Guinevere - Entering the Mists

***Guinevere of Arimathea***

**Entering the Mists**

   All of the Ladies of the court waited at the forest’s edge where a small pavilion of tents was gathered in a semi-circle. The small flags marking it the Court of the King of Britannia, a field of azure with three golden crowns running down the center. Each of them waiting in silence as they watched a fine mist gather about the trees.

“Guinevere.” Said the queen, her red gold hair seeming dull in the grey dawn light.

“Yes, My Lady.” She said, bowing as she walked forward, her heavy dress dragging and collecting dew as she walked forward from the flock of women waiting for the Knights and King to return from the hunt.

“You know a bit of magic, yes? The Myrddin has been teaching you some, and before that you learned from your mother at her spinning wheel. This mist, to my eye,seems unnatural, could you perhaps find out what it is?” The queen's voice wavered a bit as she spoke, all knowing the story of the ‘Dragons Breath’ a fog like mist that could mean illusions or worst at foot.

Guinevere was not like the Queen who had not been raised among the old ways, she did not fear the mists or the forest as some of the ladies did. But she was not foolhardy either, but an order from a queen must be done. “Of course your Majesty.” She said with a prim bow as she gathered her hooded cloak and wrapped it round her, and took a lantern to go venture into the mists.

The mists were fine, and on her cheeks she could feel the chilling cold from them. This was not the breath of the dragon, as she believed the Queen feared. But there was something to them, and so in a small voice Guinevere called out, “Myrddin…” she whispered into the mists.

There was a moment of silence, before she heard the reply.

“I see you are no fool My Lady.” While she could not see where the sorcerer stood, she could hear his voice coming somewhere in front of her.

“If this be your doing, Myrddin, you are scaring the Queen and some of the Ladies, unless that is your aim or perhaps the mist is nothing but what it seems, but even I can feel something...else is here.” Guinevere paused for a moment to look about and she could feel her skin prickle as magic seemed to tinge the air.

“Oh, yes this is something, but it is not me, nor any Dragon I know of...but I can see some of what is to be. The Queen was wise to send you here, but not for the reasons she thinks.”

Without a noise at her elbow was now Myrddin, his long dark robe pooling a bit at their feet, his hood up, only his grey eyes seemed to peer outward through the mists.

“What are you seeing?” Guinevere asked softly, she knew of his ability to see beyond what many could. Some said he could see the past, the present and the future all at the same time, which is why he came off as a madman at times. Others said his father was a demon, which is why he had such powers. She saw him as he was, a man gifted and blessed by the gods, who knew the way of the spirits, of alchemy and of necromancy.

“I am seeing much, but little still...all I can say, my dearest student,  is that if you return back to the Queen, and Court you will soon be married off. All hope of learning beyond that of your Mothers teaching will be gone, and soon even that will be taken away from you. I am sure you have seen how others fear what is natural to others.” He said letting his words linger for a moment. “If you continue, you will go somewhere beyond my sight, but all I see is upon your return, you will be greater than you could ever imagine.” She could feel his hand move to her shoulder curling about it. “It will be hard, challenging, and dangerous. But if you go that way further into this mist, then things beyond my own sight will be open to you. Pick! But swiftly these mists will not hold and whatever is beyond will not return for some time.” His voice creased in pitch and fervor.

She could feel his hand shaking slightly, she let his words wash over her considering all he said. She knew what he said was true, he had never been wrong in any of the times she had known him to use the sight. She thought it strange perhaps, how quickly the choice and her own decision came to her. Perhaps she hesitated but no longer then a few seconds, and as she did so she could feel Myrddin shift beside her so he was facing her now. A hint of a smile on his face as he presses his hand to her cheek. Her expression gives nothing away guarded but the faint leaning into his hand, would be enough. “Be careful, I can only say this, I know when you return, it is you who will save me, from my own greatest folly. Go now quickly. Before the mists closes under the midday sun.”

She did not say a word to him as he left though her fingers tugs at the sleeve of his robe before she walked into the mists. She would not give into the feelings that swelled with in her as the mists seem to darken, and the sound of hunting horns in the distance gave way to the sound of the wind through trees, and then rain...she could feel a cold unnatural to the land, creep into her skin and bones, before darkness...and then a flash.

Lighting across a sky darker then any she had ever seen, and standing before her in the middle of what looked to be a lake was a tower greater than any she had ever seen. Windows of gold stood out against the darkness, and seemed to beckon to her as she stood upon that dark shore.