Oh, it's your survival
Captured by my dream
No matter where you go, I will find you
If it takes a long, long time
No matter where you go, I will find you
If it takes a thousand years

Our bright heaven shudders
Gone night and moon and dreams
No matter where you go, I will find you
In a place we'll know from dreams
No matter where you go, I will find you
If it takes a thousand years

No matter where you go, I will find you...

                                                                     
-Clannad



Chapter 3


	They hung in the place between all things wrapped in a cocoon of
iridescent light that struggled to keep that terrible 'nothingness' at
bay. Aurora was lost in the events of another time and another place. A
time when she wasn't Aurora at all, but a young woman named Althea and
the youma she clung to so fiercely had been a man named Nathan.


	Althea sighed as she closed the double doors behind her, Zuriel's hard
stare following her out. She rested her weight back against them. She
still didn't think it fair that she had to remain faithful while Malikai
got to be with Zuriel, but she accepted it. Anything to keep the fragile
peace between herself and Zuriel. She pushed herself off and began to
pace down the airy second story balcony that ran the length of the
palace and kicked the heavy hem of her dress out before her as she
walked. It gave her a perverse pleasure that at least something, even
something as silly as the hem of her gown, gave way before her.

	She put some distance between herself and their room, then, with a
little hop, sat herself on the wide top of the guard railing and leaned
back against a supporting pillar. She tugged gently at the slender chain
around her neck and brought the ring of pledge given from her true love
out of hiding. She wrapped her fingers around it as she watched the
Earth rise. Her mind replayed that day, six months ago, when her father
had attempted to ruin her life.

	It was the at the feast to celebrate her seventeenth birthday. Her
father had announced to the Worlds at large that her hand would be
promised on that day. He had assured her that he knew her heart was with
Nathan, that he agreed that it was a good match and was only obeying
custom and it would be rude not to consider all suites, and not to
worry. She had been a little startled when she came in on her father's
arm that Malikai's father was seated at the place of honor to the right
of her father's chair. But then again, he was the most powerful of the
four kings that sat at the head table. Endymion reached out and
playfully punched Nathan on the shoulder as they passed, Nathan's cheeks
turning almost the color of his hair as Uncle Innish winked at her from
a few chairs farther up.

	Nathan's father and mother smiled warmly at her as they rose with the
rest of the head table as her father and bother escorted her to her
seat. She sat beside Endymion, one seat removed from their father's left
hand. She was trading a secret glance with Nathan who was sitting with
the other three of Endymion's Guard when Father had banged his hand
against the wood of the table, demanding everyone's attention. He rose.

	"As you all know, today we celebrate the start of the seventeenth year
of my only daughter. And that on this day I have declared my intention
to promise her hand in marriage," he bowed slightly to the left, then
right, then addressed the royalty gathered there.

	"I am honored that all of you desire to unite your Kingdom's with my
own, but sadly, I only have one daughter to give and I give her," Althea
smiled as she locked eyes with Nathan, who was grinning broadly, "to
Malikai, son of Mathwyny, King of Prydain."

	Her smile froze on her face with shock as time seemed to slow down. She
watched Malikai stiffen in his chair to the left of Nathan, his face
going as pale as his silver-white hair and glare at his father with
outright hatred. Zuriel, next to him, looked as if he was going to
faint. Nathan's face darkened with fury and he started to rise, but
Julian, thank all the Powers for level-headed Julian, grabbed his
shoulder and forcefully slammed him back into his seat and leaned close
to whisper fiercely in his ear.

	"Father?!" Endymion questioned beside her.

	Father silenced him with a gesture and took them both into his
predatory stare.

	"It is done." He said it with a smile, but the tone under it informed
them that he would tolerate no opposition here and now.

	She dropped both hands into her lap to hide their trembling and forced
her gaze from Nathan. She focused onto the plate before her as the
guests clapped their approval of the match. She would not cry.

	Endymion reached under the table to take his sister's hand into his own
and leaned towards her as he gave it a hard squeeze.

	"Don't worry, 'Thea. We'll figure something out," he whispered.


	Later that evening, she stalked down the hall that led to her father's
rooms, fuming.

	*How dare he! But I shouldn't have been surprised. When he told 'Mion
that he had agreed to give me to one of his Guard, yet wouldn't name
who, I should have known. Nathan, Julian and Zuriel are all second and
third born sons. Malikai is the only one among them who will inherit to
become King.*

	She didn't bother to knock, she knew her Father would be expecting her.
He didn't look up from the report he was reading as she crossed the room
to his desk.

	"I won't marry him," she said it calmly, yet her anger put a quaver to
the words.

	"You will," he answered, still not looking up from his paper.

	"I will go and dedicate to Uncle Innish's Temple if you try to force
this match on me Father. And then you shall make no alliance's from me
at all."

	There. She played her trump card, thinking for once she had
out-maneuvered him. He finally looked up at her and sighed sadly as he
put the report down onto the desk and leaned back in his chair.

	"That, Daughter, is an option open to you and one which I could not
refute, once you have chosen it. But know this, Althea. Mathwyny and I
have sworn a Blood Oath on this match. If you choose to follow this
course, I will not stop you, but you will throw two of the Great
Kingdoms into war. Can you do that to your people? And are you willing
to force Endymion to turn against one of his best friends?"

	She just stared at him, stunned. *A Blood Oath? On a marriage?*

	He narrowed his eyes at her as he smiled, knowing from the look on her
face that he had won. "You should know not to try to match wits with me,
Daughter. This alliance will be."

	He turned his attention back to the paper. "You may leave me now. Your
new Father will be here as soon as he finishes explaining the situation
to your future husband and I do not want him to see you in such a
distraught state. He might think he's made a bad bargain."

	She could do nothing but leave. Her steps became faster as her
frustrated tears started. Endymion met her at the intersection where the
smaller hallway joined the main one, on his way to speak with their
father himself.

	"Althea, wait!" He grabbed the back of her dress just as she was about
to break into a run.

	She kept her head down and leaned her weight against his restraining
hand, unable and unwilling to say anything yet. He let her go and she
continued down the hallway, her pace sedate again. He followed with a
few running steps, then slowed to walk at her side. He offered his
handkerchief and she pressed it against her eyes as he walked with her
in silence.

	After a few minutes he asked gently, "'Thea, what happened?"

	"They've sworn Blood Oath," she bit out around the anger and tears that
constricted her throat.

	"On a marriage?" He answered in a startled voice.

	"You know Father. He will go to any lengths to insure he gets what he
wants," she gave a bitter laugh as she said it.

	Endymion took his sisters hand and held it firmly as he walked with her
toward her room, not knowing what to say but wanting to give her some
support, some assurance that it would be all right. He sighed to
himself. This had the makings of a long night. He had just come from
Zuriel, finally some what calmer and sulking in the quarters that he and
Malikai shared, Julian having confiscated a bottle of Father's best
brandy from the cellars and dragging Nathan off with him to his room
with the intention of getting him so drunk he would just pass out.

	He doubted that would happen. None of them had yet been able to out
drink Nathan. The man's tolerance for alcohol was inhuman. What would
probably happen would be that Julian would be the one to pass out and he
would be stuck trying to deal with a depressed, furious and drunk
Nathan.

	"Will you tell Malikai that I need to speak with him as soon as
possible?" Althea asked as she paused at the door to her room.

	"Of course. Are you going to be all right, Althea?"

	She nodded, on the verge of tears again. Tears she didn't want him to
see. She gave his hand a squeeze as she released it.

	"You'd better go check on them, make sure they haven't called challenge
on each other, or something equally insane."

	"Don't worry about it, 'Thea. Julian and I will keep them in hand," he
gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll tell Malikai. I'm sure he'll want to
speak with you, too."

	She stepped into her room as Endymion turned away from her and startled
a little as she caught sight of the shape against the window. She
relaxed as she recognized her uncle's tall, lean form.

	He opened his arms to her saying, "Come here, child."

	The wracking sobs came as she buried her head against his shoulder. He
rocked her back and forth gently as he wished again that this girl had
been born to him and not his brother. He waited until her tears where
spent, then lifted her chin with his long fingers and smiled at her.

	"All done?"

	She sniffled and nodded. "It's not fair, Uncle."

	"Life rarely is, Althea. They swore Blood Oath on it?" He asked.

	"You knew, didn't you," Althea frowned. "You Far Saw it! Why didn't you
tell me!"

	He shook his head with a wry grin. "I didn't need my Gift to figure
that out, 'Thea. Just the knowledge of how my brother's mind twists. I
had just hoped that this once he would put the needs of his children
above his own quest for power."

	He wouldn't tell her that his gift had shown him a quick glance of the
consequences of either of her choices as he heard his brother announce
her future husband, and that both where entwined with the Darkness that
was coming.

	"Well, he didn't. He lied to me, Uncle! He outright lied!" She took a
shuddering breath.

	"To keep you bid-able and sweet tempered until he sprang his trap. But
now the deed is done and now you must come to terms with it. I know this
is not the match you expected, but you also know that he could have
given you to any of the Princes at that table. Or to one you have never
met. Such is the way of daughters of royal blood."

	She nodded. She was well aware of that fact, had been brought up all
her life to expect it. But then she met Nathan and her expectations had
changed. She didn't know what to do.

	"What do I do, Uncle?" She asked in a small voice.

	"Your duty to House and Blood, Althea. But that does not mean that you
must be apart from the one you love," she saw his eyes get that soft
look that came when he thought of his dead Ewony.

	"How did you stand it, Uncle?"

	"We came to an agreement, Althea. As you must do now with Malikai and
Nathan. If he loves you, he will understand."

	She sighed and nodded, already turning the possibilities over in her
mind. A knock came on her door and she straightened and took a few deep
breaths. She gave her uncle's hand a thankful pat before she answered. A
page handed her a letter, bobbed his head.

	"I was told to wait for a reply," she nodded at him as she looked at
the seal.

	It was Malikai's lion. She peeled it off, unfolded the parchment. She
read it quickly as she walked to her desk, Innish going to the ewer and
cups and busying himself in pouring as she wrote out her answer. She
dripped some wax from candle to seal it and pressed her own rose signet
into it then gave it to the page with the instructions to take it to
Prince Malikai. Innish handed her a cup as she came back from the door,
one eyebrow raised in inquiry.

	"Malikai wishes to speak with me also. But he has suggested we wait
until tomorrow evening, giving all involved a chance to meet with calmer
emotions and clearer heads."

	Innish nodded. "It is a good suggestion. I'm leaving for the Temple in
the morning. It has been a while since you visited. Perhaps you'd like
to make a day trip and keep your Uncle company?"

	The Temple was an hours easy ride from Caer Dythal and it would give
her a chance to get out and away from all the men that where now
throwing her life into turmoil.

	She smiled at him. "Yes, Uncle. I would be honored."

	He finished his wine in one long drought, then moved toward the door.
"I'll see you in the morning then, Althea. Sleep well."

	"Thank-you Uncle. For everything," she called to him as he stepped
through the door.


	They cantered through the early morning chill, the sun just beginning
to burn the night's mist from the orchard that surrounded the Temple.
Althea was having a hard time keeping Butterfly to the slow lope he had
set. He smiled to himself as she cooed soothing words to the big horse
between her knees. He still could not figure out why she had chosen that
particular name for the big gray stallion that Endymion had gifted her
with.

	His smile faded as he studied the tranquil beauty around them. The
trees had just reached full bloom, bringing with their heavy scent the
promise of summer and sunlight and warmth. A promise which Innish knew
was false. He had seen this same orchard in the near future, blackened
and withered under a dark sky. The horses slowed to a trot as they
climbed to the crown of the gentle hill and for a moment the image of
the ruins of his Temple from that dark time overlaid the true one before
him.

	But only for a moment, the sight driven away by the clear young voices
carrying on the air. Many called greetings to Althea as the horses
trotted into the courtyard, but Althea's eyes were only on the black
cloaked woman that stood at the top of the stairway that lead into the
Temple. She gave her Uncle a troubled look. He shook his head at her and
sighed as he dismounted.

	"Go greet your friends, Althea," he took Butterfly's reins as she
dismounted and hovered for a moment next to him.

	"Go on," he gave her a little push toward the knot of gathering young
people. "I'll deal with Berea."

	She obeyed his urging. He purposely ignored Berea as he watched Althea
enter the milling group and get tugged away.

	"How long has she been here?" He asked Mara who came to take the reins
of the horses from him.

	Mara kept her eyes away from the guest as she shifted her weight
uneasily. "Since the fourth hour of the morning, Master."

	He sighed. *Impatient as always, Berea. I told you when I would be
returning.*

	He gave a brusque nod to the young Guardian who turned and led the
horses away. He pulled off his gloves as he mounted the steps and
studied the woman above him. She did not look a day older than when
Ewony had been wed to her brother sixteen years ago. He knew that she
used the Dark Arts to keep her youth and beauty in place and that she
was now wavering on the slender thread between the Light and Darkness.

	He had warned his brother, told him not to send Endymion to answer the
invitation to visit Berea's Court. But his brother, stubborn as always,
had ignored him, saying that if Endymion was to rule in his place when
he died, then he needed to know all he could of the Courts around him.
He had gone with Endymion, his time spent in Odesen's Court before the
accident that he had not foreseen killed both Odesen and Ewony and put
Berea on the throne, making him the most logical advisor to accompany
him. Berea took one look at his handsome nephew and fell madly in lust.
He would not call it love, for that was not what it was. Berea wanted to
possess him, body and soul.

	He bowed low as he took Beryl's offered hand and brought it to his
forehead. "Queen Berea. You honor me with your presence."

	"Well, what did he say?" She snapped, impatience radiating out of her.

	He took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. He winced
as his Gift activated and spun out a piece of what was to come in the
time it took to blink his eyes.

	*She has already joined with the Darkness... Oh, Berea! Why?* he gave
her a forced smile as he led her into the Temple.

	"First let me get a drink to take the dust of the road from my throat.
Have you eaten?"

	"I don't care about food at the moment!" She scowled over at him. "I
want to know what that brother of yours said to my offer!"

	He led her to a chair, then went and poured himself a glass of wine,
readying himself for what was to come. Her mission here was two-fold.

	"He said no. As I told you he would. He has other plans for his son,"
he said it as gently as he could.

	She sat still and erect as she heard his words, her face an emotionless
mask. Only the angry fire in her eyes reflected her reaction.

	"You know, don't you Innish?" She whispered.

	He nodded yes as he put the fragile glass goblet down on the table and
leaned back against it, his hands supporting some of his weight against
the top. Berea started to weave her spell, her voice gentle and full of
sympathy.

	"Then you know that your brother is a fool! I offer Endymion his only
chance for life. You have seen this. You know it is the truth. I know
your gift, how it torments you."

	She saw him close his eyes against the truth of her words, saw how his
knuckles whitened as he gripped the edge of the table. Her voice turned
into a seductive purr as the air around her started to darken with
power.

	"Bring him to me, Innish. Bring him and come with me. Join with me, let
me ease the burden of the knowledge that you bear... the knowledge that
none will believe ... you will sit in your brothers place and you will
rule this land. Shape it as it should be shaped. These Guardians you so
love will be spared to work at your side, to be your hands and voice."

	She smiled as the Darkness reached out to caress him with gentle
tendrils, wrapped itself slowly around his body. He started to sway as
her power called to the places of Darkness in his soul. Places that she
knew he had thought forgotten and hidden safely away. His eyes snapped
open as the soft opalescent ribbons of blues and grays sprang into
existence around him and caused the Dark power to flinch away . They
rushed back to swirl around their mistress.

	"No. You will never have him or me, Berea. Never!" He pulled all the
power he could into his body and cast it at her in a spear of energy.

	If he could stop her, kill her here, then the Darkness could be
averted. She barely managed to summon the Gate in time and leapt through
it with a shriek of terror. He yelled in frustration as his power passed
through the air where Berea had been and blew a ragged hole through the
far wall. Then he passed out, the strain of focusing and containing so
much power to much for his body to deal with. 

	"Uncle!" Althea gasped as she saw the light of his power flair through
the windows.

	She took off at a run, heading for the stairs, the others close on her
heels.

	"Uncle?" She whispered in a frightened voice as she gently lifted his
head onto her lap.