Death's Priestess

Chapter 8- Nightmares

"We'll stop here for the night," Letifer announced. We had just exited the desert around an hour ago and were now in a rustling plain. The tall grass was itchy against my skin, the tiny needles poking and prodding with my every move. I was too tired after today's events to care about food or where I slept.

"Goodnight," I mumbled. I was too tired after today's events for food. Without caring where I laid down I wrapped myself in my cloak and drifted off into sleep.

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I wandered through a dark and narrow hallway, the only light coming from the end. As I neared the light a tall shadowed person came into view. He stood tall and thinner than a post, his clothes made of the finest silk. His lips began to form a smile, one full of malice.

"Hello dear," the figure grinned. My blood ran cold, sweat started dripping down my neck. I took a step back in terror.

"Alfred," I trembled. His grin became wider as I recognized him. In his skeleton-like hand, he held a vase, the same vase that was thrown before.

"Now, now that is no way to greet your husband," he laughed. He raised his arm and with a fluid motion, he threw the vase at me. I narrowly dodged it but he kept throwing things. Porcelain shards flew everywhere, shredding my body into pieces.

"Stop it, leave me alone," I cried.

"You made me kill my father, it's all your fault," he yelled. I tucked my head into my knees and sobbed, wishing he would just go away. His footsteps came closer and closer till one made contact with my stomach. His foot kept kicking and with every solid blow, I gagged trying not to throw up. Spit pooled around me dripping out of my mouth.

"Stop," I coughed. I could barely hear myself through the tears and coughing. He must have heard me as the kicking stopped. Alfred reached out with his hand and grabbed me by the scalp, lifting me. He pulled my head backward forcing me to look at him, it felt like my head was being torn off.

"I will make your life a living hell," he grinned. Suddenly he faded and I was back in the darkness bruised and bloodied.

"AAAAHHHHHH," I screamed. The pain was too much, I thought I was going to die. My tears kept flowing creating an ocean, its only purpose was to pull me down into the depths and drown me. I watched as the last of my life floated to the top in clear, shining bubbles. Out of nowhere reaching from the icy blue water came a ray of sunshine bringing with it warmth.

"Cassie," someone said. I opened my eyes and saw Letifer leaning over me. Worry filled his soft brown eyes. "You were crying and screaming in your sleep."

"I'm fine," I said shortly, wiping the tears from my eyes.

"I'm not sure about that but alright," he sighed sitting up. I couldn't tell him of that nightmare, I didn't even want to acknowledge that it happened. I looked next to me and saw Alessia lying there sleeping peacefully. It was as if she didn't have a single care in the world. I pushed the thoughts of Alfred to the back of my mind so I could go back to sleep. Sleep did not come to me and neither did the sunrise quickly.

I sat in front of the burnt-out campfire while Letifer readied his horse. The last stretch of the journey was today and we would be at the capital by noon. I gazed off into the bright baby blue sky. The clouds were perfectly white and fluffy, almost as if you could just land on one. How would it feel to sleep on a cloud high above this miserable land?

"Cassandra!" Letifer yelled.

"What, I'm sitting right here there's no need to yell," I said, turning my head around.