A Promise Across Time [Completed]

A Dream of Ravenscave

August 1965
Sweden

I knew it was a dream the moment I stepped into Ravenscave Manor. The air held that surreal stillness, the kind only found in dreams. I was standing inside the grand, sterile library—a room I hadn't set foot in for years, and yet, it felt like I had never left.

The shelves stretched impossibly high, stacked with books on every imaginable subject, their spines worn from centuries of use. The atmosphere was heavy with the scent of aged parchment and mahogany, a fragrance I had long associated with my Aunt Ciel Meyers, the formidable Head of the Family.

At the far end of the room, she sat in her enormous, intricately carved high-backed wooden chair. The chair dwarfed even her commanding presence, but nothing could diminish the intensity she exuded. Aunt Ciel's piercing eyes locked onto me the moment I entered, as if she had been waiting. Her eerie yet dignified demeanor radiated an unspoken power. She didn't need to say anything; the air around her seemed to hum with her authority.

I approached the equally massive table that separated us, my feet feeling strangely heavy with each step. The table itself was a relic, its wood dark and gleaming, every curve and edge carved with intricate designs. It seemed to swallow the room with its size, adding to the sense of grandeur and intimidation.

"You've been away for too long, Raven," Aunt Ciel said softly, but her voice held an unmistakable firmness. Her tone was calm, measured, as if she knew more than she was revealing.

I hesitated before speaking. "I want to stay longer," I mumbled, my voice betraying a deep longing.

I knew exactly where I wanted to stay. In 1965, with Frida and Grandma Arntine. It felt like home, like a place where time moved slower, and I could lose myself in the warmth of their company. In that time, I wasn't just Raven, the girl with too many responsibilities and a legacy to uphold. I was just... me.

But Aunt Ciel's gaze never wavered. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing as though she could read my every thought. "But if you stay longer, you won't be able to come back." Her voice remained calm, but the weight of her words crashed over me. "You're already changing too much, Raven. You're significantly altering the course of the future."

My breath caught in my throat. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. Changing the future. The thought had been gnawing at the back of my mind for some time, but hearing it from Aunt Ciel made it real, tangible.

"What have I changed?" I whispered, more to myself than to her.

Aunt Ciel didn't answer right away. Instead, she watched me closely, her expression unreadable. It felt like she was waiting for me to come to the conclusion on my own.