The Sorceress of Belmair

he turned to her, smiling. “You see, Sapphira, I am quite capable of handling our little vessel.”

“But if you must spend all your time sailing this ship, when will we have time to talk?” she asked him, pouting just slightly.

“We are talking,” he reminded her. “But perhaps you would like to nap in the sunshine until we reach our destination,” Dillon suggested.

Sapphira sighed dramatically. “Perhaps I shall nap,” she said, curling up and closing her eyes.

Sleep until you are bidden to waken, with memories but briefly forsaken, Dillon said silently, and watched as Sapphira slipped into a deep slumber. Eyes dark will now be light, womb unlock and all be right, he completed the rest of his spell. It was going to be next to impossible for Ahura Mazda to see any difference between Cinnia and Sapphira. With his companion now totally unaware, Dillon’s little vessel flew quickly, magically over the gentle waves. Ahead of him the Merfolk were leaping and swimming, leading him to his destination. Reaching it, he found Agenor and his pretty daughter.

“A small difficulty has arisen,” Agenor said. Then he turned to his daughter. “Tell the king, my child.”

“She does not want to return,” Antea said softly.

“What?” Dillon was astounded. “What do you mean she doesn’t want to return?”

“Can you swim?” Agenor asked.

Dillon nodded.

“Then I think it is best you go and speak with her yourself, Majesty. This is an argument to be decided between husband and wife. And it will be resolved a great deal faster than if we keep going back and forth with your conversation.” Agenor reached up, and handed the king a length of seaweed. “Keep this with you at all times, and you will be able to breathe beneath the water,” he said. “I will lead you myself.”

“Is there some of your magical seaweed for Sapphira? I would take her with us,” Dillon told the chief of the Merfolk.

“Aye,” he said, and gave Dillon a second piece.

Dillon tucked the greenery in the deep valley between Sapphira’s breasts. Then he handed her over the side to Agenor’s mermen. Pulling off his boots, he put his own magical seaweed in his shirt pocket and dove into the waters. Agenor at his side, they descended deeper and deeper into the sea. To his amazement he had no difficulty at all in breathing. And then Dillon saw ahead of him the shining bubbles that housed the Yafir.

Agenor and Antea led him to the largest of the bubbles.

It is almost time for her to come into the garden, Antea said in the silent tongue.

Remain hidden within these large plants until I am certain she is alone.

They waited, and then after several minutes had passed, Cinnia came into view. Dillon’s heart contracted with his joy. He watched her smile as Antea swam into Cinnia’s sight, and Cinnia smiled, coming forward.

I will open the wall between the water and the interior of the bubble, Agenor told him. We must move quickly, for I have but a few minutes before that wall must be closed, or it will spell disaster for all within the bubble. Take your wife and step swiftly back into the sea, and begin your ascent to the surface. We will place Sapphira in the garden for them to find. Whatever argument you and the queen have must be settled elsewhere. Here is a bit of seaweed for her.

I understand, Dillon answered Agenor.

The chief of the Merfolk pointed with a big finger at the bubble, and without even waiting to be told, Dillon stepped from the plants on the sea floor, and through into the garden of Ahura Mazda’s castle, followed by a young merman carrying Sapphira in his arms. Seeing him, joy leaped into Cinnia’s eyes, but then she turned to flee him. Dillon jumped forward, catching her by the hand, stuffing the seaweed into her pocket.

“Dillon, no!” she cried softly.

“Cinnia, yes!” he said, and half dragged her back into the sea where, once free of the bubble, they began to rise slowly up toward the surface.

“We’ll drown,” Cinnia said, and then she realized that not only could she speak, but she was having no difficulty at all breathing. “I can’t go back,” she said to him.

“We’ll discuss this once we are in my boat,” he told her.

“How is it I can breathe?” she asked him.

“I’ll tell you that, too, when we reach the surface.”

Holding hands, they rose up, and Cinnia realized that they were surrounded by smiling Merfolk, including Antea. She looked briefly down, and saw the shadow of Yafirdom fading slowly away until it was entirely gone. Then suddenly their heads broke the surface, and they were bobbing in the sea next to a small boat. He helped her in, and then climbed in himself. Sapphira in blue. Red to you, he spoke the simple spell, and Cinnia found herself in a rather revealing red gown.

“What are you doing?” she asked him.

“There was no time below to change your garments since you decided to be difficult,” Dillon said. “It would be very odd if they found you unconscious in the garden wearing a totally different dress than the one you had gone out in.”

“But I’m not in the garden,” she said. “I’m here with you, and I shouldn’t be!”

“We had all best return to where we belong now,” Agenor said, smiling, as he looked over the edge of the boat. “Welcome home, my queen.”

“Swim for but half of an hour, Agenor, and you will find you are in the sea off of your own beach. I would not leave you and your people here to make the long trip home. And in your cave you will find a small token of my appreciation. You already know you have the loyalty and friendship of Belmair’s king,” Dillon responded.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Agenor said. Then he said to his people, “The king has made magic for us. We will be home very shortly.”

“Goodbye, Cinnia,” Antea said, smiling.

“Goodbye,” Cinnia replied.

The Merfolk were quickly out of sight, and Cinnia realized that she could see a green coast ahead of them. She remained silent as Dillon sailed their little boat into a small cove. With a wave of his hand he transported them to a sandy beach, along with a willow basket, which she soon saw contained food and wine.

They settled themselves, and after taking a sip of wine she had the courage to ask him, “What have you done, my lord? Surely you know that under our laws I can never again be your wife?”

“The law has been changed, my love,” he said, and leaned forward to kiss her lips.

Cinnia drew away from him. “No,” she said.

“Have you fallen in love with the Yafir then that you will not kiss me?” he asked.

“No, I do not love the Yafir. But you are Belmair’s king. You cannot change the law so you may flout it, Dillon,” Cinnia told him.

“The law is not for me,” he said. “It is for all the women who would like to live again in Belmair with their Yafir husbands. I still mean to make a peace between us. As far as Belmair will be concerned you are not Cinnia, daughter of Fflergant. You are Sapphira, niece of Duke Tullio of Beldane, and my mistress.”

“What?” She looked at him as if he had gone mad.

“Sapphira was exactly like you in all ways but her eyes, which were a dark green. They are now light. She will be found unconscious in the Yafir lord’s garden, a bump upon her head. Her memories will be muddled and confused, but they will return. But when they do it is to be hoped she is already with child-I believe Ahura Mazda covets a daughter, and he will have one-and she will discover all the wealth she desires can be hers. Sapphira is a very venal and extraordinarily lustful woman. I believe she will be content to be Cinnia instead of herself under those circumstances.” He smiled at her, taking her hand and kissing it tenderly. “So you see, as long as you are content to be Sapphira there is little harm done, and Belmair’s old laws have not been changed only for you, my love. They have been changed for the public good,” Dillon concluded.

She stared at him, the look one of amazement. “You have the mind of a man born into magic,” Cinnia said slowly. “Were your father and your uncle involved in this, too?”

“And Nidhug, too,” he told her.

Tears filled Cinnia’s eyes. “I have missed my dragon,” she told him.

“And me? Have you missed me, my love?”

“After the first few days I put you from my mind, for there was no hope that I could see. But I never put you