by Gavin Green
Chapter 29
Seldom was Enochia at her haven in the Lore, but she felt the need, however brief, for a deserved respite from her Verden toils. As fae holdings went, it was a moderate affair; coarse grasslands held pockets of leafless trees, all in a perpetual snowy winter setting, stretching as far as the eye could see. Up on a plateau, a mansion sat next to a high cliff that overlooked a dark and stormy ocean.
The manor itself, formed into a chateau architectural style, was externally dilapidated, covered in rime and long icicles. The interior, however, was spacious and clean, with antique furniture and dim lighting. Many of its large windows overlooked the roiling breakers below.
Up in a darkened den with the windows covered in heavy drapes, Enochia sat in a padded Spanish renaissance-style chair, reading by candle light. Joining the candlestick on the table next to her chair was a pile of correspondence scrolls that awaited her eventual return. Most were requests from various fae to give readings on specific topics, with payment offers that ranged from bushels of Lore fruit to an abducted Verden child. She wouldn't even reply to some of the scrolls, and set them aside for Harkin to dispose of.
Suddenly, two unexpected and vivid images came to Enochia's mind. The first was of a large, castle-style double door, made of rough wood and framed in stone. It swung open, and all manner of fae weaponry chaotically flew out. That image quickly segued into the second. The following vision was also of a door, but it was of a plain panel style, painted white. Mist crept from underneath it. A small human hand began to push it open when the image faded.
As quickly as they came, the visions were gone. It was mildly surprising that more ominous portent came from the plain white door rather than the large, roughly-hewn one. The oracle's honed interpretive skills told her that more trouble was heading towards the village - much more.
Enochia tossed a scroll aside and slouched into her chair with an exasperated sigh. "Curse the elements," she muttered to herself, "I just got comfortable."
