Mystenia's Highway

Had any of Cara'a nurses been present, Genevieve's fury would have been aptly portrayed. However she managed to control herself due to their lack of presence.
The girl's laugh was as a balm to her grief and she chuckled softly.
"But do not do the same, else your mother claim I harmed your innocence." she knew that Cara had no doubt already come up with pranks far worse than a bed fire... but found it reassuring to trust no nurse woke up in flames.

Standing but gesturing for Cara to remain seated, Genevieve removed a candlestick from a bag and carefully cut a waxen candle to fit into it.
Carrying it back to the bed, she held it out for Cara to see.
"Shall we see about lighting it?"

Cara smiled at her grandmother, "I won't do that, though I am sure mother know if the stuff Liam and I have done, though I think the worst one Liam ever did was put a snake in one of there beds.... she wouldn't go bad for a whole week, the snake was harmless, it didn't have anyteeth." she said as she made fang like shapes with her fingers, and she laughed.

Cara looked at her grandmother with curiousity as she brought the candle stick over, at first she was going to say she didn't have anything to light it with. Then comprehantion dawned on her. A magic lesson.

"Wonderful.." she said clearly happy with the Idea. "What do I do? mother has only taught me to not use my magic by accident" she said, which made sense even to her impatienct spirit. Accidentel burst of fire from her and the castle could he burned down.

"A snake? How lovely." Genevieve smiled, glad to hear her grandchildren's pranks were not as hateful as her own had been. Children were suppose to have fun and enjoy themselves, without desiring to hurt others.

"Concentration of the wick works best." she instructed. Being a shadow elemental, Genevieve had learned far more than her own craft. It was the way of shadow to be lingering just behind all sorts of magic, and therefore, she had been forced to learn them all, despite her displeasure in doing so. "Desire it to whisper, not speak. A speaking fire is too large."

Cara nodded and turned her concentration to the candle wick. She focused tried to think of fire, hot, and wild if set free, non hesitating... always looking forward.

She concentrated for a good few minutes trying to produce a small flame, after a while she started to perspire and her hands felt very hot, almost like that were burning... Then she got an idea, she moved her hand to the candle wick and a flash a big bright candle flame appeared. Her first feeling was it was too big, and the flame quickly shrank to a more appiprotate size.

Wippig her sleave in her forehaad she smiled at she grandmother, "How was that?" she asked.

Genevieve carefully twisted the shadows around the tent to contain a fire, should they have an accident. Pride briefly lit her eyes as the flame leapt from Cara's hand to the wick and then shrunk to the appropriate size.

"Very good." she nodded. "You show promise." Praise not given lightly was best given. Deciding to entertain Cara briefly, something she had once done for Oberon and Theseus, she gently pulled the corner shadow closer to them, the darkness stretching as a flood to consume them. A tendril of the shadow whipped out, its shape changing to that of a galloping stallion. The shadow horse leapt into the candle's flame and in a brilliant shower of harmless sparks, the fire faded.

Cara beamed at the rare praise, "Thank you Grandmother, means a lot coming from you" she said.

She looked in amazement as only a child could as the shadow horse galloped in to the flame and made the shower of sparks.

"That was amazing, so... magical" she said with smile. "Thank you for showing it to me Grandmother" she said bowing her head from the bed.

Genevieve smiled. "I am glad you liked it." she yawned, hiding it behind her hand, but still tired. "Perhaps we should retire." she murmured, blinking. Grief always tired her quickly.

A finger absently twisted a pale lock of hair as she glanced about the tent. Perhaps Cara could stay with her... she thought. It would no doubt assist with her dreams. But she was not about to beg it of the tired child.

Cara nodded and sighed she stood from the bed, and turning to face her grandmother, she wasn't tired... well at least she didn't feel tired. Insomnia at its finest.

"Do you wish for me to leave grandmother?" she asked. "I am not tired yet" she said.

"You may stay..." Genevieve murmured, laying down on the makeshift bed and pulling the thick coverlet over her. It was a cold night, mainly due to the flap being wide open and the wind beating against the side of the tent. Lifting the covers slightly, she waited for Cara to slip in.

Cara smiled slightly and slipped in to the cover's.

"Sleep well Grandmother, and thank you for the magic lesson" she said with a smile.

In the darkness Genevieve smiled softly, her body twisting slightly so that she laid on her side. Moments passed and the cold was forgotten, as was momentarily her companion. The grief assaulted her once more and as the tears once more etched their bitter trails down her cheeks, she remembered Cara and gently pulled the girl into her trembling embrace.

~Dream in italics~

Wodon stood by the open window, his advisor beside him. They both laughed at some silent jest and Genevieve smiled. She loved to watch her husband, especially when he was happy and contented, which was often die to his manner.
He turned and saw her standing by the door. It was as if everything around him faded away as his smile broadened and he held his arms out to her. The advisor slipped from the room and she hurried to Wodon's arms, smiling softly as he wrapped her within his strong arms and kissed the top of her head.
"My dearest love, you seem troubled." he whispered, as if seeing her heart, despite her lack of showing it to him.
"Not in your presence." she replied, her pale hand stroking his bearded cheek. "What woman could feel pain or sorrow in her master's sacred presence." He chuckled.
"No more than a struck knave at the sight of so fair a nymph." His head bent to kiss her lips. The kiss faded away as soon as it began and Wodon's face dimmed till it was moments before his death... pale and sickly. Looking old and worn, Wodon's gnarled shaky hands sought hers and she sunk down with him to sit on the floor.
"I have loved another..." his lips echoed, repeating what he had told her as his final words.
Another... another... another...


The first ray of sunlight awoke Genevieve, and she sat up in bed, her mouth open in a silent scream. Taking a slow breath to compose herself, she sighed, pulling the covers to fall back on Cara, as the morning was bitterly frigid.

Rising from the bed, she allowed the ladies' maids to dress her, pushing aside hands as they attempted to secure her hair. She needed a moment alone and was granted it as the guard nodded to her. The woods was not safe for her to wander... but it was not safe either to hold a hand against her.

Cara was rather surprised when her Grandmother held her in a grief filled embrace , she didn't say anything how ever she just let the woman hold her and she rubbed her back in a effort to calm her into a more peaceful sleep.

Cara stayed awake most of the night, just managing to does off in the early hours of morning. After her grandmother got up Cara went back to her tent to get dressed and ready for her day of traveling. Cara dressed her self, it was a simple dress that didn't require much effort to slip on.

Making sure her dagger was sheathed and her Raven drawing in her bag, she grabbed her shall cause it was still a bit cold and headed out if her tent.

She looked around the campsite she saw horses, maids, and guards, but no grandmother.

She walked over to the nearest Guard and demanded, "Where is my Grandmother?"

The guard pointed into the misty wood, as if worried him saying anything would cause harm.

Genevieve had barely gone five trees in, but the falling mist hid her from the camp's eyes. Cold, but willing to ignore it, she stretched out her hand to gently touch a withering ash tree, looking down as part of the bark fell into her hand. Brushing it off, she closed her eyes.

She turned back, having been alone enough to return to the camp.

Cara glared at the guard for letting her grandmother go out on her own and was about to sneak away to go see if she was okay, she didn't know of was happened the night before was a common for her grandmother or not, but she felt.... concern for her grandmothers well being as well.

Then to her great relief she saw her grandmother come back into the campsite.

"Grandmother, there you are, so when will be head out again?" she asked as eager as even.

Genevieve ignored Cara, pushing past the two guards at her tent and entering. Her ladies maids had already begun to pack everything up, and she wasted no time in preparing herself to continue. Her sword belt fastened around her slim waist and she hurriedly slid her headdress on over her hair.

The guard helped her up onto her horse and she then turned to Cara. "As now." she murmured. Truthfully, she had not meant to ignore her granddaughter, but she felt strangely unrested.

Cara sighed at the delayed short answer she received form her grandmother after being ignored.

"Yes grandmother" she said a little less enthusiastically with a bow of her head and got her horse that she had tied to the tree.

She pulled her self up, and fed Timberlee and herself an apple, before moving to ride long side her grandmother.

The company slowly moved on down the road. Genevieve did not pay any attention as her guards slowly eased her horse behind them, so that they stood in the front.

Hours crept by and the darkness was approaching to signal night. The knights began to whisper of stopping soon, but none dared to suggest it. Genevieve had not rested since that morning and did not look thrilled at the idea of being stopped.

Above in the sky, clouds of ashy smoke began to hide the declining sun and the rising moon. Dark red eyes peered down at the company and fire followed the gaze.

In the chaos of the burning knights and screaming ladies maids, Genevieve spotted the lizardlike form of the fire beast.

Cara stared in pure shock as she caught sight of the angry looking fire breathing dragon. She could feel the presence of the fire, like random wild screams in her head... chaos.

She could feel her horse panicking, and she quickly held on to the reins tightly and yelled over to her Grandmother, she was a independent, smart girl... but this was a big fire breathing dragon that seemed intent on killing them.

"Grandmother! What do we do?" she asked, no small amount of fear in her voice and eyes.

Genevieve sat on her horse as if in a daze, her eyes wide but nonetheless unmoving. Cara's voice cut through the haze and she looked around, seeing the carnage already inflicted on those around her.

"Flee, your majesties!" A guard shouted as two huge eyes appeared before teeth wrapped around the unfortunate man. His scream was silenced by liquidating fire.

"Cara, come." Genevieve shouted, turning her horse sharply to the side. They would have to flee into the forest, not the ideal place to run from a fire breathing dragon... but the only available escape path. Making certain Cara was behind her, her horse galloped toward the side of the road. Just then there was the awful screams of war, followed by several soldiers running toward her. Swords and spears flashed in the fire lit air and her horse bucked high into the air as it was attacked. Dirty hands sought to pull the queen from her mount, their efforts thwarted by the surviving Alranian guards' arrows. A ripping sound emitted as a man tore the crest decorating the horse and Genevieve finally managed to remove her sword.

Shoving the enchanted blade down, the end cut deeply into the nearest soldier, splitting his head into two.

Cara stared at the scene in a scared terror, she was trying her absolute best to keep her horse on all four, and the image of her grandmothers sword going through the mans head and cutting it in two.

She had the little dagger her father had given her out and forcing her self to use it if she had to. She turned her horse back to her grandmother, letting her horse kick at any evil soldier who dare attack her. She may had been a scared terrified little girl, but she couldn't, would not leave a loved one behind.

"Get away form my Grandmother you roughens!" she yelled holding to her horse as she managed to run at them.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cara's horse charge toward her and the attacking rogues. Terrified of the child being either knocked from her horse or harmed by the swords of the enemy, she yanked the horse's reigns to the side, having her horse step over a man there, till it was sidely with Cara. Reaching out, Genevieve lifted Cara from the saddle and onto her own.

Once more the sword hewed down the enemy and then the horse vaulted forward away from the battle and fire.

Cara looked back with tears streaming down her face as she saw her horse left to the mercy of the evil soldiers.

She let out a sob as she held on to her grandmothers horse main of hair as they galloped in to the forest.

Behind them, the soldiers cursed and gnashed their teeth. It would seem to their eyes that the horse vanished as a fell wind, due to the shadow Genevieve hid them in.
"There is yet hope!" one of the bloodied men cried, holding up the torn crest splattered with his own dark blood. The captain reached out and took the trophy.
"Their eyes shall see what it is we desire." he murmured, taking the cloth to the now feasting dragon. The stained mouth grinned with villainous desire as it took the cloth in its heavy fangs and rose in puffs of smoke to deliver the token of war.

---

Genevieve forced the horse to gallop hard and fast until exhaustion overcame her and she pulled weakly on the reigns. Her heart and lungs battled with her and her breath was laboured, as she looked back, one arm wrapping around her granddaughter to ensure the child was there.

Cara noticing her Grandmother looking and sounding rather unwell, she hugged her grandmothers arm before asking, " Grandmother I can handle the reigns for a bit so you can rest?" she asked. Still in shock and fear over what happened she wanted to be busy with something.

Genevieve slowly released the reigns, her body shaking so terribly that her fingers seemed frozen in their grip. "Mystenian..." she whispered, referring to the soldiers. "Re-revolution they must p-plot and for such bl-blasphemy they must have a k-king." she stammered, closing her eyes. "Jahan must then live... cursed of h-his father."