Raiden smirked at Fli' and she smirked mischievously back.
Flina: Hey Raidy.
Raiden: Hey Fli.Then his expression then darkened.
Flina: What's wrong?
Raiden: I need yer help lass.Raiden and Flina had been close ever since she wandered into Cove a gypsy girl and signed up for the army by mistake and it was her gifts as a gypsy he needed now. He could think of no-one else who could help him make sense of the dream and unravel it's meaning.
They met alone, outside of Cove. The Church had always been quick to jump on Flina for her gypsy heritage or any other excuse they could conjure and the last thing Raiden wanted to do was bring anymore unhappiness her way.
Flina: What is it Raidy? A soft smile of concern on her lips.
Raiden: Ye'll probably think me crazy but... Raiden then went onto explain what he could remember of the dream. His mind was still a bit fuzzy so some details may have been lost but the one detail he omitted knowingly was the gender of the undead that had snared him.
A passerby could not help but overhear Raiden's version of events. He begged their forgiveness and introduced himself. He was Rasit.. Rast... Gah! Well it started with Ras' anyway and he was investigating increased vampire activity around Trinsic. Raiden and Fli' looked at eachother. Perhaps at last the Avatar was favouring the Grenadier.
The vampire hunter told of increased vampire activity around the Duchy and agreed to visit Cove to give a lecture on this particular breed of undead.
Raiden's mind was set at ease a little by the stranger and the coincidence of his intervention heartened his mood as he and Fli' bid eachother a fond farewell.
* * * * * * * *
Raiden threw himself into his duty over the next couple of days a little happier with his lot. No sooner had he returned from a hunting expedition one eve than he had every available guardsman on the roof to lecture them on the lore, virtue and history of the Baron's Own Grenadiers, Cove's finest regiment.
To his surprise part way through his lecture he noticed Flina leading the man they had met to a bench and he listened attentively to Raiden's speech.
The lecture done the three of them went to the Town Hall where Ras' tried to go through Raiden's version of the dream again offer his thoughts.
It seemed Raiden had not been the victim of a direct vampire attack and for that he was thankful. Though the man talked of Raiden's dream transporting him across the multiverse!
Raiden was even more confused than before and took his leave to get some rest. Hopefully Fli's gypsy foresight could cast some light on the matter.
* * * * * * * *
A few days later and Flina had finally deciphered some of the dream, although from the concerned expression on her face it didn't look good.
Flina: You were born in Britain right?
Raiden: Nope, the Shire. But I spent my youth in Britain.
Flina: Well... I think the fact you're dream was in Britain that perhaps you need to go there to find out more about the curse. Do you know anyone there.
Raiden: Aye, I 'ave one or two old friends there still.Raiden looked to the floor while answering her last question and Flina nodded a little.
Flina: I think the fact your were bitten in your dream is a warning that harm may come to you or those who are close to you, maybe Eve? Maybe even me?Raiden put his hands gently on her shoulders and looked Fli' in the eye before answering.
Raiden: If whatever is behind this tries to harm anyone I care about it will have ter get through me first!Flina smiled softly maybe even blushing a little.
Flina: And I think the fact you woke grasping the scarf is a sign that this warning is REAL. She looked away with a light frown.
Raiden: So what's the good news!?
Flina: There isn't any.She regarded him tenderly.
Raiden smiled a little.
Raiden: Maybe I should go to Brit' and make a few discreet enquiries like. He patted the mace that always hung by his side.
Raiden: Thank you lass.* * * * * * * *
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