she is Chaco's mate. She wanted to stay with Chaco, so we schemed a way to make it happen."
"So your horse did not get loose by accident?" inquired Arik.
"No," Tanya shook her head. "I did not secure my horse that night. Frea was waiting nearby to be found in the morning."
"Did Chaco know about this?" asked Arik.
"No," replied Tanya. "He was mad about it when he found out, but he is glad about it now. I could leave her here when we leave, but I don't really want to."
"I am sure that all of the unicorns know about it now," responded Arik. "If the Shamora has no problem with Frea joining us then I see no reason to separate her from Chaco."
"You have the unicorns' featly now," suggested Tanya. "You could request it."
"I will be asking much of them as it is," frowned Arik. "I will not place demands upon them that have little to do with the prophecy. The Shamora will decide about Frea."
"I understand. What are you going to be asking of them?" queried Tanya. "We have the Opal. What else is there for them to do?"
Arik stared at Tanya for a moment and then returned his gaze to the lightening sky.
"Arik," pushed Tanya. "What else is there for the unicorns to do? You have something in mind and you are not sharing it."
"I have not discussed it with Alex or Larastrides yet," Arik said softly.
"Discussed what?" Tanya persisted. "What can be so horrible that you are afraid to mention it?"
Arik's head snapped up at the sound of small fluttering wings, and Prince Midge settled down on Arik's shoulder.
"Hail, Bringer," chirped the fairy. "Sorry I have been gone so long, but I took the opportunity to visit with my mother, Queen Mita."
"I am glad that you did," smiled Arik. "Is the sky clear to the fairy village as we suspected?"
"Perfectly clear," grinned Midge. "The whole of the Disputed Area is under clear skies, just like Cordonia."
"I have another task for you," Arik said softly. "Do you need to rest before you can do it? It involves a journey of some distance."
"Rest?" echoed Midge with mock offense. "Fairies do not need rest from flying. I get enough rest in your pocket most days to last a lifetime. What does the Bringer require of me?"
Arik grinned and shook his head. "I wish I had your energy," laughed Arik. "I want you to fly to Tice and find out what the goblins are up to. Estimate their strength and try to determine how much time we have before they attack the outpost. Are you sure you don't need rest first?"
"Am I still here?" chirped Prince Midge as he leaped into the air and disappeared.
"Why are you concerned about Tice?" queried Tanya. "It is not like we can do much to affect the outcome."
"Can't we?" retorted Arik. "We have thousands of warriors, and we can trap the goblins between us and the city."
"You mean to sacrifice the unicorns?" scowled Tanya. "How could you even think of such a thing? They are beautiful beings. You cannot let them be destroyed by the goblins."
"Destroyed?" echoed Arik. "Do you not remember how the unicorns fought the yaki? Yes, they are beautiful, but they are powerful warriors as well. I think we could be victorious."
"You have changed more than I imagined," scowled Tanya. "Before you shunned the responsibility of the fealty of the fairies, and now you are ready to send the unicorns into battle to die. Does Chaco mean so little to you?"
"Chaco means a great deal to me," Arik answered softly. "Tanya, I would not ask the unicorns to do anything that I thought they could not handle. You are right that I have changed, though. Meeting Prince Oscar and learning of his life has made me realize my obligations. I could be happy returning to Lorgo and fishing with Konic for the rest of my life, but that is no longer an option. The fates have burdened me with the task of defeating Sarac. I cannot hide from it. I cannot ignore it. If we are to defeat Sarac, we must realize that many of us will die in the attempt. I only hope for the knowledge to make the right decisions and the courage
"So your horse did not get loose by accident?" inquired Arik.
"No," Tanya shook her head. "I did not secure my horse that night. Frea was waiting nearby to be found in the morning."
"Did Chaco know about this?" asked Arik.
"No," replied Tanya. "He was mad about it when he found out, but he is glad about it now. I could leave her here when we leave, but I don't really want to."
"I am sure that all of the unicorns know about it now," responded Arik. "If the Shamora has no problem with Frea joining us then I see no reason to separate her from Chaco."
"You have the unicorns' featly now," suggested Tanya. "You could request it."
"I will be asking much of them as it is," frowned Arik. "I will not place demands upon them that have little to do with the prophecy. The Shamora will decide about Frea."
"I understand. What are you going to be asking of them?" queried Tanya. "We have the Opal. What else is there for them to do?"
Arik stared at Tanya for a moment and then returned his gaze to the lightening sky.
"Arik," pushed Tanya. "What else is there for the unicorns to do? You have something in mind and you are not sharing it."
"I have not discussed it with Alex or Larastrides yet," Arik said softly.
"Discussed what?" Tanya persisted. "What can be so horrible that you are afraid to mention it?"
Arik's head snapped up at the sound of small fluttering wings, and Prince Midge settled down on Arik's shoulder.
"Hail, Bringer," chirped the fairy. "Sorry I have been gone so long, but I took the opportunity to visit with my mother, Queen Mita."
"I am glad that you did," smiled Arik. "Is the sky clear to the fairy village as we suspected?"
"Perfectly clear," grinned Midge. "The whole of the Disputed Area is under clear skies, just like Cordonia."
"I have another task for you," Arik said softly. "Do you need to rest before you can do it? It involves a journey of some distance."
"Rest?" echoed Midge with mock offense. "Fairies do not need rest from flying. I get enough rest in your pocket most days to last a lifetime. What does the Bringer require of me?"
Arik grinned and shook his head. "I wish I had your energy," laughed Arik. "I want you to fly to Tice and find out what the goblins are up to. Estimate their strength and try to determine how much time we have before they attack the outpost. Are you sure you don't need rest first?"
"Am I still here?" chirped Prince Midge as he leaped into the air and disappeared.
"Why are you concerned about Tice?" queried Tanya. "It is not like we can do much to affect the outcome."
"Can't we?" retorted Arik. "We have thousands of warriors, and we can trap the goblins between us and the city."
"You mean to sacrifice the unicorns?" scowled Tanya. "How could you even think of such a thing? They are beautiful beings. You cannot let them be destroyed by the goblins."
"Destroyed?" echoed Arik. "Do you not remember how the unicorns fought the yaki? Yes, they are beautiful, but they are powerful warriors as well. I think we could be victorious."
"You have changed more than I imagined," scowled Tanya. "Before you shunned the responsibility of the fealty of the fairies, and now you are ready to send the unicorns into battle to die. Does Chaco mean so little to you?"
"Chaco means a great deal to me," Arik answered softly. "Tanya, I would not ask the unicorns to do anything that I thought they could not handle. You are right that I have changed, though. Meeting Prince Oscar and learning of his life has made me realize my obligations. I could be happy returning to Lorgo and fishing with Konic for the rest of my life, but that is no longer an option. The fates have burdened me with the task of defeating Sarac. I cannot hide from it. I cannot ignore it. If we are to defeat Sarac, we must realize that many of us will die in the attempt. I only hope for the knowledge to make the right decisions and the courage
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