The whole house was different, and Umurrah was the only one not to notice. She just carried on with her tasks as usual, and after a while, she arranged the Ball as early as possible, in two days, counting that morning. She was eager to have that small party, she invited everyone in town and now the servants also had another thing to add to their worries: The Ball itself. Umurrah was preparing the courtyard, located at the back of the house, it was at the feet of the mountain, meaning it had some vegetation and water, it had beautiful gazebos and bridges, as other beautiful pieces of architecture, all made of Drak Sand, the hardest sand material, and all of this was made by her deceased husband. Although it was a place made by her love, she wanted everyone to know about her lover in this place, and how happy she felt.... Even in front of Alténis. She remembered once again about her son and a bit of sadness was added to her face, which disappeared quickly when the servants started asking on how to arrange everything.
Alténis helped, but always keeping an eye out, Ridia might not had told him much, meaning that it could be interpreted in millions of ways.... The angst was killing him, adding some crippling anxiety to his mind. When Umurrah noticed this, she sent his son to rest—it's been a day since he last slept, and all these preparations took long enough; it was already the afternoon, and he didn't even eat a single thing. He gave up and grabbed a bite, took a warm bath, and.... Slept naked, carelessly.
In the middle of the night however, he dreamed of fires, and a forest in the middle of where the desert meets the green mountains; he saw that same forest, with a tree above them all, getting burned to the ground, and in the background a figure wearing glasses, a shadow, with only eyes glowing red and yellow, smiling, and disappearing. He woke up, spaced out. He looked at the ceiling and look out the windows in case there was an actual fire. There was none, it was just a nightmare.... He found a note next to his bed saying the ball was to be set at evening, when he read the note, he heard some murmurs, and as he went out of the door, he heard his mother whisper with someone, it was not understandable, it was all pure gibberish.... He didn't realize he was naked, but when he noticed, a small gasp escaped his mouth and his mother became a fearsome creature who savagely attacked him.
He screamed.
Cahill woke up from his nap, Alténis was still naked.
-"Kid, I saw everything, how much fun I gotta tell ya. Fuck but you scared the shit outta me though." Cahill said, laughing.
-"What? Why am I here.... What am I doing naked?"
-"Let's just say kiddo, your dream made you come here by foot....Naked. I am surprised your ding-ga-ling wasn't stolen by bandits for a weird ritual.... What made you come here?"
-"I am not sure sir.... Who is the man I heard whispering in my dreams?" Alténis replied, curious, the man was the only thing he remembered.
-"OH! Why don't you find out? The ball is going to begin in three hours! You gotta get ready, this....... Birthday suit ain't gonna work, lemme help ya out." Cahill clapped his hands and a fine trench coat made of werewolf leather was made to fit the young Elf. Complete with a light blue tunic and a small beret, which Alténis threw on the ground. He despises berets.
"Thank you Cahill.... I'll leave then." Cahill was silent for once, he was never thanked for any of his deeds.... Oh well, first time for anything right? Even for Ridia, who saw Alténis naked.
