when rest returns

8/14/2019 When Rest Returns

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I finally gained enough control however to open them fully. What I sawsurprised me beyond words.The man before me was no one I had ever seen before. I did not know thisman. But at the same time, I knew him from being his leader, from him

being my advisor, from him being my best friend and closest companion. Orwas he? He also seemed dark, I had seen him as bad also, temperamental.So what was he to me? Good or bad? Friend or foe?He was perfection in my eyes. His face was beautiful, like a marble statuecome to life. His eyes were a deep green, with a slight edge of black on theoutside. His nose and chin were chiseled and sharp, but soft also. His lipswere curved slightly, smiling now that I had opened my eyes. And his hairwas a rich deep brown with the lightest of red tints to them, it shined softly

in the light of the day.The man behind him was older as I had predicted, but not nearly so muchas I had thought. While the younger man appeared 25 or so, the older oneappeared to be around 30. Not nearly so much as his voice seemed. Theolder man had dark hair also, with the same facial features as the youngerman. Was he his brother? But his eyes were different, softer, not as harsh ina green. He looked kindly at me, and glanced towards the younger man Itook as his brother with a look that said, “See? What did I tell you?” Then I noticed what the two men were wearing. They were wearing clothesthat appeared crude and primitive. As if they were hand-made with rawmaterials. They both wore cloth tunics and dark leather pants tied with thinrope. Their shoes, I noticed, were also made of leather.We were in a field, surrounded by thousands more men garbed in the sameoutfit, the only difference being that they were filthy. But in the distance Icould hear more. People were fighting. Why? I could hear swords clangingand screams issuing forth from men’s lungs. What was I doing here? I was awoman…right? I didn’t feel like I knew anything though anymore.

I lifted my head and looked down. Yes, I was a woman. But that still didn’texplain my being here, and why everyone was circled around me. “Where am I?” I whispered out to the younger man.But he just stared at me, the joy slowly transforming towards shock.

“She’ll be fine will she? SHE’LL BE FINE? HOW IS SHE FINE?! SHE KNOWSNOT WHERE SHE IS!” He had turned to the older man, yelling in his face.



I was shocked. Even if he looked harsh, I still didn’t expect this. But, howcould I expect anything? I was making assumptions about people I didn’tknow. As he said, I didn’t know where I was. And I guess that was not good.I guess I should know where I was. But I didn’t. I had no idea as to why I

was surrounded by thousands of men with fighting going on in the distance.The sun was hot on my face. Why is it so hot? And there are no trees toshade my face. I am already burning with the pain of injuries I couldn’t see.Why must the sun be against me in addition to my useless mind? “It will all correct itself in time! We know not how long. But it will! If yourush it then it won’t! So calm down brother! Go! Go calm down by the tents.Rest. You’ve had a hard scare today,” he pointed to my left, and thencontinued in a much louder voice, “We’ve all had a great scare today! So go,

all of you,” he pointed to all of the men surrounding us, “Go rest. If Aislingwere in a mind to, she would want you to go rest. Besides, you all know howhard tomorrow will be without her by our sides!” The men grumbled as they walked away. I don’t know why they would be.After listening to the older man, they apparently were going to need tosleep.When all the other men had cleared and gone to the tents, the older manwalked closer. “Hello Aisling, how are you feeling?” His kind eyes looked at mequestionably, not seeming to know what to ask and what not to ask. “Besides the fact that I know not who I, you, or anyone else is and that Ihave no clue as to where I am, I’m terrible.” “What type of pain do you have?” “I still do not know you, how can I trust you?” I questioned him, at themoment not trusting anyone, even though he appeared to care about mywell being. “I do not know how to prove to you that I am worthy of your trust. And you

are sure that you remember nothing of who you are?” “No, I think I would be able to remember it. And I do remember you all in away. I know that I knew you. But I do not seem to know you anymore.That’s what it feels like anyways, I don’t know if I actually did know you!” “Do you even remember who you are?” “No. I remember nothing.” As I have already stated. “Well, then you will just have to trust me with having no reason.”



“I have no choice in the matter anyways,” I sighed, and continue, “I have asharp pain all over. And I can only move my eyelids and neck. Is that good?” “It’s good that you can move your neck to be sure! But that just shows thatyou can’t move any other part,” he stepped closer, putting his hands in the

air to show that he meant no harm as he did it. Then he gently probed myleg and arms, finding out where it hurt the most from my groans and stifledscreams.I barely suppressed another scream when he poked my knee that I had tosay something, “Will you stop already? I’m broken all over!” “So it appears. This will not be easy for you to recover from,” he saidmatter-of-factly. “Since I know nothing of who I am and how I’ve come to be in this position,

will you tell me?” I asked, wanting to know what had caused me such greatpain. And also wanting to know more about this man and his brother, andthe great company of men that I apparently had some connection to, afterbeing out here with them, with fighting going on in the distance. And mostdefinitely to distract my brain from the immense pain. “I guess I’ll start by introducing myself. I’m Galefre. You have already metmy brother as well; he was the one arguing with me. He is called Bret,though his full name is Bretonnet. We hail from – well, you wouldn’tremember where! You will learn in time though,” he said, as he sat down onthe grass beside me. Had he given up hope that I would survive my injuries?Is that why he was doing nothing? “How did I get injured?” I asked, hoping to set him into motion once again.He looked at me with those soft green eyes, sorrow apparent in them, “Youreally remember nothing, do you?” not waiting for a reply, he continued,

“You are our leader Aisling. I know that may not make sense to you at thistime, but you are the queen of a country. You have no king, so you took itupon yourself to lead us into rebellion against the tyrannical Sven and his

country of Shulter. You were in the front, and your horse fell. The fall brokemost of your bones. And apparently it has jarred your memory as well. Butyou’ll heal. It’ll just take a bit of time, and quite a bit of exercisesafterwards,” he smiled at me kindly, knowing the information shocked me.How could I have done things like this? This wasn’t me. I would never bebrave enough to lead an army to war, much less be in the front of that army.Or could I? Was I really this person, brave in so many ways?



“I’m…a queen?” I asked more to myself than to him. “Yes, you are the highly respected and loved queen of Dacia. You are theonly child of Relter and Sincia. You are the first royal to stand up againstShulter. You are revered by all. Does anything come to light?”

I remembered a castle, the gray of the stones covered in green mosses.Banisters of old hanging in the long hallways. I remembered my room; ithad rich deep wood all around. Built-in bookshelves and dressers in thewalls. I had gowns and men’s clothes alike in my dressers. I had books fromall of the ages in my bookshelves.I remembered my parents. When I was 10 years old they had both died of aplague that had swept through our country. My father, I remember howmuch he hated having to leave only a young daughter to protect his country.

My mother, who had been such a sweet woman, just hated leaving me tohave no mother.It had been 13 years since I was 10 years old. I had changed drastically. I’msure my father would have been proud how I turned out. But my motherwould probably shake her head and say how much I had need of her. “Yes,” I replied, “I do remember more things now. I remember the castle. Iremember my parents. But I still do not know a great deal about myself.” “As I said before, you will relearn yourself in time. But you should not worrytoo much over that right now. You need rest and food. I’m going to carry youto you tent now, is that ok?” He asked politely. I looked at him, he seemedstrong, and he was on the taller side and had wide shoulders. He would beable to carry me, I think I was small; I was not sure, given the fact that Icould not move or feel much of anything besides pain.With that he bent down and picked me up, I was right, he was strong. I feltextremely small in his arms. His arms were tan, probably from the sunshining hotly on us. My headache was still pounding in my head. “Why are you walking so slowly? Surely it’s not my weight,” I asked, for he

was walking at the speed of the slowest of snails.He looked down at me, his green eyes crinkling with pure kindness, “If Iwalked any faster, you would be complaining up a storm.” It took me a moment to think that through. I hadn’t really noticed the painmuch. I had pushed it far into my mind, not wanting it to take my focus off of the world that was so new to me. So familiar to me.



“Yes, I guess you are right. But wouldn’t it be best if I complained for lessamount of time and then get to rest soundly than to walk for an year?” Galefre laughed, somehow finding my innocent question amusing. Then helooked up towards the bright sun and mumbled something about it still being

me. “Of course I’m still me,” I replied, though he ignored my response.He looked back down at me, “I think it best that you not be put in too muchpain at the moment.” “I thought I was the queen here. Can’t I make my own decisions?” He smiled again, “No, you can’t.” I glanced down at my hands, folded neatly in my plain, brown dress,

“Humph. Says the man who stinks of rot.”

“I may stink of rot. But that’s only because I save lives. And if I mustreceive their rot in exchange, I guess I will.” “You are a doctor then?” I looked at his face again. That made sense atleast, him being a doctor. The way he had talked towards his brother hadmade him seem as if he would know about things such as this.He looked at me with suspicion now, why would he do that? “Yes, I am. Whyare you showing interest in my profession now? You have never done so inthe past. Actually, you abhor my profession.”

“I am not fully myself remember. I will piece it all together in time, “I said,quoting him, “And then I can return to hating your profession. Will thatsuite you?” I asked, not expecting what he had said.

“No, it will not ‘suite’ me. But that’s the way it has always been.” “I am sorry then. Was I mean before my accident?” I asked, fearing that hisanswer would be positive.But he didn’t answer, “Here we are. You’re humble tent.” I turned my head. He was right, the tent was humble. It was brown leather,

“Like everything else here,” I mumbled to myself.

Galefre glanced back to me, started to say something, and then stopped. Ilooked back towards the tent. Bret was standing in front of the entrance,glaring murderously at Galefre.

“Brother…are you ok?” Galefre walked up closer to his brother, and thenstopped in front of him.But Bret just stared at Galefre. Anger eating up his expression. He wasstarting to scare me.



I looked up at Galefre, and he looked down at me. My expression must havebetrayed my emotions, “Brother, you are scaring her,” he said this throughgritted teeth. “How can you carry her? Do you not think that unwise?”

I had no idea what they were talking about now.Bret looked down from his brother’s face, several inches above his, andstared down at me, with a look that softened his features, “Don’t you think itimproper Aisling?” “She has no idea what you are saying Bretonnet. From her injuries she hassuffered amnesia it appears. She remembers little about her life. Us,” Bretlooked up at his brother again with a look that shot daggers, “especially.” His eyes squinted at Galefre, “But you know it’s improper. Aisling has made

a commitment to me. You know that!” Oh, now I understood. But understanding just made the situation worse. Ihad made a commitment to him. I was engaged to Bret, the person that sofar, was only scaring me. I don’t know how I could love someone who wasonly angry all the time. But maybe I was doing this out of duty. Or maybe hewasn’t always like this.Galefre spoke through gritted teeth, “I could not leave her there, vulnerable,on the field. And you were of no mind to carry her to her tent in all youanger. So don’t talk to me about improprieties when you are the one whoyells in the face of your older brother!” “Bret! Get away from them! You know your temper is out of hand!” I heardanother man yell.When he was close enough, I looked to where I heard the voice. He wasshort, with blond hair and brown eyes. His skin, unlike all the other men Ihad seen, was extremely pale. It looked as if he sat in the darkest of tentsevery day. He wasn’t wearing leather pants and a tunic like everyone elsewas either, he was wearing a robe with a hood, as if he were a monk of

sorts. Well, maybe he was in fact a monk or of the likes.



Galefre leaned his head closer to mine, lifting me in his arms at the sametime so he could whisper in my ear, “That is Antoine. He’s the camps scribe.It’s appropriate that his means ‘invaluable’, for he truly is. Only the four of us here can read and write. And while you and Bret are always concerning

yourself with the war or the two of you,” something flickered in him sayingthis, but I knew not what it was, “and I’m mostly working on my studies orover patients. He is the only one to read the letters sent by family, or theletters from Shulter.” The man named Antoine directed himself from shooing Bret away towardsus, “You aren’t telling her all my downfalls yet are you?” Galefre laughed. I thought his laugh was beautiful, “Not yet. I’m sure she’llfigure each and every one of them out in due time.”

“I guess so.” Galefre started walking towards my tent again. Antoine joined us, walking instride with Galefre.It wasn’t fabulous on the outside, but the tent had a slight more charm to iton the inside. It was bigger than I had expected it to be. The tent wasround, with a long, rectangular table in the middle. There was a desk to theleft of the entrance, deep rich mahogany covered in intricate designs worthyof a queen.Oh, I was a queen. I must have taken these articles from my castle. Mycastle, the thought of that was so foreign. It didn’t belong in me. I wasn’t aqueen. How could I be?There were also several bookshelves lining the edges of the tent. And onesmall cot. Thick blankets piled on the end of the cot. There were tapestrieshere too, scenes of maidens and lords on the castle grounds, of knights onhorses, and faeries casting spells over unsuspecting children.But the thing that struck the most was the roof of the tent. There werewhite stars sewn onto the ceiling. It was a beautiful sight on this barren

field. “This is my tent?” I asked. The place really was too beautiful for an army. Iwas probably seeing things. Amnesia, broken bones, hallucinations… “Yes, you really wanted something to uplift your spirits while out here. Thatwas smart of you, seeing how you’re going to be stuck in this tent for someamount of months,” Galefre answered, setting me down on the cot.



Antoine walked to the foot of my bed, “Think of it as a break from all of yourroyal duties.” “Thanks. Since I don’t know what I would’ve done anyways. Who will takecare of all the ‘royal duties’ though?” I asked, hoping they would give me a

straight answer.Antoine answered, “Bret. Since he’s your fiancé you put him in charge of allbusiness affairs if you aren’t able to.” I didn’t fail to notice that Galefre had cringed through the whole sentence.What was wrong with him? Did he have a headache too?I turned my head towards him, the pillows moving relax ably under me, “Doyou have a headache?” “Uh, no, why would you say that?”

“You seem to be in pain. That’s all.” “Ok, well, thanks for your concern. Now, Antoine, will you please go and getmy supplies? I need to set Aisling’s broken bones,” He seemed to bebrushing off my question. Was I always this confused? Or is it just becauseof my amnesia that everything and everyone seemed to be confusing me?Antoine gave us both a sly look before walking out of the tent.

“So I’m committed to your brother?” I asked, trying to start a conversationthe in the awkward silence Antoine had left, “When’s the date?” But he didn’t answer me, “How’s your legs and arms doing?”

“Painful. When’s the date?” What was wrong with him? “You know you can call it off right? You don’t have to marry someone youdon’t remember. You can wait.” “If I’m a queen I better be able to do that! When is the date?” I needed astraightforward answer!He sighed, “Ten months from today.” I had to ask him this, if Bret was his brother, then he would know how toanswer, “Do you think that’s enough time for me to re-learn why I accepted

his proposal?” He looked at me square in the face, “If you were yourself you would knowimmediately what my response would be. No, I do not think so. And to clearanything up in future reference, I have never thought this marriage a goodthing.” Hmm. Is that why he’s been acting strangely? Or is it…something also? Isthere more to this than I can see?



Most likely. Should I trust him? Is he only acting like this in my favor? Ordoes he have unclear motives at hand? I don’t think I can trust anyone. Noteven myself at the moment.He was waiting for a response. What should I say to that? What was there

to say? “Umm, well, I don’t know anything as of yet, but I’m sure we love eachother, so I guess I’ll just keep that date?” I phrased it as a question, notknowing what to say in the least.He looked at me sternly, but his eyes were kind, something in them meltingme to the core, “Just remember, if anything happens, if you have anydoubts, you can always call it off. And if you need any help, I’m here.” Antoine chose that moment to walk into my tent. I wondered if he had been

listening to our conversation, the look of sadness that washed over his facewhen he looked towards Galefre made me believe that the answer would bea yes. “Here’s your bag Gale. I’ll just go…she’ll need some food and water whenshe comes to,” and after putting the bag filled with what must have been

‘Gale’s’ things on the long table, he walked out of the tent, back out into thebright sunshine.Galefre turned back towards me. His expression hopeless, he sighed.

“Can I call you Gale then?” “What does it matter? Yes, you can. Now, I’m going to put you under while Iset your bones. You would scare the whole army if you started screaminglike I know you would.” He was suddenly being very distant, like he was holding himself from talkingto me like a human being. Keeping it to talking to me as a patient. Why? “Well, I guess you know best, right?” “Yes, as I said, you don’t, didn’t, approve of my profession. You would knownothing of it.”

He came closer, and bent down so that he was at face level with me. “I may seem mean. But it’s for the best.” “Why are you being so cryptic?” My headache was worsening from trying tomake sense of everything that should make sense to me. If they ever didmake sense. “It’s just for the best.” And he left it at that.



He stood up, and walked to get his bag from the table. He picked it up anddragged a chair to the bed. Then he proceeded to take out various objectsand set them on the short table beside my bed. “This’ll knock you out for a good hour or two. Then when you wake up you’ll

get some warm soup and fresh water.” With that he poured a liquid over a cloth and put it over my nose.Just before I closed my eyes I saw him mouthing something, though I couldonly make out the ‘I’ in whatever he was saying before I drifted to black.

~~~~~~~I dream. There is black all around me. A presence of time and spacewhipped around me, driving me faster and faster towards something.I look down, and am shocked.

There is nothing. More black. I’m not there. I’m not here. Where am I? Moreblack.I seem to be here for an eternity, suspended, but driven towards something.Have I been here before? It seems too familiar.What is wrong with me? Is it from whatever Galefre knocked me out with?Am I hallucinating?I feel like I can’t breathe. There’s no air. But I’m not dying either. What ishappening? When will I wake up?Or am I dead? Is this the time between heaven and earth? Earth, what isearth? Who is Galefre?Conflicting memories, visions, dreams. Who am I?What is happening? I’m confused; I don’t know what’s happening.I drift farther into the blackness.



Chapter 2 Larissa Rutherford

There was a high keening sound. A whistle. What is a whistle? Wait, I knowwhat it is. I do! I remember…things. I know…who I am…I’m…Aisling.I open my eyes. There are many people surrounding me. Déjà vu. Why are

there people surrounding me? What’s happened this time? Am I dreamingnow? …Was I dreaming before?So real though…so real. It was just a dream. Nothing more than a vividdream. It couldn’t have been more.I feel a throbbing in my head. Another headache. Maybe I had a headachein my ‘dream’ because I have a headache in real life? Yes, that must be it. Itis the only explanation. I push all thoughts of the dream from my head. Imust focus on real life. Real life is happening.

“Now shoo, all of you!” My P.E. teacher, Mrs. Hicks says sternly to the classof students before her. I know her name! I don’t have amnesia. I’m fine.This is real. “Yes Mrs. Hicks…” Everyone else, all the students in my class, chant as theywalk solemnly away. Then they continue to play the game of soccer thatmust have been going on before I was knocked out. “How long was I out for?” I ask her. I want to know how long I’d been lyingin the sodden grass, soaking my clothes. I was cold now. It was winter here.The ominous clouds promising snow later in the night. “Poor dear, you were out for ten minutes solid,” She replied, looking at meto make sure she saw that I knew who she was, who I was. She must’ve hadcase when her students did have amnesia.I went over vital information in my head to make sure I did know who Iwas.My parents are…Relter and Sincia. I shook my head back and forth, and puta hand in the air to make sure Mrs. Hicks didn’t worry. I must have broughtmy parents names into my dream, and my own. I hope no one else’s names

made it in though that would only prove to continue to muddle my brainfurther.I was…18 years old. I sighed at that, thankful that some information of mylife was not identical in my dream also. I go to a school in Port Angeles, WA.There are not many students at my school. It’s a private school.



I have one other friend, Konstanze; the others shun me from their littlesocial circles. Maybe I was the brave, respected ruler in my dream because Iwas not anywhere close to being that in the real world.Wait, why am I still talking about my dream? That’s all it was. A dream.

Nothing more. Nothing less. A dream. Stop mentioning it and I’ll be fine.What else is there to remember that is too important to make sure I didn’tforget? I guess I would not remember what to remember though. Well then.That’s it then. And I think I know enough. At least I know my own name.Mrs. Hicks excused me from class that day. I’m glad. My head pounded, andno matter how I avoided it, my mind would always wander to the dream Ihad had. Such a long, detailed dream.I meandered the school grounds. There were flat and long. Trees lining the

parking lot.I wouldn’t be here for much longer. After spring I graduated, then, ontocollege. Nothing was getting in my way of a literary career. At least, nothinghad come in my so far. No one had made time to get in my way. So my planshad hardened with time. Since I wasn’t popular in the real world, I couldmake myself known through books, and let people see into the eyes of others. Maybe understand how people like me respond to the rejection theyshoot out.Anyways…away from my useless ramblings we go! I wandered around thecampus, trying to make sense of my befuddled thoughts.I was wandering towards the cafeteria. Being that I’m in a small privateschool, the cafeteria was appropriately in the gym. And they allowed theseniors to get snacks throughout the day. I needed something to munch on!I opened the door and ran straight face into Hakon, who was also in myclass, and from my memory, had also been hit several times in the head,causing him to be thrown out also. And, like me, he had thought to get food.And I had just spilled his whole lunch all over him.

“I’m so sorry!” I gasped, mortified that I had not looked to see if someonewas coming before I opened the door, as was one of my customs.



“That’s…ok I guess. It’s not your fault.” “Well, I will help you clean up at least.” “Thanks for that,” He said, unenthusiastically. “I’ll be right back, just let me get a paper towel roll,” I said hurriedly,

flustered at my clumsiness.I hurried getting a paper towel roll and making sure that some of the papertowels were wet to mop up some of the mashed potatoes and peas that hadfallen on the floor in addition to a brownie.When I returned, Hakon had a smile on his face, which really did light it upa sum. His eyes were a soft green, and he had brown hair with a tint of red.He reminded me of…no. That can’t be. How could that happen? Why would Ibring someone that I have talked to a total of zip in the year into my dream?

But I had seen an older version, a much older version. He reminded me of amuch younger Galefre. Or, I should say, Galefre reminded me of a mucholder Hakon! “Are you always this clumsy?” He asked, seemingly amused with mymisstep.I didn’t answer, how can I explain that no I’m not this clumsy all the time-but how would he know? - He never talks to me! I was slightly angry now, atmy dream, and at him for this. Even though this wasn’t his fault. “Sorry for asking,” he seemed to take my rebuff the wrong way. Though Idon’t think there is a right way to take it. “Sorry,” I huffed out, “I just. Most people don’t. Why do you care?” “Just making conversation.” “You’ve never made conversation before.” We were almost done cleaning. Just have to go over it once more with waterand then dry.There was more silence. I got up to get some more wet paper towels. WhenI got back, Hakon was leaning relax ably against the wall on the inside of the

gym. “Sorry for not being nice to you in past reference. You’re just…different. Youunderstand right?” I sighed, of course I understood, “I’ve understood all my life Hakon.” He held up his hands in surrender, “Forgive me?”

“Yeah. Sorry for getting bent up about it. I’m just not used to humancontact,” I said this in a wry way as to get a chuckle out of him.



“I can’t say I understand. But I do.” We cleaned up the rest of the spill, and then threw all the soiled papertowels in the trash bin.I looked up at him, he was tall, too tall for someone as short as me, “I was

already going to get some food. And I don’t eat much, you could have someof mine as a payment for me spilling all of yours?” I phrased it as a question,wondering if the moment of feeling to be comrades had passed.He looked down at me, “Sure, I think that’s fair.” We walked to the window in the middle of the wall of the gym, to get mylunch, his payment.Mrs. Thomas, the lunch lady was there, washing dishes. But there werealways some trays of food left out, reheated over and over before someone

came to claim them.She glanced up at us, then continued washing dishes, though I saw thequizzical look she had that I was walking with Hakon. “Back again Hakon?” She glanced up again, and gave him a reprimandinglook.He looked down at me with a look of his own, “No, it was all her fault.”

“Hmm,” was all she said.She delivered the goods, and we were on our way out.Then I remembered that part of the lunch was his by way of payment, “Oh!I forgot…do you want to go and get a plate for you? I can scoop yours off of this and then you can be on your way to wherever you were going beforethat…” I trailed off aimlessly.I hadn’t noticed that he had gotten a fork and spoon for himself, obviouslynot forgetting a plate.He looked down at me, a quirky smile lighting his face, “No, I think I canafford to be amused for a time more.” Oh, so he was amused was he? Just my luck that I would start talking to

someone only after them being “amused” with me.I turned my head and walk faster. He might be amused, but he wasn’tamusing me. “What? What’d I do?” His long legs carry him much faster than my shortmeasly ones could.Stupid long legs.

“I’m ‘amusing’ you am I?” I answer with a question.



“Do you always get this mad at people?” So, he was going to go Aristotelianon me was he?I sighed though; I would be better than him.I slow down, though his stupid long legs didn’t like that too much, “Only

with strangers that appear to know me.” “I don’t ‘appear’ to know anything. At least, I don’t try to.” “Well then, what do you want to know?” He shrugs at my left, “Nothing really. I’ll find it all out in time.” Oh great, “A leech,” I say out loud.He apparently took that as a compliment, “Just ask anyone, I’m good atbeing a leech.” “Like they’d let me talk to them,” I grumble out.

“They’re not that mean. They just think that you’re…odd,” His sentenceended in a way to make me wonder if that came out the way he wanted itto. I glanced to his face. No, that’s not what he wanted to come out.I shrug, “I guess I’m fine with it. It’s been what I know my whole life. I’m

just bad at talking to the people that don’t talk to me on a daily basis,yourself included.” I was walking across campus, the way that crossed through corridors andhallways that most people didn’t frequent this time of day. Most people werein P.E. right now, either that or studying in the library. I was going to a long-forgotten picnic table on the back of the math class. It was my hiding spotmost of the time.It was raining, but the table was protected by a copse of thick trees andtheir branches hanging overhead. “Is this where you and Konstanze are all the time?” He asked with a sly lookmy way. “You notice?” I ask him as I sat down and him across from me. “Of course we notice! What type of people would we be if we didn’t?”

“Sorry, I’m just not used to the inside,” I said this as if he were a spy, himnow amusing me, instead of the other way around, “information that you areso readily providing!” “Yes…we will just have to see that I don’t let too many of our ‘inside’ secretsout.” We ate for a time. He ate at a leisurely pace, looking at the trees above us,looking at the food, glancing at me from time to time.



I couldn’t stop staring at him though. For one thing, I wasn’t used toanother human being talking to me, and I was surprised I wasn’t alreadystuttering around him.And another thing was that I just couldn’t get my dream out of my head. No

matter how much I threatened myself over it, I couldn’t stop reviewing it inmy head. It really was too vivid.Hakon cleared his throat. I cleared my eyes from the daze that I had beenin, “What?” “You were staring. It was making me slightly awkward.” “Sorry again. I just had a really strange dream before coming out of unconsciousness, and you remind me of a much younger version of one of the people in that dream,” Why wasn’t I tripping in my sentences?

Something about Hakon just caused my usual stutter around others, notclose to me, to disappear.He leaned closer, the contact was befuddling, “Do you want me to decode itfor you? Maybe then you’ll know more about what you were dreaming.” He was too close, I had never been this close to a male besides my family,

“Umm…no. It’s suh…pr-private. I do-don’t want to share it with a-anyone.” He leaned back again, that was good, “Ok, well, if you need me to help you,

just let me know!” With that he got up, took the tray empty with food andour utensils, and gestured for me to follow him.I still sat, “Did you need help in math or history?” He stood there for a moment, processing what I said, and probably why Iwas still sitting, “No, I just thought you’d like to talk more.” Hmm. I was not used to this at all. I wonder what Konstanze would say. Iknow she wouldn’t think him talking to me a good thing. She would probablythink that he was doing it as a dare or prank.But I also knew that she wanted someone badly, and that she mightdiscourage me from branching out just because she was too afraid to.

I got up, no matter what others said; maybe it would be a good thing to atleast slightly get to know some others in my class. Or maybe just Hakon. Heseemed to be the only one I wouldn’t stutter around, unless he was close,too close, again. Which wouldn’t hurt also…but I should avoid it.We threw out the tray in front of math class and then walked towards ourlockers.



The sky was beautiful this time of year. Even if I loved late spring and earlysummer the most, I loved how the sky of late fall and early winter lookedbest of all. There were dark clouds and bright white clouds. Both contrastinggreatly with each other. The blue sky a happy medium.

But the bad part of the beautiful black clouds was that they promised snowlater on, which would not make me happy.I had to make some conversation, and he had to follow along, just like I wasdoing now, “Isn’t the sky beautiful?” He looked down at me for a second and then up at the gorgeous sky, “Yes, I

just wish I had a camera,” But he said this as he looked at me, away fromthe sky.I felt awkward now. He didn’t even know me and had only talked to me for

less than an hour! But, I had been going to school with him for my wholelife. Maybe he knew more than he let on. Then why did I not know anythingabout him?I blushed and looked away. I had never been around guys, so I didn’t knowhow to deal with this. I knew guys from my family and from the classics thatI read. But the guys in those books are a world different in manner thanthese, and the guys in my family just makes the guys seem worse.We were almost back to the gym now. We had both lapsed back into silence.I was still awkward, only following him still because it would be rude not tonow.He broke the silence first, “Well, I have to go and find my brother so we canstart on our way home. Talk to you tomorrow?” Was that hope in his voice? Icouldn’t tell, and certainly didn’t want to come to conclusions without solidevidence. Besides, why would he want to talk to me tomorrow? That’s right,there was no logical explanation.I had to say something though, before I appeared to be an idiot like so manyother things I seemed to be to others, “Sure,” I mumbled out, more

awkward than before.He stood there for a moment, and then walked away, his long gate carryinghim to the field.



His brother…his brother was 14, 5 years younger than Hakon, a freshman.Volund wasn’t a pleasant person to be around from what I’ve overheard andwhat I’ve seen. He was always after the head position in anything, alwayswanting power. And he didn’t like to be defeated, or told no. And if you did

tell him no…then you’d better watch your back. Everyone hoped that hewould improve with time, that he’d outgrow this ‘faze’, but he never did.I didn’t like thinking about Volund, it wasn’t pleasant.I looked at my watch. Time to go home! I walked to the lockers; nobody hadmade their way there yet. That was good. I didn’t feel like anymore humancontact for today. Hakon had used up my human quota for the day. I didn’teven feel like talking to Konstanze. I quickly put all the books I needed forhomework in my backpack and walked briskly to my old white truck.

Getting inside, I felt safe, calm. There was no chance anyone would be ableto talk to me now. I was scot-free to make my 30-minute drive home.There was a knock on my door, and I cringed inwardly. Great, someone hadcaught up to me.I slowly turned my head from putting the key in the ignition; it was Hakon atmy window. And Konstanze was not far off behind him, her eyes boring intome, though I didn’t return the look.I rolled down the window, at least as far as it would go, the window sticking.I only got it to halfway.

“What do you want now?” I asked him. My quota was gone now, going intothe negatives.

“Is it so wrong for me to want to say goodbye?” “Depending on the reason, yes,” I rolled my eyes.He held his hands in the air, “No reason! I just thought it would be nice if Isaid goodbye to you. You said that no one talks to you. I’m going to changethat.”

“You are, are you? Then why is no one else saying goodbye?”

He glanced towards the lockers, they were diagonal from here. I glancedtoo, there was a grouping of people standing there, looking our way. Icouldn’t help it, I blushed. The attention of the day was really starting to getto me.

“They just can’t seem to wrap their heads around it. Not yet anyways, they’llwarm up to the idea later,” He looked back at me, “So, goodbye. See youtomorrow Aisling.”



“See you sometime later then Hakon,” I tried to smile sincerely, I think Icame up a little short.He turned, and walked away. Konstanze replaced him though, to my utterdread.

I held up my right hand before she could say anything, “I really don’t feellike talking right now Konstanze.” She looked at me with a look of shock, “But, but, when, why?” She wasn’thaving an easy time forming sentences.

“I dropped all his food while I was going to get some food for myself. I lethim eat most of my food, and we talked a little bit. He’s being annoying nowthough, too friendly,” I was giving her quick details, hoping she’d back awayfast, so I could go home. I was extremely tired again. Again? No, not again,

that was from the dream. Or was it? Oi!She just stared at me though. What more did she want? What more could Itell her?I decided to have a little bit of fun with how she was reacting, “Oh, and youcaught us. Really, the whole purpose of this was to communicate top-secretmessages that only we and the ‘Embassy of Spies’ would understand, so thatwe can one day take over the world,” My whole demonstration fell flat, shortof being somewhat shocking to a total idiot, but being downright boring tosomeone like Konstanze.She just stared at me more, “Wow. You are amazing. Obviously you’re in abad mood though, so I’ll just be going on my way,” She started walkingaway, waving over her shoulder saying, “Talk to you tomorrow,” Theimplications were that I was going to talk to her, and only her. She didn’treally like others coming into our group. We were both very unused to theidea of the other people in our class talking to us.I was finally free. I pulled out of the parking spot, and drove out of there thefastest I could, avoiding the stares the other students threw my way.

I put in my favorite CD. The fun rhythms of the music calmed my nerves andactually made me happy. And the long drive alone helped to calm my nerveseven more so.When I pulled into the driveway of my log cabin house I was finally at peace.I pushed all thoughts of the day’s occurrences out of my head, and focusedmy thoughts on what I wanted to make for dinner tonight.



I grabbed my backpack that was sitting on the passenger seat, and got outof the truck. I locked and it and walked leisurely to the front door, a deepwood with green trim. My parents weren’t home yet, usually at work untilseven at night. I unlocked the door and went in, putting my backpack by the

large, overstuffed chair in the living room that I always sat in.I went to the kitchen, aiming in my head for spaghetti. That sounded goodfor tonight, and I was sure that my parents wouldn’t mind it. I got thespaghetti ready, and then cooked it. It was nice to relax doing somethingthat didn’t require much of my attention, but that just made my thoughtswander onto subjects that I had many times forbidden myself about.I got a bowl out of the cupboard and put the amount I wanted into it. Then Iput the stove on low, to keep the spaghetti warm for my parents.

I walked out of the kitchen, up the tall flight of stairs to the second story. Myroom was the only one on this floor. Mine was to the left of the stairway, thebathroom straight ahead, and the office to the left. I went to the right andclosed the door behind me; I wanted to lock myself in my room for a decadeat this point.The tall windows let in the whole sky, my room facing west, a sharp cliff making way to a gorgeous view for me. The trees went undisturbed for asfar as I could see. The view was beautiful, but I didn’t feel in the mood tosee the gray skies.I closed the blinds, and turned the lights on so that I could see in the nowdark room.I sat at my desk, and put the bowl with my spaghetti down on the cherrywood desk. I sat there for a while, chewing my spaghetti and mulling overthe days occurrences.I didn’t like what had happened. My whole stupid routine was ruined now.Hakon would never cease to torment me by talking to me, breaking theboundaries of social etiquette and my aversion to talking to humans other

than my family and my long-time friend Konstanze.I needed to do something to keep my mind off of these topics. I needed tooccupy my muddled brain!I guess I should do my homework first then, shouldn’t I?I opened my door and returned to the kitchen, dropping the bowl in it forlater washing. Then I went to my chair and brought my backpack upstairs tomy room with me.



That occupied my mind for exactly one hour, until I finished all thehomework I had and was then focusing on things that I had banished frommy mind a thousand times.Need another thing to do. Need another thing to do.

I looked around my room. My bed in the corner. My TV and small chair in theother corner, opposite my bed. My desk and shelves in front of me, theopposite wall from my bed. The door and window between all of it.My focus reverted back to shelves, lined with books and materials to makethe clothes I loved to wear.Vintage apparel, that was it! To keep my mind away from dangerous paths, Iwill sketch some ideas, and commence to make them. I didn’t want to thinkabout what’d I do after I was done with making my new purse, my design

already forming in my head for it.Or maybe I should watch a movie? Yes, that would keep my head occupiedbetter yet.But I would draw that purse first, the design of it quite extraordinary; Iwould not want to lose it.I drew the drawing of the purse, but was quickly displeased with how thedesign had gone. I drew and redrew the design, but gave up in the end.I went to the window, and peaked through the blinds. The sky had turnedblack, even though night would still be an hour off.I saw lightning; it was definitely going to be a stormy night tonight.I needed to prepare for it if the power was going to go off.I opened my door and went downstairs, running down the flight of stairs andinto the kitchen to get some candles before the lights inevitably went out.I didn’t like the dark; I guess that was why I didn’t like it here, and why Iliked sports like beach volleyball and surfing.After I got the candles, I got a match and lit all three of them. I turned off the stove, expecting that my parents would be late, if they weren’t here by

now.I ran upstairs with all three of my candles, and put them on my desk, mybedside table, and one of the shelves.At that exact moment the lights went out. I was glad that I’m paranoid.I couldn’t watch TV now. I wouldn’t be able to see appropriately to do any of my designs, and I didn’t have any more homework to be done.I went to my bed and sat there.



And I sat there, trying to direct my thoughts to something, anything, buttoday.Rhinos, ok, that was a safe topic. Rhinos…At some point I stopped thinking about rhinos and started focusing on my

drooping eyes.I couldn’t help it, and soon, I was falling asleep.Before I could, however, I dressed into my pj’s and covered myself with theblankets on my bed.And I couldn’t help it any longer. I closed my eyes. Wishing myself to go tosomewhere other than the last sleep had brought me.I was warm and safe, nothing bad or regretful would happen. I drifted tosleep.

~~~~~I dream. There is black all around me. A presence of time and spacewhipped around me, driving me faster and faster towards something.I’ve been here before.Uh oh.I don’t like this.I will myself away from here. Trying to go backwards, but only ending upfeeling like I’m rushing myself towards the place that I had tried to avoid inmy head all day.I wonder if I’m going to the same place I did last time.The black is blinding and scary at the same time. Bright and dark.I try to go to sleep again, go to sleep and dream inside a dream.But I’m wide-awake inside this dream. And even though I’m sure of whereI’m going, I can’t will myself anywhere else.I drift farther into the darkness, dreading whatever is going to come to me.




I feel weak. I don’t like feeling week. And woozy… “How long do you think it’ll be until she starts to walk again?” I hear avoice; it’s a familiar voice. Antoine. “It should take quite some time. But seeing how it’s Aisling, it will probably

take a quite bit less than the average person,” Another voice, Galefre.I groaned. I was in the same place. And maybe worse yet, I was just howI’d left off. Would this become a routine? Or maybe I would soon be havingnormal dreams. Emphasis on the normal!They heard my groan.

“Aisling, are you alright?” Antoine asks, I don’t think he’d really want toknow though.I open my eyes. They are both in front of me. Antoine at the foot of my bed,

where I figured was his favorite spot. And Galefre on the left of my bed,peering down into my eyes for some reason.I groan again. “Ugh.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Says Antoine. He steps away from the bed, “I’ll goand get you some of that soup I promised. That should help a bit!” Antoine walks out of the room, leaving Galefre and me alone.I groan a third time. I was really upset that this was happening, “Why me?What have I done to go through such a frustrating…” I mumble.Galefre looks at me once in confusion, “Just a very annoying dream,” I sayto his look.Another look hits his face, but this one is a look of understanding…andshock?I look away. I wanted to cross my arms and pout, but I couldn’t move them.I look down; they are both in splints. And I can feel that my legs are too.

“How long will I have to be like this?” I ask Galefre. I suppressed the urge tosay it in a whiny voice.He looks back at me; he was putting all of his things in his medical bag. I

cringed; I didn’t like medicine, “Starting to remember your hatred of myprofession?” He didn’t answer my question. That was starting to extremelyannoy me.

“Can you ever just answer my question? And yes, you’re profession issickening me.” He smiles. Then he closes his bag. He turns back to me and looks mestraight in the face, “Just surprised at what you had said.”



“About the dream? Or my question?” He doesn’t answer again. Just stands there and looks out the flap to mytent.

“It’s best that I don’t answer all of yours or anyone else’s questions. Most of

the time people wouldn’t like to hear the answer.” “But it’s worse not knowing what the answer would have been!” I say,exasperated.He chuckles at me. That just makes it worse.Then I remember how his brother and he always wear long sleeves from thememories of the person I was here.

“Why do you wear long sleeves all the time? It’s hot here, and that can’t becomfortable to do all the time.”

He looks at me again. The look that I had figured the sign that he wasn’tgoing to give me an answer to my question. “Because we both have an embarrassing birthmark,” He actually answeredme.

“Hmm. Sorry for that.” Now I wanted to see both of their ‘embarrassing birthmarks’. Maybe thatwould occupy my time for a couple of minutes. I didn’t want to think of allthe time I’d be cooped up in this small tent, day after day, week after week!I groaned pathetically, I was trying to get Galefre to come closer.But he followed the bait, I guess never being tricked before by a patient.And I was sure that I had hardly talked to him before my amnesia.He walked to the side of my bed. He bent down, getting ready to reset myarms, probably in a more comfortable position, when I bit the sleeve on hisright and pulled hard.I remembered that I was a strong person. And as I had predicted, the sleeveon the tunic was no match for my teeth.The sleeve ripped all the way to the top of the stitch, revealing a tattoo on

his upper arm. I was glad I had the right arm.The tattoo was of a perfect triangle, with a perfect circle inside it, so that thecircle touched all the sides of the triangle. It was strange. Why would hehave a tattoo of this?And from what I remembered, I wouldn’t peg him as the type to have atattoo. Maybe he is a totally different person that the one I had known…orwas.



Galefre jerked away, stumbling back to the table with his things, and holdinghis broken sleeve up to conceal the tattoo.

“Why do you have a tattoo?” I say this warily. Now I really didn’t know if Icould trust him. Though from my memories I’m sure I could trust everyone,

“And Bret has one like this too? That is not a birthmark!” “Calm down! And it’s not a tattoo! I would never get a tattoo! They arebirthmarks! And yes, Bret has one too,” He sneered Bret’s name as he saidit, his face grimacing, why would he do that?I took several deep breaths. All this emotion in my dream and in the realworld were doing me no good, “How is that possible. How can you both havesomething so perfect be natural?” He took several breaths as well, obviously fighting some sort of anger. But

why? Is it just from frustration? Or something else like it appears to be? “It’s just something that runs in our family. Medicine and science can’texplain everything! And I’m not going to try to explain this,” He said, in away as to try to get me to drop the subject. But I was going to be boredwithout some sort of interesting this to happen. And this was veryinteresting.I was just about to order him to tell me more when Antoine walked in. And Ithink he’d been listening in again, by the look on his face. He kept glancingat Galefre’s arm, probably wandering what it looked like now from ourconversation.He walked to the side of my bed this time.

“Here’s your soup, and some water too. Both are fresh, as I promisedearlier,” He set the soup on my lap, and the water on the bedside table.He glanced at my arms, figuring out that I couldn’t eat with my hands, sincethey were both set.

“Hmm, that’s a roadblock…” Galefre stepped around Antoine, to the other side of him, “I can feed her

Antoine. You go and find Bret. If he’s calm tell him that he can come and seeAisling.” Antoine stepped back and went to the table, he drew a chair out and put itby my beside for Galefre to sit on, “Ok, I’ll be back in a little bit. Don’t havetoo many interesting conversations while I’m gone though…” And then hestepped out of the tent.



Galefre sighed, realizing that Antoine had been listening in. Then he satdown in the chair besides me, and took the bowl into his large hands. Thesmooth bowl contrasted greatly with the rough texture of his palms.He tried to spoon it in my mouth. But I would have nothing of this! If he

expected me to eat, he had better be saying something while I was eating. “You need to eat,” He said, his voice one of vanquish. “Only if you explain your ‘birthmark’ in more detail. Until then, I can starve,” I said, making sure to put defiance in my voice so he wouldn’t think I wasdoubting what I was saying. Though that soup, with potatoes, carrots, andspinach in it, steamed beautifully before me. My mouth was starting to water

just as I thought about it. I had to look away though. I turned my head tothe right, so as to lose contact whatsoever of the soup. And to show even

more defiance of Galefre. “Hmm. Then I’ll just have to eat all this by myself,” That was cruel. Howcould he play with my hunger like that? “You aren’t the only one who had along day. I did too.” I shot a glance at the soup, but the sight arrested me, the soup! It was sodelicious looking, steaming, and the broth looked so… hot ! I looked atGalefre’s face, and frown graced mine. He was looking at the soup in apondering way, which angered me. I knew it was selfish, but it was my soup!

“UGH! Just give the darn soup to me!” I was even more angered now that Ihad given in to him.He smiled at me, a smile of smug victory, “Don’t push your luck,” I said.He just smiled wider. He spooned broth into the wooden spoon, “Open up. Oryou can get it all over your dress. Your choice, but be wise. I’m sure you willregret it if it’s on your dress. Especially at night here.” I shivered just at the thought of it. Night in this field was the scariestexperience for me. It was pitch black out here, always. Never any stars. Andthere were absolutely no sounds. Only an occasional fly or two. Beyond

that…silence. I never even heard snoring. And that was one thing I thought Iwould’ve heard out here. “Fine,” I was definitely pouting now, I couldn’t help it! But, like the good littlegirl I was raised to be, I opened my mouth and let him spoon the broth in. Iwas instantly glad that I had given into eating the soup.



It was warm on my tongue, welcome in spite of the heat of the day. And,what made it better, was that it was spicy! Of course, everyone knew that Iliked to have spicy foods when I wasn’t completely well. And this was a timethat I wasn’t ‘completely’ well in the least.

But that reminded me, what time was it anyways? I couldn’t see the sun,which was more a good thing than bad, and there were no watches that Icould recall in this dream that was rapidly turning into reality.

“What’s the hour Gale?” It just came out. But I realized a little too late thatthey didn’t have hours here, that they used the major point of the day only.And that I would only confuse Galefre.But he responded immediately, confusion never even lighting his face, “It’saround five I think. You were out for about 3 hours,” And then shock filled

his face, as if he had something that he wasn’t supposed to say.He looked at me now with a look of suspicion mixed with awe, “How didyou…?” But he was cut off. Antoine had found Bret and brought him backhere, sending welcomed fresh air into my tent.Bret was apparently calmer now. But seeing Galefre about to spoon moresoup into my mouth sent him off on another rage.

“What. Are. You. Doing?” He was absolutely seething. He got angry reallyfast!He finally looked at me again, and rearranged his face so that it lookedslightly less angry.

“Was he seriously always like this?” I whispered to Galefre.He takes a glance at me, then looks back in the direction of Bret, “Aroundyou? Never. Around everyone else? Most of the time.” The question here was: Is Galefre being truthful?I couldn’t tell. And from what he was about to say before we wereinterrupted, again, I wasn’t quite sure what part he played in thisworld/dream that we were in. But whatever it was, his tattoo and what he

had said just a moment ago was somehow tied to it.And I was going to find out whatever it was that he was hiding. And thatmeant that Bret must have been hiding something too…with him having atattoo also.



“I asked you a question brother!” Bret was seething again. I could justimagine him at this moment with steam coming out of his ears and nose. Ichuckled slightly to myself, brushing off Galefre’s look of concern for mymental state.

My mental state was already messed up somewhere, having these all toovivid of dreams. Dreams, and nothing more. I’ll wake up soon. So don’t gettoo comfy.I looked down at the bowl still cradled in Galefre’s hands. I wished I coulduse my arms. I was still hungry, and the soup was getting cold.Galefre looked Bret straight in the face, “I’m feeding Aisling. If you hadn’tnoticed, she can’t feed herself!” Bret snorted loudly, the sound seemingly echoing in the silence that it left.

He was staring at Galefre with a look that could kill.Really, I didn’t understand how I could’ve planned to marry this man. Was itall a bad day?I was getting sick of asking myself this question over and over.Antoine looked awkward, standing just on the fringe of the tent flap. Helooked like he had just stepped into a family tribune, and was asked to staythroughout the long fight out. So he just stood there, swaying back andforth, to and fro. He was making me dizzy. I wasn’t in a stable mind tohandle such a movement.

“Woooo,” I managed to get out. My eyes flickered in the back of my head.Oh no. I was going to fall into unconsciousness. Again. And if that broughtme back to the other world, the dream, my world, the real world, I wasgoing to scream.Before slipping under I saw all of them converging on me. Galefre wasslapping my face, in an attempt to revive me. Bret dove into Galefre, angerlining his face again. Galefre heard his cry of rage and turned himself so thathe didn’t crash into my face, but rather all of me below my neck.

I groaned and screamed at the same time, it didn’t seem possible, but Imade it possible in that moment.All of my air rushed from my lungs, leaving me with no air to breathe.Their weight was pressing down on my bones in the most painful way. Theonly thing that kept them from snapping broken again was the heavy woodsplints that Galefre had applied to my legs and arms. I felt a sharp pain allover now. It was searing everywhere.



My mouth was still open. I tried to get whatever air I could. And I wanted toscream from the pain. But I couldn’t scream. There was no air for me toscream with!Two men of their size were not meant to fall on a small person like me.

Galefre was just…huge. And Bret was very muscular. Both their weightscombined were too much.If I didn’t pass out before, I was certainly going to pass out now from lack of air.Antoine knew that, but he was much to do much of anything to stop them.He was trying to yell sense into Bret. But that wasn’t doing much now. Bretwas passed the point of anyone talking sense into him.Galefre knew that also. Good for me that he was bigger than his crazed

brother. He pushed Bret back as hard as he could, so that finally, I couldgulp some air down before Bret would shove Galefre back down. “Stop Bret. You’re hurting her,” He grunted out before finally pushing Brethard enough that he went spinning backwards.Galefre spun around fast, and pinned Bret to the ground so hard and fastthat the thump felt like an earthquake.At the moment I didn’t care what hurt Bret though, I was trying to deal withmy newly re-hurt wounds and my need for more air than I could get down ina single breath.

“You stupid!” Galefre got out before having to gulp down a huge breath. Bretwasn’t the only mad one now. Galefre seemed furious.Antoine stood there for a moment, assessing the situation enough so that hemade one statement, “Bret, come with me. Galefre, go get more soup forAisling,” but then he glanced at my upturned sidetable, “and water too Iguess,” Then he sighed, and waited until Galefre stood up, and Bret followedAntoine out of my tent.I hadn’t noticed that in the fray, all of my soup had wound up on dress and

blankets, soaking them with the now-cold broth and vegetables. And whenmy side table had fallen over, the water had sprayed over the floor, soakingeverything in its path with the cold liquid.I sighed, I was trying to figure out just who would help change me out of mysoiled clothes. There was at least one other woman in this man-filled camp,wasn’t there?



If there wasn’t, I didn’t care how anyone objected, but I’d either try tosomehow change myself, or I would stay in the clothes for the rest of thetime I had to recover.As I mulled over this, Galefre cleaned up most of the mess. He set right the

side table; picked up the bowl, spoon, and cup that held my food and water;and gathered all the blankets ruined by the soup.

“And you said that your brother was never like this around me? He almostkilled me!” I cried out, suddenly furious at Bret, a little delayed perhaps, butit came quick and strong when it did.Galefre exhaled loudly, and sat down in the chair that he had also set right.He bent his head down, and ran his long fingers through his coal hair. Unlikeme, I had had time to sleep at least a little today, while he had done nothing

but worked. “Calm down,” He said in a dead tone, “No, he’s never acted like this. He’sbeen acting…strangely this past couple of days. Don’t ask me, I do not knowa detail of his life. Today has been the most we’ve talked to each other inweeks.” Hmm, so I take it they didn’t have a good relationship. I didn’t rememberthat…but I really didn’t remember anything about Bret and Galefre. All Iknew was that I did know them.I felt selfish for what I was about to say, but my stomach was growlingferociously, and I needed some water for my dry throat, “Can you get thatsoup and water?” I asked it in a sheepish voice, not wanting to sound overlywhiny, but also wanting to make sure that I sounded like I really wanted it.So that it would drive him to hurry.He slowly raised his head, and smiled a cocky smile at me, “Sure, I’ll beright back with replacements,” He gathered the dishware, and walked outthe flap.I was alone for the first time in this world, at least, since I actually came into

this world.And I couldn’t think of anything to occupy my mind. I didn’t even want tocontemplate the weeks alone in this tent, bored out of my mind.Well, maybe my mind would change to a different world once I got toobored. I doubted it; I never had that good of luck.



And I couldn’t read any of the books in the vast amount of bookshelves inthis tent. I wouldn’t be able to keep the pages open, or for that matter, turnthe pages!When someone was in here with me maybe I could keep sane with asking

questions, or maybe they could read one of the books to me.But at any rate, I had to do something. And at this point of time, I wasthinking songs.I searched my head for any songs I might have heard in this world, a tuneanyone could’ve sung at some point of life here.I couldn’t think of any songs. I knew that I had heard songs. But I couldn’tthink of the tunes for any of the songs. Or the words for that matter.I wanted to sing something basic, just a nonsense song. I couldn’t think of a

song for here, so I settled with a song from Earth, from my home.A Bicycle Built For Two was what I settled on.I started to hum it, then switched to singing the words softly.It made me feel a little bit better to have some sort of noise in the silence of the tent.But that made me question, where were all the soldiers? Some of them hadto have heard the noise of the fight between Bret and Galefre, and myscream. So where were they? Maybe Antoine was keeping them out, thinkingI needed rest. Or maybe they were somewhat scared to see what hadhappened?I had started to sing the song for the third time when Galefre walked in. Thistime a tray holding the glass of water, the bowl of soup, some bread, and aspoon.I was embarrassed; I knew that no one on this planet would have heard of the song I sung. That only someone from Earth would recognize what I wassinging.But he just stared, that odd mixture of shock and awe on his face once

more. Why did he have that look every time I made a slip-up? It didn’t makeany sense. But...a lot of things were making no sense at all recently. “What was that you were just singing?” He asked, in a voice that showedhow far away he seemed to be at the moment, his eyes having a strangeglazed look to them. “You wouldn’t know the song…” I trailed off, not wanting to say the song.Especially since there was not a single bicycle in this world.



“A bicycle built for two…could it really be?” He whispered.I was the one that was shocked now, and I made it apparent on my face.How could he have known the title to the song? Maybe there was such asong here, maybe they did have bicycles.

But what he had said after that made no sense to me. What ‘could it reallybe’? I didn’t understand what he was saying. But it had to do something withwhat I had said. And something that he knew also.I was frustrated again.He was silent for a couple of minutes, standing there with that glazed look,holding the tray and its contents like it was air. “What could really be?!” I finally managed out in an exasperated sigh.He looked at me with a level gaze, his other look vanishing in a second,

“Nothing Aisling.” Oh my goodness! How could he not tell me? I didn’t like having informationwithheld from me! I’d grown up knowing everything, everything happeningwithin the kingdom and outside. I knew most of the backgrounds of people,though at the moment I couldn’t recall really anyone I hadn’t seen since myincident. And having any bit of information dangled in my face and thenyanked away, like a bone to a dog, was just cruel of him! He must know thatI wouldn’t take to this well?I guessed my expression alerted him to that. I could feel that my face wascontorted into the very image of scorn. Into one that was furious, the face of most nobles. “I am your queen. Why do you not tell me?” I got all of this out in a rushedbreath; I was trying hard not to yell. I knew that would do nothing for myhealth.He bowed down now, like a servant would, and offered the tray up. I didn’tlike this. I didn’t like to use the fact that I was queen to make anyone tellme anything. But I didn’t like withheld information either. And in my foul

mood, I was going with being a bratty queen. “My queen,” He spoke reverently, “I must not tell you. It’s better for you. Iwithhold nothing that would do you good. Please, trust me on that,” Helooked up, question in his eyes.This wasn’t going how I had planned. And I could see that he would tell menothing by the hardness in his eyes. And in the act, I would know nothingfrom him.



I wanted to back down graciously then, since there was no use, “If you aresure that it would be better for me not to know, then I will trust you. But if itever turns out that the knowledge would be better for me, tell me,” I had tobe adamant about that part.He stood up again, and smiled, “Yes your majesty. I will do that.”I looked back down at the tray in his hands, at the soup that was steaming deliciouslybefore my eyes.Mmm, even if I were stuck here for a year, bored out of my mind, I would at least havegreat food.Galefre followed where my eyes were looking, and jumped into action again.He sat down in the chair by my bed again, putting the tray on my nightstand. And heproceeded to spoon soup into my mouth as he had done before. But this time, we didn’t

talk. We were both content with the silence. And at the moment, all I wanted to focus onwas the soup, and the delicious bread that followed it, though the bread was very hard.And I washed all this down with the purest tasting water.“Mmm,” I murmured, “That was good.”“Yeah…” He trailed off, his voice returning to one of far away wondering.I groaned from exasperation, but Galefre took it as pain, “What? What’s wrong?”“If you are going to think about things that I can’t know about, do it somewhere else!” Igrowled out, though I hoped he wouldn’t go anywhere. Or, if he did, that he’d sendsomeone else here. I needed someone to amuse me.He pondered that for a moment, and then gathered the bowl and spoon to put it on thetray, and then to take the tray in his arms. He stood up, and held the tray in one hand ashe moved the chair back to the table, “Even though I’ll regret it, I’ll make sure you knowthat he wasn’t always like this.”Then he walked out of the tent.And as soon as the swish of the flaps stopped, tiredness swept over me like fog over atown, clouding the view of everything, all in a dismal and dreary gray. I was fallingasleep this time. And I couldn’t stop it. Although I knew that at some point I had to sleep

again. It was inevitable.I wanted to whine though, that every time I got comfortable in one world, dream,whatever it was, I was tired and switched over to the other world, dream, place withpeople.I started to hum a song again, this time humming a song that I didn’t remember, didn’tknow where it came from.I closed my eyes, and fell fast asleep, with soup still soaking me.



~~~~~~~It was black. I was starting to get used to it though, this was my third time.The presence of time and space was slightly annoying now, I didn’t knowwhat it was, and I didn’t know what I was traveling through.

I wondered if at some point, this would change. Maybe I’d be flying at somepoint in the dreams.This had to be one big dream. It couldn’t be real. But how could I still bedenying it?I started to feel claustrophobic in the darkness. It wasn’t wide and limitless;it was tiny and compressed now. How had it changed so rapidly? And whyhadn’t this happened before?I solemnly promised myself I would find the answers to whatever was

happening to me. If it was a dream, someone must’ve had a similar one. If itwas something else, there must be legends, myths, and tales of it.I would scour the Internet first, it would be the easiest.And with that promise to myself made, I was content to rest as I driftedfarther into the dark closet of space.




I rushed through the blackness, resting as I did to get some amount of stolen sleep.And I came out the other side, where I thought I would.

~~~~~~~

I woke up. It was pitch black in my room. But I was always prepared. Ireached under my pillow and withdrew a flashlight.I turned it on, the room was empty of any life. I listened for a while at thenoises of a storm outside of the windows.Thunder shook the house. And I heard the sound roll into the distance.I opened the curtain and shined the bright beam of light out of the largewindow. It was snowing furiously outside. I flashed it down, it had alreadycoated most of the ground with a thick white layer.

I closed the curtain and went to my desk to look at the clock. It was 12:45a.m. Six more hours until I’d have to leave for school. Thank goodness itwas Friday. I was still in a mood to avoid people.I walked across my room and opened my door slowly, peeking my headaround the door post. All was quiet outside my room, well, reasonably soconsidering the storm.I closed the door again. I assumed my parents were home, given the latehour. But if they weren’t, then they must have been held at work. Maybe Ishould check my phone.I went to my desk again and picked up my cell phone. I opened it, no, Ididn’t have any new messages. Then they must be here.Now to do what I promised myself. After all, I wasn’t tired. And I could sleepsome more later in the morning.I went to the computer, and started it up. As I waited for the computer tostart to life I looked around my room, the darkness consuming all but wherethe beam of light shined and from the minimal light the computer screenoffered.

I turned off the flashlight, and then entered my password into my account.When it had fully started up, I went immediately to the Internet.I didn’t know where to start, but I knew that going to a search engine wouldbe the best thing to start with.I typed in what I thought would work best. It came up with one searchresult. How could there be only one result in the entire Internet?



Even if it was only one result, I still had to see if it was a good one. I clickedon it, and the page changed to one of complete blackness, accept for thewhite font that decorated the page in neat margins.It welcomed me with:

Welcome to a world of dreams, shrouded in darkness from others,

opened to the ones lucky enough to experience it.There were three categories that you could click on at the top of the page:Myths/Legends; High Sons; and Today’s Dreamers.I went to the third tab, the one that I thought would be my best choice.The page it was on was the same black with white font, except this time itwas bordered with a dark purple. I wondered if this had any significance.

I read the entire page right there.It was long, trying to explain what most people thought of the ‘dreams’.They were all of the same world. It stated that there is the same personliving on both worlds, just different due to a different atmosphere. And thatwhen both of those people went unconscious at the same time, they wouldboth enter into the place between worlds. The darkness that I had beenexperiencing after falling asleep in one. One of the main souls of the peoplewould conquer the other, and take the position of both people, so that whenone slept, it transferred immediately to the other one, just where it had leftoff before.And it also explained why I had memory loss on the other planet, as I stillhad all my memories of here on Earth. The one that had conquered theother would have it’s memories, but the one that was lost would lose most of it’s memories in the transfer, thus making me have amnesia, rememberingonly most of my memories.And it explained that after transferring from one world to the other for threetimes, the eyes of the person would change from the color they were, to the

color of deep plum wine, showing to all before them that they had gainedthe precious awareness of the other world. And also to any ‘High’ son thatsaw that person.And after explaining everything and giving tons of experiences others havehad, it ended there, telling the person reading it to refer to the ‘High Sons’ section of the website.



I was shocked. This was too much. How could I, an insignificant little girl,possibly conquer the spirit thing of someone so powerful as Aisling on theother planet seemed to have been?How could this be possible?

How many others had gone through this also? And what of those in theolden days? When anyone would think you a witch if you so much asbreathed a word of going to another planet. What of them?And why would it be important to show that you had the ‘precious’ knowledge of another world? Were there any others?No, there couldn’t be more planets, no one else seemed to have gone to anyothers but one.I stood up, and went to the window again, carrying my flashlight in my

hand. I opened the curtain, and shined the flashlight over my face, lookingat my reflection in the mirror my window had become.My eyes were no long their color, I was no longer me. I was someone else.Someone with a double life. I had eyes the color of a deep amethyst. Theyshined back at me with dull brilliance. I looked at my face, the rest was stillme. I saw all the imperfections I had grown up having. Everything was as itshould be, except for my eyes. They had changed, just as the website hadsaid.And now I’d have to come up with an excuse when someone would ask meabout my eyes. They were unusual now, not normal. The color wasn’tpossible in its complexity except for expensive contacts and…for people likeme.Had I ever seen someone with eyes this color? I asked myself now. Iwondered if I knew anyone that was going through this also. How manywere there who went through this? Enough to gather information on at least.I closed the curtain again, and rushed quietly to my desk, shutting off theflashlight.

I needed to find out about the ‘High Sons’ now.I scrolled to the top of the page. I had to find out more. Reading this hadmade me thirsty for more knowledge of what the ‘dreams’ had opened up tome, and everything surrounding them, than I could possibly quench.



I clicked on the tab ‘High Sons’, and was transported to a page withtriangles and circles bordering the page this time. And immediately afterseeing the border, Galefre and Bret registered into my head. I rememberedthe tattoo on Galefre’s arm. And that Bret had one also.

I knew that he wasn’t lying to me, it was a birthmark. I believed him now.I read on, becoming more shocked at the odd world I was entering.The High Sons were a family that had had the power to go to both worldsautomatically from birth on since the beginning of time. And that’s why theylooked for women who had achieved the ability of switching between theworlds. There was a myth, and it referred me to the section of Myths/Legends to have more information on the myth, that if a High Sonand a woman who had achieved the ability were together, and they had a

child, that child would have powers no one had ever dreamed of. And manyof the High Sons liked the idea of power. There were only a few High Sonsthat didn’t do something for power.I read about their birthmark. No one knew exactly what the triangle meant,but they did know that the circle meant the ever turning cycle that theywent through, world to world.And, one other thing that I found of interest in reading the vast amount of knowledge was that High Sons could change their names. For all that werenot High Sons, they were the same person, the same name, just in a paralleluniverse. The High Sons fathers were also High Sons though, and so couldchoose a different name on the two planets. I found this interesting, andannoying. I wouldn’t be able to find Galefre and Bret on this planet now.But then it hit me, I did know who they were.Hakon. He was Galefre. He always wore long sleeves, and he looked exactlylike Galefre, but younger. That was odd, how the age differed on the planets.But I had never really noticed Hakon’s younger brother. So I couldn’t reallybe sure if he looked like Bret. Although I was pretty sure he did.

Galefre knew. He had realized what was happening before me, myself hadfound out. But he hadn’t said anything. And I couldn’t tell him until I wasabsolutely positive I could trust him. After what I had read about the HighSons seeking power, I didn’t want to be taken advantage of.At least I knew that Bret had loved me for me. I knew I could trust himthen, because he had loved me before he realized I had the ability. Before Ieven had the ability.



I was in shock though. So much had transpired in so little time. I knew of another world. I had to find more people like me now. I needed to talk tosomeone who had gone through this and had been with the ability for a longtime.

I went back to the window. I opened the blinds, and opened one side of thelarge windows. The frigid air soaked into my thin pajama’s. I removed thescreen. I didn’t know why I was doing this, but I had to feel something,something real. The air rushed into my room all the more, filling my roomwith white, fluffy snow.I reached out towards the branch swaying in the violent wind, the tree hadalways been very close to the house. I grabbed onto it. I wished that I could

just jump on the branch, down to the ground, and run into the blackness.

I sighed, I knew that I couldn’t. I glanced at the clock again. It was four inthe morning now. I had sat thinking everything over for too long. But I knewthat if I went back to sleep I would just wake up in the other world, and Ididn’t feel like facing that just yet.I quickly walked to my dresser, and threw on pants and a warm long-sleeved shirt. I put on some water-proof boots I had lying around and aheavy jacket. And lastly I got a water-proof watch and flashlight.I walked back to the open window, and grabbed more firmly onto thebranch. I had only tried to get down from my room once before. When I was7 years old, I had been mad at my parents for not going on a trip toCalifornia that they had promised me for over a year. I had gathered all mymoney and a backpack of things I would need and snuck out the window. Ihad planned to run all the way to the bus stop in town, and then somehowfind my way to my aunt Clara’s house in Seal Beach, California.But I had chickened out, and after stepping onto the tree, I had turnedaround and stomped my way back into my room, now mad that I couldn’teven run away.

I came back to present life. I did want something to occupy my head, butcould I really go out into the cold darkness? Alone?It was 4:05 now. Only ten minutes. I would be back in ten minutes.I looked back at my room, it was warm, but quickly turning cold. I turnedback to the loud silence of falling snow, and took an unsteady step towardsthe lower branch. I got myself fully onto the branch, and turned back toclose the window until there was only a crack left in it.



I twisted and turned my way down the tree. The cold felt good. It was sharpand a thin sort of pain on the exposed skin of my face and hands.I walked forward, away from my house. The snow crunched deliciouslyunder my heavy boots.

I approached the cliff only a few yards away from my house. The view wouldhave been breathtaking had it not been so dark. In the morning I would besure to look out my window at the view. At the valley now covered in cleansnow.I stood there for a moment. And then the snow stopped falling. I stared upat the dark sky. I could see the moon peaking through the clouds, teasingme.But then the moon did come out, revealing the fullness of it. It bleached

everything of color that it would have had in day. Black and white. It feltgood, I felt like I was in an old-fashioned movie. But then I noticedsomething else. My eyes. There were not black as they should’ve been in thesharp moonlight.My eyes were shining a bright purple on everything that was in its path. Ishut off my flashlight. I had a bright, purple light shining from my eyes.Now this had gone too far. I had to be dreaming this whole day up. But if itwas a dream, then it was by far the most vivid and real dream ever. Andlong. Or were my eyes just a whacked out side affect of gaining the ability? Thatin the moonlight they would shine? Or was it just a full moon that would dothis to me?I shot my eyes down the cliff, the purple sending a bright cascade of colorsback at me. Everything turned to it’s own shade of violet and wine. This wasenough for me. I had come out here for peace from it all. But this was justtoo much.I ran for the tree to my room, but realized that I didn’t know where it was

suddenly. Had I truly walked so far from my house?I turned the flashlight back on, hoping that the white light would show methe way better than the bright amethyst of my eyes did.But the flashlight didn’t turn on.I banged it hard against my hand, hoping that the motion would setwhatever was wrong in the flashlight right.It still didn’t work.



My mind was starting to panic. I didn’t like the dark.I ran back to the cliff, needing the aid of the bright moon in addition to myeyes. But then everything went black. I slowly looked up, in my panickedstate not daring to move jerkily. The clouds must have moved back over the

moon, blocking it to shine on my eyes, so that they couldn’t shine violeteverywhere.Shoot. This was not good.I repeatedly tried to turn the flashlight on. I hit it over and over with myhand. But it wouldn’t turn on. And the clouds were thick. I didn’t know whenor if they would pass.I turned slowly around, trying to face myself in the direction of the house. Istarted walking in the direction I was facing, trying to make my steps even

and steady.I felt the empty air before I started to fall. But I couldn’t stop myself. I hadturned too much. And before I could even think to scream, I was falling fastdownwards off the side of the cliff-face. I wouldn’t make it out of this.Unlike all the things others say go through their head just before they knowtheir going to die, I didn’t think any of it. At that moment, my mind wasblank. But the rare blankness allowed me to relax, to think only of the windon my back, the blackness all around me.I was going to die. After such an odd day, I was going to die…I knew I was going to hit the trees first, then the ground. I hit somethinghard, but not as far down as I thought it would be, and it was not as hard asI thought the ground would feel after falling all this way.This couldn’t be the ground. But maybe I was already dead. But then Ididn’t believe in anything after death besides heaven. And I was certainlyfeeling something, even other than the hardness holding me in the darkness.I felt wind flowing on one side of the face, like I was flying. Maybe I wasdead but dreaming, but I couldn’t be, otherwise I would be floating through

the middle blackness towards the other world, and this didn’t feel like that.I fumbled around for my flashlight, but I couldn’t find it. I must havedropped it.I felt no pain. Was I in a state of shock?I heard a low chuckle, a dark chuckle. Was that me?



Then I noticed the arms around my shoulders and legs. Someone washolding me. But…how were they flying? Or maybe someone had caught meand the wind was just very blustery?But I could also now hear the subtle sound of wings scraping the air. Now I

must definitely be dreaming. An angel? A faery? Oh no, I was not going todeal with this one.I squirmed, trying to get out of the other beings grip. It just chuckled againand kept flying towards the unknown destination.Wake up wake up wake up. This is not real. This is not real.

“Majesty, we have missed you, if you let me dare to speak,” The voice waslike rust. It was harsh, and ugly. But I thought I recognized it. This dream,that was the only thing it could be at this point, was getting crazier and

crazier by the second.I didn’t know what to say though. Who did this creature exactly think I was? “Umm…majesty?” I could not be queen again. No way, not here! Not onEarth. “You would not recall, would you majesty,” Not this again. Memory loss?Again? NO! “Well…your highness commands you to tell her what is happening.” “It is not my place. I will leave that to the King to explain.” “You have just gone against your queen,” I whisper. I was suddenly afraid of what was to come. I had entered a dream world in the past twenty-fourhours. And I didn’t think I was coming out of it anytime soon.The creature flew for a while more. I couldn’t tell what direction we weregoing in, as the moon had not yet returned to the sky.I wanted at least one question answered, “What are you?” I asked into thedarkness, hoping that the creature wouldn’t ignore my question. “What do you think I am? I’m a human of course! Just with…other abilities.And a different destiny than most humans.”

That made me cringe inwardly. What was my mind getting me into? Andwhat was his ‘different destiny’?



He flew for a very long time; while I fought sleep the whole way. I didn’twant to go to the other world just yet. And with what was happening here, Ididn’t know what I would be facing in the other world. I knew that I was thesame person in both of the worlds, so they would probably arrive in my tent

soon. Or would they? I hadn’t read the myths and legends…I probablyshould’ve before being rash and entering the outside cold.Maybe the High Sons, in addition to seeking them for their further gain,protected those with the ability. Maybe. I could only pray that they did.The night sky opened once more, the moon shining forth, sending my eyesshooting beams of purple once more. I closed my eyes, I didn’t want to seethe face of my captor. Not yet. I knew that I would soon, but I tried toconvince myself that this was a dream, so that I wouldn’t wonder what the

face of the creature was.The wind picked up again. I wondered absently as to the time, and wherewe were. He was flying fast, faster than I would think possible for anythingother than a jet.It started to snow again. And being in this still position, with wind beatingon me, was not making me feel any better. I shivered endlessly, now tryingto force myself to sleep, but only getting farther from it. The snow was icy atthis altitude, still ice. “You will not be cold for long majesty. We are almost there,” He garbled out.It sounded like his voice wasn’t used to talking.There? Where is there? I wanted to ask him. But I didn’t think that I’d getmuch out of him. I knew that there was somewhere in the cold, somewherewith snow and wind. I could feel that with how much colder it had gotten.But where exactly were we? We hadn’t flown for too long…but maybe wehad, maybe I had lost all sense of time.He swooped down low soon after I gave up trying to figure our location out.We were a forest, completely covered in snow. He did not set me down,

instead he continued to carry me. I could see why, when we had landed heimmediately sunk to mid-thigh. And he knew I was already cold.Even with all that was happening, and also that I was frankly creeped outhim and not knowing anything , the gesture warmed me inside. But maybe itwas just orders from the king. Who really knew but the creature?



His wings folded softly behind his back, and I could now see them, myamethyst gaze lighting them for me. They were soft looking, with blackfeathers. And they were wide, probably as long as he was tall, and I couldtell he was tall.

He started walking forward, quickly trudging through the cold snow. I hadn’tconsidered that he might be cold also.It wasn’t a long walk though. Soon after he landed, we approached a wideopen field. And in the middle of it, the most beautiful house I had ever seenon this Earth. Although you couldn’t rightly call what was before me a house,it was a castle. It had four stories, with turrets even. The old stone wallswere so clean, as if it had just been newly constructed. But I could tell byhow worn it looked from the sharp light of my eyes that it was really beyond

years of most castles. I wondered just how old it was. It even had a mote,with fish swimming lazily around the water, their silver backs catching in thelight of the moon. “Wow,” I manage to croak out. “Welcome home queen,” He said simply into the night.He walked swiftly through the remaining space between the castle and us.The drawbridge gave us entrance immediately. It lowered slowly to the snowcovered ground, shaking mildly from years of wear.Once we were across the bride, we entered a large open ward. I could justimagine it once being used as a busy marketplace, with bustling vendorshawking their wares, and customers busily swarming from vendor to vendor,trying to find the best deal.Or had this castle ever actually been used as a castle of this size would havebeen used?He turned a sharp right, walking to a large door, made out of a dark woodthat I couldn’t identify.The door, just like the drawbridge, opened automatically for him. It revealed

a room with plush red carpets, a fire-place like no other, and furniture thatwould put the Queen of England to shame. “Don’t get your sodden boots all over the floor!” Someone, a man, yelled,concealed by a tall, high-backed chair, as he leaned over papers sprawledout on the intricately designed table before him.

“Master, the queen has returned to us,” He said in a highly reverent voice,his voice becoming less harsh and scary to listen to as he said it.



The man in the chair turned slowly to face us. He had extremely blond hair,and a sharp face. His eyes bore into us like those of a vulture waiting for itsprey. His thin lips were in a tight line, his bushy eyebrows bent inconcentration.

He appraised us for a second, his dark eyes lighting with recognition fromseeing me. But I didn’t recognize him. Who was this angry, sharp-lookingman before me?He surely wasn’t the king though, his shabby appearance said as much.

“Take her to her room. And find a handmaiden to look after her,” Heordered, then turned back to whatever was spread out on the desk. “Yes master,” Said the man creature still holding me. He silently slid out of the room again, just as he had come and walked straight across the huge

ward to another dark wood door. It opened for him like all the other doors sofar had, and he walked in.This room appeared to be a library, as opposed to the other room appearingto be an office of sorts.The woodwork here was magnificent also in its intricate designs. Vines andleaves that look real, people and their angels seeming to come to life. Theroom was large, vast, and filled with built-in bookshelves on all walls. Again,furniture took up the remainder of the room, to sit on and read leisurely. Thetables in front of the couches and chairs piled high with books on top andunderneath. I looked at some of the titles, myths and legends. All of them.The books were covered with a thin layer of dust, suggesting that once theyhad been there a long time.In the far right corner of the room was a tall winding stair case. My carrierheaded in that direction.As we passed the tall bookshelves, I caught some of the titles. Thecollection here astonished me, books from around the world, from all ages.The binding on all of them were perfect, not in the condition that all the

others printed at their time were in. I saw some titles I recognized, but mostI did not.We ascended the staircase, the man’s wings draping on the stairs without asound. The staircase was made of a light wood this time, bringing somebrightness to the room. This wood, as all the other wooden pieces I hadseen so far, was covered in designs worthy of museums. The steps werecovered with a thick carpet of deep green.



When we had ascended to the top of the stairs, we entered a small sittingarea. Straight in front of us was a black door, encrusted with precious jewelsin the corners of the door. And in the center of the door, a square impressionin the dark wood, was my name. It was engraved so deeply into the wood

that the shadows made it seem to have been written in black paint.I couldn’t doubt now that for some reason, I had belonged here at somepoint. The impression was old, you could just tell by looking at it that was itancient. The edges of the name worn, not sharp as they would have been.He finally sets me on my feet. At first I’m dizzy, I hadn’t walked for hours.Then he walked back down the stairs, probably to go get the handmaiden as

‘master’ had instructed.I walked, more liked hobbled, my way over to the mysterious door. I didn’t

know if I was supposed to, but I was going to see what was behind it’swood. I just prayed to the God I believed in now more than ever that thedoor wouldn’t be locked. And then I realized that this door didn’t have alock.I put my handle tentatively over the round metal door handle protrudingfrom the design of a laurel. I pulled, but it didn’t give. I pushed, it didn’t giveeither. Maybe there was some sort of trick to how the doors had openedmagically for the man beast.I hopped frantically on each stone square in the small opening. I tried tothink up sequences. I was running out of time. I wanted to take in the roomthat was supposedly mine in silence, with no one else there.But I’ve lost all my time. I hear the door to the large library swing openairily, and then close shut. I hear light footsteps, unlike the man’s, stepacross the room and ascend the stairs more loudly.I scramble to sit in one of the rich velvet benches, one of two on either sideof the wall, so that it appears I am relaxed. I didn’t know who I was dealingwith here, and I had to be on guard.

Besides, what if queen here meant dinner? Sacrifice? The list went on andon, my mind reeling frantically from each new thought.But when the person comes into the opening in the rock of the castle, shedoesn’t frighten me. Unlike everyone else I’d seen so far, she appearsharmless and innocent.



She has red hair that hangs in short waves over her back, it reached downto her knees. She has a soft, round face, youthfulness lighting it from thefaces of the two men I’d seen so far.I stand up, to make sure she sees me. She does, her light green eyes

glancing over me, taking my sight in. She only reaches my shoulder, she’sthat short. But she appears to be the same age as I am, so I feel a littlemore comfort in that.The girl bowed low in front of me, but didn’t bob back up. I stood there for amoment, not knowing what to do. But then I recalled from the information Ihad collected in my short life that she was probably waiting for me to giveher permission to rise. “You may rise?” I phrased this as a question, still unsure as to my exact

position here in this castle. But immediately after she heard that, she raisedherself slowly upwards, gracefully, full of practice.She looked me over again, probably wondering how I could possibly bemistaken for a queen, “You know some, do you not?” Do I know some what? “Umm, yes? About what though?”

“You know some about being queen?” She rephrased it, making me feel likea simpleton. “Just what I’ve learned about other queens and countries customs,” I didn’tknow what she was getting at. “We must teach you then. You need to learn how to be the queen you weredestined to be.” Wait, I’m staying here? Now panic set in. I hadn’t thought about this. Howcould I stay here? What would happen when my parents were awake, seeingthat I’m gone, no trace of me besides the flashlight…at the bottom of thecliff. But no sign of me anywhere, no blood. No forensics, because of theflight.Or were they already awake? Fraught with panic for me? Wondering what

had become of their daughter, seeing that I had escaped to the outsidewinter land, but never returned?I had to find a way out. But I didn’t have a clue as to my whereabouts.Would they tell me? Could I worm my way into someone’s trust to tell mewhere I was? Or would they tell me anyways?



I decided to try; I turned towards the girl, who was starting to walk towardsthe door. But I knew that if I saw in the room now, I would forget about mysituation for quite a while. I put my hand over her shoulder lightly, notwanting to seem mean or harsh, just wanting her to stop.

“Where are we?” I ask, trying to coat my question in innocence. “I’ll let the king tell you that if he so wishes,” she says and turns backtowards the door. She has some order then, no one will tell me.The door opens automatically for her, as I would’ve known. Why wasn’t itdoing that for me then? Since I was supposed to be queen?She steps to the side of the door, waiting for me to go forward. But I am tooshocked as to my plight to care much what the room looks like now. “My queen,” She comes forward to usher me into my room. I stare at the

rich wood floor when I pass the door, which is at least a foot thick.I gave up and looked up to see what my room looked like.Wow is all that comes to mind.This room…I cannot put it in detail though.It is very simple that it’s magnificent.The walls are white, cleaned to a sheen. The room is large, almost exactlysame in proportion as the library below me, but the tiny bit of a squareoutside in difference to the library.In the rectangular space, the south side, left by the square was a bed. Itwas a huge bed. Fit for a queen! Oh, I think, I am a queen….The sheet on the bed look to be made of the finest of linens. The pillowswere pure white and fluffier than any I’d ever seen. But I knew that if I laidmy head on them they’d sink around my head comfortably.The bed had a frame that went high into the air, a sheen cloth draped overthe post going airily over the sides of the bed.I didn’t want to think of sleep though. I wouldn’t go to sleep until sleep hitme hard as a brick.

I turned my head back towards the more immediate part of the room.There were even more bookshelves up here, all along the north of the room.They went to the top of the ceiling, which had to be at least 9 feet or so. Thecherry bookshelves were of course stocked full of books as had the librarybeen. And they all appeared very, very old.



To the west side of the room there was a large desk. The desk looked sohuge and heavy that it must have been constructed in this very room! It hadonly two designs on it though. A moon, and a sun on either side of the frontof the desk. Stars were surrounding the moon, while the sun had drawn out

rays.The chair at the desk also seemed to match desk, it was huge, but it lookedlike it could clear the wide door.In the center of the wide room was a table with smaller, more delicate-looking chairs surrounding it, two on each side, and one chair at each head.This, unlike the other tables I had seen so far, were not covered with papersor books, but food. I didn’t have time to take in the east side, which mainly consisted of some

sort of rich looking couch before I dove for the food. I must’ve lookedridiculous to the girl because when I turned back, my mouth stuffed with asort of pastry, her mouth was wide open. She saw me looking though, andquickly shut her mouth, as decorum would have required in a more publicsetting. Of course, how I had conducted myself was wasn’t exactly to socialcode either.I quickly turned around and finished the pastry off so I could eat it withoutsomeone staring at me. I swept my eyes quickly over the table until I founda cloth. I wiped my mouth and hands on the napkin, folded it, and set itback on the table.I turned back towards the girl and shrugged, “I was more hungry than Ithough,” I apologized.She looked at me for a second, “That’s okay queen. I just…was taken bysurprise.” She turned and closed the door, then turned back to me, “Would you like ahot bath?” I hadn’t thought of that. It sounded nice. And warm. And clean. I wanted a

good soak after the long night. And I wanted something to keep my mindfrom wandering back to home….I nodded quickly, wanting to set her in motion immediately. I would get thewater myself, I’m not that selfish, I just didn’t know where anything was.Like the bathroom for instance. Or where to get water, and a fire to heat thewater on.



“I’ll be right back then,” She said, and started to walk back to the doorleading to my room. But she must have remembered something as sheturned right back around, gracefully as always, “And you’re privy is rightbehind that door,” She points to the northwest of the room.

I turned my head. In the west side of the wall, in the corner, is a simpledoor of wood painted white, with no designs on it. I hadn’t noticed it before.But I’m glad I know where that is at least.I turned back to her, I need to ask one question before she leaves, “Will thedoor open for me?” She looks embarrassed, like I’d caught her in the cookie jar, “Yes, that doorwill open for you.” “Not the other ones though?” Strange how only this one would. Unless, they

were keeping me prisoner here. “All in time my queen. Now, I must be off to get that water started. Eat asmuch as you need, there’s always more,” And with that she’s out of theroom, trapping me in a room supposed to be mine.When the door closes the tiredness of the day hits me again, double theexhaustion because of the night’s adventures.What time is it? If only I knew where I was, where this castle was located.But even if I knew, I wouldn’t be able to figure the time out. But maybe if Iknew the time, tricked it out of them… then I could at least try to figurewhat time zone I was in, and eliminate some others. But I probably couldn’t.I gorged myself on some more of the food. I thought that maybe that mighthelp chase the sleepiness away. I still wanted to take the bath the servantgirl was warming for me.But before I could even think to see what my ‘privy’ looked like, I wanderedtowards the luxuriously huge bed.I brushed the light screen to the side, and slip under the covers, fullyclothed in my wet clothes.

The linen, as predicted, was soft, expensive feeling. I love it instantly. Itsounds corny in my mind, but I feel like I’m floating weightless, butprotected at the same time under the reassuring weight of the blankets.I’m sinking fast into sleep. And just before I’m fully submerged, I hear thedoor open and close. No steps, but I suspect the graceful girl. “My,” She starts, but is interrupted.



“Let her sleep. She has no idea how hard tomorrow will be for her,” A deepvoice cuts in. The voice is full of authority, and the girl goes silent.And that’s when I slip under, into the darkness, traveling fast to the otherworld.



Chapter 5 31/10/2008 20:22:00

I know where I am now. I know what this place was.It felt good to know, but at the same time, absolutely horrifying.

~~~~~My eyes are purple I suddenly remembered. Why had the man with the

wings and the girl not reacted? But the guy at the desk had. He had had areaction. He had seen my face, my eyes. But he hadn’t acted that bad,nothing that would say he thought my eyes were strangely colored.But what about here? Galefre, Antoine…Bret. They all would see my eyes,purple as could be. And in this world, I couldn’t even give the excuse of contacts. And what about other people? I’m sure that since I was a well-respected queen, people knew my face well, knew my eyes well. And Iwouldn’t be able to explain any of it. Was there some medical oddity that

could explain my eyes away? If there was, I wouldn’t know. And I’m not sureGalefre would either.Did this planet know of my people? Maybe they did widely, I just couldn’tremember, and they would rejoice at my ability.I slowly opened my eyes. It was dark, night had fallen here.Great, all of what was happening was messing with sleep patterns in bothworlds. I would have to work on that.I looked around the tent swiftly, and stopped on a figure stooped over in achair at table.I was scared again. I quickly looked around the tent, double checking that Iwas indeed in my tent, and not in some far off castle.But then I recognized the stopped figure. It was only Galefre, sleeping in thechair.Why hadn’t he gone to his own tent? Or at least dragged a cot into mine.Wasn’t he exhausted enough with the day? And taking care of woundedsoldiers no doubt….

“Gaaaaaalefre?” My voice shook, I had to make sure I was correct before

anything else. Before I let my mind wander.He woke immediately at my voice. He quickly looked around the tent in aharried manner, noticing the tone of my voice, “What? What’s wrong?”



I looked at him blank in the face, although I felt uncomfortable that he wasso worried for me. What was there to be worried about? Oh…he would besuspecting that I had the ability from all my slip-ups. And if there werepeople the same as those on Earth, would be making sure they wouldn’t

whisk me away into the night.Could I tell him I knew who he was? Or should I wait? My mind floated oncemore with too many questions, all the while I tried to find a way to answerhim appropriately.

“Umm, nothing! I was just, um, worried that you…were…sleeping in a chair!” He didn’t look convinced, but I knew he wouldn’t challenge me right thismoment, “Shouldn’t you be in your own tent? Aren’t you at all toouncomfortable for that chair?”

He slumped back down into his chair, obviously relieved at my last twosteady questions, “I have to protect my queen from any danger there mightbe. And in your condition, as a doctor, I should be here to make sure you’reok.But I knew that he didn’t do this all the time. The last statement seemed tobe made to appease me that this wasn’t his habit, in a sort of embarrassedway on his account.But really, I wasn’t in that bad of condition! I was, but I could get by.And he was a doctor; he had to care for others as well. Why didn’t he justsend a guard or someone that didn’t have as much responsibility as he did?



These questions swirled in my head for long, drawn-out moments. All thewhile Galefre just stared at me through the darkness, seemingly trying todecipher my expression.Something inside me suddenly screamed to tell him. To let him know I had

the ability, that I knew what he was, that I had searched and read for hourson the internet, and the situation I was in back home, back on Earth.I thought I could trust him, if anyone, it would have to be the reliable doctor.But he would know soon enough, when he saw my eyes in light. Then hewould probably explain everything to me, not knowing that I already knew.I decided to test that. If he did tell me, I thought I could trust himwholeheartedly. And if he didn’t, then I would just have to assume that hehad ulterior motives. And then I’d have to test it out on Bret too…hopefully

before Galefre got to him. “Can you get a candle and light it? Then it wouldn’t seem so dismal andlifeless out here.” The question seemed to relieve him, and he fluidly got up to do my bidding.He got a tall, skinny candle from the large desk in my tent. He set it on mybedside table and lit it with some sort of lighter.But how could they have lighters here? Didn’t that require some amount of technology that this planet seemed to lack?Once the candle was lit, I looked more closely at it. It was… new. And itlooked like the kind you saw in expensive men’s stores, for lighting fancycigars. How in the world? Maybe there was more to this ability and the HighSon’s than I or anyone else knew….I heard a sharp intake of breath and looked up quickly. His expressionimmediately smoothed, but I caught the expression of shock…and a sort of glee in it too…before it went away completely, hidden with a mask of wordless wonder.

“What?” I asked at his expression. So maybe I could trust him! But why had

he hidden his other expression? “Another one….” His sentence trailed off. He stumbled backwards until hereached the chair he had been resting in, and then collapsed heavily into it.

“Another one what?” I was trying desperately to coat my voice withexasperation to hide my happiness. I could trust him! But I couldn’t let himknow I knew just yet. I wanted to have a bit of fun.



“You…are. Uh. Will you promise me something? Will you promise not tolaugh at what I’m about to tell you? And will you promise not to tell anyoneelse? You have to agree, or I can’t tell you. Oh man, excuse the slang myqueen, but this is…AWESOME!” he started smiling like a senseless drunkard,

while still being quietly yelling. “I know most off what you have to tell me,” I stated simply, ending his tiradeof joy.He looked at me, “How could you?”

“I simply looked it up on the Internet, they really do have everything onthere these day,” I said this calmly, trying to break it to him gently. Though Ireally didn’t know why I had want to.

“Why would anyone else spread this…? We’ve always told everyone….” Now

he was lost thought, thinking on what I had said, at a revelation I couldn’timagine.After staring blankly at the floor of the tent for what must have been half anhour, he looked back at me, at my expecting face, “I have to think for a bit.Please, I beg you my queen, I will tell you most all of what you want andneed to know in due time. I just need to think for a bit. You’ll be alrighthere?” I sighed heavily, I guessed I had to wait longer, with no one to amuse me,

“Yes, you may leave me. But you promise to come back?” He nodded once, and stood to leave.

“Wait,” I put my hand up to stop him, “Can you send someone to bring me acup of water? Maybe Antoine or Bret, someone I actually know by now?” He smiled widely, “Yes, I will do that. Antoine is always glad to help you,your majesty,” He bowed once, and left the tent.Now to amuse myself again. And I wasn’t even a bit sleepy.I had waited for about ten minutes, still trying to come up with a way toamuse myself, when Antoine walked into the tent with a big glass of water.

During the time that it took him to get to my tent the candle had blown out,which was good for me, since he didn’t know about any of this.He set the glass down on the bedside table and went to sit in the chairGalefre had sat in.

“Hello again Aisling,” He said conversationally, “How are you?”



“I’m ok,” I glanced quickly between the glass of water in the corner of myvision and him sitting in the chair. But I realized he wouldn’t see themovement my eyes made, “But I’m really thirsty.”

“Oh!” He sprung up.

He let me gulp down some big amounts of water, then set he set the glassdown again on the table.

“I’m sorry if I sound really selfish and preoccupied with only what I want,but could you carry me outside? I’m so tired of seeing the inside of mytent….” I hoped that he would agree and carry me outside for a brief respite,but I could never be too sure.

“You’ve only been in here for a day. How will you handle the weeks andmonths to come?” He asked solemnly.

“I won’t be able to, but I will have to take care of that later.” “Ok, but only for a couple of minutes. I don’t want the wrath of Gale to comeupon my head!” He laughed heartily, and scooped my small body into hisarms, and walked towards the tent flap.The air was cool out here. The tent was much warmer. But the cold air feltgood on my skin. I lifted my face to the heavens, and instantly regretted myaction. Regretted coming out here in the first place.My purple shone bright into the dark night. The beautiful sign of my ability.And Antoine saw it.I turned my head sharply, to hide my eyes from the moon.

“What have you there Antoine? A bright gorgeous gem?” Bret stepped fromaround the tent and out of the shadows. His face had a scheming quality toit, like he was planning everything he was about to do as he went along.Antoine must have seen the look also, for he stepped slightly back at Bret’sapproach, “Yes, and apparently I’m hallucinating for there seams to havebeen a bright candle of wine-colored light coming from her eyes,” He wasmaking calculated sentences, measuring each word with ease.

“Yes…Aisling does seem to be a bit more brilliant right now, doesn’t she?” Hetook a few more steps towards us, his face showing more and more signs of evil. He was not the person I remembered. But had he ever been?

“Step away from them Bretonnet,” A voice pounded from behind us.I turned my head to my right, still trying to keep it in the shadows cast bymy forehead, and saw that it was Galefre.



“Oh yes brother, as you command,” Bret says in a melodically sarcasticvoice, coming closer step-by-step with each word out of the corner of myeye.

“Now brother,” I turned to see that Galefre was raising a bright silver sword

from it’s case, the sword glinting the moonlight in the exact direction to castit in my eyes, returning the plum color back at the sky.I quickly glance a look at Antoine’s face. It was scared, and confusion waswritten greatly over his face.He looked down at me too, “What is happening? What is this?” He said this in barely a whisper, but Galefre heard it, “I will explain it to youlater Antoine. I’m sorry to have involved you in this.” Galefre turned back in Bret’s direction, “Get away from here very fast. You

know they are coming. You don’t have much time. And if I have to fight youno one will win. GO!” Bret looked backwards, unsure of his movements, and looked back to mewith eyes full of lust. He wanted something, and he hadn’t wanted it thisbadly until he had seen my amethyst eyes. Was he the bad brother thewebsite on Earth said there always were?Finally coming to a conclusion, he turned himself in a movement that blurredand ran faster than any Olympic sprinter to the south. Back into shadows of tents. I lost sight of him quickly.Galefre came quickly to Antoine’s side, “We have to leave now,” He said thisin a voice void of any emotion.But Antoine didn’t move, he stood there staring blankly into space, stillpuzzled by what he had just seen and heard, “Why?” He finally guttered out.

“I will explain all to you and Aisling in short time. But they are coming, andthey come fast. Go, get the things you need most, then meet back here intwo minutes. Let me take her.” Antoine clumsily handed me over to Galefre, and sped off eastward, in what

must have been where his tent was.Galefre sped into action as well. He ran into my tent and quickly set medown gently on my cot. He grabbed a medium sized bag from the bottomdrawer in my desk and then threw clothes, a couple of books, and somethings I couldn’t see well in the darkness into the bag. He closed it and thengot a smaller bag out of the same drawer. He put food left on the table intoit. And the small water pouch at his side.



He grumbled something under his breath that I couldn’t here, and wassilently gone from the tent. He came back not two seconds later, havingcarried two, much larger, water pouches, and threw them into the bag aswell.

He closed the bags and set them on the table, then proceeded to drag a coatout my dresser and put it around my shoulders.

“Where are we going?” I asked into the silence, wanting something said tocomfort my heart. I was frightened. I thought back to home, and shivered atthe thought that I’d be trapped in both worlds.

“I can’t say. I have no idea where to go. But I know we should start by goingnorth, opposite from where they come.”

“Who are ‘they’?”

“I will tell you later,” He says as Antoine comes into the tent. He had put ona coat like Galefre put on me, and had two bags of equal size also. “Clothes, books, food and other items?” He asked of Galefre. “Yes. You know what they say, ‘All the good ones have similar thinkingpatterns!’” He said, smiling for the first time since he realized I had theability.Antoine smiled also, but then sobered and asked, “Why are we leaving? Andwhy am I coming with you?” Galefre sobered also, going back to his old look of doom, “There are a groupof people that will be looking for Aisling at this moment. We have to leavefor the North. They come from the South, so this will be the best way to gofor now. And you’re coming with us because we’ll need your ingenuity atsome point along our journey. And because you saw something that youcannot tell the soldiers about. You’ll understand more once I explaineverything to you both. Now, we have to leave. Will you carry the bags?” Antoine nodded his head in a slow movement, “Yes. I’ll carry the bags andyou carry Aisling.”

I felt like I wasn’t there, how they spoke of me.Antoine shuffled to put all four bags into his hands, “Is there anything herefor you?” Galefre came and scooped me back into his arms, placing one of theblankets over me, “No, the food is all I will need for now. I packed the mostvaluable of coins for future use, and I already have a jacket on. I won’t needanything else.”



I looked up at him, “You won’t? Surely you will need some more clothes, awarmer coat, something!” He looked down at me with a small smile, “No, I will need nothing else. I’m aman of little needs,” He smiled wider, “but many wants,” He left the sentence

there, cryptic as it was, for me to try to decipher. I couldn’t.He looked back to Antoine, “Do you think they’ll be watching the horsesheavily after today’s victory?” That sentence brought back a small memory of strategies from the life that Ihad overtaken. Shulter would usually try to weaken the enemy after a loss.And that usually meant food stores and water supplies gone, or horsesstolen. But we would normally gone to great measures to make sure thattactic could not be used.

The sense of déjà vu quickly left however, replaced with a sense of fear thatwe may not get out of here on a horse, but, rather, by the means of slowwalking. The thought set panic in my veins.

“I don’t know. But we’ll find out soon enough.” We snuck silently out of my tent and to the right, where Antoine had left togo to his tent. I could tell of no other direction of where we went however,the darkness of night making it impossible. Clouds had gone over the moononce again, so there was no light to tell where we where going. I didn’t knowhow they were able to tell either.I heard the familiar sound of a horse’s whiney before we reached them.There were two candles burning next to several makeshift horse stalls, twoboys sitting guard at chairs that were certainly uncomfortable to sit in. Orsleep in. They had both dozed off at some time in the night, and the whineyhadn’t woken them.

“That’s not good security,” I stated in a small voice. “But at least it means that we can get out of here easily,” Galefre answeredback.

Antoine quickly set down the bags. And then ever so stealthily saddled twohorses that he then led out of their stalls towards us. They made no sound,Antoine whispered reassuringly to them their whole walk.He put the bags on ropes that he tied to saddle, and hoisted himself up,

“Will you be able to carry her?” He asked quietly.As if to answer, Galefre set me up limply in the saddle before hoistinghimself upwards into it, making sure I didn’t fall or slip off.



“North,” Was all he said.They walked the horses until we reached the edge of camp, then moved to atrot. When we had reached a far enough distance, they advanced to agallop.

“You know we can’t keep this up forever!” Antoine yelled from the 6 feet hewas away from us.

“I know, but we’ll find new horses at some stop. I know which town I’mheaded for. Remember, you’re in my country now.” We had crossed a border? I wouldn’t know. But I guessed that I was now inthe home that had fostered Galefre and Bret.

“Tell me when we’re almost there,” I told Galefre, whom my head had fallenlightly on the jarring chest of his.

“I will,” He responded. His answer seemed to shock something from me. Itwas more than an answer, it was a commitment, a promise.The air whipped around me, reminding me of Earth, of the forest outside myroom before being kidnapped. I was glad that I wasn’t tired, I didn’t want togo back there for some time. But if I was found here…I didn’t know what I’ddo.All I wanted at this point was to dream. Dream of normal life. Even if I’d onlyexperienced this one for twenty-four hours.And I would have to deal with this for the rest of my life.We rode farther into the black, still, silent night. The air whipping around usthe entire way.

~~~~~~We had been riding for a good couple hours when he told us that we werealmost to a small town called Ipskie, where he knew the owners of a fewstables with which we could trade our fine, but tired, horses out for a tworested horses.We rode silently into the sleeping town. Past houses with black windows and

stores with the doors shut securely from intruders.We had already made our way out of the wide valley some time ago. Wewere now in the foothills, where I guessed we would continue to go into theever-freezing mountains. They looked at us in the distance, daring us totraverse their peaks.



I felt transported back to the Donner party at the sight of those mountains.But we would make it…right? Galefre knew his way around this country,didn’t he?I didn’t want to focus on thoughts that we wouldn’t make it out of here

alive.We approached a small building on the outskirts of the town. It was squarelooking, with a thatch roof and whitewash. From what I could tell, it lookedlike something you’d see from the Salem Witch trials. Well, not exactly that time. But close to it.Antoine demounted himself and walked the horse to the stables at the sideof the house. He tied the horse to one of the poles made for such reasonsand came to assist Galefre in getting me down. Once I was down Galefre

demounted also and tied his horse next to Antoine’s, where they pantedhappily.Galefre went to the large curved door and knocked quietly. He looked backat Antoine and I and then knocked in a more urgent way.There was a scuffle from the inside of the house, and then the door openedto reveal a middle-aged man with a boy at his side, peering curiously at us. “Rondle!” Galefre exclaimed before put the man in a vice-like hug. “Galefre! Didn’t think I’d see you for a long time!” The man smiled like hehad found an unexpected Christmas present.Galefre instantly put a mask over his face however, “I’m sorry Rondle, butthis is more a trip of urgency,” He glanced over his shoulder to bring Antoineand I to his attention, “I have need of two of your horses. Desperate need.” The man’s, Rondle’s face turned stone also, “What’s happened?” Galefre whispered something in Rondle’s ear.

“Yes, you may have two of my horses. I’m sure that the two you came hereon will suffice as payment. Now go! But,” And here his face lightenedsomewhat, “You must come again as a guest and not a customer.”

Galefre smiled, “Yes, I will come and visit sometime, when I can.” Rondle waved us off towards the stalls, and took his boy back inside thedark cottage.We found two new horses, and Antoine returned me to Galefre to attach thesaddles onto the new horses. He put the two horses in the stalls where wegot our new ones. Galefre hoisted me up the same way as before, but thistime he made sure I had an extra blanket from the bag.



“Where to next?” Inquired Antoine. “Up into the mountains. We’ll go over them and then down into a larger cityon the other side. There is where I’ll try to explain things as best I can, it’swhere we’ll be the most safe for now.”

We galloped out of the town and into the lonely night once again.The hills got steeper and sharper as time passed. Pine trees replaced thescrub brush and oaks.The mildly cold air was replaced with frigid air as we got higher into themountains.

“Th-th-thanks for g-giving me anoth-th-ther blanket!” I scratched out atGalefre.He laughed, “You’re not used to the cold are you?” But he already had an

obvious answer, shivering right into him. “Grr-rr-rrrr!” I tried to get out evenly between shivers. “J-just be m-glad that you have two blankets and Gale! I have nothing but acoat!” Antoine said, trying to force out his stumbles in wording.We reached the top of the mountain at what must have been just beforedawn. Because when we got there, the clouds were starting to dissipate andthe sun was coming up over the valley, which was now far off in thedistance.

“It will be warming up soon, then you’ll wish back for the night!” Galefresaid, smiling into the darkness that would soon change into light.We stopped there, in a thicket of trees that gave view to the valley on oneside, and another valley on the other. I could see lights wakening in houses Icouldn’t see in the other valley, what must have been the city Galefre saidwould be our refuge.Galefre dismounted and got me down at the same time, then grabbed one of my blankets to put down on the ground, set me on the blanket, my backagainst a tree, to prop me up.

Antoine dismounted also and tied the horses up at a tree, feeding themsome apples from one of the bags. “Is anyone else hungry? I’m going to cook us some eggs,” Antoine stated,getting out a small stove-like thing from one of his bags and unwrapping fivecarefully wrapped eggs from another of his bags.

“I want one please!” I exclaimed, a little too loudly in my mind, in my hasteto make sure he marked one of the eggs mine.



“I’ll just have a slice of bread,” Galefre said, and went to get his slice of bread from one of the bags he had packed.Once everyone had ate and relaxed for a bit, the sun had already made it’sway up a quarter of the sky.

“Do you think they’ll catch us now? Can’t we go back to the camp? By noweveryone must be panicking,” Antoine said as he played with some pineneedles.

“No. It’s been started. And now they’ll continue to come until they find her,” His eyes glanced in my direction, “We can’t risk them finding her.” I knew I had to tell him, make sure he knew everything, “They alreadyhave.” Galefre gawked at me as if I had grown gills right here.

“What do you mean ‘They already have’?” He asked, shock that matched hisearlier shock to the key. “They already have,” I stated as if to a three-year old. “When did this happen? On Earth?” He asked, his shock at my knowingmore than I should giving way to interrogation. “Yes. I’m at some old, but beautiful castle. And it’s snowy there,” I wastrying to hide the fear in my voice though.The castle was beautiful, and would love to have lived there at some point inmy life, but I was scared to go back there and face the unknown. I had notlearned anything of that. But, I had not read the myths/legends tab at thatwebsite. “They got to you?” His started chewing on his piece of bread again. “Yes,” I admitted with reluctance. “When did this happen?” He demanded. His tone had hardened into that of a military commander asking information about the enemy. “In the morning….” I said shyly. “How did they find you though?” He demanded again.

“They saw the light from my eyes. It was four in the morning. I wentoutside. The moon came out. And I kind of fell off a cliff,” I repeated all thathad happened in short, chopped up sentences. “Fell off a cliff?” His tone was livid in anger. “Umm, yeah. The moon had retreated behind the clouds again, and myflashlight wasn’t working anymore. I was trying to wander back towards myhouse…and I fell off the cliff. That’s when he caught me.”



“He?” His tone had become a bit more relieved at hearing that I was nothurt. “Yeah. I don’t know who he is. But this man with wings caught me and flewme to the castle I was telling you about. I tried to pry the information

concerning where the castle is from them, but they wouldn’t tell me. Theykept telling me I’m some sort of lost queen...?” I let the sentence end there,wanting an answer to that question. “Yes, they would think that. But…you’re just a girl who wasn’t told thethings you should’ve been told ahead of time,” He sighed and continued,

“How am I going to rescue you when I myself am only a child?” “Wait, you are Hakon right?” I needed to make sure I was correct in myassumption.

“Yes. I don’t even want to know how you knew that.” Antoine had been glancing back and forth between Galefre and I for a whilenow, “You both know I have no idea what you‘re talking about right?” We both glanced at him, “Yes. Sorry. I will tell you whence we arrive in thecity.” “You had better….” He trailed off, and then went to work getting everythingready for our departure.Antoine and I ate the eggs hastily once they were done, then we were ridingour way down the hill again.The sun was shining on my face, and I wished that I had taken Galefre’soffer to put one of the blankets in a bag. I was burning alive. “Oh….” I moaned from the heat. “We’ll stop in a moment to let the horses drink at a creek not far from here.You’ll survive till then.” While Antoine led the horses to water, Galefre took both of the blankets off,sending a relief of cold air across my skin. “How will I be safe from ‘them’,” I used a foreboding tone, “when all I can

do is slump against inanimate objects and talk?” “You won’t have to for much longer. In the city there’s a wise medicinewoman who will most likely be able to heal your great wounds,” He saidcalmly, packing the blankets tight into the bag and then closing it. “How in the world is that possible?” I said, shock and disbelief evident in myvoice.



“You have entered a world that only ancient legends talk about Aisling,” Itmade me shudder thinking about how much more knowledge I evidently stillhad to gain. I kicked myself inwardly for not reading that other tab beforegoing to my doom outside, in the snowy white of night.

“You’re not still cold are you?” He was starting to open the bag again,having noticed my shudder. “No, just scared of what is to come. And how surreal all this seems.” He turned back towards me and laughed, “Trust me, when I found out whatI was at three years old and heard all the stories, well, I got nightmares forweeks on end!” His face clouded over and he appeared slightly angry, butbefore I could question, he changed the subject, “Tell me, how much do youknow?”

“Only the essential knowledge it appears,” I said with disgust for thinking Iknew a lot more than I did, “But don’t worry. When you explain everythingto Antoine and me, well, then I’ll know all…or most. Why are you going totell Antoine anyhow? Just because he saw my eyes? Don’t you have somepotion for that? Make him think he saw something else? Erase the memoryaltogether? Amnesia?” “Yes…but it just doesn’t seem right doing that to Antoine. And I’m sure I’llbe able to trust him, and if not…well, we’ll have ways of taking care of that.” But he saw my horrified expression, “We’ll just have to make sure all of them don’t remember him saying anything!” That made me relieved. But also scared, how much magic was there thateveryone didn’t know about?Antoine returned then, and Galefre attached the bag back onto the saddle.

“Ready to continue on our way? We’ll make it there by supper time Iassume.” But as we rode towards the town that would hide us from all supernatural-prying eyes, I started to doze off.

Galefre tried stir me into a more awake mood when he noticed my droopinghead. But I couldn’t respond.My eyelids closed against my own consent, and I couldn’t help but just fallwherever I did – against the horse’s mane, against Galefre, back and forth,back and forth.The daylight was just starting to wane and turn a soft pink in the horizonwhen I blacked out.



~~~~~~~I flew carelessly through the blackness again, trying to soak up as muchsleep as I could in this dreamless state between worlds.

when rest returns

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