A Court of Fallen Heroes

The Countess

Chapter 4

The Countess

          When the first sign that the sun peeked through the mountain ridges appeared, I had already been awake for almost half and hour, fully aware that I had visited someone else's dream.

          It wasn't my purpose, on the first place. I lacked the skills and the determination necessary for such an... abnormality. Not to mention that I had no idea something like this was possible.

          Sleep found me immediately after I put my head on the cold pillow and, for a long time, I dreamed nothing but rhythmic undulation of darkness. Behind my eyelids, there was nothing but a black void with colored fireworks, from time to time. I think my sleep ' adventure ' took place much earlier in the morning.

          I knew a little about the REM cycle and how most dreams happen in the last part of it. I could swear it wasn't just a figment of my imagination: the fragrances, my steps, the house, the burn. It had to be real.

          Nothing surprised me at this point. You could tell me you were a little elf in disguise and I would believe you, no second thoughts.

          However, I was not entirely sure of the things I had seen. Sequences after sequences were chained together, but in an order that seemed to be constantly changing. I was aware only about the suffocating atmosphere and the feeling that time was passing so slowly, that even my actions were letargic.

          In my head, there is a clear image of a large room, with tall ceilings and mint green painted walls. Were they actually green? It was nothing like the ones I saw in my old world. I could sense various perfumes, mixing and becoming one: fresh roses, jasmine and something more... strong, metallic, something that reminded me of iron. I remember how simple the furniture was arranged: fluffy armchairs, the recently extinguished fireplace, the polished floor that didn't make any squeaking sounds, even the few remaining cups left on the table, as if the residents had just gotten up and left.

          Through my eyes, everything was dressed in black and blue, like I had a thin veil over my face, preventing me from seeing the truth. I studied a few paintings that were hanging above the stairs. In one of them, a young lady was wearing a delicate crown made of stars over her complicated braided hair.

          Could that be?.... Maybe, I can't recall exactly her description but... She was so different from how I imagined her.

          Was I actually in their home? Would they know someone was in here?

          My attention is captured by a sudden glow near the fireplace: a letter-opening knife, wrapped in black leather. I grab it, without thinking much further, and I jolt back, caught off guard by the burning sensation that stained my right hand.

          The dream shifts again, before I am able to make any sounds of protest, and I end up in another part of the house: a long, black hall, filled on both sides with unwelcoming, closed doors. I desperately examine my palms, still feeling the dreadful sensation of my skin being ignited by the blazing blade, but nothing was there anymore.

          Raising my head, I search the harsh atmosphere of this place. Even the glamorous black wood of the furniture seemed unfriendly. A sweet aroma hits my nose and I almost grunt, indulging myself in that masculine scent. It was like stepping outside, in the pouring rain, and taking the first breath of the freshly watered environment.

          I had no clue if it was the barely breathable air that was bringing to the surface all these fragrances or if it was only in my mind. My own skin starts to tingle when I touch the cold handle of the door placed right in front of me. Closing my eyes, I exhale, ready for the things waiting for me on the other side.