A Dream of Innocence

Oshar woke to the crying of a new born babe. He drew aside his blanket and sat up, finding himself next to a smouldering campfire and surrounded by the sand shrouded dunes of his homeland. Not awake then... a dream. He sat waiting silently for its meaning as the babe cried on in the near distance.

He saw them then. The huddled form of a woman sat nearby cradling a squirming bundle. She had not been there a moment before. Such was the dream.

Oshar rose and approached the woman and her eyes rose up to meet his own.

"You should not be here." he spoke the words quietly as he reached for a blade that was not there. She wore the blue necklace he had taken, it sat there like a silent accusation of his crime.

"I am his mother, a child needs his mother." the tone held an edge of anger kept in check by the need to care for the babe.

"The gift is not for you." Oshar argued and the woman laughed.

"And my flowers were not for you Oshar. As long as Toman needs me, I will remain."

"And when he does not?" the assassin asked.

"Then we shall see Oshar Ka'hreth... then we shall see."

Oshar stepped closer to the pair, "May I see him?" he asked.

She flashed him a look of pure hatred but smothered it quickly, "As you wish."

Slowly she drew back the blanket to reveal a pale skinned infant with eyes so blue and pure that Oshar almost wept at the sight of them.

"Truly he is a fine boy." he whispered.

"Yes..." she covered the child once more, "Yes he would have been..."

Oshar woke once more in the darkness of his attic. He was sweating despite the cool night air and his breathing was quick and heavy. She had warned him of the consequences, but had not been prepared... he forced a slow ragged breath and closed his eyes. He must be prepared.