I woke exhausted, slowly opening my eyes to the bright light streaming into the spacious bedroom. I couldn't put my finger on why I felt so drained. My eyes felt heavy as I began to open them, and I struggled to sit up. It was almost as if I'd slept less than usual. I'd had a dream to. Yes, it might have been the dream. It must have been one of those amazing dreams that are so amazing you don't want to wake up from them, and then feel more tired. Oh, and it was an amazing dream. I didn't remember exactly what had happened, but it was even more than amazing. It had felt astounding. Spellbinding. Miraculous, even. Tobias may have been able to come up with better words, but unfortunately, I was not Tobias. I combed my hand through my knotted hair, trying to remember what the dream was. Something certainly felt different. Slowly, pieces of it began to return. The sound of running water. The silver light of the moon. The surging warm feeling of the kiss…
The kiss!
The thought made me sit bolt upright as the memory returned all at once. I jumped off my bed and put on some clothes. I was wide awake now, and the idea that I'd felt sleep-deprived five seconds ago seemed like a distant memory. Energy surged through my veins as I burst out the door, a servant just outside, who was clearly about to enter, had such a look of startlement I almost had to laugh. For every second that passed I felt more and more certain the night before had been no wonderful dream. But an even more wonderful reality. I rushed through the hallways, dodging servants and regents like arrows, with every step coming closer to the familiar hallway, where the very familiar door would be. Right as I was about to make it to my destination, I nearly ran into none other than Jaron himself, avoiding collision by inches and both our sudden stops.
"Roden?" he asked curiously, arching an eyebrow. I only stared. "Are… you okay?" he said warily, as if I'd hit my head to hard.
"What? Yes, yes I'm fine. I think. Er… what I mean to say is, yes, I don't think, I'm sure. Well, I do think, but I meant I don't think I'm fine, but rather I'm sure I'm fine and now I sound like an idiot and your smiling like a psychopath." Ah, yes. I just sound genius, don't I? Any mortal to hear my words of wisdom would surely fall to their knees, weeping and crying out, "we're not worthy!" Where was the spellbinding speech from last night? But, to be fair, he was grinning like an idiot. Almost as much of an idiot as yours truly.
"Uh-huh. No, you aren't okay. You haven't been okay for a while now. You've been acting strangely since forever. Is a certain you-know-who involved with this peculiar situation?" I knew he was expecting me to deny it, but this time, I was ready. The loss for words disappeared, and I confidently, with a hint of a smirk answered, "absolutely." His eyes lit up with surprise and felicity, and with my smile broadening, I rushed past him and turned the corner, to find Asher coming out of her room, looking dazed and dreamy, as if she'd just woken up from a wonderful dream. No doubt a dream very similar to my own. We locked gazes, and we smiled.
(Hey hey dont go already! There is still more to come! Didn't I say Not so happily ever after? I promised you trouble, and it hasn't even begun! MUAHAHAHA)
