Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74

~Chapter 89: Let's Go Back~

Jiu had another dream that night.

It was about Leora.

In his dream, Jiu woke up in the carriage. He wasn't sure why he was there, but he was, nonetheless. The dark leather was a claustrophobic sight, as it made the carriage look somewhat smaller and much more cramped, but after his eyes adjusted, he found it was just a normal carriage. He sat up, his bones aching miserably. Jiu glanced out of the window, only to see that he was no longer in the manor. The crashing waves upon the sand, the slightly grey skies and the cold wind that nipped. Yes, it was back when he'd taken Leora to the beach that fateful day. He swiftly yanked the carriage door open and stumbled out with wide eyes, glancing around. The wind was the same as it had been that day: strong and brutal, the clouds a miserable grey. The beach and town was completely desolate. There was nobody. The town felt lifeless and abandoned; the silence was obnoxiously loud and grating. Though, there was one person. Stood in the shallows of the water, just like the day, was Leora; her back turned to him, staring into the horizon. She was wearing a dress, that thrashed obnoxiously in the breeze, her hair going just as messy from it. The general stumbled down the steps onto the beach, his eyes wide as he tried to reach her quickly. It was hard to run, as it felt like the sand was clawing at his boots, trying to drag him down. Leora didn't move.

"Leora!" Jiu cried out, worried for some reason he couldn't explain," Let's go back!"
She didn't respond or move. Jiu groaned, trying to reach her side quicker.
"Leora, please! Let's go back!"
Leora didn't move, but her heard her voice. Weak and quiet.
"...Back...?"
Jiu stopped just before the waves could touch his boots, his eyes wide. For some reason, he didn't want to go any further. Yes, he wanted Leora to come back. But for a meaning unbeknownst to him, he didn't dare touch the sea water.
"Leora...come," Jiu murmured, holding his hand out to her.
She glanced back at him; his breathing seemed to stop. She was extremely pale; more pale than she had been the day they went to the beach. Dark circles under her eyes. Blood pooling from under her lips. A rose bloomed from: under her lip, her back, her thigh and her chin.
"Leora...you..." Jiu muttered, stumbling back a little at the sight.
Leora stared at the water in shame, her hand going up to feel where the rose bloomed from under her lip," They put their...their...filthy hands here!"
Jiu blinked in shock.
"Lord Bramston...Julian Frost..." Leora uttered, venomously," They've made me a spectacle. And what is there for me to do about it? I'm a Victorian lady, and we...we never accept impurity. That is the ideal that I hate!"

Jiu clenched his fists to his side imagining their cruel touches, and wishing that Leora had summoned him, like he'd told her she could because of their deal. Why hadn't she? Wasn't she supposed to trust him? Jiu chose to ignore it, and held his hand out to her once more.
"Let's go back."
Leora glanced back at the horizon, the waves getting stronger. She started to walk forward. Jiu's breath hitched watching as the girl waded out to sea.
"Where are you going!?" Jiu demanded," Leora, let's go back, please!"
"Where?" She stopped once more," The manor? You want to take me back there, and then what? I'll rot...rot...rot like everything in that house."
Jiu furrowed his eyebrows," I-!"
Leora started walking back out towards the sea again, staring straight at the horizon. From the roses that bloomed out of her, thorns dug into her skin with each step she took. The droplets shed into the water, creating its own crimson flower pattern, before turning the water a sickly red. Jiu cried out, unable to watch it any longer, and waded through the sea; trying to grab her.
"Leora!" Jiu cried," Please! Let's go back! Not to the manor, but...but...to somewhere new! Somewhere safe! Somewhere free! Don't leave me again!"

Again? That word had fallen out, without even thinking about it. When had he lost her before? He wasn't quite too sure. He tried to grab her, pulling his foot forward, but something held him tight. A rock, perhaps? He glanced down, only to be met with the horrific face of the skeleton soldier captain he'd seen back when talking with Duncan. It was then he realised he was surrounded in a red sea of all these skeletons. Their bones rattling and scratching together as they grabbed and scraped Jiu's flesh; holding him down.
"Leora!" Jiu screamed out, hoping the girl would turn around.
She didn't. She kept walking to where Duncan was waiting, at the very end, holding his hand out to her; his expression dark. Without hesitation, the girl took his hand; blood pooling from her lips. Duncan glanced at Jiu, and smirked, much like Julian had, smug. From his pocket, he pulled out a dagger. The ornate golden dagger that Jiu had seen in his last dream. The general cried, desperately trying to thrash against the skeletons grip. Duncan laughed, manically; raising the dagger high above Leora's head, before it came plummeting down, and-!

Jiu woke up.