"Ha! I found you!" Gede said with a laugh. Aurora emerged from behind the chair.

"You got me," she agreed brightly, tousling the fairy boy's hair.

"Bet you cannot find me!" Gede gave a lopsided smile.

"Well, since you can shrink to smaller than my pinky, you are probably right. I would spend the rest of my life looking in every nook and cranny looking for your prick of light."

Two specks of light flew into the room and materialized into Prem with Niko on her hip. "Are you two at it again?"

The pair giggled. "There is only so much to do in the house, and this is fun. I never knew hiding could be a game!" Aurora's word produced a sad smile on Prem's face. She had caught snatches of what the girl's childhood had been, and it made her determined to love and spoil the girl wholeheartedly while she was there.

"Very well. When you are done, I made some cookies in the kitchen." Prem wiggled her eyebrows playfully.

"Yum!!" Both Gede and Aurora ran from the room.

Two weeks had passed since the four humans and the elf had come under her roof. The elven soldiers had come looking for them at her house almost immediately, but her husband, Bolemir, had sent them away. The group decided it was better to wait for the elves to give up chase. Yesterday the news came that the elves had recalled their forces. The coast was clear. It was time to move on.

The time with the fairies had not been a waste. Aurora had watched Prem and Bolemir closely, noting how a husband and wife should be. Their marriage worked. They were a team, and it was obvious from their interactions that they both felt affection for and respected each other. More than that, they treated their children with a kindness that she had never seen between a parent and child. There was a beauty to it that was unmistakable. It was the kind of parent she wanted to be to Mairwen, Alaron and any other children that came along.

The fairy family had taken them in out of the goodness of their hearts. They fed and clothed the strangers and asked nothing in return. They spoke words of life over their guests and made them feel fully welcome. Their actions lay in such stark contrast to the elves that Aurora did not need to ask why Brinn preferred the fairies' company to her own family.

As Aurora and Gede were munching on cookies, Brinn found the Empress. "Did you save me any?" She smirked.

"Mhmm you can haff any uff these," she answered as crumbs flew from her mouth.

"I will bring the plate. Come on. It is time to map out the rest of our journey." Brinn picked up the platter.

Aurora nodded. Instantly she left the childish behavior behind and took on her Royal aura. "I will be right there." She turned to Gede. "Thank you for being my playmate! I have never had so much fun at one time in my whole life."

Gede nearly tackled her with a hug as she stood. "Must you go?"

"I must, but I will never forget you." She squeezed the boy tightly.

Inside Bolemir's office, the males all stood around a table looking at a map. Brinn, Aurora and Prem, who had left the care of Niko to Gede, joined them in looking at the chosen route.

"This way should get you there the fastest, and I can teleport you to the drop point right here," Bolemir was saying. They had discussed whether the fairy should join them, but Aurora refused. She had already cost Brinn her family. If something happened, she could not stand the thought of Gede and Niko growing up without a father.

"That seems simple enough. What do we do once we get here?" Devrim asked. He had spent days pouring over the maps, but wanted clarification on a few things.

"The Fates live in the Mystic Spires atop Dew Mountain. I have only seen the mountain from afar. Only those who are Favored of the Fates or foolish go in the Fate's territory. We have a song. In your language it goes: Beyond the land of ice and snow, you'll find a land of green. There make your home in palace white above the hills and trees. It is the key to finding the Fates, but I have no idea what it means. I am sorry I cannot be more help." Bolemir balled his fist in frustration. He felt like he was asking them to build a house without giving them all the tools.

Aurora reached out and patted the fairy's hand. "Do not be so hard on yourself. You have been more than enough help. And I have heard that song before. My Nanny, Ci'amonae, sang it to me."

"Didn't you have a relative by that name?" Bolemir turned to Prem.

"That was a little before my time dear, but I believe I do have someone in the family tree named that who married a human. Perhaps your Nanny is her descendant! Oh my dear, I wish you success even more now." Prem's eyes welled with soft tears.

"Do not worry, mom!" Gede peeked his head in the door. He had obviously been listening. "I ran the odds," he insisted when his mother gave him a withering gaze.

Devrim waved the boy into the room and he and Niko took their spot at the table by Brinn and Prem. "And what are our odds?" Devrim asked. He could use a pep talk and Gede seemed like he had good news.

Gede was happy to be treated like an adult, so he cleared his throat like he had heard his father do before saying something important. "According to my calculations, the odds are that you will be successful on your journey…Unless the gnomes find you. Then you are doomed."

"Well, that is ominous sounding, isn't it?" Junayd tried to joke. The group sighed.

"But we have Brinn!" Aurora exclaimed, "and she always beats the odds when they are against her."

"That is right," Brinn said confidently, "and I believe the Empress here has the same uncanny luck. Together we are unstoppable." The girls exchanged a triumphant glance.

Gede shrugged. "If you say so. I just hope your luck does not run out."

Prem held her hand to her temple and groaned.

"What?" Gede saw no problem with his words.

"Sometimes son, you have all of the smarts and none of the tact," Prem said.

"I do not understand."

"No, no you do not." His mother patted his head.

———————

The following day, the group was dressed in travel clothes and ready to go. The fairies had sent them with enough provisions to get them to the Mystic Spires, or at least they hoped that they had. Hugs, handshakes, and tears flowed freely as everyone said goodbye. The rest had been nice, but it was time to return to the mission. Bolemir focused and after waving his hands around in an intricate pattern, a portal appeared.

"Safe journey," Bolemir and Prem each said.

"Survive so I can hear all about it," Gede added.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything." Aurora pulled up the hood of her Guardian's cloak and her face disappeared. As she passed through the portal, the rest of her followed suit, vanishing into the unknown.