“Edgar! Edgar! Please you have to help me. My child has gone missing please!”   Cleopatra thought she was hearing voices in her head again or it was one of her visions that appeared real. It was not until she heard a loud bang on the door did she realize the cries where coming from the real world. She swiftly shot up from bed, this was not an unusual occurrence in Averna. She was used to waking up earlier than usual because Edgar was Averna's physician.    Most emergencies happened at night but this was different, she thought. She has heard something about a missing child. She stared out of the window and it was so dark outside, she groaned, it was not dawn yet.   Cleopatra walked to the mirror and stared at her reflection, her hair was ruffled courtesy of a cold bad night sleep. She quickly put on a woolen sweater over her long night dress so she wouldn’t freeze to d

                                  ***  After the talk with his mother Cedric had left feeling dirty and disgusted with himself. He took a shower and scrubbed thoroughly hoping to wash away the guilt he felt but he had come out sore and the guilt still weighed heavily in his heart.   He opted for archery, anything to get his mind off his current dilemma. There was a dummy target a few yards away form him. On a normal day he was a good archer probably the best there was in all of Salvador.  Today however was not a normal day and today he was not the best. He had shot a host of arrows and save for one that had hit the outstretched arm of the dummy, the arrows had flown in to the forest. A couple of guards ran back and forth fetching the arrows but his aim seemed to worsen more and more after every shot. He tried one more

 Aileen had on a red blouse and leather pants with knee high leather boots. She walked towards the royal stable. Cedric stood while some guards helped him wear his royal armor, a crown sat on his head as always.  “Brother”, she called out to him when she got to where he stood.  “Aileen”   She smiled excitedly, “I got your message, where are we going?”   “Routine patrol around Salvador to ensure all of dad's subject are in line”, he answered, then he turned to the guards, “Saddle Stefan…”, he turned to her quizzically.   “Penelope”, she answered the unasked question , “I will ride her”   “I thought it would be nice for us to take a ride, we never get time these days”, he looked at her, “It

 Cleopatra prepared for the party she had to attend later today, she had not attended any function in a long while and this meant so much to her. She was a guest of honor after all. Edwin and his wife Alena were hosting a party to celebrate the safe recovery of their child Priscilla.   Cleopatra thought about how her life changed all of a sudden. A few days ago, she was only Edgar’s ward or his grand daughter as some other thought. Now she was much more than that, the people accorded her with so much respect. It was like she was a queen, a day would not pass without her receiving a gift from the people of Averna.    Today it was dresses, the next day all kinds of food items. People even bought the most insignificant of items to her but she treasured them solely. She finally felt like she belonged. She knew the people had little and out of their little they were willing to give to her.  

                              ***  Dylan never attended functions of any kind, everyone knew him in Averna because of his twin sister Iris. However he had been among the volunteers who went out in search of Priscilla. He had seen Cleopatra and he had been amazed my what she could do. He took an instant liking to her and when the party was announced and he dressed up and told Iris he was going. She had been surprised it was unlike him but he wanted to take any chances he had to see Cleopatra again.  He had been speechless when he saw her at her house. Unlike the other night where she was slightly disheveled and shaken up.  He had his eyes on her all night, who wouldn’t?, he thought. She was beautiful. He had seen her leave her chair to the far end of the house where she was conversing with a woman. He wa