Aurelia was certain that it was going to be a long day ahead. She tried to put herself back to sleep by forcefully shutting her eyes closed, clearing out any lingering thought with loud inhales and a sigh of an exhale. The alternate approach of not paying attention to the myriad of questions that arose within her at an uncomfortable time of the day, regarding her actions and adequacy, did not make them go away. They tugged at her, intensifying by the minute.

The seemingly implausible scenario prodded her as a probability. She couldn't shake off her instincts that something was amiss. The visit to the realm of the savages was a waking call more than a surprise. Heinous murderers. Opportunistic monsters who benefitted from evil. The academicians proclaimed as fact, one that she generally concurred with, till the day she decided to oblige to and indulge her curiosity.

The realm itself seemed poisoned, which was confirmed by the suspicious gentleness of the village chief. A thick fog surrounded the vast province, never relenting nor receding. They persisted to survive with what they had and seemed to have a community that was nothing less than thriving in spite of all odds. The crystals were dubious, but the cause of it unknown. Definitely wasn't the predisposed sight.

The cries of terror from the man succumbing to flames rattled her from within. It was her fault. The suspicions that she had when she overheard her father, The King, discussing a magic leak was not without merit. While she wanted it to be false, couldn't deny that it was true. Those crystals seemed to absorb her magic and they for sure existed.

Understanding that sleep was off limits, she patiently waited for a reasonable time to summon Lumien.

***

"What do you mean by looking into past records, Princess, are you doubting something?" Lumien was perplexed.

The view from Aurelia's room high up enough to see the townhall was spectacular. The tall statue of Flora in all her elegance and poise, complete with a bow made out of leaves and flowers was not only a feat of architecture, but also the symbol for their province and their liberator. Aurelia used to eye the monument out of marvel, but today out of solemnity.

"What do you have in mind, Princess?" Lumien hoped to snap her out of the daze.

"Pardon me, Lumien. Please see to it that any information can be gathered regarding the culprits of the attack. This is of utmost importance. Also, it would be helpful if you could look into past records, as I mentioned regarding the poisoned realm. I can't quite tell yet. Check for things outside of what we know."

"We know the truth, Aurelia." Lumien addressed by name reading Aurelia's cues.

"Maybe we do. There is no harm in ensuring it. Researching can be fun. And it's an order." Aurelia rarely ordered.

"On it, is there anything else that I need to know?" Lumien prepared to leave.

Aurelia paused for a moment. "No, I will let you know if need be."

Lumien made a customary bow and headed out.

***

"You surprised me, Aurelia," Serena exclaimed as a tiny stream of water sploshed on them. Aurelia let out a giggle as Serena did not seem to be annoyed at this unintended disturbance. Aurelia considered Serena to be someone who could be relied on. She always found her teacher trying her best; both in imparting knowledge as well as in her daily activities. Aurelia did not see gardening as something she would take up as a pastime. She did not have that many qualities in addition to the magic that she performed and the unpleasant expectations levied on her to live up to her famed ancestor who liberated the province from Dark magic almost a century ago. She wasn't half bad at singing either; a fact that she never mentioned to anyone.

"Is something bothering you?" Serena asked in her relatively old soft tone.

"You could say so." Aurelia wondered how she knew. Besides the fact that she had been tutored in a way mostly by this woman since she was young.

"What happened?" Serena kept the focus on the plants she was watering by magic, subconsciously walking in a straight path while doing so, as if walking on a tightrope. Aurelia tried to keep pace.

Regret emanated from Aurelia, "I... I was helpless. People died in battle. I had my reasons but it was foolish of me. I don't know what to do... Do you really think I have it in me to be a fraction of what Flora was to all of you? I should've been more offensive."

"I am sorry to hear that, Aurelia. I am. But it was not your fault. Everybody knows you did not intend harm. Even without you, it would have been a battle. Our healers do their best, but that is what happens in battle, and that is why we must avoid it, if realistically possible. Even if it is naïve coming from a person who isn't put in a position to choose."

"I did what I can." Aurelia mentioned this more to herself, which to her was a weak argument to present to others.

"I am sure you have." Serena offered a reassuring smile.

"You can tell me so if I was wrong, I won't begrudge you." Aurelia wanted an opinion.

"Why did you intentionally offer to be on the battle, if I may ask?"

"I can sense dark magic gaining hold slowly. It might happen again. Very soon. I don't I have time. All this learning, and I am nowhere where I need to be. I can't defend myself at this rate, let alone others. Am I doing right? The battle confirmed my suspicions. The cursed realm on the other hand, I don't fully grasp the situation." Aurelia let it all out.

Serena's expression tightened. "So, you have been there?"

"Please tell me everything that you know." Aurelia pleaded.

"I have been instructed clearly not to go beyond curriculum, child." Serena looked at her with pity.

Aurelia knew that Serena wanted to say more. She needed to hear it. Aurelia decided to push further.

"Is that all Serena? Why is everybody keeping things from me? What is this magic leak all about? I thought I could get answers here. But you are all about formality."

Serena sighed. "Alright. I don't know much. These are palace secrets. What I do know, is when Flora did the legendary spell casting that sealed the evil for foreseeable future, she borrowed energy from the nearby realms." Serena eyed Aurelia knowingly.

"Is that how, everything there turned..." Aurelia began to contemplate what Serena just implied.

"Don't ask me more, because I honestly don't know."

"Okay." Aurelia resigned. The visit was not in vain.

"Are you going to leave so soon or do you still have time for a lesson?" Serena enquired.

"I can stay if it doesn't bother you." Aurelia tried to cheer up.

"A change in setting won't hurt. You barely visit this place. And to be honest, the palace got pretty mundane after a year or so of tutoring."

"I don't blame you," Aurelia spoke in acknowledgement.

"But it's not because I didn't want to. Believe it or not Serena, I had been assigned with work by my father."

"I didn't say anything," Serena chuckled at the faux defense.

They walked in silence for a while watering down rows of plants. It was oddly satisfying for them both. At least it was a distraction.

Serena was the one to break the silence. "Do you know that Goby fish and shrimps live together? The shrimp digs a burrow in the sand for them both. In exchange, to warn the blind shrimp from predatory dangers, the fish touches the shrimp's tail as warning."

Aurelia let her confusion known with a puzzled expression, "Interesting."

"You see there a singular tree out there?" Serena pointed to the singular tree in the sides which stood rather alone from the rest of the plants, with none near its vicinity.

"That's a Black Walnut tree. It creates a chemical from its roots which is harmful to all plants around." Serena observed in an impassive manner.

"I was going to say it looked beautiful." Aurelia was curious.

"Owl butterflies for instance scares its predators away by with prominent eye spots in their wings resembling... it's in the name."

What is she getting at

"Mutualism, Amensalism, Commensalism, Competition, Parasitism ... All these are equally valid evolutionary strategies that exists in nature. Doing the right thing doesn't mean much when detached from the associated context. It isn't always the same. Hope you find what you are looking for Aurelia.... Okay, may be not much of parasitism." Serena self-corrected.

Serena's assistant offered them drinks for the evening. Aurelia did not realize that time had gone by practically doing nothing.

"Let's go see Titan and call it a quits for today's session." Serena urged Aurelia as she washed herself.

They wasted no time as Aurelia experienced the all-familiar sensation of teleportation. Giddiness, a shiver throughout her body and a lack of balance after landing. Overall unpleasant.

Aurelia could tell that a lot of effort had been put into recreating the climate of the northern hills of the province. Birch trees were present throughout the enclosure, tall, slender, devoid of leaves with snow shedding off the branches giving off a desolate but an eerily mysterious atmosphere. The terrain had several small hills and valleys. Coniferous trees graced the borders of the fences. There was a lake of potable water for consumption as well as some cave like dens made out of rock.

Serena glanced around the familiar territory which she once used to work in, but as years went on, took on the supervising role with her assistants driving the facility. It was a small reserve in a picturesque spot where she liked to spend her evenings watching the biodiversity.

Last time Aurelia was denied in her request to go meet Titan as he was in a really grumpy state. She hoped it would be different this time around.

It didn't take much to spot him, it was rather easy for his humongous frame with pillar like legs drawing in water from the artificial lake and spraying over his head with the trunk curled into a question mark, his body movement slow but calculated, moving with an almost lethargic rhythm. Serena was easily impressed by him as always, watching his moves curiously as Aurelia couldn't comprehend what could be different. It always looked the same to her. But watching Serena lost in admiration was interesting. She had heard from Serena that animals like Titan were lost to time in most of the magical realms not to mention entirely a no show otherwise. Titan had brown long fur, fan like ears and most importantly the upward inclined arc of sheer intimidation that were his tusks. After seeing Serena approach the fencing, the giant turned gentle reciprocating the gesture, lowering itself, trying to greet her through the fences. Serena appeared to feed him some vegetation which he emptied in seconds.

Serena gestured Aurelia to do the same. She didn't want to say she was scared. She wasn't. She had known him and had played with him years prior. Just a little wary.

"He's a bit dirty." Aurelia did not mean to offend Serena, but hoped she wouldn't take any.

Aurelia created a gentle wind of leaves which circulated around her while the wind washed the animal's fur, Titan seemed to like it after being uncertain for a while, showing signs of relishing it.

"Can I ride him once, like old times?" Aurelia requested, mildly excited.

"Why not? He may not show it all the time. He remembers you. He has a sharp memory."

She stayed there feeling on top of the world and some time around Serena till the time of the day called her back to reality.