Chapter 32

Laurel and Alex frantically searched the forest, the village, asked all the elves and fairies, no one had seen Miranda, Laurel had even taken a deep breath and gone through the mirror she had flown through the cavern, there was no sight of Miranda anywhere, the villagers helped search, Murry and the elves searched, no one could find Miranda. Laurel checked with Mar and Marti'en, Virlane, Rav, Hank, Brand, she even checked with Michael and Joe in London, Revanche in Scotland, she checked with everyone. Laurel sat hugging a sleeping Zara, tears streaming down her face "where could she have gone? it's been weeks, I know she wouldn't have gone to find Christopher and Connor, she promised she wouldn't, do you think she could be with Nedra?" Alex looked up quickly "that's right we haven't checked with Nedra have we." Alex closed his eyes and concentrated "Nedra is Miranda with you?" Nedra purrred "no my distressed one, the sweet tidbit is not with Nedra, Nedra knows that our sweet one is missing and searches for her, once Nedra she thought she heard the sweet Miranda trying to get home but could not find from where she called, Nedra shall be with you in a moment, please to call the others, our tidbit yes is missing but also your son and the others are close to death, Nedra she must go and assist there first." Alex heard nothing more from Nedra, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, he said silently to Mar "call everyone together the children are in deep trouble." Alex stood up his snifter of brandy in his hand, Laurel gasped as it went smashing into the fireplace. "Urchin, why don't you get Betty to take Zara up to her bed and tuck her in. "Laurel had never seen that look on Alex face before, quickly she gave Zara to Betty and went back into the parlor. "Alex what is it? what's happened?" Alex wrapped his arms around Laurel resisting the urge to cry "the boys are in bad trouble, Nedra knows Miranda is missing but hasn't been able to find her." Laurel put a trembling hand to her lips "how bad is the trouble?" Alex tightened his hold "Nedra said they're close to death, those were her words, love" Laurel let out a sob. Virlane was the first to arrive with Kat, Rav and Natalie, Hank and Bitsy, Chad and Brax, Mar and Marti'en, they all started to arrive, once everyone had arrived, Alex told them what Nedra had said. Jenee swayed for a moment, Hank held her against his chest "Christopher is tough don't forget that Jenee, we'll get him home safe."

Christopher, Kirk, Connor all sat in the brief shade of a sand dune, they had dug out a small pit to lay in for more shade, what was left of Ali Rashmans's men and Ali himself were laying in the shade of dead horses and camels. Kirk cradled Kalilah in his arms, gawd why had she done such a stupid thing as to of hidden in his travel bag, it had been days before he had realized what she had done, by then it was to late, they were in the thick of a fight when he had heard a tiny scream. Christopher had fixed the scimitar slash to her leg but she had refused to go home only saying she would find some way back. Don't die fairy Kirk cried in his heart, please don't die, if his tears would have quenched her thirst he would have gladly cried buckets for her but he doubted he had enough water left in him to squeeze out one tear. For months they had been fighting, at first things had gone extremely well they had regained most of the land Ali Rashman had lost, then in the last three weeks Tolah had found another desert rat to join him in the fight, promising who knows what to gain his assistance, they had ridden over the sand in swarms. Christopher crawled over to Kirk "give her to me" Kirk shook his head, through cracked bleeding lips Christopher rasped out "she's dying Kirk, she doesn't have much longer give her to me, I have an idea" Kirk laid Kalilah in Christopher's hands, crawling across the blistering sand, Christopher slashed open the belly of his camel that had just died, squeezing out the liquid from the camels stomach drop by drop he got it into Kalilah's unconscious mouth, he rubbed it on her skin, as the camel's insides cooled, Christopher lay Kalilah inside the camels cooling stomach out of the sun. Connor barely able to raise his head looked at Christopher "magic didn't help much when push came to shove does it?" Christopher wearily touched Connors hot scales "not when your fighting against magic, think about it Connor what else but magic could have turned your flames, bent Kirk's sword almost in two, rebounded my own magic back on me, they recruited some major magic three weeks ago, it's only been our own magic that's kept us alive this long, but we're tired and thirsty and burning up its drained our ability to fight with our magic, that's why they've pushed us out here on this godforsaken dune." Christopher looked intently at Connor "let me send you and Kirk and Kalilah home, you've fought your battle like one hell of a dragon and a man. I can't let the three of you die out here just because I made a promise to an old friend." Connor shook his head "send Kalilah back, she can't fight you anymore on it and Kirk too, but I'm staying to the bitter end, a dragon never leaves a fight unfinished. Kirk crawled over to Christopher and fell panting in the sand "can you send her back? have you got enough left in you to send her back?" Christopher picked up his sword ignoring the hilt burning into his palm, reaching out he took Kalilah in his hand, raising the sword he cried "send her to Natalie" a bolt of lightening seemed to swirl down from the sky wrap around the blade of the sword then with a loud snapping noise the lightening and Kalilah were gone. His energy gone Christopher leaned back rest in the shade of the dead camel, closing his eyes against the blistering sun, there were so many things he should of said to Mandy before he had left, had he told her enough times how much he loved her, about that special spot in his heart she had held all her life, that he liked her perfume or how beautiful she was, he should have asked and said so many things, would she understand how much he loved her when he didn't return, had he left a son growing in her womb, he wanted to see his children grow up damnit, he wanted a little brat like Zara and a strong son like Connor to fill out his life, he wanted a little girl that shone with beauty like her mother, Christopher wiped the gritty sand from his stinging eyes.

The whole room gasped as the room shuddered and there on the floor by Natalie's feet lay the fairy Kalilah, Natalie dropped to her knee's, with a grimace she picked up Kalilah and carried her to the pool room gently laying her in the water of the bathing pool Natalie did everything she could for the little fairy. Jenee seeing the condition Kalilah was in felt the tears start to run down her face, turning she buried her face in Hank's shirt. Laurel sat frozen in her seat her eyes wide and frightened, she looked at Alex with a beseeching begging look in her eyes. Nedra appeared in the pool room Natalie looked at her with shocked eyes, Nedra said nothing just went over and touched Kalilah on her chest over her heart. "She shall be as she was before she left when she awakens" then Nedra turned and walked out of the pool room and to the parlor. Holding a towel wrapped Kalilah Natalie went running down the hall to the parlor.

It was an angry Nedra, a furious Nedra that they saw walk into the parlor, her usually immaculate hair flew around her by some unseen wind, she was dressed in a short white tunic with gold embroidery on her feet she wore gold sandals that laced up her calves to her knee's, Nedra looked at Marti'en "Nedra she shall finish for all times that which started countless years ago with the evil fairy king and his bastard, you destroyed WindWhispers, you did not destroy his son the bitch Hunter carried. It is this son that now seeks to destroy our sons, Nedra she does not interfere in the petty wars of man but for those she loves, she now makes the exception." Nedra turned to Laurel and Alex "your little tidbit we will seek when Nedra returns." As Nedra vanished in a swirling whirl wind that seemed to whip through the room everyone saw her standing a black helmet on her head, a gleaming black breast plate covered her chest, black shin guards, a shield and spear in her hands, on the shield a roaring black panther on it's hind legs, claws extended. Every one in the room looked at each other. This was not the kind, gentle Nedra that they had come to know and love, but was someone whose enemies would have every right to fear her. Then the words that Nedra had spoken once before flashed through Alex's mind. He remembered when she had once said, "Nedra does not harm, for when Nedra harms, it is final." And almost felt pity for whoever had angered her.

Christopher groaned as he stood up picking up the sword of Cairin "here they come, let's make this a good stand, for Cairin and for Zinmer, for the Breetons and Valmets" he cried out as he walked to the top of the dune. Connor with a dragons roar stood next to Christopher, Kirk with a warrior's cry joined them. The three stood side by side and watched the charging horses advance. Christopher pointed his sword "do you see him there in the black burnoose, the one with the amber eyes that's the one we aim for, it's his magic that's trying to kill us." Kirk nodded "don't get separated from each other, we'll work our way towards him and when we get the chance cut him down." Suddenly horses reared up screaming, men shouted in terror as a giant black panther appeared next to the three standing on the top of the dune, the angry roar of the panther ripped across the sand, a moment later the panther became a goddess standing twenty feet tall, the burning sun gleaming off her black helmet and breast plate with a golden light, as she pointed her spear at the man in the black burnoose her voice seemed to carry with every grain of sand in the desert. "You shall pay for your wicked evil ways and all those who would follow, Tolah you too shall pay for turning on your kinsmen the Pasha Ali Rashman and all those who followed you." Christopher fell to his knees as a blinding light flashed out from the spear Nedra held, Kirk threw his arm over his eyes, Connor could only stare as Tolah, all his men and the man in the black burnoose were suddenly vaporized. Nedra turned to Ali Rashman "you are a good kind man Ali Rashman, this Nedra knows, go and collect your women and your son, take that which was Tolahs for your own, here in this place of evil you will build a palace, you will fill the gardens with flowers and sons and daughters, you will live the rest of your life in peace. Nedra she thanks you for all that you have strived to do in keeping her ohhh sooo adventurous ones alive." Once again pointing her spear at the place where Tolah and his men had been there now appeared a large oasis filled with bubbling springs and palm trees. Nedra turned to the three battered adventurers "Nedra she is ohhhhh soooooo upset with her tender morsels for having almost gotten yourselves killed, this does not please Nedra at all, now you will return to your mamas and your brother, you will rest and heal, you will eat, shortly Nedra shall join you again, for the ohh so sweet one we must find." Christopher took a staggering step towards Nedra "no my tired warrior, you can do no good as you are now and Nedra will leave it up to your mamas to heal you, now she must once again search for the sweet one." With a sigh that seemed to settle over the sand Nedra was gone, as were the three. Ali Rashman raised his sword to the sky with a shout of triumph and a whispered thank you to the goddess.

Hank gently ran his hand over his sweet Jenee's head, all these years she had been happy to stay at Cairin, raising her children, watching the unicorns, helping him plant his forest, filling it with flowers, light and her beauty, what had she once said to him, rainbows and unicorns, now he felt so useless as she cried tears for her first born, the child that had replenished her faith in herself and her world. Bitsy shuddered "WindWhisper" would it ever end, would it ever be finished for all of them, she had seen the fear and horror in Jenee's eyes and knew that same look was in her own. Mar held a shattered Marti'en against his chest purring softly "fate, life, even the Ancient Ones have no control over that, you've always known what will be, will be, sometimes our actions shape changes in our destiny, sometimes not, you and I have been together for eons, we've seen so many things, good and bad, kind and wicked, look around you my beloved old woman, you see these dragons, these humans, they love you with all their hearts as I do, please don't let this be the end of all that." Laurel finding deep inside her the strength that had let her go on after Jacob died, stood up "tears aren't going to help us get our son's home, let's put our faith in Nedra. Alex why don't you break out your brandy bottle give everyone that wants one a drink, I'll have Cook fix a large pot of tea and coffee and some light sandwiches. Natalie why don't you get Kalilah a blanket, that towel looks a bit damp and she should be wrapped warmly and snuggled down here on a pillow until she wakes up." As she walked past Marti'en, Laurel bent down and hugged the old woman tightly "if Zara pops in you can keep Mar from showing her how to flame wallpaper off the walls. Feel the love and caring in this room Marti'en. That's what's going to help us all survive this, without you, our love and lives would be sadly lacking." Laurel opened the parlor door and walked right into Connor, Laurel gasped swaying seeing her son standing in front of her, battered, weary, filthy, a grown up look in his eyes she had never seen before, with a cry she threw her arms around him, quickly moving back she grabbed his arm realizing that just putting her arms around him had almost toppled him over. Trink moaned wringing his hands as he rushed forward. Connor grinned at Trink and touched the stained, torn, ribbon still tied to his jacket "see what you can accomplish when you have a green bow" said Connor as he fell. Laurel cried out, Alex rushed forward and caught Connor and eased him to the floor, Christopher stepped over Connor's body laying on the floor, he grinned at his parents wincing as his cracked lips started bleeding again "what can you do with a light weight, he just needs a nap." Jenee tears streaming down her face rushed forward, Hank quietly walked forward and grinned at Christopher "should I start counting before you hit the floor too?" Christopher touched his mother's face lovingly "no tears Mother, we're home to stay, count quickly Dad it's going to be close." Hank reached out and picked up his son as his knees gave out. Alex glanced into the foyer seeing Kirk standing alone swaying, quickly he got up and went to Kirk. "Well little brother, glad to see you made it back, not quite in one piece but at least your back." Virlane touched Alex shoulder "I'll take him, you see to Connor." Alex nodded watching Virlane pick Kirk up in his arms, Kirk shaking his head "fairy, I just need to find out about fairy." Virlane chuckled "she is sleeping, something you are all in need of now, just let things slide for right now lad"