**XD Thanks for the reviews!! Jeez, it's been a long time, I really should read the Sapphire Rose again. :P Thanks for the nit-picking, too. Hey, they don't have all the technology we have, perhaps the physicians were wrong about Ehlana? Wishful thinking. Never mind. I'll sort it out when I have the time. :P And sorry if you don't like the names. I was kinda happy with them, myself.**
The servant entered, with the tea and ale. The Preceptor poured out a cup of tea and handed it to Yuka, while the girl sat in thoughtful silence. Then she spoke, after sipping the hot drink. "Is the antidote to the two poisons really all that necessary?" she asked softly. "Is the Princess… I hate myself for saying this, but is her life so important as to risk losing others? She is a child, and a sickly one at that. She might not survive to five years old, even if we do manage to cure her of her ailment." She swallowed. "I'm sorry. It was a horrible thing to say."
"True, Lady Yukana, it was horrible, but to be fair, it was truthful. The poisons are not common enough to risk the lives of many, and as you say, Princess Kaijia is a weak, feeble girl. But you see…" The Preceptor stopped, unsure of whether to tell her. "But you see, Lady, it is very important to many that we do get the antidote. Are you well informed in the news of other countries?"
Regretfully, Yuka shook her head. "I am not, my Lord. I know only of affairs in Elenia, and, to a lesser extent, in Deira here, due to my older brother living here."
"I see. Then you will not have heard of the illness of the Crown Princess of Arcium, Morwyn, and the malady of Kenelm, the young Prince of Thalesia and the only heir to the throne?" Yuka's mouth dropped open.
"They are sick!? How?"
"Both have been administered the poison Jalenum," the Preceptor said darkly. "You are aware of the effects of Jalenum?" Speechlessly, Yuka nodded. Jalenum was not like the other incurable, Darestim, in that it killed painfully over a period of time that could last as long as two years. "Princess Morwyn is not far into her illness- she perhaps has a year or more left of life. Prince Kenelm was administered the poison some six months ago, and it is only recently that Thalesian physicians admitted to us that it was poison. He is already far into the disease, and probably does not have long left- although he is a very strong boy for his age."
"Wh-why are you telling me this?" stammered Yuka in a whisper.
"You speak for the Pandion Knights, yes?" The girl nodded wordlessly. "Our Kingdom of Deira is the only one of the four allies not to be affected by some form of illness. We are very afraid that one of our Royals will be next, although we are keeping them under very secure conditions. Thalesia and Arcium have already agreed to send out their Champions, as was done before, and search for the lost Rings of Zemoch, the objects that have the most likely chance of succeeding in curing the Princess Kaijia and being capable of extracting the antidote so to heal the sick Prince and Crown Princess. Queen Ehlana has also agreed to send her Champion."
"Prince Sparhawk?!" gasped Yuka, amazed. She found it hard to believe that any Queen would want to risk her beloved in a quest like this, especially when they had two beautiful children together.
"Yes," replied the Preceptor of the Alcione Knights. "My King is currently debating on whether to send his Champion, too. The four have worked together before. Ehlana also promises to send another two Pandions who have repeatedly proven themselves in battle. All in all, even if the King does not wish to risk his Champion, I think they have a good chance of succeeding."
"Indeed," Yuka agreed in a whisper. "But that still doesn't explain why you think I deserve to know this, my Lord…"
"You're right. I'm coming to it. There are four of these Rings in total. They were of Styric origin, you understand, captured by the Zemochs centuries ago. However, it wasn't all that simple. The ruler of Zemoch at that time was a renegade Styric who had married into the royal family. When the King, Crown Princess and the Princess, this Styric's wife, all died under strange circumstances, he was next in line for the throne, seeing as the King and Princess had no legitimate siblings. He himself captured these rings, and bore them back to his palace. But then… something happened. Nobody truly knows what. All we know is, this Styric died, and Otha took over. Now, Otha could not handle these rings, and it was centuries later before he realised why- he was not a Styric. The four Rings were forged by Styrics, the stones cut up out of the ground and carved by Styrics. There was a Styric spell on them that meant no Elene, Tamul, Atan or any other race could touch or wield the rings without suffering incredibly. Several Zemochs did try- they died horrible, agonising deaths the moment they put on one ring. Otha knew better than to touch the rings without checking first, sadly- we could have been saved an awful lot of trouble had he put one on. So you see, Lady Yukana, the travellers need a Styric with them to bear the Rings home."
Yuka, seeing where the Alcione Preceptor was going, began to shake uncontrollably.
"Y-y-you mean…?" she stammered, leaving the sentence hanging. He nodded gravely. "B-but… surely, there are hundreds of Styrics… any one of them could go…"
"Lady Yukana, think. There are three Styrics close enough to be of help. The Lady Kaeli, the resident Styric here, Lady Damare, and yourself. We cannot afford to waste time by riding to Styricum and finding a Styric willing to aid us. Lady Kaeli will be more than occupied educating the numerous Pandion Knights. Damare suffers from a condition that renders her unable to ride or walk around for long periods of time. That leaves only you, Lady Yukana."
"I-I…" she faltered, before sighing. "I suppose I have no choice. It's not that I want all those people to die," she added quickly, "it's just that I've never been on a big quest before." She looked at her lap. "I… I am scared, my Lord."
The big Deiran smiled kindly. "Don't worry, Lady. The quest is quite straightforward. We know where two of the rings are, already. The others should not be hard to track down. You should be setting out soon. If, and it is a rather big if, my King decides to send out his Champion, you can travel down with him. He'll look after you. You should be meeting in Chyrellos, when this quest gets started." Yuka smiled shakily. "Good girl," he said gently.
"I… I will do it, my Lord," she said softly. "But I must say… I am very young, only a child. I do not know all the Styric spells, and my grasp of both the Styric and the Elene language is poor."
"You seem to speak Elene pretty well to me," the Alcione objected.
"Th-thankyou, my Lord," she said gratefully. "But I do stumble."
"You do, Lady Yukana, but it is nothing uncommon. For a young Styric lady like yourself, you have grasped the language surprisingly well." Yuka blushed and looked away. The Preceptor smiled. "It's true."
A bell rang deeply somewhere in the city. The Deiran jumped. "Is it that late already?" he asked, almost to himself. "I apologise. Lady Yuka, you must be exhausted." Yuka had to admit, her eyelids were starting to droop. "You may stay here for the night. The Lady Damare will let you sleep in the room adjoining hers." He got up and rang a bell again; within moments a servant entered.
"Yes, my Lord?" he asked politely. It was not the same young man who had brought Yuka's tea.
"Escort this young lady down to the Lady Damare's quarters, please," the Preceptor said. "Inform the Lady that this girl requires sleep, and ask if she would be willing to allow Yuka to rest in her adjoining room. Also, if Lady Damare does not have any spare, please bring Lady Yuka some night-clothes, and take her clothes to be washed and dried." The servant nodded, and smiled at Yuka.
"Yes, my Lord," he said. "My Lady, please accompany me down to the chambers of the Styric, Lady Damare." Yuka inclined her head and followed him out of the room.
He led her along a corridor then up some stairs, and along another corridor. They stopped outside a small door, and the assistant knocked.
"What is it?" a soft female voice replied.
"My Lady, I apologise for disturbing you at this time of night," the servant said through the door. "I have a request from my Lord Preceptor. We have an honourable Styric guest, and the Preceptor would very much like it if you allowed her to stay in the room adjoining yours."
The door opened. Standing there was a willowy, black-haired woman dressed in a white night-robe. She smiled at Yuka, who smiled timidly in return.
"Of course," the Lady Damare said. "Do come in, dear. Don't worry," she addressed the servant, "I can provide her with night things."
"I am to take her clothes down for washing," he said slightly shyly. Lady Damare nodded.
"I will leave them in a bag outside this room," she said. "Come in." She moved aside for Yuka to enter. The servant bowed and left, and Damare closed the door behind her.
"I- I am grateful for your hospitality, my Lady," Yuka said quietly, bowing to Lady Damare. The Styric smiled.
"It's no trouble at all, child," she said in her native language of Styric. "No need to be so formal, sister, for that is what we are." Yuka nodded quickly in agreement. "Ah," sighed Damare in pleasure. "Well come now, do you have a name, sister?"
"M-my name is Yukana Hoshi," she said, also in Styric, "but I'm generally known as Yuka."
"An unusual name," noted the Lady, "but fitting. It's a lovely name, sister. I am Damare." She held out her hands, palm up.
"Damare," murmured Yuka, kissing the lady's palms as was proper in Styric culture.
"Yuka," the Lady said gently. She smiled brightly. "You look exhausted, sister. Do sit down. Wait one moment- I will find night-clothes for you." She motioned towards a small armchair, and hurried into another room. Yuka sat, grateful, feeling as if her legs would give way if she didn't sit. All the excitement of the evening had exhausted her more.