Chapter 143

　　The door to the hovercar closed behind Kal, leaving him sealed in the quiet interior with Samuel. He let out a deep breath and waited until the car lifted into the air before speaking.

　　The older man next to him wore a Caledonian House uniform with a golden eagle pin on his lapel rather than the crimson stag. He was loyal to his new home but wanted to honour his heritage.

　　Kal admired Samuel. Even dead, the Emperor still held his devotion.

　　Passing over the estate`s walls, they banked toward the city`s outskirts, where they would begin the parade procession. Light and Medium Class Mobile Suits flanked their car and slowed slightly as the Heavy Class Colossus began to lead them. Its weapons were trained on the sky, prepared for even the slightest threat to show it.

　　Wars had been won with fewer Mechs, but Tamara was adamant that she wanted him well protected.

　　"Did you speak with them?" Kal asked, his face turned out toward the window.

　　He was looking down at the crowded streets. They would need to drive slower and lower to the ground once the parade officially started. Everyone would be looking toward him, meaning he would need to maintain a carefree and happy face.

　　Kal found it was difficult to do that this morning.

　　"Some. Havencroft, Grandster and Lockmere have all confirmed that their Titan Pilots are experiencing something out of the normal, but only Havencroft would describe it in detail." Samuel replied. Kal thought about the response for a moment, turning it over in his mind before responding.

　　"What was it they experienced?" Kal asked with bated breath. He almost dreaded the response. It would make it more real and immediate. He wouldn`t be able to pass it off as a coincidence or happenstance.

　　Mare had been having the same dream every night for the past month. The message from the Ouroboros was followed by a nameless threat waiting in the darkness. At first, the pair had dismissed it as nerves or lingering fears regarding her connection to the Titan.

　　But a week ago, Kal had been having a similar dream.

　　He thought that maybe it was just his worry for Mare that had made him dream it. But it kept happening, each night`s nightmare getting worse. When he shared his experience with Mare, he explained it like it was a dream, taken from the details she had described.

　　But there were things in Kal`s dream that she never experienced. His hadn`t featured the Ouroboros at all, rather, it had been Kal standing on a barren planet. A storm was raging overhead, and through the dense cloud, something had descended.

　　It wasn`t a Titan like it had been for Mare, but a dark object. Its presence had destroyed the planet, leaving nothing but shards of rock. He and the debris had been drawn into its darkness before had had woken.

　　He could have dismissed it if it had only happened once, but the nightmare returned every time he slept. Mare and Kal had too many sleepless nights over the past few weeks, and their fear of the future led them to ask Samuel if the other Ducal House Titans had experienced something similar.

　　Though many could guess their identities, no Ducal House would announce their Titan`s Pilot. It was a security risk that their enemies could capitalize on. If a Pilot could be assassinated, their House would be weakened temporarily until a new Pilot was chosen and trained.

　　Samuel had been forced to communicate through intermediaries, many of whom wouldn`t admit there was anything wrong or strange with the Pilots. No sign of weakness could be revealed.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

　　"Havencroft`s Pilot has been having dreams. Reading between the lines, I have the feeling that their Pilot is young and relatively inexperienced. Their Neural Link is weak, and the dreams have been vague. No voices whispering threats in the darkness or visions of impending doom. Duke Mason is convinced that it`s nothing more than a consequence of their Pilot`s intense training." Samuel explained.

　　"What were the dreams of?" Kal replied, turning away from the bustling streets to look at the Minister of Imperial Affairs.

　　"They dream of Hyperion. No context and without much detail, but Mason admitted that the Pilot wakes up screaming about yellow eyes` watching them from the dark."

　　Kal nodded at the statement. He had his own experience with the Titan. The green-eyed beast seemed to watch him from out of the corner of his eye for years. Even now, he half expected to see Atlas when he closed his eyes.

　　"And the others?" Kal prodded. Samuel sighed, shaking his head.

　　"It was like pulling teeth. Trouble sleeping, but no reason for it. If they are having dreams, they refuse to say anything more about it."

　　"Then we`ll need to speak to Argyle. There`s more happening here than coincidence can account for. If all Titan Pilots dream about a new threat, we must be prepared for it." Kal stated, tapping his finger against his thigh.

　　"I`ll meet with Prince Argyle after the wedding. They won`t admit anything to us, but maybe they would trust their secrets to him." Kal mused, making plans for the future.

　　His thoughts were soon broken by the shouting and cheers of the crowd. The parade had started, and the Mobile Suits walking beside his Hovercar had unfurled their banners from long poles. On one side was the Crimson stag of Caledon, while on the other was a mixture of the Imperial Eagle and the white boar of Havencroft, Mare`s official house.

　　Shaking off the dark emotions that had plagued him this past month, Kal smiled at his people, waving from the car`s front seat as it travelled through the streets of Caledonia.

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　　Kal ran his thumb across the ring on his finger. It was a strange feeling as if there was a physical personification of the vow he had just taken. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his wife talking with her father and mother.

　　His wife!` Kal thought to himself, trying out the unfamiliar word and finding that he liked it. His wife was laughing, looking radiant in her white dress. The worries that had consumed them had evaporated for the day.

　　"Duke Caledon, are you listening?" A woman`s voice interrupted him. Princess Patricia of Grandster looked at him with concern. As Argyle`s wife, she had attended the wedding in his place. There was simply too much to do and too many security risks to have the Prince come in person.

　　The Princess was at an age where rejuvenation procedures had a diminishing effect. Her face was filled with fine wrinkles, and her skin had the telltale waxy` sign of overindulgence. Kal had heard rumours about the future Empress, how she was locked into an unhappy marriage for most of her long life, seeking relief in excesses and younger men.

　　"My apologies, Patricia. I`ve had a month of terribly unrestful nights. I`ve found myself in a daze at the oddest times. It has nothing to do with your company. You are delightfully charming, as always." Kal assured her, desperately trying not to offend the Princess. The last thing he needed was to add to his list of enemies.

　　"I understand, dear. A wedding is dreadfully stressful. I remember my own on Terra. I didn`t sleep a wink for weeks!" Patricia responded, patting him on the arm. Rumour had it was because she had been trying to squeeze every drop of pleasure her single life could afford her before she married Argyle.

　　Kal smiled politely, making small talk with Patricia, before moving off to another of the Nobility. Mare`s cousin, Katherine, walked up to him while holding a glass full of strong alcohol for him. Taking it gratefully, he smiled at the woman, showing his appreciation.

　　She looked beautiful but drained and tired from the long day. Wearing a teal dress matching the attire of the other women who had accompanied Mare on the parade. Kal hadn`t heard anything about her own marriage prospects, but he suspected from the way Duke Mason sheltered her he was waiting for her to marry for love rather than duty.

　　He had just placed it to his lips when Katherine spoke.

　　"I heard you and Mare are having bad dreams." She said nonchalantly.

　　Kal barely managed to swallow the liquid, covering his mouth with his hand as he coughed. Katherine smiled at his discomfort, enjoying the little prank, before he recovered.

　　"Mason told you?" Kal asked, and Katherine shrugged her shoulders.

　　"Something like that. It must be pretty bad. You and Mare both look terrible. You hide it pretty well. Not many people who didn`t know you both would notice, but it`s clear you`ve been having it rough. What was it about?" Katherine commented.

　　Kal proceeded to tell her, laying out his concerns and the details of his and Mare`s dreams. In the end, Katherine looked around before stepping closer to him.

　　"It`s not just the two of you. They would never say anything to Father, but I have friends in the other houses who talk. They don`t reveal who their Titan Pilots are, but they say that they`re off.` I`ll try to find out more, but I think you`re right. The Empire is in danger."