The boy stared intently at Lauren and took her hand. She let him lead her onto the dancing floor as a quick paced song began to play. The dance was brisk, fast stepped, which Lauren could not consciously follow, and yet she found herself dancing ever quicker as the music increased its tempo. Dancing and dancing, it never stopped. Round and round and round again, and still faster. Then she saw it. Amongst the whirling faces of the crowd, the beautiful one, the one that stared at her with such malice in the gaze. No matter how fast she turned, the face was still there, behind the head of the faceless boy who spun her with something approaching violence. Still faster, and the awful gaze, stop! No more! Please make it stop not again please STOP! Hyraille a me sarta Arren!

*****

*****

She arrived at the ranch and was moving almost before she’d put the car in park. She ran inside, fumbled for her ID and thrust it at the bleary-eyed security man/stable hand, and ran full tilt into the person in the stable aisle. "Sorry, I’m ~ "

"Lauren."

*****

"I’m glad ~ you’re here ~ I need to ride. Come with me . . .?" I panted, out of breath from my frantic scramble to get away from my bedroom and the dream.

Zach followed me down the aisle until I reached the stall of my favorite mount. Zach strolled to Stallion’s stall a few doors down, seemingly miffed at my actions. Cinnamon, my horse, let out a loud snuffle at being disturbed, but nuzzled against me as he caught my scent.

Cinnamon was obviously a reddish brown color. Sometimes he knew what I was thinking sooner than I did. His mane shone copper in the early light, while Stallion was black as obsidian, with a long mane that always managed to get caught on one of the pieces of the saddle. Part of the reason for that was Stallion’s high-spiritedness, but Zach handled him well.

We decided to take the path into the hills. It was a long, curving path through the forest at the back of the ranch, full of sunlight and shadow. I saddled Cinnamon, and mounted quickly, for Zach, ever the showman, was already waiting outside.

We rode out of the gate, not bothering to close it. It opened to the forest, and someone else would come out of it later. The forest loomed beyond, verdant and soothing. I felt as if I was leaving something behind. But how little I understood what I had left.

*****

The trail was easy except for a rather rocky part at the beginning. Worse, it sloped uphill, providing ample opportunities for a sprained hoof. Cinnamon never had any problems with it, but I’d seen the horses that had. I just hoped that wouldn’t happen today. Of all the things that could go wrong, that was one of the worst. Or so I thought.

Just as we neared the top of the hill, something buzzed over my head, startling my horse and me. Cinnamon broke into an uncharacteristic gallop and I tried my best to stay in the saddle. As we were beginning to go downhill, this was no easy feat. A twanging noise caused me to turn in the saddle ~ and quivering in the trunk of a nearby tree was an arrow. Another twang caused Cinnamon to rear and, unsteady and startled, I fell. It seemed I fell for a long, long time. I hit the leafy ground hard, tumbling the rest of the way down the hill, slamming into the base of a large tree. My last thought was one of pain, but pain that I did not feel. But before I could explore that thought, everything went black.

*****

"Zach . . .? What’s going on?" I asked, thoroughly confused. Was this some sort of trick?

Zach’s blue eyes were troubled as he answered. "I don’t really know. When you fell, there was this kind of rumbling ~ like a massive sonic boom ~ and then a really bright flash. Then it was like I couldn’t tell where I was ~ like I was falling ~ and I blanked out for a minute. When I came to, I had these clothes on; look, you’re different too."

I looked down. Indeed I was different. My t-shirt was absent, and in its place, a tight-fitting black bodice covered a voluminous-sleeved blouse. And instead of jeans, a full skirt tangled about my waist. Zach looked away with a smile as I quickly remedied that. Then he reached out a hand to help me up.

"What happened to the horses?" Zach pointed to a copse of trees where the seemingly content, though a bit wild-eyed, horses were cropping the sparse grass beneath the leaves.

I walked over to them. "Great," I said with some consternation, "how am I supposed to ride a horse in a skirt like this?" With a little ingenuity and a lot of help from Zach, I managed to mount without falling or being indecent. Whoever planned the costume change didn’t think it through very well!

From far behind me came a distant rumbling. I looked at the sky. Not a cloud in sight, and the sun was bright in the west ~ wait. It had been morning when we started, surely it hadn’t . . . I glanced slowly at the surrounding forest. I did not recognize a thing. Before I could puzzle that out, however, something told me to turn around. Then I gasped. "Zach ~ I think you’d better look at this ~ now!" Zach turned in his saddle, and his jaw dropped. He hardly looked at me as we both kicked our horses into a gallop. For behind us, and getting closer every second, was a group of at least a hundred horsemen, all yelling shrill war cries and brandishing evil-looking weapons. And all of them were looking directly at us.

Zach turned back to me, shouting, "Let’s split up! They can’t catch us both!"

"Zach, no!" But my reply was lost in the chaos. And before I could stop him, he veered deeper into the forest onto a less worn path. I was on my own.

Meantime, the army was getting closer. Just when I thought I would never get out of the forest, a break in the trees appeared. There was no way I could make it before the army ran me down. Unless I could slow them down . . .

Suddenly a bow appeared in my hands, causing me to fumble with the reins. I felt a weight on my back ~ I reached to investigate, finding a quiver of arrows. I hardly had time to wonder where they came from; I just accepted it. I loaded the bow and sent an arrow into the leader’s chest, never mind that I had never done anything like that before. That surely slowed them down! It almost seemed that some faltered, and disappeared . . .?

I persuaded Cinnamon to put on a greater burst of speed, and we raced into the clearing. But it wasn’t really a clearing -- it was a large field, and beyond, a village. And farther still, a majestic castle loomed. I felt an urge to go there, almost feeling a magnetic pull . . .

Cinnamon kept galloping even as we reached the village. Strange — he should be tired, after the run I gave him, but he showed no sign of it. I could no longer hear the army, so I was thankful for whatever providence had gotten me away. If they wanted me to have a never tiring horse, I wasn’t about to question.

I’m sure the villagers thought us an odd sight: a horse striding full speed through the town, leaping any obstacle, with a girl on it’s back, no less, riding like a boy. I think we might have been a blur.

We reached the castle in short order. Distances were deceiving in this place. Getting there was no problem, but how to get in? A deep moat, and then a high wall, encircled the castle. The drawbridge, though the obvious choice, was guarded, and I did not want to be "escorted" by sentries.

Then a thought occurred to me, a totally insane thought. I turned Cinnamon around and walked him to a spot some distance from the moat’s edge. I kicked him into a gallop. This would never happen - but neither would anything else that had already happened. What was one more insane occurrence?

Cinnamon seemed to know what I wished to do and ran faster. At the last moment, he bunched his muscles for the leap and launched us into the air. I don’t know why I didn’t fall off as we seemed to hang above the water. But we did eventually come down after what should have been impossible.

When the breath came back to my body, I surveyed my landing strip. It was a verdant courtyard, surrounded by what appeared to be an apple orchard. Straight ahead, at a small table, sat two men, one quite a bit older than the other. His voice floated to me — "Very impressive, Lauriel. We have been expecting you."

*****

*****

"Come, come, you needn’t worry. We shall not harm you. Do come and sit with us, Lauriel," the older man said, gesturing towards the empty bench.

That was the second time he spoke that name. He meant me, but - "Why do you call me Lauriel? My name is Lauren, Lauren Meccall . . . Who are you?"

"I am King Arland," answered the elder, "and this is Prince Zephihl. You might–"

"Recognize him. At least, I do. I don’t know why. You remind me of someone . . ." I said uncertainly.

"You . . . recognize me?" I can’t say for sure, but Zephihl seemed to pale, but it could have been just the dim light. He continued quickly, perhaps to draw attention away from himself, "Do you know why you are here, Lauriel?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I am a little confused. First I get chased by a bunch of war-crazy goons and then I jump a moat just like a hurdle. And now I’ve got two medieval guys calling me weird names and asking 'if I know why I’m here!' Of course I don’t! What is going on? Why did you call me Lauriel? Where on earth am I? And why am I wherever I am?" Out of breath, I stared at the "king." A day like mine definitely deserved a thorough explanation.

The older man answered first. "I called you Lauriel, because that is your name. Here, and in another form. . ." He looked at me as if that was significant, but I was mystified.

"As for where you are, you are not on earth. This is Allehara, similar to your own, or so I’m told," Zephihl added.

"I think we should go inside before we continue," the King said. "As you can see, it is darkening swiftly, and there is much to speak of. Lucas — the horse, please." He gestured to the shadows, and a boy stepped out of the trees and quietly led Cinnamon away.

I followed the two into the castle, and gasped. The inside was so much bigger than the outside. It must be some sort of illusion. We appeared to be in some kind of dining hall, and I could not see to the end. Large tapestries hung everywhere, and the great windows were shaped like stars or circles. Before I could discern more, the King beckoned me into a small door, hidden from the room by one of the tapestries.

This room was dark, except for the moonbeam shining through a single window high on the wall. A bright star shape lay on the floor, drawing me to it. I began walking over to the star, but the King stopped me.

"You feel it. Good. I was not sure if it was true. Be that as it may, I give you your birthright." He handed me a necklace, sinuous and sparkling. The charm was an opalescent moonstone, on a length of silver chain. I fastened it around my neck.

He stepped closer to me. "This harnesses your powers. You’ve always had them, in fact, but you are probably unaware of that, are you not? You can control them with this. You are —"

I stopped him with a hand to the chest, palm up, and dropped it quickly as he backed away.

"Yes, powers. You remember the bow and quiver, the jumping of the moat? Those were your powers. I but directed them in your ignorance. Even so, there is some part of you that knows this truth. You just now stopped me in the stance of power — your body was readying to cast a spell, even if you did not consciously order it so. You see, you are a star warrior, an etoiline. You are here, to answer your last question, because your help is needed. I did not know of your coming until recently, when I felt your soul reaching across the worlds. I did not call you, however — you must have felt the need. Nay, ask me no questions," he said, stopping my incredulous outburst, "there is someone who can explain much better than I. She should be here —"

A thunderous noise and a bolt of lightning interrupted him. The bolt’s bright blue light blinded me, then coalesced in swirls of mist into the star on the floor. I closed my eyes at the brightness of it; when I opened them, everything seemed normal, at least as much as it could be in these circumstances. But now, the swirls converged into a shape, until something could be seen crouched on the star. The creature looked around, and I saw its eyes glowing. It spotted the King and leapt from its crouch with surprising fluidity, charging up to him with unnatural speed.

When it reached the King, it straightened and began talking. I could barely see the creature's profile through the wild mass of hair hanging to its waist, fairly crackling with electricity.

"What did you do, Chief?" a feminine voice said, with dangerous resonance.

"I called you, Cat," the King said calmly. I was amazed at the evenness of his tone in the face of "Cat's" ferocity.

"Weren't you afraid to use that kind of power on me, Chief? After all, I could--" Cat growled.

"You never would. But listen, Cat. Although I did call you -- and as your Arcan I have that right -- without the knowledge that she would be here, you are needed. Look around, Etoile, and you will see."

"How could you do this! There is no one here that needs my help- I feel nothing! You made me leave all of them, let them die, for nothing! Nothing!" And with an inarticulate growl of rage, the girl raised a clawed hand at the King. He grabbed her wrist with amazing swiftness, belying his seemingly old age. She snarled at the restraint, and glared at him, eyes glowing balefully.

"Cat, stop. I did not lie to you. You are needed; I am surprised you did not feel her, look! Cat —"

"You lied to me, Chief." She spun from him, and faced me. I gasped. The face, in its cloud of hair, eyes snapping in anger, was my own! It seemed I was looking in some twisted mirror.

The girl — Cat — took a startled step back, hissed, and touched a hand to her throat. Before my eyes, the hair quieted, the eyes lost their luminescence, and her presence became smaller. She was my twin, now.

"I don’t believe we have been properly introduced," she said coolly. "Who are you?" Her voice held only an accusing tremor, but I could tell she was apprehensive as she looked at me.

"This is Princess Lauriel, Caterina, and she is a star warrior. She needs your help," the King said.

"An etoiline? Then why does she need my help? She can — wait. Does this mean there is another to fight?" Cat asked wearily.

"She needs you to teach her — what you can and cannot do, your powers — she doesn’t have the time you did to train.

"It does mean there is another to fight, but you will be fighting the others with Lauriel. I do not know if the enemy is human," the King confused me even more with this, "but there should be even another with you, Lauriel, for there may be yet another enemy. He came through with you, Princess . . ." The King looked at me.

I stared at him for a moment, then "Oh my God! I forgot about Zach! We took separate paths. . . I don’t even know if he’s alive! We’ve got to find him!" I sank to my knees in shock. How could I have forgotten him?

"Lauriel. Cararretté. Do not worry. He is safe and will come on his own. I thought you would like to learn of yourself first and sent him to a house in the village. The family will take him in. He shall not want tonight. You, however, have much to learn, Princess. Let Caterina teach you. You have a wondrous birthright and this world needs you."

"Wait, King Arland, Chief, why do you call me Princess? First you change my name, my station, and now it seems I have a twin . . . why?" I could not believe all this was happening to me.

"You simply are, Princess. Your form here is that of the second star warrior, the Prince or Princess. The one that — ah." Cat gasped as the King seemed to want to explain further, but he stopped at her horrified glance.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

"Cat is of your blood. You have not the same parents, but the same essence infuses your bodies. I have not ever heard of this, but perhaps there was too much power for only one vessel. I don’t know. Everything happens for a reason, but I cannot fathom the reason for this. It is something to accept, not question. You have a destiny you must fulfill, and this must be a part of it."

"The one that what? What’s going on? Tell me!" But they both looked away from me. Cat glanced at the star, then at the King: "Has she done it, Chief? Has she Changed?"

"Not yet. She does not know." The King almost nervously looked at me. I clearly wasn’t going to get an answer. So I asked another question. "Why does she call you Chief but you said you were King?"

"In Cat’s world, I am Chief. Here I am King Arland. Much like you are now a princess. I am the same in either, unlike you, however."

I opened my mouth to ask about that, when Cat touched my arm lightly, but somehow compelled me to turn and face her. "You must Change. You must experience your trueself. You do not know magics, I know, but you need to do it —"

I pulled out of her grasp. "What are you talking about? I don’t even know what it is. How can I need it?" I asked, almost angry. This was fast becoming slightly scary.

"Take my word, you do. I have lived with the Change all my life, but this is the most awesome of them all. No one else living but you and I can experience this. For you, it will be so glorious - to cast off your humanness and be. You’ve waited your entire life for this. Go to the etoile. You will understand once you’ve changed." She gently turned me in the direction of the bright star.

I walked over hesitantly, and stepped in the beam of moonlight. I looked around; Cat and the King had gone. I was alone. I touched the necklace, pulling it up to my face. My hand almost seemed to glow, limned by the light. I gazed up at the star cutout, seeing the full moon directly in the center. As I closed my eyes at the brightness of it, a low rumble shook the room. My legs began to tremble, but there was no fear. I felt compelled to look back into the light. I reached for it with a hand, seeing the entire limb glowing, not from the moonlight, but from within. So pretty. I looked down and it seemed my entire body was suffused with light. But suddenly it grew too bright, and blinded me. I fell to my knees, hands over my ears as a great lightning bolt seared the air, and I knew no more.

*****

I didn't remember all of it; I should have. I forgot what happened within. The prophecy became true in that moment when I awoke and remembered only the ecstasy.

*****

I sat up and rubbed my face, thinking there should be some difference. I could discern none. But I remembered the Change, being other. For a moment, my skin felt tight; this body was too small-

Cat touched my arm, and the feeling subsided. I looked into her face, realizing for the first time that I could see her very well, despite the darkness of the chamber. Cat eyes, I thought, remembering Cat's glowing ones.

Cat pulled me up and walked to a silver mirror covered with gauze. She lifted the sheet and motioned me to look. For a moment I did not see me, but a great cat, a cougar, glowing eyes superimposed on mine. I reached a hand to the mirror as the cat reached a paw. When it seemed we should touch, the cat's image disappeared. I retained the panther's bright glowing eyes. Seeing this, my normal reflection seemed out of place; there should be some other difference. I felt so alive, like a gate had suddenly appeared and I had but to open it.

There was a small table to the left of the mirror that Cat motioned me to. I sat with my back to the mirror, afraid of what I would see if I looked again. Cat sat across from me, and began, "I know a little of how you feel. I did not know I was an etoiline until a wanné hence. But I have always known the Change. I cannot imagine how that must have felt, to be so totally unselfed. But this is what I know . . ."

We talked for hours. Everything and nothing, being and not, Changed and selfed. Things I had only dreamed about were now in my power. I had the slightly frightening thought that my imaginings in that other life had in fact been somewhat more than idle reverie.

As my head began to droop, Cat stood and all but pulled me out of the chair. She supported me as we walked out of the chamber and into a long hallway. She stopped at the first door. "I don't know which one is yours, sister, but I don't think anyone will quibble on that score. You need sleep, to refresh your body and your power. I will see you in the morning. Dream sweetly, anarae. Lalia avare artoure Iuesus."

I could not comprehend the words, but I knew their meaning. But even with the protection of her gods and mine, I could not slip quietly into sleep. My body demanded it, but there was too much that was new- my world, my dreams, myself.

*****

Whatever the dreams, I awoke to the sun on my face from yet another star window. I stretched, and turned in my bed, only to find Cat sleeping on a bunk on the other side of the room. I tried to get out of bed as silently as possible, but even as I put my feet on the floor, her eyes opened. She smiled at me, and rose gracefully from her blankets. "Here, you may wash and use these clothes. I made them for you while you were sleeping. Since we're the same size, I didn't think it would be to difficult!" We both smiled at the irony of that statement. We were exactly the same physically, never mind the same size. Not for the last time I wondered how there could be another person like me who could never have had my mother, much less live in the same dimension.

We went back to the dining hall I had seen on my first night here. A whole army could eat in this place, with its large wooden tables and intricately carved chairs. Cat gestured, and I sat at a smaller table in a patch of sunlight. Zephihl and the King entered the hall from behind a tapestry covering the near wall. At that moment, my stomach made its needs known in a rather loud fashion. I laughed ruefully, and said, "You know, what I wouldn't give for a good ole American breakfast." At this, the other three looked at me strangely. "Lucas . . ." the King intoned.

Lucas emerged from behind a different tapestry, presumably the one leading to the kitchen or whatever they would call it in a castle. The King pointed at me and Lucas nodded. When he returned from the kitchen, he held a covered platter that he placed in front of me with a carefully neutral expression. I curiously lifted the lid, noticing immediately the enticing scent of french toast and eggs. I laughed again, seeing my companions confused faces, and dug in with enthusiasm. Lucas brought each of the others a covered platter, and I can only assume they had their favorite breakfast food as well.

I had my mouth full of eggs and was about to take a drink of what passed for milk when a series of shouts interrupted the stillness of the hall. It sounded like an argument at the gates. Lucas moved quickly to investigate, then returned to my side. "Milady Lauriel, there is a young man outside, demanding to see you. The gatesman had to hold him back. He says his name is Zachary."

"Zach!" I jumped up and ran to the far end of the hall, towards the shouting, Lucas following. I pushed open the door to the courtyard, yelling to the guards to lower the drawbridge. "Let him in!" One guardsman looked at me for a moment, braving my stare, then hurriedly reached to the ratcheting wheel to lower the bridge. As the drawbridge thundered to the ground, Zach galloped in on Stallion.

He reined Stallion in sharply when he saw me. His gaze washed over me in concern, then his eyes widened. "Lauren? Is that you . . .? What- are you all right? You look different," he said as he slid from Stallion's back.

Lucas had moved silently to Stallion's side, taking his reins and leading him to stable with Cinnamon. I glanced after him, and then said to Zach, "A lot has happened. I'm all right. In fact, I'm better than I was before. I think. But here, let me introduce you to the others."

"Um, is there someplace I can sit? I'm a little tired," Zach asked. I nodded and led him into the kitchen. He paused in the doorway, taking in the new faces, then walked to the far end of the table and sat down. He looked expectantly at me, waiting for introductions.

"Zach, this is Cat . . . Caterina. And Chief . . . King Arland, and Prince Zephihl." I touched each person's chair as I said the name. "This is Zachary." He reached for my arm as I passed by, and I stopped, my hand on his shoulder. He gave me a we-need-to-talk glance, but before I could respond, the King cleared his throat.

"Zachary, since this is the time for introductions, you should know that this girl, though she may not believe it yet, is Princess Lauriel. She is much Changed from the girl you knew. An adjustment you both shall have to make . . ." the King said.

Zach's look became even more inquisitive. "I promise we will have a long talk later. Did you have breakfast?" I changed the subject quickly. I could talk about my Self with Cat, but with Zach it would be much different.

"Well, no, not between sleeping in a hayloft and having to ride oh, ten miles in this heat just to see if you were still alive," he said a bit testily.

"They have french toast . . ." I cajoled, trying to avoid his temper.

"Really! Well, then, Princess, let's get some of that and I might forgive you." I motioned to Lucas, once more stationed by the tapestry, and he disappeared behind the curtain, only to reappear with another covered platter.

The King stood as Lucas set the platter in front of Zach. "Princess, Zephihl and I will leave you now. Enjoy your repast, such as it is. Baranté." He turned towards the arched exit and Zephihl rose to go with him. Cat also stood and said, "Anarae, I will let you alone with your behrarin. You have much to discuss. Avalé."

"Well, Princess, I'm done. Please help me out here, what's going on? Changed? What is he talking about? You look just as beautiful as ever . . . and really, why does he call you Princess? I mean, I knew your were royalty, but that's just because I love you . . ." He stopped as he saw the look on my face. "Okay, I'll be serious. I suppose you know why all this happened. I am ready to learn, your eager subject."

He stood, and Lucas swiftly moved to take his plate. Just as Lucas was about to disappear behind the kitchen tapestry, I said, "Lucas. Can you meet me later? I have something I'd like to tell you." Both Zach and Lucas looked at me strangely, but Lucas nodded and said, "As you wish, milady."

As soon as we were out of the dining hall, Zach said, "Not even here a day and flirting with the natives?" I rolled my eyes and returned, "I was not flirting. Just asking for a favor. You'll find out soon enough."

We walked into the chamber I had slept in last night. "So where have you been? I was worried about you. I tried to tell you not to split up, but I guess you couldn't hear me," I asked.

"Yeah, that army was just a little loud. Some of them followed me, even on that narrow trail. But they all stopped at the edge of the forest; it's like they wouldn’t leave the treeline. And you want to know something weird? I was riding pretty fast out of that forest, but I looked back a few times, and the last time I did, nobody was there. Not even a scout. I didn't really register that at the time; I had no idea where I was or where you were. Luckily I could see the village from where I was; I figured it was in the general direction you had gone. My path must have been longer than yours, because all the people I talked to in the village said, and I quote, "a blurred fairie or sprite on a spice-colored horse" had passed through several hours ago. By the time I found a family to let me sleep in their hayloft, it was pretty dark. They said I should try the castle in the morning, so I slept, in the hay, next to Stallion, and left early this morning. So, here I am . . . now what's your story, Princess?"

"Well, I told you we'd have a long talk." I sat on my bed, tossing a pillow over to Zach. "Are you comfortable? Good, because soon you won't be. So. Once upon a time, there was a girl who rode through a gate which opened into another world . . ."

*****

There was so much to tell. He took it pretty well, all things considered. It’s not every day your girlfriend tells you about the Change.

"Lauren, I don't believe this, yet. This is too incredible. Can you -"

"What was that?" I stood up quickly, hearing a rustle from beneath my window. I peered at the ground, seeing a leopard prowling in the moonlight. I smiled. "Zach, look. That's Cat. I mean, that's Caterina, as a cat. Watch!" As I said the words, Cat shifted back to herself, looked up at us, winked, and disappeared into the trees.

Zach stared in disbelief, and swayed a bit at the window. His voice was shaky as he said, "Where did she go? She -" he paused. "Oh, lordy, Laur, you can do that?" He turned to me incredulously.

"As far as I know, I can do pretty much anything. - Are you okay? You look pretty pale. Sit down. Those fairy tales don't seem so silly anymore, do they? I'm living one."

Zachary sat on the corner of the bed, his head in his hands. Then he looked up at me in wonder, searchingly, as if he could see any difference. He stood up, and took a step toward me, reaching up to my face with his right hand. He fingered a strand of hair and tucked it behind my ear, pausing as he noticed its shape, then traced the line of my jaw. He cupped my face in his hands and smiled at me, leaning in close . . .

The door opened, and the King stepped in the room. He looked at us, then looked at the wall. Speaking more to the wall than to us, he said, "Zachary, please come with me. There is something you should see. You as well, Lauriel, you may find this interesting."

The King led us out of my room and down the hallway. He lifted the ubiquitous tapestry and opened another intricately carved door. This one was covered with runes and symbols, but in no language I had ever seen. He lifted a torch from inside the doorway, the light from which illuminated a spiraling set of stairs once the King unlocked the door. We followed him down into a small landing, where he lifted another torch out of the wall. He replaced it with the original one, and muttered a word under his breath. A section of the wall near the torch sconce opened, and the King motioned for us to follow.

We descended another flight of stairs to another anteroom, with three doors. The King walked to the door on the right, placed his hand on the doorknob, and after another muttered word, released it as the door swung inward. The room we entered was bright, but cold. Moonlight streamed from a hole in the thatched roof far above. Zephihl was sitting on a wooden stool, his back to us. He turned, alarmed, as our footsteps sounded on the rushes covering the stone floor. He relaxed when he saw us.

"I wish Cat were here. I looked for her, but she must be out in the woods." I glanced at Zach as the King spoke - we knew Cat was not in the castle. "She should see this. It could -"

"Could be what, Chief?" Cat asked as she appeared in the doorway. "You know I can find you when you have need of me - I can feel it. Oh, Lauriel - do you have . . . it?"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about . . . did you say something just now?" I asked Cat, confused.

"I said nothing."

"But I heard you--"

"I said nothing. But I did communicate with you." Cat smiled as comprehension dawned on me.

"I guess I do have . . . it. To answer your question, I have no idea what's going on. You'll just have to see for yourself," I said impishly.

"You've done well, sister. So, Chief, what is this thing that is so terribly important?" Cat asked curiously.

"Perhaps I should let Zephihl demonstrate; it has more relevance to him. Zephihl? When you're ready," said the Chief, gesturing toward him.

Zephihl stood warily and went to the middle of the room. The light form the torches dimmed as a cool wind began to blow. A sudden crash somewhere caused me to look away, then a bright flash of light made me cover my eyes.

A low growl brought my attention back to the center of the room. The darkness was complete, the torches extinguished. I could just see something with dark stripes slink along the floor as lightning flared overhead. A pair of glowing eyes stared out from the darkness. A flash of lightning crackling above illuminated the thing. For a brief moment I could make it out -- a tiger.

I could just barely see someone cautiously making his way to the torches, and with a word, firelight once again lit the room. I was right; there was a tiger crouched in the farthest corner from any other living being. Apparently, Zephihl had Changed, but how? He was not a star warrior, but an image child and a faceless changer, according to Cat, and thus unable to Change completely. Yet there he was, Changed, totally.

Zachary stared at the spot where Zephihl had been standing, then at the tiger. "What the hell . . .?"

"How did he do that? He's not --" Cat started to say, until tiger-Zephihl shuddered, and Changed. He remained on hands and knees for a moment, head down, breathing heavily. He stumbled as he stood, then straightened quickly, as if he did not want anyone to notice the misstep. It seemed like he had done some practicing.

He looked over at me, eyes blazing as an aftereffect of Change. He almost seemed angry, until he blinked and the glow in his eyes dissipated. "This ring," he held up his left hand, showing the gold band on his middle finger, "this ring gives me the power to Change. But nothing else. Not quite as powerful as a star warrior" -he almost spat the words- "but at least it is a complete Change. Such as I have never known. The King made it from a spell in his cavaret, because he knew how much I wanted to experience the Change, and as his heir, I had the right to know . . ." he trailed off, but with a smug look on his face as he glanced toward Zachary.

Zachary frowned in Zephihl's direction, then looked at King Arland. "Do you think . . . well, would it be possible-"

"There is one for you. So you won't feel left out of your behra's games - practice - learn quickly," the King interrupted him, ignoring the nearly horrified glance Zephihl gave at the words. The King took a step towards Zachary and made a gesture in the air, retrieving a silver ring from thin air. He handed it to Zachary.

Zachary took the ring gingerly, the looked at me. I could see his excitement, but also his apprehension. Then he turned his attention back to the ring. He turned it round, then touched it with a finger; he dropped it as if it had burned him. He knelt, and cautiously picked it up. He put it on his right hand as he stood, and rubbed a speck of dirt from the ring.

There was a flash, and the torches were extinguished once again. I searched the darkness for Zachary, but there were no convenient lightning bursts this time. The night revealed nothing.

A triumphant howl startled me. I looked in the general direction of the almost musical sound, and in the ambient light from the moonlight above, a glowing eye stared back at me. The torches flickered dimly back to life after another muttered word; and among the rushes a grey wolf was revealed cavorting in joy. "Zachary?" I exclaimed. Sure enough, there were Zach's blue eyes peering out from the silver fur.

Slowly, the wolf's limbs lengthened, and Zach stood, shaking but smiling. He stretched gracefully, showing none of the signs of stress Zephihl had shown after his Change. This puzzled me, making it seem almost like Zephihl was . . . faking. Why would that be?

That train of thought was interrupted when Zachary whispered reverently, "There are more things on heaven and earth, Horatio . . ." He did always like Shakespeare. "Oh, Lauren. There are no words . . . Now I know why it was so hard for you to explain last night. And you're - Hey, where'd everybody go?"

I looked around in surprise. Cat, the King, and even Zephihl had slipped out in the darkness, but I could sense someone nearby. I couldn't explain how I knew that, but . . .

"That was indescribably wonderful. It was my own body, but not human - not human, Laur! I -"

"Shhh. There's someone here. I don't know who . . . it's gone now. Let's talk about this outside," I said, walking towards the door.

Zach grabbed my hand and kissed it. He was in a very good mood. "Anything you say, Laur . . . Lauriel. That's going to take some getting used to, Princess."

I chuckled. "You're telling me? A new name is the least I have to get used to," I said as we climbed the stairs.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing I can say. It's all too new. I can feel something inside me that I can't explain. It's a little scary."

"I'm here for you, Princess," he said, smiling. "I always knew you were royalty." He put his arms around me and kissed my hair. "Je t'aime, mon amour."

"I'm glad you're here, Zach. You know how I feel now."

"Yeah, I guess I do. Hey Laur, do you think we can ever go back? To Earth, I mean."

"I don't know, Zach. I don't know."

FIN DE CHAPITRE UNE

05/24/01