Ardasa, without any ceremony, plopped herself upon the bed and sank into it. This was not the mat she kept in the palace at home, but a mattress, stuffed with the feathers of birds. Words swam through her head, arranging in the most nonsensical of ways before fading into the ground mush that is her thoughts. The crown, the words, the legends lulled her into a fitful sleep.

She dreamed a wild dream in the night. Arjun charging that impossible tower, as arrows rained down on him from above. When his sword struck the stone, it gave before him, sending the entire stoneworks tumbling down. Blood spilled out, and the scream of a woman rang out as blue cracks of magic danced along the air. Lightning struck the ground, shattering it open and revealing the world below. A world of fire and death, and Arjun backed up. But he was stopped, just before he could leap out from the opening circle of doom. A claw, a dracon claw, reached out and grabbed Arjun, flinging him back. Nergamesh. He laughed, as the kobold fell into the flames. Then, Nergamesh jumped, far into the clouds, beyond the very sun itself, up to where nobody can know. The clouds grew heavy, and rains carved into the ground like knives and shovels.

Ardasa was jolted awake by the morning. The sun, it danced painfully in her eyes. She rose and rubbed them with a groan, pulling her robes over herself and sneezing. When she left her room, she found herself face to face with a kobold. A Xigyll legionnaire, by the looks of his armor. He kneeled, and spoke. "The good commander Rebat has chosen to embark for home, feeling his duty here to be done. He has left myself and those under my command to escort Your Mercy home, if it so pleases you." Ardasa nodded numbly, and he rushed off, presumably to repeat the order to his troops. Where was Ternoc? Perhaps it was best that she give him a proper farewell. The dinner last night was not the most spirited, and she wanted to make amends before she returned home. Less importantly, she was curious about the crown she was promised.