Chapter 20 Sleep Talking
Rever
It was late, almost midnight and I was tuckered out from the exertions of the past few days, I should have been long asleep, but I wasn't. Rather than much needed sleep, my mind was filled with thoughts of a certain woman with short blonde hair and brown eyes. Just like when I found her in woods, it was like I was being drawn to her, almost like there was an invisible string clamped to my chest that kept pulling to her. This had been going all day while I sat through briefings with Lasmay and went over my schedule for the next week, but I had forced myself to ignore it, telling myself it would pass soon, but here I was hours later, and rather than the feeling having passed, it had gone in the opposite direction and intensified making it impossible for me to get any sleep.
After a few more minutes of trying to force sleep, I finally gave a sigh of resignation and rolled out of bed.
“ I might as well go see her and get it over with.” I announced to the empty room as I shrugged into my robe, I was sure I wouldn't get any sleep otherwise.
My eyes stayed to the auburn wig on the dresser for a few seconds, but I quickly shook my head. It was too late and dark to go messing around with wax.
“ Besides she's probably asleep.” I added before putting on my slippers and letting the invisible string pull me out of my chambers and towards the infirmary.
As I walked past the legionnaires on guard duties tonight, I couldn't help but send a quick involuntary prayer up to lord shaven for being the only one he had chosen to bestow his gift of speed and stealth upon. Because it didn't matter how well trained our legionnaires were, or how plentiful they were, with only ten people with the same abilities as myself, any enemy of mine could burn down the entire palace and take everyone hostage.
The heavy oaken door that led to the infirmary was locked, but I didn't let that deter me, stretching my left hand in front of me, I watched and smiled as it turned into a wolf's paw, before inserting a long slim claw into the key hole and jiggling the door open. It was dark inside as well, but I simply closed my eyes and opened them again to let the my wolf eyes take over and just like that I could see clearly.
Sharon was the only one in here so it didn't take me long to find her, I was pleased to see that she had been given one of semi private rooms at the end of the infirmary, the ones with feather beds and their own private chamber pots. She was asleep just like I had predicted, without actually thinking about it, I found myself sitting beside her, sighing in contentment as I watched her sleep. She looked so beautiful and peaceful that I couldn't stop myself from reaching out a hand to softly stroke her hair. It was a little oily and made my palm feel clammy, that didn't stop me from running my hand over it one more time before sitting back though.
Minutes later, I was debating between staying for a few more minutes or going back to get some sleep myself when she suddenly jerked in her sleep.
“ Guess the fates made that decision for me.” I said with a silent chuckle, as I stood up and kicked my legs in the air to ease the numbness.
What happened next however stopped me in my tracks.
“Father....” She croaked in a little voice that could only be described as pain wracked and fear filled.
“ Please don't hurt me father.” She continued.
She raised her arms as she spoke, her palms coming together in the universal of supplication as her voice broke and tears rolled down her cheeks from her closed eyes.
“ Good Lord Shaven,” I groaned as realization dawned on me.
“ Samaf you bastard, I will cleave your head form your neck,” I quietly promised her whoreson of a father as I placed a comforting hand over her trembling wrists, only to swear and jump back a second later when she shivered and recoiled from my touch. She was so far into her dream she probably thought I was the bastard.
“ Please father,” she begged, sounding so pitiful it was all I could do not to cry along with her.
“ I washed the sheets and myself and made sure mother didn't see me. Please don't hurt me. I promise I'll be good and not tell anyone.” She continued.
I stood there watching her cry and plead too scared to touch her again, and unable to think of anything else I could do to help her. Unable to stand there and watch her suffer anymore (even if it was only in her dreams) I turned and stalked out of the infirmary, leaving her to her nightmares even as every nerve in my body screamed at me to go back to her and wrap her in my arms.
Less than five minutes later, I was back in my room, but I didn't bother going back to bed or even getting out of my robe. I knew I wouldn't be getting any sleep anyway. Rather I grabbed myself a bottle of mead from the private stash I kept in clothes closet and took three quick gulps before planting myself on the rocking chair across from the bed. Only then did I let my mind wander back to the infirmary, the woman I had left there and the words she had just uttered in her sleep.
It was plain as day what she was dreaming about, her father - that philandering bastard had abused her, his own daughter. Only the basest of base men would commit such an evil act and I would make sure he received the punishment he deserved, so help me lord shaven.
It turned out I had been wrong about not being able to get any sleep, because the next thing I knew I was waking up with a crick in my neck, and dried up mead all over my robe.
Giving my head a soft shake, I got up and ambled across the room to ring for my bath, it was time to get the day started.
A little less than an hour later, I was sitting in front of my shaving mirror as Lasmay worked with wax to turn me back to Mikel Franson talking non-stop about what a horrible idea this was.
I had tuned him out after the first couple of sentences, choosing to focus instead on his work, marvelling once more at how he was so good at everything. No one who saw him at work right now would believe that he had not been present at Mikel Franson’s creation and had only spent a few hours with him last night.
When he patted my face for the last time and placed the auburn wig on my head, even I who had been present throughout the process was a little spooked by different I looked from my usual self.