Audreena and the Cloak

Audreena watched as the seamstress showed her the fabric of the cloak.  The blue satin shimmered with gold threads that caught the light as she turned it.

“How will this help me?” She asked woman before her.

“This cloak will shield you from the synod as it sends searchers for the mystical seeker.  It will block their see’ers from finding you.”  The widow was kind and seemed that she really wanted to help.  The fairy in the woods who sent her here had trusted this woman but Audreena didn’t trust anyone but Bayleen and he was off with her father fighting the dark lords of the far land beyond the Blue Mountains. 

“Can you make another; one for a man?”  Audreena asked cautiously. No one was sure that she and Bayleen were these mystic seekers but Zeppa was certain she was right.  If this seamstress could protect her maybe she could protect Bayleen as well.

“It would take some time.  I have to infuse each thread with the shield before the fabric is made.  The cloak I made for you was started long ago.  The fairies told me I would need to create one to protect a woman who would come to me before the awakening.  I only made one, I do have some gold thread left but I will have to start over on the rest.”

“Can anyone help us, to make it faster,” Audreena asked warily.

“No one that can be trusted.  The fairies also warned that many would try to find the mystic seekers by posing as protectors.  I cannot enlist the help of another without alerting them to the fact that I am making cloaks to protect that which the synod seeks.  I will make your cloak with as much haste as I can conjure up.”

“Thank you, I will return for it when the fairies let me know you have completed it.”

“Very well, I will see you soon.”  With that Audreena left the shop and donned the cloak.  She traveled through the village and was on the lane to the abbey in no time. 

The lane was usually void of many travelers but today there seemed to be dozens of people coming from the direction of her home.  Audreena wondered what was going on that so many were traveling today.  Giselle was the vision of beauty when she appeared at the fork in the road.  Sight of her Audreena remembered that the ball was today.  She had forgotten in all of the commotion of revealing her new abilities to her loved ones and her journeys into the mystic realm. 

“Hello Giselle,” Audreena said as she passed.

“Hello, Audreena, are you ready for the ball tonight?  It will be grand!  I love your new cloak wherever did you get it?”  Giselle was bubbling with excitement.  Her face was alight and the glimmer in her eyes had little to do with the sun that shone unseasonably warm.

“I had a seamstress in the village make it for me.  I am glad you like it Giselle.”  Audreena usually didn’t care what Giselle though but at that moment she was happy for the compliment.  “See you tonight!”

Giselle was already moving away down the lane as she waved to Audreena.  Audreena moved with new purpose towards home.

Bayleen and her father had returned while she had been in the village and everyone was busy preparing for the ball.  Rachaella was buzzing about assisting to find baubles for everyone; including Audreena.  When the time came to depart for Creston Manor everyone was the vision of beauty with their hair formed into perfect curls and tied up in ringlets.  Bayleen and father were dressed as if they were going to visit a queen.  Audreena felt as if she was in a dream as Bayleen escorted her up the steps of Creston Manor.

The manor was filled with people from across the land.  Women donned the fanciest of dresses and men wore their finest clothes.  As luck would have it Audreena’s cloak matched her new dress perfectly.  The gloves she had made were trimmed in the same gold flecks of her cloak.    As she stood watching the dancing with Bayleen and Philleep a beautiful young woman approached.  She stood near Audreena and seemed to want to join them.

“Did you travel far to get here?” Audreena asked leaning close to be heard over the noisy room.

“I have traveled from the far reaches of the land beyond the Blue Mountains to be here tonight.  I am seeking a special man to fulfill my life.”  The young woman was beautiful with a braided halo around her head.  Golden curls escaped framing her angelic face.  Audreena could not believe that this woman did not have the choice of any man she wanted.

“I am Audreena, daughter of Gnobb.”  She extended her hand with the introduction.  “We all are wishing for magic in that quest.”

“Nice to meet you; I am Ashral of Krell.”  Audreena sucked in her breath and silently wished for something to make her invisible.  Ashral was the name of the Sphinx that had killed her uncle; the one that was said to be hunting her and Bayleen.  She must have been drawn to Bayleen through the mystic; it had to be how she found them in the room full of people.

“Well I am off to dance with my prince,” Audreena said as she grabbed Bayleen by the arm.  Turning to Philleep she said, “Please go dance with my sister, Ashral doesn’t need a little boy in the way of her hunt!”

At the mention of her name smiled and disappeared into the crowd.  Audreena place her arm around the one person she would be lost without as they danced away.  Ashral had been fooled this once; but Bayleen needed his own cloak now more than ever!