It started several years ago. The dreams, haunting her sleep. making her restless. Some of them strange and some very clear. She noticed a few seemed to have a prophetic feel to them. When she dreamed of finding a lute in an old ruin, she went in search of it.
It took her ten long years, dreams occasionally giving her clues. Finally in the basement of a manor house long abandoned and almost falling apart with age, she found it. The old chest had contained many things she found interesting. An amulet with a pale blue stone encased in a silvery metal that was not silver. A long hooded cloak of white silk trimmed in silver and blue embroidery. A short staff of oak that felt enchanted in her hands as if it gave her courage and inner peace.
And in the bottom of the chest in a well constructed case was the lute. It was made of a beautiful cherry wood. The strings were actually in good shape. Metal with a soft sheen to them as if they were oiled.
She had no idea how to play it. Finding an instructor would be a good idea. But where would she look? Sighing in frustration she put it back in the case and threw the beautiful cloak over her shoulders and the amulet around her neck.
Suddenly the thoughts coming into her head made it spin in confusion. She looked around, frightened of what she might have disturbed. A sibilant sound of cloth being dragged across the floor made her turn to the window. A voice of infinite sorrow floated into her mind.
"So you have found it. The Lute of Foretelling it is called. It will teach you to play, and it will give you songs to sing. The words are prophetic if you have the talent to decipher them. Often in riddles and sometimes misleading." the voice came from everywhere and yet she did not see anyone in the room with her.
"Who is there? Show yourself! I mean you no harm...I dreamed of this for ten long years...did it...call to me then?" her voice going from fear to wonder. She spun around as she heard a soft sigh behind her. The shimmering form of a woman floated above the floor.
"Of course you do not...the Lute seeks those with strong hearts and minds. Those of honor and intelligence. A good bit of common sense is good as well. It might have called you...I am sure it was intended for you to find it. Now what will you do with it?" the form of the woman seemed reluctant to stay long, it flickered in and out of sight.
"I...I don't know. What am I supposed to do with it?" her voice curious and bolder now. She did not fear the spirit. Her hands went to the amulet around her neck and her fingers closed over the blue stone.
"Play the lute...listen to your heart. See what happens. Be careful though. The ability to foretell the future will attract the wrong kind of people. Sometimes it is better to remain silent and not sing...merely play the lute. See what happens. Light be with you child..." and the spirit dissolved into nothing.
It took her ten long years, dreams occasionally giving her clues. Finally in the basement of a manor house long abandoned and almost falling apart with age, she found it. The old chest had contained many things she found interesting. An amulet with a pale blue stone encased in a silvery metal that was not silver. A long hooded cloak of white silk trimmed in silver and blue embroidery. A short staff of oak that felt enchanted in her hands as if it gave her courage and inner peace.
And in the bottom of the chest in a well constructed case was the lute. It was made of a beautiful cherry wood. The strings were actually in good shape. Metal with a soft sheen to them as if they were oiled.
She had no idea how to play it. Finding an instructor would be a good idea. But where would she look? Sighing in frustration she put it back in the case and threw the beautiful cloak over her shoulders and the amulet around her neck.
Suddenly the thoughts coming into her head made it spin in confusion. She looked around, frightened of what she might have disturbed. A sibilant sound of cloth being dragged across the floor made her turn to the window. A voice of infinite sorrow floated into her mind.
"So you have found it. The Lute of Foretelling it is called. It will teach you to play, and it will give you songs to sing. The words are prophetic if you have the talent to decipher them. Often in riddles and sometimes misleading." the voice came from everywhere and yet she did not see anyone in the room with her.
"Who is there? Show yourself! I mean you no harm...I dreamed of this for ten long years...did it...call to me then?" her voice going from fear to wonder. She spun around as she heard a soft sigh behind her. The shimmering form of a woman floated above the floor.
"Of course you do not...the Lute seeks those with strong hearts and minds. Those of honor and intelligence. A good bit of common sense is good as well. It might have called you...I am sure it was intended for you to find it. Now what will you do with it?" the form of the woman seemed reluctant to stay long, it flickered in and out of sight.
"I...I don't know. What am I supposed to do with it?" her voice curious and bolder now. She did not fear the spirit. Her hands went to the amulet around her neck and her fingers closed over the blue stone.
"Play the lute...listen to your heart. See what happens. Be careful though. The ability to foretell the future will attract the wrong kind of people. Sometimes it is better to remain silent and not sing...merely play the lute. See what happens. Light be with you child..." and the spirit dissolved into nothing.