No sooner was Schmendrick back inside, laughing with Lir and Molly when a terror filled scream from the upper castle broke their cheer.

Lir drew his sword and ran out the door, followed closely by Schmendrick and Molly, towards his chambers.

"AMALTHEA!"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Lir threw open the door and it hit the wall with a loud crash. Schmendrick and Molly entered seconds after he did and they all hurried to the drawing room. They were forced to stop in the doorway and Molly gasped at the sight.

The room was burning, but the flames were unearthly. Flickers of ghostly red and orange were slowly engulfing the floor, making it burn hot. A cruel wind in the chambers blew the fire around, spreading it all about the room.

Lir looked around frantically and through the flames, saw his wife and daughter trapped in a rapidly shrinking clear spot in a far corner. Amalthea was holding Aurora close to the corner and trying to protect her as much as she could, too frightened to do anything but scream. He tried to get through the door but was blown back by the flames.

"Amalthea! Aurora!" He called to his family.

"DADDY!" His daughter shrieked. Amalthea looked at her husband desperately, then screamed again, louder this time as she felt the flames licking her back.

Schmendrick held up his hands and a blue-violet glow enveloped him. As Lir tried once more to break through the wall of flame, the magician began his spell. Sparks of magic cracked and the cries of his friend and 'niece' fueled the emotion in his words.

Molly ran out of the room to calm people who may have heard the screams but to her amazement it seemed that no one knew. One of the maids was coming up with a breakfast tray for the King and Queen. "Oh, good morning, Molly. I didn't know you were up here." Molly looked at the girl strangely. "Can you not hear it?" The girl stared at Molly. "All I hear are the birds in the trees, are you ill?" She looked concerned. Molly blinked a few times then shook her head. "No, I'm fine. And I'll deliver their Majesty's breakfast this morning." She took the tray from the maid and left the bewildered girl standing there. Molly snapped at her "Back to your duties, girl!" She hurried down the stairs. Molly set the tray down on a windowsill as she hurried back up the stairs,

When she came back into the room she noticed that it was glowing blue in response to her love's spell. Lir was begging Schmendrick to do something and Molly got a twinge of de ja vu. His voice got louder as even more cracks filled the air and soon the doorway's spell was broken. Lir immediately burst in, sword drawn and ready. He tried to cut the flames in wild desperation but they burned the sword red hot down to the hilt, causing him to drop it. Suddenly Molly had an idea.

"Lir! The tapestry! The flames are coming from the tapestry, you have to destroy it!"

Lir nodded and picked up the sword, as he did, he noticed the blue light surrounding his wife and child. Certain that Schmendrick was keeping them safe he moved for the tapestry. He swung the blade towards it but this time another flame touched his sword and destroyed it. Lir dropped the hilt and watched as that crumbled into dust as well. He called to the magician for help.

Schmendrick still had his eyes closed, raising his voice higher, combating whatever and whoever was causing the flames. The glow around Amalthea and Aurora became brighter and the light was pushing back the flames. Lir began to sweat and in one last burst of energy ran towards his wife and daughter. He dove and grabbed Aurora, who held tightly to her father's shirt. They made it safely back to the main room and Molly rushed over to be sure the girl was unharmed.

"Mommy! Mommy's still in there!" She looked back to the drawing room and saw that the flames had increased and they all heard a distinct growling. Aurora pressed closer to Lir and tried to hide from the sound. Lir put his arms protectively around his daughter and watched as Schmendrick stood still, still calling on magic to help save Amalthea.

Schmendrick began to feel weak but he forced himself to go on. 'Magic, do as you will. My life is yours if the Lady Amalthea can be saved.' He drew from himself a well that he had not tried to tap in years, not since the night that he had come into the forest by the beach with a maid and a unicorn. 'Let this be enough, I fear I cannot give anymore.'

All of a sudden a burst of white blue light filled the drawing room and they shielded their eyes.

Schmendrick, weakened from his spell, collapsed to the floor, lifeless. Molly came to his side at once, calling his name, forgetting about her friend and queen for just a moment. The light died and everyone heard a loud whinny. They gasped as they saw what stepped out of the drawing room.

There, before their eyes, stood a winter white unicorn with the deep, dark, violet-blue eyes of Queen Amalthea.