Playing the Game

Chapter 47: Ultimatum

"Wake up, sweetheart."

I groan as I roll over in bed, wiping the crust out of my eyes to focus on my visitor. I scream and jump into a sitting position.

My father is standing over me, smiling as he says, "There's something I need you to see."

I look around the room for Arlo. He's sitting on my lounge chair, sharpening one of his knives absentmindedly. I call out to him, but he doesn't react.

"You're dreaming, Candra. I thought that would be obvious."

"He can't hear us?"

"You're not letting him. It would kind of defeat the purpose."

"What purpose?"

"We're going to sneak out of your room."

I shake my head, dumbfounded. "Why does it feel like reality? He looks as he would in real time, watching over me as I sleep."

"Because there's something you need to see in real time."

"I don't understand."

"You need to see something, so I'm going to take you there."

"But it's not real... right?"

"That's for you to decide. Perhaps you'll be sleepwalking in real time, or maybe you're just making this all up. When you wake up, safe and sound in your bed, you can do with this information what you will."

"I thought you couldn't tell me things that I didn't already have the answers to? You're just a figment of my imagination, after all."

He rolls his eyes, annoyed by my logic. "Yes, well you seem to have something on your mind that you want to explore. It may not be real, but you want to map it out anyways in case you're assumptions are correct. So let's play along and see what you've pieced together."

I sigh, defeated as I throw off the covers and jump out of bed. "Fine, let's get this over with."

We breeze past Arlo without incident.

I don't remember leaving the room or walking through the palace, but suddenly I'm standing in the library with my father.

Arrian is sitting on the sofa, hunched over with his hands clasped. He looks anxious and thoughtful.

"Why are we-"

I'm cut off by Empress Aryanna as she quickly sneaks into the library, carefully closing the door behind her. Arrian stands, waiting expectantly as she listens at the door for anyone who may have followed her. Once she's sure that the coast is clear, Arrian rushes to embrace her.

"My sweet boy..." Aryanna croons, lovingly stroking his hair as her arms rest on his shoulders. I have never seen her smile so brightly.

Arrian is squeezing her tight, burying his face in her neck. He looks relieved to be embracing her, holding back tears as he squeezes his eyelids shut.

"Hello mum..."

I automatically feel jealous. I knew she wasn't his real mother and that their connection was nothing more than a family bond, but I selfishly wanted to be the only love in his life.

My father chuckles, "I can chastise you if that's what you want."

I brush off his remark, along with my jealousy. Sometimes it was hard to remember that my father was just a figment of my imagination; of course he already knew what I was thinking.

The Empress pulls away from Arrian, but she doesn't let him go. She wipes away the few tears that escaped, resting her hands on his cheeks.

"How did you finally manage to get away from Maximus?" Arrian asks.