“Father- what’s wrong?”

Lord Kadoward looked up from the letter he perused. “Good. You’re here.” A frown creased his forehead. “A summons from His Majesty. He requires our presence at Court immediately.”

“Uh-oh. What’s the problem?”

“It’s the Astirannons and the Elbentars again.”

“Them? I thought they quit all that years ago!”

“We all did. Apparently it’s escalated again. A couple of young hotheads with more brawn than brain restarted it. Their elders didn’t use sense and hold them in check and next thing we know, we’re bordering on an explosion that could go off at any moment. That moment might be now. So cooler heads are needed nearby.”

“What happened this time?”

“A few days ago two members of these families, Pinel Astirannon and Gavrain Elbentar, were attending a formal dinner at the home of a third, uninvolved family. A glass of wine was placed on the table between Elbentar and a knight, Sir Patris, who drank it. In a matter of minutes he grew violently sick; later that evening, he died. He had no known enemies. When questioned, the servant who delivered the wine said he had been told to give it to Gavrain Elbentar. He did not know the servant who produced it and the message, but the description matched that of a known Astirannon retainer. Others who had seen the exchange verified this. To complicate matters, the next day one of the Astirannons had an ‘accident’ while riding. It was simple luck that he escaped with his life.

“So as you can see, this is more than a couple of young braggarts challenging each other to duels where they exchange more insults than blows. Those whose heads should be steadier are embroiled, and it’s spreading. Sir Patris’ family is understandably irate. If this isn’t brought under control soon, they’ll be getting still more families involved, and we’ll have a tangle on our hands like we’ve never seen before.”

“Um... excuse me, Lord Kadoward, Miara.” Kagami stepped forward, bowing before speaking again. “But... what precisely is this all about?”

Miara put her hands out, palms up. “To put it simply, it’s a classic family feud. On the one hand, we have the Astirannon family. On the other hand, we have the Elbentar family. Both nobility. They’ve been at each other’s throats for as long as anyone can remember. No one even remembers what started it. Both insist it was the other’s fault, and so keep fighting. There’d been a falling off of conflict for a while, so everyone though they’d gotten tired of fighting each other or just decided to move on or whatever. Apparently not. So unless we get this thing settled soon....” She grimaced. “Well, let’s just say the results won’t be pretty.”

After a moment of silence Reiko said, “There aren’t a couple of kids who met at a party, decided they were in love and ended up dying involved, are there?”

“Uh... not as far as I know....”

“That’s a relief, at least.”

Miara thrust a hand through her bangs. “Either way, it means we need to get down to Court right away. His Majesty needs as many dependable people as possible there to try to get them to settle down before it goes too far. The journey’s not long, but we want to avoid a big mess... so we’ll be getting going first light tomorrow.”

“Right. We’re going with you.”

Miara blinked. Her father stood up. “Are you sure that’s wise?” he said. “You’re complete strangers to this land-”

Ayame made a stopping gesture. “It’s okay. She told us.”

“Told you?...”

Kagami fiddled with the crystal dangling around her neck. “About... about us being the Zantaros. The guardians of this world We got the feeling there were things we weren’t being told, so we sought Miara out and insisted she share them, whatever they were. But if there’s a potential conflict of large proportion, is it not our duty to be there, in case we might be of help diffusing it?”

“That’s right,” said Shizuka. “We can be- oh, what’s the phrase?- your eyes and ears! Nobody knows us, after all, so they have no reason to be suspicious. So we can walk around and listen and see what we can find out. I’m pretty good at picking up on things. Mom says I’m an empath.” She pointed to Kagami. “And she’s always useful to have around to help settle fights, she’s quite the diplomat, you know. Then there’s the intuition, too.”

Ayame gestured at herself and Reiko with her thumb. “Yeah, and it’s always good to have a couple of trained fighters handy. Since no one knows anything about us, they won’t know that. The element of surprise is handy.”

“All right, then.” Miara ran a hand through her hair again. “It’s better, in fact. C’mon with me. I’m guessing you didn’t bring much through the gate with you, so I’d better augment with my own gear, so you’ll blend in.” As they walked down the hall, a hand took in their clothes. “No offense meant, but you’ll stick out like a bunch of sore thumbs dressed like that.”

“Excuse me.” Kagami tapped Miara on the shoulder. “I just thought of something. If the Zantaros guardians are so important, why didn’t you tell us this right away, when you told us where we were and how we got here?”

“Would you have believed us if we had?”

Kagami blinked a couple times. “Um... come to think of it, I guess not. We still have a hard time believing it!”

“Precisely. You didn’t understand anything that had just happened to you. You needed time to adjust to where you were before we could tell you who you were and have you accept it. Besides, we wanted to talk it over and look for proof before just deciding yes, you were the Zantaros. We planned to give you a little longer to get used to everything, but you took some unexpected initiative.” She pressed the handle before her, swinging the door open.

Miara led the way into a spacious chamber, the mood defined by simple clean lines and cheerful, bright colors. There also happened to be several young ladies of varying heights and descriptions, all clad in the same manner as the still mysterious Akasha, right down to the daggers in the belts. They halted the various tasks at which they were working, regarding Miara and her companions with an expectant air.

“What’s the news, Lady Miara?” The young lady apparently named Akasha stepped forward. “Do we need to make any preparations?”

“You bet. There’s a big to-do going on; we need to be getting to Court right away. We plan to leave first light tomorrow.” She beckoned the four Zantaros into the room. “Oh, and these... ladies... are coming as well. They need outfitted with all the appropriate stuff.”

Looking back at her companions, a sweep of her hand took in the girl before her. “Oh, yeah- this is Dolos Akasha Fayrian, who’s basically in charge of this fleet of maids we’ve got. I like to call her ‘Captain.’” Miara gave the girl a cheeky wink at the nickname before providing the strange-looking servants with a briefing on the situation. “So as you can hear, we’ve got a lot to do. Let’s get to work.”

“Could you tell us more about the patron deities?” Kagami couldn’t quite look over her shoulder at Miara, seeing as she currently stood on a stool while one of the maids, a girl called Chaeli who had red-gold hair just skimming her shoulders, adjusted the hem of a Taran dress she was to wear. Reiko currently sat off to the side, sending quiet glares in the direction of her assigned and already altered garment. The fact that it was a necessary disguise, not to mention as simple a design as they could give her, didn’t change the fact that it was still a dress.

Shizuka twirled around from the mirror where she and Ayame were still studying their designated and also redone attire. “Oh, yes, please tell us more! I must confess I’m curious about that, myself. What’s the story behind them?”

Miara crossed the room from where she supervised the packing of her trunk. “As soon as Kagami’s done, I’ll take you to the Temple of the Four Directions and tell you more there.”

As if on cue Chaeli rose, stretching her back. “All finished, Lady Miara. What would you have me do now?”

“Help the others with the packing; then it’ll be done that much faster, and you can all rest. You’ve sure been working hard enough to deserve a break. My companions and I are leaving for a while.”

“Yes, of course, Lady Miara.” The girl gave an odd little bow, bending from the waist with her hands behind her back, the proceeded to join the others.

“Hey, what’s up with them?” It was several minutes later. Ayame gestured back towards the now closed door with her thumb. “I mean, given what I’ve seen of this place, they don’t exactly seem run of the mill. I may not know much, but I do know maids don’t usually carry daggers.”

“It’s all traditional,” she said. “The clothes, the daggers, the headpieces- even their position and its title. They date back from the early days of the Gatekeepers. Their formal title, Timadolos, basically means ‘honored bondservant.’ We usually just use Dolos when we talk to them as an honorific to differentiate them from the regular servants. The story has it that someone associated with them owed my ancestor a debt, and they became hereditary handmaidens as a result. All the accessories came along with it. They put a great store in tradition. It’s an honor thing.”

Before any of them could comment on this, they reached the entrance to the Temple of the Four Directions. Those large double doors looked all too familiar except for one change- the stones ornamenting the handles were blue rather than yellow. Miara took one in each hand, swinging the portal open.

For the second time, they took a good look at the temple. It was remarkably austere, the single circular wall unadorned except for the murals and a wide ledge mounted over each of the four doors. Across the room they could see the one that had served as Miara’s observational perch only yesterday. It somehow seemed longer.

Their guide took a few brisk steps forward. “Well, you know what this place is,” she said. “So I don’t need to tell you again. Instead I’ll get right to the heart of things. The Four Directions themselves.

“First off, the temple was made circular because all four of the elements are distinct but equal. This way, none is placed above or below any of the others. Each has its own unique role in things. There are four doors for the same reason.”

She walked towards the mural closest to the door they had just entered through. “First, North. This is the direction of Earth. Earth is traditionally considered a ‘female’ element. This image represents Terralia, the goddess of Earth and consequently patron of the Zantara of Earth.” The woman in the mural wore a sleeveless tunic and column skirt of pale green, styled like those worn by women in ancient Greek art. Brown hair arranged in curls reminiscent of the same era, topped by a gold diadem. Sandaled feet just showed under the hem of her skirt, and a pair of gold cuff bracelets set with green gems circled her wrists. One arm cradled a sheaf of golden wheat while the other held a staff of dark, knarled wood embedded with a single large green jewel. Expression serene, she walked along the edge of a lush forest glen.

Reiko studied this image, visage oddly tranquil. For once she didn’t- couldn’t- make one of her usual sarcastic comments. “I see.”

Miara came up behind her shoulder. “See those bracelets?” she said. “That’s what your Dunamis looks like.”

“All right....” Her bangs shook as she nodded. “I’m just glad I don’t have to run around in that little crown.” Miara didn’t respond to that comment; she just moved on to the next mural.

“The second direction is East, the direction for Air. Air is actually considered a ‘male’ element by the old tradition. Hence, a patron god, Elzyphan.” A striking young man stood poised at the edge of a cliff, one hand reaching out into the horizon beyond as if he could catch the clouds. A beige robe with wide, full sleeves billowed out behind him, showing a shirt and leggings of yellow, his calves wrapped in more beige. Some sort of necklace dangled onto the crossed front of his shirt. Long yellow hair floated behind him in the wind. Even though his face was turned in profile they could see his visage was well if lightly defined, with unusually shaped eyes and pointed ears.

“Why do his features look the way they do?” asked Kagami, a hand straying up to play with her pendant. As she did so, her eyes narrowed, and she leaned closer to the painting. “Wait a minute....”

Miara followed the girl’s gaze. “Yes, his pendant looks like yours. It’s your Dunamis, after all- it represents your link to both Taran and this particular element. As for his appearance, Elzyphan is a god originally associated with the elves. Hence the ears and unusual shape to the eyes, and the finer features in general.”

“Elves?” Kagami considered this. “The folklore I’ve read tends to declare elves tiny folk....” She trailed off as she realized what she was saying. “I’m sorry- I keep forgetting things are different here, I’m still not used to this place....”

“It’s no matter. You’re still learning, as you said.” Miara continued her circuit of the temple. “South is the direction of Fire, another ‘male’ element. Your patron god is Vukan.” An arid desert framed a young swordsman down on one knee, face bearing an arrogant near-smirk they were sure they’d seen on Ayame’s own visage more than once in the past. Scarlet full-legged Arabian trousers fell to mid calf, just meeting the tops of a pair of soft black boots. A red vest covered his well-honed torso, bound at the waist with a narrow black sash-belt. Black hair tumbled to the side in wild spikes, a ponytail just showing behind his neck. One arm held a sword, blade similar to a katana, over his head while the other crossed in front, bearing a small dagger.

Ayame studied the image for a moment, mouth working silently. “Hisuke.” Her voice came out at practically a whisper. Then she silently knelt on the floor, bowing low as she would in a sacred ceremony.

“Um... now I’m the one confused....” said Miara.

After a moment, Ayame rose from her posture of worship. She swallowed before speaking. “My- my grandfather keeps a shrine,” she said, still oddly quiet. “It’s an old site, connected to a fire spirit called Hisuke. In the shrine there’s a picture of the spirit’s earthly appearance, and- and it looks just like that....” A hand fluttered in the direction of the mural. “There’s even an old story that we had that sword he’s holding, only an ancestor took it off with her on a long journey and it’s been lost ever since-”

“An ancestor? Interesting, that....” Miara stared at the image. “Especially as that sword is Ember, the Dunamis wielded by the Zantara of Fire. In her hands only will its true form show, and it’s said to have the effect of enhancing whatever fighting abilities the destined wielder has.”

This seemed to start Ayame out of her reverie. “I get a magic sword that helps me fight better? Cool! When can I go and find it?”

Now it was Miara’s turn to stare at this sudden shift back to the old Ayame. “Well- soon, it’s your first quest- but it’s supposed to have some kind of strange side effects, so don’t treat its power lightly-” Ayame, however, didn’t seem to hear her, lost in dreams of being an unstoppable opponent of evil. The young priestess exchanged a look with the other three, then continued on her path.

“Last is West, the direction of Water. Water, like Earth, is a feminine element. The patron goddess is known as Belisma.” Belisma proved to be a lissome girl clad in a flowing blue robe not unlike a kimono, sweeping skirt, long draping sleeves, and fluid sash floating around her as she danced among ocean waves. Her hair, so dark a blue it was almost black, fastened into a slim tail that trailed past her knees, color contrasting with her pale skin. Oddly enough, she carried a lute in one hand.

Shizuka studied this, hands clasped behind her back. “If she’s the goddess of water, why does she have that instrument?”

“Because Belisma is also a secondary patron of the arts, especially music. The lute is one of her symbols. There’s an old story that the sound of moving water- rain, streams, and the like- is her playing her lute. Look carefully at her other hand. You’ll see a ring. That’s what your Dunamis looks like.”

“Oh.”

Miara looked around. Her gaze wandered to the ceiling. With a few quick, graceful steps, she crossed the room to mount the dais. “One more thing. This temple symbolizes the union of the four elements. As I told you, that union is embodied by the fifth element, Spirit. Spirit is everywhere, so it has no single direction. Look up.” Their eyes followed her upraised finger. A curved dome of shining jet, spotted with sparkling crystals that brought to mind luminous stars, made the temple look as though it opened out into a limpid night sky. All they could do was stare in stunned awe. “This does tribute to the bodiless divinity of spirit, Ether.”

Moments of silence passed. Miara stepped down from the dais, walking towards one of the four doors. “Come with me,” she said.

Reiko looked down from her perusal of the otherworldly ceiling. “Where are we going now?”

“To the library. I’ve got a few more things to share with you.”

This house seemed to have the market cornered on massive and impressive rooms. The library could rival- likely surpass- anything back home. So many shelves lined the high oaken walls that actual staircases were built into the structure of the room to allow one access to the books in the tallest regions, giving the architecture a sweeping feel akin to that of a cathedral or palace. Light streamed in through tall glassed windows, bathing the furniture, upholstered largely in crimson, in a warm, inviting light.

Miara swung the door shut behind them. A faint click registered as the latch caught. “This is very important,” she said. “I didn’t get the chance to tell you these things before. This time, hopefully, we won’t be disrupted.”

“Was this what you wanted to show us?...” Kagami seemed unable to take her eyes off the vast quantity of books surrounding her. Almost in a trance, she wandered over to one of the shelves, running a hand over the spines. “Wait a minute. This script- I’ve never seen anything like it before! But... but I can read it....” For the first time since they’d entered, she looked at Miara. “Why is that? And come to think of it, how can we be talking like we are now? Logically, our languages would have only coincidental aspects in common, not enough to understand-”

“That’s part of being the Zantaros. You’re connected to Taran, so when you’re here, you understand the language. That leads into one of the things I wanted to talk to you about, actually.”

The foursome gathered around her, peering over her shoulders to read the strange yet eerily familiar writing. The passage told a story of an ancient war, the War of the Gates, how the gateways once scattered throughout Taran but were manipulated and abused, and the great war that was fought and ultimately culminated in the most powerful mages of Taran linking their magic to bring all the gateways together into one location and the appointment of the first Gatekeeper, apparently a strong general and loyal leader throughout the conflict.

“But it says here that the number of possible worlds is infinite, and you told us the same thing last night.” Kagami tapped the passage with one finger. “So logically, how can you fit them all into a single confined locale, even if the same gate does lead to different worlds at different hours?”

“Because magic isn’t always logical. A kind of side effect has been that the room is apparently bigger on the inside than it is on the out, and the size of the room fluctuates with the ever-changing numbers of worlds and their gates.”

“Bigger on the inside than on the out?...” Kagami stared into space as she tried to work this out. “And the size fluctuates?... But that makes no sense.”

“It does when you spend enough time around the idea. You get used to it.” Miara turned away from the still-open book, leaning against the table behind her. “That sets up the background for what I have to tell you next. The book did it better than I could have.

“But back to the gates. See, your relationship with them and with Taran itself is a strange one. You’re linked to this world, ultimately essential to its survival, but when it all comes down to it, you’re outsiders. The world- well, reflects this. See, it appears that time passes faster here than it does anywhere else. So a lot less time has gone by where you’re from.”

“So you’re saying that we could go back through the gateway right now, and it’d only be, say, a few hours later, and no one would ever know we went anywhere weird?” said Ayame.

“Basically. But there’s more to it. See, you may not be a part of Taran, but you’re still bound to this place. The longer time you spend here, the more your presence in your home world will start to fade.”

“Fade? What do you mean, fade?” Shizuka asked.

“For lack of a better way to phrase it, the people you know will ultimately start to forget about you, the longer you’re away. Even now, in this short time, you’ll have faded into the backs of peoples’ minds; they might wonder vaguely where you are and what you’re doing, but not bother to worry about or question it. The closer you’re connected to a person the longer it takes, but it’ll still happen. We think this is a sort of unexpected defense the magic that summoned the first Zantaros built up to make it easier to explain away unintended and potentially lengthy absences. But it can go too far. Being forgotten may take a while, but it’s a very real possibility.”

“Is there any way to avoid this?”

“Yes- every now and then you’ll have to go back home for a short time. Your presence where you technically belong, even if it’s only briefly, will set things right. You won’t have to do this very often, but it’s still something you needed to know.”

Miara chewed her lip as her companions absorbed this new information. “Then there’s the magic.”

“Magic?” Shizuka leaned forward eagerly. “Oh, I was wondering when we were going to hear more about that! How do we learn it? Who from? You know we don’t do things back home like you do here, do we need to become apprentices or something?”

“There’s really two different kinds of magic in Taran. The one that’s most common, what most people picture when thinking of magic, is ceremonial magic. That’s formal magic, full of books and tools and magical items, spells that have to be cast at a certain time and a certain way, full of ceremony and memorization.

“But there’s another form of magic, that used to be the dominant form, but has since gotten more and more rare. It’s ancient; our earliest known documents refer to it. We call it spontaneous magic. Sometimes, we get someone whose skill is so powerful and strong that he or she can tap directly into the energies of the earth, casting spells basically at will, halted by a loss of energy- both magical and physical- rather than the limits of memorized knowledge.

“Spontaneous magic lacks the controls of ceremonial magic. Spontaneous mages usually discover their abilities by accident and tend to learn more about them through practice, casting whatever comes into their heads, sometimes at the spur of the moment, sometimes by deliberate trial and error, determining they want to do something and working at it until they figure it out. They can learn more about magic from books and teachers, but spellbooks aren’t required- the knowledge lives in your head and comes out when you summon it- and you don’t need all the formalized ceremonies or necessary components. So the nature of the spells is usually different. Some say that spontaneous magic got more rare as the usage of ceremonial magic increased.”

Kagami interrupted. “So you’re saying that this spontaneous magic is what we’re supposed to do?” Miara nodded. “But there’s no reason to it.”

“Nonetheless, the magic wielded by the Zantaros has always been spontaneous in nature. It’s another reflection of how you’re linked to Taran but from another world. Ceremonial mages study for many years before they reach any significant level of ability; a spontaneous mage starts out strong enough to be a formidable opponent in a short time, with enough control and effort used. You wouldn’t have time to undergo the complicated training, and spontaneous magic is more friendly to your circumstances because you use whatever comes into your head.”

Kagami stared at her knees. “I’m not good at being spontaneous.”

Ayame gave her a poke in the ribs. “You can be! You’ve just got to stop trying so hard to be logical all the time and let yourself go more- some of you wants to be spontaneous, you just won’t let it. This’ll be good for you.” She leaned back in her chair, grinning. “Trust me- I know. I’m the queen of spontaneous.”

“Tell me about it.... But- could I borrow some books on- on magic, anyway? I don’t know where else to begin but with a book-”

“No problem. We’ll bring some along with us on the journey tomorrow. You can study on the trip, and learn more about Taran too. We need to work out a back story for you all at Court. You can’t go as you are- that’d make too big a stir.” She pushed herself away from the edge of the table. “But in the meantime, we’d better go check the state of the packing. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Ayame stretched, yawning. “Whoever decided that leaving at the crack of dawn was a good idea is nuts.”

“But just breathe in that fresh morning air!” Kagami inhaled deeply. “It’s twice as invigorating now as it is at any other time. The dawn has always been one of my favorite times of day.”

“Speak for yourself.” Ayame blinked blearily at the courtyard, still bathed in the pale haze of early morning. “I’m not at my best till noon.” She slouched against the wall, face buried in the crook of her arm.

“Hey, you all sure got up with the lark, didn’t you?” Miara bounced lightly down the steps behind them. She didn’t seem adversely effected by the early hour of their departure. “Didn’t think you’d beat me down here.” She swung something down onto the ground by her feet; after a moment for the information to process, they recognized it as a quiver full of arrows. She carried a strung bow in her other hand. “The carriages’ll be around soon, so we won’t have long to wait.”

“Is... is there going to be much need for things like that?...” Shizuka indicated Miara’s bow and arrows.

Miara laughed. “You mean bandits and highwaymen? No dangers there. But these all day journeys are slow and tedious. I get restless. I’m just glad I’ll be riding with you all, ‘cause everyone else gets upset when I take potshots out the window.”

“Potshots?...” said Shizuka weakly. Ayame raised her head.

“Just at trees and fence posts and things. Nothing to worry about. I’ve never killed anyone... at least, as far as I know.” At their expressions, she added, “That was a joke! It’s practice for shooting on the move. Not as challenging as on horseback, but it’ll do to keep me busy.”

“Back up a sec,” Reiko said. “Did you just say you do archery from horseback?”

“Yeah. I like to challenge myself. I took up archery years ago, about the same time as tumbling. Didn’t take long to realize you could do fun things with both. And as I’m not like Eluna, content to sit in a den with her spellbooks and journals, I push my abilities in other ways. Still not as good at the riding shots as I’d like to be-”

“Correct me if I’m mishearing, but I think you just said that Eluna sits in her den with her spellbooks.” said Kagami.

For the first time, Miara looked a little sheepish. “Yeah, I did.... Guess I kinda forgot to mention my sister’s studying magic, huh? Used to everybody knowing that already. Sir Zarin’s training her. You and Shizuka’ll have to work with them sometime. He’s kind of a cold fish, but he knows his stuff. Oh, I’ve got some books on magic set by for you to look at while we travel.”

She was cut off by the sound of wheels rattling along the drive. A moment later, two large carriages rounded the corner. Despite their impressive size, the conveyances were remarkably simple in their structure, their sleek black surfaces unornamented except for a coat of arms gracing each door.

“How elegant....” Shizuka breathed.

Miara grinned. “You like ‘em? They’re still kind of a novelty here in Trevelyan. One perk of being part of an upper-class family I won’t complain about, even though riding in one all day can be boring. There’s lots of people who still have to travel by cart. We’ll take the first one for ourselves.” At her words, a young footman detached himself from the side of the vehicle to hold the door open expectantly, a small set of steps lowered. “Everyone else’ll be here any minute. Let’s get comfy.”

Miara was right. In a matter of minutes, or so it seemed, the rest of the Kadoward entourage arrived in the courtyard and the carriages departed. Apparently a separate conveyance bearing the baggage so carefully packed the previous day had already gone ahead. For a while they all just sat quietly, lost in their own private thoughts. Except for Ayame, that is, who propped herself up in the corner and went to sleep.

The journey took on a kind of rhythm. The carriages moved at a slow rocking pace that was at times both lulling and disconcerting. Everyone ultimately took up their own individual pursuits. Kagami buried her nose in a book about magic, Shizuka gazing out the window for a while before following suit. Miara eventually took out her bow and started firing at various targets they passed along the road, enthusiastically cheered on by Reiko and Ayame.

“Hit that big knothole- the one on that tree over there, right below where the branches split in two!”

“‘Air Lasso?’ Now what does that do?...” Kagami mused, lost in her study.

“Yeah! I knew she’d hit that one. Now go for the weather vane on top of that roof over there.”

“Ice Storm, Ice Storm....” Shizuka, eyes squeezed shut in concentration, muttered to herself as she rehearsed the apparent gestures of a particular spell.

Kagami briefly raised her eyes from her book, staring thoughtfully out the window. Just as Miara fired she let out a horrified gasp, startling her companion so that the arrow flew wide. It clipped the edge of the weather vane, sending it spinning wildly before the arrow careened into the greenery beyond. “It’s one of them!”

The others followed the of direction her shaking figure just in time to catch a glimpse of a dark, hazy figure fading into the trees. One of the Shadowmen.

Shizuka gaped. “They’re following us! But- but I didn’t get the evil creepy feeling I did last time-” Even as she spoke, another of the hazy figures drifted in and out of the shadows like dark mist.

“You shouldn’t have,” said Miara. “That was one of the benevolent ones. No red eyes. Remember, they watch over those that need guidance. Apparently one or more is keeping an eye on our journey. They’re probably trying to offer the new Zantaros assistance in some way.”

“That’s nice, but when push comes to shove I think I’d rather rely on the help of my sword here.” Ayame patted the wooden weapon propped up next to her.

Other than that brief Shadowmen sighting, the journey to the capital passed without any real incident. As the hours went by they went through less open space and forest into more settled areas, ranging from individual small farms to settlements graduating into towns. Ultimately they approached the gates of a city; if the size of those gates was any indication, then what was inside would be impressive indeed.

The four of them crowded around the windows, trying to get a good look at their first Taran city. The architecture would not have looked out of place in medieval or Renaissance London. Cobbled streets bustled with activity. Vendors with barrows and booths at street corners hawked their wares. Housewives, high-collared blouses reminiscent of Miara’s and long full skirts covered by aprons, made their way to and from the markets, bearing baskets, bags and pouches full of all number of goods. A group of children darted between pedestrians, busy at some game or another. Horses bearing riders, carts, and even another carriage or two trundled past them. The city certainly seemed to be doing well for itself.

Miara watched their reactions, grinning with satisfaction and amusement. “Welcome to Aeverin,” she said.

Shizuka tore her gaze away from the window long enough to ask, “Aeverin?... Oh, that’s right, that’s what you said this place was called. How much longer?”

“Soon. We should be in sight of Aeverin Castle right about- now.”

As they watched, the castle rose into view. This was no ornate storybook palace. It was a structure worthy of Camelot, all towering turrets and crenellated battlements. The gray-brown stone should have looked drab, but standing on the highest point of the city, bathed in late afternoon sunlight, it instead had the appearance of one who had weathered the test of time and was all the more noble and strong for it.

The entourage rolled along a stone bridge to pass under a raised iron portcullis, the first in a series of three fortified arching gateways, drawing to a stop in a wide courtyard surrounding the main keep and its outbuildings. It wasn’t long before a servant emerged; from his dress and posture, he had a position of some importance. If the keys on his belt were any indication, he was probably the steward.

As the party emerged from their conveyances, he made a low bow. “Most welcome, High Lord Kadoward. And your lady wife as well.” He bowed again in the direction of the silver-haired girl behind them. “Lady Eluna. And Lady Miara.” Apparently Sir Zarin didn’t get a greeting by name, although he too received a bow. The servant turned to Miara. “Do you wish me to show your maids to the servant’s entrance and quarters?”

“My maids?...” Miara blinked, then looked back at her companions. “Oh, these aren’t maids! These ladies are guests of ours.” She launched into the story the group of them had thought up along the way. “They come from one of the lands across the ocean, a place called Japan.” Almost nothing was known of the lands that far away, and they figured it was best to stick to the truth as much as possible. “They were traveling by ship, but it met a storm and went aground, and they were the only survivors. They were able to make their way inland, and we offered them hospitality.”

There may have been gaps in this story- namely, where their original destination was, why they were going there, and how come no one had heard anything of a wreck of any sort- but the man did not question further. “I see. Appropriate arrangements will be made. Now, if my lord and ladies will follow me, I will see to it you are made comfortable until your apartments are ready.” With another low bow, he led the way up the stairs.

As they crossed the threshold, Shizuka staggered. She clutched at Reiko’s arm. “There’s something going on here,” she whispered. “I can feel it.”

“Feel what?”

“The energy. It’s like everyone’s waiting for something. You can’t sense it? It’s so strong you can practically touch it! It’s so tense....”

Ayame nudged Kagami. “Yo, better turn on your intuition.”

“I don’t turn it on. It turns itself on.”

“So what’s it telling you now?”

“Thus far, nothing.” She gazed around at the tapestried walls, the rushes covering the stone floor of the main entrance hall. “But I have the sneaking suspicion it will be soon....”

The four were surprised at how quickly apartments were prepared for their entire party; all individual rooms, nonetheless. “I”ll say one thing for ‘em, these people are ready for anything,” said Reiko. “That was fast.”

Aeverin Castle was the oldest standing building in Trevelyan. Not only that, but it had apparently altered very little over time. After they left the main entrance hall rushes were replaced by carpets, but tapestries still covered stone walls and many windows were narrow slits designed for individual bowmen to guard during armed conflict rather than wider latticed-and-glassed openings.

Apparently they had missed much of the main court activity for the day. “Only Father is needed tonight,” Miara explained once they were all ensconced in their rooms. “He’s got to go pay his respects to His Majesty. I have to too, come to that.... But you all are unknowns, so you can rest up. I’ll practice with you how you greet everyone you might meet tomorrow when we get back. Once the story gets around you’re foreigners there’ll be some forgiveness if you make a mistake, but it’s best to avoid them. There’s some real high-sticklers around here-” Miara grimaced- “so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Besides, you’ll attract enough attention as it is. Not knowing the protocol will only make it worse.”

“So, uh, what do people normally do at Court, anyway?” said Reiko.

“Hmm.... Well, there’s a lot of politics, but it’s often so subtle you don’t know it’s going on. Everyone’s all busy making connections, watching who talks to who, for how long, what they might be saying, then talking about it.... There’s a lot of gossiping, I’ve got to say, and usually about each other.”

“Phew, that’s it? What a waste of time.”

“Unfortunately,” said Kagami, “it’ll have to be dealt with for the foreseeable future, anyway. We’re here, and we need to make the best of it. I’m sure there’s undercurrents we won’t notice until we’re actually interacting with the others.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t make the best of it. I’m just saying I don’t like all that backstabbing and double-talk and all that stuff. I don’t have much patience with politicking. Not to mention gossip. Give me some straightforward action any day.”

Kagami stared at the ceiling. “You’re going to get action soon enough....” Her voice was distant.

Reiko blinked. “How do you know that?”

Kagami blinked back at her. “Know what?”

“That I’m going to get action soon enough. That’s what you said.”

“Oh, that’s right....” She rubbed her forehead. “For a minute there everything went fuzzy, and I just sort of knew....” She shivered. “That was weird.”

“Hey, look on the bright side,” Ayame said. “At least we know your intuition’s turned on. Hopefully it’ll stay on.”

Kagami fidgeted with her crystal. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not,” she said. “I’ve had altogether too many strange happenings as it is....”

“Strange happenings?” said Reiko. “I have the sneaking suspicion we’ve only hit the tip of the iceberg.”

“Someone remind me why I have to wear this stupid thing.” Reiko ran a finger around the raised collar of her Taran dress, a simple green garment banded in black at the collar, cuffs and hem. Her other hand tugged irritably at the skirt. “Why can’t I just wear the kind of stuff Miara wears?”

“Because Miara wears a dress at Court, just like all the other ladies. It’s protocol.” Miara had appeared unbeknownst behind them, her visage smiling as much as her words. True to speech, she wore a full-length garment similar in style to those they’d seen on Eluna, bright turquoise with marine blue accents along the collar, waist, and cuffs. Her hair, however, still pulled up into its customary high ponytail. Apparently protocol only went so far. “Look at it this way- it’s for a noble cause. So, you all ready to go down and face the onslaught?”

“Ready as we’ll ever be.” Ayame flipped a lock of hair over her shoulder. “Bring it on!”

They all hoped they could remember the system Miara had drilled them in the previous day. Apparently both the king and queen were Your Majesty, the heir apparent Your Highness, and the rest of the children Royal High Lord or Royal High Lady. Miara’s father was apparently a High Lord and his wife a High Lady; Miara and her sister were ladies by proxy. Below that were your basic Lords and Ladies, and below them knights. A variety of Ancient Tongue titles rode along with this, though they were only used in address in more formal situations.

“Let’s slip in one of the side doors,” said Miara. “I hate being formally announced. Everyone always stares at you like you’re on exhibit or something. Not to mention we don’t want to call too much attention to you all. At least, not on your first time out.”

“Lady Miara!”

Bearing down on them was a shortish, stoutish man with receding hair, a few red threads still visible among the gray. “So you’re here at last! If anyone can straighten out this mess that’s brewing, it’s your father.”

“That’s right, Lord Kell,” Miara managed, still a little startled. He seemed to have come out of nowhere. “Just got in last night.”

“Well,” he said, voice still hearty, “allow me to escort you in! Young Taro’s with us,” he added, winking. Miara really had little choice but to allow him to steer her to the main entrance, where a uniformed footman waited to announce the arrivals.

“High Lord Olin Kell! Neokoros Lady Miara Kadoward!” His eyes darted to the unknowns behind her and added, “And attendants!”

It felt as though every person in the room was staring at them as they descended the staircase. Miara held her head high, expression carefully neutral. Only her heightened color indicated her dislike of the situation. Ayame smiled widely, apparently enjoying the attention; after all, she knew she looked great in red. Shizuka was pale, although how much was nerves and how much the impact on her empathic sense was uncertain. Luckily her past experiences dealing with audiences helped her bear up with serenity. Kagami wore what her friends called her “diplomat’s smile.” Reiko kept suppressing the urge to tug on her collar.

This chamber solidified previous connections to Camelot. The interior would blend in perfectly in any medieval castle back home. The ceiling rose high, supported by flying buttresses. A variety of arched doorways stood along the walls, braced by columns that supported a raised gallery. Heavy curtains swathed the walls on either side. At one end a set of steps led up to a raised dais on which stood two thrones, one slightly smaller than the other. Both were empty. Stained glass windows flooded the hall with colored lights, making rainbows dance across those who moved within, steps muffled by the thick carpet covering the floor.

All the ladies did, in fact, wear long dresses. Some had long sleeves, with or without the wide cuffs covering the back of the hand; others were sleeveless, accompanied by long gloves and small wraps like miniature shawls draping around the shoulders or upper arms, fastened under the raised collar with a small pin or brooch. Men dressed much like Miara’s father, although some wore vests that buttoned like a doublet instead of simply crossing in the front and belting; many of the sleeves, including those on Miara’s father, were full and gathered at the cuffs. Boots appeared to be the order of the day, although some wore loose trousers and others more fitted breeches. Many of the men also had swords on their belts.

At the bottom of the steps Lord Kell beckoned over a tall young man, somewhere between nineteen and twenty, with short red hair of the variety that refuses to lie flat no matter what the owner does to it. Luckily the careless style suited him. He too bore a sword. “Good evening, Lady Miara,” he said. His voice was pleasant.

Miara’s smile widened. “Good evening to you, too. Don’t bother with the title. I get sick of hearing it, and when you’ve known someone most of your life, it’s not necessary.” She clasped her hands behind her back, strolling away a few paces with the easy familiarity only had with a longtime friend. “So, how’s the rest of the family?...”

Ayame watched the two of them go for a minute, then whispered to her friends, “Ooo la la, get a load of him!... Wonder if he’s got a brother?...”

Kagami nudged her. “Sshh! His father might hear you, you know!” But Lord Kell was still benevolently observing his son and Miara.

A minute later Miara returned. “Sorry about abandoning you like that,” she said. “The Kells are our neighbors, and I’ve been friends with Taro my whole life, couldn’t not stop to talk without an insult, and everyone else here talking about that....” She pulled a face only seen by them, then indicated a cluster of men in one corner of the room. All wore vests like Zarin’s, buttoning closely to the torso only to flare out, coat-style, down to the ankles. “Those are His Majesty’s personal advisors,” she said. “You want the sticklers of sticklers, that’d be them. Higher in the instep than all but the biggest snobs here. So try to steer clear of them.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice,” said Ayame. “I’m sure there’s much more fun people to talk to....” She flashed a smile at a passing young man in white; he turned a little red, hesitated, then hurried on his way.

“Neokoros? What was that, anyway?” Kagami asked Miara.

“The formal title for the Priestess of the Four Directions.”

“Hey, what are we waiting for? We sure can’t do what we’re here to do if we just stand around.” Ayame cracked her knuckles. “Let’s get mingling!” Her most flirtatious smile fixed in place, she set off after the young man in white.

Reiko shook her head and sighed; Shizuka and Kagami exchanged a collective shrug, the latter spreading her hands. “Irrepressible under any circumstances,” said Shizuka. “But we might as well follow suit, or it’ll look strange.” Taking a deep breath as though about to dive into deep water, she made her way into the crowd.

Her passage through the room went unremarked; when it all got down to it, she was just another girl strolling the crowds, cordially nodding at those she passed. She mentally recited, like a mantra, Please don’t let me forget anything, please don’t let me forget something important or do something foolish.... No one approached her, much to her relief; she was so nervous she didn’t know if she’d be able to appropriately reply, anyway. She hadn’t had such a bad case of butterflies since the first time she’d ever danced a part bigger than an ensemble role.

I wish I’d thought to ask Miara what the important members of those two families looked like; if I could only spot them, I could try to follow them around and see if I could hear anything.... Or at the very least try to pick up a sense of what they might be feeling or thinking. But there’s too many people here, it’s all such a jumble I can’t single out just a few....

Shizuka took another deep breath, the sort she took to settle herself right before going onstage. Focus. Just step off to the side for a minute, turn inward, that’s what Mom always says, turn inward and see if I can pick up anything....

She looked left, then right; no one was watching her. That was one bonus of being short, at least. When people had to look down to see you, you tended to pass under the radar. She stepped to the side, moving into an alcove created by a gap between one of the heavy dark curtains and the wall beyond.

Dangerdangerdangerdanger!! To say that alarm bells went off in Shizuka’s head was an understatement. She was surrounded by the overpowering sensation of impending peril. Her breath caught in her throat. It took all her will not to flee, panic-stricken, from her would-be refuge. She scrambled deeper into the curtain. One hand slipped into a niche in the wall.

And her fingers closed around a small object within it.

DangerdangerdangerDANGER!!!!! The warning increased tenfold. Whoever had placed that thing there had done so with malice in mind. By now she was breathing in quick, sharp gasps. Screwing up her courage, she drew the thing from its hiding place, holding it forward into the light at the edge of the curtain.

Sensations of hostility still ringing inside her head, she turned the object over in her hands. She had no idea what it was. It appeared to be a small sphere, made of some sort of shiny metal, perhaps brass or copper, about the size of a golf ball. A thin rod the size of a toothpick went through the center, capped at one end by a tiny red stone. It caught the light, winking like a malevolent eye. She didn’t know if this tied in to the feud or not; she just knew it was very bad news indeed. And I have to do something about it right now.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have the faintest idea how to go about that. It’s all well and good to say I can cast spells, but all the training I’ve had has been a few hours with a book in the carriage! How can I.... Her fingers traced the cold little oddity between them. But spontaneous magic is the will of the caster.... I need to go with not what I know, but what I feel....

Shizuka closed her eyes. Willing the ringing sense of danger into the back her mind, she concentrated, imagining waves of energy coming from her fingers, encircling the object she held. Head tipped back in concentration, she probed the thing with threads of magic. What do I do?... What do I do with this to remove the danger?...

Then she knew. Not taking the time to think about her actions, she gave the little red jewel a press and a sharp twist; the metallic rod came loose under her hand. Fingers trembling, she drew it out. The two halves of the sphere split, revealing it to be hollow. A little pouch nestled within. She didn’t open it, because as soon as the sphere split the sense of hatred and resultant danger faded away.

Shizuka slumped against the wall. She felt limp, almost hollow inside. I don’t know what I just did, but hopefully it was what I was meant to do.... Slipping the pieces of the object in her dress pocket, she made her way back into the gathering.