Karen and Patti were hanging out in Karen's personal make-up room trying on their makeup and chatting about the world in general. Their lasses were all in an adjoining room, likewise chatting. They knew each other well, for Karen and Patti spent most of their summers and all of their free time with each other.
Patti tried on one of Karen's many green dresses, looked at her reflection in a large mirror, and made a face. "Green is definitely not my color" She exclaimed, grimacing. Karen laughed.
Squirming out of the dress, Patti commented, "I'm glad I'm not the empress! Green doesn't do anything for me! If something like that were to happen, I'm afraid I'd have to change the empire's color to blue!" They both laughed merrily.
"So what's this I hear about you and Jehan possibly becoming an item?" Karen asked teasingly.
Patti blushed a deep red and responded, "Wherever did you get that idea??"
Karen looked at Patti slyly and said thoughtfully, "Well, it could have been the looks you were giving him at the temporary coronation ceremony. Be honest with me, do you like him?"
Patti sat still for a moment, then dissolved into giggles. "He's soooooo cute! Don't tell me that you don't think he's cute!" She exclaimed, still giggling.
Karen just shook her head and said, "He's cute...in a tall, dark, and handsome sort of way. Besides, he's four years older than I am!" The two laughed hard, harder than they had laughed in a long time.
Suddenly, Patti felt an overwhelming feeling that something wasn't right. Something was going to happen, something bad, and it was going to happen soon. She sat down hard on the floor and was only dimly aware of Karen's persistently asking, "Patti, what's wrong?"
She shook her head as if attempting to clear it out, but it didn't seem to help. An image of King Shamal riding down the path leading to Karen's palace flashed through her brain, bringing with it a dull pain in the base of her head. He was riding his grey horse, looking worried and apprehensive.
Then, the image was gone, leaving Patti to wonder if it had ever been there to begin with. The room came into focus once again, making Patti aware of the fact that she was lying on the floor with Karen's worried face hovering over her.
"Are you alright?" She asked, really worried. "You look pale."
Patti put a hand to her head as she sat up, and responded, "I...think so..." Standing on shaky legs, she managed to make it to a nearby chair before they gave out on her. "~Why now? Why after two years have the Visions come back?~" Patti asked herself.
She had been fourteen when the first Vision came to her, scaring her completely at its suddeness and vividness. It had been an image of her mother and father standing side by side, leading a vast army. They stood proudly and defiantly against an approaching army of....of what? As a fourteen year old, she wasn't sure; her tutors never telling her about Seakings. The army drew closer to her parent's band of troops, waiting until the last possible moment before giving the order. Finally, her father did, and together he and his wife rode on horseback to meet the enemy. The leader of the bad army suddenly appeared in Patti's vision, right behind her parents. He drew his sword and killed the both of them in one slash. The following day after she had the Vision, her parents were killed.
"Karen, what do you know about precognition?" Patti asked Karen, making a quick decision.
Karen's face creased in thought as she responded, "Precognition......that's like....seeing the future, right? From what I've heard, its rare, limited usually to a member of the Royal family. Why?" Patti explained to her long-time friend about the Vision she just had, and the one she had two years ago.
"What does it mean, Patti?" Karen asked worriedly. Patti shrugged her shoulders and turned, as one of Karen's maids entered. Stopping just inside the door, she announced, "King Shamal of Solace is here to see you, my empress."
Karen and Patti looked at each other in shock, and leaped up at the same time, racing for the door to the waiting room. Patti, slightly ahead of Karen, threw open the door, staring at King Shamal standing there exactly how he looked in her Vision. Karen skidded to a stop behind Patti and they burst out laughing at their appearance compared to Shamal's, Patti's laughter high-pitched and strained.
"Shamal, you really should have come here in more comfortable clothes! The hike you surely made must have spoiled them!" She said merrily, trying to rid herself of the creepy events that had happened earlier. Patti said nothing, too stunned to speak. "Shamal, what's the matter?" Karen asked as she took note of his worried face.
Shamal dropped to one knee and responded, "My empress, I have horrible news." At these words, Patti cried out in suprise and horror, then knew no more as she fainted dead away.
