Their first stop the next day was a local clothing vendor Helena recommended. While the Inn was providing water and whatnot for washing, everyone except Mercy was quite tired of wearing the clothes they had on. True to her word, Helena helped them haggle, using the story about the fire as the impetus for extra low prices and even some free hand-me-downs.

After lunch and a much appreciated change of clothing, they headed to the Magistrate's office to find out what property was for sale.

"I didn't expect to have you move into town so soon, Dadus!" the Magistrate exclaimed, coming around his desk to shake hands.

"Well, Charles, I wouldn't be moving now except my home has burnt to the ground," Dadus explained with a strained voice.

"To be honest, Sir," Matt said a scowl on his face and venom in his words, "it was arson, and we suspect a certain unhappy mother, but we have no proof."

The Magistrate placed a hand on his old friend's shoulder, "I am so sorry, Dadus. You've lived in that house since you were a boy. It must be hard for you."

Dadus took in a deep breath and sighed. "Aye. It's hitting me more now than it has been. Today, I am thinking about all the memories... all my mother's things... all my books and maps... they're gone." He mopped his face with a handkerchief.

"Well, it's a good thing you grabbed your coin before escaping."

"Yes, a splendid thing indeed," Dadus agreed, not explaining about his mother.

"I can help you spend some of that money, if you're ready to look at a few homes that are for sale. I'll take you around myself."

"That would be kind of you, Charles," Dadus said, nodding.

There were three places to look at, but only one of them had a yard the size that Dadus wanted for a garden. The Magistrate introduced Dadus to the owners and they haggled on a price. Once in agreement, the parties exchanged money and they set the terms of the family to vacate.

The four young people left Dadus in Johanna's care the following morning as they left on the journey to the pods. It took them a full day to reach them. Matt and Helena would camp for the evening, then return the next dawn.

Matt and Lance thumped each other on the back. They said little, but communicated much, in that way that twins have. Helena gave Mercy a shy hug, then Matt bear hugged her. "Bring Jasmine back with you, right?"

Mercy beamed at the thought of seeing her love again. "Yes! Of course!"

"Are you ready?" Lance asked, standing beside his pod.

"As I'll ever be," Mercy replied and clamored into hers. As soon as she did, the lid closed and she experienced the same wild ride that she had before. After the final bump, the geode opened and they found themselves in the Tome's chamber once more.

The candles were once again lit, still stalwart and bright once more, and the way out was clear. It took very little time to exit the great tree. Finally, in the dark of the night, they came to the small candle-lit temple.

The Priestess was there to meet them. "Have you completed your quest, Mercy?" she asked.

Mercy scowled. "Well, I figure you already know that I haven't."

The Priestess chuckled. "On that, you are correct. You still have time, though," she said, nodding to the satchel of stardust bobbins and moonlight dress Mercy had slung across a shoulder. "Now, come in; let me feed you and you can stay for the night."

Once fed, the two of them turned in, Mercy taking the room on the right. She fell asleep quickly. It was a surprise when the Priestess called out her name, asking her if she wanted breakfast.

"Yes, please, that would be generous of you."

Lance's clothes were wrinkled and his hair was messy. He yawned and his bleary eyes teared up from it.

"You look like you didn't sleep much, Lance," Mercy said as she ate.

He shrugged. "I guess not," was all that she managed to get out of him. She caught him, however, looking in her direction frequently.

The two of them saddled their waiting horses from the paddock and took the lead of the third as they headed down the road toward Oak Grove. Mercy tried to engage Lance in conversation, but he didn't seem interested in talking. Eventually, she became tired of trying to pull a remark, or any statement at all, from him and kicked her horse to increase its pace. Soon, Lance had done the same, riding beside her.

"What will you do if she doesn't want to come back with you?" Lance asked quietly, at last breaking his self-inflicted vow of silence.

"What?" Mercy asked, bouncing gently in the saddle.

"What will you do if Jasmine doesn't want to go to Stormhaven?"

"Oh. Um. I guess I haven't thought that far ahead. I suppose that I will stay wherever she is."

Lance lapsed back into his morose mood for a few moments.

"I'll miss you," he said, voice rough.

Mercy's eyes narrowed. This behavior was very unlike Lance. "I'll miss you too..." she said with caution. "What's up with the melancholy all of a sudden?"

"I—I just want you to come and live in Stormhaven with us, that's all," he said, shifting in the saddle.

"You know I will, unless she puts her foot down. But, honestly, I don't know of anything that would keep her here, except her parents. Surely, she'll see reason; I need to be close to Johanna and Helena to fulfill my talent."

He nodded, "Right." He stood in his stirrups, stretching, then settled back into the rhythm of riding, shoulders hunched.

"Okay, look, Lance, I know something's wrong," Mercy said. "What is it?"

He looked at her then and held her gaze for a moment before turning away. "Nothing important."

"Whatever, you oaf. Be that way," she said before spurring her horse even faster to a near trot. She could hear Lance not far behind her, but he didn't catch up to ride alongside.

The landscape looked more and more familiar until the gates of Oak Grove came into view.

"Mercy Lane!" shouted a guard, a young man she'd attended school with. "You've been gone for a while! Did you come home for the big wedding?"

"Wedding? What wedding?"

"Jasmine! She's marrying a Prince! I thought everyone had heard about it."

His words struck Mercy dumb, her heart pounding in her chest. Her stomach bunched up and rolled.

"Did you say that Jasmine is getting married?" Lance asked the guard.

"Yep! She got her letter about a month ago and the Prince insisted on marrying her on the spot when he arrived."

Mercy spurred her horse on, bolting through the gate and into the township, riding as fast as she dared, forcing the people in the street to give way for her.

"Mercy!" Lance called after her, but she left him behind.

The town, decorated and bedecked in items saved only for the great festival they had once a year, was beautiful, but Mercy saw none of it. The closer she got to her beloved Jasmine's home, the more stately the unseen decorations became until, at the door, she found members of the royal guard.

She threw herself off her horse and ran for the door. A guard stepped into her path. "And where do you think you're going?"

"I want to see Jasmine! Let me pass!"

"And you are...?"

"I'm Mercy Lane. She'll see me, just let me pass."

"Mercy, you say? Hold for a moment."

The guard slipped inside. Mercy tied to see around him as he did, only to have the door closed firmly in her face. The other guard pulled her away. She yanked her arm from his grip to wait on the lawn.

The guard reemerged and Mercy strode forward again. "Let me pass," she demanded.

The guard handed her a letter, sealed with wax imprinted with Jasmine's personal emblem. "She asked that you be given this, then be encouraged to leave."

"What?" Mercy said, looking wide-eyed at the guard. "She won't see me?"

"She will not."

"I don't understand."

"I believe that she explains it in the letter."

Mercy looked down and cracked the wax as Lance arrived at the front gate. He dismounted swiftly and hitched the three horses to the post.

"Mercy? Are you okay?" he called.

She waved him away as she read the letter.

My Dearest Mercy,

If only you were here to speak to in person... but I cannot do so since the Prince has arrived. As you have found by now, I am to be married. I received my letter some weeks after you departed. Imagine my shock at being the betrothed of one of the Royal Family!

There are many things that I could write... so many things I want to say... but what would be the use? I cannot say no to the Prince. We both know that; there is no quest that would be granted to me as it has been to you. And so I ask that you go about your life and forget me, as best you can.

I love you with all my heart, and I want this to be different, but such is our fate.

Goodbye Mercy.

All my love,

Jasmine

Mercy sobbed and held her face in her hands as she cried. Lance rushed to her side and caught her as she crumbled.

"Oh, Mercy, I'd not wish things to end this way in a million years."

"Lance," Mercy said, her reddened eyes implored, "what am I going to do?" Her voice was faint and raspy. "There's no saying no to a Prince, Lance."

"I'm so sorry, Mercy, but we both know it's true."

A fresh wave of tears overtook her and she clung to her friend who held her with all his might.

"You two!" the guard called. "Move along! We can't have that here. This is a joyous occasion!"

"Come on, Mercy, let me take you home," Lance said, gathering her up and helping her mount once again.

He rode, leading not only Matt's horse, but hers. She sat in the saddle, wilted and bewildered, staring at the ground as it slipped past.

It was an awkward trip through the rest of the town, both physically with the horses and emotionally with Mercy in shock. Her mother, spying them as they drew near, came running.

"She's heard, then?" she asked Lance.

He nodded, "Yes. We just came from the Magistrate's house. Jasmine wouldn't see her."

"Well, how could she?" she said as she turned to her daughter. She tugged on Mercy's hand. "Come on, Mercy, come inside."

Mechanically, Mercy dismounted and allowed her mother to lead her into the house. Her mother attempted to comfort her, but she headed to her room and threw herself on the bed to cry anew.

Lance peeked over her mother's shoulder at Mercy. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

"The only thing I can do... let her cry herself out." She turned from the doorway, closing the door behind her and the two of them went back to the front room.

The door, nor her tears, were enough to keep Mercy from hearing them.

"So, tell me, what of her quest?" her mother asked.

Lance sighed. "Let's sit and I'll share everything."

"Wait, let me fetch her father, too."

In a short while, the three of them sat at the table sharing a meal. Mercy heard as Lance began telling them about the quest. She fell asleep to the sound of his voice, waking up several hours later only to find him still talking.