No one said a word when we left the mirror, the shattered pieces strewn across the floor. Or, rather, I suppose, no one said a thing about what they had seen in the mirror. Elayne probably would have if I asked - in fact, if I asked him now, he’d likely tell me, but…

I don’t want to tell him mine.

It’s nothing bad, of course, but I’ve never really thought that I’ve “wanted” to be something other than I am. I was a child, and I traded my life for the man who has become my best friend, and, when I woke up, I was an adult and he was waiting for me. He and Diarin have been by my side ever or oh-so-close ever since - I don’t know what I might want.

What I saw - oh, I don’t think I can even write it here! It was sweet, and embarrassing, and Elayne was there even though I knew the “real him” wasn’t doing what he did in the mirror. We’ve never done that, I’ve never thought… no.

No, no, no.

We were all quiet, and we walked on.

Part of our journey must have gone past some of the Furnace, as the Harvester’s vines turned dark and… crispy? And it almost felt like I could hear someone through the walls, groaning something garbled but nearly “my forge”.

And then we were past the heat, the vines shifting back to bright and green. The air became the sweetness of water that hadn’t moved in far too long, the constant drip along the walls the bass line to our hoof falls. I giggled as I felt something moving along my back, playing with my mane and flicking drops off my back. Some - Elayne let me name the little hand, and it was so silly - always tried to be so helpful, even though it didn’t stay with me, even though I wasn’t able to help it. It was all for naught, though, as we splashed into the shallow waters.

“Go ahead, Ceres - use your ‘magic’ and dry this place out,” Crenia muttered, I think mostly to herself. 

Ceres, of course, was always happy to reply. “Alas, there may be too much water for even your impressive magic, my dear lady wizard.”

I couldn’t see it, but I could practically hear Crenia rolling her eyes.

“Quiet,” Elayne’s voice was nearly a hiss, though he is far too elegant for anything as pedestrian as a “hiss.” “I think there might be something in the water with us.”

Ceres’ voice swelled with a smile - he smiles at the smallest things, and it’s frequently hard not to smile along. “I can help with that! Just a little spark-”

“Think for a moment, you idiot,” Crenia snapped, devouring his words with her sharp retort. “‘Sparks’ or ‘lightning’ or whatever your hare-brained idea is - we’re in the water. We would get ‘sparked’, too. Get your head out of your pompous ass and just run.”

Elayne seemed to agree, so that’s what we did. And we survived, at least for now.