In order to keep peace within Tafal, Ark advised Ceallach to keep mum about the river demon. So the next day, when he showed up to the construction site tired and bruised and smelly, he made up excuses about falling into the river at night. It was a little true, but it still made him uncomfortable.

When he returned to the inn, Ark was waiting in their room while reading a book. "Did you find out anything today regarding Aisling?"

"No," said Ceallach, sitting down with a loud creak on his cot. "I was working. Didn't get that much done today because I'm sore..."

Ark closed the book and put it away. "Well, in that case, we should move to another village. Tafal should be safe now, and we're not finding what we're looking for here."

Ceallach turned so he could look at Ark. "Why? We haven't been here that long."

Ark tipped his head. "Perhaps not, but we've asked everyone here for help and have had no luck. Furthermore, it won't be long before we'll start having to pay for this room, and I don't have much in terms of coin. We need to move on."

Ceallach's mouth twitched in the beginnings of a frown. "But...the house is almost done. The men need they need all the hands they can get to put it together." He looked towards Ark. The angel's expression did not change. "They want me there."

Ark sighed quietly. "You do remember that we are here, first and foremost, in order to cure Aisling?"

Ceallach put his head on his knees. His back ached a bit when he did that. The image of Aisling in her unshakable sleep was something that came to him often, and it was painful every time it surfaced. Even then, something else bothered him. "What about your duty? Something about wards?"

"I can do that while we look for a cure. And we need to start looking elsewhere."

"That's...yes, but I don't want to leave so soon after I started working..."

"Tell them we have business elsewhere. They will surely understand."

Ceallach closed his eyes and frowned. "I want to stay one more day."

Ark was silent for a while. "...Alright then. We can do that. We've already stayed so long here."

Ceallach studied the celestial for a moment. The stars in his wings shifted, twinkling in and out. "...Why are you helping me?" Ceallach asked.

Ark faced Ceallach with an incredulous expression, as if the answer was already evident. "Because you have no idea what to do, of course."

Ceallach frowned. "But...there are plenty of people here that could use your help, too, but you don't even talk to them. Am I just a special case?"

"You housed me in the storm," Ark said, lowering his head. He pulled the Seeing Blind down from his eyes, appearing to be in deep thought. "So I owe you. You're very concerned about Aisling, and that's...impossible for me to simply ignore. You are impossible to ignore. You are a good person, and I find it easy to be around you. That is rare."

Ceallach stared at the Seeing Blind around Ark's neck, realizing that it was something Ark only removed in his presence.

"In fact, it's very easy to trust you," Ark said, inching closer to the wall. "And that is a little bit unusual..."

Ark's expression was unsure, on the edge of being suspicious. Ceallach wasn't sure how to feel about it. He suspected that the feeling was mutual, and that in itself was reassuring, in a strange way.

"I hope to earn your trust, then," Ceallach said.

"I appreciate that. For now, let's rest."

----

The morning after was overcast, full of dull grey light. Ceallach looked out the window and glared at the clouds to scatter them. Instead, they released their contents upon the earth with such force it made the roofs rumble. When the drops started falling, he actually screamed loud enough to wake up some other people staying at the inn.

At breakfast many spoke of a sudden bellowing noise early in the morning. Ceallach kept quiet and said nothing. It was not a day that he wanted to say goodbye to the village to, so he brooded near the fireplace in the parlor, glaring into the flames. Ark kept him company, but said little.

Oslo stopped by, wearing an oilcloth on his head as a makeshift raincoat. "Blasted weather might undo some of the house's foundation at this rate. At least if we stay in something already constructed we're not so bad of a shape, huh?"

"That's true. Are you going to wait it out here?" Ceallach asked.

"Nah, just here to take some coffee. Then I'll talk to the newlyweds and tell them their house isn't going be done for a while. They've probably figured that out, but it's the proper thing to tell them."

Ceallach waited until Oslo returned with his coffee before speaking. "I don't think we'll be staying much longer once the rain stops."

The beastman glanced over at Ark, who was reading near the fireplace and writing in the book he was holding. "Well, it had to happen. I was just hoping it would be later rather than sooner. I'll scrape up your coins tomorrow."

"You don't have to pay me. I lent a hand freely," Ceallach said.

"You consider yourself a volunteer then? In that case, this is a gift," Oslo took some coins out of his pocket and pressed them into Ceallach's hands, grinning. "Just what I've got on hand. Go on, take it. Something to remember me and the village by."

Ceallach couldn't help but smile. Each coin had some kind of mounted horseman on it, like something out of an illustrated book. "Alright. Thank you."

After the beastman had left, Ceallach showed the coins to Ark. It only was a modest amount of copper and a single silver piece, but it was enough to excite him and want to show someone.

"These are copper knights? This is not enough to furnish us for the rest of our journey, or even to the next village," Ark said after studying the coins. "I'll ask for some supplies...but we'll have to travel light, and quickly."

----

The next morning was clear enough them to depart, so Ceallach and Ark left, following a dirt road out of the village. It did not seem much used, and Ceallach's feet soon ached from all of the pebbles and dried grasses.

"Wouldn't flying be faster?" he asked, wiping off the soles of his feet.

"Do you want me to carry you by the hair again?" Ark asked, the bite in his question not matching the smile on his face.

The days were white-bright, making the horizon hard to look at, but it was only just hot enough to notice the heat without sweating. There was not much on the road to pay attention to, and Ceallach ached for some sort of iron or bronze to play with.

The two of them camped near trees at night at some distance from the road. Ark always fell asleep quickly, despite his claims that he wasn't used to sleeping on rough ground. Ceallach sometimes envied Ark's ability to rest anywhere, but at the same time, the few hours that Ceallach had to spend winding down was an opportunity to study stars and the fire they kept. He tried to memorize the stars by finding patterns and shapes in them, so he would be able to describe them to Aisling.

The dirt of the path eventually made way for wide stones, and opened up to a town surrounded by fields of unripe barley. Ark drew himself up, dusted off his clothes, and strode in with an air that demanded attention. Ceallach considered ducking away to take care of his hair, but decided to throw it around his neck like an imposing cloak instead.

Within moments, a man noticed them, hitched the pony he was leading to a post, and approached. "Are you a celestial envoy? Apologies, we have nothing ready for you, but you're welcome."

"I am Ark, here to study your demonic wards. We will be staying here a few days, so if you can arrange something, it would be appreciated," Ark said.

"I'm housing the other fellow that came in recently, but I'll see if someone has room for two. As for demonic wards...you'll have to talk to my old man about that. If you'd follow me?"

Ceallach glanced around the buildings - of which there were a small handful - but saw none built out of marble. "Is there no celestial portal here?"

"No, closest one's in Tafal. That's about a day's ride from here, if you make good time..."

"It's alright. We don't need to go there," Ark said, tipping his head towards Ceallach. "Lead the way, please."

Ceallach cast one last look at the fields. No one was working out in them at this hour, but he spied a figure stooping by a fencepost briefly before it vanished into the barley.

----

The people of the village knew nothing that could help Aisling. Unlike in Tafal, there was no river to run by, and no construction to do, so Ceallach often sat on the roof of the barn he was staying in with Ark, watching the fields ripple in the wind. One day, he saw the stooping figure out in the barely again, so he wandered out and followed it. It was late afternoon, and they were the only ones in the field, so his movements made the stalks rustle. The figure, a man in a duster covered in pockets and traveller's hat, noticed and waved him over. "The field should be secure! I haven't found any...oh, you're not a farmer, are you?"

Ceallach hesitated, then approached. "I'm part of the celestial envoy. I've been wondering what you're doing out here."

"Part of the envoy for the demonic wards, are you? Well, in that case, we have something in common," the man said, brushing soil off his cloak, which did little to improve its worn look. "I'm a warden, see, and I've been warding out the fields in return for food and board. These ones are for mundane threats - moles, mice, bugs." He held out a hand for Ceallach to shake. "Rowan, for what the name's worth."

"I'm Ceallach." They shook.

The man kept his beard tidy and his hair long, unlike the other people in the town. His hair was dark, like his eyes and palms. Rowan noticed Ceallach studying the dirt that had clung to his hands and chuckled. "Apologies, warding out a field is a bit dirtier than warding out a village or town, I'm afraid."

Ceallach rubbed the dirt away. "That's alright. Say, do you know of a doctor that can cure a person who can't wake up?"

Rowan blinked a few times, then grinned. "I do, actually. If you let me have dinner where you're staying, I'll tell you what I know."

It wasn't much, but it was more than Ceallach had heard for the past few days, and it lifted his spirits. "Really?"

"You have my word. First, I need to secure the circle of protection around here. And it also needs to be dinner time! So, if you'll excuse me." The sorcerer stooped back down to the ground, digging in the dirt.

Ceallach was about to leave, but he thought better of it. "Thank you. Do you know where we're staying?"

"Yes, yes! Everyone knows where the celestial envoy is staying. I'll just ask someone on my way out of here."

"Alright. At dinner, then," Ceallach said, watching the man's movements for a moment before running back to the barn, making his strides long. Ark and their host needed to know about the guest they would be having.

"So he said he would tell us over dinner...but nothing else?" Ark asked.

"Well, no...why, should he have?"

Ark tipped his head with a slight smile. "Ceallach, you must realize some people try to take advantage of others by telling them what they want to hear at that moment."

Ceallach blinked. "Do you think he tricked us?"

"I wasn't there, so I can't say. Why don't you let me handle the conversation?"

Ceallach conceded quietly, waiting in a chair by the fireplace.

When Rowan arrived, he exchanged a short, warm greeting with the host before seeking Ceallach out. "We won't be eating for another while, I'm afraid. But we had something to discuss?"

"Yes, about a doctor you know," Ark said from his seat.

Rowan seemed surprised for a moment, but dragged a stool to a place where he could sit and see both Ceallach and Ark. "That's right, I remember now. The two of you were looking for some time for some...medical expertise. A sleeping patient, I believe."

"That might be. And I suppose you know of someone who can help the patient?"

"That's right," Rowan said, taking off his hat with a modest flourish. "You see, I might not look like it, but I am a doctor." Ceallach looked up at this, but Ark made no outward reaction to the insinuation. The man seemed to notice this and smiled. "Allow me to introduce myself, for those of us who are unaware: I am Rowan Daniell, a physician that specializes in what others would consider hopeless cases. Though of late I seem to get a warmer welcome by being a wandering warden, helping secure the land. If a celestial envoy asks for my aid and makes it worth my while, I would be glad to help."

Ark did not return the introduction and only put a finger to the side of his face. Seeing the celestial so calm tempered Ceallach's excitement, and he cleared his throat. "This is Ark, and I'm Ceallach, of the Tower on the Sea." Rowan seemed to acknowledge the title with a slight incline of his head, which gave him a bit of confidence. "I'd like to think our case is not hopeless...but we've traveled far looking for help."

"I'll wager that I've walked farther," Rowan. "Distance is not an issue."

Ceallach smiled at this, but Ark looked less impressed. "May we have a minute?" Ark asked.

Rowan nodded. Ark touched Ceallach's arm and stood, leading him out of the house.

"What's wrong?" Ceallach asked in a small voice.

Ark paused, frowning. "Do you trust this man?"

"I do. The villagers seem to. He hasn't given me any reason not to."

Ark leaned his head from side to side, as if he was trying to decide something.

"Ark, what's wrong? Do you really think he's trying to trick us?"

"I'm fairly certain he's telling the truth. He could well be a doctor," Ark said quickly. "But there is something...hanging about him that makes me uncomfortable."

"I think you're making things up," Ceallach said. Ark's wings twitched and he looked about to say something, but did not. "Ark, you were the one who said we weren't finding anything back at Tafal! Now help has come to us. Why shouldn't we take this chance?"

Ark actually seemed sorry. "...Alright. We don't have much to lose, in any case."

The two of them sat by the fireplace again. "We've decided to take you with us," Ark said. He tossed a small sack of coins, which Rowan caught out of the air. "Here's an advance...we'll discuss your full payment at a later time, if that's alright with you."

Rowan chuckled and hid the sack in one of his many pockets. "That's fine, that's fine. Where is the patient being kept?"

There was a pause. Ceallach felt he needed to speak up. "It's...out in the ocean..."

"Where in the ocean? It's no small place."

"North? It's sort of north," Ceallach looked at Ark for guidance, but the celestial did not move. "On a little island..."

"And how are we going to get there?"

Ceallach hadn't thought about that very much. "Maybe we can take a boat..."

Rowan chuckled again. "I doubt we could take a ship out to the open ocean without a pretty penny at this time of year. Distance might not be an issue, but coin might be."

Ceallach lowered his head in thought. Then he looked at Ark.

"...What," the celestial said when he realized eyes were on him. "...Do you honestly believe I'd be able to fly both of you there?"

"Could you do that?" Rowan put a hand on his chin.

"No," Ark said. Ceallach was about to protest, but then thought about having to hold a grown man the whole way back to the tower, all while being carried by the hair, and kept silent.

Rowan made a quiet wondering noise. "There should be a simple solution, right here in this village," he said after a moment.

"That would be welcome, if it works," Ark said.

"It's not very elegant, but it should suffice - a few weeks ago, a group of gryphon riders came to trade for some crops. Their beasts can carry large loads with special baskets enchanted for weightlessness. Normally, such traders leave spare baskets in regions they trade in regularly."

"Are they big baskets?" Ceallach asked. Ark fidgeted.

"I'm sure we could fit inside, provided we find one."

Ceallach pondered this. Before anyone could object, they were called for dinner, and Rowan rose. "As long as we don't have a basket, I assume we won't travel. So while we wait to find one, let's eat, shall we?"

----

For a few days, Rowan did not return. Ceallach asked some of the villagers if they knew where a gryphon rider basket was, but none of them knew - and some of them disagreed whether or not there was one in the area at all. Then, one evening, Rowan showed up at the door, inquired about what was for supper, and found Ceallach and Ark, who were both reading.

"I have absolutely nothing to report regarding the basket," Rowan announced, having a seat between the two of them. "But! This doesn't have to mean lost time. Why don't you tell me more about this friend we're going to see?"

Ceallach closed the almanac he had found, then rested his cheek on a fist. "Her name is Aisling. She just...fell asleep one day and wouldn't wake up."

Rowan made a small noise to show he had heard. "Did she suffer any kind of trauma shortly beforehand? Physical or mental?"

The word 'trauma' was strange and concerning to think about. "No. There was...the tower was shaking the night before she fell asleep. But she was fine then. Tired, but fine."

"How long has she been this way?"

Ceallach had a number in his head and on the wall of how many days he was in the tower with her since her sleep, but since then he had come to the village and lost track of how many had passed since then. He hadn't found anything to mark. "Many weeks...at least two months, I would say."

The doctor dropped his gaze to his hands. "My," he said quietly.

Ceallach was unsure if he should say anything more - he didn't know what would be of any use. He remained silent.

"And what of the celestial here?" Rowan broke the silence. "You don't seem to speak very much!"

Ark did not look very pleased to be spoken to. "If you wanted me to contribute to the conversation, you'll have to excuse me. I had nothing to add."

"We could change the subject, then. What are you doing down among us? Why such business about the demonic wards? Should we be worried?"

Ark's expression hardened minutely. "If you know that a celestial would only be amongst mortals to accomplish something, then naturally...you would know that they are not at liberty to discuss their tasks or their reasons."

Rowan's smile changed in a subtle way. "Just an attempt at getting you to talk. It would be rude to exclude you."

Ceallach looked from Ark to Rowan and back, decided he did not like the faintly charged atmosphere, then shifted his chair so that it made a sound.

"In any case," Rowan said, stirring as if the sound had broken him from holding some kind of concentration, "with luck, I'll find something by tomorrow. There's one last place I haven't searched. Rest up, gentlemen. Tomorrow there will be news."

Ceallach hoped it was the good kind.

----

The crack of dawn promised a clear morning, and Ceallach would have gladly slept longer, if it weren't for someone shouting just outside the barn. He peeked out of the loft groggily, wondering if the rooster would be offended someone beat him to his job.

"Finally, you're awake! Quickly, find Ark; we have to hurry. I found the basket!" Rowan waved.

Ceallach cupped his hands around his mouth, since he didn't quite feel alert enough to shout back. "Can't it wait? We haven't yet eaten!"

"Well, here's the problem: a gryphon rider basket only keeps its enchantment for a little while after it's taken out of its enclosure," Rowan explained. "And it tumbled out when I was searching for it."

Ceallach blinked, partly because he was tired and partly out of sheer disbelief. Next to him, Ark stirred and sat up. "Is it morning yet?" Ark asked, feeling around for his Seeing Blind.

"No, but we're leaving anyway."

"Wonderful," Ark said flatly.

The doctor led them to a little hill beyond the fields. Part of it had caved, and here was a pile of loose dirt at the base of it. On top of the pile was a huge straw basket on its side, holding four oak barrels.

"Ceallach, you'll need to take those barrels out while I find the harness. Don't worry -- I have food -- how long do you think we'll be flying?" Rowan asked, digging into the hill.

Ark covered a yawn with his hand, clearly frowning behind his blind. "The first time I attempted this flight, I only had one person to worry about, and was in a different location. That took me the whole day."

"Well! Would you be able to find the place again?" Rowan said over his shoulder.

"...Yes, once I'm in the air, though that seems unlikely. The tower had an air of safety to it I would be able to find."

"Don't be so glum! We'll be airborne shortly. Here's the harness, I have bread somewhere around here, and the sun is coming up. I'm quite looking forward to this adventure, gentlemen. Aren't you?" Rowan laughed.

Perhaps it was Ark's disbelieving look, or Rowan's grin, or the fact it was still much too early to be up, but Ceallach laughed as well. "Yes, we'll see Aisling again."

Ark actually seemed to relax at that, and fitted the harness around himself without complaint as he ate. After Rowan and Ceallach clambered into the basket, Ark took off, the basket and its occupants trailing behind.

"How is the enchantment holding up, Ark?" Ceallach shouted.

"It's fine!" Ark answered. "But just in case, I'd like to save my breath for flying."

Rowan laughed again, holding his hat onto his head and peering over the side of the basket. "Always the negative one! It will be a beautiful day to fly."

Despite the rush, Ceallach had to agree.

----

Before sundown, the tower was in sight.

"Fascinating," Rowan was saying to himself as they approached. "A tower in the middle of the sea!"

Ceallach did not think it was fascinating - it reminded him of so many lonely days - but a part of him was relieved to see it again. More importantly, he would be able to see Aisling, and the thought of that made it hard for him to keep still.

"That was actually quite a relaxing flight," Ark said idly, circling around to find the window.

Immediately after Ark let the two others climb inside the tower, Ceallach bolted down the stairs to the bedroom, calling Aisling's name. When he opened the door, she was still asleep and untouched as ever. He paused in the doorway, struck with a wordless feeling of disappointment, then crossed the room and lifted her hair away from her eyes.

She was not better. But at least she was not worse, and someone was here to help. He straightened and let out his breath. Surely something good would come out of that. Rowan appeared a moment later, and Ark a bit later.

"Here she is," Ceallach said quietly, ducking his head.

Rowan nodded and approached, taking her wrist for a few seconds. Then he busied himself with emptying his pockets of various bottles and herbs for a while. Ceallach watched over his shoulder until Ark offered to distract him with a game of chess in another room.

Ceallach could tell that Ark was a clever opponent, but Ceallach felt his own moves were clouded by a kind of dread or anticipation and knew he did not play as well as he normally did. Ark seemed to sense this and played more tamely to prolong the game, but Ceallach could not bring himself to appreciate the gesture.

He continued to fret.

As they were putting away the pieces to look for another game, Rowan appeared in the doorway. Ceallach nearly leaped up, but upon seeing Rowan's defeated expression, he felt heavy.

Rowan did not say anything for a long moment, then finally sat down with his hands on his knees. "Let me be very clear, first of all. Her condition is stable, and sleeping aside, she is perfectly fine. I gave her some draughts regardless. However, I would venture to say her condition is...not medical. This isn't disease, it's magic, and that is...beyond my ability."

Ceallach felt his hands ball up into fists. After a short second he felt Ark's hand on his arm, but he didn't turn.

"I can say this much, however: she is not going to die of this."

"How so?" Ceallach heard himself say.

"It's certain she is under a curse, and a very powerful one at that. But, she is fighting it. I cannot tell you what the curse would have done if she wasn't fighting it so adamantly, but because she is, she is alive."

"Yes, she fights, because she is a Brave Princess," Ceallach said to himself. This did little to lift his spirits.

Rowan stood and began to pace around the room. "I have an -- associate in Winter's Mouth whose knowledge of magic...far outpaces my own. She would know something about breaking this curse. And she will help us."

"Then we'll bring Aisling to her," Ceallach leaned forward.

"No -! Most certainly not. You can't disturb someone fighting a fight like this - there is no telling what kind of damage such a journey would do to her. I'll lead you to Winter's Mouth to seek my associate's advice. The problem is how..."

"The basket worked well enough. I'd be willing to use it again, if the enchantment holds the whole way," Ark offered.

"No, the magic wouldn't last. I wouldn't chance it past the return journey. It would be safer to put it away and make our way on foot..."

That amounted to waiting. More waiting, and more time away from Aisling. Ceallach put his head in his hands while the other two continued to discuss what to do next. He wanted to scream - this was supposed to be the end of all the waiting! Aisling was supposed to be better, even talking with them right now. Frustration and sadness crunched his insides together, and it was a chore to keep his breaths even.

He got up, prompting the other two to look at him. He was nearly out of the room before he realized he should give an explanation. "I'm sorry. I'm going to see if there is something to eat."

"Ah, speaking of which!" Rowan said in a tentative tone of voice. "If you find something, will you let us know?"

"Of course," Ceallach said, and he descended the Tower's steps, barely aware of where he was going. When he had stopped, he found himself at the wall he had always tried to escape from. Tight fury bristled in his body, in his hands. He clenched his jaw and exhaled.

Aisling was fighting. He might not have found help just yet, but one day, they would. He needed to take hope in that, instead of thrashing out in frustration. He held back the wrath protesting in his chest by resting his fist on the wall and leaning on it, keeping it still.

"This is a dining room, I suppose?" Rowan's voice drifted down the stairwell. Ceallach pushed himself back and turned towards Rowan and Ark as they came down. "Ah, yes, that's a nice table. And is that a fireplace next to you there, Ceallach?"

"It is a wall," Ceallach said.

"Oh! My eyes aren't the best, it seems. Perhaps I should look at them. But that would require seeing well, hmm..."

"The last time I was here, I had thought it was a fireplace as well," Ark said. "Because it is so sooty."

"It's that way because I have hit it with my hands," Ceallach explained stiffly, moving away from the wall.

"Ah, when you have fire in them," Ark offered. Ceallach wiped down the table with a dishrag. Once he had done that, three plates with the usual little meal appeared, much to Rowan's excitement.

After setting up two mattresses for his guests on the floor with the books, Ceallach went back into the bedroom, pulled the door closed, and sat on the bed where Aisling lay. After watching her for a moment, he tucked some hair behind her ear so it wasn't all over the place. He sighed. "I'm sorry," he said under his breath. It felt weak, like an excuse.

Ceallach shook his head, tucked her sheets around her, then spent the moments before he fell asleep wondering if she was dreaming.