Skyler groaned and stretched. She and the kids had had a "camp out" last night, creating the world's largest pillow and blanket fort.

Maybe "fort" was the wrong word. It was a blanket mansion, complete with separate halls and wings so that everyone had their own room to sleep in.

Conner and Brenna, the precocious Gargoyle twins, were together in their own wing, so that their breaking stone skin wouldn't hurt anyone when they woke. The Xanatos boys had chosen to sleep apart on opposite ends, only to have Christopher stumble half asleep from his end to curl up with his brother, Alexander.

Just after Christopher had gone to sleep, Owen had come to collect Alexander for their morning magic lesson. Poor Alex looked exhausted, but nothing would keep him from his lessons.

Liam had not wanted to leave Skyler's side, so she had curled up in the widest area the "fort" had with him. She had intended on leaving the fort as soon as he'd gone to sleep so that she could stretch out on something more her size, but must have gone to sleep herself.

Now, she was stiff, sore, irritable… and Brooklyn hadn't come back last night, so she still had no idea what was happening.

Skyler checked her watch. It was almost sundown now.

-{- -{- -{- -{- -{-

Goliath broke from his stone skin with a roar. Almost before the others had done the same, he was running back into the castle. He had to have news.

If all had gone well, Elisa would be awake by now. If not…

Goliath shuddered to think of what would happen. Not bothering to find Xanatos, Goliath went straight to the room he'd last seen Elisa in.

He stopped in the doorway, and almost howled his anger to the stars. There, so still it frightened him, lay Elisa. Her eyes were closed, so he hoped she was actually sleeping now.

He knew his worst fears hadn't come true, because beside her the heart monitor beeped its steady rhythm that proved that she lived still. The wires and tubes had seemingly multiplied since he'd last seen her, however.

Slowly he approached the bed and took her small hand in his. He fell to one knee and rested his forehead against the hand he cradled.

"Elisa," He whispered. "I need you to find a way back. I will do all I can from here, but I need you to try as well. Please. For our family, our son," He placed a kiss against her palm. "For me," he finished in the softest of whispers. "Please, I do not want to go on alone."

-{- -{- -{- -{- -{-

Elisa held up her left hand and stared at it in the misty place she was in. Maybe it was her imagination, but she could swear that she'd felt… something. And it wasn't Nell's this time. Nell was currently staring into a small highly polished metal mirrored surface to artfully use colored powders to decorate her face and body with swirling designs.

So, if it wasn't Nell, what was she feeling? Her chest ached, and she knew.

Goliath.

If she was here, what must everyone at the castle be going through? How much longer could she last here, like this?

And what and where was this? Was this just one long dream, or was this something else?

Elisa looked at her palm and curled it into a tight fist, as if she could hold on to the remaining sensation that lingered there.

Helplessly, Elisa turned her attention back to the scene playing out in front of her.

-{- -{- -{- -{- -{-

Nell watched from the back of the room as Winnie finished her dance. As always, she was graceful and beautiful.

She looked around the room, and saw that only half of the room was paying attention. She'd never performed for royalty before, so she didn't know if this was normal, but she was not used to seeing so many bored faces. Usually they performed on the streets to cheering and smiling crowds.

This was something altogether different.

Once Winnie was finished with her dances, there was a smattering of polite applause, and Winnie curtsied.

Nell took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves. It was the acrobats next, then her turn. Hopefully the tumblers would wake the crowd a bit.

"Hmmm," Came a thoughtful him beside her. "I wonder if they are even paying attention."

Nell turned to look at Patrin. "I was just wondering that as well."

He frowned. "It has been rare that we have performed for anyone of a higher station," He mused, "But I worry that if they are not entertained, that they will not pay us for the evening."

Nell looked around the room. "You really think they would not pay?" she asked worriedly.

"T'would not be the first time," He said, his brow furrowing. Suddenly it cleared, and a thoughtful expression crossed his face. "Have you been working on that new performance pieces?"

"Yes, but…"

"We do that then," He grinned. "Wake them up."

Nell looked hesitantly around the room. "Is this really the time…"

"Yes." He interrupted.

Nell hesitated, then nodded. He wasn't wrong, it would definitely wake them up.

They had run across another gypsy band not long ago, this one was Romany and had different ways of doing things. Exotic in a way.

Nell had spent the two days they had traveled together with a few of the other dancers, learning new dances and how they moved.

They danced with their whole bodies, bending and twisting to what looked like impossible angles, to music that was quite far from their usual pace.

If Patrin thought it would work, she would do it though.

The acrobats finished, and were once again met with a smattering of applause.

Nell looked and found Patrin speaking rapidly with the musicians. He was getting them ready for the changed music as well. It took a few moments, but once they were ready, Nell took a deep breath to steady herself.

She nodded to Patrin, who walked to the center of the room. He began speaking, spinning a tale of a lost and wandering Princess from a far off land. He told a tale so vivid and colorful that even Nell was caught up in it. He described her appearance as being the same as the princess in his tale, and the scene was set.

As he reached the end of his tale, the musicians began to play.

This was it.

Adding a little extra sway to her hips in time with the music, Nell walked into view.