TlStanfieldPg67

Nightmare
Part VI

"The fact that we're on Earth bothers you?" he asked,
puzzled
"The fact that this isn't the Earth I'm used to, bothers
me!"
"I don't understand."
"Well, Kalen, welcome to the club. OK, go on with your
story. Maybe we'll make some sense out of this." I
told him
"All right. As I said, I recognized that you were not
Queen Taryn, and I positioned myself outside your
door so that I might speak with you first thing, but I
was called away to attend to some business. When I
returned, you had already gone. I immediately went in
search of you, and the rest you know."
"No, the rest I do NOT know! Tell me about this Wilfred
and his priest. Tell me about your queen. Tell me
why I'm here!!!"

Nightmare
Part VII

Kalen looked at me as if I were mad
Perhaps I am, maybe this whole thing is just part of my
nightmare
Perhaps I'm still asleep, and this is all a dream
But no, this is real; surreal, actually
How could something like this happen?
It's fantastical....unbelievable
Yet, here I am, in a reality other than my own
I don't know how I got here
And worse, I have no idea how to get home
Then again, no one waits for me there
No one will even know I'm missing
Or am I missing?
Perhaps Taryn is living my life
As I, apparently, am to live hers

Nightmare
Part VIII

Well, enough of introspection
Time for disclosure
So I settle myself into the nearest chair
Focus all my attention on Kalen
Not at all difficult to do, mind you
And say, "All right, Kalen. Start at the beginning."
"Very well then. Let me give you a bit of history.
Taryn is our queen as I've told you. She has been on
the throne for five years now. She is the sole
surviving member of the royal family."
"What happened to the rest of them?" I asked
"Taryn was a twin, but her sister died in infancy, there
were no more siblings. Her parents died within a few
years of each other. Her mother of illness, her
father in a riding accident. She became queen at the
age of sixteen."
"Is she a good queen?" I asked
"She's an excellent queen." I merely nodded, and he
continued. "However, King Wilfred of Mikodos has long
made it known that he wanted the queen for his bride.
Her father would never acquiesce, and since his death,
the queen herself has refused him."
"Why the refusals? Is he such a horrible man?"
"He's a tyrant! A cruel, selfish ruler and an even
worse man."
"OK, I can see where he wouldn't be the best choice for
marriage. Go on." I said
"Well, he's never taken the refusals well, but in the
last year he's been quite threatening."
"Just won't take no for an answer, huh?"
"No, he will not."
"OK, but just what does he have to do with the dreams?"
"I can't answer that, but the queen was certain he was
behind them. When she began suffering injury via the
dreams, she was certain it was the work of Wilfred's
High Priest."
"And the reason for that was....?"
"Other than his being the king's faithful minion, and
being rather evil himself, I do not know. Queen Taryn
refused to tell me."
"That's it?! That's all you can tell me?!"
"I'm afraid so, Tara."
"It makes no sense! What has any of this to do with me?"