Amaryll woke to a place so familiar yet not. A place where he is sure he had been. A place that strangely makes him feel hope.

And a name echoing, pertaining to this haven... Amaryllis.

[Dream Sequence]

"Give him to me! You cannot save him, Leia. He is meant to lead our people..."

The woman clutches the wrapped bundle closer to her bosom as she scathingly cuts off the man's tirade, "No! He is not going to be your puppet in controlling our government, Reisha! He will not be named now and I will not let Joseia's death be in vain. I 'will' save him!"

She then turns into a darkened alley and into Amaryll's dream vision.

"You! You were exiled from Amaryllis a year ago! You have no right to be here!"

Amaryll watches in horrified fascination as he realizes that the woman who had suddenly appeared from nowhere is talking to him and continues to advance on him... only to pass through his body.

He turns and sees another whose face is covered in shadows, obscuring his sharp features... and whose voice seems to have a familiar lilt in it.

"I've come for the child, Leia. I have known Joseia's plan from the start before the council accused me of false crimes. Give me the Agnus Dei... Give me Amaryll."

Amaryll gasps as he realizes that the bundle in the woman's arm is him. He stares agitated and confused as the woman contemplates her decision.

"You would give me your word as a Lord of Amaryllis, exiled or not, that you would not give him to the clutches of Reisha or to anyone of his lackeys, family or descendants. You would promise to pay with your life if any harm would come to him..."

The man, as he is a man judging by his voice, turns and kneels before the woman on one knee and puts both his hands above his heart in closed fists as a sign of reverence and sincerity and proceeds to pledge his own.

"I entrust him to you. And you will not bring him back to Amaryllis except on his own accord or on the Dies Irae, the day of judgment."

The man stretches out his hand for the babe as the woman in turn gives the bundle to him. In her hurry, the woman did not notice the secretive smile which lits upon the man's face when he took the bairn into his arms.

"I bid you goodbye, sweet Leia. And until we meet again, which I doubt will happen. However, just in case. I will be in the Palace."

Upon uttering those words, the man melds into the shadows and leaves an air of betrayal beyond. Leia falls on her knees as she realizes her mistake in trusting her brother.

"Sei... Sei, what have you done?"

Amaryll struggles to hear her last words even as the dream begins to fade and his vision begins to blur... but it was all in vain.

'Who was that man?'

[End Dream Sequence]

Lucais looked up at the imposing building and thought about the countless stories about castles and kings.
He sighed, tired from the traveling. "At last I have reached the Palace... Now, where is my key?" He searched his pack and realized in dismay that he had brought not the Amaryllis Key but the Fire Key, which is supposed to be a gift to Faelan on his twelfth birthday.

"Now how am I supposed to meet the one who bears the name of our world?! The possible Agnus Dei. I screwed up! Arghh!!--- uh..."

He stopped as he noticed that a Palace page is watching him warily and he realized that in his ranting, he had barged in. Just then, a formal looking man walked towards him extending a hand, "You must be Master Lucais. We have been expecting you, sir. I am Laurence. Let me show you to your suite. I trust that you have brought your key with you?"

At this, Lucais began to fidget nervously, "Well, you see, uh... I did not exactly bring my key... Um... I, that is, I brought the wrong key!"

He showed the Fire Key to Laurence.

"That would not be a problem, sire. We shall put you at the moment in the Fire suite while we send a servant for your key."

"No! Uh, I mean that will not be necessary. I shall send for the key myself. You don't have to send a servant."

Laurence bowed. "Very well, sir. Let me show you to the Fire suite. And if you would permit it, a servant will deliver your note for you on the post service when you are settled."