Chapter 7
Nightmares
*~*~*~*~*~*
--the leaves were so big--"Papa!"
"Irene?"
"Papa! Papa, where are you?"
Irene cried out as a few branches snagged her hair, as though they were
trying to stop her from going any further into the forest. She was so small
and the forest was huge...
"Irene!" There he was! The splendid tall blonde figure before her,
motioning for Irene to follow him. "Come." he said...his voice nearly
echoed.
"I am coming, Papa...I am coming..."
Suddenly cold hands clasped her mouth, and she tried to scream, but only a
squeak came out...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Irene screamed and shot up, sweat pouring down her cheeks. The light in the
room turned on, and Erisana looked over at the young Elfess, concern
written all over her fair face. "Irene?" she asked. Irene looked at her,
eyes bright with fear. "Irene, what is the matter?"
"N-nothing--" Irene slowly laid back against her pillow, tears slowly
starting to stream down her cheeks.
"You were having a nightmare, weren't you?" asked Erisana calmly.
Irene nodded, covering her head with her blanket, so Erisana could
not see her tears.
"Would you like me to sit with you until you fall asleep?"
"I am not a child anymore," came Irene's muffled voice.
"Are you certain you will be all right, though? I do not want you to
hurt yourself."
"I won't hurt myself. And I will be fine." Irene insisted. "Good
night."
The lights were soon turned off, and Irene fell back to sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* This time, fire surrounded her...in a ring, many black horses stood with riders covered head to toe in black robes. Irene found herself tied to a stake in the center of the Ring, her hands and feet bound to the wood so she could not move. "Who are you?" Irene cried, as one of the riders moved towards her, a flaming torch in his hand. He did not answer. Irene struggled and struggled, as she could feel the heat from the flames nearly against her bare flesh. "I will not let you!" Irene screamed, lashing out...the ropes broke and she was free, not knowing at all where her strength had come from. She knocked the flaming torch out of the black robed creatures' hand, setting the ground on fire. Flames--everywhere flames--Then she screamed...Legolas was on the ground, his cheeks white and his eyes closed. "Father?" she gasped, choking on the smoke as it billowed thicker and thicker. She tried to get to him, but something pulled her back. "I am coming...I am coming..." "He is ours, She-Elf," a hissing voice sneered from behind her, and she whirled around to find herself face to face with another robed creature. "You will NOT take him!" Irene snapped. Suddenly, one of the creatures grabbed her by the shoulders and began pushing her towards the ring of flame...
*~*~*~*~*~* "Irene, wake up...wake up...it is time to go. Irene?" Irene's eyes snapped open and she realized she was not in the forest, but laying in bed. Erisana was giving her shoulders a gentle shake. "Is she all right?" A male voice came in, and Irene, as she sat, realized Natannael was in the room, with Omar at his side. "Oh...I am afraid I was dreaming..." Irene touched her forehead as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "But I am all right...we are leaving now?" Natannael nodded. "Yes, Irene. Meet us in the courtyard when you are ready." He turned and headed off.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* This time, fire surrounded her...in a ring, many black horses stood with riders covered head to toe in black robes. Irene found herself tied to a stake in the center of the Ring, her hands and feet bound to the wood so she could not move. "Who are you?" Irene cried, as one of the riders moved towards her, a flaming torch in his hand. He did not answer. Irene struggled and struggled, as she could feel the heat from the flames nearly against her bare flesh. "I will not let you!" Irene screamed, lashing out...the ropes broke and she was free, not knowing at all where her strength had come from. She knocked the flaming torch out of the black robed creatures' hand, setting the ground on fire. Flames--everywhere flames--Then she screamed...Legolas was on the ground, his cheeks white and his eyes closed. "Father?" she gasped, choking on the smoke as it billowed thicker and thicker. She tried to get to him, but something pulled her back. "I am coming...I am coming..." "He is ours, She-Elf," a hissing voice sneered from behind her, and she whirled around to find herself face to face with another robed creature. "You will NOT take him!" Irene snapped. Suddenly, one of the creatures grabbed her by the shoulders and began pushing her towards the ring of flame...
*~*~*~*~*~* "Irene, wake up...wake up...it is time to go. Irene?" Irene's eyes snapped open and she realized she was not in the forest, but laying in bed. Erisana was giving her shoulders a gentle shake. "Is she all right?" A male voice came in, and Irene, as she sat, realized Natannael was in the room, with Omar at his side. "Oh...I am afraid I was dreaming..." Irene touched her forehead as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "But I am all right...we are leaving now?" Natannael nodded. "Yes, Irene. Meet us in the courtyard when you are ready." He turned and headed off.