laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Kailee paced through the rectangular lobby which fronted the throne room. It's elegant decorations had a flare of elven and dwarven tastes and without the platoon of armored dark elves watching her from the distant doorways, might actually be comfortable. Her initial greeting didn't go as smoothly as she had hoped and wondered what had driven her to nearly kill three of them the moment she entered the gates, instead of just the one. A coup was not in her plans nor was Enestius' messenger, he had been working all the darker corners of the world already. Sater's son had learned quickly after all.
Her hand to chin, she stared at the tiled floor of various patterns until a familiar pulse in the air caught her attention. Concentrating, she turned right and blankly stared at the foyer's doorway and soon recognized two young girls she hadn't seen in almost a year. Quickly, she moved towards the main door as guards watched her pass by. Outside, the cool air bit at her burning face and brow as they approached under guard. Emerging to the left, around the high stone wall, she noticed the chamberlain walk towards the gatehouse, then glance to her and stop.

"I know them," she stated as the guards opened the large, banded doors whose loud groaning couldn't mask her excitement and concern. Their eyes lit up on both brunettes as Katsandra and Danaca recognized their mentor.

"Aunt Kailee," Danaca smiled broadly. "What are you doing here?"

"Why are you here, is the question," she glanced to an elf and trio of halflings who each stood nearby as mounted dark elves led a trio of ponies into the castle.

"The mirror led us here," Katsandra replied.

"Then you need to leave, right now." The last thing she needed were more distractions.

"We can't do that," Lita's granddaughter stepped forward. "We've been brought here for a reason and we can't leave until it's finished."

Kailee leaned in. "Do you have any idea where you are right now?"

"No," they both shook their head in unison.

"Wroclaw. This is the home of someone you don't wish to be near at the moment." Her emotions welled, drowning the focussed hatred she had been feeling the whole morning since she had arrived.

"Aunt Kailee," Katsandra began. "You have to stop this. You can't go through with your plan to ally with them, not this way."

Golden eyes narrowed. "I have no other options available."

"You can't do this," the offspring of Allaster stated, her voice rising.

Kailee pointed a gloved finger at the teenager. "Don't use that tone with me, understand. You two need to take your friends and leave here, now."

Tears welled in their eyes also as Danaca stood her ground. "I know you're doing this for us. Your love for our families and friends has brought you here but, you have to listen to us. You can't make an alliance with them. It's going to cause more problems than it'll solve, trust me."

"Then give me another option," Kailee nearly yelled. "Unless you can show me another way, then go home." She regretted being in this position, looking into their eyes. "I'm not going to stand by and allow him to take anymore from us. I can't to that. We've finally got a home and they want to destroy it, don't you understand?"

"We understand perfectly," the druid agreed. "It's just there has to be another way," she glanced up to the parapets, then back. "He's been gaining allies and infiltrating courts and churches, that's why the crusade is happening to the Macau lands right now. He's got our armies on distant fields which has weakened our empire. Once they return, they'll be too few to stand against him."

"All you're doing right now is proving why I need their help."

"No," hazel eyes pleaded as Danaca kneeled and fervently prayed for guidance. "You can't make this contract the way you've done it. There will be another opportunity in time, you just have to be patient."

Kailee's mind raced as hands went to hips. "He won't be patient and Warwick will burn. Your families, my friends will die," she revealed as flashes from her dream re-emerged and produced tears that burned as they streamed down her cheeks.

"Worse things will happen if you go through with it."

She glanced back to Katsandra, wondering what could be worse than the death of all she held dear. She sighed and shook her head as Danaca stood, wiping her cheeks. "You two sure have grown up this past year," she lightened, took them both in her arms and hugged them tightly. An action that was returned. Backing, she kept their hair from catching on fire. "I'll see what I can do. Bring your friends inside and get some rest."

Katsandra motioned to the blankly staring elf. "This is Persephone," then to the halfling fighters. "This is Arvid, Bodil and Fiske."

"Pleasure," Kailee greeted to polite waves from the trio of brothers, then turned and led them into the jaws of the enemy. Hopefully, one who wouldn't remain so.

* * *

Crying in her private room, Kailee couldn't believe her turn of fortune. No one was supposed to know about this visit. How did they find out? The last thing she needed right now was for the king to make her decide between Warwick's future and the lives of the two girls in a room down the hall. She sighed, head buried in her hands; how had it come to this?

'He's using your love against you,' her spectral guide's voice lovingly interrupted. 'Not directly, but in time. You have to be prepared but, not allow your emotions to rule the destiny of those who look to you for guidance. Until Azumat dies, the people's choice to join the alliance will fail.'

Kailee's head rose. 'You're saying I need to kill him then?'

'No. Allow other forces to help. Be patient.'

She closed her eyes, head resting on her right hand. 'I'm so tired of this. My friends are too old to help and with Kevelaer concentrated on securing Rimnicu, there is no one else.'

Chuckling, the champion neared. 'There has always been someone else helping to guide you. You only refuse to acknowledge them.'

Her eyes opened as she stared towards the beautifully embroidered carpet of deep reds, blues and purples which bordered the curtained bed she sat on. Memories cleared and she remembered the colorful garden and white gazebo where a little girl sat in a well crafted, wooden chair. 'How will she help?'

'Have faith, my friend.'