The Mad King's Throne

III. Dreams

Beatrice hadn't slept well in days, many of her servants had been concerned.
Of her wellbeing, even the queens court had been concerned. The queen had much on her mind, her first problem was solving the throne crisis, she never had thought she would have made it this far. The queen one night drifted off in a well-deserved deep sleep, however this deep sleep wasn't like any she had before, she heard whispering, voices of people she never heard of before,
One voice cried out in despair loudly.

"SPARE ME OH WISE ONE!"

Beatrice rose up startled from the voice. She reached over for a candle and lit it. Drenched in sweat and heart thumping loudly she answered the voice in fear.

"Show yourself intruder."

The voice said nothing. Beatrice ran out of her chamber and into the dark halls.
And yelled out for help but no one answered. Suddenly every torch on the walls lit up and a voice from down the hall called out.

"Beatrice, loyal servant of the rival gods, come closer."

As Beatrice slowly approached the voice, a distorted figure appeared.

"Who am I speaking to?"

Said Beatrice in fear. The figure hummed an enchanting tune and out from the distortion appeared a woman with eyes as dark as night, and her robe flowed down as if it were made of water.

"My child, do you not know who I am?"

The words of the strange woman sparked the sudden realization of who this ghostly woman was. Beatrice fell down to the woman's feet and worshiped her presents.

"Goddess Nera! Forgive my ignorance."

The Goddess reached out her hand.

"Rise my child."

Beatrice was in awe to see the goddess of Moravia member of the pantheon.
Of rival gods.

"Why have you revealed yourself to me my goddess."

The goddess was pleased to see her servant but disappointed at her ignorance.

"My child, your ignorance that you display today show me that you are weak.
But your kind gestures show me your humbleness and obedience to your goddess."

Beatrice once again fell back down at her feet.

"Forgive me my goddess. I've served you for many years, but I'm afraid I've neglected you in recent years. The weight of this kingdom is hard to bare."

The goddess hearing this took Beatrice by her hand and in a blink of an eye Beatrice was overlooking the entire kingdom. The goddess pointed at the lands.

"These lands are very dear to me. I've blessed these lands for the coming days.
Prosperities have built these lands up for many years. The mortals built great cities and powerful mortals held great power over these kingdoms."

Suddenly the fertile lands turned into a chaotic seen of bloodshed and cities set ablaze with all of its peoples lying dead in the streets.

"These lands without you will become a fiery grave, and all will suffer greatly.
You must lead these lands away from this troubling future."

Suddenly Beatrice was now in an unknown garden and the goddess with her.

"Do you understand now my child?"

Beatrice understood what was at play, she bowed her head in understanding.
The goddess seeing this was pleased.

"You must abandon the pantheon; the other gods are of no use to you now.
You must now serve the goddess of your lands my child."

Beatrice was not fully at peace since she still had something on her mind.

"What about my successor? I can't rule forever."

The goddess smiled at Beatrice's ignorance once again.

"My child do you not remember? Look at the past, the answer lies there.
All things that are written down are written for a reason my child, mortals forget."

And with these words the goddess walked off into the eternal flame and Beatrice Suddenly woke up realizing that she had been dreaming. The words of the goddess left Beatrice baffled as she did not yet put the pieces together.
Nera the goddess of Vothguard had been known to appear in dreams but was it truly her?