Darkness. All there was, was darkness. An empty void in a non-existent place. Not even wind breathed through this place. This was the place where magic was most potent. Even the smallest spark would ignite an explosion that could echo throughout worlds.
   A small flicker of colour seemed to appear amongst the eternal shadows, like a red star in the distance. This was followed by many others, stars of all colours, lighting the void like a sparking rainbow. You could almost hear them singing like angels. But this was interrupted by a sharp whistling, and two flaming balls of colour, one a deep purple, the other a glorious gold. They came from the distance, faster than anything should be able to, heading straight on a collision course. This was the kind of magic that, in this space, could be world-rending.
   They collided with a deafening screech, exploding into a bright white streak that reached into three worlds, linking them for less than a second before it vanished. But that small amount of time was all it took to be life changing.

*

   Ryan spread the blanket out on the grassy hillside, as Nessarisa placed their picnic basket on the floor, next to it. She looked out across the countryside and a smile crept to her lips. She loved this aspect of Ryan’s world. It was almost like her own world she had left behind, natural and free. Staring into the sky, she felt the sense of longing she often felt when she gazed upon those soft, gentle clouds. Oh, to be able to once more fly amongst them, the crisp breeze on her face, rustling her wings. But she couldn’t do that anymore. Not since what had happened. Not since she’d lost her wings, and her magic.
   “Nessa?” Ryan interrupted her thoughts, and she looked down to see him already sat on the blanket. Smiling at the sight of her lover’s face, despite having been with him all this time, she sat down next to him, snuggling into his arms.
   “I’m sorry,” he said, and she looked at him, confused.
   “What are you apologising for?”
   “I saw the way you looked at the sky. If it wasn’t for me you’d still be able to fly. You’d wouldn’t have had to leave your home.”
   “Ryan, it’s not your fault. It was my choice. I’d rather be with you as a human any day than without.”
He gave her an uncertain, but still comforting smile as she leant over and kissed him on the cheek.
   “Come on,” she continued, opening the basket. “Let’s not talk about that now. That’s not why we came here.”
Ryan poured her some wine and she sipped it delicately. It didn’t take them long to get started on the food, and the incident beforehand was soon forgotten.
   Her eyes drooping slightly, she leaned on Ryan’s chest, the relatively small amount of wine she’d had already going to her head. Giggling slightly, he wrapped a protective arm around Nessarisa.
   “Remind me not to give you alcohol again.”
   “I’m fine. I swear, I-”
Before she could finish her sentence, a white light ripped through the sky, and a heavy wind erupted around them. Her hair whipped her face, and she clutched Ryan tightly.
   “What’s going on?” she yelled through the increasing roar.
   “I don’t know.”
The light seemed to fly towards them at an alarming rate, and the wind ripped them from the ground. As they were thrown towards the light, the strength of the wind pulled them in all directions. Nessarisa clung to Ryan as tight as she could, but every second she could feel him slipping away.
   By now, the panic had set in, and tears were rolling, unbidden, down her cheeks, scarring her perfect skin. One final gust of wind rolled through, and her lover slipped from her grasp as she was smothered by the light. The air was forced from her lungs and she was thrown around, jolted in all directions, painfully. She couldn’t even see Ryan anymore by the time she lost consciousness.  

*

   The caravan rumbled across the plains of Erinherst as Flynn and Eira travelled to their next location. Business had been slow, though, ever since Eira’s magic had started to wane, so they were forced to sell what they could for actual money, but they didn’t mind. What they were getting at the end of it was far more precious.
   Unable to stop smiling, even after five months, Flynn pulled Eira closer, placing a loving hand on her swollen, pregnant tummy. She covered his hand with her own, weaving their fingers together. She smiled back. Even after all this time, his touch still made her heart skip a beat.
   A squawk sounded above them, as a magpie perched on the wooden caravan roof.
   “You two make me sick,” Maggie moaned, specifically eyeing the elf as he spoke.
   “You wouldn’t have a problem with it,” Flynn retorted, “if it was anyone other than me.”
   “Is it too much to ask that you two get on, for once?” Eira sighed, still smiling slightly. She knew they would never get on, though the magpie’s constant criticism of Flynn never ceased to annoy her, slightly.
   “I hope things will change after the wedding,” he muttered.
   “Wedding?” Rainbows flashed on the edges of her vision as her hair whipped around as she faced him.
   “Yes… don’t you…” he trailed off, sad thoughts apparent on his face.
   “Flynn,” Eira urged him, anxious to know what had upset him, “what is it?”
   “Oh, it’s nothing. I just keep forgetting that the customs of humans are different from those back in the Elfin-Land.”
   “Customs? Which customs? Flynn. What are you talking about?”
   “Nothing, it’s just that… when a couple conceive a child together back home, it is generally accepted that if they are in love enough to get so close, then they are in love enough to marry. And it’s tradition that they do. A pregnancy is like a marriage vow in itself - you may only marry your love if you bring promise of a family with it, and none who do that may marry. No matter how much they want to, or how hard they try. I guess I just assumed it was the same here. But if it’s not, I won’t force you into anything.”
Her heart hammered against her ribcage. He wanted to marry her? She had always assumed they would marry - after all, it may not be tradition, but it would be expected now. And had her father still been alive he would be nagging her, telling her that it was ‘time she got herself a husband’. But now Flynn actually mentioned it, she couldn’t help but be excited.
   “I will admit,” she said her voice shaking, and a grin spreading across her face, “your custom is not ours. But that doesn’t mean we can’t undertake it.”
He looked at her, apparently slightly confused.
   “Eira, are you saying that you want to…?”
She nodded, but before she could speak again, Flynn pressed his lips against hers, holding her tightly in his arms. When he finally released her, they were both smiling, especially Eira, hardly able to believe what was happening. I’m getting married, she thought mentally pinching herself. This had to be a dream.
   “So,” she stammered, barely able to contain her excitement. “When would your people traditionally hold the wedding?”
   “About a month after the birth.”
   “So then, that gives us approximately five months to organise this. Should we go back to your land? After all, I imagine the weddings of our people differ greatly. Besides, I have no family here, and I’m sure your family will want to attend.”
   “I suppose…” he drifted off, looking thoughtful and distant as he stared at the floor rolling past.
   “What’s wrong?”
   “I was just wondering. How… how would it be done here? I know every girl pictures their dream wedding, and… I don’t want to take yours from you. Since I know the ceremonies are probably extremely different. And plus, if we marry the elfin way, we will only be married under elfin law. And the same goes for the human way.”
   “So… what should we do?”
   “I thought, perhaps, it may be best to marry twice. Once here, and once in the Elfin-Land. What do you think?”
Her smile broadened and she flung her arms around his neck. How many brides could say they had two weddings? Without including re-married widowers of course.
   “Absolutely.”
   “Well then,” he grinned. “What should I do?”
   “Er, well traditionally, before a human wedding the man gives the woman a ring. Like a symbol of eternity.”
   “Then at the next village we stop at, I’ll buy you a ring.”
How sweet, she thought. But he didn’t have to do that. Just to have him by her side would be enough. She opened her mouth to argue as much, but before she could make a sound, white light erupted in the sky. The wind around them whipped up into a frenzy.
   “What?!” Flynn yelled, struggling to be heard through the torrent of wind. The hair on the back of Eira’s neck stood on end. This was seriously powerful magic. She was surprised Flynn, or even Maggie, neither of whom were apt at magic, couldn’t feel it.
   As the light grew closer, she felt the seat fall away from her, and she could just about see the same happen to Flynn.
   “Eira!” she heard a voice yell, but it was not her lover’s. She felt claws hook onto the hem of her skirts, the frantic flapping of Maggie’s wings as he tried to pull her back. But she could already tell that it was in vain, as she quietly slipped out of consciousness.

*

   Nessarisa’s eyes fluttered open and she found herself staring at treetops, a small patch of blue sky shining through. This wasn’t where she and Ryan had picnicked, this she was sure of. She went to move and became aware that she was lying on something. It felt soft, almost like a cushion, yet it ached her back to be resting on it. Could it be? Was it even possible?
   Heaving herself from the floor she reached around to feel her back. Instead of merely falling on fabric on skin, she felt feathers, soft and familiar. Old friends. She grinned and allowed herself a small giggle - her wings were back! Oh how she had longed for this miracle! This means, she thought, wherever I am, it has a magical atmosphere. I can’t still be in Ryan’s world.
   The smile fell from her face as she thought of him. Ryan. She looked about her, but not even woodland animals were nearby. Where was he? Was he alright? Was he hurt? How would she cope without him? Thick tears began to roll down her cheeks as realisation hit her. What if she never saw him again?
   Tentatively, she took a step forward. But what should she do? What could she do? Her head was full of so many questions and worries - she just wanted to get home. Not even the return of her wings was worth this. She pondered whether she had somehow been called home again, but quickly shook the thought from her head. She may not know where she was, but she definitely knew where she wasn’t.
   A voice sounded through the trees nearby, and her heart skipped a beat, thinking it could be Ryan. But then she realised, it was a female voice.
   Nervously, she headed towards the voice. She didn’t need to go far, but as soon as the stranger was in sight she stopped, hidden amongst the trees.
   The woman was young, possibly Nessarisa’s own age, and didn’t seem to be that much of a threat. Her hair was what fixated Nessarisa - it was all colours of the rainbow, swirling colours that made her hair seem like it was alive. It was, in her opinion, beautiful. From where she was stood, she could make out a small bump underneath the folds of her dress, and Nessarisa gasped, involuntarily. Whoever this woman was, she was with child - but where was the father? Surely she wasn’t out here alone?
   Making up her mind, she stepped out of her hiding place, into the clearing. The woman turned to look at her, her mouth hanging open in obvious surprise. They stood for a moment simply staring, until the stranger regained her composure.
   “Sorry,” she apologised, “sorry to stare, but I’ve never seen a winged girl before.”
   “Oh,” Nessarisa replied, still getting used to having wings again, “that’s quite alright.”
   “My name’s Eira,” the stranger held out her hand, and she shook it.
   “Nessarisa. Um… I hope you don’t find this a stupid question but… where are we?”
   “I wish I knew. I got dragged here by some freaky light in the sky.”
   “Me too! I lost my boyfriend along the way, I think he may have been sucked in too. Have you seen him? He’s quite tall, and he’s got brown hair.”
   “Sorry, I haven’t. Maybe with any luck he ended up with my betrothed, as I did with you.”
   “Your betrothed? But, aren’t you worried about him?”
   “Of course I am, I’d love to know he’s safe. But even if he wasn’t, I figure he’s more than capable of looking after himself. Besides, why worry over what I don’t know? If I knew he was in danger, then I would be sick with worry, but for all I know he could be having the time of his life.”
Nessarisa smiled weakly. If only she could have that kind of confidence over her love’s safety.
   The silence was interrupted by the cawing of a bird, and a magpie flew into the clearing, landing on a tree.
   “I looked all round this area,” it squawked, taking her by surprise. “But I couldn’t find him. And good riddance I say.”
   “Maggie, don’t be horrid. And if he is here and you’ve just left him because you don’t like him…”
   “I swear to you Eira, he is not here.”
   “Okay then,” Nessarisa could hear the disappointment in her voice, despite what she’d said before, and she felt a kind of connection with this girl. They may not be from the same world, or necessarily anything alike, but they had both been dragged to this world and separated from their lovers.
   “Who’s this then?” the bird piped up, interrupting her thoughts.
   “Oh, er,” she tried to reply, feeling slightly wary about talking to a bird. “I’m Nessarisa.”
   “Nice to meet you. It’s about time Eira had a companion that’s bearable. I’m Maggie, by the way. We should fly sometime.”
   “Hey, wait a second Maggie,” Eira said, sounding annoyed. “No offence intended Ness - I can call you Ness can’t I? - but Maggie, you never like anyone when you first meet them. Why should Ness be any different?”
   “Because, unlike that elf, she is a sky-creature, like me. There is no reason to dislike her.”
   “Fickle bird,” Eira muttered, causing Nessarisa to laugh. She felt at ease now - these folk were obviously on her side, she just needed to trust them. She didn’t think they meant any harm.

   “Hey, why don’t you two fly up as high as you can and see if you can spot a town or something?” Eira suggested. After all, there was no use just sitting around waiting for something to happen. They had to do something.
   Nodding, Nessarisa launched herself off the ground, slightly wobbly at first, but then with considerable grace, Maggie at her heels. Eira’s hand crept up and rested on her small bump, as she had found herself doing increasingly often. She had to leave this land - she and Flynn had plans, she couldn’t abandon hope now.
   Her winged companions swooped downwards, Maggie landing on a branch, Nessarisa landing gracefully in front of her.
   “There’s a town not far from here, in that direction,” she pointed through the trees. “But there’s also a path that leads to it a few hundred metres behind us.”
   “Hmm,” Eira pondered this. “It’s probably best to take the path. That way if we see anyone along the way we may get some answers as to what happened. They may have even seen our loves.”
The winged girl nodded, and they set off towards the path. Finally, Eira thought, we’re doing something. She hated to do nothing - after all, she couldn’t just expect things to happen.

*

   Ryan woke, his head throbbing. I must’ve hit it, he figured. His eyes half open, not bothering to pick himself from the floor, he looked around him. It was dark, although whether it was because it was night, or simply thick foliage blocking the sun’s rays, he didn’t know. He saw that he was in a clearing, surround by thick trees, the grass beneath him dead and prickly, with hard, dry mud showing through. And Nessarisa was nowhere to be seen. Nessa! He thought, suddenly. Where was she? He sat bolt upright, looking around him. No, nothing. What if she was hurt? What was he doing just sat here, in this strange place, he didn’t care where he was, he just had to find her.
   “Ah good,” a male voice sounded behind him, “You’re up.”
He looked around to see a young man, probably his own age, though he couldn’t be sure. He had a sandy-blond mop of hair, and his face - it held an unnatural, almost magical beauty. Clearly masculine, but he was handsome, by all standards of Ryan’s world, though he cursed himself for having noticed this.
   The stranger was leant against a tree, fiddling with some sort of wristband, casually.
   “Wh-who are you?” Ryan stammered, “Where am I?”
   “I was about to ask you the same thing. My name’s Flynn. As for where we are, I have no idea. That white light must’ve brought us here - or I assume that’s what happened to you.”
   “Oh, er… yes. Listen, er… Flynn. Have you seen a girl around here? Blonde hair? Pretty?”
   “Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But besides that, you are the only other person I’ve seen here so far. And I suppose, since you‘ve only just woken, it‘s too much to assume you may have seen my betrothed.”
   “Well, yeah, but. Wait! Did you say betrothed?”
   “Yeah.”
   “But doesn’t that mean you’re getting married?”
   “That’s generally what the word means.”
   “But… but you’re so young. You can’t be any older than me!”
   “Well that depends. How old are you?”
   “Twenty-one.”
   “Ah. In that case you’re right. I’m not older than you.”
   “Well how old are you?”
   “Nineteen.”
   “What?! Let me guess, your fiancée is the same age.”
   “No, actually. She’s eighteen.”
   “Eighteen and nineteen? What kind of ages are those to be getting married? You have your whole lives ahead of you!”
   “Actually, for her people this is about the right age to wed. And amongst my people… well let’s just say, my parents have been trying to marry me off since I was sixteen. Anyway, you act like it’s a bad thing to get married.”
   “No, but… eighteen?!”
   “Can we drop this, please?” Flynn sighed. “We have bigger issues than the age at which I marry.”
   “I guess. But… for someone getting married, you don’t seem too concerned about the whereabouts of your bride.”
   “She’s strong. She can take care of herself. After all, she’s not one to be pushed around.”
Ryan looked at the floor. Nessarisa was somewhere in this world, he was sure of it. He longed to find her and just wrap his arms around her tightly, and tell her it’d all be alright. But he couldn’t. He didn’t even know where she was, and it tortured his soul not knowing. How could this guy be so calm over his own love’s whereabouts?
   “How… how do we find them?” he queried, forcing himself out of his despair.
   “Hmm,” Flynn pondered. “Well maybe our own safety might take a bit more precedence at the moment. After all, there’s not a lot we can do for them at the moment.”
   “Don’t you care?!”
   “Of course I care! But we have to be realistic here, we can’t just go traipsing off into the woods without knowing what we’re doing! We need to focus.”
   “Right,” Ryan conceded. It pained him to admit it, but he couldn’t find Nessa by looking blindly. He had to forget about looking for her, at least for the time being, no matter how much he loathed the idea. Although he wasn’t sure he could. “But what should we do? I mean, we can’t just sit here.”
   “Do you have no experience of life in the wilds?”
   “None. Should I?”
   “It might’ve helped, but I guess nothing can be done about that now. Oh well. First things first, we need to find a town or village. Anywhere we might be able to find food and shelter. Do you think you could cast a spell to locate one?”
   “What? A spell? Me?”
   “Yes. You are human, aren’t you?”
   “Well, yeah, but that doesn’t mean I can do magic! Jeez, magic? Experience of the wilds? What kind of world do you come from?!”
   “One where the wilds are all around you whether you like it or not, and magic is the prevailing energy. Is that not how it is in your world?”
   “No. Absolutely not, quite the opposite in fact. Besides, why can‘t you cast a spell yourself if magic is so prominent in your world?”
   “Because, only humans have magic in their blood. But obviously you don’t, so I guess I’ll see if I can spot a town from up there, then.” He pointed to the top of an extremely high tree, one that made Ryan feel sick just to look at.
   “What? You can’t… hey wait!” he yelled as Flynn approached the base of the tree, seemingly ignoring him. With apparent ease he leapt, higher than should have been possible without aid, and grabbed the first branch. He continued up, leaping and climbing, almost gliding through the foliage with such ease and grace, he could almost be flying.
   Could this guy be for real? Ryan wasn‘t sure. He had seemed to hint that he wasn’t human. But what else could he be? Was he from Nessa’s world?
    He heard a slight rustle from above, before Flynn dropped back through the leaves, landing perfectly on his feet, seemingly unhurt. How had he done that? A fall like that should have broken his ankles, at least.
   “You… you can’t be human!” Ryan stammered. It just wasn’t possible.
   “Hmm? Who said I was human? I thought it was quite clear that I’m not.”
   “Well then what are you? If… if that’s not a rude question.”
   “I’m an elf,” he told him, tucking his hair behind his ear so Ryan could, now, see the points on the ends of them.
   “Oh! Heh, you know that actually explains a lot.”
   “It does? Do you have elves in your world?”
   “Well, no… but there are stories.”
   “Stories? What kind of stories?”
   “Well, just… argh! It doesn’t matter. We’re wasting time, did you see a town up there or not?”
   “Huh? Oh, yeah. There’s one about five miles due north of here. And judging by the sun’s position now, we should reach it well before nightfall.”
   “Five miles? And we’re going to rest along the way, right?”
   “Resting will just slow us down. There’s plenty of time to rest when we get there. Besides, it’s not exactly a long way.”
Before waiting for Ryan to react, Flynn turned and disappeared amongst the trees, presumably in the direction of the town. Without thinking, Ryan rushed after him. He didn’t know this world, or anything remotely like it, unless you included Nessarisa’s world. He didn’t know what to do, how to survive here, it would be wise to stick with someone that was familiar with this type of setting.
   “Hey! Wait!” he called after the elf, running to catch up.

   Flynn stopped at the sound of the human’s voice, waiting for him to catch up. He was a strange one, this Ryan. Human, yet he could do no magic, and he didn’t seem familiar with anything remotely natural, just what kind of world did he hail from? Even some of his language, and the way he spoke, was alien to Flynn, but he brushed this off, deciding he didn’t want to know.
   “Don’t we need,” Ryan started, already panting once he’d caught up with the elf, “like, a compass, or a map, or… something?”
Now what was he on about?
   “I don’t know what a compass is, but I’m sure we can cope without one. And as for a map, I don’t see why we should need one of those at the moment either. I know where we’re going, we’ll figure out the rest from there.”
Flynn sighed, inwardly. I hope Eira had more luck, he thought, than to end up with someone so clueless.

*

   Stones crunched under their feet and Eira and Nessarisa walked along the path. So far they had seen no one, but they both knew how easily that could change. Clenching her fists, Eira stared ahead of her. If only her magic were stronger, she might feel a bit more at ease in this situation, but as it was she could barely light a candle without getting out of breath.
   “We will find them, won’t we?” Nessarisa’s voice floated past her, intruding on her thoughts.
   “Hmm?” Eira responded, pulling herself out of her trance.
   “I said,” she repeated. “We will find them, won’t we?”
   “Oh! Yeah, of course we will. No worries.”
   “But that’s just it, I am worried. He doesn’t have any knowledge of worlds like this. What if he gets into trouble?”
   “Like I said before, there’s no use worrying about something that hasn’t happened.”
   “But it might have already. I just don’t know!”
   “Exactly, you don’t know. So why worry until you do?”
   “In the name of all that is sacred,” Maggie squawked from above them. “Can you please change the subject?! It’s getting boring.”
   “Maybe Maggie’s right,” Eira laughed. “Let’s talk about something else. Let’s see… er… Oh! Can you do magic?”
   “Um…, I think so.”
   “What do you mean, you think so? Surely you know?”
   “Well, in my world I could, but I left there to live with my love. And in his world I lost my wings and my magic. Because of the magic in this place, I got my wings back, so I assume I have my powers back, but I don’t know, I haven’t tried yet.”
Thinking, Eira picked a dry, dead branch from the edge of the path and handed it to Nessarisa. After all, there was only one way to find out.
   “Here,” she said, “trying lifting this.”
Nessarisa took the branch, looking unsure. For a while Eira wasn’t sure what she was going to do, or if she was even going to try. After a few uncertain minutes, she tossed the branch in the air, watching after it unfazed. Eira stepped back, not wanting to be in the way when it fell, but watching it just as Nessarisa did. When the branch reached the peak of it’s ascent, just as it should have fallen, it stopped, and hung in mid-air. Watching the branch intently, not daring to take her eyes off it, not even blinking as the dry wood slowly descended to the ground, Nessarisa’s face was a picture of concentration.
   “Oh,” Eira breathed a sigh of relief. “You can. That’s great!”
   “Is it?” Nessarisa asked, though it was obvious she, too, was happy, by the smile now on her face.
   “Yeah! It means I don’t have to worry about the fact that my magic isn’t as strong as it should be. And aren’t you happy about it too?”
   “I suppose, yeah. Yeah I am!”
Leaving the branch on the floor where it had landed, they continued down the path. Eira hoped it wouldn’t take too long to reach this town - she was anxious to find out where she was, and if there was a way to get home. After all, she couldn’t stay here. She didn’t know anything about this place.

   Nessarisa smiled as she and Eira walked down the path. She was back to her old self, and without having to suffer for it either. But still, Ryan wasn’t there to share in her elation, so she couldn’t be too happy. But then again, with her wings and her magic back, perhaps she had a better chance of finding him. She had to - he had no experience in this kind of world, he wouldn’t know what to do. But she couldn’t just go, and leave Eira. They were in the same boat, and she had someone she needed to find too - it would be best if they could all stick together.
   Her ear twitched as a rumbling came from behind them, and they both turned at the same time. In the distance, a cart trudged toward them, taking up nearly the entire width of the road, forcing them to edge to avoid it. As it got closer, Nessarisa saw that it wasn’t a horse that pulled this cart, but rather a man with a horse’s body. What was it stories had called them? Centaurs?
   He looked at them as he passed, stopping, looming over both of them so that it took everything she had not to cower in fear.
   “Who are you?” he asked, his voice low and menacing.
   “Huh?” Nessarisa squeaked.
   “I’ve not seen you around here before. And I know everyone. Who are you?”
   “Well, we’ve only just got here.” Eira reasoned, and Nessarisa hoped this was enough to satisfy him, and send him on his way.
   “You,” he boomed, seeming to have noticed Eira for the first time. “You’re human, are you not?”
   “Yes. Is that a problem?”
   “That depends. Do you have a license?”
   “A license? What do you mean?”
   “You don’t have a license?”
   “No…”
Without warning, he reared up on his hind legs threateningly, calling a name that Nessarisa couldn’t quite hear. A small, spindly-looking guy with very long ears, a hook-nose and no hair leapt from the back of the cart.
   “What, what, what, what is it?” he said, faster than should have been possible, in an unnaturally high-pitched voice.
   “This human is unlicensed. I think we should detain her until we get to the town and can hand her over to the authorities.”
   “What?” Eira exclaimed. “I haven’t done anything!”
Ignoring her, the ugly, short man nodded and grabbed her arm, dragging her to the back of the cart.
   “Yes, yes, yes, yes, come with me human.”
A loud squawk sounded above them as Maggie swooped down, pecking at the face and head of the man. He succeeded in slowing the man for only a few seconds, as the centaur swatted him away.
   As Eira was forcefully pulled into the back of the cart, by her arm and by her hair she reached out for Nessarisa with her one free arm. Instinctively, Nessarisa reached to grab her hand. She clasped her new friend’s hand, but it was almost instantly ripped away from her as the cart started off again, this time at an urgent gallop. And in a matter of minutes, the cart vanished into the distance.
   Nessarisa stood there, stunned. What had just happened? They had taken Eira, for a reason that was as of yet unclear, and now she was alone. Again.
   “What was that?!” Maggie yelled nearby, reminding her of his constant presence.
   “I… I don’t know.”
   “Well, we’re not just gonna stand here, are we? Come on,” he called as he took flight. “We have to help her.”
Nessarisa gulped. He was right, but could she really do anything? No, she thought, I mustn’t think like this. After all, she may not be able to help Ryan, but she knew where Eira was. She had to help.
   So clenching her fists with a new-found determination, she followed Maggie, and took to the skies.

*

   The scenery by now becoming monotonous, Flynn trudged on across the hard ground. He was happy with the progress they’d made, and would have been happier still if Ryan hadn’t kept insisting they stopped to rest. It wasn’t that he didn’t like him, but his human inadequacies did tend to gnaw at his nerves. Even Eira wasn’t this bad, although, they had the benefit of the caravan then.
   “Hey!” a voice sounded behind him, and he turned to see that, once again, he had lost Ryan in the thick of trees. Rolling his eyes, he backtracked a few hundred metres to where the human was stood, panting, resting on his own knees.
   “Could you… wait up…” he gasped, seemingly struggling to breath. “Or at least… slow… down.”
   “I’m walking as slow as I can. I can’t help it if you can’t keep up.”
   “Hey, I… can’t help it. I’m not an elf… like you.”
   “The weakness of humanity never ceases to amaze me,” Flynn sighed, “but at least their magic always made up for it.”
   “How can you not be tired?” Ryan looked up at the elf, seeming to have gotten his breath back. “We’ve been walking for hours.”
   “It’s not really that straining,” he shrugged. It was now that the differences between their two races showed, and while he didn’t mind too much, it amazed him how shocked Ryan seemed to be.
   Slumping against a tree Ryan rubbed his aching legs.
   “Can we just rest? Just for a little while.”
Flynn nodded. He was itching to get going, but the more he tried to push the human, the less likely it was they would reach their destination by nightfall. But they couldn’t be far off now.
   With a flick of his ankle, he sprung into a nearby tree, using the branches that protruded to pull himself up, with ease. His head emerged from the leaves into clear sky, and bright sunlight, the kind that couldn’t penetrate the foliage, and that Ryan had yet to see.
   Ahead of him, a lot closer than he had thought it was, a small town bustled with activity within the comforts of high walls. They had to be on the outskirts - if Ryan hadn’t called him back, another few feet and he would have been there. Allowing himself a small chuckle at this coincidence, he looked down to check there was nothing in the way, and leapt. Small twigs and leaves scraped him as he fell through the foliage, before landing neatly on his feet, crouching as he hit the ground. A small tremor went through his bones, but he was otherwise uninjured.
   “Come on,” he laughed, beckoning Ryan.
   “But…”
   “Come on,” he repeated.
Getting up, awkwardly, he stomped after him, obviously wondering what was going on.
   Pushing through the last of the trees, Flynn found himself in front of the tall wall. There didn’t seem to be any way in - as far as he could see, it stretched around in an endless circle of stone. Stumbling up behind him, Ryan stopped, nearly walking, unexpectedly, into the wall.
   “Oh,” he said, in surprise. “Well now what do we do?”
   “Well there’s got to be a door or something around here,” Flynn reasoned. “I guess we’ll just have to follow the wall around until we come to it. After all, there has to be some way in.”
Ryan nodded, and they made their way around the stone structure, Flynn running his hand along the rough edge absent-mindedly. He didn’t think he was walking that quickly, but he was aware of Ryan’s occasional jogging in an attempt to keep up. He didn’t understand. Ryan had been able to keep up at the beginning - was it that he was genuinely slower, or did he simply tire easier?
   It didn’t take long for them to find the entrance. A giant oak door, clearly very thick, and very strong. And closed. For a while, they just stood there, wondering what to do next. Flynn wondered if it might be better to find somewhere else, but was there any guarantee that their doors would be open?
   He was about to suggest they try something else, when the doors creaked open slightly, and three heavily armed guards approached them.
   “Heh, I thought so,” one of them laughed, displaying fangs. “Are you not glad I closed the gates now?”
   The other two nodded as the first, presumably their captain, came closer to Flynn.
   “You two got licenses?” he barked.
   “Licenses? For what?”
   “Do you have a license or not? Answer the question!”
   “No, we don’t have licenses, whatever they are, but-”
He was cut off as the two remaining guards grabbed him and Ryan, pinning their arms behind their backs painfully, dragging them towards the town.
   “All humans must have licenses,” he explained over their cries of protest. “Any human without one is immediately arrested and publicly executed.”
   “Hey!” Flynn yelled. “Wait! I’m not even human!”
The captain held up his hand and the guards stopped trying to drag them, though they didn’t release them.
   “Really now? I must say, you do only look subtly human. But that means nothing. What are you, if not human?”
   “I, ow,” he tried to say as the guard twisted his arm. “I’m an elf.” How many people did he have to explain this to?
   The captain stood for a few seconds, thinking, before unsheathing his sword. Flynn held his breath as the blade was pointed directly at his face, but he didn’t close his eyes. He wouldn’t show fear, he couldn’t allow himself to do that if he could help it. Slowly, carefully, the blade crept away from his cheek sweeping the hair from his face to reveal his pointed ear.
   “Hmm,” the captain shrugged, re-sheathing his weapon. “Fair enough, release him.”
The pain in his shoulder subsided as the guard released his arm.
   “Hey,” Ryan yelled. “What about me?”
   “You definitely are human. There is no question in my mind about that, unless you can prove me wrong. No? Then you are to be imprisoned until the gallows are ready. Take him away.”
Flynn watched helplessly as the guards wrestled Ryan through the gates. What could he do? He didn’t have a plan, he hadn’t even expected this.
   The captain turned to leave, but before he did he turned back to Flynn.
   “Oh and elf. I don’t know if it’s a fashion statement or what, but if I were you, I’d tuck my hair behind my ears. You don’t want people making the same mistake I did.”

   Ryan bit his tongue against the pain in his arms. It felt like his shoulders were about to burst out of their sockets. Again, he found himself facing the death penalty for being human. Honestly, was his being born such a crime in these worlds?
   Despite his predicament he, once again, found his thoughts turning to Nessarisa. After all she was human now, and it was his fault. If he had gotten her arrested for this, maybe he deserved to be killed. He closed his eyes to hold back the tears, submitting to his captors. He aware painfully aware of so many eyes watching him as he was paraded through the streets like an animal. There was nothing he could do. Not a thing to prevent this. Even if he did escape, he would only be arrested again. After all, he had no way to get home, and if he tried to get one of these licenses they would know he didn’t have one and just arrest him again. There was nothing he could do. He had failed. His humanity had failed him.