The rain fell heavily on the roof of the great hall, the roaring thunder tore through the air and the bright light from the lightning lit the room as the doors swung open. Those gathered inside gasped and the men and women who where closest to the doors let out screams of fear and rushed further back into the hall. This was truly a storm seldom seen in this part of the world, two armed guards made their way through the more or less panicked crowd of men, women and children but as they walked up the last steps to close the heavy doors there was another deep, roaring rumble of thunder and in the light of the lightning that followed they saw her.
Standing there with the rain pouring down over her silluette, head lowered and arms held close to her body. The guards shouted at the woman to hurry inside so they could shut the doors but she did not move. Another lightning, and as the thunder caused the great hall to shake, figures appeared behind the woman. Their silluettes broad and the feint shimmering of armour could be seen, they, as the woman, did not move. The lord of the hall leaned to his right, whispering to his wife: ”What should I do...?”
Then suddenly the woman raised her head and looked at the two guards, with a smile she graciously approached them, the figures behind her following her steps. It was as if time stood still that night, the roaring storm lending its strength and as the woman and her companions entered the hall there was a great gush of wind and the torches at their end of the hall was blewn out. Darkness settled in half the hall and the two guards who had approached her had now quickly retreated to the side where there was still light. The men begun to whisper to each other, women doing their best to comfort their children.
”Who are you to disturb my hall at this hour!” the lord shouted, standing up and resting his hand on his blade as he did. His wife raising her hand and gently laying it on his waist as if to calm him down. ”Well...speak!”
She did not answer, she simply nodded to the left and right and the group of shapes behind her spread out to the sides. There was another great flash of lightning and the guards closest to the woman managed to build up their courage and approach, swords drawn. Again she did not answer but instead she took a few steps closer, at this point the lord of the hall was beginning to loose his temper. He ordered some of the men in the hall to close the doors and the handful of guards present he ordered to block the way for the woman and her allies. She did nothing as the men rushed past her and closed the doors and by now her men seemed to have made their way up alongside the sides of the hall, moving silently in the feint lit hall. What followed then shocked all who had gathered in the great hall, the lords guards stepped forward and grabbed hold of the womans arms. She did not resist but instead the two men who had grabbed her begun to choke, coughing, gasping for air and their bodies begun to shake uncontrollably as they fell to the floor. Two other guards rushed forward and tried to grab her as well, they two fell to the floor. Lowering her hood and raising her head the woman looked across the hall onto the lord before her. She then spoke with a soft, gentle tone:
”Is this really how you treat a guest m'lord? You truly are a suspicious and frightened folk” She stepped further into the hall and as she passed the faded torches on the walls they burst into flame. ”You ask who I am, I will answer in due time...as for now...”
No one dared to look upon her and some of the men and women knelt as she passed them, those close to her gasping as if they had seen one of the fabled fair folk of old. It now became apparent to the lord that as she got closer his people knelt before her and as he glanced to his left he could see the shadowy figures that had accompanied her standing on either side of his high seat. He let go of his sword and swallowed, nodding and as he spoke his voice trembled.
”I..I am so sorry m'lady, forgive me...it was not my intention to threaten” he looked at this wife who seemed frozen by fear, gently taking her hand he looked back at the woman who now had made her way all the way up to him. She leaned forward and whispered seductively in his ear:
”Send your wife away...you don't need her at your side...you have me now...” The man looked at her, his eyes staring straight into hers. And as she gently caressed his cheek she said with a seductive voice:
”Bawîba dulgîmâ, hinakkha êphalak izindu-bêth, zirân...Avalê...”
The lord of the hall ordered the remainder of his guards to take his wife away, she struggled of course, screaming at him not to listen to the strange woman. But he would not listen to his wife, instead he seemed enchanted by her beauty and as the guards reluctantly threw out his wife from the hall he took the ladys hand and offered his wifes seat beside him. With a smile she accepted and sat down beside him, looking out across the hall at the men and women present she shouted with a clear tone:
”Now, where is the Bear of Dor-Hallas!”
