Where Ben is completely unable to get the coals to light, Horatio steps in and does it with ease. The bowl fills with flames and burns with a greenish hue.

A minute passes as the group dries themselves around the flames of the roaring beacon.

Back on the lakeshore, the mists part to reveal a white horse with a single gleaming horn on her brow. She stands perfectly still, silently observing you. 

Nearby, Tiny glances nervously between Titaani and the unicorn.

Matilda squees with delight....

Horatio's expression changes completely, his voice softens. "Guys... it's a real Unicorn..." He gives a slow reflexive wave.

Ben:

Turning towards the unicorn, Ben gets down on one knee and bows his head in reverence.

The unicorn calmly stares back from the distant, misty shore. It studies you carefully from afar.

Tiny approaches the unicorn cautiously and gives it a nervous sniff, then looks to Titaani for a cue. 

The unicorn remains separated from the party by some 250 feet of sparkling lake water.

Matilda begins wading towards the unicorn...

Wading quickly turns to swimming, as Matilda again crosses the deep but refreshing lake as the unicorn (and a nervous Tiny) watch Matilda's progress.

Matilda is perhaps two-thirds of the way across when she hears a voice in her head.

"Who are you?" asks a calm, gentle, but unworldly voice. "And why are you here?"

Matilda stops swimming in shock and almost goes under but after a few moments she recovers and says in a hushed tone, " Begging your pardon, Ms Unicorn Maám. My name is Matilda Pilli and I'm here to find my little brother."

Titaani, completely enraptured by the unicorn, misses Tiny’s signals, before realisation hits her and she quickly gestures no, shaking her blonde hair wildly. 

“Should I go over and join Matilda?” She whispers as quietly as possible to Ben and Horatio. 

"There are no humans here," replies the unicorn to Matilda, gently and telepathically, as Matilda treads water offshore. "How did your little brother become lost?" 

Ben:

"Perhaps one at a time," says Ben, still bowing, "though you are welcome to go next if you like.  We don't want to make the unicorn feel threatened."

“Oh, ok, makes sense,” Titaani whispers back. “I will go next, thanks for offering. I’ve never met a unicorn before!” 

Quote from cbaer8 >>

"There are no humans here," replies the unicorn to Matilda, gently and telepathically, as Matilda treads water offshore. "How did your little brother become lost?" 

" He disappeared from a carnival, Ma'am.  I fear a hag might have him..."

"There are three hags They are sisters. Skabatha Nightshade, Bavlorna Blightstraw, and Endelyn Moongrave – the Hourglass Coven. All three steal children, but only Skabatha enslaves them. Your brother may well be here in Thither. The domain of Prismeer once belonged to the archfey Zybilna, but was usurped by her cruel hag stepsisters. If you have a grievance with the Hourglass Coven, you have my sincere sympathies."

As Titaani approaches through the lake waters, she begins to hear the conversation as well, in her head. 

" How did the coven take this place from Zybilna?  Do you know any way to beat the hags?"

"I know only too well. Zybilna was vainglorious and deceitful at times, but her magic kept Prismeer safe and isolated. That situation ended when the hags of the Hourglass Coven captured my mate, Elidon; stole his horn; and used its magic to imprison Zybilna in her stronghold, the Palace of Heart’s Desire."

As she speaks, the waters of the lake animate to form liquid sculptures of the things she describes.

"Elidon’s horn might be needed to free Zybilna, but I'm afraid I don’t know the whereabouts of Elidon or his horn. I believe Elidon is the hags’ prisoner."

Matilda gasped and turned towards the others, " We have to rescue the other unicorn!!"

Ben:

Starting at Matilda’s words, Ben looks up at her out in the water and asks, ”Another unicorn?  What do you speak of?”

Titaani nods in reply to Matilda, awestruck by the unicorn’s telepathic abilities and the animated water forms. She slowly paddles to the shore, making sure not to approach too close to the unicorn. 

“M-Mrs unicorn, I’m so sorry about your husband,” she eventually manages to stutter out. “So we’ll try to um... fix that. But on the occasion that we encounter the hags...again...do you have any advice on how to defeat them? Any weaknesses, flaws, and...how are you doing that with the water? That’s amazing!”

"The Hourglass Coven is strong. Skabatha is the eldest sister, and arguably the most powerful of the three. But do not make deals with any of them, for they will cheat you. They hate each other, so perhaps they could be pitted one against the other.

"If you have the means to free Zybilna and save Prismeer from the evil hags, I implore you to try. One of Yon’s denizens, Amidor the dandelion, can lead your group safely to the Palace of Heart’s Desire. Wayward Pool is a safe place to rest whenever you wish to return."