After that meeting with Natina, Tianna always kept an eye on that area of the forest, but Natina did not return. Just as Tianna was starting to wonder if she had made the encounter up, she saw Natina again by the lakeside. It was strange to see her and the shadow lynx stand side by side in bright sunlight, but it seemed as if they were waiting for something. For her.

Tianna approached the lakeside and broke the silence. “I thought about the story you told. You wanted me to know more about the true nature of a Queen, right?”

“Yes and no,” Natina answered, “It seems you still missed something but it doesn’t matter. There isn’t enough time to do things the right way.”

“The right way?” Tianna asked.

Natina stepped closer to the shore of the lake and bent down, touching the water with her fingertips. “The Queen has always been able to use the power of nature, though she is not an elemental.”

“How can she use nature but not the power of the elements?” Tianna asked.

“One is only an elemental if their magic manipulates an element. The Queen does not use her magic to control nature,” Natina corrected.

“Then how-”

“It is a contract,” Natina broke in before Tianna could finish, “As you can imagine making a contract with all of nature is quite difficult, which is why a Queen must pick her first element as an intermediary for the others. For you I recommend water.”

Tianna jerked her head towards the lake subconsciously. “But-”

“Water is gentle, but if it feels the need it can be an unstoppable raging force,” Natina continued, ignoring Tianna’s attempted protests, “Water is also the most open to new contracts, and the easiest to communicate with. Not to mention, your father is a storm fairy. Much of the power of storms comes from water. If you would like you can try to make your first contract with wind, but it is the hardest element to commune with.”

“Oh, okay,” Tianna replied. She no longer had it in her to protest, “Then how is the Queen much different from an elemental?”

“Because her main power does not come from the elements but from nature,” Natina answered, “Plants, wildlife, some say even the sunlight will bend to her will.”

Tianna looked up at the sky and squinted as her eyes met the sun. “How does the Queen make a contract with nature? What does she offer in return?”

“You will understand if you focus,” Natina assured her, and gestured back to the lake.

Focus? Tianna turned to the lake and stared into the depths of the water. As she did, Tianna started to feel that the water was alive, and aware of her presence. A contract always had to sides. Before she could try to ask something of the water, she needed to figure out what she could give. What did the legend say again?

“That’s it,” Tianna mumbled under her breath, as a smile formed on her face. The first Queen was always part human, a species able to share their immunity to the taint. Tianna didn’t really know much about the taint. It was never mentioned except in old legends. How could she share immunity to it?

For now she reached down and touched the edge of the water. Contact was probably necessary. And then what? Intention was necessary for the majority of magic as well, but were there other steps?

A small glow started to ripple outwards from Tianna’s fingertips. It was a soft, comforting glow. The water absorbed the glow and seemed, to Tianna, to be pleased.

Tianna removed her hand from the water, feeling oddly tired. “Did I succeed?” she asked Natina.

Natina nodded. “Congratulations. It took me many more tries to even bond with my starting element. As I thought, water suits you.”

“Your starting element?” Tianna asked, “What was it?”

“Fire,” Natina replied, “I recommend not bonding with fire. Unlike water, it made it more difficult to make the contract with the rest of nature. In fact, I failed. Fire is a jealous and greedy existence.”

Tianna found it hard to imagine either fire or water having emotions, but the lake still felt alive to her. “Are you a past Queen?” Tianna asked.

“No,” Natina replied, “I was a princess. Like I said, I failed.”

“Why are you helping me?” Tianna inquired.

“I have my reasons,” Natina allowed vaguely, “but this will be our last meeting. You must finish this on your own.”

“Our last meeting? Why?” Tianna demanded.

“I have my reasons,” Natina repeated, “but I can give you one last piece of advice. I heard that you desire to learn snowfire, the strongest healing magic. What you gave the water just now is an important ingredient.”

The immunity was an important ingredient? It did make sense. Whatever this taint was, it would be difficult to heal someone who was infected with it. Did the line of Queens know what the taint was?

“Natina,” Tianna began, but realized the cloaked woman had already left. She was alone by the lakeside. “I guess I have to figure out the rest on my own.”

Tianna made her way back to her room inside the compound, exhausted. If making one contract was this difficult, how hard would the others be? And what if she had to make the contract more than once in all sorts of new places?

She fell into a heavy sleep after thinking deeply about the contract, snowfire, and what she should do next.