Dreams

The words hung in the air as Fred rolled them in his mind, and then he rolled off his makeshift bed! "Huh?!!?" grunted Fred as he opened his eyes. ~~a dream? all a dream? ~~ Then he smelled the horse feces and human sweat and felt the dirt under him.

"Hey there sleepy-head!" cried out Rowena. "We're halfway to Caemlyn and I'm too excited to even blink! How can you manage to sleep?!?"

~~as if I could do anything else!~~ he mused. ~~life is easy when you have no choices~~

The rest of the traveling day went well. The entourage passed through a few villages and some minor towns, the peoples each giving a cry of shock and joy at the news that Lord Fred was alive. Each stop, each announcement, meant that yet another community began its celebration of the Faire, although a few had heard tale of Fred's return from excited merchants making their way north. The cold winds of late autumn blew upon that route, as it did everywhere in Havnheim, but the people warmed their hearts with spiced ale and buttered breads.

Fred smiled. He did not understand what Destiny was bringing him to, and he feared that evil would find a way to break through, but seeing the people in frivolous merriment reminded Fred of why he had walked the path of the Dragon-Slayer in the first place. "Perhaps it is not so frivolous after all," he said out loud.

"What's that?" asked his father.

"Oh, nothing," said Fred. Then Fred recalled his strange dream; much had already slipped into the oblivion of forgetfullness, but some aspects were so odd as still to perplex him. "Father, will we see the King right away?"

"Perhaps. There is much to be discussed between us as you well know. But we first must see your uncle and aunt!" [19466]

"I... I am still not certain that seeing the King is--"

"Don't say it," said Duke Dred. "After all that has happened in Bannock you still worry that you are some kind of harbinger."

"I... there was this... I dreamt that... Oh, Father! You can't know what it's like! My life is caught up in something that just won't let me go!"

Duke Dred looked at his son with much compassion. "My little Fred, you are right to say that I cannot know what it was like to have your life turned upside down, filled with damnations and perils worse than death, yes you are right. But, I know a thing or two about being caught up in webs that constrict and restrain and bind so tightly that true freedom is never within my grasp. Do you not realize that being a duke has its price?"

Fred stared at his father, never having heard him speak thus.

"Do you not know that that is why your mother is so dear to me? Without her I would have gone mad years ago! And you and little Wen, you are all that I have to keep my memory alive when I pass from this world. If only your other brothers and sisters had lived unto this day!" The Duke turned from his son, his muscles tensed, relaxed and tensed again. Duke Dred turned back to face his son only when his composure was sure and strong.

"Father, I had a dream today. In it were you and King Emry. He asked me many questions, just as did you and the Order. The King spoke many words to me." Fred chuckled, a dry and hollow laugh at best. "The King said an outrageous thing... he said that the dukes were out to get him, to overthrow him!"

Duke Dred's eyebrows rose at this. "You have strange dreams, yet not all tell the truth. Who, for example, would raise his hand against the noble House Exultaine?!? Allaria has seen peace for generations upon generations, our only foes come from outside our realm. These dreams are signs of your troubled spirit."

"Too many troubles, Father. I want peace."

"And you shall have it!" said the Duke. "The Order has assured me that once our official duties are concluded you shall have what you need. Now, put aside all thoughts of foolish dreams, I see the walls of Westfield up ahead!"

1. And so the journey towards Caemlyn continued with news of Lord Fred's return preceeding him and joyous celebrations following him...

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