Michael James's Story

Mageria read the note that Ella handed her quickly, her face falling into somber lines. “Damn. I don’t trust any of the people involved. If it works, it might be worth it. I admit that I’d do a lot to get our people back, which means that if we went for it, I’d be doing it. But it would mean strengthening Blackpond’s position, and I’m not sure that’s something that we should be doing. Plus you know what the Pack is willing to do if it doesn’t work the way that they seem to think it would.”

Carefully she folded the note back up and handed it to Ella, before walking over to the window and pulling the shutters against a draft. “With all due respect, my Lady. I’d suggest that we need to know more about everyone involved before we choose sides. I’ll start gathering what I can immediately. They may have something that we want, but they also need our help. We should play them for as long as possible.” There was a knock at the door, looking over Mageria saw that it was the Guard that she had sent to search the corridors. The man saluted and walked over to report softly, “We didn’t find anything suspicious, Captain. If there was something that she planted while she was walking, it would have been small enough that it should have gone off by now.” Mageria nodded and gripped his shoulder, saying only; “Search again, please. Call it a drill.”

Mageria glanced over and saw that Michael had fallen asleep while propped against the wall. Normally she would have just let him sleep, but judging from the way he was twitching and jerking, he was working his way into one of his full blown nightmares.
“Excuse me a moment, I have to take care of something.” She bowed her head to Ella before stalking over to where Michael was leaning, making sure to keep an irritated expression on her face. So far she had managed to keep the fact of his nightmares to just within the Black Knights, the middle of a mess like this wasn’t the moment to reveal them to anyone else.

When she put a hand to his shoulder Michael jerked and opened his eyes, but she could see that he still wasn’t awake. Quickly she jerked him out of the room and into a nearby empty closet. Michael was jerking his head from side to side and she just barely got him pinned to the wall with her hand clamped over his mouth before he started screaming. Knowing what was coming next, Mageria ducked her head, knowing that he was going to start swinging and fighting, trying to beat off whatever demons it was that lived in his dreamscape. Even with her foreknowledge however, she couldn’t avoid everything and he landed a solid punch to the side of her head. Rocking to the side, Mageria saw stars, however she didn’t release him, instead keeping him safely in place.
“Come on Michael. Wake up. Just wake up, I know, I know how bad this is, just wake up . . .” She kept up a soothing litany until finally he calmed and sense returned to his eyes. He was white as marble, his eyes burned holes in his head. He looked as if he had been staring into his own private hell. Mageria knew that look quite well, it was one she had worn three years ago. Then it had been caused by an Enlightened killer . . . while she had learned a great deal about herself at the time, she really could have gone without the lesson. Slowly she released him and let him slide to the floor, kneeling down next to him. At some point her braid had gotten half ripped out, she pulled the rest of it loose and started fixing it.
“I’ve always found that life gives you the best fodder for nightmares,” she remarked conversationally, carefully watching the floor in order to give Michael time to pull himself back together. “You back with us?”

Michael sat up looking at her.
His eyes were still wide and his face along with his hands were still trembling.
After a few moment he regained his senses and shook his hair from his face.
Brushing a bit of dust from his shoulder he said.
"My, my I do not foul up often but when I do it becomes a signal to those around me does it not?"
He then indignantly said
"Back with you my lady? Whatever do you mean back with you?
I do have one small question though, do forgive what is going to seem an impertinent question.
How in all that's sacred did I move from the meeting to here?
Then my second question, exactly where pre tell is here?"

He then stood brushing the dust from his clothes from head to toe.
He was if nothing else a neat freak and even a thread of clothing being out of place could send the former general looking for a knife to cut it loose.
His appearance was always meticulously kept, a product no doubt of his former life.
Michael then pulled his hair back into a very neat ponytail and cleared his throat as the visage of the scared child ran from his face.
And the one of the smiling, demure, monster returned.
"If there is little else my lady..."
He once more choked back a stammer that was trying to work it's way into his speech.
"I would wish to return to the main room and sit by the fire once more with a glass of wine."

Mageria stood up and finished tying off her braid, running one hand over it to check and wincing when she found the sore spot where Michael had landed a blow.
“Of course, Michael. Just remember, I’ve been reprimanding you for falling asleep while an assassin threatened the Queen. If you feel like sleeping, you might want to go back to your room to do so.” She paused and looked over her shoulder at Michael, a concerned look on her face. “Just so you know, you’re not going got be able to ignore what ever is causing those dreams forever. Believe me, I know.”

With that Mageria pushed the door open and stepped out, walking back to the meeting room and going in as if nothing unusual had happened.