The Past and the Future

"What?" she repeated.

"I was supposed to take the throne when I was fifteen, but then this happened to me," I said referring to my arm.

"So, your brother is king now," she asked.

"You know him," I said surprised.

"I vaguely remember you talking about him in one of your dreams," she mentioned thoughtfully.

"He deserves to be king, not me."

"Why?"

"It's a long story," I sighed.

"We have time, I'm listening," she reassured pulling up a chair and sitting down. So I began to tell her of the coronation ceremony and how I failed only to be rescued by Dornkirk. From my metal arm, training as a sorcerer, designing the fate alteration machine and the invisible guymeleffs to the burning of Fanelia, kidnapping my brother and the aftermath of the war all came pouring out of my mouth. Most of the time, I would stare out the window for I couldn't look into Shayndel's eyes once she heard all the terrible things I've done. After I finished, there was a pause and I forced myself to look down at her. She was crying.

"Shayndel," I said carefully trying to control the shake in my voice.

"Sorry," she apologized wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "I don't know how to express that in words."

"Still think there's a chance for me," I asked.

She clasped her hand with mine. "There's always a chance for everybody."

Night turned to morning and again to night. Although Folken didn't seem to thrash around anymore, he cried out in his sleep.

"Stop, please stop," he pleaded.

I glanced out the window dreary. Folken's nightmares didn't seem to be toning down and the weather wasn't helping. Outside thick snow covered up the ground and I had to punch into the ice to get water.

"Shayla," he called out. I couldn't distinguish if he was in pain or if he had just woken up. I rummaged through my stock of food and found the bottle of wine.

"Here drink this," I filled a mug half-full with the grape wine.

He stared at it hesitantly.

"This will help you sleep, Folken" I urged the cup closer to his mouth. At first, a small sip but then he drank all of it down. I rearranged his blankets and he rested back again. It seemed for a second he was in peace but as I turned away he reached out.

"Don't leave me alone," he pleaded.

"It's alright, I won't leave," I promised gripping his hand.

I'm not sure how long I sat there gripping his hand. I couldn't bring myself to leave. When he said those words, they haunted me. The same exact words I had pleaded to the people who had abandoned me. I felt a shiver run through me and wrapped my arms tighter around me with Folken's hand still in mine.

"You have been here all along?" Folken's voice caused me to let go of his hand.

"I did promise not to leave you," I pointed out.

I looked at him; he was covered in all sorts of blankets arranged around his exposed chest. His wings only had a couple of stray black feathers.

"It's cold," he commented switching his position without throwing the blankets off.

"I would normally have a fire, but the snow is deep and I have no wood left," I regretted.

"Zaibach hasn't snowed like this in ages." He peered over my shoulder to get a look at the snow.

"I have an idea," I began to throw aside the heavy blankets.

"What are you doing?" he asked sitting up. I swung his good arm across my shoulder and braced my arm around his waist.

"You are going to sleep in the bedroom."

We had to move slowly as his wings got in the way. At the doorway, we had to walk in sideways. I moved some furniture to accommodate his large wings. I pulled the covers to his chin and tucked the extra around his sides.

"Where are you going to sleep?" he asked while I busied myself with bedding.

"I'll sleep here, just on the other end," I said reorganizing the heavy blankets around me.

"I don't want to be too much trouble, this is your bed," he protested.

"And I don't want you to freeze outside," I replied.

"How much longer is it going to be?" he asked once I got settled in.

"I don't know, sleep is the only thing we can do right now," I answered closing my eyes.

I listened to Shayla's breathing; it was calming and the only thing I could do to stop me from falling asleep. In the end I let fatigue take over me, I drifted to sleep.

I was walking in the forest with Van; then we were surrounded by bandits. I was fighting them off, turning to make sure Van was okay I found him missing. I was then pierced in the shoulder. I stumbled back to find myself starring into the cold eyes of my brother.

"Why?" I cried.

"You left mother and me all alone. Because of you mother and Balgas are dead!" His eyes flashed angrily.

"I'm sorry, I had no choice; I was too young to rule but Van I knew you would be able to do it. You were always stronger than I was."

Fro a moment his eyes softened but became steel again.

"Now you get to be alone, let's see how you fare with dragon slaying."

He walked off.

"Don't leave me brother!" I shouted. I said that to my family and they all left me. I heard loud thumping noises drawing closer to me. I held my breath as the dragon drew nearer. I stood up weakly and felt my heart pound harder as the dragon gazed at me with its huge eyes. I stood there looking back and when I thought it wouldn't attack it came at me. I screamed in agony from the pain. The dragon's green eyes rolled over my body as it approached closer. His breath literally burned my skin. I shut my eyes tightly knowing I couldn't escape. The dragon's shadow loomed over me for a second but slowly moved away back into his cave. My breathing is heavy and my body throbbing in pain. I tilt my head back starring into the sky. The sun was hidden behind the clouds. A slight breeze lingers, something sticking on my face. I reach out my hand to push it away. The flash of the object catches my eye and I gaze up to see.

"Mother," I whispered. She hadn't changed; her black hair still flowed down to the ground and her grey eyes till showing sadness.

"Folken, my son how you have grown up," she sighed.

No reply seemed to come out of my mouth. All the years I longed for my mother and all my elaborate speeches to convince her I wasn't a traitor came to this moment. I wanted to say so much to her but nothing came out.

"I'm sorry," I swallowed hard.

"I'm not here to talk about your past. A mother always wants the best for her children."

"I let everyone down; father, Van, Balgas and especially you mother. I had the guts to burn down my own country."

"You were young and uneducated but you're not anymore. Get up my son," she commanded.

She turned, her wings spread out behind her.

"Wait, don't go," I struggled to sit up.

She didn't seem to hear me and continued walking. I managed to push myself off the ground after a few minutes of struggling. I stagger forward catching a tiny speck of my mother.

"Mother," I called out desperately.

"Folken," she said. It wasn't my mother's voice. I wasn't sure who it was. I kept walking forward.

"Folken," she said a little more urgently.

I gritted my teeth as I picked up my pace. Mother had stopped abruptly. The scenery changed all of a sudden. We were in this dark tunnel and light was pouring on to my mother. There was somebody standing next to her in the shadows.

"Father," I replied.

Mother turns around slowly. I can see father's face clearly now. He smiles and places a hand on my shoulder.

"You are in good hands," my mother said.

Before I could reply, I was thrown into the light.

"Folken, wake up," a voice urged.

"Folken," That voice keeps calling me but I can't place it. I felt my body relax as the voice kept saying my name.

"Folken, wake up Folken," I felt my body being shaken. I jerked up and immediately reacted to my reflexes and grabbed on to the person shaking me.

Since draconians have Atlantian blood in them, they are more physically and emotionally attuned to their surroundings including their dreams.