THE MAGICIAN IV - THE WARRIOR PRIEST by Suzanne Bickerstaffe, with Jennifer Lyon (ecksphile@earthlink.net, Jenni10647@aol.com) October, 1998 Acknowledgements and disclaimers Thanks to the many fans of the Realm who have been begging for another chance to visit there. This book is a bit different from the three Magician stories that preceded it. First, Jenni chose this time to contribute mostly in the form of editing, so for the most part the writing was done alone (which made me appreciate my former writing partner all the more - it's hard writing this solo!) Secondly, most of the book is written from a first-person point of view - and not Mulder or Scully's. I think I managed to get inside my narrator's head pretty well, but you'll have to judge that for yourself. But it was great fun exploring this character who we see far too little of. I filled in several blanks in his life. I apologize in advance if I haven't filled them in quite as anyone else envisioned. I would like to thank Jennifer Lyon, for what she wrote and for editing, and most especially for the marvelous idea for the original book and inviting me to be a part of it all. The Realm is now as real to me as it is to many of you. I would also like to thank Melody Lanier for reading it over and making lots of wonderful suggestions. This book is dedicated to the most loyal and patient fanfic fans in the world. People like Todd, and Suzanne from Sweden, and Roy and many others - your patience has at last been rewarded. You honor us with your loyalty to the Realm and its beings. DISCLAIMER : The XFiles and the characters of Mulder, Scully and Skinner belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and Fox Television. They were used without permission, but treated gently. The plot, the Realm and all other characters belong to Jenni and myself. No profit is being made from this story (although, what do you think about Realm Action Figures ?). CATEGORY: Fantasy/Adventure RATING: For the most part, PG-13ish, with a lovely R-rated (or NC-17, for the more sensitive) Chapter Nineteen. ARCHIVE: To Gossamer, yes please. Anywhere else, please ask for permission, which will undoubtedly be given. SPOILERS: None, really. This is an alternate universe, with no cancer, no Emily, no burned-out office, no Spender. It will undoubtedly make more sense, though, if you've read the first three Magician books. SUMMARY: Scully and Mulder go back to the Realm for the birth of Shannon and Andalor's first child. But the unexpected happens - first, someone enters the Realm accidently in their wake, then a terrible crime occurs, sending the pair and their ally on a mission against evil. Chapter One The only sounds were the sputtering buzz of the laboring dehumidifier and the steady rhythm of two pairs of lungs drawing breath. The air smelled of mildew - damp, heavy. But the crowded basement office was a visual feast, a study in contrasts, a battle between chaos and order. One side of the room displayed neat shelves of medical tomes and primly bound copies of The Lancet, JAMA, Scientific American and Psychology Today, cataloged alphabetically and chronologically. A spray of flowers, bought on a whim, was artlessly arranged in an Erlenmeyer flask on the desk, bringing a welcomed touch of color to the gunmetal gray of the furniture. The only other object of color - on the wall opposite - was a beautiful tapestry, the hues unnaturally brilliant and figures oddly three-dimensional. Two neat stacks of files stood ready on the immaculate desk blotter, and a pad of Post-It notes and a pen lay thoughtfully by the phone. In the midst of this neatness and almost obsessive order, the blue screen of an idle monitor stared out as if offended by the disarray on the opposite side of the room. Specimen jars with grisly and questionable contents warred for shelf space with Elvis souvenirs from Nashville. In an orgy of unconventional print, layers of Omni magazines, MUFON newsletters and back issues of The Lone Gunman lay scattered on file cabinets and tables, threatening to spill to the floor with the slightest wisp of air. A slide projector gathered dust, its screen, half-furled, standing nearby. Sitting atop the VCR, a tower of videotapes was as stable as a house of cards. Garish posters and gruesome photographs stared down from the walls. The desk - the desk did not invite description. And amid the clutter, within the oasis of order, the silent argument went on. //Mulder, be real!\\ //Three hikers found in the forests of the Cascade Mountain range, Scully, lost for four days.... Claiming to have seen an alien spacecraft first hover and then land in a clearing-\\ //But that's just the point! They had been lost. When they finally staggered back into civilization, they were dehydrated, disoriented and feverish. They could have been delirious, maybe hallucinating.\\ He got up and paced, his arms gesticulating as mimelike, he countered, //Then how do you explain their descriptions? The fact that their watches stopped. That their compasses went crazy. The first degree burns on one side of their faces only.... Which they claimed they got at night, I might add.\\ The auburn haired woman rolled her eyes expressively. //I know what they 'claimed', Mulder. But those descriptions aren't anything that haven't been written a thousand times in science fiction and in accounts of other alleged alien visitations - right down to the saucer shape of the craft and the little green men that jumped out of it! And they *did* say green.\\ He grimaced in recognition of the point she had scored, but he was not about to let it be won cheaply. //Hey, maybe they *were* green. Or... or... maybe they didn't see the color all that clearly.\\ //Okay.... Then what about the traces of cannabis in their systems?\\ Mulder stopped pacing and turned to her, startled out of mindspeak. "Cannabis? They were stoned?" She grinned impudently up at him. "Sorry partner, the tox report came in an hour ago. The screen showed traces of THC, enough to prove that at some time from eight to sixteen hours before they were found, they were very seriously stoned, indeed." "Which would cover the time they claim to have seen the alien spacecraft." " 'Fraid so." "That doesn't mean they didn't see it," he persisted half- heartedly. "No," she grudgingly agreed. "But it does mean that they were under the influence of drugs at the critical time, so - " " -so nothing they say can be used as evidence of alien visitation. Shit!" He threw himself in his chair and assumed a comfortable slouch. "I was really hoping with this one...." //I know, love.\\ A wave of amused sympathy came from her as she pushed herself to her feet and strolled over to her partner, her lover, her bondmate. Hastily, she smothered a yelp as he pulled her into his lap. //I think I'm due a little consolation, don't you think?\\ His lips pressed hers, his tongue playfully stroking them. His arms came up around her and pulled her close. //Mulder! We're in the office!\\ //I'm aware of that. But while you were wasting your time at lunch, I stayed here and did the weekly bug sweep. We're clean. So,\\ he smiled mischievously, //we can carry on with impugnity.\\ //And what if Skinner walks down here?\\ He chuckled out loud. "Scully, to my knowledge he's been in this office exactly twice in the past four years. Why the hell would he pick this moment to walk in on us?" "Maybe he's telepathic. You have to admit, his timing for finding us when we don't want to be found is too uncanny to be explained any other way." Her partner seemed to give this idea serious consideration for several moments - until he heard the tinkle of laughter from her mind. He shrugged. "Hey, think about it - it could explain a lot. And we've certainly seen stranger things." His expression changed as a thought occurred to him. "Wait a minute... Scully, if the tox screen results came back an hour ago, how come we just spent the last forty-five minutes arguing about this case?" She grinned and shrugged. //They say an occasional argument is good for a relationship. Besides, I like debating with you. I find it very... stimulating.\\ Their lips met, and they were involved in a thorough exploration of each other's mouths when they became aware of a growing discomfort. Finally, they sprang apart. "Is it getting awfully warm in here, or is it just me?" Mulder muttered, absently rubbing his chest. "Mulder - the crystal!" Impatiently he flicked his tie back over his shoulder and unfastened the top buttons of his shirt. With a triumphant cry, he pulled out the crystal that now glowed with a blue-white light as it hung from its fine gold chain. In seconds, the swirling, dancing light of the crystal coalesced into the image of a familiar and much-loved figure. "Reinald! It's good to see you again. We weren't expecting to hear from you quite so soon.... Wait! There's nothing the matter with Shannon, is there?" "She is well. But she is the reason I'm contacting you," he admitted. Scully cut in. "Is there anything wrong, Reinald?" The old Mage had contacted them only the week before to announce that Shannon and Andalor were to have a child. The bondmates' initial joy had given way to Mulder's fretting over Shannon's condition. He had spent most of his leisure time since then pouring over Scully's medical books and working himself into a lather of anxiety, dwelling on anything and everything that could go wrong. His bondmate had finally ordered the medical books off-limits - the waves of worry he was throwing off were giving her a massive headache. It had taken her the better part of a day to reassure him that women had been successfully giving birth for millions of years. But Mulder's closeness with the girl and his attendant fears for her health and safety had left lingering doubts. The message came through their bond loud and clear - other 'women' were not his Shannon, the troubled orphan he had taken under his wing, the girl that reminded him so much of his sister Samantha. He had lost everything and everyone he was close to, all his life. Now his fears became Scully's as she sought an answer to why the Mage would be calling. "Her time grows near, Warrior Healer Scully. She asked me to contact you both so that you could be here for the birth." "Al-already?" Mulder croaked. "But you only told us last week that she was pregnant. How could she...?" "Have you already forgotten the Professor's lessons on the gelflow of time, Mulder?" The Mage's kindly eyes twinkled. "In any case, it is traditional for the taabsut of royalty to be present at the birth." "*AT* the birth? B-but, Reinald! I wasn't really her taabsut, that was a fabrication. Just a myth we concocted to give Shannon the protection of family relationship when she first arrived in the Realm." "Of course I am aware of that, dear boy, as are all your friends here. But what matters is what the beings of the Realm believe. I'm afraid our little myth succeeded beyond our wildest expectations. Not only does most of the Realm believe you are her taabsut - her advisor, her guardian - but they also believe you and Hannu to be brothers, since the taabsut is usually related in that manner. I suppose it is only natural - you are not dissimilar in appearance, and with the incredible talents for magic you both have...." Reinald sighed and frowned. "But there remains the expectation for you to be present. "In other words, if we don't observe all the traditions surrounding the birth of the heir very strictly, it will invite speculation. I would prefer not to have to confess to the deception at this point. As you know, there are always those who will take advantage of such a situation, to their own ends. I know the notice is short, but I wouldn't ask if it were not really quite important that you be here for your part of the Ritual of Royal Birth." Mulder wasn't shielding, so it wasn't difficult for Scully to diagnose the source of his hesitation. The idea of witnessing any birth was enough to make him uneasy - very uneasy. But to be with Shannon, to see her in pain and not be able to do anything, to have so much taking place, events beyond his control.... //It will be fine, my love. *You* will be fine.\\ Scully sent waves of reassurance his way, felt them absorbed like raindrops in a desert. //But Scully, what if it isn't? What if I screw up, and Shannon is harmed by it? What if -\\ //Enough, Mulder. I'll be there too, you know.\\ Her calm confidence, her assurance washed over him, bathing his mind and bringing it a measure of peace. //Just don't let them hand me the kid,\\ he mindspoke wryly, stroking her cheek. //I'd probably drop it.\\ He gazed down into her eyes, wondering for the hundred thousandth time how he had gotten so lucky. "Mulder? Mulder, are you there? Warrior Healer Scully?" "Sorry, Reinald. Yes, we're here." "I see you are a little disturbed. Don't be, dear boy. Everything is fine, couldn't be better. Oh, and Healer Kyla would like a word with Scully, if that's possible." "Uh... sure. Sure, Reinald." Scully felt rather than saw the reaction from her bondmate, a slight stiffening. She turned questioning eyes from him and looked into the crystal at the pale, serene face of the blond human. "I'm here, Kyla. It's nice to see you again - it's been a long time." She smiled. "Longer for me than for you, according to the Professor. I assume you will be accompanying Mage Mulder to the Realm." The low melodious voice made it more of a statement than a question. With the problem in their bond resolved by Hannu, Mulder and Scully had no difficulty - no physical difficulty - in separating from each other's presence. Nevertheless, they avoided separation as much as they could, both keenly aware that their meaning, their strength, their hearts and souls, lay in being together. "Someone has to keep an eye on him, Kyla. You know how he tends to find trouble," she replied in mock seriousness. "That I do," she smiled back. "With the Goddess's help, this journey will for once be a peaceful and happy one. But I would be glad of your presence. This is the first birth in the Realm of the child of an outworlder and a Realm native. Such an event would be momentous enough, but for that child also to be the Heir to the Throne.... While I do not expect any difficulties, I admit I would rest easier if I knew that you were going to be here, Healer Scully." //Me, too,\\ her bondmate added. "I would be most honored to assist you, Healer Kyla," Scully replied in the more formal speech of her Realm profession. Reinald's face swam into view once more, wreathed in smiles. "Well, it's all settled then! The Professor is ready, so if you will just get yourselves into position, and - " "Wait, Reinald. You mean now? Right this minute?" "Is that a problem, dear boy? The Professor has done the calculations, and it appears that there is about to be - now what did he call it...." "A backwash," the Professor's voice called from out of view. "A backwash in the gelflow of time." The image in the Oracle Cloud swirled again and the Professor's face sharpened into focus. "Mulder! You're looking well, I'm happy to see. Yes, as I was saying, there's about to be a backwash. Just a little one, you understand, but it could make the calculations a bit tricky. Because we're not precisely sure when you have to be here - even in the Realm, that's in the hands of Mother Nature, you know - I'd like to bring you through now. When the backwash starts, it will become very difficult indeed to bring you through with any degree of accuracy as to time and place." "How long will this backwash last, Professor?" asked Scully. "Will it be a problem getting us back to our world?" "Oh, no, no! This is just temporary. But I would hate for you to miss the birth of Shannon and Andalor's child. By the time it will be necessary for you to return to your world, I'll have done the calculations taking into account the backwash's effects. It will take a few Realm days, but it shouldn't be a problem." The Oracle Cloud shimmered again. "So Mulder, will you be joining us?" Reinald peered anxiously at the couple. "Just a moment, Mage, if you please." Mulder turned to his partner. //What do you think, Scully?\\ //I think it's a good thing it's Friday, we won't be missed over the weekend. I just wish we had the time to go home first. This isn't exactly the way I'd dress for a trip through the vortex and arrival in the Realm.\\ She grimaced at her tailored suit and impractical heels. //Not to mention I have all those baby gifts I'd started to amass at home. But if it has to be now or never....\\ Feeling an odd sense of disquiet in her mind, a sense that did not originate with her, she searched his troubled face. //What is it, Mulder?\\ He hesitated. //...Before, when Reinald said everything was just fine.... He's hiding something, Scully. It's harder to tell through the Oracle Cloud, and of course I'm out of practice, but I would swear his aura flickered. Something's wrong, maybe something to do with Shannon. We have to go to the Realm, and the sooner the better.\\ //Are you sure your nerves aren't making you think you see something that isn't there?\\ //No. No, I'm sure. Something's wrong.\\ //All right, love. Then we go now.\\ She smiled reassuringly up into the face of her bondmate, hoping to see the worried, pinched look evaporate. //Let's just hope the Professor can bring us through somewhere close to Fairwoods Keep. I've already walked through the forests of the Realm in high heels, and I can't say I enjoyed the experience,\\ she said, referring to their first, inadvertent trip to the land that was to become such a huge part of their lives. His expression cleared a little. //Not that I don't care about your comfort, Scully, but at the moment I'm a little more concerned about the effects of creating a vortex in the basement of the J. Edgar Hoover Building.\\ //Good God, Mulder, you don't think he's going to do it right here, do you? I can just imagine it tripping every alarm and seismic detector in the place!\\ Mulder picked up the crystal again. "Uh, Professor - we're in an office in the basement of FBI Headquarters. Won't creating a vortex here be a little, well ...noticeable?" "Don't worry about a thing, Mulder. As long as you're alone and out of sight where you are, there shouldn't be a problem. This will be a very small vortex, and extremely short-lived. All you need is a clear space approximately three meters across. Hannu and I have made a few improvements in vortex creation. Oh, not without a few glitches along the way here and there, but it should be safe enough." The bondmates looked at each other warily. //Glitches?\\ //*Should* be safe enough?\\ Mulder shrugged and addressed the crystal once more. "All right, Professor. Give us a minute to tie up some loose ends here. I'll send through a signal when we're ready." "Wonderful, we'll be waiting. But don't be too long. The backwash should occur quite soon now." The dancing lights of the Oracle Cloud flickered and grew dim. Mulder tucked the crystal back inside his shirt and went to the phone, pressing a speed-dial number. "Hi Kim, is he in?.... Okay, in that case could you please give him a message for me? Scully and I were just contacted by a source, and have to go meet him this afternoon. We'd reschedule if we could, but you know how these things are. Time is of the essence. So I'm afraid the reports on the Cascades case will have to wait for Monday.... Oh, that's right, he's going away for a long weekend. All right, they'll have to wait until Tuesday, then.... Thanks, Kim...Yes, you too." He turned to his partner. "I forgot. Skinner's going up to his cabin for a long weekend - he's taking Monday off." Scully frowned. "That's not like him, Mulder. That's not like him at all. I don't think he's taken a day off all year, except when the building is actually closed for a holiday." He looked serious. "I know. He's been looking a little fried lately. Somehow his reamings have just lost that sting they used to have. All kidding aside, I've been concerned that maybe he's burning out. God knows with what goes on around here, he'd be justified in getting a little charred around the edges." He shook his head as if to dismiss the gloomy thoughts, and then a smile lit his features. "But - it's a break for us. It gives us a little leeway getting back from the Realm. And maybe Skinner will be in such a good mood when he gets back from his time off that he won't even ream us for being late with the reports." Scully shot him a 'yeah, right' look and took off her badge. "What are you doing?" She slid her holster off the waistband of her skirt. "We don't have any use for these in the Realm, and we'll only lose them," she replied, slipping the items into her top drawer. "Might as well travel light." "Good point." He followed her actions, stuffing the gun and badge into the already bulging desk drawer with difficulty. He moved to the center of the room, pushing back a table and the projector screen, effectively clearing an area roughly ten feet in diameter. "This should be enough space. Ready?" He smiled as Scully joined him, and looped an arm around her slim waist. The other hand grasped the crystal. He grounded, then focused his energy to send a flash of light through the Oracle Cloud to signal to his friends in the Realm. Then they waited. At first, all they felt was a slight breeze. Then, folders and magazines blew open, their pages rifled by the ever-increasing wind. The air movement, diffuse and undirected at first, gradually tightened around them, but the effects continued to be felt in other parts of the room. Zephyrs caught and tugged at the posters on the walls, stacks of magazines slid to the floor. Documents and forms swirled around their heads, surrounding them in a maelstrom of wind and paper. Scully's hands moved up in a vain attempt to keep her hair from whipping into her eyes. A low hum filled the room, then quickly died. Papers, suddenly released from the violence of the wind, fluttered to the floor like becalmed kites. The bondmates were gone. ~ ~ ~ My head was pounding as I opened the door to the outer office and stopped at Kim's desk. "Any messages for me?" She looked up, cheerful and efficient as always. "Yes, sir." She checked her message pad. "The Director called to invite you to a barbecue at his home on Sunday. I sent your regrets. The Section Chief in VCU called, said it wasn't anything that couldn't wait until Tuesday. And about ten minutes ago, Agent Mulder called. He said he and Agent Scully were going out to meet with a source and they wouldn't be able to deliver the reports on the Cascades case until after the weekend." God damn it! Mulder and paperwork - there was always an excuse. I felt the familiar griping in my gut that usually heralded an ulcer attack. This was just one of the reasons I needed to get away this weekend to my cabin in the mountains of Virginia. Lots of good clean air. Beautiful scenery. Plenty of simple, hard physical work. And a chance to put my mind on hold for a while. None of the bullshit of the Bureau, no phone, no electricity - and no Mulder. Much as I respected him, even liked him, I couldn't help but feel he knew exactly what buttons to push to make me crazy. Maybe that's what comes of having an Oxford-trained psychologist for an employee. "Get him on the phone, Kim. Now," I said through clenched teeth. I strode into my office, slamming the door behind me, and instantly regretted it. I reminded myself to apologize to Kim. God knows she had to take a lot of shit, and none of it her fault. I sat at my desk, locking away folders, tidying the surface. I planned to leave before the Washington traffic had my stomach in an even bigger uproar than Mulder had already managed. God help the son of a bitch if he delayed me- There was a buzz and I picked up the phone. "Yes?" "I'm sorry, sir. I've tried Agent Mulder's office twice and I keep getting a busy signal. Would you like me to run down there and tell him- " "No. Thanks anyway, Kim. He's obviously still there if the line's busy. I'll go down there myself on the way out." I locked my desk and returned the keys to my pocket. Scanning the room on my way out the door, I noticed an ashtray, half full of stubbed-out Morleys. Sighing, I picked it up and dropped the whole thing in the trash. It wouldn't matter. I'd thrown out at least two dozen ashtrays. Another always appeared, and that bastard always refilled it with his stinking cigarettes. Again, my gut cramped painfully. Another great thing about my cabin - no Cancerman. I locked my office on the way out. I really don't know why I bothered - force of habit I guess. God knows anyone with an interest in its contents would get in, key or no key. I sighed again. I really needed this break. My body needed it, my mind yearned for it and my immortal soul - if I still had one - cried out for it. I couldn't remember a time I felt so jaded, so fed up and frustrated. "Kim, I'm just going down to Mulder's office and then I'm out of here. Why don't you take off early, beat the weekend traffic yourself. Take Monday too, if you want." Apologies don't come easily to me. I guess I felt that a day off from me might be a good substitute. Actions speak louder than words, as they say. She smiled and looked sincerely pleased. I don't deserve that woman. "Thank you, sir. Have a good weekend off." "Thanks, Kim. You too." It felt good to be on my way out the door without a briefcase full of work to do at home. The car was already packed with jeans and sweaters, hiking boots and provisions for the weekend. My skin started to itch with longing to be out of my goddamn suit and into something that was more - well... more me, I guess. Just one quick stop - and Christ help Mulder if it wasn't quick.... I got off the elevator at the basement. Nobody but Mulder could have stood it down here. I wondered how Scully put up with it. The hallways had gotten even more claustrophobic, more lined with junk from every office in the building than the last time I had ventured down here. The air smelled musty, with a touch of - ozone? Dismissing the improbable idea from my mind, I knocked on Mulder's door perfunctorily and went in. What the hell - ? What the hell had gone on here? It looked like someone had turned the office upside down in a frantic attempt to find something. Stunned, I picked up the phone from where it lay buzzing on the floor, returned it to the desk, and tried to make sense out of what I was seeing. Mulder's desk - well, his desk was always a disaster, I knew that from comments I had heard Scully make. But even on Scully's, file folders lay open and gutted, their contents scattered all over the room. The projector screen leaned drunkenly against the file cabinets. Magazines and videotapes littered the floor and Mulder's 'I Want to Believe' poster hung precariously by one corner from a single tack in the wall. The place looked like a cyclone had hit it. My head pounded as the muscles in the back of my neck tensed. Cyclone - disaster. And when I thought of disaster, only one name came to mind - Cancerman. Automatically I went to the phone to call Security, then abruptly stopped, my hand resting on the receiver. It's an unfortunate fact of life that when you swim with the sharks, you begin to think like one. You have to, to survive. I decided to do a little investigation on my own before showing my hand. It's the business - it makes you like that. Mulder hadn't cornered the market on paranoia. There was always plenty to go around. I was assuming someone had waited for Mulder and Scully to leave, then went into their office. Could this be a little practical joke from one of Mulder's tormentors in the Bureau? If so, that someone would be out of a job next week. I had just about had it with that crap. Mulder would never say anything, but I could see the hurt for him in Scully's eyes. Scratch one of the partners, and the other bled. My blood chilled as I thought of the Cancerman again. If one of his henchmen had searched the room, they had done a piss-poor job of it. Either that, or they were sending a message that they could do anything they wanted and get away with it. I was shaken by my next thought - had they abducted the two of them, God only knew for what purpose? Heart thudding in my ears, I searched the room. From what I could tell, there were no bloodstains, and I relaxed a bit. If someone had tried to take them, they wouldn't have gone quietly or easily. With Mulder's track record as a poor insurance risk, he wouldn't have gotten out of that room in one piece, so the lack of bloodstains was comforting. The furniture was still roughly where I remembered it should be. No overturned chairs.... Looking at the mess, I began to doubt that a struggle had taken place. But what then? I collapsed into Mulder's chair, my elbows on my knees, holding my pounding head. Then my eyes lighted on the partially opened drawer in front of me, the glint of metal snaring my attention. With difficulty, I pulled the jammed drawer out all the way. There, shoved among papers and cassettes, was Mulder's service weapon and badge. Christ. Had he quit the Bureau? Finally flipped out, trashed his office and walked out, never to return? I vaulted out of the chair and rushed to Scully's desk. There, neatly stashed in the top drawer of her desk were her badge and weapon. Now I was really worried. Had Mulder convinced his partner to leave, too? That just didn't make sense, not from someone like Agent Scully. Or even from Mulder, when I really thought about it. I didn't doubt that the day might come when, sick to death of all the bullshit, either one of them might resign. But like this? Without a word to me? That I couldn't accept. Odd as Mulder was sometimes, that wasn't his style, and it certainly wasn't Scully's. I sat down in Scully's chair and forced myself to think straight. Their presence at the Bureau was vital, as far as I was concerned. If anyone could ferret out that Morley-smoking SOB's agenda, it was those two. They were two of the best agents in the Bureau, and possibly the only ones unencumbered by dreams of taking over my position. God knows neither of them had succumbed to the nauseating brown-nosing that goes on routinely around here. I tried not to think about my personal feelings for them - I had enough to deal with without thinking about the personal loss it would be not to have them to depend on. Much as Mulder could drive me nuts, he was brilliant and he was a man of honor, one of a rapidly dying breed. If there's one attribute I prize above all others, it's honor - adherence to a strict code of ethics, personal integrity. Mulder had it by the carload. And Scully - God, Scully was just about perfect. A little rigid, perhaps. A little too personally involved with her partner, unless I missed my guess. But a hell of an agent, one any Section Chief would kill to have working for him. And with no less integrity than Mulder. I forced my mind away from the desolation of those thoughts and attempted to put my years of training into overdrive. I got up and walked the perimeter of the room, looking for clues, any sign at all that would tell me what had happened here. Absently, I noted a draft on the back of my neck. The training must have taken over with a vengeance, because I was in a crouch with my weapon drawn and aimed toward the door in a heartbeat. But the door remained closed. And there were no windows. The dehumidifier clanked and gasped, but didn't throw any air to speak of. Perhaps a fan.... I got up from my crouch and searched, but could find no fan, could find no source whatsoever for the increasing draft. I stood in the center of the room, trying to figure out where the breeze was coming from. Breeze, hell. It was a wind, swirling around me in an ever-tightening circle. I heard a low hum, and my nose picked up the odor of ozone. As the hum increased, I suddenly felt lightheaded, and felt myself falling, falling.... End of Chapter One Chapter Two I woke up to pain, face-down in grass and deep brown earth. A groan escaped as I rolled over and automatically began to take inventory. My voice worked. I found a few bruises, including a very sore right shin, but nothing seemed seriously damaged. I must have fallen down the hill behind my cabin.... But I didn't remember going to the cabin. Squinting as I rubbed the dirt out of my eyes, I tried to recall what had happened to me. I remembered going to the basement office to make sure Mulder and Scully turned in their paperwork on time, and finding them gone and the office trashed. Then there was a wind, and a noise... a flash of light... falling.... But how on earth did I end up here? Where the hell *was* here? Pushing myself to my feet, I ignored the pounding ache in my head and tried to focus on my surroundings. I was in an incredibly peaceful woodland glade, with sunlight gleaming down through a canopy of green and blue lea-.... Green and *blue* leaves? I shook my head, blinked hard, and looked again. I reached up to take off my glasses with some vague thought about light refraction distorting colors, but my hand touched only the skin of my face. Evidently in my fall my glasses had come off. A brief search revealed them lying nearby in the dirt. I picked them up, brushed them off and put them on. Damn. The leaves were still definitely green and *blue*. Unbidden, a scene from "Alice In Wonderland" ran through my mind - the deck of cards frantically painting the white roses red.... I shook my head again. I'd been around Mulder too long. Who would paint leaves blue? Now that my eyes were open, though, other peculiarities began to seize my attention. The flowers, for instance... purple bulbs with orange fingers protruding outward. The shape of the leaves on the odd plant with circular limbs. The sounds of the birdcalls, like the whistling of a flute in the wind. It was all nearly familiar, but strange at the same time. Normal, yet not quite right. It didn't make any sense.... But I was seeing it with my own eyes, and rubbing the dirt around on my face wasn't changing anything. Maybe I was dreaming... or drugged.... God knows that wouldn't be past any of Mulder's enemies. Perhaps I had stumbled into some trap laid for him and Scully. Perhaps I was simply dreaming while my body rested next to theirs in some secret government lab somewhere... No! That was not something I wanted to think about. Even guessing at what they may have done to Scully in the past made me ill. The thought that they could be doing things to me... Maybe I simply fell and hit my head. Or I passed out from stress and exhaustion. Neither was exactly good for my tough ex-Marine image, but I could live with that. Assuming I was alive, of course.... That was definitely another thought that needed to be shelved. This had to be just an odd, unusually vivid dream. I had to believe I would wake up soon and all this would fade away.... I yelled out inadvertently, as I was bitten by the biggest damn bug I'd seen in years, since the jungles of Vietnam. What the hell was that thing? I rolled down the sleeves of my shirt and buttoned the cuffs, having no intention of providing that thing's dinner. It's not something I wanted well-known, but I detest bugs, especially biting ones. Vietnam taught a lot of hard lessons about the damage they could cause, ones I learned well. Well, fine. That bite hurt. Whatever was going on here, whether I was dreaming or not, it certainly *seemed* real. And I was stuck with it until I managed to wake up. But it didn't seem like a nightmare. In fact, the air smelled wonderful. The scents were different - odd, but nice. Rather like a combination of a fancy French perfume and pine, with something... unique... thrown in. The trees were lovely, the ground looked perfectly ordinary, and actually it was all very peaceful. Not a bad place to take a walk.... The forest was endless, seeming to go on and on and on.... My shoes were ruined - they were made for sitting at desks, not for traipsing around in the forest primeval. And my clothes hadn't fared much better. Tugging my tie loose, I glared down at myself. My slacks were torn and stained, one sleeve of my shirt was ripped, and if I wasn't mistaken the back seam had let go completely between my shoulder blades. I had no idea what happened to the jacket I'd been carrying. The suit was definitely a goner, and it had been damned expensive. Someone was going to pay for this - and it wasn't going to be me. I could feel the muscles in my jaw twitch and my stomach lurch with the stress, and I clamped down on the emotion as quickly as I could. "Relax," I told myself aloud, my voice sounding tight and strangely lost in the midst of the florid greenery. I took a few deep breaths, trying to slow the accumulation of acid in my belly, wishing I had those Rolaids from my desk. I wasn't going to find any here, certainly. I needed to keep moving until I found a road. As for which way to head... who knew? A glance down at my wrist told me my watch had stopped. I suppose any direction would have been fine, so long as I walked until I woke up. But the idea that this was a dream was fading fast. It was too real. The smells, sounds, sights, sensations of this strange place were far more vivid than any dream I'd ever had. And it was going on far too long. But if it was real, then.... Confusion clouded my mind and I stumbled over a protruding tree root. Grabbing instinctively at a branch to keep my balance, I barely missed impaling my hand on a lethal-looking thorn. Drawing my hand back carefully, I drew a shaky breath. The first stirrings of panic pushed my heartrate up. Pushing myself forward again was more difficult than it should have been. I work hard to keep myself in tip-top shape, and the Bureau physician said I was in prime condition for a man my age. My age! I'm not *that* old - in fact, I've never felt better physically in my life. Physically - which just left emotionally and mentally... And those I wasn't too sure of lately.... I had not lost my mind. I repeated it like a mantra. I had been under a lot of stress - Mulder and Scully generate more between the two of them and the X-Files than the rest of my division combined - but I hadn't cracked. I just needed a little R & R. That's all. I am fine, I said to myself. I have to be fine. Just because I'm obviously hallucinating is no reason to lose confidence in my own mind.... Right. What the hell was THAT?? Freezing, I lifted my head, every nerve in my body tingling. Sensations rushed over me and my memory went wild. Green oak - or oak-like - trees and a thick carpet of leaves and weeds blurred in my mind's eye, and gave way to tropical vines and the gnarled trunks of jungle trees. Years dropped away, and I was crouched again beside a lagoon, buried waist-deep in water rushes, the sounds and scents of Vietnam overwhelming me. The pistol was a familiar weight in my palm, comforting. The rustle of leaves became the distant hum of a helicopter. The call of a beast was a guerilla signal, whining low and deep, circling around me, creeping closer and closer.... Out of the thick bushes leapt a form, burnished red in the failing sunlight. I caught a glimpse of its eyes, burning amber, and then nothing but the spinning sky as I was hurled to the ground. I landed with a thud that jolted the length of my spine painfully. I threw my left arm up to protect my head, the right bringing to bear the cold weight of my gun. My fingers tightened on the trigger once, twice - but instead of the report of the Sig Sauer, there was an impotent clicking. Goddamn, fucking, bloody, useless thing. Not totally useless. I improvised. It made a good club. The beast howled in my ear, an unearthly sound that made my skin crawl. Fear kicked adrenaline into my bloodstream. Stars sparked before my eyes. The urge to fight, to survive, was stronger at that moment than any time since 'Nam. I wanted to live. My arm swung again and again, bashing the metal of the gun against the skull of the beast with all the force I could muster. It howled, tearing at me with its claws. They sliced across my chest, opening long thin cuts that slowly wept blood. I barely felt it. Shock. I knew that well. The pain would come later. My body twisted and writhed, instinct and luck managing to keep those deadly teeth a hair's breadth from my face. A distant part of my mind noted the foul breath, the coarseness of its fur. I heard a cry with a hint of hysterical laughter mixed in and was alarmed to realize it came from me. Pain tore at my arm, my shoulder. Streaks of glaring red light blinded my eyes. There was the salty sting of sweat in open wounds. No. I *won't* die here, I vowed. The gun was knocked from my hand and I felt a new surge of panic. I fought desperately, twisting, turning... reaching... reaching for something, anything.... My hands grasped something solid - steel, warm and slippery with blood, and I held onto it for dear life. I swung.... Again, and then again. The cry of a wounded animal... was it mine or the beast's, or did it belong to the both of us? Silence. A heavy weight descended, crushing the breath from my aching lungs. I pushed... twisted.... Darkness washed over me. ~ ~ ~ Light... Waves of golden light surrounded me, warming me. Comforting warmth, like sinking into a hot bath. A cool breeze swept my forehead, bringing with it the smell of spring flowers, cherry blossoms and lilac. A low, female, other-worldly voice whispered in my ear, 'Safe... Sleep....' I was happy to comply. I woke sometime later. Struggling to stay in the comfort of sleep, I reached for the blanket and snuggled against it. It felt strange... thick... wet.... Something was wrong. Everything smelled funny. I felt... God, I felt like bloody hell. I hurt everywhere. My eyes opened to moonlight. I squinted upwards at a star- filled sky, brightly illuminated by a moon. God, I was seeing double. Two moons? Was I drunk? I squeezed my eyes shut and looked again. Two moons. Solidly in focus. I shoved the heavy damp fur laying on me away from my legs and abdomen. It wasn't a blanket, it was a dead... uh, a dead *something*. I got myself up on one knee with some effort, favoring my wounded arm, and stared at the beast. There was enough light from the moon - moons - to see it clearly. I still had no idea what it was - I'd never seen anything like it. Almost as big as a mountain lion, marked something like a tiger. Except orangy-red and brown. Long, curved fangs. And a crushed skull. I wondered just how the hell I had managed that. Well, somehow I had, and I wasn't about to question the luck of it. Maybe later... a long time later.... But for now... For now I had to keep myself from turning into a gibbering lunatic. Assuming that I wasn't one already. But my senses, especially my torn and bleeding shoulder, were all screaming at me that all this was very, very real. And if it was real... then.... Where in heaven, hell and earth was I? Sometimes it's the littlest things that drive you over the edge. It was almost comic. I was lost, alone, God-only-knows-where, I had just been nearly eaten by some kind of catlike beast, and it took the breaking of a glass lens to break me. My glasses had once more hit the deck, probably in the fight with the... thing. I put them on, only to find the left lens cracked. My clumsy attempts to more closely align the edges of the glass resulted in the entire lens falling out of the frame into my hand. My voice nearly choked me as every curse I ever heard came bubbling up from some dark pit inside me. On and on I went, until the utter absurdity of the situation skewed the anger into hysterical laughter. I laughed until I was breathless and my body shook, until I was no longer sure if I was laughing or crying or both... Oh God, yes, I've lost it *big* time, I thought. If only Mulder could see me now.... Now there was a sobering thought. A groan escaped as I wiped at my face with a tattered sleeve. Mulder. And Scully! If I was here, wherever here was, were they here, too? Could I find them? Would Mulder have an explanation for this? A real chuckle broke past my lips. Oh yes, Mulder would have an explanation. It would be fantastic, totally unbelievable, and if I knew the brilliant bastard at all, utterly accurate and absolutely unprovable. Still, he had come up with a few pieces of solid evidence now and then. That thing from the New Jersey sewers was an obvious example. Oh shit, the look on his face when I didn't react to that the way he had expected. It was almost worth everything else - the fine line I was desperately trying to walk. All of my unappreciated attempts to protect him. The risks I took. Just to see that look of utter confusion on those mobile features. Oh Mulder, I thought - you give away so much so easily. Every emotion, every thought is reflected in your face, in your haunted eyes. Now, Scully - oh, she had a better poker face than a Marine sergeant. Almost better than I have. But not you, Mulder. Never you. It's all there for those who've learned to look. Where was he now?? Blast him - if he got me into this, he'd damn well better get me out! Blinking, frowning fiercely at the broken spectacles clutched in my filthy hand, I imagined the lecture I would give that irrepressible, irresponsible, idiosyncratic... genius. I sighed. This really wasn't doing me the slightest bit of good, even if it did make me feel marginally better. Grimly placing the metal frames back on my nose and ears and tucking the broken lens in a pocket, I squinted through the one remaining lens. Night had fallen, and the forest took on an aspect of menace. The trees threw wavering shadows, rustling in the fingers of a chilly wind. Shapes that had held some familiarity before were now alien, unknown and unforgiving. In the distance I could hear the howl of beasts, circling somewhere in the surrounding wilderness. Searching for prey. Which I did not want to be. Surely there had to be civilization somewhere. I damped down the thought that it could be miles upon miles away. I was not about to give up now. I'd survived Vietnam, I'd survived Washington politics, I'd even survived brushes with Mulder's implacable enemies. I would survive this. I had to. The alternative was unacceptable. So I gathered the remnants of my strength, took my bearings, and pushed myself forward. It was slow going, stumbling over tree roots and rocks. The dimness beneath the trees was bad enough, but the scratches in the remaining lens added more distortion, breaking the world up into weirdly-shaped pieces. Finally, I took my glasses off in disgust, sticking them in the pocket with the broken lens. I could do without them. But I needed to keep moving, even if it was painfully slow. The chill was seeping in, making my injuries ache. Pure willpower kept me going, forcing me to take each step as I trudged through the forest, a single litany going through my mind.... Someone was going to answer for this. Someone was going to answer for this... someone was going to *pay* for this! Eventually, as I walked, it sank in that I could see far better than I should be able to at night in a heavily wooded area. A pastel luminescence was reflecting off the shiny surfaces of bark and leaves, pooling in small clearing, and sparkling in droplets of dew. Stopping, I turned to look around me, searching for the source of the light. My eyes were drawn inexorably upward. Upward. Towards the twin moons hanging heavy and pregnant high above the tips of the trees. I blinked. I guess that's when it finally sank in. TWO MOONS. My chest ached as the breath left me in a rush. I staggered slightly as realization dawned and my knees went weak. I could no longer deny the evidence of my senses. I swore to myself that I was dreaming and would wake up soon. I pinched the goose-bumped flesh of my forearms, and felt the pain. But nothing changed. And when the moment faded, I was left standing in an alien forest - cold, dirty, hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and more frightened that I can ever remember being. I'm not sure how long I stood there. The sounds didn't register at first. Sounds... Feet striking earth. The hard pulse of hooves. Voices. People! I spun around in a slow circle, the alien twin moons momentarily forgotten. People meant roads, and roads led to civilization. The noise was getting slowly louder and I could now make out other sounds.... The jangle of bells, a creaking noise, and voices echoing in a rhythmic chant. The words were musical but unintelligible and decidedly not English. But I could tell the direction now. I ran through the undergrowth with desperate speed. Old training and my injuries had me running in a half-crouch. Caution was warning me to slow down, to get a look at the people before I exposed myself.... But the warning went unheeded. I crashed through onto an unpaved road directly in the path of some sort of horse-drawn caravan, and opened my mouth to yell for help. Surely one of these people could help, could at least tell me where I was. These people.... Weren't people. I froze. My heart stopped. My breath caught in my lungs and no sound came out of my mouth. For one moment I thought I might actually pass out. Then everything came back with a rush and my blood began to pound with new adrenaline. Fight-or-flight, but I was rooted to the ground with shock. These were aliens. They had to be. Little green aliens. In the blue gleam of their lanterns I could see them clearly. Short and thick of stature, they were dressed in brightly colored clothes. Their bodies were round, their faces inordinately ugly. They bared their teeth at me - and a sudden jolt of relief burst through my veins. Those teeth were big, solid, in multiple rows, but utterly blunt. From some corner of my mind came the reassurance -- blunt teeth meant vegetable eaters. So they probably didn't see me as dinner. *Probably.* It suddenly penetrated that while these creatures were obviously surprised to see me, they weren't frightened or horrified. Maybe I didn't seem as strange to them.... Maybe they'd seen humans before? In fact, some of them appeared to be quite excited to see me. A few were jumping up and down and... laughing? Even the possibility that I was the object of their amusement made me struggle to regain my dignity. I snapped my jaw shut, straightened my back and glared down at them - they were barely waist-height. I opened my mouth to speak at the same time they did, then found myself stymied by the language barrier. Whatever they were speaking, it certainly wasn't English. Or any other language I'd ever heard. What were the chances that they'd understand me? "Greetings," I breathed. Oh, great, now I sounded like Mr. Spock on some Star Trek episode. The creatures merely gazed at me, waiting. Two of them scurried away and dived into one of the covered wagons. "My name is Walter Skinner," I tried again, "and I seem to be lost. By any chance, have you seen a couple of... uh... friends of mine? A tall man named Mulder," I held my hand up head-high for a moment, then moved it down to the level of my chest, "and a short red-haired woman named Scully?" Abruptly the entire group broke into loud chatter. I couldn't understand a word, but several of them were gesticulating wildly. Three more began to circle me, though keeping a safe distance. Then the largest one of the group - whose head barely reached my stomach - stepped closer and waved at me. I looked at him. When he saw he had my attention, he spoke. There was a spate of gibberish, but two words I understood perfectly. '...*****Mulder****Scully****...' My heart leapt like a bloodhound picking up a scent. Of course, I thought wryly. If there's anything strange going on, you can bet Mulder will be in the middle of it. Of course these creatures would know him. "Mulder, Scully," I repeated firmly. His face crinkled up in what I assumed was a grin. He gestured at me again, speaking at length in that strange, musical language. It was obvious that he wanted to me to come with him. I was unsure about his intentions, but at this point I didn't really have a better option. Since they had wagons hopefully I wouldn't have to do much more walking. Besides, if he knew Mulder and Scully's names, then there was at least a chance he might take me to them. So I followed. His face crinkled again, and he led me toward the back of a wagon. The curtains parted and out poked the head of another one of these creatures. His eyes lit up as he saw me and he broke into a rapid exchange with my larger guide. It took a few minutes, but they obviously came to some agreement, for my guide hurried off and the little one hopped down from the wagon to stand in front of me. Unlike the others, this one was wearing some kind of cloak over his tunic. It was long and dyed a deep, solid blue with lighter blue around the edges. The others appeared to treat him respect as he led me down the length of the caravan, so I figured that he must be a leader of some sort. We stopped at a small wagon at the very back of the wagon train. He peered up at me for a moment, then pointed to his chest and said firmly, "Piteer." Then he pointed at me. Well, that was plain enough. He was giving me his name, and wanted mine. When he repeated his movements I responded to his out-thrust finger with "Skinner". "Sssskinneer," he echoed. Not perfect, but definitely close enough. I nodded, then mimicked him in reverse, trying to say his name the way he'd said it. "Skinner, Piteer." He grinned and bobbed his head in obvious approval and I tried to return his smile. he said something that sounded encouraging, then gestured for me to climb up onto the front seat of the wagon. I did, gingerly, as it was made to accommodate bodies much smaller than mine. 'Piteer' nimbly hopped up beside me and took the reins, deftly maneuvering the horses around until we were heading the opposite direction from the rest of the wagons. Loud noises, the clatter of hooves, and shouted voices sounded behind us as the caravan started down the narrow road away from us. 'Piteer' urged our horses forward. "Where are we going?" I felt compelled to ask, even though I had little hope of being understood. My companion began to chatter, frowned, then abruptly smiled. Pointing ahead of us, he said clearly, "Mulder...Scully..." Did I dare I hope that meant what it sounded like? "Mulder and Scully are that way?" I asked hopefully, pointing ahead as he had done. He beamed at me like a teacher with a favorite student, nodding and bobbing his head. He pointed and repeated "Mulder, Scully" once more. Then he sat back and snapped the reins, urging the horses along the road. Making myself as secure and comfortable as possible on the too-small seat, I tried to come to terms with this new turn of events. Staring sightlessly out at the double-moon-lit countryside, I could only hope that this little creature was leading me to my agents. To safely. To the only two people who might be able to explain what had happened to me. End of Chapter Two Chapter Three The strange constellations - the Snowbeast and the Woodscat, The Mage and The Potter - sparkled above the two figures unsteadily pulling themselves up from the dewy grass of the meadow. Scully took a few deep breaths to clear the vertigo from her head before gazing up at the resplendent canopy. She felt her bondmate close behind her and leaned back against his chest. "Amazing, isn't it?" she murmured, bathed in light of the stars and the twin moons. "There's nothing like this. No feeling like it, no sight like it. Unfamiliar and exotic... and at the same time, peaceful, serene... home." "I know what you mean." His breath went up in little clouds as he spoke, his hands rubbing her shoulders and arms to ward off the chill of the night. "Although I think that serenity is about end." She spun in his arms, tense, concerned. "Why, Mulder? Do you sense something wrong?" "No. I 'sense' Aldara and Jourdain coming through the trees," he chuckled, pointing. "'Dara!" Scully whooped, and ran off across the meadow as fast as her high heels would carry her. Shivering a little, he watched as a grinning Jourdain passed the two hugging women, and approached him. They clasped forearms in the manner of the Realm before embracing warmly. "Mage Mulder, you're looking well. Oddly attired and a little pale, to be sure, but otherwise well." Mulder smiled wanly and launched into fluent New Realm. "You've been through the vortex, Jourdain - twice. When the Professor said that he and Hannu had made some improvements, I was hoping that eliminating the travel sickness might be one of them. Evidently not." "Damned vortex," growled the grizzled soldier. "I stand by my opinion - it's no way for a being to travel. Except, my friend, that it brings you and Warrior Healer Scully back to us, and for that, I allow, we must be grateful to it. It's good to have you back." "It's wonderful to be back, Jourdain. You have no idea how much Scully and I have missed this place." The Captain of the Guard looked around, puzzled. "No travel sacks?" "We weren't given very much notice. Understandable, all things considered." Mulder shrugged. "Unfortunately, it means we weren't able to stop for gifts." "Or warm clothing, it would seem. Gifts I don't care about, but we can't have you requiring the Healer quite so early in your visit." Jourdain unfastened the heavy gold clasp of his cloak. "If it would be no insult for you to take the cloak of a soldier, please use this. You're cold, and it is yet some distance to the castle." "I remember. And it's no insult, it's an honor. Thank you." Mulder wrapped himself gratefully in the warm folds of the dark green cloak. "It was summer in our world. The change is refreshing, but a bit of a surprise." He looked over to see Aldara fastening her cloak around Scully and then the two started for the castle. The men trailed behind. "And how is Shannon?" Jourdain's face froze in a jovial grin, his cheeks trembling with the effort. "She is well, she is well.... We had a fine harvest this season-cycle," he continued heartily. "A good thing, as the weather has turned unseasonably cold." Mulder kept his pace steady, but his eyes slid over to observe the big warrior. "You know, in my world, when someone changes the subject that quickly - especially, changes it to the topic of the weather - it's because there's something he doesn't want to talk about," he commented mildly. He felt the familiar heaviness of dread in the pit of his stomach. "What is it, Jourdain? What's wrong with Shannon?" "By the Blood of the Dark Creatures! ...I told Reinald it was a mistake to send me to meet you! I have no gift for dissembling, I told him...." He sighed. "Forgive me, Mulder. Shannon is well, she is. But her Time has not been free from more than its share of concerns. Reinald and Andalor wished to tell you themselves after you arrived. Knowing the depth of your feeling for Her Majesty, they thought that you might...overreact." He looked over to gauge the effect of his words on his friend. "Me? Overreact?" With some difficulty, Mulder fought down the urge to break into a run for the castle. They entered the woods on the wide, well-trodden path, the two women twenty meters ahead of them. They still chattered away cheerfully in the soft, melodious sounds of New Realm. Aldara must be better at dissembling, he mused. "It is well-known that you sometimes think first with your heart, Mage Mulder. No offense intended, of course." "And none taken." He sighed. "Actually, I guess that's a pretty fair assessment.... So that's why Reinald didn't come to meet me himself - he knew I would see the change in his aura. Well, I saw it anyway, through the Oracle Cloud. I was just hoping I was mistaken." "Ah, well. 'Tis not so bad as you may think. I admit to similar concerns, however. Aldara's own Time was difficult, and had it not been for Healer Corvay, I might have lost Aldara, and Daanna too." The big soldier shook his head. "Of course, we are but men; the women take these things in their stride. Queen Shannon is herself serene, while Andalor has made a pest of himself with Kyla, summoning her at all hours for everything and anything. The first time the wee one moved, I thought surely we'd have to revive him." "Poor kid. How's he doing otherwise?" Jourdain grunted. "Sometimes I think times of peace and prosperity are the worst of all. Although Goddess knows there have been few enough of them lately.... Still, they offer no distraction from the mischief of the Noble Houses." "The Houses? Are they still at it? But I thought the Houses were moribund, after the deaths of so many of their most powerful leaders." Mulder grimaced, thinking back to the horrific day when the Dark Queen brought down the teeming Great Hall in her prelude to battle. The carnage had been terrible, with the heads of Dordinal and Maalfees among the first to fall. "Well, you know - scum always rises to the top. There never seems to be a shortfall of ignorant young nobles vying for power." "Surely Ranfaus remains loyal." "Ah, yes. House Ranfaus has been a staunch supporter of Andalor, thank the Goddess." "Who took over after Mandor?" One of the most severely injured had been the wise and loyal Lord Mandor, Mulder recalled with a stab of regret. His fidelity to Andalor in a time of terrible turmoil had given the young king badly needed support. And his generosity in canceling the betrothal agreement between his daughter Livirnea and the King had made Shannon and Andalor's union possible. "But Lord Mandor survived, Mulder! I forgot that you would have no way of knowing. In fact, he not only survived, but he is well enough to head Ranfaus." "Really? That's wonderful news! But how - " The men stopped to gravely return the salutes of the guards at the portcullis before continuing through to the cobbled courtyard. "Reinald will turn me into a field-beast if I tell you all the news, Mulder," Jourdain protested, smiling. "Fat chance. All right, no more questions. Except one - where are we headed?" "Reinald's quarters, of course. For tea and food and the rest of the news. I don't know how many of the others will still be up - it's quite late." He looked affectionately at the young Mage who, with his Companion, meant so much to the Realm. "I'm glad you've come, Mulder. Aldara has talked of little else for days but the chances of your coming back. You've been gone a long time, my friend." "Too long, Jourdain. Too long." The men followed Scully and Aldara through the archway into the sleeping castle. They walked along the stone passageways flickering with torchlight and echoing with their footsteps. Climbing the final winding stone staircase, they reached a thick wooden door inlaid with iron strips. Reinald answered their knock himself. "Ah, they're here! Lishla, four more for tea, please. Mulder, it's so good to see you!" The old Mage hugged his favorite protege, tears dancing in his eyes. "And Warrior Healer Scully! This is wonderful!" He ushered them inside. At the huge open fireplace to their right, a female elf garbed in the dress of a Mage Apprentice made tea. In the warmth of the room, surrounded by their friends, the bondmates suddenly had a feeling of well-being that seemed to belong only there in the Realm. They sank into deeply cushioned armchairs by the hearth. Jourdain took a straightbacked wooden chair, and Aldara sat on the floor, curled up by his knee. Scully sighed happily and accepted a mug of fragrant tea handed to her respectfully by the elven apprentice. She sipped at it gratefully, noting it was the invigorating variety of the brew, the one Mulder always likened to Jolt Cola. Although in their own world it would have been only evening, the cold of the outside, the warmth of the room and the trip through the vortex were creeping up on her, making her sleepy. And there was much too much news to catch up on to miss a thing. A hot welcomed rush suffused through her body. She lightly entered Mulder's mind to find similar thoughts - that, and his fever to learn more about Shannon's welfare. "I must apologize," Reinald said, seating himself. "I have been remiss. Come, Lishla.... Lishla is my newest apprentice. She came to me a season ago from Fairwoods Glen, highly recommended by Prince Mavor himself. Lishla, this is Mage Mulder and his Companion, Warrior Healer Scully." Mulder took advantage of the elf's speechlessness to study her. Rusty as his skills might be, there was no mistaking the powerful sky-blue aura that shimmered outward from her slight form. Her pointed ears peeked out from masses of black ringlets, her homely face open and oddly attractive. Wide brown eyes looked at him in awe. "Then it's true," she breathed. "His Highness told me extraordinary things, so extraordinary I could scarcely believe them. But it's true, I can see it in your auras!" She bowed low before the bondmates. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mage Apprentice Lishla," Mulder replied formally. "If Prince Mavor recommended you, then I'm sure you'll make a wonderful Mage. Reinald will teach you so much, as he-" "And I've worked Lishla very hard today," the old Mage interrupted. "You have my leave to retire for the night, Mage Apprentice. Commit the spell we worked on today to memory and we will try it again tomorrow." "Yes, Royal Mage. Good night." With a glance back at the travelers, she slipped out and closed the door softly behind her. "Here, you must be hungry after your journey." Reinald passed a tray of dark sweet breads and cakes around to his guests. "I'll stall you no more, Mulder. I appreciate your discretion while Lishla was here. I do trust her implicitly, but I have not yet gotten around to explaining your origins, nor those of Queen Shannon. There are still quite few privy to that knowledge. I'm afraid that she would find it... confusing, in this stage of her training. I don't want to distract her. She shows great promise." The Mage took a final sip of his tea and then set his cup down deliberately. "And I - I apologize to you, dear boy, for the deception earlier today. Although it appears that I did not deceive you after all...." He watched Mulder's features for signs of confirmation, which were not long in coming. "He reads faces as well as he does auras, Reinald," grumbled Jourdain. "I told you I would not be able to keep up your deception, not from such a powerful Mage." "A hunger-maddened troll could have read your face, Jourdain," Mulder teased. Then he grew serious. "So what's the story, Reinald - the whole story." "Shannon is doing well, and Kyla is pleased. But there were some problems early on, and Kyla is concerned for when the child begins to make its journey. It was as much to have Scully here as you that I notified you." "Can I see her?" asked Mulder eagerly. "It might be better if you waited until morning," Reinald said, not unkindly. "They have long since retired, and Kyla wants Shannon to get as much sleep as she can. She feels the child will make its appearance very soon." He smiled wryly. "Actually, I expected Andalor to be here tonight. I know he wanted to be. But he is more exhausted than Shannon. He spends much of the night watching over her and pacing. And running for Kyla if she as much as turns over in her sleep. Indeed, Shannon bears up much better than does the King. And Kyla is so tired from being summoned by Andalor at all hours, she finally lost her temper and snapped at him to go away and do something useful. I think it struck him speechless!" Everyone chuckled, although Mulder's was half-hearted. "He must love her very much," Scully commented softly. Aldara nodded. "Completely besotted. I don't think they could be any closer if they were lifebonded." The Royal Mage looked over at his brooding, worried protege. "Morning is not so many candlemarks away, Mulder," Reinald said gently. "She is in no danger. If you were to see her now, in her excitement she would get no more sleep for the remainder of the night. She has missed you very much, you know. Not a day goes by that she does not speak of you." Scully merged easily into Mulder's thoughts, feeling the sting of disappointment at not being able to see Shannon immediately, as well as his surprised happiness that the girl had not, as he had feared, forgotten all about him. She flashed the older Mage a look of gratitude which he acknowledged with twinkling eyes and a nod of his head. "Now, what other news shall we bring you up to date on before you retire?" "I want to know all about Daanna," Scully demanded. "She's eight season-cycles old now, if you can believe it," announced Aldara, smiling. "Although she continues to seem ten times that, sometimes. She spends part of every day with Reinald or Hannu, learning to accept and control her gifts, although I'm not really sure they know what to make of her." She looked over at the Royal Mage. "Indeed we don't. A bright orange aura - unheard of in our time. We are hoping the gargoyle scholars and archivists can come up with some answers. But if even Hannu can't think of anything...." "But at least she doesn't have so many of the foretelling dreams anymore," Jourdain added. Her nightmares during the Dark Queen's attempt to conquer the Realm by carnage and hatred had terrified both the child and her parents. Without Daanna's dreams, however, and the insights they had provided, the Dark Queen might well have succeeded. "And when she does have a foretelling dream, often it about something trivial, even child-like." "That's a reassuring change, anyway," Scully replied "I can hardly wait to see her." "And the renovations to our cottage," Jourdain said proudly. "We had hardly started when you left." "We were disappointed not to be able to get back for Shannon and Andalor's wedding. Unfortunately your summons could not have come at a worse time," said Mulder. "We were in the middle of a briefing in a roomful of people, just before setting out on a manhunt for a serial killer." "It was Mulder's profile that finally got everyone looking in the right direction," his bondmate explained. "The man he suspected was prominent in the area and the local law enforcement couldn't believe he could be responsible. If Mulder hadn't been there, more little boys might have been taken and killed." Mulder hadn't been 'disappointed' at not being able to attend the wedding, Scully reflected - he had been crushed not to see Shannon marry her king. But there had been no question, in either of their minds, about their decision not to go to the Realm. Not when lives were at stake. "Adding insult to injury, I think I had blisters on my chest for two weeks," Mulder grumbled. "Reinald, you really have to do something about the heat conduction from the Oracle Cloud. I was just sitting there in that briefing, squirming in my seat, trying to figure out how I would explain it if the front of my shirt burst into flames." Reinald chuckled. "I'll have to enlist the Professor's assistance. We can't have you catching fire. But I am glad you could be here for the Royal Birth. As I said, it is generally believed that you are, in fact, Shannon's taabsut. It raised questions when you were not here for the wedding. I don't think I have to tell you the source of the questions," he said shrewdly. "The Noble Houses, no doubt." The Mage nodded. "You were here for the betrothal, which was a more important ceremony than the wedding, at least from the point of view of the taabsut. But your role in the Birth Ritual is quite pivotal. It would have provoked rumors had you not been able to take part. I don't think the excuse that you were in distant lands on the work of the King would have passed muster a second time." "Uh... exactly how pivotal is this role?" Mulder asked uncomfortably. The Mages' eyes twinkled. "Rest easy, dear boy. The Minister of Protocol and I will brief you tomorrow. That, by the way, will take some delicate handling. Ballorca is also unaware of your origins and those of the Queen. Goddess, he would faint dead away if he knew. Unthinkable!" He chuckled heartily and the others joined in. Ballorca was comic in his fussiness. But he also took his position extremely seriously, as well he might in a land so bound to tradition and ritual as the Realm was. "Well, I suspect you must want to get settled for what remains of the night. You remember the way?" "We have our old room back?" Scully exclaimed, with a flush of pleasure. The Mage shrugged. "It is your chamber. When you're not here, it stands empty, awaiting your return." He rose as they did and trailed them to the door. "Besides, Lita would never speak to me again if I dared put anyone else in there. A formidable being, Lita. I would not cross her for the world." The friends bade each other good night and went their respective ways. Arms wrapped at the waist, the bondmates strolled along the chilly stone passageways, their footfalls the only sounds. At length, they stopped in front of an intricately carved door. "This is new," Scully murmured. "Wait, Mulder - look! It's us!" He peered at the carvings and saw she was right. The door was a history of their life in the Realm - from their fight with the soul eaters within hours of their arrival, to their adventures while on the search for Hannu, to the climactic battle with the Dark Queen. Mulder's fingers brushed the carved oaken surface. "It's beautiful work. Well, I wonder what other changes there are," he mused. Scully felt his misgivings,and sympathized. Their chamber in the Realm had been the scene of so much it had become almost a symbol - of their relationship, their friendships there, and their unique powers. Neither was looking forward to changes in something so fundamental to their existence there. He pushed the door open. It was the same. Everything was the same, as if they had never been gone. The welcoming fire, the loaf and teapot standing on the low table between the armchairs at the hearth, the tall windows set deep into the walls, standing like sentinels guarding their quarters until their return. And the high Realm bed, draped with filmy white curtains. "Now, we're home." End of Chapter Three Chapter Four They awoke early as they had that first morning - in each other's arms and aware of the presence of another being nearby. Scully gave her sleeping bondmate a good morning kiss. //Rise and shine, Mulder.\\ //Mmph....\\ There was the clatter of crockery and suddenly his eyes flew open. //Lita?\\ //That would be my guess.\\ She searched under the bedclothes for her nightshirt, discarded carelessly some time in the night. //I'll give you a week to stop groping around down there....\\ Mulder's hand absently caressed the skin of her back. //Probably not a good idea, if you intend to see Shannon today.\\ Her hand met something silky and she sat up to pull the pale green sheath over her head. She left her bondmate struggling to find his shorts, swept back the curtains and slipped out of bed. The elf was laying the table for breakfast, unloading the huge tray she had brought up from the kitchens. The sound of bare feet slapping on the stone floor brought her head up from her task, and her face glowed. "Warrior Healer Scully! You're back! She made her little bob of respect, then grasped Scully around the waist. "It's been too long. And I have so much to tell you!" Dana hugged her. "You don't look a day older, Lita." "Oh, get away with you! Why, my oldest is married now and expecting a child of her own." "What, no hug for me?" Mulder asked, approaching them clad only in his shorts. It didn't matter - Lita had seen far more of him back in the days when one of her duties had been to assist him to bathe every morning. The elf made a beeline for him and embraced him. Suddenly she broke away. "Ach, you'll catch your deaths!" She bustled to the armoire and pulled out a pair of soft, heavy robes. "Here, put these on before you freeze. It will warm up later, but for now it is quite cold. Now, sit down and have some breakfast - I ordered all your favorites - and while I straighten up in here, I'll let you know what's been going on in your absence." The bondmates exchanged looks of amused expectation. Lita's revelations of the events of the Realm were always informative, entertaining, and often bordering on the obscene. Sitting down at the refectory table, they discovered their appetites for the unique cuisine of the Realm and began passing platters and bowls while Lita dished the dirt. Their meal was punctuated by laughter, and choking over some of the more scandalous of her announcements. "Jourdain told me that Lord Mandor is well again." Mulder commented. "Oh yes, he's doing quite well. He tires after walking long distances and he'll always have that limp. But it is a miracle he survived to walk at all. He spent a whole season-cycle at his estates with two Healers in attendance, just getting well. Of course, I believe that their success was due in no small part to the fact that his soul eater of a wife dropped dead a mere two seasons after he got back there," Lita replied with obvious satisfaction. "Lady Norilka died?" exclaimed Scully. Norilka was a spoiled snob who made her husband and daughter's lives no less hellish than those of her servants. "It must have been very sudden." "Oh, it was. Now, you know I'm not one to gossip,of course, and I'd never tell anyone but you two.... But what I heard is that the poisonous witch flew into a rage with her servants over some triviality, and dropped dead on the spot! A cousin of mine, Gorfel, works in the stables there, and what Gorfel said was, although officially the estate was in mourning, it was the merriest mourning the Realm has yet seen." Mulder disguised a laugh by coughing. He had loathed the woman, personally, finding her a power-hungry scold and a species bigot, like so many of the old families of the Noble Houses. "But surely, Mandor and Livirnea -" "..were no less relieved than the servants," Lita finished flatly, a knowing twinkle in her eye. "I'll take your word for it, then. What's happened to Pitir? I see Reinald has a new apprentice." "Lishla, yes... lovely child. About time we had an elf, and a female one at that, for training under the Royal Mage. Wonderful aura, simply wonderful. Pitir is a fully-fledged Mage now, travelling with the troll caravans for a bit of 'seasoning' as Reinald says." "And Shannon?" Mulder asked innocently. Lita wagged a tiny finger at him. "Oh, no you don't, Mage Mulder! You'll not get anything from me! And don't look at me with those wide eyes. I'm on to you! Their Majesties await you in two candlemarks. They rose rather late, and Kyla must look in on Queen Shannon before you take up the rest of her day." She relented, smiling. "But she looks forward to seeing you. She has missed you very much." Jumping down from her perch, she continued, "Well, I have other tasks. Your bath water awaits you, Mage Mulder. See that you don't spill as much as you usually do." She looked knowingly at the bondmates and Scully blushed. "And when you see Queen Shannon, for Goddess' sake don't tell her she's as big as the Great Hall. She's very sensitive about that." "I wouldn't dream of it." "I know - and don't worry. Things will go fine." "Thank you, Lita," Scully said. "Oh, by the way, who did the beautiful carvings on our door?" "Ah, that. Well, Jhorgab - you know how chatty he is - he related all the adventures you had on your journey to find Hannu. We took Jhorgab's stories and put them together with your other adventures. Another cousin of mine is a master carver, and he plied his trade upon your door using the stories for inspiration." "Well, thank you for that, and for keeping our chamber for us." "What kind of a servant would I be if I let just anyone in here, I'd like to know? Really, one must have standards...." Her voice went on after she closed the door behind her. Scully scooped the last of the sweet yogurt-like substance out of her bowl and set her spoon down. "So, what do you want to do to kill a couple of hours?" His eyes gleamed. ~ ~ ~ Scully fastened the lightweight wool cloak at her throat. She was back in her 'Realm clothes' - warrior-green cloak edged in the Healer's brown, flowing white shirt, tan breeches and high leather boots. "Ready?" "I've been ready since last night." Mulder adjusted his longer, Mage-blue cloak He looked over guiltily at the huge puddle surrounding the copper bath. "Do you think we ought to try wiping some of that up?" "Somehow, I think Lita would believe something were seriously amiss if she didn't find that puddle, Mulder. No, I think she'll forgive us this time. Besides, your halla awaits." She caught the mixture of pleaure, expectation and anxiety as thoughts and emotions tumbled through his mind. Weaving her fingers through his, she sent a wave of reassurance that was almost second nature to her now. "Let's go see Shannon and Andalor." ~ ~ ~ They tapped lightly at the door of the Royal Suite and were admitted immediately by Dorbo. Andalor, pacing by the fire, glanced up as they entered and a huge smile lit his face. "Mulder! Damn, but I'm glad to see you," exclaimed the King, shaking hands with the Mage. "And Scully, thank the Goddess! Kyla is in with Shannon, but should be leaving soon. Dorbo?" "Tea's coming, Sire." "And how is your world, Mulder?" He indicated for them to take seats. "Pretty much as you left it, Your Majesty - " "Um... if you wouldn't mind...." Mulder chuckled. "All right - Andalor." As her bondmate went on to discuss some of the newest wonders of their world, Scully had a chance to study the fascinated King. He had grown, nearly as tall as Mulder now. There was no trace of the boy any longer in the lean planes of his face, and he had filled out the promise of his broad shoulders. His hair was somewhat darker, and stubble graced his chin and cheeks. Only his eyes remained unchanged, the deep purple of the irises just as startling as they had always been. "...but really, there hasn't been much change, Andalor. Time passes more swiftly in the Realm. You may have changed and Fairwoods certainly has done a lot of rebuilding since we were last here. But in my world, relatively little time has passed since you left." Both men started as Kyla came through the door from the bedchamber, and Andalor jumped to his feet. "Healer Kyla, how -" "King Andalor, you wife is doing splendidly," Kyla announced calmly. "It won't be long now, another day or two at most, I would say." She glanced over at the bondmates and smiled. "Healer Scully, I'm glad you're here. I've just finished a healing treatment with Her Majesty. I think she'd like to see you and Mage Mulder if -" she stepped back quickly as Andalor and Mulder raced for the door into the bedchamber. Kyla shook her head resignedly and led Scully in at a more decorous pace. Andalor stood at his wife's bedside, tenderly stroking her hair and crooning soothingly to her in a low voice meant for her ears alone. Her eyes were locked on his, and it wasn't until Mulder cleared his throat loudly that she glanced up. "Oh, Mulder!" She held out her arms as Andalor stepped back and allowed the Mage to fill them. "Shannon, you look beautiful," he murmured, his throat tight. "I've missed you so much." His halla said nothing, merely tightened her arms around his neck. Suddenly he felt moisture seeping through the front of his fine linen shirt. "Shannon, are you all right, baby?" Sniffing, she finally released her hold on him and nodded. "I'm fine. It's just the damned hormones or something, I guess. Did you really miss me? I thought that maybe you forgot all about me." "Are you kidding? Every day I wondered what kind of trouble you were getting up to. Let me take a look at you. God, you've grown up!" "And out," she said ruefully, indicating her belly. "This is so weird, Mulder. I think I'm going to explode or something." "Don't tell Ballorca - it's probaby against protocol." Mulder stood looking at her, his eyes shining and a silly grin touching his lips. "I'll leave you now," said Kyla. "Healer Scully, if you would like to stop by my cottage later, I can refresh your knowledge of Realm medicine." "Thanks, Kyla. I'd like that." The Healer left as Dorbo entered. "Will you have tea here or in the receiving room?" "Here." "The receiving room, please, Dorbo. Come on, Andy! I need to move, and I'm allowed out of bed two candlemarks a day and I haven't been up yet today." Mulder looked at Scully, frowning as Andalor helped his wife to stand. He draped her shoulders with a robe and led the way to the next room. //Scully, surely that's not normal, to have to spend that much time in bed.\\ //We don't know what's normal for here, Mulder. For all I know, all Realm females spend their entire pregnancies in bed.\\ He stopped sort of the doorway. //For all you know?\\ Scully grimaced uncomfortably. //Well, think about it. Whenever we've been here before, I've had to concentrate on healing terrible injuries - the War with the Dark Creatures, the ambush on the troll caravan, the aftermath of the Dark Queen's attack. I haven't had much of an opportunity to study Realm obstetrical practices.\\ She felt his fear, and his attempt to control it, to shield it from her. //Hell of a time to announce you 'don' know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies', Scully\\ he mindspoke lightly, but she could sense the disquiet underlying the bantering words. //Well, I did go to med school, you know. And I completed an OB rotation. And Kyla will fill me in on how things are done here. So I'm not precisely working from a position of total ignorance. Don't worry, love.\\ Her confidence leached into his mind and he grasped it, taking comfort. //Now come on, let's find out what the story is.\\ They sat near the fire and accepted a cup of tea from Dorbo. Mulder looked across at Shannon and his breath caught in his throat. She was lovely - tall, strong, her back straight, raven hair in a single thick braid over one shoulder, her remarkable amber eyes shining. Shannon glanced up to find herself being watched by three pairs of eyes. "What?" "I just can't get over how beautiful you look," admitted Mulder. "But I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't worried about you." "Jeez, Mulder, this is a natural process. Women have been having babies for zillions of years." "That's what I keep trying to tell him," laughed Scully. "If Andalor wasn't King, I think Kyla would have quit by now," the girl grumbled. "Shannon - you're special. Our child will be special. And you know yourself there have been problems," her husband countered. "That's what we've been hearing, Andalor. What kind of problems?" Mulder asked softly. The King sighed. "This isn't Shannon's first pregnancy, Mulder. Naturally, you know the expectation of the Realm - for the Queen and King to provide heirs to the throne, and that expectation mounts as soon as the wedding procession ends.... We lost one, not too long after the wedding, even before we were sure.... Then, almost a season-cycle later, we lost another." He reached over and took Shannon's hand. "We hadn't yet made an announcement. After the first, we wanted to be very sure before announcing the news to the Realm. But you know what it's like to try to keep a secret around here, it's nearly impossible. So rumors were flying around that the Realm was to have an heir. It wasn't two weeks later that we lost the second." "Oh Shannon, Andalor. I'm so sorry," Scully said, shaken. For all their youth, the royal couple had had so much tragedy to deal with. Andalor had lost both his parents while still a small child, and it was the loss of her mother that had brought a grieving, guilt- stricken Shannon to the Realm. And now two miscarriages. Andalor shrugged. "It happens, even here. But Kyla couldn't tell us why it had happened, which is unusual. And then other rumors started, vicious ones - all of them basically to the effect that Shannon would never be able to give the Realm an heir, because she was a witch, because she was an outworlder, because she was cursed, because I was cursed - take your pick," he finished disgustedly. Shannon's hand had tightened on his, her knuckles white. "The Noble Houses?" asked Mulder. His tone was deceptively soft, his face bland. Scully alone could detect his burning anger, hitting her in waves, as she put up a light shield to deflect them. Andalor shrugged. "It would appear so. These rumors were treasonous, so understandably their origins were difficult to trace. I suppose some might have been mere idle, malicious gossip. Or perhaps just wishful thinking on the part of the Noble Houses." "Wishful thinking?" Mulder's eyes narrowed. "How so?" "The laws of the Realm state that if there is no heir, the Throne will revert to the Noble Houses," Shannon explained quietly. Sadly, she smiled. "You can see I've been doing my homework. Such a situation has never occurred. Realm families tend to be large, and the Royal Family is usually no exception. But Andy has no living relatives... he had no brothers and sisters, we assume his Uncle Drellor is dead, and he left no heirs. If Andy and I have no children.... " Her eyes filled with tears. Andalor's head bent close to hers. "Ssh, pet. We will have children. In just a few days we will have a beautiful, strong child, and Goddess willing, there will be brothers and sisters." Shannon gave him a watery smile. "Let's get through this one before we talk about more." She turned to Mulder and Scully. "There were some problems early on - with spotting and so on," she said, a little uncomfortably. "We were afraid I was going to lose this one too - that's why Kyla's been so cautious. I mean, this is nothing. At one point all my food was prepared under her supervision and I was watched constantly. As time went on, things started looking more hopeful. Now I think she's a little nervous, because I *am* an outworlder. I mean, everything else seems to work pretty much as it does in the old world," she said, blushing prettily, "but this is kind of a new experience for everyone, and we don't really know what to expect." "Everything will be fine," said Scully warmly. "You've made it past the tricky time. Now any time Junior is ready...." "Well, that's what I keep telling Andy and Kyla," Shannon replied, more cheerfully. Scully smiled. "Have you got names picked out?" Shannon's eyes sparkled. "Oh, yes - moon cycles ago. Sorry, Taabsut," she said, turning to Mulder. "I know you're going to ask, but I can't tell you. No one can know until the Naming Day Ceremony, two days after the baby is born. Tradition, you know." Suddenly she yawned enormously. "Back to bed, Shannon," Andalor said firmly. He looked apologetically at the bondmates. Mulder shook his head. "No, it's all right. I have to meet with Reinald and Ballorca anyway. They're going to brief me on how much trouble you've gotten me into this time, Halla Shannon," he said, reverting to the teasing relationship they had shared during Shannon's early days in the Realm. He stood and grasped Scully's hand as they prepared to leave. The Queen grinned impudently up at him. "You're a hero of the Realm, Mage Mulder - three times over. I'm sure you'll be equal to whatever task awaits you in a Birthing Ritual." "You wouldn't know by any chance what that task might be, do you?" "Sorry," she grinned, shaking her head. "At this point, all I'm concerned with is my part - that's going to be tough enough, thanks." Then she sobered. "Mulder, I can't tell you how much it means to me to have you here. Not so much because of the traditions and all, but... it just makes me feel so much better, so much stronger." He bent to kiss her forehead. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world - your world or mine." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The bondmates went their separate ways, each to prepare in their own way for the upcoming birth. Scully went to Kyla's cottage for a crash course in Realm obstetrics, while Mulder found himself knocking at Reinald's door. "Ah, Mage Mulder - you are expected. Please come in." "Thank you, Mage Apprentice Lishla." He joined Reinald at the hearth as the elven apprentice started on the ubiquitous tea. Moments later, Ballorca was admitted to the chamber, carrying a large, oft-fingered tome. "Mage Mulder, I'm relieved to see you here." Implicit in his tone was his disapproval of Mulder's absence for the wedding. He bustled his way over to them and selected the most comfortable armchair. Perhaps intimidated by the Minister of Protocol's strict observance of custom, no one spoke until tea had been served. Then, "Minister Ballorca, I am afraid I am not as familiar as perhaps I should be with my part in the Ritual of Royal Birth," Mulder began. "I - "Actually, I was not expecting you to be familiar with it because almost no one alive today is." Mulder exchanged a relieved glance with Reinald. At least his lack of knowledge of the ritual would not point to his rather unique origins. "You see, by several quirks of fate, Andalor had no taabsut. Normally, Andalor's uncle would have fulfilled that role, but King Barnas always distrusted Drellor - with good reason, as things turned out. The next person in line to be Andalor's taabsut, Queen Mira's brother, died suddenly in a hunting accident quite shortly before Andalor's birth. Andalor's arrival was unexpectedly early, before an alternate choice of taabsut could be made. It is a weighty decision, and time did not permit. In such an instance it is permissible to forego that part of the Ritual. Permissible, but not advised," Ballorca sniffed. "I myself urged King Barnas to make a selection, but his concern for Queen Mira took precedence." His tone made it clear that he found Barnas' priorities misplaced. "In view of his tragically short reign, and the troubles that have beset us since that time, it is my belief that it is high time to get back to strict observance of the traditions and customs of the Realm. It reassures the subjects." "Of course. Well, what can you tell me about the duties I am to perform?" Officiously, Ballorca opened his book and withdrew some sheets of parchment. "In essence it is an embellishment of the ceremony you took part in to become Shannon's taabsut when she was born, which of course you are familiar with...." Uh-oh. Mulder looked over at Reinald. "... quite an embellishment, actually, rendering certain parts of the ceremony almost unrecognizable." Mulder began to breathe again. "You can read Old Realm, of course? Yes, what am I saying, you're a Mage. Very well. I will explain the Ritual of Royal Birth step by step, emphasizing your role. I have taken the liberty also of writing it down for you so that you may study it. I would strongly advise you do this as soon as possible. You must be ready when the time comes. I have given your servant my orders regarding the ceremonial robes. Because you are a Mage, the robes will have to be altered somewhat. Most unusual to have a Mage as Royal Taabsut. Unprecedented, in fact." The Protocol Minister looked up, his brows bristling, obviously unhappy with this further breech in tradition. He thrust the parchment into Mulder's hands. Mulder glanced through the sheets, almost black with writing. "I am Shannon's taabsut," Mulder said, puzzled. "But I'm unclear as to my relationship to her child. I wouldn't have thought I had any connection." Ballorca sighed with exaggerated patience. "You have a very great connection. In this instance, where neither King Andalor nor Queen Shannon has a brother - also highly unusual," he said, shaking his head - "then the Queen's taabsut becomes taabsut to all of her children by default. This of course did not happen at Andalor's birth for reasons which I have already explained. Goddess willing, Shannon will provide the Realm with many children, so we don't run into this problem again. Now, take the parchment as I have written it out for you. Lishla, bring Mage Mulder a pen and ink, so that he may make notes as needed. Please attend carefully." With that, Ballorca launched into an explanation of the Ritual of Royal Birth in minute detail. It was a full two candlemarks later that the Minister of Protocol finally bustled off to begin the preliminary preparations for the Naming Day Ceremony. By that time, a pale and shaky Mulder sat with his head in his hands. Chuckling, Reinald pushed a mug of tea at him. "Next time I come up with a plan to impersonate someone's taabsut, for Goddess's sake don't let me do it! Thanks, Reinald," Mulder said mournfully, accepting the mug. "Don't worry, my boy," the Mage said. "With your memory, learning the required speeches and the ritual should be no problem." "It's not the speeches I'm worried about, Reinald. I'm going to be there the whole time! Essentially, I have to deliver the kid, and cut the cord, and all the while, spouting some nonsense in Old Realm. Jesus!" He collapsed back into the cushions of his chair. "I should have refused to let her marry Andalor when I had the chance." Reinald laughed at that. "As if you could refuse that child anything it was in your power to give her. You'll be fine, Mulder. You won't be alone, after all. Kyla and Scully will be there, and also Lita, to read the child's aura." "What about you?" "Oh, no, it's not permitted. Andalor isn't supposed to be there either, although I think that Ballorca will have to lock him in the dungeon to keep him out." Mulder took a deep swallow of the tea, grateful for the much- needed lift it gave him. There was a knock, and Lishla went to the door. "Ah, Gunther! Come and cheer Mulder up. He's feeling rather intimidated at the moment." Mulder rose and shook the Professor's hand. "Gunther, it's wonderful to see you again. You look great." "Thank you, dear boy. You look- well, you look worried, actually." "I'm much better at the easy tasks - defeating Dark Creatures, finding long-missing Mages, banishing omnipotent black magicians. This time I think I've met my match." He smiled wanly. "You'll do well - you always do. This will be no different." He accepted a mug of tea from Lishla. "Actually, I'm glad you're here. I wanted to discuss your journey through the vortex with you." Mulder shrugged. "It seemed to go fine. What's the problem?" "You know that backwash I spoke of? Well, you came in quite close to it. We were expecting you a full candlemark before you in fact arrived, and you were supposed to enter into the courtyard. So both time and place were off slightly. Not significantly, but enough to worry a scientist. Did you or Scully have any untoward effects?" "Just the usual travel sickness - you know, dizziness, nausea, headache, a generally wiped out feeling. And a comparatively rough landing. Nothing really too much out of the ordinary." As if interdimensional travel could ever be described as ordinary. "Ah, well - that's good." But Professor Neumann's brows were knit in a frown, and he was silent. "Gunther? Is there anything else?" "Well... I hope not.... You remember I told you about a few problems we were having with the vortex, that business of 'flares' I mentioned." "I'm not sure I understood what you were getting at, but yes, I remember your mentioning it to us." "A flare is what Hannu and I have termed it. It's a slight... backfire, if you will.... No, no - 'power surge' would be a more accurate analogy. You see, we've managed some quite revolutionary changes in vortex creation, making it more compact, more focused and at the same time more energy-efficient. But we noticed that some attendant problems have occurred that we are at a loss to explain or control. The most significant of these is the flare phenomenon. Simply put, either the original vortex reopens for a few moments at some time after closing, or another, smaller vortex may appear. We're not sure about that yet. Where did you say we created the vortex that brought you here?" "In our office in the basement of the J. Edgar Hoover Building. FBI Headquarters. And next time you might let me know to put away all the papers laying around. The vortex may be more focused, but Scully and I are still going back to a hell of a refiling job," Mulder grinned. Neumann smiled tightly. "I can imagine, sorry, yes. Well, the filing is the least of my concerns, at the moment. It appears that there is an excellent probability that there was a flare some time after you left - probably fifteen or twenty of your minutes later. Naturally, I am concerned about it. The backwash would have been in full effect by then. If anyone were inadvertantly caught in the vortex flare.... I mean, it's bad enough to bring someone unawares into the Realm. But I have no idea where or when in the Realm that person might have ended up." "Rest easy, Gunther," Mulder said confidently. "Scully and I are the FBI's Most Unwanted. Nobody ever goes into our office but the two of us. There's really no chance at all that the flare could have whisked anyone to the Realm." End of Chapter Four Chapter 5 The twin moons hung in the sky like giant, swollen pearls, a constant reminder that his particular Alice had stepped firmly into Wonderland. The wagon rolled unsteadily along the thin stretch of road, the huge horses patiently moving ahead. Their hooves made a rhythmic clicking sound on the solid earth, at odds with the abrupt jerking of the seat beneath me. Each time we hit a bump I felt it jolt up my spine like a red-hot needle piercing my skin. I was exhausted, I ached from head-to-toe, I was thirsty. And I wanted to go home! Except for a few moments in Vietnam, this was the closest I'd come to simply curling up in a ball and pulling the covers over my head, just wishing it all away. Well, nothing about this was easy - but I was not going to give whoever or whatever had dumped me into this nightmare the satisfaction of seeing me bawl like a baby. All that military and FBI training came in handy now - I simply gripped on the handlebar before me and held on for dear life. I could feel my jaw squeezing, clamping down hard, making the muscles strain around my gritted teeth. An incongruous memory stuck, my dentist warning me about the dangers of overstressing those muscles and tendons. Who would have thought the jaw could suffer the same agonizing inflammation as a knee or elbow. But it could - and mine now screamed with the stress it was under. Somehow the image of that white-coated, pearly-toothed man standing over me with a stainless steel instrument of torture in his rubber-gloved hand was suddenly a breath of fresh air. Normality. Familiarity. I closed my eyes and for the very first time in my life (and hopefully the last) wished that I was right there right now. Yet, when I opened my eyes, all I could see was the broad backs of the horses, the endless rolling fields sloping off into the distance, and those two damned moons. I was so tired. I swayed...and a firm hand steadied me. Tilting my head around, I found myself staring into the gleaming yellow eyes of my erstwhile companion. He peered up at me, the look of concern obvious, even on such a strange face. It comforted me, yet frightened me at once. What was this creature? He was intelligent, friendly - apparently. One of Mulder's 'little green men' perhaps? Though a flash of memory reminded me that Mulder's LGMs were actually gray. Or so he said. But still... had I somehow been transported onto another planet? At this point, it was as good an explanation as any other. Combined with the kindness of my little friend, that thought strangely calmed me down. He gestured towards the back of the wagon a couple of times, pointing first at my chest, and then at the curtain that separated us from the inside. Assuming that I had interpreted his intentions correctly, I nodded dazedly, and turned around to open the curtain. Oh God... blankets. Piles and piles of thick blankets. Nothing could ever have appeared more welcome, except maybe the sight of my own bed. Climbing into the back of the wagon took some maneuvering, for it didn't take much thought to figure out that this wagon had been made for people - uh, creatures - who were much smaller than I. But I managed it somehow, perhaps through an act of pure desperation. And the moment my head hit those scratchy, woolen bundles.... "No! No! No!" I screamed, shoving away at the insects and snakes that crawled over my body. I could hear the endless rustle of the jungle around me, punctuated by the roar of machine gun fire. The world spun around me, a cacophony of sound, a kaleidoscope of images. A sneering foreign face hovered over me, machine gun held in grimy hands. It shifted, cavorted, altered into the visage of a monster. I fell. Clutching at strands of light and gusts of darkness, I tumbled. Screams ripped from my throat until the gurgle of sound strangled on my lips and silence tore at my lungs. I fell. Images, whirlwind of light and shadow. Snatches of conversation. Mulder, fierce and angry. "Where do you stand?" My own voice, fought against itself to make him understand. "On the line that you keep crossing!" He couldn't understand. I wanted to reach out. My hand trembled, curled into a fist. I couldn't do it. I couldn't say the words. He needed so much that I couldn't give. But I wanted to.... Winds buffeted me and I was torn away. Mulder faded into a gray shape in the distance, only the anger and frustration remaining. That whorled around me. Tore at my soul. I reached for something... something solid to hold onto.... Light. A room took shape around me and I gasped with the relief of familiarity. Long and narrow, dominated by a couch and a computer desk. Books everywhere...Mulder's apartment. Strange, so strange that I would be so comfortable with the home of a subordinate. No, not comfortable, but connected. Mulder! I opened my eyes, called out his name...but the answering shape that flowed into solidity before my eyes was not tall and dark. Flame and porcelain, small and slight. Scully! Joy flooded me. Scully - ever the practical one. Solid, certain Scully. A zone of safety in a crazy world. I trusted her, even in a way I don't trust Mulder. Oh, I do trust him - and yet.... Mulder is too caught up in his cause, too blind sometimes to see the world as it is. But rational, cool, professional Scully... oh, yes. This one I could trust and rely upon. "Scully." My voice was hoarse, my throat raw with the very effort at speech. But surely she could help me escape from here. But where was here? I was so lost. "Scully?" But her face was taut with rage. So angry she wasn't even shaking with the emotion. Cold and bitter, her gun held with steady hands. The heavy muzzle pointed directly at my heart. And her eyes... She could shoot me. She would shoot me. "No..." the whisper in my mind wasn't spoken aloud. Couldn't she realize I'd never betray her? Not willingly. I've tried to protect her. To protect her partner. As much as I could. As much as I dares. Riding the fine line between caring for my own (oh, when had these two become 'my own') and doing my duty to my country. Her fingers tightened on the gun and her blue eyes blazed with icy fury. She would take my life in trade for Mulder's. In payment for a crime I did not commit. And yet, all I could think was how beautiful she was.... A flash of bright light, blinding. Shattering. I screamed and cover my eyes. I was thrown again on the winds of a nightmare. I slid to my feet, space tilting around me until it steadied into place. Gravity took hold and I opened my eyes into a haze of smoke. He hovered over me. As cold as Scully was, yet empty as she was full. Her life force had burned me, this one chilled me. I shivered despite myself. I couldn't hear his words, even though I knew the sense of them. I know I answered, but I know not what I said. It didn't matter...the whirlwind was loose again. A flood of images now. Vietnam and Washington. Agents and enemies. Words in many tongues, some of which I understood, some of which held their meaning as closely as a lethal secret. A grotesque figure rearing its head before me, eyes bulging, mouth twisted, body misshapen. I blinked and reared back, but there was nothing to protect me. I stared into the eyes of horror and found myself staring back at Me. I screamed... ...and woke to find a comical face staring anxiously down at me. His skin was green, his eyes yellow. I opened my mouth to scream again, sure I was still trapped in a nightmare, but his chatter startled me and I gasped for breath as a cool, wet cloth rubbed softly over my forehead. The creature chattered brightly, in a rolling, fluent tongue that reminded me of water trickling through a fountain. Bubbly and rhythmic, echoing light. It was soothing, though I could not understand a word. He - it - smiled at me, and the gesture was surprisingly comforting. Stronger than it looked, the being settled me down amid a pile of thick wool, refusing to let me sit up. I struggled for a moment, then gave in. More to the headache that struck me like lightning at the sudden motion, rather than at any impetus of his. Laying still eased the pain, and I finally accepted gratefully. He urged a small flow of a sweet, rich liquid into my mouth, and I swallowed reflexively. Warmth spread from contact with the fluid, and I gulped down the next mouthful. It wasn't alcohol; more like tea. But different from anything I had ever tasted before. Then my eyelids drooped. My surroundings faded into a gentle haze, and I slept. ~ ~ ~ I awoke again to the slow rock of the wagon along the road. Groaning aloud, I turned over on my side, fighting manfully against one of the worst headaches I'd ever suffered. I felt like I'd been run over by a truck, aching in every bone, muscle and joint of my body and the too-close memory of the giant cat reminded that it might just have been worse. A part of me still fought to deny the situation I found myself in, but my memories were too compelling and immediate to deny. Besides, the interior of that wagon and the agony pulsing in my shoulder were definite reminders that whatever was happening, was *really* happening. I sat up slowly, putting out a hand to keep my balance as dizziness threatened to topple me. I waited for a while - I have no idea how long - until I could sit without having to hold on to the sides of the wagon. Remembering my little friend, I carefully crawled forward and peeked out through the curtains towards the front seat. He must have heard me coming, because he instantly turned to smile at me. Actually, he wasn't quite so bad-looking; in fact, he was kind of attractive in an odd sort of way. Despite the heavy brow-ridge, there was an aware intelligence in those yellow eyes, and his manner was at the same time questioning, concerned and totally non- threatening. Well, when in Rome... I returned his smile, as well as I could considering how lousy I felt, and gingerly began to ease myself back up beside him. He gestured quickly towards me, bobbing his head in an odd sideways, upwards twist. I stopped and met his frustration with my own, but he settled it soon with a gentle shove against my chest. He wanted me to stay in the back of the wagon, and as the dizziness hit me again, for once I was not about to argue. "Okay, little guy," I muttered. "Why not?" I wasn't ready to sleep again, especially since my shoulder was beginning to burn as though it had been torched instead of clawed. The skin was bright red and my stomach sank deeply into my gut as I realized it was certainly infected. So far, my glimpses of what passed for civilization in this place did not lead me to believe that they might have something like a hospital or antibiotics available. I cringed at the thought of what the local equivalent of a doctor might be - some mad old coot with a jarful of leeches, probably. Besides, if I was the only human - how would one of their doctors be able to treat me? Who knew if our biology was anything alike? But wait! Mulder and Scully. The creature at least knew of them. And if Scully was here, she would be able to help. The sudden bolt of excitement made my heart beat faster, and I poked my head back through the heavy curtain. "Mulder and Scully?" I questioned, hoping that the names, at least, would stir some kind of response. They did. The big, round head bobbed again, in the opposite direction, then a surprisingly long-fingered hand pointed out over the fields to the left. Following, my eyes found themselves drawn to a huge shadow looming over the trees in the distance. The road curved around a small rise, and the shape came clearer with every lurch of the wagon. Towers formed of gray stone loomed upward into the falling dusk. My mind made faint note of the fact that I'd lost a day - at least - in transit, but the structure we approached soon grabbed every bit of my attention. It was a castle. A real, live medieval castle. Unfamiliar flags waved over the summits of the towers. A huge stone wall surrounded the structure like a giant belt. The buckle was a massive iron gate, embroidered with fancy golden gilt and edged with sparkles of silver. Two men stood beside it - human! - both dressed in dark green leather and holding long heavy swords out before them. My little friend pulled the wagon up short in front of the gate and spoke rapidly with them in that same flowing language. They nodded, and one made a smart, slashing gesture with his right hand. With a loud ratcheting sound, the enormous gate began to rise, being borne upwards with an unseen mechanism, powered by unseen workers. The castle loomed above us as we entered a long driveway, scattered outbuildings giving way to terraced courtyards as we drew closer. I stared around me, even as the wagon came to a halt. The exhausted, sweaty horses snorted and whinnied, calling for their dinner. Men rushed forward to release them from the harness, and I was grateful, yet again, to see recognizably human figures. I opened my mouth to call out to one of them, but the sound of their voices stilled my own. They spoke the same strange language as my little green friend, and I had the sudden, sinking feeling that while they might appear human on the outside, they could be very different on the inside. Numb and aching, I let the little guy lead me down from the seat. My feet protested loudly at being forced to support my weight, and I stumbled. A strong pair of hands seized my arm and shoulder, supporting me, and I squinted through tired, burning eyes at a stranger. A truly lovely stranger. A waterfall of golden hair cascaded down her back, weaving over her shoulders. Her eyes were darkest blue, wide and large, surrounded by perfectly clear, peach-colored skin. The bones of her face were heavy, but refined, each part welding into a whole that was far, far more than the sum of its parts. She was breathtakingly beautiful - and suddenly I was struck with the knowledge of where I was. Heaven. Where else could such an beautiful angel, dressed in a long white gown and soft brown robe, be found? Her touch was instantly soothing, the murmur of her voice a blessing to my ears. This was not how I'd pictured heaven to be, but right now I could hardly complain. Wavering against her, I let her lead me across the dusty courtyard towards a small wooden building. Once inside, she eased me onto a sweet-smelling bed. The thin mattress was set on a wooden cot, a cot obviously not made for someone of my size. My feet hung over the end of it, but at that point I couldn't have cared less. The world swam around me, vertigo making my stomach roll, even as I dropped downward into the embrace of those soft blankets and pillows. It felt so good tears came to my eyes. Heaven indeed - especially when my personal angel leaned over me, and gently sponged my throbbing forehead with a cool, damp cloth. My eyes flickered shut, even though I strained to keep her in sight. The vision of her, bright against the darkness, stayed before my retinas even when my lids fell closed. Lethargy stole any remaining energy, and the clear, rhythmic chanting of her voice was the last thing I heard as I slipped away.... End Chapter Five Chapter Six "More wine, Scully?" "No, thank you, Reinald. I'd better keep a clear head in case tonight's the night for Shannon. So where did you say Tarnor is?" "Jourdain, pass that along to Aldara, please .... The dinner party was in full swing as the friends once more sat down to dine together after the long absence of the Mage and his Companion. "He's on his way back home from a visit to his family," Reinald said. "They were thrilled to hear that you're back. There's an open invitation for you to see them." "Too bad we don't have time to visit this trip," sighed Mulder. "I think my digestive system has almost recovered from my last experience with gargoyle cuisine. Maybe next time." "Well, Tarnor should be here by morning, and if I know Afla, she's sent some of her home cooking with him, so you may yet get to have some of her fiery stew. I received a message from him not long ago by Oracle Cloud. He is so anticipating seeing you that he tried to convince me to Gate him here. I wish I could have accommodated him. Of course, it causes too much disruption to the magically sensitive in Fairwoods to risk constructing a Gate without pressing reason," he explained to Mulder. "Oh, I understand, Reinald. Gunther, you're very quiet." "Yes. Just pondering our little problem with the vortex." "Problem?" asked Scully. "You know, the flares Gunther mentioned before he brought us through," explained her bondmate. "Sorry, I didn't get a chance to tell you. Apparently there was a flare not long after we left. Gunther is concerned that someone could have been accidentally brought into the Realm." "If the vortex flare appeared in our office, I shouldn't think there's much chance of that. Unless one of our mysterious friends was in there planting a bug, there shouldn't have been anyone in our office to bring through. Even the custodial staff avoids it like the plague. They've reported us to OSHA, saying we leave potentially lethal substances around in there." "That's what Mulder said. Still... as you know, my dear, a scientist distrusts unexplained anomalies." While Mulder described the finer points of 'planting a bug' to a mystified Jourdain, Aldara and Reinald, Scully smiled confidently. "Well, there's no reason to worry. I'm sure you and Hannu will get to the bottom of it, Professor Neumann.... It's too bad Hannu couldn't join us tonight." "He's trying to spend as much time as he can with Shannon," replied the Royal Mage. "Once the child begins its journey, he won't be allowed to see her until the Naming Day Ceremony." "I would not say this if Ballorca were in earshot, but I wonder sometimes at the reason for some of our traditions, Reinald," commented Aldara. "Some are simple to understand; indeed, even make good sense. But some seem so- " There was a pounding at the door. Puzzled, Reinald rose to answer the summons himself. As he opened the door, a disheveled and breathless Pitir almost tumbled to the floor. "Quick! Kyla's cottage!" "What is it, Pitir? How do you come to be in such a state? Is it Queen Shannon? Has she sent for Kyla?" The little troll mage gulped and shook his head. Panting, he forced out, "Quick! You must come! A huge hairless human!" "A huge hairless human?" Mulder repeated, a smile on his lips. Then, suddenly, he and his bondmate looked at each other, horrified. "No - it couldn't - " "Jesus, Scully, you don't think- " The Mage and his Companion darted through the door, along the passageways and down the staircases, only dimly aware of the clatter of their friends' footsteps close behind them. They finally skidded to a stop in front of Kyla's cottage door, gave a cursory knock and went in. The Healer knelt over the low cot which looked ridiculously small for the unconscious form lying upon it. She was deep in a healing trance, a well-founded action from what they could see of the injured man. His clothing was in shreds and liberally bloodstained. Glancing at one another, Mulder and Scully took a deep breath and moved hesitantly to the other side of the cot so they could see his face. //Oh, *shit*! Scully, what are we going to do?\\ He felt her resolve as she joined Kyla, placing her hands with precision on Skinner's abdomen and left shoulder. In seconds, she had joined the chant. Jourdain came to stand next to Mulder, and whispered, "Do you know this human?" Mulder held up his hand, forestalling more questions and thinking furiously as the Healers' chants ebbed to a close. Scully spent a few more moments at the bedside, then rose and nodded at her bondmate. He gathered the others as she had a word with Aldara, then went to join the men outside in the herb garden. The sky was a crisp clear blue, rapidly darkening as the group gathered. "He is from your world, then?" Reinald questioned softly. "It's worse than you can imagine," replied Mulder grimly. "That's Skinner, our boss. Assistant Goddamn Director of the Goddamn FBI. How is he, Scully?" "It looks as if he were attacked, probably by an animal. Maybe a woodscat, from the appearance of his wounds. He's suffering from exposure, some sort of fever, has some bruises and a few really nasty infected lacerations, but Kyla has him well on the way to recovery. He's in no danger now." "Wish we could say the same for us. What the hell are we going to do?" The Professor looked more drawn and haggard than usual in the deepening dusk. "I blame myself for this. I should never have risked opening a vortex when we knew we had a problem with it." Mulder patted the old man's shoulder absently. "Don't blame yourself, Gunther. I can count on one hand the number of times Skinner has been in our office in the last four years. It should have been perfectly safe. It just... wasn't.... How long will he be out, Scully?" "I made contact with Kyla after we finished the healing chant. She'll try to keep him down for a while until we decide what we're going to do. Maybe a candlemark - if we're lucky. You know Skinner." "Yeah. I know Skinner," he responded dryly. "All right. I suggest we sit down and get comfortable while we try to put together a plan." They found benches close by. "This Skinner - is he to be trusted?" asked Jourdain suspiciously. Mulder shook his head hopelessly. "That's the problem. I really don't know, Jourdain. In certain things, yes, I think so. I don't believe he would want any harm to come to me or Scully. He's helped us in the past - and we've helped him. But I don't know how far his loyalty to us goes. The circumstances are hardly ordinary. Sometimes he can be such a damn hard-ass that- " "Haarrdd-asss?" Jourdain asked, pronouncing the unfamiliar words awkwardly. "Sorry.... I'm not sure there's a New Realm equivalent. Sort of like Ballorca, I guess. Everything by the book." "Ah, yes. I see." "Mulder, if he is in authority, then he could lead the Gestapo types right into the Realm," Neumann said anxiously. "The same soldiers that came after you and Scully that evening you disappeared from my lab with Tarnor. Or worse - the men responsible for Karen's abduction and death, who were experimenting with the vortex themselves." Scully looked thoughtful. "I really don't think so, Professor Neumann. I-I don't know why I feel that way, but I just don't think Skinner is capable of that kind of cold-bloodedness." "But you may not know what kind of pressures he may be under, my dear," Gunther said sadly. "Obviously, there are factions within the government that could make his cooperation with them unarguable." //He has a point,\\ Mulder said, meeting his bondmate's eyes. "All right, I'm open to suggestions. Anyone have any?" "Why not simply send him back through the vortex?" Jourdain said, shrugging. "Perhaps he'll think being here was a fever dream." They were quiet as they considered the Captain of the Guards' suggestion. Slowly the Professor shook his head. "This is my fault, and no one is more aware of the potential damage to the Realm than I. If those experiments are resumed, if those fascists start coming into the Realm, then life as we know it here is over. But still... I must speak against such a plan, for two reasons. First, we would be sending an unconscious or semi-conscious man through the vortex, unable to take any action to protect himself on the other side. It could be equal to murder, and I will not have any part in it. And secondly, time is still going through the backwash. It would take me days to do the calculations accurately in order to send him back to his own time. The slightest, most minute fraction off, and he could be sent through to the middle of the ocean, or end up years from his proper time. No, I won't be a party to it." "And I must concur," added Reinald. "As magic would necessarily be involved, I cannot condone its use in a manner that could bring harm to someone who has innocently become enmeshed in this predicament. No matter what danger to the Realm this man might present." "Point taken. And you're both quite correct. Besides, we have no idea how long Skinner may have been here. If he were caught in the backwash, he may be arrived weeks ago. Nothing that could be dismissed as a fever dream. Okay," said Mulder, sighing. "That takes care of Plan A. Does anyone have Plan B?" They were silent for several long moments. "What if... what if we could keep him in a healing trance?" he wondered aloud. "Scully, would that be possible? What if we could keep Skinner in a healing trance until the Professor can make the calculations? Then we could go back with him, to make sure he got back all right, and then try to make up some story to explain it all. What do you think?" He could sense the light shield that came down as she paused to dispassionately consider the idea, but took no offence. Both he and Scully had learned that sometimes in order to hear their own thoughts, they had to create some quiet space in which to do so. They gave each other that, freely. "What about Shannon?" she finally asked. "Naturally, I'd be disappointed not to be here when she had her child" //though not at missing the Ritual of Royal Birth\\ he added for her only, "but if I had to make that sacrifice to ensure the safety of the Realm, I'm sure Shannon would both understand and agree." "I'm sure she would too, Mulder. But that's not what I was getting at. Even a good-sized place like Fairwoods is not exactly jumping in Healers. There's Kyla, me, Sirisa- " "Unfortunately not," Reinald interjected. "Sirisa is in Yellowforks. The village Healer died there suddenly. She'll be serving the beings there until another can be found to take his place." "So there's just Kyla and me?" Reinald nodded. "We could send to Waterrush or Cresscreek for another, but it would take time." "Mulder, Shannon could go into labor at any time. I don't think Kyla and I could manage to keep Skinner in a healing trance for days, and also attend Shannon. Besides, I'm not an authority, but I believe there would be an ethical problem with that, as well. It just strikes me as wrong to keep Skinner sedated in that way." "Quite right, my dear," the Royal Mage said kindly. "I don't think Kyla would agree, especially if it meant it might increase the risk to Shannon or her child." "Well, if you can't sedate him, could you use the healing trance - or Reinald, could we use magic - to just... remove... Skinner's memories of the Realm? Just kind of erase them?" Scully looked at her bondmate in mixed exasperation and amusement. "Mulder, this isn't Star Trek. Even if Spock could remove Captain Kirk's tragic memories, I'm not sure a Healer could. And again, I think the ethical issue remains." Mulder looked to Reinald, who nodded. "All right, so much for Plan B," he said heavily. "What's our alternative?" "Plan C - tell him the truth." replied his bondmate simply. "It's a risk, Scully." He looked around at the stars which were beginning to wink in the sky, at the twin moons, at the hearth- lit windows of the cottages nestled in the shadows of the castle walls. "And just look at what we'd be risking." She sensed her bondmate's love for his adopted home, felt it as he felt it. In spite of some of the horrors they had seen here, the Realm was also the place where they found each other - and true happiness - for perhaps the first time in their lives. "I know, Mulder. But I don't think Skinner would betray our trust, betray this place or its beings," she said softly. "Healer Corvay used to speak highly of your psi ability, my dear," observed the Royal Mage. "Do you think that is what is telling you that this man can be trusted?" Scully smiled. "I honestly don't know, Reinald. I think that could be a part of it, yes. Plus the fact that Skinner may be a hard-ass, but I also think he's a decent, honorable man. I really can't believe he would do anything that could trigger a wholesale invasion of the Realm." "I don't either, Scully. But the Realm isn't ours to risk." She frowned. "Actually, I'm more worried about how Skinner will take all this psychologically. He doesn't strike me as the most imaginative sort of guy, and I know what a hard time I had coming to terms with all this. It isn't going to be any easier for him." "Oh, he may surprise you, Scully," Mulder said, thinking back to Skinner's confession of his near-death experience in the jungles of Vietnam. "I'm not saying it will be easy, but presented with the facts...." Distracted by her own thoughts, she caught few of his. "If you say so. So, that's our plan? Tell the truth?" The bondmates looked to their Realm friends. They were most at risk - it had to be their decision. "Short of locking him in one of the dungeons, it appears to be the only choice we have," commented Jourdain sensibly. "Are we agreed then?" Light spilled out from the open door of the cottage into the garden as Aldara joined them. "Kyla says to tell you he's beginning to awaken. I recognized him, of course. It's Skinner, isn't it?" Mutely, Scully nodded, then brought her friend quickly up to speed on their discussion. Although she had expected an argument from the fiery half-elf, surprisingly Aldara agreed immediately. "It seems that you may not have thought of the most persuasive reason of all for Skinner's being here." She saw their puzzled faces and shrugged. "Perhaps the Goddess has intervened. Perhaps your Skinner is meant to be here." She led the thoughtful, silent group back into the cottage. They stood in a semi-circle around the cot as Skinner stirred. The fire in the hearth popped and spat, and his eyes flew open. He tensed visibly, as his eyes swept from left to right, then suddenly focused back on the two who, despite their bizarre garb, seemed strangely familiar. "Mulder? *Scully*?" "How are you feeling ,sir?" "Feeling? How am I *feeling*? Where the hell am I, Mulder? What the fucking hell is going on?" "Uh - if you're up for a little walk, sir, Scully and I can explain on the way...." "On the way to where, exactly?" Then he took a longer look around him, his expression becoming more and more confused as he became aware of his surroundings. "How long have I been out?" he demanded. Scully cleared her throat. "That's a little difficult to tell here, sir. Maybe a candlem- ... maybe an hour or so." "An hour or so.... That's impossible, Agent Scully! I was bleeding when I got here. Bleeding, and there was infection, too. These cuts are almost healed now." Oh, God, thought Mulder. Here we go. He tried to smile reassuringly, not at all sure of how well he pulled it off. "It's not impossible here, sir. But there's a lot to explain." "You bet your ass there is." Skinner swung his legs off the cot, clutching the sides as a wave of dizziness washed over him. Kyla was at his side in a heartbeat, a surprisingly strong arm supporting him. Mulder went to his other side, and together they got him to his feet. Aldara had stayed in the background as much as possible, but now Scully sought her out. "Is Lita staying with Daanna?" she asked quietly. The warrior nodded. "Look, I don't like to ask, but would you mind running over and asking Lita if she would set up food and tea - nighttime tea - in our chamber, and get a room ready for Skinner near to ours?" "Of course.... Dana, he's looking at me strangely. Do you think he remembers me?" Scully looked puzzled for a moment, then her expression cleared. "Goddess, I doubt it. Even I had forgotten you'd met him before. He saw you only for a minute or two, in bad light in the basement of Headquarters. And that was months and months ago. Besides, there's nothing to connect you to our world. I don't think he'd make the association." Even as she said it, however, she felt some misgivings. Skinner hadn't gotten to where he was just on his looks. He had been a field agent at one point, and by all accounts, an extremely sharp one. Aldara looked at her doubtfully, then streaked out into the night. The Professor, Reinald and Jourdain had also tactfully withdrawn. Skinner stood weaving drunkenly between Kyla and Mulder. "It will pass," the Healer said softly. "Breathe deeply." Skinner stared at her blankly, then turned to Mulder. "Do you speak her language? What did she say?" "She said that the dizziness will pass, and that you should take some deep breaths." To Mulder's surprise, Skinner did as he was instructed, and gradually seemed to get more steady. "Who is she?" "This is Kyla. She's a... a kind of doctor, sir. She's the reason why your wounds are already healing." "Uh... would you please give her my thanks? And then let's get the hell out of here. You and Scully have a lot of explaining to do." "Yes, sir." Mulder spoke briefly to Scully and Kyla, carefully sticking to the New Realm language. Then, one arm around Skinner's waist for support, he led him from the cottage. The fresh cold air seemed to revive the AD somewhat and soon he shook off their assistance. "All right, where are we headed?" "Uh, just across here, sir. To the castle." There was only a slight hesitation in his step. "Of course. The castle, where else?" he said in a dust-dry tone. "Sir, I realize this is going to be a little difficult to comprehend, but - " "A *little* difficult? Agent Scully, you can't begin to know how difficult!" "Actually, I think I can, sir. Left here and up the staircase." The rest of the journey was completed in silence. As they approached their chamber, two troll servants came out, followed by Lita. "All set for you, Mage Mulder. I'm putting your friend in Queen Shannon's old room, just across the passageway. Tilfo, get started on the bed - the finest linens, now! Blafi, you lay the fire - a good one, mind, it will be cold in there." They bustled to do her bidding. "Give us a candlemark to get things settled and the chamber will be ready." "Thanks, Lita. Sorry for the inconvenience." "No trouble, Warrior Healer Scully. My, he's a big one! Tall as a Rax, he is! Leave the tea things where they sit when you're finished. I'll be in early to clear up. I'll lay breakfast in your chamber, if that's all right, and bring up his bath water when I bring up yours, Mage Mulder." His eyes twinkled. "That will be fine. Thank you, Lita." She nodded, her eyes never leaving Skinner until the door to his room closed between them. "Uh... just in here, sir." Mulder pushed open the carved door to their chamber. Skinner's eyes swept the room, taking in every detail - the whitewashed walls and ceiling, the mammoth dark wood beams, the flickering torchlight and the welcoming hearth. The bondmates noticed an additional armchair by the fire. As usual, Lita had thought of everything. "Sir, why don't you go down by the fire with Mulder and sit? I'll bring you some food - I'm sure you must be starving." Skinner appeared startled when she spoke, but absently nodded and followed Mulder. Scully cut him several slices of bread and scooped a generous portion of the savory stew into a bowl. Then, placing the items on a tray, she added mugs of tea for the three of them and brought it to the hearth. While Skinner ate, she and her bondmate sipped their tea in silence, debating in mindspeak about how much he could process at one time about the strange reality he had entered. Finally Skinner leaned back against the cushions, pushing his bowl away from him. "All right. Now does one of you want to tell me what the fuck is going on?" "Yes, sir. What do you want to know?" Barely keeping his temper, Skinner gritted out, "For a start, let's try where the hell we are." "We're in the Realm, sir." "And where the hell is the Realm?" Mulder frowned. "To be honest, sir, I don't know. As near as we can figure it out, it's another dimension - I think. Scully? You were the physics major...." "I guess I would call it more a parallel universe, perhaps." Skinner's eyes narrowed. "You're telling me that this place doesn't exist anywhere on earth? Where, then?" Scully sighed. "We haven't really ever considered the 'wheres' of all this, sir. It exists, and it's a reality we're unfamiliar with in our world. I can't tell you more than that because I don't know." "Why is it you two seems so damn familiar with this place? You dress as they do, you speak the language. How long has this been going on?" "Roughly... almost two years. The equivalent of two years in our world, at any rate." "Agent Mulder, that's ridiculous. In the last two years, I've been completely aware of your whereabouts. Even when you've taken off without or against orders, I've been able to find where you were eventually. Shit, I can hardly get you to take a vacation because you're always working. You expect me to believe that you can be in two places at once? Or have you been cloned?" he finished acidly. Mulder grimaced. "Not to my knowledge. I don't know, perhaps theoretically I have been in two places at once, I'll have to remember to ask Gunther. No, it can be explained by the fact that time moves differently here." He opened his mouth to continue and shut it again as he caught Skinner's frankly disbelieving stare. He wriggled uncomfortably in his chair. "Scully, maybe you'd better take over." "Professor Neumann thinks that time is not a universal invariant as is commonly believed, but rather like a river of gel, sometimes speeding up, sometimes slowing down, and sometimes even flowing backwards. The first time we were here- " "The first time.... How the hell many times have you been here?" "This is our third trip, sir. Anyway, the first time, it appeared to us that we were here for seven or eight months, but when we got back we discovered we had only been gone a couple of days. Our second trip was longer, over a season-cycle - a year, sir - but in our world only a week or so had passed. So time isn't constant." "Do you honestly expect me to buy any of this, Agent Scully?" He shook his head. "I'm used to off-the-wall crap from your partner. I could understand it if he believed all this. What stuns me is that *you* seem to." Scully leaned forward in her chair and looked at him directly. "Sir, you know me. Believe me, I had a terrible time adjusting to the concepts of this reality. I thought I was going crazy, or had been drugged.... Nothing would have convinced me of the reality of the Realm other than pure, hard evidence. But we are here and this *is* real." Skinner looked from one agent to the other, obviously upset. He sighed and rubbed his face with a slightly shaking hand. "All right. Say - for the moment - I accept that what you've told me is the gospel truth. How did we get here?" "The vortex," explained Mulder. "See if this sounds familiar. Just before everything went crazy, you felt a wind which increased and swirled around you. There was a smell in the air - sharp, acrid. The wind picked up further until you felt like you were standing in the center of a tornado. There was a bright light and a sensation like you were falling. Am I close?" Warily, Skinner nodded. "Close enough. You're saying that this... thing... transported me here?" "Yes, sir. Somehow it seems to open a portal to this reality. Well, not just this reality, there's others. One other that we know about for sure, but potentially an infinite number more." "I suppose you've been to this other reality too," he responded sourly. "No, sir. That would have been most inadvisable. We did, however, encounter some of the beings from that reality. Not a nice bunch." Skinner growled, "Okay - let's cut to the chase here. Scully, can we get back?" "Of course, sir. Just not at the moment." "And may I ask why not?" he asked with exaggerated patience. "Because of the time factor. Professor Neumann says that there's a temporary backwash in the gelflow of time. It makes the calculations necessary to create a vortex extremely difficult, assuming you want to arrive back in the same time and place." His eyes widened. "You mean to tell me this vortex was created? It's not some sort of natural anomaly?" "No, it was created. Well, theoretically I guess the original one was a little of both, but we've learned how to create them. The one that brought Mulder and me here was created." Mulder added, "The one that brought you here, on the other hand, was accidental - a glitch. Believe me, it was never intended to bring you here. Your presence creates certain... complications." Skinner sat and considered what he had been told so far. "The... people here...." he began. Scully smiled. "..are not all human, no. Some are, but the other major types of beings are elves, trolls and gargoyles. They're all intelligent, and have their own highly developed languages and cultures. For the most part they co-exist pretty peacefully. I don't know if you've seen a gargoyle yet, but you will tomorrow." "I'll be waiting with bated breath.... That little woman you were talking to outside this room...." "That's Lita, our servant. She's an elf. Pitir, who brought you here, is a troll." Skinner shook his head again. "One thing you absolutely must know, sir," Mulder said seriously. "Most of the beings in this place have no idea where we come from. They're very simple, and such knowledge would frighten them. The people you saw tonight are fine - they're all aware of our origins. But very few others. You're going to have to be extremely careful not to let anything slip." "Seeing as at present I can't communicate with them at all," Skinner replied dryly, "I don't think that will be a problem." Mulder nodded. One of the first things he and Scully had debated on their way to the room was whether he should cast a language spell for Skinner immediately. With some irony, they arrived at the same conclusion Reinald had so long ago - that it was safer for now to limit communication. To withhold letting Skinner communicate openly until he had a little more opportunity to come to terms with the strange reality in which he had been thrust. He needed time to absorb what they had told him so far, and what they were to tell him later, such as Mulder's Mage ability. "Well, we'll take care of the communication problem soon, possibly even tomorrow. There's a few more things you'll need to know first, but I don't want to overwhelm you with too much tonight." "Too late." Skinner leaned his head back against the softness of the cushions and closed his eyelids. "... sir? Sir?" His head snapped up. "Sir, you fell asleep. Look, everything else can wait for morning. Your room should be ready by now. We'll bring you over there so you can get to bed." Sighing, he forced himself up from the chair and accepted Mulder's offer of an arm to guide him. Crossing the drafty hall, the little group entered Skinner's chamber. Scully pulled the bedcurtains and covers back on the bed while Mulder rooted around in the armoire that was a twin to theirs for some shorts his boss could wear to bed. He pushed them into Skinner's hands. "Head?" Mulder smiled and pointed to an inconspicuous doorway in the near wall. "It's kind of exotic, but I think you'll get the idea." "Agent Scully, thank you. That will be all," he said dismissively. "Yes, sir, sleep well. See you in a few minutes, Mulder." Skinner looked quizzically at Scully's retreating form and then at her partner. But if he were on the verge of asking a question, he didn't pursue it. He went into the lavatory and closed the door. Minutes later, he emerged clad in shorts and smelling of his own unique fragrance accentuated by the washwater. Asleep on his feet, he stumbled as his toes caught in the thick carpeting. Mulder half-carried him the rest of the way to the high bed and assisted him into it. "Sorry... tired all of a sudden....." "That's all right, sir. When you wake up, come on over across the hall - Lita will have breakfast set up in there. We'll talk more in the morning, and - " A soft snore cut him off. Mulder smiled. "Welcome to the Realm," he murmured, and left to join his bondmate. End of Chapter Six Chapter Seven I dreamed I was in a cocoon - snug, comfortable, enveloped in silky whiteness. I resisted surfacing into wakefulness, but nonetheless found myself yawning and stretching. When I finally opened my eyes, I wondered if I were still dreaming. White silken curtains surrounded me, the light pouring through them like melted butter. Then it hit me - where I was, Mulder and Scully's extraordinary story of the night before.... Now that my mind was clearer, I could start to process what they had said. A few minutes of that and I realized that my mind being clearer didn't help all that much. I think the thing that disturbed me even more than their fantastic claims was the fact that something in me wanted to believe them. As bizarre, as completely antithetical as all this was to the person I always thought myself to be, I found myself wanting to believe it. Indeed, a part of me had on some level actually accepted all of it - where I was, how I got here... and accepted it with a calmness that was so alien to me, so disconcerting.... The really frightening thing was that I was sure it was just the tip of the iceberg, that even more preposterous revelations were to come. My stomach rumbled, and I vaguely recalled Mulder saying something about breakfast in his room. Bracing myself for what the day might bring, I slid out of bed, forgetting how high the damn mattress was and promptly twisting my ankle as I hit the floor. Muttering a curse, I limped over to the table. Something was lying on it that looked like a piece of parchment with some strange figures squiggled on it. Probably a note, left by a helpful servant. It would have been infinitely more helpful if I had been able to decipher it. The fire had long since died out, so the room was chilly. My nipples tightened and gooseflesh stippled my skin. A robe, thick and soft as cashmere, had been left over a chair near the note. I wrapped it around me, did what I had to do in what passed for a bathroom here, and limped over to Mulder's room across the passageway. I knocked and was answered by a muffled 'Just a minute!'. Mulder and Scully, trying to make themselves presentable, no doubt. Shit, I had figured out that they were sleeping together, had suspected it for a long time. I appreciated their discretion, at least when they were back in the Real World. Here, I really didn't give a crap. I shifted my bare feet on the icy stones of the floor. This place obviously had yet to be introduced to the concept of slippers. Killing time, I inspected the carvings on the door to their room, evidently something from one of the legends here. Something about a man and a woman and monsters. Mulder, clad as I was, finally answered the door. "Good morning, sir. Sleep well?" He pulled the door back to admit me. "Extremely well, thanks." Scully was already seated at the big wooden table which was spread with food of all shapes, colors and consistencies. Her cheeks were flushed and she was trying so painfully hard to be nonchallant that I wondered what I had interrupted. "You're limping," Mulder commented. "Forget how far it was to the floor this morning?" "Something like that." "Come sit down, sir, and I'll explain what all this stuff is," offered Scully. I joined them at the table and she and Mulder went over what each of the dishes was and what it tasted like. The elven porridge was a happy surprise, the breads were wonderful - better than my mother's, although I'd never have had the balls to tell her - and a couple of the fruits I decided must be acquired tastes. I took a sip of tea and glanced up to see their eyes on me. "What? Have you slipped me a mickey or something?" I asked, only half-kidding. 'Just wait' was the only reply I got. Suddenly I sensed a warm rush and felt like I wanted to find that damned wildcat and fight him all over again. Or chop down a forestful of trees. "Jesus Christ, what the hell is this stuff?" "Daytime tea," grinned Mulder. "Great, isn't it?" "Should be a control drug. So I should assume what I had last night was nighttime tea, and that it has the opposite effect? Because it knocked me on my ass and I slept better than I have in years." "That's right. Tea is a way of life here. Picks you up, knocks you down, heals...," Scully said. "And Realm Etiquette Rule Number One - no discussions until tea is served." "I'll remember that. Although presently my ability to hold discussions is somewhat limited." I stared at them pointedly. Mulder nodded. "We'll get to that, I promise you. There's more that you need to know first. So what have you been up to since you arrived? Scully said it looked like you had been attacked." "I ran into some trouble a while after I landed." I guessed 'landed' was as good a word as any. "Some kind of wildcat that looked like a saber-toothed tiger. I managed to kill it, although I'm still not sure how I did it. I don't know exactly when it all happened. I was pretty disoriented at the time. The fact that my watch seems to have gotten broken didn't help." "Don't throw it away yet. Watches don't work here. Time is... relative, I guess," Mulder observed, shrugging. "And watches don't take kindly to trips through the vortex. The beings here aren't bothered much about time the way we are. Their way of measuring it is, to us, perhaps primitive, but it doesn't appear to hamper them. Things still get done. In fact, it makes things more relaxing." "Once you get used to it, maybe," I countered. "Yeah, it takes some getting used to," agreed Scully. "But is it any different than if you were at your cabin?" She had a point. Things up there were done when they had to be, or when I felt like doing them, not when some timepiece dictated it. "Good point. I guess not, Agent Scully." "Uh... okay. That's another thing. As far as beings in this place are concerned, 'Agent' has no meaning. Since titles are extremely important here, it might confuse or upset the beings to hear that one used. The etiquette is quite precise and rigidly adhered to. So for now, just drop the 'Agent'." "You have other titles, then?" I watched as their eyes connected and they were silent for maybe thirty seconds. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn they were communicating through the stares levelled at one another. "Yes, we do have titles, but we'll get into that a bit later," Scully said finally. "But we can't keep calling you 'sir', either. It would attract attention. What do you want us to call you?" I shrugged. "Skinner, Walter.... It doesn't matter." Mulder's eyes were lit with mischief. "How about Sergei?" Sergei. My despised middle name. Shit, Walter was bad enough, but with a middle name like Sergei, my parents had left me with no alternative. In the schoolyard I had heard "Sir Gay, Sir Gay" until I had fought every kid unwise enough to use it. That name alone had prompted an especially thorough background check when I applied to the Bureau. How the fuck had Mulder found out my middle name was Sergei? I smiled at him coldly. "I don't think so - Fox." His grin was relaxed and good-humored. "So I guess that means Wally is out, too?" "You know, Mulder, we're going to be leaving here eventually and going back to the Real World, and you'll still be under my command. Unless you want to spend the rest of your working life on wiretap detail - " "Point taken - Walter." I nodded curtly as my mind set up all sorts of scenarios, each one more terrifying than the last, of dealing with Mulder after all this was over. He was difficult before. Once we got back.... I really didn't want to think about it. "All right, now how are we going to handle this communication thing? Because I'm not too happy about being left in the dark." "There is a way... " Mulder admitted slowly. "But you need to understand how important it is that, outside of a few beings we'll tell you about, you don't do or say anything that will blow your cover." "Which is?" He shrugged. "Very nearly the truth. That you come from a faraway land, with different language, dress, customs. But nothing about the vortex, or alternate realities or anything like that." "I think I can manage that," I said dryly. "I have worked undercover in my time, you know." "We knew that... Walter," Scully replied, using my first name hesistantly. I wondered how much they knew about me. The tables had been turned. I thought I had the advantage of knowing more about the agents under my command than they did me. The evidence was mounting that I had been living in a fool's paradise. "Okay, so how am I going to communicate with these people?" "Beings," Mulder corrected. "Humans are people, but the others are beings, and could take offence at being called people. Nobody seems to object to 'beings'." He sighed, and looked me straight in the eyes. "The fastest and easiest way to compensate for your not knowing the language is unique to this place. A language spell can be cast so that you can understand what is said or written and others can understand you." I was silent for a couple of beats and then smiled, thinking I had misunderstood. "Sorry. I thought you said that someone was going to cast a spell on me." "Yes, that's right." In seconds, the acid in my stomach was being cranked out double-time and my head was pounding like someone was using a jackhammer on it. "You know, Agent Mulder, I think so far I've taken all this pretty fucking well, under the circumstances. But there's a limit, and I think you just stepped over it!" "Sir, we knew you'd feel this way," said Scully soothingly. "That's why we didn't tell you last night. This is one of the things I had the hardest time coming to terms with, and I knew you would as well. But the fact of the matter is, magic exists here. Magic, and other powers that are either unknown in our world, or acknowledged by only a tiny minority." "The lunatic fringe, no doubt. Mulder's buddies." "And you might as well hear this now, sir, because it only gets worse. You know those titles we were talking about? They're determined by occupation. And your occupation is determined by the color and quality of your aura." "What the hell is this? Some sort of a New Age Club Med?" I stood up. "All right, I think I've heard just about enough." "With all due respect, sir, not yet, you haven't," she said firmly. "Sit down, because your being here depends on your being able to accept this." My brows shot up in shock. I had always realized Scully was a formidable agent and an extremely strong person, but now she was reading *me* the riot act as if she had been doing it all her life. I sat down in stunned silence. In a gentler tone she continued. "You're going to see things here that your mind is going to tell you can't be happening. The only advice I can give you is to just accept it all. Don't question it, don't try to think of it in terms of our world, because the same rules just don't apply. If you can't accept it, not only is your sanity at risk, but you present a very real danger to this place." She stopped, I guess to let me process what she had said. I tried to put my brain on hold and find that part of me that had been so calm earlier. I don't know if I found it or it found me, but I grabbed onto it like a drunk grips a whiskey bottle. I felt my racing pulse slow and the pounding in my head diminish as I concentrated on that serenity, holding it, almost caressing it. I can't say how long I was in that state, but when I opened my eyes, Mulder and Scully were looking from me and back to one another in that weird way they sometimes do that makes me think something's going on between them. "Sir, are you all right?" I look a breath and let it out shakily. "For the moment. I think you were speaking about auras." Scully's glance at Mulder was puzzled, but she continued. "Yes, sir.... Now, our first trip to the Realm.... She hesitated and looked to her partner for help. "We were identified by our auras, sir. Through another being. Our auras are distinctive enough that apparently it was noticed that they fit an old prophecy. We were brought through to the Realm because it was thought, on the basis of our auras, that we could help them clear up a problem they were having at the time." It struck me that quite a lot of editing was being done on what he said, but I didn't take issue for the moment. "I'm at the edge of my seat, Mulder," I said with gentle sarcasm. "Bottom line? I'm assuming you're going to tell me something incredible about these auras of yours...." He nodded slowly. "Scully's aura - well, it's not that much different than what you'd expect. Her aura is bright green, which in this world indicates a warrior, but it's edged with the Healer's brown. As I said, not really much different than her being an MD in the FBI, although in this world, that particular combination is unique." I looked at Scully and nodded. "Okay," I said carefully. "That much makes sense, I guess." I turned back to Mulder. "But why is it I get the feeling I'm not going to like what you say next?" "ESP?" he joked weakly. I just stared at him and he became deadly serious. There was something else too, something more difficult to put my finger on. Something in his attitude, in the way he held himself - an air of authority, of position, of wearing the mantle of the kind of responsibility that comes with exalted status. "In this world, I am Mage," he said simply. I blinked at the unfamiliar word. "Mage - like in magic?" He nodded. "Not only a Mage," added Scully with a hint of pride, "but one of the most powerful Mages this world has ever known." I went diving back into myself to look for that serenity again, clutching onto it like Linus and his security blanket. Again, I don't know how long I was in there, but at least I wasn't hyperventilating any longer when my conscious self rejoined Mulder and Scully. "I know this is hard, sir," Scully said kindly, patting my arm. Absently, I nodded. Oh yeah. You could say that. "Perhaps a little demonstration?" Mulder suggested. He rose from the table and began walking slowly to the end of the room. I heard a crackling noise, like the sparks from one of those Van der Graaf generators. "Wanna shoot some hoops?" he asked conversationally. He turned around suddenly. In his hand was a basketball- sized sphere of blue flame. He closed his eyes for a second and the sphere started spinning. Without being conscious of it, I slowly got to my feet, my eyes fixed on the fireball, now balanced adroitly on the tip of Mulder's extended index finger. Serenity, don't fail me now, I thought. "Sir, you're looking rather pale. Here, you'd better sit down." Scully guided me into my chair. "I ask permission to enter your mind as a Healer, sir. I'd like to help you with what you're feeling right now." I guess I must have nodded, because all at once, she was just - there. In me. It was the oddest sensation. A feeling of coolness, of calm. A scent, like autumn - crisp, clean, a touch of flowers and ripe apples... wonderful. My muscles relaxing gradually, starting at my neck and working down, like I was having the best massage of my life. Even the throbbing in my ankle was fading, going, going... gone.... Some indeterminate amount of time later, I sensed her very gently disengaging herself, and I was on my own, just... being. I hadn't felt this good, this relaxed, this peaceful since my near-death experience in Nam. I wanted it to go on forever. Slowly I opened my eyes, glad to find in doing so that the feeling remained. Their eyes were on me, looking concerned, anxious. The fireball was gone. No one said anything for quite some time. "I- I'm...." Suddenly my throat tightened and tears came to my eyes. Shit, where was this coming from? I closed them again quickly, but not quickly enough to prevent a solitary drop from trickling down my face. A hand - Mulder's, I think - gently wiped it away. "This is.. a little... overwhelming. Just... give me a minute." I heard the sound of chairs scraping on the stone floor and moments later the click of the door closing as they gave me some space. It was almost funny. Sharon used to bitch at me for being too tightly wrapped. Well, if she could only see me now - the wrappings were coming off with a vengeance. Alone now, I made no effort to try to stop the tears that had been welling up since... I don't know, childhood, maybe. And the weirdest thing was, that even as I sat, my head cradled in my arms and the sobs tearing from my throat, I knew that they weren't tears of pain. It was deeper than that, more elemental. It wasn't about pain at all. It was about letting go. It was about gratitude, and yearning. It was about something bigger than the individual; it was about connection, and oneness, and trust. Gradually the tears stopped. I looked around for some tissues, which of course didn't exist in the Realm, so I used a napkin to make myself presentable. I know I should have been embarrassed - shit, the old me would have been mortified. But oddly enough, there was something... something in me.... Christ, it's so hard to put it into words. It was like all the calm, all the serenity had come to the forefront, having fought their way up through years of repression and isolation to finally take pre-eminence. Either that, or I was certifiably nuts. Go with it, Walter. If it feels good, do it. I was calm and back together when Mulder and Scully returned to the room. Before I could open my mouth to apologize - I thought they may have been embarrassed by my little display - Scully murmured, "It's all right, Walter. It can hit you like that. I know it did me - like a ton of bricks. If it hadn't been for Mulder, I swear I would have gone crazy. Are you all right now, sir?" Still avoiding looking at them, I smiled, a little self- conscious. "Actually, I don't think I've ever felt better. Thanks." I didn't say what for. I didn't think that I could say it, not in words, anyway. Nor did I think I needed to. Mulder nodded. "It's a lot to deal with. I've always been open-minded, ready to believe in extreme possibilities. Sometimes too much so. It didn't hit me so hard. But even I had my moments, believe it or not. All right. Ready to go on?" There was a wealth of meaning in those four simple words. What he was really asking was, was I ready to believe everything else this world had in store? Could I manage to accept all the mysteries around me, and not lose my mind in the process? Was I willing to trust that much? I nodded and finally met his eyes. I squinted, then blinked rapidly, wondering what the hell was wrong. "Walter? What's the matter?" "Sorry, it's my eyes. My glasses got broken, but I can see a lot better than I expected to be able to. At least I thought so, but.... You look a little... blue... all around you." His worried look cleared and he chuckled. "Evidently you're sensitive to auras. Think of what fun you'll be at parties now! Yes, my aura is blue, and that's what you're seeing. Not everyone can see them, even here. Go on, look at Scully - can you see hers?" I turned and squinted at her. "Yeah - well, the green part anyway. The brown's not too clear." "This is great!" he said gleefully. "That should help you accept the whole idea little easier. It's got to be easier to accept the evidence of your own eyes. We'll tell you what the colors represent. That'll help you to avoid social gaffes, although you wouldn't be expected to be a true adept at it. Humans rarely are." "And the adepts would be...?" "Elves, mostly," replied Scully. I shook my head wonderingly. "Elves...." "Ready for your crash course in New Realm?" asked Mulder. Although his tone was light and bantering, I could see the care and concern in his expression. His anxiety that all this wouldn't send me to the local equivalent of the looney bin. It was a side to Mulder that I had always thought was reserved for a very select few.... Surely Scully, maybe his mother. Seeing it there for me touched me deeply. I had never given either of them that much reason to like me. Hell, I was their boss, not their buddy. To keep them in line even to the limited extent I was able to meant that I had to try to keep my personal feelings to a minimum. And I had certainly, for one reason or another, had to make decisions that were unpopular with them, to say the least. To find myself admitted to their inner circle left me unaccountably shaken and grateful. Then it struck me suddenly the trust that they were both showing in me, gifting me with the power of speech in this strange place they so obviously loved. I, whom they had no particular reason to trust, who had the power to possibly destroy this world and their positions in it. My God, they were handing me the keys to the Kingdom. My eyes began to burn again, but this time I forced the tears back and cleared my throat. "I... I think so, yes. What do I have to do?" "Nothing. Just sit there. I'll do the work." He brought over a thick old book and set it on the table. He thumbed through it, settling on a page filled with tiny squiggles and beautiful illuminations. Stepping back from the table a bit, he closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and began chanting in some strange language - different, I thought, from what I had heard thus far. His eyes on the book, his arms raised in supplication, he looked for all the world like a priest saying Mass. Except for the sparks dancing over his head, that is. At first glance it all appeared effortless, but by the slight tremors of his hands and the fierce look of concentration on his face, I knew it wasn't. After several minutes, the chant wound to a close and tiredly, he dropped his arms. "I'm a bit out of practice," he admitted. I had already assumed as much. "Mulder, I hate to break it to you, but nothing happened." He just smiled. There was a quick knock and Lita appeared in the room. "Finished with your spell now, Mage Mulder? Ach, but it gives me a headache!" "Sorry, Lita. I guess it's about time for introductions. Lita, this is Walter. Or you may call him Skinner, take your pick. Walter is from my world, so keep it quiet, okay?" She nodded. "Can he- " "Yes, I just finished casting the language spell." It beat me how the elf had learned English, but I wasn't going to ask. At least Mulder's conversation with her had put me at ease, knowing that I wouldn't have to bluff my way around my origins with the first person - er, being - that I had officially met. "I'm pleased to meet you, Lita. Your English is excellent." She peered at me as if I were nuts and Scully chuckled. "You're speaking New Realm, Walter. So is she and so am I, at the moment." "But - but it sounds like everyone's speaking English!" "Oh, some people do here," interjected her partner. "Gunther, the king and queen. All of whom are on the approved list, by the way. But you're experiencing the language spell." Jesus, Berlitz would kill to have this. All he would need is a magic Mulder. God, what was I saying? "Very effective," I said shakily. "Well, you'll find that idiomatic expressions in either language don't translate very well - if at all. But we'll help you if you get stuck." "Is that how you're able to speak it - a language spell?" "No, Scully and I eventually got pissed off at the things it didn't translate, and as we've spent considerable time here, we were able to learn the language the old-fashioned away." All business, Lita cut in. "Mage Mulder, I've brought up your water and Tilfo will see to preparing your bath. My duties are with Warrior Priest Skinner this morning." There was dead silence in the room. She looked up at Mulder, astonished. "Surely you saw it, Mage! His aura - golden, with a wide border of green. But I can understand that you might not believe your eyes. This is amazing, absolutely unique! Reinald and the king will have to know of this." Mulder nodded, gazing at me with fascination. "It just didn't register before, but now that you've pointed it out, it's unmistakeable. Well, Walter, it looks like you have your title now. Lita's an adept. She's never wrong about auras." A smug smile on her gamine face, the little elf sniffed appreciatively. Speaking personally, I was less impressed. Warrior Priest? I mean, the Warrior part made sense - I had been a soldier and now had a career in law enforcement. But priest? Shit, except for the funerals of fallen agents, I hadn't been inside a church in, what - a good ten years. And the last time I checked in, Presbyterians didn't have priests. Maybe Lita was having an off day. "Warrior Priest Skinner, your bath water is ready. If you would please follow me...." Mulder glanced at his partner, and there was mischief in his eyes again. For some reason, he seemed to be having a hard time keeping a straight face. "You'd better go with her, Walter. Around here, we all take our orders from her." I nodded warily. "I'll be back when I'm dressed. And thank you, for...." I trailed off. "No need for thanks, Walter," Scully said soberly. One look at Mulder, however, and she was having the same problem as he was. She did everything but clap her hand over her mouth like a kindergartner to keep from laughing. I nodded again and followed Lita out the door. It hadn't quite closed behind us when the two agents erupted into laughter. Okay... forewarned was forearmed. Once in my room, Lita indicated the large copper tub near the now-roaring fire. "One of my duties is to assist you to bathe," she said resolutely, her arms crossed in front of her. Evidently she was expecting an argument. Suddenly, Mulder's amusement made sense. He knew what was going to happen. From his reaction and Lita's, he had evidently found the concept of assisted bathing uncomfortable. Across the hall, they were probably waiting for the yelling to start at any time. I chuckled to myself. Two could play at that game. While I was in Japan on R&R from Nam, I had had the same reaction myself. Shit, what did I know, I was just a kid. But it hadn't taken me long to get to like the idea - like it a lot, as a matter of fact. Lita was watching me, ready for the same reaction Mulder was, I guess, though with considerably less amusement. Smiling brightly at her, I shrugged off my robe and slid my shorts down over my hips, kicking them away. "Well, let's get started then!" She looked relieved. End of Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Lita beamed approvingly from the doorway as I knocked once again on the carved door to Mulder and Scully's chamber. She might have been happy, but I felt like a damned idiot, dressed up for some bad Little Theater production of "The Three Musketeers". Thank God they didn't seem to sport large plumed hats here. I wore a loose white shirt, belted at the waist, with voluminous sleeves - the kind I usually associated with some of the wimpier Romantic poets - forest green suede breeches tight enough to be embarrassing, and high black leather boots. As if all that weren't enough, Lita had insisted on fastening a lightweight wool cloak in white at my throat, even standing on the table to accomplish the task. She kept apologizing that she hadn't had time to edge it in green. Like I cared. Scully swung back the door, her eyes widening as she saw me. "Walter, you look magnificent!" "Damn fool get-up," I growled back sourly. Mulder grinned. He was just fastening his own cloak, a floor-length affair in deep blue. I had been too out of it the night before to take much notice of what they were wearing, other than that it was strange, unexpected. But somehow, the outfit really suited him very well. I turned back to Scully, surprised that she too was wearing a shirt over tight leather pants. I guess I just always associated her with those little tailored suits she seemed to favor at the Bureau. In her Realm clothes, she managed to look both extremely feminine and very dangerous, with a sharp little dirk tucked into her belt and a lethal-looking sword slung down her back. "Are you ready?" inquired Mulder. "I guess I'd better play it safe and ask 'Ready for what?' " "Ready to meet the Realm. You can't hide in here forever," he explained reasonably. "Besides, what Lita said was true. You'll have to meet with Reinald and King Andalor. Since it's still pretty early, we'll go see Reinald first." He held the door open for Scully and me, and we started up the passageway. "And who is Reinald, may I ask?" "You may. Reinald is the Royal Mage. A rather intimidating sort, until you get to know him. He was my mentor when we first arrived here. Taught me how to control and use my gifts." Mulder must have noted my doubtful expression. "He's an honorable man, Walter. A bit on the conservative and rigid side, but I think you'll like him. You have a lot in common." I slid a glance over towards him, to see if he was being his usual smart-ass self, but his expression was bland. "I think just about anyone we meet in Reinald's quarters will probably be fully aware of our... peculiarities," he continued. "All except Lishla, his new apprentice. But better keep an eye on Scully and me. We'll give you the high sign if you need to be discreet." I nodded, turning when they did in the labyrinthine, tapestry- hung hallways. At length we came to an imposing door. Mulder's rap was answered in moments. The door swung open to reveal - Jesus! - some sort of creature. Small and gray, with big ears, a flat nose and the goddamnedest set of sharp pointed teeth I had ever seen in anything walking upright. "Tarnor!" Scully exclaimed excitedly. As Mulder and Scully indulged in an orgy of embraces with the thing, I had time to collect my wits. This must be the gargoyle they had spoken of. They might have given me a little more warning about his appearance.... "Tarnor, this is a friend." Mulder ducked his head inside the chamber and must have found the coast clear. "This is Walter Skinner, our boss in our world. He's here by accident. Walter, Tarnor is a Mage - and a fairly decent attorney as well." The creature looked at me appraisingly. I would have been more nervous, but my mind had seized on something. After Lita's incessant babble during my bath, I was finding that I could discern the difference between English and New Realm, mostly by its... I don't know, maybe 'flavor' comes closest. Now when Mulder said 'boss', he said it in English, yet the creature seemed to understand. But why should it have understood English? What the hell was going on? The answer was not long in coming.... "Hoow doo yiooo doo?" it - he - said, still baring his teeth in what I assumed was supposed to be a smile. God, the thing *did* speak English. But how the hell - Scully sidled up to me. "Walter, you're staring!" she whispered. I snapped out of it, not without a certain amount of difficulty. "Uh... I'm pleased to meet you, Mage Tarnor." He nodded happily and stood aside to let us enter. The chamber was enormous, but heavy draperies at the tall windows in the opposite wall blocked much of the light, making it difficult to see details. As I strolled around, the clutter was more apparent, with all manner of scrolls and books and bottles and jars and animal- skin bags of God-knew-what scattered around. From under the door at the end of the room to my right an eerie blue light flickered. "Reinald is just finishing up a lesson with his apprentice," Tarnor explained. For some reason it was comforting to hear him speaking in New Realm. He scurried to the hearth to start making tea. Mulder and Scully made small talk with him while I walked around the room, examining the strange objects. I noted that the books were written in some language even now undecipherable.... "That's Old Realm," said a voice in my ear. I looked over to see Mulder lurking protectively by my side. Scully was still chatting away with the gargoyle, looking more animated than I had ever seen her in our world. Jesus, what had I gotten myself into - a gargoyle, for Christ's sake.... "You can't read it because Old Realm is very different from New Realm. Fortunately it isn't used much - just for rituals, ceremonies... and of course, magic spells." I nodded as if everything were quite mundane. I found myself drawn to a round table in the center of the chamber. In the middle of the table was something bulky, shrouded in a blue cloth. My fingers itched to removed it, to see what was underneath. But I hesitated, partly because I was afraid of breaking some wizard's taboo, and partly because I thought there might be something under there I would regret knowing about - the severed head of the last poor bastard to find himself here accidentally perhaps.... Mulder smiled, his long fingers reaching out to remove the cloth. Frankly, I was disappointed. "A crystal ball? Isn't that a bit... trite?" He chuckled. "It's called the Oracle Cloud. Believe me, AT&T would pay a fortune to get ahold of it. It's how we stay in touch." "You - you mean people here can communicate with you through that? In the Real World?" "How else would we make our travel plans?" he replied simply. He covered the object and led me, stunned, back to the hearth where Tarnor was pouring tea. We sat down in the chairs that ringed the fire. "I am very glad to finally meet you, Walter... I may call you Walter?" he asked earnestly. I nodded and he chattered on. I'll give the little guy one thing - he wasn't much in the looks department, but he was extremely charming and intelligent. And even I could see his blue aura without having to concentrate very much. Christ, was everyone a Mage in this damned place? "Yes, the Professor has taught me a little English," the gargoyle was saying. "You never know when it might be necessary." If I hadn't glanced up at that moment, I would have missed the wink he gave Scully. A wink, by their reaction, I wasn't meant to see. "I wouldn't have thought you would get all that many English- speaking visitors here," I replied evenly. A dark gray flush stained his cheeks. "No... no, of course. But still, you never know...." A knock interrupted him and, relieved to put my follow-up questions at bay, he called out "Come!" Through the door entered a remarkably normal-looking elderly man. Already I was becoming so accustomed to everything being weird that the normal stood out in sharp contrast. "Ah, Mulder, Scully! I'm anxious to meet your friend." Mulder stood to make the introductions. "Professor Gunther Neumann, this is Walter Skinner." I shook hands with him, his grasp firm in spite of the gnarled joints of age. "Pleased to meet you, Professor Neumann." My eyes narrowed as something niggled in my memory. "Sorry, your name seems familiar for some reason, Professor. Should I have heard it before?" He looked a little nervously at Mulder and Scully, before assuming an air of nonchallance. "I really shouldn't think so." English again. "Tea, Professor?" "Please, Tarnor. Well, Walter, how are you finding the Realm?" "A little unnerving," I admitted, trying to avoid looking at the gargoyle. "Obviously you speak English. How is that?" "Well, German is my nat- " He stopped short, shrugged at Mulder and Scully and sighed. "I come from your world, Walter." Mulder and Scully were staring at each other again, their expressions mobile, but no words were exchanged - none that I could hear, anyway. I felt like I had suddenly gone deaf, although with the shocks I had had in the past few days, I don't know that a case of hysterical deafness wasn't in order. They seemed to come to some sort of decision - Mulder gazing questioningly at her and a quick nod by Scully - then she cleared her throat. "Gunther is from our world, Walter. He came here after our return from our first journey to the Realm. I guess you could say we inspired it.... " Lightly, Tarnor protested, "Well, if anyone was the inspiration, I feel I would have to cla- " He trailed off and clamped his lips tight. My head snapped so quickly in the gargoyle's direction I could have gotten whiplash. He looked a little desperately to Mulder, who shrugged. "Oh, Goddess! ...Well, you'll have to know sometime, I suppose," Tarnor sighed. "Well, you see, I guess I started it all. I dived through the Vortex to escape those horrible creatures and before I knew it, I ended up in the Professor's lab, and then Mulder and Scully came, and I saw their auras and just *knew* that Reinald needed to know about them, and then -" "Wait a minute," I commanded, my head spinning. "You're saying you've been to the Real Wo-, I mean, my world? You're the being that brought Mulder and Scully here? How the hell - ?" "It's a long story, Walter," Scully sighed. "We were going to get around to telling you, but - " "I know - you didn't want to overwhelm me," I replied dryly. Mulder looked as if he were about to launch into a long explanation, but the door to the other room opened. Their deep blue auras preceded the two figures who came out - one a tall, regal- looking older man with flowing white hair, the other a tiny female elf. "That was excellent, Lishla. You're making good progress." His head turned in our direction, then he focused his attention back on his apprentice. "You've earned a break. Your head is undoubtedly pounding after all that concentration. Take a few candlemarks to rest. Be back after the midday meal and we'll try it again." Saucer-eyed, Lishla was scarcely listening to her mentor. "Goddess! A Warrior Priest?" she blurted. "But that's impossible!" "Evidently not," the Mage said mildly. "Run along now, Lishla." She bowed to her mentor and puzzled, left the room. I found myself standing at his approach. The Royal Mage had real presence, a man clearly accustomed to inspiring respect, even awe. Mulder came to his feet once more for the introductions. Reinald surveyed me coolly. "I'm happy to meet you, Warrior Priest Skinner. Mulder and Scully have told us much about you. Please, have a seat. There are matters of which we must speak." He sat in an ornately carved chair that had been conspicuously empty and accepted a steaming mug from Tarnor, while I tried not to think what my agents might have told him about me. His gaze was nothing if not direct. "You are coming to terms with being in the Realm?" "I'm... getting there," I replied cautiously. "Gunther and I offer our sincerest apologies." The Professor nodded vigorously in agreement. "What brought you here was in no way intended, I assure you." "I realize that, Royal Mage Reinald. No apology is necessary." "Most gracious of you. Still, your being here presents a problem for us - two, actually," he began bluntly. "The first is our feeling of responsibility for your reaction to all this. I know that your world is quite different, and I remember only too well the difficulties that Mulder and Scully had coping with their discoveries here. I would imagine it is no less true for you. But selfishly, my primary concern must be for the Realm and its beings. We must have your word that your knowledge of the existence of this place will go no further - no matter what pressures may be brought to bear in your world." My eyes met his implacable stare unwaveringly. "Other than the existence of the vortex, I have seen nothing which would require me to divulge anything of your world," I responded, choosing my words carefully. "But the vortex and the possibilities for its use do present a problem." I leaned forward. "Understand, Mage Reinald, I have no wish for harm to come to this place or its pe- ...beings. But I have taken an oath, a vow I believe in, that I hold in trust with my life. If I think harm could come to my world, to my nation, I have a duty to prevent it from happening." "Walter - " Mulder began uncomfortably. "Stay," Reinald ordered his protege mildly with a wave of his hand. He turned back to me, looking less at me than around me. After several moments of silence, he nodded sagely. "Your aura is strong and pure, Walter." He chuckled a little and explained, "If I can see it, it must be. We will speak of this again, when it comes time for you to leave us. But for now I draw comfort from what I see. You are a man of honor, and great courage. But I see also a growing empathy in you." He nodded again. "We will speak of this later, when you have spent more time with us and know us better. I am sure that when the time comes, you will make the right decision." There was an awkward silence, curtailed by another knock on the door and the entry of a tall, blue-cloaked man with an aura as powerful as Mulder's. Shit, now I was becoming an aura expert.... "Hannu!" Scully and Mulder were on their feet to greet the newcomer to our burgeoning group. After an excited exchange, they introduced me. He was a formidable figure, built a lot like me, though apparently somewhat older. There was... there was a lingering touch of tragedy that clung to him like a cobweb. I could feel it the moment I grasped his hand. But his greeting was pleasant enough and his eyes sparkled with good humor. "Puleezed too meet yioo," he said. Oh God. Another one? "You've been to my world too?" I choked out. He nodded, becoming grave. "I spent quite a lot of time there. In spite of the strangeness, in many ways it was the best time in my life." I swung around to Mulder. "I suppose this was something else you were going - " "We *were* going to tell you, Walter, honest." "We'll talk later, Mulder," I said in my best ass-chewing voice. "Count on it." To my surprise, Hannu laughed "I don't think I've ever seen him looking that intimidated, Walter. Not even in the lovely, evil face of the Dar- " "Later," Mulder assured me, cutting him off. I could hardly wait. "Actually, I thought I'd find the three of you here," Mage Hannu continued. "I bring greetings from Queen Shannon, who is quite anxious to meet Warrior Priest Skinner." "How's she doing this morning?" inquired Scully. He shrugged. "She seems fine. Andalor becomes more worried as the candlemarks pass, but my daughter is calm and says she feels well. I admit to being relieved you are here, however, Scully." She smiled reassuredly. "She'll do well, Hannu, I promise. Well, Mulder, want to go see your halla?" The word didn't translate. I waited until we had bid them goodbye and were on our way to the Royal Suite to ask. Mulder practically galloped ahead of us, leaving Scully to define the term. As we walked in his wake, I listened to her explanation of the taabsut-halla relationship. "So how does Mulder come to have this relationship to the Queen, of all people?" There was a little hesitation before she answered. "She wasn't always the Queen. Shannon was an orphan whom he took under his wing. You'll see that she bears a striking resemblance to his sister Samantha, so I suppose it was only natural. We just thought we'd take advantage of Mulder's status here to offer some protection to her." Wait a minute. Mulder's status? Orphan? I frowned. "But Hannu referred to her as his daughter." "Well, we didn't know that at the time. Neither did he. And neither did she, for that matter." Frustratingly, the conversation ended as we caught up to Mulder and the door we stood before swung open to admit us. The Royal Suite was about the same size and layout as Reinald's quarters, but that's where the similarity ended. This room was bright, airy, and orderly, with gorgeous tapestries covering the walls and thick carpets on the stone floor. A blond kid of no more than twenty or so and a very pregnant girl about the same age sat by the fire. Scully did the honors this time. "I'm delighted to meet you, Your Majesties." I stood awkwardly, wondering if I were expected to bow or something. Andalor gave me a firm handshake. In barely accented English, he replied "Welcome to the Realm. And we're all just friends here. When we're not in public, call me Andalor, and you can cool it with the 'Your Majesty' stuff." He grinned. Sharply I looked at Mulder. Smiling, he nodded and I rolled my eyes. Clearly, the INS had a bigger problem with illegal immigration than it could possibly imagine. Was there anyone in this world who *hadn't* been to mine? I turned my attention to the lovely girl. Scully was right. I had seen photographs of the young Samantha. If the poor kid had ever had the opportunity to grow up, she would have been a dead ringer for the girl before me. "Queen Shannon, this is a pleasure." She smiled prettily. "It's just Shannon. Have a seat, Walter. Dorbo has tea ready." Tea again. Good as the stuff was, my body was beginning to crave coffee. "Great!" I said as enthusiastically as possible, and took a chair. Mulder was crouched next to the girl, holding her hand, his eyes anxious. "Feeling okay?" he asked softly. "Let's put it this way, Mulder - I'm not making any travel plans and I don't think you should either. I think I'm close. I feel... different." I felt a burst of something very much like panic emanate from him, gone - or rigidly controlled - a heartbeat later. Then I wondered what made me think that. How could I know what Mulder felt? "We'll be here, baby," he assured her. I was now seeing another side to Mulder - the worried big brother. The one he might have been in our world if Samantha hadn't disappeared without a trace. If his son-of-a-bitch father hadn't been up to his ass in whatever filth he was involved in. What would have been the result, I wondered. How would that Mulder have been different from the haunted, driven man I knew? I was shaken from my reverie as a troll servant pushed a cup of tea into my hands. We had been chatting amiably for about fifteen minutes when Healer Kyla came in. Her plain, monk-like brown robes did nothing to hide her tall, slim figure. My heart beat a little faster and, ever the gentleman, I stood as she approached us. "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, but it's time for Queen Shannon's healing treatment." She gazed at me with those remarkable dark blue eyes. I gulped, and my blood began to pool somewhere south of my belt. God, I couldn't remember the last time a woman had had this much effect on me! Get a grip, Walter, I told myself angrily. She's just a kid, barely older than the King and Queen. You could be her father, for Christ's sake! If nothing else, my self-directed ire at least prevented my already tight breeches from becoming even tighter and embarrassing me completely. "I would like to see you for a treatment as well, Warrior Priest Skinner," she continued in her low, musical voice. "After the midday meal perhaps?" Mutely I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. "I'm going to stay here to work with Kyla," Scully said. "Why don't you take Walter over to meet our other friends?" Again they exchanged stares for a few seconds. It was starting to get on my nerves. Something else to bring up to Mulder when we had our chat. "Come on, Walter, we know when we're not wanted. Andalor, take it easy. Be good, Shannon." Kyla and Scully were helping her into the bedchamber. "Oh, yeah. Like I have a choice!" she tossed back over her shoulder. End of Chapter Eight Chapter Nine "Okay. Where are we headed?" I asked. We were outside on a clear, crisp autumn-like day, and for once I was thankful for my cloak. "We're going to see Jourdain and Aldara. You'll like them, especially Jourdain. You and he have a lot in common." Uh-huh. Mulder had said the same thing about Reinald, and although I respected the man, I had failed to see many similarities. We crossed the cobbled courtyard, our presence drawing the attention of throngs of street vendors and shoppers. Self-conscious, I hoped that it was Mulder who was the focus of the stares and fingerpointing. He seemed oblivious. Maybe he was used to it. We turned a corner around the castle to a quieter, more secluded area. I could smell horses, and guessed that there was a stable or barn nearby. The clamor of the marketplace gave way to an irregular metallic clanging. I looked toward Mulder, but he just smiled. Another turn, and the source of the noise became clear. A large bear of a man was swordfighting with a tiny wisp of a woman. Ferociously, they wielded the enormous blades, sparks glinting from the metal with every strike. So far the woman was holding her own, but - "Mulder - shouldn't we be doing something to stop this? Shit, he'll kill her!" "You should probably be more worried about him," he said, amused. He called out, "Jourdain! Aldara!" They put their swords down as we approached. "Ah, Mulder!" replied the big man. "Have you brought your friend for a visit?" They were breathing hard and despite the chill in the air, were covered with a fine sheen of sweat. The guy probably had an inch or two on me, and at least forty pounds. Thank God he was friendly. "Warrior Jourdain, Warrior Aldara, meet Warrior Priest Skinner. Or just plain Walter," he grinned. Jourdain extended his hand and I grasped it briefly. Aldara followed suit, a twinkle in her eye. "Play nice, Aldara," Mulder murmured, a smile touching his lips. She grimaced playfully at him and shook my hand. I wondered what had prompted Mulder's admonition, but that train of thought was lost in my surprise. For a tiny woman, she had a grip of iron. "Pleased to meet you Jourdain, Aldara." Alarms went off in my head as I said her name, and my eyes narrowed. "An unusual name, but I feel as if I've heard it before. Have we met...?" She laughed, her black curls bobbing and little lines appearing at the corners of her bewitching emerald green eyes. "I shouldn't think so, Walter. I'll get the midday meal started," she said to her husband. "Mulder, will you join us?" "If it's no trouble," he called after her retreating form. "And if it's safe," he whispered to Jourdain. The big man chuckled. "It's an old standby today, not one of her experiments. In any case, Daanna has done most of the preparation. I think it's safe." To me, he said, "Walter, since you are a Warrior, how would you like a little workout before we eat?" In truth, I felt like I could use some exercise. Between Scully's and Kyla's ministrations, most of the ill-effects of the previous days had evaporated, and I was accustomed to working out on a daily basis. Still, my experience with swords was limited in the extreme. "If you'll show me what to do, Jourdain, yeah, I'll go a few rounds with you." He smiled and attached what looked like leather guards to the blades. "You may use Aldara's for now. Later, I'll select a more appropriate weapon for you from the armory. Now hold it so...." I'm in pretty good shape, but it beat the hell out of me how that tiny woman managed to lift the damn thing, much less wield it like it was weightless. I managed to mirror Jourdain's position. Mulder meanwhile had withdrawn to a seat next to a little girl near the entrance to the cottage. He looked amused. Gritting my teeth and determined not to do anything to further his amusement, I turned back to Jourdain and nodded for him to continue. For the next hour or so, Jourdain put me through my paces. Initially I had problems, mostly because my arms kept getting tangled in my goddamn cloak. Once he showed me the correct way to fold it back over my shoulders, I think I did pretty well. I even caught Mulder with an expression of grudging admiration on his face. Or maybe it wasn't so grudging, I don't know. But by the time Aldara called us in to eat, my arms were trembling, my chest was heaving for air, and rivulets of sweat coursed down my face and poured down my chest and back. I hoped Lita had another shirt ready. It was a pleasant meal. I liked Jourdain immediately. Of everyone I had met in the Realm thus far, I felt I had the most in common with him. In fact, I envied him a little. Enemies and friends alike seemed clearly identifiable in his world. None of the plots within plots and all political bullshit I had to put up with. I liked Aldara, too. Still, I sensed the conversation was guarded, each word carefully considered before it was spoken. Aldara especially was humorously evasive, and I couldn't shake the feeling I had seen her before. Their daughter Daanna, a pretty little thing much like her mother, was curiously quiet. Several times I caught her staring at me with a pensive expression. The child had some Mage power, evident at the edges of her aura. I reminded myself to ask Mulder what the larger orange portion signified. As we rose to leave, I was dismayed to find I was already sore and stiff. Christ, if my muscles hurt this badly so soon after a workout, I was going to be in rough shape the next morning. "Well, what do you think?" asked Mulder as we headed towards the courtyard. "I like Jourdain, quite a bit actually. Simple, strong, honorable, down to earth. What you see is what you get. Beats the hell out of Washington." Mulder chuckled sympathetically. "Perhaps you're beginning to understand why Scully and I consider this place a home." His glance at me was appraising. I nodded and slowed the pace, my mind distracted. "Much as I would love to sit down and have that little chat with you about what's been edited out of all the conversations I've heard so far, I'm afraid it will have to be postponed for a while. I have an appointment with Kyla." I swung my right arm, trying to work the kinks out. "And don't think you're out of the woods yet, Mulder. We *will* have that talk... and *soon*. But right now... can you point me in the direction of my room, and how to get from there to Kyla's place? I'm afraid I really didn't get my bearings last night." "You're going back to your room first?" he asked, surprised. In spite of myself, I felt a hot flush on my cheeks. "I... uh... I just want to clean up a little before I see her." "Oh..." About forty seven different things could have been read into his rendering of the single word. I tried - I don't know how successfully - to keep my expression blank, my gaze direct. Evidently he decided to pass on the subject for the moment, because he merely said, "I'm not surprised you don't remember the way, from the condition you were in last night." He quickly gave directions back to my room. "...then retrace your steps, turn left out of the archway into the courtyard, bear left around the castle, and it's the cottage behind the herb garden." I thanked him and struck out on my own for my room. When I chanced a single glance back at him, he hadn't moved, and his eyes were still on me, his expression bemused. ~ ~ ~ I stood in front of the Healer's door for a few moments to compose myself. I guess unlikely as it seemed, I had more or less accepted the way medicine in the Realm worked - Scully's little demonstration that morning had been rather convincing. If Kyla was about to be crawling around inside my mind and body, I didn't want her to find anything that would end up embarrassing us both. I had already almost bailed once on the walk over. I plunged deep into myself to look for that serenity again. Some moments later, I exhaled and felt that I was as ready as I'd ever be. I knocked on the door. "Come!" she called out. I dipped my head under the low lintel to enter the simple cottage. "My predecessor was an elf," she smiled in explanation. "This cottage was not really built with humans in mind." "Evidently not. Good for business, though. Someone forgets to duck and you have more to heal." She laughed then, a low, throaty sound that set my blood racing. "I suppose you are right. I never looked at it that way before. Come sit and get comfortable, Warrior Priest Skinner." I sat, but there was no way I could have gotten comfortable. "Please - call me Walter. All this Warrior stuff is rather new to m- " I broke off suddenly, not sure if Kyla were on the 'approved list' or not. Again she smiled. "It's all right Walter. I know of your origins. The nature of my work being what it is, it would be quite difficult to keep such a secret. Humans from your world are slightly different - the... fizz-ee-oh-loh-gee, I think Scully calls it. As for the rest... well, Healers don't go prying and searching out secrets, but inevitably in the course of a healing, some things become known." She turned to the hearth and began ladling something into a cup. "Oh, shit," I murmured under my breath. Secrets become known, huh? Great work, Walter... just your luck to develop decidedly forbidden thoughts about the one person who can read your mind.... "I.. uh... I think you can skip the mental part of the procedure. My mind is just fine. I'm getting used to... all this." My hand waved in the air indiscriminately. She turned back to me and handed me a cup. I inhaled the steam rising from it and recoiled. "What is this stuff?" I asked grimacing. "Just herbs. They support the healing I'm going to do - speed it, nurture it. Drink it up." She waited patiently while I choked down the vile stuff. "May I enter your body as a Healer, Walter?" she asked formally. I hesitated, then nodded curtly. She placed her hands lightly on my head and chest. Moments later I could sense her presence... everywhere. Her essence was different from Scully's - more floral, more soft and springlike compared to the bracing crispness of Scully. More... subtle, I guess comes closest. I felt my muscles start to uncramp. Even the old rotator cuff problem in my right shoulder, aggravated by the swordplay earlier, ceased to ache. For sometime, I just floated.... When I opened my eyes, I was pain-free and refreshed. She sat near me on a low hassock, patiently waiting for me to rejoin the world. "What were you thinking of, Walter?" she chided. I started, and flushed guiltily. Oh, God, she knew. "Th-thinking?" "Yes, what were you thinking of, doing something strenuous today? You should be resting your body for at least three days. I can help you to heal, but your body does most of the work. And it can't do that work if you're going to abuse yourself like that. What did you do?" I hoped I didn't look as relieved as I felt. "Jourdain was showing me how to handle a sword. We practiced for a while." She shook her head, as if to say 'Men!' I knew that gesture - Sharon used to give it to me all the time. "Perhaps I did not communicate my instructions fully," she said, giving me more credit than I deserved. "No strenuous activity for at least three days. You have undone much of my healing, and Scully's." "How do you know Scully...?" She shrugged. "Healers leave... traces. She helped in your healing last night, but I detected fresher signs." "She... uh... she gave me a treatment this morning. I was still having a problem with... all this." Nodding, she murmured, "I can well imagine." She handed me some parchment packets. I shook them experimentally and heard a dry rustling sound. "I want you to take one of these tonight and another in the morning. Brew them as you would tea, and drink the liquid. Lita can assist you if you need help. I will need to see you again tomorrow. And no more swordplay!" I nodded meekly. In a gentler tone, she said, "I'm glad you're feeling better, Walter, but you must not push yourself. Your body and mind have been through a great deal of trauma in the past few days. I want you to be healthy so you can enjoy your visit here in the Realm." While she was chewing me out, I studied my boots, but I met her eyes when she said that. It might have been my imagination, but it looked like her cheeks flushed a bit. Imagining some of the enjoyment I could have when once more fully functional, my thoughts were once again straying into dangerous territory.... I stood suddenly, nearly hitting my head on a low, smoke- stained beam. "Thank you, Kyla. Very well, no swordplay. I don't want to make any more trouble for you than is necessary. I'll see you tomorrow, then." She rose with a shy smile. "You are no trouble, Walter. I very much enjoy seeing you. I'll be looking forward to tomorrow's visit." I guess I must have nodded. Absently, I left the cottage, barely remembering to duck as I went out the door. My mind was on things other than locomotion at the time. Maybe it was just that Healers had superior bedside manners, compared to their Real World counterparts. Or perhaps it was wishful thinking on my part. But I could have sworn that what I sensed from Kyla was not the usual feelings a doctor has for a patient. ~ ~ ~ If I hadn't just received strict orders not to exert myself, I would have gone for a run. My brain was seething with questions, possibilities, impossibilities - with Kyla at the center of all of them. My calm had fled to wherever it hid when I wanted it most. Before I sank to the level of a hormone-driven adolescent - did she *like me* like me, or you know, just *like* me? - I decided I'd better seek some diversion. In my case, that was usually running or working out. Those options not being open, I walked around the village, staying inside the castle walls. I thought I might as well get acquainted with the place as long as I was going to be there for an as-yet-unspecified length of time. As I wandered, I hoped that Mulder and Scully had been right about the vagaries of the flow of time. Otherwise by this time all three of us would be AWOL from the Bureau and God knows what our Morley-smoking friend would be up to. I turned my attention to the street vendors, who were serving the last of their customers and beginning to take down their stalls. Catching a glimpse of something that looked familiar, I wandered up to the knife and sword stall. There, among the assortment of dirks, foils, stilettos and other weapons, was a twin to the knife Mulder had given me some months before. All this time I had possessed something from this strange world, and hadn't known. Typical of Mulder - it must have provided him with no end of amusement, seeing it there on my desk every day, knowing I didn't have a clue as to its origins. I passed on, watching the vendors packing their goods into horse-drawn wagons for the trip home. The horses were magnificent beasts, dwarfing even their human owners. And some of the beings I saw were... God, I don't know what the hell they were. Different. Not humans nor trolls nor elves nor even gargoyles, but... something else. But even more stunning than the variety of intelligent life was my increasingly easy acceptance of this reality. I wasn't aware of the passage of time but when I roused from my thoughts, the sun had dropped behind the high wall surrounding the village. I drew my cloak around me as the wind picked up, swirling the dust in the cobbled square. Spotting an archway into the castle that looked familiar, I climbed a winding staircase to what I thought was the right landing. Evidently all archways looked the same, because I was completely lost in the maze of corridors. I asked directions of three different servants and ended up in the kitchens. Fortunately I recognized Tilfo - or he recognized me - and he brought me back to the right passageway. I was about to go into my room when I remembered the chat I wanted to have with my erstwhile agents. As I knocked, I wondered what I'd be interrupting this time. Mulder answered the door and relief flooded his face. "Walter! We were just about to send out for the Marines to form a search party. Where've you been?" "Gee, Dad, did I break curfew again?" I asked sarcastically. "You know, Mulder, I *am* an adult." Then I thought about their concern for me and was touched. In a milder tone, I explained, "I've been walking, getting the lay of the land. I... I had some things to think over." He nodded, his eyes boring into mine in that way he has that makes me think he can see into my very soul, and closed the door behind me. Scully had made - surprise - tea and held a mug out to me. This time, I took it gratefully in hands red and chapped from the cold, and sank into a cushioned armchair. "Would you mind telling me what this world has against coffee?" Mulder chuckled. "I don't think it has anything against it, it just doesn't grow here. Found that out during our first visit. When we came back the last time, I brought my own. This trip was rather sudden, so I didn't get the chance. But I know what you mean - good as the tea is, it's hard to go from ten cups of coffee a day to none." I sipped the tea, the now-expected jolt kicking in a few seconds later. I glanced up to see him and Scully staring at each other again, and decided enough was enough. "All right, what the hell are you two doing?" They looked at me, startled. "Wh-what do you mean?" stammered Scully. "You're communicating, aren't you?" I was guessing, but they didn't need to know that. They exchanged guilty looks and Mulder sighed. "How did you know?" "Well, it was either that or I've been having periods of deafness. Your faces move, you change expressions - everything but spoken words. And it's not just here that it happens. You do it in our world, too, don't you? How? How do you do it? Is everyone here telepathic?" "No," Scully said quietly. "Certainly not everyone. Powerful Mages can communicate to some degree telepathically. But most beings can't. This is... this is special. Unusual, even for here." She seemed reluctant to go on. I glanced at Mulder, who was giving me one of his 'Later' looks. All right, but I'd hold him to it. "Okay, I'll drop that subject. How about all those things that aren't being spoken about by your friends? And don't bother with the innocent look, Mulder. I'm not buying that crap." He spread his hands in defeat. "All right. What do you want to know?" "For starters? Why is Neumann's name familiar to me? And Aldara's?" "Gunther Neumann is the scientist who disappeared from MIT about eighteen months ago. You sent us up to Cambridge to investigate his disappearance because he did a lot of research the government was interested in, and foul play was suspected." My eyes narrowed as I thought back. Right! I remembered now. "So he came here? This is where he disappeared to? Did you know that?" Scully nodded and went on to explain. "He was there when we disappeared from his lab. When we returned, he found us. He was fascinated by our experiences. Since the Vortex - the big one - was directly, though unintentionally, activated by some of his experiments, he used it to travel here. To answer your question - yes, we found out after he left where he had gone. Someone he trusted told us, gave us a letter he had left behind, saying what he had done." "Those must have been some experiments," I commented dryly. I made a mental note to find out more about them. "And Aldara?" She shifted uncomfortably. "Uh.. actually... you *have* met her before...." "But that would mean that she would have to have been in our world, and - wait! The girl with you - in the basement? Looking for her brother?" She nodded. "Jesus Christ! How many of these people have been to our world?" "That you've met so far?" Mulder stopped to think. "Just about all of them, I think. Not Kyla, or Lita or the other servants, but... yeah, I guess just about everyone else. In fact, Tarnor's been there twice." "Twice... Christ.... How the fuck did Tarnor manage to be in our world not once, but *twice*? It's not like he blends in." Jesus, just when you thought you knew everything that was going on.... "We kept him pretty much under wraps." He laughed. "Sometimes literally. The first time, he never left the Professor's lab. The second... well, let's just say we didn't use a lot of public transportation." I rubbed my eyes tiredly. "Do I want to know what all of them were doing in our world?" Scully chuckled. "Probably not, Walter. Not right now, anyway. You look like you've reached your limit of shocks for one day." "You're probably right," I sighed. "Look, we're all invited to Reinald's for dinner tonight," announced Mulder. "You've got a couple of candlemarks before then - why don't you take a nap? I'll wake you in time to get dressed." "Good idea." I pushed myself out of the chair. "One thing - what's a candlemark?" "About an hour, give or take." I nodded and left their room, crossing to my own. My head was reeling. Scully was right - I *had* reached my limit for shocks. Telepathic agents... psychic healing... interdimensional gargoyles.... I unfastened my cloak and pulled off my boots, then crawled up onto the bed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. End of Chapter Nine Chapter Ten The knock on the door was perfunctory, the merest nod to custom and good manners. "Warrior Healer Scully! Mage Mulder? It's time!" The snowy bedcurtains parted and Scully's head peeked out. "Lita? What is it?" "Sorry to wake you, Warrior Healer Scully. I know you were up late at Reinald's dinner party. But it's time. The child is on its way. Kyla sent me for you." She slid out of bed and began pulling on her clothes. "How long has she had her contractions, Lita?" Seeing the blank look, she reworded her question. "When did the journey begin? Another head appeared from between the curtains. "Is it Shannon?" Mulder asked anxiously. "Yes, Mage. Scully needs to come with me now, but you have a little time to prepare yourself. I've laid out your ceremonial clothes for the ritual. And the little minx - begging your pardon, I know I should not refer to Her Majesty in that way, but it appears that the child began its journey some time ago. She elected not to tell anyone for several candlemarks, so as to let His Majesty get some sleep. Initially he was quite cross about it, but now he's too busy worrying. Aye, you'll need you cloak too, Warrior Healer - the passageways are very drafty tonight." Scully tucked her shirt in and quickly fastened the cloak around her neck. She was almost out the door being held by an impatient Lita, when she suddenly turned back and rushed to the parted curtains of the bed. //Don't worry, love. She'll do fine - and so will you\\ He caught the hand that was stroking the side of his face and brought it to his lips, drinking in her confidence and calm. //If you say so\\ he mindspoke wistfully. She flashed him a brilliant smile. //I say so.... I'll see you there\\, and she was out the door with Lita at her heels. Mulder slid down from the high bed and strolled to where Lita had laid out his wardrobe for the night's ritual. On one chair lay a Mage cloak, not very different from the one he wore every day, except for the rich embroidery in threads of gold, scarlet and emerald, intricately and sumptuously worked. There was also a long white alb-like vestment to be worn beneath it. He puzzled for a moment over what else should be worn under his ceremonial attire, thoughts of kilts inexplicably coming to mind. Finally, shrugging, he pulled on a pair of warm, winter-weight shorts and his boots, then got into the alb and cloak. A glance at the fireside told him Lita had also thoughtfully provided tea. Feeling badly in need of the lift it would give him, he drank a mugful quickly, embracing the burst of energy like an old friend when it came. His hands trembled as he reached for the doorlatch. He closed the door behind him firmly - more firmly, perhaps, than he had intended, and the slam echoed along the passageway. Then he paused for a moment to try to collect himself. He could feel his bondmate, now with his beloved Shannon, and sensed a certain amount of disquiet. Not real alarm, he told himself, but definitely disquiet. Heart pounding, he was about to strike off down the passageway when the door opposite opened and Skinner appeared, pulling a shirt over his head. "What's up, Mulder?" His voice was rough and gravelly from sleep. "It's Shannon. She's in labor." Skinner almost recoiled from the waves of anxiety emanating from the agent's body, and mirrored in his expressive eyes. "Women have babies every day, Mulder. It's nothing to worry about," he said reasonably. "Shannon is not just any woman!" he protested heatedly. He closed his eyes and shook his head. In a gentler tone, he said, "I'm sorry - I didn't mean to snap. All this has me pretty rattled. Shannon ...she's special, Walter." He nodded. "I know - Scully gave me the condensed version. What are you wearing? It's different from what you usually wear." "The other reason for my abject terror." Mulder sighed. "Because Shannon's my halla, and she's the Queen, I'm expected to play a major role in welcoming the kid into the world." "Well, how bad could that be?" "Bad enough. Christ, Walter, I have to practically deliver the kid! I'm just so shit-scared I'll screw up, do something that will hurt Shannon or her baby.... Neither Oxford nor the Academy prepared me for anything like this, you know," he finished dryly. "Sounds like you didn't get full disclosure before you took on the job," Skinner replied, a twinkle of humor in his eyes. "Damn straight, I didn't." The Warrior Priest shrugged. "Can I be of any help?" When Mulder stared at him incredulously, he grinned. "Come on, Mulder. I haven't spent my entire life behind a desk. I do come with some credentials. Did you know I delivered a kid in Vietnam? One of the women in a village we had taken went into labor. We were temporarily without a medic - the last one having stepped on a landmine - and I drew the short straw. It was a breech birth, but everyone survived.... You want more? I was also my niece's Lamaze coach. She... uh, she wasn't married and the father hadn't stuck around much longer than it took her to tell him she was pregnant. Her parents didn't want anything to do with her at the time, so...." Mulder's head spun. The image of his boss - his demanding, ass-chewing boss - as Lamaze coach. Fleetingly, he pitied the poor niece... But then, the more he thought about it, the less strange the notion became. He felt Walter's reassuring hand on his shoulder and suddenly - Suddenly peace and calm were wrapping around him like a warm blanket, slowing the breakneck pace of his heart and suffusing his very soul. Bewildered, his mind reached out to Scully, touching hers just enough to discover that the sensation wasn't originating with her. Wonderingly, he brought his eyes up to meet those of his boss. "H-how.... How are you doing that?" Walter was frowning down at his hand. "I- I don't know. I was just trying to make you feel better, settle you down a little, and.... I don't know, I just.... It just... happened...." Against all odds, it was Mulder who pulled himself together first. "I'd say you have more of the priest in you than you know, Walter," he said quietly. "The last time I felt anything like that was from a priestess, who used her empathic skills to calm a bloodthirsty mob." "Jesus." It was a cracked whisper. "I... I've been sensing things... feelings... more and more as the day progressed, but... I never thought...." The younger man nodded. "And the longer you're here in the Realm, the stronger those abilities will become." He finally stopped staring at his hand and looked into Mulder's eyes, a tangle of emotions reflected in his own. "But what if I don't want them?" The younger man gazed at him sympathetically, knowing well the turmoil he was going through. He had been there, done that. "I don't think that's an option." Mulder shrugged. "It comes with the territory. This is just who you are, Walter - in this world and to some extent in ours. Don't be afraid of it," he advised gently. Dazedly, his companion nodded. Mulder noted he was shaking, whether from the shock of his growing self-awareness, or from standing in the icy passageway wearing next to nothing. "Let's get you to your room and get you dressed," he suggested quietly. "You're in, by the way. If I'm going to go through that damn Birth Ritual, I want you there, ready to lay on hands every time I get rattled - which is going to be most of the time." He pushed Skinner back over the threshold and closed the door on the drafts. By then, Skinner seemed to snap out of his trance, going about the reassuringly mundane task of pulling on his pants and boots. Putting his own turbulent thoughts aside, he asked. "So why are you so close to Shannon, Mulder? Apart from her obvious similarity to Samantha." "Oddly enough, that has very little to do with it. Shannon's from our world, Walter. We brought her here, Scully and I." His head snapped up. "*You* brought that kid here?" He shrugged. "We didn't have any choice. Her mother was dead.... Remember that explosion at the research facility in Boston?" At Skinner's nod he continued. "Her mother, Karen Mather, was Gunther's research associate. She and Shannon were abducted by some of the Smoking Man's friends, to force Karen to recreate some of Gunther's experiments - specifically the ones that open the Vortex. We were there on another matter, and were drawn in. We managed to rescue Shannon, but not her mother." So that's why he was so protective of the girl, Walter thought. Knowing Mulder, he had put himself through hell repeatedly, beating himself up because he hadn't been able to save her mother. It was just so 'Mulder'. "So you brought her here?" he repeated, fastening his cloak. "She didn't have anyone else. No father, as far as anyone knew at the time. No other relatives. She was a rebellious kid, and severely traumatized by her mother's death. Eaten up with guilt. She wouldn't have lasted a New York minute with a foster family." He shrugged again. "We were coming here anyway, and planning to stay for a while. It seemed the best idea at the time." "And she chose to stay here? She adjusted to all of this?" "Surprisingly well. Not without a few little glitches along the way of course, but yes, she made a place for herself here. She too is a warrior, with a fairly healthy helping of Mage talent. But orphans are unknown in the Realm, because of the large, extended families. She needed the protection of some kind of relationship here. So we fabricated the taabsut-halla relationship. Technically, as far as most beings here are concerned, I'm her uncle by blood, Hannu's brother. I just didn't realize where all this would lead," he finished darkly, remembering the task ahead of him. "Midwife to the Queen," chuckled Skinner. "So how did she get to be Queen?" "Married the King." At his companion's glower, he smiled apologetically. "Uh, that's a bedtime story for another night. Right now we have to get to Shannon." He hesitated and became sober. "Seriously, Walter... I'm glad of your company. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have at my side." Skinner laid his hand briefly on his subordinate's shoulder, and again felt the serenity drifting through him to the other man. "My pleasure, Mulder." ~ ~ ~ Ballorca paced in the reception room of the Royal Suite. Would nothing ever go right? Surely he had been cursed. All his work, all his elaborate, painstaking preparations, and for what? Bad enough that nearly every priest and priestess in Fairwoods Domain, including the Royal Priestess, had journeyed to the deepest recesses of the Fairwoods Forest for the annual Renewal Rituals. Then, the one priestess chosen to remain behind in the event that the Queen gave birth had been called away to the country estate of a dying noble. She had left at dawn the previous morning. By this time she was already there performing her duties, a full day's ride away and inaccessible. There was no Mage there, so even Gating was out of the question. The result - no requisite priestess for the Birth Ritual. Then! Then King Andalor refused to leave the Queen's side. All of his most reasoned arguments and impassioned pleas had been swept aside by the King. Goddess, this was a *ritual*! Did the King not realize the importance of strict observance of every facet of the ceremony? I was patient with him, thought the aggrieved Minister of Protocol. I was understanding and sympathetic and patient, but firm. Yes, quite firm. And what do I get for my troubles, for trying to do my duty to the best of my ability? Just an angry King, shoving me away from the door, muttering words in that strange language he sometimes uses when stressed. 'Goh fok yiourseluf', it sounded like. Ballorca huffed. He had no idea what the words meant, but was fairly certain they had not been complimentary. So - two Healers where one would have sufficed. A King in attendence, which was unprecedented. And no priestess, which was unheard of. What else could go wrong? A pounding at the door interrupted his thoughts. Dorbo had not quite reached it when Mage Mulder and a newcomer burst through the door. "I'm here, Ballorca." The Mage started for the door to the bedchamber, his companion in tow. "Hold!" Ballorca commanded. Mulder sighed impatiently and turned to fasten an icy glare on the officious Minister of Protocol. "What?" he snapped, his aura flaring in annoyance. Ballorca cringed for a second, then reasserted his authority. "Who is this? He has no business in there. The Ritual- " "What about the Ritual?" The words stung like the lash of a whip, but Ballorca held his ground. "There has already been enough tampering with the Ritual. Two Healers, the King present, no priestess.... I can't allow your companion in. I simply can't allow it." Mulder looked like he was about to push past the little man when his eyes lit up. "In that case, Ballorca, you must certainly let him in. If you were able to discern auras, you would see that my companion is a Warrior Priest. A *priest*, Ballorca." "B-but the Ritual calls for a priestess," the fussy little man wailed. "Are you likely to do better?" Walter demanded. "Well, no," he admitted. "But do you know what you must do? Only the Royal Priestess would know-" "Out of the way, Ballorca," Mulder said in a tone that invited no argument. "I'm sure he'll figure it out." Hastily the minister grabbed his volume of Ritual, turned to the correct page and shoved it into Mulder's hands. "The passage at the end of the page. He must chant the prayer immediately after you sever the child's lifeline to its mother." A low moan was heard through the door. Mulder nodded impatiently. "Yes, yes, we'll see to it. Now get out of our way." Reluctantly, Ballorca stood aside to allow them to enter the bedchamber. Flickering torchlight illuminated Shannon as she lay back against the pillows, her eyes closed and her hand squeezing Andalor's. She was pale and perspiring, her breathing rapid. Mulder tore his eyes from the girl and searched Scully's face. //It's going well, love. Kyla was concerned that she was in pain. Apparently the females here, for whatever reason, don't have pain when they're giving birth. So she thought there was something seriously wrong. I've explained to her that this is normal for women from our world. I think Kyla's a bit perplexed by it all. Normally a Healer tries to alleviate pain, but she's pretty sure she shouldn't if it's normally part of the process.\\ //But Scully, she looks like shit! She's pale and she's exhausted!\\ She stroked his cheek. //That's why they call it labor, Mulder. It's hard work. But believe me, she's fine.\\ //Just the kid's luck to have inherited this part of her physiology from her mother rather than from Hannu,\\ he mindspoke, still concerned. //She's handling it well, Mulder. For a first baby, the labor looks like it's going to be a relatively short one. But she's in transition now, and this is going to be the hardest time for her. She's going to need you and Andalor to be strong and supportive. And to not take offence if she calls you a few choice filthy names.\\ She smiled up at her bondmate. //What's Walter doing here?\\ //Filling in for a missing priestess. And holding me together. After all this is over, I have a few things to catch you up on.\\ He watched as a moaning Shannon braced herself for another contraction, collapsing panting back onto the pillows a minute later as it gradually released her from its grip. //Scully -!\\ //It's all right, Mulder. This is normal. Now, don't you have something you need to be doing?\\ Numbly, he nodded. As he prepared to utter the first of his chants, he noticed Skinner finally tearing his eyes from Kyla and approaching Shannon's bed. Tenderly he placed a hand on her forehead and leaned over to whisper into her ear. Visibly, the girl relaxed, the frown of fatigue and pain clearing from her face. Her small hand reached for his much larger one and he folded it gently in his grasp. The King flashed his gratitude from the other side of the bed, acknowledged by the Warrior Priest's calm nod. Mulder spread his arms and began the Old Realm chant in a light baritone. The chant, like so many of the ceremonial chants, went on for some time. He was peripherally aware of the actions of the Healers and Shannon's movements, as waves of contractions crashed, taking over her body, ebbing and flowing like nature's tide. But he also noticed the air of calm that had pervaded the room. Andalor's pinched features had relaxed, leaving him more controlled as he gripped his wife's hand and wiped the sweat from her face. Scully and Kyla monitored Shannon's progress, their movements spare, efficient, unhurried. In a corner of the room, Lita sat serenely, waiting for her part in the ritual once the child was born. Even Shannon seemed more in control. Where earlier the contractions had made her powerless and anxious, now she seemed to be surfing over the crests of pain, to grab a few precious seconds of rest before meeting the next wave. And next to her, Walter - cupping her hand serenely, whispering the occasional word of praise or encouragement... and somehow creating the air of calm that permeated the room and its occupants. He dropped his arms tiredly as his chant closed, feeling the serenity wrap around him like a security blanket. He felt a tugging on his sleeve, and looked down into the face of his bondmate. //You were miles away. Everything all right?\\ //Can you feel it, Scully?\\ he asked, a gentle smile on his face. She nodded. //It's like all the pain and fear has been replaced, the tension notched down.... Is that you?\\ He shook his head wonderingly. //It's Walter.\\ //Walter! But how-\\ //Priests and priestesses are empathic, Scully. *He's* doing it. I don't know how, I doubt if even he could explain how at this point. But the power has been growing in him since he got here. Incredible, isn't it?"\\ he mindspoke warmly. For some reason, he felt absurdly proud of his boss. //Well, it's certainly having positive effects on Shannon. The state of relaxation he's induced will speed things up considerably. Can you move to the head of the bed? Kyla and I want to check her.\\ He nodded and moved to stand next to Skinner. He leaned over and kissed Shannon's forehead as she breathed deeply at the end of another contraction. Drowsily, she smiled up at him. "Hi. How am I doing, Taabsut?" "You're doing great," he answered, his throat tight. "And you're making me so proud." He flashed a look of reassurance over at Andalor, then moved his focus to Skinner. Warm, placid brown eyes gazed back. "And she's not the only one who's making me proud." A slight twitch of his lips was the sole sign Walter had heard, then he turned back to concentrate on the girl. Scully glanced up over the mound of bedclothes on Shannon's knees. "I don't know what other chants you have, Mulder, but you'd better get cracking. We've got a baby coming, and fast." End of Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Lita brought a tray over to the bedside. On it were a stack of folded cloths, an ornamental knife and a couple of lengths of silk embroidery floss. She stood near the Healers, patiently holding it. Mulder once more opened his arms and chanted in Old Realm, as in the background he heard Kyla's and Scully's instructions. He let his eidetic memory continue on autopilot, chanting the unfamiliar Old Realm rite, as he watched Skinner and Andalor support Shannon's back as she sat up and pushed with all her might. She sank back against them, panting until the next wave hit, then once more leaned into the contraction. His chant ended just as Scully called out, "Here we go! Two more like that, Shannon, and you'll have your baby." The girl smiled for a moment, then a look of intense concentration crossed her face and Skinner and Andalor pushed her upright once more. There was a flurry of activity from the Healers at the end of the bed, and Lita spread a thick white cloth over Shannon's abdomen and chest. As the girl relaxed against the men, Mulder wiped her perspiring face with surprisingly steady hands. Seconds later, she was sitting up again, her face contorted with effort. There was a squawl from the end of the bed, and another burst of activity from the fully-involved Healers. A few seconds later, Kyla was laying a kicking, writhing, red-faced little form on the thick cloth on Shannon's chest. "Say hello to your son," she said, smiling, to the King and Queen. Mulder blinked back tears of relief and gratitude. He began the most important portion of the ceremony, chanting in a voice thick with emotion. Dimly, he was aware of Shannon and Andalor, cooing over their child, counting fingers and toes like new parents anywhere. He was aware of Skinner sinking into a chair, exhausted. And of Lita's wide-eyed stare at the child. Almost automatically, with rock-steady hands he picked up the knife from the tray, still chanting as Scully and Kyla tied off the umbilical cord in two places and held it steady. With a quick motion of the razor-sharp knife between the ties, the cord was severed and Mulder's melodious chant wound to a close. He was exhausted, he suddenly realized, and would have headed for the nearest chair, but he remembered that Walter had to be substitute priestess. He picked up Ballorca's Book of Ritual from the small table on which he had set it. Intending to spoon- feed it to Walter, he was bringing it over to the Warrior Priest when he suddenly stopped, his mouth gaping in astonishment. Walter stood, arms raised and eyes closed, chanting in a rich bass in Old Realm - *perfect* Old Realm. Mulder's eyes fell to the page in Ballorca's book, reading along as Skinner chanted, never missing a word, a single syllable of the age-old prayer. A prayer he had never seen before - in a language he didn't speak. "Jesus!" he whispered hoarsely. His bondmate's surprise didn't even come close to his own. //Did he practice that? He must be a quick study, he's doing great,\\ she mindspoke appraisingly. //Scully, I don't know if you're going to believe this.... He's never seen that prayer before, never heard it. We didn't even know he was going to have to do it until ten seconds before we walked through the door. And he hasn't missed a beat - he's been letter- perfect!\\ He sensed her astonishment as the prayer closed and the others in the room began going about their duties again. Andalor fussed over Shannon, while Kyla delivered and examined the placenta, and then gently bathed the Queen. Walter sat sprawled in an armchair, his eyes closed, his hands trembling slightly. Lita had taken the child to give him his first bath. The squawls of the aggrieved infant made it clear he was not enjoying the experience. Moments later, a cleaner and happier baby, swaddled in soft, warm blankets, was placed in his mother's arms. //Do you see what I see?\\ Mulder asked his Companion. Apparently there was no be no end to the surprises today. Eyes fixed on the child, she nodded mutely. Kyla assisted Shannon to maneuver the baby to her breast, where it began nursing vigorously. The new mother's look of delight was replaced moments later by startled concern. Chuckling, Kyla slipped a thick cloth under the Queen's nightdress. "Just press your nipple," she whispered. "The leaking will stop." Shannon glanced gratefully up at the Healer. "Thanks. I'm kind of new at this," she said shyly. "You did fantastically, Your Majesty. And you have a beautiful, healthy son." Lita cleared her throat and everyone in the room focused their attention on her. Her part of the ceremony had begun. It was less formal, with no set speech. "Normally at this time, I would perform an aura reading," she announced. "While newborns rarely have an aura, and aura reading is not generally done for ones so young for that reason, an exception is made for newly-arrived Royals, in accordance with our traditions." Her eyes swept the assembly. "There is no need for me to go through the motions of setting up the black and white fields necessary for a reading. The aura-sensitive among you already know. Mage Mulder, Warrior Healer Scully, and I believe Warrior Priest Skinner have already seen it." She glanced at Skinner and received a quick nod in confirmation. "An aura of this magnitude, this clarity and quality is almost unheard of in a child this young. King Andalor, Queen Shannon... I can say without a shadow of a doubt... your son possesses the potential for incredible Mage talent." The proud parents gasped. Although both were aura-sensitive to a degree, in their excitement they simply hadn't noticed. "The return of the Mage Kings," Andalor murmured, awed. He gazed down at his wife, who was drowsily stroking their son's soft dark hair. "Thank you, Lita, thank you Healers, Mage Mulder, Warrior Priest Skinner. You have all done a service today to the Realm, and a personal service to Shannon and myself. It won't be forgotten, my friends. But now... if you don't mind...." Kyla smiled. "...you'd like to be alone for a while with your wife and son. Very understandable, Your Majesty. Healer Scully and I will be in the reception room. We will need to check Her Majesty and the Prince frequently for the next several candlemarks." "Thank you, Healer Kyla. We'd like just a few moments alone. Mage Mulder, if you will please tell Ballorca our news so that he may send out the runners...." "Of course, Andalor." Mulder saw that once again, the young king's concentration was wholly focused on his wife and child. They all withdrew to the reception room, where an anxious Ballorca and Hannu were pacing. Smiling, Mulder strode up to Hannu and offered his hand. "Congratulations, Granddad. You have a grandson." The Mage exhaled and a smile lit his normally dark features. "Shannon?" "Shannon is radiant. She did a wonderful job. And apparently your grandson is a chip off the old block." In answer to Hannu's questioning look, he replied with a twinkle in his eye, "Mage talent. The kid's loaded with it." Hannu chuckled. "A mixed blessing, at best. Wait until Reinald hears we have another student." Ballorca danced impatiently at Mulder's elbow. "A boy - a Royal Heir! The child - is he strong? And the Ritual - it was observed? Everything? The prayer?" "The child is strong - fat and sassy. And everything was done, Ballorca. Everything went surprisingly well - perfect, in fact." The words were meant for the Minister of Protocol, but no less for Walter, fixed in Mulder's gaze. "Thank you, Mage Mulder. Oh, thank you. Forgive me if I was rude before, but I -" "It's all right, Minister Ballorca. I understand. But if you would please excuse us, we're quite tired." "Quite so, Mage. Well, I have runners to send out, and a Naming Day Ceremony to plan. Our subjects must know of this glorious news!" Mulder nodded, smiling. Lita had departed for the kitchens some minutes before. No doubt, runners would be superfluous. Lita would have already seen to it that the news spread quickly enough. They said their farewells to Hannu and made their way slowly back to their passageway. Outside, the sun was just rising over frosted fields. Now that the excitement of the night was over, both men felt the drag of exhaustion relentlessly pulling at them. As they arrived at Mulder's room, they met Tilfo coming from the opposite direction, bearing a large tray. "Lita asked me to bring you breakfast. She said you'd been up most of the night and would need a good meal... with nighttime tea. She assumed you would want to retire after you dine." Mulder looked questioningly at Walter. "I could eat," admitted the Warrior Priest, and Mulder opened the door for the troll servant. They settled comfortably by the fire and let Tilfo bring them trays. They ate in silence. When they were finished and sipping their tea, finally Walter spoke. "What's happening to me, Mulder?" he asked bleakly. "I don't know Old Realm, I don't know shit from shinola about the rituals and religion of this place. How the hell did I know what to say, what to do? I'm losing myself, Mulder. I'm not me anymore." Mulder thought for a moment before responding, knowing he owed the man the truth rather than meaningless platitudes. "Scully felt the same way, and to a lesser extent, so did I. I can't tell you how to deal with it, Walter, I wouldn't presume to. But I can tell you how Scully and I did. I accepted it more easily, but Scully had real problems, as you can imagine. Here she is, her whole career, her whole life based on scientific principles and laws, and all of a sudden she's thrust into a place where magic and psychic healing are the norm. Not only that, but where, in total defiance of all that's logical, psychic healing is effective *and* her aura shows she's expected to practice it. I was worried about her, Walter - very worried. It really looked for a while like she was going to crack up." "Then how did she come to terms with it?" Skinner added dryly, "Presumptuous or not, I'll take any tips you can give me at this point. I don't think I'm that far from cracking myself." He shrugged. "Part of it may have been that we had very little choice. We weren't sure for a long time that we *could* get back to our world. We were faced with trying to make the best of it, so it was only logical to accept it." He chuckled suddenly. "The logic appealed to Scully, as you can imagine. Another part of it was that she saw how well psychic healing worked, proved it to herself. That was clear evidence, something that she could grab onto, to anchor her. We also had come here at a time of great peril for the Realm, literally a war for its survival. Healers were needed badly. The carnage was... indescribable...." He pulled himself back from his memories of those dark days to gaze at his friend. "Scully's natural instinct is to want to make the hurt go away, by whatever means at her disposal. God knows she had enough opportunity during that war." Mulder paused for a moment, then slowly continued. "I can't tell you what to do, Walter. All I can say is that you *are* the same person you were in our world. Your gifts won't change what makes you *you*. They're just an added bonus. Something that was always there, beneath the surface. Think about it - over the past two years, have you noticed any huge changes in Scully or myself?" "Actually, yes," he replied. "You've been happier. Maybe less frustrated. Even more of a team, a stronger partnership. And of course there's that communication thing that you do." Mulder nodded. "We'll get to that later - I haven't forgotten my promise. But, any essential differences? Acting completely out of character for the people you know as Mulder and Scully?" "Tough to tell, in your case," Walter replied dryly. He sighed. "No, not really. You both do exactly what I'd expect. Not what I'd want, necessarily, but what I'd expect. You're still you. All right, point taken." He hesitated. "Do you - do you use magic in our world?" Mulder made an equivocal gesture. "But it's harder. Much harder. Some things work, others don't. Same thing with Scully's psychic healing. Some things she can heal, others she can't. But it takes much more effort, much more energy and concentration than it does here. Try to think of your gifts as latent talents, Walter. Lying dormant until activated by coming here. They existed in our world - you just didn't know how to recognize them." "Oh, come on, Mulder," he replied, shaking his head, a small incredulous smile on his lips. "Did I ever strike you as priestly in our world?" His eyes twinkled. "To be honest, no. You always seemed more like Scully's descriptions of Sister Mary Agnes, her old nemesis from parochial school." Skinner chuckled, but quickly sobered. "So you don't see any big change in me, then?" "I wouldn't say that, I do see changes.... I see growth, and fulfillment, and even peace, from time to time. All pluses. But essentially? No - you're you. In spite of our differences at times, Walter, I have always respected you - your experience, your sense of honor and integrity. None of that has changed." He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his thighs, his hands folded loosely between his knees. "Walter - can you honestly say you wouldn't welcome the sense of calm and serenity that you created for all of us tonight? That the ability to create such a mood wouldn't be a wonderful gift?" "No... no, I can't say that." He fell silent, lost in his own thoughts. Out in the courtyard below, they heard cheering as word of the Heir's birth spread. Skinner shook himself out of his funk. "All right, what about you and Scully, your communication? She didn't seem to want to talk about it." "Well, it's an intensely personal thing... but I don't mind sharing it with you, Walter. Uh... that was difficult, probably moreso for me than for her." Mulder sat back and stretched his feet closer to the fire. "We're lifebonded - fated, if you like, to be together. Seemingly unknown in our world, and rare enough in this one. It scared the shit out of me, to tell you the truth. But it explained so much, Walter. You know how I was after Scully had been abducted?" Skinner nodded, his eyes downcast. "I was watching you come apart before my eyes. I thought you'd eat a bullet, Mulder, I really did. It was horrible." "Very perceptive of you. Yeah. I came close - very close. And it wasn't just Spooky Mulder being spooky. It was more than that. When two people are lifebonded, they...." He sighed. "Singly, each is less than a full person. Only by being with the other are they a whole. I was looking at not only the loss of Scully, but at the loss of the better part of myself as well. I didn't know that at the time, it was well before we first came here. But when we got here and all this was finally explained to me, everything fell into place. And God... I almost lost it. Faced with what the loss of Scully would mean to me. Confirmation of what I had always felt. You see, the downside of being lifebonded is that, so close is the bond, the death of one usually means the death of the other. Not just emotionally, but physically as well." "Christ...." Skinner felt the words as a physical blow. The thought that some day, he might have to bear the loss of not one but both of his agents - now, his friends. He glanced up, and saw Mulder's grim features. Quickly he shook off his feelings of loss, afraid that he might have unintentionally been passing them on as he had his serenity earlier. "So how did you resolve it?" Mulder smiled tightly. "Just made up my mind that the benefits outweighed the potential dangers. We found we were telepathic - that was one of the things that tipped us off to the existence of the lifebond. It was only after we acknowledged it that we were taught how to consciously drop a shield in order *not* to have the other in our minds." "That means you can tell where Scully is, what she's doing? Right now?" Mulder closed his eyes for a second. "She's on her way to Kyla's, to bring some herbs back for a potion for Shannon. She's feeling happy, but very tired. She's thinking of- " He smiled crookedly and broke off. "Well, I guess you really don't need to know what she's thinking." "Incredible," Walter said, fascinated. "And you can do this in our world?" "Yeah. Much better than I can do magic or Scully can do healing." "So that's when, uh...." "So that's when our physical relationship started, yes." Mulder met his superior's eyes squarely. "And that won't change, Walter, now that you know. It's non-negotiable. We've been discreet, and - " He waved his hand dismissively. "I know that, Mulder. And I appreciate your discretion. I can't say I didn't suspect something was going on. A partnership like yours - that closeness - is pretty rare. But that's your's and Scully's business. Lifebond or not, I wouldn't intrude. It's none of my business." But it seemed to remind him of something that was very much his business. He paused, evidently having difficulty finding the right words for what he wanted to say. "Um... in our world... priests... priests are celibate, Mulder...." He let the unspoken question hang in the air. Mulder noted his friend's discomfiture. "And you want to know about Realm Priests? I'm not sure. I guess I always assumed that they were celibate, but I don't know for certain." He noted Walter's downcast expression and bit back the question he was about to ask. Instead, he commented, "Then again, very few Realm rules seem to apply to those of us who come from our world. There seem to be certain differences for us, maybe because we haven't been brought up in this culture and received the usual training. Or maybe it's a factor of our physical differences, I don't know. Take Mages, for example. Not only has a Mage never been in a lifebond, but they never have sexual relationships, and rarely form even close platonic ones." He shrugged. "I'm living proof that that isn't always true. Besides, you're both a Warrior *and* a Priest, which is unique. And warriors sure as hell aren't celibate. So I wouldn't automatically assume you're off the Realm's 'Most Eligible Bachelors List' yet." Skinner smiled, but avoided Mulder's eyes. "Just a hypothetical question, Mulder. That's all." Then he yawned enormously. "God, I'm exhausted. I think I'll hit the sack." He rose and started for the door, followed by his friend. "Walter...." Mulder's tone was hesitant, his clear hazel eyes soft with emotion. "Thank you for tonight. I know it's hard for you - being here, coming to terms with everything, accepting all the differences... accepting your gifts. But if it's any comfort to you, if it makes it any easier to accept them - tonight would have been a lot tougher on all of us, especially Shannon, if it hadn't been for you. You were our anchor in there. I would have come apart at the seams, Shannon would have been terrified and her labor would have been longer and more painful if you hadn't been there.... If you hadn't used your talents to the benefit of all of us. For that, I'll be forever in your debt." A look of intense curiosity crossed his face. "I've been meaning to ask you - how the hell did you know that Old Realm prayer you chanted? I was all ready to read it to you and have you parrot it back. That way we would have had the bases covered and Ballorca wouldn't pitch a fit. I was stunned when you stood up and started chanting. Do you realize you nailed it? You got everything one hundred percent right, including the pronunciation of some of the tougher Old Realm vowel combinations. How the hell did you pull it off?" Skinner shook his head tiredly. "I wish that I could take credit, Mulder, I really do. But the truth of the matter is, I didn't make a conscious effort to do it. It just... happened. That's what bothers me...." Mulder watched as the door to Skinner's room clicked shut. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In a room dimly lit by a spent fire and a single flickering candle, three men sat at a table, their heads together, their voices hushed. They were dressed in the colors of one of the Noble Houses. Their heads shot up as the door opened and the newcomer joined them. "The Realm has an Heir," he announced grimly, taking a seat. "A healthy boy." "So the boy King and his outworlder whore have managed to reproduce, at long last.... You're sure - that the child is healthy, not defective?" "Robustly so, Milord. My sources are impeccable." "Impeccable, perhaps. But unfortunately, not effective enough to be sure that the Queen consumed our little potion in her food," the noble sneered. "The potion that would have guaranteed that the child, even if she had been able to carry it to term, would have been deformed, an imbecile unable to ascend the throne." "The potion worked twice, Milord. But the incorruptible Dorbo has been preparing all their food and drink personally since she lost the second child. The King is not stupid. He has not been fussing over her like a nursemaid for no reason. He has had his suspicions." There was a tense silence. "And do you feel he knows the source of the tragic misfortune he and his whore-wife have suffered in the past?" "No. Not specifically. He suspects the Houses, of course, all except his precious Ranfaus. But he has no proof, and does not know where to point the finger." The tall, austere noble nodded. "Very well, then. A healthy Heir has been born.... And we know what we must do now...." End of Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve I slept - or tried to - a good part of the remainder of that day. As I tossed and turned, trying to get my new-found talents out of my head, I heard Scully come back from the Royal couple's suite. I hoped that meant that Kyla, too, was getting some rest. I had to see her for a treatment at some point. I was hoping I'd get the chance - and the balls - to ask her if I was mistaking her interest in me as a patient for something more personal. Thoughts in that line were no more restful, but eventually pure exhaustion weighted my eyelids and I slept. It was dusk when I awoke. Hastily, I pulled on my boots, shirt and cloak and found my way to Kyla's cottage. She responded immediately to my knock. "Come!" I ducked under the low lintel to find her sitting by the hearth. She turned towards the doorway and smiled when she saw me. "Walter! I was hoping you'd be along." On the way over, I had been debating with myself whether to bring up what I thought might be our mutual attraction. Well, to be honest, I was bailing out and trying to justify it. But the warmth and genuine pleasure in her welcome gave me renewed courage. "Hello, Kyla. Were you able to get some rest?" All right, kind of a lame beginning, but it beat talking about the weather. Hell, it had been nearly twenty years since I had had to practice my social skills on anyone but the brass at the Bureau, and those were a completely different set of skills. "Yes, thank you, I was able to sleep for a few candlemarks." She busied herself making the obligatory tea while she talked. "Actually, I've just returned from seeing Her Majesty. Everything is still going perfectly." "I'm glad to hear that." She handed me a thick earthenware mug. "Please sit down," she said, laughing. "You'll injure your neck, stooping under the beams like that." When I had taken a seat, she continued, "What brings you here, Walter - business or pleasure?" "Both, I hope." With any luck, she would think the flush rising from my neck to my cheeks was from the warmth of the fire, crackling comfortably in the hearth. "Ah, yes. We had a treatment to do - your last, I'm afr- ... I'm thinking." Quickly, she turned back to the fireplace to brew her herbs. I guess she thought it would cover her slip, but I was finding there was some advantage to my growing empathy. While I couldn't read her mind, I could certainly feel her emotions, and they were as tumultuous as a teenager's at her first high school dance. I drank the herbal brew without my usual grumbling. "May I enter your body as a Healer, Walter," she requested, and I nodded. I had none of the misgivings I had had on my first visit. I relaxed completely. Let her see what was in my mind - that way I wouldn't mess it up by trying to put it into words. Her hands were soft upon my head and chest. There was the fragrance of fresh flowers, and Spring breezes, and then I was floating.... When I finally became aware of my surroundings again, she was once more gazing dreamily into the fire. I think she knew I was 'back', but neither of us said anything for some time. Then, we both opened our mouths to speak at the same time. I chuckled. "Ladies first." She smiled nervously, then taking refuge in her profession, composed herself. "You are completely healed. You will not require any further healing treatments." She hesitated, and avoiding my eyes, went on awkwardly, "But I... I hope you do not feel you must require healing treatments to come and see me." I paused, then gambled. "I think you know I what feel, Kyla." She blushed. She was a beautiful creature, sitting there in the firelight. Her hair was in a single thick braid, the light from the hearth turning it into a red-gold meteor blazing down her back. Her midnight-blue eyes sparkled in a flawlessly creamy complexion. I was so enchanted, I was startled when she spoke. "I could not help but.... I mean, I did not intrude, or pry. But your feelings were quite... open." My heart thudded in my chest. "I intended them to be. And your reaction?" I asked, letting the question hang in the air. Her lips twitched mischievously. "I think you know my reaction, Walter." I reached for her hand and took it in mine. God, it was so small and delicate that once more I was filled with misgivings. "Those are my feelings, Kyla. I can't deny or ignore them any longer. But that doesn't mean there aren't problems." She tensed, but only a little. "What problems?" I got up to pace. After getting a splinter in my scalp from the low beams overhead, I thought better of it and sat down again. "To start with there's this priest business. I don't know what that means here, but in my world it means that I have no right to what I feel for you - much less the right to act on it." She considered the question seriously. "It's not the custom, that is certain. But you are not from here, and you are also a Warrior. Perhaps...?" I shrugged. "That's what Mulder said. But that's only one of the problems. There's also the age difference." "Age difference?" she repeated in a completely different tone, as if she really didn't have a clue what I was talking about. I grasped her hand again. "Kyla, you know that I am very attracted to you. But I'm old enough to be your father." I was dumbfounded when she burst out laughing. "What? What's funny?" "I take it you haven't had much of an opportunity to speak with Professor Neumann." "No," I admitted. "But what does that have to do with it?" "I don't understand all of it myself. But he says time is different here. The span of our lives is different." Intrigued, I asked, "In what way?" "Well, for example - how old would you say Reinald is?" I shrugged. "I don't know. Sixty, sixty-five maybe." She laughed again. "Reinald didn't even arrive in Fairwoods until he was well past sixty. We don't keep much track of such things here, Walter, because they really have no meaning. But I would guess Reinald's age is three times that." "A hundred and eighty...." I breathed. "But.... Then how old are y- " Thankfully, the rudeness of my question brought me out of my state of shock and I bit off the remainder. "Let us say only that the age difference is not as much of a problem as you might have thought," she replied coyly. "As for the other - the Royal Priestess will be back by early tomorrow for the Naming Day Ceremony. You could consult with her to have your questions answered. But... well, you might think me very forward...." "Go on, Kyla - please." She took a deep breath and continued. "You will know what is right in your heart, Walter. If... such a thing... were not to be permitted you, I do not believe the Goddess would allow you to feel what you do." I stroked her hand as I thought about that. I didn't know the religion in the Realm from a hole in the ground. While I hoped with all my heart what she said was true, I couldn't discount that our feelings might be overriding our judgment. Her left hand grasped mine, and her right stroked the side of my face. "Listen to your heart, and speak to the Royal Priestess. And if your feelings are unchanged, perhaps, after the Naming Day ceremony tomorrow...." I stood to leave, still holding her hand. Bending low, I brought it to my lips and kissed it. "If I listen to my heart, Kyla, my feelings won't change," I said, softly but firmly. She smiled and a wave of love hit me like a Mack truck. "Tomorrow, then." When I could speak again, I repeated "Tomorrow," and got out of there before I lost control of myself. This time, I completed seven circuits of the castle grounds before I was fit to go inside. I noticed the steady streams of every sort of being coming through the portcullis. Everyone within a day's travel would be here by tomorrow for the Naming Day ceremony. Already, the inns were full and the stables nearly so. Finally, the chilly wind and hunger drove me inside. As I passed through the archway to my floor, I saw Mulder standing in front of my door. "Oh, there you are! Would you like to join us for supper? Lita has everything laid out in our room." "Yeah - thanks." He surveyed me inquisitively. "Been to Kyla's?" "Yes." My 'Let's drop this subject vibes' were out in full force. Evidently they were communicated to Mulder, because he merely smiled and stepped back to allow me to precede him into his room. I think he also let Scully know via their link that it was not a topic for discussion - she watched me with a mix of frustrated curiosity and sympathy. "Come and sit, Walter. Looks like some sort of gamebirds for dinner." They smelled delicious. I suddenly realized just how hungry I was. I helped myself to the poultry, unfamiliar vegetables and bread. It was a pleasant meal, making small talk as we ate and rather conspicuously avoiding the subject of Kyla, priestly talents and other indigestible topics. When we had finished, we moved over and sat in the armchairs by the fire. "This is when I really miss coffee," Mulder commented, "but I have compensated somewhat." He handed around pewter goblets. An aromatic, dark red liquid shimmered inside, tasting like a fine aged port. "Reinald would probably have a fit if he knew - Mages aren't supposed to drink - but it's been a hell of a day and I feel like celebrating." We toasted the young Heir's birth. Then I said, "Speaking of Reinald, did you know he's something in the neighborhood of a hundred eighty years old?" "I didn't, but I'm not surprised," Scully replied. "Corvay was reputedly several hundred season-cycles old when he died." "Jesus, just when I think I'm getting used to things here..." "And you don't even want to guess at how old Hannu is, in that case. Well, we'll tell you a bedtime story to take your mind off it, how's that?" Mulder's expressive eyes glowed with amusement and warmth. "Ah! So I'm finally going to learn about the secret life of Mulder and Scully, am I?" "Part of it, anyway." He and Scully took turns recounting the story of their first experience in the Realm. Through their words and the emotions behind them which I was able to feel, they held me entranced. I got so caught up, I could almost see Mulder creating the great funeral pyre for the Wide River victims of the Dark Creatures; I imagined myself in the Great Hall during Reinald's trial; I felt like I was with Scully and Aldara, riding hell-bent for leather across the Uriin Plains. Mulder was right. I would have been overwhelmed - or just plain incredulous - hearing this before I had gotten to know the Realm a little. I was beginning to understand much better their close attachment to this place, their fierce sense of protection. And the fact that they were every bit as much a part of this world as they were my own. A knock at the door broke the spell. Scully went to answer it and admitted a bustling Ballorca. Mulder didn't quite manage to stifle a groan at their guest's entry. "Ah, Mage Mulder! I am glad I caught you in." The Minister of Protocol stood expectantly, his beady dark eyes shifting from Mulder to Scully and back again. Resignedly, she began making tea. Mug in hand, he ensconced himself in Scully's armchair. "As you know, tomorrow is the Naming Day Ceremony, and as Royal Taabsut, you will of course be expected to take part in the ritual. Now, I have here your part, all copied out...." He withdrew a thick roll of parchment from his tunic. "If you'll excuse me, Minister Ballorca. Since your business is with Mage Mulder, I'll just be on my way," I said, rising. Mulder gave me a look like I was abandoning him to the Inquisition. Chuckling, I said, "Thank you for dinner. I'll see you two in the morning." "The ceremony starts at midday," Ballorca called out to me. "As the priest who officiated at the Royal Birth, you will take your place in the seats immediately in front of the dais with Mage Hannu, the Healers and Lita. Please be prompt!" I nodded and made my escape. So I was to be in the front row with the Healers.... There would be some compensation, then, I thought cheerfully. ~ ~ ~ The next morning I awoke to Lita bustling around in my sun- striped chamber. I slid out of bed clad just in my shorts. Lita handed me a mug of tea, and then draped my robe over my shoulders, though she had to stand on a chair to do it. A quick squint at the position of the sun told me I had slept far later than I had intended. "Just two candlemarks until the ceremony, Warrior Priest. Just enough time for breakfast and bath. I'm going to let you get dressed on your own today, if that's all right. As aura reader for the little Prince, I will be sitting up front, and I have to get dressed myself. My, Ballorca did fuss when he realized a new Priest robe would be needed for the ceremony - they've never had a big one like you do the honors before. But the Royal Seamstresses came through again! Quickest needles in the Realm," she declared proudly. She chattered on about the coming ceremony. I didn't bother to try to get a word in edgewise. - I doubt she would have noticed, anyway. I ate while she went on about the Prince, who would be wearing what and sitting with whom and all the rest of the gossip gathered from the four corners of the castle. After my bath, she left me on my own. I was grateful for the sudden silence after the avalanche of words. I pulled on tight black leather breeches, reminding myself I'd have to keep a firm rein on my thoughts as I did so. A loose white linen shirt came next, so fine and delicate it felt like silk gliding over my skin. Then I tugged on high black leather boots, polished to a mirror-like shine. Then the cloak. The Royal Seamstresses deserved a raise. Of softest wool, the cloak was light but warm, with a wide border of heavy green satin and intricately-worked embroidery in a garden of colors. I fastened the ornate silver clasp at my throat. After jotting down a brief note to Mulder in case he came looking for me, I went off to find the Royal Priestess. I suppose I should have remembered to ask Lita where I might have been able to find her. After a lot of fruitless running around the castle, I gave up and walked over to the Great Hall where everyone was lining up for the procession - that is, everyone who wasn't already inside. I asked around, and eventually the Royal Priestess was pointed out to me, standing in a crowd of humans and other beings. "Warrior Priest Skinner, I'm glad I'm getting the chance to meet you at last." She radiated serenity. It was a good thing - my errand was nerve-wracking enough, but I had been thrown a curve. For some reason, I had been expecting the Royal Priestess to be an elf or something. The smallish, elderly human before me made me even more uncomfortable about what I needed to ask her. It was like discussing my sex life with a nun.... "Is it possible to speak to you for a moment? Someplace private?" "Of course." She indicated a small cottage across the cobblestones from the Hall. It was a tavern, deserted now for the ceremony. We slid onto benches polished by use. Now that I was here, I didn't know how to begin. Fortunately, I didn't have to. "I sense your disquiet, Warrior Priest. I have heard your strange story from none other than the King himself, and know you must have many questions. How can I help you?" "Royal Priestess... you're right when you say I have many questions. I was... unprepared... for the discovery of this particular gift. I know nothing about your faith, and I have no wish to dishonor it through any ignorance on my part." "But you are wondering about our traditions," she completed smoothly, and smiled. "I wish I could tell you. Oh, our traditions are simple, there is no problem there. But your combination of gifts is unique amongst us. And not just your particular combination, but any. Rarely, a being in the Realm may be gifted doubly, like Warrior Healer Scully. But priests and priestesses have always been simply that - servants of the Goddess. As much as I would like to ease your mind, Walter, I am afraid I cannot. I have little idea how your being a warrior impacts your priesthood, or how your being a priest will affect your conduct as a warrior. The only advice I can give you is that the Goddess will reveal what you seek. Listen with your heart and not your ears, and her message will be clear." What was clear was that I wasn't going to get the concrete answer I sought. Disappointed, I accompanied the Royal Priestess back across the courtyard and we looked for our places in the crowd. My agents were among the last to arrive, Mulder hurriedly tucking in his shirt and Scully buckling the golden belt carrying her dagger. Mulder and the Priestess were hustled off to an anteroom just inside the hall by a frantic Ballorca as the trumpets began to blare. "We, uh...overslept." Scully's explanation was shouted over the fanfare, as she searched for her place in line. Uh-huh. I worked my way through the queue so I was standing between Scully and Kyla. They looked beautiful. Kyla wore a beige linen sheath below a chocolate-colored cloak, decorated with delicately embroidered leaves and flowers. Her hair was bound in a golden knot at the nape of her neck. It was simple and stunning. Scully, too, was lovely in a leaf-green sheath that perfectly set off her hair and skin, and the cloak of her unique double status. Seeing her like this, it was hard to picture her as ever belonging in a suit and heels. Kyla reached out to give my hand a reassuring squeeze. Then the line began to move into the Great Hall. We processed through a short, wide narthex area which had several doors off to the side, evidently anterooms of some kind. Then we moved through immense double doors and into the heart of the Great Hall. From what Mulder had told me, the original hall had been destroyed the last time they were here, but the replacement was certainly impressive. The building took on the appearance of an enormous, banner-bedecked amphitheater with a small raised dais in the center. Chairs, for the moment empty, were set in concentric circles around the dais on the floor level for a radius of perhaps a hundred feet. Then tier upon tier of benches rose to the buttressed ceiling. It was a marvel, and I guessed that both magic and Professor Neumann must have been involved in its construction. Here and there, I could have sworn I saw the influence of Saarinen and Pei. My eyes drifted to the crowd in the stands. The benches teemed with every imaginable kind and color of being. I saw creatures even Steven Spielburg hadn't thought of. As we processed along the wide central aisle, I became increasingly self-conscious, as those of us at the head of the line seemed to be drawing a lot of pointing and whispering from the throng. While I hoped much of it was directed at Scully, one of the Heroes of the Realm, I had a feeling that the unique talents signified by my cloak might also have been an attention-grabber. I followed Kyla to a single short arc of chairs right in front of the dais. I sat, nodding to Jourdain, Aldara, Daanna, Reinald, Lita and Mage Hannu, who joined us in the VIP seats. "This is incredible." I whispered to Scully, on my left. She grinned. "Take your time checking everything out, Walter. You've never been to a Realm ritual, but they go on for hours and hours. Believe me, you'll have plenty of time to see everything." I think it took the better part of an hour just to get everyone inside. The procession of dazzlingly-attired nobles and representatives from all parts of the Realm and beyond seemed neverending, broken only by occasional shoving matches between nobles jockeying for a better seat. At last the final being took his seat and the processional music stopped. After a few moments, a new fanfare was started and everyone got to their feet. Cheers rang out as the young King, his lovely Queen on his arm, walked down the center aisle. The affection for the pair was palpable from their subjects in the stands, and it was returned by the Royal Couple, who waved and smiled and even stopped to exchange greetings with some, much to Ballorca's displeasure. But the love and approval were not unanimous, especially among the nobles seated on the floor level. I felt the animosity very clearly, and from the Royal Priestess's occasional frown, she did as well. The final member of the quartet was a very uncomfortable-looking Mulder. The enormous double doors leading to the narthex were closed behind them. The quartet eventually reached and climbed the steps up to the dais and took their places in front of huge, elaborately carved chairs. They remained standing as the Priestess stepped forward and began to chant. I guess she was speaking Old Realm. In spite of my miraculous linguistic ability at the Heir's birth, I didn't understand a word of it now. Scully wasn't kidding, either. It seemed to go on forever, and I was as restless as a three year old in church by the time she wound to a close. The Royal Couple sat, and at last we were able to do the same. What followed was a kind of antiphon, as the four on the dais chanted and the nobles and priests chanted back. "When the hell does everyone learn all this stuff?" I muttered to Kyla. She smiled. "The nobles have little else to occupy their time, other than to learn the rituals and hatch plots." My hand reached for hers under the protection of our cloaks. Suddenly, I didn't give a damn if the ceremony went on all night, as long as I could be beside her. Then it was Mulder's turn. There was a murmur of approval from the beings in the stands as he stood and began his chant. Scully leaned towards me. "We couldn't make it here for the wedding and it didn't go down well. Rituals and traditions are tremendously important here - the Realm derives its stability from them. Ballorca may be a pain in the ass, but his function is a critical one. I think everyone's just relieved that the Royal Taabsut showed up this time. It's a good omen." I was to remember that particular little bit of irony later. "Good thing he has an eidetic memory," I whispered back. She nodded, her eyes on her bondmate. "The tough part is that he has to read it in order to remember it. He was up half the night trying to decipher Ballorca's scrawl. Even then, he had to guess at a few words. He's hoping no one will notice." If anyone did, it wasn't apparent. Half an hour or so later, Mulder sat down, his relief obvious. I gave him a subtle 'thumbs up' and his lips twitched in a brief smile. Shannon came next. She had a short - by Realm standards, anyway - chant, which she sang in a beautiful strong contralto. But she looked as relieved as Mulder had when it was over. I noticed him unobtrusively squeeze her hand as she relaxed back in her chair, and the look of gratitude she returned. Andalor stood, gesturing to the assembly to stay seated. He launched into his chant without hesitation. After another hour at least, Kyla whispered to me. "I recognize this part - it's in most of the rituals. He's reciting his lineage which gives him his right to the throne." Evidently, his forebears went back to the Flood - or whatever the equivalent was here. The ceremony had now been going on for hours. I would never again complain about the meetings I had to attend at the Bureau. They were a piece of cake, compared to this. The last rays of wintry sunlight were gone from the windows and it was almost dark by the time Andalor's now-hoarse voice came to a close. The Royal Priestess stepped to his side. Kyla smiled in anticipation. "This is the part where the new Heir is officially introduced to the Realm," she whispered excitedly. "He will be brought in by the Royal Nursemaid - just a ceremonial position for this ritual. Lady Livirnea, Their Majesties' best friend, was named to the position yesterday." I nodded. Mulder had pointed her out when we peeked in on the Professor's workroom late the day before. She was a lovely, delicate thing, with huge, clear gray eyes and pale blond hair. According to Mulder, her frail appearance was deceptive; the teenager was brilliant intellectually and her mild manner hid a strong streak of individualism rare in the Realm. "So when does the baby get his name? I thought that's what this was all about." Kyla shifted in her seat. "Not until the very end, I'm afraid. They save the best for last. It seems everyone in the Realm has at least a few silvers wagered on what his name will be, so expect a noisy reaction from the crowd when it's announced." The Priestess finally came to a stop. With that, the huge double doors to the narthex were thrown open and the trumpeters raised their instruments to their lips and began to blow another fanfare. It lasted for some minutes, but nothing else was happening and eventually they trailed off in apparent confusion. I didn't think anything of it until I noticed expressions of concern from the four on the dais. Something was definitely wrong. At the end of our row, Ballorca was looking like he was going to blow a gasket. Springing to his feet, he gestured to the trumpeters to begin the fanfare again, and waddled up the central aisle to investigate the delay himself. I don't know what any of us expected, but it sure as hell wasn't what followed. Ballorca had disappeared into one of the anterooms in the entryway of the Great Hall. Seconds later, he stumbled out, his hands and cloak stained with crimson, his face a horrified white mask. The trumpeters lowered their horns in open-mouthed astonishment. Then Ballorca began to scream. End of Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen "The Prince has been abducted!" Ballorca wailed. The Great Hall was pure pandemonium. As the throngs screamed and yelled, Hannu leapt to the dais to comfort his stricken daughter. Lita stayed with Daanna, and the rest of us from the VIP seats and the dais tore down the central aisle to the anteroom. The four members of the Honor Guard lay in pools of blood, their throats cut. There was no sign either of the Prince nor Lady Livirnea. A profusion of gory footprints stained the floor, the only clues as to who might have committed this horror. Almost automatically, we fell into our roles. Jourdain questioned those who had been seated at the back of the Hall, vainly seeking someone who had heard something, anything. Aldara took charge of clearing the Hall and preventing panic, as squads of Jourdain's best troops combed the village for the missing Heir. Mulder, Scully and I swung into action as we might have back in our world. While we scrutinized the footprints, Scully examined the bodies. From their approximate temperature and how much the blood had clotted, she determined that they had been dead at least two candlemarks - plenty of time for the kidnappers to have gotten out of the village. Mulder and I found five or six distinct sets of bootprints, not that that told us much. Most men wore boots here, and common sense told us it would have taken at least four men to overpower the guards. We reported our findings to Jourdain. "I'll send out brigades in all directions," he said grimly. He stopped, as a shell-shocked Shannon was led past, supported by Hannu and Andalor. "We'll find your son," he promised her. "We will find him, Your Majesty." Kyla touched my arm, then went with the Royal Party to give what comfort she could to the grieving mother. Mulder made a little sound in his throat - half sob, half growl. This was hitting him hard, too. "We *will* find him, Mulder," I assured him. Without making too big a deal of it, I placed my hand on his shoulder, hoping that once again, I could impart some calm. My own emotions in an uproar, I don't know whether I did or not. He was able to keep going, anyway. "Aldara and I are going to finish up here," Jourdain announced. "We will meet in Reinald's quarters as soon as possible to plan our next move." "Am I going to be a part of this?" I asked Scully, watching his retreating figure. "I'm not su- " I felt a tug on my cloak. It was Daanna. Lita was trying her best to get the child away from the blood and the bodies, but she had made a beeline for me. "You *must* come, Warrior Priest Skinner. You must be the one to help!" ~ ~ ~ All right, this was weird. I mean, the whole situation was weird, but this was the weirdest thing yet. What possible reason could the kid have for deciding *I* would be the one to help? I was just barely keeping my head above water as it was in this strange place, with its magic, its auras, my growing empathic ability - "What do you mean, poppet?" Jourdain's tone was soft yet serious as he held his daughter in his lap. We were all seated once again around Reinald's hearth. Tarnor had joined us. From what I could gather, the place seemed to beckon the tightly-knit group in times of trouble, to derive what comfort they could from being together around its warmth. "Did you have a dream?" Meaningfully, the big warrior caught the eyes of the others. "Well... not a dream, 'xactly." The little girl seemed to consider the question thoughtfully. "*They* told me." "They told you what, Daanna?" asked her mother. "Who are 'they'?" "They said a man would come, that he would help. And they are... they are... I don't know their names.... The Shiny People... all yellow and white, with big voices. They talk to me sometimes... sometimes when I'm awake and sometimes when I'm asleep. And they said a man would come and help." Reinald surveyed the child somberly. "Did you know the Prince would be taken, Daanna?" Eyes wide, she shook her head, her black curls dancing around her face. "But they said that if something bad happened, a stranger would help - a special stranger." She seemed so positive, but Christ, she couldn't have been more than eight years old. I leaned forward, closer to the child, trying to minimize the height difference as much as possible. She was tiny and I'm a big guy, and I didn't want to scare her. Then again, she was so self-possessed I don't think she would have been scared of much.... "But Daanna, Fairwoods is filled with strangers right now. A lot of beings came to see the Naming Day Ceremony. What makes you so sure they were speaking about me?" "Because you're special," she patiently replied. "No one is like you." "That is certainly true," Tarnor observed. "Both Warrior and Priest - an impossible combination." "But- " I began weakly, protesting. They couldn't be taking this kid seriously. I looked to Mulder for assistance. He just shrugged. "Don't fight it, Walter. Daanna has her own talents, and if she says that you're going to help, you can bet the farm that your presence is going to be instrumental in some way." Mulder turned to the girl's mother and said thoughtfully, "It's looking like you were right, Aldara - that there is a reason why Walter was drawn here." Grimly she nodded. She was about to speak when the door to the chamber opened and Andalor, Hannu and an older gentleman with a pronounced limp came in. Tiredly, the King waved us back into our seats as they found empty ones around the fire. "How is Shannon, Andalor?" Mulder inquired anxiously. "Kyla is with her." He dropped into a vacant armchair as if his legs couldn't have carried him another step. "She alternates between tears and vowing to impale the kidnappers on her sword. Kyla was trying to get her to sleep." "Andalor, I'm so sorry," Scully said. "Whatever we can do...." "I know." He looked up, blinking away tears that had welled in his eyes. "I know, and that is more comfort than you would believe. If anyone can get my son back unharmed, it will be the beings in this room." "And Lord Mandor - we'll get your daughter back as well," Mulder promised the old gentleman. So this was Lord Mandor. I had heard his name once or twice in passing. He laughed bitterly. "So, Mage Mulder, you obviously do not ascribe to the rumors that have been making their filthy rounds." "What rumors?" Scully asked. "It appears that the other Houses have not lost time in turning this outrage to their advantage," he replied heavily. "It's being said that Livirnea herself plotted this hideous act." "Livirnea? But why?" Scully gazed at him, open-mouthed in amazement. "Why would she do such a thing?" "Well, that depends on which rumor you hear. One has it that Livirnea never recovered from her broken betrothal to the King - that it drove her insane and she has been plotting her revenge since it happened. The other accuses me of influencing her to take the child as a way of advancing Ranfaus House." "Goddess!" spat Tarnor, disgustedly. "Surely no one with the sense of a bug would put any credence in either of the two. They're absurd!" "Mandor, I am sorry." Reinald sighed. "Unfortunately, Tarnor, there are more than a few who would believe it. The King breaking his betrothal was unprecedented and bound to invite comment and speculation. Remember, we were all privy to details the general public was not." Nor was I, but I expected Mulder to fill me in later. "...most beings have an idealized view of the Crown," the Royal Mage was saying. "It was simply beyond their comprehension that the King would not want to make what was clearly an excellent marriage to the lovely daughter of a major House, and even more impossible that Livirnea would not want to marry the King." Andalor nodded. "And as for Lord Mandor plotting against the Crown, well... it's nothing that Maalfees, Dordinal and several of the smaller Houses haven't thought of doing themselves. But nothing will make me believe that Ranfaus has turned against me." He reached out to place a reassuring pat on the older man's shoulder. "Thank you, Andalor. I'm honored by your faith in me and my House." "But someone wants to see the erosion of that support," commented Reinald grimly. "Probably several someones. And one may have knowledge of the beings that stole the Prince." "Whoever has done this will pay dearly." Andalor's words were quiet but glacier-cold, somehow much more reflective of his state of mind than if they had been heated by temper. The room was silent for several moments, the tension and worry almost palpable. I had had but brief acquaintance with these beings, yet even I had to work to maintain focus, to keep my anger under control. How much worse was it for the young parents and those who loved them? Mulder was just barely holding himself together. Not only did he care deeply for Shannon, but I was certain that the infant's abduction brought back memories of the helplessness, grief and frustration he felt when his sister was taken. And then Scully.... He got up and started pacing. "It's just so infuriating, just sitting here, doing nothing...." he said tensely. "Surely there must be something we can - " "Regrettably, there isn't," Andalor responded. "If there was, believe me, I'd be doing it." Reinald nodded. "The King is right, Mulder. We've sent runners out, troops are combing Fairwoods and the surrounding villages, searching every structure. Until we know what direction to look in.... " He shrugged tiredly and everyone was submerged in gloomy silence. I could see that he was as attached to the King as Mulder was to the Queen. Andalor's and Shannon's hell was theirs as well. "Look, there'll be a search party eventually, right? When we know what direction they went?" I asked. God, the sound of my voice in that tomb-like chamber startled even me. "Maybe if we make plans now, decide who will be in the search party, we'll be ready when the time comes." "Good idea, Walter," Scully said warmly. From the glances she had been throwing Mulder's way, I knew they had been communicating. Hell, probably her messages to him were the only things keeping him from taking off alone in typical Mulder fashion and getting into God knew what trouble. "I will go on the search," Andalor declared firmly. The Royal Mage sighed. "I could have predicted this," he murmured. Louder, he said, "I knew you would want to, Andalor. And it's just as certain that you must not." "It's my son!" the young man nearly shouted. "What kind of a father would I be if I didn't...? Besides, I want to be there when he is found, I want to know that he is safe. And," he continued darkly, leaving no doubt as to his intentions, "I want to be there when we find the sons of bitches that took him." "And that's just one of the reasons why you must *not* go," Reinald said firmly. In a gentler tone, he explained, "Look, Andalor, I know that you are sick to death of hearing this, but it makes it none the less true. You are the King. If anyone must let Realm justice play itself out, it must be you. Not to mention that there is an emergency session of the Council of Representatives tomorrow. You must remain here to preside, and show the Realm that you and the kingdom are strong and secure. And- !" he raised his voice to forestall Andalor's ready objections, "...and you must be here for Shannon. She needs you." The final argument at last made some impression, and the King collapsed back in his chair dejectedly. "All right - but only for Shannon, Reinald. Only for Shannon." The Mage nodded. "Good, Andalor, I'm glad you are being sensible. I do feel, however, that it is your right to choose the members of the search party." "Thank you for that, anyway." The King's glance ranged along the semicircle around the hearth, from one face to the next. "Mage Mulder, Warrior Healer Scully - I hate to presume upon you once again, after all you have done for the Realm, and for me personally. But would you...?" Quietly Mulder replied, "We wouldn't have it any other way, Andalor." He nodded, a sad smile on his lips. "You've brought about miracles in the past. I am relying on you to do so again." Miracles? Plural? That must have been some of what had been left on the cutting room floor from the conversations I'd heard. I made a mental note to pin Mulder and Scully down about the rest of their exploits. "But apparently we'll need help," Scully observed. "Daanna says that Walter must go with us." "Warrior Priest Skinner?" he asked with some surprise, a frown coursing over his features. He turned to me. "I am most reluctant to permit this, Walter. You were brought here by accident, and you know little of us. Certainly not enough for me to ask this of you. This mission may well be dangerous." "You don't have to ask, King Andalor. I'm volunteering." I looked over at Mulder, who shot me an approving nod and I turned back to the King. His strange violet eyes met mine and I was instantly flooded with his sorrow and fear, overwhelming me as if they were my own. I was glad I didn't have to say more; I didn't think I could force the words out around the lump in my throat. "You do the Realm a great service, Warrior Priest. Thank you," he said humbly. He turned his attention back to the others. "And who will accompany them?" "Aldara and I will. With your permission, of course, Andalor." "You have it, and with it my thanks, Captain Jourdain." "And me!" declared Tarnor, his fearsome gargoyle face set determinedly. The King nodded his appreciation. "While I would want to go, Andalor, and still will if it be your wish, I feel you might be able to use my help here," said Hannu quietly. "And I would like to be with my daughter. I have missed so much of her life, not being there when she needed me...." "I agree, Hannu. I was going to request that you stay behind. Between Mulder and Tarnor, there should be no lack of whatever Mage gifts might be necessary." "I too would prefer to go, but...." Lord Mandor gestured helplessly at his withered leg. "I fear I would only hold up the mission. And in view of the circumstances, I feel my presence is required here, to answer the inevitable accusations in the Council tomorrow." "Again, I understand and agree, Lord Mandor. You have always stood by the Crown in times of need; now the Crown will stand by you, and by your daughter." "My thanks, Your Majesty." The dignified noble was haggard with worry. I felt his torrent of emotions as well, but to a lesser extent than I had with the young King. But the force of the anguish and outrage in the room grew by the moment, threatening to overwhelm me. I struggled to control it, to find my peaceful center. Evidently that struggle must have shown in my face. "You are dealing with many new things, Warrior Priest," Reinald said, his expression thoughtful. "And if Daanna is right - and I have never known her to be wrong, however mysterious her talents - then your gifts may well make all the difference." I frowned. "That's what I'm afraid of, Royal Mage. I... I'm just learning about them myself. To have everything counting on them - the safety of the Royal Heir and Lord Mandor's daughter.... I shook my head. "I just hope I know what to do and how to do it when the time comes." "I've been thinking of that," he nodded. "That's why I have decided to ask Urielle to join the search party." "Urielle?" I asked, puzzled. "Urielle is a priestess," Mulder explained. "I've worked with her once before - remember I told you about that priestess who tried to control the mob ? She's an empath of great strength. If anyone can teach you what you need to know in the time you have to learn it, it will be Urielle." "She is a very learned and holy being," Tarnor added. "And next in line to become Royal Priestess because of it." "Yes!" Daanna piped in suddenly. She had been resting on her father's lap with a faraway look in her eyes. But now she was alert and animated. "Yes, Urielle will go." "That settles it then," Reinald said. "I'll get word for her to be ready at our call." "You can if you want," the little girl conceded complacently. "But she already knows." I wished the Realm had cameras, Reinald's expression was that noteworthy. In spite of the terrible reason we were all there, I thought Mulder was going to swallow his lips to keep from laughing out loud. The Royal Mage's eyebrows finally descended from up near his hairline. "Very well, then, Daanna - " HIs next words were lost as there was a knock on the door, and Kyla came in. My heart started to beat a little faster. She looked tired as she joined us at the hearth. "She's asleep," she said, before Andalor and Mulder could put voice to their questions. "Dorbo is with her, but she should sleep for several candlemarks. Before she drifted off, she asked me to see you, Your Majesty, to perform a healing treatment for you, to help you deal with your son's abduction." "I don't want to 'deal with it'." Andalor's tone was coldly furious, and the Healer took an inadvertant step back from him. "I don't want to deal with it and I don't want to feel better. I want to stay feeling just as I am until our son is back in his mother's arms where he belongs." "It was Her Majesty's wish - " "Then Her Majesty will not be told." His eyes scanned the group, his face set. Young though he might be, there was no doubt as to his authority. Uncharacteristically it appeared, the King was pulling rank. "As you wish, Your Majesty," Kyla said simply. "I - I didn't mean to snap," he stammered, once more the unsure young man. "But I need to hold on to my anger. I need it right now. It's the only thing keeping me going.... Can you understand that?" "I may not agree with it, Sire, but yes, I can understand it." Reinald cleared his throat. "I think it's time we all tried to get some sleep - what sleep we can, anyway. Tomorrow is going to be a very difficult day for all of us. Especially for those in the search party, your next opportunity for rest may be long in coming." "Goddess willing," said Tarnor, rising. "At least that will mean that we have some direction to go in." "Amen to that," murmured Mulder. With that, everyone began to drift back to their chambers. Mulder slowed his steps, I guess waiting for me. When he saw that I was walking with Kyla, however, he looped his arm around Scully's shoulders and they struck off down the hall. The man could be uncannily intuitive at times. "You look tired," I said to her as we strolled the chilly passageway. She laughed shortly. "Scully told me a quotation from your world - 'Physician, heal thyself'. Is that what you're implying?" She looked up at me, a teasing smile on her lips. I grinned back. "I don't know - *can* you?" "For minor ailments, yes. For major injuries and illness, usually not. And for disquiet of the mind and soul, definitely not, unfortunately." Gone was her smile. Now her anxiety and fears were hitting me like a tidal wave. "Who are you most worried about? The parents or the child?" "I'm worried about all of them." She sighed. "This child means everything to Andalor and Shannon, especially after the loss of the others. But I'm most concerned about the infant. I can only pray that whoever took him did so to demand a ransom," she said, voicing the Number One fear we all had but hadn't mentioned. God knows Mulder and Scully and myself had seen enough kidnappings by sick sons of bitches that hadn't been for financial gain, but rather for- ...no, I didn't even want to think about that. Kyla went on, "He's a strong, healthy baby, but they are so fragile when so young. I hope whoever took him is taking care of him." "I'm hoping that it's a promising sign that they took Livirnea along, possibly to care for the child. In any case, we're going out to find him tomorrow. I'll be going with the search party, Kyla. Daanna of all people says it's important that I go, that somehow I'll help to get the baby back." She nodded as if Daanna's pronouncements were standard fare. "Mage Mulder and Warrior Healer Scully are going as well?" "And Tarnor and Jourdain and Aldara. And someone named Urielle." "It may be dangerous." Her voice was uninflected, almost flat, but I could feel her anxiety notch up a level or two. Perverse as it was, I couldn't help but take heart from it that she really did care about me. "My job in my world carries a certain amount of danger, Kyla. I'm not a stranger to it." Changing the subject, I said, "I... I can feel your disquiet. Can you go to Scully for a healing treatment?" "I could... but I think she's going to have her hands full with Mage Mulder." I had to admit that she had a point. I took her hand, hoping in some small way to put her mind at rest. We walked in silence down the staircase and out the archway into the windswept courtyard. "Kyla, about tonight...." She waved dismissively, then clasped her cloak tighter around her. "I know, Walter. With this terrible act.... The time is not right. We both have duties we must attend to first." We cut across the courtyard to stroll at the base of the wall, which blocked the worst of the wind. I was depressed, and not just as a result of being on the receiving end of everyone's emotions. I sighed. "Maybe... maybe it's not meant to happen." Then I laughed humorlessly. "I don't know, I've never been a Warrior Priest before. I didn't get the rulebook...." She laid a restraining hand on my arm and we stopped for a moment. The warmth never left her dark blue eyes. "I don't believe that, Walter. I believe it *will* happen. When you have finished the task the Goddess has set for you... when you find the child. Then it will happen. I believe that, and you must as well." We began walking again along the path through the herb garden that led to her cottage. I had no idea what the Goddess might have in store, but there was no doubt Kyla believed what she was saying, and I took comfort in that. A lot of comfort. We came to the door of her cottage, both of us feeling a bit awkward. "Walter, be careful...." Suddenly, she embraced my face with both hands and leaned toward me. Her kiss, wistful and sweet, was still warm on my lips as she disappeared behind her door. ~ ~ ~ I wandered down the passageway, in no real hurry to get to my chamber. Outside, I had walked around the castle several times in an effort to put my thoughts to rest - not to mention baser urges. In the end, the cold had driven me in. My hand was on the wrought iron door latch to my chamber when Mulder's door opened and he slipped out into the hallway. He seemed calmer - evidently Healer Scully had been at work. I nodded to him and together we entered my room and went to sit by the fire. His eyes showed that concern again - like I was his fragile little brother and he was looking out for me. Maybe I should have resented it, felt patronized... I don't know. Instead, the concern I saw there, felt radiating from his essence, moved me beyond words. "Walter, are you okay with this?" I shook off the emotion with some difficulty. "Okay with taking orders from an eight year old who's just obeying the voices she hears in her head? Is that the part you mean?" I asked gruffly. I realized my words carried some sting, and I sighed. "Yes, oddly enough, I *am* okay with it. Christ knows why. Other than the feeling, of course, that I'm going to horribly disappoint a lot of people. Mulder, I don't have a clue what the hell I'm supposed to do.... How my being with the search party is going to be of any earthly help." His eyes, always so expressive, shone with an awed gravity. "Maybe that's it, Walter. Maybe it won't be 'earthly help' at all." He rose from his chair to leave. "We'll be getting up before first light. We can't wait any longer, we're losing too much time. Hopefully by then we'll have heard some news so we have an idea of where to go. Pack tonight - bedroll, warm clothes, and an extra pair of boots. Your weapons too, of course. We don't know how long we'll be out there. Lita will awaken you when breakfast is ready in our room. Try and get some sleep." Ironic advice, coming from Mr. Insomnia. He had reached the door when I called out softly, "You do the same, Mulder." He shrugged helplessly and went out the door. I stared into the fire and rejoined my whirling thoughts. ~ ~ ~ I was into my second helping of elven porridge the next morning when Lita came in. The news from all quarters was, bluntly, no news at all. It was like the kid had vanished into thin air and, given the use of magic in the Realm, I advanced my theory to Mulder. Actually, it was the first thing he and Reinald had thought of. But all the Mages - Tarnor and Hannu included - had agreed there was no telltale stench of black magic in the air. While that was a comfort in a way, it was also a source of frustration, since we were no closer to a direction now than we had been the previous night. Worse, having no word of the child's whereabouts heightened the chilling fear that we all left unvoiced - that the child had already had been killed. Neither Mulder nor Scully looked like they had slept a wink all night, and I hadn't done much better. We were sitting listlessly at the refectory table, shoving down a meal that we knew our bodies needed but had no appetite for. But Lita was animated enough for all of us. "Mage Mulder, you need to hear this." One glance at the excited elf was enough to capture his full attention. "What is it, Lita?" "Well, as you can imagine, there are hundreds of rumors flying around - some of them complete stable-droppings, as usual," she sniffed. "But I was just told something down in the kitchens that... well, it just struck me that there might be something to this one." "Sit down, Lita," Scully suggested. "Have some tea and tell us about it." "Aye, I won't say no." She took a deep swallow of the brew and continued. "I heard this from one of the vendors, a rascal named Sharmi. Now Sharmi gets around a lot, delivers vegetables to the Noble Houses as well as to the castle." She snorted. "If what I have heard is true, he delivers more than vegetables. He keeps odd hours and has a bit of a reputation. Rumor has it that he has a brisk trade going in untaxed home-brewed spirits.... Anyway, he said that all of the Noble Houses have held meetings all night - secret meetings. About the Prince's abduction. Plotting, he called it." Mulder frowned. "That's hardly news, Lita. I'm not surprised that the Houses are plotting how these events could best benefit them. Sometimes I think that's all they do. Did any one of the Houses seem more suspect than the others?" She shook her head. "If there was, he didn't mention it. Of course he has his business to protect, though I think if something had stood out - something treasonous - he would have told me. But what Sharmi did say was interesting enough. He was talking very late last night to an innkeeper in a little village west of here, and the innkeeper happened to mention a strange little group that had travelled through just a candlemark before. There were three men on horseback, and three other figures in a wagon, travelling fast and light. They stopped just long enough to water the horses and grab some food, and then they were off again. Now you know, Mage, no one travels through the night without pressing reason. Between the bandits and the night beasts.... That's what got the innkeeper's attention. And Mage... the innkeeper said one of them was holding something in her lap - something like a small bundle." She looked pointedly at Mulder over the rim of her earthenware mug. I felt the tension increase in the others - that, and more importantly, for the first time, hope.... "What was the name of the village, Lita?" "Elvenwood. It's on the main western road, about four or five candlemarks' ride from here." Mulder looked at Scully, probably conferring silently out of habit. I cleared my throat noisily, just to remind them I was still around. Scully smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Walter. Mulder and I were just discussing this latest turn of events. It's not much of a lead, but it's the best we have." "If it's any help to you, Warrior Healer - Maalfees' ancestral lands lie far to the west, out past the Great Robe Desert," Lita added. "It's said that their manor house is like a fortress." "This might be it," Mulder said. "Lita, do me a favor and run to Reinald's quarters. Tell him what you told us. If he thinks it's worth checking out, go tell Tarnor and Jourdain and Aldara we'll meet in the stables as soon as everyone can get there." She stood and gathered her cloak more closely around her. "Right away, Mage. I'll stop by the stables on my way and let them know to start saddling the horses and getting the pack animals ready. Tilfo will be in to bring your things down." "Thanks, Lita." His words of appreciation were probably lost as the door clicked behind her scurrying figure. I glanced over at Mulder. There it was, what I had been waiting to see... the excitement of the hunt, the recognition, whether by intelligence or intuition, that this was a lead worth following. It appeared my adventures had only just begun. End of Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen We had just finished tying the last of the bedrolls and sacks of supplies to the pack animals when Urielle came into the stable. I was beginning to get used to the diminutive stature of the other beings that shared this strange place with humans, but even for an elf, she was tiny and frail-looking. I glanced nervously at Mulder and murmured, "Look at the size of her! If we're going to be travelling hard and rough, do you think she's up to it?" His eyes swept over towards the elven priestess who was chatting with Scully. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. Elves are much stronger than they look, and are natural-born horsemen. To tell you the truth, I'm more worried about you. Walter, I didn't think to ask you this before, but have you ever ridden a horse in your life?" I chuckled. "You think I've never travelled in anything more taxing than my Lincoln Town Car, I suppose." "Well, *have* you ever ridden? These Realm horses are big bastards, and they can be a handful, especially in cold weather when they're feeling their oats." As if to underscore Mulder's point, my steed reared up, evidently anxious to be on its way. Mulder's wary eyes bore into mine. "Don't worry, I'll manage," I replied drily. Anxiously, he assured me, "We'll keep it relatively slow at first, until you get used to it," then turned to confer with Jourdain and Scully. I'll always remember his look of wide-eyed astonishment when, waving aside the offers of assistance from the stableboy, I swung easily up into the saddle, controlling the stomping, snorting beast with only subtle pressure of my hands on the reins and my heels in its flanks. When he had recovered from his shock, he mimed a tip of an imaginary cap to me and with a bemused expression, found his own mount. Minutes later, we had all saddled up. Saying goodbye to Andalor, Reinald and Hannu and with their heartfelt wishes in our ears, we struck out westward at a ground-eating canter. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We had ridden for perhaps two candlemarks when, at the head of the column, Mulder reined in his horse to the side of the road and waited until I rode by. He cut in next to me as Urielle - an accomplished horsewoman as Mulder had promised - pulled back to ride next to Tarnor for a while. "Here you've been accusing us of having all the secrets," he began, speaking loudly to be hear over the clatter of hoofbeats. "It looks like you have a few of your own." "Who, me?" I grinned, and continued, "My life's an open book, Mulder." He smiled in return, but predominent in his expression was curiosity. "Apparently not. For example, where'd you learn to handle a horse? Unless of course you want to confess that your father was an elf." " 'Fraid not," I laughed. "But it's been a while, and I suspect I'm going to feel all this in the morning." It was funny - in spite of the seriousness of our mission, I suddenly realized that I was happier and more relaxed than I had been in years. In fact, I don't think I could have named a time in my adult life when I had felt this good.... I shook myself from my reverie, feeling like I had tried my companion's patience long enough. "I, uh... I spent eighteen months on a youth ranch, Mulder," I replied. "In Washington state, not far from where I grew up. There were a lot of family problems at the time, and I acted out in the only way I could.... I boosted a car." I thought he was going to fall off his horse. "*You*? *You* stole a car?" "Cut me some slack, Mulder. I wasn't born in the Bureau, you know. I was not quite sixteen at the time. My parents were in the middle of a divorce. Six months before, my older brother Bobby had been killed in Vietnam. The war at that point was just a police action; no one expected their kid to come home in a box. My mother and father were having problems anyway, but when Bobby was killed - well, it just blew them out of the water. He was always their favorite, the fair-haired boy. My mother had been against him enlisting, my dad was all for it...." I shrugged. "The usual.... She blamed him for Bobby's death, he blamed her for blaming him, everyone hating everyone else. Between the fights and the tension at home.... My sister and two younger brothers weren't hit as hard as I was, for whatever reason.... Shit, to tell the truth, I guess I was feeling pretty guilty. I had always been jealous as hell of Bobby. I was angry at the world - at my parents, at Bobby, everybody. So I got in with the wrong bunch of kids, cut school, generally raised hell and acted like a horse's ass. Then one day, I hotwired a car and set the Seattle record for how fast I got caught." "And that's when you figured that you had no future in crime - committing them, anyway," Mulder teased. "Actually, since it was a first offence, I'm surprised you didn't get off with just a slap on the hand." "Well, I almost did. But my aunt intervened." I glanced over and, catching his expression of confusion, chuckled. "No, she did me a favor, Mulder. My aunt was the only one in the family who realized that if I had just gotten a lecture and returned to my home, the same damn thing would have happened again - or worse. My only chance was getting out of there. Not that I appreciated it at the time. Shit, I was furious with her, didn't speak to her for years. I think it was when I was in college that I finally had the sense - and the balls - to thank her. Anyway, she convinced the judge to send me to a youth ranch. She knew a little structure and discipline and hard work might smarten me up." "Obviously, it worked," he observed mildly. Remembering back, I laughed. "The first three months were pure hell. Parris Island wasn't as bad as that place, to a rebellious kid. Finally I got with the program, stopped fighting it. I was lucky - there were people there who saw potential in me, and encouraged me. I excelled at the school they had there, even became a kind of mentor to new kids coming in. Since it was a working ranch, I also learned everything there was to know about horses - which included riding." I smiled, nostalgia for the place flooding me unexpectedly. Funny, I hadn't thought about the ranch in years. "In a way, I hated to leave. But I got my high school diploma and went back home. I don't think I was home a month when I realized I just didn't fit in there anymore - if I ever had. I didn't have the money for college - or the inclination to go at that point. I was at loose ends, so a couple weeks later, over my mother's vehement objections, I enlisted in the Marines. You pretty much know what happened there...." "Up to a point," Mulder agreed. "What happened when you got out?" "Well, I was wounded near the end of my tour, and that pretty much ended it in any case. After I got out of the VA hospital - and that took a while - I went to San Diego State on the VA Bill... majored in Criminal Justice. I got lucky again and had the opportunity to go on immediately, so I got my MBA. At the time there weren't a lot of guys lining up to join the Bureau - either they had all gotten their asses shot off in 'Nam, or had tuned out and turned on, so to speak, and didn't want anything to do with the government. So I got in with relatively little trouble. The rest you know." "From what I heard, you were a hell of an agent and set records for how quickly you were promoted. Records that still stand." I shrugged. "I caught some lucky breaks - in the right place at the right time, that sort of thing." Mulder smiled knowingly. "I also heard that you distinguished yourself in the field twice for valor. Crawled on your belly for thirty yards to drag your wounded partner out of the line of fire. Is that what you refer to as being in the right place at the right time?" That was pretty far back, and I hadn't thought it was common knowledge. Then again, knowing Mulder and his habit of delving for the truth, maybe it wasn't necessarily commonly known. For some reason, I was less comfortable with this heroic, larger- than-life image he was painting of me than that of the surly, authoritarian, anal-retentive boss. "Partners cover each other's asses, you know that," I replied dismissively. "What I did was no more than what any agent would have done." "Uh-huh." He sounded unconvinced. "Look Mulder, if you want to make me a hero, I suggest you wait until we've recovered the Heir to the Throne. If we can pull that one off, we'll deserve hero status. Then again... you and Scully apparently already have that here...." I let my words hang and he had the grace to blush. Unfortunately, our arrival in a little town cut short the conversation I hoped would shed more light on their past exploits in the Realm. We slowed as we hit the cobbles of the single street into the town. It was a pleasant enough place, a mixed species village, if the variety and the sizes of the dwellings was anything to go by. Curious beings lined the road, pouring out of shops and cottages as we rode by. I looked for the inn and found it without difficulty, a whitewashed, half-timbered structure with a thatched roof. I was surprised when we rode by it, and turned questioningly to Mulder. "Realm custom demands we call first on the village elder for tea and to state our business," he explained. I was amazed. The Mulder I knew in our world was not big on observance of custom or tradition - or even common courtesy a lot of the time. Not when he was on the scent of a case. "Can we afford the time?" "No," he replied grimly. "But unfortunately, we can't afford not to. A major breach of Realm etiquette like that would just alienate the town and we'd have a hell of a time getting any cooperation. Don't worry, we'll keep it short." The difference in the man was incredible. If I could just get him to be half as politically sensitive in our world as he was here.... We dismounted. Jourdain, Aldara and Tarnor opted to stay outside with the horses - and no doubt to glean what information they could from the bystanders - while Mulder, Scully, Urielle and I followed the elven elder into his cottage. We sat - or crouched, in Mulder's and my case - around the hearth while he poured and distributed the tea. "I am Horliss, village elder of Elvenwood. I welcome you in its name. I see you bear the King's standard. Is it the Prince's disappearance that brings you here?" "Yes, honored elder." Urielle, as the lone elf in our party, served as spokesper- ...spokesbeing. "We received information that a group of travellers stopped here last night. Three mounted men and three others in a wagon. We were told they stopped but briefly at the inn, and then resumed their journey. Night travellers are uncommon," she said noncommitally. "And foolhardy. Aye, it raised comment," he agreed. "One moment." He stepped just outside the door and murmured a few words to one of the curious villagers clustered nearby. "Sesha the innkeeper will be here in a moment," he said, reseating himself. "He is an observant one, and may well be able to give you what you seek. From what I heard, the travellers came through very late indeed, well after most of our beings had retired for the night. We are but a simple trading and farming community," Horliss explained apologetically, "with nothing much to stay up for after the sun has set." We made polite small talk for several minutes, though I could see from the way Mulder kept clenching his jaw that he was impatient to get the information and be on his way. I couldn't help but sympathize. Finally, a middle-aged human wearing a somewhat grungy apron entered the elder's cottage. "You summoned me, Horliss?" "Ah, Sesha! Come in and have tea. Our guests wanted to ask you about the travellers who came through last night." Scully took over - a wise move since Sesha's eyes hadn't left her since his entrance. "Horliss told us you were very observant, Sesha. We need your help. We are here on the King's business, searching for the Prince. Can you tell us everything you remember about the travellers?" How Scully managed to be both authoritative and coquettish at the same time amazed me. She certainly seemed to make an impression on the innkeeper. Sesha's chest puffed out with pride. "Yes, I have a shrewd eye. A successful businessman must, you know. And I knew they were up to no good the moment I laid eyes on them. Just three of them came in - humans, speaking New Realm with a high class accent. Very proper, they spoke." "That's good, Sesha, that's just the sort of detail we're looking for. Anything else?" "Hmm.... Well, their clothes surprised me, seemed wrong." "Seemed wrong in what way?" "Well, from their manner of speaking, I would have thought they'd be in silks, and the finest, softest wools. But their clothing was like workman's clothing - rough, plain. Aye, I noted it at the time. It didn't fit with their classy speech, nor with their hands." "Their hands?" Scully prodded. He nodded vigorously. "Aye, they had soft hands, well kept. Like they had never done an honest day's work in their lives. I thought at the time that perhaps they were disguising themselves, dressing down to fool would-be bandits on the road." "Did you hear anything they said?" asked Urielle. He looked at the elf and scowled. "Nay. Every time I came near - to take their order or bring more wine - they stopped talking. Except to complain, that is. Goddess! They arrived just as I was closing. They were lucky I let them in at all. But did I get any thanks? No - they said the wine was swill, the food overcooked. I run a good inn, I do," he declared, aggrieved. "They had no call to insult me!" "I'm sure your inn is wonderful," Scully soothed. "I wish we had time to visit it ourselves, but...." She shrugged regretfully. "I understand there were others in their party." He nodded, mollified for the moment. "They stayed outside. The men had me prepare a basket - flasks of wine and water, some meat and cheese, a couple of loaves. I caught a glimpse of them, though, as they were pulling out of town. Two figures on the wagon seat - a man and a woman. Or possibly a man and some variety of being. Smaller than the man, though. And in the back, a woman - a girl really. Very pale in the moonlight. She had on a hooded cloak, but she was turned toward me, so that's how I saw it was a human girl. And she was holding something." "Did you see or hear anything that would give you an idea what it was?" "No. Except that she seemed very careful with it, like she was afraid it would break or something.... Oh!" He broke off suddenly, his brow furrowing in thought. "What is it, Sesha? The smallest detail could be important." "Well, it was something I had forgotten until just now. There was something else I put in the basket, something they asked for specifically. Something they were lucky I was able to put my hands to at that time of night, not that I got any thanks for it." "Which was..?" "A flask of fieldbeast milk." Scully smiled warmly and clasped the innkeeper's rough, slightly grubby hand. "Thank you, Sesha. You've been enormously helpful." She and Urielle rose and Mulder and I followed suit, my muscles protesting strongly after a morning spent first in the saddle and then crouching in the tiny cottage. "Are you certain that you will not be my guests for midday meal at my inn?" Sesha invited. Before anyone else could answer, Mulder cut in. "I'm very sorry, Sesha. Perhaps on our way back. We must leave now to follow those travellers. Perhaps they have a good explanation for their actions, perhaps not, but we must find them in order to ascertain that. They already have many candlemarks' lead. You have the King's thanks for your assistance." Pleased, the innkeeper nodded and followed us out to the brilliant sunshine where the others awaited us. "Did you get anything?" I asked Jourdain. He nodded. "A little something. An old lady who swears she heard the cry of a newborn babe late last night. And there are no newly-born infants in the village." "Do you think she's reliable, or just telling you what you want to hear?" "Difficult to say." The old warrior shrugged. "From what the others tell me about her, she is both reliable and has extremely good hearing. I take it you had some luck as well." I nodded and brought him up to date with what the innkeeper had said, while Scully did the same with Tarnor and Aldara. Mulder had already mounted and was making it clear he was more than ready to leave the village. The rest of us quickly followed suit, and we were out of the village a few minutes later. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I must have been in my own little world, because I was startled when Urielle spoke. I looked to my left and down. God, she looked so impossibly tiny to be able to control the huge Realm horse. But I could see that Mulder had been correct once again - she was a consummate equestrienne. "I asked, how are you finding the Realm, Warrior Priest Skinner?" she repeated in a surprisingly low, musical voice. "I apologize that until now I have not had much opportunity to speak with you." I smiled. "Things have been happening pretty fast, haven't they? I don't think I've had a lot of time to dwell on how I'm finding things in the Realm. All in all, I guess I'm getting used to it." "And your new-found powers?" She watched me shrewdly. "That's... taking a bit longer. I'm just not the type that.... I just never...." I shook my head and gave up trying to explain. She appeared to take my discomfort in stride. "Normally we have our whole childhood to become accustomed to the idea, then another ten or so season-cycles living amongst the priests and priestesses, learning to control and direct our talents. I am not sure how I myself would react to have them so suddenly foisted upon me. I think I would probably be afraid, and perhaps resentful." She slid a glance at me under her lashes. "Those are certainly part of it, both of them," I admitted quietly. "There's a lot of self-doubt about whether I can control these powers I supposedly have, put them to any use. Whether I can learn what I have to, for the mission we're on. But it's not even that simple. Throw in a sense of disbelief that any of this is happening at all. And yet at the same time..." I took a deep breath, then sighed. "At the same time, a feeling that after a lifetime of confusion and uncertainty and denial and pain, the pieces have finally come together. A feeling of completion, of one-ness, for the first time in my life. If that makes any sense." I looked over at the elven priestess. "I don't know - maybe it's just me." I was somewhat taken aback at my openness with this little stranger I had just met. But somehow there was something about her that made me feel as comfortable as if I had been with Mulder or Scully. She smiled and shook her head. "I don't think so, Walter. I think all this is perhaps more startling because of your origins. But I'm not particularly surprised to hear you feel that way. Many of us feel a sense of 'arrival' or fulfillment when we begin to harness our powers and use them as the Goddess intends. And it appears you're learning quite quickly. Mulder told me what happened at the Heir's birth." I grunted. "Oh. That." Yes, Walter - that. That little stand-out performance that you've thought about every hour or so since it happened. "I'm sorry, I can't explain that.... I was hoping perhaps you could." She laughed then, a gorgeous sound like windchimes. "I have no explanations for you, Walter. What do you think it was?" Oh, great. Now she was sounding like one of the Bureau shrinks. "Well, I guess under different circumstances I would have to say it could be classifed as a miracle." "Why under different circumstances?" I sighed, exasperated "Look, I don't know the first thing about your religion or the Goddess or anything else. So it's not like my deep and abiding faith had anything to do with it, because I don't have any faith. And miracles are reserved for the faithful." She shrugged. "Or perhaps as a little demonstration to plant the seed of faith in a non-believer." That shut me up. We covered several more miles of winding dirt road while I mulled over what she had said. I felt the turmoil in my mind start to settle, like more puzzle pieces dropping into place. Some of it was her - Urielle. I felt her influence in helping me to calm down, sliding things into perspective and clarifying my thoughts. But most of it was me, the serenity making its appearance once again and locking into place like nothing could ever displace it again. And a feeling of rightness. I looked across at Urielle - she had noticed it too. "Looks like I have some catching up to do. When do I start?" "Now's a good time," she smiled. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We stopped briefly at a tree-shaded spot near a sparkling stream just long enough to water the horses and force down some food. At this point, we all believed that those we were pursuing were indeed the kidnappers and that they had the Prince in their possession. I'm not sure there was sufficent evidence to back up our beliefs, but it was too depressing to contemplate anything else. When we resumed the pursuit, we began to notice signs of recent travel on the road - mounds of partially dried horse dung, and bits of cloth and parchment whose appearance was too regular to be entirely accidental. Evidently Livirnea was doing her best to give us some sort of a trail to follow. I wondered for a moment how things were going back at Fairwoods for the young King and Queen, and for Lord Mandor.... By the time the sun was low on the horizon, the road was becoming steeper and narrower, permitting no more than two horses to travel side by side. I had been riding on autopilot, my knees automatically gripping the great beast's sides, my mind occupied by what had transpired with Urielle. "Walter? Are you all right?" I turned to see Scully riding by my side. I had no idea how long she had been there. "Yeah, sure. What makes you think I'm not all right?" She smiled sympathetically. "Your expression, for one thing. And I had to ask you three times before you heard me. Have a rough lesson with Urielle?" "Not rough, exactly.... Just a lot of things to think about." "Been there, done that," she nodded. "I remember when I was learning Realm healing from Corvay. There were days that I had to drag myself back from his cottage and could hardly make it up the staircase to our room. I think the mental exhaustion from trying to learn to control my mind was ten times worse than the physical exhaustion of learning to be a warrior." "Corvay? You've mentioned him before. Who was he?" Sorrow touched her lovely face. "He was amazing... the Royal Healer when we first arrived in the Realm. He was murdered, the last time we were here. He was terribly old and frail, but still... what a presence he had! Warm, empathetic, practical - often iracible.... And a wonderful Healer. I miss him so much. I wish you could have met him, Walter," she concluded wistfully. "So he the elven Healer before Kyla?" She nodded. "She was his last apprentice. He had gradually turned over more and more of the healing duties to her. She was almost ready to leave apprenticeship anyway, when it happened. It nearly killed her, as well." Kyla - nearly murdered! The thought made my gut cramp in alarm. That's it, Walter, don't betray your cool exterior. I looked over the landscape in the dusk. Tilled fields and lightly wooded areas had given way to dense forest punctuated by sheer ebony rock walls, as the road climbed and wound around the foothills of the Blackforest Mountains. "I wouldn't have thought that murder was a big problem around here." "Normally it's not. But things were hardly normal then. The Realm had an enemy...." I smiled. "Am I finally going to get to hear another one of the stories Mulder's been promising me?" "We really haven't been holding out on you, Walter. We just thought hearing everything at once would be too - " "Overwhelming - yeah, I know. Come on, Scully - tell me a story so I can get all this priest stuff out of my head for a while. Besides, I think I've gotten beyond the point of being shocked." She shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you. All right.... The Realm had an enemy, a queen from ages past with enormous powers of black magic and an equally enormous hatred for the Realm...." It was long past dark by the time her story drew to a close. "...so that's how the Dark Queen was defeated, and how Hannu discovered Shannon was his daughter, and helped Andalor and Livirnea break their betrothal agreement so that he and Shannon could become betrothed." She looked over at me. I was silent - stunned silent. Finally, I said, "Well, I stand corrected, Scully. I guess I am still capable of being shocked - " There was a shout from up ahead. Jourdain and Aldara, leading the party, had dismounted and were making their way back toward the rest of us at the end of the caravan. "We need to make a decision," Jourdain began. "The road ahead gets worse, from what Tarnor tells me. Narrower, steeper, hugging the edges of cliffs as we cross the mountains. No one but a lunatic would attempt it in the dark. We should make camp for the night and start again at first light." Aldara glared at her husband. "Since we haven't come across the kidnappers, I think it's safe to assume that they have completed the crossing. They are probably camped on the other side for the night. If we keep going, we could gain back a lot of their lead. Jourdain is unwilling to risk it, I'm willing to try. So, as you can see, we're in need of a decision." Mulder frowned. "I hate to lose that much time. If we travel through the night, we might even catch up to them by morning and recover the Prince. Maybe Tarnor and I can whip up a little something that will allow us to carry on." Now *that* was the Mulder I was familiar with - the 'come hell or high water or common sense' Mulder. I glanced over at Scully, the misgiving clearly written on her face - and being communicated to her bondmate, if his expression meant anything. It looked like a pretty even split - Mulder, the fierce-visaged Tarnor and Aldara all eager to continue the pursuit, and Scully, Urielle, and Jourdain reluctant at best. Which left - oh, shit. I felt six heads turn toward me, and I stared back at them. "Look, I can't make this sort of decision. I'm not in charge of this mission and I have no idea how bad the travelling conditions are going to be." I might as well have saved my breath, as six pairs of eyes continued to look at me. I sighed. "All right. Can you Mages do something to make the going safer?" "Well, we can certainly create some light to travel by," said Tarnor. "I don't think we have the wherewithall to create a protection spell for a group this big and this mobile, but the light should help considerably." "Think that will be enough?" I asked Jourdain. He shrugged. "Let's see." Tarnor and Mulder conferred for a few seconds, then stepped back. Still facing each other, they raised their arms and began to chant. As the twin globes of blue fire rose over the heads of the two Mages, shadows cast eerily sharp images in black and white. Electric- blue sparks danced from their fingertips to crackle in the charged air surrounding them. I felt the hair all over my body stand up, as if I were some kind of a conduit for static electricity. Somewhere nearby I could hear thunder rolling. Lightning split the black sky, starkly illuminating us. Suddenly I saw a startled Tarnor drop his arms, and begin waving them in Mulder's face to bring him out of his Mage-trance. "Stop, stop!" The lightning was getting fiercer by the second, and the thunder was now continuous. Still Mulder chanted on, his eyes staring sightlessly into the distance. Frantically now, the little gargoyle finally leapt up, grabbed one of the outspread arms and shook the tall human as hard as he could. There was a resounding crack of Mage energy, just about the same time a bolt of lightning struck not twenty feet from where we were standing. With a sharp cry, Tarnor hurtled through the air to land some ten feet away. Scully rushed over to him, while I saw to Mulder, who had stumbled to the ground. He sat gasping for a few seconds, then shook his head as if to clear it. "What the hell happened?" "You got me. I'm not from around these-here parts," I replied drily. "Can you stand?" I helped him to his feet, then the two of us went over to where Tarnor was just standing with Scully's help. "Well?" I asked the reeling little gargoyle. He shook his head. "Goddess, what a headache! There's nothing that Mulder and I can do, Walter. It's this area, these cliffs around us. Certain metals have powers of their own to affect magic - I believe the Professor calls them 'magnetic'. These cliffs must be full of those metal ores. Mulder's and my attempt at casting a spell caused a Mage storm, due to the effects of those magnetic powers." I noticed that the wind had dropped and only a few faint rumbles of thunder remained from the storm. "So that wasn't the weather?" "Mage power and even emotions can dictate the weather, Walter," replied Mulder. "Damn! Then we can't do anything at all?" he asked an equally chastened Tarnor. Mournfully, the gargoyle shook his big leathery gray head. "Well, it looks like we're making camp for the night then," observed Scully. "I'll take first watch." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ He heard the clomping of booted feet coming down the cellar staircase, but continued his perusal of the labels in his wine collection. "You heard, Milord??" the newcomer asked in a whisper. The noble glanced up from the dusty bottle he held. "Just the rumors." "Consider them confirmed." The young man clothed in the colors of the House threw himself into a chair. "A search party left just before dawn this morning." The elder noble's brows drew trogether in a frown. "Who was in the search party?" "As we feared - the strange Mage and his bondmate. Jourdain and his half-breed bitch of a wife. Mage Tarnor, Priestess Urielle. And the new Stranger, the big one who goes about in the white cloak edged in green." A look of surprise registered on the noble's gaunt patrician features. "An odd addition to the search party, certainly. Why would he go with them?" The young man shrugged. "I have heard it said that he is a friend of our Heroes of the Realm," he replied sarcastically. "Perhaps that was reason enough." "No." The noble paced between the tall racks of fine wines and was silent for several minutes. "No, I don't think so. And our own travellers - how are they faring?" "They have a good lead. They will reach the estate well before the others catch up with them. There's no need to worry, Milord - nothing can go wrong." "If you believe that, then you are a fool!" the noble spat out in a fierce whisper. "Anything can go wrong - and already has! Of all the directions the search party could have gone in, they managed to choose the right one. That speaks of either ill-fortune, or someone has put two and two together." He sat himself at the small wooden table and leaned across to the younger man. "Our plans - our lives - depend on our travellers reaching the manor safely. Once the child is safely in our hands there, we can raise him as Maalfees. Then we will 'find' him when the time is right - when Andalor has met an untimely end, or when he has proven his inability to give the Realm an heir. The other Houses will be crushed, the rightful heir will take the throne - and Maalfees will be at his side. The child's Mage power is just an unexpected bonus - another weapon in our arsenal to rule the Realm as it should be ruled. We have all agreed on this plan. But it is a plan born of desperation. If we are exposed, we will be executed as traitors. I have no wish to meet such an end." He paused, thinking. "I want you to find out everything you can about the big stranger. That cloak disturbs me. An impossible combination - the white and the green, the priest and the warrior. And where have we seen an impossible combination before?" The young man thought for a moment. "You mean the Mage's bondmate? The Warrior Healer?" The noble grunted in agreement. "And certainly that pair has accomplished the impossible before. What if.... No, I don't like it, I don't like it one bit." He paused for a few moments' reflection, then said softly but decisively, "Find out all you can about him. Be discreet, but I want to know everything you uncover, no matter how preposterous, no matter how trivial. His presence makes me uneasy. And in the meantime, find Nardoc and send him to my study. It appears we will have to make the search party's journey a bit more... challenging...." End of Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen I shot upright as an excited squeal cut through my dreams. My hand went to the sword by my side and I looked around blearily for the source of the alarm. Aldara was giggling like a kid and holding out her hand. Smiling, I laid down my sword and got out of the bedroll and to my feet. I bit back a groan as my muscles screamed in protest at the night on the cold ground after a long day in the saddle. "Walter, look!" I strolled over to where she had been keeping watch by the fire. The others, similarly awakened, were beginning to stir. "A new experience for you?" She turned shining emerald eyes on me, her cheeks flushed pink by the cold. In the tangle of her black curls, tiny snowflakes sparkled for brief seconds before melting. "Isn't it fantastic, Walter? No, I've never been in the snow before. I've heard about it - there was once a snowfall in Fairwoods - but it was before my time. Hold on now... listen...." Apart from the movements of the others, standing and stretching to get the cold ache from their bones, I didn't hear anything. I looked at her quizzically. "It doesn't make any noise!" she said in an awed whisper. I grinned at her child-like delight. "You know, you're right. I guess I never thought about it." "Is there snow where you live, Walter?" I chuckled and drew the hood of my cloak over my head. For people like Aldara, blessed with abundantly thick tresses, snow was fine. Those of us who were follically challenged tended to turn a jaundiced eye to such wonders of nature. "Yes, there's snow where I live. Too damn much of it sometimes." "How could you ever have too much? It's so beautiful!" I scanned the gunmetal-gray skies overhead. "If this keeps up for another few candlemarks - and I think it will - you'll have your answer." "Forgive her, Walter." Jourdain strode up and pressed mugs of tea into our hands. "She knows not what she says. Snow is a rare thing here, except in the mountains. But I remember once trailing a band of highwaymen in the middle of a great storm of snow. It loses its fascination quickly." "That it does, Jourdain." I sipped at the scalding liquid, grateful for its heat and lift. "Perhaps you can tell me of more of your adventures while I help you cook breakfast." "Aye, I'd like that. We're going to need a good hot meal before the day's ride. Well now, I could tell you of the time- " Aldara laughed. "You're in for it now, Walter," she said, and waved us off. Like a little kid, she began trying to catch snowflakes on the end of her tongue. We exchanged war stories as we worked. At first the sameness of our experiences as soldiers struck me as odd. After all, we came from different universes, different climates, different levels of technology, different political forces. But I realized that in spite of all the differences, there were similarities, constants: personal honor, belief in the righteousness of a cause, courage under fire. And those constants were more meaningful than all the differences. Something to think about. The others had rolled up the bedding and broken camp while Jourdain and I had been reminiscing over skewers of meat and pots of elven porridge. Then they joined us by the fire, drawn by its warmth and the smell of cooking. As we ate, the snow continued, beginning to coat the surrounding trees and rock of the Blackforest Mountains. Much as we would all have liked to stay by the fire, the weather alone promised a challenging journey. Once the meal was finished and the fire out, we didn't hang around. I did some quick stretching exercises and felt better for it. I was almost looking forward to the day's ride. There was a chance, though not a good one, that the people we pursued would be more self-indulgent than we were. We might be able to close the gap between us. ~ ~ ~ Several candlemarks later, I realized how futile my fireside hopes had been. Under the best of conditions, the track through the mountain pass would have been treacherous. The snow, now inches deep, only made it moreso. We slipped and slid, narrowly averting disaster time and again. My own mount took a tumble, vaulting me over its head and down a steep embankment. Desperately, I clutched at the sparse vegetation and managed to pull myself up with Mulder's and Jourdain's help. Back on my feet on the narrow track, my heart thudded in my chest as I looked down and saw how close I had come to skydiving without the benefit of a parachute. As much as we wanted to press on with speed, the terrain and the weather were solidly against us. I began to wonder whose side the Goddess was on. Another candlemark and we were at last through the pass and on the other side of the mountain range. Gradually, we left the green and white of the Blackforest Mountains behind. The snow had changed to rain - a cold, penetrating downpour with brief respites that came in the form of a cold, penetrating drizzle. The landscape too had altered. We passed quickly through the few foothills of the mountains and into an area barren of anything but stone. In the distance, bizarre rock formations towered, their gray blending so well it was hard to tell where the pinnacles stopped and the sky began. It was as bleak a place as I had ever seen. "Where the hell are we?" I asked Tarnor, riding to my right. He seemed pleased I had broken my moody silence. "Ah! This is the Great Robe Desert," he announced. "It gets its name from an old legend we have. It is said that an ancient king valued his wealth above all things. While his people starved, he continued to display that wealth at every opportunity. Well, he arrived at a ceremony one day in a new jewel-encrusted robe, all the colors of the rainbow sparkling from the magnificent garment. Unfortunatedly, his timing was as poor as his sense of values. The ceremony was in recognition of one of the most solemn holy days, a day that called for fasting and sacrifice. This, of course, was in the days before worship of the Goddess was widespread," he added, as if that explained a lot to me. "Anyway, the sumptuousness of his apparel, especially the great jeweled robe, angered the Goddess greatly. Legend has it that She appeared at the ceremony in a thundercloud. In retribution for his greed and pride, She turned the king into a cart beast, condemned to live out the rest of his days pulling heavy wagons. Then She tore apart the robe, and flung the jewels and scraps of cloth to the east wind, which scattered them here. In gratitude for their delivery from the selfish king, the people began to abandon the old gods and worship the Goddess. It is also the reason why even today, you see little wealth displayed at the castle. It's considered an insult to the Goddess and her people," he concluded chattily. He gave me one of his pointy-toothed grins. "At least, that's how the legend goes. But this area is celebrated for being rich in minerals, so you never know - there might be something to it." I nodded absently and hitched my sodden cloak around my neck. "So this is the Great Robe Desert, huh? Where I come from, deserts are dry," I said somewhat sourly. His grin never faltered. "Oh, it is the same here. There are only a couple of weeks in the whole season-cycle when it rains here. We just happen to be here at the right time." The little gray guy's good humor must have been contagious. "Or the wrong one," I said with a grudging smile. "Depending on your viewpoint, of course." He nodded and shrugged. "Admittedly, it is more beautiful in the sunlight. Or so I am told. The rocks are of every hue and tone. It is easier to see then how the legend was born. Perhaps it will clear later." I wondered briefly if all gargoyles had so optimistic an outlook. I struck me then how much I had adjusted to this place in the brief time I had been in the Realm. Here I was, chatting with a gargoyle and thinking nothing of it. At least partly it was due to Tarnor's personality. He was probably one of the most likeable and charismatic people - beings - I had ever known. So much for appearances, I thought. Too bad my own world was so hung up on them. We drew closer to and eventually rode among the rock formations. The trail was still wide enough for two to ride comfortably abreast, but the rocks towered above us and leaned over the path, close enough in places for the summits to nearly touch. It made me claustrophobic, edgy, like I was confined, buried alive. I tried to find my serene core, but it was eluding me. The sooner we could put this godforsaken place behind us, the better I'd like it. Up at the head of the column, Aldara was riding point. Evidently, she too was nervous. She continually scanned the landscape, sometimes standing in her stirrups to try to get a better view. Scully, riding in tandem with Mulder, and Jourdain, partnered with Urielle, also appeared tense. Their right hands rested uneasily on the hilts of their swords. I transferred the reins to my left hand and and grasped the comforting cold metal of my own weapon. Looking back, I'm sure it was that edginess that saved us. Aldara had just ridden under a huge overhanging platform of rock when one dark form appeared on it, and then another and another. I may have yelled out a warning, I don't remember. At that point, things started happening pretty fast. One by one, the dark figures started dropping on my friends. Aldara dispatched the first brigand only to have two others take his place. Scully had been pulled from her horse by the man who dropped on her. A frantic Mulder was prevented from reaching her by his own problems, in the form of two black-clad bandits. Scully and her attacker circled each other warily, knives drawn. I saw him lunge - then lost track of the action. Tarnor and I had been riding at the back of the column, and now three men jumped us from behind. Tarnor may have been a Mage by talent and training, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to use a blade. What he lacked in physical stature he more than made up for in courage and ferocity. Only Urielle was not embroiled in hand to hand combat. Sensibly, she spurred her horse through the fray, running down one of Aldara's foes in the process. I was relieved to see her out of it. I had been afraid one of the bastards would take her hostage to force the rest of us to lay down our weapons. All this I caught out of the corner of my eye as I fought with two of our attackers. I was glad for the training, however brief, I had received with Jourdain; otherwise I might have been sliced to ribbons. I dispatched one of them early on - my blade ricocheted off his and caught him in the neck. He went down in a spurt of crimson. His partner in crime was luckier - or perhaps more skilled. I slashed and parried with my sword, barely able to keep up with his lightning-quick moves. A big bastard, he swung his sword in a mighty arc. If I hadn't partially blocked it, I would have been cut in half. As it was, I felt his blade slide off mine and bite into my ribs on my left side. Blind with pain and rage, I went after him with a roar. As he lunged to meet me, I went into a forward roll, leaping to my feet and wheeling around to face him. My unorthodox style undoubtedly startled him. He was a little slow getting his sword into position - fatally so, as it turned out. Tarnor had just finished off his opponent. His fearsome grin in place, he yelled above the fracas. "Looks like the others could use some assistance!" Indeed, Mulder and Jourdain were struggling with two attackers each. Maybe because the bandits thought they would be easy marks, Aldara and Scully each had three men surrounding them. "You help the men, I'll help the women," I shouted, and we darted into the fray. By the time I got into any position to help, Aldara was down to one opponent and Scully had two. I honestly don't know what I expected. I had seen both of them in practice, knew they were skilled warriors; naturally, I had long acquaintance with Scully's tenacity and temper. But I was completely awed by their performance. They were a blur of motion, their blades never still, fending off with ease guys half again their size. I stepped in to distract one of Scully's attackers and soon had my hands full. I saw Aldara disembowel her remaining opponent with a tremendous sweep of her sword. She glanced quickly at Scully and me and, feeling we had matters well in hand, joined Tarnor in dealing with Mulder and Jourdain's bandits. My opponent, evidently in a temper at finding us not as unprepared as he had been led to believe, charged at me. Too close to him to use my sword effectively, I pulled my dagger from its sheath on my belt. It found its way into his midsection. With a groan, he dropped to the ground and crawled off behind a rock. I spun around to see Scully dispatching her foe with a triumphant shout. We turned to Mulder's group. Aldara and Jourdain were just finishing off their opponents. None of the black-clad figures remained standing. Panting, I stood there, taking in the scene. Bodies littered the ground, the stone painted a garish scarlet. As if to purify the earth, the skies opened up once more and torrents of rain began to wash away the insult of spilled blood. Dizzily, I wiped my sword on the cloak of one of the fallen attackers before returning it to its scabbard. Following the rapidly disappearing blood trail, I looked for the brigand that had crawled off, but heard only the sound of the rain and retreating hoofbeats. I found my knife, let the rain wash it, and stuck it in my belt. I wasn't worried about the one that got away. From where my dagger had struck and the amount he was bleeding, he would never see his intended destination. I noticed, but didn't really comprehend at the time, that there seemed to be a lot more fresh blood on the ground as I made my way back through the rocks than there had been to start with. I rejoined my friends, stumbling as my feet caught on stones I was suddenly just too tired to clear. Mulder and Scully were bending over the prostrate form of Tarnor, who was looking much grayer than usual. I sank to my knees beside the little guy. He was unconscious and didn't look good at all. Suddenly chilled, I looked up at Scully. "What's wrong?" "Stab wound," she said tersely. She held the gargoyle's hand. "Bad?" "Bad enough. We're going to have to stay here for a while so I can put him in a healing trance." She nodded at Mulder, who cradled the little gargoyle as gently as a child and carefully picked him up. "Let's move him under that overhanging shelf of rock. It will be drier there." Exhausted, I stumbled to my feet and followed them. Jourdain and Aldara had just finished dragging the bodies out from under the shelf to make room for us. What the hell, the rain wasn't going to bother them at this point. Scully dropped to her knees, intent on treating Tarnor. I don't know how much she knew about gargoyle physiology, but I prayed it would be enough. I stood there, swaying, watching her go into a healing trance as the rocks slowly spun around me. "Walter! You're bleeding!" Aldara was at my side, looking worried. Stupidly, I glanced down and touched my hand to the side of my chest. It came away dripping red. "I... uh...." Then the world went black as I pitched foward. ~ ~ ~ When I came to, it was dark. A fire was burning nearby. I looked around at the rock that seemed to be everywhere and puzzled for a while where the hell anyone could have gotten firewood in this godforsaken place. Then I spotted the blue flame of Mage fire. Handy, having these guys around, I thought muzzily. These guys... Tarnor.... There was something about Tarnor, something disturbing. Then I remembered. I sat up quickly and let out a yelp, clutching my side. A nanosecond later, Scully was crouching over me. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" she demanded. "Stay still, Walter, or you'll bleed again." She moved my hand and frowned. "Too late. First you don't bother to tell me you've been slashed, then you go and undo all my work...." She busied herself finding some bandages in her saddlebags. "Wh-what...?" I looked down. I was naked to the waist except for a band of white encircling my chest. A red spot was spreading rapidly across the white. "I have to stop this bleeding. You've lost too much blood as it is, and my healing will only speed up red cell production just so much." She slid some bandages under the binding and pushed on them - hard. It took all my self-control not to yell out. "Sorry.... We were attacked. Do you remember?" I let out the breath I had been holding, sighing as the memories came back with a rush. "Yeah... I do now. How's Tarnor?" "He is doing great. Gargoyles have remarkable recuperative abilities. And he knows enough not to move suddenly and open up his wound again," she added pointedly. "Sorry. I kinda lost track for a minute. How long have we been here?" "A few candlemarks. We'll stay here for the night. Tomorrow... well, we'll see." Mulder came up to join us, holding a cup. "How are you feeling?" I eyed him sourly. "Suffering more from Scully's tonguelashing than anything else." He smiled briefly, then sobered. "You had us worried. You were bleeding pretty badly. Think you can drink this if I help you to sit up?" "Depends on what it is. If it's more of the crap that Kyla made me drink, I doubt it," I grumbled in reply. Scully harrumphed and stalked off to the fire. Chuckling, Mulder admitted, "Well, yeah, it's probably the same stuff. Smells awful, anyway. But it's like this - either drink it up, or Scully will give you another tonguelashing." "That's an offer I can't refuse." Mulder moved behind me and gently raised the upper part of my body. Somehow I got the noxious stuff down. "I'll bring you some soup to take away the taste," he said sympathetically. "And don't mind Scully. You scared the shit out of her, Walter. Generally, she gets pissed off instead of going to pieces. Just her way of coping." He moved to go but I grabbed his arm. "No... wait. First, tell me what's been going on." "Well, let's see. After you performed your little swan dive, Aldara, Jourdain and I administered first aid - got you into shock position, put pressure on your wound, and so on. Scully came out of her trance with Tarnor to find you bleeding like a stuck pig and white as a sheet. Seriously, you did have us worried, Walter. Quite a slash you have there - right to the bone." He didn't have to tell me - my side throbbed. "I guess this means I flunked my Warrior midterm. I can hardly wait to see the mess I make out of the Priest exam." He smiled. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Walter. You did pretty well, considering you were a transfer student and missed most of the classes. You took out your share of them." "Who the hell were they, Mulder? Thieves?" Aldara approached with a thick earthenware bowl and squatted next to me. She had overheard my question. "That's what we were supposed to think. Here, try to eat some of this." She tried to feed me, but glaring, I took the spoon from her hand. Somehow, I managed to get more soup in me than on me. "Mm, that's good. All right, so if they werent thieves, who the hell were they?" She sat down, her legs curled up underneath her. "I have a suspicious mind. Something just felt wrong about it. In spite of their ragged clothes, I noticed that they had all used high-quality weapons, the products of one of the Realm's most respected swordmakers. Bands of thieves are rarely outfitted so well - they usually have only what they've managed to steal. So I took a closer look at the bodies." I swallowed some more soup. It really was excellent. "And...?" "And every one of them had a tattoo on his right shoulder. The crest of Maalfees House." I glanced at Mulder before looking back at her with respect. "I have a job for you at the Bureau if you're ever interested." She laughed gaily, her black curls dancing. Smiling, I shook my head. "What?" she demanded. "Nothing. I'm just having trouble reconciling the image of you now, or this morning when you were discovering snow, with the woman I saw in action this afternoon. You and Scully both - you were formidable." She bowed mockingly. "Thank you, kind sir. Or are you just trying to persuade me to take that job?" "I wasn't kidding, if that's what you think," I protested. "We could use someone with your instincts and abilities." She laughed again and got to her feet. "Well Walter, I thank you for the compliment. I think it only fair to warn you, however, that I have the same impatience with rules and regulations as... well, as Mulder here." I groaned playfully. Still laughing, she walked back to the fire to sit next to Jourdain. The soup was delicious, but I tired disturbingly quickly. Mulder matter-of-factly took the spoon from my hand and fed me the rest. What I had refused to let Aldara do for me, I surrendered more easily to him. I just felt less uncomfortable with Mulder and Scully seeing me in this kind of condition than anyone else. Call it macho pigheadedness, or anything else. I appreciated not only that he did it - I was hungry - but the way he did it. Not fussing, not making a big deal, just keeping up a steady stream of conversation while he got the rest of the soup into me. "Thanks," I murmured. "And Mulder - I'm sorry." "Sorry? For what? Getting hurt?" "The delay. This is losing us time, and I know how much you want to find the child." He shrugged. "We would have had to stop for Tarnor in any case. And I don't think we would have been able to catch up with them before they went into hiding - they just had too much of a lead. At least now we can be absolutely sure we're going in the right direction. I don't think Maalfees would have treated us to a visit from their version of the Welcome Committee if they didn't have an excellent reason to stop us from getting to their manor house." "That's true.... But still...." He nodded and lay me back down, making sure I was as comfortable as possible. "Urielle came back just about the time you took your nosedive. She was pretty upset. Scully's going to do another healing treatment soon, but I'm sure Urielle would like a word before that with you, if you feel up to it." Well, the truth was I didn't feel up to it, and I think Mulder knew that. But I said, "By all means. And Mulder... thanks again." Tiredly, he smiled and went off to get Urielle. The Mage fire was warmer than a wood fire, with the added benefit of being smokeless. But in spite of the fact that the temperature was fairly cozy, I pulled the blanket up to my neck. Realm etiquette being what it was, I was pretty sure that conversing with a Priestess while half naked was probably an infraction of some kind or other. Urielle came up a few moments later and sat by me. Trembling, she took my hand. "I thought you were going to die, Walter. I don't think I've ever prayed as hard. Thank you for seeing me. I know you're not feeling much like chatting right now." She put up a hand to halt my automatic protest. "Remember, I'm an empath. It's sweet of you to deny it, but I know how poorly you're feeling." I relaxed and smiled. "Well, your prayers and Scully's healing seem to have done the trick. Looks like I'm going to live." "Thank the Goddess. You are instrumental to our success, Walter. If anything were to happen to you...." I felt her distress, even without seeing her eyes fill with tears. I concentrated as much as I could on bringing her serenity and comfort. I don't know how successful I was, but she began speaking again. "Well, you are going to heal, that's the important thing. And we will find the Prince." There was something else bothering her. "What is it?" I asked softly. She smiled sheepishly. "I... I was just hoping you didn't think any the less of me.... You know, because I rode off and left you all." I chuckled. "On the contrary. It was the smartest thing you could have done - for all of our sakes." She sighed. "I just find that sort of thing so upsetting. So hurtful to the Goddess, when her children fight." "We had to defend ourselves," I pointed out. "Oh, true. The Goddess bears none of you any ill will. Our mission is a just one, and has the Goddess's blessing." "All evidence to the contrary." It slipped out before I could stop myself. To my surprise, she laughed. "The Goddess doesn't control everything, you know, Walter. If that were so, there would be no point to any being's existence. She steps in where she must and when she can. Have faith - the Goddess will help us when we can't help ourselves." I nodded tiredly. "I am trying, really. There's just so much to learn...." "Don't worry. You will know what to do when the time comes." "That's what everyone keeps saying. I wish I were as sure." She grasped my hand in both of hers, and the troubling thoughts vanished from my mind, to be replaced with a sense of calm. "Excuse me, Priestess. Warrior Priest Skinner needs another healing treament." "Of course, Healer Scully. I will see you in the morning, Walter." Urielle moved off beyond the fire to her bedroll. Scully kneeled next to me and sighed. "Sorry I was a little rough on you earlier, Walter. I came out of my trance with Tarnor, expecting to be able to relax a bit, and there you were, on the ground looking like death warmed over.... You should have told me you were wounded! We were all covered with so much blood it was impossible to tell...." "I don't think I was really aware of it myself, Scully," I explained. "The adrenalin was still pumping, and it didn't hurt. Not then, anyway." "But now...?" "Hurts like a son of a bitch." "I'll take care of that for you." "How's Tarnor?" "Sleeping. I just finished with him." She was probably exhausted, having to deal with two patients singlehandedly, after the day she had put in. I told her so. "Yeah, I'm tired. As soon as I'm finished with you, I'm going to turn in. Mulder's covering my watch so I can sleep until morning." "Will we be able to ride tomorrow? Mulder's been great, he hasn't said anything, but I know he wants to get moving." "I know," she sighed. "All he can think of is getting Shannon's baby back. But I think it shook him when he saw how badly hurt you and Tarnor were. He cares an awful lot about you, Walter." There didn't seem to be an adequate reply to that, not one I could make with any degree of comfort, anyway. She must have read my mind. "Men!" she said, smiling and shaking her head. "As to tomorrow, I don't know,Walter. We'll all have to be one hundred percent by the time we reach Maalfees Manor. As hard as it may be, we might be well advised to give ourselves another day to heal and rest. Goddess knows what we'll be getting ourselves into." I nodded, unhappily aware of the wisdom of her words. "All right now, healing time. May I enter your body as a Healer, Walter?" she asked formally. I nodded again, and felt the warmth of her hands on my chest. Once again I had the peculiar sensation fo not being alone in my own body and mind. The throbbing in my chest gradually eased, and I slept.... End of Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen As it turned out, we spent the extra day under the shelf of stone on the Great Robe Desert. The rain had been non-stop, blowing in great gray sheets across the landscape. Tarnor was recovered enough from his abdominal wound to be up and about, but was obviously weak. I got up a couple of times, just to answer the call of nature with Mulder or Jourdain by my side for support. Each time, I returned to my bedroll in a sweat and trembling from the exertion of merely walking. While we were probably fit enough to ride, we were most definitely not in any shape to try to storm the reputedly formidable Maalfees Manor. Scully wasn't worried. "Another few healing treatments through the day and one tonight and you'll be fit, Walter. Just try to keep it in perspective. In our world, you'd still be on IV's and receiving blood transfusions." She was right. Already most of the gaping slash across my ribs had been replaced with new pink skin. I guess I just felt guilty, watching Mulder prowl around restlessly. Scully noticed my eyes following her bondmate. "Don't worry. Urielle's going to talk to him and settle him down a bit. And don't feel so damn guilty. What with the battle yesterday and the healing treatments for you and Tarnor, I'm not fighting-fit either. We need to spend this time here. Mulder knows that, intellectually. It's just his emotional side that's having a problem." I cleared my throat. "I... uh... I don't know if I've ever said this in so many words. But you're good for him, Dana. I'm glad that you two have what you have together." Her cheeks flushed an attractive pink. "Thank you, Walter," she said softly. "Now get some rest." She seemed as nonplussed by my uncharacteristically personal remark as I was. But she dropped a quick kiss on my forehead when she left. ~ ~ ~ The next day dawned cold but finally clear, and we set out early. Although Tarnor and I were a bit rocky to start, the bracing air and the activity seemed to help. By midmorning, I was feeling more like my old self. Tarnor had been right about the desert - the colors were gorgeous, constantly changing with the movement of the sun. I found myself enjoying the ride. By midday, we had passed out of the desert and began climbing to a high green plateau. "We should be close," Jourdain grunted. "Just over that rise would be my guess." Led by Mulder, who was just about jumping out of his skin at that point, we rode into a little stand of trees and dismounted. Leaving the horses, we walked part of the way up the hill, then dropped to our bellies to crawl to the crest of the rise. Below us the valley was a smooth green plain, offering no cover whatsoever. And straight across from us almost a half a mile away on the cliffs opposite rose the imposing bulk of Maalfees Manor. "Christ, Mulder - Lita wasn't kidding when she said that place was a fortress!" I whispered. "Look at that place!" Surely no medieval castle built by the most paranoid or trouble-prone of nobles could have had more perfect defenses - not even Mad King Ludwig's place in the middle of that lake in Bavaria or wherever the hell it was. The cliffs on which we were perched dropped nearly straight down some two hundred feet to the valley floor. The rock had been polished to an almost glass-like finish by some prehistoric river, now long-since dried up, and then by centuries of exposure to the wind and rain. Handholds and footholds were pretty nearly nonexistent, from what I could see. At the base of the cliffs, a meadow descended gently to the bottom of the valley to rise again toward the cliff face opposite our position. Set high up into that cliff face, Maalfees Manor rose, its smooth facade unbroken by a single window for a height of maybe fifty feet. My eyes panned up to view what looked like four or five stories of habitable chambers with tall, narrow windows. Above that were the battlements, with lookout towers at all four corners and two in the center. The flags on each tower were the purple and green of Maalfees House. Beside me, I could feel Mulder's tension and frustration build. "Maybe the Prince isn't there," I suggested. There was a scurrying nearby and seconds later Tarnor squeezed in between Mulder and myself. "No, he's there. Can you feel it, Mulder?" "I feel something, some sensation of Mage power nearby," he admitted. "But it feels... different." Tarnor nodded. "What you're sensing is untrained Mage energy. You don't recognize it because you've probably never been exposed to it before. But it's there. And that means the Prince is there." I looked over at the agent. His negative vibes were beginning to give me a headache. "Well, look at it this way, Mulder. At least we know he's still alive." I didn't know about Mulder, but I was relieved. It had been bothering me - all the wilderness we had passed through getting here, the forests and desert, and the cries and snarls of the carnivores that lived and hunted there. Lots of landscape in which to lose the corpses of an infant and a small, slim teenaged girl. "A lot of good that will do if we can't get to him," he growled in return. I could see Scully looking up, surveying the black clouds rapidly forming overhead. "Let's go back down and see if we can come up with a plan," she suggested. She stared at her bondmate and I could tell they were communicating again. She was probably trying to calm him down. The waves of anger and frustration emanating from him were incredibly strong. I glanced over at Urielle and saw she was sharing the migraine-like banging that his emotions were causing. We pulled back from the cliff edge on our stomachs and began trudging down the slope to the copse where the horses were tethered. Something was bothering them - I could tell from their frightened whinnies. I caught Tarnor's expression of fear as he turned to look back at Mulder and Scully. "Mage Mulder - shield!" shouted the little gargoyle. The banging in my head was almost unbearable now, as Tarnor's warning served only to make Mulder more furious. I remembered what had been said about emotions causing a Mage storm. It looked like we were in for the mother of all Mage storms any second. "Fuck my shield! Fuck my so-called power!" he spat out. "They're doing God knows what with Shannon's child, and we're stuck over here, powerless to stop the sons of bitches!" A wind began to tear around us as the sky blackened. Scully grabbed his arms, but he shook her off. "Mulder, do it! Shield yourself now!" she shouted against the wind's roar. "Everyone - get to cover!" Urielle yelled. Aldara and Jourdain had already made it to the copse, and Tarnor and the priestess were close behind. I grabbed a kicking, protesting Scully and took off down the hill toward the stand of trees. The first crash of thunder shook the ground so hard that it brought me to my knees. As lightning split the sky, the earth continued to tremble, more violently as the seconds ticked away. "Mulder!" Scully screamed. He had stopped about halfway down the hill, his eyes rolled back in his head, his arms outstretched. Mage energy lanced the air around him. I made a move to go back for him, to do something, anything, to make him snap out of it before he ended up hurting himself or someone else. I felt a restraining hand gripping my tunic. "He'll be all right," Urielle shouted. "But we have to get away from him - quickly!" I lurched to my feet, one arm firmly around Scully's waist. I picked up Urielle with the other arm and staggered down the slope, Scully's fists beating a tattoo on my ribcage the whole way. We had almost reached the copse when we were thrown to the ground, as the once-solid earth beneath our feet undulated in ocean-like waves. A heartbeat later, there was a deafening thunderclap and then a roar that made the thunder seem mild in comparison. I guess we were all stunned senseless for a few seconds. When I picked myself up off the ground, the blackness had fled, the wind had died and the earth was once again solid and unmoving. "Mulder!" Scully scrambled to her feet and flew past me up the hill. I followed on her heels. We had nearly reached him when I looked up the hill above where he lay weakly moving. Jesus. Oh, sweet Jesus. I made a mental note never again to piss off my troublesome agent. The crest of the hill on which we had been standing seconds before.... It was just... gone. Scully had gotten Mulder into a semi-seated position. Jourdain appeared and helped prop him up. The stricken Mage was mumbling, but not making a lot of sense. Not that that was a surprise, coming from Mulder. Especially in view of what he had just apparently done. "Look!" Aldara called, softly but urgently from what was now the hilltop. Jourdain got Mulder to his feet. With Scully on his other side, they maneuvered him up the slope. We dropped to our bellies near the top and crawled the rest of the way. Seven pairs of eyes widened in shock as they surveyed the scene below. The once sheer, polished cliffs were now raw and scored, the downward angle still tricky, but nowhere near the almost perpendicular drop it had been. Huge boulders peppered the smooth green of the meadow, hundreds of them. Some had even hurtled all the way across the valley to thud to a stop against the cliffs opposite. "Thank the Goddess," murmured Urielle, to my right. "Now perhaps we have a chance." Jourdain grunted. "Better, yes. Much better. But we could still be spotted coming down the cliff and running from rock to rock." Tiredly, Mulder nodded in agreement. "Look, let's get Mulder back to our camp so he can rest," Scully urged. "We can talk about a plan down there." There were murmurs of assent. We withdrew from the newly- formed summit. Between his bondmate and the Guard Captain, Mulder could barely put one foot in front of the other. Tarnor spoke a few words and his aura glowed. Slowly, Mulder's feet rose off the ground and Scully pushed him into a reclining position. Sandwiched between them, his body was guided down the slope by Scully and Jourdain, and into the copse. The rest of us followed, too dumbstruck to speak. She unfurled her bedroll and with a gesture from the gargoyle Mage, her bondmate's body settled gently upon it. Quickly, Scully began to put her healing skills to work once more, as Aldara and Jourdain removed supplies from the saddlebags and began food preparations. Soon Mulder had been placed in a light healing trance and Scully rejoined us. Aldara passed metal plates of what I was beginning to think of as Realm MRE's - bread, cheese and strips of dried salted meat. Flasks of lukewarm tea left over from the morning completed our repast. I gathered my cloak around my shoulders. A hot meal would have been welcome in the chill, but I knew that we didn't dare risk the smoke from a fire. If the guards at Maalfees Manor were worth their salt, the little earthquake and subsequent landslide were enough to capture their attention. I just hoped they weren't inclined to send anyone over to check it out, up close and personal. Jourdain and Aldara were speaking softly to each other, Tarnor was napping and Scully had gone back to her bondmate to check his condition. Urielle wiped her empty plate and returned it to the saddlebags, then came over and sat by me. "He's done it before, you know," she commented mildly. It took me a second to figure out what she was talking about. "He has? This... this earthquake thing? Is that how you knew he wouldn't be harmed?" She nodded. "It was when the Dark Queen was creating inter- species hatred. Of course, we didn't know it was her at the time. Mage Mulder and I had been sent with a squad of soldiers to stop trouble between humans and elves in a little village north of Fairwoods. No one would listen, and bloodshed was imminent. Well, with the powers of the Dark Queen...." She paused, a thoughtful expression on her elven features. "I was powerless to stop it. Mage Mulder was not. He created a giant fireball which hung over the village square, then caused the earth to cleave in two, separating the villagers and bringing them to their senses. Then as now, I am not sure it was a conscious thing on his part. His emotions are... very powerful." I smiled. "Tell me about it. How's your head?" She grinned back, looking most unpriestess-like. "Better since Scully put him in a trance - from which he is now awakening, if I am any judge." My headache, which had abated, once again throbbed gently but insistently. I wondered absently how many of the headaches Mulder had brought me in our own world had been caused by our latent powers, rather than his inability to stick by the book. One by one the rest of our party joined Urielle and me, the last to arrive Scully, with a pale and shaky Mulder. He sat between Scully and myself, giving me a somewhat shamefaced half-smile as he settled into place. "We need a plan," Jourdain opened simply. "Can the Mages help out here?" I asked. "Maybe turn us all into birds or something?" Mulder shook his head and Tarnor smiled a little over the naivete of my question. "Would that it were so easy, Walter," he replied. "Magic isn't the answer to everything. It can help, but it is rarely the entire solution to a problem. It is a tool, like any of the other powers. With a few exceptions - like manipulation of the weather and so on - it only works if there is a tried and true spell, especially when dealing with the numbers of people in Maalfees Manor, people who have committed treason and are therefore highly motivated to resist us. I know of no spell that will either transport us across the valley to the manor, nor render all of them senseless to our incursion. Mulder's powers are, Goddess knows, much greater than mine. But still, if there is no spell...." He flapped his knobby limbs expressively and trailed off. "If we can't go across the valley, maybe we can go around," Aldara suggested. "It will take longer, but perhaps the manor is more accessible from the other side of the cliffs." "No, it's equally as bad on the other side." Six heads turned in my direction before I realized that I had been the one to utter the comment. Scully gazed at me, puzzled. "How do you know that, Walter?" "I... I don't know. I mean, I can't know, obviously." I shook my head. I guess everything was starting to catch up with me - my wound, Mulder's little demolition demonstration.... "Look, just ignore me. I don't know why I said that." But why did it feel so right to me? Urielle was looking at me strangely, but I didn't dwell on it. I was feeling pretty strange, myself. Jourdain spoke up. "Actually, Walter is correct. I had a few moments before we set out from Fairwoods, and I talked to some troll traders who were there for the Naming Day Ceremony. They had travelled extensively in this area. There is a river on the other side of Maalfees Manor. Those cliffs on which it is built rise directly out of the river, which is under constant surveillance. But even if there were no watchtowers and sentries, it would not matter. The cliffs in this area are called "The Glass Walls" because of their polished vertical surfaces. We could not climb them, even if we approached by the river." There was a short silence. "Disguise, perhaps?" Tarnor suggested. "They must need supplies in such a large manor which shelters so many people. Maybe if we disguised ourselves as traders...." "Maybe," Scully replied doubtfully. "But if I were planning to abduct the Heir to the Throne, I think I'd stockpile all the supplies I needed beforehand. That way, I could both withstand a siege and also limit the number of strangers I would have to give access to the manor. But that raises an interesting question - how the hell does anyone get in there? There are no roads, no paths, no portcullis - nothing to indicate an entrance." "I don't think we'll know that until we get closer. The entrance may be hidden. May it please the Goddess that we are able to get close enough to find out," Jourdain concluded with a sigh. He got to his feet. "Well, whatever happens, we won't need the horses. I'm going to take off their saddles and set them free." I watched him leave our circle. "Wait a minute - won't need the horses?" I asked the others, confused. "Why not?" "If we find the Prince, we'll want to get him back to Fairwoods as quickly as possible, so we'll Gate back," Mulder explained somberly. "If we don't find him...." He didn't have to complete the sentence. If we didn't find him, we would have died trying. We wouldn't be going back. Mulder sighed, and tried to muster up some enthusiasm for the seemingly impossible task at hand. "The cliff will now be easier to descend, and the boulders will help to provide some cover, but we could still be spotted, as Jourdain said. How did that cliff look to you, Aldara? Think we could manage it in a couple of candlemarks, after nightfall?" Wrapped up in my own thoughts, I didn't pay much attention to Aldara's response. Even now, descending that cliff face was going to be a tricky proposition. Yes, it was less steep and had more hand and footholds. But there was also a hell of a lot of loose rock. One misstep, and the unwary or unlucky would find themselves rolling ass over elbows to the bottom. Not something I was thrilled about trying in the daylight, let alone after dark. If only we had some form of cover.... I was aware of the gloomy silence which had descended on us all. Suddenly, Aldara pointed excitedly to the east. "Hey, Mulder! Are you doing that?" We all turned to look. From a hundred yards away, a fogbank slowly approached. It was like a small cloud, some thirty yards wide, suspended a few feet above the ground. Mulder seemed as surprised as the rest of us. "No, I'm not doing that. I don't think so anyway. Tarnor?" The gargoyle's teeth were bared in a fierce grin. "No, surely you are not, Mulder, and neither am I," he chortled. "But there's the cover we need. Jourdain! Jourdain, come here!" When Jourdain came running back, we huddled quickly. "Stay toward the back of the fogbank and follow it down the slope," the Guard Captain advised. "But don't fall behind or you'll lose your cover. When you get to the bottom, keep up with it. Use the boulders for further cover. I'll go first, then Scully. Aldara, you bring up the rear with Walter. Everyone else toward the middle. Move as fast as you can - that fogbank could disappear at any time." I hated to look a gift horse in the mouth, but getting across the valley was only one of the seemingly insurmountable problems facing us. "What about the rest of the plan?" I protested. "What are we going to do once we get across?" "Unfortunately we don't have time to discuss it," Aldara commented. "If we lose that fog, we'll lose our best chance of getting across the valley unnoticed." Once again, Urielle had been looking at me strangely since the fogbank appeared. "You worry too much, Walter," she smiled. "We'll know when we get there. Trust in the Goddess, and trust your instincts." "I think that's the Realm equivalent of 'drop back ten and punt'," joked Mulder in a stage whisper. "Or maybe, 'hang loose'." "Some plan," I grunted. Well, Mulder's mood seemed to have improved, anyway. At least my head wasn't throbbing anymore. The fog enshrouded us, damp but unexpectedly warm and comforting. I took a moment to find my center of serenity, then climbed up the hill after the others. One by one we dropped over the cliff edge, scrambling in the loose rock. The fog bank cooperated and stayed with us. It was undoubtedly just my imagination, but it appeared to slow down while we negotiated the more difficult terrain, and speed up as we hit the easier parts. Still, our descent was blind. Although I could see my feet, I couldn't make out the shapes of my companions. Occasionally there would be a soft cry of alarm and the sound of a small avalanche of pebbles. But it was impossible to know if we had all made it to the bottom more or less intact. I worked my way across the meadow, zigzagging from boulder to boulder. Dimly, I could hear Aldara behind me, and someone, possibly Tarnor, ahead. It probably took the better part of a candlemark from when we started, but finally, exhausted and dripping with sweat, I put my hands out and touched a wall of smooth, cold rock. Moments later, the fogbank cleared as if it had never been. I gazed up in alarm, but high above us the manor house overhung the cliff face, ironically sheltering us from the sharp eyes of the Maalfees sentries in the towers. I looked to my right, and seeing Jourdain's summoning gesture, joined our little group of would-be rescuers. I guessed it was time to punt.... He kept his voice low. "Look for an entrance. They have to be able to get in somehow. It may be concealed or disguised in some way. Spread out and try to find it - but don't go around the cliff to the rear. We might not be lucky enough to be shielded by the manor on that side. We'll meet back here if we can't find it, and try to figure out another plan." Plan. Yeah, right, sure. We were making this up as we went along and we all knew it. But we spread out as Jourdain had ordered, feeling along the face of the cliff. I took the extreme south end, unaccountably feeling more confident with each step I took. Suddenly, my hand was touching nothing but air. I stepped back, amazed. From across the valley, it had appeared to be a solid, unbroken wall of stone. Now that I was right on top of it, I realized that the wall stopped and began again six feet further on, and in between, a recess. A recess that blended so well with the surrounding rock that it presented a kind of optical illusion. Intensely, I scanned the ground and picked up the faint prints of horses and booted men. There had been largely-successful efforts to eradicate the tracks, but a few remained. I poked my head into the six foot deep recess. To my right was an upward slope, something between a ramp and a wide, shallow stairway. Here, no one had bothered to brush away the semi-dried horse dung or bootprints. And even more tellingly, the smaller prints of women. Excitedly I ran back to Jourdain, gathering the others as I passed. "Okay, I found it," I said softly when everyone had huddled. "There are no guards in sight, but that doesn't mean they're not around." We were about to set off when Urielle placed a restraining hand on Jourdain's arm. "I believe we need to do this with as little bloodshed as possible," she said. "What!" He stared at her as if she had taken leave of her senses. "Let me remind you, Priestess, that these people have committed treason. They are not simply going to turn over the Prince to us because we ask them nicely." "I am aware of that," she admitted gravely. "But I feel the presence of the Goddess demanding that of us - to draw blood only to defend ourselves." In spite of the fact that logic would dictate that it was insane to further lengthen our odds, I couldn't help but agree with her. It didn't make sense from a tactical viewpoint, but I was amazed to find I felt as strongly as she did. "She's right, Jourdain." He looked at me in shock and was about to protest, but Urielle stopped him. "Do you really think we would have made it this far without the Goddess's help?" "Do as the Priestess says, Jourdain," Aldara said quietly, her eyes entreating her husband. Frankly, I was a little surprised. Of the two, she was the better warrior and had always seemed the more aggressive. But perhaps she also had stronger faith. "Well, we're going to need another weapon, then," he grumbled. "One that doesn't draw blood. Mages, can you help?" Mulder looked at Tarnor. Although the agent's powers were undoubtedly stronger - if that earthquake was anything to go by - I guessed that the little gray guy was more familiar with the myriad spells of his calling than Mulder, who wasn't a permanent resident of the Realm. "I know of one which will help," responded Tarnor slowly. "It will make the objects of the spell sleep deeply for a short time. If we're quiet, it may work." Mulder frowned. "I don't know that spell." Tarnor grinned ferociously. "I came upon it myself not long ago. I can handle it. Save yourself for later. You're still weakened from creating your earthquake. And we must both keep some energy in reserve in order to Gate back. If we are too drained to properly secure our end of the Gate...." He trailed off. I remembered from what Mulder had told me that not securing a Gate was A Bad Thing. A Very Bad Thing. "Anyway, if we run into no more than five or six guards, there should be no problem handling this spell alone." Jourdain sighed. "Very well. Let's go. Mage Tarnor, position yourself where you must." At Tarnor's nod, we set off. Silently, I showed the others the recess and indicated the tracks on the ground. We slowly ascended the stair-stepped ramp. We got to the top noiselessly and without incident. A wide, thick wooden door liberally inlaid with iron strips was in front of us. Fortunately, the manor maintenance man knew his stuff - the door opened without any telltale creaks to a short dark hallway which led to a dimly-lit main corridor. From down that corridor and to the left came the sounds of two men talking and laughing. "That's the third time in a row you've beaten me! You have the luck of a damned elf, Rentil." "Luck? 'Tis not luck but skill, my friend! Though precious little skill is needed to beat the likes of you!" "My honor demands a rematch." Rentil chortled. "You can't afford a rematch, Erdo. Perhaps Blanks is not your game." "A rematch!" "Oh, very well. Consider yourself warned. Lay out the tiles again." Jourdain nodded to Tarnor, who closed his eyes and extended his arms upward. His lips moved but not a sound was uttered. After what must have been several minutes, the conversation of the two guards grew more desultory. Finally, we heard them snoring. "How long will they sleep?" Aldara whispered to the tired gargoyle Mage. "Long enough, if we don't tarry. Quiet now! They are not unconscious, but just sleeping. A loud enough noise will awaken them." "Fine. But which way do we go?" queried Scully. End of Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen We had edged out into the corridor. I thought that Fairwoods Castle was confusing, but this place was a damned maze. There were scores of doors and archways leading from the corridor in all directions. I must have been lightheaded from fatigue or our exertions in getting this far. All I know is that I felt... weird. As if I were removed from the action, viewing it from another place. Suddenly, I was certain of the direction to head in, as forcefully as if someone were shoving me from behind. I felt a totally inappropriate sense of calm suffuse me. "That way." Scully's astonishment and doubt were written all over her. "Walter! How can you possibly know?" "I suggest we let Warrior Priest Skinner guide us." Urielle's tone was soft, almost reverent. She didn't take her eyes off me. I felt a rush of love for the tiny priestess, as if she were a sweet, favored child. But... it didn't feel right. Much as I liked her, it didn't feel as if the sentiment were coming from me. I would have been more disturbed by the sensation, but once again I was enveloped in a comforting serentity.... "Can you not see it?" she whispered, awed. "Look - look at his aura!" They all turned towards me, their eyes widening. I glanced down. My hands, my arms were emitting a golden glow which appeared to grow brighter by the second. I stared at them, bewildered. Urielle's features were beatific in the glow. "Oh, Merciful Goddess! Oh, Great Merciful Goddess! Can't you see?" she smiled to the others. "The Goddess is working through Warrior Priest Skinner. She'll lead us to the Prince through Walter!" Acutely uncomfortable with the way they were all staring at me, I started down the hallway, creeping past where the two guards lay sleeping over their game. From my quick glance, it appeared to be a cross between dominoes and mah jong. The others followed, Scully and Aldara taking the time to poke their heads into the storerooms that lined this part of the hallway. I continued past the first two archways and stopped at the third. A stone staircase coiled up to the next level. "Up here. Tarnor, stay behind me. If we hear voices, you can be ready to do your thing again." Silently we went up the twisting stairway. I swear we all stopped breathing as our ears strained for the sounds of occupants. There were a few faint noises - the scrape of a boot on the flagstones of the floor, a low cough - but there was none of the helpful conversation we had heard below. There might have been one, or a hundred, of our opponents within hearing range. I nodded to Tarnor to do his stuff. The caution in his eyes was as eloquent as his lips would have been, had he been free to speak. He was making no promises that his spell would be enough to ensure us safe passage. I nodded again, and he began his spell. This time we set out one at a time, to the right and down the poorly-illuminated hallway. I went first. Fortunately, the archway I felt was the correct one was close by. I glanced up and down the corridor, then signalled to Tarnor. One by one our party silently scurried the twenty or so feet from one archway to the other. At one point I held up a warning hand when I heard a cough, then after several minutes of tense silence, signalled the go-ahead. Finally we were all together and began our ascent. About halfway up, we paused. This staircase was much longer than the other had been, which probably meant we were leaving the windowless storage areas for the more habitable levels of the manor. Unfortunately that meant that our strategy for avoiding detection was no longer going to work. We had been incredibly lucky so far. On the next level we were bound to run into more of the manor's occupants, more than Tarnor's spell could cope with. The little guy was looking pretty tired, in any case. "Are we getting close, Mulder?" I whispered almost soundlessly. He nodded and replied in the same low tones. "Closer - but I can't get an exact fix on the source of the Mage energy. It's- it's almost like a strobing or pulsating effect. Makes it hard to pin down." He turned to Tarnor, who nodded his confirmation. I sighed. "We play it by ear, folks. Just watch out for each other and watch your backs." Tarnor and Urielle dropped to the rear. It was much more likely we would be needing the talents of the warriors from now until we had recovered the Prince. We began to climb again. At the top of the stairs we heard voices and booted feet - lots of them. "Ranfaus bitch!" "Oh, so not even the King was good enough for you!" "Perhaps you can spurn that weak excuse of a King, but not the nobles of Maalfees House!" "You get to be the evening's entertainment. How do you like that, Lady High and Mighty?" There were nasty laughs from several men. Beside me, Aldara's hand went to the hilt of her dagger and there was murder in her eyes, while Scully's reflected outrage and pain. She looked pleadingly at me and Mulder. I nodded. Our mission to rescue the Prince might be critical, but there was no way we were about to let an innocent girl be raped by a bunch of Maalfees goons. I peeked out. The gang approached from our left about sixty feet away and coming closer all the time. There were six of them, probably sent to 'escort' her to her quarters. It didn't look like she was going to make it there - not intact, anyway. She was positioned between the last of the two guards, the one on her right the Guard Captain, if I read his insignia correctly. Her head was held high, though tears glinted in her eyes. An ugly livid mark on her left cheek and her torn gown gave evidence that she had already been handled roughly by her captors. Apparently she gave as good as she got - one of the guards dripped blood from where she had raked his cheek with her nails, and another limped noticeably. The guards grasped her arms so tightly they would undoubtedly leave bruises. Behind me, Mulder and Tarnor exchanged a few soft words which were lost in the clatter and thump of weapons and bootsteps. They quickly fell into 'spell mode'. Whatever they were cooking up, I hoped to hell it worked fast. The guards were within thirty feet now. "Hey! Hey, Brandnor! What's that? It looks like smoke!" The group stopped, only a few paces from where we crouched in the archway at the head of the staircase. "What now? All right... Freck, take Kellor and Pranek and check it out." "But-" "The bitch isn't going anywhere. You'll still get your turn at her. Now do as I ordered!" The three resentful guards thumped unenthusiastically past us up the hallway. In seconds, the corridor was filled with smoke. "Freck! What in the name of the Dark Creatures are you doing down there?" the leader, Brandnor, called. There was a muffled reply, too indistinct to be understood. "Horse droppings! That idiot is useless. Maybe he won't get his turn at you after all, Ranfaus bitch." He tightened his grip on Livirnea and pulled her along, past our position. It was time to make our move. Scully and Aldara had already slipped past me into the smoke-clouded hallway. As stealthy and lethal as poison, they each chose one of the remaining guards, and quickly and expertly applied chokeholds on their unwary targets. I did the same with the Captain of the Guards. Jourdain dove past us and, putting a cautionary hand over Livirnea's mouth, he grabbed her and carried her to our hiding place. Unable to see who was restraining her, she fought like a wildcat. Leaving the guards unconscious on the stone floor, we dashed back into the archway recess. "Lady Livirnea!" Jourdain whispered urgently as he tried to control the struggling girl. "Stop! It's us!" Her eyes widened in amazement and relief, and her flailing limbs relaxed. Cautiously, Jourdain put her down. "Oh sweet Goddess! It *is* you!" "Are you all right?" asked Scully gravely. "Yes - just barely." She reasserted her normally dignified, controlled demeanor. "But the Prince -" "Where is he?" Mulder asked anxiously. "Is he in any danger?" "No, he's all right. They're taking good care of him. They would - they have plans for him. This way - I'll show you!" "Wait! First, are there any guards in there with him now?" demanded Aldara. "Right now, none. There's just that dragon-woman who came with us from Fairwoods. She's the wife of one of the older nobles - Granoc, I think. They feel secure here. Most of the guards were there to watch me. They didn't trust me." She faltered and her eyes swam with tears. "I think... I think they were afraid I would kill the child rather than let him stay with them and figure in their plans. Goddess help me, I thought of it... but I just couldn't do it." Scully gave her a reassuring hug. "It's all right. We're here now, and we're going to get both the Prince and you out of here. All right, now show us how to get to him." Having something positive to do seemed to help the girl control her emotions again. She nodded. "I'll take you the safest way. It's less direct, but we stand a much better chance of avoiding more people that way." "Good girl," Mulder smiled approvingly. "That's just what we want. All right, let's go before the rest of the goons come back when they figure out that you *can* have smoke without a fire." ~ ~ ~ We crouched in an alcove less than a dozen paces from the chamber in which the Prince was being held. I couldn't even begin to remember the convoluted, circuitous route by which we had arrived. Now that Livirnea was on the scene, the Goddess was evidently needed elsewhere, because my enhanced sense of direction had left me. Speed was of the essence now. It was only a matter of time before any of the guards we had left unconscious in our path began to wake up and sound an alarm. On our tense trip up here, we had run into a few of Maalfees' finest. Jourdain, Aldara and Scully had efficiently applied chokeholds or banged their heads with the hilts of their knives, and dragged their unconscious prey out of sight to clear the way for the rest of us. I still wondered about my role in all of this. Yes, the Goddess had worked through me to help us find Livirnea. Maybe I even had something to do with the appearance of that fortuitous fogbank, I don't know. But was that all? Was that the reason Daanna had insisted that I go with the search party? Or was my contribution yet to come? Once again I reached into myself, seeking, and finding, that serene core I was coming to depend on more and more. "All right," Jourdain was saying. "Livirnea, you go in first. Your presence won't be entirely out of the ordinary. Leave the door ajar so we can hear what's going on in there. Get to the dragon-woman and see that she doesn't call out. Then the rest of us will come in. Think you can do that?" "My pleasure." The normally quiet, serious girl allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction. "Good. Aldara, you take over for Livirnea once we get in there. See to it that the dragon-woman behaves herself - by whatever means you deem necessary. Scully - you get to the Prince. Check him out, make sure he's all right. I'll watch the door with Walter while Tarnor and Mulder get started on that Gate. Mages, make it as quick as you can - we won't have much time. When the Gate is ready, Livirnea, you go through first with the Prince, then Urielle, then everyone else. It's going to be important to go through fast. Everyone understand?" Livirnea took a deep breath, smoothed her tattered gown, and walked calmly to the door of the chamber and went in. "What are you doing back here?" asked a hoarse voice from the room. "I would have thought you would have your hands full, raising the morale of our troops." There was a nasty cackle, broken off abruptly. "What-!" "Let's go," Jourdain said, and in seconds we were all in the huge chamber. I looked for a lock, or deadbolt, or anything to secure the door before remembering that that wasn't the norm here in the Realm. Livirnea was struggling to hold the noblewoman, her hand clamped tightly over her mouth. Aldara went right for the noblewoman with her knife drawn and nodded to Livirnea to back away. "One word, one sound, and I'll use it. Understood?" The Maalfees noblewoman nodded, glaring malevolently. The infant's aura drew Scully like a beacon in a fog. Cradling him in her arms, she quickly did a cursory check of his temperature and breathing. "He seems fine," she observed with obvious relief. Mulder grabbed for the crystal he wore on a chain around his neck and peered into it intently. In seconds, I could hear Hannu's voice acknowledging him. "We're ready and we need to make it quick, Hannu. Is Reinald with you?" "I just sent a runner for him, Mulder. We've been taking turns since dawn, waiting here in the courtyard for your signal. Don't worry, I'll start and he can join in when he gets here. Do you have my grandson?" "Both the Prince and Livirnea are with us and are fine. But- " The hallway outside reverberated with the sounds of weapons jangling and booted soldiers running. "But I think we've worn out our welcome. Tarnor and I will start things from our end now. Be ready!" He dropped the crystal as he and Tarnor lost no time getting into their trance. Ringlets of blue-white Mage energy coursed down their arms, their legs, their torsos, bright enough to hurt the eyes. I began looking for something to do, some way to help. "Jourdain - give me a hand." Together we pushed a tall heavy armoire against the door. Hopefully, it would buy us enough time to Gate out of there. Then again, it might not... Jourdain didn't look happy about our situation. There was a thump at the door. "Lady Vilga! Lady Vilga, are you in there? Are you all right? We have intruders!" Aldara pointed the knife meaningfully at the woman's throat. She swallowed convulsively, then shouted out, "Go away, Brandnor - you'll wake the child!" There was a moment of hesitation. We dared to hope that the dragon-woman's assurance was enough to send the soldiers away, but it was short-lived. "Open the door, Lady Vilga. I want to see for myself!" Just then, the Prince let out a lusty squawl at being disturbed from his nap. For a split second, Aldara's attention was diverted, but it was enough. The noblewoman twisted from her grasp and began to yell. "They're here! They- " Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aldara throw an impressive hook, and the woman went down like a sandbag. Much as I would have liked to remark on her prowess, at that moment Jourdain and I were throwing our weight against the armoire in an attempt to keep out the squad of soldiers trying their best to get in. A quick glance at Mulder showed that the Mages were fully involved in Gate building now, a terrifying column of blue fire climbing to the high ceiling, and twisting like a serpent. At some point Scully must have handed the baby over to Livirnea. I found her at my side, adding her slight weight to our all-too-temporary blockade. "How much more time, Scully?" I panted. "How much more time do they need?" She took a quick look. "We're a couple of minutes away. Somehow we have to buy them that time!" Well, our impromptu blockade wasn't going to do it. I turned and caught Jourdain's eyes. He knew it too. Already, the armoire had been pushed back a good six inches. Another few seconds and the door would be open enough for the goons from the hall to start pouring in. "Stay here," Jourdain grunted. "Keep your weight against it. If we can prevent the door opening all the way, they'll have to come in one by one. We might be able to hold them. Scully, Aldara - with me." I nodded, not wanting to waste my breath talking. I repositioned myself at the center of the armoire and dug in. "I'm ready." I said, and braced myself. Jourdain, Scully and Aldara leapt to the entryway, swords drawn, to meet the first of the Maalfees goons. Then all hell broke loose. In seconds, the trio were battling twice their number. All promises to the Goddess were off now - they were fighting for their lives. Already three Maalfees soldiers lay on the floor, the stones running slick and scarlet with their blood, their bodies ironically helping to limit the numbers of their comrades from entering. I was heaving so hard the sweat ran off me in rivers and my veins stood out like ropes. Frantically I glanced over my shoulder. The roaring column of blue-white Mage energy was now bent towards the floor, the Mages trembling with their efforts to control it. Livirnea stood nearby, poised to dash through the moment it was secured. The area encompassed by the near-arch was swirling, coalescing into something that was not quite discernible yet, but becoming clearer by the second. "Aaagh- !" My head whipped back in time to see Jourdain's sword dispatch one of the Maalfees soldiers - but not before one of his buddies had sunk his knife hilt-deep in the big man's lower chest. "Jourdain!" "It's secured!" Livirnea shouted, and, Heir to the Throne in her arms, hurried though the pulsating blue portal. Our job was done. Now all we had to do was get the hell out of there alive. I drew my sword. "Scully - you and Aldara take Jourdain through." "But- " "That's an order! I'll hold them off and stay with Mulder." As the women sagged beneath the burden of the big man's weight and pulled back from the door, I dived in. My unconventional swordsmanship caught the well-trained Maalfees troops unawares, and I probably got in a few strikes I shouldn't have. But they were driving me back steadily; it was all I could do to prevent them from flanking me. The pileup of bodies partially blocking the door was the only thing saving me from being completely outmanned and cut down in my tracks. "Mulder!" "Tarnor, go! I'll hold the Gate until Walter gets through. Walter, come on!" Mulder urged. As the gargoyle scurried through the archway, I could vaguely pick out the forms of those of our party who had made it to safety on the other side of the Gate. I got in a lucky slice at my current opponent and he dropped to the floor. For once, there was no one to immediately take his place, though several goons were trying to clear the bodies from the door. Once they did that.... Spinning, I rushed to the Gate. "We're out of time! Go on, Mulder!" Mulder looked terrible, completely worn out by the fight to control the Gate under impossible conditions. He gave me a shove toward the portal. "No... have to go last.... Have to keep it... secured... until we go through. Go, Wal- aaagh!" Brandnor had at last burst through the door over the bodies of his comrades. At Mulder's cry, I jerked around in time to see the son of a bitch's hand on the hilt of the knife protruding from the Mage's shoulder blade. Blind with rage, I slashed out with my sword, neatly decapitating him. But the damage was done. As Mulder fought desperately to remain conscious, the Gate seemed to take on a life of its own. Tendrils of energy broke away from the arch, coiling and thrashing like high tension lines in a hurricane. I hoisted Mulder over my shoulder in a fireman's carry. Beyond the Gate, I could see Reinald and Hannu fighting to control the runaway energy from their side. But their images were getting less and less distinct. I didn't know until later that only a deluded and suicidal moron would have tried to go through an unstable Gate. As they say, ignorance is bliss, I guess. My eyes on the thrashing ropes of energy, I timed my leap. Clutching Mulder, I took a deep breath and dived through. An unholy roar filled my ears and I landed hard on the cobblestones of Fairwoods courtyard. Fortunately, Mulder was on top of me, and not underneath. I yelled... something. Reinald looked appalled, but Hannu appeared grasp whatever the hell I said. In an instant, just as searing heat and debris blasted through what was left of the Gate, it disappeared. Reinald and Hannu sagged to the cobblestones. It was just a guess, but it occurred to me that back at Maalfees Manor, things had just gone from bad to worse. End of Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Some of what happened next I was unaware of while it was going on, and various beings filled me in later. At the time, I was too busy laying stunned and senseless on the cobblestones of the courtyard. Apparently Lishla, there to observe Gating under Reinald's tutelage, took charge. As soon as Aldara and Scully stumbled through the Gate dragging Jourdain between them, the elven apprentice had sent a runner for Kyla. Fortunately, the Healer was already on her way, wanting to check the Prince when he arrived. She soon had her hands full. Scully had knelt at Jourdain's side to enter his body as a Healer, to stop the heavy bleeding from his chest wound. Kyla joined her just about the time Mulder and I made our precipitous arrival. What with Hannu and Reinald on the ground, dropped by exhaustion and the aftereffects of the uncontrolled Gate, and Jourdain's serious wound, Mulder and I lay stunned and almost unnoticed. Finally Urielle raised the alarm when she saw the dagger protruding from Mulder's back. Judging by their facial expressions, the Healers seemed to exchange some sort of communication, then Scully ran over to us. Two guards lifted Mulder off me and gently set him prone on the cobblestones. Scully was... Scully. Shutting away her emotions, she set to work on Mulder with spare, economic movements. Almost unmarked in all the activity, King Andalor and Queen Shannon arrived. Livirnea proudly handed the wailing heir back to his mother, who was close to hysterical with relief. The King spent a few moments welcoming his son home, and then looked around at all the unconscious and semiconscious men on the ground. Hurriedly, he sent for litter bearers. At that point, Tarnor was having a tough time even staying on his feet; casting a levitation spell for all who needed it was out of the question. I dragged myself over to Mulder's side. His bleeding now controlled, Scully had removed the knife. He twitched and mumbled for a few moments before his breathing became the slow and even respirations of sleep. His bondmate sighed, then opened her eyes and became aware of my presence. "I think it's okay, Walter. Fortunately, the knife caught him in the scapula. The bone's chipped and hurts like hell, and there's some muscle trauma, but it stopped the knife from passing through to any vital organs. At the moment, I'm more concerned with the effects of the Gate." I nodded. Getting to my feet, I put a hand out and helped her to stand. She was covered in blood. "Jourdain?" She bit her lip. Hesitantly she admitted, "I don't know, Walter. He's in shock from blood loss. His spleen was ruptured, and I think the very bottom of his left lung was punctured. He's... I just don't know." We watched as Kyla directed the first pair of litter bearers, gently lifting the injured Captain of the Guards and carrying him off to her cottage, a blood-soaked and tearful Aldara at their side. We weren't the only ones watching the drama. Andalor, his arm around Shannon, approached us. "Scully, how is Mulder?" he asked gravely. "His injury will heal. But he's exhausted, and the unstable Gate.... I'm not sure. Damage due to the use of Mage powers is largely beyond the scope of Healers." He nodded. "This isn't the right time or place - but Shannon and I want you to know how grateful we are." "I couldn't forgive myself if- " Shannon's tears of joy had turned to tears of regret and fear as she gazed at the men lying on the cobblestones. "Mulder... my father... Reinald... and poor Jourdain.... Oh, Scully, I'm so sorry!" she cried brokenly. She gave the Queen a reassuring hug. "It will be all right, Shannon. Go on back to your chamber. I'm sure your son's hungry." That was putting it mildly. The kid had been protesting non- stop and was frantically rooting at the front of Shannon's gown, looking for his next meal. "Don't worry, Your Majesty," I said. "We'll keep you and King Andalor informed." They nodded gravely, and set off back to the castle. Scully turned her attention to the litter bearers, who had finally arrived in force and were looking for instructions. "Take the Mages to their chambers," she directed. "I'll be right there." I noticed she had gotten pale and was visibly trembling as she watched the bearers move away with their precious cargoes. Livirnea and Urielle followed, helping the exhausted little gray guy stay on his feet. "Scully? Sc- " I think she would have passed out if I hadn't grabbed her. "Dana? Are you all right?" She buried her head against my chest and my arms automatically encircled her. She never made a sound, but from the dampness I was feeling through my shirt, I knew she was crying. I just held her and stroked her hair, murmuring incomprehensible nothings. But I felt it - and evidently she did too. That serenity, that calm, that comfort.... She sniffled, then giggled a little before finally pulling out of my arms. "You should bottle that stuff, Walter. Beats the hell out of Prozac." A little self-conscious, I smiled down at her. "You gonna be okay?" Scully nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine now. It's just reaction to... everything. It always happens. But I'm okay now. Thank you, Walter. Thank you for saving Mulder." Sighing, I frowned. "I'm just sorry I didn't do a better job of it." She shook her head impatiently. "You didn't stab him; they did. And you risked taking him through that damned Gate. Do you have any idea what would have happened if you hadn't done that?" she asked. We began walking to the castle. "Yeah - we would have been surrounded and hacked to death by the Maalfees goons." She laughed shortly and without humor. "They wouldn't have had the chance. Mulder lost control of the Gate when they stabbed him. That Gate was built by four Mages, three of them arguably the most powerful in all the Realm. Walter, a second after you carried Mulder out of there through the Gate, Maalfees Manor and the cliffs it sat on were undoubtedly vaporized by the uncontrolled Mage energy." My steps faltered for a moment and then resumed their regular cadence. "I guess that explains the debris and the heat that blasted us from the arch." She nodded. "Furthermore, if you hadn't gotten through to Hannu, telling him and Reinald to shut down the Gate on their end, Fairwoods could have suffered the same fate." This time I stopped dead. "*I* did that? I don't recall saying anything like that." She halted and turned, looking at me strangely. "You came through the Gate, bellowing at them to close it. You don't remember that?" Concerned now, she held my chin, checking my pupils. Gently, I brushed her hands away. "I'm fine, Scully. I just don't remember saying that." "Maybe *you* didn't. Maybe you had help," she said, searching my face. "The Goddess?" She nodded. "And maybe that's why Daanna insisted that I go with the search party?" Thoughtfully, she nodded again. "The fogbank... your directional sense in the Manor... closing the Gate. It makes sense." We once more began walking in the direction of the castle. "I've been wondering about that myself." I shook my head. "Shit, Scully. All this is so foreign to me, so unreal. But it's happening. It's really happening, right?" We entered the castle through an archway and climbed the winding staircase up to our level. "Yes, it's actually happening, Walter," she agreed gravely. We strolled in silence through the hallways to our respective doors. "Why don't you clean up and get some rest? I'll be busy with Mulder for a while. Then I suppose I'd better check on the other Mages and see how they're doing, even if I can't help all that much. Kyla will have her hands full with Jourdain." "Sure you're going to be all right now?" She smiled, back to the controlled, capable Scully I was so familiar with. "I'll be fine. Thanks again, Walter." I nodded and waited until she went into the chamber she shared with Mulder. Suddenly exhausted, I pushed open the door to my own room. I got as far as the bed when the urge to sleep overwhelmed me. Climbing fully clothed onto the high bed, I kicked off my boots and was asleep before they hit the floor. ~ ~ ~ "Well, would you look at the state of yourself!" I opened one eye to find Lita standing in my doorway with her hands on her hips. She moved aside to let Tilfo enter with hot water for my bath. "Aye, after all your good works, you must have been exhausted. Well, your breakfast is here, and your bath almost ready." Stiffly, I slid out of bed, still dressed in my filthy and bloodstained clothes from the day before. I stretched to try to get the soreness out of my body. "What's going on, Lita? Any word about how Jourdain's doing? And Mulder? What about the other Mages?" "Sit yourself down, Warrior Priest, and I'll bring you up to date. As the Goddess knows, I'm not a gossip, but I do get to hear a thing or two in my travels...." That was an understatement. While she served breakfast and fussed over me, she talked nonstop. "Mages Reinald and Hannu are doing well this morning. Still tired, but well enough to take little Daanna for her lessons as usual. Mage Tarnor is the best of the lot. He was on his way to see the King when I last saw him." "What about Mulder?" I asked, my mouth full of bread and cheese. "I was getting to him," she said with exaggerated patience. "More porridge? Bread? Oh, all right.... Mage Mulder is better. Not himself quite yet, but better. He's staying in bed at Warrior Healer Scully's command, but not happy about it. Still having pain between his treatments, but he's had worse before, so I expect he'll be right as rain in no time. Scully - she's exhausted, the poor thing. She was up most of the night, worrying over her bondmate, then checking on the other Mages, making sure all was well. Then, just as she was about to finally get some sleep, Aldara came for her at the run." "Jourdain?" I asked in alarm. "Is Jourdain all right?" I both liked and respected the Captain of the Guards, admired his values and the quiet dignity with which he conducted himself. Given enough time, I thought we could become good friends. But from the shape he was in the day before, I began to doubt we would have that time. "Drink your tea and have a little patience," Lita shot back smartly. "I was coming to that. Now, where was I? Oh, yes... Captain Jourdain was very ill indeed. I don't think I've ever seen Healer Kyla look so worried or work so hard. He had lost so much blood, y'see, and even a wonderful Healer like Kyla has limits. Aldara, poor mite, never left his side, and all the while her big green eyes showing so much fear.... Anyway, Healer Kyla had gotten him stable and all seemed to be going well for a while. Then suddenly, there was some sort of a setback, and she was losing him. So she sent Aldara running for Warrior Healer Scully. Three full candlemarks they worked on him, and brought him back. He was well on the way to taking the Journey, I tell you. 'Twas a miracle they were able to save him." "How is he now?" "Even here, such wounds are not cured in a day, Warrior Priest," she admonished me. "It will take time. But he is out of danger, Healer Kyla is sure of that now. Later today, he will be moved back to his own cottage, another good sign. He's strong and battle-hardened. If he has survived Aldara's cooking all this time, he'll survive this," she finished firmly. "She's that bad a cook, huh?" Lita rolled her eyes dramatically. "The stories I could tell you!" I smiled, then sobered. "How's Daanna taking all of this?" Sighing, she replied, "She's a puzzle, that little one. I've known that child since the day she was born, and I still can't figure her out. But neither can her parents, nor Reinald or Hannu, so I'm in good company. Do you know what she told Reinald?" I shook my head in response, but Lita, busy building a roaring fire in the hearth, didn't notice. Not that it mattered. It would take the powers of five Mages to stop Lita from talking when she was in full speight. She collected so much information, much of it obviously first-hand, that I began to wonder if she ever slept. "Well, Reinald broke the news to her about her father, fearing the worst. But she was calm as a summer sky. Just said, 'Oh, I know. I just didn't want to scare them. But Daddy will be all right. They said so'." "So she knew?" I exclaimed incredulously. "She knew all along? Those... those voices in her head told her that her father would be wounded, but would survive? And she just accepted it?" Christ. And I thought Mulder was spooky. Lita sighed again. "Evidently." "But why didn't- " "Why didn't she say something to them, warn them?" The elven servant shrugged. "Perhaps it was fated. Unavoidable." "And she reasoned that by telling them, they might have done something differently, consciously or unconciously. Something that might have altered the outcome of our mission." "That's what Reinald and Hannu seem to think, anyway. Now, if you've finished eating, your bath is ready. And if you don't mind my saying so," she observed, wrinkling her pert nose, "you are more than overdue for it." ~ ~ ~ I felt a hundred percent better after a bath and changing into clean clothes. The door to Mulder and Scully's room was closed. I didn't hear any movement inside so I assumed they were asleep. At loose ends, I decided to see if Jourdain was up to a visit. Of course, Kyla would be there too.... The day was spectacular - sparkling clear and cool, with little wind. In spite of the previous days in the saddle, I promised myself a ride out into the countryside later. I noticed that Fairwoods was still relatively crowded. Apparently those who had come for the Naming Day Ceremony had hung around, waiting to see what would happen. The thought of sitting through another interminable ritual was enough to make me cringe. I also noticed some of the King's troops standing guard around an impressively large dwelling. Although the standards outside were bare, I surmised that this was Maalfees' clan headquarters here in Fairwoods. I had wondered about the punishment that the plotters would receive. The crowd at Maalfees Manor, of course, had been vaporized by the Gate and were beyond worldly punishment, but the remainder of the Noble House here would have to be dealt with. Certainly they had known about the plot, if not actively participated in it. Murder, treason, kidnapping... surely capital offences. Although not squeamish by nature, I had no desire to end my time in this remarkable place by witnessing a mass execution, no matter how richly the prisoners deserved it. I walked up the path to Kyla's cottage, knocked, and entered. In the cot I had occupied on my arrival in Fairwoods lay Jourdain, uncharacteristically pale and vulnerable. Kyla had evidently been dozing in the chair by the hearth. She looked exhausted, her plain gown still spattered with Jourdain's blood, and tendrils of hair escaping her normally neat braid. When she saw me, she started to rise. "No - don't get up," I whispered. I went quietly to the hearth and bent down to kiss her fire-warmed cheek. "How's he doing?" "Better." She smiled wanly. "It was a long and difficult night, and he will need treatments for at least ten days yet. But he will heal." "And how are you doing?" She waved dismissively. "Mage Hannu will be here later to levitate Jourdain back to his cottage. After that, I will have a chance to clean up and get some rest. Don't worry, Walter," she smiled. "Who, me? I wasn't worried." "Yes, you were. You know, as an empath, you transmit your feelings very easily." I smiled ruefully. "Looks like I can't get away with anything." "That is correct. And don't you forget it," she replied teasingly. Then she sobered. "Scully told me you had been injured." "Just a cut - nothing serious." "Let me see." Reluctantly, I pulled my shirt up so she could see the side of my chest. "Healer Scully does good work," she commented appraisingly. "Still, it must give you some pain... it is not fully healed, and there are places where the wound edges have pulled apart and you have bled again." I snorted. "With what's been going on the last couple of days, I'm not surprised. All things considered, I got out of it lightly." "Let me- " "No. No, Kyla. You've done enough healing for today. You're exhausted." "Does it show?" I smiled. "I'm an empath, remember?" "When I have rested, I shall expect to see you for a treatment," she said with mock severity. "When you have rested, I'll be here with bells on." She looked puzzled. "With bells on? Why would you wear bells, Walter?" I laughed softly. "It's just an expression from my world. I guess it doesn't translate very well." She sank back down in her chair. There was a short silence, then she said quietly, "I did not get much of a chance to talk to you after the Prince was taken. Did you have the opportunity to speak to the Royal Priestess? Or to Urielle?" I sighed. "To both, for all the good it did me. Basically, they repeated what you and Mulder said. Since my combination of talents is unprecedented, no one seems to know what the rules are. The Royal Priestess said the Goddess would let me know what to do - to 'listen with my heart'." Serenely, she nodded, but her eyes shone with happiness. God, how I wanted to take her in my arms. I practically had to clamp my hands to my sides not to act on the impulse. I shook my head. "But I don't know, Kyla. I'm not sure what I'm hearing. Is it the Goddess, giving us her blessing? Or am I hearing only what I want to hear? And there's another thing.... I'm only a visitor here. Soon, I'll be going back to my world. Is it fair to you - is it fair to either of us - to act on what we feel?" She shrugged. "I can't answer that for you, Walter. I know you will return to your world, and I accept that." She looked at me straight in the eyes. "And I know that I will be content with whatever time we have, whatever time you are willing to give me." "You deserve better," I said quietly. "That is for me to decide." There was stirring from the cot. I went over and crouched down. The big Captain was awake, his face etched in pain. I took his hand. "How are you doing, Jourdain?" "I have... been better, my friend. Wh- what happened.. after we Gated out?" Briefly I told him everything that had gone on, although I left out the part about Daanna, and glossed lightly over Mulder's injury. "The Prince?" "He's fine. Back with his parents, as if nothing had happened." He nodded. "The King... what will happen... about Maalfees?" "I don't know, Jourdain. I haven't seen him since shortly after we returned. Their manor here in Fairwoods is under guard, but that's all I know." He nodded, and a gasp of pain escaped from his lips. "Jourdain...." I felt his pain and fear, and concentrated as much comfort as I could to the place where our hands joined. Moments later, he sighed softly, and the lines of pain on his face became less pronounced. "You truly... have the gift, Walter," he said, his eyes closing. "It's time for a treatment, Captain Jourdain," said Kyla softly. "Mage Hannu will be here soon to take you back to your cottage." "Aldara- ?" "Aldara's fine. She's just getting some sleep. She'll be awake to greet you on your return." "Relax now, Jourdain," I said. "Let Kyla make you feel better. You'll be well enough to teach me more about swordfighting in no time." He nodded. As I moved away from the cot, Kyla took my place. "Will I see you later, Walter?" she asked. She didn't elaborate, but we both knew what she meant. "I hope so.... I have some 'listening' to do." She smiled gravely and nodded, then turned to Jourdain to begin the healing treatment. I let myself out quietly. End of Chapter Eighteen *****R/NC-17***** Those under eighteen or who object to fairly graphic consentual sex, please bail out now. Suffice to say, Skinner and Kyla consummate their relationship, okay? Now go on to Chapter Twenty. All others - full steam ahead... and I do mean steam. Chapter Nineteen Mulder was awake when I got back. Evidently I had just missed a visit by his favorite Protocol Minister. I smiled. "I'm surprise you didn't have a relapse on the spot." "Tea, Walter?" "Please, Scully." "I almost did," Mulder replied dryly. "I think the only thing that prevented it was his mood." "Which was?" "Pissed is putting it mildly." He took the mug Scully offered with a smile of thanks. "Apparently King Andalor spoke to him about the Naming Day Ceremony. Ballorca, of course, wanted to take the whole thing again from the top. Thank God the King pulled rank. Everyone's been through enough in the past few days without having to sit through all that again. And I'm not sure how much I would be able to participate - I'm under strict healer's orders to take it easy. Anyway, Andalor saw no reason to repeat those parts of the ceremony that had already taken place." I snorted. "Since when did you ever follow doctor's orders?" "When it suits my purposes to do so." He grinned back, unrepentant. "And the idea of chanting for hours made me seriously think a relapse might be in order. So I lay here looking as pathetic as possible while Ballorca vented his spleen, ranting and raving about the break in tradition being impossible, unthinkable, yadda, yadda, yadda. But the King had spoken - fortunately - so he had no choice but to obey. No doubt he thinks the Realm is going to Hell in a handbasket. But tomorrow there will be an abbreviated ceremony... well, as abbreviated as these things ever get here." I sipped my tea. "I owe you one, Mulder. I'm not sure I could have sat through all that again." "I don't think Andalor was looking forward to it any more than we were," commented Scully, perched on the bed next to Mulder. "I think at least subconsciously he blames the long, drawn out ceremony for giving the Maalfees conspirators the time to pull off the Prince's abduction." I grunted. "He has a point. Speaking of which - what is Andalor going to do about Maalfees? Have you talked to him?" Mulder nodded. "He stopped in to see how I was doing. Poor kid looked tired. Bad enough the extremely vocal demands of the young Prince kept him up, but he's also losing sleep deciding what to do about Maalfees. I'll say this, he's bending over backwards to be fair. He's spent candlemarks conferring with Lord Mandor, Reinald and Prince Mavor, trying to reach a decision. Something that will punish Maalfees and serve as a deterrent to future plotters, but not send the Houses into open revolt in convenient sympathy for their noble brothers." "How does the legal system work? Will there be a trial? I got a little insight from what Scully told me about Reinald's trial, but that hardly makes me an expert." Scully fielded that one. "I'm not sure anyone is an expert, in this case. It was an unprecedented act, at least in scope. Evidently the Council of Representatives will meet, but since Lord Granoc of Maalfees has already confessed - with a distinct lack of remorse, I might add - an actual trial won't be necessary. It's just what retribution to exact that's in question." She sighed. "Since their son is back and unharmed, both the King and Shannon have gotten a lot less bloodthirsty." "I'm glad to hear that, anyway. So - how are you feeling, Mulder?" He shrugged. "I'll live. I think I have more of a hangover from the damned Gate than anything else. The shoulder hurts, but Scully's taking care of that. It's getting better with every treatment." He paused, then went on, "By the way, thanks for hauling my ass out of there. I was trying to tell you that we had to make a hasty exit, but I was" - his lips twisted in a self-deprecating smile - "at an uncharacteristic loss for words at the time. Seriously, Walter - thank you." Gratitude has always embarrassed me for some reason. I passed it off lightly. "My pleasure, Mulder. You have no idea how many times I've wanted to sling you over my shoulder and drag you out of some of mess you've managed to get yourself into." "Well, glad to see I've fulfilled one of your fantasies," he replied dryly. He shot a dirty look at Scully, who was still giggling at my comment. I imagine she'd often felt the same way. He clearly wanted to change the subject. "Any idea how Jourdain's doing?" "Yeah - just saw him as a matter of fact. He looks... well, rough. He's in a lot of pain, looks weak. But Kyla said he should be okay - it will just take some time." I drained my mug and stood to leave. "Off so soon, Walter?" Scully questioned. "Uh... yeah. It's a nice day out. I thought I'd take a ride outside the walls." Her eyebrow arched in surprise. "I would have thought you'd have had enough riding for a while." "I guess I discovered that I really missed it. I've got some thinking to do, anyway. I always seem to do a better job of it when I'm outside, surrounded by nature." I'm sure they knew exactly what I'd be thinking about. Scully slid off the bed to plant a kiss on my cheek, then Mulder extended his hand. I grasped it briefly, feeling his emotions - his sympathy, his friendship, his unselfish desire for me to find the same sort of happiness he had found with Scully. Overwhelmed by their depth of feeling and acutely uncomfortable, I beat a hasty retreat out of there. ~ ~ ~ I let my horse lead the way, along trails that were no doubt familiar to it. It had gotten a little warmer but the air still remained as invigorating as a crisp autumn day in the Pacific Northwest. Except for ducking under the occasional low-hanging branch, I had nothing to do but enjoy the out-of-doors and think. I kept coming up with the same decision - that I would forever regret it if I let this opportunity for closeness pass by. That what I felt for Kyla could be love, no matter how bizarre the circumstances I found myself in. Indeed, the beings of this strange reality had proven themselves to be every bit as capable of love and hate, courage and cowardice, integrity and duplicity as those in my own world. I had even come to the point of developing a real sense of attachment for the Realm and its beings - especially one. Not that I didn't have some reservations about my decision - primarily, the fact that I'd be leaving soon. I had no idea of what the relative timeframes were in my world and this one, but surely the day would be arriving all too soon when I would have to leave this incredible place. After all, it wasn't like I'd be able to call Kyla from my celphone, or drop by for the weekend. Then again.... I made a mental note to ask Mulder about the extreme possibilities.... The air had grown warmer and more humid, and the vegetation more lush - almost tropical, with giant ferns and small palm-like trees. Over exotic birdcalls there was the sound of cascading water, increasing in volume as we ambled down the path. The thick canopy of dappled green overhead was broken by a small open area off to my right. I urged my mount onto a narrower path that led in that direction. The idyllic scene took my breath away - a pool formed by hot springs, reflecting the sunlight off the blue-green of the water though a mist of iridescent vapor. Tall trees and rocks ringed the pool, which was about fifty feet in diameter. Directly across from my vantage point was a small waterfall, less than two dozen feet in height and roughly half that in width. I slid down off the huge Realm horse and tied the reins loosely to a bush. It immediately began grazing on the abundant grass nearby. Cautiously, I dipped my fingers into the pool, to my delight finding it hot, but not scalding. It didn't take ten seconds for me to strip naked and dive in. When I surfaced, the sharp tang of the air contrasted satisfyingly with the warmth of the water. I dove again, feeling the caress of mineral bubbles sweep the length of my body. The pool was unexpectedly deep and clear, and I played in its blue-green depths for some time. Then I pulled myself out to sit on a sun-warmed rock, steam rising from my heated body in the cool air. A thought occurred to me, and I clambered over the boulders towards the waterfall. The spray confirmed my suspicions that the torrent would be significantly cooler than the water in the pool. I intended to have a sauna, Realm- style. When I had showered in the brisk cascade until chilled, I would dive back into the hot water of the pool, and repeat the sequence until I felt thoroughly cleansed and relaxed in mind and body. Then I would ride over to see Kyla. I crawled over the rocks ringing the pool to the left, which skirted the back of the waterfall to a rocky shelf. Entering the chilly flow, I gasped at the power of the cold cascade. Inadvertantly, I backed up a little to get out of the force of the torrent, and yelped in surprise when my back collided with cool flesh. I wheeled around to see who shared my idyllic spot. At the same time, a curtain of long wet blonde hair swung toward me. It was Kyla, and once again my breath left me. If I had had years in which to concoct a fantasy, it couldn't have even come close to this reality. She was... beautiful. Her hair hung loosely to her waist, waving slightly. Her midnight blue eyes first widened in surprise, and then warmed in welcome as she recognized me. Her smile alone lit up the shaded rocky platform on which we stood. The spray from the waterfall pelted her high, full breasts, her nipples deep pink and already pebbled. I made no effort to hide the inevitable response of my own body. She laughed throatily. "Well, Walter, it appears you have your answer. Indeed, the Goddess seems to be throwing us together." My hand trembled slightly as I reached out to caress her face. "It certainly looks like it." She almost purred with my touch and stepped closer to me, her hands brushing against my chest. "You have a duty to serve your Goddess, you know," she said with mock gravity. I smiled. "My spiritual Goddess - or my earthly one?" "Both, I hope." Slowly, she put her arms around my neck and pressed her mouth to mine, opening eagerly when my tongue sought entry. I moaned low in my throat as her hips undulated against my throbbing erection. Seemingly of their own volition, my hands roamed her body, skimming the silk of her back, lifting the weight of her breasts, my thumbs teasing her nipples, then returning to squeeze the globes of her bottom, forcing her hips more firmly against my own. I wrenched my mouth from hers. "Goddess, I love you, Kyla. But are you sure?" Two deceptively strong hands clutched at my ass as she peppered my chest with small, open-mouthed kisses. "I was never... so sure... of anything... in my life...." With a growl, I sank to the stone platform just out of the torrent, pulling her down on top of me. Enveloped in her thick curtain of hair, we explored every crevice of each other's mouths, then moved to unexplored territory. She sucked my earlobe, nipping playfully as her fingers wove through the hair on my chest and toyed with my nipples. While I would have revelled in her touch forever, I decided it was time I took charge of the situation. Rolling over quickly, I pinned her to the ground under me, kissing and biting at her throat, her shoulders as she moaned encouragement. In happy surprise, she cried out as I took one hardened nipple in my mouth, sucking strongly as my fingers taunted the other. "Oh Goddess, Walter! It's so good, it feels so good!" Ever obedient to my goddess, I switched to the other side, treating it to the same attention the other had enjoyed. Her strong hands traveled up and down my back, from my shoulders to my ass, kneading, scratching, caressing. I worked my way down, my tongue exploring the pool of her navel, licking and kissing her hipbones before moving to the sandy- colored thatch between her thighs. "Wh-what...? Oh Walter.... Oh Goddess, yes!" she cried out, her hips rising in reflexive rhythm to meet my tongue. As gently as I could, I slid one finger, then two into her narrow passage, stroking in and out in time to the laving of my tongue on her sensitive nub. "Oh, Goddess... don't stop.... No, stop.... No, don't.... Walter, I want you, I want you *now*!" "Patience, my goddess," I crooned, and went back to my exquisite torture. "Walter, please.... Oh, Goddess, it's too much!" she panted. She was very wet and very ready, and I don't think I could have held out much longer. But I was taking care. Her emotions, coming to me in powerful waves, were mostly love and trust and need. But a touch of fear made me believe this was probably Kyla's first time, and I was determined to make it perfect for her. I kissed her deeply, letting her taste her rich honey on my tongue. "Please, Walter... now," she begged, caressing my face, my chest. "Easy, beloved. I don't want to go too fast, I don't want to hurt you." "I *need* you!" I smiled. "I need you, too," I replied in a low voice, rough with emotion and the strain of control. "But I want to do this right." She grasped my head, looking me directly in the eyes. "I love you, Walter." "I love you, too, Kyla," I whispered, and edged myself into her wet opening. She gasped in surprise at the unaccustomed sensation. Trembling with the effort not to suddenly sink myself into her, I advanced slowly as her body stretched to accommodate me. Somehow I managed to stop when I felt resistence. "It's all right, Walter. Now! Please!" I took a nipple into my mouth and sucked hard as I pushed through the resistence. Her inadvertant gasp halted me, and shaking, I waited until she panted, "Yes... more... now!" Then I pulled back and, with a groan, finally sank completely into her welcoming heat. Her long legs came up and around my back. "Yes, more... it's so good!" Spurred by her encouragement, I began driving harder and faster. Her emotions fed into mine and mine into hers, telling us everything we needed to know as I pounded away. When I had just about reached the limits of my control, I felt the rippling of her muscles and knew she was close. Again, there was a touch of fear to her emotions, as the unfamiliar power of her physical response began to overwhelm her. I drove in hard and fast. "It's all right, Kyla... just let go.... Don't be afraid of it... I've got you..," I gasped, sending her as much love and comfort as I was capable of. Her moans became staccato screams as her orgasm tore through her. One more thrust, and with a yell I emptied myself deep into her body. We lay for some minutes, spent and wrapped in each others' arms, until I felt myself slip from her body. Rolling to the side, I enveloped her in my arms and stroked her hair as she slowly came back to herself. Finally, she sighed happily and kissed me. "Are you all right?" I inquired anxiously. "I didn't hurt you?" "More than all right," she purred sleepily. "Walter, I had no idea.... Is it always like this?" I chuckled, then kissed her forehead and gathered her close. "It's never been this good for me before, Kyla. Never. Possibly the empathy thing has something to do with it. I felt your love and trust, and it made it so much... more. More satisfying. More powerful. I love you, you know that." She nodded, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. "What? Are you all right? God, I did hurt you, didn't I?" "No! No, Walter, no. You didn't, you made me feel... incredible... loved... cherished. All through our lovemaking, I could feel your concern for me." I relaxed a bit. "Did it bother you?" "On the contrary... it made me love you all the more... that you would be so concerned to give me as much pleasure as possible, as little discomfort. I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed. I really didn't know it would be so... so *much*." We held each other until we shook from the chill of the waterfall and the aftermath of amazing sex. Reluctantly, I got to my feet and held my hand out to her, helping her up. "Let's warm up," I suggested. Still holding hands, we circumvented the waterfall and leapt into the heart of the pool. There, we dived and played like young otters, surfacing to laugh and kiss and touch in the iridescent vapor. Finally, we pulled ourselves up to a large, flat boulder, letting the sun bake our bodies on one side while the heat from the rock soaked into us from the other. My arm was around her. Absently, she trailed her hand up and down along my body. I could hear her smile in her words. "The Goddess seems to have gifted you, Walter," she said playfully, letting her hand drift down to stroke my once-more burgeoning erection. I had been trying to ignore it. "Look, Kyla, you're going to be sore as it is - " I began. She laughed and slipped once more into the pool, tugging on my hand. "Come play, beloved...." I needed little encouragement. Smiling, I slid into the heat of the water and swam after her. She was everywhere - diving, swimming like a fish, teasing me with touches and caresses, then darting just out of reach. I found a shelf of rock on one side of the pool, where I was able to stand chest-deep and look into the depths. Confused and a bit alarmed, I lost track of her and didn't see her until she had made her move. She burst out of the water, her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. Without hesitation, she sank down onto my cock with a happy sigh. "Oh, Walter, you feel so good!" she whispered. She let her natural buoyancy carry her up and down, up and down, enveloping me, stroking me with her tight heat. I buried my face where her shoulder met her neck, kissing and nipping there. "God, Kyla - I can never get enough of you," I groaned. My hands went to her hips, guiding her rhythm, as my lips continued to work on her face, her neck, her breasts. When I was close, I moved a hand around to the front, urging it between us. I stroked her nub, feeling her leap in response, unimaginably turned on both by her reaction and by feeling myself thrusting into her. "Just a little more...." she panted. I clenched my teeth against the overpowering urge to come, rubbed her more roughly, thrust more deeply, more savagely. Kyla didn't seem to mind a bit, just rode me all the harder. Waves splashed on the surrounding rocks from the intensity of our efforts. Finally, when I couldn't have held out for one more second, I felt her muscles grip me hard. Mindless in her orgasm, she stifled her scream by sinking her teeth into my shoulder, and I was lost. Three more strokes and I was coming so hard I thought I'd pass out. I stood there, trembling, holding Kyla close until she began to rouse herself on my shoulder. I covered her face with kisses. "I love you, Kyla... but I think you're gonna kill me," I said with a groan. Her head still on my shoulder, she giggled happily. "Surely there are worse ways to go." "Every other way I can think of...." I felt myself slip out of her and she unwrapped her legs to stand on the rocky shelf. "The sun's going down - take me home, Walter." We swam to the side of the pool and got out, taking a few minutes to dry in the suddenly chill air before pulling on our clothes. She had walked to the pool, so I mounted my horse, then reached out a hand to pull her up into the saddle in front of me. Fortunately, the horse behaved himself and followed the path back to Fairwoods without too much guidance on my part. I was much too busy.... Maybe it was our activities on the way back. Maybe it was the effect of the horse's rhythmic stride on two bodies pressed together. Maybe it was the way time worked in the Realm, that I could recover from amazing sex and be ready for more with speed I hadn't approached since I was sixteen. Whatever it was, Kyla and I had no more closed the door to her cottage when we were relieving one another of our clothes and once more loving each other with all the passion and strength we possessed. Later, from the hearthrug, I watched the firelight dance on Kyla's silky skin as she lay sleeping in my arms. I smoothed her hair back, my hands unable to stop themselves from touching her. Now that we had admitted our love in the most intimate way possible - now what was I going to do? End of Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty I ended up staying the night. I had planned on leaving, had tried a couple of times. But one look at her face, her lush body, and I was simply not capable of walking the few steps out her door. Christ, no woman had ever had this kind of effect on me before. The knowledge that I would soon be leaving for my world - separating us, perhaps permanently, by more than mere miles - didn't help. Kyla might be able to handle it, but I already had my doubts that I would be equal to the task. Scully had covered Kyla's healing treatments for the night - something they had evidently set up in advance. Women think of everything. It also meant I would be spared the game of Twenty Questions, since it wiould be more than apparent to my agents where I had been all night and what I had been up to. No pun intended. I rolled out of Kyla's narrow bed and pulled on my clothes. Then I knelt down and kissed her awake. "Mmmm. Leaving so soon, Walter?" she asked sleepily. "It's after dawn, beloved. And if I don't leave now, we'll never be ready in time for the Naming Day Ceremony." "And I have a treatment to do for Jourdain first." She sighed and rolled over, her hair fanning out across her pillow, her lips still swollen from a thousand kisses. She reached out and stroked my head, smiling. "I love you, Walter." "I love you. But if you keep doing that, I'll never be able to walk out of here." She laughed and kissed me, then gave me a playful shove. "I'll see you at the Ceremony, then." We kissed again and I forced myself out of her cottage. I went first to Mulder and Scully's room. I needed information and they were my best source. From the sounds issuing through their door, however, they would find a visitor a most unwelcomed interruption. Well, that I could understand. I was about to move away when I noticed the carvings on their door. Now that I had been brought up to speed on their adventures in the Realm, I made the connection. A particularly throaty and blissful moan emanated from behind the door. Feeling the responding tug in my own body, I quickly moved off down the hall before things got out of hand. I pondered, as I walked, about who else might have the information I sought. After asking directions of several servants, I finally climbed the winding staircase up the southwest turret to Professor Neumann's quarters. I knocked tentatively, not wishing to awaken him, but was relieved when he called out for me to enter. "Warrior Priest Skinner! This is an honor. Please, join us for breakfast." With him at the refectory table sat Reinald. If I wanted information, I had come to the right place. "Thank you, Professor. And please, call me Walter. I have no wish to intrude, but I needed some information." "No intrusion at all. And you must call me Gunther. That's right, sit down and serve yourself. Will you pour the tea, Reinald? Now, what can we help you with?" Now that I was here, I was worried about how Reinald might react to the news of my relationship with Kyla. I was an outworlder, here by accident. And in spite of whatever services I had performed for the Realm, I didn't know how my love affair with a Realm native would go over. I was determined to keep Kyla out of it, if at all possible. I didn't mind taking the heat, but I would be damned if she would be stigmatized by our relationship. "I... I've come to understand much more of this world and its beings. I know my time left here must be short. What I've come to find out is.... What I mean is, I'd like to be able to maintain some kind of contact after I go back to my world. I've come to you to find how that might be possible." "Hmm. And is there any particular reason for this, Warrior Priest Skinner?" Reinbald asked. His face was bland, but his blue eyes sparkled. I cleared my throat and avoided his eyes, which seemed to see far too much. "Well.. yes, of course. I've become quite friendly with Jourdain, and several others. I'd like to be able to keep in touch with them, see how Jourdain is doing after his injury, that sort - " "And of course, there's your relationship with Kyla," he interjected equably. I confess, for a moment I reverted to my 'real world' mindset, and wondered if it had all been a set-up. When I arrived in the Realm, Reinald had been adamant that I keep the knowledge of the existence of the Realm a secret. What better way to ensure my silence than to involve me romantically with one of the beings here - to give me a cogent reason to want to protect this place. But nothing in Kyla's emotions had indicated anything of the sort, and although I could tell that the Royal Mage was pleased by the turn of events, I wasn't picking up anything that would lead me to believe it was because a carefully-hatched plot had suceeded. "Why, Walter - you appear quite astounded!" observed Gunther. "Let's just say I wish the Bureau had such accurate and prompt informants," I replied dryly. "Let me guess - Lita?" Reinald chuckled. "Don't blame the lass, Walter. She noticed that your room hadn't been slept in, and saw Scully at Jourdain's cottage late last night. She merely put two and two together. She doesn't mean to be indiscreet. I think in your case she's just genuinely happy for you and Kyla." "Then you approve?" He shrugged. "It's not for me to approve or disapprove. Kyla's a grown woman and can make her own decisions where her heart is concerned. But why would I disapprove? You have more than demonstrated your honor and your friendship to the Realm." "If it makes any difference, I had already decided to keep my knowledge of the existence of the Realm in confidence, Reinald. Even before Kyla. Being here... going through the changes I have...." I shook my head. "I can't risk the wrong people getting ahold of the knowledge of this place. I know now the Realm carries no threat to my world. I just wish I could say the reverse were true." "I was confident that you would come to that decision, Walter. All it took was time, and getting to know us better. I know you, just as Mulder and Scully, would willingly sacrifice yourselves rather than jeopardize the Realm." "In a heartbeat," I agreed solemnly. "So!" said Gunther. "You want to know about how to maintain contact with your friends here?" I nodded. "I'm not sure of the timeframes, but I'm assuming I don't have much time before I go back to my world." "Quite so. I've done some calculations. I won't bore you with the physics, but the backwash of time is almost over. Let's see, you left on Friday, the fourteenth of August. Mulder and Scully are due back on Monday, the seventeenth, from what I understand. Are you also due back the same day?" "No, actually I was taking Monday off." "Ah. Well, as you may or may not know, we now theorize that intent has almost as much to do with where and when you arrive back as the magic and equipment used to generate the vortex. But I see a couple of windows of opportunity...." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Ceremony might have been abbreviated, but that didn't mean it wasn't too long for my taste. Evidently Ballorca had been able to negotiate with the King, or the Royal Priestess had thrown in her two cents' worth, because there was still a hell of a lot of chanting going on. Mulder was spared, but the King and the Priestess had more than a candlemark of prayers and recitations and whatever. The scene was much the same as it had been a few short days before - the filled stands, the overjoyed populace, fantastic beings from all corners of the Realm and beyond, nobles and their ladies resplendent in their gorgeous finery and jewels. The one difference - the empty seats of Maalfees House. Kyla sat by my side, looking radiant. I had never considered before that being close to me might make that much difference to anyone. Even Sharon - even when we were newlyweds, I never got the impression that I was all that important to her. But with Kyla - she just glowed, outshining even Shannon, the proud mother.... Which got me thinking about something Kyla and I would have to discuss, in view of the previous night's - and day's - activities.... Andalor's chant was drawing to a close. The poor kid looked exhausted. Then the Priestess stood. I recalled this part of the ceremony - it had come right before all hell had broken loose. The throng seemed to hold its collective breath as the Priestess called in New Realm for the child to be brought forth. On the dais, Shannon tensed, and I saw Mulder's hand creep over to rest upon hers. There was a blast of trumpets, and then, flanked by eight armed men in royal colors, a proud, dignified Livirnea carried a miraculously sleeping Heir to the Throne up the broad center aisle. This was the first time the child had appeared in public, and although I'm sure rumors had circulated on the efficient Realm grapevine, there was a sharp intake of breath from the aura-sensitive beings in the crowd. "Then it's true! Look at his aura!" "The Prince - he has magic powers!" "The return of the Mage Kings! Blessed be the Goddess!" The members of the Noble Houses took the news pretty much as Mulder had predicted they would - some quite happily, some resolutely, and others stone-faced and grim. But thankfully I was picking up none of the kind of vibes I had felt at the previous ceremony. At least for the moment no plots were being hatched. Their reaction hadn't escaped Scully. "Just give them time," she whispered to me, almost as if she could read my mind as well as her bondmate's. "They'll be up to their old tricks again sooner or later - at least until the Prince is old enough to use his powers to protect himself." Livirnea climbed the dais, placed the infant in his father's arms, curtsied deeply and then went to stand behind the Royal Family. Carefully, to avoid jostling the sleeping child, the King raised his arms upwards, and the tumult in the Great Hall grew, as the baby was presented to his subjects. Finally, Andalor lowered his arms and passed the baby to Shannon. The Priestess began to chant softly, sprinkling the child with herbs and wrapping him in some sort of greenery. I turned to Kyla. "Lashella vines," she whispered. "They're a symbol of the Goddess's protection." I nodded and was about to reply when the King started to speak. The tension in the Hall went up a couple of notches and the silence, except for the King's words, was absolute. With a lot more enthusiasm than he had shown while chanting, he began, "My beloved subjects and honored guests, we present to you our son. Queen Shannon and I have had many moon-cycles in which to come to a decision about his name. I know it has been a matter of some interest to many of you." There was a rumble of laughter from the stands. Evidently, the bets were still on. Andalor smiled and continued. "You know our customs call for the name never to be spoken until this ceremony, and we have abided by this tradition. You know also that it is customary for the name chosen to be one from the long and glorious history of the Realm. The Queen and I have conformed to this tradition as well - at least, in part." His violet eyes twinkled as he played his audienced. Bewildered murmuring could be heard, not only from the public stands but also from the nobles and other dignitaries in the circles of seats surrounding the dais. Ballorca looked like he was bracing himself for the worst. He might have gotten wind of Mulder's suggestion to Andalor - Prince Elvis. The King held up his hand for silence. "While it was important to us to honor the traditions of our land, we also felt that honor must be paid to one who has made such a difference to the life of the Realm. We wish" - the King looked down towards those of us in the VIP row - "that it were possible to so honor all of those who have given their hearts and shed their blood for the Realm.... Royal Mage Reinald, my beloved Regent, friend and protector...." Reinald gaze up at the boy King, pride on his face and tears in his eyes. "...Captain Jourdain, who even now lies recuperating from grave injuries sustained in recovering my son.... Warrior Priest Skinner - " I jumped - "who, though he came to us as a stranger, was instrumental in my son's recovery, and who will leave us as a treasured friend...." I really hadn't been expecting that. Thank God - and the Goddess - that the kid wouldn't be saddled with a name like Walter. But I felt myself blush in pleasure at the King's kudo, and Kyla gripped my hand proudly. I felt Scully tense beside me and followed her gaze up to her bondmate on the dais. Mulder had been quiet throughout the ceremony. He was pale, still overcoming the blood loss from his wound, and he had been obviously favoring his left shoulder. But now he was beginning to look most uncomfortable, though not, I thought, from any physical pain. "And so we name our son - after one whose life and reign was cut tragically short, and after another who has brought the Realm back from the brink of extinction not once but twice. Aptly, we name him after one who was a King, and after another who is a Mage. Beloved subjects of the Realm, I present to you our son - Prince Barnas Fox!" There was a roar from the crowd, and everyone was on their feet, cheering and stomping. True, some of the nobles were not terribly enthusiastic, and Ballorca was choking, but for the most part, the name seemed to go over well with the crowd. To my left, Scully whooped along with the crowd, her face glowing with pleasure for the honor paid to Mulder, and not a small amount of amusement at his reaction. Mulder looked completely disconcerted. Since he felt even more strongly about his name than I did mine, I'm sure he felt sorry for the little tyke, and probably wanted to take both Andalor and Shannon over his knee for cursing an innocent infant with it. A series of emotions played across his expressive face in the space of a heartbeat, but finally, looking pleased and touched, he approached Andalor, who enveloped him in a most unkingly hug. Livirnea took the baby from Shannon, who then leapt into Mulder's arms, the two of them simultaneously laughing and crying. I turned to look down at Scully, who was cheering as tears ran down her cheeks unnoticed. I squeezed her shoulder, then turned my attention to Kyla. Hell, everyone else was kissing and hugging, why shouldn't we? Eventually, the tumult quieted. Andalor nodded at Shannon, who took the Prince and marched out with Livirnea and the armed guards. "Beloved subjects and honored guests, I invite you to go into the courtyard, where there is food and drink and music and dancing for all. I would ask the indulgence of members of the Council of Representatives to stay in the Hall for a few moments, so we may conduct some urgent business of the Realm before joining the celebration." If the crowd thought anything unorthodox about the King's announcement, it was lost in the anticipation fo the party to come. In a remarkably short time, the stands emptied. I looked to Scully to try to find out what we were supposed to do, but she merely shrugged. Evidently, Mulder didn't know either. On the dais, Andalor went up to Mulder and whispered something to him. Mulder nodded, his expression somber, then he descended and sat down next to Scully. "Andalor wants us to stay. He's going to announce his decision about Maalfees. He doesn't think there'll be trouble, but just in case...." I passed the information on the Kyla and she let the rest of the VIP row know what was going on, although I think Reinald already had some idea. Looking around, I saw more of Andalor's guard posted around the Great Hall, just in case the decision didn't go down well with the Noble Houses. Once again, tension reigned. The big double doors at the back of the Hall thudded to a close as Andalor took his place on the huge throne in the center of the dais. Looking grim, he began in a low yet carrying voice, "Honored Council Members, I must announce to you that early this morning, Granoc of Maalfees took his own life in his cell." The news was met by shocked gasps from all around us. Mulder frowned and caught the eyes of Reinald, Tarnor and Hannu. From their looks of concentration, they were cooking up some sort of spell, maybe a protection spell for the King in case of attack. Scully's hand had drifted automatically to her sword. A low rumble of protest emanated from the section where the heads of the Houses sat, Dordinal's voices loudest of all. Andalor's commanding voice rang out over the indignant grumbles of the protesters. "Before you weep for Granoc, you might remember that he was a self-confessed traitor. In my opinion, he merely saved the Realm the unpleasant task of having to execute him." "Hear, hear!" cried out Prince Mavor. The shout was taken up by all the Representatives of the non-human species, and by some of the Houses. Mulder turned stiffly to look over his shoulder, then turned back with a smirk. "Looks like some of the Houses have decided it's in their interest to curry the King's favor," he observed. "For now, at least." Andalor continued. "That there was a plot against the Realm is clear. Granoc confessed as much. Maalfees' plan was to raise my son as one of them, to 'discover' his whereabouts and return him to the throne on my death. I am not so naive as to believe that that unhappy event would have been long in coming, once my son had been sufficiently influenced by his captors to promote Maalfees' interests." A few grim chuckles were heard from around the Hall. He raised his hand for silence. "The task before us now is to decide what punishment Maalfees has earned. Granoc did his best in his confession to make it appear that he singlehandedly conceived and executed this plot But we know from the statement of Lady Livirnea, who was held captive with my son in Maalfees' stronghold, and from our own common sense, that this was not the case. Granoc sat before us in this very Hall as my guards were being murdered, and my son abducted. Clearly, many others were involved in this conspiracy against the Realm... and against every one of you, for Maalfees sought to become the pre-eminent House through this plot. Surely you can imagine the fortunes of your own Houses should this plot have succeeded." There were grumbles of agreement. He paused. "The rupture of the Gate which brought my son home was both unintended and devastating. It was only Maalfees' attack on Mage Mulder which caused it to happen. We believe that Maalfees' stronghold to the west of the Great Robe Desert was completely destroyed by the Gate's rupture. I immediately sent out a party whose mission it was to confirm that supposition. Should there be any survivors, the party has been instructed to render what aid is appropriate." "And how can we be sure they won't simply be slaughtered?" called out a voice scornfully from the Dordinal ranks. With distaste, the King looked down from the dais. "The likelihood of survivors is remote. But should there be any, you have my word that they will be given what assistance they need. That is far more mercy than was shown my guards who were slaughtered in this very Hall, or Lady Livirnea, or Mage Mulder or Captain Jourdain," he said coldly. He stared down at the Dordinal seats until the grumbling ceased. "Since Granoc confessed, there will be no trial. I have Lady Livirnea's statement and those of the search party, who found and returned my son. The complicity of every adult member of Maalfees House is beyond question. I would be perfectly within the law of the Realm to demand that every last one of them be executed." I looked uncertainly at my agents, whose faces mirrored my concern, and then back to Kyla. She gazed back calmly and with a slight upward turn of her lips, almost imperceptibly shook her head. Taking heart in her serenity, I rewound my fingers in hers and once again surveyed the King. Over the undercurrent of heated debate, the King declared, "BUT-!" There was silence. In a softer voice he went on. "But I decided that I would not do that. Not" - he hastened to add - "because is it not completely deserved." He sighed and leaned back into the support of the throne. "My decision not to have any remaining participants executed rests on one thing and one thing alone - that is, that I have no wish for my son's birth to forever be associated with a bloodbath." He waited for the import of his announcement to sink in. "In consultation with my most trusted advisors - Royal Mage Reinald, Lord Mandor of Ranfaus, and Prince Mavor of the Elves - I have arrived at the following course of action. The punishment of Maalfees House, for the crimes of high treason, murder, kidnapping, the attempted rape of Lady Livirnea, and conspiracy against the Realm is as follows...." He stood, and his voice carried an air of authority completely unexpected in one so young. "One - Maalfees House, from this time and forevermore, is hereby declared dissolved, and all rights and privileges of Maalfees House are hereby rescinded. "Two - All lands and properties belonging to Maalfees House will revert to the Realm, to be put to such use as decided by the Council of Representatives, and "Three - all members of Maalfees House are hereby exiled to the Shalean Plateau, where land has been set aside for their use. They are forbidden to come within a three-day ride of Fairwoods without the express permission of the King for a period of twenty-five season- cycles." I looked around towards where the heads of the Houses were sitting to gauge their reaction. For some, their disappointment was written all over their faces. I guess they thought there was a chance Maalfees' property might have been broken up and distributed among the Houses. Mentally, I applauded Andalor for not taking that route. From what I had seen and heard, none of them other than Ranfaus was worth the powder to blow them to hell, and I was glad they weren't going to profit by this. Others, notably those wearing the colors of Dordinal, were seething. Andalor's decision was both generous and merciful, and they knew it. They would find no support for an insurrection based on Maalfees's punishment. Bravo, Andalor, I thought to myself. "I now ask for the Council of Representatives to ratify my decision. What say you? Those who approve of the Crown's decision in this matter, please say 'Aye'." There was a thunderous roar of assent from the Council. "Those who are in disagreement?" There was an undercurrent of disgruntled murmuring, but it seemed no one had the balls to come right out and admit it. Thinking of a few gutless and sleazy Congressmen, I thought maybe this place wasn't so unlike my world, after all. "Then in that case, Honored Council Members, we have concluded our business. I invite you all to join the celebration." ~ ~ ~ Scully floated in my arms, making me appear to be a much better dancer than I was. Across the ballroom, Mulder danced with Kyla, listening to whatever she was saying with rapt attention. The celebration in the courtyard had moved into the Castle itself when sundown brought chilly temperatures. Shopkeepers and nobles danced side by side, to music at once strange and familiar. Elven punch flowed, though after one mugful and a friendly warning from Scully of its dire aftereffects, I had switched to ale. There was more food than I had ever seen at one time, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. "Mulder and I will be leaving the Realm tomorrow evening, Walter." I nodded. "I gathered as much. I spoke to Gunther this morning." "Really? About going home?" Her brows were arched in surprise. "I thought you and Kyla were hitting it off really well." "We are. That was the point. I wanted to find out how we could stay in touch. I don't know - maybe even come back here for visits." She smiled up at me. "I'm so glad for you both. Did he tell you about the Oracle crystals?" I nodded. "About that, and about coming back, and about my return to our world. Reinald was there too. He said I'd leave with the means to contact the Realm. Though he did mention that it's easier to initiate the contact from this side." "Easier, but painful," Scully laughed, and explained about the heat generation problems of the crystals. "So - will you be going back with us?" "Uh... actually, no. Gunther said there was another 'window of opportunity' for me to arrive back in our world Tuesday morning. It would give me another month here, in Realm time. I'm going to take that opportunity, Scully. I have to." There was a ring of desperation in my voice. "I don't blame you." The music stopped, and we clapped politely. The gaiety of the surroundings just seemed to enhance my melancholy. "How do you and Mulder do it, Dana? How do you handle leaving the Realm behind and going back to all that crap? Cancerman, and all the rest?" She looked at my face, which must have been as bleak as the emotions I was unconsciously transmitting. Mulder and Kyla had started toward us, but the musicians struck up another sprightly tune and they began dancing again. Scully took my hand and led me into a quiet hallway. "That communication thing you've got going comes in handy," I observed wryly. She smiled. "Well, you seemed like you needed to talk." I sighed. "I wonder if my emotions will stay this transparent in our world." "Possibly not," she replied evenly. "Or you'll learn to control them. A few lessons with Urielle should do the trick. So - you asked how we handle leaving here...." She shrugged. "The first time was the worst. We weren't even sure we'd get back to our own world, let alone be able to return here. Since then, it's been easier. We can get messages from here, and we know we can return pretty much whenever we want." She looked up at me sympathetically. "Of course, Mulder and I are together, whether we're in this world or ours. If we had to separate.... Well, I don't envy you,Walter." "I... I've never been in this position before - having to leave someone I love. Kyla says she can deal with it, and from what I feel of her emotions, she can. I wish that I could say the same. I don't know. It's probably stupid, but I keep feeling that if I leave here, everyone - this whole place - will simply disappear like some wonderful, fantastic dream that I'll never have again." "I understand, Walter, I really do. Mulder and I felt that way when we got back to our world after the first visit. It seemed like it had all been a dream. But we've been back twice since then and it does get easier to leave, knowing the Realm will still be here when we return. Besides, depending on the gelflow of time, your four weeks of annual vacation could add up to years in the Realm." "That's the up side. But the down side - will Kyla have forgetten all about me by the time I get back? If even a few weeks goes by before I return, it'll be years here - years of separation." "Not necesarily," she replied reasonably. "According to the Professor, that's not a constant. In fact, it's possible for the reverse to be true. It's just that we've been here only when Realm time was moving faster than time in our world. Gunther says that occasionally time can even be parallel between the two worlds - no difference at all." I grunted noncommitally. "I think what you have to ask yourself, Walter, is 'Is it worth it?' Is Kyla worth it? It is going to be hard for you both, to be separated. Are the times you have together worth the pain of separation?" We strolled for some time in silence, while I thought over what she said. There was only one answer. "Yes. What we have together is worth anything, it's worth any price I have to pay." She put a hand on my arm and we stopped walking. Then she put her arms around me and squeezed. I felt her confidence, her friendship, her faith that everything would work out. "Don't forget, Walter - the Goddess seems to have some influence in our world, as well... otherwise none of us would have ever gotten here in the first place. Mulder and I are strongly tied to the Realm - and now you are too. I have to believe that our being here has the Goddess's blessing. And that being the case, we'll be back, again and again, and our relationships with these beings will thrive - regardless of the gelflow of time." As she spoke, the truth, the rightness of her words struck me, and I found my serene core again. Wordlessly, I returned her hug. "You're feeling better - good!" she declared, smiling. "Now, let's go rescue Kyla from Mulder's dancing." End of Chapter Twenty Epilogue Beneath the twin moons thirty four Realm days later, Kyla and I walked hand in hand to the meadow beyond the Castle walls. Gunther and Reinald had set up the apparatus to create the vortex, and the moment I dreaded had arrived. The time had flown by. While Kyla performed her healing and visited her patients, I spent time with Jourdain and Aldara; first, playing cards or exchanging war stories while the big soldier recuperated, and later learning some of the finer points of swordsmanship from him as he gained strength. A portion of every day I spent with Urielle or the Royal Priestess, practicing control of my priestly gifts and learning more about the religion of the Goddess. Occasionally, I was invited to meals with Gunther, Reinald, Tarnor, or Andalor and Shannon. But when Kyla had finished with her duties for the day, we closeted ourselves away as much as possible. More often than not, our nights were spent in my quarters in the Castle, the huge high Realm bed much more comfortable and suited to our activities than Kyla's narrow cot. I grasped her hand as we crossed the frosted meadow. "Kyla, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about. I mean, we're not married - not yet, anyway - and I.... What I mean is...." My eyes stayed trained on her hand, the one that bore the delicate gold and sapphire ring I'd placed there the night before. She turned to me, her eyes as dark as the sky. "What is it, beloved? Surely you know I will wait for your return?" "I was sort of counting on that," I replied wryly. I cleared my throat and started again. "No - what I meant was.... We haven't taken any precautions, and, in light of what we've been doing, it's possible that.... I mean, what happens if you find yourself - " She looked puzzled for a few seconds, then her expression lightened. "If I find I am carrying your child?" She laughed. "I am a Healer, Walter. I have some control over that sort of thing, you know." "Oh...." I wondered if I looked as confused and conflicted as I felt. "Then you mean you can prevent yourself from becoming pregnant?" "If that is my wish," she replied enigmatically. "Walter!" Gunther called out. "It's time, I'm afraid." "If that is your wish...." I repeated to myself.... Aloud, I asked, "So what is your wish, Kyla?" Reinald appeared at our sides and thrust a small velvet pouch into my hand. "Oracle crystals," he said, his eyes twinkling. "Enough to ensure that Lishla will grow tired of running back and forth to Kyla's cottage to fetch her. Mulder has more if you need them." I tied the little bag snugly to my belt. "Thank you, Reinald. I'll miss being here." He grasped my forearm in the manner of the Realm. "Thank you, Walter. Know that you always have a home here amongst us. I trust you will be back soon, with Mulder and Scully as well, I hope." "I'm planning on it, Reinald." "You have only a few moments to get into position, Walter!" announced the Professor. The Royal Mage joined Gunther. I turned to Kyla and took her in my arms. Tears glistened in her eyes, but her face was as serene as ever. "Go with my love and the protection of the Goddess, my heart. I will contact you soon, I promise. I love you so!" I wiped an errant tear from her cheek and kissed her softly. "Be safe, beloved. I'll be back as soon as I can arrange it. You are my life now." "I know," she whispered. "As you are mine." "Time, Walter!" Reluctantly, I backed away from her and took my place where Gunther had indicated. My eyes never left her, wanting to memorize the way she stood there, so straight and tall and lovely. Noxious odors were coming from Reinald's cauldrons, and I heard him chanting in the background. Dried leaves began to swirl at my feet, and my cloak whipped around me. Then it came to me that Kyla hadn't answered my question. I began to call out, when suddenly I felt myself falling, falling.... ... and landed in a heap on the floor of Mulder's basement office. "Wal-... Sir! Are you all right?" Scully sprang from her desk and helped me to my feet. "Here - you'd better sit down," said Mulder helpfully. He shoved a chair behind me and gratefully I dropped into it. "You look like vortex travel doesn't agree with you any more than it does me." I exhaled forcefully and shut my eyes to stop the room from twirling around my throbbing head. My stomach churned with nausea. "Take some deep breaths," Scully ordered. "The worst of it should be over in a couple of minutes. The headache will last a bit longer." I nodded, and gulped in lungfuls of air. Soon the room stopped spinning, but I still felt rotten. I looked around the office dazedly, everything appearing strange and surrealistic - even moreso than normal amid Mulder's collection of eclectic weirdness. I noticed a suit and shirt on a hanger, and a bag which I hoped contained shoes, socks and underwear. Mulder must have brought them from my apartment, thank God. If I were seen traipsing around the Hoover Building in leather pants, knee-high swashbuckler boots and a cloak, I would have been shoved in front of one of the Bureau shrinks in a New York minute. "So - enjoy your extra time in the Realm?" Mulder asked, grinning impudently. I sighed and balefully eyed him. Yes, controlling Mulder was going to be impossible, as I had feared. Just to be contrary, I didn't rise to the bait he was practically throwing at me. "Very much. Everyone sends their regards." Suddenly I was struck by the sheer implausibility of sitting in the J. Edgar Hoover Building and chatting about beings a whole universe away. A universe away from Kyla.... "How's Jourdain?" I sighed again as I wrenched my mind back from visions of Kyla. "Recovered and back to his duties." "And the Prince? My little namesake?" he probed. "Doing fine. Lita's been taking care of him at night, so that Andalor and Shannon can get some sleep. I don't think Lita ever sleeps. Maybe she doesn't need to." "Maybe she's an X-File," Mulder joked. "Yeah... maybe...." I gripped the arms of the chair so tightly my knuckles were white. "Mulder, shut up a minute. Walter, look at me! Follow my finger...." "I... I'm okay, Scully. Just sort of disoriented." "No kidding," her bondmate drawled. "Do you realize you've been speaking in New Realm since you got back?" Okay, that rocked me. "Shit, was I?" He chuckled. "Well, that last bit wasn't, but everything else was. When did you learn that?" "Aldara and Daanna were teaching me. I think the language spell might aid the learning process...." Cautiously, I shook my head. "What?" asked Mulder. "What's wrong?" "Doesn't it strike you as weird, sitting here at the Bureau and talking about magic spells?" He shrugged. "No, not particularly." "I obviously asked the wrong person," I responded drily. There was a few seconds' silence, then Scully asked gently, "And how's Kyla?" "Wonderful. Beautiful. Serene...." My throat narrowed, choked by the emotions I had been trying so hard to control ever since the day had begun, a world ago. "Goddess, I miss her already...." "Easy with the Goddess stuff," advised Mulder. "You'll be getting accused of witchcraft by some of the folks around here who aren't exactly our fans." Scully looked at me with sympathy. "I'm sure you'll be hearing from her soon, Wa-..., sir." I nodded, cautiously stood. The dizziness and nausea were gone. I grabbed my clothes and disappeared behind the projector screen to change. I almost hated to remove each Realm garment, feeling the distance from that magical place grow as I shed the leather breeches, the linen shirt, the cloak.... I folded them carefully and put them in the plastic bag my 'real world' belongings had been in. "I'll be taking a week's vacation just as soon as I can arrange it," I called out as I dressed. "Don't you two have a little comp time coming to you?" Mulder's ironic monotone floated over the screen. "You'll have to ask our boss." "I imagine it can be arranged. Besides, Mulder, taking vacations together may have its benefits. At least I'll be able to keep my eye on you and rest easy, knowing you're not getting into trouble while I'm away." I finished tying my tie, put the bag of Oracle crystals in my pocket and stepped out from behind the screen. Sitting down in a chair, I pulled on my socks and shoes. "By the way, thanks for bringing my clothes, Mulder." "No problem. Though I would have given a lot to see you walk into the cafeteria the way you were dressed." "I'll bet you would." "So you're already planning on going back. The place grows on you, doesn't it, Wal-... sir?" said Scully. "Yeah, you could say that. Besides, something kind of came up at the last minute. Something important - something I have to go back and find out." I left it at that. Maybe I was sending out my 'don't go there' vibes again... in any case, they didn't press me on it. "So they're expecting you?" In a way that had almost become second nature after the last several weeks in the Realm, I reached inside myself - and found it... my center of serenity. I guess I wasn't controlling, because I saw Mulder and Scully exchange a smile as a blast of the pure joy I was feeling hit them. I still had it - the gift that the Realm had helped me to find within myself. Closing my eyes and concentrating the way Urielle had taught me, I felt my emotions coming under control, notching down a bit, but still there. I missed Kyla, but I knew I'd be seeing her soon. And just knowing she was there, loving me.... I felt like I could take on the world - any world. "So they're expecting you to come back?" Mulder repeated. I grinned. "Evidently. When I left, Lita's cousin was carving my exploits into the door of my room.... And now, Agent Mulder - bring me up to speed with what's been going on in *this* world. There must be some work to do." End of The Magician IV - The Warrior Priest