A Cure of Night Terrors
Satrika the Hanyou
Disclaimer: I dont own any of the characters or Amnesia. I'm just putting my ideas into a fanfiction.
Daniel sat up, green eyes snapping open. He shivered, sweat forming a thin layer over his skin. His chest rose and lowered as he breathed heavily. A nightmare. This time, however, it wasn't a fear of the Shadow. No. This time it was a memory. A horrible, horrible memory from his childhood. He squeezed his eyes shut, and tried to relax. He couldn't. His nerves remained alert.
"Nightmares, Daniel?" A familiar voice cut through the silence. He looked up, seeing the ice blue eyes of Alexander. What those eyes did to him...The almost glowing eyes made him dizzy every time he looked into them.
"N-nothing but a bad memory, Alexander...I thank you for your concern," Daniel whispered. He lowered his gaze to the blankets over his body. Those eyes made him feel faint. A hand rested on his shoulder.
"Bad memories are anything but nothing, you like to talk about it? It may help to put your mind at ease."
Daniel was quiet for a while. Should he spill out one of his most scarring memories to Alexander? …Well, the man had proved trustworthy so far. And who would he have to tell, anyways? As he'd said before, he only had himself and his castle. Daniel nodded quietly.
"I see no harm in that, but could we move to the living room? It's rather cold, and I wouldn't mind sitting in front of a warm fire right now...If thats okay with you?"
Alexander chuckled,and patted Daniel on the head.
"Daniel, these are your living quarters as well. I've told you before, make yourself at home. Though I agree, A fire would be nice right now."
He held out his hand. Daniel stared at it. Was he to take it?
"Well, Daniel? Are you coming?"
Daniel nodded, and took the hand. Alexander helped him up and let go. Daniel wished he hadn't. He wanted to hold onto that hand forever...
He followed Alexander into the living room, and sat on a couch across from the chair Alexander sat in. Daniel stared into the fire Alexander had started, unsure of how to begin his story.
"When I was a child...well, My mother had died from childbirth when I was 6. I lived with my father and my little sister, Hazel. My father blamed the two of us for my mother's death- it had changed him. He'd been a kind man, prior. Honestly, he had. After she died, he drowned his sorrow with ale, and spent all our money on it every day.
My sister had been born with a condition causing her to have an illness, and because our father wasted our money on alcohol, we didn't have anything to buy her medicine with. She became sicker which each passing day and couldnt do much. I often read to her in the afternoons. She loved fairytales."
Alexander nodded, listening. He knew the boy was stalling, but he'd give him time to relax. Patience was always a necessity.
"Well, when my father came home every night, He was usually drunk. Because he blamed us for mother's passing, he often threatened us.
"One day, though...The threats became real. I had been out late, and came home to see my father trying to break the door to Hazel's room. I tried to pull him away...and... Well, simple and clean, he beat me to unconciousness. This happened from that point on. He'd go get drunk, and I'd take the beatings when he got home. I couldnt risk him laying a hand against Hazel. She was too weak and frail. After her death, I left the house. Never once have I thought about returning. I used to get awful nightmares of those nights."
Daniel went silent, his tale finished.
The room was quiet for a few moments, the only sound being the crackling of burning logs and coal in the fireplace.
"My, that is quite the tale. Well, It's nothing for you to worry about any longer. Your sister- Hazel, was it? She wouldn't have wanted you worrying all day. Focus,rather, on freeing yourself from the darkness. That's all that matters anymore, Daniel. Focus on your freedom and old memories will cease to plague you. Now then, it's rather late, so I assume you're tired again. Have a cup of tea and get some rest. We have a long day of tort-" Alexander covered the mistake with a false cough.
" Work to get started on in the morning."
Daniel nodded, feeling much better after confiding in Alexander his painful nightmares. The man truly was a saint, listening to his memories and helping him rid of the shadow. He watched as Alexander walked out of the room, off to his bed.
Daniel put out the flames, and retreated to his own room, sure that he'd have a good dream this time. Perhaps, if he was lucky, a dream of Alexander.