The Shadow Over Lockland

Rose's P.O.V

I had just finished the chapter I was reading when I had noticed Damien had fallen asleep. I smiled when I saw how peaceful he was. But that's when I noticed his eyes and eyebrows twitching. It looked as if he was having a nightmare so I decided to wake him. I put my hand on his shoulder and said his name trying to wake him.

"Damien, wake up." I said sweetly into his ear. But that's when he unexpectedly shot up from his sleeping position.

"Rose!!!" He yelled my name as awoke. This took me by surprise as he seemed to have a look of terror on his face.

"Damien... are you alright?" I asked feeling concerned. Not only did it seem that he had a nightmare but by the way he woke up it seemed like it was about me. He looked over at me as I asked my worried question. Then he unexpectedly pulled me into an embrace and I felt his body relax with relief.

"Damien.. Is everything okay?" I asked again gently returning the hug. He then pulled back with an embarrassed look on his face.

"Sorry Rose, I didn't mean to scare you.. It was just a bad dream, that's all" he said looking down at his now twiddling thumbs. A part of me wanted to ask him what had happened in his dream, but another part of me did not want to know for the fact of how he called out my name and the way I felt relief wash over him when he hugged me. 'Something definitely happened to me in his dream.' I thought to myself. So I decided to change the topic. I quickly thought of the upcoming holiday that we celebrated here on the island.

"Hey Damien, do you know about the holiday that is coming up in about four days?" I asked him with a slight bit of curiosity.

"No... do you wish to tell me?" He said giving a laughing smirk at the question and the sudden change in the topic. I laughed at his response and nodded. I stood up and walked to the book shelf in the corner of the room and pulled a book titled 'Thor's Day'. Satisfied with what I pulled out, I went back to Damien and handed him the book, then took my place beside him snuggling back into the blanket I had left there.

"This book will tell you all you need to know about the holiday known as Thor's Day." I said leaning toward him gesturing to the book. Damien chuckled looking at the book.

"So do you want me to read? Or do you want to tell me everything you know first?" he said smirking. I couldn't help but laugh at this, I nodded my head and sat up.

"I would love to tell you all about my experiences." I began to tell him about all the fun activities that would be set up. Things like horse shoes, sheaf toss "when you take a pitchfork and fling a bale of hay up into the open loft of a barn" i explained. And my favorite thing, the special dance that anyone who was younger than twenty participated in.

Damien seemed a bit worried when I mentioned the dance. I didn't know why but I couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with his dream. He must of noticed my confused gaze because, his face turned a light shade of red in embarrassment.

"I..I don't dance well.." He said the red deepening in color. This took me by surprise over the time I was recovering, I wasn't able to do much and he would practice his fencing with his father for me to keep me entertained. He moved so gracefully that it was hard to not to see him also as a dancer.

"Well.. That's alright you just need some practice. Like you practice your fencing!" I said taking the book from his lap and stood up. Setting the book down I then turned to Damien offering my hands that way I could help pull him up. He grabbed my hands with a laugh. I then positioned him behind me with our right hands together over my shoulder and our left ones extended slightly, in the traditional starting position for the schottische.

I lead the dance for the first few moves until he got the hang of it, And that didn't take long. Soon we were laughing and dancing to a bouncy beet that seemed to only be playing in our heads. We danced and twirled until we were out of breath. After hours of dancing, we both collapsed onto the settee panting with delight.

"Damien Demlocken, I never want to hear you say you can't dance, ever again! You were amazing!" I said laughing, still trying to catch my breath.