Distraction

"You cannot order me around, Nanny. I will do as I please. Here, little prince. Do you want this one?"

In the nursery, Colvyr was being tempted by Lanassa with an elven piece of candy. The majestic elf sat on a velvet chair, holding out the sumptuous piece for the toddler to take.

"It is not good to give him so many sweets," Nanny warned with a sour expression. "I do not not know about elven children, but humans will get a stomachache."

The queen mother turned her nose up indignantly. "Elves do not get stomach aches. And this delicious morsel in my hand has magical properties that will give him good health. It would be foolish of him not to eat it."

Colvyr took the food, which resembled a ball of white chocolate, and stuffed it in his mouth before Nanny could say another word. Then he ran playfully from the former queen straight into Nanny's waiting arms, giggling the whole way.

"You cheeky little thing. At least say thank you!" Nanny scolded her little charge. She sat down on the floor and scooped up the child in her lap.

The prince blew a kiss at Lanassa, making her golden ears tinge with pink. She smiled at the little boy and then narrowed her gaze at the servant. "Do you always speak so openly to your betters? First you scold me and then the prince. Have you not just offended two royal households?"

"If you do not want him to say thank you, then I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty," Nanny responded with a dutiful dip of her head.

Somehow her courteous nature bothered the elf more than the woman's sass. "That is not what I meant."

Nanny nodded slowly. "It is my job to make sure the little prince grows up to be a smart and wise ruler. I cannot do that if I do not set up some boundaries."

"Are you saying the way my children were raised was incorrect?" The redhead seemed ready to pick a fight.

Although the Councilwoman had not been warned about the former queen's prickly nature, she could see the elf was simply not used to having a normal conversation. Everyone treated her with respect, and condescension was her natural response.

"I was not alive when your children were little babes. But seeing how they have grown, I can only compliment the adults they have become." Nanny turned her attention to the child in her arms. She gave him a cup of milk, though she was unsure from what animal it had come. "May you be competent and kind like the elven king and princess," she blessed the child.

Lanassa admired the skill with which her attack had just been routed. Few would even attempt such a feat, no less succeed. "You also raised the Empress if I am not mistaken," the queen said more congenially.

"I did, Your Majesty." Nanny puffed out her chest proudly, and her chubby cheeks strained from her satisfied grin.

Nodding briefly, the queen mother gave a ghost of a smile. "It shows."

"Is someone talking about me?" Aurora strode confidently into the nursery. It felt so nice for her to be walking again that the spring in her step was visible.

Colvyr scrambled from his caretaker's lap and fell trying to walk to his mother. He cried out and she scooped him up effortlessly into her arms.

Lanassa stiffened at the accusation. "We were mentioning you, Your Majesty."

Nanny laughed. "The Queen here was just saying that we resembled one another."

The prim elf pursed her lips.

Aurora smiled and shrugged. "I have been compared to far worse. Though I must say I'm surprised, I thought you two would be bickering."

"Royalty does not bicker," Lanassa began to correct her.

"We have been caterwauling on and off. Wait around and it will happen again." Nanny rose easily from the floor, ignoring Aurora's outstretched arm. She brushed off her elven dress, which had been constructed especially for her over the past couple of days, smiling like she could take on the world.

"I am glad to see you looking so well!" Aurora could not hide her joy nor did she want to.

"I feel like I'm in my thirties again, perhaps younger." Nanny bounced on the balls of her feet and ran in place. "Who knew the magical water could be so restorative? I would have gotten mauled by a wolf a long time ago if I knew I could feel like this again."

"Quite a drastic statement, don't you think?" Lanassa arched her brow as held out another piece of candy from the box on the table next to her; this one looked like an enlarged blueberry. Colvyr inched out of his mother's arms and climbed up into the queen mother's lap. "And perhaps you should both rest a little before our late evening meal."

The queen passed the sweet to the little boy, who slurped it into his mouth before anyone could tell him no.

"I do not need rest," Nanny argued. "And for the last time, stop feeding him sweets! He will have no room for anything healthy if you fill him full of sugar."

"It is probably alright, just this once," the Empress realized too late that she had stepped onto a burst ball.

Nanny narrowed her eyes and glared at Aurora in the way only the old woman could. "No! Her Majesty wants to buy the child's affection with candy and sugar. I will not allow it! I have only been out of service for just over a week and already all my hard work is turning to ash! No, thank you!"

Aurora stepped back and tried again. "I do not think it is as bad as all that, but I was not only coming to check on my son. I think I may need the queen's assistance."

"If you are looking for expert advice, then you came to the right place. Let me first educate you on how to hire palace staff." The elf's sharp eyes glared at the Councilwoman.

"It isn't advice. I need you to show me around the library. Now that I am feeling well, I would like to continue my research. I know you looked a little, so I was hoping you could fill me in on what you found so that I do not have to repeat the work." Aurora pleaded.

While Aurora had intended to do the work, the doctor had advised her to wait until morning. Yet as she saw the next incoming battle, the Empress knew she must intervene…not only for the sake of the little boy all three ladies adored, but for the harmony of the candlelit palace as well.

"I do not think you need me for all that. I will have a servant tell you…"

"Did I mention that I was going to ask Zan to join us? Many hands make light work, after all." Aurora said in a cheery sing-song voice.

Lanassa's face charged almost imperceptibly. "Of course the servants don't know everything I have been doing. How could they?! It would be irresponsible of me not to give you my best information." She turned to Nanny and furrowed her brow. "Are you sure you will be able to manage without me?"

A warning look from the Empress made Nanny wisely swallow her snarky remark. "I appreciate your concern. I can let you know if I have any difficulty."

"That would be the wisest course of action." The queen passed both the child and the box of sweets to Nanny.

The caretaker took both, the latter with a pained smile. "Thank you for your consideration."

The queen mother dipped her head, and swept regally from the room. Nanny tossed the box in the waste bin before winking at the Empress.

Aurora giggled. "Our secret." She kissed her child and exited as well. Nurlan was waiting for her in the hall.

Together the pair joined the queen mother as a servant was sent to fetch the silver-eyed Guardian. As they prepared to leave the palace, one last member joined their company.

"Did you think you could leave without me, dearies?" Hanna came toward them with a walk that was between her previous plod and her usual float. She had recovered, but the doctor had warned her to take it easy. After gallivanting about and growing weary, she had finally decided to heed his words.

"We would love for you to join us," the Empress said. With her ever present smile, the Fate hooked her arm into the shorter female's elbow.

"Good because not using my powers like I want might make me go insane. I will be glad for the distraction." Although Hanna hated being told what to do, her common sense told her that she should be careful.

"I think we could all use the distraction," Aurora responded. "I for one want to feel useful for a change. If we can find the home or origin of these creatures, perhaps we can finally put an end to this."

With hope, they made the short trek to the library.