Ror and Hale were leaving the Proving when they'd heard Cara had woken. Neither had it in them to compete, which Hale had expressed mild disappointment over, but he seemed to understand the load Ror was quickly becoming buried under. Since Koll's inquest it seemed the entire realm was in an uproar. Buri had told him of the strange one eyed man and his cryptic message. He asked Buri to find the man but he could not. Ror was certain Valung was to blame. He was using Koll's release to strike at his father again. Ror had not forgotten his father's words about his edict, that the results were his to deal with. He had taken it upon himself to tour all the cities, from Ormazum to Nine Embers, and address every citizen on the matter. His efforts had soothed the people somewhat, at least those who wished Koll sent back down. There was still a loud cry for all the doomed to receive the same attention as him, though, and some were starting to call for the laws of justice to be reformed altogether. The troubling thought growing in Ror's mind was that the more he tried to reason with those people, the more he found himself agreeing with them.

He had not expected to attend the proving, being weighed down by the tumult he had created by freeing Koll, but his uncle had mentioned to him that Hale might benefit from a distraction. They had invited Balvor to join them, but he insisted on standing watch over Cara in Hale's place.

"Your mother fights like a Khum'Ha," Hale said. They were riding the Royal Ohr to Ormazum. Yemi was with them, for once without Audun.

"Our mum is a Khum'Ha!" Yemi said, trying over hard to sound joyful. The entire citadel had felt quiet since Lobuhl had departed, quiet and sad. Cara's revival helped, but there was still a prevailing sense of weariness and worry.

Ror commended his mother for not withdrawing. Her macework was a favorite at the provings, and it helped morale to at least have her striking the bell. It made his, Halfur's, Lobuhl's and Balvor's absences slightly less felt. She fought against Bloody Rykka in her final round. Rykka won but only just, and she was then handled soundly by Ganly, who lost to Vor the Cold. Buri had allowed himself to be coaxed into competing, and he was the victor in the last bout, defeating Vor after the longest match in record. A number of the humans were welcomed to strike the bell also. Ser Walsh was quickly dispatched by a young dwarf with a limp, earning him the name “Ser Tried and Died” from Ridzak, who was released and had resumed impersonating his spy for the time being. Dennel made his way to the fourth roun, and two of his younger men at arms won their way to the fifth and sixth.They were both tall and long of limb, like Dennel, and used their reach to great effect.

Ror felt detached from his surroundings as they left the mountain through the bear tunnel. These tunnels were almost never used by any save the bear riders, and seemed to be doubling as front gates now for the Gace family. His thoughts were constantly shifting to Cara. He enjoyed the entire Gace family, even though he found Salimod to be a little on the audacious side at times. Cara though had become a symbol of sorts to Ror. He saw in her the best of humanity, and that she had fallen ill in his kingdom made her illness his responsibility. My kingdom? he mused. How could dad possibly consider naming me heir now? I wanted justice, but I’ve turned our realm into a powder keg, and I can’t decide whether to wet the wick, or light it.

The midday sun was almost blinding when they stepped outside of Obrus. The Titan’s Torch was glowing fiercely blue, with its outer ring emanating faint red lances out from its icy hot center.

“That star has become a fixture in the skies,” Hale said, “almost as much so as the moon.”

“It’s the day moon,” Yemi said, ever cheerful.

“But has it brought the tide, or come with it?” said Hale.

The merchant from Casimir came running to greet them, his belly bouncing as exuberantly as Orenti’s did whenever Ror would visit Magni. It felt like a lifetime ago that he and Gund peered at the Torch through one of Magni’s telescopes.

“Prince Hale!” Malaad was shouting. He stopped when he came close and bowed deeply, “Dread Highnesses, Princess Cara is awake and full of life.”

Ror’s heart skipped a beat. He had expected her to be dazed and sickly, or coughing up blood like their soldiers were doing.

“That’s happy news!” Hale was beaming. “Thank you for running to tell us this, Malaad. And thank you for lending my sister your tent. ‘Twas a noble deed.”

Malaad nodded his head slightly. “You come from a noble family, and I wish to serve the line of Alden in any way I can. Come my masters, the Princess misses you. She has visited distant lands in her sleep, and has a remarkable tale to tell.”

“Our mum said she was having visions,” Yemi blurted, “it’s brave of her to share them. Audun used to share his, but Halfur always teased him so he stopped.”

“Maybe he’ll have a vision of what’s afflicting our men.” said Ror.

“A terrible tragedy, that.” said Malaad. “I’ve offered my wares to your heartsmiths, but they are better supplied than most physicians I meet. All I was able to contribute were a few bolts of fine linen. I wish I could have done more.”

“We’re grateful for the linen,” Yemi said. She’s an excellent little Princess, Ror thought, she’ll be a boon to Thrond as she grows. Far more so than I’ve been.

Cara was just as Malaad said when they entered. Her brilliant blue eyes were glowing like stars and other than her hair being unwashed, she looked as if she were ready to attend one of the balls she’d spoken of. Her parents were sitting on a bench Malaad had brought in from one of his wayns, and Dennel and Ser Walsh were standing on either side of the bed with their sword belts on. She looked from Ror to Hale, and seemed unable to decide who to address first. Hale ran to her and knelt by her bedside. Ror stood close by Ridzak. The goblin had two pieces of black mannarim in his hands, one of the pieces Ror had given him, and another that looked like a perfect sphere. That must be hers. Ror leaned over Ridzak’s shoulder and looked down at the two stones. He felt that same urge when he looked at Cara's stone as he had before, but not as strong.

“Thank you for releasing Noxi,” Cara said. Her voice sounded different to Ror, as if she’d been away for years and had grown.

“And thank you for waking finally,” Ror replied. “There’s been enough of a stir around here with the goblin invasion. This little stunt of yours was selfish, to say the least.”

Cara laughed lightly. “I had to do something to get your attention. As soon as you had your dance with me you were off being a prince, and I was left alone and forgotten.”

“Oy!” shouted Ridzak in Noxi’s voice, “Everyone clear out! Give the turtledoves some space. We’ve another hybrid wedding to plan.”

“I don’t suppose you’d put him back in his cell,” Salimod said.

Istan and Gislain came running in and leapt onto the bed, hugging Cara fiercely. The morning wore on and she spent the majority of the time reassuring people that she was well, with only an empty belly and parched lips to complain about. Ror was curious what Malaad had been referring to, but Cara never said anything about any visions or distant lands. She seemed to be in a daze, as if she either had forgotten a great many things, or was trying hard to understand something. Ror decided it best to ask after the matter when he was alone with her.

“I’d like to speak with Cara,” Ror said when the conversation had died down, “alone.”

There was a rush of snickers and lewd comments, mostly coming from Dennel and Ridzak.

“You can stay," Ror said to Ridzak.

“I ain’t chaperonin’ the likes of you!” the green man shouted.

“Yes you are,” Cara said, “or I’ll have your head.”

Ridzak put a hand on Ror's shoulder. “She’s a cruel lady, our Princess. It’s a wonder I’m not carryin’ me head around in a sack with all the threats she makes.”

“Stay with them, Noxi,” Salimod said as he ushered everyone out, “and see that they behave like Royalty.” He gave Ror a sly look as they all departed the tent.

“I’m glad you’re well,” said Ror. He meant it.

“Thank you. It seems I’ve missed a great deal. I’m sorry for your men.”

“Halfur and Audun are working together to discover what’s killing them.”

Cara let out a loud laugh. “Those two?! Oh that’s rich! Halfur’s eyes are going to roll right out of his head. I can't blame him though, that boy is strange.”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“We call him the oddling for a reason.”

“Ha! That’s the very thing I’ve found myself calling him. Alright Noxi, why did Ror ask you to stay behind?”

Ridzak was entirely distracted by the mannarim stones. He kept bouncing them in his hands as if he were weighing them.

“This isn’t Noxi,” Ror said plainly. Cara’s face twisted in confusion for a moment, then seemed to settle in acceptance.

“You’re one of the friends he ran into, when he and Dennel fought the gnolls. Was it you who was carried away by Ror’s uncle?”

“He’s gone now, the surly uncle. The King sent him a packin’. And yessum, Princess, ‘twas I who was wrongfully detained. I was longin' for a chance to speak with the Horned Black Prince here, and Noxi had a hunch these fine folk was aimin' to pinch him off, so I made him a deal.”

“Ridzak's my friend,” Ror explained, “and he and Noxi go back a ways.”

“We ran in the same pack, you might say.”

“I see.” Cara sat up in her bed. Her back popped more than a few times. “Titan’s balls. I feel as if I’d been laying here for ages. Do you know anything about those stones, Ridzak? I kept feeling the rounder one calling to me before. Now it’s nothing to me. Just a rare piece to add to my collection.”

“I don’t suppose we could arrange a trade?” the goblin seemed hungry when he spoke. “Ror’s given me a chest of the stuff. I’ll give it all to you for this here specimen. It uh, suits my purposes.”

“You said it could be a key to going somewhere,” Ror said. “Where?”

Ridzak’s voice was quiet and distracted, somber even. “The Garden.”

“The Black Garden?” Cara asked.

“It was all sorts of colors, last I was there. Black, green, red, blue, grey. It was real misty though, that’s mostly what I remember. Everything was all faded, like it was in clouds.”

“What is it?” Cara’s words sounded pained. Ror wanted to go to her and hold her hand, but remained still.

“I’d say the Dreams of Alon describe it pretty well.”

“You don’t remember, do you?” Cara scooted back and leaned up against the headboard of the bed.

“Just a few images, and a feeling.”

“What did you feel?” she asked.

Ridzak looked downward, his good right eye staring at the ground as if it were a deep well. “I felt… I felt right. Like I was one person, and me thoughts made sense. I’m a broken up mess, mates. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of talkin’ to me gang, and wonder how I got there and who they are. When it comes back to me I feel as if I’d been gone for hours, and have to ask them to fill me in on what I’d missed. Sometimes, I feel as if the Whimsey is everything, me whole purpose, and we’ve got some all important mission. And other times I feel like they’s a lot of strangers and I just want to slip away.”

“Where is the Black Garden?” Cara asked intently. “Is it here? On Konistra? Or is it in Castle Othomo?”

Ridzak looked up slowly, his usual predatory expression returned to his face. “Best say that name quiet-like, me lady. Those who know it ain’t the types you want to know. And no. The Garden is not on Konistra, or Miur, or Noth, or Nastrond, or Chamelos. Now, you tell me what you saw while you was out. I feel a fire burnin’ in this stone of yours, but it’s going cold. I has a hunch there’s just an ember left, and the flame was passed to you.”

Cara closed her eyes and was still for a long moment. When she finally spoke her voice was so quiet Ror had to strain to hear. “I had a dream before, where everyone was dancing on Cavanal Hill. Then the towers of our castle fell, and Obrus rose and came at us, but was wounded and fell over. Then I heard a voice calling to me. ‘Walk with me’, it said. I saw Obrus rise from the ground when Prince Lobuhl arrested you, and I heard the voice again, while I was awake. I fainted not long after. While I slept here in Malaad’s tent, I was on a desert of grey sand that went on forever. I could hear waves, but there was no sea, or any salt in the air. I was entirely alone, except for the voice. It tole me it was a memory, the light of a distant star, and that it would see me through the storm.”

“What storm?” Ror asked. He felt terribly uneasy hearing Cara speak of this strange vision, and Ridzak speaking of the Black Garden. The Black Garden and the Evershore were places of legend, and were only one of his friends claiming to have visited either place he could easily dismiss it as a flight of fancy. Hearing two of them make these claims, at the same time, that was something he couldn’t explain away.

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Cara replied. “I saw something else and… wait a moment.”

“I’ll be here all day love,” said Ridzak.

“No I.... Ror, remember the dancing stars?”

Ror nodded.

“I saw something there too. The red and green and yellow lights, you saw them too, right? You saw the gree light dancing around the other too?”

Ror shrugged. "I don't remember any colors, but I saw lights."

Ridzak looked over at Ror. “And what was these lights doin’?”

“Dancing.”

“Oh yes? Like a morris dance? Or something bawdy?”

“Ridzak, this is no time for jests.”

“Well pardon me, mate, but when I hears of Aires and Ferenrar fightin’ over the green gem in one of your caves, I can’t help it if me ears is poked.”

“Aires and Ferenrar? What do the wolf and the ram have to do with any of this? All I saw down there were lights flickering and circling each other. That’s all I’ve ever seen down there. Cara, why'd you mention the dancing stars? Did you really see a red and gold light fighting over a green one?”

She nodded. “And I saw something else,” she said. “I felt a strange urge to look back, just as we were leaving, and I saw a black spot appear on the wall, and then a web covered the entire room. The black spot stuck a piece through the web, and then Hale called me and I looked away. When I looked back it was all gone. During my last dream, I saw a black sun in the sky, and there was a castle in the sand. A great black worm came out of the sand and ate the castle, but a horse escaped from a postern with a small child on the saddle. The voice called the castle Othomo. I asked him, well, it sounded like a whisper, but for some reason I felt it was from a man, or at least the shadow of a man. I asked it if it could tell me more, but it told me that telling me more would cause me pain, that hinges creak when a door first opens. I don’t remember anything else.”

“I’ve never been to the Evershore,” Ridzak said, “but I’ve heard tales of the place. I know this voice though. I know it well.”

“Then I’ve not gone mad?”

“Oh, you have love. Quite mad indeed. But fear not, you are by no means alone.”

“Who’s voice is it? What does it mean by hinges creaking, and being a memory?”

“You tell me somethin’. How did you feel when you was layin’ in the grey sand?”

Cara remembered summoning wind and warmth with her will. “I felt powerful. Then I felt afraid for no reason at all. Why did you tell me to be quiet when speaking of Othomo?”

“To stop you from saying it, of course. Don’t ask me what it is. Like I says, I’ve never been to the Evershore. As to the hinges creaking, that only happens when the door is opened slow like. When you wake in the Garden, the door is blown wide open like a sail in a storm. Sounds like the Soulmind was kinder to you than to me. Of course, I wasn’t exactly invited where I went.”

“Neither of you are making any sense,” said Ror. He wanted answers, knowledge, a solution. “Ridzak, you always tell me what I need to know. What am I supposed to make of all this? You're both speaking of dreams as if they were real. I need to know what happened here in the world that is real, the world of the waking.”

Ridzak’s left eye lit up like a torch. “Evershore ain’t no dream, boy. I know lots of good people that have been where the Princess has been.” Ridzak looked to Cara. “Black as the Worm, they say. The Tides say the Worm is in the Garden. I’m glad I never bumped into IT.” He handed her back her stone. “This coal is cold. Its flame’s in you now. Hang onto the rock for keepsake. The Soulmind treated you like a lady. I’m sure he’ll be callin’ on you again.”

“Soulmind?” Ror said. “What’s that mean? Ridzak...” Ror held out his hands and shook his head. He’d counted on Ridzak for information many times in the past, and the goblin had never let him down. He had a singular way of speaking, to be sure, but he usually made some sort of sense before long. This nonsense about the Book of Tides was trying Ror’s patience. He wanted to know what had happened to Cara so he could stop it from happening again. He couldn’t care less why Ridzak wanted black mannarim, but he wanted to know why he kept talking of a place from stories and dreams.

“Read your Book o' Tides mate,” Ridzak said, "the Forever Man cracked the code. Skip all the silly stuff about the Paran Queen and the Seven Sojourns, and go right to The Burning of the Oak. Read those mad words and know that it’s all real.”

Ror looked to Cara. “I’m sorry Cara. He’s usually more helpful. I’d have sent for Audun if I'd known...”

“Can you send for him?” Cara shot upright. “Please? I need to tell him what I saw. I beg you Ror. Send for him please. And have him bring his special copy of the Tides.”

Ror shrugged. “He's busy at the moment, but give me a day and I’ll arrange it.”

“Arrange what?” Salimod entered the tent, flanked by Dennel and Walsh and a half dozen of his soldiers in gambesons with those useless iron links hooked to their shoulders. Standing next to Salimod, his wrists bound in chains, was a light skinned Goblin that could only be Noxi. "Your Owls found this imposter skulking about the brow and brought him to me. Noxi, would you care to explain why there's two of you?"

Ridzak smiled weakly, then, with a nervous laugh, held out his wrists to be chained.