SHADOWS OF A DREAM - START

  ***

  The touch of a cold hand on her cheek brought her out of her slumber.

  The owner of the hand, an older looking dame wearing an ornate gaudy dress, smiled at her. It was a strange smile that stirred up a whirlpool of vague and confusing emotions.

  “Finally awake, Your Majesty? Have you slept well?” inquired the dame’s smooth silky voice, her cold hand still resting on the same cheek.

  The newly awakened monarch’s eyes regarded the dame with a sluggish look. Her lips began to move but it took her some time until her mouth could recall the procedures of speech.

  “...Sl..ept? Slept…well?” her halting, hoarse voice questioned the smiling dame.

  “Yes, Your Majesty. How has your rest been? I hope it was…satisfying for you.” clarified the dame in an intoxicatingly sweet tone, as her fingers gently caressed her sovereign’s face, “It has, after all, been so long. Too long, really. We’ve missed you…dearly.”

  “I…slept. For long. Slept…for long.” repeated the confused ruler, emphasizing each word, as if testing how they sound in her voice.

  “Yes, Your Majesty. You’ve been sleeping for…quite a long while. We began to worry. Tell me Your Majesty…how are you feeling?” the dame again inquired slowly, gently, yet insistently.

  “It’s…strange. I feel as though…” began the recovering monarch, assessing her state for the very first time, “...as though I am still sleeping. It’s like there’s this…veil before my eyes, and like I’m covered by a heavy…very heavy blanket. Strange…isn’t it?”

  “There’s no need to worry, Your Majesty. I am sure that having slept for such a long time, your mind and your body simply require some time to process…the sensations of waking life.” stated the dame reassuringly. “Take as long as you need, Your Majesty. I will be here, right beside you.”

  “Thank you. That’s very…nice of you. Very nice of you to watch over me like this.” expresses the convalescing sovereign, a small smile on her lips. “Thank you, Avey.”

  At the mention of that name, the dame’s hand trembled, as if struck by a small shock of static electricity from her leader’s cheek. But her smile didn’t move an inch.

  “No need for thanks, Your Majesty. After such a long time apart, it brings me…such great joy to be of aid to you again.” proclaimed the dame, her voice barely betraying the rapidly deepening spiral of distress into which her oldest friend’s recognition had plunged her inner emotions.

  ***

  The headless horsemen could be seen riding into town.

  The sky’s violet glow had clearly illuminated their approach, making them visible even through the heavy crimson rain.

  The townspeople could not conceive the reason for their presence. All except one.

  Disregarding the dubious looks of the innkeeper and the other patrons, the short bespectacled man retreated into the cellar.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  He knew they would find him there without much trouble, of course. He just needed to buy some time.

  Every minute, every second, every instant gained was essential. Without a doubt, his name had appeared on a List, but any moment now, the Purge would be rescinded. He had seen a change in the fabric of the world. It just needed enough time to manifest.

  With these thoughts in mind, he hastily approached an empty wine barrel, climbed inside, and lowered the lid. This should delay the discovery by quite a bit. He could only hope it would be enough.

  Then, the shadows whispered. He was not surprised. This had happened several times before.

  “Is it true? This Purge is for you?“

  “There shall be no Purge.” he offered confidently, responding to those voices only he could hear.

  “Is that what you pray for? Hiding inside a barrel in a dirty inn’s cellar? Is that the only hope you have left?”

  “There shall be no Purge!” he repeated firmly. “Look around you. Something’s happening. Something’s changing. Something fundamental. Something irreversible.”

  “Perhaps. But who promised you it would be a change for the better? It could very well be the start of something worse.”

  “Something worse!? If there’s an abyss deeper than this, I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world. This hell is so despicable, any more than this would just be absurd.”

  “Let us witness this absurdity then. By your side.”

  The shadows were right, of course, just as they always were. He knew his predicament well. He might be saved from the Purge, but only god could tell what fate awaited him and the world from this point on.

  Shut away within that barrel, in that dirty cellar, he could only hold out hope and pray that whatever lay in store would be better.

  Then, the headless riders arrived at the inn’s door.

  ***

  She threw open the doors of the reception hall.

  There she sat, on that throne.

  As if nothing happened.

  As if nothing changed.

  As if no time had passed at all.

  That old hag was there by her side. But it didn’t matter.

  At long last, her dear friend had returned to her.

  At long last, her mentor had opened her eyes.

  At long last, her queen had awoken.

  “Your Majesy! Your Majesty!! Welcome back!!!” she cried out with unrestrained joy, but something in the back of her head raised a nervous note of apprehension.

  How would the figure now sitting on the throne respond? Would she still recognize her?

  If so, how would she regard her? Would she remember their time together? Their last words?

  If so, would she forgive her?

  These questions held her in place.

  But the one sitting on the throne felt no such apprehension. Gently brushing away the old hag’s hand from her face she turned to face the newly arrived intruder.

  “Hello, Lys. How are you doing?”

  Then, her royal visage blurred in the visitor’s eyes.

  Because they were filled with tears.

  ***

  They say that in dreams, we see the shadows of waking life.

  If this is true, then where, exactly, can we see the shadows of dreams?

  They also say that by waking from a dream, we return to reality.

  If this is also true, then where, exactly, do we return when waking from reality?

  Sleep well, my friend.

  ***

  SHADOWS OF A DREAM - END