Chapter 35 Chapter 33

Chapter 35 Chapter 33
”There comes a time when the song is perfect, but before then all you hear are the mistakes”

Marina

I stared at my reflection in the mirror as I applied a little powder on my nose.

My eyes looked swollen, like I had been crying. What I really lacked, was sleep.

Shutting my eyes last night felt like a punishment. Each time I closed my eyes today, the dream I had danced behind my eyelids.

The woman who had escorted me in my last dream, or best described as a nightmare, was here again.

“Are you like a spirit guide from the gods or something?” I asked, coming to full acceptance that she was the only one who could hear me.

Even though sometimes she pretended like she could not.

But I could see through that facade now.

“See me as a friend” she said, and began leading me to another destination.

This did not feel like a dream. It felt like a fragment of reality that only I could see and witness.

I was led over a bridge made of bricks and wooden railings that had seen the wear and tear of years. I was a bit worried that it would crumble beneath me and I would fall into the stream below.

It did not appear deep but the water sure flowed fast enough to whisk me away before help arrived.

“It is deeper than you think and second. You cannot die here” my guide said.

“Can you… can you read my mind?” Because I am very sure I did not say that out loud.

She gave me no response and kept walking. Another act like she could not hear me.

“I know you heard what I asked” letting her know I would not let it slide.

“Sometimes. Other times, you shut me out of your mind” there was a shrug to end her sentence like it made any sense to me.

We got to the end of the bridge, to a part where the grasses grew really tall. Our ankles got lost in the greens.

Specifically, my ankle. My alleged friend’s ankles were covered by her floor length black dress. I now wondered if she even had feet.

“How do I do that?” Referring to my ability to shut her out.

“That is a question for you to answer. I am not the one doing the shutting”

Still walking.

“Does that mean I can read your mind too?” Let me know how this place truly worked.

She delayed her answer a bit. I believe she was thinking if she should ignore me once again or not. “No”

As we went on, the sounds of crickets and birds of different kinds filled the air. Butterflies fluttered away from the ground as our legs while moving disturbed their peace. The floor was a bit too moist, like there had been rainfall a while ago.

From a distance, you could see so many mountains that formed a border line.

And was that a volcano?

“Are we in the Southern Lands?” I asked, mountains were an irregularity in Aspena. Not absent, but rare.

“You’re smart, but what gave it away?” I could hear the amusement in her voice that confused me on if she was actually proud that I figured it out or disappointed that it took me this long to figure it out.

“The environment” and that was where I had ended the conversation.

I had never been to the Southern lands before. Usually, it was a thing of wealth to be able to visit all countries and return with souvenirs.

And from every story I had heard, the southerners were actually very welcoming. 

Our journey still went on. My feet were getting tired. “If we continue at this pace, the sun would rise at my home”

“Your home?” There was a scoff into her tone. Drizzled with a bit of sarcasm. 

I did not grant her a response anyway.

It seemed like my nervous system had gotten used to this otherworld and did not see any need to act like I was in danger.

As we kept on, a pathway opened up. It went from tall shrubs and grasses to a clear ground. I wondered how that had happened.

“Be careful. Some of the farmers set out animal traps” 

Her instruction came at the perfect time because I had almost tripped over a set rope that was sure to release arrows from somewhere.

That was a bear trap.

There were bears in this place and we were just walking through like two lovers?

“What if a bear comes on us? These traps are strategically planted” 

“I have told you, you cannot die here” repeating the words she said earlier which I did not quite understand.

“Do you mean that as a fact? Or as a threat which I dare not try?” It was very easy to confuse the two.

“A truth. Now no more questions. We are here”

From a distance, I could now see a little girl. Clad in a long black woolen outfit.

Similar to that which the older sister from my previous dream had on. 

But this girl was younger and had a lighter skin tone than the other girl.

Her back was to us and all I could see were her crouched form and ponytail.

“You happen to always find little girls in places they should not be” I did not mean this as a compliment.

“Shush… now look at what she is doing”

She was quite far, but now that it was pointed out, I could see a marmot before her. Its body was bent in a very awkward angle, taking me a while to recognize it.

“Is the animal playing with her? I thought those things attacked kids?”

“Look closely”

Now I was curious. Watching with a new found intent, I tried to understand the scene.

The girl moved her right hand and fingers in a strange pattern, and the body of the marmot distorted with the motion.

Another movement of her left hand and its body jerked forward with a twist. 

I almost did not believe my eyes, but next, she lifted her hands and the animal began levitating.

“Is she… is… is she controlling it?” I went from confused to horrified.

But my escort, she looked pleased. Her smile was broader than the sunlight above us.

“An epsilon dream” she said, never taking her eyes off the girl “she is beautiful”

Epilson? Last time she called it Beta.

“Has your soul lost its bearings?” Hilra’s voice cuts through the memory of my dream, causing me to almost tumble over my chair.

“Sorry…” I wanted to add I was daydreaming but explanations weren’t really worth it with Hilra if you were caught slacking.

“The King is waiting for you” she said.

With one last look at my reflection, I stood to my feet and followed her to meet with him.

As I walked past my old room, I began to wonder if the sword was still in there. Since the incident, there had been no mention of it.

Not like it was mentioned much before.

I was led out of the castle and into the evening, where a carriage was set to go and the King as well as his high adviser waited. 

They were dressed in armors, what was missing was their helmets which they held in their arms.

Giving a curtsy when I got close enough, the King nudged his head in the direction of our ride. Most likely telling me to get in.

I did and so did he with his second in command. Who took a seat next to the King. Opposite myself and a guard.

As soon as we were seated, the driver did not wait for long before setting us on our way. 

Dusk was just coming in. This was the perfect time to meet with people at the pub. They would be sober enough to still have their reasoning but tipsy enough to be willing to engage anyone.

Eclaris pub was far away from the market center but not too far. It was a kind of distance usually travelled by community carriages. If you decide to go by foot, moving with company made the journey less tiresome.

I mostly went alone. There were times Jeneva did accompany me but those were the days she would close from work at the exact time I would leave for the pub.

She lived along the route.

The pub was not a place for men of commons like myself, because we could hardly afford two drinks in there and the goal of any pub was to drink to stupor.

It also was not a place for the bourgeoisie. It was too cramped up and sweaty for people like them.

Eclaris was perfect for the middle class. This was their little way of classic excitement.

And Segei made a ton of money from it.

As we moved, my mind wandered back to the dreams I had been experiencing. I wished to have someone to tell about it without them looking at me like it was a fever dream.

Deep down, I felt like they meant something.

I had gotten two dreams, Beta and Epilson.

Probably it was just the recovery nightmares Quala had mentioned.

Anyway, it seemed like the coach rider had been debriefed on where we were headed because he had no questions to ask.

Thirty minutes to when we had left the castle. The carriage came to a stop at a distance from the pub but the music and chitchat could be heard loud and clear.

Eclaris was always a noisy place to be.

I took a deep breath and got down from the carriage, after the guard, the King and his second.

Rehearsing the conversation I planned to have with Segei, I had not realized I was whispering my words out loud till the King’s form stood in front of me.

“You seem distracted” his eyes narrowed on me slightly.

“No. I was preparing the dialogue in my head”

He did not appear to believe my answer but he chose to go with it anyway.

“Anthonier and I would wait for you to have a seat before we walk in. We would be seated within your vision and the third guard at the door. If you sense anything off, give us a sign. Any sign” he handed me the bag of coins which I collected.

“Wouldn’t your outfits give you all away?” The armors were too bold to not look at.

“No. Based on our survey of this place, some guards of the high men do come here occasionally. Our armors bear no royal sigils”

That was true. During my previous time here, I had seen men in armor quite often.

“Okay. But one more thing… Segei might want to take me to the back room to give his information. Away from the ears of others, especially when handed the bribe” he did not deal with business transactions in public.

“So how do I know when you’re no longer safe?”

That was a valid question. 

“I don’t think he would try to kill me at his pub. That is bad public relations for business”

“I would give you fifteen minutes of privacy with the manager. If I do not see you afterwards, I am coming for you”

That did not sound like it was up for debate. 

In response, I nodded in understanding. Which he returned.

Then walked towards the entrance of THE ECLARIS PUB.