I was riding, riding on my mount, Whisper, and it was through city gates¡K but which city? Taking in all my colorful surroundings, I realized it was Market Day. I did not stop, but rode on. It was a beautiful place, and I arrived at a large palace¡K the royal palace. This must be Corus. I was welcomed there, the guards hurriedly rushed to escort me to the king¡K but I didn¡¦t know why.

¡§Aisling,¡¨ he whispered.

¡§How do you know my name?¡¨ I trembled.

He looked surprised. ¡§Your power is known throughout the land.¡¨

¡§What power?¡¨

The king couldn¡¦t answer, for everything became hazy, and the next thing I knew, I was in another place, and I saw another man¡K

¡§I am Gainel,¡¨ he murmured. Gainel¡K he was a god! The dream god! ¡§Use it well, darling, use it well.¡¨

¡§Use what?¡¨

I felt weird energy jolt through me, and then it ended¡K

I gasped, sitting upright. ¡§What a strange dream,¡¨ I muttered as I got out of my bed. I fumbled through my pack and took out my dreamlog, a record of my dreams. I¡¦d had it ever since I could remember, and it was one of my most treasured objects. Flipping to the next empty page, I scrawled all I could remember, every little detail of my dream.

¡§Aisling!¡¨ Mama called.

¡§Coming!¡¨ I yelled back, hurriedly putting my record safely away. I scrambled to the kitchen, where there was a fresh loaf of bread, ham, and fruit on the table.

¡§G¡¦morning, Da,¡¨ I greeted, helping myself to some butter. ¡§You know, I had the strangest dream last night.¡¨

¡§Don¡¦t you always,¡¨ Mama laughed. ¡§Every time you dream, you tell us it¡¦s the strangest. I suppose they get odder and odder every time.¡¨

¡§Yes,¡¨ I agreed. ¡§Anyways, I was riding into Corus on Whisper, and I went into the royal palace, and the king knew my name. I asked him how, and he said everyone knew of my power. Then Gainel appeared, and he told me to use it well, and I didn¡¦t know what he meant, but then it ended.¡¨

When I mentioned Gainel, Da started coughing, and I inquired, ¡§Da, you alright?¡¨

¡§Fine,¡¨ he gasped. Mama was frowning.

¡§What¡¦s wrong, Mama?¡¨ I asked.

She shook her head, and busied herself with the tableware. ¡§That was a strange dream, all right.¡¨ She laughed again, but this time it was strained. I shrugged, and went outside to play by the stream. I soon was bored, and went inside again.

¡§¡KThink we should tell her¡K¡¨

¡§Libby, she¡¦s¡K¡¨

¡§¡KBut the dream¡K¡¨

I had a feeling they were talking about me, so I crept to the window to hear better.

¡§Gainel is the dream god, Ian, he appears in dreams!¡¨

¡§It was probably a message¡K it¡¦s probably time¡K¡¨

¡§It is time, we should have told her long ago, the first time he came!¡¨

¡§After supper then.¡¨

I was never the impatient, edgy kind, so I didn¡¦t mind having to wait till after supper. But I did mind that they had kept a secret from me for fourteen years. And what did Gainel have to do with this? It was true, my dreams often mentioned a power of some sort, but he was a god. Gods didn¡¦t take interest in commoners like us.

* * *

I had finished my supper, and was waiting patiently for Mama and Da. They were being painstakingly slow tonight¡K and I knew why. They must not be too happy with what they have to tell me, I thought. But they said they had to¡K why?

Mama was first to finish, and we both lingered for Da. Finally he took his last bite, and nodded at Mama. I looked at them expectantly.

¡§Aisling, we¡¦ve got something to tell you.¡¨

¡§What is it, Mama?¡¨

Mama looked hurt hearing what I had called her. ¡§There¡¦s no easy way to say this¡Kyour da and I, we¡¦re not really your parents.¡¨

¡§What are you talking about? Of course you are.¡¨

¡§No, we¡¦re not. We found you lying in that stream, with the great god Gainel leaning over you. We was holding our breaths, wondering what he wanted to do. He caught sight of us, and told us to take care of you, that you were destined to do great things. We daren¡¦t refuse a god, or you for that matter, with your chubby little arms upraised¡K¡¨ she smiled at the memory. ¡§But, thing is, Gainel being the dream god and all, we think you got a power, is what he¡¦s trying to say through your dreams.¡¨

Mama had never been tactful at all, but I was still shocked when she told me. ¡§Then¡K then I¡¦m not Aisling Kirk,¡¨ I whispered in disbelief.

¡§No.¡¨ That was Da. ¡§But you¡¦ll always be our Aisling, and we¡¦ll always love you.¡¨

My eyes filled with tears. ¡§No,¡¨ I croaked. ¡§I belong to you. You named me, you raised me, you ¡V ¡¨

¡§We didn¡¦t name you, darling. Gainel told us you was named Aisling. And we did raise you, but that don¡¦t make us your real parents. He gave your dreamlog to you too.¡¨ ¡§What do I do now?¡¨

¡§I suppose you should just ¡V just go, and try to find yourself. Anywhere. Remember, Aisling, you¡¦re in Gainel¡¦s hands now. Let him watch over you and destiny decide.¡¨

* * *

Wiping tears away, I didn¡¦t look back as I rode from our small cottage. Whisper whinnied, and I shook my head.

¡§We¡¦re not going back this time,¡¨ I murmured tearfully.

Taking out my small bag of possessions, I rummaged for my dreamlog, and flipped through it randomly, reading. I felt at ease.

After a few days, I reached city walls and I decided to enter. All of a sudden, my blood ran cold. It was the city in my dream. I looked, and saw the palace, and it felt strange, almost unnatural. I rode Whisper there, as before, but of course they didn¡¦t know me, and I wasn¡¦t welcomed. But I saw a woman ¡V a girl? ¡V in the courtyard. I hesitated, wondering if I should say something.

She looked up, and waved me over.

¡§Hello,¡¨ she greeted. ¡§I don¡¦t think I¡¦ve seen you before. Do you know me?¡¨

¡§No.¡¨

¡§Well then, my name is Veralidaine Sarrasri. Call me Daine. I¡¦m the Wildmage at the palace.¡¨

I looked into her blue-gray eyes, and took notice of her smoky curls. I had intense blue eyes myself, and pale, almost white blond hair. In truth, it was the palest hair I¡¦d ever seen. It was a shocking contrast to the deep color of my eyes. Da had once said I looked like something out of a dream world, and that had brought me to the subject of my dream last night.

Looking back at Daine, I thought she looked like someone I could trust. ¡§I¡¦m Aisling,¡¨ I told her. ¡§Aisling ¡V ¡¨ I started to say ¡§Kirk¡¨ but then I remembered I was Kirk no more. ¡§Just Aisling.¡¨

Daine stared into my eyes, as if she could read my soul. It was uncanny, and I decided I could confide in her. I explained everything, truthfully, and she listened. When I¡¦d finished, she only remarked, ¡§I¡¦ve met Gainel before.¡¨

I gaped at her, shocked. ¡§You ¡V you met ¡V you were in the presence of a ¡V a god?¡¨

¡§Yes. I was in the realms of the gods before, and it turns out both my father and mother are gods¡K but it would take too long to explain now.¡¨

Gazing with newfound respect at Daine, I wondered how a modest-looking person like her had come to have immortal parents and met gods before. She was still watching me critically. I met her gaze squarely. Daine nodded and beckoned to me.

I followed her, and was amazed when she led me into the palace. A commoner like me¡K going into the royal palace? She led me into her own chambers, and as soon as she entered, she called, ¡§Numair?¡¨

A disgruntled looking man stepped out of another adjoined room. ¡§Daine,¡¨ he started irritably, and then noticed me. ¡§Forgive me,¡¨ he apologized. ¡§I didn¡¦t notice we had a visitor. What would you like?¡¨

Daine answered for me, explaining everything I had told her. Numair frowned. ¡§Yes?¡¨

¡§See,¡¨ Daine enlightened. ¡§I think Aisling here has got wild magic too.¡¨

Second chapter will be up soon as I can. I hope you don¡¦t think that this is a cliffhanger, ¡¥cause I don¡¦t view it as one. Be very very nice, please, and always review. (smiles her most charming, appealing grin)