.Elementals.

-28-

"I am dreaming again aren't I?"

"And maybe you are not."

"I see you, a man with eyes like the Highness and have the feeling we met before but I would remember purple eyes."

"What I can say is I've known you for a long time Ar--" "Stop!!" I yelled, facing him with wide eyes. "How....How do you know my name? I know you were going to say it, don't lie!"

"Right... Now you go by Mystery is that it? So I've known you for a long time Mystery but you might not know that, one day you will realize it and we'll meet again."

"But how do you know my actual name?"

"You told me yourself."

"I forgot about a man with purple eyes and one I told my name too." I covered my face with my hand. "Can I get yours at least?"

"You already know it."

"I don't."

"You do, if not right now you'll remember later."

"Why are you in my dreams than?"

"This is the only way for us to speak."

"And why now?"

"Because times are getting desperate, he's rising again."

"Who? Whom you warned me against before?"

"Yes."

"Can't you tell me more?"

"I cannot mingle with fate more then I already am doing, already risking the collapse of fate completely by speaking with you before the time is right."

"Then can you at least tell me what I can do about 'him', the smallest hint."

"Protect princess Audrey with your life because without her all will be lost."

"Ho--" "Mage you down here?" I blinked awake at the voice.

"Highness." I greeted back as I sat up normally, having slipped down in the armchair in my sleep.

"Ah I was looking for you and I couldn't find you in your usual spot, this was one of the last places I came to check out."

"What is wrong? Am I in trouble?"

"What? Oh no no, Ethan deserved what he got, you did as he asked, showed him what you could do and gave him the respect he deserved, polite in the bluntness of your words, amazes me every time."

"You learn quite a few being a court mage, playing with words to get what you want and twist a person's own desires to fit your own."

"And cunning."

"We are part of any royal's fortune, her Majesty has been blessed by the gods to have found four of us and have one move under her guidance from a different kingdom."

"Is there something you can't do mage?" She asked, sitting in the armchair opposite to mine.

"There are only few things a mage doesn't know, we must be able to serve the royal family in all way and always."

"Archery? Cooking? Singing?"

"A yes to knowing how to do all those, we might not be good at all of it but we know all the basics. What if there was no bard to sing tales at a royal feast? How would that be right? Someone needs to step in and what best than someone with renown already?"

"Is there something you can't do?"

"Dancing is something I always get criticized about, I know how too but they say I am simply not built for it, my body too tense even when relaxed."

"I haven't noticed it much when we had danced together."

"Few do as they don't concentrate on nitpicking my form like Belladonna would."

"Right. What are you doing down here?"

"I remember you mentioning doing research yourself and I came to see since I did tell you about writings in magic that could only be brought forth by mages."

"Found anything?"

"Nothing that could help with what that was."

We chewed our way through several books, me in the armchair and her sitting at the table, calling me over whenever there was a blank page that was in the middle of a book but we came up with nothing.

"Don't you have archives in other places Highness?" I asked putting the last book away.

"I am afraid that even we had one I wouldn't know about it."

"Right, there are many things I don't know that Belladonna does so there must be things her Majesty knows but won't share with you yet."

"That could be true."

"No that MUST be true, this castle and place itself is built where elemental magic first was born as more wild magic is in the air with elemental magic soaked into the ground, the old elm a proof of that, there could be many hidden places we never knew about."

"Mage what would you say of accompanying me?"

"Where Highness?"

"My siblings and I thought about not being there for supper tonight, with all that is going on we thought a bit of time away couldn't help and my mother would have no say in if you weren't present if you were with us for our safety."

"You mean 'safety'.... But I'll gladly skip supper in company of the competitors if it is you asking."

"Lets get going than, lets not make them wait."