Chapter XII, Reading 4

Flindra picked up the crown and looked at it carefully.  "It's beautiful," she murmured.  "What shall I do with it?"

"You need to give these treasures to the king who has properly discovered your identity, but only after the choice is made.  Your King must determine your nature on his own - without this proof.  Never forget, my Princess, that you are the Heir of King Meldh!  Don't cheapen yourself by helping the wrong man win your hand.  Keep your identity a secret."

"The memories of my forebears are with me, Kewero.  I will respect my heritage and I will remember your words," stated Flindra in the tone of an oath.

Kewero then displayed the crystals.  Flindra picked them up and probed each with her mind.  She felt their individual essences and their combined power.  Then she placed her own orb next to them and felt the synergistic response.  There was far more power here than expected.  She withdrew her white orb and the energy level dropped to the combined power of the three crystals.  She advanced her sphere.  The power surge was again greater than the added powers of the four gems.  True synergism.  Moreover, the white crystal was the catalyst.

"Did you feel that?" she asked.

"Yes, I did child.  The crystals are responding to your power.  You are the key to our fight and the White is reflecting that."

"Oh."  Flindra then placed all but the blue crystal on the floor.  She picked up the scepter and held it next to the blue gem.  "This doesn't feel right," she murmured as she looked at the two.

She gazed at the ruby spinel at the top of the shaft.  It was a large stone - dark red with faint traces of black in the interior of the gem.  In her heart, she knew that as beautiful as the gem was it didn't fit the purpose of the scepter.  Flindra grasped the spinel and with a quick twist of her hand popped the gem from its socket on the scepter.

Kewero gasped in shock at her audacity.  "Flindra what are you doing?"

"Bear with me, Kewero.  You will soon see what must be."

Flindra then took the blue crystal and held it to the shaft of the scepter.  An intense light erupted from the crystal as she withdrew her hand.  Both women had to look away from the blinding intensity of the light.  After several moments the light faded and they could look at the scepter.

The blue gem had fused itself to the shaft.  The gold had melted around the crystal forming a perfect setting for the gem.  The crystal radiated in a newfound power.  This was the place for the blue ellipsoid.  It fit.

"Well I'll be...How did you know, Flindra?"

She shrugged her shoulders.  "I don't know really, I just felt that this was the way it was supposed to be.  This is the crystal meant for my King.  It is appropriate to have it in the scepter.  It combines the functions - King and champion."