The Rainlands: Grand Delusion

Chapter 49: The Note

"What about warning the Capital? The Rainlands is completely unprepared Eleana!" He shouted angrily. She rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, I forgot how nice you are. I told you, the people who need to know, already know. Listen, there are...there are disturbing rumors going around. About Jasmine's brother, the prince. I didn't want to say it because it must have been a shock to her that Emperor Jie is dead, but it seems like it might not have been an accident. Worse, there are some who say the Deathless City is involved. That man you saw? Peirce? They say the Royal Enforcement Division is in on it." Eleana angrily stared out the window at the rain and melting snow. "The Rainlands is changing, everything's turning upside down. There's a chance, just a chance mind you, that the reason the prince is missing is because he had something to do with Emperor Jie's death. Which means he might be colluding with the Deathless City. And that means that the Capital is about to become one hell of a mess. I'm keeping Jasmine here for her own good, I doubt she even wants to go there herself. You saw how she was."

"I...I didn't know that." Levi sat back against the bed, closing his eyes. "When did you become so good at politics? And why does Tao listen to everything you say?"

"I became good because I had to be good. The rest of the Rainlands aren't as nice as Eastrain Levi. And Eastrain wasn't very nice. As for why Tao follows me, I have my ways to persuade people. The House of Yi understands that if they follow me, they'll have power and prestige far beyond anything they could get on their own. The Northerners are a sad people, stuck up here. But they're strong and the land is protected. Stay with me Levi. Think about it, you're the only one I can really trust, family. I'll keep you safe. I've always regretted leaving you behind. Let me make this right! Together we can carve out a kingdom...no an empire of our own!" Levi couldn't reconcile this person with his memory of Eleana. What she's talking about...it's crazy! He didn't want to say anything at all. As a matter of fact he had no idea what to say. Eleana didn't seem particularly surprised. She patted his cheek, and walked out, whispering as she closed the door.

"You don't need to say anything right now, Levi. You're my lil bro. I know you'll see why I'm doing what I'm doing. The guards outside this room are mine. You can rest easy here. But don't wander, even I don't know everyone that has ties to the Capital. Also..." Eleana's voice was so quiet Levi could barely hear it. "Love you lil bro."

#

Levi didn't think he could sleep after all that had happened. The quiet pitter patter of rain blowing outside his curtains was too soothing however, and his tired eyes eventually closed. He slipped into an uneasy doze from which he awoke several times over the course of the storm.

A red-haired girl played outside a huge palace. Beside her, a small boy, possibly her brother, lay on the ground, feeding a group of mewling cats. The girl's hair was striking, crimson so deep like a scarlet ruby. She twirled, smiling happily, dancing amidst the kittens. Suddenly, a man appeared in the picture, his hand outstretched, reaching for them. The boy on the ground got to his feet and hissed. The man dropped dead, and the girl looked sad as the boy took her hand and led her away from the kittens and the stranger. A single tear dripped down the young boy's face before his expression hardened, turning vicious. Levi felt like the boy could see him, even though he wasn't even really there. He whispered something to him.

"Take care, lest your nightmares come true."

Tssssss

Eventually the rain stopped and the lack of its soft noise was jarring enough to wake him. Laying in bed, he pondered the situation, wondering what he should do. I wish Illios was here. Or Mist. They always seemed to know what they were doing. Illios would just tell me to stay focused, but that was back when I needed to save Jasmine. Has that changed? Isn't she safe here? Eleana wouldn't hurt her...right? I wonder what Mist would say?

He was content to sit there and think for a while. Though he worried about how Jasmine was being treated, he didn't think Eleana would do anything bad to her. Now that he had slept, his whole body ached. Before he had just been tired, utterly exhausted. But now he felt something new, a deep-seated ache which almost itched. It was so bad. It made it almost impossible to think, and his eyes absentmindedly explored the little details of the room, the cracks between the stones in the wall, the simple workmanship of the desk as his mind wandered. Why does Tao listen to Sis? It doesn't make sense. Sis is smart but surely someone would have a problem with an outsider just coming in and ordering the House of Yi around? Should I just go with it? Sis has never let me down before...except when she left. She still hasn't answered me. Why didn't she take me with her? Is it really just because it was too dangerous? Tao took on the River Guardian, surely the road here wasn't as dangerous as that. She COULD have brought me along. Instead, she left me...

Despite the years it had been, he still felt indignant that she had left him behind. As much as he hated to admit it, he was bitter. Living on the island alone had been tough, especially without Eleana to protect him from the other children. Elder Shisshion had done his best, but he couldn't be everywhere. Well, I suppose the road WAS dangerous. Even though I have a Reincarnation now, I almost died. But that was only because of Peirce and the Shatterstorms. Now that I think about it...I went all the way from Daya to here...how long has it been since I ate something?

Fwip

There was a fluttering noise and Levi instinctively turned his head to the left. A small draft blew the curtains inward and he saw a shadow press against the curtains. Levi's heart quickened as the curtains bent unnaturally in the breeze, allowing a small opening through which something flew through. Huh?

A little paper bird glided through the hole and the wind stopped blowing, reversing completely so that the curtains closed once more. The paper bird drifted by Levi's head and he warily leaned back into the sheets as it flew over past him and gradually lost height until it alighted on the floor. Where did this come from? A terrible feeling of being watched gripped Levi and he ripped the curtains open. However, there was no one outside. Some several hundred feet away, a guard stood watch by the edge of the forest with his back turned and at first Levi considered that maybe someone was playing a prank on him, but the man was just...too far away. Strange. Levi got up, feeling achy but with much less pain than before and cautiously picked up the little paper bird off the floor. There was some sort of writing on its wings. He couldn't make out the words without unfolding it. Quickly, he took one more look out the window, but there was still no one but the guard with his back turned, in the distance. Levi gently teased the bird apart, revealing a square of purple paper. What's it say?

What will the Temptress do once Yujeon's use is done?