Sleeping Roses

One. Last. Chance.

That night, Kilan woke to the usual parlour in the dream world, sitting up and looking around.

Briar sat with her back to him on one of the sofas, a book open in her lap. Charles was curled up asleep on an armchair and Stephanie walked in through the dining room doors, commenting on the time as she past one of the clocks.

"He should be arriving any minute now, tea is ready to— Oh." She smiled when she spotted Kilan standing up, straightening his clothes and stepping into the parlour.

Briar turned around, then quickly put the book aside and stood up. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine, why?" Kilan asked as he walked forwards to meet her. She reached a hand out to him and he automatically reached to take it, then looked down, noting the glove. His hand paused for a split second as he thought about what that glove hid then he quickly took her hand, looking up to see if she had noticed his hesitation.

Briar's attention was on his face however and she didn't appear to notice.

"You didn't come yesterday," she said, "I thought you were back from town and when you didn't appear yesterday night, I worried something had happened."

"Oh," Kilan said. He fell quiet, looking at, thinking about the conversation he'd had earlier that day with Luka and Vanessa.

"Ask," Briar then said and Kilan blinked. "You clearly have something you want to ask, so ask."

"I... I had a nightmare last night, which is why I wasn't here," Kilan replied.

Briar raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" she said. She let go of his hand and walked towards her usual seat; Charles slipping off the cushion with a sleepy stretch and following Stephanie into the dining room.

"You were in it."

Briar paused, about to take her seat, looking up at him. "Me?" she said, surprised.

"You were a child," Kilan explained, taking his usual seat, "You were singing a nursery rhyme, a weird twisted song... then blood started to fall from your fingers and eyes. Safe to say it gave me quite a fright and I didn't sleep much."

He looked up; about to explain that he had confronted Luka about it, explain that he knew who her brother was, what had happened to cause her first curse, but Briar's expression made him stop.

She was staring at him in utter shock.

"Are you alright?" he asked quickly and Briar sat down heavily.

"I was singing My Fair Lady," she said softly.

Kilan now looked at her in shock. "Yes," he said, "How did you know?"

"I was playing with a doll. The room started to warp. You were scared... so scared."

Kilan stared at her, shifting forwards in his seat. "Yes," he said, "Yes, I was scared. You... you know this because...?"

"But that was my dream, last night," Briar said, shifting back in her seat when he moved forwards. "That was my nightmare."

Kilan's eyebrows shot up in surprise, then creased in confusion. "Wait," he said, "Your dream? You dream while in a dream?"

Briar nodded slowly. "Rarely, but at times I have dreamt. But they are created by Mother. She gives me dreams when... when I wanted to attend a ball again, or walk in a garden, I would dream it. But she gives me nightmares as well... I suppose to make me fear the outside world... last night was one of her nightmares."

Kilan gaped at her. "She gives you nightmares?" he said.

"Why did you see my nightmare?" she asked, confused.