The Knight & His Shield

-5-

Oswin was soaking wet, droplets of water running down his flushed, tan face. His curly, golden hair in a mess on the top of his head.

He massaged his father's sword with his fingers as he readied it, peering into the pitch black darkness that surrounded him.

His breathing quickened, heart pounding hard against his chest, his ears ringing as a panicked, scared feeling washed over him as he watched a large figure crawl towards him, howling as if it had been hurt.

His deep, ocean blue eyes glistened as tears began to fall, stinging his eyes and blurring his vision.

"I can't...I can't do it."

Oswin threw his sword, his father's sword, down onto the muddy ground, running to the shadowed figure laying on the ground, now still.

Oswin woke up in a cold sweat, his heart beating out of his chest.

"Oswin, are you alright?" Came a voice from in front of him.

Oswin looked up, meeting Livius's hazel eyes, who was wearing a worried expression instead of his usual happy smile.

"Yeah, sorry if I worried you," Oswin replied, feeling guilty over worrying Livius. "It was just a bad dream."

Oswin picked up his book, the spine of which had been broken from the weight of his head, continuing to read from the last page he left off on. Livius, still worried, went back to reading a book titled, 'Herbs & Other Medicinal Plants,' which was written by Rose Sommer, the Healing & Medicine teacher. They stayed for a few more hours, Livius occasionally looking over to check on Oswin.