Return of the Seer part 1
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Part 1

Vylette let go of the parchment as if it were on fire and her hand flew to her throat.  “No…” she screamed and fell to her knees as the familiar haze clouded her vision.  She hadn’t had a vision in decades, why now?  She felt the heat from the flames against her face, the screams were deafening, the smell of acrid smoke made her breath catch in her throat.  It was only momentary but it was enough.  Physically drained from the exertion and horror of what she’d seen, Vylette collapsed on the floor, her face in her hands.  It couldn’t be, there must be some mistake.  “Brendan….”, her voice was barely a whisper now.  There was no mistake, she had seen the explosion, heard the screams of those trapped inside the manor.  Her body wracked with sobs, Vylette lay on the floor of her solarium until long after the sun had descended behind the mountains.  Her body numb with cold, she had refused all attempts by her maids to rouse her from the stone floor.  There was a knock at the door and Vylette picked up her head.  One of her maids peeked around the door.  “Mi’lady, there is another messenger here, he says he must see you immediately.”  Vylette was in no mood for company but something told her, the messenger had news that she needed, perhaps not wanted but needed to hear.  “Show him into the sitting room, I shall make myself presentable and join him momentarily.”  As much as she wanted to curl into a ball and die, she knew that wasn’t an option.  

In the sitting room, the messenger paced nervously.  He resented being sent on such a morbid errand, especially bearing the news he had.  Her Majesty was not going to be pleased and he knew it.  In his hand, the messenger held a summons for her to return to Kalevala immediately to claim the body of her husband.  The minutes ticked slowly by as the messenger waited.  He heard footsteps on the stone floor outside the door.  They paused for a moment before the door slowly opened and Vylette entered the room.  The messenger bowed his head in deference and waited for her to speak.  

“Anthony!”, she exclaimed, “What on earth are you doing here?”  Her face brightened momentarily and then a dark shadow passed over it.  “As happy as I am to see you again after all of these years, I know that your presence here can only mean one thing.”  She motioned to a set of chairs before the fireplace.  “Come, sit, tell me what has brought you to my exile and how it is that you knew where to find me.”

Settling into the chair, Vylette braced herself for what was to come.  Anthony dreaded what he was about to say and tried to find as gentle a way as possible to relay his news.  “Mi’lady, it has indeed been far too long and I wish that my visit was a social one but alas, I bring news from Kalevala…”  The name alone sent a shudder down her spine and made her blood run cold.  “From Kalevala?  Whatever could someone in Kalevala want with me?  Has something happened to the council?”  When Vylette had left her former kingdom, she had installed a council to rule for her until she returned, if she ever did.  After her separation from Brendan, she had to leave, she couldn’t stay in that castle with all of the reminders of her former, happy life, surrounding her everyday.  “No mi’lady,” Anthony said, “all is well with the council, they have ruled well in your stead.  It’s Brendan…”  He saw the pain flash in her eyes at the mention of her husband’s name.  It took several minutes for Vylette to regain her composure enough to speak again.  “You need not say anymore, he’s dead isn’t he?”  Anthony nodded, “yes mi’lady and his body has been brought to the palace in Kalevala.  That is why the council is asking for you to return.  They need your guidance.”  Vylette sighed heavily, going back to Kalevala was the last thing she wanted to do but even though she was in self-imposed exile, she was still an Empress and her people needed her.  She smiled weakly at Anthony, “How soon do we leave” she asked.  

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