Dance of Ciprahn

Chapter Twenty

It seems like a few days passed but it was difficult to be sure. Zinn comes to her in a dream again. She finds herself in his cab again riding the astral streets. She thinks about asking him who he really is. A guardian angel? God? Some sort of universal guide? She feels that asking will take some of the magic away. He was Zinn. He lets her vent to him and he listens to her sympathetically. He points to her ring and tells her its significance. The Prince and she are connected from centuries past through their families. The Prince needs her. Like her ancestors of old she must guide and protect the royal line. The ring is a symbol. 

A symbol of hope. It is no mistake that it was passed on to her. Zinn tells her to keep it a reminder that there is always hope. To keep fighting to be strong. Zinn smiles and the dream fades... They slide her meals under a slot through the door. She had a bathroom that joined her room. In the meantime she procured a few little goodies. She ripped a shard of glass off the bathroom window and used one of the chair legs as a makeshift stake. She also got a few other items like string and whatnot. You never know. Her attempts to break down the door always made too much noise and the guards would rush over. She hadn't been able to stack anything high enough to reach the ceiling. She thought about starting a fire but thought it too dangerous. She was starting to feel the freak out of cabin fever coming on when the door finally opened.

 She was sharpening the stake and quickly hid it and flashed an innocent smile. "Your presence is requested in the throne room," said one of the guards. Sure, why the hell not. All of this has been so crazy what's one more thing? If she survives all of this she would have one hell of a blog post. She wonders if everyone back home thinks she's dead. She was probably fired from her job. Meh. She wasn't happy there anyways but was too afraid to quit. Luckily life has kind of done it for her. She walks with all the guards and feels oddly calm. They know what she could do now and she smiles at that. She thinks about escaping but she is also curious about what will happen next. Her head throbs. In the final stages of her tussle with the guards she was pistol-whipped pretty severely. The morning after she was feeling wonky and disoriented.

 She probably has a concussion or maybe even a hairline fracture. She had to lay on her side every once in a while to alleviate the pressure. Cass is over all this over-the-top royal stuff and just wants to go back to her simple life and cuddle with her doggy. And T of course. She is still spacing out lost in thought when they pass the doors and enter the throne room. She sees a line of advisors and important looking people with guards peppered here and there. Cass spies T in the distance and her heart leaps! T's here! And he's okay! Oh thank you God! Yes! Her eyes light up and she waves goofily at him. T shifts awkwardly and looks down. Huh. That's not good. She feels a malevolent gaze on her and notices an elaborately-dressed woman looking daggers at her. Cass meets her stare with surprise. It's utterly silent for a few heartbeats. 

Finally a prim gentleman steps forward and says "Greetings and salutations. Please bow in the presence of the Duchess of Axleui Province, the noble Talitha of Tabin!" Uh-oh. The advisors and guards bow. Cass stiffly bows as well unsure of what to do next. The man continues "In the grand era of Frenrahn and in keeping with the traditions of Old we have a wonderful announcement. The lines of Auelid and Septis shall be joined once more and the old beacons lit. The Duchess shall be married to the Light of the Island in three days hence. The Dragon of the Woods, the Prince of Ciprahn, Second of His Name, Tristannae Arla Septis!" There is scattered applause and Cass' heart drops like a stone. What? No! What is happening? Her eyes bulge and her hands ball into fists. She feels hot and begins to see red again. Soon that passes and only an aching pang of loss and panic fill her heart. She is breathing hard and she begins to sweat profusely. She feels her heart bang like a war drum.