by Lluellin
I wandered through the mists for a while, in total darkness. Then there was a dim light off in the distance, so I began walking toward it. There, standing in front of me, was the man. He pushed back his hood to reveal hair that glinted like moonlight, and glowing violet eyes. His eyes were sad, and they looked right through me as I stood there.
"Hello," I said to him.
"Greetings, my lovely one," he whispered.
I looked up at him, and drew back a step or two, which provoked a frown on his lovely face. His skin was pale, like he had spent far too many days out of the sunlight, but still he was perfect. I thought to myself, "He really is beautiful."
He looked sharply at me then, as if he could read my thoughts.
"What do you want from me?" I asked him.
"I only want you to stay here, and be my friend," he murmured in response. Then he stepped closer to me, reaching his hand out toward my face. When I backed up again, he sighed softly and began to speak again.
"I have many good things I can offer to you here, little one," he smiled slowly at me, then, and my pulse began to race. With one wave of his hand, a small table appeared, covered with delicious sweets. "If you stay here with me, you can have whatever you desire, whenever you wish it."
I looked longingly toward the table, then shook my head slowly. "I can not eat your food here, something tells me it wouldn't be at all wise," I responded.
Another smile played across his lips as he nodded to me. "Very well, then.. but you can not refuse this gift." With another wave, I was garbed in a silken gown. It was violet, to match both of our eyes, and made of the sheerest, softest silk. I looked down at myself and blushed furiously, for the silk was so sheer that it revealed a hint of the skin beneath the gown. The man's eyes looked me over slowly, from the top of my head to the tips of my bare feet.
"Ah, you look even more delectable than my table of sweets," he said, and stepped toward me again.
Once again I stepped away from him, and his eyes flickered with anguish. A third wave of his hand, and I stood in a walled garden. All around me bloomed the rarest and most delicate of flowers, the gentlest smelling herbs, and the greenest foliage I had ever seen. The walls of the garden were only waist high, and there were two barred gates set into the walls. The man stood outside one of the gates, looking at me with longing in his eyes.
"Let me into your garden, my precious one," he said, "and I will give you the sweetest gift of all."
I looked into his eyes, and began to walk toward him. His face lit up with a joyous smile as he saw that he had finally managed to break down my defenses. My hands began to tremble as I timidly returned his smile. Just as I stretched my hand out to the latch on the gate, though, I heard a soft voice calling my name.
"Lleullin!" the voice called, with a tone of despair.
The man's face darkened, and he gestured for me to continue toward him. Instead, I took my hand back away from the latch and looked over my shoulder. Standing by the other gate were two misty forms, one with his arms stretched out toward me. As I focused my eyes on the forms, it became obvious who was standing there, calling to me.
"Scio!" I shouted anxiously. I began to walk toward him, and after a few steps I could see the second form more clearly. It was Desaix, with Sage cradled in his arms. Both men looked at me anxiously, not seeming to notice my clothing or surroundings.
After a few more steps toward them, the walls around the garden shot up, now well above my head in height, and the gate disappeared. Somehow I could perceive them through the wall still, for both men had started to scale the wall, and Sage sat on the ground behind them.
"You shall not leave here, my dearest one," the man whispered softly, "and you will let me in."
"No, I will leave here. I will find a way through," I replied, and continued walking toward the wall. When I arrived beside the wall, I could see that the men were almost to the top. My stomach dropped, for I greatly feared that it would be dangerous to both of them to enter the garden.
Closing my eyes, I murmured to myself, "It is a dream, only a dream," and I stepped right through the wall.
The next thing I knew, I was awake again.