In the real world, Artimus was asleep outside of Cape Salarain, his head resting on the lap of his wife.
In the dream he was sitting in a small room, in a comfy chair. In front of him was a table with a pair of feet on them, and several small piles of paper which seemed to be randomly scattered, but were in fact carefully filed to look like they were random.
The feet belonged to him, he realised, and the table was actually a desk. There was a small glass name-bar on the desk. He picked it up and looked at it. "Artimus M Morningstar" it said in very elaborate and detailed script. This had clearly bee made by someone with excellent knowledge of crafting such things, and with great care and affection.
In front of him was a door, which while closed was not locked. No, it wasn't toally closed. It was open very slightly.
He looked over to the other side of the room and saw another desk. Smaller than his, but with an equally comfy chair behind it. No one was there.
He didn't need to look behind him to know there was a map of the island on the wall, with several pins in various places. There was also a coat and hat stand near the door, and a fireplace built into the wall in front of the other desk. The fire wasn't lit, but was made ready. Over the fireplace hung two crossed swords. One was his rapier, the other was... Now, that was interesting. It looked like Tiberious's broadsword.
The door suddenly flew open and Jade walked in.
"Have you got any further with your enquiries?" she said with a voice that lacked any emotion.
She looked slightly older than she did now. He moved his feet off the table having noticed her glance at them with a disapproving look. She sighed and sat in the chair behind the other desk.
"It's always the same, isnt it? You mind is never on the here and now. But hey, never mind. Jade can work this case while I just sit here and think of the next big thing." She was clearly mocking him.
He moved to stand up. "Jade..."
She turned away and looked down at her own pile of papers. "Save it Artimus."
He frowned.
"Since when did you call me Artimus?"
She didn't bother to look back at him. "Since you stopped being my father."
His frown deepened. "What?"
"Oh yes" she said, her voice full of scorn. "You keep forgetting that you ran away. Again. Leaving me and my Husband to fight the paladins. You had an idea, you said. You could help us. He trusted you, he gave you yoru boat back and instead you used to flee with that... Floosy!"
"I didn't go anywhere!" Something wasn't sounding right. He glanced back at the swords over the fireplace, then to her desk. There was a name plague on her desk too. A simple wooden carved one.
"Jade Farstrider-Blake"
He could almost curse.
He knew it was a dream, but he also knew what she meant now. His name-plaque could only have been made by one person. Someone Jade clearly resented.
He reached up to touch the pendant around his neck, but it wasn't there.
"Where is your mother?" he asked carefully.
Jade's eyes snapped around to his.
"Tiberious is with her." There were tears in her eyes.
He was slightly confused.
"He's having an affair with her?"
She stood up silently, walking over towards him, then slapped him - hard - in the face.
"You never cared about her. Just as you never cared about us. He died for this island." She shook her head. "You haven't even been to see the statue Queen Amarra had erected, have you?"
This was all too much for him to take in.
"Where is the pendant?" At least with that he could call Indis back.
"Your wife smashed it on your wedding night. She was jealous of Mom. And now I've lost everyone who ever cared about me. I don't know why I stay here."
She turned and walked out, slamming the door behind her.
2010-11-07, 05:09