Wren turned the corner, succesfully shuffling away from the mass of people in the ballroom. Down a dark corridor she went, the pathway lit only by a few candles and a sparkling chandelier on the well-polished ceiling.

Armours lined the wall, candles flickering every now and then. A bit of moonlight came in from the window. As Wren scurried over to the other end of the hallway, her shadow followed her behind. Footsteps thudded from behind the wall and muffled voices could be heard.

Wren waited with bated breath before slipping out again. She went down the aisle, checking for doors, chambers, anything; but all that was were corridors. The palace was shaped like a labyrinth.

Her footsteps echoed as she tread quietly. Turning down her fourth corridor, she saw a wooden door at the end of the corridor. Finally, she thought breathlessly. She made her way towards it, her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

Her hand closed in the doorknob. She twisted it open, went inside and shut the door behind her as quietly as she could.

Chandeliers lit up the room as soon as she entered. The walls adorned with decorations of flowers, the wallpapers sparkled around her; sparkles and glitter fell from the ceiling. It looked ... magical.

A grand piano stood in the middle of the room. Wren walked over to it, trailing her fingers as she walked. A piece of music stood on the piano. Beside it, a heart-shaped gem-like necklace was placed next to it. Wren picked it up, feeling the lightness trail over her fingers. Beside the piano was a violin on a stand.

'Dear me,' said a voice from the shadows softly. 'Young, charming princess, Your Highness. May I know what you're doing up here?'

Wren dropped the necklace and turned around immediately. A silhoutte of a man with broad shoulders came to sight, slowly stepping closer towards her, revealing every inch of his face with every passing second. Wren let out a slow breath when his face angled towards her.

'Ambrose,' she said in a low voice through clenched teeth as she recognised the familiar golden glimmer of his crown.

'Yes, Ambrose,' said the young prince, smiling so his teeth flashed in the dark. 'And Wren.'

Wren tried to move, but her feet were rooted to the ground. 'I wanted the bathroom,' she said, lying through her teeth as she racked her brains trying to find word of what to say.

'Now let's not play games anymore, Princess,' Ambrose said, tilting his face closer to hers. 'Clearly, you are here for a reason.'

Wren felt the urge to pull her eyes away from his stare but she refused to - one look away and that was as good as admitting she was up to something. He didn't blink, he didn't pull away either; his golden hazel eyes fixed themselves into Wren's uneven ones.

'Your Highness, I was here in Iridia to a fulfill a duty,' Wren said, forcing a smile, 'and what I do is classified -'

'I don't care why you're in Iridia,' said the young prince, looking anything but baffled. He was so close now Wren could count the frown lines etched on his forehead, could count the many earrings that hung from his left ear. As deep as his words cut, his voice remained polite, it did not slip off an edge. 'I want to know why you're in the Palace of Iridia, in the Amansky Chamber.'

'Is that what it's called?' Wren asked, looking surprised. Ambrose positively hissed.

'The Chamber reveres its ties to Iridia history and tradition. Artifacts of cultural importance are held in this room and I can assure you, Your Highness, no one ventures here. No one.'

Wren wanted to say 'No one until now,' but she as heck did not want to get in the bad books of the prince, let alone Iridia. She forced another unconvincing smile.

'I thought it was the washroom.'

Ambrose tutted. 'Did you, now? A washroom with a piano and a violin, with such magnificent windows adorned with flowers that a commoner could've mistaken real?'

'We have delicately beautiful windows in the Argonian bathrooms,' Wren answered unthinkingly.

'Well, we do not have pianos and violins in our washrooms in Iridia, Your Highness. I wonder if you do have them in Argonian?'

'Of course.'

Ambrose raised an eyebrow.

'Not. No we don't,' Wren said hastily.

'Tell me what you're doing here, Princess. Does my brother happen to know you're here?'

'Why would he?' Wren said in a convincingly curious tone that seemed to fool Ambrose. A shadow crossed his face before he straightened up.

'A lot of reasons why he would.'

'Well, he doesn't.'

Ambrose brought his face closer to Wren's, his golden hazel eyes narrowed and hinted with the slightest surge of anger in them. 'Tell me what you were doing here, Princess, or you don't want to know what happens next.'

'Don't I?' Wren said, tilting her head to one side.

The prince growled under his breath. 'This is trespassing.'

'This is visiting, Your Highness. Besides, you don't have to worry about what I do here, or anywhere, because it's got nothing to do with you -'

'But it's got something to do with my kingdom,' Ambrose whispered in her ear. 'Doesn't it, Princess? I don't care if I'm not part of your juicy little plan, whatever it is. You put my kingdom in danger, and you're in for it now.'

Wren hardly dared breathe. God, Ambrose was good at digging out the truth.

'I've warned you, Princess Wren,' Ambrose hissed. 'Whatever you've got to do, put Iridia out of it. I don't want to see you here.'

She didn't bother to ask why. She knew why. It was because of this thread she carried around with her - and Nicaea Valdis was the thread. Wherever she went, danger was with her. She couldn't blame Ambrose not wanting to see her face ever again, especially not in his own kingdom. Through the mask of superiority and anger, Wren could still see a flicker of fear in those golden hazel eyes that carried dominance.

Ambrose straightened up, his eyes dark and harsh. With one final look at Wren, he admitted himself out, slamming the door behind him, but in a ... royally kind of way.

Wren stayed rooted on the spot for a few minutes before deciding to roam the room yet again. She wouldn't pretend she didn't know Ambrose was scared ... of her. Technically, she was a walking threat.

Artifacts and expensive jewellery gleamed in the dim light. As beautiful as they looked, none of them was a mirror. Nothing stood out ... no mirror, no stone, nothing. Wren left the room in despair, wondering where else she could roam until a shadowy silhoutte passed her, brushing against her shoulder. Her heart quickened and beat ten times faster when she heard an 'AAAARGHHH!'

'AAAARGHHHH!' shrieked Wren.

'AAAHHH!' screamed the stranger.

There was the familiar figure of Rafe; he looked quite harassed and frightened for his life.

'You scared me!" he whisper-shouted, putting a palm over his heart.

'Youappeared out of nowhere and screamed!' Wren hissed back, grabbing him by the arm and frog-marching him away. 'Better go somewhere else before someone comes and finds out what we're doing here. Hey - have you got anything?'

Rafe thought for a moment then said, 'It's a long story.'

'Then make it a short one.'

'Then you wouldn't understand!'

'Alright, just tell me what it is!'

Rafe looked around them to check in case there were any eavesdropping listeners. 'I'd prefer telling when everyone's here but I've changed my mind.'

'Get to the point!" wheezed Wren.

'OK, OK!' hastened Rafe. He lowered his voice. 'I was going up a corridor when I saw two people coming. Must be guards. So I grabbed the nearest door handle and stuffed myself in.'

Wren's eyebrows went up.'

'And then,' Rafe whispered huskily, 'I wasn't sure if they were gone yet. So I decided it was much better for me to stay locked up in that little room. So I thought I'd do a little exploring.'

'That was a ver good idea, Rafe,' Wren said, emphasising much.

'Thank you,' Rafe said. 'I'm flattered. So as I tread into the deep, dark shadows of the night, I came across a many mind-blowing artifacts. Beautiful flowers hung all around the room. I was caught by surprise and admirition. I felt like a warrior, escaping from the silent shadows. But when I thought everything was just a normal room, I came across this piece of bejeweling cloth that hung over a little something I did not know what it was of yet-'

'Okay, I'm gonna stop you right there,' interrupted Wren, 'why do I feel like you're telling a medieval fantasy story out of nowhere?'

Rafe, who had been making dramatic hand gestures, dropped his hands in exasperation. 'That's the whole point, Wren. I was giving the story a touch of spice, a twinkle of suspiciousness, a -'

'Alright, that's enough,' Wren said immediately. 'Cut out the touch and twinkles, please, and we'll get to the point of the story faster. What is the point?'

'Fine. The point is, there was a mirror under the piece of cloth.'

Wren's jaw dropped.

'I guess it wasn't really a long story after all,' Rafe said thoughtfully.

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'You were here?' Wren whispered to Rafe for the hundred-and-fifty-eighth time. 'You're really, really, really sure about that? Because I've done some roaming around and damn, is this palace as big on the inside as it is on the outside.'

'Yes I'm sure,' Rafe said patiently. 'Now get in that door.I swear the mirror's inside. I just hope it's not a normal bathroom mirror.'

Wren closed her hand on the doorknob and twisted it open. In the two went, shutting the door quietly after them. Wren stood in the darkness and was about to say something to Rafe when she felt something cold and furry run over her feet.

'AAARGGH!'

'AAAAAAARGHHH!' shrieked Rafe and there was a sudden bang followed by a cluster.

'Why did you scream?' Wren cried.

'Why did you scream?'

'Something ran over my foot!' she said, trying not to shriek.

'AAAHHH!' screamed Rafe. 'Rat, three o' clock!'

'Kill it!' shrieked Wren.

Rafe scanned the room frustratedly. 'It's behind the cupboards!'

'What the -'

'Behind you!' yelled Rafe.

'I can't see anyth -'

'IT'S GONE!'

One last final scutter of the suspected rat and then there was silence.

'I didn't see a rat,' Wren said, breaking the silence.

'Super vision is kind of my thing,' shrugged Rafe.

'It's your ability?' Wren said, gawking. 'That's so cool - and I'm stuck with hydrokinesis. So you can see things - even through solids?'

'Uh, I suppose so,' Rafe said. 'Hey - that's the mirror!'

The both of them hurried over to a piece of cloth that lay over the ground. Rafe threw it away to reveal a mirror with rims made of gems. The surface of the mirror was filled a watery like substance, not a piece of glass, but made of water.

A breath escaped Wren.

'Not sure if this is the Veil,' shrugged Rafe.

Wren edged closer towards the mirror and steadied a hand above the shimmering waves of the mirror. Trembling slightly, her fingers made contact with the water. It swirled around her finger, capturing the tip of it before letting go.

'It's the Veil alright,' Wren whispered as the waves settled back into its calm rendeavour.

'How'd you know?'

'I can feel it,' Wren said, and she could. A tingly sensation had spread all over her once her body had been contact with the mirror. She had so many questions, yet so many answers ... her brain was exploding. For instance, why was the mirror in Iridia? A kingdom very unknown to her? And did finding the mirror mean Nicaea was one step closer to finding her?

There were many answers to her questions; she had to find out which answer belonged to the right question.

'We have to get out of here,' Wren said, reality hitting her like a stone hitting water. 'Now. Out of the ball, out of everyone's sight.'

'What, so fast?' Rafe asked, gazing at the mirror.

'Yes, the whole point in coming here was getting this baby!' hissed Wren.

'Can we at least stay for muffins?' Rafe asked, now looking at Wren.

'No! Problem is, how are we going to get this thing out of here without being obvious?'

'Are you thinking what I'm thinking?' Rafe asked, raising an eyebrow. Wren sighed.

'Fine, you can grab one muffin as we go out later.'

'That was not what I was thinking! But it was what I wanted to hear. Anyways, I was thinking we sneak out using that darling up there.'

Rafe pointed above him and Wren's gaze trailed to where he was pointing.

A window shone in the moonlight, looking as warm and inviting as a cozy Christmas fire.

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'Ow - ow - you're poking me -'

'It's difficult with my gown!' Wren whispered. 'Hand me the mirror!'

'I'm trying to stable myself here so I don't fall,' panted Rafe, who had both kness on a tall bookshelf. 'I pride myself on even getting up this high, really -'

'The mirror!'

Rafe grabbed the large mirror still underneath the piece of cloth to Wren. Wren thrust her free hand out and struggled to get her hands on the mirror. Once she did, she tucked it under her arm and whistled softly for Rafe's attention.

'Give me your hand!'

'My coat's stuck in the frame thingy!' hissed Rafe.

'Just rip it out or something!'

Wren heard a rip and Rafe's hand grabbed hers. Sweat beaded on her palm and Rafe's hand slipped away.

'Hold on!'

'Your hand's all sweaty!' Wren cried.

'So's yours!'

I can't wipe my hands off now, I'm grabbing on for life!'

'Good point,' Rafe said, rubbing his hands against his trousers. 'Alright, pull me up -'

Wren wobbled on the ladder she'd stolen - or, as she preferred the term borrowed- from the gardener. She would return it later anyway - she was just taking it right now and would return it later.

'Alright, warning - this ladder might not hold us both up, so just try to squeeze in, alright?'

'You're the captain,' Rafe said, breathing in and out heavily. 'Where's the mirror?'

'Under my arm,' Wren told him. Slowly, she began making her way down from the ladder. 'You can come down now!" she called.'

Once both Rafe and Wren were down on the grassy patch of land, they carried the ladder back behind the bush and sauntered out at once.

'Problem number 2,' Rafe said. 'We need to get Jake and Ladislaya out now.'

Wren rummaged in the pockets of her gown suddenly. Rafe frowned.

'What are you searching for?'

'It's just - there's a mini microphone Ladislaya gave both Jake and I to keep in contact with each other but I've left it at the hotel!'

'Oh great,' Rafe said moodily.

'Let me think,' Wren said. There was a brief silence broken only by the soft chirping of the birds and rustling of trees. After a while, Wren said, 'Look - you go back into the Palace and get them. I know you have no idea where they are, but I expect they're bound to come out anytime soon ... just -'

'What, me go in again?' wheezed Rafe. 'What was the point in me getting out of the Palace then? My back's all sore -'

'Look, I can't go in because Ambrose hates me and an Argonian princess that's been missing technically her whole life can't just randomly barge in again can I?' Wren said pointedly. 'I've slid it just now - it's your turn - there's no other way. If I go in, I'll probably land up arrested or something -'

'Wait, wait, Prince Ambrose hates you?' Rafe said, frowning as he put two hands on his hips. 'Heir to the Iridian throne, master of royalty, why does he hate you?'

'For a good many reasons,' Wren said impatiently. 'I could go on for hours.'

'And two - what do you mean you'd land up arrested? Are you a criminal? What've you done to be most wanted in Iridia -'

'I'm not most wanted!" Wren said in aghast. 'Look, if you were the heir to the Iridian throne, and some random Argonian princess you've only met once barges into your kingdom doing suspicious activity in your Palace, you'd be suspicious, right? And besides, Ambrose knows my connection with Nicaea. I'm a living threat to him,' she added in a low voice.

'Ambrose caught you doing suspicious stuff?' wheezed Rafe, who seemed to have registered that part and that part only.

'Look - just go in and get Jake and Ladislaya, will you?'

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Ten minutes later, Rafe appeared with Jake and Ladislaya. Jake looked out of breath and Ladislaya's hair was all bushy and tangled.

'Rafe told me you found the mirror,' Ladislaya said, sinking into a nearby rock. 'Thank God. I wasn't making any progress in there.'

'Well technically, he found the mirror,' Wren said.

'Thanks for the credit, Rebel Princess,' Rafe said, doing a mock-bow. A smile tugged at the corner of Wren's lip.

They hailed a taxi to bring them back to the hotel. The man at the hotel counter was a bit suspicious about the mirror that was underneath the cloth and demanded to know whether they were filling in illegal substances.

'Are you sure it's safe for the mirror to be placed in a hotel room?' Ladislaya asked anxiously.

'We don't have anywhere else to put it at the moment,' Wren said. 'Trust me, I don't trust a crappy run-down hotel either, but it's all we've got.'

She heaved the mirror onto her bed and unraveled the cloth. Ladislaya let out an audible gasp; Wren was not surprised.

'Now look.'

She twirled her finger along the watery surface of the mirror as she did before. The water captured the tip of her finger, clinging on to it slightly before letting go. Jake and Ladislaya watched in amazement.

'What is it?' Jake said in a hushed voice.

'That's the thing. We have no idea,' Wren said, flopping herself down on the bed and staring at the mirror.

Writer's note: I really enjoyed writing this scene! So dramatic lol

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