A Deal With the Devil

Chapter 24

Ravanna's POV

After Kassandra was pulled back to the land of dreams, I watched as her chest rose and fell with each breath.

Her mouth was the slightest bit open, yet no sound was heard.

She did not snore.

She always slept like she was trying to make as little noise as possible, as if attempting to draw the least amount of attention to herself.

Like how a thief moves throughout a highly secure area without the notice of others.

How an owl moves oh so gently through a summer night.

I moved my hand to gently brush through her hair, silky and smooth. I gazed upon her face with the utmost care, she looked so innocent and pure, how could anyone want to hurt her?

A breeze blew in from the slightly open window and a shiver ran down Kassandra's spine. I pulled the blanket up to her shoulder and gathered her more comfortably in my arms.

I watch as the moon steadily rises through the night sky and recall a lullaby, from the very beginning of my memories, sung by a mother to her dying child. A child that she had poisoned to keep from the clutches of a horrible father. A father who had beaten and molested his wife daily.

A mother who still spends eternity in hell, reliving the last moments of that child's life, forever singing a lullaby with dreadful tears streaming down her face.

I pause, gathering my bearings before I sing the words I know almost as well as the ways of hell.

I whisper the lines carefully as to not waken my love.

"Rest tired eyes a while.
Sweet is thy smile.
I am guarding and watching o'er thee."

I feel ridiculous for a moment because I know that she is asleep and can no longer hear me. I'm positive that I'm not singing this lullaby to do it justice but still, I continue.

"Sleep, sleep,
Your sorrows we do see.
I am guarding
And watching o'er thee."

Kassandra has been hurt time and again, it's awfully difficult not to see what sorrow she holds.

"The birdeens sing a fluting song.
They sing to thee the whole day long.
Wee fairies dance o'er hill and dale,
For the very love of thee.

Dream, Dream,
Peaceful your dreams will be.
I am guarding and watching o'er thee.

The primrose in the sheltered nook,
The crystal stream the babbling brook,
All these things my hands have made,
For the very love of thee."

I stop briefly, taking a breath, before continuing. 

"Twilight and shadows fall,
Peace will always lead me to you.
As you sleep,
May you always be mine to keep.
While your tired eyes bid the world adieu,
May I watch o'er you?"

There was nothing but silence after I stopped.

Nothing but the crickets outside, nothing but our faint breaths, nothing but my still rapidly beating heart.

I had never thought too deeply about the meaning of that particular lullaby, but now I see why that mother chose it to sing to her dying child.

Why I chose to sing it to my dear Kassandra.

"You have a beautiful voice."

I nearly jumped out of the bed when I heard her speak and she lets out an almost thunderous laughs at my reaction.

"It's not funny," I tell her.

She continues to laughs as she says, "It's pretty funny, you could have been a frog with the way you jumped."