Edward stared out the window of the small room. Everyone was asleep on the floor around him, but he hadn't even been able to close his eyes. He shifted restlessly; the heat in the tiny room made him uncomfortable. At last he kicked the blanket aside and laid in the darkness, listening to Rydia snoring lightly next to him. Near the door of the room, Edward could see the shadowy outline of his harp where he had leaned it against the wall. He thought for a moment…then sat up quietly…his ears strained to detect any sound of movement. All he heard was the light steady breathing of the others as they slept…he stood as softly as possible…still no sound of anyone wakening…He drew a deep breath and began to tip-toe with extreme caution past Rydia…

She stirred slightly…Edward froze…his heart began to pound…he imagined that she could probably hear his heartbeat and that would certainly wake her…

Presently her snoring resumed, and Edward sighed with relief and stooped down to retrieve his harp…he pressed it to his chest…the scarred wood bit into his fingers…he stepped quickly through the door and started down the narrow hallway…The elderly couple was nowhere to be seen…With painstaking care he reached the front door and slowly pushed it open…it gave a reluctant groan that seemed to echo through the Kaipo Desert…Edward's heart sank…he decided that he should just return to bed…someone would surely find him now…in the end he remained where he was…

After a few minutes passed there was no sound of anyone waking to inquire curiously of him…Edward stepped onto the porch into the moonlight and eased the door shut behind him…He stepped lightly down the front porch steps and gazed anxiously upon the streets of the tiny desert town…

No one was around…The small houses scattered around him were silent. The tents tossed haphazardly in convenient places were lifeless…Edward froze as he saw them because they looked oddly enough like people watching him in the moonlight…There were a few tall shadows in the center of the town where the only vegetation thrived…the trees and shrubs were nourished by the desert oasis which sparkled in the rays of the moons…

Edward approached the body of water and gazed at the bright ripples bouncing up and down on its surface. He dropped his harp into the grass at the water's edge and looked around at the green leaves surrounding him…after a moment he pulled the tattered shirt over his head and tossed it on the grass beside his harp…His bare feet rustled slightly as he stepped into the water at the edge of the oasis…despite the stifling air, the water of the oasis was cool…Edward knelt and scooped some into his hands then splashed it upon his face and hair…he shook his wet hair left and right; with a sigh he backed away from the pool, resting in the glistening green grass. He stared thoughtfully into the shimmering water…

"Anna, I miss you --"

His whisper startled him…he let it die away before he drew the harp into his lap and plucked a few strings. The sound hovered in the air for a moment…

"I wish…that I could see you again --"

His whisper penetrated the dark night…his fingers glided over the harp strings and a melancholy song drifted into the air…Edward smiled weakly as he played…

"Anna, do you remember when we sat on the shores of the gulf --"

His song floated away, dissipated…

"--And I would play the music while you sang?"

He gazed across the water…

"--You had such a beautiful voice…my love --"

Edward's eyes lowered to the ground sadly.

"--You had such a beautiful…voice…"

Hot tears suddenly sprang into his eyes and he blinked them away…

"Anna…I am so lonely here…without you…"

His fingers fell to his harp again…

Without warning a hand darted from the water's edge and clutched Edward's ankle…he recoiled in horror, biting hard into his lip to prevent a shout from escaping…The slimy hand held fast as Edward jerked his leg back…

During the struggle Edward caught the brief glimpse of a figure standing nearby…

He lashed out with the other foot frantically, striking the scaly head and its grip loosened for a moment, giving the prince a chance to turn aside and gape at the figure near him…

His mouth became as dry as cotton and his body felt cold when he saw the person in the shadows…

"Anna?!"

The young girl was standing beside a tree with her hand resting on its trunk…she smiled shyly when she saw him, and a light breeze whispered through the trees, making her long white dress flutter gently…there was not a trace of the deep red blood on her dress…Her hair seemed to absorb the moonlight… the way it shimmered as it fell around her face and over her shoulders…Edward thought her to be even more beautiful than he had ever seen her before…

"Edward…"

Her soft voice spoke at last.

"Anna!"

Edward looked at the water and drew back in disgust as a scaly face emerged from the water near his feet. Moonlight danced across the scales and droplets of water…and when the creature hissed threateningly between its fleshy lips, Edward saw the white glint of sharp teeth lining its mouth. A jagged fin rose from the creature's forehead and dangled over its head and down its back…It swiped at Edward with a clawed hand and the terrified prince snatched his harp into his hand and swung it at an arc toward the creature's head…the wooden body of the harp smashed into its forehead, splitting it open and sending dark blood pouring over the creature's face…It uttered a shriek and shrank away from Edward, who in terror kicked at it viciously with his heel…Blood spattered on his foot and leg and with a gurgling sound the monster sank back into the depths of the sparkling water…

After regaining his breath in ragged gasps, Edward turned back toward the trees.

"Anna --" he whispered, starting to rise and run to her side. She shook her head and extended her hand toward him.

"Edward…I shall not be here long…"

She took a step toward him…

"Why are you so upset, my love?"

Edward dropped to the ground, staring at her.

"Anna --"

A tear shimmered in the corner of his eye.

"--I am so alone here…"

He could hardly hear his own voice…to his surprise the smile on Anna's face changed to a look of dismay…

"Oh, Edward! Why do you doubt your own strength?"

She gazed at him with nothing but sympathy. Edward lowered his eyes briefly then looked at her again.

"My strength --" his lower lip trembled. "--My strength… is …gone, Anna --"

Her face fell…

"Surely you cannot --"

"--My strength and my heart are in the burial chambers of Damcyan!"

Edward stared at her earnestly…helplessly…His voice quivered but he didn't care…not as long as he was speaking to Anna…

"Edward, my love --" Anna spoke softly, taking another step toward him. "--We are bound by a power much greater than any vow taken on Earth…"

Tears trickled down Edward's face.

"--And that is why I can think of nothing else!"

He gazed at the girl with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I can…only be strong…when I think of you…Anna…"

She studied him closely…a tear shimmered in her eye.

"Please, Edward -- if it brings you strength…then think of me…"

Anna stepped closer…her feet made no sound in the grass…

"--If it brings you happiness, dream of me…"

She extended a hand toward the prince of Damcyan.

"--And if it brings you hope…pray for me…"

Tears poured down Edward's cheeks as she clasped his hand tenderly…her hand was so warm...so comforting…so alive…

"Edward, dear --"

Anna spoke again in a solemn voice.

"--Take the love you have for me and let it be your strength --"

She released his hand slowly...

"--Take my love and let it be your happiness --"

She backed away from him…

"--Let my love be your hope, Edward…"

The girl turned and started toward the trees…

"Anna!"

Edward leaned forward, reaching a hand out desperately…he still had not risen from the edge of the glistening water…

"Please!" he begged pitifully. "--Don't leave!"

Anna looked at him sadly.

"I must go now, Edward…"

She continued toward the trees.

"Anna! Don't leave me!" Edward sobbed wildly. The girl did not look back…she walked toward the trees…her white dress fluttered around her feet…

"Anna! Please!"

The prince was nearly shouting into the darkness. Anna arrived at the small grove of trees beside the oasis…Edward waved his arms frantically.

"Wait, Anna!"

Tears continued to stream down his pale cheeks.

"You mustn't leave now!"

As she approached the trees, she began to fade into the darkness…

"Anna! You cannot leave!" Edward cried hysterically after the figure of the girl…she was engulfed by the night.

"You don't understand, Anna!"

She was gone…Edward dropped his hands upon the ground in despair…

"Anna...you don't understand…"

He sobbed bitterly.

"The strength…I once possessed…was the strength…I found in you!"

The prince lay down on his stomach in the grass and tore into the dirt angrily with his fingers.

"You are my strength, Anna! Oh…dear God!"

He wept miserably into the earth…for how long he didn't know…he didn't care…he would have lain there forever if he did not feel suddenly weak and tired…exhausted…at last he raised himself and spoke calmly into the night:

"Anna…you've asked me to use my strength…"

There was something in his hand…he had not realized it until now…something cold bit into his palm…

"How will I know that one day my strength will not fail..?"

With tears in his eyes he glanced into his hand…

In the middle of his palm laid a gold wedding ring.

Edward clutched it to his chest and wept…

* * * * * *

Early the next morning Cecil awoke to a pleasant aroma drifting throughout the small room…a very unpleasant clanging dulled everything else…the noise was close to his head…He blinked sleepily several times…then yawned and stretched. He was stiff from sleeping on the floor, but he was nearly numb from the racket in the room…

…God…what is that..?

The noise was a sort of jangling and he groaned at last when he realized what it was…As he rolled over, the clanging abruptly stopped. Cecil sat up wearily and saw Rydia perched on the floor beside Edward, her hair disheveled and her shirt slipping off her shoulder; she was prodding Edward playfully and trying unsuccessfully not to laugh…When she noticed Cecil, she giggled loudly and continued to poke the prince of Damcyan in the side.

Cecil turned around and looked toward the bed where Rosa had been sleeping…She was leaning against the head of the bed with a few pillows stacked up behind her. When she saw Cecil, she smiled; he noticed that the color had returned to her face…and her lips were red rather than ashy gray…Cecil climbed to his feet and walked to the bedside…

"Rosa --"

He took her hand, speaking anxiously.

"--Do you feel better?"

She smiled again…her eyes shimmered brightly…the way Cecil always remembered them…

"I'm feeling better than --"

"Edward!"

Rydia's shrill voice interrupted Rosa. They spun around and saw Rydia tangled in a blanket, giggling wildly. Edward had without warning leaped up and thrown a blanket over her, and now he was wrestling fiercely to keep it over her head. She was laughing merrily and thrashing beneath the blanket and kicking at Edward.

"Rydia…you...need…to…OW!"

Rydia planted a well-aimed kick to his shin, and he clutched his leg, toppling to the floor. Rydia tossed the blanket aside and her grinning face emerged, flushed and excited. Edward smiled grimly:

"You win, Rydia…"

"I didn't think you'd EVER wake up, Edward!" she laughed breathlessly, leaping to her feet.

"Hey Rosa!"

She waved gleefully.

"Hey Cecil!"

They waved to the little girl. Rosa smiled.

"Rydia, how long have you been awake?"

The little girl dashed to the bed and leaped onto the corner of it.

"I woke up when those old people did!"

A thoughtful frown appeared on her face.

"Oh yeah!"

Her face glowed with excitement as if she remembered something important.

"They left --"

She sprang off the bed and stood in the middle of the room.

"--To do some work or something --"

With a small finger she indicated herself proudly.

"--And I'm supposed to give you a message!"

Everyone stared at Rydia expectantly. She cleared her throat deliberately.

"She told me to tell you that she's very sorry she left so soon, but she cooked some breakfast for us --"

Cecil finally recognized the aroma in the room.

"--And she said there's a trunk in here somewhere and we could have anything in it we want--"

Rydia indicated a wooden chest pushed into the corner of the room. She scrunched up her face pensively then beamed when she remembered.

"--And they said for us to BE CAREFUL!"

She smiled proudly. Rosa nodded.

"Well --" she started. "--I don't know about everyone else, but I could use some breakfast…."

Cecil agreed with a nod as she continued:

"I feel like I haven't eaten in days…"

Rydia nudged Edward with her foot.

"I'll race you to the table!"

She darted through the room, giggling. When they approached the table, Rydia's eyes opened wide. There were fluffy eggs and warm oatmeal, a bottle of creamy milk, a basket of buttery flaky biscuits, jars of fruit preserves and honey, and brown spicy sausages.

Rydia was the first to snatch a plate and ladle food onto it. The others followed a little reluctantly, but in the end they all ate with hearty appetites. Cecil ate slowly, deep in thought…distracted…

"Something tells me that we should've started sooner for the mountains…"

There was obvious regret in his voice. Rosa agreed.

"I just hope it won't be too late when we make it to Fabul…"

Rydia was scooping eggs with her fingers and shoving them into her mouth. Bits of egg stuck to her chin and cheeks, and she had acquired an honorable milk mustache.

"Rydia --" Rosa spoke, not unkindly. "--Why don't you try using your fork?"

Rydia's eyes lit up.

"Mmmkay, Rosa!"

She snatched a fork from the tabletop and chopped viciously into a sausage, sending bits of it airborne. At last she dropped the fork on the table and grabbed a handful of the pieces of sausage, shoveling them into her mouth.

"Mmmm...that does help, Rosa!" she declared, chewing thoughtfully. Rosa smiled. The prince of Damcyan shook his head and cut a dainty piece of sausage with his knife.

No one spoke for a while, but presently Cecil broke the silence…

"Edward --" he started seriously. "--How long will it take to get to Fabul?"

Edward pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"Well --" he gazed at the ceiling. "--From here even with the hovercraft and barring any accidents…we could make it there in a day in the very least…"

By his tone of voice Cecil knew he meant only by an act of God could they be there in a day…He sighed heavily…

"If only we could be there now…"

"It really all depends on the conditions in the mountains --" Edward continued, hoping not to discourage them. "--The snow, wind, cold…"

He shrugged.

"--These mountains are known for being unsurpassable at times --"

He shook his head immediately after he said it.

"--At most times…"

Edward paused and lifted a glass of milk. Rydia scanned the table and at last found what she was looking for. She reached energetically past Edward and snatched a biscuit from the basket beside him; in the process of retrieving a biscuit, her elbow smacked into Edward's arm, which held the glass of milk to his lips. The milk instantly poured into his lap and dribbled over his chin. Rydia didn't notice and leaned back in her chair, biscuit clutched in one hand…Edward was reaching for a napkin when Rydia looked at him…

"Edward!"

A piece of egg tumbled from the side of her mouth…She stared at the prince with a look of disapproval.

"You need to be more careful when you eat, Edward!"

She grabbed a napkin with her grubby hand. Edward shook his head in defeat.

"Isn't it the truth?"

Rosa smiled…

"Wait, Rydia!"

Edward was saying as Rydia wiped at his face with a napkin. He snatched it from her.

"Thank you…but I'll take care of it…"

Rydia frowned shortly then turned back to her plate with an eager smile. Cecil pushed his chair away from the table.

"Edward, are there paths through Mt. Hobs?"

He asked the question with very much concern.

"Do people travel through the mountains?"

Edward crumpled the wet napkin and tossed it onto the table.

"Very few, I think --" He paused then as an after thought: "--The only time people go through the mountains is during the Winter Festival for the dogsled races and other things like that --"

He shook his head ruefully.

"--But the races only take place if the weather permits…"

"Have the races been held recently?" Rosa asked, and the prince frowned.

"Not very recently --" he admitted regretfully. "--But we may find a few trails left in the mountains…"

Rydia dropped her fork to gape at Edward in disappointment.

"No one'll be there?"

Edward shrugged.

"I certainly wouldn't count on it…"

After a moment Cecil stood with a sigh…

"If it's going to be that cold we need to get some --"

Rydia raised her hand and waved it frantically.

"They said we could take anything we wanted out of the chest in the other room!"

She started to leap from the table but Cecil gestured for her to remain there.

"Rosa and I can see what's in the trunk --" he suggested hastily. "--Why don't you take these plates and clean --"

"They also said we could just leave our mess when we got finished --" Rydia declared with a vigorous shake of her head. She snatched a fork and promptly raked her leftover food onto the floor.

"--I want to!"

She reached eagerly for Edward's plate but the prince grabbed her wrist, gazing at the mess on the floor uncertainly.

"Err…Rydia…I am not quite sure that's what she meant…"

"Oh…" the little girl frowned then her eyes lit up and she darted into the other room with Rosa and Cecil. Rosa was digging deep into the chest but as she stood she seemed disappointed. She glanced at Cecil who shrugged.

"I guess we only have two cloaks to carry..."

She produced two thick cloaks, complete with hoods.

"We certainly will not need them now --"

Edward appeared in the doorway.

"--After all, we are still in the Kaipo Desert…"

Rosa started to agree, but Rydia piped up loudly:

"Edward! Those mountains are cold!"

She shook a finger at him angrily.

"You should listen better next time!"

He looked at her a moment then sighed.

"You are right…"

Cecil crossed the room and started toward the hall.

"We should leave now…we may be too late anyway…"

He hated the way it sounded but it was true…they quite possibly were too late...but there was nothing they could do but try to make it in time…They gathered whatever items they thought might be useful and solemnly filed out of the small house…