Rolling over feeling, warm and safe in her feather bed, Emerald slowly wakes up thinking she is home again and not in Fantasy Realm.  The bedroom door opens and in steps Tholin with a tray with breakfast on it.  Emerald rubs her eyes and smiles at him not knowing whether to be happy to see the handsome elf or to be sad that she isn’t really home in her grandmother’s house. “Good morning beautiful,” Tholin greets the sleepy Emerald.   Putting her hand over her mouth as she yawns softly, “good morning.”

 Emerald pulls up the pillow and sits up in bed looking at the food on the try.  Waiting till she gets situated before setting the tray in front of her.  On the tray is a glass of orange juice, a plate of sweet rolls and a white rose.  Smiling up at Tholin she asks, “How did you know I was here?”   Kissing Emerald lightly on the forehead, “I did a F4 and saw you were in the Land of Dreams so I came down here.  I saw your dream was still up and took the chance that you were still in your dream.”

 Taking the glass of juice taking a sip, she then offers Tholin a sip.  Excepting the glass Tholin drinks some of the juice then hands it back.  “How are you feeling this morning,” the handsome elf asks her?

 “I’m feeling better I think,” she replies taking a small piece of the sweet roll.  “Good,” he says with a smile.  Emerald lifts the tray and sets it aside.  Looking at her slightly puzzled then taking the tray and setting it out of the way. “What is wrong Em?” Tholin asks.  With the tray out of the way she leans forward and lightly kisses Tholin’s lips, sliding her arms around his neck.  Smiling he moves his hand around her back lightly, “lover I would love to make love to you, but I’m at work right now and a Sales Demon could come in at any time.”   Emerald nods slowly and kisses Tholin and hugs him tightly.  Stroking her soft golden hair down her back.  Nuzzling her neck he forces himself to sit back and gaze at the beautiful gray elf sitting before him.

 Frowning softly, Tholin remembering yesterday and the deal with Rogue he asks, “why can’t you use the F commands?”  Reaches up and strokes her cheek thinking she is just to perfect she can’t be real.   “I don’t know I just can’t it isn’t in this computer program,” she answers.  Not really knowing how to explain it or how she got there in the first place.

 Just as he is about to question her more about how she came to Fantasy realm the server goes down.  The computer locks up.  She is thrown back into her hospital bed laying on her back in a coma.  Knowing she didn’t want to be there she heads back into the computer her mind diving into the hard drives.

 She finds herself in her dark room but there was a seconded portal there.  Looking between the two portal curiosities getting the best of her, she goes to the second portal.  Flapping her wings and steps into the portal.  Instead of falling she slides down a shoot feeling some discomfort when her extended wings it the floor of the slide.  She is quickly deposited into I brightly lit room it reminds her of a giant wheel with spokes coming of a main axes.

 In the center of the room is a bright white orb set in the center of a platform around the orb in bedded into the platform is red and yellow colored leds and switches.  Turning slowly she see ramp going up and down away from the main axes.  Over each ramp is a neon sigh over it.  Some of the names she recognizes as Internet server’s providers (ISP).

 She turns to look at the name on the ramp she slides down. To see whose name was on it.  Recognizing it as the ISP of the university.  Almost afraid to look any further she goes back up the ramp she has descends.  Wanting to get back to Tholin and her dream she moves carefully up the shaft till she is back in her black room.

 Going to the other portal she flaps her wings hard slowing her ascend to the Town Square below.  There siting on the bench is Tholin.  Emerald looks down at her attire and she is in a long silk gown of soft peach with matching slippers and her cape she had on before.  Surprised not remembering getting dressed.

 “There you are lover,” says Tholing and gets up and greets her with a hug.  Hugging Tholin back kissing him lightly.  “What happened? One moment we were in bed the next nothing?” she inquires.   Stroking her back lightly as they move back to the bench under the oak tree.  “Server went down.” Tholin grumbles to her.

 As they sit there, a few more couples appear.  Smiling at her looking at her outfit Tholin comments, “I like that out fit is a good color on you.”   Smile then looking down at her dress, “thank you.”  Sitting next to him she snuggles into his arms she hears a familiar voice. Looking in the direction of the voice coming across the square is Lord Feralkindle.  “Emerald hello milady,” he says bowing to her.  Tholin looks at the human suspiciously.  Wildfire smiles and sits down next to Emerald, putting his hand on her knee, “how are you doing milady?” he asks.

 Looking at Tholin moving her legs as if to turn and looks at him.  In reality she felt uncomfortable with him touching her in front of Tholin like that.  Then back at Wildfire answering, “I’m fine.  This is Tholin.  Tholin this is Lord Feralkindle.”   Wildfire bows to Tholin saying, “my friends call me Wildfire.”  Tholin nods and pulls Emerald close to him.  “Em, I heard that there was over 25 contestants for Queen Martal’s contest.” Smiling uncomfortably, “are you going to enter the contest Wildfire?”

 Wildfire watched Tholin with interest wondering if he had a chance of winning the fair Emerald. Replying that he had but he really wasn’t gone to try very hard to win the Queens hand it was more like something to do.  Nodding Emerald wonders what Tholin is thinking of this brash human especially after yesterday.

 Leaning back into Tholin’s arms Emerald asked curiously, “what do you have to do in this contest?”  Wildfire smiles eager to talk to the beauty, “there is a series of challenges one has to meet.  The first is a duel with swords against one of her bots.  The second is a obstacle coarse that you have go through with different types of combat situations.  The third is umm well . . . let me say it tests your stamina.” Wildfire laughs thinking of the last challenge

 Wonders what he means by “tests your stamina.”  Tholin smiles at Emerald and whispers reading her thoughts with a touch of humor, “see how long one could yiff before passing out.”

 Glancing quickly at Tholin because of the whisper, she blushes.  Wildfire laughs cheerfully at Emerald’s blushing, in the back of his head he knows she will be just perfect for him and his daughter Crimson.
 

 Tholin rubs Emeralds arm then sighs not wanting to leave her with this crass human.  Turning to her he informs her,  “Em, I have to go and slay a Sales Demon.  I hate to leave you but alas I must.”  Emerald smiles softly and kisses Tholin softly on the lips and stroking his cheek lightly, “I understand lover.  Good luck with those Sales Demons.”  Gives him a parting hug before he summons @GATE and goes back into reality.

 Sitting alone on the bench with Wildfire she turns and smiles softly, “what was your plans today?”  Grinning widely Wildfire answers, “make mad passionate love to you.”  Eyes going wide in astonishment, “mad passionate love?  Excuses me?” she retorts.   He nods beaming, “that was my plan.”  Incredulous at what he has said she laughs and smiles, “you are out spoken.”

 Laughing Wildfire, “that is me I let my desires be known.”

  Shaking her head slowly, “well I guess you better make other plans.”   Wildfire gives her a hurt puppy look, sighs, “oh do say that I will be so disappointed.”  Emerald says with a smile, “I’m sorry but I must disappoint you.”  Slipping his hand up her thigh with a twinkle in his eye, “your lips say no but your eyes say please.”

  Laughing at that old line Emerald moves her lips close to his ear as if to kiss his cheek and whispers softly, “no . . . N.. O.. No”

  Wildfire smiles thinking he was going to receive a kiss, then frowning at the whisper, “aw . . . now you hurt my feelings.”  Emerald smiles and stands to go into the tavern.

  Turns giving Wildfire an impish smile as she walks away running into Tibis, who  is a large human swords man, grasping her arm swinging her around to look at him.  Gasping at the sensation of Tibis’s tight grip on her arm, her face goes completely white at the sight of him.  “Queen Martla would like a word with you in the tavern milady,” Tibis says with a malevolent tone to his voice.

  Over seeing the interchange seeing that Emerald was being threatened Wildefire stands.  Moving between Emerald and Tibis says, “what do you think your doing my friend this is Start you know this behavior isn’t except able.”   Narrowing his eyes at the intruder, “who are you to interfere with Queen Martal’s desires?”  Shrugging Wildfire turns as if to walk away then swings nailing Tibis right on the chin.  “Now you will no your place you don’t talk to a Lord in that manner,” looking at Tibis sprawled out on the grass.  Taking Emerald’s arm gently and escorts her to the tavern.  Looking at the prostrated Tibis on the ground Wildfire says with a smile, “this is how you treat a lady.”

 Together Emerald and Wildfire enter the tavern there at the table in the middle of the room is Queen Martal sitting in a chair with her long legs crossed.  There is as alway a small crowd of males around her.  “I’ll be right over at the bar if you need me just whisper and I will be at your side milady Emerald.” Wildfire whispers to her as he releases her arm and walks over to the bar.  He sits and turns on the barstool to observe the scene.

 Emerald looking and feeling so small she looks over at Wildfire then back at Queen Martal. Taking a deep breath, she moves toward the Queen.  The crowd goes hush and parts as she moves closer to the ravishing dark haired beauty.  “Your highness, you requested my presents?” Emerald asks nervous with a small curtsey.  Gazing over shoulder laughing and joking with some men behind her.  The queen slowly turns and looks at the little golden haired gray elf in front of her.  Her eyes narrow into a frown, “so you’re the pretty thing that was the cause of my brothers death?”  Emerald can sense the tension in the room she finds herself surrounded by the men.  Not knowing what to say she looks at the Queen with her big green eye and says, “no Your Highness, he was the cause of his our death.  He could have prevented by not kidnapped me, your majesty.”

 Slapping Emerald across the face, spitting, “such imprudent, how dare you, he was my brother you should have summated to him.”  Putting her hand to her cheek quickly as she feels the sting of the larger women hand impacting on her cheek.   “I’m sorry your majesty but I could not summit.” Emerald says humbly.   Glaring at Emerald like a impudent child.  “You are lucky that I have more important thing to deal with or I would have you taken and beaten to death for you part in putting me in a bad mood.” Queen Martal says sharply.  “Now be gone and if any of my family want you in the future you are to summit.”

 Standing straight feeling that her majesty had no right telling her who she had to summit to she turn without a word and walks through the crowd.  Feeling one of the men grabs her firm rear as she walks passed, she closes her eyes briefly and continues out of the crowd over to the bar silently.

 Getting up Wildfire helps the little gray elf up onto the stool and looks at Lother, who is already getting Emerald a white wine.  Glancing back at the crowd around the Queen thinking, someone needs to put her down a peg or two.  Turning Emerald face to him he can see the red mark left of her white skin from the slap.  Gentle he runs his hand over it and she feels a warm smoothing sensation on the reddened skin.  Smiling gently Emerald thanks Wildfire and tells him her cheek feels much better.

 Remembering his lunch appointment he gives Emerald a soft kiss on her cheek, “I hate to do this my fair lady but I have a lunch appointment soon and I must go.”  Emerald nods, “I’ll be ok Tholin will be on and off all day so I don’t think I will be alone long.”  Trying to smile but thinking that is what he is afraid of says, “that good, the queen isn’t someone to mess with.”  Giving a smile back and thanking him for his help before he reenters the world of reality.

 Not feeling totally comfortable in the tavern with the Queen glancing at her ever now and then.  Emerald decides to back to her dream.  Thanking Lother for the wine she finishes it and slides off the stool.  Gracefully moving towards the door and back into the square.  Stepping into the square she feels something grab hold of her she can’t move and she looks around her everything seems to have been frozen in position.  She can feel her heart pounding hard in her chest as she feels a sense of panic come over her fighting to move whatever it is that has her seems to be holding her tightly.

 As quickly as the beast had grabbed her, it let her go.  Emerald gets the sensation that she has been just shot from a slingshot and is throw across the square.  Just then Tholin appears in front of her, everything seems to be going in fast foreword for a moment.  Emerald runs into Tholin knock them both down.  With a soft ooof she lands on her rear.  Blushing hard at the incident, her soft fabric of her dress flying above her knees, then quickly pushing the bottom of her skirt down.

  Laughing Tholin says, “that lag monster must have really had you.” Getting up then reaching down to give her a hand back up. Taking his hand she daintily gets to her feet. Brushing her off lightly as she gets to her feet. Looking around he notices that Wildfire wasn’t there.  Smiling he asks, “where is his Lordship?”  Giving Tholin a small kiss and a hug answers, “he had a lunch appointment.”

 Fixing her cape and checking to see if her flute was still there. She goes over to the benches under the tree and sits down and fingers her flute.  Sitting beside her the handsome gray elf takes his flute out and smiles at her, “Em?”  Stopping what she is doing looks over at him, “yes?”   Shakes his head, “nothing.”  Again he smiles at his beautiful fellow musician putting his flute up to his lips the setting it down again and kisses her soft warm lips.  Grinning as she smiles back at him together, they raise their flutes to their lips and begin to play together.   Looking into each other eyes feeling a sense of oneness as they play.  Emerald can hear the celestial orchestra again as she plays along with it.

 Tholin stops playing and listens to Emerald’s playing letting the orchestra continues on with her.  Lost in the music she doesn’t notice that he had stopped playing. Opening her eyes and looking over at him as she ends her song smiling and blushing as she now notices he had stopped.  Smiling back at the talented gray elf next to him.

 They have spent a good part of the afternoon together before he has to leave and get his daughter Rinhanon from day care and a meeting with the teacher. Emerald moves to give him a kiss and is seized by the lag monster.  Everything around her freezes, she fights against the lag monster and looks down with her eyes for they are the only thing that can move and she sees a transparent tentacle squirm up her legs holding them tightly anchoring her to the ground. She pulls hard breaking the hold and falling into Tholins lap.   “Damn lag monsters,” she curses under her breath.  Tholin chuckles at the curse.  “I don’t have lag problems here at work,” he comments.  Then kisses her lovingly on the lips before he has to depart saying, “I’ll see you later lover I have to go get Amaii and talk to the dragon lady.”  Giggling at the remark about the teacher she returns the kiss and responds, “all right lover kiss your daughter for me.”  Tholin summons the @Gate as he steps into he looks at her once more still baffled by her, smiles softly and steps back into reality.