The Gift of Dreams

epilogue

The familiar feeling of shifting from Faerie to the mortal realm left a tingling sensation on Eloise's skin. As she moved to sit up, the coldness of the cell bit at her skin and her unbrushed hair. Judging by her rumbling stomach, it was time for dinner. Not that she ate much anyway, Fred's warning rippled through her like a constant wave.

Whatever you do, do not eat their food.

She had made an effort to only eat the fruit that they provided her. It was mostly apples and pears, but she would rather have that than nothing at all. It wasn't as if she wanted to be drugged. No, Eloise would much rather be in control of her dilapidating body than be helpless to a poisoned one.

Trays and trays of rotten food were piled into a small corner of her cell. Being so used to them, Eloise ignored the trays entirely and patiently waited until the metal door opened and two guards stood before the threshold.

"Why do we keep bringing her food? She clearly isn't eating any of it." The younger guard asked. She can also hear you. Eloise shot daggers at the young man and watched as he took a hesitant step back, only to be met with his superior's hand guiding him back forward.

This one's fresh. Eloise thought. Seasoned guards never questioned their tasks, nor did they take much care for explanations or reasonings. All they cared about was that sweet paycheck at the end for their ever so valued discretion.

"Don't ask questions. Just do your job." The other replied. When the younger did not place the food in the cell, the superior took it from him and the tray clattered onto the concrete floor. Eloise recoiled at the sound that made her head ache terribly and glared at the older man.

"Eat. Or don't. We don't care." The man snapped and slammed the door behind him, taking the stench of arrogance with him.

It had been almost two weeks since she had heard anything from Fred. In her five months of being trapped, Fred had smuggled her non-poisoned foods every now and then. Parts of stale bread, occasionally cheese. Yet she had seen no sign of him recently and was having to survive on the bare scraps of the fruit. In the beginning she had avoided the cores of the apples, and now she thought of how stupid she used to be. One of her malnourished hands reached towards the singular apple amongst the slop the asylum called food, taking it to her mouth and biting into its rich goodness. This time, she did not spare the core.

After she had finished her apple, she climbed back upon the hard mattress and willed herself to fall into unconsciousness. Those days she had spent the majority of her time sleeping, using her abilities to travel to and from Faerie. Mostly she used it to escape the dread of the asylum, the screams and sounds of pain that echoed throughout the halls.

The tingling feeling crept over her skin once more and as she opened her eyes to a different world she was met with Greer's face peering down into her own.

"You're back! How are you?" She asked tentatively, glancing down towards Eloise's frail body.

"Better now that I'm here." She smiled wearily and sat up, looking around the room of the cottage until she met Rowan's eyes.

"It's good to see you again." He gave her a small smile, but it was enough to tell her that neither believed she was improving.

Eloise stood up fully and ignored the black that began to surround her vision, stretching out to shake off the feeling of the asylum. "So, what's on for today?" She inquired.

Greer and Rowan looked between each other and Eloise felt as if she was missing out on something important. But before she could ask Greer had turned to her and smiled so radiantly that Eloise almost forgot her worry. "Today we go on a picnic!" She squealed in excitement.

"Sounds wonderful." Eloise replied with honesty. She moved from her position to follow Greer out of the familiar bedroom door and looked behind to see Rowan followed suit.

"How have you really been feeling?" He whispered in her ear as he reached her side. I'm fine. Eloise responded through thought.

You think I can't tell? You're not yourself Eloise. Look at yourself, you're frail and look like Death herself. Apart from scowling, Rowan maintained his composure as they walked down the old staircase to the back door.

It's not any of your business. I'm alive, right? She retorted.

"Barely!" His sudden outburst sent a wave of panic across his face and caused Greer to turn around in bewilderment.

"Are you alright Rowan?" She asked, stopping in her tracks. Greer looked suspiciously between Eloise and Rowan.

"Yes. Perfectly fine thank you." He took the lead up the front and did not wait for the girls to catch up to him.

"Where are the others?" Eloise asked in a desperate manner to change the subject.

"Oh they're waiting for us." Greer replied in a light tone. Waiting? Eloise's forehead creased in confusion but slowly smoothed out when she saw exactly where they were going. The overgrown tree and pond were exactly the same as she had first seen them, a beauty that was beyond words and expressions. For the second time she felt a connection to the place as the breath was taken out of her lungs.

Nora, Annalise, and Lillian sat by the tree on a well worn rug with a vast platter of foods spread out before them. Luscious pastries and fruits made Eloise's mouth water and stomach rumble as if she hadn't eaten properly in an age. And for a moment she forgot that it was entirely the truth.

"What's all this for?" She wondered in amazement.

"You." Rowan came from behind her and steered her towards the delicacies.

"Me?" Eloise turned to look into his eyes and was surprised by the softness that she saw. Never had she ever felt more special than in that moment, and she relished in every bit of it. Eloise took bits of macarons and strawberries with splendour and satisfaction and tried desperately to ignore the fact that none of it staved off her mortal body's unyielding hunger. "Thank you for doing this for me." Her eyes filled with tears that she hid from the others, pretending to get something out of her eye as she turned away. It seemed, though, that Rowan had noticed and his hand came to rest upon hers in a reassuring way.

"We'd do anything for you Eloise." Said Nora, voicing the others' thoughts as they nodded along. The rest of the evening was spent with undying amounts of laughter and ridiculously wonderful chatter.

From the corner of her eye Eloise glimpsed the figure of a deer. Could it be...? The same deer from before? A small smile escaped from her lips and when she felt a cold breeze she did not stop to wonder if it was from the chill that her mortal body suffered. No, as long as she was in Faerie she could no longer feel what her body felt back in that asylum.

For now, at least.

the end.

***

Thank you so much for reading my story, I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did while writing it! The Gift of Dreams is the first installment in the Dreamwalker Saga. It's a short novella, roughly 30,000 words and 160 pages. It's purpose is to set up the backstory for the rest of the saga, and the series (with full length novels) will still follow along with the same characters.

Please remember that this is the first book I have written in full and edits/changes may occur. Please be kind. If the story isn't for you, that's okay! I wish you luck with your future reading, and- if you're a writer- with your future writing!

Thank you again!