Dragon in a Dream, page 7 ---"Rhymester"--- +Lady_Blaze+

I sat in that chair for at least the amount of time it takes to thoroughly polish a pair of boots when the little man returned, rubbing his palms together in a satisfied manner. He merely gestured me down the hallway he had entered from, giving me a final, "I dearly hope you have a pleasant time, Miss!", and "Just follow the hallway; it's the door at the end".

The door at the end was painted the same green hue as the sign outside had been, with large brass hinges and an oversized brass knob. Other than the trimmings, it was quite a plain door. I turned the knob slowly and push open the door, unprepared for what I saw behind it.

The door closed silently behind me as I advanced onto a stone footpath into the loveliest garden I had ever laid eyes on. I could not help but let my eyes wander to drink in the beautiful variety of greenery and sweet-smelling blooms, walking slowly, nearly forgetting who I was to see.

The path petered out at the edge of a flat grassy area, where a statue of a man was perched on a low pedestal. The man was ancient, with lines carved into his forehead and creases in his skin that suggested a deep wisdom. The eyes were closed to the wealth of beauty surrounding it, and it wore a thin circlet that had been cleverly wrought to form a stone braid. It sat opposite another low, moss strewn pedestal, as if inviting me to sit and contemplate with it. I decided I would wait here of the Rhymester to make his entrance, for it was a pleasant place, and I was intrigued by the lifelike statue.

I sat, and the statue stirred as if from a long sleep and lifted a pair of sharp blue eyes to meet my curious gaze.

"Yes, I am the Rhymester, if you were wondering, Miss Allytai of Camai. It is a great honor to finally meet you," he said in a rumbling voice. I was shocked for only a moment, before I decided the old man was dotty and that his advice was merely speculation.

"I was directed to you in order to find the whereabouts of Almond Row," I said to the Rhymester with a trace of sarcasm.

He leaned forward so far I was positive he would fall off his stool. "Ahh!," he said, "But I am here merely to tell you what you need to know."

"Yes, that is what the woman said to me. I need to know where Almond Row is, please," I repeated.

"But I am not one to remember street names; I am sorry to disappoint you, dear child. Perhaps another question would prove far more useful to both of us than the kind you ask." He smiled slightly, perusing me with his piercing eyes, as if seeing into me. Noticing the pack I still wore over my shoulders, he commented in an offhand manner, "You'll not find anything useful that way, child."

I looked hard at him, but his face was as bland as bread pudding.

"What do you mean, 'that way'?"

"Oh, that is only if you look too long and hard in the wrong direction.. You never know what information you might find within your grasp simply by reaching out without seeing the way you think it should be."

"Rhymester, the only thing I need to know is where Almond Row is, so that I can find my way around this city! I am not inclined to do much else. That is why I am here," I said, hoping the old man would simply give me what I requested without farther speculating on why I might be in the Gem. I had the uncanny feeling he knew more about me than I had let on, but I would not let myself believe that such a strange man truly was more than the resident fake.

"I believe you are searching..." The Rhymester stopped, then tapped his nose once with a gnarled finger. I inwardly squirmed at his seemingly vague assumptions.

"You are searching," he tugged once on his flowing grey beard and stabbed me with his crystalline eyes, "for something..."

My relief was short-lived when he shot to his feet and produced a wide, flat hat from I knew not where.

"Child, let us be direct, shall we? All right, so you wish to know about the Dragon's history. That is a difficult subject to broach, even for me, and I perfectly understand your obvious reluctance to speak of it. But seeing as how you will find it exceedingly dangerous in the Gem if you go along asking strangers for directions while you carry the Dragon Skein, I shall deem this one time worthy of speaking about."

He promptly sat down again, plopping the hat squarely on his head. "And don't pretend you know nothing about it because it is written all over you."

-- What an odd man..

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