Heart of Courage

Chapter Ten: Vision or Dream?

-I walked slowly into my room, still blushing.
What would Haldin say?

Right now, it didn't really matter.
I closed my eyes and sighed, picturing the horse and rider again.
Those eyes...
I shuddered, trying to forget them for the moment.
I braided my hair, thinking of nothing else to do for the moment.
I kicked my boots off, leaning against the wall.
I closed my eyes. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.-

-Darkness.
Suddenly, the darkness lifted.
I was on a battlefield.
Bodies lay strewn everywhere.
I saw Haldin and Beredon fighting beside me.
Suddenly, a cold presence could be felt. I shuddered, remembering this feeling.

The cloaked figure appeared in front of me. He seemed to grow in stature. The sky grew dark, and soon I couldn't see the ground around me. Screams could be heard everywhere, and somehow I knew Haldin and Beredon's were among them. I instinctively began running towards them but couldn't see a thing, and so I stumbled. Getting up again, I had lost all sense of direction. Suddenly I felt chilled.
It was behind me.

I ran away.
But soon the sky began to lighten a little, and even that was nearly blinding compared to the darkness before.
I soon realized that my legs felt like lead. Soon I ceased to be running at all: I was standing still.

Trembling, I awaited my fate.
Heavy footsteps walked slowly behind me, reveling in my fear.
Suddenly It appeared in front of me again.
A long, flaming sword was in it's right hand: a luminous dagger in it's left.
I could someone screaming for help: was it myself?

It drew back both blades, preparing to strike me.

I held my hands out in front of me, screaming for mercy.

His eyes searched me over.
"You are weak." His croaking voice said.

"You are afraid."
He seemed to be disappointed.

"You deserve to die..."

He raised one blade over my head, another over my chest.

"Like all the others."
Both blades came crashing down.

I awoke, shaking uncontrollably and crying.
Was it a vision, or merely a dream?
Why am I on the floor?

I got up and walked over to a small "desk", an old short table which looked as though it could break at any time. It held my comb and water basin. I washed my face.
Sighing shakily, I walked down the pathway until I reached Henneth Annûn, the Window of the Sunset.
I must have only been asleep a few hours, for it was only evening.
I waited patiently for the sun to sink.

Soon, the last rays of the sun touched the waterfall rushing overhead. I looked out over the cliff side, into the Forbidden Pool.
I stayed a while longer, watching the sun set.
Suddenly someone was beside me.
Beredon.

His hand clasped mine.
I felt myself blushing and looked away.

"Is something wrong?"

"No..." I sighed.

"You can tell me, Aldith."

"It isn't worth mentioning."
I attempted a smile.

"Come on, let's go inside. It's getting cold."
I grinned and began walking.
But as I did I caught something out of the corner of my eye:
A dark figure.
Shivering, I hurried inside.-

-Haldin watched us enter.
His eye caught Beredon's, and Beredon looked down, muttering under his breath.
Haldin caught my gaze as well.
He glared at me.
I held his gaze until he looked away.
What's his problem?
I sighed and sat down at the small table, looking at the meal before me.
Salted pork, a few grapes, and a glass of wine.
I hadn't eaten all day, and by now was very hungry.

Haldin stood up, and everyone else followed his motives.
He faced west.
There was a moment of silence before everyone sat down, beginning to eat.
Beredon sat down beside me.
I grinned and began eating.

Suddenly, I noticed a dark figure appear on the other side of me.
I jumped, nearly knocking my food and drink over.
Everyone's gaze turned to me.
Blushing furiously, I sat down again, noticing that nothing was beside me but someone's cloak.

"Aldith?" Beredon questioned, a curious look on his face.

"It's nothing. Still tired, that's all."
I smiled and continued eating.
He nodded and went back to his own meal.-

-After I finished, I walked back to my room.
I pulled my boots off and laid down on my cot. I pulled my thin woolen blanket around myself and laid there in the dark, staring at the ceiling. Eventually I drifted into a dreamless sleep.-

-Thank you so much for reading!
It's been a while since I last updated Heart of Courage.
Have a good day mellons!