IC: From Dream to Reality

[Lady of the Lake]

They were both so young, new to this world and the lady of the lake could not allow herself to watch them suffer so. She had to do something to aid their travels and quest. Using the powers of her influence, not just on water but the land surrounding the swampy marsh as well. Conjuring into reality a small cabin, abandoned to the waters and to the woods. No one lived here, she had provided it for them as long as they needed it. The lady gelt sorry for them to have been brought here by the gods and left to fend for themselves with no family, no one to turn to for support.

Her shimmery form appeared floating on the water, merged with the fog where she knew they would not be able to see her, but feel her friendly presence. Her voice would mix with the wind "Fear not my children of light, know that I am with you, always" slowly her voice would fade. Even when she was gone they would feel her there and whenever they were near water. She wold be their guardian, sworn to protect them from any danger should they call her name. Calling her name would be all it took.

[Janel Pendragon]

[align=justify:14ea62fa7d]Janel could not believe her eyes as she turned to see where the voice had come from. Out there on the lake a mysterious woman stood, as if she were made of water and fog. A ghost? She clung tightly onto Noire, she would never like to admit that she was afraid but with waking up in a strange place not knowing how she got there. Anyone would be a bit off balance with it, unsure of its intent and nature. Through Janel's years of experience she had seen many creatures who appeared friendly until they had got you where they wanted you, then attacked. Was this one of those instances?

It was if my magic that a lodge appeared, it wasn't beaten and broken down. It looked as if it was almost new except for the moss growing over the timber and the vines dangling from the closed shutters. To Janel is wasn't exactly home but as the rain started to pour, a dry place was a warm place. "Look Noire over there. A cabin where we can stay and think about what we are going to do." It had been an awful day, not knowing where she was. Janel felt terribly lost and a stranger to an even stranger world. How did they even get there? Why were just her and Noire there? Who was that strange woman of water and fog?

Urging Noire towards the lodge, quickly shifting up the stairs and hand reaching for the door to push it open. Finding it was unlocked and already a fire was burning in the hearth. It was so warm, and Janel could not help but step inside regardless of Noire holding back a little. There was even food on the table and fresh clean clothes and blankets. The Lady of the Swamp must have been a kind spirit to offer such help and they had to be thankful for this blessing from the Goddess. She would save some bread and take it outside, leaving it at the edge of the swamp in offering of thanks to the kind spirit. Hoping it was a worthwhile offering because she had nothing else, only the dragon ring that Kalyssien had given her.[/align:14ea62fa7d]

[Noire.N.Blackthorne]

[align=justify:3afee03629]Noire showed much negativity about the offer they received from some strange woman floating about on a swamp of all places. There was nothing of kindness shown in the land surrounding them. So far there had been no other signs of life or people, for all she knew they could be trapped in some demonic plane or other pocket of seperation where they were exposed to the dark elements around them. The cabin did look warm and inviting, to be out of the cold drizzle in the warmth. To have dry clothing, and food in their bellies. A fire place to chase the chill away.

At least the cabin could do them until the bad weather passed over. But what if it was a trap? Noire tugged back on Janel "I don't think we should go Janel, we do not know who or what she is?" Noire did have a valid point and there were a lot of what if's and why's. Could she explain her point across and get through to Janel who already had her heart set on taking cover beneath shelter. Noire couldn't blame her, the shock of being here was enough, maybe they deserved some inkling of generousity. Some sign of prosperity that they had not been fully abandoned to the shadows.

Not removing her hand from Janel's. Being tugged towards the cabin, then entering. The warmth of the fire place instantly warming her body and the smell of freshly baked bread, oatmeal and honey brought a new awareness upon her. She was starving. It delt like days since she had last eaten and energies were rapidly fading from all that walking around in circles and stressing over where they were, not able to use her magic because of low energy levels. It had been a tedious time, Noire didn't think Janel did not feel the same, she had too.[/align:3afee03629]

[Lady of the Lake]

The Lady fully well understood why they would not trust her or take her offer without some nerve of caution. The poor girls had been dumped in a strange place, an unfriendly place but they were in no condition to walk through the fog once the sun fully vanished behind the mountains. The darkness here was a dangerous place to be where dark things crept and had no qualms about attacking girls already thrown off their usual powers and abilities. Above the water, in the fog The Lady of the Lake remained, even after the fog had consumed her from their eyes. Perhaps if they could not see her, they would feel better at rest and take her offer, even for a short time.

After a short while she was happy to see that they entered, as she made well that a warm fire and a cooked meal would be waiting along with fur blankets. The nights here were brutally cold, the shadows cruel and the moon where usually the Goddess watched from was now an evil tool used for the Dark Queen of these hostile lands. The Lady wasn't meant to interfere, in this case she made her own exceptions, and consequence to Hades. They were only children in her eyes, and ever child deserved a chase, even here and even despite these lands wishes. Surely they must have noticed the lack of sound, no bird sang, no cricket chirped. Only a deathly still, and all through the darkness she would be there, watching and protecting them from the hungry evil that awaited outside.

But they had to stay, inside.

[Janel Pendragon]

"I think we need to make a plan, Noire!" Janel spoke softly, moving to the fire place and refusing to eat whatever was cooking in the pot. For all she knew it could be some toxic brew made to kill them both there on the spot. There was nothing here that Janel trusted, it didn't smell right, something was wrong. Shifting in her seat to turn and face Noire stuffing her bowl full of the food, and eating it without thought. Then again maybe Noire didn't care, if she was going to die at least it would be with a full stomach. "Slow down Noire or you'll choke!" Janel gasped out aloud, breaking the silence while her voice echoed around the small cabin.

"I don't like it here. It is just too quiet Noire. It isn't right" Janel whispered a little louder than the last statement. She just could not help it, for some reason her nerves were really on edge. The shadows did not even feel right, usually she got a long quite well with the shadows but these were hostile. Not like the shadows of Camelot or that of her home with Vladamere Pendragon and Myst, her parents. It was at this point that Janel really missed home, sighing to herself while turning back around to stare at the fire. Words trailing of into nowhere. "I miss them you know, even if they were bad parents and were a curse on Camelot. They are still my parents. And I miss them, terribly."

[Noire.N.Blackthorne]

Noire could not really say that she actually missed any of them except maybe her mother. Her father Tam barely paid her any attention and her adopted father Reece Blackthorne had vanished into the history of time just like everyone else. To Noire parents were overrated and only served a purpoe, to populate and then abandon. Janel's parents were no better, both Mysts Pendragon and Vladamere Pendragon jumped from Pendragon and slave bed to the next without any decorum whatsoever behind the others back. It was no wonder the rest followed in suit and ended up screwing themselves out of a family and what was once a respected name. Now turned to shit, like everything else.

Noire sighed "I don't miss any of them one bit Janel. I am sorry but I will not lie to you. They cheated us both out of a home and family. Cheated themselves and the name of Pendragon into something I would rather not admit to. They made a mockery out of all of us. And look where we are now? Some strange forgotten world because of the sins of those before us. Janel, it isn't fair we are made to suffer!" Did Noire have bitterness in her heart? Yes, she did and had every right to be bitter. Look at them! Where were all the scum like Merthynn, Mysts, Kiante, Vladamere, Trinity, Furma and the rest of the scavengers to profane their rightful heritage.

"I don't like it here either, but, we have to make do with what we have. Make a new life for ourselves and move on. We have no other choice no other path to take. Our hands are tied and our eyes are covered to this blindness. I do not know what to do. But let us eat and sleep and see if the morrow brings a new prospective?" With that Noire began to dish them both out a meal, sitting at the table and thinking about her own words trying not to be angry with any of the name mentioned. Hopefully they were all dead and the worms were feasting on their flesh in some shallow grave or in a swamp just like this dismal place.

[Lady of the Lake]

When she was sure they both would remain safe inside, the Lady of the Lake decided to depart. But in departing she would still leave some of her essence there to offer protection. There was much she would have to do to make sure their protection would remain so without the darker beings of this place intruding in on her plans. Of course those beings already knew these two precious girls were roaming its swamps and she had to prepare for whatever fights would follow.

She would have to round up all the sentinent beings to aid in her quest of protecting these two girls. Whatever it would take, she would have to place her own essence and life on the line.

[Janel Pendragon]

Janel decided to do as Noire suggested without an arguement or debate, she was simply too tired to fight about eating or sleeping and any other mundane task that lay ahead of them. The only thing that really concerned her now was what they were going to do and how they were going to get out of this foresaken place? Janel was fast running out of clues and nothing even sprung to mind what magics they would have to fight against to do it, some sort of force had to have moved them here. Neither has done anything bad to be sent to hell and yet here it seemed they both were, caught in a limbo without instruction or guidance other than the suspicious lady of the lake.

Moving from the table having barely eaten a morsel, the goddess forbid that it could have been poisoned or any other strange enchantment placed over it. Her appetite had been ruined, no desire to eat. Pushing the plate away as she rose, eyes looking at Noire to see if she had been thinking the same. "Perhaps sleep is not such a bad idea, maybe we will both wake from this bad dream and find ourselves back in Camelot." She knew deep down in her heart that it would not come into passing, but she had to hold onto whatever hope she had left. To give up hope would mean that she may as well die here in this darkened swamp, be a coward like her mother and father who never fought for anything worth while, both had betrayed the Pendragon name and any meaning of Camelot. Janel would never be the same as they.

Shifting towards the huddle of what was supposed to be a bed, gentle hands brushing away the dust and any bed bug that may have been present. Coughing a little as the dirty particles were inhaled through her nose. Not even taking the time to turn back and wish Noire a goodnight,she doubted either would experience anything good in this place. She tried to be grateful but right now everything around her seemed like a mockery to her past. With a silent whisper all she would say was "Night Noire" then laying down with her back to the fireplace and facing the wall. A single tear falling from her eyes before finally falling into a tormented sleep.

[Noire.N.Blackthorne]

[align=justify:bb747c49c7]There wasn't a lot that Noire could say in reply to Janel when  her words seemed weighted with bitterness. It was not that Noire blamed Janel for the way she thought about the past and her heritage but rather the way she spoke those words, like a dagger had cut out her heart and soul, replaced it with darkness and ice. There had been a time when Noire could relate to Janel, if it had not been for Reace, maybe she too would have sunk into that black abyss where Janel sat alone. Noire had many thanks to give to the Blackthorne's for her way of life and reflection on life outside of the clan Pendragon. Pendragon alone had left nothing but a vile taste in the mouths of most who entered its shadowy halls, those even of the blood placed it as more of a curse than a blessing.

Noire sat there staring blankly into the fire as it spat and hissed to the shadows. Words did not seem enough in their time of need but she did force out a quiet "Night, Janel. May your dreams be sweet." Hopefully it did not sound like she was mocking Janel in any manner or she too appeared bitter in the unrealistic peril of their circumstances. All Noire could do was try and think of a way home, any type of magic spell or something to reverse time or take them back to the days they knew. Noire hated this uncertainty, not knowing what was outside and why they had been sent there. Were they both dead and this was their punishment for turning their backs on the Old Ways? So much had been forced to change and yet Noire could not think of one excuse to mend what had been done. She followed just like the rest of the sheep.

Taking rest upon the other bed beside the hearth, sitting there and staring blankly. Still studying the shadows as if looking for that answer that could fix everything. She did not think the remedy would be so easily found this time. This time it was their ultimate challenge, a challenge of faith.[/align:bb747c49c7]

[Lady of the Lake]

They did not trust her, that she could take on with a heavy heart as both girls had been through a lot and had so much more to follow. The lady stood guard, she felt it was her duty to do so despite them not wanting her help. They could not see her but would be able to feel her presence close by, a feeling of light and not evil. She knew them to be afraid no matter how well they tried to hide it and keep it from each other she could still feel that fear eating away at both of them. She had to find a way to help them, get them back home. Then again maybe they had been sent here to learn a valuable lesson, did it have to be so cruel though?

In giving them her protection she placed an aura of light around the cottage so that nothing of darkness could get in and attack them. It was only a small token she could give them for it was all that was in her power to do at this point. At least until she found some answers then take it from there if they would accept her help but they would need to trust her. Were both the girls willing to do that, place their lives in her hands? The diety did not think so, and now she had to think of a way to some how earn their trust and help them find that way home.

[Janel Pendragon]

[align=justify:74dd1ef3e8]Janel could not sleep peacefully, the images in her mind conjured up all sorts of darkness. Horror filled every dream and she tossed and turned in her sleep. She whimpered softly into the pillow as the images of her family dimmed and faded into that darkness. She called out to her mother and father, but they did not listen. They did not even turn back to see her standing there crying. Even her brother did not look back, only kept walking, leaving her there on her own without nothing. Just the darkness they all brought into her life. She was better off without them, without any of them. Damn them all to the fires of damnation, for they all desrrved what they got.

Yet even though she hated them, was angry at them, she still loved them. She felt that in her heart as it was breaking, a love that would never die for they were after all her family. Blood was thicker than water, so some had once said in the halls of Camelot. Then why was it water she had in her veins, she never turned her back on them. They all left her, left her to die and rot in this foul place. Why was she being punished for their sins and plagues brought into Camelot. All she had ever done was uphold the Old Ways, be who she was supposed to be. Janel had never felt an anger like this, the fire filling up in her belly waiting to devour the world in flames of anguish and revenge.

Throwing herself around in the bed she could not call her own. A stranger in an even stranger place. It was then that she felt a cool hand touch the side of her face, wiping the tears away and stroking her hair like her mother did when she was a small child. It calmed her, it was then that finally she could dream, of a better place.[/align:74dd1ef3e8]