The crystalline water reflected a cloudless blue sky and shimmering sun in gentle ripples. The water was cool and refreshing, a welcome contrast to the lazy and thick summer afternoon.
Egfor abandoned his clothes on the shore and slipped into the water. He waded in till his feet barely stood on the sandy bottom.
He pushed off and languidly swam out towards the centre of the lake. He started to tread in place. He tilted his head back, his hair pooling in the water around him like golden silk. He closed his eyes, enjoying the peaceful serenity of this moment.
His eyes flew open as he felt hands wrap around his ankles. He tried to kick at whatever was holding him. He opened his mouth to cry out, but got pulled under instead. He struggled and thrashed, trying to get free.
He looked up and saw faces and hands reaching towards him. He saw Kim, Dem, their daughters, his sisters, his mother. He saw Ris and Beri, Nimraph ans Eira, and even saw Bericoft, Ron and Rae, all reaching and grasping for his hands to pull him back up.
He heard little three year old Rosie giggle and chant over and over, "Make 'appy!" Her voice and the faces of his loved ones faded as he kept getting hauled down.
He looked down now to see who held him down. His eyes widen in alarm as he sees himself. Except he looked… off.
Egfor stared in horror at the twisted version of himself; face pulled into a malicious sneer. He was foaming blood at the mouth, his hair wild and snarled. His eyes were a solid black with a wicked gleam. His body was pale and gaunt, his limbs snarled and claw like fingers pierced Egfor's ankles.
Egfor struggled weakly, his lungs burned in agony from holding his breath for so long and he could no longer see the surface or the faces.
He inhaled suddenly, unable to hold any longer, starting to choke and drown on brandy, not water.
He clawed at his throat and face as brandy burned in his lungs and nose as he silently tried to cry out.
He couldn't fight it as he felt two strong arms wrap around his waist, starting to haul him up to the surface. Egfor heaved and spluttered as they broke the surface, his lungs stuttering and protesting as they are reintroduced to air.
Egfor woke with a start, taking a long moment to realize he was in Dem's arms, in his lordly estate. He was safe here.
He dwelt on the very obvious meaning of his dream, allowing his thoughts to wander soon after. His mind went over the night's events.
The elderly woman stood staring at the two men curiously. Dem turned around asking if she was looking for food in this awful drought. The woman cast off her shawl and revealed herself to them.
Egfor froze, locking eyes with… his mother?!
Egfor felt a cocktail of emotions; grief, anger, hurt, joy, betrayal, confusion and much more. He choked out a sob and his knees collapsed and gave out. He ignored the jolting pain as he hit the ground. Hot tears ran freely down his face as he sobbed the only word he could, "Mama!"
He grasped her hand and lifted it to his forehead, openly weeping.
His mother was alive and well, standing before him. She was as frail and elderly as she was when he left Rohan, though the unmistakable gleam of resilience and stubbornness was in her eyes that Egfor inherited. The rest of the night was a mere blur.
All that mattered was right here and right now, where he lay in the loving arms of his husband.⁶
