By the third day Lython got fed up with trying to end the curse. He had asked everything he could think of and nothing more had changed, he was starting to get irate. His supply of water was running dangerously low so he headed into the town on a mission. He glanced at a few houses and then decided to try the palace. Kings usually keep large stores of supplies at hand. Of course, if it had really been that long then the reserves could be gone. Lython entered the palace and headed towards the center. The empty halls did not bother him as much as the first time, but he still kept his wits about him. He eventually found the kitchen, but no casks of any sort. He searched in that general area but found nothing. Getting disgruntled he decided to visit the king. When he reached the doors to the throne room he was vaguely surprised that the guard wasn't there. He went in and saw the king slouched on the throne. He approached, "Majesty," he didn't look well. "Do you need some food? I have some venison that I can bring you...Sir?" Lython reached up and nudged Tirchian. The king fell off the throne and crashed to the floor. The scepter tumbled along the tile and the clinking sounds echoed around the chamber.

"Oh, no." Lython checked the king. He was dead.

Lython half fell to the floor and stared at nothing. Assuming the guard had left, or died also, Pelnary was the only member of the kingdom left.

"Ashes. Blood and ashes," Lython quietly swore under his breath.

Eventually Lython got himself together. He spent the rest of the day searching every nook and cranny of the palace. He found many things, jewels and such, which normally he would have taken pleasure in procuring. But it never once crossed his mind. Sure he could grab the goods and run. There were other lakes, other realms, he would be very wealthy with what he could carry out of here, but there was a riddle to be solved and he wanted to solve it. Besides, he had a standard for thievery, and this place was far too easy.

Lython took the buckets he had gathered and headed to the base of the mountain. His hope was that it would rain soon, and he didn't want to put them near Pelnary in case she was obligated to knock them over. What he was really doing was avoiding her. How do you tell an invisible woman that she is the sole person left from a kingdom, especially when she can't leave the shores of the lake?

Lython sat at his camp and stared out at the lake. He didn't know if Pelnary could see him or not, but it didn't really matter. He had found some bottles of wine stashed in the palace and he decided to get drunk rather than deal with the problem at hand. He knew he would pay for it tomorrow, but giving bad news to someone hung over seemed better than sober. Then again, maybe an animal would wander by and kill him in his sleep.

Pelnary took the news well, or so Lython assumed. He found it difficult to relate to someone he couldn't see. Much of his talents relied on visual interpretations of a persons actions and reactions, and since Pelnary was a princess, she was very good at keeping her voice steady. Still, it was another two days before she spoke to him again.

"Why do you stay?" A soft voice said at Lython's left ear.

"Aaah!" He screamed as he jerked awake.

"Put your sword down."

Lython looked around, remembered where he was at and sheathed his sword. The sun was close to setting so he went to the fire pit and started positioning some branches.

"Why are you still here?" The voice wasn't as close this time.

Lython got the flames going before answering, "I'm not sure. More the mystery than anything, I think."

"Really?" She sounded skeptical.

Lython shrugged, "I want to solve the puzzle."

A voice nearby grunted, "I've seen your type before. You're more a thief than anything, how many places have you been chased out of?"

Lython just stared at the lake, he hated not being able to see her and read her expressions. "If that were true then I would have left by now. You are it, Princess. There is no one else. If I were a common thief I would have taken everything I could and been long gone."

Lython thought he heard a sigh somewhere in the distance, but it might have been the wind.

Another week passed and Lython was finally content in the situation. It had rained a few days back so he had plenty of water (he had a line of more than twenty buckets back near the mountain) he could easily catch any food he needed, and the princess was decent company. Not being able to see her was a pain, but he was adapting. Without any physical presence to get in the way, Lython had finally found someone to have a normal conversation with. Before he had always been to preoccupied trying to get a woman into bed with him, now he was happy to talk.

Then came the question, again. "Why do you stay?"

"The puzzle."

"But you haven't tried to figure that out in days."

"Sometimes you have to not think about something to find an answer."

"Is it the possible glory, 'Look at me, I saved a kingdom?'”

"No!"

"Then what? You are obviously not going to solve my curse."

"It's...comfortable here. No pressures of every day life."

"No one trying to kill you?"

He chose to ignore that, "There's no games, no competition. Nothing but nice scenery, relaxation and good company."

"That's it?!? The flora looks good, and you like talking to me?”

"Well..."

"What's the longest you ever stayed in one place?"

Lython tried to think.

"It's the hero bit, isn't it?"

"No..." he said weakly.

"Then why are you here?" she demanded.

"Because I love yo..." he trailed off. Bloody ashes, he thought, is that why I'm here?

"What did you say?"

Lython tried to collect himself. His mind raced as he attempted to decipher what he was feeling. "I love you," he said very quietly. Then louder, "I don't know how or why, but I love you." It was a sensation very new to him.

Suddenly a woman appeared in front of him. She was wearing a smile like the sun. Lython just took the image in, his mind racing to understand everything that was happening. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything Pelnary grabbed him and kissed him.

After a few moments the princess stepped back. "Thank you," she breathed.

Lython still just stared at her, his mind was slowly working its way through the process. "You're welcome," was what it came up with for a response.

Pelnary smiled and Lython's heart ached at her beauty, "I must go to the palace."

This Lython understood, "Let me get my things."

"No." Lython's head shot up. "You cannot accompany me."

Lython immediately noticed the regal tone. "What?"

"I must go and try to rebuild my realm. You are a thief and must leave."

Lython's mouth opened and closed a few times as he tried to speak. When his voice would not come, he gathered up his gear and left. He went to his camp on the mountain, packed it up and headed away. He didn't know where he was going, nor did he care. It wouldn't have mattered because he couldn't see through the tears streaming out of his eyes.

Pelnary opened the door to the throne room and silently stepped inside. It had been a long time, but she wasn't concerned with that. She looked at her father. He was supine on the floor with a cloak draped over him. She walked up to him and pulled the shroud back. Tirchian looked peaceful, his arms were crossed on his chest and his scepter was between his hands.

The princess bent down and gently kissed her father on the forehead. She whispered something in his ear then went upstairs. She entered her room and looked around, it would have been good to be back if it had been under different circumstances. She opened her window and went out on the trellis, from there she could see half the realm and the lake. But all she stared at was the mountains, while one single tear fell down her cheek.

© 2009 Ravenai