The Great War

XII

I flop down sprawled out like a starfish on my bed. Theo leaning down, placing his hands on my knees as he looks down at me. A small smile on his face.

"You're cute." I mumble booping his nose softly. He breathes a laugh and swats my hand before lifting me up by the armpits, almost like one would a toddler. We did a small movie marathon, he suggested I go to bed from how loopy I got.

"Theo," I whine and hug around his neck clinging to him like a koala not letting go as he squeezes me tightly forcing the air from my lungs.

"You need to go to sleep." He mumbles afterwards, I shake my head and mumble a tired no making him sigh and pinch my arm lightly.

"Ow!" I pull away dramatically and slap a hand to my arm. "Why'd you do that!"

He laughs at me and smooshes my face together, "Go. To. Bed."

I groan loudly and fall back on the bed. "Noo..."

He forces my other arm down away from his shirt sleeve that I previously had in a death grip. "Sleep, now."

I roll over onto my stomach hugging my pillow yawning. I listen as the floor creaks as he walks away. "What're you doing?" I ask, snapping my head back, accusatory almost. Like he'd done the worst thing ever.

He turns his head looking at me with scrunched brows. "Leaving?"

I felt a small twang of panic, I didn't wanna have another nightmare. End up alone and panicked again. "Stay please?"

He stares at me for a few long seconds, his pretty blue eyes darting around my eyes. "Fine."

I smile and pat the spot next to me, he awkwardly stands there for a moment before sluggishly walking over to my bed and sitting beside me. I huff and pull his arm, so he was forced to scoot on the bed fully. He sat erect, still and awkward.

I couldn't help but laugh at his behavior, "Relax, Theo. I promise my butt won't touch yours." I roll my eyes playfully as he cracked a small smile. I laid back feeling more secure in the fact I'm not alone at the moment. Fully comfortable with him beside me.

1736—

I let out a laugh as Telephus led me towards a place he and his friends often hang-out together. It looked like it was behind the school being built, it was a great landscape; green and beautiful—it was still a sad thing that many trees were cut from their homes for the school.

"It's very beautiful." I say, before stopping and looking around me. Telephus was nowhere in sight.

"Telephus?" I call out, confused. I let out a yelp when I'm pulled through a set of vines. I clasped onto the hands that held my waist. I look up and see Telephus.

"Where'd you go? Where are we?" I ask, holding onto his arms to get my footing back and looking around, Telephuses hands leaving my waist, He spreads his arms out wide with a smile.

"Welcome to the Strange Cave."

I give a small laugh and a weird look at the name. I take a look around at the wonder of this cave. There was a drop-off and below was stagnant water, crystal clear and quite stunning. I looked out to an opening; it was wide and tall covered in vines; hidden in plain sight.

"How'd you find this place?" I ask, looking at Telephus as he takes a seat leaning against a rock wall.

"I stumbled upon it when Máni was chasing me and fell straight through." I snicker at the new information sitting across from him.

"Quite a find." I say with a sigh. He nods, smiling.

𖤐

I walked back towards home with Telephus, Máni, and a girl I met back at the cave whom I learned was Ceres both the supposed fancy of Máni and the owner of the cafe with the sweet buns. She was very sweet, quiet and seemed to be more of a loner.

I stop just near the cottage and turn towards them, "Well today was great, I loved meeting you properly!" I say directing the last part at Máni and Ceres.

Ceres was absolutely stunning; truly a work of art. Dark tawny skin with a golden glow, sigils crawling up her arms like bracelets, golden jewelry adorning her skin. She even had tiny caps on the tips of her head-horns to keep the sharp ends from stabbing into things from her tall stature.

Máni gives me a smile and nods, his eyes visible this time around, his hair was out of his face; it almost looked like he'd gotten it cut. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair. It looked quite soft.

Telephus throws an arm around Máni's shoulder and leans down, "They loved meeting you, Ophelia. Hopefully, we'll see you tomorrow." I nod and give them one more smile before waving and leaving them behind, walking the rest of the way alone.

𖤐

I open the door and jump at the sight of dad right there with his arms crossed. The air immediately tensed, I stayed in the doorway, not fully inside yet.

"Where have you been?"

I look away from him, more towards the floor. "Out."

I felt his eyes narrow at my head, "Out where, Ophelia."

I let out a sigh and shifted, taking my hand off the door. "I was in town, I wanted to sit at the fountain." He lets out a growl type noise just before grabbing onto my arms and dragging me inside.

"Let go of me!" I thrash around in his vice-like grip. I twist and turn, freeing one arm that I use to slap him with before he grabs it again and throws me onto the floor holding me down and staring at me with his blood red eyes, flaming with anger. His hands heating up hurting me even more.

"Please! Just let go!" I twist around uncomfortably just wanting to get away from him. I let out a short scream before he covers my mouth.

"Stop moving and just listen, you brat!" He yells into my face; I shake my head and bite down on his hand. He lets out a grunt and pulls the hand away. He grabs my freed arm and yanks me upward, into a standing position.

"You are forbidden from leaving! Ever again. You will stay here and learn how to be a proper lady! Just like we planned!"

I shake my head with even more tears entering my eyes, "I said let me go!"

I let out a scream and he releases his hands with a hiss of pain. I stare wide eyed at him, my breathing fast and shallow as I stare at his burnt hands, my body felt like it was melting on the inside. I stumble as I turn around and get to my feet to run out the door. Just wanting to get away from him, from the house. From everything.

Present—

I shoot upright clutching my arms, a searing pain erupting throughout my body. "Daph...?" a groggy voice asked. I flinch and snap my head to the side seeing Theo rubbing the sleep out of his eyes before realizing how scared I looked.

"What's wrong?" He immediately grabbed my hands in a way of comfort.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. It was just a dream." I mumble pulling one hand away to rub my face.

"Don't apologize, are you okay?"

I nod looking down at the blanket that dropped off my legs, "Are you sure?" He asks softly, I nod my lip trembling as I let out a small sob. "Daph..." He mumbles in a saddened tone as he brings me into a tight hug.

"It's okay." He mumbles into my hair, rubbing my back softly. Squeezing me here and there he begins to rock us back and forth.

"I'm sorry." I mumble again into his shoulder as he practically pulls me to sit in his lap.

"Stop saying sorry, there's nothing to be sorry for." His voice wavered in a worried way as he runs his fingers through the ends of my hair laying his chin on my head. "It was just a dream, okay?"

I nod sniffling as I wrap my arms around his neck. Comforted by his warmth. After a while he moves me back to a lying position as he sits upright beside me.

One arm around me for reassurance he's there as he scrolls through movies on my bedroom TV. I yawn and reach for his free hand around my waist linking our fingers together as I close my eyes. Hoping to at least get some decent sleep.