Premonition

A long, piercing screech could be heard in the distance! The trees were dark and thick where Titania stood in bare feet and a long, navy cloak. It was night. Long, black vines were hung all around her. Here and there large insects flew about, and nightly sounds could be heard. In the distance, Titania could see torches lit. She wandered through the bush, difficult though it was, she managed to get through. She felt cold stone on the palms of her feet. She appeared to be on some kind of causeway. Little did she know that this was the causeway leading into Travanhkal, the forbidden city of the Anhkasheen. As the sorceress proceeded, she saw in the distance, thousands of tiny creatures, all chanting and dancing at the feet of a wraith like form. It was the form of a woman, with long white hair blowing in the wind, but strangely there wasn't any wind. Titania reached the end of the causeway.

She was in a great chamber filled with all of these pigmy men, as she guessed them to be. They all looked at her, with their red eyes, they grinned with many sharp and tiny teeth. Then Titania looked up at the ghostly figure and fear took over her. The wraith floated in mid air. She wore a long, gray cloak, torn and weather worn, blowing in the insensible wind. Her eyes were wide and empty. She opened her mouth and out came another long and piercing wail. Titania covered her ears and fell into darkness. Falling and falling. . . and then!

Titania sat up in her bed. Her ears were burning like flame and all she could hear was a sharp ringing. Her cheeks were wet from falling tears. She was in her room, it was the same as she left it when she went into bed and fell asleep. Her staff and cloak where there by the door. Potions and other small blades and tools were left on the marble pedestal. The sun was shining through the rafters high above. She crawled out of bed and stepped onto the cool stone floor, it reminded her of her dream. She walked over to the stone stair case beside the pedestal and began climbing. Many stairs she climbed until she reached the top. She walked onto the balcony and to the ledge. She looked far into the south, over the Lands of Lake Country, over the Sapphire Mountains, across the desolated hills of the Barrens and into the south. Titania had never noticed this before, but a dark, green gloom loomed at the end of her line of sight, as if a haunting jungle awaited her there. Titania stood there, on top the highest tower of the Pandemonium, thinking about her dream, or more like her nightmare. Hours past. Her long, dark hair blew in the wind. She began to feel a slight chill. Although the cold did not bother her, she walked back to her room. She threw on her cloak, pulled up her hood and took her gnarled, wooden staff in hand. She gathered some things in a leather bag and left the room. Down several long halls and many winding stair cases she walked. She stopped by one of the many doors and knocked twice. Titania said in a soft voice, "Taeowyn, are you awake?"

"Yaaaaaawwn. Yes. I heard your footsteps coming down the hall," Taeowyn answered. Titania opened the door.

"Good. Now get your things. We are going to the Library of Taer Paralvale by horse back. We must reach it by nightfall. We haven't any time to spare."

"But wh. . ."

"I'll explain later, now hurry!" Titania left the room. "Meet me in the horse stables!" she called behind her as she walked back down the hall.

Titania descended the last staircase leading into a great hall. Banners and flags were hung on the wall. Several small balcony's stuck out from the walls. She went through a large, arched door and into a stone courtyard. Beautiful statues and fountains were present. She walked through the courtyard and entered the stables. There were several stalls, each with a unique horse. One very handsome horse whinnied loudly as Titania entered. "Tobyneth, hussshhh." She opened the stall door and led the horse out and set it up with saddle, harness and she tied her bag in the back. Then she went to another stall, holding a stout and sturdy horse in it. "Ok Bereneth, come on." She pulled him out and saddled him too. Right then Taeowyn came in wearing a gray cloak and hood. In one hand she held a brown bag with some of her things and in the other a short, wooden staff. Titania took Taeowyns bag and tied on Bereneths back. Titania led Tobyneth out of the stables and Taeowyn followed with Bereneth. They mounted and began riding through the courtyard, under a large archway and down the paved road.