Russell made the comment to write something creative for a dream sequence that Talen would have had. Oddly enough this was the first time he had asked for a story from me, as I usually just volunteer them.
Then at work, I had an idea for an ambitious story. At the time I had no intention of making it the forementioned dream sequence. But the idea was so original that I set to writing it almost immediately.
And as my idea went to the keyboard it became a very ambitious idea indeed.
When I finished it I was concerned about the response from the players involved so I typed a disclaimer along with it.
See below.
I needn't to have worried.
Everyone loved it.
The perspective shifted again to more familiar surroundings.
The Fey Queen's Rest. But Talen understood the significance of the flame now, as he recognized the perspective.
It was the fireplace in the main room of the 'Rest.
Talen blinked. But his other self was unfazed.
Where there had been a doll before, now there was a leather case and an overflowing amount of bandages. "Thanks, honey." Talen took the bandages and the case. "Can I watch?" "If I asked you nicely not to, would you?" Talen asked. "If you asked me nicely, sure, Talen." Talen knelt over and let loose a disarming smile, "Would you please go upstairs and keep Sophie company?" "And warm up Enrique's bed for him?" Talen smiled. "My thoughts exactly. But no fire 'cept in the fireplace, right?" She saluted. "Yes, sir, Mister Explorer, sir." Marching a high step, the girl went up the stairs and out of sight. "Sharp as a tack, that one is..." Miriam shook her head, "You have no idea, Talen. Sometimes I firmly believe that William, Theus rest his soul, is watching me, laughing hilariously, every single day..." Talen smiled politely. He began to work on the gunshot wound in Enrique's hip. "He needs a shot jar for all the bullets that have been pulled out of him." He muttered. "He has one." Miriam said, wiping Enrique's brow. "Mmmmm.... I'm just going to have to put these in my case then." "You'd better not steal my bullets, Talen." Enrique murmured. "Your bullets, Enrique?" "My bullets." "Did you get the package that Volker said he was sending, Miriam? He seemed very excited about it in his letter." Miriam made a distasteful face, "Yes, he did. I'm going to have to talk to Mr. Reinhoff the next time I see him..." "He said it was some kind of ornament, you didn't like it?" Talen removed the shot ball. "Talen." Miriam said. "Its a head." "Oh," was the reply. Miriam gestured to Enrique. "He's asleep, Talen." "You sure?" Miriam gave him a look that spoke volumes of his limited understanding of the former Fey. Talen changed the subject. "So... This head. It wasn't his, was it?" "No. It's a moose head. A gigantic moose head. He seems to think that it would look impressive over the mantelplace." "And you don't?" Talen asked. "I think it'll look impressive in the rubbage, that's where I would put it, if I had the choice..." "It is your house, Miriam..." Talen wrung out a bloody cloth. "No, it's not. Its OUR house. The family's. I suppose it isn't so bad. I could get used to it, I suppose..." "If I can get used to those awful sheets that Valliere sent you, we can stand a moose head above the fireplace." "I thought the sheets were rather pretty, Talen." She smiled, " Speaking of Valliere, what happened in Montaigne?" "Its not the color that's so bad, although that pink..." Talen shuddered, "They just make my skin crawl sometimes by touching them, almost like they're too soft, if that makes any sense." Talen sighed, "And as for Montaigne, we made some new friends, reacquainted with an old one, the new friends brought their friends, and a few blunt heavy sticks, the old one possessed a firearm and a sadistic wit." "Reynaldo?" "Yes, Miriam, Reynaldo. In fine form, as well." Talen began his stitches. "Have the Knights told you yet how he escaped?" "No, but its a good thing that they're so heavy on his trail..." "Billie would not let him near our home, Talen, you know that..." "Hmmmmm...." Talen concentrated on his rapid stitching. After a minute or two, Miriam asked him, "What of the Explorers? Is your business complete with them?" "To a degree, and they do understand the threat that Reynaldo poses, so they're not pressing me to do other things. But as for the Knights...Something was wrong, something significant. The more Talen watched the other, it was almost like reading the other's mind. His movements and expressions could not deceive him. Which led to the uncomfortable conclusion that this really was Talen's future self.
His hands hovered just over Enrique's chest, his mouth was twisted into a contemplative frown. "Talen. "Miriam prompted, "Talen, what's wrong?" His eyes slowly met hers and were filled with terrific doubt. "Miriam, this is bad, real bad..." He gingerly felt a couple of the wounds, Enrique moaned slightly. Talen tilted his head in deep thought, but the doubt in eyes was not relieved in any way. "Talen, how bad is it? Do we need another doctor? I could send for one..." "Another doctor?" he mumbled. "No. Another doctor would not help, Miriam..." "Then what do you need, Talen?" She asked, though now her tone was doubtful. "Time, Miriam," he answered, "I need more time. But I haven't got it." He pointed at the wounds from Reynaldo's sword, "These go all the way through, and I have to cut him open to patch whatever they go through... I could do one easily, two possibly, but he'll be open too long for the other two...Talen sobbed in the flames, and they began to diminish.
He cried for Miriam, at Enrique's side.
He cried for Billie, sitting on the stairway above.
He cried for Enrique, lying on the table.
And he cried for himself, here and there.
"This is hell." he stated without a doubt.
And all was darkness.
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