Word had reached High Princess Shi'Nayne that her mother had somehow made it back to Rhydin. What baffled her to the ninth degree was the lack of *seeing* her mother. Why hadn't she come home? Why hadn't she tried to contact her? She'd been gone for over 2 years with nary a word of how, what, when, where or why? Well she knew some of it. Just not all of it. So many mixed reports, plus what little her mother told her before leaving.

Nayne knew her mother had been searching for her step-father, Arch Fane. Of course he was more of a father to her then her birth father. Arch had raised her and her siblings alongside her mother for many peaceful years. But for some reason the word peace doesn't seem to stay with you if you are a drow, or in her case half drow.

"Send word to my sister in Babylon that mother has been seen..."

"No need sister, I have heard the news. You'd have to be deaf not to hear the servants? excited chatter. Something has happened to mother, I have tried to communicate with her and I get nothing. I can feel her life force but that is it."

Shi'Nayne narrowed her eyes once she heard this news from her sister, Elvanshalee. "Well I guess that would explain why she hasn't made it home yet."

"Hmmm, yes I would say so. But, there is something else." Shalee's voice was a bit concerned yet playful all at the same time.

"Oh please Shalee out with it. I've no time for games this day."

"Well, it would appear that our step-father Arch Fane is alive as well. When I searched for mother's life force I found him in her proximity."

"Are you sure? Are you serious? Father is with her?" Nayne's voice sounded totally stunned by this news.

"Of course I am sure. He is our father after all; I would know his life reading anywhere. It's the first time I've felt it in a long time. That's why I came to the surface from Babylon to share this news with you directly."

"This is excellent news. Just excellent. Now if we could find our dear brother Sabrar, life would be perfect."

With this Shalee snorted, "Right, like you are going to find that weasel. He's the main reason mother has been gone like this, I wouldn't doubt if he had something to do with father's departure as well."

"He has been lead a stray Shalee. I refuse to give up hope on him. We are triplets, we have a bond. That is something no one in the end can take away from us. He will return."

"You are such an optimist Nayne, I'm sure he will return. But not in the way you'd wish it. I must go back to Babylon. With our birth father plane hopping to god knows where, someone has to run that city. If I don't things in the Underdarke will get nasty."

"Yes, yes...I know. Same with Mana. The natives are getting restless. I think we should wait for mother to make her appearance. Things may not be as them seem."

"Hmmm, yes I agree. Let's go about our daily business and when she's ready...she'll come home."

"Agreed Shalee. Agreed. Let me know if you need anything."

"Don't I always?" Shalee said with a smile, then teleported back to the depths of the Underdarke where the City of Babylon resided.

Shi'Nayne watched her sister port away with a small smile gracing her lips. Sometimes her sister was just too much! Now if she could get her mother home, that would be one more step to getting her family back together.

Ok so riding out in the freedom of the world was just freakin' fantastic! Of course what she wasn't expecting was the fantastically horrible rain storm to come barreling down upon her out of nowhere. "By all that's holy! How did I manage to get myself into this!" Her voice was lost in the thralls of a violent thunderstorm as she tried to find some sort of shelter. Before she knew it, she was dead lost. Nowhere to run too, nowhere to hide. Shi'Nayne got off her mare and led her by the reins, head down against the wind and blinding rain.

Onward she stumbled into the night, slipping and sliding.

Bad rain was one way to think of this storm, but all out blinding was more like it. If it was the rain blowing in her face it was the lightning bolts making you see spots for several long seconds after each blast.

"Jade, I'm so sorry girl. I hadn't thought it would be like this." If her mare could have heard her, maybe she would have whinned a response but at this time the princess's words were gone with the wind.

It was at that opportune moment she stepped into a gopher hole, sending wrenching pain up Shi'Nayne's leg. It surprised her so much that she actually yelled out in pain. Normally her warrior instincts would have never allowed such a lapse. What if an enemy was nearby and heard her? Not likely in this storm, but you never knew.

"By all that's holy!" Shi'Nayne snarled in pain, "Let's just wake up the entire forest why don't we huh, Nayne?" She hobbled forward, obviously having a nasty sprain in her left ankle. As she moved forward the eyes of the pack followed her, the wolves encircling the unknowing princess and now their prey was injured. All the better. The blood lust of the upcoming kill sending shivers thru the pack. The 8 or so wolves would have a nice dinner tonight. The howl was not lost in the wind as her words had been, Shi'Nayne lifted her head and real fear gripped her heart. Had she not been injured it wouldn't bother her as much. She closed her eyes and called a ball of light into the cup of her hand. Hopefully the light would scare them away. She doubted it, but it was worth a try.

"I should have left the light out, Jade." She could see the light reflect back 8 pairs of eyes from various places, completely surrounding her. All glowing with a light of their own. "This is not good, not good at all."

Think think think!

She summoned a wall of force behind her, this would make the wolves attack from the front instead of behind her. As soon as her words of magic had begun, the wolves surged forward...three slamming into the wall, causing them to cry out in confusion, but enraging them all the more. Balls of magic missils flowed from her fingertips burning their fur but not slowing them down. No more spells could be cast now, her other spells would cause her harm if she used them in this close of a range. No now it was time for hand to hand combat. She didn't expect to see the morning.

As the bubble engulfed her, Shi'Nayne almost bolted but knew this obviously wasn't the work of the wolves. They were here looking for easy prey, it was all part of the balance of nature. Thankfully she wasn't in that *balance* right now. After it was all said and done, the bubble now gone, the wolves dispatched, the rain still pelting down, her ankle throbbing and her faithful horse by her side...there stood a man, with obvious concern for her well being. She'd never seen him before and found it quite enchanting for some odd reason.

She opened her mouth to speak and winced in pain as she tried to take a step forward in an effort to thank him and only nodded in answer.

She hesitated for only a moment, knowing that she was at his mercy...given the circumstances of all the events surrounding this rather odd night. Shi'Nayne let him put her on her horse, who eyed him completely. Being a warhorse they would defend their owner until death, but in this instance the mare simply stood and allowed it. It wasn't long before he was leading them through the forest and back to this cave he'd spoke of.

Shi'Nayne rode in silence, not sure what to do at this point and time. She was in the hands of a stranger and for some reason it really didn't bother her. Which in itself made no sense. It was obvious by his questions that he didn't know who she was. He had no idea at all. Which made it even odder for her. Someone out there, nice and caring for another person? Wow...what a concept!

"I...ummm...went out for a ride this afternoon. Didn't see the storm and while I was out in the middle of it, I stepped in a hole and twisted my ankle. Nothing very dramatic, well that is...until the wolves showed up. They caught me off guard." Now she wondered how much of her magic he'd witnessed. She was nothing like her sister Elvanshalee who studied magic...her's came naturally and she really didn't have a big arsenal of spells to back her, not like her sister.

She blushed just a bit when he asked about her destination, "Well right now I am lost because of the storm and yes I'm famished. But, I wouldn't want to take away from your supplies. I wasn't supposed to be out overnight. The castle can't be far from here." She grew silent for a moment, hoping she hadn't give out too much information. As her hair dried out by the warmth of the fire, the color of the rich silver started to shine once again, which was a startling contrast to her bright green eyes.

"My name is Shi'Nayne. I never really thanked you for saving me from the wolves."

She actually blushed a little when he spoke about sharing a meal with her. This kind of man just didn't appear out of nowhere. Where had he been her entire life? Oh yes, that's right she'd been stuck behind the walls of a castle.

"Toren? Interesting name. Do you live nearby? I've not seen you around before."

Yes, good Shi'Nayne...What a horrid pick up line and that name. Familiar? Perhaps.

When he asked about the land and then the rulers of the area, she almost choked on her cheese. So it was obvious to her at that time that he had NO idea who she is in reference to Mana. So now, to tell the truth? That probably wouldn't be a good idea, all things considered. Yes, he had helped her, but she was at his mercy given her injured ankle and their current residence.

"You are in a place called Mana or Lands of Mana to others. The ruler is Queen Samleanus Naisin Fane. The castle can't be too far from here since that is the general area from where I came. Most of the people of this land live within a 10 mile radius of the castle or out in the wilds. There are a few small towns scattered about, but not many. The people of Mana respect the land, they understand that they are guests let by the grace of the Land to live here." By the end of her little commentary, her voice had grown rather serene as she described her land to the newcomer.

Ok, as soon as they got close to the castle the entire thing would be over, he would find out her true indentity. Not that she hadn't told him her name or the actual ruler of Mana. She'd just left out the part that she was the Queen's daughter and current ruler while her mother was absent.

"What kind of information are you looking for? I might be able to help you. There is a library within the castle, an extensive one. Knowledge is not with held from the people. It is encouraged."

Shi'Nayne tilted her head just so with an odd little smile gracing her lips. "Toren? You are not from here, yet you are looking for family? What is their name, you might be surprised with the knowledge I have."

"Ok...How do you know what to look for if you only know your own name from the very beginning? Plus, how would you know to look here, in Mana? I would like to help the man who saved me in the forest." He seemed so sincere, so honest, so trust worthy? Is it possible to find these qualities in another human being?

"Toren," she took a deep breath and knew she was seriously going to be in for it, but what the heck...just as she was about to plunge in, she noticed something rather unusal. "There isn't a stream in here is there? Oh good grief, the cave is starting to flood!"

Shi'Nayne sat there totally stunned by the magics she had just witnessed. For once the princess was at a loss for words. This was just...simply...amazing.

"Toren, I don't know what to say. Why I haven't seen magic like that since Uncle Michael." She'd brought her fingers up to her lips looking at everything in wonder. "I've seen magic before, of course...but not like this." She studied him closer all of the sudden seeing him in a different ligiht, "Toren...who are you?"

Shi'Nayne listend to him and watched his face, he certainly seemed sincere in what he was saying to her.

"Toren, you getting help from your sword does not sound weird." Here she enhaled, "My mother's sword helps her all the time. Eternity. My mother is Queen Samleanus."

"Shhhh, don't tell anyone I'm a princess. It'll ruin my reputation!" Her green eyes twinkling a bit, "Don't worry, I don't bite and neither does my mother. When she's around that is. Like I said the library is extensive. I will help you Toren. It's the least I can do, given the circumstances. Besides, you really do seem, so...Honest."

"It seems familiar to me, but I can't place it...This medallion of yours. Perhaps I've seen it somewhere before...but I honestly don't remember. Oh and out here....Shi'Nayne please...No highness...It's just us here. I'm not much on formalities."

"House of Light? No I've never heard of that. I mean we have different houses within the realm. We also have a Clan House that was once very prominent in the area. Oh and there's the different schools of magic. But no House of Light."

"Well you can't loose your mind, not when you perform such beautiful magic. That was quite beautiful you know and I should be the one thanking you, not the other way around. We'll ride to the castle in the morning. Jade will be able to carry both of us without a problem. Would you like to go to the library first?"

"So you honestly think, that the man who saved my life is going to stay at an inn? Right. Sure. Keep dreaming Toren. You will stay in the guest room at the castle. It'll put you in easy access of the library and should you need me, I'll be there as well. Once we reach the castle, the clerics will be able to heal my ankle for me. I'll be right as rain in no time."

"Toren," she reached out and placed a comforting hand upon his arm, "No worries, I will help you. Mana is not a place of evil, Mana is a place where we live together with nature and care for the land with which with live. If your journey has led you here and your past lies within my family's realm, I will help you in any way that I can. Perhaps I can contact my mother and see if she is coming back to the castle any time soon. She has not been on this plane for some time and has only just returned."

"Yes but what about you? What happens when the fire gets low? I would not feel right taking your blanket, not when you've given me a bed with pillows. You should at least take the blanket. Please."

After the trials of such a long day, she found herself drifting off to sleep with Toren's comforting words soothing her. She almost wondered if he was casting a spell on her to help her rest. Amazing how she was putting trust in a stranger, especially now that he knew her true identity.

"Hmmm...yes I suspect it will be," she mumbled then fell into a deep sleep.