Chapter 233Thousand Titles

Kai and I stepped back so we stood side by side with Khuna and Valerie. I wasn't sure what to say. The last time I'd seen Isabel wasn't a nice moment. The others, except for Kai, had encountered a lot of trouble. Was that because of her? Whose side was she on, anyway?

Valerie scowled a little. "You lured us into a trap."

Isabel didn't really respond to this. She just shrugged and smiled at me.

"Good luck tomorrow, Amy. It seems you'll need it."

"Thank..."

Everything faded to black.

It was like falling asleep, but different. My whole body dragged me down. Just for a moment until my consciousness was really gone I wondered, briefly, if this was what it was like getting under narcosis. No control, just falling into the depth.

I'd felt it once before, but not this strong.

But my mind had no time to dwell upon these thoughts.

I dreamed.

The library loomed in front of me, the tall building I knew but much newer, younger. As I went in it didn't appear to be a library at all, but rather a sort of city hall. It was bustling with all kinds of people dressed in odd clothing, but so was I...

I looked down and found another surprise.

My whole body felt different, instead of the frail frame I was used to, I was a strapping young lad. My legs, arms and shoulders felt misplaced for a few moments. It faded quickly.

I noticed I was dressed in frivolous clothing that reminded me of Gothic clothes I'd seen before, if a little more colourful. A red coat with polished wooden buttons actually looked rather nice. As I looked at my hands I realized I had to step into the building.

Inside there were many people talking gently but not as soft as they would in a library. Men of various ages, all dressed in this particular style filled the space. The front desk had a man standing there dressed a little more sober but with a kind smile on his face.

Someone was waiting for me. Another man standing next to the front desk, dressed similarly but somehow less important, greeted me kindly with a handshake. A strange feeling with these rougher hands.

"Jason, how have you been?"

Jason? The chosen name of my father?

Then it unwound automatically. I knew what I was supposed to say somehow. "Quite decent, considering what happened. Did you hear about the fields?"

My voice was calm and quite nice. It did remind me a little of my father. But it was fuller, more alive.

"Yes, such a shame. But I heard you're re-seeding them already?"

I appeared to nod. How much control did I have in this dream? "We've still got time. Maybe the harvest will be late but at least it's not lost completely."

The man smiled. "Good to know. I suppose you want to see the designs?"

I nodded again. "Are they finished then?"

"Of course, you know I'm never late!" He smiled kindly.

We walked to another desk a little further where the man picked two scrolls from one of the drawers. He unrolled them and stepped back to allow me to see them. I bent down to look at them.

"Very well done, exactly as they were supposed to be." The words that came out of my mouth sounding faded, as I realized what I was looking at.

Each scroll had several drawings, different views and details on two objects that I knew very well. A bracelet and a necklace, both set with a stone in which, somehow, a crest was drawn. But the drawings were so intricate, done in ink in a loving detail I'd never seen. So is this where they came from?

I noticed I was talking again. "They're perfect. Did you do them?"

The man shook his head. "No, you know I'm not well with designing jewelry like this. I can make it, but this is far too precious for me to design."

I felt myself smile, a very unusual sensation if you're not actively doing it. "Well, you chose the perfect guy for this."

The man looked at him in earnest. "It wasn't a man actually. "

I felt the surprise within me. "Lady Sarah?"

"Yes, she is the Lady living in the mansion accross town, the one that was being built last year."

"And she is an artist?"

The man nodded. "A very able one it seems. Though her money comes from her family, it is told."

"Still, I can't believe you got it done by a woman, one of stature no less."

The expression on his face was one of apprehension. "I apologize if it was the wrong thing to do, Jason. I'll have them redone by someone else if you wish. I just saw her paintings and started talking about these with her... It was as if she perfectly knew how they should be."

There were moments of hesitation in myself where he wondered if this was proper, if he'd get into trouble if it was found out. But... The designs were perfect. Woman or not, there was no other who could possibly have done them better.

"No, it's quite alright. Send my regards to her and work on them at your earliest convenience. I'll have the payment sent to you tomorrow."

The man was positively relieved. "Thank you, sir."

A smile again. "I hate it when you call me that."

They were friends again, it faded into the black of my mind.

I fell into a deeper, dreamless sleep.