I stood up carefully, so as not to wake her, and stretched my body to help relieve the aches that I should be feeling but wasn't. I looked around then, and noticed that the colors there in the forest were off, and washed out a bit, even for me given my cat like night vision. I also heard no animal sounds, nor felt the movement of a breeze that should have been ever present in this wood. I realized in a moment that almost caused me to panic that I was still asleep, still dreaming. Upon realizing this I noticed what looked like a small fire off into the trees on the other side of our pond, and I began to make my way over to see if something or someone was keeping me in the dream.
I rounded the pond and moved quietly through the trees, being as silent as I possibly could. I did not want to give who or what ever this was the slightest advantage. I continued forward like I had when I was sneaking up on Ali earlier in the day, and when I quietly looked around the stand of trees I saw an old woman, dressed in a strange looking cloth that had the appearance of patchwork. She had a worn shawl that covered her shoulders and her long white hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. She was staring intently at something on a large log that was lying on the ground in front of where she was sitting, and after a moment I realized she was looking at a pattern of dealt tarot cards.
The crackle of her small fire illuminated her tired and gaunt features, and I could see in her face the kind of age and wisdom that is garnered over the course of centuries, not years. She placed yet another card and mumbled something to herself before gathering up all of the cards and shuffling them back into the small deck. She then reached into a small pouch at her belt and tossed a pinch of something that was inside into the fire, causing it to flare and burn a bright blue for a moment.
Then, without even looking up she addressed me and said, "Come here child, and have a seat. We have much to discuss and time is a fleeting and fickle mistress."
She looked up and stared right at the spot I was hidden, and for the briefest of moments I felt as if my entire soul was laid bare before her eyes. To tell the truth, she frightened me in ways that I have never been frightened before, and not in ways I can explain either, but in that brief moment, I also knew without a doubt that she was someone I could trust with absolutely anything, including my life. Feeling this, I stepped out from behind the stand of trees I was in and made my way to her merry fire, not caring about my nudity, and took a seat so that we could talk.
"Who are you, and why are you in my dreams," I asked, curious to know this strange woman.
"I am Millicent, my child, and senior member of the Circle. I was told of your coming and your plight by both Cassandra and Aliara."
"You? You are Millicent? Cassandra and Ali said that you know more about dreams than anyone."
"I do have certain skills with dreams, yes," she replied and her aged hands began shuffling her deck of cards with a speed and skill unexpected of someone so old.
"Will you tell me if the dream that I have had twice now is a warning, or just a nightmare," I eagerly asked and then cast my eyes to the ground when she turned her eyes on me with a stern glare.
"It is dangerous, young one, to try and know the exact path you should walk, either through dreams or through other means," she said and indicated her cards.
"I am sorry Miss Millicent, I did not mean to overstep myself," I whispered, and I bowed my head in submission to her, my conscious mind wondering why my subconscious offered so much respect to her.
Her eyes seemed to soften at that point and she reached out and raised my chin with one of her wrinkled hands and she leaned forward and kissed me lightly on the forehead, and I felt a new bond of love form between us. It was obviously not a romantic bond, and its feel was that of a wise old grandmother and her granddaughter, and with a light laugh she poured some liquid from a pot that I hadn't noticed sitting over the fire.
"Here, child, have a spot of tea and I will give you instruction where I can, to prepare you for the challenges that lie in your path."
"Thank you Nana. Is it ok that I call you Nana," I asked, and she nodded that I could, and as I drank the tea she offered me I felt a warmth and comfort that nearly made me weep with joy. "I only ask because you remind me so much of my Nana."
"You are such a gentle soul, and are both perfectly suited and unsuited for what lies ahead, but what will be will be. And I am sorry for seeming to be gruff with you a moment ago, however I know what terrible things can occur when one knows too much of their own path. I said I would give you some instruction and help. It will be merely hints, but that is all that is safe to know right now. Do you agree to this?"
"Yes Nana, I agree," I answered, knowing I could trust her implicitly. "Tell me what you will, and Kelli and I will make our own way from there."
She smiled at my mention of Kelli and said, "It is good you include your mate, your other half, because walking your path with someone at your side is always more bearable. It makes my heart sing to know you feel this way about each other."
I blushed a bit at her compliment, yet I was sad that Kelli was not awake here to see this as well, until I remembered that I was still in my dream and that she probably could not be here.
"Now child, I give unto you a boon of knowledge, to be used with both care and wisdom," and with these words she began again to deal from her cards.
It might have been my imagination, or perhaps it was a property of the dream world we were in, but I could have sworn that every time she turned another card her fire burned a little brighter and a little hotter. Either way, though, I was entranced as she continued and listened intently to what she had to say.
"You must beware child of the Betrayer and the Puppet Master, for they seek to unmake that which was foretold. I am somewhat frightened of the Betrayer, dear one, for their magic conceals even the smallest detail of who they are and what they can do. It has taken all of my power to know that they exist and to see hints of their purpose."
I nodded to Millicent, letting her know that she could continue, but her words and her tone did frighten me some and it must have been plain on my face.
"Do your best to worry not, child, for what will come will come in its time," she counseled me and I felt some small comfort in her words. "I can warn you, though, to give no heed to the Puppet Master, as I have seen that everything that spews from his lips is naught but lies. Beware, however, for the Puppet Master will weave just enough truth into his sayings that it will be difficult to separate actual truth from falsehood, which is one of the powers given to him by the Betrayer."
"How will I know the difference, Nana," I asked and I purred in contentment as she caressed my cheek with her hand and smiled at me.
"That is a very good question, young one, and the only answer I can give is to follow your heart, because a heart as pure as yours will guide you to actual truth if you let it."
I leaned in more to her hand and took comfort in her touch and I let her continue with her instruction. Millicent then dealt out four more cards and studied them for a few moments before speaking again.
"The ultimate purpose of the Betrayer is to destroy the Vessel and the Sleeper and to take the power released by this vile act for their own. What the consequences would be should this happen, I cannot see, however, I know that it would be catastrophic for both magical and non-magical persons alike, and I can sense that few would wish to survive the changes that would occur."
I felt like a molten weight had settled in the pit of my stomach as she spoke these final words, and I shuddered as she gathered up her cards and hid them away in her robe. While I could feel the comfort radiating from her and from our newly formed bond, I was almost sick to my stomach at what she had spoken. Again, Millicent could see the feelings I had in my eyes and she leaned in again to kiss me once more.
"Child, I feel it in my soul that if anyone can thwart the Betrayer, and cause the Vessel and the Sleeper to triumph it is you and your mate. I sense the greatness and nobility in your souls, and all of the sisters in the Circle will stand with you both against the tide of this approaching darkness."
"Thank you Nana," I replied, and I finished off the tea she had given me and I let its warmth continue to fill me.
"You are quite welcome, dear one, and know that your love will be your greatest strength. Never your weakness. Now, as for your dream, I can tell you it is both prescient, and a nightmare. Having watched this latest occurrence for a while before bringing you here makes me suspect a few things."
I leaned forward intently and asked, "Will you tell me what those things are Nana?"
Millicent pondered me for a moment before answering, "I can tell you that a servant of the Puppet Master is trying to actively invade your dream. Trying to make you fearful by showing you their plans."
"Well if they are trying to scare me, they are succeeding," I replied.
"It may seem that way, child," Millicent chuckled. "But your enemy is tipping their hand in many subtle ways by forcing this dream on you. You can take this opportunity to gain clues to their plans, and the small clues you can glean can often sway the outcome when events come to a crossroads."
"But how do I gather these clues when I am so terrified in the dream," I asked.
"The tea you drank should help you discern dream from reality, and this will allow you to overcome your fear of events if you work at it, which actually thwarts the first part of your enemy's plan. Aliara will have more tea for you when you meet her again, and I would counsel you to drink it every night if you can."
"I will do so Nana, and thank you for this. Can you tell me, though, are you really here or just in my dream?"
Millicent chuckled at my question and then said, "I am in three places at once, child. First, inside your dream, however, the dream world is only a reflection of the real one and I am in that reflection as well. And third, I am still deep in meditation in my chair at home projecting myself in order to talk to you. My energy is nearly spent, though, and it is time for me to go back to being in one place."