(A/N.) The illness I referred to in the previous chapter is meningococcal disease.

Chapter Six:

Power

Sharn sat in the sewing room at the palace. Despite the fact that her eyes were wet with tiredness, she felt extremely happy. She had done it; she had finished the dress for Jasmine. For many minutes, she sat back and admired her work. She hoped that Doom had meant what he had said in his note, that they would return this day. Sharn could not wait to see how the dress looked on Jasmine.

Suddenly, her head jerked up at the sound of running footsteps. The door to the sewing room flew open, and Barda came running in. "Sharn, come quickly!" He said. His eyes were wild, and he seemed to be in a panic.

"What?" She asked, surprised and a little annoyed at being disturbed.

"It is Lief." He said quickly. "He is at the forge, I found him in one of the taverns in the city. I had gone to the forge to check on him, and when I did not find him there I went looking for him. I found him talking to a woman at a table, and just as I got there he was putting his moneybag into a basket with a tiny baby in it."

Sharn did not need any more explanation. She got up, hung Jasmine's dress on its hanger, and followed Barda out of the room. "Lead the way," she said. She did not know what she would find at the forge, and she almost did not want to. But still, she ran with Barda, out of the palace, down the hill and into the city.

Sharn found Lief lying on his bed where Barda had left him, still fully dressed. He was lying on his stomach with his head dangling face down over the side. Sharn could see that Barda had placed a bucket on the floor below Lief's face, and that it was already half full with the contents of his stomach. The smell of apple told Sharn that he had been drinking Queen Bee Cider at this tavern, as well as some sort of ale. She wondered what in the world had possessed him to do this.

"I did the best I could for him," Barda said as Lief was sick again. He seemed completely unaware that they were in the room. "When I found him, he could hardly walk, nor could he tell me anything. The barmaid and the woman Lief had been speaking to came rushing out as soon as they saw me, but the woman asked me not to mention what had happened to anyone. It seems she did not want anyone to know that Lief had been speaking with her. I hope…" Barda broke off, looking away.

"You hope that he did not forget that he is betrothed." Sharn finished for him, her face grim. She knew that if Jasmine were to find out that such a thing had happened, she would end their betrothal and probably go back to the forests, never to return. Being betrayed like that would be something that Jasmine would never forgive, and Sharn could not blame her.

Finally, after he had filled the bucket to the brim, Lief raised his head and saw Barda and his mother standing there.

"What happened?" He croaked. "Where…"

Looking around the room, he seemed to realise where he was. "How did I get here?"

"I found you in that tavern, Lief." Barda answered him. "I was looking for you everywhere when I did not find you here. What were you doing?"

"Oh, yes." Lief said slowly. "I went in there to hear the music. She was singing a song about Jasmine…"

"Was she now?" Sharn asked with mild interest. But Lief it seemed, had said enough for tonight. He closed his eyes, put his head as close to the pillow as he could get it in his current state, and was snoring softly within seconds.

"Well, I suppose that is that." Barda said, looking at Sharn with a small smile. "I am sorry that I disturbed you, but I did not know what else to do for him. I felt that you, being his mother, would be a far better carer than I in any case. But it seems there really is nothing better to do than to let him sleep it off. I dare say we'll find out more in the morning."

"It is certainly something to look forward to," Sharn said, lifting Lief's head onto the pillow to make him more comfortable.

With one last glance at Lief, Sharn picked up the filled bucket, and followed Barda out of the room.

That morning, Jasmine and Doom awoke in the Os-Mine Hills. It was still very early, but both of them wanted to return to Del with all speed. Both felt they had accomplished much on this journey. After all the shocks of the day had died down, they had wasted no time in planting a tree in memory of Anna, and set off at once. They regretted that their time in the forests had been cut short, but they had agreed that they could return at any time.

Jasmine was brought back to the present by a cold breeze blowing on the back of her neck. Since her hair had been cut off yesterday, this had been happening a lot. But she did not regret what she had done, and the dragon had been extremely grateful. As she packed her things, Jasmine noticed that the breeze was getting stronger, and looking up, she saw why. For some reason, the dragon was coming back.

"What does it want now?" Doom asked with irritation. "Surely it has enough of your hair to line its nest."

Jasmine hoped that more of her hair was not what the dragon wanted, if it was, there would be a problem. It now grew to just above her neck, and Jasmine was sure that this would not be enough to satisfy it.

"By the heavens, it is almost upon us! I told you that you were wrong to do this Jasmine." Doom was drawing his sword, but Jasmine stood her ground.

"If that is what it wants, then we will have to ask it politely to let us go, she said. "There is nothing else we can do."

Within seconds, the dragon had landed in front of them and folded its wings. "So," it said. "It seems you are to return to the city today.""

"Yes," doom replied, trying very hard not to show that he was annoyed. "And if it is alright with you, Dragon, we wish to do so as quickly as we can. These hills certainly are nicer with the granous population under control, but there is nothing for us here at present."

The dragon seemed to smile. "That is good," it said. I have come at the right time then. Seeing Jasmine and Doom exchanging surprised glances, the dragon continued. "I have come to fly you back to Del. I feel it is the least I can do for you after you gave so much of that fine hair. Your mother is proud of you, you know."

Jasmine's jaw dropped. What was this? Her mother? Seeing the shocked look on Jasmine's face, it spoke again.

"Do you not understand, Female?" It asked her. Jasmine shook her head, still not believing what she was hearing.

"Like the gem of my territory, I can also contact spirits. Your mother came to me last night as I worked on my nest. She told me how glad she was that you had grown to love this land. I must say, I agree with her. I am glad that King Lief chose you to be his queen. Beside him, you will be able to achieve much, I know it. Your mother also said that she was happy that you were wearing a wedding dress like hers, honouring her wish. I do not know exactly what that means, but she told me that I should tell you this, so now I have."

There were tears in Jasmine's eyes now, and even Doom had bowed his head. For both of them, hearing that Anna was proud of her daughter more than made up for their lost time in the forests.

"Thank you for letting us know this, Dragon, it brings us much comfort." Jasmine said softly when she had recovered herself. "But you do not have to call me "Female." I will tell you my true name, so that you may have power over me as you have power over Lief. It is Jasmine."

The Dragon bowed low to her, and she bowed back. Then, wordlessly, she and Doom allowed themselves to be tied to the Dragon's neck, and carried back to Del.

Lief awoke in the early afternoon, remembering little of the previous night. He knew that he had had a lot to drink at the tavern, that Barda was the one who had brought him staggering back to the forge, and that was all. He turned over and tried to go back to sleep, but found that he could not. He was fully dressed from the previous day, and his head was pounding. Deciding that it was useless, Lief got unsteadily out of bed, and went into the sitting room. He knew at once that someone had been there, probably Sharn. There was a fire blazing in the hearth, and the room was far tidier than he usually kept it. Lief sat down in front of the fire and closed his eyes. What had he done last night? He had never had that much to drink in his life, and he was not sure he wanted to again. But he had no idea how much that actually was.

Hearing the front door open, he forced himself to raise his head, wondering who it could be, he looked toward it and to his surprise, and he saw that it was Jasmine walking into the small house, carrying a tray. She took one look at him, and her face fell.

"So it is true then," she said, putting the tray on the small table in front of Lief's chair. "Sharn sent you this."

Lief saw that on the tray was a bowl of soup, and a mug that was filled with thick liquid. "That is for your headache," Jasmine said, seeing his eyes on the mug.

"Thank you." Lief mumbled. He noticed that Jasmine was not quite looking at him.

"I am sorry that you came back to find me like this." He said quietly, seeing the anguished look on her face.

"If I had known what I would come back to, I would not have come back at all. The forests are as good as they ever were, I could've stayed there and been happy."

This caught Lief completely off guard.

"Jasmine, what do you mean?" He asked, beginning to panic. "All I did was have too much to drink last night. I know you do not like when people do that, and I am sorry for not remembering. But I do not understand why you would go back to the forests over something like that. Why, men do that sort of thing to their women all the time, so it is said."

"Oh?" Jasmine still was not looking at him, but the anger in her voice told Lief that she had heard him. "And do men do the other things you did to their women all the time? If so, you can forget that I ever agreed to marry you!"

She had said it. She had said the very thing that he had feared she might say, but hoped with all his heart that she would not. Now, Jasmine was walking swiftly out of the house. Lief noticed as she left that her hair had indeed been cut very short, but what did that matter now?

Lief did not chase after her. He did not even leave his chair as the door slammed. Instead, he picked up the mug that his mother had sent for him and sniffed it. He recognised it as one of his mother's herbal cures. He drank it quickly, hoping that it would get rid of the ache in his heart, as well as the one in his head.

Not long after Jasmine had slammed the door behind her, Lief heard it open again. Was she coming back to make sure he had heard what she had said? Lief hoped not. So he was almost relieved when he saw Barda and Doom coming into the room. But when he caught the looks of anger on both men's faces, that relief quickly died.

"What have you done Lief?" Doom thundered. "Jasmine came running back to the palace in tears just now!"

Lief did not know what to say. Everyone seemed to think he had done something other than drink himself stupid last night.

It was Barda who told him exactly what that was. "We think you may have strayed from Jasmine last night Lief," he said softly as he lowered himself into a chair. "Are we right in believing that this is true? Who was that woman you were speaking with at the table?"

Lief was shocked. So this was why Jasmine had ended their betrothal.

"No," he said at last. "It is not true. I could never do such a thing to Jasmine. That woman, well… I do not really know who she was. All I remember was that she played the piano, and I went in there because the song she was playing made me think of Jasmine. "Come by the hills where fancy is free" or something like that."

"Yes," Doom said. "I know it, an old folk song. But from what Barda told me, you were getting quite cosy with her in that tavern. He also says you put money in a baby's basket. We assumed that it was her baby. Why did you do that?"

"I-I don't remember." Lief replied. "It is all very hazy to me now. But I do know that I had no feelings for her, and I did not even touch her. As I said, I could never do that." Lief spoke directly to Doom. "I have wanted to marry your daughter since before I became king." He said. "How could anyone think that I would do anything to damage my chances of doing so?"

Now, Doom's face looked sad rather than angry. "I am sorry Lief," he said. "It was wrong of me to automatically assume that what Sharn and Barda had told me was true without speaking with you first. It was even more wrong of me to say anything to Jasmine without getting the full story. But I fear that your chances of marrying her have been ruined all the same, she is packing her things as we speak, preparing to go back to the forests."

Lief ran like he had never run in his life. The road that lead up the palace hill seemed far longer than it really was, and his panic only made it seem longer. He could not let Jasmine do this. He could not let her run away from him because of a misunderstanding. Finally, he reached the front doors and pushed them open. Running through the entrance hall, he noticed that people were staring at him as he passed. He had not shaved or changed his clothes since yesterday, and he imagined he must look a fright.

He took the stairs to the bedchamber floor two at a time. When he finally got to Jasmine's room, he ran in without knocking.

As Lief had expected, Jasmine had almost finished gathering her belongings. When she looked up and saw him, she quickly turned away.

"There is nothing you can do, Lief," she said quietly. "I have made my decision, and it is final."

"Jasmine…" He choked. "Why?" There was a lump in Lief's throat, and he could not think what to say. It seemed that words were failing him when he needed them most.

"You were unfaithful Lief." She said. "Whatever you promise you will do now, I cannot forget that. I cannot marry you, knowing that while I was away you might have been lying with someone else."

Jasmine was pulling on her pack. There were no tears in her eyes now. Her mouth was set in a thin, hard line. Lief knew he only had a few moments to convince her that she was wrong.

"There has never been anyone else for me Jasmine," he said softly. "If you still don't believe me, look at the emerald in the belt. It dulls when a vow has been broken, remember?"

Lief saw Jasmine's eyes move to the belt at his waste, and upon seeing that the emerald was indeed undimmed, she looked him full in the face for the first time since she had returned.

"You never made a vow that you would be true to me," she said.

"No," he answered. "But I did vow to you that I would marry for love. Remember, it was just after we returned from freeing the slaves."

Upon seeing Jasmine nod her head, he continued, hoping that he was right in what he said. "I chose to marry you Jasmine, because I love you. So it makes sense then, that if I even thought of anyone else in such a way, let alone touched them, I would have broken my vow."

Jasmine had stepped closer to him now. Lief felt his heart begin to race. He hoped that she had rethought her decision to go to the forests, but he could not be sure.

"When you love someone, it gives them even more power over you than if they know your true name," she finally muttered. "I wonder if dragons know this."

And then, Lief knew that he had said the right thing, for Jasmine had stepped even closer to him now.

"Your hair looks nice," was all he could think to say, just before she kissed him.

(A/N.) Alright, only two more chapters to go after this.