Project Dawnbreaker

The Fairest Maiden

"Don't... Don't leave me Midnight." Echo cried. She sat holding herself in front of the armchair. I knelt down next to her and hugged her tightly.

"I'll never leave you, okay?" I whispered softly.

"Midnight!" She gasped. "How'd... What. I'm so glad you're back with me." She buried her head into my chest.

"How long was I out for?"

"About a minute." I heard her say through her muffled voice.

"But it was so much longer in the dream state." I muttered.

"Bro, I feel tired." She stared up at me, her green eyes forming fresh tears.

"You probably just got yourself worked up. A good night's sleep will-"

"No I... Gonna sleep... So tir..." She mumbled through a slurred speech.

"Echo?"

"Bro, I love you." She rested her head against my chest. I reached under her legs and back to lift her onto the sofa. I raced upstairs to get a blanket to cover echo before I sat in the armchair.

I looked down at my open, left hand. I traced a small scar in my palm. It had a spiral shape which sparked off at little bits around the edge.

The scar glowed a luminous blue like it had when I first entered the dream state. "What if I could control it?" I thought. "It did wake me up. Maybe it could reverse what it did?"

I focused on the field that I remembered from the fall. The large stone walls from the city. The open gates. The two people I'd met.

I opened my eyes.

I shot upright, sitting in a large bed which had curtains around the edges of the posts. I stretched my arms upwards and the duvet fell down to my waist. I closed my eyes and fell backwards into the fluffy pillows.

"I will find you Echo." I said. I rested for a few more seconds before the creaking of a door broke the silence.

A hand pulled the curtain to my right open. A young woman, maybe a few years older than me stood against the bed in a tight black and white maid's outfit with a black bow tied through her wavy black hair.

She turned to the window closing her eyes as her left arm shook by her side ever so slightly. The maid took a deep breath before turning back and smiling at me, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"Good morning sir. I hope you had a lovely sleep." She bowed letting her hair fall down the sides of her head. Behind her was a whitewashed brick wall with some paintings hung on. The floor was made of smooth wooden planks and the curtains made of a silky purple material. I rubbed my eyes, waking myself up more.

"Sir are you alright?" The woman asked. I moved closer to her staring her in the eyes. She tried looking away a few times, hiding her brown eyes. I put my hand on her left hand making her blush slightly.

"Hi." I said calmly. She looked shocked and confused.

"H-Hello sir it's..." I put my other hand over her red, soft lips just pushing against them. I looked to the left at the closed oak door.

"Why are you calling me sir?" I asked.

"Because master said I must." She said after I'd moved my hand away. Before adding, "sir." I looked down at myself then back at her.

"Where are my clothes?"

"They're... I'll bring them right away sir." She quickly said. She started walking to the door. I slid myself out of the side of the bed. My bare feet snuggled in the lime green carpet which was around the edge of the bed.

"No, wait." I said. She stopped, turning around on the spot. Looking around the spacious room, I sighed quietly. "Can I get your name at least?" She stared at me then giving me a little smile.

"I'm Dawn sir." She said before bowing.

"Dawn, do I just wait here?"

"N-No sir. I'm very sorry. Please follow me." She waited for me as I slowly dragged my feet to the door. I yawned, stretching my arms again.

We walked into the vast hallway, made from oak wood planks and marble bricks along the wall and a long navy mat rolled out along the whole of the hallway's floor. A large arched window let light pour through to our left. She turned right, continuing to walk. I stopped as my eyes strolled over the massive hall soaking in it's enormity.

"Where are we?" I managed to mutter under my amazement.

"I'm sorry sir, what was your question?" She asked stopped further down the hallway.

"Who owns this house?"

"Master."

"Who's he, or she."

"She is the fairest maiden in all the land." She answered while I stood facing her.

"And who might that be?" I asked.

She pushed the door on our left, leading us into a large room. Five brown leather arm chairs were set around two small wooden tables which were against each other. One of the chairs was bigger than the rest and had a shiny metal frame along the top and in the sides. It was positioned facing the other chairs.

In three of the chairs sitting was Neal and two other girls, one whom I assumed was Nova. She had her robe off and wore a short dark blue skirt and a black leather medieval styled armour with a dark navy hood behind her long brown hair which had a a lighter tint around the front.

The other girl sat next to her on her right with their backs to us. She had shoulder length black hair and some tight fitting leather armour. Neal sat across from her with his head staring at the ceiling.

"Please make yourself comfortable while I collect your clothes." Dawn said bowing slightly before walking out, closing the door as she left. I turned back seeing Nova and Neal looking at me.

"Hey guys, thanks for not leaving me." I said.

"You're lucky they were passing by cause otherwise you might not be thanking us." Neal replied. "I'm kidding of course."

"Who's they?" I asked.

"The fairest madien of course! Surely you've heard of her." Nova exclaimed.

"No, who is she?" I sighed.

"I am Lady Sapphire, the fairest of all maidens." A woman said to my left giving me a wink. She pulled her bobbles out from her plats before waving her golden blonde hair and straightening it. "How are you feeling, my champion?"