened before or after they attacked?" Alvar could see what the Empress was wondering, and he voiced the question himself.

"I am told it happened right as the army was attacking, though I was not quite conscious to remember it..."

The voice came from a nearby tent. The structure had either miraculously survived the flood of water or it had been reconstructed more recently. Aurora guessed it was the latter. She released Jayme's arm and strolled over to investigate.

Pulling back the tent flap, Aurora smiled. "And how did you manage to do such damage to a tree, Junayd? Even in your wolf form, you were not that strong!"

On the floor of the small tent, a man lay covered in a fur. It was his charming grin which had caused the woman to act in kind.

"Ah, Taran took me on a little ride and slung me at our own men." Junayd seemed to find the event amusing now, but Aurora knew that up until the advisor had lost consciousness, it must have been very serious indeed.

"I can sympathize. Taran lifted me into the sky as well. Though water broke my fall, not a tree. Are you alright?" The Empress furrowed her brow.

"Time will tell, but I think I may have broken my back. They found me this fur, soggy as it is, in hopes of it just being the cold and not an actual injury. But I fear I will be needing Prince Renat to make me a chair like the elven king. You don't suppose we could also make it look like a throne, do you? Or is that too much?" Junayd seemed to be in good spirits as always.

Aurora chuckled softly. "We will cross that bridge if we come to it. For now, please just try to heal. We are in search of the prince as well as his wife and father-in-law. I don't suppose you have seen them?"

Junayd's face dimmed. "I cannot say that I have. When I awoke, I was placed here. I haven't even seen one of the healers yet. Please give the rest of the royal family my regards. Have you seen...the Guardian at least?"

Another face peeked in. Well, a black void where a face should be. "I am here, you blessed fool. Alive and well. And before you ask, yes I completed my mission. Dania is alive and well."

"That is excellent news!" Junayd was back to his jovial self. "Quite a tale. The song almost writes itself."

"Perhaps you can soon begin your third career: palace bard." Alaron laughed before letting the tent flap fall.

"What do you think, Your Majesty?" Junayd's hope-filled expression made Aurora reluctant to make the joke which came to her mind.

Just as she was about to answer, screaming overtook the calm.

Aurora recognized the voice.

"Renat!"