Casin looked at Claricia, while she sang her well known songs. He like Morgana could see the magic that came from her every time she opened her mouth. She had classified her type of magic as Sirene magic. Casin's gaze went to the choker around her neck. This choker neutralized the magical effects from her voice. Without it, she could let the man inside this tavern what ever she wanted. It only didn't stop her predictions.

"Casin my mother sees a bit pale, don't you think?" He had to agree with Morgana, Claricia didn't look that well.

"Your mother felt a prediction appearing in her mind, and she even told me that she feared it." Morgana looked shocked at him. 

"And you let her go up the stage?" He nodded, knowing full well that he couldn't stop her even if he tried. "Can you help her, suppress it?" He shook his head, that was his magic talent to control emotions of others. 

"I already tried, more than once. But she is too far away and there are too many people in the way." Morgana cursed and looked at her mother. Her mind was drenched in fear, which was her right. Her mother was known to have predictions in her songs, but they were most of the time innocent. Like when a couple expecting a child or if it was a good year of harvest. And if she had a bad prediction people brushed it off as bad luck. Claricia opened her mouth to sing the next line, but her voice trembled in her throat. 

"The moon blackens and the sun is far away, the king on his golden throne falls in a deep sleep never to be woken again. Mourning in the land, mourning in the queen's bed. The end of a peaceful era, entering an era of unrest." Morgana and he looked at each other in shock. This was indeed a bad prediction, a very bad one. The king was very loved by his people and even a bad word about him was condemned as treason. Claricia's knees started to buckle, Morgana and Casin raced towards the podium to catch her, before she fell. 

"What did that witch say?" Yelled one of the guests, Casin looked towards mister Maret. Who made his way towards the stage. He faced the audience and raised his hands. 

"I believe that Madam Donnet- Châtaigne, didn't mean those words. Please calm down, Wilfred please give everybody a drink on the house." Then he turned around. "Take her out of her and prey to what ever you believe that this prediction of her those not come true." Casin could say that this was very unlikely, every time Claricia had made a prediction it always came to pass. But he saw no point in arguing with the one who that controls the crowed. He lifted Claricia from the ground and took her towards the exit. He didn't need to look over his shoulder, to know that Morgana is following them. The night air had an unsettling chill to it, he almost wished he had brought his woolen coat.

"Casin!" He turned around, Morgana didn't look at him. She looked fridgened towards the sky. He followed her gaze, and he understood why she was so afraid. There was a lunar eclipse, the moon blackens, and it was still early in the evening, so the sun was still far away. 

"You do not think, that she meant tonight do you?" Casin looked at the unconscious Claricia in his arms. He never saw her so beat up after a prediction.

"Well we will know it in the morning." He started to walk towards her house. "There is no point to pounder about it now." Her father already opened the door. 

"What happened?" 

"The prediction, that happened. She predicted the death of the king." Said Casin. While he brought Claricia inside. 

"She did what?" 

"Dad, you just heard what Casin said. Mom predicted the dead of the king. The moon blackens and the sun is far away, the king on his golden throne falls in a deep sleep never to be woken again. Mourning in the land, mourning in the queen's bed. The end of a peaceful era, entering an era of unrest. That were her words, and I am afraid that the moonless night she spoke off is this very night." Her father raised his hands. 

"Hold on Morgana, let use first attend your mother, and then we are going to look at the possibilities. Casin thank you very much, but I think it is better if you go." Casin wanted to argue, he was also a magic user. He wanted to know what was going on. He looked at Morgan, who just shrugged. The sign that she could do nothing for him at this point. He sighed he would find out eventually, probably from Morgana or from Claricia herself. With hanging shoulders he did what was asked from him, and he left the house.

******

The morning came too early for his taste, but he was a farmers' son, so he had to get up before the Nameless Godforsaken rooster those. Whipping the sleep out of the corners of his eyes, he tried and failed to suppress a yawn. 

"Good morning, sleepy head." His mother's head came above the ladder. His room was on the loft of his parent's tiny farmhouse.

"Morning, mother. Did I wake you up last night?" Stupid question, his mother always woke up when he came home late. Only she didn't bother to get out of bed, like she used too.

"Yes you did. But that those not matter." She laid down clean clothes for him to wear. "Well get dressed, breakfast will be waiting for you when you get down." Casin nodded and hold is hand in front of his mouth, to cover up another yawn. He was not so much of a morning person, and he doubted that he ever will become one. But still he was awake, and he did as his mother told him to do. Put on the clean clothing, and climbed down.

"Good morning, son." His father was already sitting on the small table, in front of him stood a wooden bowl with oatmeal. Casin wanted to moan when he saw that his father's wooden spoon was standing upright in the mixture of oat and milk. At least there should be some milk in it. "Eat your breakfast, a whole day of work awaits us." Casin sat down and looked at his bowl, he wanted to ask if there was any honey or more milk. But he knew if it was not on the table they simply didn't had it. With long teeth he started to eat, but it was as he expected, very dry and tasteless. Still he continued until the bowl was empty. His father got up and left the house, Casin followed him. "It is maybe better if we pick an apple before we go towards the fields." Casin second that idea and both picked an apple from the apple tree behind the house.

"Pops, if there is trouble with money? I can stay away from the tavern for a few nights." His father shook his head.

"That is money you have earned, it is for you to decided where you give it away." Casin opened his mouth, but again his father shook his head. "No son. Your mother and I agree on this. We are glad that you decided to stick around. Most young man at your age, are packing their backs and travel all around. But not you, you stayed. We know that we are not the reason behind that decision. But still." Casin had to agree with his father. Most men wouldn't dream of staying too long under their parent's roof. But indeed he stayed, for Morgana and for his magic lessons. But his parents didn't know about him being a magic user. It was hard to keep that part of himself a secret from them.

"I know Pops, but please let me help if things got a little tight." But once again his father shook his head. It was so frustrating to have the means to help somebody, and they are not allowing you to do so.

*****

The sun slowly appeared in the sky, Casin whipped the sweat from his forehead, it was incredible hot. Or was this just his imagination, because his father appeared to have no trouble with the heat. Casin frowned, it was not the first time that he experienced different temperatures than everybody else. That was part of his special gift, he could experience the emotion of raging anger of somebody. He shook slowly his heat, no this was not just one person. He tried to look above the grain, but then wished he had stayed low. A whole horde of men on horses galloped towards Appletree village. They had their weapons drawn, one of them looked towards the fields and saw him. A hand pointed in his direction. 

"Pops, run!" He lowered himself and started to run, dragging his father with him. Two men followed them on their horse through the field.