Summary: An ambassador from a land across the seas pays a visit to Deltora and requests an audience with King Lief. However, when the ambassador is found dead the next morning things start to go wrong for Deltora. Post Sister of the South. Some LiefxJasmine, MarilenxRanesh

My first DQ fiction. I hope you like it.

Chp 1: The Dream

Lief was walking home toward the forge. Everything was so slow; it was as though he was walking through jelly. He could see the forge gate now; one more step to go… But something was wrong; the gate was covered in an acid green plant. It trailed over the fence and suffocated the garden. Lief grew panicked and the world began to rotate. His vision spun around and around and around. Slowly the spinning subsided and Lief opened the gate. It swung only half a length inwards before colliding with something lying on the pathway. Lief stared at in horror, it was a body, strangled by the green trailer plant. But he couldn't see the face; he leant down and turned the corpse over. But just before the face became visible everything faded and the body was lying face down again. And so it happened over and over again, until Lief cried out in frustration and suddenly everything – disappeared.

Lief woke up with a start, perspiring severely. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked wildly about the room. Everything was as it should be. Bright light streamed though the open window, temporarily blinding Lief as he looked in that direction. He sighed and stretched, savouring the last few moments of his time sleeping. However, the memory of the dream would not leave him. It circled in his mind and blocked out all other thoughts. Lief had been having this dream for three nights now and the feeling of foreboding carried with it had been growing stronger.

Lief groaned and got out of bed. He wondered vaguely what the day ahead would contain. Then he spotted the note on his bedside table and remembered. An ambassador from across the sea was travelling through Deltora and had requested an audience with the king.

'Which would be me' Lief thought glumly.

Lief's kingly duties had isolated him from his youth and his two closet companions, Jasmine and Barda. Especially Jasmine, he had not seen her for many days. Perhaps, though Lief, I will go and find her this morning, before the ambassador arrives.

Lief walked lazily down the forge path and up the road to the palace. The people of Del waved excitedly and called out to him as he passed. Lief returned their waves only half-heartedly, after all this happened every single morning.

When he finally reached the palace Sharn grabbed him straightaway and pulled him off to an anteroom.

"Good morning Lief. Did you sleep alright?" Sharn asked sceptically, her maternal instinct kicking in as she noticed her son's drained features and dark eyes.

Lief mumbled something and sifted through the pile of parchment on the table next to him.

"Now you know the ambassador from a foreign land is arriving at noon and he will be sharing luncheon with you" Sharn began, reading off a schedule she held in her hand.

"What land exactly?" Lief asked, looking up.

Sharn furrowed her brow and searched the parchment.

"I'm not sure exactly" she said; now flicking through the pile on the table.

"It doesn't matter" Lief sighed. Lief was excited about this visit though. Visitors from across the seas had not entered Deltora since the time of the Shadow Lord. Lief shuddered involuntary, remembering the death and destruction the Shadow Lord had caused.

"Well," Sharn continued, looking up brightly, "I cleared your schedule so you could spend a considerable amount of time with the ambassador. So, until he arrives you are free to do whatever you please"

Lief jumped up immediately and muttered a mismatched goodbye to his mother. He needed to see Jasmine. He hadn't seen her face since supper the night before and he already missed her. Lief's stomach flipped over, he had forgotten how much he enjoyed spending time with Jasmine.

He began to walk faster, opening doors and looking out windows.

"Lief!" Marilen hailed, exiting from the library doorway.

"Hello Marilen" Lief grinned, Marilen was obviously enjoying her duties as librarian

"I just wanted to mention how excited I am about the coming of the ambassador today" Marilen commented.

"Er…yes. So am I" said Lief.

"We have not had foreign visitors in Deltora for so long. Indeed it was before my birth that they stopped visiting" Marilen continued.

But Lief didn't stay to hear more. He had just spotted a certain person reading within the library. Wait a minute, Lief thought, reading?

Meanwhile Marilen smiled and, instructing the guards not to disturb the occupants of the library for at least an hour, walked off.

"Jasmine, " Lief cried walking over to her, "I haven't spoken to you for days."

Jasmine looked up and on seeing him, hurriedly closed the book she had been studying and rose as if to leave.

"Sorry Lief. I was just leaving" Jasmine said, avoiding his gaze.

Lief blocked her path and leant over to read the title of the book she had been reading.

" 'Magical Beasts of Deltora' " he dictated. "You were reading Jasmine?"

"Yes," she replied glumly, having abandoned her attempt to escape, "I cannot understand the words though. I am just as stupid as I always was."

She regained her seat heavily.

"No you're not," Lief said shaking his head. He sat down beside her, "Let me help you"

At first Jasmine was wary and acted as though she was not interested in learning any longer. Gradually though, as Lief helped her through the tangle of words and symbols, she grew confident and was able to drown out Lief and read an entire paragraph by herself.

Lief was extremely pleased with Jasmine and proud of his efforts until he realised that Jasmine wasn't looking at the page.

"You've memorised it Jasmine," Lief said bitterly, but not unfriendly, "Now, I'll turn the page and we can actually read it'

Jasmine smiled.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

Next Chapter: The Ambassador Arrives!

Please Read and Review. I probably won't continue if I don't get a response.

Keep Smiling,

Elven Tresses