To Walk Through a Dream Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven With Wavering Footsteps Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Stone Song Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three A Tale of Winter Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Destiny Inescapable Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Epilogue The Cycle's Continuing Beginnings Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Two Spirits Akin

With Wavering Footsteps Chapter Two "Careful!" Melisande admonitioned as she knelt to help Marya. It had been less than a week since the DreamWalker had come, and Marya had been released from her consumptive nightmares. "Don't push yourself! You haven't quite got your strength back yet." Marya shrugged off assistance and clambered to her feet again. "I'll live. You don't have to take care of me." She picked up the washbasin again and, satisfied not too much water had splashed out, headed back towards her tent with it. Melisande sighed as she muttered to herself. "And I thought Clopin and Jehan could be stubborn." She knocked softly at the door to Lira's wagon. After a moment or two the door opened and Lira invited her inside. "Shall I put some tea on one of the cookfires?" "No, that's all right Lira. I just stopped by to say hello." "Why thank you! I appreciate the company. Cold today, isn't it?" Lira pulled the shawl closer around her. "I was wondering if you knew anything about Marya." "She's headstrong, withdrawn, and more independent than is good for a child her age. I'm afraid I don't know any more about her than anyone else does." She sat down heavily at the small table and brushed aside a strand of silver hair. Melisande took the other chair. "No one knows anything about her, not even what she does for money." "Be patient, child. She's still new here. She'll warm up to us in time. So how have you been?" "Not bad. And yourself? You look tired." "I am a little. Just all that running around with the nightmares. I'm afraid I haven't quite the energy I used to." From a shadowed alcove in the wall, he watched over his kingdom. There was almost no one in the Court of Miracles, since this was a good hour to be out performing (and/or thieving), so when Marya walked below him, it caught his attention. He had watched her exchange with Melisande, and saw her stumble again when she was nearly below him, though this time she did not fall. "You ought to make some friends in the Court." he called down to her. He watched closely for her reaction, but she didn't jump, or even start. Curse that girl, she had the senses of a fox. "No point. I'll be going shortly." Her voice was cold, hard and her head was high. She withdrew into the shadows to sit and rest a moment. "You leave us so soon?" There was no reply. He could see Melisande coming towards him from Lira's wagon. She came below him and peered into the alcove, trying to determine if he was still there. Clopin leapt down and landed a bit shakily. "Clopin, I'd hate to cause alarm, especially when you're still recovering from the attacks by the Dream Beast, but I think Lira might be sick." Clopin repressed a sigh. "She is a healer, would she not know?" "Well she said she's just tired, but she was cold too, and she got pale and said she needed to rest..." "Check her pulse?" the voice came from the shadows. Melisande, who had been oblivious to Marya in the shadows, was caught completely off guard by the question. "Um...no." Marya sighed testily and emerged from the darkness to head for Lira's wagon. This time, she was very careful not to stumble. Clopin and Melisande followed the proud figure as it strode across the court, black braid swinging. "Her heartbeats are unusually slow. Clopin, keep her awake. Melisande, find foxglove." "Foxglove?" "You do know what it looks like, don't you?" Marya said in an exasperated tone, as if speaking to a dull child. Without further questions, Melisande went above ground and returned a short time later with the bell-shaped flowers. She watched in curiosity as Marya ground up the flowers, until she was grumbled at. After coaxing the half-conscious Lira to eat some of the paste, the three of them worked in a unity of silence to keep her awake and warm. When her heartbeats had returned to a fairly steady pace, Marya left them to monitor her, but she was barely down the wagon steps when a long hand clothed in black caught her arm and held her. "You have saved the life of the healer. This Court owes you much. Will you still be going so soon?" he whispered in her ear. Without turning around she nodded and his hand was gone, but as she walked away she heard him call after her softly "Think on it." Alone in her tent she cursed herself for not upbraiding him. She had to be strong. She must not allow herself to become attached to these people, or they to her. She began to pack her things, but faltered, and sat down on her sleeping mat again. She would stay a little longer. Chapter Three