"Eve of the Solstice" by Morgana Shee

Eve of the Solstice
by Morgana Shee
Part 1

       It was dusk in Findahl and Morgana was chasing...someone. She couldn't quite see who it was. She knew she had to catch him and kill Him though. Him? Who could He be? Her enemy? Her lover? Nevertheless, Morgana kept after Him. They ran from the center of Weerien until they reached the edge of the Wood. Then he stopped running. Morgana quickly tackled him and was about to render him unconscious when she realized who it was.
        "Morgana...," he said,"what are you doing?" His grey eyes bore into her grey eyes and she saw his fear. He was afraid of her? But she was barely as tall as a Mystic Tree. No one in all of Findahl was frightened of her.
        Morgana put a finger on the base of his throat,"Cadal, you have been very bad, you know. You must stop what you are doing and leave Findahl or I will be forced to kill you." Kill him? Morgana could scarcly believe those words had tumbled out of her mouth! As she looked at Cadal's lovely face, his grey eyes, his hair the color of wine, she began to choke him....
______________________

        "Morgana!" The voice was distant, distressed, and perfectly annoying. "Morgana! Wake up!"
        Morgana's hand flew out from under the covers and batted at whatever was shouting in her ear. Her hand touched fur and she shoved the form off the bed. She heard an "Oomph!" and quickly covered her head again.
        "That won't do you any good, Morgana." The voice was back. This time Morgana sighed heavily, her small frame shaking. Morgana swept the blankets over the head of the form at her side and swung her feet over the side of the bed. The bundle under the blankets snorted and jumped off the bed.
        "Why did you have to wake me up so early, Vulpecula?", said Morgana sleepily,"I don't have to be in Weerien until midday."
        "You must prepare for your battle." said Vulpecula, rounding the bed, her auburn coat glistening in the morning sun,"The Council will not let you fight if you aren't awake and ready to go. They won't even consider you for a Staff is you appear slovenly and lazy. They'll just kick you out."
        Morgana snickered at the vixen. Vulpecula was always on her night and day about her habits. Morgana liked to sleep. Was that a crime? It was only her Quislai side showing through. Her mother had been half Quislai and her father had been....
        Morgana rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and walked over to her wardrobe. "Vulpecula, what should I wear today?"
        The vixen came to stand by her and said ,"Something fit enough for the eyes of Darion Beldar to behold you...."
        Morgana almost jumped out the window,"Darion Beldar!? Oh Lord, Vulpecula, I didn't know he was coming all the way to Weerien to watch the fights! Now what am I going to do?! I'm going to humiliate myself!"
        Vulpecula nudged her leg, "You'll do fine, Mistress. You're one of the best sorceresses in Findahl. You could beat anyone in the Circle! And of *course* you'll beat Thia Pendrial today. She's even lazier than you are."
        Morgana chortled and dropped a shirt over Vulpecula's head. The vixen snorted ,"You're acting like your sister, Morgana. It's very immature."
        Morgana turned back to her wardrobe," I am nothing like Elwyn, Vulpecula. She's a full Quislai, I'm not. And anyway, she has fluff for brains. I surely hope you're not saying *that* about me."
        Vulpecula crawled out from under the shirt and said ," That's not what I meant, Morgana. I was speaking of how scatter-brained you are. You've been very jittery lately. Are you have nightmares?"
        Morgana picked out a grey, gauze-like dress and stopped. She had had a nightmare. Something about killing Cadal...."No, I haven't been having nightmares."
        Vulpecula smirked,"Then why did you say you'll be forced to kill Cadal Forge in your sleep? I thought you two were kindred spirits."
        Morgana turned to Vulpecula "I dreamed that I was chasing Cadal through the darkness. When we reached the Wood, I jumped on top of his and told him he had to leave Findahl or I would kill him. Then I began to choke him." Morgana shivered. Cadal Forge was her best friend. She had grown up with him. Today, he was fighting for a Red Staff. But he was so young. Darion Beldar wouldn't possibly give Cadal a Red Staff at such an early age.
        Vulpecula trotted toward the door and sat contemplating the dream for a few minutes,"I've heard of sorcerers having precognitive dreams. Do you think that's possible for you? You who hasn't even won her Staff yet?"
        Morgana smiled, relieved,"No, not with me. I'm only 17 years old. The earliest age that a sorcerer has had those types of dreams was 19. I can't possibly have them." Or could you?, a voice in Morgana's mind said. She pushed in aside and slipped on her dress. She looked like an elemental from the Wood. She hated it.
        Morgana padded across the floor to the door where a sandals were. She pulled them on quickly. Vulpecula was about to say something when they both heard a crash from the kitchen. Morgana looked at Vulpecula who said,"Elwyn's trying to cook for you."
        Morgana covered her eyes and ran for the kitchen. She took the stairs two at a time with Vulpecula at her heals. She couls smell smoke coming from the general direction of the kitchen and just as she reached the door, flames shot up out of a pan.
        Elwyn was standing nonchalantly but the fireplace, her silver hair trailing in the wind created by the fire. She lifted a slender hand and the fire was gone.
        Morgana put her hands over her face and said,"Elwyn, what in Beldar are you doing?"
        Elwyn turned to her and smiled," I'm making you hot herb tea. My own special recipe. The elementals helped me find the ingrediants." She turned back to the stove and poured the steaming liquid into a cup. She handed it to Morgana,"Try it and tell me how much you like it."
        Vulpecula nudged Morgana's leg and she snickered,"Alright, Elwyn. I'll taste you tea...after I take a stroll. Come on Vulpecula."
        Morgana quickly went around Elwyn who took her cup from her,"Oh, that's fine. I'll drink the tea myself. Mmm, it smells delicious!" Elwyn took a sip and went into the main hall of Fell Andred.
        Morgana and Vulpecula looked after her and laughed out loud.

Part 2