#fenixtj

"Ariel?" surprised.

"well ,she does take the trods to go home sometime. And it sayss here she's had training in Dreamcraft. How much I don't know"

"Can you see if Ariel and Bevera could come to us here?"

"Of course" She pauses, then looks worriedly at Otem "He will be all right, yes?"

"One way or the other." grimly "Hurry, please."

And she races off!

Jess wades back to Fontaine and Otem.

Fontaine says "He holds. For now. I know he will survive this. The question is will he survive it as a kithain or a nunnehi?"

"And which would he prefer."

Ariel bounds in first "Otem is sick??" Clearly she has heard things but not understood

"We think you might be able to help him. Do you have an Art that would let you communicate with him while he's like this? It's not sleep, but he's not conscious either."

"Oh.. Dreamcraft. Sure I can go into folks dreams, but it's hard" She admits "And I'm only supposed to do it on other kithain with permission" She adds

"You have permission to try, in this case. I've asked Troubador Bevera to join us; she has Dreamcraft too if you think you'd like to wait for her. There -is- a time issue."

"maybe Dame Bevera and I should work together?"

"If you can, it might help."

"Not a bad idea" the troubadour comes in, "If I heard right. I wouldn't endanger the child, but together we could establish a link and send YOU in to talk to him, Countess. That way the danger would be yours. I am a Gwydion, I fear no fight, not even in dreams. But you might wish to face this yourself and that is your call"

She nods. "If you think it can be done. Ladies, Fontaine says that, somehow, in the course of his quest for an antidote for Baron Tidemarch, Otem is becoming Kithain, leaving his Nunnehi nature. Our goal now is to find out if he wishes this to happen, or to retain his Nunnehi nature. We have a limited time to even attempt to halt the change. You understand?"

Ariel beams "he could be kithain? NEAT. He could then join us for even more parties."

Bevera grasps things in a more adult manner "This could endanger the alliance badly if he does change rather than help it. It might have him cast out of the Nunnehi counsel"

"Right. It was generous enough of him to find a cure for the Baron. He shouldn't be penalized like this, not against his will. Can you work your Arts for him?"

"We can" a nod

Bevera says "Ariel, I need you to follow my lead. Have you ever played ring around the rosie?"

"Lots of times" Ariel nods

"In the water or out?"

"In" Bevera says "Water can be used as part of the bunk. The ancient celts believed it was the passage to other worlds"

"All right then." Jess gives them room to work.

And they begin the bunk. It's a ritual, but one thaht involves Ariel splashing around in circles around Jessica one way while Bevera does the other

the magic takes hold, and opens the path not to the dreaming in general, but to the Dreams of one...

And Jessica feels herself fall into the dream of Otem

Jessica feels herself moving through a seemingly tropical haze

"Otem?" she asks, or tries to.

Her voice carries out. And things move along floors of black glass

"You will not interfere... the curse will not be foiled" Things move towards her. Giant scorpianns with great central eyes on their backs and gleaming stingers. They're bigger than horses

Jess readies her maul. "I have no quarrel with you. I wish to speak to Otem."

Her maul is here with her, strong as ever

"We will not let you stir him . The curse will not be foiled"

and they approach

"Let me speak to him or a promise you, your curse will fail." she speaks with utter sincerity and truth. What she has said, will be.

She realizes now she is wearing something akin to that priestess outfit, but with armor mixed in

Nevertheless, she tries to remain confident.

THey seem a bit intimidated by the overall effect.

Then finally one says "Attack" And the three scorpion things charge forward

"BRING ME HOME!!"

And she wakes up in the pool

"Something went wrong?" Bevera asks

"Stop the transition. NOW."

Her voice is charged with force, not volume."

"We'll need a namer..." Fontaine says but does not deny her command

"DAMN IT!" Volume and vehemence. "Send word to all and all allies. NOW. Olgar, Emmitt, the Duke... I don't care."

"Wait. Not the Duke. The other two."