Voices in the Light

"I am here too, Father," a second intangible being spoke. 

"Aurora! Mairwen!" Devrim's heart beat wildly. "You are here!" 

"What are you hearing?" Renat seemed confused. The Emperor tugged him a step into the water. The scientist's perception changed. "Mairwen?"

"You are here too!" the princess answered. "I was not sure if you would come." 

"Where are you?" Renat wanted to hug his wife. 

"I'm here," Mairwen answered. 

The scientist felt a warm sensation on his cheek. His heart clenched. "Hanna was right? You are the light we are seeing?" 

"We are," Aurora answered, her voice a mix of joy and sadness. "The Maker offered to let us stay with him, but we chose to come and finish what we started. We are the tenders of the Seed." 

"Why couldn't you just come back as human?" Devrim wanted to scold his wife. 

"I will when the work is done. I planted the flower and so I am the one who could tend it. It needs light, water, and nutrients. It needs love." The Empress explained.

"I need love too!" The Emperor tried to grasp desperately in front of him as he tried to see. 

"You are the one who showed me love. I will always love you." 

Light wrapped around the Emperor, and he felt the fullness of the Empress's ardor. Devrim reveled in it for a moment before his brow furrowed. 

"How long until the work is done?" The grey-eyed man wiped tears from his face. 

"I do not know for sure. It may be a few days. It may be years. It all depends on the Seed. I will come to you in Valiant the moment I am finished." Aurora would not stay away a moment longer than she needed. 

"Do you both have to stay?" Renat knew it sounded selfish, but he didn't care. The Empress had only mentioned that she needed to tend the Seed, not both of them. 

Mairwen answered. "The Maker told me that my head injury was fatal. When I fell asleep up here, I was not supposed to ever awaken. I could feel the end coming, but it was much sooner than I thought. I am so sorry. At least this way, I get to say goodbye." 

"But you are still here! You didn't die. That must mean something!" Renat threw science and medicine out of the window for a moment. 

"I am here to help Mother tend the flower. When that is done..." the princess paused. "It is better that we say goodbye now." 

"I don't want to say goodbye to you! We have years ahead of us." Renat stomped his foot, sending water flying. "Let me speak to the Maker!" 

Mairwen's laughter rippled in the air. "I do not have control over that. But I love that you are willing to fight so hard for me. I love everything about you." 

"I love you too," Renat pressed his lips together. He didn't want to sob if these were his last moments ever with his wife. "Please...try to come back when this is over."

"I will try..." Mairwen promised. "We can talk a little longer before you leave. Would you like that?"

"Very much." The scientist bowed slightly.

"Me too." 

As the prince and princess fell into a quiet conversation, Devrim turned away. He felt like he was intruding, but he had nowhere to go. So he began a conversation of his own.

"You wish me to head back to Valiant, then?" he asked, hoping his wife was still there.

"I do. Colvyr needs you. The world needs you." Aurora answered warmly. 

Devrim rubbed his forehead. "They need you, too, you know..." 

"For now, that means being here. I would rather be with you." The longing in the Empress's voice was unmistakable. 

"I would rather you be with me," the Emperor wanted nothing more at that moment. 

"I know. Give our son a hug, and tell him that I love him. Please tell him I will return." 

Devrim nodded. "I will not let him forget you nor will I let him doubt your love. Hurry home." 

"I will do my best."

The light grew dimmer for a moment around Devrim. He opened his eyes as the light coalesced. A vague image of the Empress appeared in the light. Aurora smiled. 

"I love you." The Empress stepped forward and pressed her lips against her husband. 

His eyes filled with stars. He tried to wrap his arms around the woman, but she disappeared once more.

Aurora giggled. "Wanting to take me home now?" 

Devrim couldn't help but smile. "It was worth a try." 

"Be well. I will be home soon." 

The four talked a while longer, but the reunion could not last forever. At last, they said goodbye. 

"I will tend them however I am able," Hanna promised the Emperor and prince. 

"You are not coming back to the palace?" Devrim asked the Fate. 

"I will check in, but my presence will not be permanent as long as the ladies remain here." The lady's eyes swirled. 

"I would appreciate that," the Emperor had no more to say. 

And his speech did not come any easier when they got to the ground. Explaining to the others that they would be leaving without the Empress and Princess was heartbreaking. 

"Are they stuck there forever?" Brinn looked up at the light overhead. 

"Aurora said she will return as soon as the work is done. I have hope that it will only be a week of work, but it might be longer." Devrim looked at Renat. 

The scientist remained silent, so Devrim said no more on the subject. 

"Is that all? A week is nothing! Let us go back to the elven palace and relax this evening. Rory will probably beat you home!" Brinn smiled brightly. 

"We cannot make it to the elves today. The sun is already past its midway point!" Eira thought about how long it had taken them to travel overland. His soldiers would not be able to keep up that pace on the way home.

"We can make it," Brinn countered. "I have a shortcut." She held out her Fate's chain. 

"But the horses!" the soldier was unwilling to let the matter go. While her mistress was gone, she needed to focus on other things. 

"We will have the Fates transport the horses. It will take them two seconds at most. We can be back in beds tonight. Doesn't that sound wonderful!" Brinn's face grew a little sad.

If only Alvar were here to share the coziness of their covers. 

"Alvar!" Brinn squealed. "Please tell me Mairwen didn't take the mirror up there with her." 

Renat was pulled from his melancholy for a moment by the question. "Her bag is over there in the camp. Why?"

"We left the other mirror with Zan. We need to let him know that the Magic is restored." Brinn went running with the help of her reclaimed magic.

She reached the indicated tent and began rifling through the princess's belongings. Finding the mirror, Brinn lifted it and began her message. "We made it and the Empress did it! The Seed is planted and the Magic is restored. Please respond and tell us how you are doing." 

While waiting for the mirror to light, the camp was struck and packed away. Fortunately, the Fates were willing to transport the horses and unicorns as well as allow the humans and elves to travel through the Storehouse. 

"But everything must remain untouched and those things which were taken must be returned." Justum looked pointedly at Brinn. 

"Fine, fine... don't get your tunic in a bunch." The elf stuck out her tongue behind the man's back. 

Edjer said goodbye on behalf of the dragons. "It has been an honor to aid in the protection of the magic. My son thanks you for the fine gift." 

"He is most welcome." Hanna bowed to the king and smiled at the child. "Just try not to crush anything with the toy, dearie," she added to Smokey with a pained expression.

The little dragon held a big ball. It had taken a massive amount of magic and rubber from the trees to make such an object. Now he had something to bounce alongside him when he had too much energy. 

After the departure of the dragons through the mist, the humans and their group were ready to depart as well. 

Devrim looked one last time at the Spires and the glow from the waterfall. "I will see you soon, my love." 

Renat looked up as well, uttering a word only the Maker could hear. "Please."