Hours passed in a blur of shadow and weariness for Geraldine as they fled from the forge. When she was about fall to sleep with fatigue as Arthion send up came “I think that we out of range of those who are after us. With sleep we will revive to see Aziza about what we need.”

Since they had slipped past from the blood eagles their movements have been long and hard as they tried to escape the minions of the witch queen.



She arose the tent with her magic. Her strength had now vanished into nothings she walked into the tent before she fell. Arthion stood next to the fire of the camp before entering the tent. He was worried since he had let drop to the ground, she had not spoken a word with him since then. “good night, my dearest friend and ally” he spoke to her as she lay down on the rug to sleep.

Moments after she lay down to sleep, he slept on the other rug to dream of he and his love Vanessa after he destroyed Kalian.




For she awoke soon after he slept. Her eyes were as cold as the pale skin above her head in the light of day “the sky is dark as the witch queen plots her plan through although it is near it’s end with being victorious” she whispered as silently as the light wind which flowed into the tent. She stood silently and stepped other to Arthion who was still dreaming of his love, Vanessa.



“Why do you feel nothing for me but feel something for the head of the blood eagles?” she asked to him although she knew that he could not hear her in his dreams. “for years I have sort after you and your affection have never been for me and has left me as cold as corpse without your love, now I cannot sleep without my dear”



She curled up next him to sleep with him so that she get some better sleep with man that she had crush for years. Many time she had seen him with Vanessa over the last few years.



As she started to dream she felt his warmth against her flesh. A smile fainting appeared on her cold lips.



She started to dream, the cold and darkness filled her mind, covering her entire mind in it “oh no” she feared on where she was, “kalian I see you their, what have you done with me? What is that wish of me?”



A cold and evil smile appeared on the lips of Kalian “it is good to see here in this place which I created” Geraldine looked slightly confused “is this in your mind?” she asked her. An amused grin appeared “this is the dark castle of my own mind when I wish to speak to some in their dreams.”

She stood from her throne making Geraldine tense as she was not sure what happened with what may happen to if the queen kills her in her own mind. She appeared next to the queen in a dark corner of the room “look their is the one who call friend” snarled the queen to her.



Horror filled her when she realised that it was her friend Jane who was in pain on the ground “oh my god” she choked in surprise. Kalian laughed “she is the host for the dark god but she does not have in her yet. Pain will fill her to make her weaker” Geraldine stood in horrified silence.



She moved again so that she stood before the throne of the witch queen. “how dare you prey upon me and my friend, what do you want with me, you monster”. Anger flashed in her eyes as she said “I actually have an offer for you, witch of light”



Surprise spread across the face of Geraldine “no, please fall silent evil one. I will not listen to your voice as you will lead me to my own destruction” she turned her face away from the queen before she could speak a word of her deal. Fear bloomed once more as she did not want the queen would to her if she listened to what she had to say as she had never heard of the queen speaking to anyone in their dreams before now, showing the witch queen powers.



“I can make him love you” she hissed, a smile appearing on her face as Geraldine turned back to face her “what do you mean Kalian I have no crush on any man” a evil laugh echoed around the room from her lips.



“I can see into your heart and soul, you love Arthion but I cannot see who he loves instead of you. I can change that for you.” Geraldine looked around at Kalian and saw that she looked that she meant to what she said for her although that she was known to her a enemy as the blood eagles would have reported this to if she didn't already know as she was the most powerful mage in the Dales.

“how?” she asked her, Kalian could since the fear and the worry in her voice. “there is no to be frightened I do not wish you dead instead I want to make happy Geraldine. I could place a spell on you that will make the first person that you kiss will fall in passionately love with you and will give the happiness that you wish to have”



For moment a small spot of doubt was in hear but it was brief as she thought of the amount of times she had seen Vanessa kiss Arthion many times before even when she was child she had loved him. Vanessa had moved down to Galore from Bastion in Antiva after her boyfriend, Callum left her for a more appealing female mage and her father who was fur merchant had a new business idea which made them move down their.

She first meet Vanessa after she spent a week in a inn after father fell ill in their. She herself was on the way to train with a witch in the village of Haven to learn the ways of light. When she returned several years later she had seen her with him.



“what’s the catch, with you my queen I guess that would be” kalian smiled with joy “their is none my witch, now” she raised her hand and a shimmering red light passed through her body “now the deal is done and may this bring you much happiness.” “at last he will be mine to love and he will love me at last instead of her, my thanks to you Kalian” she smiled with her thanks as few people were happy with her for anything that she did with her powers.

Geraldine felt the darkness of Kalian's mind retreat from her own leaving her to sleep with a warm feeling in her heart as the magic of queen sank into her.



She opened her eyes to see that Arthion was poking at the embers of the fire as the sun slowly started to rise in the west. “rise and shine my dear Geraldine the day is starting and we need to reach the lake of night before nightfall on this day which is coming” she arose slowly from her slumber.



She walked out of tent to walk over to him “Arthion, may talk to you for second please” he looked at her “yes? My friend” he answered her, as she looked at him with delight.



Geraldine looked closely at him, she pulled him closer “wait what are you doing?” he hissed slightly as the breath was being pulled out of his lungs by her embrace “for years I have had a crush on you, it has raged with in like wild fire making me fell so alone and cold. I have not felt this way even about the handsome magisters in Tevinter Imperium. Vanessa will betray to her queen is it is clear that this is only person she cares about and is using you to her own advantages”

Arthion eyes flashed with anger as he truly did love Vanessa despite what she and his sister Violet said and nothing would change that for him.



He looked into those pale blue eyes of hers and realised that they were quite pretty but not as pretty as those of his love. A smile decorated her lips with her joy.



Her lips touched his and he kissed him passionately. Arthion could not help himself as she kissed him.



As they kissed he felt something sliding down his neck, it was cold and filled him making his love for Geraldine complete. Arthion looked back at the stars above as he felt her kissing him even more “oh my love is but crow compared to this swan” he felt so enwrapped with his love of Geraldine.



“I see what you mean now about Vanessa, for the next time I see her I will cut out her heart and bring it to you my love” he was pulled back and kissed her lips and hugged her tightly.



Laughter echoed around the mind of Kalian as she sensed what was happening as her spell was cast “hah hah” she laughed evilly “my spell is cast enjoy it’s effects for you have fallen under my power when you come to Shadow Daine you will be mine and a true blood eagle all corrupted what you have asked for.”

Her eyes were filled with spite after what happened with this witch of light.



“everything is going to your ultimate design my dear Kalian” Arthur stood rubbing his hands in evil delight. Out of all the witch queens minions Arthur was the oldest and one of the most loyal minions, he was the queen’s play thing who never complained or turned against her. He was also apart from Vanessa and Vanlanthiriel the closet to the witch queen, being allowed into her private chambers to hear her most inner most thoughts and plans.

When the witch queen died if she was slain he would along with for now and always he is devoted to the queen, his fate is bond to that of the queen.

“yes it is now I must truly rest as the is rising and you know how much I can’t stand sunlight” he nodded and her mind went black as the queen closed off her mind as her own dreams fell over her. Kalian slept and dreamed of what would when her plan will succeed and she becomes an all powerful goddess.



As the run rose Arthion and Geraldine were now in love with the other under the witch queen’s power, with their joy the seeds of darkness began to take root in witch’s mind. With her now tempted by the queen, the light of her magic started to fade in the darkness of the witch queen’s own power.

The camp fire was still burning as they left the camp to see Aziza for her aid to slay the witch queen and stop her plan or die trying.