Later that evening I sat on a mattress in Mrs. Dolie's quarters. She offered for me to stay with her until all the chatter died down. They were small, but cozy. And she didn't have to share her room.
She saved me from my shared quarters with would surely be filled with curious condescension.
"Later this week at most, dear," she assured, blowing out the candle. "The gossips always find newer, more scandalous matters to feed on."
Unfortunately, the feeding had only begun.
I was back. There in the small wooden room where that man first touched me.
Looking down, my body was my own, but much smaller. Younger.
I knew what happened next.
A hand inched up my leg. I braced myself, waiting for it to be over.
"Remove your hand from her." The low voice wasn't loud; it didn't have to be. Pure, frigid menace made its intent very clear in tone. "Now." I knew that voice.
My head knocked against the small wooden chest on Mrs. Dolie's floor with the force at which I startled awake.
The dream never ended that way.
"Are you alright dearie?" came the groggy, concerned words from Mrs. Dolie.
Stuffing the pillow under my neck and curling my arms around myself, I assured her, "Fine."
Five deep breaths later, my vision turned to black again.
Cool blue and white fur adorned a tall, tall woman. She wasn't gentle; her very being radiated otherwise.
Jadis. I didn't know where the name came from, but I suddenly knew it was her although I never had seen her myself. So this was the evil that had once held my home in tyranny.
A dark haired young man appeared on the scene.
I barely registered him as King Edmund before the witch drove her sword through him.
Sorrow ripped through my chest. At least ten different memories flashed across my mind. Memories of telling him off. Of patching a sore on his knee as he reluctantly accepted the help. Of playing with him as a baby.
More memories that didn't belong to me.
Anguished screams brought my attention to two young ladies. Susan and Lucy. I hadn't met them, but I instantly knew them. Felt deep love them.
The witch turned. Dread settled in my bones.
She took a single step toward the queens, and King Peter charged toward her swinging his sword to clash with hers. She had two swords, though.
I felt that awful dread again. I somehow knew how this ended.
Not even thinking to my lack of a weapon, I ran toward Jadis' back. She didn't seem to be aware of me. I swept low, diving for her feet, knocking her off balance. King Peter took the opening, and with one swing, he sliced at one of her arms, severing it.
An anguished yell from Jadis and another swing from Peter, and she fell, defeated.
I bolted awake.
What on earth.
I knew at that point that sleep wasn't going to find me again, so I gently slid on the loosest overdress I had and my leather shoes before tiptoeing out of Mrs. Dolies's quarters.
One of the turrets near the wing that housed the staff quarters was guarded by a centaur named Adonis.
I liked him. Mostly because he let me sit up there from time to time when I just needed time to think.
I didn't get to often, as the guards changed stations on different nights, and I didn't want to test my luck with another guard. He told me which nights were his to guard the turret so I knew when I could come.
Luckily, tonight was one I knew he was up there.
As I climbed the winding stairs up, I tightened my overdress to appropriate modesty, trying not to trip over it while doing so.
Adonis smiled when he saw me, but he didn't break his stance. Eyes still scanning the horizon, he addressed me. "Be sleep a rare commodity for you, lass?"
A felt a light smile coming on. "For tonight, I trade it for time for pensiveness."
"Then perhaps my tale of Axiel's first attempt at sparring should be saved for another night."
Adonis often spoke of his family, especially his son. He was young, just now of age to begin learning basic combat.
"No, please, do tell. I really just want to clear my mind. Some humor would do me well."
I listened for hours until the sun started to rise, setting the ocean ablaze in reflected light.
"The guard change is soon, lass. You best return to your chambers."
I nodded. "Please greet your wife and Axiel for me."
He nodded, eyes still scanning the horizon. Never not scanning.
"A pleasant day to you," he bid me farewell.
I resisted the urge to scoff. I smiled instead. Pleasant. Heh.
At the staff breakfast table a few hours later, as I scooped a spoonful of oats into my mouth, an owl fluttered in.
The morning chatter fell silent.
"Miss _ , your presence has been requested in the main library."
I resisted the urge to hit my head against the table. Apparently, King Peter did not possess the art of subtlety.
Honestly! He could have just sent someone to the head mistress and she could pass the message on to me privately.
Or he simply wasn't concerned with concealing our meetings. Probably had no clue of the social repercussions for me.
I slowly stood up, careful not to trip over the bench, dusted off my skirt, and followed the owl out of the room.
I could feel every set of eyes boring into my back as I left. I wanted to crawl into a hole. Aslan, take me now.
The owl didn't say much on the long walk (and flight) from the staff dining area to the main library. He did, however, introduce himself as Haldon.
As one of guards opened a door to the library for us, my breath hitched. All those books!
"His Majesty High King Peter will be with you briefly," Haldon's steady, lower voice rang out among the towers of books.
I remembered my manners and curtsied my farewell to him before turning back to the books, running my hand over a section. I had just picked one out and began reading the intro when the doors opened.
The book clamped together in my hands with a thud. I scrambled to put it back on the shelf before King Peter saw me.
I was still trying to shove it back into place when he saw me.
I stopped my struggle, holding the book across my chest in defeat. It was moot at this point anyway.
I laughed and brushed a fly away hair behind my ear. What else can you do when you're caught red-handed?
"Forgive me, your majesty," I chuckled out, trying desperately to gain some tone that said I was actually sorry.
His eyes sparkled with a smile. Slightly sunken eyes. Sleep deprived eyes.
"It's quite alright," he assured. "You're welcome to borrow any as you please."
My heart skipped a beat. Endless reading? Yes, please.
But if anyone saw the book in my things, they'd assume I stole it, and I'd have to explain permission from the High King, and that would create another field day. I'd just have to ensure it stayed hidden.
"Thank you," I said, meeting his eyes.
His brow creased as he read the title to the book I held.
"I've read that one. I remember it being rather dull."
I laughed again.
"No battles, knights, passionate love, survival stories, magic, or really anything exciting. I think it's a man's thoughts on taxation, if I remember correctly. Although informative, not quite my taste for leisure reading."
"And knights and passionate love would be?" I asked, eyebrow raised, before I could stop myself. I seemed to be in a contest to see how many laws of protocol I could break in one morning.
"Perhaps," A gentle smile and eyes that matched marked his open expression.
I looked away. I didn't like the feeling that washed over me.
" _I had a dream last night and I… was hoping you could enlighten me on something."
I nodded. "I have a similar question for you, if it pleases you to answer."
"Of course." He paused, leaning a shoulder against one of the shelves, pinching the top of his nose, resting his face on that hand.
"I first dreamed… you were there, so was that… demon," he trailed off.
I looked down, summoning numbness to wash over me. He dreamed of him too, then.
"But the quality of dream felt… strange. Held a certain quality to it. I…"
I shot my eyes to his face in question. His own eyes were looking to the side in concentration, studying a bookshelf he must've been looking to help him gather his thoughts.
"I dare say I felt an element of magic. Despite the… happenings of the dream. Both of them."
He looked to my face. My chest felt warm. What happenings? Surely he …
"Forgive me, _. The dreams go beyond my words' adequate description. Something I can voice is that your presence was extremely tangible in both."
I silently digested his words for a moment.
"As was your presence in my dreams," I spoke, my voice small, but my eyes trained on his.
Something sparked across his features, suddenly making him seem more awake.
"What did you dream of?" he questioned, eager.
"First, a reoccurring memory dream," I hesitated. Then didn't. "Except you were there. You told him to remove his hands from me."
"I had the same dream."
"And I dreamt of Jadis…"
He looked away. I tried to ignore the shadow that fell over his face. "Me as well."
A silent beat. Two.
I watched the question form on his face before he opened his mouth. "Might this have something to do with your…"
"I think it might, yes."
"But this... dream sharing never happened before?"
"No." I shook my head. "I think…"
I was silenced by one of doors opening to reveal Haldon. He landed on the floor and dipped his wing in front of him in a bow. "Your majesty, General Orieus wishes to have an immediate audience with you, if it pleases you."
Peter nodded for them to come in.
Orieus entered in full armour, standing tall, but with tired circles under his eyes.
"Your highness, I come with news of the search party."
