The Web of Iron

Chapter Three: The Tale of Queen Dawn

Kiyora found herself in a library when she entered Seathorius that night. Bjorn was sitting in a chair, reading as he often did. He glanced up in surprise and adjusted his spectacles.

"Hey Bjorn, how is it going?" asked Kiyora.

He set down his book and stood. "Well enough Dreaming Goddess. I am told we have many new faithful coming to your temple in Artarq. Your worship is spreading far and wide."

"Yeah, sure, great, whatever, is there anything I can do to help?" asked Kiyora.

"Well, there is a patrol who hasn't reported in yet," admitted Bjorn. "I doubt it is worth your time, especially since-"

"Say no more," said Kiyora, who was bored.

She transported herself to the surface and looked to the trees. "Excuse me, could you look for a Nakmar patrol which has disappeared? It was supposed to have come in recently. If you find them direct them here."

Then she zipped back down to the library. "Done."

"I am grateful, Dreaming Goddess," said Bjorn "Yet there is something else."

He had something else? That sounded interesting. "Yes?"

"Queen Dawn is waiting for you," said Bjorn.

"Queen Dawn?" asked Kiyora. "She is uh... I'll get to it."

"She is the Queen of the High Elves," said Bjorn. "She came here some days ago and requested to speak with you when you next appeared."

Kiyora sighed. "Well, I'd better go see what she wants. Where is she?"

"In the next room," said Bjorn. "She was very interested in our records."

Kiyora nodded and made her way into the next room. As soon as she saw Queen Dawn, she blinked. The woman sitting on the floor reading a book looked precisely like Alchara. Well, not exactly. She was mortal. There was none of the unearthly beauty around her, just natural beauty and a lot of it.

"This had better be good," said Kiyora.

Queen Dawn looked up. Kiyora realized that she was looking at Alchara in those blue eyes. 

"Discourteous as always I see."

"Well, we didn't exactly part on the best of terms last time, Alchara," said Kiyora. "Why are you pretending to be Queen Dawn?"

"I am not," said Alchara. "I am Queen Dawn. Or it would be more accurate to say that Queen Dawn is my mortal incarnation. You see-"

"Nevermind, I don't care," said Kiyora. "What do you want?"