Chapter 51.

The pair walked side by side, a thing that was becoming as natural as breathing. Servants bowed as they passed, then would comment on how handsome a pair they made as they walked on. Goblins watched as they walked down the hall, hidden in dark corners and smiling. Eyes from carved grotesque creatures on walls watched as they passed by.

As they approached the Wyrn a large blast of flame filled the entry. Quinn growled. "Angus, get your sorry hide out here!"

"Have ye the words?" He taunted.

"You know damn well Anne and the Bard are working on them right now!" Sarah shouted from behind the safety of the Fae King.

"Well then you don't have much." The dragon chuckled from the dark recesses of the cavern. "Go, seek your answers elsewhere."

"Angus!" Sarah screamed and was rewarded with another blast of flame. She looked at Quinn. "I hate when he does that!"

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Anne looked at the entire passage of the prophecy, a frown played on her full lips. "I am getting a head ache." She complained to the Bard.

"Welcome to my world." He teased. "You've done well Anne." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "You've done very well for someone who only pretended to be a Bard for so long."

"Pretending is the next best thing." She said quietly.

Solea laid out the pages of parchments. "We know more than we did."

Anne sighed. "But will it be enough? What happens if we can't figure this out? Will all be lost? Who does Sarah have to battle for the soul. When does the battle begin? Is it physical, mental or spiritual?" Anne closed her eyes. "We still have so many unanswered questions. And now Angus and the Dragons won't talk to us at all."

Ryan peeked into the room before entering. "More problems?" he asked as he saw the look on his wife's face.

"Same old, only more of them." Anne held her arms open to him. She smiled as he cuddled her.

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Karen sat quietly. "So you're telling me that Linda is here." She was very still as she spoke.

Robert watched her face. "Yes."

"And she's going to remain here."

He swallowed hard. "So it seems."

Heaving a sigh, the woman rose to her feet. "I suppose it's to be expected. After all, you and she are not …fully mortal….and Sarah…would want her mother …here."

Robert paced. "I don't think she does."

Karen looked about, "Where are they?"

Robert glanced at her, "How should I know? I didn't stay to ask… I came here to …warn you."

Soft was the chuckle from his wife's lips. "You came to warn me." She looked at him with satisfaction. "I do love you Robert."

"Of course you do." He said mystified at her reactions. "I have to return to my office. I will see you at dinner…Do try to be ready on time."

"When am I not ready on time?" She asked reminding him of which wife he was speaking to.

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They walked slower back from the Wyrn. "I can't believe that old Lizard." Quinn grumbled bitterly.

Sarah placed a hand on his arm. "He has us over a barrel and he knows it. Until we have the words from the ballad, he won't talk to us…even then I'm not sure he's going to be all that forthcoming."

Quinn paused, "Why do you think that?"

"The words of the part that Elise had…The dragon has to bow to the Daughter of the Nephilim. That means Angus bowing to me." Sarah let go her exasperations. "Do you see him doing that willingly? He was not even sure humanie were worthy of riding dragons back when we met him."

The thought of the old Dragon Lord protesting human riders tickled Quinn. He began to snicker and then chuckle and then he laughed out loud. He looked at Sarah's disgusted face and laughed harder.

"It's not that funny!" she swatted at him.

"Oh but it is." He said pulling himself together. "I can just see him now…what convinced him that you were worthy?"

"The threat of Lord Quinn coming to visit." She snapped.

Quinn laughed again. "Priceless!" Sarah turned to walk away; his hand on her arm prevented her from escaping. "I'm sorry, but really Sarah, I can see him bellowing and then giving reasons why each of you were at least acceptable. I'll bet it was each of you have some smattering of Celtic blood….the old leather hide always had a soft spot for the Celts."

"That's exactly why we were acceptable." Sarah recalled.

Quinn touched her face with a gloved hand. "That's because the Celts have always embraced the Fae Realms and all who there in dwell."

"So now we have to hope that the Bard and Anne have made some kind of sense of the words." Sarah took the hand on her face and pulled him toward the castle, "Come on Casanova, its time to go to work."

"I'd rather play." He teased.

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Hawthorne had been called to the High King's court. He was sure his part in the plots had been uncovered. Careful as he was, there was always a chance of discovery. He was surprised when the High King merely wished to discuss some court intrigue that had nothing to do with the Shattered Soul. Hawthorne was wise enough not to bring the subject up. When his business with the High King had drawn to an end, he took a stroll on the courts grounds. His walk took him to the hidden garden where the crystal likeness of the fair Elise stood. He kept to the shadows, and watched to be sure he was alone.

Slowly he moved closer, until he was standing beside the shimmering Crystal statue. Placing a hand to the beautiful face he sighed. "Ah fair Elise, how I miss you, my most beautiful and adventurous lover." The hand dropped to his side. "All will be as it should be, my love. You will be avenged, and your son will be restored as will you." The Fae Lord bent forward and kissed the cheek of the statue. "I give you my oath."

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The Bard, writing down thoughts, listened as his wife and the Court Scribe spoke quietly together. He was pleased to see how far the young mortals had come in service to the Goblin Throne. His fondness for the mortals when they had been his students had now ripened to respect as he'd seen the growth each had achieved in this Realm.

He looked at Anne, who he always felt had never lived up to her potential. Now she was blossoming into a fine Scribe. She was wise, and inquisitive, a good combination for one who held a King's confidence. Marriage to her Ryan had made her more confidant in her own abilities. Her communication skills and her directness were indispensable to the King.

"So you're telling me there's no time table?" Anne asked the Water Sprite.

"No, that's not what I said." Solea corrected. "I said the time table is like a moving scale."

"So this prophecy is given before the birth of the King…and his brother, and then what?" Anne sitting on the desk looked like a school girl again.

"Different portions were given at different times, Anne." Solea stated. "Not each part all at once. Take the part that we've just gotten. It was given to the Fire Clans long before the King was even born. And the portion that Laurel had was given just recently."

"Well how was this going to work? I mean isn't a prophecy suppose to warn? How can you receive warning if you don't have all the portions?"

Solea sighed. "That's the problem, one never knows if it's a piece meal or a complete work. When there's a prophecy about Royals it's usually one in parts. If it's about an event forthcoming, it's usually on its own. And this is the first time I've ever seen one divided into sections for the four elements."

Anne sighed.

Cairbre without looking up from his work pointed to the door. "The King is coming."

Anne and Solea turned to look at the door and greet the King and his consort. Seeing the bemused look on the face of the King Anne said, "So the old lizard is still not talking eh?"

"No." Quinn sat down and yawned. "Blast his hide."

Sarah looked at the board, "That's my grannies song!" she walked closer. She began to sing the strange ballad tune; including the descant her granny had trouble with late in her life. When she finished she turned, aware they were all staring at her. "What?"

Quinn had risen form his chair. "Sarah…that tune…it's…Dragon Song."

Sarah was not sure she got the full meaning of his words. "Dragon Song?"

The Bard was on his feet as well. "You say your Granny sang this to you?"

Sarah nodded. "Yes." The girl closed her eyes to draw up the memory of long ago. "She taught me how to sing it. But when she died, I sort of …stored it in the back of my mind."

"Do you think you could memorize the words again?" Quinn asked.

Sarah shrugged. "I suppose so, why?"

"Angus asked if we had the words…if you can sing them to him. We do." Quinn said as he touched her face.

Anne bit her lip, 'Not now, it's not time yet. They are not close enough.'

Feeling like she was under some microscope, Sarah looked at Quinn with a lack of enthusiasm. "Do I have to?"

Quinn heard a voice deep within and smiled Jareth's smile. "After all, my dear…you are the floor show."