Lain Prologue

           Laius stirred from a fitful sleep that had left him facing the drawn-curtain of their four poster bed, and reached over to caress the slender back of the woman that had only just been with him again in his half-lucid dream… but his hand met only empty air. The half of the bed where she had been lying retained only the slightest trace of warmth; she had been gone for more than a few minutes. For a moment, Laius considered closing his eyes again and return to the embrace of the dream-woman, if the real one could not be had. Less pleasurable… more peaceful, he thought, … but probably more pain in the morning. Before he could reach a decision, a chilling breeze tickled his back that had been exposed to the midnight air when he turned over to investigate his unanticipated solitude. He peeled back the closest corner of the curtain that shielded their intimate retreat to continue his investigation beyond. The fire continued to roar in the hearth, well maintained by silent servants throughout the night. But the door to their chamber was slightly ajar, and a flicker of approaching candlelight and hushed whispers spilled in. And then came the knock. Considerate and polite, but forceful and determined to wake whoever was within. It was certainly not the knock of a timid, deferential servant of his household, but rather a knock of far greater portent.

“Come,” Laius called back with a creaky voice, his first vocalization in several hours. It was clearly much later than midnight, perhaps even nearing the pre-dawn morning. He fully pulled back the teal bed-curtain and braced himself for the chilly evening air that filled his chambers as a



DESCRIPTIVE man entered for an informal audience.

“My prince, please forgive the hour.”

“You know I do, NAME. What’s happened?”



            “Where is Lady Eckhart?”

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