(This is one of my favorites. Might make it into a real book one day. Who knows haha)

"And are you sure this is real Savarian silk?" The woman holding the faux silk admired it with wide eyes, her fingers stroking it gently.

"Why yes of course! I don't sell any old rags to the finest of the king's subjects."

The heavily jeweled woman laughed and swatted her hand at the young, handsome vender, her cheeks blushing. She was about to reach into her robes to retrieve her money when a voice called out for her to stop.

"Miss, put down the cloth and step away from the vendor."

Everyone in the town square turned to see Captain Vaarik and some of his town guards enter the bustling throng of vendors and buyers. Upon seeing them, the young, handsome vender quickly turned away. He discreetly started to put his most valued things away as the Captain spoke with the woman.

"I"m sorry ma'am, but you are about to be swindled." Captain Vaarik gave her a soft smile, something he only ever gave to females and sweet children. "If I may," he reached out for the cloth.

Once handed to him, Captain Vaarik cast a rather strong revealing spell. After the light dimmed the shining pink silk was replaced with its true form. The Captain lifted it for all to see, his eyes trained on the young vender.

"As you can see, this man here was selling Foxwood fur, a well-known allergen to the king." The Captain turned to the woman and gave her a small smile. "Had you purchased this, though you would look becoming in any gown, you would have made the king ill the moment you walked into his presence."

The woman gasped, taking several steps back from the fur and the vendor. "I would never...Thank you, Captain Vaarik. You have saved the King from illness and in turn, me from humiliation." She turned to the vendor and spat upon his display. "Sta taak de morrus." Then she left, her gaze quickly adverted to an older woman selling real pearl earrings enchanted to glow when the wearer was particularly happy.

The young vender didn't look back as he left the vending square. He tried to keep a smile off his face as he successfully slipped past Captain Vaarik and his men, escaping down an alleyway, his arms laden with only his essentials as he made his way back to his home, another plan for business already sprouting up in his mind.

But before he'd had made it even halfway down the alleyway, he found he could no longer move forward as if stopped by an invisible wall.

"Enough. There is no use running away from me this time Aerovain."

The man turned and he adopted an air of nonchalance. "I haven't the slightest idea who this "Aerovain" is. Now if you will let me pass, I do know my rights as they allow a deceiving vender off with a warning."

Captain Vaarik looked as though he might laugh. "Yes, a vendor who has never deceived before. Not seven times, and with different bodies, as you have. Drop the facade Aerovain. We made a deal. Keep your word as I have kept mine."

"Ah, so you think me a con-man. I have just the song to prove you otherwise." The man dropped his things on the ground and reached behind his back for his instrument but grasped at air. "I, uh, one moment." He then reached around the other way only to find nothing once again.

Captain Vaarik let out a sigh as he reached back and one of his guards handed him a long beautifully carved wooden lyre. "Your magic is useless without this, Bard. Come with me now and I promise to keep to our deal."

Instantly the young vendor looked at the captain, his eyes wide and shouldered deflated.

"Blast it. I knew I was forgetting something."

Vaarik watched with satisfaction as well as a hint of awe as the young man before him transformed into the air sprite he had been at odds with for the past two years. Vaarik would have been lying if he said he didn't enjoy the chase from time to time, but Aerovain had always gone around enchanting things to talk or dance, conned people out of money and goods, and changed appearances only for the sheer joke of it. Never had he seen her want to hurt anyone least of all, the King.

Aerovain was an air sprite, an Elemental forced to fend for herself and use her magic in the way she does by her childhood circumstances. Or so Vaarik assumed. He thought her a child at first but soon learned she was far from a child at all. Her Elemental race foreshadowing her stills with deception, her age unidentifiable from sheer looks alone. But as her scars and manipulative nature entails, she had reason to learn to be witty, charismatic, and deceptive in her own right. That led to fun challenges and exciting experiments on her end with each new city she decided to set up shop and empty the pockets of unsuspecting lords and ladies.

Vaarik had no idea how much of a handful she would be when she showed up in Daska Toro. He had heard tales from other guard captains and soldiers from neighboring towns and kingdoms of a troublesome gypsy or appealing fortune teller or begging old man getting away with droves of money and goods alike, terrorizing the people. He just had no idea they would end up all being the same person. Had he left well enough alone and not antagonized her, he would have been left to perform his Captain duties without having to worry about being the target of a playful con-artist prone to changing her appearance.

"You are keeping the red hair?" Vaarik asked, his brow raised.

Aerovain crossed her arms, her chin lifted slightly as her grey eyes glinting with her usual mischief. "It will be hard for the King to forget someone with blue skin, let alone red spiked hair."

Vaarik shook his head as he gave the lyre to one of the guards before stepping forward, his hands starting to glow orange with the magic of the militia. "I doubt even the king could forget a person like you, without the red hair and blue skin. Now place your hands together in front of you," Vaarik raised a finger, "any funny business and I won't hesitate to bind your entire body and carry you like the sack of laskins you are."

Aerovain rolled her eyes as she let her arms drop, her wrists pressed together as she held them out to him. "I need not be reminded of that, thank you very much. If it's any consolation, I didn't think you were working that day and I wanted to give the training captain a real good test of his captaining abilities."

Vaarik bound just her wrists together, leaving her hands glowing orange, then took hold of her upper arm as he led her out of the alleyway and to the back roads to the audience of the king.

"You do realize your 'practical jokes' as you called them, left him utterly terrified of any form of body of water."

Aerovain laughed quietly only making Vaarik smirk, his grip tightening on her arm ever so slightly. He leaned down and spoke quietly, just to make her squirm.

"Do you happen to know where his family lives? Across the Rvando Sea. He will never be able to go see his child and wife again, thanks to you. And they are expecting their second child any day now."

The look on the air sprite's face was well worth the small fib. Vaarik may have been cruel to play on her weakness of children but he wasn't above deceiving the deceiver if only to let her stew over it for a little while. Piltak was indeed about to have a second child but he was home with them now instead of sulking in a corner crying about the ocean he'd have to cross to see them again, a thought Vaarik was sure the sprite was imagining now.

That rendered her silent as Vaarik took her to the King. A young errand boy arrived at the front of the doors to the receiving quart waiting courts. Vaarik only nodded to the boy and he went scampering off, ready to tell the King of the much-anticipated meeting with the elusive sprite.

Vaarik glanced down at Aerovain to see her eyes gazing unfocused at the palace doors. Letting out a sigh, he bent down again, her small stature making it necessary if he wanted only her to hear him.

"Thankfully we were able to talk him into taking the last ship of the season back to his family. I imagine he is being told about by his wife as they await the baby's arrival."

He would have let her fester longer with the thought of splitting that family had he not also known she would have done something as equally stupid as her prank on Piltak just to right it again.

It didn't take long for Aerovain to catch his meaning and he had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing. She turned to him, her eyes cold as ice and her red hair growing redder as her cheeks darkened with anger. But before she could open her mouth, the errand boy had returned. Without a glance down at the brooding sprite, his actions no doubt starting the planning of his demise, Vaarik not so gently pulled her along with him as they followed the boy through the grand halls of the castle.

They came to a stop at another set of double doors but they were more elegant than grand. The boy bowed and motioned to the door.

"The King awaits you inside," he announced before scuttering off to his next duty.

Vaarik knocked three times before pushing open the door, his other hand still holding on to Aerovain. They entered a slightly smaller room than that of the receiving quarts where the King would usually take the visitations of his subjects. Vaarik found it odd but was not opposed to the idea of handling Aerovain's circumstances in private than with hundreds of court attendees as well as common folk to watch.

King Trivaro was not sitting and was alone when they entered. He was standing at one of the fireplaces at warmed the room from both side walls. The curtains were drawn and he wore no more than his day clothes with a kingly robe merely draped over his shoulders. His face was drawn as he stared at the burning flames, his slightly disheveled hair flickering with the color of the fire. Something was not well with the King. He turned to his visitors once Vaarik cleared his throat.

"Ah, Captain. So you have caught her at last."

Vaarik nodded. " Yes. I--"

"I came at my own volition due to the bargain we had struck. Though I think it was violated. No one said anything about restraining me." Aerovain interrupted, lifting her hands.

Vaarik squeezed her arm, earning him a glare. The King walked up to them, his eyes flickering between the two of them.

"You have been in worse situations, I'm sure."

Aerovain opened her mouth but the King continued, his gaze on Vaarik. "What was it she did this time?"

Vaarik stood straighter, his shoulders squaring as he answered. "She was disguised as a young man selling Foxwood Fur magically blanketed to appear as Savarian Silk to that of your court attendees."

Vaarik could feel Aerovain holding her breath as she looked at the King, a hint of apprehension in her gaze. The king nodded, scratching at his beard before turning back and taking a seat on his throne. No one spoke for a time, a rare occurrence for the air sprite since Vaarik knew how much she liked the sound of her own voice. Perhaps she saw the fault in her ways, especially that of leaving her Lyer behind.

"Sire, I know the effects Foxwood has on you, but it was not my intent to harm you. Just...incapacitate for a time."

King Trivaro gazed out the window to his left as he spoke, the sky growing dark no doubt a warning to the marketplace to pack up and prepare for the arriving storm.

"Was the captain becoming too boring to tease so much so that you now have to resort to endangering the king?"

Aerovain ripped her arm free from Vaarik's grasp and took a step forward, her head shaking slightly. "Endanger? Never, my lord."

Vaarik was nearly taken aback by her surprise that he wondered if she knew.

The King turned away from the window and gazed at Vaarik. "For a con-woman, she isn't very bright." He laughed weakly as he moved his gaze to the sprite. "Do you remember why it is that we struck a deal all those months ago, little air sprite?"

Vaarik watched as Aerovain's chin lifted and her air of self-preservation returned. "Quite well, your majesty. I had saved your life."

King Trivaro nodded as he stood from his throne and made his way down to meet her, his hands clasped behind his back. "Yes, but not before my Captain had saved you."

It took everything in Vaarik not to gape at the King. He would have liked to know beforehand that the King planned on using their only large bargaining chip on the elusive woman. That way he would have been ready to aid the King in explaining why that wouldn't have been a good idea until after they knew she would help them. And if she were to find out it was his idea to keep it a secret from her, Vaarik knew he would never hear the end of it for as long as both of them shall live.

"Saved me? No one saved me from anything."

The King chuckled as he nodded to Vaarik. "Captain Vaarik here came to me in the fall of last year to plead for your case. You were severely injured from what he could tell was a fall. He nursed you back to stable health then left you to rest and heal on your own. It was his idea to not tell you, save there be an instance where I would be in desperate need of your assistance."

Vaarik let out a long breath and closed his eyes. She was going to kill him.

Aerovain turned on Vaarik, he could feel her stepping up close to him. "I told you to leave me alone. I remember that much. I didn't need your help."

Vaarik opened his eyes and gazed down at her knowingly. "And yet you wouldn't be here without it. Accept it for what it is. I saved you and now the King needs you."

Aerovain growled deep in the back of her throat. "I don't like being used like this. I'd much rather know the cards I am playing with."

"It's different when you are the one being conned, isn't it?" Vaarik replied.

The air sprite took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes but the King drew her attention before Vaarik turned to ash where he stood.

"Aerovain," called the King, his voice soft, full of defeat.

Aerovain turned form Vaarik but not before glaring at him one last time. "Your Majesty." She had the guts to bow, though Vaarik was sure it was not for respect. She needed a moment to collect herself.

King Trivaro gave her a sad smile. "Do you know why I need your help?"

"Not in the slightest. My lord."

"Do you know why Foxwood Fur is forbidden in my halls?"

"It makes you ill?" She stated in more of a question than an answer.

The King turned away, looking out the windows again. "Yes. But there is something else."

Vaarik stepped forward. "My Lord," he voiced with a hint of worry.

But Vaarik was waved off. "It is time she knew. Especially if she is to help me."

"It can be done another way. Do not go on needlessly."

Aerovain looked between the two men. "Whether this is to help the Kingdom or not I am highly intrigued to know what it is that troubles you, my lord."

Vaarik rolled his eyes. "Your persuasive magic will have no purchase in these halls and is ill-timed at best."

"Then out with it and tell me." She glared at him, her anger from what she learned about being "saved" by Vaarik still warm in her eyes.

The King looked over his shoulder at them, his eyes tired. "Come. I will show you."

Then he turned to leave, his weak countenance a stark contrast to the sure and solid steps he took out of the waiting quart and down the hall. Vaarik and Aerovain shared a glance before rushing after him. Aerovain made sure to keep a few paces ahead of Vaarik, making him shake his head at her childlike behavior.

"You are being ridiculous," he called out to her as they turned a corner, the King till a good ways off.

"Says the man who calls the loony bin his king."

Vaarik reached out and took her arm, pulling her back and pressing her harshly against a tapestry-covered wall, the candle's and picture frames mounted above them shaking slightly with the force.

"That "loony bin" is your king too. The moment you stepped into this kingdom you became one of us."

"Awe, how touching." Aerovain smiled as she spoke. "Is that why you ignored my wishes and "nursed" me back from the brink of death? All because of your warped sense of loyalty to the crown and her people?"

Vaarik narrowed his eyes. "Not a day goes by when I don't regret it."

"Don't let the king hear you, you might make him sad that you don't love all his subjects." She made sniffing noises like she was crying.

It was Vaarik's turn to growl as he pushed off the wall, taking her with him and shoving her forward down the hall again. "I have been kind to you for long enough. I am starting to wonder if I should have changed my tune earlier. But it seems nothing can get to you through your thick skull."

"Vaarik quit antagonizing the girl. Come." The King's voice carried down the hall, laughter evident in his words.

They followed the King, though took great care to walk far apart on either side of the hall. Aerovain kept her eyes facing forward, her shoulders back, and her head lifted ever so slightly. Her red hair had changed to orange and was slightly longer, brushing the tops of her pointed ears. Vaarik found the orange suited her blue skin far more than the red.

"I will never thank you, I hope you know."

Aerovain's voice was sharp in the quiet halls as they started to reach the more desolate and bare hallways of the castle. The King's footfalls still echoing in front of them. Vaarik glanced at her before speaking.

"A bear has a better chance at learning magic than me ever hearing your gratitude. Thankfully, that was not why I helped you."

"You used me. When I was most vulnerable." Aerovain finally looked over at him. "Do you not find that inherently wrong?"

"Isn't everything you do inherently wrong?"

"I have yet to use another person's life as leverage to become a servant to a king."

Vaarik raised his brows and nodded. "Touche."

They were quiet for a time as the halls grew darker and narrow, the King slowing as they neared the back entrance to the prison. He turned to them, placing a finger on his lips, his brows raised. Then he opened a hidden door, ignited a red flame in his hand, and started to descend down a dark winding stairway.

Aerovain and Vaarik paused at the top, looking down as the King's red magic disappearing as he descended. Then they looked at each other before Aerovain shrugged, lifting her bound and empty hands.

"I don't have my Lyre so my magic would be weak. And I'm still a prisoner. So magic wielding gents first."

Vaarik shook his head. "Not so fast. Your bonds will be light enough for you as I follow close behind."

"Hmph. Don't get so used to the view."

Vaarik bit back a smile as she started down the stairs. Then he too ignited a flame in his hands, the strong orange glow in the cramped space making him wince.

"Tone it down a bit, will ya? Making your servant blind won't help the king now would it?"

Vaarik closed the large stone door behind him and followed Aerovain down the steps, muting his flame slightly.

"Better?"

"Eh."

They walked in silence for a little while longer before they were spat out into a long damp halfway. It echoed with small creatures and drips of an unknown liquid. Aerovain had paused making Vaarik nearly run into her. She leaned back a bit and whispered though it did no good in the echoey hall.

"Are you sure he's not crazy?"

"Go on. You'll see."

"What if I don't want to see? Aren't there some other servanty stuff I can do other than following the King down creepy, wet hallways to who knows where? I'd like to think my life is worth more than the world's creepiest game of hide and seek."

Vaarik would have laughed if he didn't know the reason they were down here. Aerovain turned and looked up at him, her gray eyes turned copper in the light of his flame. Apparently, he took too long to react to her comment.

"Why didn't you laugh? Oh please don't tell me you have sworn off humor because of my "loony bin" joke. I promise to be a good little servant from now on, as long as you laugh at my jokes."

Vaarik reached down and gently took her arm and turned her around. "What if I told you that what the king is about to ask of you will not only serve him but all the people across many Kingdoms." He pressed her forward down the hall, hyper-aware of how close they were in order for that to happen.

"I would tell you that you need to remember who you are talking to. A con-woman air sprite who yodels for food."

At that Vaarik let out a soft laugh, his breath moving her hair slightly. "It sounds extremely impossible but I wholeheartedly believe if anyone could help us, it would be you."

They came out into a larger hallway and at the end stood two tall oak doors. They came to a stop just beside the King as he just stared up at the doors. Aerovain looked at him before looking to Vaarik.

"I am slightly unnerved and completely confused as to why you think, out of everyone you have ever known, I would be the one to help you. If anything you should be worried about that too."

Vaarik looked down at her and found only worry and bit of curiosity. But no deception. No hidden mischief. He glanced at the King. Then, like the King knew, he answered for Vaarik.

"You have an ability with people. And the one who is to go on this quest will need such an ability." He stepped forward and placed both hands on the doors and closed his eyes. Snakes of red magic wound itself around the door. Then with a groan the doors opened, cold air and blinding light coming from behind them. But the King stood unaffected.

"Tell her Vaarik. For I have not the heart to go on." Then King Trivaro stepped through the doors and disappeared into the light.

Aerovain quickly turned to Vaarik, her eyes wide. "If I'm being completely honest with you, I don't want to go toward the light."

"But you would like to know what it is that we need you for."

"Yes but-"

Vaarik expelled his flames and took her by her shoulders and turned her forward and leaned down to whisper to her.

"Pretend I am actually on your side for once. I won't let you get hurt if that's what you are afraid of."

Aerovain scoffed, letting out a snort through her nose. "Afraid? I haven't been afraid since-AHHHH!"

Vaarik didn't let her finish before he shoved her forward, making the air sprite stumble into the light. He then followed close behind, the doors shutting them inside quietly.

"You can open your eyes now," he stated as he blinked to let his eyes adjust to the change of scenery.

Vaarik had been here only once before when the Queen had fallen ill. Everything was white. The walls, the ceiling, the floors, the archways and stone gardens. The ceiling was enchanted to look like a summer morning, with puffy clouds and flying birds. Waterfalls fell from the walls and fountains gurgled soothingly. Vaarik watched as Aerovain turned about, her eyes wide and her hair now changed to a soft pink, its ends brushing her shoulders.

"A hidden Eden if I've even seen one," she whispered under her breath.

Vaarik clasped his hands behind his back as he strode forward, knowing exactly where to go from here. "It's like this everywhere else, so marvel as we walk please."

Aerovain's bare feet patted quietly behind him as she caught up to him. "Are you going to tell me what this is all for?"

Vaarik glanced down at her. "Are you willing to listen."

"Yes."

And he believed her.

"Foxwood Fur doesn't make the King sick."

Aerovain blinked. "Way to jump right into it."

Vaarik smirked. "It made the queen sick. He cannot come and visit her if he smells of it, even in the slightest."

"What does the Queen have to do-"

"I asked you if you were willing to listen." He raised a brow.

"Oh, right. That means no talking. Got it. Please continue." She waved her hands forward, forgetting a moment they were still bound.

Vaarik nodded. "They did not know she was allergic to it until it was too late. No magic from any healer could stop the growth of her illness. Soon it was apparent there was something deeper and darker at work here."

They rounded some stairs and came to a soft garden, the grass beneath their feet as soft as air itself. Several doors lined each wall though not one of them looked like they had been opened in years, their hinges and cracks filled with growing moss and ivy.

"Terrified she would perish before his eyes, the King had this sanctuary built to keep her safe. His magic would not allow her to die, but the illness that has grabbed hold of her not relinquishing her to death.

"For years everyone has been searching for a cure. But instead of finding a cure, they found more people ill and in the exact same state the Queen was in. Magic folk were plagued with something like a living hell. So the King ordered that they all be bought here. More come every day and every day they add more rooms to hold them until a cure is found."

Vaarik watched as they passed more and more doors. The fact Aerovain hadn't interrupted only attested to the fact she may know exactly what it is they were dealing with. He only hoped she would be willing to help them. He glanced at her as they entered a small alcove in the corner of a large room. There sat the king on the edge of a large round bed. In the center lay the queen, her figure sickly but very much alive.

Aerovain shook her head as she turned to Vaarik. "And what does my ability with persuasion have to do with any of this? I don't think I can sweet talk the illness out of her."

"No," the King spoke as he slowly arose from his spot on the bed, his eyes still on his wife, "But you can sweet talk the man who can save her."

Vaarik stepped forward. "Are you sure it is wise to still do this?"

The King sighed. "She knows this much. She will have to know the rest."

Aerovain nodded. "Yeah, you can't leave me on a cliffhanger like this."

"Then have you heard the old tales of the Scientist?"

Vaarik visibly shivered and took a step back, her shoulder brushing Vaarik's arm. "Yes," her answer came out in more of a hiss.

The King continued. "There was a time when there was a second faction of people who governed the laws of life and the living but not with magic. But with science. They could grow crops and fix wounds, build homes and create fire. Even cure illnesses. Something we have lost over the years. And we are too prideful to learn of it again, thinking our magic was enough to sustain us.

"This", he sighed, sweeping his arm through the air. "This is what ignorance does."

Vaarik took over as the King returned to sitting at his wife's side. "There is a rumor of an old man Scientist hidden away in a far-off country, his mute monks as his only company as he wasted away the last of his life. But he will never die for he was cursed by the king before Trivaro. Cursed with everlasting life for killing the queen after she gave credit to magic for saving her pregnancy rather than the science that he had to perform."

"This is why I will never have children," Aerovain mumbled under her breath.

Vaarik shook his head as he looked down at her. "But do you see what it is we are asking you Aerovain?"

The sprite looked up at him, her brows furrowed. "Yes. I'm not an idiot. You want me to go and find this Science Man and bring him here to help have the queen. Quite poetic really. But what I don't get is why you want me to do this alone. Aren't you worried that as soon as I cross the kingdom borders you'll never see me again."

Vaarik opened his mouth but the King spoke first, his words shocking the two of them.

"That is why Vaarik will be going with you."

The Captain of the guard and the air sprite turned to the king and spoke at the same time.

"What?!"

"Wait..."

King Trivaro nodded as he stood and turned to look at them. He looked more tired than before, gray hairs falling into his face. "Captain, I know I did not ask you earlier but it seems that you can handle her quite well. No one else will be better suited for accompanying her on this journey."

"Wait," Aerovain narrowed her eyes. "If I do this I will have my name cleared of all misdeed?"

The king nodded. "And more so if successful. But I will have to hear a good report from Vaarik for anything to be final. For now, it is your life you get to keep."

Aerovain groaned. "At least I know this trip will be entertaining." Her hair had changed back to short, spiky and red.

Vaarik looked at her. "I'm not going to entertain you."

"Right. You'll just be my victim of circumstance." She reached up and patted his arm as she walked out of the room, starting the long journey back to the surface of the castle. "Come on. We have some quest prepping to do. And I need to tune my Lyre."

Vaarik blinked then looked at the king. But his eyes went wide as he turned back to Aerovain, rushing after her down the hall, his voice echoing off the walls.

"Wait? You were bound. I bound your hands. How did you get them free?"

Aerovain's light laughter flowed to the king as he looked down at his queen.

"I'm not completely magicless without my lyre, Captain."

Their bickering quietly disappeared as they left the white sanctuary.

King Trivaro sighed as he closed his eyes. Leaning down he pressed a kiss to Queen Sarivia's forehead, her skin cold to the touch.

"I have faith in them, my dear. But what do you suppose? Will they confess their love for each other during or after the quest? Hmm?"