Circle of Light

The guards surrounding them suddenly faded as ring of light engulfed the five heroes and two remaining assassins.

"What is happening?" Nurlan stood and drew his sword.

"Big magic," Bukuri said softly. "Not gnome magic." Faris gripped her tightly in his arms as she shivered.

For a moment everything around them was quiet.

Into the ring of light came two figures. "What is the meaning of this?!" Alaron demanded to know. His hands were formed into two circles pressed together and his eyes were fierce with hatred.

The prisoners looked at him with awe and fear. 'His magic has grown,' Renat observed with terror. That amount of energy would be highly draining.

The conscious assassin was being pressed to the ground by an invisible force. He was whimpering under the pressure. Alvar hit him with the butt of his sword, and he went still.

Behind Alaron, Brinn, disguised as Mairwen, had followed the Prince into the light. "I can explain," she said quickly.

"YOU let out the assassins who tried to murder the princess?!" Alaron turned on the she-elf.

Brinn took a half-step backwards. "Of course not! I think Cafer is to blame for that. The others are my fault."

"Then you let out General Nurlan to go help Aurora defeat me?" Alaron's voice was tinged with confusion as he questioned her.

"Yes and no. I need Nurlan to help get my aunt and Renat to safety. Please." Brinn watched the bubble of light around them waver slightly. The magic was somehow tied into Alaron's emotions. His lessening anger caused the magic to lessen equally.

"One of Baak's prisoners is your aunt?" Alaron looked at the poor elf being held in an unusually tall man's arms.

"Bukuri is my aunt and Gandr's mother. She has been held captive and tortured for years by Baak." Brinn's voice became soft. "Don't make her go through any more pain."

The wavering light became solid once more. The anger in Alaron's eyes returned. "Where is the third assassin?" He asked Nurlan.

"He made it through the chute already. His name is Hemel. He is blonde, blue-eyed, close my height, handsome except for a scar on his left eyebrow. He probably also has a limp." Nurlan gave a report like a good soldier.

Alaron nodded. "I will take care of it. The rest of you go before I change my mind."

"I'm staying!" Alvar protested as he replaced the ladder against the chute.

"He is taking Renat's place," Brinn explained.

The four others slipped up the ladder with Renat in the rear. He looked back at Alvar, and Brinn with a wave, and finally his eyes fell on Alaron.

"Tell my sister that I love her, and I miss her very much," the prince requested. He wanted to say more, but the words would not come. Tear's pricked Alaron's eyes. The bubble of light wavered and began to fade.

"I will," Renat promised before he dropped into the stench below.

"Thank you," Brinn bowed her head before the prince. It was something he had never seen her do before except in jest.

Alaron wiped his eyes and narrowed his gaze. His shoulders straightened with resolve. "We are going to talk about this later, Brinn. For now I need you to follow me. You too, Alvar, or should I call you Renat..."

---------------------------

Outside, the white light seemed to last forever before it faded and the soldiers who had surrounded the prisoners could finally see inside. They watched as 'Mairwen,' 'Renat,' and Prince Alaron walked toward them, leaving two unconcious men behind them.

He looked at the human soldiers. "Chain up those two and find the third. He is blond, blue eyed, about this height with a scar over his left eyebrow. He is likely walking with limp. Find him or else!"

"But sir, what about the others we saw?" One soldier asked.

"The servants?" Alaron corrected him. "They were already released from the circle while I dealt with these two assassins. Interesting that you did not see them." He shot them an accusing glare and they quieted. "What are you waiting for?! Find the blond man!"

The soldiers scurried like mice to obey their master's orders. The prince scanned the castle grounds and spotted the rest of his dinner party. "Cafer!" Alaron marched determinedly toward his advisor. Xander and Baak unconsciously took a step away from the gnome as a look that could kill was aimed in their direction. Ravenna was likewise stunned to see such a display.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Cafer bowed smoothly. "Sorry we are late. We just arrived and..."

"You set those assassins free!" Alaron balled his fists in fury.

Cafer looked at the Mairwen's disgusted glare and his mood, which was already poor, soured even more. "I do not know what the princess said to make you think this, but I would only do what is best for the Empire..."

A flash of anger unlike anything Cafer had ever seen raced across the boy's face. "Mairwen did not cause me to think this. I came to this conclusion on my own."

The prince produced a white bag with the royal seal of the treasury. He tossed it to Cafer, and it clinked loudly in his hand.

Alaron continued, "I found this on one of the assassins just now. Care to tell me how this got into the hands of my enemy?"

The prince took a step toward the gnome. Looking up at the boy's face, Cafer realized just how much taller than him the prince had grown.

"The bag…" the advisor began before he was cut off.

"Because unless the assassin in his mad dash to escape decided to raid the treasury for this tiny amount, then someone gave it to him. You and I are the only ones with access to the treasury, Uncle Cafer." There was a hurt in the final words did not escape the listeners' ears.

Cafer opened his hands and smiled weakly. "Dear boy, I…"

"Before you tell me that you did not do it, I have further proof." Alaron held out his left hand, which was covered in fine white dust. "How do they have sleeping powder? As far as I know only you and a few other gnomes possess this."

Cafer's eyes widened. "I did not give anyone sleeping powder, Your Majesty! Perhaps you are mistaken and it is something else."

Alaron held up his hand and prepared to blow. "Should we find out?"

"No sire," Cafer's answered in a muted tone.

Brinn was shocked by his quiet response. The advisor who always had a silver tongue was taking a verbal lashing from the child he had mentored. 'Very interesting,' she mused.

Alaron lowered his hand and dusted off the powder. "I want to have a fuller discussion with you when I am not so angry. But for now I demand you apologize…"

"I am sorry Your Majesty…"

"To Mairwen! You let those who would murder her go free." Alaron's face was white with rage.

"I was only…" Cafer tried.

"Apologize!" There was no reasoning with the prince. Cafer would either have to comply or defy the order.

The advisor gritted his teeth. He lowered his head. "Forgive me, Princess Mairwen. I will do my best to correct this error."

"I hope the last of the men is caught quickly, or any blood he spills will be on your hands," Brinn responded on behalf of the absent Mairwen.

"Yes, Your Highness." Cafer kept his head low, hoping the prince's anger would subside.

"We will speak again soon." Alaron brushed past Cafer. "Come Mairwen."

He reached out and offered his arm. Brinn took it and glanced over her shoulder at the pirate, gnomes and Ravenna. Cafer looked up just in time to see her meet his eye. There was the briefest moment of triumph on the girl's face before it returned to the look of anger and fear. The two royals and the princess's servant disappeared into the palace before the air returned to normal.

"You stepped in horse manure, Cafer. That boy will not soon forgive you," Baak noted, hiding his smile. He actually enjoyed seeing the high-and-mighty Cafer be knocked down a little. "What will you do now?"

"I will smooth things over tomorrow. He just needs a moment to work through those emotions of his. The princess though...she is more of a problem than I thought." Cafer stroked his chin and tapped his foot slowly.

"Do not think of harming the princess!" Ravenna scolded. The males had almost forgotten that she was there.

"Of course I would never do such a thing!" The advisor placed his hand on his heart with conviction. "Forgive this old fool, Councilwoman. I spoke in haste."

Ravenna nodded. "It is getting late. I will retire for the evening." She marched away from the others back toward the palace in the growing darkness.

"I can think of a few ways to handle the Princess that do not involve killing her..." Baak said when he was sure Ravenna was out of earshot. His smile made even Xander cringe.

"This is not the place to discuss such things." Cafer tilted his head in confusion as he smoothed his robes. "My King, why are you not upset that Future Emperor Alaron did not order the guards to look for your prisoners?"

Baak shrugged. "I have sent my best gnomes to seek them out. How far can a horseman and useless she-elf get without being seen? I am sure they are hiding in the palace somewhere. I will have my treasures back soon enough."

It was only when the palace was thoroughly searched and the fugitives were not found that Baak became inconsolably angry. Sercretly, Cafer enjoyed watching the gnome king be humbled.