It only took a moment for him to catch up.

"The others will be in the hall. We should have been here yesterday." Dren said. She sounded irritated. James wondered what she had to be irritated about. He was not the one to disrupt her dreams.

James walked beside Dren. Elur walked beside him. He felt the animals cloud soft pelt brush against his leg. This place was strange. These creatures couldn't be called canine but nor were they feline. If you saw them from a distance, you would think they were fluffy sheep. They were the right size to be. James looked down at Elur. Small sheep, then he remembered the size of Reuor. Okay maybe, he thought.

He looked up and concentrated on the path. They wove their way through structures until they stood before the largest they had come across on this journey.

"Thank you, Elur. You can rejoin Reuor now." Dren told the cloud. They both moved around him and Dren pushed her fingers into the animals’ soft pelt.

After a few seconds, she shook her head. It seemed almost sad.

Elur nudged her thigh. Dren said, "Peks ny, Elur." (thank you, elur) then she was backing away and moving her hands to her sides.

"You still think this a dream? Have you not seen how real this is? Why would you dream this?" She demanded.

"I'm sure it's a dream," he told her. "People don't read people’s minds in real life. Pets don't look like," he pointed a finger back at Elur, "that."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Why would you dream this?"

"I don't know. Why do people dream anything? "He replied.

She stopped walking and turned to face him. "I like this less then you. Believe it a dream or not, you still must show the others respect. My life too lay in the balance. My future. My world. My peoples. Show respect or you may not wake from your dream." She said the word dream like it was a curse that burned her tongue.

"Okay. Maybe it will make the dream pass faster." He said. He took no notice to the threat.

She turned from him and resumed walking. "The others are waiting for us in the Hall."

They reached a large hut with mud and twig walls. The roof was a mixture of grass and mud. The door was made of thick strips of bark tied together by thin vines.

The door swung outward and a man came from behind it.

"Holma (welcome), Princess Drenoddia Raphell O' Ememoc ." the man said. He placed a hand over his heart and looked at the ground at Dren's feet.

"Peks ny, Er. Ish ton mouguth atte va. English please, Er. " Dren said. The man looked up. She introduced them and the man stepped back.

"The others wait inside." He said.

Dren turned to Elure. "Thank you my friend. Will you wait for us or shall we find you when we are done," she asked. She waited and James thought he saw mild worry cross her features. Then she said, "Thank you." She leaned down and nuzzled the animals face with hers.

Then the three of them, Dren, Er, and James entered the Hut.

Inside the hut, James paused to look around when the door closed behind them. The walls glowed, casting a pale blue-green hue over the bare room and the three of them.

Wispy phantoms of light floated over the still air. His hand lifted, palm up, and one of the tiny phantoms drifted closer. The light resembled a blue seeded center with thousands of hair like structures shooting out of the center seed. The tiny hairs moved over his palm hardly touching. His skin tingled at the brief touch.

"What?" He asked. His voice was filled with all the awe he felt. He silently marveled at some of the components of this dream.

"They are Merden's. They consent to share their light with us. We give them food, shelter, and respect in turn." Er said in a low voice.

James looked up and found that hundreds floated within reach. Even his two companions were surrounded by the Merdens. The one that danced over his palm lifted up and joined the others.

"Come." Er said.

The Merdens all lifted higher when James took a step to follow Er and Dren. Even as he followed them, he watched the Merdens. They looked like a school of jellyfish swimming on the air. He didn't flinch when Dren took hold of his arm and guided him down the curving hallway.

The Merden only followed them a few feet down the hall then settled over the ceiling close to the entrance.

"Merdens?" he repeated. "Now, that’s cool," he added making his tone more neutral.

Neither of the others said a word.

Soon they stopped at a set of huge wooden doors. The doors were carved with intricate scroll-work and some of the scroll-work was in laid with gold, silver or a bluish-purple metal he didn't recognize. They reached up at least twelve feet and had brass handles at three, six and eight feet. Dren reached for the handle.

"Wow. What do they have in here? Trolls?" he laughed softly.

"Among others, Yes." Er said seriously.

"Your concern will be the Seelie. Show respect for everyone, but the Seelie are the rulers of the races." Dren said her hand flexed on the handle. "Most will not speak but when they do pay attention. Answer any question honestly. And I do mean any question. Do not lie even if you fear the answer will anger them. A lie will anger them much more then truth. Hold yourself straight. Head high. Expect respect." She seemed to cringe, "Look them in the eye. Do not look at me after we enter the room. Remember... Respect. Truth. Regal."

She barely waited for his nod before pulling the door. The door smoothly slides open an inch. She froze then closes the door. She turns to him.

James suddenly felt uncomfortable.

The muscles in her jaw jumped in irritation. A low rumble pressed through her clinched bared teeth. "I tell you true, I hate this much more than you. But I will do my duty to my peoples, Even if it means putting my soul in your hands. When you find this is not a dream I hope you understand what I give and what I do not. If you... Respect me in even a small way, then you will stop this game of pretending to be a... rogue. You must show respect to them. Please?" Her voice started harsh and unforgiving but the last word was delivered in almost a plea. James had an almost overwhelming wave of sympathy sweep through his chest.

But the hard part of his brain pushed it aside. He refused to feel sorry for her. Women used men until nothing was left and then cast them aside. His ex-wife proved that. She had once played on his sympathy too. Dren had no idea who she was dealing with.

He was a rogue. He was heartless and he wanted only to wake from this reminder of what women could do to a man’s soul.

"I don't pretend to be a rogue. It's who I am. I don't get close to women unless it's in bed and then I leave. When this dream is over I’ll forget you minutes after I wake up and there is nothing you can do about it." James looked over at Er watching with his jaw more clinched, his face a mask of disbelief and horror. James glared at him then back at Dren. His heart pinched but he pushed that away too. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes.

"So be it.," she said softly.

Without another word, she pushed open the door. James moved forward. Er moved beside Dren.

"This is wrong." Er whispered to Dren. He laid a hand over her forearm even as they moved forward. Dren shook his hand away. A tear flowed unchecked down her face.

"No. But it's not right either." she whispered.

Beyond the doors was a huge cave. Stalactites hung from the ceiling in a riot of colors. Stalagmites rose up from the cave floor. The center of the cave had been converted to a forty-foot circle. Three rows of stone thrones sat at the edges of the circle. Each thrown was occupied. Thirty sets of eyes turned to face the trio.

James realized that Dren had not been joking when she said that there were trolls. There were three. There were also Elves, brownies, and many other creatures that he couldn't name.

Dren hissed under her breath, "Move," and pushed him between the shoulder blades.

James moved forward. Dren and Er followed a short distance behind.

James stopped in the center of the circle and Dren stopped and stood beside him. Er had made his way to the edge of the circle.

"Princess Drenoddia Raphell O'Eemoc." It was said softly but resonated off the walls. James almost felt Dren stiffen at his side but he didn't take his eyes off the man that said her name.

The man sat in the front row of thrones. His hair was a silver green that reached past his chest. His face held that hollow look that came with age but his eyes were a crystal clear green of new spring leaves. His thin arms lay over the thrones armrest, long slim fingers curved over the front of the carved stone.

Beside him, Dren knelt to one knee her hand over her heart and her eyes cast down to the floor.

"You may rise." The man said. His eyes had yet to even glance at James. The man watched Dren as she rose. James though for a moment that he saw tenderness pass over the man’s features.

"I bring to you Jonathan James Watson." Dren said simply.

He hadn't told her his name. He quickly went back over the last few days. No, He was sure he hadn't.

James sank to his knees almost as Dren had done and placed a fist over his heart. He did not take his eyes off of the beings before him. He watched as a look of wonder passed between a few of the others that graced a few of the thrones. Still he did not rise. The silence in the room was absolute if not for his heart that pounded in his ears.

Finally in a voice that could have been heard only in that room the man on the main throne spoke, "You may rise."

James rose slowly, suddenly realizing that he had no clue what was to come next. When he stood straight the female that sat on the throne beside the main throne spoke.

"Forgive us, Jonathan." she almost stumbled over his name, as if it's pronunciation was odd on her tongue. "You are not what we expected. We believed that your race had long forgotten the court. We did not expect you to hold to court customs." She bowed her head towards him. "We are remiss it seems in regards to the rituals. It has been many centuries since your race has visited the court. Shall we agree to keep this informal?"

Seeing no other choice James nodded his agreement.

"I believe introductions are in order," the man said. He held out his hand to Dren. "You have met Princess Drenoddia Raphell O'Eemoc." he said then turned his gesture to the woman at his side. "May I introduce Queen Delena Janic O'Eemoc?"

James kept his mouth closed through the rest of the introduction. The names started to blend together but he tried to keep them straight. Some were so odd that he did remember them. The rough troll like giant was called Pedor Lia. His mate was Angeir.

James found that only one of the people gathered there seemed to dislike him on site. The man was tall, brown hair, black eyes and his skin blended into the stone throne. The man flashed dislike as the introduction was made. James remembered this name as well. Kalia Zerin.

"We welcome you." The old king said. James wondered if he would introduce himself at last.

He did not. Dren preformed this last introduction.

"May I present to you, The Seelie King, Sinardon Sidatheveron of Sowika, My father." She spoke confidently but she did not look at him.

James nodded to the king.

"I'm sure your journey has been tiring. You may rest. You'll find the whole of the castle will bid you welcome. Should you need anything you need only ask." The king said. "We shall give you five days to rest before you need visit the council again."

Dren was suddenly at his right and Er now stood to his left.

"Come." Dren said. The three of them retraced their steps to the giant doors. Er pushed the doors open and waited for them to pass through before closing the doors behind them all.

As soon as the doors closed James demanded, "HUMANS HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE? You let me go in there knowing nothing! What the hell are some of those creatures?" He stopped walking and grabbed her arm.

She spun to face him. Er grabbed James, breaking his hold on Dren and slammed him into the wall. Cold stone leeched its chill through the fabric of his shirt.

"Er, Stop." Dren commanded just as James found the tip of a red blade just an inch from his chin.

Er froze but his eyes flashed rage as he looked into James' eyes. "Mark my words human, lay another hand on the princess and not even the earth mother herself will stay my blade." Er stood still his blade unmoving. His eyes boring into James's.

James understood the unspoken threat. It was a challenge, silent but still just as deadly as the verbal one.

James didn't move. He waited for Er to release his shirt and step back before turning to Dren. The princess.

He was getting more uncomfortable as time went on. As much as he wished that this were a dream, he was starting to doubt that to be true.

If he had to pick a moment that his illusions had truly started to shatter, it would have been when he met the Merden. he considers himself a fairly imaginative guy, but in no circumstances could he have dreamt of them. the merden were to fantastical for his imagination. Granted it didnt stop him from fighting the knowledge and insisting that it was only a dream.

James didn't clear the lump that  formed in his throat. He thought it best to show as little weakness in front of Er as possible.

Emulating a move from a movie that he had seen years ago he bowed to the princess. Forcing as much mockery from his tone as he possibly could at that moment he said, "My apologies, Princess." He sent a vailed glair at Er before turning and walking down the hall.

He heard Dren speaking in her native tongue but didn't turn back around.  In anger he walked down the corridor. His musles stiff and ready to spring at the slightest provocation.