A Nightmare Within a Dream

(10) News that brings You to Your Knees

As Alex awakens and heads to the dining hall in the west wing, a messenger makes his way through the walls of the capital to deliver a specific message to the Queen and the Crown Princess.

Alex sat there in the dining hall, completely hollow. She had been staring at her bowl of tomato soup for half an hour, trying to force herself to eat something. As much as she lifted up the spoon she couldn't bring it to her lips, her hands trembled and her lips quaked from the thought of eating.

"Your highness, you're not going to eat?" A voice called out behind her. She turned and realized it was Wigmentl, the chief of the royal guard, The son of the man who raised her in the west wing and helped train her.

"Wigget," she called out. She patted a seat next to her and looked back at the soup. "I'm not hungry," she responded, but the truth was she hadn't been able to eat since yesterday when her father passed. she looked sorrowfully down missing Cathrine and her father, despite not having much time spent with him. Wigget raised a hand to her back and rubbed it for he knew the agonizing pain she felt, his father Rukoi had died years ago. It was then that his other father Hakami retired from the guard and Wigget stepped in.

"I'm sorry for your lo-"

"How's Anton?" Alex interrupted not wanting to speak about her emotions. She felt as if she spoke about it it would make it real, she wasn't ready for it to be real. Wigget furrowed his eyebrows and huffed at the fact Alex had changed the topic but still enjoyed the fact he got to speak about his partner.

"They're them as usual, always doing weird overly the top things," he responds smiling. Alex nods remembering when Wigget introduced Anton, they were the complete opposite of him. They were fun, joyful, bubbly and overflowing with emotion, it had striked Cathrine and her strange to see how completely different they were yet there was so much chemistry it was unquestionable. "Soooo How's Cathy?" Alex looked to the side, away from him. Cathrine was fine. I hope. She's strong and powerful, it's not like she needs me like I need her.

"She's fine," Alex said quietly not wanting to talk about her. It pained her knowing there was no communication between them. But it was her fault. Cathrine's probably just giving her some space.

Wigget fidgeted in his seat, Alex was always closed and cold because of the way she had been raised. but they had grown up together, so he knew her and he knew that something was wrong with Alex. He just didn't know whether it be her father's death or something that has to do with her lover.

"Did you know? They're keeping my father's death a secret so that the demons don't find out." Alex began as she stood up. Grabbing her dish and walking to the kitchen. Wigget followed her as she mumbled "or so they say," he only stood there watching the girl, noticing that she must've not slept.  "But anyways my mothers calling me to attend matters of war. But I just want to stay here,"

where I belong
...

Alex laid in the bed of her room. She had chosen not to go to the meeting, claiming sickness from travel. I'm sure wigget will cover up for me. Alex opened her eyes and noticed a little piece of paper with a heart on her bedpost

"Cathrine."

It had been a while since Cathrine and Alex hung out in her room. Alex began to think of when she met Cathrine. She was just a kid back then. Sheltered away in the west wing. Cathrine had accompanied her father and wandered into the secret garden. The one only Alex went to, to find peace and seek rest from her training. That's where they met. A secret garden in the forbidden West Wing. She always remembered what Cathrine had said when Alex told her she was forbidden to go outside the west wing perimeters.