"Hold!" yelled the Wildmage at the archers and men-at-arms and archers. With a commanding glance at Numair, she approached the force-field he had created. Carefully, she placed a hand on the large, black bubble. The young girl inside also approached the edge of the force-field, until they were eye-to-eye.

"Let me in." Daine commanded at Numair without taking her eyes off the girl...her sister. She heard the mage protest behind her. Finally, she turned to look at him.

"Please."

"You know her?" was the concerned question.

"In a manner of speaking." came the calm reply.

The bubble slowly faded at the spot where Daine was, but stayed strong everywhere else. The wildmage quickly stepped through. Daine slowly looked for her sister, and found that the girl had retreated back to where the deer stood. She looked the girl over before slowly approaching.

The girl, Almira, was obviously exhausted and had to use the stag's support to stand. Her clothes were tattered and torn. Her hair was a tangled mess; her arms and legs were scratched up. Almira's eyes, however, remained proud and stubborn.

They regarded each other for a moment. Daine slowly, yet determinedly, stepped toward Almira. She had just reached her, when the younger girl's eyes fluttered close and she fell forward, fainting. The wildmage reached out to catch her at the last second.

Mira woke up, blinking at the bright light coming through the window. Why hadn't her mother woken her up? She was rarely allowed to sleep in so late, nor did Mira ever want to sleep in so late.

Rough cotton brushed against her skin.

Mira suddenly remembered. Mortal Realms. Caden. Spidren. Tortal…her sister. Mira rolled out of the bed and stood up in front of a mirror. Her hair was still a mess, and she still smelled like an animal. However, someone had cleaned her cuts, and stitched the more serious ones. They had also given her an oversized nightgown, which was soft despite the inferior fabric.

Frowning, Mira looked at the center of the room. She snapped her fingers while staring at the bare space. Nothing happened. Her frown deepened as she snapped her fingers twice more and nothing happened.

"Bath." she commanded. Still nothing.

"I wish for a bath." she stated more firmly. Nope, that didn't work either.

"I DEMAND a BATH!" she practically shouted. A shrieking filled the air, startling the young girl. Looking around wildly, she couldn't find the source of the sound. She slowly crept toward the closest door, and carefully pushed it open. There was a small crib, like the one Mira used to have when she was a baby. A baby. This must be Veralidaine's little girl Mira thought. She had heard that she had a niece, but never really considered the fact before. Mira wonderingly approached the squalling little creature. She had never seen a baby before, for there were very few in the Divine Realms. She peeked in the crib.

The pink little baby girl surprised her. Most animal babies resembled it's parents, but this one looked different. She had a big head and small arms and legs. The baby stopped crying for a few minutes once she saw Mira. Giving a small gurgle, she reached for the confused Almira. Without thinking, Mira reached in to pick the little girl up. She lifted her in the air, so they were eye level. Sarra and Mira regarded each other for a moment, before Sarra gave a happy gurgle. Mira smiled for the first time in a while.

The door opened suddenly.

"What--! Oh…you're awake." came a startled voice. Mira's head shot up toward the sound of the intruder's voice. Veralidaine. Duh. she thought. She self-consciously put the baby back into the crib, before turning toward her sister.

"She started crying." was all she could think to say.

"I heard. I'm sorry if she woke you."

"She didn't. I believe I may have woke her."

"Well…I'm glad you're up. I see you're already met your niece."

Mira nodded absently, looking around the room. Just then, the door swung open again. The large mage with the black gift from before walked in.

"Daine, I can't find my--oh! You're…awake." he said surprised. Mira felt a frown form on her face. Her sister had left the Divine Realms for him. He looked…silly. Too tall, too lanky. Powerful, for a mortal. He smiled uncomfortably as he noticed her frown.

"I'm Numair, you're…brother-in-law." he finished lamely.

"Alimira Kainda Weiynsra." Mira recited. "Most call me Mira."

Daine gave a small smile. "Call me Daine. Veralidaine is too formal. The last human to call me that was an emperor, and that friendship ended rather…"

"Bitterly?" Mira offered. She knew the story. "And I'm not human." she added rather snidely. She wouldn't stand to be compared to a mere mortal, emperor or not.

Daine and Numair exchanged glances, but didn't reply. After an brief, awkward silence, Numair spoke up.

"Their majesties have decided to continue with the planned feast, in honor of Prince Liam's birthday." he said to Daine, who sighed tiredly. More feasting meant less sleep, which was difficult to come by as it was with a baby in the room. However, Numair wasn't finished.

"There also requested that our…guest be presented at the same time, if she is able. They wish to put the nobles' minds at ease, seeing as almost half of them with to throw her out of the palace." he finished, slightly amused.

"But the feast is in two nights!" exclaimed Daine. "We have to get her clothes, and instruct her in court manners, and--"

"I already know how to behave in a court." snapped Mira, quickly losing patience. She didn't like being talked of as if she wasn't in the room. And did they think there were no court rules in the Divine Realms?

Again, the two adults exchanged glances. A thought struck Almira like a hammer.

"Where's Caden?" she asked, suddenly alarmed. He had been safe last time she saw him. Before she fainted. But something could have easily happened to him between then and now.

"Caden?" Numair asked.

"The stag." Daine and Mira answered at the same time.

"He told me to tell you that he will wait in the nearby wood, until you are well enough to visit him. He was very worried when you fainted, and it took me forever to calm him." Daine explained half-amused, half-disturbed. The Wildmage wasn't used to animals not listening to her. "After a while, he allowed me to take you inside to recover--" she didn't get to finish he sentence before Mira had raced out the door… in a nightgown and without shoes.

The goddess-to-be raced down hallways, stairs, and out doors without thinking; guided by some unknown source. She had just reached the palace grounds when she saw the young stag burst forth from the forest, straight toward her; relief radiating from him. She laughed as she ran up and swung up on his back with little effort.

You took long enough.