My Dream

Interlude: Grand Parade

"Whoa..." Gwen looked at her surroundings in shock. "A dazzling royal palace...?"

"It has to be a prince." A small man sitting on the throne said. He must be the sultan.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." The Sorcerer replied, holding up a snake staff to the sultan.

"Oh, he's not just a sorcerer." Gwen realized. "He's the vizir!"

"You shall order the princess to marry me." He commanded as a red glow came from his staff.

"The princess will marry..." The Sultan repeated, before a large commotion woke him up. "What? What is that noise?"

The scene shifted to outside, where a princess watched the scene below.

"Make way for Prince Ali!" Someone announced. "Prince Ali is coming through! Then come and meet his spectacular coterie! Fabulous he! Ali Ababwa!"

Gwen turned to look at the princess, who didn't look impressed at all. The princess rolled her eyes at the display and went back inside her room.

Gwen followed after her, but instead of stepping in a room, she fell into ink.

***

"Oh no!" Gwen looked around. Strangely, enough, it was starting to look vaguely like a throne room. "I thought I could get away from this..."

"We are bound by our fates, I'm afraid Little Mouse." The thing said, appearing from the shadows. It was starting to look like someone, but Gwen still couldn't tell who. "But don't worry. Soon I'll have everything I deserve, and you'll be my queen."

"You're going about it the wrong way though!" Gwen protested. "This will only cause more problems in the long run!"

There was a hissing sound, and something wrapped around Gwen's body, pushing her down into the ink. "You'll see it my way soon enough."

***

"Are you ever jealous?"

"Jealous of what?"

"Your brother. He's got a girlfriend, and you're surrounded by books. He's gonna get married, and you practically live in your library."

"..."

"Hey! Don't laugh! It was a serious question!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, it's just... books Are the only thing that interest me!"

"What does that mean?"

"Oh boy. I've got some books about that somewhere around Here."

***

"Gwen?" A gentle hand tapped her shoulder.

Gwen jolted, looking to see both Kalim and Jamil staring at her in concern. She had somehow made her way out of the locked room and into Scarabia's courtyard, in front of a fountain.

"Are you alright?" Kalim asked. "I didn't know you were a sleepwalker!"

"I wish you had told us." Jamil frowned. "If you had fallen down the stairs or gotten hurt, it would've been our fault."

"I'm sorry." Gwen said, tugging at her pajama sleeve. "I didn't think this would happen."

"It's alright Desert Lily." Kalim assured her. "Let's get you back to bed."

After the two had sent her back to the room and shut the door, Gwen pressed her ear to the door.

"Why wasn't it locked!?" Jamil demanded. "She could have fallen and broken her neck!"

"It was, I swear!" Scarabia A promised. "It was weird. The doorknob literally glowed and the door swung open. Then she walked out and I went to get you and the dorm leader."

"Well, keep it locked!" Jamil commanded. "She's not getting hurt on our watch!"

"I knew it!" Grim hissed, making Gwen jump. "You've been having dreams again! Why'd you lie? You cost me my holiday feast!"

"I'm sorry." Gwen said. "I... hate doing this. I just wanted to have a normal holiday. And I can't even have a normal holiday because I'm not home!"

Gwen started to cry. "I hate dealing with Overblots! It's awful to see my friends hurting! I thought I could stop it beforehand if we stayed."

"Eek! Don't cry!" Grin pleaded. "It's okay! Let's just go to bed."

Gwen nodded, trying to calm down. She wished she had her phone with her. She'd give anything to hear Riddle's reassuring voice, or Leona's snarky insults, or even Azul's flustered reactions.

***

Why didn't she go on vacation? Is she alright? You stole her phone!? Che'nya! Oh, you went ahead and texted for backup?