Between Two Worlds

8

I find myself walking through an Aspin forest which seems to be to be glowing with the light of a midsummer's sun. I look down to notice I wear a beautiful white dress with embroideries of shiny golden deer on the trim.

Everything is covered with dew, sparkling like stars in the dark night. It feels warm like summer but all of the plants are in bloom like spring. I look at the trees when I suddenly notice that they start to turn to colors of yellow, red, and orange.

"It must be turning into autumn," I say rather casually and then I notice the plants begin to wilt and the sky turns black with ash raining down. Suddenly all of the trees become inflamed. It spreads to the grass and burns all in its path.

I look down at my once beautiful gown to see that the golden deer had turned into grey blood thirsty wolves and the white has turned to black with bits of ash about it.

As the fire spreads I begin to run as fast as I can away from it but the flames soon surround me. I can only stand and wait for death to take me but suddenly, my attention is drawn to a strange figure emerging from the flames. As it comes closer it begins to look like Ry but even more close and I notice that this certainly is not Ry this figure begins to look very, very large and wearing strange, sharp grey armor.

I try to back away but the figure grabs me by the neck and lifts me up. I struggle to escape but his grip only gets tighter until I can't breathe. In the corner of my eye I notice his other hand is wearing a plain gold ring I suddenly feel strangely attracted to this small piece jewelry, I reach out to touch it but the figure throws me into the flames. Burning—I wake up to a voice saying my name in haste.

I frown and open my eyes slightly, the morning sun gleaming into my room and my face...

Nin sits beside my bed.

I straighten up, using my arms to pull myself to a sitting position. I wipe my eyes. "Nin what—"

"You slept in past breakfast."

"I did?"

"Yes but I grabbed some for you. The king saw me do so."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing he just smiled—! By the way what were you two doing out there so late last night?!" she sounds more surprised than angry.

"Is this really proper for you to be barging in and waking up another in her sleep?"

"You talk about proper?"

"I'm rubbing off on you, aren't I?"

"Answer my question, Vil."

"I was just... you know... practicing."

She waits for a further explanation. "And he just met you out there and you two just had a cup of wine?"

"Who met me—?"

"He's the king, Vil. No one gets to talk to the king. You have to make a bloody appointment." I can tell my language has indeed rubbed off on her.

"So?" is all I manage to come up with.

"Why...?" she sighs.

"Well for one thing I didn't come up to him he came up to me and I almost chopped his head off and that seems to be a good conversation starter."

Her face shows utter surprise. "What are you talking about, edan? How did you...? Did you two fight—?"

"No I was practicing by myself and he was just... there."

She excuses what we were talking about completely and shakes her head. "What did you two... what do you two talk about? What does a king talk about to...?"