Dreamcatcher - Nimra Series - BOOK ONE

The Shadowbane *pov*

- SHADOWBANES POINT OF VIEW -

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I had just watched as Giselle ran away from me as if I were some dark awful creature who was sent here to kill her, she was so lost in her new world she had forgotten about the old one. The girl I knew would never run away or at least she would try and stay and listen to reason, I had been left in the clearing alone knowing Xandious was watching someway, he always had a way of knowing what I was doing and I’m sure he had become angry when I was unable to get Giselle.

I decided there was no point hunting for Giselle at this hour, I would soon find her. It was starting to feel more like a burden than a request to get the Princess back. I had been at this for almost a year as I wandered the great forests of Nimra and this was the first time I had got a real lead for Giselle and came close to having her. I had decided to take refuge in Bathmod Ruins for a night or two rather than head back to Crystal Deer as the weather was growing darker and the winds more forceful. I would catch a death if I was not to find shelter soon. Bathmod uses to be a great fortress during the reign of Queen Mosaic and King Fingore the first King and Queen of Minwed ancestors of the current royal line. There was a great battle hundreds of years ago as the battle of this day where the Kings and Queens fought over lands for power and didn’t care who got in their way. Bathmod was the last place of battle and it faced destruction.

My body was tired and ached, it felt as though I had walked for hundreds of miles without stopping, I was under the orders of King Xendious to bring Princess Giselle back. I still dreamt of that faithful morning where I was meant to be getting married when the capital was attacked and Queen Enelya was killed. I thought I knew Giselle very well after all I had been told about her by her mother, I had met her a few times while staying at the palace, yet, tonight it was as if Giselle barely knew me, she was far too gone to even remember her past.

I took shelter in a small stone building, it looked to be used as a blacksmith during the war. Most of the original tools hadn’t even been touched, it looked as if the owner of this builder just left without gathering his things, most likely frightened for his life. Low on supplies, I knew I would have to find some small market of some kind in the next few days otherwise I was a goner as once I got to Port Yale there was no telling what I would encounter.

Removing my hooded cape from my shoulders revealed my hair, my ice blue eyes looked dry and tired and stung from the lack of sleep. I needed sleep but had made a promise to the King to bring back Giselle as fast as I could. As I laid down my cape to create my bed for the night I pulled out the locket from under my armor and opened it carefully. Inside was a painting of Giselle, her beautiful long blonde hair covering most of the frame while her pink cheeks and green eyes drew you in instantly. My auntie had insisted I request a portrait of the Princess, even if I already knew what she looked like from memory, this way I kept her image close to my heart. That magical disguise she had placed on her didn’t fool me as I knew her heart.

“Giselle, I don’t understand why you would do such a thing.” My voice rang out in the cover of darkness, it was filled with confusion and worry. “I know you, you would never harm a living being, let alone your mother.” I wasn’t speaking to anyone but myself trying to make sense of the situation. “But I am to do my duty to my King and bring you home…Even if it does mean I have to kill you myself.” I shuddered at the thought of laying a finger on Giselle. My tone wasn’t filled with a determination unlike so many other soldiers out looking for her, instead, my voice held sadness as I tried to hold back the tears.

In the morning light, I awoke to a beautiful sound of a bird’s song, I couldn’t remember when I had fallen asleep or how long I’d been asleep for, luckily for me, all my weapons and armor had been untouched throughout the night. Dusting myself off quickly and flinging my cape and gear back on, I pulled out a small ration of bread to nibble on and filled my leather bottle from a sparkling brook a few steps away from the blacksmiths home. Leaning in close to the water I cupped my hands and splashed a couple of times on my face, wiping away any dirt that may have come to rest on my skin overnight. As I opened my eyes a reflector caught the corner of my eye, a reflector not of my own. Looking up, I saw a large black wolf with silver eyes. Reaching slowly for my sword upon my back I watched as the wolf followed my movements and with a quick reflect I had pulled my sword from its holder and the wolf was ready in a pouncing position.

“Lower your weapon Shadowbane.”

A voice startled me as my attention left the wolf to look around, within seconds the wolf took his opportunity to pounce, pinning me to the ground. I struggled and fought for a few moments before a great shadow began to cover what was a beautiful bright clearing to a dark and demonic place.

“Let him go Titas.”

The voice shouted and the ground beneath me shook. The wolf grew back to stand beside the dark figure, quickly I picked up my sword and tightened my grip ready to strike out at whatever creature I was going to face this very morning. I looked up at the tall creature expecting it to be someone of magical darkness but instead who I saw was a face I had not seen for many years, not since I was a child.

“What is a young Lord doing in my forest?”

My eyes widened as I dropped to my knees quickly as I bowed effortlessly at the creature, it was not just a simple woodland creature or a forest witch, my body shook with fear but also wonder, I wondered if this creature would even recognise me not just know my name.

“I am looking for someone.” My voice was shaking as I spoke.

“Are you now? Instead, I see you attacking one of mine to save your own skin. Do you know the punishment for harming an animal of the forest?” The voice grew louder as the creature became more enraged, I shook a little more.

“My apologies I was only fighting for my life.”

“Fighting for your life, he was protecting mine and you drew your sword.”

“Again my apologies but why would such a powerful being like yourself need a wolf to protect you?”

The creature was shocked by my sudden outburst, I felt a force pull me up off my knees suddenly and as the darkness retreated and the sun began to peek through the clouds once more. I was blinded by the light and covered half of my face upon doing so the sunlight slowly revealed just who this creature was. There standing in front of me was the mother Deity, Goddess Guinevere in all her splendor. Her long silver hair wrapping around her like a long train, her body was covered in what looked like black silk or liquid exposing flesh near the top and on the bottom, grew plant life with every step she took. In her left hand, she held a long grey staff on top of it was a deer’s skull. Her face was perfection as if carved by angels themselves, you didn’t know what colour her eyes were as they changed with every glisten of light, her skin sometimes a pale pink and then a tanned brown. She was the eldest of the four Deities, she helped create this world but she was also my mother.

Her eyes scanned me carefully sensing what my purpose was in her forest, she knew who I was but promised herself never to speak to me about the faithful day where her sisters Fenella and Nefret took me away. She had, of course, watched over me as I grew but reminding herself that she would never announce what I was until I was ready.

“What are you doing here Shadowbane?” She asked me, her voice a lot calmer now.

“I’m on a mission Goddess to find Princess Giselle and bring her back to her people.”

“I believe the Princess does not wish to be found.”

Guinevere took a step back from me as she went to turn away, Titas was now lying at her feet waiting for her next command.

“So you’ve seen her then?” My voice was filled with anticipation.

“Perhaps I have, perhaps I have not. What do you wish to do with her?”

“I do not wish to do anything with her, I am simply on a mission to bring her back to King Xendious as she is needed for the trial of the death her mother.”

“Ah I see, so you wish to take Giselle back home so she may face the consequences of actions she did not take? Hmm, now that does seem a little unfair don’t you think?” She eyed me closely. “Giselle’s mother was a dear friend of mine and I know what light her daughter shines. You need to be more careful with who you are to trust.”

Before I had a chance to ask her what she meant or to even protest Guinevere tapped her staff on the ground three times as Titas came rushing over, she wrapped her cape-like hair around the both of them and then they were gone. I didn’t even blink before I watched them disappear, with a great sigh I felt even more frustrated and confused then I did at the beginning of my journey.

“Who to trust?” I repeated to myself.

I began to rub my temples with my thumb and middle finger, I let the thought slip for a moment, putting my sword back in its holder and collecting my bottle I took a few sips and decided I best be on my way. If what Guinevere was saying was true and I understood her meaning, Giselle had nothing to do with her mother’s murder then I needed to find her fast, I wasn’t the only person looking for her as now there was a great reward on her head.

Leaving behind Bathmod Ruins I headed to Port Yale, the only place I knew where everyone knew who was who and what was going on. Someone was bound to know where to find Giselle or they would know of someone who knew where she lived. This mission was no longer a bring her back mission but a mission to save her.