Wow! I loved all the positive feedback I got… Seriously! I bragged to all my friends about getting such wonderful reviews from all you WONDERFUL reviewers! So, because I haven't had a chance to write in FOREVER, I am posting a short segment/chapter thing. It was originally part of a larger chapter and I haven't had time to really edit it yet, but I have to put something up before you all think I'm dead, right? Anyway, I hope more will follow this. Hopefully I will get something more up by my birthday…

The young mage, with a big smile that looked strained because of the physical pain she was in, said in a dry voice, "I am Alanna of Trebond, the second. Welcome back, great-great grandmother."

Alanna, newly risen from the realms of the Black God, stared at Alanna, her "granddaughter" and nearly laughed. Was this girl kidding? Alanna of Trebond, the second? This must just be one of those few nightmares the dead get, she thought. She looked up at her dream-relative. There could almost have been a mirror between them; The youth's face was an identical oval to Alanna's and her hair, currently caught up in a ponytail fell in crimson waves to her upper back. Her nose was small, but cute; the Trebond nose, Alanna noted. The young mage's body was also of a similar build to Alanna's: small and slight, but well-toned to the core. Finally, Alanna's gaze rested upon the mage's eyes. There was a difference at least. The dream-girl had blue eyes, touched with amethyst spikes in the middle. They were the most interesting and captivating eyes Alanna had ever seen. The old Alanna had been famous for her violet eyes, but her descendent's eyes were equally well-known for giving one the clichéd feeling that one was "drowning in their depths."

"What a person to dream up," Alanna said, surprised. "Just like me except with better eyes… You must be my dream-self."

"Um… No, actually. I'm your great-great granddaughter and I have risen you from the dead."

"What?" Alanna blinked.

"Well, I looked up the spell that your brother Thom used to raise the Duke of Conte and…"

"Let me get this straight," Alanna interjected. "I was dead, but you brought me back."

"Correct."

"And this isn't just a nightmare?"

"Nope."

"So people actually let me be buried in this dress!" Alanna exclaimed, distressed over the silver and purple ball-gown that had been meant to be her attire for the rest of eternity.

"Well, yes," the young mage Alanna answered, "but they didn't think you would mind. After all, they didn't think you would be waking back up."

"Well, 'they' better watch out in case I ever catch 'them!'" Alanna said vehemently. "So what's your name?"

"It's Alanna, same as yours," the young Alanna said.

"Okay. Well, Alanna, would you mind telling me how to resolve my issues so I can get out of this dream? I wanted to take a mud bath in an hour."

"I'm afraid this really isn't a dream. I really have brought you back," the girl looked down as if in silent apology.

"You mean…" Alanna couldn't voice the rest of her thoughts. Her face turned red as she realized that she really was awake, and alive again. "I think you'd better tell me what's going on and answer all my questions."

"First of all, you can call me Lori," the blue-eyed Alanna offered.

"Okay," Alanna agreed. "So, Lori, tell me what's happened, where am I, and why the hell am I 'sleeping' next to Duke Gregore of Stonecrest, giant-killer extraordinaire?"