Don't You Fret, My Dear

Nightmares

"How did everyone sleep?" Queen Arianna asks, as a server pours some orange juice into her glass. 

We're all sitting in the dining room for breakfast, the morning after that terrible nightmare I had. Looking around the table, I notice Rapunzel and Eugene look exhausted as well. Their eyes droop and they're struggling to hold their heads up. 

"Not well," Rapunzel says with a yawn, "I kept Eugene up all night, I kept having these terrible nightmares."

King Frederic looks concerned. "What kind of nightmares, dear?" 

"Like...I couldn't move. There were these shadowy things, just..everywhere. There were these voices...they kept whispering. They sounded like her at first, but then they didn't. They were worse...then they were taunting me..."

King Frederic and Queen Arianna looked very concerned for their daughter. Eugene put his hand protectively around his wife's shoulders. 

At first, I find solace that I wasn't the only one having nightmares like that. Then I realize, that we had the exact same nightmare on the exact same night. There's got to be something up with that, right?

"I had the same dream, last night," I chime in. "I was being held down by....something. It kept yelling in my ear..."

"Did it look like....like swirls of smoke?" Rapunzel asked

"Yeah. Well, yes and no. It was more than smoke, it had hold of me somehow. Like chains or ropes. I couldn't move it's was like I was tied up..."

The King and Queen give each other a worried look, "Now, when we finish breakfast, the two of you need to come with me," the King says, "Eugene, you and Arianna need to head on out to attend to the subjects for the day, in the throne room."

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King Frederic sits us down in his study. He gets some papers from a desk drawer. 

"Now," he starts, "I know we've kept you guys in the dark on a lot of this, it's because we have to watch for certain things as we go along. The Crulesians, their soldiers, they haven't made their target known, until now. Rapunzel..."

Rapunzel's face grows cold. Her hands ball up the fabric of her skirt. "They're after me? How do you know?"

"The two islands, Crules and Gazovia, they're connected in a way."

"Yes, that's right," I interrupt. "I was always told that growing up."

"Yes, well, you were brought here, Katt, because that connection gives your people a bigger advantage over Crules' soldiers than we have," he explains, "Gazovians, as you probably know, can connect with many, mentally. It's how you can sense danger, communicate, protect. And it's how you and my daughter were caught up in the same nightmare last night..."

Rapunzel and I look at each other for a second. 

"Now, when I was younger I witnessed the disputes between the Crules and the Gazovians. All I know about them is from word-of-mouth from my travels. But I was waiting to see any signs as to who they're targeting."

"At first, I thought it was Eugene. Those bouts of lashing-out are not something of nature.But then you and Katt starting connecting in your dreams, so I believe Rapunzel is their main target."

"So what do we need to do?" Rapunzel asks, clearly worried about her husband.

"Since you've been having nightmares, it's clear they're trying to find a way to you. Just try and fight it. Call for Katt when you're stuck in a nightmare. She can help."

I start to get confused. "How can I help? I wasn't trained for this...this...all this mental stuff. How will I know what to do?"

"I'm very sorry, but I believe that is where my knowledge of all of this ends. I really wish I could tell you both more, but we're all dealing with very little knowledge of this." Frederic explains, "Just look after one another, and trust your instincts. Especially you, Katt. You're more connected to this than any of us and they sent you for a reason."

"Now, I have to go meet with some advisers. Look after one another, and enjoy the rest of your day." The king excuses himself and leaves the room. 

There's an awkward silence between Rapunzel and I. After all of this, I'm starting to feel slightly protective over her; she's become my number one priority to guard. But that kind of pressure looming over us feels...off.