Excerpt from my story
She stands up slowly and gracefully. All eyes turn to the Empress. Stepping down from the dais she approaches. Everything becomes so quiet. The Keeper is anxious and exited. My heart sinks lower and lower with each step that brings her closer. I want to yell and scream and wake up. But everything appears sane and normal to the Keeper and his men.
The Empress walks right up to the Keeper. He tries to look only at her masked face. But all I can see is that ring on her finger. A ring made of wood with little points on it. I hate that ring. I would run away, but I am only an observer from the Keepers point of view.
She stands now before him. He now begins to feel something familiar about this woman. He hesitates a moment as he admires her.
“I am Anash the Dragon Keeper. I and my men have come to propose peace between your people and the Honor of Dragon.” At the stating of ‘Honor of Dragon’, the Keeper and his men seemed to stand a bit prouder and straighter.
I could scream. NO NO NO! I am filled with terror and can do nothing to stop her.
She raises her hands slowly. The hand with the ring comes to the Keeper’s face and the other to her mask, “Oh proud proud foolish man.” The mask comes off and the Keeper and I are caught by surprise. We know her. To him it is his sister. He knows her even after all the years that she has been missing. The first time I dreamed this, I was excited to see the woman who was my wife. But long after the first time I dreamed this nightmare she has parted from me. I now dread seeing her face in this dream. For in less than a second after I know who she is, the disaster begins.
The Keeper and I are looking deeply into her eyes with disbelief. We are stunned. And then her hand with that horrible ring is gently caressing the Keepers face. But only for a short moment. Then she slaps us and her face loses its smile and turns to look of pure disgust. The slap leaves a scar on the Keeper’s face. The scar burns and the burning spreads. Then suddenly the pain fades to numbness and as the Keeper drops to his knees from the oncoming weakness, he speaks one word, “poison.”
