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At my feet lay an elderly woman。 I knelt down beside her and took her wrist in my hand。 Under my fingers her pulse felt erratic。 I was closer to the power here； the pull of it too tempting to resist。 As my eyes closed I began to see the pattern of her life。 Thin and threadbare。 Bleak colors woven together with an odd shock of bright blue。
It was so difficult to hold on to what I was seeing。 The images were blurred and hazy； slipping away from me if I hesitated for a moment。 But； healing her would be simple enough； I saw suddenly。 It had been so long since I'd taken the risk。 Since I'd wanted to。
There was a faint sound。 It broke my concentration and I turned toward it。 There； shadowed in the doorway； stood the girl。 For a moment her image blurred with one from my memory。 I knew then I would help them； regardless of the risk。
Again； I took the woman's wrist。 Tapping into what little reserves I'd tucked away； I focused all my concentration into bringing back the weave of her life。 The heat flew through me then； sliding into her body； burning out her fever and pain。 Hot ribbons of health wove themselves into her body。
I released her wrist then； exhausted by this minor act。 I smiled a bit at this； I who had brought armies to their knees with a flick of my wrist； swooning at this child's play。
And what did my generosity get me？ A private room in the bloody Tower。
The people I helped weren't to blame。 They couldn't have been expected to keep quiet about their miraculous beatings； I suppose。 Though I suspect the tale was embellished by the time it reached the ears of the clergy。
The Protestants and the Catholics had been going at it ever since Mary came to the throne； but the one thing they agreed on was that anything smacking of witchcraft was to be dealt with severely。
For some reason the local priest； who was the first person to see me after I was captured； didn't want to kill me right off。 Perhaps it was my skin； or maybe he hoped to gain points with bishop。 At any rate； I was taken to London and then sent to the Tower。
Where I remained for months。
I'd heard that there were prisoners here who'd been forgotten for years。 But I tried not to dwell on that。
Spring passed； then summer。
All Hallows Eve。
Dark came early。 Through my slit of a window； I could see the fine mist ushering a heavy fog。 The flickering torches looked unreal and ghostly。 A per…feet night for the devil's work。 If you believed in that sort of thing。
I'd been'sitting in the dark for several hours。 The worst thing about imprisonment was boredom。 But this wasn't the first time I'd been in such a situation。 Then I heard it。 A faint sound from down in the base of the tower。
Then footsteps on the stone steps。 They were ing to kill me； I knew it。 After all this time； they had remembered and were dispatching me at last。 The least I could do was go to my death on my feet。 But somehow I couldn't force myself to move from the cold stone floor where I sat。
The sound of voices。 I thought they might be arguing。 Then more footsteps。 The lock was opened and the door swung in。
I put my hand up against the sudden brightness of a lamp。 A rustle of fabric。 Any moment now I would feel the bum of the blade。
〃You may leave us now；〃 a voice said。
A voice I knew。
I dropped my hand and blinked。 It couldn't be； yet it was。
Standing across from me； robed in heavy velvet and fur； was Alachia。
〃What are you doing here？〃 I asked。
She frowned。 〃You never have learned any madness；〃 she said。 〃Do you not know that you are to rise in the presence of a queen？〃
I snorted。 〃Blood Wood is long gone；〃 I said。 〃Its ashes have been forgotten more times than either of us can remember。 You're no more a queen than I。〃
〃You never were ambitious；〃 she said。
〃No； just not foolish and vain。〃
Her frown deepened。 Even with such a withering expression on her face； she was still beautiful。 The skin was as pale； the hair as fiery red； and the eyes as blue。 Not as stunning as she'd been； but part of that was due to the changes in the magic。 Now her beauty was more human。
〃You are an annoyance；〃 she said。 〃But you are my cross to bear。 Isn't that an amusing expression？ Tell me； aren't you curious as to why I am visiting you？〃
I didn't answer。 I knew it would annoy her。 How odd that even after all this time we fell back into our old patterns。
〃Well； I'll tell you；〃 she said。 Her voice was gleeful and fairly danced with excitement。 〃In a fortnight； I am again to gain a throne。 Admittedly； not as impressive as those I've left behind me； but it will do in the meantime。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 I asked。
〃Haven't you heard？〃 she asked。 〃Mary is dying and Elizabeth is to be crowned queen。 Don't you think Henry is turning over in his grave？ Killing off that poor girl's mother because she couldn't give him sons。 Brutal bastard。〃
〃What has that to do with you？〃
〃Why； my dear； haven't you guessed yet？〃
I stared at her for a moment； then； through the dullness of my mind； prehension。
〃Are you mad？〃 I asked。
〃What do you mean？〃 she said coyly。
I was staggered。 She'd been interfering for years in things that weren't our business…but this…this was too…much。
〃How do you propose to achieve this miracle？〃 I asked。 〃Don't you think people will see the differ…once between you？〃
〃Ah； I have been planning this for years；〃 she said。 〃It has taken an immense amount of time and energy。 Do you think that I just popped up yesterday？ Oh no； I have been Elizabeth for quite some time。〃
〃But her servants； teachers； surely someone。。。〃
〃A simple enough matter to arrange。 A spell here； a spell there。。。 and patience。 Such patience as you have never known。 And now； at last； I'm in a position where I can do something。〃
I could only stare at her。 It was madness…sheer and utter madness。 How she could possibly think she could maintain such a farce was beyond me。
〃Aina；〃 she said； 〃you have always been so shortsighted。 We can control what happens over the next thousand years。 Make the world over in our image。 Think of it…the power will e back again。 Not this trickle； but a deluge of energy to rip loose the moorings of the world…unless we make certain of the proper order of things。 Humans are sheep。 We will always rule them。
〃The legends and tales you strew about aren't enough。 We must have more。 We must control them。 This is our destiny。〃
Even had I wanted to stand； I didn't think my legs would hold me。 What she was proposing was monstrous。 It went against everything I believed about our place。 Our purpose。 We had a duty to perform。 We were to keep the world safe so that the knowledge would survive from age to age。
She knew what I did…how could she discard it all for so clumsy a form of power？ But then； power had always entranced her。 And so much of her mind would never be known to me。 She was far older than I。
And I have lived so long that Sisyphus's chore looked like a blessing to me。
〃You pervert what we are；〃 I said。
〃This pious attitude is quite boring； Aina；〃 she sa