Ahlva: Unbound

Chapter 7

After last nights dream I lay awake thinking about what that woman in my dream said from before dawn until I heard the birds chirping and Ronit came in, surprised to find me in bed but already awake.

'Until the veil is thin Ahlva'

During this morning's lesson on the basics of the Kingdoms in Ireland, I decided to make it my mission to find something, some sort of information about these curious dreams I keep having. This is now the third dream I've had that seems...unusual. I didn't think much of the dreams at first but they all feel similar somehow. These dreams seem to be more frequent now as I never had these...kinds of dreams months ago.

I've never had dreams of beautiful women and magickal floating creatures and I've definitely never had my mother appear in a dream so many years after her death. When I actually think about it, the dream with my mother felt oddly real, as if it could be a...memory. That would be impossible, because then that would mean those blue creatures are real.

This is all the more reason to scour the libraries for something, anything really that can help me decipher these dreams, if there is anything to decipher at all.

I finally get to the other side of the libraries after my morning lessons and immediately search for one of the druids that spend their time reading religious or medicinal texts. I have no idea where to start looking but the druid most certainly would.

I walk passed hundreds of dusty old books that seem to have weathered spines and half eaten pages, until I spot Druid Cuinn walking passed an alcove. An old man with a long but thin grey beard and wearing an aged white robe that drags on the floor as he walks to the next shelf.

"Druid Cuinn! Wait!" I shout out, making the old man turn with his bushy eyebrows raised. We are to be quiet in the libraries but clearly I forgot about that.

"Ah, Princess Ahlva, how may I be of service?" The old man smiles as I stand before him, his wrinkles deep and his skin weathered.

I smile back at the man, trying to figure out a way to ask for what I need without sounding ridiculous, "I would- I was wondering, if you perhaps know where I might find books on dreams?" My voice falters towards the end as I begin to wring my hands behind my back nervously.

"Dreams?" Druid Cuinn raises his left eyebrow curiously.

"Yes, dreams" I nod, "I've been having...interesting, dreams lately and I thought you might know where I might find a text on such a topic" I gulp, wondering if this man finds me queer. "Or perhaps you have knowledge on these things?" I take a step forward raising my eyebrows in hope.

"Well, Princess I do know that our dreams may reflect our own life. We might have a bad dream due to our own wrong doing in life or we may have a good-"

"And what if the dream is...strange" I cut off the druid in haste.

The druids eyebrows furrow, deepening the ancient wrinkles, "Strange?" His voice is full of question as he adjusts the book in his hand. "How are your dreams strange, Princess?"

"They have creatures,...magickal creatures" I confess as the Druids face twists into concern. "But they are good, I feel that they do not wish me any harm" I nod, "And a woman. She is beautiful but I fear I have never seen her before" I finish in a whisper, confused at my own words.

The Druid stares at me with uncertainty, "I am afraid I do not have the answers you seek" Druid Cuinn looks to the ground in thought before turning to me, "but perhaps, look inwards to your own life, find similarities" He adds slowly.

I nod with a grim smile, "Thank you Druid Cuinn" I turn to walk off but am stopped by his voice.

"But you did say there are magickal creatures, unearthly perhaps?" I immediately turn around, my heart thumping in anticipation.