It had been impossible to meet with the human girl his cousin had unceremoniously brought at their doorstep. Matters of much more importance had required his attention. He disliked thinking in such a manner regarding someone that needed his healing, but the girl's dilemma was not pressing. It was not until midmorning the following day that Landros sought to heal the girl.

Landros was far from pleased when he entered the Healers Quarter, storming passed servants that knew better than to approach him when a dark mood descended upon him. With brisk efficiency he approached the Quarter Master and was directed to the location of the human girl. Valdor thought him a fool, but he knew that his cousin withheld information.

It was by no happenstance that Valdor and Nim had come across the Protector. The question was why stage the encounter? Valdor did not know the extent of the financial trouble the kingdom faced with his endless roaming. Lack of funds limited not only the commerce within the kingdom but beyond.

The death of King Prathios could have even more detrimental consequences to the coffers of the struggling economy. People had faith in consistency, in what they knew and were familiar on a daily basis. Though everyone assumed he would soon reign the kingdom, there was no love for him amongst the people. They certainly marveled at his healing skills and some admired him deeply, but none loved him.

Not like Valdor. Valdor was whom they loved, and who they secretly wanted as their king. Not him. But that impulsive fool would only lead them into more ruin. Or war with Mithoran with a hasty alliance with Armindia or the Fallen outlaws of the Murmurwoods. Landros saw too many pits in which to fall.

For the moment he would put those troubles aside and clear his mind. Garbed in healer's robes, calm and steadiness returned to him. He looked for peace and solitude within himself. Opening his eyes, he stared at the hands of a healer and it comforted him.

The smell of herbs hung in the air filling his lungs with a deep sense of tranquility that invigorated his senses. Every herb in the room was shelved, bottled and labeled as precisely before his eyes as in his mind. This was his sanctuary.

Even as a young boy, it was here where he could define himself not as a prince or future king, but as a healer. He knew in his heart that was his true calling. Deep within him, he was certain he would have been content with only the healing arts to occupy his life. But he had been groomed for ruling and any choice was out of the question. Clearing his thoughts with a deep exhale, he left his private study in search of the human girl called Lily.

It was in one of the smaller rooms that he found her with her head tilted to the side staring directly at him with unseeing eyes. Before making himself known he took the opportunity to study her, wondering what deception she was plotting. Upon clearing his throat she straightened, "Did you experience any unpleasantness in arriving here?"

Already she recognized his voice. There was a hint of a coy smile on her lips. If there was any unpleasantness in her arrival she was certain she was about to experience it if his clipped tone was any indication. Concealing her thoughts she replied, "None whatsoever your Majesty." She bowed her head knowing he expected her immediate respect. "Your people have been very, uhm...considerate despite my previous encounter."

"Yes. That is precisely what I wish to discuss, now that I have you completely far and away from my cousin's snaring tales and manipulations."

"I have already told you the truth."

Landros stood judging her character based on what little he knew. "You have told me what you perceive to be the truth. However, I believe that is not all of what you know. I will get to the heart of the matter in this. One way or another."

"You do not trust me."

"I'd be a fool to trust my cousin's latest conquest." There was no hiding his scorn and contempt.

Rage at his insult gripped her, "If I had my sight my hand would have flown at your face."

"That would have been the last time you'd have use of it."

"How can you possibly be a healer?"

"Take my hand so that you may see as you claim." Landros sat across from her and took both her hands in his.

Lily's sight returned to her the instant she felt his touch. Her ability to see seemed to grow stronger with his healer's powers. Upon seeing his face, she found it to be cold and unmoving. He was beautifully carved granite but no emotion came from him. His eyes might as well been made of gemstones for all the warmth they radiated. There was a resemblance to Valdor barely there to be noticed, but it was easy to dismiss it with their stark personalities.

Landros's eyes bore into hers, "Listen to me carefully. I am not to be trifled with, and I will not be manipulated by my cousin through you. I suggest you find another to offer you charity. But I will never deny any who need of my healing skills."

Lily refused to be coward by him and with sincere determination she tried to clear the matter. "I am not trying to manipulate Valdor nor you. I did not ask it of him to make me his ward."

"That I do not doubt. When it comes to playing the hero, Valdor quickly volunteers; consequences be damned. Nonetheless, your attempted denials of your manipulations will not work on me. Neither will your charms so do not even bother." His dismissive tone revealed just what he thought of her.

Clarity came to Lily at that moment. "You are turning the coin on me. It is you who is attempting to manipulate me with your insults and cruelty."

"It is only manipulation when the pawn is unaware; otherwise it is an orchestrated dance between experienced players."

"So the people around you are but pieces on a board to be moved at your convenience?" Lily was appalled.

"No. You are forgetting the players." A ghost of a smile traced his lips.

"What is it that you want from me?" Lily confronted him without fear.

"That was a bold move." It was his first genuine compliment.

"I am not one of your game pieces."

"Certainly not when you have the qualities of a player." He saw the frustration forming on her brow. It was imperative for him to know where Valdor had been and doing during his months of absence.

The human girl could provide him with the information, he was certain. There had to be way that he could bring her under his confidence. But that would mean she would need to remain in Lathimnar, and she could be a dangerous distraction to Valdor. One misstep by his cousin and the result could be halflings! No. The human must be removed. He must find another way to unravel the truth of Valdor's whereabouts.

"I will heal you. And then, when the rest of your party arrives, you will form some excuse to Prince Valdor and depart amongst them. You will not be made a ward of House Verakis." On that decision, he would not yield.

"A pity. I was looking forward to my stay among the elves. But it seems I've barely arrived and my welcome has long expired." Lily was resigned to the situation, but she could at least console herself with the thought of reuniting for good with Aurora.

Prince Landros released her hands and her vision was snuffed out like a candle. She only had his voice to guide her now.

He studied her openly one last time before touching her again. Speaking with human leaders was always taxing on his intellect, with their tedious grievances and the elves from other noble houses were only marginally better with their riddles and subtle meanings behind every word that passed their lips.

The human commoner had been more direct with her blunt attitude. However, such clarity was not in the realm of the mind numbing flattery and diplomacy of the royal courts. His interaction with her had left him unsettled, proof of what a clever opponent she could become if she stayed.

"I must warn you that with most healing, there is always an accompaniment of pain." With that, Lily nodded and braced herself. "Because your injury is not superficial and goes deep into the body, I will use no other means but my gifts to heal you. My hands are approaching your temples. I will press my fingertips along those lines and your brow. Do not try to use your magic to see or it will be more painful for the both of us."

"Wait." Lily took hold of his wrists at her temples. "Why the both of us?"

"Healing, like magic, takes a toll upon the wielder. The more grievous the injury, the more I must use my powers and energy to repair all damages creating physical pain and exhaustion on my part."

"This happens to you every time you heal someone?"

"Do not pity me, human." Had she been able to see, there would be no hiding the scorn in his stare.

Shaking her head slightly she explained, "It is not pity you hear in my voice. Pain is not something most would voluntarily inflect on themselves. Especially, without anything in return."

"I help those who are in need of my gift."

"Is it a gift? You don't resent it in any way?"

"Healing is all I've ever wanted." The words were spoken before he realized how much he had revealed of himself. Quickly he removed his hands from her grasp, lest she see any vulnerability.

A sense of having misjudged him flared within Lily. Perhaps the sharp, ridged angles of his personality we not devoid of feeling after all. "Thank you."

"Shall we proceed?" His formal tone returned. Startled, Lily felt his fingers upon her temples once again and she closed her eyes. "There will be a sensation of light and heat flowing through you."

Not a moment later, she felt the light and heat begin to fill her in gentle waves, but all too quickly the heat intensified and the light was no longer mild but harsh and unyielding. Pain seized her and tears streamed down her cheeks freely.

At first, he had been gentle, lulling her body with his healing warmth alerting her to his presence. When his powers reached her injury, he was unprepared for the large blockage that obstructed the healing.

In his mind's eye, her injury was a swirling vortex, unlike anything he had ever encountered, even amongst magically induced injuries. As he approached it, the spinning vortex drew on his powers pulling at him. No matter how much or how hard he tried to seal it, the vortex would shrink then recover in size.

So intent had he been on fighting it, he had ignored how the girl was reacting to his intrusion. Unexpectedly, he felt a profound stab of pain before turning into fear and anguish. They were not his feelings but the girl's. That caused him to stop.

Lily fought against the pain and remained silent and still, afterall Prince Landros had warned her to expect this. The light became an explosion with heat that burned like a fever causing the sweat of her brows to mingle with the tears across her face. A sob escaped her and fast as lightning the pain dissolved.

"Are you insane? Why did you not stop me?" His hands clenched her arms unsure if it was out of anger at her foolishness or a need to support her fragile condition. Slowly, he eased her to his chest as they recovered their strength.

There was no imaginable excuse that he could fathom as to why she had remained silent. What had she been thinking not making him aware of the intense pain he was inflicting?

Meanwhile, Lily tried to catch her breath between sobs. Her arms barely provided enough support for her to remain upright. Although she tried to compare her experience to what she had felt when Mimika drained her with the crystal, this had been vastly different. This searing pain held no malice and she could feel Prince Landros's intent on healing not hurting.

"You said there'd be pain." She tried to shrug off his concern with a half hearted smile.

"Yes, but that was unnatural. Look at me."

Lily turned as he commanded and opened her eyes unsure of what she would find. To both their disappointments her eyes remained veiled. "I did not heal you." Lily shook her head. "This is no ordinary blindness. How did you come to this?" Once again his suspicions flared.

"I...I'm not sure. The last time I saw, rain was falling. Then I felt a blast and passed out. That at least I know was Mimika's doing."

Landros pondered for a moment. "The sorceress Mimika is rumored to be very powerful, but even my cousin could have undone a brief blinding spell. There is something else working against me. I must know what that is that I may remove your blindness."

There wasn't a doubt in his mind that she was withholding the real reason she was blind. His princely emotions and suspicions argued with his healer's calling to deny her until she was truthful with him. Yet he could not turn her away, though there was much he needed to know.

"Does that mean you will try again?" Hope was mixed with trepidation in her voice.

He released her as he stood, letting her stay upright of her own volition. "Yes, but not today. The day will soon come to an end. You need to rest and recover your strength." Reluctantly he helped her rise and escorted her out.

A frown marred her smooth face. "How can that be? It can't be past noon."

"When you enter a healer's trance, for healing such as you need, time moves on differently. What we felt as a moment was hours in the day." He moderated his pace to hers as they walked beyond the lobby. "I will take you to Elithin and he will escort you to your chambers."

Lily absorbed what he had revealed to her. He must have used an incredible amount of power to have lasted so many hours.

Coincidentally, the time he had spent with her had not gone unnoticed throughout the palace. Meetings had not been conducted, claims and grievances had gone unheard, and the other healers scurried about to spy on him and his health.

Healers, like Pathfinders, were vulnerable during their trances and needed protection. But so long as he was within the Healers Quarters he always refused their assistance claiming it interfered with his patients' tranquility.

Too exhausted to use her second sight, Lily serenely followed Prince Landros's careful guidance. Nonetheless, her curiosity was far from depleted. "Will you allow me to stay? At least until you have restored my sight." She was a paradox of vocal persistence mixed with shyness.

He was at war with himself once again. The healer in him could not allow her to go until he had done everything in his power to heal her. Yet the prince argued about the danger she posed if she remained. She must be gone. She needs to stay. She is a threat. She is a patient. Landros breathed deeply forming the words carefully.

"For as long as you require healing you shall stay. But do not expect your stay to be a comfortable one." They had arrived at the main antechamber, where he rapidly found Elithin waiting. No sooner did he hand her over to him, than he took off walking swiftly to his private study. He closed the door, wishing to be undisturbed.

The human girl had withstood a considerable amount of pain before submitting. He had not anticipated her strength. It was an uncommon trait amongst humans he had met. Still he did not trust her. He knew she lied. There was still the cause of her condition, her connection to Nim and her true involvement with Valdor to be solved. Given time, time that he would be forced to spend with her to heal her, he would discover the truth. Until then, she was another piece on the board.