Entry 64: Your presence is “requested”

by Hayley Thomas

Dear Diary,

We were up before the sun had fully risen, crowding around a half-eaten breakfast, restless and eager to be on our way. Every heartbeat felt like a drum pounding in my ears, a constant reminder that time was slipping through our fingers—and with it, Galiene’s life.

The tavern door swung open with a soft creak, and in strode Lady Surina, her polished armor catching the early morning light. She greeted us with a rare warmth, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“I bring news,” she said, her voice clear and sure, “and I’m here to escort you back to Lady Morenthene.”

We scrambled to our feet at once, but Surina held up a hand to stall us. “First,” she added, “there’s still the matter of your reward.”

For a beat, none of us spoke. In all the chaos of the past days, the idea of a reward had barely crossed our minds. This had been about survival, about duty, about doing what was right—not about gold or favors.

I exchanged a glance with the others, then shrugged lightly. “We can inform Rachnar in Keralon if we think of anything,” I offered.

Lady Surina nodded, clearly satisfied, and turned on her heel. Without wasting another moment, we followed her through the winding streets, back toward the gnarled roots of the great tree and the yawning cavern beneath it.

Lady Morenthene awaited us, her massive form coiled in regal stillness. No words were needed this time. The air hummed with unspoken urgency. She had already prepared the gate, and it shimmered before us—a swirling portal of green and gold, promising a quicker path to salvation.

We bowed in silent gratitude, and one by one stepped through the portal.

The world shifted in a blink.

Gone were the heavy shadows of the lair. Instead, we found ourselves standing on the rolling, sunlit fields north of Keralon, the air fresh and clean, the grasses whispering around our boots. Behind us, the gate flickered once—then vanished into nothingness.

We stood still for a long moment, gathering our bearings, feeling the weight of this new beginning settle on our shoulders.

Then, without a word, we set out southward, following the wide dirt road toward the gleaming spires of Keralon. Hope pressed us forward like a wind at our backs.

Hours passed in steady, purposeful strides. It wasn’t long before we spotted movement ahead—a company of soldiers riding toward us under a white banner emblazoned with a silver tower, the unmistakable heraldry of Keralon’s knights.
We tightened our ranks instinctively, uncertain if this meeting would bring help—or more trouble.

As the riders drew closer, the glint of metal caught the light—and then we saw them clearly. Dire wolves padded at their sides, massive and watchful, their hackles raised in silent warning. One of the soldiers lifted a horn to his lips and blew a sharp, echoing call across the fields, the sound cutting through the warm afternoon air.

When we closed the distance, their leader—a grizzled man with a stern jaw and piercing eyes—raised a hand, ordering us to halt. His voice, when he spoke, was clipped and commanding.

"Names," he demanded.

We exchanged wary glances but gave them freely. It didn’t take long to realize this was no chance meeting. They had been looking for us.

The officer wasted no time. "You are summoned before His Majesty," he said. "At once." His tone left no room for argument—it was not a request, but a decree. And by the tense posture of the soldiers, the tight grips on their weapons, it was obvious they weren’t just messengers. They were escorts, there to ensure we obeyed—willingly or otherwise.

With no better option, we fell in line.

The rest of the day passed in strained silence, flanked on both sides by the king’s men. Half rode ahead, cutting a path through the grassy hills, while the other half shadowed us from behind, their presence as heavy as a chain around our necks.
When night fell and we made camp, the unspoken truth became even clearer. The guards watched the darkness with sharp eyes and ready blades, guarding against threats from outside... and making sure none of us slipped away into the night.

Now, sitting by the low fire, I find my thoughts racing faster than my pen can keep up. Why this urgency? What could be so important that the king would send an armed escort days out into the wilds for us?
And, more troubling still—what would have happened if Lady Morenthene hadn’t granted us her magic to shorten the journey? The summons had clearly been meant to find us, no matter how long it took.

How close had we come to being too late?

Continue reading...

Entry one: The trials

Entry two: The bramble

Entry 3: Rosebloom

Entry 4: Hearts and Dreams

Entry 5: of ghosts and wolves

Entry 6: Hillfield and Deals with Fae

Entry 7: mysteries and pastries

Entry 8: The scarecrow ruse
6th of Lug, 121 Year of the Tree

Entry 9: A betrayal of satyrs
7th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 10: The fate of twins
8th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 11: Cursed twins
10th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 12: Loss and despair
11th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Hayley's rules to being a Witch

Entry 13: the price of safety
12th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 14: A golden cage and fiery tower
13th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 15: A trial by fire
14th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 16: Keralon
15th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Letter to Luke 1

Letter to Luke 2

Letter to Luke 3

Letter to Luke 4

Letter to Luke 5

Letter to Luke 6

Entry 17: I shall wear midnight
1st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 18: peace in our time
2nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 19: Caern Fussil falls
3rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 20: I see fire
4th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 21: Cultists twarted
10th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 22: Ravensfield
14th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 23: The Hollow Hill Horror
15th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 24: Burn your village
16th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 25: Ravensfield burns
17th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 26: There will be blood!
21st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 27: A happy reunion
22nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 28: The embassy ball
23rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 29: The fate of Robert Talespinner
24th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 30: A royal summons
28th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 31: of Dogville and Geese
29th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 32: A boggle named Pim
30th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 33: A deal broken
1st of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 34: The cost of doing what is right
2nd of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 35: A dish best served cold
9th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

entry 36: Cornu returns?
10th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 37: A letter from Amarra
11th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 38: The case of the (not) missing villagers
14th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 39: A curse broken
15th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 40: Into the Lorewood
18th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 41: Cabin in the Woods
19th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 42: Myrdin and Anaya
20th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 43: Into the Immerglade
21st of Aran, 127 Era of the Tree

Entry 44: A tale as old as time
22nd of Aran, 127 Era of the Tree

Entry 45: The truth
23rd of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 46: Luke's Ordeal
24th of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 47: The festival
26th of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 48: Trouble at the Cathedral
2nd of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 49: Quinn's court
4th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 50: onwards to Latebra Velora
5th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 51: Where is my cow?
6th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 52: Here be dragons
7th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 53: Dragon hoard with a side of scarabs
8th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 54: Leave the basilisks alone
9th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 55: Return to Ravensfield
10th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 56: The needs of the many...
11th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 57: Dreams of Sister Willow
12th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 58: wetlands be wet
13th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 59: Baron Perenolde
14th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 60: Talebra Velora and the lady Morenthene
15th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 61: Cypria
16th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 62: Dragon takes Knight
17th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 63: Return to Talebra Velora
18th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 64: Your presence is “requested”
19th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 65: I stand alone
20th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 66: A day of normalcy
21th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 67: Into the Neverhold
22nd of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 68: The Warg King

Entry 69: Chased by birds

Entry 64: Your presence is “requested”

Continue reading...

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