The Folk of The Air- One Shots

Nightmare

Jude woke with a start, sitting up abruptly from her spot in the king sized bed that she and Cardan shared. She looked around the room, head spinning and vision blurring slightly. She sat up a bit straighter in bed and blinked rapidly to regain her full vision. Her gaze drifted to the ornate carvings on the bedroom door, and her hands gripped the velvet sheet on top of the bed, trying to steady herself.

Jude had been having nightmares for days, ever since she had to sever the head of the Serpent that Cardan had become. The nightmare was always the same; Jude cutting off the serpent's head, only for it to turn back into Cardan. He laid there head removed from his body. In the dream, Jude would cradle his body and sob, sob so hard that she woke from her sleep. Her body still slightly shook from how hard she had been sobbing in the dreamworld. 

Jude's eyes cut to Cardan, who lay on top of the sheets, arms tucked under his head and mouth lightly parted. A tightness in her chest eased slightly, seeing him lie there, peaceful. Seeing him safe and sleeping always made Jude feel slightly less lost. As much as she had hated him before, she couldn't live without him now. 

Jude stood from the bed and crossed the room to the bathroom where she splashed cold water on her face and stood there, holding onto the counter for a few minutes before she heard footsteps from the bedroom.

"Jude?" Cardan's groggy sleep voice travelled into the bathroom where she stood. Jude looked over at the tall fae who rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his dark hair, tail curling and flicking. The smudged remains of kohl lined the undersides of his black eyes as he looked at Jude, slight worry etched onto his face. 

"I'm fine." Jude said, slightly shaking her head. Cardan tilted his head to the side slightly, walking towards her. 

"Just because you can lie, doesn't mean you should," he said. "What's wrong? Another nightmare?" His hand lightly touched her arm. Jude merely nodded. Cardan grabbed her hand and led her slowly back to the bedroom. He led her to the dresser where he dropped her hand and picked up a small music box off the top.

It was red and shaped like an apple with a worm sticking out the top. Jude had gotten it from Vivi when she had been in the mortal world during her exile. It was a silly little novelty gift, but Jude had kept it nonetheless. 

Cardan cranked the little lever on the back of it and set it back down. Light music danced out from the apple as Cardan turned back to Jude and pulled her into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her entire body and pulled her flush to him, swaying back and forth. Jude relaxed into him, putting her arms around his waist and letting him dance them slowly around the room. She pressed her face into his bare chest and breathed in the faint smell of oak and moss. Cardan's tail wrapped around her leg and he rested his head atop her head.

They didn't need to talk, they just needed to hold each other. Cardan quickly caught on that if Jude had a nightmare, she just needed to be with him. It wasn't the first time she had awoke with a start and went to the bathroom to clear her head. Cardan always let her have a few moments alone before joining her. He didn't really care for the music box, claiming "The royal music is way better", but he always turned the music box on for her, knowing it would calm her. 

Jude felt Cardan kiss the top of her head. She looked up at him, into the dark eyes she came to love. She had memorized how the gold rimmed his pupils and how the longer she looked, the more colour she could see. He smiled down at her before pressing a kiss to her lips. He tasted faintly of sweet wine, despite having not drank since the previous morning. 

"Thank you," Jude said once he pulled away, returning the smile. Cardan studied her face. 

"I promise you, Jude. I am right here, and I am not going anywhere. Well, that is unless you decide to behead me for real." Jude scoffed, but smiled again and kissed his cheek. She went back to their bed and pulled him down beside her. Cardan immediately yawned, not unlike a cat, as he pulled her flush to his side. 

It wasn't long before both Jude and Cardan fell into a dreamless, peaceful sleep once again.