Chapter 32
Duncan awoke and gently stroked Dani's hair as she lay asleep with her head on his chest, he managed to stretch across to the bedside table and pick up the clock, in the gloom of the room he could just make out that it was just gone 5am. He put the clock back and gently lifted Dani's head from his chest; with the other hand he moved the pillows under her head, Dani stirred but didn't wake as he laid her head onto the pillow. He picked up his clothes, opened the door as quietly as he could and made his way to the bathroom.
Rachel was already busy in the bar, setting up for breakfast, when he came down the stairs "did yea sleep well, Duncan?" she asked as he joined her at the bar "Dani had a couple of nightmares but fine otherwise". Rachel put down the tray she was holding and walked over to Duncan "would you like some breakfast?"
"Yeah.I'd love some" Duncan said as he traced his fingers around one of the bar mats. "Sit yourself down and I'll bring it over" Rachel said before disappearing out the back. Duncan sat down at one of the tables near the bar; Rachel came back with a plate full of bacon, eggs, sausage and fried bread. Rachel sat down to keep Duncan company while he ate, she only got up when other guests started to appear.
Duncan was finishing his breakfast when Rachel appear carrying a tray "I thought you might what to take this up.she didn't eat anything yesterday.so she must be hungry by now" Rachel said as she set the tray down on the bar. Duncan picked up his plate and cup taking them over to Rachel "thanks but did you." he said as he put everything onto the bar "of course I remembered" Rachel said lifting the saucer off of one of the cups and the unmistakable aroma of Cassandra's potion rose from the tray, Rachel put the saucer back quickly "I don't know why anyone would drink that stuff" she said as she picked up the tray and handed it to Duncan.
Duncan had just reached the top of the stairs when he heard shouting coming from Dani's room, he ran down the corridor, sliding to a halt outside the door just managing to hold onto the tray, he flung the door open but there was no one except Dani in the room, she was trashing around on the bed her eyes tightly closed. Duncan put the tray onto the dresser, he managed to take hold of Dani and held her tight so she could not hurt herself or him "Dani.Dani.your safe.it's all right" he spoke softly too her slowly she stopped fighting and relaxed in his arms, her eyes flickered open, they seemed to be empty to him, Duncan had seen that look before but only in the eyes of the dead. They stared past him focusing on a scene that he couldn't see, it was only when he spoke to her again did life drift back into them "Dani it's OK.Ssssh" Duncan said as he rocked Dani. Duncan helped Dani to sit up, he then reached across to the dresser picking up the cup with Cassandra's potion "here drink some of this" he held the cup to Dani's trembling lips.
As Dani drank the dark, strange smelling liquid Duncan's arm stayed protectively around her shoulder. "Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked as he put the empty cup back on the tray. Dani's hands played with the bedclothes, her eyes watching her hands "only images.nothing to worry about.just a nightmare", Duncan gently took hold of her chin and lift her face to look at him "some nightmare.you nearly gave me a black eye.you know you can talk to me.I'm not easily shocked" Dani smiled at him, she really wanted to tell him everything but the images she had just seen were of Hamilton, his friend, the images were so disjointed she didn't know if they were the pass, present or future but they all held death. "There disjointed images.I don't know where they've come from or from who.battles.people dying.that sort of thing" Duncan could see that even remembering them was causing Dani distress "it's all right.here have some breakfast.that should make you feel better" he said as he brought the tray over to her. "I'm not really hungry Duncan" Dani answered. "Look I'll do a deal with you .if you eat some breakfast.I'll take you out for a walk.I might even show you some of the secret places around here".
After Dani had eaten some breakfast, she took a quick shower and returned to the room dressed, Duncan was laid on the bed reading "Hey you look a lot better" he said as he sat on the edge of the bed putting on his boots "thanks Duncan I feel a lot better" Dani replied. As they entered the bar Rachel came out from the back carrying a basket, she placed it on the bar "I've made you a few sandwiches.don't want either of yea to faint from hunger.I've also put in a flask of coffee and a flask of that other stuff" Duncan leant across the bar and kissed Rachel on the cheek "what would I do without you?"
Rachel playfully batted Duncan away "get into a lot more trouble and go hungry at the same time.I shouldn't wonder". Dani put her hand onto Duncan's arm and he turned towards her "I've left my jacket upstairs.I won't be a minute".
"I'll wait for you outside" Duncan said as he picked up the basket from the bar. When Dani came back downstairs Rachel was busy relaying the fire, as Dani went to walk towards the door, the room started to spin, Dani managed to catch hold of the bar but in doing so knocked one of the bar stools, the noise made Rachel look up, when she saw Dani holding onto the bar she rushed over to her "are you all right? ..do you want me to get Duncan?" Dani took hold of Rachel's arm and smiled at her "no.I'll be fine in a moment".
Dani looked up into Rachel's eyes "you care a lot about Duncan don't you?" Rachel wanted to look away but she couldn't seem to break free of Dani's gaze "yes" was Rachel's only reply "don't worry Rachel.I will not allow Duncan to suffer because of me.and you won't tell him about this" without another word Dani walked to the door and out to join Duncan. Rachel didn't move for a few moments, blinking she looked around 'what am I doing over here' she thought as she went back to relaying the fire.
Duncan awoke and gently stroked Dani's hair as she lay asleep with her head on his chest, he managed to stretch across to the bedside table and pick up the clock, in the gloom of the room he could just make out that it was just gone 5am. He put the clock back and gently lifted Dani's head from his chest; with the other hand he moved the pillows under her head, Dani stirred but didn't wake as he laid her head onto the pillow. He picked up his clothes, opened the door as quietly as he could and made his way to the bathroom.
Rachel was already busy in the bar, setting up for breakfast, when he came down the stairs "did yea sleep well, Duncan?" she asked as he joined her at the bar "Dani had a couple of nightmares but fine otherwise". Rachel put down the tray she was holding and walked over to Duncan "would you like some breakfast?"
"Yeah.I'd love some" Duncan said as he traced his fingers around one of the bar mats. "Sit yourself down and I'll bring it over" Rachel said before disappearing out the back. Duncan sat down at one of the tables near the bar; Rachel came back with a plate full of bacon, eggs, sausage and fried bread. Rachel sat down to keep Duncan company while he ate, she only got up when other guests started to appear.
Duncan was finishing his breakfast when Rachel appear carrying a tray "I thought you might what to take this up.she didn't eat anything yesterday.so she must be hungry by now" Rachel said as she set the tray down on the bar. Duncan picked up his plate and cup taking them over to Rachel "thanks but did you." he said as he put everything onto the bar "of course I remembered" Rachel said lifting the saucer off of one of the cups and the unmistakable aroma of Cassandra's potion rose from the tray, Rachel put the saucer back quickly "I don't know why anyone would drink that stuff" she said as she picked up the tray and handed it to Duncan.
Duncan had just reached the top of the stairs when he heard shouting coming from Dani's room, he ran down the corridor, sliding to a halt outside the door just managing to hold onto the tray, he flung the door open but there was no one except Dani in the room, she was trashing around on the bed her eyes tightly closed. Duncan put the tray onto the dresser, he managed to take hold of Dani and held her tight so she could not hurt herself or him "Dani.Dani.your safe.it's all right" he spoke softly too her slowly she stopped fighting and relaxed in his arms, her eyes flickered open, they seemed to be empty to him, Duncan had seen that look before but only in the eyes of the dead. They stared past him focusing on a scene that he couldn't see, it was only when he spoke to her again did life drift back into them "Dani it's OK.Ssssh" Duncan said as he rocked Dani. Duncan helped Dani to sit up, he then reached across to the dresser picking up the cup with Cassandra's potion "here drink some of this" he held the cup to Dani's trembling lips.
As Dani drank the dark, strange smelling liquid Duncan's arm stayed protectively around her shoulder. "Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked as he put the empty cup back on the tray. Dani's hands played with the bedclothes, her eyes watching her hands "only images.nothing to worry about.just a nightmare", Duncan gently took hold of her chin and lift her face to look at him "some nightmare.you nearly gave me a black eye.you know you can talk to me.I'm not easily shocked" Dani smiled at him, she really wanted to tell him everything but the images she had just seen were of Hamilton, his friend, the images were so disjointed she didn't know if they were the pass, present or future but they all held death. "There disjointed images.I don't know where they've come from or from who.battles.people dying.that sort of thing" Duncan could see that even remembering them was causing Dani distress "it's all right.here have some breakfast.that should make you feel better" he said as he brought the tray over to her. "I'm not really hungry Duncan" Dani answered. "Look I'll do a deal with you .if you eat some breakfast.I'll take you out for a walk.I might even show you some of the secret places around here".
After Dani had eaten some breakfast, she took a quick shower and returned to the room dressed, Duncan was laid on the bed reading "Hey you look a lot better" he said as he sat on the edge of the bed putting on his boots "thanks Duncan I feel a lot better" Dani replied. As they entered the bar Rachel came out from the back carrying a basket, she placed it on the bar "I've made you a few sandwiches.don't want either of yea to faint from hunger.I've also put in a flask of coffee and a flask of that other stuff" Duncan leant across the bar and kissed Rachel on the cheek "what would I do without you?"
Rachel playfully batted Duncan away "get into a lot more trouble and go hungry at the same time.I shouldn't wonder". Dani put her hand onto Duncan's arm and he turned towards her "I've left my jacket upstairs.I won't be a minute".
"I'll wait for you outside" Duncan said as he picked up the basket from the bar. When Dani came back downstairs Rachel was busy relaying the fire, as Dani went to walk towards the door, the room started to spin, Dani managed to catch hold of the bar but in doing so knocked one of the bar stools, the noise made Rachel look up, when she saw Dani holding onto the bar she rushed over to her "are you all right? ..do you want me to get Duncan?" Dani took hold of Rachel's arm and smiled at her "no.I'll be fine in a moment".
Dani looked up into Rachel's eyes "you care a lot about Duncan don't you?" Rachel wanted to look away but she couldn't seem to break free of Dani's gaze "yes" was Rachel's only reply "don't worry Rachel.I will not allow Duncan to suffer because of me.and you won't tell him about this" without another word Dani walked to the door and out to join Duncan. Rachel didn't move for a few moments, blinking she looked around 'what am I doing over here' she thought as she went back to relaying the fire.