Mira found herself at the market near home, in her hand was a basket of flowers. The man she had seen before was there too, walking beside her.
"What are you doing here, near my house? " she asked surprise.
"I needed to talk to you.
"People will find it strange that I'm walking an unknown man. " she replied alarmed.
He smiled.
"Since it's a dream, I think they won't mind," he said making her smile too.
"What did you want to talk to me about? " she asked.
Now she thought she should treat him more formal since she knew him a little more and was not as apprehensive and frightened as before.
"Don't treat me that formally. I'm about the same age as you.
"Or at least it looks. " replied Mira smart.
"What do you mean? " You made a mistake.
"You're not human, right? " she said. There was no way that man was normal. He was different from everyone he had ever lived with.
"You got me. "Laughed.
"And what are you? " she asked interested.
"I can't tell you now. " replied calmly.
The man looked into her eyes, making her look away. She was ashamed to look into those eyes.
"What worries you? " he asked.
"You must know about that woman... What she said is true? " replied worried.
"You mean the oracle?
The young woman confirmed.
"The fact that there is a prophecy doesn't mean you can't change it. What she said is true. If you let it happen, of course.
"And how can I change that? " she asked.
"It's up to you, Mira.
"And you? Won't you tell me why you're in my dream?
"I wanted to warn you about something. Next week you will return to your old home. And there you will find something the emperor was looking for. Actually, he found you, but it ended up back at your house, for you. When you find this, stay with it, but you cannot allow your blood to fall on him.
"Why?! " she exclaimed exasperated.
"If that happens, the jewel will never return to you. " the mysterious explained.
"What's so important about it? " she said.
"I can't tell you either.
"It seems you can't tell me anything! " she exclaimed angrily.
"I'm going. "Smiled. " You better rest.
"But I'm already asleep. " Pouted.
"It has to be okay for next week.
"You could tell me your name at least. " spoke sly.
"Maybe next time. " he said kissing her hand.
***
There they were a week later, with new red dresses, inside the invisible carriage, along with Miss Betwein.
The sun was setting. And the vehicle passed at least 10 times around Mira's house, checking that there were no more Dowykais around.
They entered the residence. The place was all trashed. Amidst the chaos, Mira lowered her hood and tried to think of the object to which the unknown man had referred.
"Take what you need and let's! " said Miss Betwein.
"Mira, are you sure he didn't want anything? " asked Kendra.
"There's something. " she said remembering what the man had said.
Mira ran upstairs. Her mother's room was torn apart, as were the other rooms in the house. However in the jewelry box there was something the brunette had not seen for a long time. A necklace with a sparkling red stone. It could only be what this emperor was looking for.
She sat on the bed and remembered her mother. One specific day came to mind, one day where the eldest was waiting for Liam.
Mira helped her mother to close the dress. Covering the scar that passed through half the back.
Alice was young. She was 28. She adopted her when she was 17. In fact, it was Alice's mother, Agnes who found the little lost and alone in town.
The child didn't remember anything. The only thing she remembered was the name, engraved on the chain he was wearing around her neck.
Agnes could not take care of the girl, she was old and sick. But her daughter could. And so Alice became Mira's mother.
"Okay. " said the young woman smiling.
"Thank you, dear. " kissed her daughter's forehead.
The woman fastened her red hair, and put a necklace that falls on top of the blue dress, highlighting her brown eyes. Someone knocked on the door and she ran to answer.
He was a young man, apparently in his early 20s; red hair, hidden by the cap, yellow eyes and a mischievous smile. He wore, as always, weird clothes: black shirt, cape of the same color and brown pants, black gloves and brown boots.
"Liam! You came? What are you doing here?
Mira knew that Alice was not surprised. The elder had been preparing all day to see him, waiting for the boy to come.
It had been a long time since I had seen her mother take an interest in someone like that. In fact, she had never seen her mother take an interest in anyone. A man was the reason for her scar. And a man made her afraid to approach someone of the opposite sex again. Until the day Liam showed up.
A knock on the door called her back to reality.
"All right? " asked Kendra.
"Yes, come on! " she replied.
"A necklace of blood. An object that returns to the owner. Or at least to the nearest place and with greater possibility of finding it. How did you know he might want it? " exclaimed Astrid.
"Someone told me. " Mira said deviating from the subject. " Now what?
"Let's go. "She concluded. "You stay in school and I'll come back with more people to find out what to do.
"Wait a minute. Please! I'll ask the villagers something. " Asked Mira.
The village remained the same, the same quiet movement as ever.
In trade, children ran while their mothers shopped with charismatic merchants and some very astute ones who tried to sell a product for much more than it was worth.
They asked about Liam.
A lady said she had seen him the day after Alice disappeared. This gave hope to Mira. She didn't know exactly who the man was, but he certainly liked her mother and would help her. She doesn't know if he was a match for the "Emperor", but I wouldn't be surprised if the man her mother loved wasn't human like them.
When they got in the carriage the girl just hoped to be right.