With wildness in her eyes the Empress quickly steps away and screams, “ATTACK!”

I am on my knees with the numbness spreading all over. I can’t turn my head, but just before I fall, I see the dark man run at Migus and then what we thought were pillows erupted to show that it was soldiers hiding under the blankets. This was an ambush.

I fell over and laid there on my back looking straight up. My men were surrounded and outnumbered. The clash of swords was deafening and I could do nothing. I could not look around, but I could tell that my men were dieing. Then as suddenly as it began the silence of the end set in. The Empress walked over and stood above me. She gloated. Her court of nymphs gathered behind her and now they were wearing robes to cover their nakedness and their faces were covered with disdain as they looked down upon me.

A Dryad soldier walked up to her and bowed. Without looking at him, she commanded, “Pack up the camp, but leave this tent. It is now a place of death. Is my carriage ready?”

“Yes my Empress, it awaits you outside”, the soldier spoke without looking up.

“I shall leave now. Send out the word. The attacks begin at sundown. It is time for the dragons to die”, with that she turned and walked out followed by her nymphs.

They left the soldier who did not move until they had left the tent. He then came over and kneeled beside me. He looked directly into my eyes. There was sadness there, “I am the Oak Master. I wanted to fight you to the death with honor. But she is my Empress and I must obey.” He then placed one hand on the Keepers heart and the other upon his own. He closed his eyes for a moment and then got up and left.

I lay there knowing that death was slowly taking the Keeper. I could not move and breathing was becoming harder with each breath. Laying there amongst the dead men, not knowing how long this will take was the worst way to go. Knowing he would never see his family ever again. It seemed like forever before a movement was heard. Someone was getting up. Then a moment later, Migus was beside me along with the dark man who stayed bowed beside him. Tears were in his eyes.

“This slave grabbed me and hid me under the blankets. He saved my life, but kept me from fighting”, he took my hand, but I could barely feel it squeezing. The Keeper looked up, saw him crying and his heart went out to him.

With great effort, “My sword. Put my hands upon it. I must hold it up.” Migus pulled the sword from its scabbard and put the Keepers hands upon the hilt, holding the hands in place as he helped hold the sword straight up above the Keepers head. Taking in a deep breath and with the last of his strength, “I bequeath my soul unto this sword!” Then it seemed like forever before the Keeper spoke again, “Give my sword to my . . .”, another breath was taken and then, “ . . . songg . . .” The word song was not what he wanted to say, but that is what came out. And his last thought was of a tall beautiful woman with green eyes and long wavy white hair. He felt love and respect for her. His heart ached to see her.

I always awake at this moment. I have always felt that if I did not, I would die with the Keeper. It is now a relief to wake up and have the dream over, but the first time I dreamed it, I awoke to find that white haired woman that the Keeper loved standing at the foot of my bed. I saw her eyes first. They glowed green in the moonlight that came through the window. It was like a breeze was blowing over her, but I did not feel it.

She looked directly into my eyes, “She is born!” Then she was gone.