A Light in the Shadows.

Just Need to be Alone

When we got back Amharic was sitting there, writing something down.

Jelequi leaned over to me, and whispered, "I wonder what Amharic is writing..? They normally hate writing."

"I dunno," I whispered back. Jelequi walked over to Amharic, "What are you writing?" Amharic looked up, "I'm writing a letter to Xentri! To tell her about those bandages."

 "How about, you don't?" Jelequi said, slightly nervous. "You still didn't tell me what those were from." I mentioned.

"Don't worry about it!" Jelequi said, seeming slightly panicked. "I always worry about-" I cut myself off, knowing I would only be more hurt the more I argued.

Amharic shrugged, "I'm going to tell Xentri. I just need to finish up the last sentence." Jelequi took the paper Amharic was writing on, "Please don't. I don't want Xentri to try and kill someone..." Jelequi said.

 "And? I don't care." Amharic snatched the paper back.

"So it is a someone."

"Wha- Oh... Uh.." Jelequi awkwardly mumbled.

Amharic finished writing something quickly, before running out of the shop with the paper in hand.

"Well, good luck with Xentri..." Jelequi laughed awkwardly, "well, uh, want to head to my room, Seraphina?"

"sure..."

Jelequi led me through to her home, up to her room.

We headed in, it was fairly dark by this point. "Should we just read or go to bed?" I asked.

"Whatever you want to do. I'm not that tired right now.." Jelequi replied. "I'm always tired, but I'm not particularly tired right now so let's read," I rambled.

"Did we actually get any books from the library?" "I brought that absurd elf fantasy book," I said, taking the book out of a small bag on my shoulder.

"It's magic so I can fit whatever I want in here." I explained at Jelequi's expression.

 "Makes sense!" Jelequi said, sitting down on the floor, grabbing one of the books that she had on the floor.

"What are you reading?" I asked. "It's one of the books about the dragon and elven war."

"oh yeah." Jelequi opened the book, to begin to read.

 I did the same, sliding down to sit on the floor.

We both read, sitting next to each other until it was quite late and I slammed down my book.

"This is absurd but hilarious." I said, "I don't understand..."

"I think elven stories might use more or different comedy?" Jelequi replied.

"More, but just the absurdness is funny because elves have such different views on things." Jelequi nodded, going back to reading.

I did as well, laughing occasionally.

We spent a while reading, soon seeing the moon peering through the window.

I looked up, and stared at the moon, finally saying "I think the pattern on the moon is different than in the palace"

"Interesting..." Jelequi mumbled looking out towards the moon. "I'm going to bed. That should set my nightmare schedule to early in the morning."

"Alright, good night." Jelequi said, hugging me. "Goodnight" I replied, yawning and curling up in my dragon form.

I soon fell asleep.

Another nightmare.

I woke up in my nightmare and Jelequi was standing over me with a knife.

"Jelequi, what are you doing?" I asked.

She lunged with the knife, but I rolled, and swept her feet out from under her.

"Don't you get it Jelequi?" I asked her.

She tilted her head sideways like a confused puppy.

 "i love you" I whispered.

I don't know why I did it.

I just needed her to know.

She laughed in my face, saying "you fool, i love someone else. A girl who's smarter, faster, prettier, kinder to me, and had the guts to confess.

You're too late.

 You're just a fool."

I woke up in the morning, seeing Jelequi asleep, still sitting by the books. "It's not real." I breathed.

 "It's just a nightmare. She doesn't hate you." I saw Jelequi sitting there peacefully, asleep.

 I got up quietly and stared out Jelequi's window.

 It was morning, the sun low in the sky.

I sighed heavily, looking over to Jelequi, looking at her bandages as if they would tell me what happened if I stared at them long enough.

I saw Jelequi shift slightly, but was still asleep.

I got the book I had been reading the last night.

Jelequi looked so beautiful and calm, just sleepy silently.

"I dont deserve you." I whispered.

Jelequi shifted slightly more, starting to wake up.

I went back to staring out the window moodily.

Jelequi slowly woke up, opening her eyes. "Morning, Seraphina.." Jelequi mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "Good morning," I said softly.

Jelequi got up, walking over to me, and giving me a hug.

I hugged her back and said "can we just... stay hugging?" because I didn't want this beautiful girl to leave me.

 "For now..." Jelequi mumbled, closing her eyes softly, resting her head on my shoulder.

 I rested my head on Jelequi's and sighed contentedly.

Jelequi smiled slightly, hugging me tightly.

"How was your sleep?" I asked.

"It was okay... Better than some nights..." Jelequi mumbled. "No nightmares then?"

"Well, it was kinda a nightmare, but it started out nice..."

"Well I just had a straight up nightmare" I grumbled. "Oh.. are you alright..?"

"I should be numb to them, but I guess I rarely have this type... are you?" I said, uncomfortable about mentioning my dream.

"I'm fine... Well, I should probably head down for work... Are you able to stay a little longer?" Jelequi said. "I need to go."

 "O-oki.. Bye then?" Jelequi said, very disappointed. "Bye.." I said, letting go of the Jelequi, and going down to go out of the front door, fighting back tears.

I wished i could stop having these stupid dreams.

 I wished I could see anything but this.

I would rather see my parents killed, well, seeing my parents killed and this are equal.

I flew back to the palace, needing to be alone but scared what would happen when my thoughts acted up.