million dreams are keeping me awake

Karah walked down the path through the forest towards the cottage she shared with her mother and three younger siblings. It had been three years since her father had been sent to exile island for committing the crime of using abilities against another person. Karah knew that her father had not done it intentionally or with malice but that did not matter. When his anger flung the cup of ale across the room and a shard of the cup hit the constable that was the end. He no longer had any contact with his family and Karah did not know if she would ever see her father again. She was thankful for the new life that her mother was trying to create in this new place so far from the only home she ever knew. They had the shop and her mother was a talented seamstress, but there were other better known seamstresses in Tifton village and yet more in Thirston which was not far away. To help supplement the family’s income and pay the rent to the kind widow who owned the cottage, Karah had taken a job at Hiethem Abbey. She loved the walk through the forest to and from work every day. The trees were alive with birdsong and insect chatter and the soft rustling of the leaves in the breeze lent a peaceful air to her surroundings.
Karah knew she would not sleep this night as she had heard a rumor that the council was voting on a new decree releasing those who were incarcerated on exile island for minor crimes. She knew it was possible that her father Terek would be released but if he was would he know where to find them? She was so deep in thought that the mist settling on the path ahead of her went unnoticed at first. Karah realized that in the coming darkness it was hard to make out the path beneath the fog and her thoughts returned to the present. Although she knew a gentle breeze was blowing the mist settled before her. She looked back the way she had come and the path was clear. Gingerly she took one step at a time watching through the mist at her feet for the bare earth of the path that would lead her home.
All of the sudden a blue twinkling light caught her eye. As she looked up she saw what she thought was a butterfly hovering directly in front of her over the mist.
“You will be an asset to the cause,” She heard in a soft tinkling voice, “I am the blue fairy of the mystic and I have come to bring you a message. When he comes he must be sent north immediately!”
“When who comes,” Karah asked the mysterious being before her>
“You will know, only you will know,” The voice said. Then the blue fairy with twinkling wings lifted into the air disappearing into the canopy of the forest. As she flew upward the mist cleared just as suddenly as it had appeared.
Karah stood bewildered at the events that had just occurred. She had heard of the mystic. All of Kiannanu had heard of it since the council had decreed that people with abilities were a valuable asset to the land. Not all were enemies and they had encouraged the people to accept this and quit unduly persecuting those like her father. It was a relief to not fear being imprisoned for a slip up and the fear for her younger siblings was lessened as they had begun to show abilities at such a young age. However, Karah was not sure that the fear would ever truly leave her. She had grown up with the knowledge that her abilities must never be shown in public, now that views were changing throughout the land it was hard to trust that this would remain the case.
She continued towards home with a new wave of trepidation as she tried to decrypt the message from the fairy. When who comes, she wondered again as she approached the small cottage.

As she entered the cottage the warmth of the hearth was overwhelming. It was warming up outside and the cooking fire heated the small space of the cottage too much for her liking.
“Mother, I had a strange encounter in the forest,” Karah said. “I know that you believe in the mystic and such but I never thought that it would be up to me to figure out what the mystic forces want from me.”
“Karah, you are rambling,” her mother interrupted her, “What do you mean in plain words please!”
Karah took a deep breath and looked at the little ones playing near the window. She began in almost a whisper as not to be overheard by them.
“On my way home from the Abbey I was surrounded by mist. It stopped just behind me and continued as far as I could see ahead. Then a fairy appeared, she was blue and twinkled so gaily but she told me that I would be an asset to the cause and that when “he come” I should send him north right away,” Karah paused and took another deep breath before she went on, “Mother I do not know who “HE” is and when I asked she simply said I would knew and flew off taking the mist with her. What should I do?”
“It sounds as though you need to seek the guidance of one who knows about the mystic. Zeppa the owner of this cottage was kind enough to let us live here because she knew what happened to your father. Her cousin Javel was a traveling salesman and he avoided the same fate by staying hidden in the Glendyllian province for months. He told her of us and she sent for us to come here and start over. She knows of the mystic and knows others who do as well. You must seek her counsel while you are at the Abbey tomorrow.”
“But you said to tell no one of my abilities and to go to her would reveal this secret. Mother I am afraid,” Karah looked at her mother as tears fell softly down her cheeks.
“Daughter there has been a shift,” her mother said, “I know you have grown up with the fear of exposure causing us great harm but I know that Zeppa will not betray us and besides it wasn’t always a bad thing to possess abilities. My mother spoke of a time when Abilities were often used everyday by all who had them. It was only in my youth that the fear by those who did not have abilities clouded the minds and hearts of others. The ablemen who use their abilities to rob, steal and pilfer has created this climate of intolerance towards abilities and now that the council has ablemen fighting to right the injustices things will change for the good for us I am sure.”
She looked at her daughter's face full of fear of what had happened in the past and the fear of what might come and then she went on.
“If the mystic brought you a message you will be drawn in whether you want to be or not, Zeppa will help guide you. You must trust her.”
“Very well mother,” Karah replied, “I will try to get a word with Zeppa alone tomorrow. I am not at all sure I will ever trust anyone but I will try.”

When the little ones were fast asleep Karah sat up on her mattress listening to the soft breathing of her brother and her sisters. She had hopes and dreams of her own but she also had hopes and dreams for them. As she looked out at the stars through the leaves of the trees she wished her father were here to share her worries with her. She knew she would not sleep this night as a million dreams would keep her awake. Dreams of the past, dreams of the future. Dreams for the children, dreams for her mother and most of all dreams of her father. Waking dreams that haunted her thoughts.