After having a private discussion with Zan, Aurora and the Guardian came to an understanding. The Council would hold trial, but the Empress would not attend. While the other Councilmen would find this out at the right time, Aurora respected the Chief enough not to blindside him.

"I do not suppose you will allow us to use the royal seal in your absence," the Chief asked politely. He stood at attention in the Empress's office out of deference for the woman before him. The seal was the only way to carry out a sentence for someone of noble birth.

"No, I will not," Aurora confirmed with her brow arched. Her face softened as she added, "Though I do wish you would come with me to the land of magic. We are politicians, and I could use all the creative maneuvering you naturally possess."

"I am flattered, Your Majesty. I would be honored to work with the fairies. But then who could run the trial?" Zan gave her a knowing smile.

"You caught me. Perhaps my request had a double purpose." The Empress pretended to look guilty.

The Chief appreciated her efforts. She was a loyal mother. "I promise that I will be fair to His Highness. Has he recanted his treachery?" Zan had heard that Aurora and the others had tried, but the prince was obstinate.

The Empress shook her head and sighed. "No progress on that, I am afraid. Alaron is more stubborn than a mule. If only he would use his bullhead-ish-ness for good and not his own demise, he would actually make a decent leader."

"Bullhead-ish-ness? Is that close to pighead-ish-ness?" Zan smirked.

Aurora waved away his jib and rolled her eyes. "The prince deserves his own special word for his behavior, but my point still stands."

"Yes, Prince Alaron could eventually do great things as a general or other leader, even if he is not in charge of the Empire," Zan agreed. "If only he would admit his error and turn from it."

"And that is my task," Aurora lamented. "I will try once more before I leave, and it is in the Fates' hands after that." Aurora dusted off herself as she stood from her chair behind the long wooden desk.

"Glory to the Empress." Zan responded as he bowed. "And good luck."

—————

Mairwen and Devrim were already trying to talk some sense into the prince when Aurora arrived. The look on their faces was colored with exasperation.

"No, we have not made any progress," Mairwen answered before her mother asked.

"What is so hard about admitting you were wrong?" The Empress asked the prince.

"I cannot say I made a mistake. It would make me look like a fool." Alaron jutted out his chin.

"Better a living fool than a dead traitor," Devrim spat. He was clearly at the end of his rope.

"Do you want to die?" Aurora's eyes pleaded with the boy. "I am determined to save you, yet you undermine me at every turn."

"Even if I repent, there is no future for me like this." Alaron pictured his life forever confined to his room with the cuffs hanging from his wrists. It was not a life he wanted.

"Things will never be the same," Aurora conceded, "but your future is far from over. You can rebuild your reputation slowly. Do not throw your life away because of your pride."

Alaron remained silent and stared out the window with his brow furrowed. Mairwen studied his face. Something about his defiance bothered her. It was half-hearted. And his gaze out the window was not absent-minded. He was searching for something. "There is more to all of this, mother. I can feel it," the princess declared.

The prince's mind was pulled back to the present as if his twin had read his mind. He nodded at her discovery. "The trial does not matter. None of it does," Alaron muttered. A look akin to guilt passed through the boy's eyes.

"What do you mean? Of course it matters!" Aurora replied angrily. "What are you not telling us?"

Alaron banged his fist on the bed. "As I told you yesterday and the day before: get out of here! Abandon the castle. It is safer that way. Even if I renounce my part in Cafer's plot, he, Xander, and Baak are still coming. And they will win this time. Nothing I do now will change the fact that I will be crowned Emperor."

"We are ready for the gnomes. We will give them a hard battle even with all their magic," Devrim asserted. He held up his fists thinking about the upcoming fray.

Alaron shook his head before placing it in his hands. "The gnomes will not be fighting. They will not have to…"

The Empress's eyes grew wide with worry. "Why not?"

——————-

(Earlier)

Within the castle treasury, a small red man with a devilish look appeared with a box in his hands. The package was larger than most the leprechaun had carried, and he had just barely managed it. He looked around for the perfect place to lay down his gift when he spotted a pedestal a short way off. He ambled over to the white pillar and knocked the priceless piece of jewelry on it to the floor.

With care he hefted the box onto the perch. Then slowly, the small creature removed the lid to reveal a large opalescent egg. Had not tiny cracks formed in its shiny shell, the leprechaun might have been tempted to keep it for himself. Having been released from its sealed container, the egg itself began to vibrate with a strange energy. The creature inside was sending off a beacon. It was time to leave. The little man dressed in green hopped around, quickly stuffing his pockets with various coins before vanishing without a trace.

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

"Why will the gnomes not have to fight?" Devrim pressed.

Alaron looked around at his family. He did not want them to die, and time was running out. Their only chance was for him to come clean. "The gnomes have tricked others into fighting for them," he admitted. "They are planning to hide the Queen's egg in the palace to force them into attacking."

"Egg? What egg?" Mairwen pictured an egg like those she ate for breakfast. What could be so dangerous about that?

"The Queen's egg. I do not know what creatures are coming, but I know they will be coming by air. Even the gnomes seemed afraid of these beasts." Alaron gave him the information he had. Baak and Cafer had wisely chosen not to reveal all their secrets. It turned out their reserve was justified.

Aurora's face turned pale, "We have been so busy planning for an attack from the ground, that we have no plans for the air."

"What do you think is coming? Wyverns? Griffiths?" Devrim did not think either of them had queens, but his wife obviously knew more.

The Empress walked to the window in a daze. "It is much worse than that if my guess is right."

"Nurlan!" Aurora called abruptly. The general dutifully entered the room. "Have every room searched for a large egg that does not belong there." She paused and looked at the prince, "It is a large egg, correct?"

The boy reluctantly answered, "Bigger than any I have seen."

"Alright. Find the Egg. Perhaps we can get it out of the palace. Go!" the Empress urged.

Nurlan departed the room just as Brinn came rushing in. "Your Majesties," she called, breathless. "Something has been spotted in the spyglass at the north tower. You will want to see this."

"All of you, come with me." Aurora motioned for them to follow.

The royal family, Junayd and Eira followed the Empress and Brinn to the north tower. The parapet atop it could only hold the watchman, Brinn, the Emperor, and the Empress. The rest waited impatiently below for news.

"Something felt off ever since this morning," Brinn told Aurora, "but I could not put my finger on it. It was as if something was calling out. Whatever it was, they are answering." The elf pointed in the distance.

The watchman handed Aurora the spyglass--another one of Renat's improvements-- and the Empress peered through the glass. Sure enough, she could see the outline of many large wings flapping towards them in a black cloud. Aurora sighed. "The gnomes hid the Queen's egg inside the palace, and I assume they are coming after her child."

"Who are they?" Devrim was afraid to ask.

"The most fearsome and indestructible creatures in the land of magic," Brinn responded with reverence.

"Dragons," the ladies said in unison.

"How long do we have?" Aurora asked.

"A minute, maybe two. Those things fly faster than even the wind." Brinn looked again. Already she could spot them without the spyglass. They were coming in hot.

"We have got to move quickly. Make a plan. Then we will meet Her on the skybridge." Aurora turned to head below.

"Who?" Brinn and Devrim asked.

Aurora gave a shrug. "The Queen."