The king takes a long swig of ale. "I will get to the bottom of this."
He looks at the people around the room. "Who or what do you think is behind�
all this? And what
do they really want?"
Around the room are Captain Tey, Squire Sean Carlton, Finn, K'tai, and a few guards. They all look a little dismayed, as no one has an answer.
Suddenly there's a commotion outside. A guard clatters into the courtyard on� a winded horse. "I need to see the king right away" he stammers between� breaths.
The king stomps out of the building and up to the guard, the others� following as best they can. "what's seems to be the problem", he asks the guard.
"We were out on regular patrol and we came accross a royal accountant,
hanged. He was probably out ensuring all the farms in the area were provided
for, but
somebody thought otherwise. Look". The guard reaches into his saddlebag
and pulls out a placcard. It's obvioulsy the symbol of the Royal Accountancy,
but it has
been defaced with the words "DEATH TO ALL THEIVES,KNOW THIS TO BE THE
WILL OF THE PEOPLE"
"Will of the people my ass!" barks the king. "Those are the words of
every rebel in every land that has ever been. People, we have a full scale
rebellion brewing here.
We have to put a stop to it now, lest it grow to engulf the entire
Kingdom. Tey, Sean, I want a fully armed fast attack party ready to go
in an hour. I mean to hunt
these rabbits down today!"
The king turns and heads back to his quarters. "Squire Thoron! Help me prepare."
An hour later, King McFadden, Captain Tey, Squire Sean, most of the
royal� guard and a hundred soldiers, mages, healers and the like head
out on a� rabbit hunt.
Human rabbit.
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Darkness. This was his first conscious perception.
"Where am I?" The sound of his voice rang hollow, and the dryness of his throat cracked each syllable into a dusty exhalation of fetid air. He moved, but the motion
was subtle, as muscles that had forgotten how to work were commanded to animate by a brain that had forgotten how to think. Pain flooded his immediate senses,
reactivated nerves and synapses registering sensation and becoming overwhelmed by them. He screamed.
"Shhhhhh..." whispered the voice, a woman's smooth tones easing him back into reality. "Thou must go slowly." From somewhere, a caress, a lightness of touch that
brought a cool radiance of relief. The man who could not remember his name slowly opened his eyes, and gazed uncomprehendingly at the blurred, blinding lights
before him.
"There now," cooed the voice, "Thou art returned to me. See, that thou mayest understand." The light came into focus, slowly, and a diorama of wonder displayed
before him. He lay upon a dais of blue crystal, with intricate and beautiful designs of ebony worked into it. It was cool to the touch, yet there was no sensation of
discomfort, no sense of unease. This wondrous structure was not housed within a building, though ? not one with a roof, anyway.
Ionic columns and majestic fountains were arranged in a way as to draw the eye from one to the next, a blend of ancient and archaic designs mixed with the tranquil
sounds of clear, running water. The trees of some great, elder and primordial forest surrounded him, and instantly he knew that this was no ordinary grove.
The Lady reclined beside him, gossamer fabrics of all colors that delight the eye draped across Her form. Golden, honeyed hair shimmered and scintillated with those
same hues, and Her and eyes, which defied
classification, glinted merrily at him from behind a smile of questionable intent.
"Who art though?" She asked of him, in a voice that allowed no mistake in answering Her.
He replied, "I am Qintahr," and knew this to be true.
"Why hast though come before me?" Again, a question that could be answered only by truth, yet the truth was not within him to give.
"I ? I do not know," he said. "I was dead, I think. Have I not come into your presence because I died?" Memories, vague yet unyielding, flooded his mind. He could
not comprehend them: a castle of bone, a creature of immeasurable power, alien thoughts directing and powering his body, the darkness of defeat.
She laughed, a sound that reminded him of a bubbling brook. "No, my sweet," she said. "If thou had died, 'twould not be Faerie that thou wouldst find thyself in."
"I am ? I am in Faerie?" Qintahr asked Her. She nodded, waves of honeyed locks framing her face. "Then you are She, the Dust of Whose Feet Are the Hosts of
Heaven." Immediately, he felt awkward for his lack of the proper respect for Her Divine Presence.
But she only laughed again. "No, no, my sweet," she responded, "I am not that mighty one, though the gift of your compliment is noted and accepted." Her eyes
focused into utter clarity on him, and Qintahr drew his breath in amazement. "I am no less great than She, while here. Mab, have I been called, and Maeve, and
myriad other names with which I have long since grown bored. Of late, Titania has been as I am called. And now, my sweet, as thou hath gifted me with a joyous
Comparison, so,too, shall I give a boon to thee" A Word she then spoke, a single syllable of such profound meaning as to defy the nature of the Universe itself, and
thus redefine it. In the Knowing of this Word, Qintahr�fs eyes were opened, and a profound change settled within him.
"That was... indescribable!" he gasped.
"Indescribable, yes. But didst thou understand?" she asked. "Few mortals
have the capacity to receive this Wisdom. Thy blood is mixed with our own, though, so thou should be able to comprehend. Tell me, is it so?"
Qintahr gazed at the world around him, seeing it now with the Light of
Understanding. Myriad motes of incandescent light bobbed and danced
throughout the elder grove. Yet, beyond, in the dark borders of the
treeline, strange and uncouth eyes watched. Qintahr saw them, and knew that She saw them, too.
"Dost thou understand?' she asked him again, and he nodded that it was so.
"Then return, my sweet, return to the waking world and find him. You know what to do. You know why. The when is just as important, but both it and the how shall
be left up to you."
Titania flowed from her resting position next to him, and hovered in the air above him. Unseen currents billowed the delicate garments about her, and she slowly
began to fade from his awareness.
"This task is difficult, O Queen; I could fail. It may already be too late."
"Thou wilt not fail. Thou canst not fail." Her voice reverberated into the night, and Lord Qintahr, High-Druid of Eryn Lasgalen, awoke from the Dreaming.
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Tanara crossed the Compound heading to Sean Carlton's dwelling as though she were on a mission of some kind.� As she walked in and shut the door behind� her
shutting the storm out, she surveyed the interior not completely sure what she expected to find.
Changeling entered the front room at the sound of someone entering.�When he recognized Tanara, he stood there trying to decide if he should act like he knew her
or not.
"I thank you for your service, but you are releaved of your duties and are to return to the House," Tanara told the slender, darkly tanned women starring back at her.
Shocked by her words Changeling stuttered, "On...On...Only Master Sean can release me, lady."
"Don't start with me Changeling," Tanara nearly snapped.� "I am in no mood. The situation here has become much worse than when you were sent.� He will soon
need information only I can provide.� And Korlys can help me if I need immediate assistance."� As Changeling stared across the room in disbelief, Tanara didn't give
him a chance to argue.
"Don't look at me like that!� Of course, I know who you are.�
I was told what form you would have taken.� You are to be gone before the Gates close for the night.
You are to report back to the House ASAP.� Papa Bear needs to
speak with you. I must return back to see how the questioning is going." Tanara turned swiftly,
wrapped her cloak around her tightly and quickly left.
As she headed back to what is now the Kings office, she looked up at the raging storm.� By the time she had returned to McFadden's office the storm had all but
ceased.
****************
" My leige, forgive my intrusion, I am looking for your squire Sean. I have to speak with him."
"Can it wait mam, we are preparing to leave on a mission of some importance. You can have your liasons of the flesh at some other time. Now be off with you I've
things to do before we leave."
****************
Walking across the courtyard of the compound Tanara notices quite a bit of� activity. As she approaches the door of Sean's dwelling she replays the� kings parting
comment in her mind... "dirty ol' man, you only wish it were your flesh I desired. "Maybe someday, but not that way."
"Not what way?"
Tanara jumps a bit. The door must have opened without her noticing. "Oh, was that my outside voice? It is nothing."
"My lady, I do not wish to be rude but I must prepare for..."
"Prepare for what? Sean, What is going on?"
"Forgive me if I am evasive but I barely know why you're here..."
"I told you why I am here when I arrived..."
"But considering the circumstances of our embrace a few nights ago I
would be remiss in my duties if I did not question your agenda..." Placing
his hand on
herface"...I'm not sure I want to question it, but right now I must.
FOR BOTHour sakes."
Leaning into his hand, "Let me show you you can trust my intentions,
let me go with you. As you said yourself with recent CHANGES in your life
you may need me
there. I for one KNOW how blood lust can reek havock on your selfcontrol.
"
"You may be right."
Placing both hands on his face Tanara pulls Seans head down as if forcing
him to pray and kisses him on the forehead."For Luck."
******************
As the sun rises on the city of Daharahn and lights the courtyard of
the embassy of KING EWEN McFADDEN, we see a formation of the Kings Guard,
a few
dozen hired soldiers and a contingient of the Royal Army.� As
the King enters the coutyard, the group falls silent.
�