Again, slight blood and gore, so watch out. Next chapter will deal with Donald and Daisy. Hope you enjoy!


I can understand that what I've told you so far is entirely unbelievable. I can't really blame you, but we've come this far, so I might as well keep going. In my next life, I was born in a flourishing kingdom at the bottom of a beautiful mountainside. For all of the riches and happiness the kingdom bestowed upon its people, there was always unsteadiness on the faces of the people. We were constantly at war with a neighboring kingdom, and neither side would accept anything but complete and total surrender. We were sure our side would win someday, but every day came with its bloody loses from outside our protective walls. It was the hardship no one dared to speak of.

My family spoke of it even less, for I was born into a line that was favored and spoiled by the royals. I was not educated, but I was very clever, and my skills of conversation earned me favors with the king and queen. The queen died during childbirth when I had reached my twenties, and since the child didn't survive either, there was an urgent need for the king to remarry. At the same time, our side of the battle had begun to weaken, and his highness was at a loss for how to keep the spirits of his soldiers up. That day, I came to his side, and brushed his hair from his face. "They must see who they fight for." I told him, kneeling at his side of the throne. "Go see your brave warriors, and help them fight for their king."

He gazed at me with warm eyes, and clasped my tiny hand in his strong grasp. "Come with me, Lady Emily. If they know they are fighting to protect such a beautiful woman, surely that will erase all doubt from their hearts." Naturally flattered, I accepted, and the next dawn we rode our horses out of the kingdom. The soldiers were camped outside of the walls, weary and exhausted. Their eyes had sunken into their skills, and some had long since stopped bothering to wash the blood off of their clothes. Yet as we rode among them, their eyes lit up, and they realized who was in their presence. Every man stood to attention.

His Highness rode to a stop, and addressed his men. He praised their skills, and commended them on their protection of the people thus far. On and on he gave them good graces, and I was so caught up in his magnificent speech that I didn't realize he had addressed me as his queen until the men started to kneel down towards me. I grabbed the king's arm, wanting to confirm what had happened, and he smiled so beautifully at me. "When this war is done," he announced, "I will make Lady Emily my bride." Loud cheering erupted from the men, banging their swords against their shields in celebration. I blushed deeply, and bowed my head in gratitude.

Admits the cheers, one soldier stepped out from the crowd, and held out wrapped pieces of bread and cut meat. He was a tall and lanky dog of a man, not portraying much intelligence from his appearance, but his smile was kind and earnest. "If ya will pardon me, yer highness... I mean, soon ta be highness…" His words stumbled out from his large front buck teeth, showing that he had no doubt been raised in the poorest part of the kingdom. No doubt he had been forced to join as a man so destitute had no other alternative. "I know this ain't much, but it's all I got, and every lady needs an engagement present."

His simple charm humbled me, and I brought my horse in closer so I could kiss the top of his head. "You have my thanks, good sir, but keep your rations." His entire face turned red from that one touch, and he kept his eyes to the ground. Though he looked to be an adult, one could guess this as his first contact with a woman, and I found myself endeared towards such a naïve spirit. "Would you give me your name?"

He mumbled incoherently, shyness now controlling his tongue. Other soldiers laughed at his humility, and one shouted over the noise. "We call him Goofy, Lady Emily! He's won us more fights by sheer dumb luck than when he has ever tried!" More laughter burst forward, as many were eager to share tales of the dog's failures and clumsiness. 'Goofy' did not seem to be offended, but I was still bothered all the same. I wanted to object to the teasing, but the King interrupted me, saying that he and I would make camp with the soldiers and watch over their progress. I was led away, somewhat unsettled, but resigned myself to my temporary home and tried to welcome sleep.

Every night for as long as I could remember, I had unsettling dreams of my past life. Of course, I never thought of it as my past life, and merely saw them as terrible nightmares. I had consulted many doctors over the years, but nothing ever cured these night terrors. By the time I slept in the camp, I had reluctantly accepted these dreams as part of my life. I thought maybe they were affected by the constant war and the fear of death. I told myself that when the war ended, maybe so would the nightmares. I did not trouble my king with these visions.

Our presence did greatly for our soldiers, as they went out to battle with pride and returned with stories of victories. Three days into our stay, they returned dragging back an enemy soldier they had captured. A unanimous decision rose that they would publically execute the prisoner the following morning as a symbol of future domination to the other kingdom. I was troubled by such a display, but it appeared I was the only one who thought that way, so I kept silent. I was only a woman, and I did not understand the mind of a fighting man. The prisoner was thrown into a cage and I retired to bed early.

As always, I tossed and turned as I saw visions of my dear dead dog and the mouse with hellfire eyes. I clawed at my neck, desperate to pull out the blade that wasn't there. When I gave up on sleep for that night, the entire camp had already taken rest. I silently snuck out of my tent, not wishing to disturb my future husband. I aimlessly wandered around, unsure of what to do, and then I spotted a familiar shadow moving across the ground. It belonged to Goofy, and I recalled that he was one of the men who were tasked to guard the cage of the prisoner. Since his spirit was so gentle, I decided to seek him out so I could share my troubling dreams.

At the cage, Goofy sat in front of the prisoner, and a sobbing sound stopped my steps. With the clamor of battle down for the night, both Goofy and I could see that this enemy was nearly a child, a barely blossoming teenager. Our enemy kingdom was so desperate for total victory that they were using every last available man for battle, even if they weren't entirely a man yet. This boy was crying, his head ducked into his chest, fearing his fate come the morn and moaning for his mother. Tears of my own began to well up in my eyes, and I could not help but wonder how many boys of this ilk my kind had killed.

Goofy felt the same pity, reaching into the cage and tenderly stroking the boy's hair. He could find no words that would bring comfort, and so the boy continued to whine for his mother. I could not tell you how long the three of us were like that - me, hiding in the shadows, the boy shaking in his tears, and Goofy attending to him in the way a loving father would. It felt like eternity until Goofy pulled his hand back, and rose to his feet. He pulled out his sword from the scabbard at his hip, and in a swift, hard motion, banged his sword on the lock of the cage. Startled, the boy fell quiet as Goofy continued to attack the lock until it finally fell off. When the deed was done, Goofy dropped his sword and pulled the cage door open, still not saying a thing.

The boy waited a moment, fearing a trick. When it became obvious this had been done with honest intent, the boy scrambled out of the cage, falling into the dirt and then just as quickly getting to his feet and breaking off into a run. Amazingly, no one had heard any of this noise. I took this as a sign of destiny, and walked out of my accidental hiding place. Only now did Goofy notice me, and I could not blame him for looking instantly frightened. He knelt down at once, and his hick voice faltered for an explanation of his actions. I smiled as gently as I could, and held out a hand to silence him. "At ease, good sir. I have witnessed an act of utmost kindness, and I have no wish to punish it."

He raised his head, surprised by my mercy, and returned my smile. "Aw… well… I've seen plenty a' kids like that back in the kingdom, and… just didn't seem right. Kinda makes ya think about this whole thing." He came to his feet, and since I was not on my horse this time, I could see just how tall he truly was. "I think our kingdom's pretty great already… dunno why we need more land or anythin'. And… if they're so bad off, they gotta use kiddos to fight… they just might need more help." He shrugged helplessly, not knowing if his words made sense. "Just… I dunno. I don't like fightin'." He stopped himself, and I could see a flicker of fear in his eyes again, as if I would be offended by his thoughts.

"You are wise beyond your years, good sir." It didn't feel right to call him by the derogatory nickname, but at the same time, it felt odd to now ask for his real name. "I will bring your words to the king… and, perhaps, we can reach a new path with less bloodshed to leave behind." That brightened his face and since I was already so comfortable with him, I decided to do as I originally intended, and shared the nature of my dreams. The description left him chilled, and he offered a hand of sympathy to squeeze.

"I dunno much about dreams," He replied when I had finished. "But… ya got a lot comin' up on yer plate, that's fer sure. The whole battle, and now becomin' a queen… 's a lot of pressure on a little lady. But I ain't ever heard of someone havin' the same dream their entire life… and ya gotta years left in ya! And I betcha some of those nights are gunna have nice dreams. There's way too many nights out there, and they can't all be bad." He tilted his head to a side, not sure if he made sense but it was all he could come up with.

His optimism was contagious, and I thanked him. If such a man could have good faith in my future, why couldn't I? "Had my place been different, perhaps I would have been fortunate enough to be your bride instead." I enjoyed the flustered reaction that got out of him, and I mentally noted that when the war was over, I would ensure his life would be good and rich, wanting for nothing. We then bid each other good night, and I began to return to my camp, pleased with how the night had gone. All of that pleasure vanished when I opened my tent and looked at my bed.

There on my bed sat the mouse with the red eyes, the red clothes, and the smile that was at once both happy and dark. He was exactly from my dreams, not a stitch out of place. He looked at me as he had been awaiting my return, playfully kicking his small feet over the side of my bed. He did not speak, and yet I heard his voice, as the full force of my dreams began to play in my head. I smelled the corpses of the dogs, heard the hoof beats of the unnatural carriage, and felt blood spewing from my neck. I could not breathe, and I knew, I just knew, that he was amused by my fright. I wanted to scream, and I shut my eyes, but when I opened them, he was gone. He had never been there.

I stood there for a long time and stared at my empty bed. What had I just seen? Was he there, or were the weight of my dreams beginning to affect my waking life? I did not want to touch my bed, as I felt it was now dirtied by his touch. I slept on the cold ground, trembling as I entered a deep sleep. I prayed that Goofy was right, and that one day soon, I would be in a state of sleep without the mouse's eyes following me. What insane symbol or pressure on my life did that being represent?

The following morning I was not woken by my terrors, but by the roars of the soldiers. I struggled to stand up, as sleeping on the ground had done pain to my back. As I staggered out of my tent, I saw the soldiers were gathered around a man strung up against horse, bloody and beaten to a pulp. I instantly recognized the attacked man as Goofy, and a tired scream escaped my lips. The soldiers were throwing stones at him, calling him a traitor, and all Goofy could do was forcibly stand and take it, tears dribbling down his cheeks as it mixed with his blood. Not a shred of mercy was given to him, and no one would listen to my shrieks. I ordered them to stop, I grabbed their arms and pulled, but I was ignored in favor of bloodlust.

Then I saw the soldiers begin to part the crowd as their king stepped forward. Here, I believed, salvation! My gracious king, my future husband, he would save Goofy. But my seconds of hope were diminished as I saw the rage in the king's face, echoing the looks of the furious soldiers all around him. He approached Goofy, and grabbed him by the throat. "A traitor is the worst kind of man!" He declared, visibly choking my friend. "Tomorrow, you will take the escaped prisoner's place, and it will be your execution to drive us forward!" This rallied a cheer from the soldiers, and another scream from me.

I pushed through the men and tugged at my fiancé's robes, begging him to spare Goofy's life. But instead of heeding to my advice as he usually did, he pushed me aside, and told me this was not my place to interfere. Again I tried to speak to him, trying to share Goofy's wisdom, but the king believed my 'womanly sentiments' were blocking my eyes. He ordered the men to take me back to the tent, and I was dragged away, wailing over the loss of such a good man. Goofy hung his head, ashamed that I had to see him in such a state, and that only made me cry harder. I was not allowed to leave the tent for the entire day, which was just as well, for all I could do was cry.

When night fell, I dared to venture out, and since the soldiers were also sleeping, no one was guarding me. Even if I could not save Goofy's life, I wanted to see him one more time and apologize for being unable to aid him. I knew he would be at the same cage as the boy once was, but when I arrived, I saw that Goofy was not alone. The one who was with him… the sight alone was enough to bring me to my knees.

The mouse, that damned mouse, he stood before the cage, holding onto one of the bars and talking to Goofy. I could not say it was my imagination only anymore, as Goofy clearly saw him and exchanged words with him. I struggled to hear them, clutching my chest in a disjointed effort to control my harsh breathing. On the mouse's shoulder was a raven, black as fresh ash, but carrying the same eye color as the one he perched on. There was a familiarity to this bird that I could not name – or perhaps to name it would have been the final push into madness.

"I need a good man ta guard my home." The mouse gestured here and there, keeping Goofy's attention rapt. "And someone like yerself is perfect for the job… I know ya can tell to keep the wrong people out, and let the good people in. Accept my invitation, and you'll see a lot less fightin'."

'Accept my invitation'. That was what this mouse had said to Pluto, my Pluto. I felt the same feelings all over again – that while his voice was calm, it was just wrong to hear, like a spider spinning thread should not make noise. Everything about him was wrong, just wrong, a wrong I could not speak of or describe but I felt within every bone of my body. I pulled my eyes away from him, and looked at Goofy, whose eyes were changing colors. Hadn't the same happened to Pluto? I choked out, trying to object, but all I could eject from my mouth was a gasp.

It was enough to get their attention, as all three heads – mouse, dog, raven – looked at me. The moment the mouse saw me, I could smell it again – that scent of not just the dead, but the very act of dying. Though the weather had been warm every night, a chill wind was picking up, and I trembled weakly. With his size, I could have easily shoved him over, and yet I was completely at his mercy, terrified for every moment he looked at me. "Early again!" He chuckled, rubbing his fingers against his chest. "Well, I'm just about done here anyway. How's about it, Emily?"

I knew what he would say next and I found courage to interrupt. "No! No, I won't accept your invitation!" I cried out, clutching myself tightly. "Leave me be!" Not just now, but forever, I wanted him to leave my dreams and let me live in place, whoever or whatever this demonic thing was. This was the extent of my bravery, as I could no longer bare to look at him or hear his words, rushing to my feet and fleeing back to my tent. All thoughts of Goofy were gone, and I was selfishly wrapped up in my own well being. None of that could have been real, I vehemently said to myself as I clutched my pillow once I thought I was safe. I merely dreamed again, an extended dream that contained my good friend Goofy. I feared for his life, so to dream of him was only natural.

I don't know how I slept, but I had to in order to wake up the next day. When I did, the first thing I saw was the shadow of the kind overlapping my small body. He stood before the bed, and offered his hand for me to rise. Though he said nothing, I knew he was going to make me witness Goofy's execution, perhaps as a way of punishing me for my earlier impudence. I knew I had no choice in the matter, so I took his hand and fought my tears. We left the tent together, and the king opened his mouth to speak.

An arrow pierced his skull, through his forehead, and he dropped dead in front of me.

I looked up to the sky, and saw a rain of arrows fly at our camp. Looking back at this lifetime, it's possible that the escaped prisoner gave an exact location to our enemies so they could attack us so closely and early. I could only think of that in other lifetimes, for in this one, I was given no time to think. In the seconds following my king's death, an arrow struck me in my right eye. I fell beside my king, deaf to my own shrieks. Once more, as I began to die, as more arrows entered my body, my memory begins to blur. Once more, there is one thing I remember perfectly.

I saw the red-eyed man walking away, with Goofy at his side and the same raven perched on his shoulder. Goofy's wounds were gone, and he was casually exchanging pleasantries, his eyes now carrying the same shade of red. Just like Pluto. Just like the raven. Just like this man. That man saw me, and I could not hear him, but I am forever certain what he said.

"See ya next time, Emily."

And that was the second time I died.

End of Chapter Two.