From Disappearance to Return: A Hasty Journey Through the Haze

Sunlight broke through the clouds, spearing the heavens with brilliant light as it shone down upon the damp cobbled lane.. White stone buildings hugged the roadway with many windows their shutters flung wide as small troop of guards marched through onward toward the square. Shadoweave barely saw any of it,.. so much of this strange toxin had flown through her veins in the past week, that she didn’t have the bearing of self to do much more than follow.. At first they had contaminated her food,.. and her water.. and when she began to starve herself, the potion was forced down her throat.. The angry welts that had marked her wrists from the journey to the city had slowly faded, replaced instead by the deep marks of bruising..

There was something on the edge of her mind, it begged to be remembered, but all she could do at the moment was put one foot before the other. Shadoweave’s head lolled slightly to one side strangely aware of someone’s supporting arm.

There should have been a carriage,. she remembered being fond of horses.. a pony maybe? Yes a pony, from the wildlands.. or something like that... Someone else was out there lurking beyond her conscious thoughts.. Faces?.. Had she spoken? Fallashay was unsure.. It didn’t matter, nothing mattered in the dream when she walked..

“You will see many faces soon,” Came a very familiar voice.. She struggled to blink up at the man, He had a name she was sure.. Beyond the wind tossed strands of wheat colored hair a simple side street came into view,.. and she found herself drawn away from the strange man on her arm.. The shadows of the buildings drifted long over the small lane as it cut away... Away?... But in the time it took her to realize there was something she should be doing,.. the street was gone.. Replaced instead by the high walls of another white stone building.

A sign hung there from an iron beam,.. like an outstretched arm from the building. The pattern of the words doubled in her gaze, the distance too much to bare, yet there was some sort of cup on the painted surface..

What ate at her?.. what called?.. No matter how hard she tried Fallashay couldn’t remember.. It was too much effort.. and it was so easy just to keep moving with the stranger at her side.. He must have been important, for the amount of guards that fanned out around them...

Sounds came up from below a rolling hill. The cobbled street followed the flow of the land, and she nearly stumbled as they started up the incline.. Many voices,.. shouting.. Cresting the hill,.. they were flanked by two businesses that over looked the slope down into the open markets.. The blond man gave the guard’s an order that she never quite caught, something on the edge of the dream again,.. but he must have been concerned, for his grip tightened about her arm.. Was it painfully tight?.. Shadoweave wasn’t sure..

People swarmed the lower levels on the edge of the fountain square,.. a sea of faces, and rickety tents filled with various goods.. The humm of the populous tickled her ears and she bit back soft laughter, not sure why.. It wasn’t a day to laugh or smile.. but Why?

Forcefully the guards began their descent, Galentine dragging Fallashay with him as they cut a swath through the milling people toward a massive marble structure with broad steps and heavy pillars.. Docilely

Shadoweave stumbled along trying to keep up with the new pace, There amidst the throng of the crowds she squinted upward, searching the sky for something.. A secret place?.. a familiar place?.. No.. it was gone.. not here.. Just a dream..

Exotic animals paced in their cages as the group passed through, and again some distant tug pulled at her... Great Cat’s and large wolves.. Camels.. She came to a dead stop at one pen,.. the man on her arm seemed displeased.. but she couldn’t help it.. Small pony’s grazed on straw within a makeshift paddock.. Her sapphire eyes glinted with a strange sort of warmth at their sight..

“We must keep moving Fallashay..”,.. The voice of the stranger seemed to be the voice of reason in her hazy world.. Who was he?.. She knew there was something out there. Unmoved by Galentine’s words, she watched the Ponies in child-like wonder.. lifting one hand to point out the ones she liked the most.. He tugged at her,.. and she blinked up at the scowl on his face in confusion.. Why was he so angry?.. She moved a step,.. but it was slow in coming,... his next motion nearly jerked her off her feet, and she clawed at his shoulder to stand.. The guards had drawn in closer,.. one almost a hand’s width from her back.. She knew she hurt this time, but couldn’t really feel it.. Even then she was more sad to see the pony’s fall away behind them.

A tall wintry haired man met them at the steps to the huge building.. She examined his face as he did hers, and blinked.. He was old, wrinkled, and wore fine robes with rich silver embroidery. Another stranger..

She couldn’t remember a time when there was someone familiar within sight.. Her head ached with the effort.. There was a time when she could think clearly she was sure of it.. but....

“What have you done to her?..” The elder prodded the helpful but mean man at her side.. ‘Done to me?’ Who was he?..

“Insurance Evernae, Are they assembled?.” Came the answer and a question all at once.. She still wanted to know what the old person meant,.. but...

Evernae turned an odd gaze on Galentine, his withered features drawing into a concerned knot which bunched up the skin of his forehead.. one frail hand coming to rest on Fallashay’s chin only to tilt her face upward to the light.. “Galentine,.. we can’t bring her before the council like this?.. She looks strung out..” His words were a mixture of shock and disappointment..

“Rightly so.. She looks it, because she is..”, Came yet another reply, emerald eyes meeting Evernae’s gaze solidly...

“ If you want a good response we can’t bring her in here like that.. Orlin would simply discredit you as regent!”, He hissed leaning in conspiratorially.. “He will say that you are taking her without consent..”

“What would you have me do hmm?.. This IS the only way I can move her without the damnable woman trying to escape...”, The tone brought Shadow’s head around to look at the stranger she had traveled with.. ‘es-cape?..’ It was unthinkable,.. too difficult an act to perform,.. she needed someone else to be there.. someone to make the choices for her.. It hurt her head to dwell on it,.. but somewhere emotion was pushing through.. Anger?..

“I may be able to help you with this... problem..” He blinked, tilting one watery eye toward her,.. Evernae’s expression seemed odd.. “I know of a person, who can bend another’s will... for a temporary amount of time.. we would only need a few hours... It won’t be permanent, but it won’t turn her into a zombie either..”

“Why don’t I know of this person?..” Galentine’s lips twitched slightly,.. a skeptical look in his eye... “and why didn’t we simply use this person to sway Orlin and the council from the beginning..?”

“First,.. she is very... secretive.. and I already told you,.. it is temporary..” Evernae leaned back sharply as two guards in white and gold tabards marched out the huge bronze faced doors leading into the council hall.

“Orlin would have had you removed from power the moment the spell wore off..”

“Speak of the devil”, Galentine muttered under his breath as another elder, dressed in deep blue robes, and fur lined cloak moved out past the guards who had escorted him.. His clothing seemed much simpler than the other two men Shadow Stood with, unless she counted the golden chain of office which bound the cloak to his frail frame..

“As I was saying Galentine,” Evernae lifted his voice purposely, having not turned to see Orlin’s approach,..

“I am so sorry that the young lady is so ill,.. You should not have brought her in this state..” The newest arrival cleared his throat approaching the group of guards in burgundy, his eyes drifting from face to face until it came to rest on Fallashay’s..

“Ahh, Chancellor Orlin,.. Forgive my presence of mind,.. I was just informed that the next possible heir, is very sick...” Evernae played his part fairly well,.. and stepped back to allow Orlin and Galentine to do whatever it was they planned to do..

“Sick?..” The Chancellor drew nearer,.. glancing between the Merchant and his ‘charge’, lines of concern creasing his brow.. “Perhaps you should leave her in my care,.. I have access to the many Herbalists within the Craft hall.. and could have one-”

“I thank you for your offer Orlin,.. but I am more than capable of looking after the Lady-” Galentine moved to cut Orlan off, just as the older man came back in kind with a sharp chuckle

“I have seen the way you have ‘looked’ after her,...

You bring her out in such a weakened state, when a simple message would do?.. and-..” His words broke off as he shoved the Merchant man to one side,.. one withered hand lifting Shadoweave’s wrist to he light, before lifting the other, turning it over slightly in his hand with a darkening frown..

This elder’s touch seemed light,.. like a breeze.. something she was almost sure wasn’t real.. Though she did her best, Fallashay stumbled, her support having been taken from her by the kindly man.. Galentine moved to catch her, but his motion must have seemed dubious to the Chancellor’s guard, as they snapped into motion, shielding Orlin’s side from attack as one caught her in a massive arm..

“She is my responsibility Chancellor.. Recall your men..”, Galentine’s tone seemed strained, yet some how there was a sense of false calm..

“How did these marks come to be on her wrists?..”

Orlin spat shoving one of his own guards aside once he was certain Shadoweave was secure.. “You would expect me to relinquish this child back into your care..?.. after seeing this??.. This goes beyond your ambition Mister Galentine.. Her blood was tested,.. and found pure.. I’ll not sit back and let your.. inability to control your staff shatter any chance of returning one of the noble lines to the Throne!”

“She is-”

“In my custody now,.. at least until I have a chance to sort out what has happened during her stay with you..” The look on the old man’s face must have been one for the record books, for at the moment his words were interrupted, Galentine backed down..

“Captain Letharnen, take her to my carriage...”

Everything seemed to happen too fast for her, she felt the ground fall away beneath her, and a strange rhythmic motion.. Like drifting on a breeze,.. or maybe the ocean.. She still could not make sense of her direction.. Was this good?.. She hungered for a complete thought,.. something real, holding all the depth of a half remembered self.. Stew and Ponies...

She remembered talking about pony’s with someone.. and a simple stew to help a hurt man?.. Or was that just another part of this strange dream.