Snippet #2561161

Reed awoke with sand in his hair, in his eyes and just about everywhere else. The cause could easily be that he was laying face down on a beach. A bottle of something vile lay in the sand next to him, the light creating rainbows across the green glass surface. A quick breath check reassured him that his throbbing head was from the sudden light rather than a long night of heavy drinking.

Sitting up and propping himself against a large, wave buffeted stone, Reed beamed staring out into the blue sea. A few small land masses dotted the ocean just beyond his own little island, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see the opposite tip of the crescent shaped bay that made his home.

The sun was rising and the beach was warm as Reed hiked back up the beach, towards his home. He had a very important day ahead of him, one which he was dreading and yet, anticipating like a child on his birthday yearns for gifts. He, as well as his few counterparts in this ridiculous war were being summoned by Her Grace, Queen Vivienne Stars, to whom he had owed much.

It was almost an hour before Reed was prepared to leave. Showered, donning his most presentable suit and wearing his ruling sash that was clasped with a golden crab claw at its pinnacle, he was the epitome of Cancerian rule. However, his mind was still elsewhere as he stepped into the cab of his carriage, the deep blue of his slacks and jacket making his body blend into the upholstery of the carriage. As he pulled into the vast courtyard of his long time adviser and friend, Reed could not help but smile.

The yard was empty, save for Reed, his carriage, the few gardeners who tended the grounds and the no doubt millions of vibrantly hued flowers that adorned the estate. Reed was the first guest it seemed, and slowly made his way inside, careful to avoid accidentally stepping off of the path. The castle itself was a maze of corridors, hallways and grand entrances, but Reed had come here many times in the past, and knew where to find the Queen of the Heavens.

Keeping a respectable distance, Reed knelt, his leg hovering slightly off the ground so as not to dirty his slacks and seem disreputable. "My liege." He said, bowing his head and crossing his arm over his chest. "What an honor it is to see you again."