A Somnium Rerum

Chapter 1:

"Which story would you like me to read to you, Elisabeth?" Granny asked me while she turned on the heater.

"Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping beauty ...?" She suggested a few. I pulled a face.

"Don't you know any other stories Granny? Can't you make one up for me?" I asked.

"Well, lets see ...

A long, long time ago all the countries in the world were united. There were no wars, only peace across the lands. This world was known as the Harmonia Empire, ruled by King Zed the Mighty and Queen Ashton the Glorious. They had a daughter which they named Princess Tamlyn, the Beautiful who would one day rule the Empire for herself. Now that they had a daughter the King and Queen wished to find a permanent home to raise their child. The countries argued over where the royal family would live. Everyone needed a leader to maintain the country, and the Royal family couldn't be everywhere at once. But dispite all the fighting they chose to live in a small quiet village called Delicia Valley. King Zed then left the Queen and Princess in the Valley while he visited every single country in the Empire. While visiting he decided upon one woman and man to look after the country, they were known as the Lord and Lady of that country. Finally the Mighty King Zed went home to Delicia Valley where he lived with his family happily ever after. Also with Lord Kruk and Lady Vanna of Delicia Valley taking care of everything the King and Queen could take care of Princess Tamlyn."

"Is that it?" I asked, hoping for more.

"That's it for tonight, its getting late, Elisabeth. Happy Birthday Sweetheart." She turned out the light and then I fell into a gentle sleep.

I was five when I lived with Gran for a month, I didn't know why I was living with Granny but I didn't care either. I loved her and her stories about the Harmonia Empire. The night of my fifth birthday, after gran told me that first ever Harmiona Empire story I had a dream.

A man in regal deep purple and gold robes and black hair stood on a small wooden platform in a dark, dusty town square. A golden loop for a crown rested in the regal mans long hair, and a golden ring with a large stone on his finger. A woman was on the stage also, she had glorious golden hair down to her waist and wore a similar crown and ring. She stood next to the man wearing a rose pink robe with silver embroidery, matching the pink flowers and silver ribbons entwined in her hair.

The couple held a baby dressed in an emerald green dress and the baby had shimmering black hair which had been weaved into beautiful twists and braids. The man and woman held the baby up in front of the large crowd gathered around the stage. My dream ended with the crowd bursting into a thunderous applause directed at the child.

Ever since then I've always had that same dream on my birthday. But the strangest part is every year the man, woman and child get older. Up until last week, my fifteenth birthday when the man was old, grey hairs running through his hair and beard. The woman still remained beautiful as she aged though her hair had lost its shine and now appeared thin and dull. But whatever took away the couples beauty must've given it all to the child who grew into the most beautiful young lady I'd ever seen. I felt a strong connection to this girl, dispite not even knowing who she was.

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"And that's when I started having the dreams." I explain to Dr Brighton.

"So you say you've had this dream every year since then? And only on your birthday?" Dr Brighton asks. Dr Brighton is a grumpy old man with thinning hair and a dark grey beard. He's eyes are an unusual dark green but they go perfectly with his bottle-green tie. Also he's a physiatrist.