The Dreamcatcher

[Bvie 1754]

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

“Fine.” He grumbled. His arms were crossed and his mood sour. “Only because you asked me to, Princess.”

 

 

 

His black locks floofed in the gentle breeze throughout the city square as he marched out of his tavern, pulling off his bartender’s apron and leaving it behind on the counter. His leather boots padded along the city streets as she watched him from the tavern door frame, resting her head upon it with a sigh.

 

She felt a warmth run through her as she watched him walk. His broad shoulders, his heavy feet, and the gait in his step to show confidence to those around him. But as he stepped closer towards the tall armored figure, she saw his hand raise to the back of his neck. The slow scratching of his trimmed nails on his pale skin, just  beneath his dark hair line. Her lips became thin as she watched, knowing the true emotions running through his mind and heart as he played the part of an actor for those around him once more.

 

 

Doesn’t he ever grow tired of putting on a show? Doesn’t he ever wish to just be himself?

 

 

She watched on as those around stared at the pair discussing their dislike for one another. It wasn’t unknown to the public. The armored Kha held some deep rooted dislike for the man, for reasons unknown. But, in an attempt to keep the peace, they were talking out their differences.

 

His shoulders slumped slightly as he lowered his hand from his neck. She knew this wasn’t what he truly wanted. To go out and die in glorious combat, for honor! She sighed internally at the man’s resignation to give up on life so easily, wondering what little did he really have in life to make it so easy to just throw it all to the wind.

 

She watched the man exchange his gloved hand to the armored figure. Peace. Forgiveness. She smiled slowly as she saw him take the other path, the one less traveled these days. Amidst war and violence, avoiding it was the higher road that few took.

 

But his shout broke her from her bliss and brought her to reality. The armored figure pulling back a katar coated in crimson, staining the stone steps. People darted away in gasps as the Kha bounded away, leaving a trail of blood until the bridge’s railing, where they dived beneath the blue waters.

 

Amidst all the screams and cries, she heard the thud so clearly of his knees hitting the stone beneath him as his lifeblood poured out of his torso. Her heels clattered on the ground as she hurried to him as he stared down at his red hands.

 

He shuddered as his face turned ghostly white, a marvel for the already pale man. He began to lean backwards, falling to the cold stone floor as her hands gripped at his body, trying to get to the wound. Her hands began to glow with a golden light, the healing energy slipping from her fingertips and heading downwards towards the wound. But her light would flicker out, like a candle in the wind.

 

Try and try again her light would illuminate, but only to fade just as fast. She looked towards his eyes as he shook and stammered, trying to speak. His lips moved, the words slipped from his tongue, but she was unable to hear them.

 

With panicked eyes she looked at the crowd around them, standing there silently. She shouted for help, yet the faceless mob remained motionless. The blank look on their faces staring into her as if they weren’t there. She shook her head, trying to free herself from their gaze as she looked down at him.

 

His eyes looked into hers with such emptiness, such longing. It’s as if there was so much in that moment, those last moments, that he wanted to share with her. But his stare slowly loosened as his head rolled back and his pupils dilated.

 

The crowd vanished from around her and soon did the city.

 

All that was left was his body and her hands holding him, constantly illuminating and fading time and time again. The only sound was her own voice…..

 

“....I’ve got you…..I’ve got you…..I’ve got you…..”

 

The room was dark as she gasped for air,  bolting upright. A bright light illuminated the bedroom, followed by a thunderous roar outside. The shadows and shapes of the bedroom playing tricks on her mind as she woke.

 

She ran a hand over her face, feeling the heat and sweat that clung to her. Her hair was matted and stuck to her body. She glanced to her right, seeing the mass next to her under the covers and the floof of black hair peeking out of the blankets.

 

He was still here.

 

Her legs bent towards her as she sat, wrapping her arms around her knees as she stared out the window. The rain was strong, unusually strong for this time of year. Her hands rubbed along her smooth legs, trying to calm herself.

 

With another wipe of her face with the back of her hand, she moved her legs to the side of the bed. The azure blankets were warm, but the cold stone that touched her barefeet that would normally cause her to jolt was actually a welcome. It helped break her from her sleepy daze as she lifted herself from the bed and walked towards the shelf.

 

The shadows danced across her bare body. The lightning sending them to their corners briefly as it flashed across the lake, only to return to lay claim to their territory during the dark nights. Her hands squeezed the cool cloth that sat in the basin and moved it to her face and neck.

 

The cool water dripped down her skin, freeing it of the heat that held it prisoner. The images of the nightmare playing in her mind as she moved the cloth across her body.

 

Strange. She thought to herself in the silence of the night. We can never remember the dreams we want to remember, but are haunted by those we wish we could forget.

 

She lowered herself into the chair by the basin and ran the cloth over her thigh and down her calf. Her eyes closed, hoping to hide the images in her mind and give way to the darkness beneath her lids as she focused on the coolness of the cloth. The relief was only temporary, this she knew. She had hoped with his return, the nightmares would cease.

 

But now that he was home, now that he was hers once more, they seemed to only increase in their occurrence. The fear of losing him once more, it plagued her like an incurable disease that slowly ate away at her mind. She placed the cloth in the basin and opened her eyes as she sat in the chair and looked upon his sleeping form.

 

She held her fears back from him the best she could. She knew what he told her was only a portion of the hell he went through to return to her, leaving out the most fearful parts in an effort to shield her. She knew that he was readjusting to the life he once had, trying to find strands of the life he had left behind before that fateful journey that would keep him from her for so long.

 

Those strands were few these days…and she saw the struggle in his eyes. It harkened back to her nightmare. His confident walk, his smile, his courage. What everyone saw in him, no. What he left everyone see. And what she saw. What he allowed her to see.

 

She stood slowly and looked in the mirror as lightning illuminated her visage. Her hand moved the bits of hair from her face, tucking them behind her ears in an attempt to hide the fears that gripped her before moving back to the bed.

 

Her slim legs slid under the blankets, the azure fabric rubbing against her peach skin as she settled in bed and laid upon her side with a soft sigh.

 

 

“You alright?”

 

 

The voice behind her was deep and calm. The gravelly texture to it of someone just waking up was missing. He had been awake with her all along.

 

 

“Yes...just needed some water.”

 

 

Her ethereal voice replied to his. Their conversation something so delicate that the thunderstorm bowed with respect to it, slowly parting and giving way, allowing the moonlight to filter through their bedroom window and cascade over the two.

 

The bed shifted and the blankets became looser before she felt his calloused  fingertips slide over her bare back and take hold of her shoulder. His grip was strong and firm, yet tender at the same moment.

 

 

“Another nightmare?”

 

 

She sighed heavily. She didn’t understand why she tried to shield him from the truth. The way she saw through his facade, he saw through hers. They were too much alike, both trying to protect the other. She swallowed the lump in her throat as a tear slipped down her nose and onto the pillow below her.

 

His hand slipped down the length of her arm, dragging his neatly trimmed nails along her skin. Her skin shivered slightly, raising upwards into little bumps as his arm crossed in front of her. The moonlight shined over them, illuminating the muscles in his forearm that now acted as a guardian to the darkness and nightmares. The fine silver hairs on his pale skin shining in the moonlight as he pulled her back against his bare chest.

 

He sighed heavily, placing his head against the soft brown locks that comforted him. The space between them, non-existent as they truly were one being in this moment. She closed her eyes as his lips touched her ear softly as he spoke....

 

“.....I’ve got you…..”

[SeventhCircle 460]

Alem'shun would finally act on his office's eviction sign seemingly unaware of the disruptions in the upper levels. "My office god damn it" he would say fixing up the desk before heading back out into the greater palace to ensure that the evening's chores had been taken care of by the servants.

[Archipelego 2188]

"Love sure is strong. Almost too strong for it's own good."

[AfricanGlasses 111]

Kalalian smiles

[Chorale__ 2147]

Moved to The Great Library. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.

 

If you feel this is a mistake, please contact myself or any FM and we'll restore it.