Olivia's+Novel


 * __ Prologue __**
 * Long ago, in a land called Az Lagnì, meaning Land of Great Riches, Lived King Rubuen and Queen Isolde. They had a beautiful daughter with hair as back as the night sky and cheeks as red as roses. They named her Iris Isolde Farica. Though her parents were two different types of people; her father was a mortal and her mother an elf, they both loved each other the same. Her father had shoulder length grey hair and brown eyes. He had a very stern face with a beard and moustache. He did not smile much for he had made some bad decisions in his life. Her mother had long blonde hair and the face of an angel. She had eyes of blue and lips red like roses. Only her parents knew what she truly was; and elf. She did not look like an elf however as she was neither fair nor as bony as other elven women. **
 * Twenty years later is where our real story begins though. Iris’ mother had died through being poisoned by an unknown source when Iris was three, meaning it would soon be time for Iris to receive the throne from her father. She loved to throw balls and banquets, but most of all; she loved to watch the heraldry competitions. She never missed it and never grew tired of it either. **
 * On the morning of her twentieth birthday, she was awoken be a sudden breeze. It startled her, so she went to the window to see what was going on. **
 * // Good morning princess! //**** said a voice in her mind. **
 * Whatever it was that had caused the breeze, reversed backwards so that its face could be seen clearly through the window. It was a purple dragon with sparkling green eyes. **
 * // Lavender, you startled me. //**** Replied Iris, using only her mind to convey the message. **
 * // My intention was to wake you, not to startle you. //**
 * // Well that certainly worked. I’m really anxious about the ball tonight. If that King Oruc tries to flirt with me again, you can have him for your dinner. I won’t care! //**
 * // Why don’t you care? //**
 * // All he wants is my throne! //**
 * // In that case, it would be my pleasure. I look forward to it! //**** Then, the dragon disappeared from the window, emitting yet another gust of wind. **
 * // In that case, it would be my pleasure. I look forward to it! //**** Then, the dragon disappeared from the window, emitting yet another gust of wind. **
 * Two hours later, there was a knock at the door. **
 * “Ednar!” shouted Iris. In walked Iris’ lady-in-waiting; Eleanor. She was a very tall lady and very petite as well. She usually wore a long purple and white dress that trailed out behind her showing her slim body line with perfect accuracy. She had long locks of luscious red hair that was cropped up into a bun. Her eyes were grey and her face was flawless. She, like her mother before, had served the royal family of Az Lagnì her whole life and that had been a long twenty six years. In her hands, she carried a glass meal tray with a bowl of soup on it and a glass of the purest grape wine. She placed it on the desk and curtsied to Iris. Iris was sat at the desk. Originally, she had been staring out of the window to the city below. She was wearing a long velvet gown with beautiful silver trimmings and cuffs. Her long black hair draped over her shoulders and her eyes glistened with admiration. **
 * “Good morning malady!” exclaimed Eleanor as she curtsied. **
 * “Good morning Eleanor!” Iris replied with grace and sincerity. **
 * “Are you looking forward to the Heraldry competition tomorrow malady?” it was clear that Eleanor was trying to divert the conversation away from the Ball this evening. She picked up the bowl and placed it on the table in front of Iris. **
 * “Yes I am actually! You can have the night off tonight Eleanor...that should give you chance to enjoy the Ball.” Obviously, Eleanor’s technique had not worked. Still she remained patent. **
 * “Thank you malady!” she put the glass on the table and took the tray. She curtsied and then left the room with a bit of speed at her heels. **
 * When she heard Eleanor’s graceful footsteps no more, Iris began to eat, still watching out the window at the three boys fencing in the courtyard below. Two of these boys were brothers, the other lived with them but no-one knew neither where he came from nor who his parents were. The youngest of the three, Tristan, had long blonde hair, tied back slightly to reveal a bony face with blue eyes like the sea on a beautiful sunny day. He was a blacksmith’s son, therefore dressed with class and formality. He wore a green tunic with a grey undershirt, leggings and a belt round his middle. He wore brown boots that came just below his knees that were flexible as he struck with a sword at his companions in a game of Toshay. His brother, Romeo, stood on the sidelines and watched the action. He wore the same as Tristan, only in blue and grey. He too had long blonde hair tied up in the same way as Tristan’s. His face was broader than Tristan’s and his eyes were also blue, yet they resembled the sky above on a bright sunny day, much like today. Their companion looked nothing like them yet he dressed with the same formalities as his inmates. His name was Jacques Rubuen; he never spoke of his last name. He had shoulder length wavy black hair that blew in the slight breeze in the air. He had a stubbly beard and blue eyes like that of a glistening ocean. He wore a black tunic with a grey undershirt, leggings and a black belt around his middle. He wore black boots that were not as flexible as Romeo’s and Tristan’s but did the job at hand. All three were elven boys with completely different personalities. Jacques was the rugged type and the other two were slightly pretty-boy. As Jacques knocked Tristan off balance and onto the floor, he shouted ‘Toshay’ and held his sword at Tristan’s throat. He spotted Iris in the window watching them and lowered his sword, helping Tristan to his feet. By this time, Romeo too had noticed Iris’ face in the window. Jacques nodded to Tristan as he got to his feet and looked up at Iris, then, he went to stand next to Romeo, just behind Tristan. **
 * “My lady!” Tristan called up to her. “Tis it alright if I do a few events in the tournament tomorrow?” **
 * “If you like...tis alright with me,” she replied humbly. **
 * “Then I shall win it for you;” his two companions grimaced with laughter and then controlled themselves again with contorted smiles on their faces. **
 * “Win it for yourself, not for me!” She was clearly flattered by what Tristan had said to her. **
 * “Then that, I shall do!” This time Romeo and Jacques burst out into hysterical laughter as they mocked his formal tone and posture towards Iris, all in fair play of course. Tristan turned on them and silenced them with some sort of necromancy and gave them a dirty look. Then he picked up his sword and sheathed it in his scabbard, walking away out of the courtyard, heading for home. His companions were close behind, moving stiffly and slowly, like robots. Iris laughed to herself and sat back in her chair to finish her breakfast. **
 * That evening, Iris was getting ready for the Ball. She had dressed herself in a beautiful red dress with long flowing sleeves. She had a gold chain crown that went round her forehead and draped down to her neck in looping patterns. It stood out beautifully from her long black hair. She was just standing up, ready to leave when there was a knock at the door. She sat back down and looked into the mirror upon her dresser and shouted to her visitor. **
 * “Ednar!” **
 * “Habeena Calloff! My, my Iris you look so much like your mother,” exclaimed her father. He was dressed in red and orange robes, decorated in silver entwining patterns. He wore a silver crown with engraved entwining patterns. “I have something for you...close your eyes.” Iris closed her eyes. Her father reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver locket with a rose engraved into it. He put it round her neck and did it up, then put her hair behind her shoulders so that she could see the locket more clearly. “Open your eyes now!” Iris opened her eyes and saw the locket around her neck in the mirror. It glimmered and shined brightly from the torches that were dotted around the room. **
 * “This was mothers...oh father, it’s wonderful...thank you.” She got up from her chair and hugged her father. **
 * “Your mother would have wanted you to have this. Now then, shall we go and great your guests?” **
 * “You go on...I’ll catch up with you in a minute.” And with that, her father left and made his way down to the entrance hall where the guests were waiting to be let in. Iris, however, went to the window where Lavender was waiting. **
 * // You know what to do after the ball? //**** Iris asked the dragon. **
 * // Yes...and what fun it will be! //**** Lavender replied. **
 * // Yes! We finally get to treat that fake King a lesson he’ll never forget. //**
 * // Good luck! //**** Lavender took off from her perch below the window and flew into the distance. When she could see her no more, Iris headed for the door and made her way down to the entrance hall. **
 * As she stepped into the entrance hall, her anxiousness heightened. King Oruc was entering the castle behind a whole line of Mutants. He had long, curly, black hair that reached his shoulders and he was certainly no immortal despite his clear, blue, dreamy eyes. He wore a black top with no sleeves and a slit down the middle; showing a muscular, hairy chest. The design of the top was very plain-just a few studs dotted around to outline the seams of the material. He wore black, leather trousers with boots that reached his knees. Around his neck was a crest, the crest of war, obviously left for him by his father; Calvin. On his right stood his chief general; Dangúr. He was a Foresaken from the far northern depths of Degstan-also known as Hell’s Land. He had black skin that was as dark as the night sky. His hair reached just below his shoulders and was white in colour. His eyes gleamed with a hint of blood and on his arm was a tattoo in the shape of a tarantula in the colour of white. He wore a chain mail tunic over a black undershirt that reached his knees. Around his middle was a red belt. At his side within his scabbard was what was known as the Spider Sword. It was a rare blade, forged by Gallow himself for his Griethian army in the volcano known as Dentusó in the land of Aberson. Long, black boots came up to his knees with red stockings just showing above the rim of the boot. To Oruc’s left was Auksendur’s champion; Livia. She wore a black and red toga and lots of make-up, so much in fact that made her face look sickeningly pale. Her hair was made up of different, subtle tones of brown and was cropped in a very frizzy ponytail. Her eyes were the same clear blue as Oruc’s but she was immortal. Around her neck was a medallion with such intricate detail, Iris had to squint to see it properly. The charm on the medallion had an engraving of a tree on it with ten diamonds bordering the outside...wait a minute; she was wearing what was known as the Crest of the Forest. Only Princesses of the Wood wore that and Livia had no family-so where did she get it from? Iris put that out of her mind and her prepared herself for what she hoped would be a quick encounter with King Oruc. **
 * The trumpets sounded and Dangúr stepped forward and cleared his throat. **
 * “Presenting K...Prince Oruc of Auksendur!” he obviously changed his mind on how to address his majesty. Oruc readied to make his way towards Iris, but instead, she came to see him and pulled him into a corner. She addressed him formally despite her discomfort. **
 * “Oruc, could you do me a favour?” she asked flirtatiously. **
 * “Yes...anything...you name it...” he replied nervously. He came across to Iris very anxious despite his impressible figure...almost as if he just wanted to get tonight over and done with. **
 * “Could you please remove those...those beasts from the castle? I don’t want them to scare away the guests.” Oruc breathed a sigh of relief. He probably thought she would ask him that would make him feel uncomfortable. **
 * “Yes...apsolutely. And just so you know, they’re called Mutants. Dangur would be furious if he found out that you called them beasts.” He now seemed incredibly relaxed to how he was feeling five minutes ago. “After you my lady!” he bowed low and motioned for Iris to enter the ballroom. He then muttered something to Dangur who took the Mutants to wait by the Green Dragons of Auksendur. Oruc and Livia then followed behind Iris as she entered the ballroom. **
 * Once Iris was sat upon her throne, people stepped forward and presented her with gifts that were either hand-made or foreign. Each gist was beautiful in its own way; each was unique and would brighten up any dull room. After one hour of gifts, Iris finally had time to relax. She thought that that was it, until the blacksmith’s son came forward. He bowed low as did his two companions. Jacques was their best friend and Romeo was Tristan’s brother. One thing united the three though – they were all Keepers, meaning they were brothers, united by the Light. **
 * “My lady, is something wrong?” asked Tristan politely. Iris saw Romeo elbow Jacques in the ribs and Jacques winced in slight pain. **
 * “No, I’m fine!” she sighed. **
 * “I have a gift for you.” **
 * “Oh no! Please, no more.” **
 * “Don’t worry it’s only a small one. You see, I figured this, no gift in the whole of Igstan...no...the whole world is a worthy gift for you...except this;” he pulled a single purple and yellow iris out from his sleeve. Behind him, Jacques and Romeo both rolled their eyes in unison, keeping their mouths shut. “An iris as beautiful as yourself.” Iris took the flower and smelt its sweet smell. A smile appeared on her rosy face and she leaned forward and kissed Tristan on the cheek. Romeo’s mouth fell open but Jacques just smiled. He realised the look on Romeo’s face and pushed his mouth shut, leading him away, back to stand by Thorrin, Tristan and Romeo’s father, leaving Iris and Tristan alone. Tristan’s cheeks turned a sudden pink. He smiled and bowed low. “I give it to you as a token of loyalty...and love for you. Please accept my gift?” **
 * “Oh, I do!” she leaned forward again and muttered to him quietly. “I wish you the best of luck in the world in the heraldry competition tomorrow.” She sat back in her throne and pursed her lips, staring into Tristan’s clear blue eyes. **
 * “Thank you, my lady!” he bowed again and ran to stand by his father, Romeo and Jacques. Iris put the flower on the table beside her and watched her guests dance. She started to relax a while and then Oruc approached, stood high and humble. He bowed to Iris, elongating his arm outwards at the same time to make it seem more formal. He rose and addressed the King formally who nodded to him to proceed. **
 * “My lady Iris...may I have a word with you in the garden please?” he remembered his manners. **
 * “If you must,” she sounded a bit bothered but went along with him anyway. She followed him to the entrance to the garden, and then stopped. Oruc motioned for her to proceed but she still did not move. “Aren’t you coming?” **
 * “I wish to stay in sight of my father.” Oruc muttered something under his breath and sighed. “Is something wrong Oruc?” **
 * “No...no...no! Everything is just fabulous, brilliant in fact! There’s no problem at all. Um...” he had lost his confidence. He looked towards the entrance to the ballroom and saw Dangur watching him. Oruc looked around the cheerful ballroom. Iris could tell he was getting more and more anxious as time went by. **
 * “Are you sure everything is okay?” Iris asked again, trying to sound as understanding as possible. Oruc nodded his eyes full of confusion. “You know, I was wondering; was there something you wanted to ask me?” Oruc nodded, standing up straight. He reached into the inside of his slit top and pulled out a gift box. Again, he muttered something under his breath. Iris turned to look at his father then back at Oruc who was down on one knee. **
 * “Iris, as much as I wish circumstances were different...” he said in an undertone. **
 * “What?” she exclaimed. **
 * “Nothing! Will you marry me?” he asked through gritted teeth. **
 * “Etna!” she sneered at him, as if she knew that this was going to happen. **
 * “Blaskif...I mean...rýe?” he put on a brave face; however, Iris did not take the hint. **
 * “Because you are an evil, selfish, arrogant...big-headed man who does not deserve me or my kingdom!” she shook her head and walked away hastily. Oruc smiled as he got up and closed the gift box, slipping it into a peasants back pocket as he walked past, walking over to stand over by Livia. **
 * After the ball had finished, Iris went looking for Oruc. He was just about to leave the entrance to the city and go down to his carriage. She called to him, and he looked around, stopping in his tracks. **
 * “Oruc!” **
 * “My lady,” he said in a surprised tone, “I’m surprised to see you. Was there something you wanted to ask me?” he inclined his head. **
 * “Yes actually...what in the world would make you think that I would accept your proposal?” **
 * I don’t know to be honest! Um! I guess I did it because Dangur made me. I know you think that’s stupid but it’s the truth. You’re probably wondering why a king would take orders from a general. Truth be told...I’m not actually king yet! I’ve heard the rumours, and it’s a lie. I didn’t want to marry you and let me ask you this. What would be the point of me wanting your throne when I don’t even have one of my own? I’m not my father...and if that’s what you think...than hop for Az Lagnì is truly doomed!” he turned away. **
 * “You’re one good liar you know that?” **
 * “What?” he turned around and looked at her with disbelief. **
 * “I knew it...you’re just too good to be true. And now, well let’s just say that you’ll never forget this good night kiss.” She raised her right hand into the air so that it was at eye level. “Knurl egtha esculiar tru!” a rock formed around his feet so that he was stuck to the ground and could not move. **
 * “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” he roared with rage. **
 * “Sorry...can’t tell!” and with that, she disappeared in a puff of smoke. A purple dragon appeared in the sky, breathing balls of fire at Oruc, each time, just missing his head. **
 * “Somebody get me out of here!” he said, calling out to anybody who was in earshot. To his surprise, Dangur came to his aid. He hurried up to where Oruc stood and knelt by the stone. “This is not the time to be bowing Dangur!” **
 * “I’m not!” he huffed, placing a black hand upon the rock. “Hvethka!” the rock disappeared and the dragon flew up, high into the night sky. They hastened down the hill and Oruc entered the carriage before Livia. As Dangur was about to go in, Sithnar, a legionary of Oruc’s imperial guard, pulled him back. **
 * “I think it would be best if you let Oruc calm down, don’t you Dangur?” a cheeky smile appeared on his rosy face. He was the youngest of six brothers; both had been sets of triplets. He had shoulder length, blonde, locks with leaf green eyes. He wore black a chainmail tunic under thick, plated green armour, as was the uniform for all the imperial guard. Dangur sighed angrily and stormed off and sat on a nearby rock, waiting for his orders. **
 * Back in the castle, Iris was readying herself for bed. She had just pushed back the curtains of her four poster bed when she heard voices outside her bedroom door. She edged towards the door, listening carefully. Once she had reached the steps that led up to her door, she stopped; the voices were no more-all was silent. Then, BANG!! Iris jumped and she burst straight through her bedroom door into an empty corridor. She looked all around seeing only darkness. Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind and held a knife to her throat. The man’s cold, black skin rubbed gently against hers as she struggled to free herself. **
 * “Move one more time and I’ll kill you!” said the man as he breathed down her neck. Then, he grimaced with pain as she bit him on the arm. He dropped the knife and backed off reeling with pain. As he released his grip on her, she ran, heading down the hall, looking for anybody that could help her. She turned the corner; rushing straight passed Jacques as he crept out of a room and straight into a man. He looked down on her, fear smouldering within his clear blue eyes. He had short blonde hair and wore the regiments of Oruc’s imperial guard. His left ear was pierced and a tuft hair stuck out the middle of his chin. A scar stretched from his left eye in a diagonal line reaching the middle of his cheek. It was Sirius, the younger of the first set of triplets. **
 * “Ash nungar mutan!” his voice was shaky, as if he was unsure or even regretting what he was about to do. Four mutants appeared behind him. She turned around and tried to run but Dangur appeared from around the corner-she was trapped. Suddenly, she felt a sharp piercing pain in her side. Her vision blurred, she could hear nothing, no longer smell the cook’s burning food nor taste the air let alone feel her own soul. All she could feel was the essence of death creeping over her. She fell to the floor, completely unconscious. Sirius turned his head, closing his eyes, a look of regret smeared across his face. **
 * “Nice touch!” Dangur exclaimed, nodding to the mutant who had stabbed her. **
 * “Thank you masshhter!” the mutant replied in its high pitched screaming voice as he licked off his bird like claws. Dangur knelt down and picked Iris up, throwing her over his shoulder. He motioned for the mutants and Sirius to follow as he turned the corner and walked over towards the window. He stood on the ledge giving a high-pitched whistle as a pack of four green dragons appeared. Dangur jumped down onto one, Sirius onto another and two mutants onto the other two. Dangur seated himself comfortably within the saddle and hung Iris over its flank. He whistled again and the dragons crept higher until they reached the top of the tower. Then, they flew east, heading for the **** palace **** of **** Auksendur **** . Jacques came running up behind them, jumped onto the window ledge and flew out of the window. He fell through the air, landing in the saddle of his four year old dragon, Maron. He was a red in colour and magnificent in both speed and size. They flew off into the distance, following the pack of green dragons with Romeo and Tristan shouting after him. **
 * Tristan and Romeo never told anybody of what they saw that night but kept on with their lives. All anyone found the next morning was a trail of blood ending at the window of the tower to the royal family’s quarters. The king sent out search parties and thousands of men from the army to find his one and only child. They looked everywhere, but after two years of non-stop searching, many began to lose hope, even to the extent of doubting that she was even alive.

** **__ Chapter 1:- A Story Is Told __**
 * Four years on from Iris’ kidnapping is where our adventure begins. It began and ended in this same place; Az Lagni, the capital of the mountainated city. It happened to an already, very unfortunate person. Some say that he was lost in a pool of memories; he was stuck in his past basically. The only thing that he could remember that had happened in the last five years was the disappearance of his Keeper brother and the death of his blood brother. This man is a blacksmith with long blonde hair and eyes as blue as the sea on a summers day. He may have been built like a blacksmith, but he had a sturdy, slim figure with muscular arms and legs. He was majestic and agile like an elf which he obviously was. He had no recollection of anything that had happened in the last five years because of an accident he had where he hit his head on a rock. But of course, that was a lie told to him by his father. You’ll see what I’m talking about later. To give you a few other clues as to who our hero is, I’ll tell you this; he became a Keeper Scribe five years ago, and then moved up to an Acolyte two years ago. His mother was princess of Pagans but he had never known her very well as she died when Tristan was just a boy. His father never spoke much about his mother, or his brothers, or any other member of his family. It was almost as if he was embarrassed by them, he would always say that he would tell Tristan when the time was right, but when would the time be right? Even though he did not remember much, there were two things that stuck out clearly in his mind, as if they had happened just yesterday. They were prophecies; one had been read by a healer, the second by the previous Interpreter of the Keepers, Caduca. When he, Romeo and Jacques (I think I got you guessing now), had been in Dilú about five years ago when they had first become Keeper Scribes. It went a little something like this, “Three Brothers...Blood Brothers...Forever Parted” and by the looks f it, this had come true where our hero is concerned. The second prophecy had been interpreted from two artefacts, The Builder’s Hammer and The Jackal’s Hand. The prophecy said, “At the death of the Romano brothers will come the end to a great era. The Faders shall return and take with them the most important to their victims until they are lost entirely in their past, not knowing what happened at most points in their life depending on who the Faders had taken. With the death of these two, will come the end to the Way of the Light meaning an end to the Keeper Society. End!” As you’ve probably now guessed, our hero is Tristan Romeo Romano, the cheeky Casanova from Iris’ banquet. Two years ago, his brother Romeo had fallen off of Death’s Toll at Auksendur. Jacques had disappeared the night Iris disappeared, only Romeo and Tristan knew the real reason, whatever it had been, they never told anyone, nor did Tristan remember what the real reason was. **
 * Tristan was walking home from the Smithy one autumn afternoon. Now this is where he starts his adventure, so make sure you pay attention. The street, which was usually packed with people searching the endless stalls of merchants selling their priceless, exotic goods, was still, silent and serial. No-one was anywhere, not even a cat or a rat in the many alleyways that littered the square. He could not understand why the square or the streets were so quiet. Even the alleyways, which were usually filled with hooded figures, orphaned children and even the odd youth pick pocketing the nobles. The fact that he can’t remember why this day was so important shows just how much he has forgotten. You see, on this day four years ago, Iris disappeared and on this day two years ago, Romeo fell off of Death’s Toll. **
 * As Tristan passed the Tailor’s and headed for the southern gate, the trumpets sounded and the soldiers marched towards the square. Tristan turned and watched as they carried a marble coffin in a procession through all the streets of Az Lagni and then out onto the pastures of the eastern gate. People poked their heads out of their windows and watched as the procession passed down their street and on into the next. This could only mean one thing...the king was dead...King Rubuen was dead! Tristan bowed his head and thought of everything the king had stood for, remembering him in all his greatness and paying his last and final respects to his one superior. As he looked up again, three guards were marching towards him. Tristan remained where he stood-if he was younger, he would have been running by now, but he was not as mischievous as he once was-waiting for the guards to reach him. They stopped a little while away and the one at the front of the pack stepped forward and addressed Tristan formally. **
 * “Tristan, I’m so glad I found you!” he started. “I need you to pass a message onto your father for me. Tell him that the council would like to see him right away and hurry! It’s very important!” Tristan nodded and walked speedily out of the southern gate. He headed down the hill and across the vegetable patch, towards his and his father’s cottage. His father was sat on the bench outside the front door. He had long black hair and a bony face with clear blue eyes. He wore his usual red robes and sat in peace, apparently not noticing Tristan as he stood in front of him and sighed as he sat. **
 * “Ah, you’re home! How was work?” his father asked. **
 * “It was alright! No-one was there though, no-one came to shop either. Even the streets were bare when I walked home as the procession of our dead king began...” he was cut off by a sudden interruption from his father. **
 * “Dead! The king is dead?” **
 * “Yes father...the king is dead!” **
 * “He must have given up hope.” **
 * “Hope...hope for what?” **
 * “Hope for the fact that Iris could still be alive...or Jacques.” **
 * “Jacques?” **
 * “Never mind!” **
 * “The council wanted to see you.” **
 * “They can wait! Tristan, do you know what Dagshelgr means?” **
 * “Yes...maybe...no...yes! Day of Sorrow?” **
 * “Well done...you’ve done your homework. Today...four years ago, Iris disappeared without a trace. No-one ever knew what happened to her! This day holds so much sorrow for many people. For us, it marks the death of Romeo, the disappearance of Jacques and it also marks the lives of thousands of Keepers killed at Degtúr.” **
 * “Who by!” **
 * “Livia...Champion of Auksendur.” **
 * “That name sounds familiar too...what is it about Iris that makes me feel as if I knew her so well?” **
 * “Perhaps the fact that you two shared something special?” **
 * “But what about Dagnen?” **
 * “Who’s Dagnen?” **
 * “I don’t know!” he lifted his hand and touched his lips...and then his cheek. **
 * “Now...I don’t know about this Dagnen girl, but what I do know is that you and Iris shared something special; you were very close friends. Hah! You used to bring her flowers, sometimes roses and sometimes irises. You’d tell her that a thousand roses alone would not match her beauty. Or, you’d bring her a single iris from Helga’s garden and tell her that it was just a token of your loyalty for her. She must have thought that you were crazy, but also that your heart lay elsewhere as you always had a cheeky smile upon your face. You were always so sarcastic but most humble. Jacques and Romeo never got tired of picking up on you. Good times!” **
 * “It’s funny...I don’t remember any of that!” **
 * “That’s the greatest burden you hold; the fact that you will never remember any of your previous feelings...no love, no happiness, nothing. I couldn’t manage what it must be like to know that you once felt it but don’t remember it.” **
 * “Is she still alive?” **
 * “No-one knows.” **
 * “Do you think that she is still alive?” **
 * “I have hope...and that is all that matters.” He stood, and readied himself to leave for the council meeting. As he reached the foot of the hill, he turned and called back to Tristan; “A letter came for you today. I left it on the table in the kitchen.” He turned, waving to Tristan and then continued up the hill towards the southern gate with Tristan watching eagerly after him.  **