Silver Eyes Chronicles: The Journey Begins Trilogy: Book One: The Reunion

Chapter Four: The Worst Nightmare

Naria

When the dream is over, I bolt upright, gasping slightly, my thin cotton nightgown drenched with a cold sweat that streak my body. I gaze around warily as if expecting something to come towards me out of nowhere. It's barely close to dawn and everyone's still asleep.

Save for me.

I hear my father's soft snoring, my mother's soft breathing and Kirena's occasional audible moan and the rustling of sheets as she shifts position.

I sit up, quietly pulling the woolen blanket off me, my bare feet softly touching the dirt floor. I pull my worn soft brown boots on, tying the leather laces that reach up to my knees.

I get up, careful not to disturb my still sleeping family, quietly getting dressed. I stop at the pinewood dresser where the basin of water waits. Grabbing a soft clean cloth, I pour water into a slightly cracked ceramic bowl. I bathe my face, waking myself up, shivering a little from the cold water. I bury my face in the worn but soft towel closing my eyes for a few brief minutes.

I then walk over to my wardrobe and pull out a dress before draping it over my body; a soft sapphire blue with no sleeves over a long-sleeved white blouse. I gently smooth out the wrinkles on my skirt. I pull a brush through my snowy curls until they're soft as velvet. I pull my hair to one side and tie a ribbon around it, letting it hang over one shoulder.

When I'm done, I go to the unglazed window and stare out at the sunrise, the beauty of it mesmerizing and comforting. I breathe and bask in the familiar scent of the village and the nearby scent of sweet peas and roses. I smell the crisp warm air of early summer. I hear male voices, joking good naturedly as the men who work in the fields get up and head out, each one bearing a scythe blade and a large flat basket in which to collect the golden stalks. I hear their merry joking, laughter and singing.

I smile a little before chewing my lower lip, thinking of the dream that is still occupying my mind.

But why? I don't believe in omens. Not really at least.

But it felt so real, I think, kneading my brow with my knuckles until it hurts. Too real.

The thing that troubles me the most however is the unexplained voice in my head. Even in a dream, I know that hearing even one voice is not a good sign because hearing voices often shows signs of insanity.

I'm certain that I'm not crazy, but at the same time I am uncertain of what happened last night.

But then I remembered feeling a sense of unrecognized kinship between myself and the seemingly strange and familiar voice. Why this is, I do not know.
I've had dreams before, but they were never like this. They were as clear as my senses and I knew what they were about.
In this dream, it was not. I didn't recognize the place in which I dreamed, but it feels somewhat familiar.

Again, what's going on? What's happening to me?

I'm still brooding over this when I hear the creak of a pallet and a soft almost inaudible yawn. I don't have to turn around to know that it's my sister.

I hear the swish of her nightgown and then feel her small, warm yet calloused hand clasp mine. I hear her soft high pitched melodic voice. "Good morning, Naria."

"Morning," I reply, still brooding and staring out the window.

"Are you all right?" she asks, her question surprising me momentarily.

I turn to reassure her, but her expression stops me short. She's frowning, yet looks concerned at the same time. Her small brow is creased, her full lips are slightly parted. She looks up at me, only half an inch shorter than me.