Celine awoke early. The stars were still shining while she got herself ready for the journey ahead. She worked quickly, which seemed strange since there was no apparent reason for her to hurry. Dawn was still a good hour away. She put on an unremarkable earth colored skirt and a white blouse with a square neckline. The sleeves reached halfway down her arms stopping at the elbows. A tan leather bodice was worn over the blouse and she laced it with practiced skill. After she finished putting on her clothes she gathered all of her belongings into her traveling bag. Overnight some of the others had found their way to Wolmak's room, several of the beds she'd seen empty were now occupied. They were all still sleeping when she left to catch the last rays of starlight. The peaceful silence of the slumbering town managed to settle her dark thoughts if only for a little while. 

There was a stream nearby of which the water was pure enough to drink. She'd seen it when she entered town the day before and it was close by the entrance where Thaddeus had asked them to meet. The stream rippled calmly and she could see the rocks underneath the water, it swirled past these stone obstacles. Such was the way of water, always around and over never straight through. Patience was its power as was proven by the smooth pebbles that made up the bottom of the stream. 

The stars were watching her from above as she dipped in her feet, letting the stream caress them. The feet were the most impure part of one's body and should always be washed first. She splashed her face several times, gasping as the icy water touched her skin. The water ran down her neck but she let it, staring at her distorted reflection in the rippling water. After a while the image started to become cloudy and her eyes glazed over, she wasn't sure what she was seeing. There was someone else beside her, another quivering reflection in the stream. At first she couldn't tell who it was, the features were hazy and unclear. Until she saw a pair of piercing deep set eyes which made her heart leap with recognition and she whipped her head around furiously. Her raven locks obscured her view. She brushed them away impatiently seeking the owner of that familial gaze but all that lay before her was an empty road, the claws of grief around her heart tightening once more. The grief held little influence anymore as with most other feelings, she was numb to the core. Only he could stir up these buried emotions. Even a moonlit illusion was enough to make her heart leap and her stomach flutter. She was going on this journey for him so she could get her life back. Their life together. 

The night had made way for dawn, the mysterious few hours of twilight where neither the moon or sun ruled the sky. A place in between where their journey began. The visage in the moonlit stream excited but also troubled her. [i]What does it mean? Was it the sign I asked for? [/i] 

She spotted Thaddeus walking to the gates, even from this short distance she could tell it was him. When she arrived, the other soon joined in. They would not be needing their horses. Celine was used to traveling with a horse since she carried multiple traveling bags with her. Thaddeus had warned her to travel light so she had. The only drawback was the limited amount of ointments and herbs she could bring. Some of them were easily broken while others had to be packed separate from one another. As they walked she found her thoughts going back to the visage in the stream. It might not be real but it was still the first time she'd seen him since he went..............away.