To say the males were impressed by the water nymph's stamina would be an understatement. The nymph, who they discovered was named Wai, could continue to move without stopping for hours on end. She did not seem to need to sleep or eat, but did take short rests when the other creatures needed it. As a result, they headed southeast at a near impossible pace.

As the days passed, Alaron viewed the situation with resignation. Even if he escaped now, he was smart enough to know that he had no way to survive the wilderness on his own. When he was not sulking, he was complaining. Every part of him hurt and they needed to know about it. Especially the cut on his arm.

"It hurts," he griped. "I think it is infected. Are you sure your blade was not poisoned?"

"For the hundredth time in the last two days, I did not poison my sword. I would never do such a thing. It is despicable." Devrim was growing tired of the boy's attitude.

"I would like to remind His Highness that he injured the Emperor, and on the face no less." Junayd indicated the cut on Devrim's eyebrow. "Barring your other crimes, that one alone is punishable by death."

Alaron mumbled something unpleasant under his breath that caused the others to press their lips together tightly. "Are you sure I could not use some sleeping powder on him, Your Majesty? I have a little left," Gandr offered.

"It it very tempting," the Emperor agreed. "But the headache when he wakes would cause a whole new round of grumbling that is not worth the little bit of peace."

'Agree to disagree,' Gandr thought to himself.

The nymph spoke in her watery voice. "Wai says that if the boy keeps complaining, she will be happy to hold him upside down so we do not have to hear him so loudly," Gandr translated.

Alaron shut his mouth quickly and that was the end of the matter. Devrim stared at the boy as the group sailed along. The prince was unusually irritable, and the grey-eyed man sensed it was more than just anger at them taking him home.

"How long have your hands been shaking like that?" The Emperor asked Alaron.

The boy looked down at his bound hands. His fingers were twitching nervously. "They started doing that some time after we left."

"Is the rope too tight?" Devrim asked with concern.

Alaron looked away. "I could lie and say yes so you would loosen them, but no. I just really want to do some magic. It takes away my anxiety." He did not know why he was being honest. A small part of him did not want the option to escape.

"I wish you could see how addicted you are to that power." The Emperor spoke so softly that the boy almost had not heard him over the rushing water.

"I am not addicted. I just enjoy it, that is all. You do not have to be jealous. I could teach you some."

The prince seemed sincere.

"I would rather be captured by some foreign enemy than build my own cage with magic." Devrim eyed him carefully as he watched the prince's face harden.

"Magic is freeing," Alaron argued.

"Did Cafer tell you that it will kill you?" The Emperor hadn't meant to be so blunt, but facts were facts.

"You are exaggerating," the prince scoffed as he rolled his eyes.

Frustration surged through the Emperor. He pushed his way through the Nymph's arms until he could grab Alaron by the shoulders. "I am not exaggerating! Just ask Zan, he has seen the consequences of magic many years ago. Or ask Gandr and Brinn what happens when they use magic out of their element. Ha! If you had asked the right questions, even the Storehouse has stories about such atrocities…"

"Does it hurt you to use magic outside your element?" Alaron asked the halfling.

Gandr paused before answering. "It feels fine in the moment but it is very draining. I can tell it is not good for me."

"And humans have no element," Devrim reminded him. Alaron pursed his lips in thought.

The ground was becoming hillier and more uneven, and eventually their underground stream met up with the rivers coming down from the mountains. The halfling elbowed Junayd. "Remember when you captured me and I kept bringing up moutains and canyons to block your path?"

"Yes…" Junayd drawled.

"This areas reminds me of that. Those were good times." Gandr was oblivious to the soldiers glare.

"I remember that time a little differently," Junayd responded.

The nymph gave a watery call of warning. "Wai says that we are about to come to a stop. She does not want to get too close and risk scaring people." Another exchange happened in the ancient tongue after which Gandr gave a confusing message. "She says that someone will be waiting for us over the next rise."

"What kind of 'someone'?" Junayd asked.

"My question exactly," Gandr agreed.

"Thank you for your help," Devrim told Wai. She gave a bubbly laugh as she slowed down and lowered them to the bank of the mountain stream. The males bowed to her (Alaron needed a little help) and bid Wai farewell. She slipped into the water, leaving only a ripple of contrary current to mark her path.

"Well I was certainly not expecting you," a female voice said from behind them. The males spun on their heels and found a woman in a fine dress, aged close to fifty looking at them with a small amount of amusement. "It has been a long time, Your Majesty," she lowered her head.

Devrim smiled and returned the bow. "Duchess Ashleigh of Oblivion. I had no idea you would be our welcome party."

The duchess laughed, "It has been quite an adventure. My brother thought I was quite insane to set out on this journey this morning, but I hope he realizes now it was not as crazy as it sounded." Ashleigh looked at the well-dressed, slightly younger man to her left. "May I present Duke Fedelmid, my little brother, and recent recipient of Ravenna's land and title."

Fedelmid bowed, "It is an honor Your Majesty. And yes, when my sister said she had been talking to the water, I thought she had lost her mind. She is always surprising me."

"The water nymphs and I are old friends," Duchess Ashleigh revealed with a mysterious grin. "When one arrived this morning and encouraged me to come, I knew something spectacular would happen today. And look! Here you are."

Devrim had no idea that Wai the nymph was working with other water nymphs, but he was grateful. He looked to his group and began introductions. "This is Gandr, an agent of the Empire. This is General Junayd, my personal guard. And this..." The Emperor hesitated, unsure if he should reveal the boy's identity since he was currently bound as a poisoner.

"This is Prince Alaron," Ashleigh finished his thought. "I am happy to see you. I recall that you were supposed to visit me not that long ago, and yet I was denied. I relish having your company now."

"Yes, well." Devrim shifted uncomfortably. "Alaron, this is your cousin Ashleigh on your mother's side."

Fedelmid and Ashleigh exchanged a glance. The Duchess cleared her throat. "More exactly, I am the daughter of Empress Zephyra's uncle, and my brother and I are two of the only survivors of Zephyra's purge."

"Purge?" Alaron asked. He had not heard anything about a purge in his history lessons.

"Empress Zephyra covertly killed most of the royals to consolidate and take power. I was only spared because I swore my allegiance and promised to stay in Oblivion. Fedelmid was young and I pleaded for his life." Ashleigh spoke without emotion. It had happened, and there was nothing to be done about it.

"I am very sorry. I hope you do not harbor any ill will toward my wife or children," Devrim asked carefully. He had not known about the purge either and was not even sure if Aurora herself knew. It made sense now why these two and Ravenna's children were Aurora's only maternal relatives. The rest had been strategically wiped out.

The Duchess waved his concern away. "I would never hold the offspring of someone guilty for the parent's sin. Besides, Her Majesty is a survivor too. We have that in common."

An idea struck Alaron, and for a moment he forgot his sullen mood. "Wait aren't you and the Empress distant cousins too?" he asked Devrim.

The Emperor held out his hands. "We were supposedly very distant cousins on Aurora's father's side, but I have found no records to indicate this is true. Chief Zan believes that Emperor Elias saw me begging from his palace balcony, and made up an excuse about family to set me up with an education and money."

"That sounds like him. Elias was a generous man. It infuriated Zephyra, but that only made him more determined to do it covertly." Ashleigh gave a wry smile.

Fedelmid redirected them. "Perhaps we should join our troops. They are just over the ridge. We will get you dried off and tend to your wounds once we are back inside the walls of Oblivion, Your Majesty."

"We appreciate your help, Duke Fedelmid." The Emperor readied himself to go.

"One more thing, if I may, Your Majesty. It would be better if the prince were gagged on the way into town. Or at least disguised. Some people have very...strong feelings about Prince Alaron."

"I have some strong feelings myself," Devrim admitted. "Let us see what we can do."