Nimue was so angry and irritated that she refrained from riding Layla home. Sometimes her mood would transfer to the dragon and burning up the countryside might not be the best way for them to lay low. She was walked and wagging her head as she repeated the Lady’s words  in a high pitched and snippy voice. So carried away with her personal dialogue that her brain didn’t quite register what her eyes were seeing.<br/><br/>There was a man with Maric. His posture spoke of submission to Maric and Nimue relaxed a little as she hurried on. So he wasn’t there to do Maric harm if he was submissive. But it was the horse that let Nimmie know who the man was<br/>.<br/>“That horse with our stallion looks like Susan.” She said aloud, quite delighted in her deductions. “So the young man must be his squire.”<br/><br/>Suddenly, Nimue was overcome by the need to present herself as a woman worthy of Maric. She didn’t wish to shame him.She knew there were probably twigs in her hair and strawberry stains on her mouth and fingers. Her dress had a tear in it and the fish she was bringing home for supper smelled, well, fishy. Maric should be with a princess with soft hands and a sweet rose petal scent, not some wild woman from the woods whose perfume was piscine in nature. She paused and took a deep breath, It couldn’t be helped and she was his Lady Wife. Nimue smiled. Yes she was.<br/><br/>She started on the path to their cottage with a spring in her step and a smile on her face.<br/><br/>“Maric,” she called, waving her free hand, “I’m home, my love.”<br/><br/>_________________<br/>The guardian responded to the bold woman’s voice in the yard. She sounded commanding and a little rude, the old blind woman thought.  She knew what vision she had had and knew this was the female knight sent to bring sentence to Lord Maric and to bring heart break to little Nimmie. Opening the massive oak door , the elder woman called out,<br/><br/>“You have reached the Tor, the high holy place of Avalon where the Lady of the Lake communes with the Earth. He whom you seek is not here.”<br/><br/>There was silence and the creaking of leather, then footsteps over the crushed gravel path. The voice was nearer and high above the bent over little woman’s head.<br/><br/>“I have good information that suggests you are lying, madam. Now I strongly insist your bring him forth. I have charges to bring against him.”  Came the smooth rich tones laced with arrogance.<br/><br/>“The guardian does not lie,” said a voice, dripping in tones of ice from the dark interior of the stone building. “ Lord Maric lives across the lake in the field by the lake before you come to the forest.” The Lady, tall and elegant, dressed richly in red and gold silk gowns, stepped to the door, quietly dismissing the guardian. “ Who are you that you would disturb the peace of this place and disparage an elder so?”<br/><br/>“ I am Laana daughter of Tanatra, paladin of divinity, “ she replied like a litany. The Lady watched her take the measure of the high priestess. Lady Vivianne smiled because her height was usually a bargaining chip of power, as she was sure was the case with this knight. Neither had an advantage as they looked eye to eye.<br/><br/>“Welcome, Lady Laana.” The Lady of the Lake greeted her. She opened the door wider. “Please come in and sup with us. You have ridden far and look in need of refreshment.”