Topic: Dreams revealed.

Murelle GreyMantle

Date: 2013-04-07 19:06 EST
Murelle puts the finishing touches on her hair. She braided the once black hair now turning silver into one long thick braid down her back. Stuffing her feet into her well worn moccasins she turns to Gwyn who is watching her mother dress. She dressed with particular care that morning. She even added her feathers to the long locks.

"Well, how do I look?"

She only nods then crosses the room and gives her mother a hug. Murelle stroked her red hair gently.

"I love you. While I am gone, please try to work on your algebra. It'll keep your mind busy. I check it when I return."

"Yes Momma." She gave a smile. "I will."

Murelle hugs her again, turns toward the door and opens it, she turns to smile at Gwyn. "I won't be long."

Closing the door behind her she takes a deep breath and starts down the hallway. It was filled with activity as opposed to the nighttime silence. Servants coming and going with buckets or baskets, tall elves in their shining armor and hauberks, rangers laughing and slapping each other's backs and occasional hobbit in attendance of a visitor of some sort. But when Murelle passed each of these, they would pause and politely bow to her and greet her. "Good day Lady GreyMantle." To which she would politely smile and return the greeting. She was still not used to this attention.

Finally she reaches her destination. The door was already open and the queen was speaking to a hobbit that was busy writing in a large leather bound book. Hesitantly she knocks on the heavy oak door. The queen looks up and smiles. "Lady GreyMantle!"

"Have I caught you at a bad time" I can come back?" Murelle says turning away.

"No, no, actually I was finished. Please come in."

Tentatively Mure enters looking about. It was certainly changed since the last time she saw the study, the queen was new to her role as ruler and not nearly filled with books, scrolls and maps.

"Please sit Lady GreyMantle." Teleperien gestures to a comfortable looking chair near the fireplace. Tele pulls a cord that hung nearby. "I was about to order tea. Can I offer some to you?"

"Yes please." Mure answered. She was still kind of headachy from her overindulgence the night before in the Stars End Bar. Tele looks at Murelle, who feels a slight tingling in her forehead.

"Tom, I think that will be all I needing for the moment."

"Aye Lady." He answers without question. He stands and bows hobbit fashion to both Tele and Mure then leaves the room. At the same time tea was brought and set on a table near Murelle's elbow. The servant leaves, closing the door silently behind her. Obviously they understood their queen's ways and were used to them.

"How are you settling in Lady GreyMantle?" Tele asks pouring tea in cups. "Well enough. I think I have an idea of what I want, just outside of the village. A little place where I can plant a garden and raise chickens."

"But I don't think that is what brings you here." Tele says gently but direct way. "You have something heavy on your heart, I can see it."

Murelle sighs with some relief. The queen's insight had not diminished at all. "Yes Lady, I have. I understand you have a dinner and ball planned in honor of my return."

"Indeed I do! I am truly delighted to have you here again."

"Lady, I am touched by your hospitality, but please understand I do not want this dinner" yet."

Tele looks totally surprised by this. "Why?"

"Lady, since I have returned, I have been haunted by Llewyss's death. It has not been avenged. That...thing...that killed Sir GreyMantle is still in that forest."

"Aye, that I know, it still lives, but how has this haunted you?" Tele asks sitting back steepling her long slender fingers.

"In my dreams. My people strongly believe in dreams. Omens, both good and bad are brought to us by them. It is horrible." Murelle says strongly then shudders. "I can't really describe it, but its evil beyond words."

"Hold out your hands." Tele says gently. Murelle leans forward, her small hands held out palm up. Tele takes them then closes her eyes. At once Murelle closes her eyes as she is drawn back into the dream. A hideous, formless, black creature with eyes that burned looms up before them. Llewyss raising his blade to strike at it, a ball of pulsating white energy bolts from the monster and runs up the sword, his arm to implode in his chest. It now laughs and taunts without words. Murelle gasps and shudders and tries to pull away from Tele but the queen holds her hands tight. A gentle but powerful white light filled Mure's mind. At once she relaxes. A wave of calm soothed her and all barriers that Mure had built crumbled. She started to tear up, try as she could the tears would not stop. Murelle sobbed now, her slender shoulders shaking. She felt the queen's hand on her back.

"Lady GreyMantle, you have your wish."

Murelle looked up, accepting a hanky from the queen, drying her eyes. The queen looked grim.

"This will not be an easy victory, many lives will be lost. But you are right, it cannot remain in Eldicor. As long as it dwells there, no one will be safe from it spreading to other parts of this realm."

"I will fight with you Lady." Murelle says with conviction. "I will bring my ancestors with me."

"In the meantime read this." Tele reaches over and picks up a slender book. It was titled "Therein Contains Record of the Death of Llewyss GreyMantle."

"Thank you Lady, I will." Mure took the book and opened it, turning the pages.

"Take more tea, it will calm you." Tele invites gently. Murelle accepts the cup and it tingled all the way down to her stomach. She suspected it had more than just good taste but some medicinal properties. Or at least in a healing fashion.

"This is good." Murelle says. "What is it?"

"Herbs from my garden. They were a parting gift from the elves in Valinor."

A knock on the door interrupts them.

"Yes?" the queen calls. Tom the hobbit opens the door and peers in. "I'm sorry for interrupting you Lady, but the dwarves from Ravenswing have arrived. You told me to tell you when they came."

"Indeed I did. In a moment." Tele looks at Mure. "We will discuss this further. I will put the dinner off until the forest is cleansed. I can understand why you would feel this way. I would feel the same."

Murelle stood with the queen, and walked to the door. She turned to look at her before she left.

"And thank you once more."

Murelle smiled and left, passing a few grumpy looking dwarves still disheveled from their travels. Mure went back to Gwyn and her algebra lessons.