Sleep would not come easy for her, this night, or any night since leaving the castle. The bed was hard and small and the blankets did little to keep the cold off her. Every shadow through her window moved and caught her eyes and every creak of the floorboards sent a shiver up her spine. No, there would be no reprieve yet again. Her mind was wandering, constantly thinking, planning for when she met the dragon. If she met him that is, but she would refuse to leave with nothing less then a meeting with the beast. At best, she would make it her pet. Of course, dragons were proud beings wouldn't be brought down to that level, but she could still dream.<br/><br/>The Queen stood up from the bed, wrapping the blanket around her and tentatively stepped toward her pack. From it she pulled a deck of tarot cards, possibly her favourite form of divination. A new moon to signify change and three cards to hint at the future, was what her teacher always told her. She sat where the moonlight crossed the room and drew three cards from the deck, putting them in a row before her. The first was to represent the present, the current situation. Eight of Wands; a sign to take action, a resolution, and possible news or information. The second was to represent the near future. Six of Swords: a feeling of being lost, a recovery, and travel. The third was the far future. Three of cups: excitement, companionship, and community.<br/><br/>She liked this spread, save for the Six of Swords. She never liked seeing the Suit of Swords in her spreads. No good ever comes with seeing those cards. She bundled them all together again and put them away. It was the first and last cards that she found were more in her interest.<span style="font-style: italic">'Take action, a resolution, and information,'</span>she thought as she quietly left her room.<span style="font-style: italic">'Information is just what I need, so I can take action and reach a resolution.'</span><br/><br/>Vidalia peeked down the hall. No guards stood outside her door, but she knew some would still be awake downstairs and possible in the stables as well. She got half way down the stairs before being asked, "M'lady, is something wrong?"<br/><br/>It was one of the younger knights that had been picked to accompany her and she replied curtly with, "Unless you wish to listen to be complain about how the bed makes my back ache, then no, nothing is wrong." He pressed his lips into a thin line and held his tongue from further comments. She continued down and left the common room, stepping out onto the front step for fresh air. There was chill to it and into the mountains she could see snow. That would be one them soon enough and once it melted there would be war between Convallis and Apricus.<br/><br/>That left plenty of time to convince the new resident dragon to help her. Or so she hoped. She was ready and willing to offer every for single battle with it on their side, to rain fire upon her enemies.<span style="font-style: italic">'And hopefully my failure of a husband.'</span>She wouldn't mind in the least.<br/><br/>She pulled the blanket tighter as the wind picked up, shrill and chilled. Her breath came in a fog and she pretended for a moment it was smoke from her own flaming breath.