Summer Garden

Claven

Claven sat up, feeling odd. She ran a hand through her red hair, detangling the mess as she looked around the room, trying to pinpoint what was off. There was nothing out of place, but something was very wrong. She sighed, standing up and slipping on the black shirt that she'd been wearing when she fell asleep, buttoning it and walking down the stairs and into the engine room.

She paused halfway down the stairs.

That was it.

The engine wasn't making a single sound. It had stopped turning. Which made so little sense. Even if the wheel had broken down again it would still be drifting back and forth, and she should be hearing the waterfall that powered the entire thing. Silence meant something fundamental had changed. Had the Arbiter blocked off the water source? Or was her people under attack?

Claven walked down the remainder of the steps and turned, clenching her fists, and paused as she did see an intruder, but one she had no idea about attacking. They weren't Fae, there were no wings. In fact, apart from the ribbed ears and pink hair they could have passed for human.

"Ah, there it is." The woman said turning and smiling at her, "The violence in your petty little heart. That's what I came to see."

Claven glared, "Who are you?"

"The wrong question." The woman replied, "Who am I doesn't really matter, does it? What I am, and what I can do, and I want you to do are the questions. The first two are easy to answer. Take a look outside. See why the wheel stopped turning."

Claven approached a window cautiously and took a glance, and recoiled in terror. The waterfall was still pouring, or it had been. It was frozen in midstream. Whoever this was, was controlling time. They'd pulled her out of time.

Claven swallowed nervously turning, "You're a Fate."

"Yes." The woman grinned slowly, "And what I want from you, little Madam Claven, is a little bit of backbone. Events are happening that we can't abide by. So I am going to make a request of you. Do you know what that means?"

Claven flinched, "I can't refuse."

"Correct!" The woman clapped, grinning at her, "You have to do what I say. And what I'm telling you, is to take every one of your little shades, and attack Lady Luna. You are to execute the princess. Is that understood?"