Vivainne rode slow in the great forest, seeing for signs of the Blue Knight’s passing. The great scarred boles of trees crowded close and the light was marshalled high up in the tops so that few pieces of it could find to show her way. Even in dark Vivainne could make the fresh marks of the Blue Knights mounts, cut and pressed in the ground. She went careful and with great insight to be sure of her way, but her heart and mind were troubled and unsure, feeling that Constance was in some peril.
After some hours of time, she was delivered, sudden, to a place where the path that was required, shook itself free from the darkness of the forest and for a brief moment, made to cross a clearing wherein lay an old broken well. With a start Vivainne spied an armoured figure lying out upon the green, still and unmoving, positioned as if in death upon a tomb of stone. Dismounting in haste, she strode to the frozen figure and knelt by the shoulder. With her heart beating to burst she lifted high the knight’s visor and there, sure, discovered the beloved face of her Constance, quiet and serene. Vivainne reached out and touched her cheek and was straight way assured that Constance was in no way deceased as her flesh was warm and lively to her hand. Try as she might, again, she could not wake Constance from her reverie and soon came to understand that she must lie under some strong enchantment or malady to remain there so still and silent.
As Vivainne knelt, a voice from the air, far and yet near, so quiet that she could not make the words, then she must turn to come closer to its source and was startled to find an clearing empty. There was no person standing there who had a voice that might have spoken. She rose, better to discover the speaker and heard once more the voice coming to her as from behind a wall or under the ground. The sound of the speech continued and Vivainne casting first this way and then that, slowly moving towards the placing of the sound. The voice was indeed coming from the deep of the well and so Vivainne stooped over and gave her ear to the well to hear what it might give.
These words came up the well.
‘The Source of the Silent Spring, you must come to undo the enchantments and wrongs and maladies that have been given. The waters that neither rejoice nor complain, neither sing nor dance across the stones will wash your beloved’s sleep away and restore into her the life and love that is yours to claim. I, the Spirit of Waters serve this ancient well. Since before men and before time, I give life to the Waters of Silent Spring, now my powers wane. I give you this boon to save your beloved and in return I would that you clear the Silent Spring so that my waters may run strong again and my powers shall return.’
These were the words that Vivainne heard come out of the well.
Vivainne replied,
‘I will clean and clear the spring for you that you may run free once more. I will take some water for Constance, that is my word, and my word is true. I thank you for this and make straight pact with you Spirit.’
With that Vivainne packed up her Constance carefully upon a drag stretcher so that she was not to be harmed and started straight to the place in the mountains where they say that the Silent Spring was to be found.
The Guardians of the Cave 