Art: "Pumpkin Patch" by ShadowReader29

The foolish woman believed that by obtaining power – power to rival a princess – she could be strong enough. Strong enough in what regard, you may ask? I don't know. Perhaps to be loved, although I wish I could have told her that was an unreachable dream for one as idiotic as her.

❂❂❂

Micah inhaled and pulled aside the curtains, entering the queen's pavilion. Ruta's servants carried large fans made from woven silk – mostly for decoration, Micah presumed. The queen herself lounged on her throne, wearing attire that most Meyans would have fainted over, and he found himself averting his eyes with a blush. Angella should have come with him – Micah was no prude, but how was her scanty garb appropriate for a discussion of foreign policy?

"Ah, King Micah!" Ruta cried, descending from her throne. Her rayon skirts and scarves trailed across the floor. "It is an honor to meet you at long last."

Micah decided he wouldn't correct the royalty who called him king anymore. "Queen Ruta. I came to have an urgent discussion about the Rebellion with you."

The queen's red lips parted, and she fidgeted with her platinum-blonde hair. "The Rebellion?" she echoed. "What about it?" Gesturing to a table, they sat down, and she offered him some fruit.

Micah took it, forcing himself not to wolf it down as he kept his eyes on the thick foliage around them. "You were with the Alliance when Light Spinner came to declare Mystacor's neutrality. I was a child then. But I would like to know why you joined them in the first place."

He'd meant to ask so he could better understand how to argue, hoping Ruta wouldn't notice. Instead, the queen laughed. "You might ask why I don't join your alliance now, instead."

"I'd...like to hear the answer to the first question instead. I'm more curious about that one."

"Might as well," she said casually, eating a plum and wiping her stained fingers daintily. "I joined because Dryl promised to protect us if we would provide the Rebellion with food. Princess Talyn and her sister are quite close with me, you see. I'm happy to help them, but Dryl doesn't want to be involved in your Rebellion. They're afraid you'll use dark magic to influence their technology."

"That won't happen," Micah said firmly. "I don't know how to use dark magic."

Queen Ruta's dark eyes glittered. "But you have cast a dark spell, haven't you, boy?"

A leader must take responsibility. But should he take the bait? "Yes," Micah said in a small voice. "But I regret my mistake – Light Spinner, she...did bad things as well."

"I know. That is why we cannot join, especially not without Dryl. Angella herself trusted that woman, and it ended poorly." She tilted her head. "I dislike speaking in blunt terms. But I must know. What happens if we trust you, and the same disaster happens again?"

Micah couldn't think about that right now. Stupid. "What can I say to convince you to join?"

"Prove that you can end the war without bloodshed."

"Ruta, war has bloodshed."

"You could always negotiate with Hordak. All leaders can be reasonable, with the right motives."

Micah slammed his fists down on the table, shocking the queen. "He has an enforcer who can use dark magic – she calls herself Shadow Weaver. The Horde has no motive. They only know how to destroy."

"Then we cannot win by acting just like them." Ruta frowned at him. "You will not win me over by passion, but by truth. Calm your temper."

Micah sighed, clenching his fists. "I'm sorry," he said. "But if Dryl joined, would you follow?"

Ruta thought for a moment. Then she sighed. "We cannot. I made a rash mistake before, and I will not endanger my people at the hands of those who use the ends to justify their wicked means. I'm sorry – you seem like an honest person. But that is my decision."

Micah sighed. "Ruta –"

"I will not be swayed. You waste time staying here. First, pursue Dryl. If you wish to convince me, Princess Talyn must write to me with her arguments. Only then might I change my mind."

"Then your challenge is accepted. And if you won't join us, that's your choice." Micah rose. "Good day, Queen Ruta."

She did not respond, and Micah sensed their meeting was over. Now he had to figure out the isolated kingdom of the mountains – Dryl, where the most brilliant inventors on Etheria resided.

✧✧✧

Nell arrived at Thaymor, his medical staff in the carriage behind him. Though Micah had insisted that the people had been safely hidden in the cellars during the battle – the civilians had built them in response to frequent Horde attacks – Nell knew there would be injuries. The village only comprised around a thousand people, but that didn't mean the cellars would be big enough to hold them.

The carriage stopped, and Nell exited with his med-pack. His eight paramedics, five morticians, and two apprentices followed him, awaiting orders.

Nell looked toward the wreckage. "The relief crews will be here shortly," he said. "Find any bodies and injured folk and bring them to me." He took a flag with a blue ring – the Meyan symbol for medicine – and placed it in a clearing.

The paramedics rushed into the burnt buildings; Nell gazed around at the wreckage. No...not everyone had made it into the cellars. He walked around the buildings – a schoolyard – and heard coughing. Opening the gate, he found a small figure lying in the burned grass.

Nell bent down. A Thaymorese girl lay there, her colorful skirts burned. Her goatlike face was expressionless as she gazed up at him with large blue eyes that mirrored his own.

"Will I...die?" she whispered. She couldn't be older than twelve.

"No," Nell said firmly, inspecting her for wounds with Spectacancy. Listening to the magic deep within her blood and system, he pinpointed several fractured bones. One of the breaks was compound, the bone protruding from her body.

Nell forced himself not to grimace; he'd seen these injuries before, but they didn't get any easier to look at. He picked up the girl, who began to cry as he jostled her fractures. "Shhh," he soothed her. "I'm going to help you, alright? But you've got to trust me."

The words sounded hollow. Nell was abruptly brought back to his request, five years ago. A wretched request...

Focus! He chided himself harshly, bringing the girl to his apprentice. "Magnus, stop the bleeding and treat her for shock." The paramedics brought several people from the burned building, many of whom had severe injuries. Nell would help them in a moment; for now, he had to attend to the little girl.

She sobbed as Magnus applied pressure to the compound fracture. Nell allowed her to grip his hand. How could someone be so evil? he wondered. He was brought back to Micah's revelation that he had been shot in the arm, by a strange weapon known as a gun, when he was only thirteen. The Horde had a habit of injuring or killing children, if they didn't kidnap them to be used as soldiers.

Nell was glad the gun hadn't been used on this little girl – a weapon that could spit metal at blinding speeds shouldn't have even existed. "What is your name?" he said softly.

As Magnus elevated her legs, she sniffled. "Arlina." Nell fished out a sleeping tonic; he would need her to be relaxed for when they realigned her fracture. The medical center in Thaymor had been partially burned down, but it still housed the tools and environment Nell needed to perform the surgery.

"Drink this," he said to her, using gentle tones. "It'll make you sleepy." As she downed the little vial, Nell sighed softly, grieved at the destruction he was in the midst of.

He smoothed the satyr's hair as her Spectacantic signal lapsed into unconsciousness. Nell had been a doctor for well over a decade, but he hadn't gotten used to the wrenching of his heart when someone was injured. People had died while under his care before, and while he couldn't control everything, he wished he could have done something.

Something to change the past. Something to change who he was.

❂❂❂

Did you know...

- Nell might be my favorite character in this story. Every character has a piece of me, of course, but he is very similar to me in his character conflict. You'll see why in later chapters.

- I really wanted to have an excuse to name a character "Magnus". Don't judge me.

Tell me what you think...

- What might Nell mean by "changing the past" and "changing who he is"?