Chapter Eight: A Strange Dream
"Ahhh! Western culture is so fancy!" Feizhi sighed. "Bed is soft, blanket is soft, pillows are soft…everything soft. So soft and fluffy! And all for 60 coins, too! What a bargain!" She began to study her surroundings. It was a good-sized room; sparsely furnished, with a table and chairs at one wall and the bed on the opposite side. A few rugs were on the stone floor (Feizhi found them distasteful). There was nothing else except a lamp, a barrel and a box.
Being extremely tired after her long walk, Feizhi threw off her travelling clothes, pulled out her nightgown and plopped onto the bed. "I should get to sleep," she mused, "because it's nighttime and I have a long way to go…" So saying, she pulled the blanket up to her chin and quickly fell asleep.
Outside a window of the inn's lobby, two mysterious voices were whispering to each other.
"Who is our target tonight, brother?"
"It's a girl with pruple – plupre – arg!"
"Purple?"
"Yeah, purple. Purple hair. Oy, I seriously need to study more…"
"I know. You're all brawn and no brains. To think you'll be the one to rule our country when Father dies…I shudder at the thought."
"That's mean, sister."
"Whatever. Where is this purple-haired girl supposed to be tonight?"
"Kalay Inn, room 2. Purple hair, native of Xian. Name: Feizhi."
"That name always makes my laugh, I swear. Kalay…what a funny name."
"I think that the other town's name is funnier. How are you supposed to even pronounce it?"
"Ah, you see why your history teacher always gets mad at you. You pronounce it Xi…an. See?"
"You're so mean, Ei-"
"Shut up, Robert! We're not supposed to ever utter our true names – or any name of our world – in this world! It'll cause a catastrophe!"
"Alright, alright, Jennifer! I swear, I hate the name Robert. I'd rather go by –"
"Shut the hell up!"
"…Eric."
"Oh. Hey, Jennifer's bad too! At least we suffer together!"
"Stupid L-"
"What did I tell you?"
"Sorry…Hey, that hurt!"
"Oops. Sorry, brother. These stupid wings are always in the way. What did that crazed necromancer tell us our forms were? Ply fairies?"
"Something like that. I never paid attention."
"You don't pay any attention to anything but the victims of your lance!"
"That's mean, Jennifer."
"Whatever. The sooner we read these stupid words over the girl, the sooner we get back to Re-"
"Shut up! Idiot sister…"
"Oh, hush, you."
"Why did that crazy bookworm force us to do this, anyways?"
"Because he needed volunteers for his cross-dimensional experiments, and you offered us as test subjects."
"As I recall, that person was you."
"I don't care! Do you have the darned book?"
"Yes, yes, it's right here."
"Good! Let's finish what we came here to do and then go home!"
"I hear you, sister."
"You'd be deaf if you didn't, my dear brother."
Two fairies, like those which appear when Ply is cast, entered through an open window near the podium and flew down the steps.
"Room 2 is here, Robert."
"Aw, come on! How do we open this thing?"
"Easy. Open the book to page 528."
"These words are so tiny…"
"Oy… Yas i, pu nepo! Emases nepo!" The door opened.
"Cool."
"I'm telling you, you need to sit down and read sometimes! It's good for you."
"But that means less time with the lance!"
"You get more physical exercise in a day than what you need in a week! Your brain needs exercise too!"
"Oh, shut up and go do whatever with the pruple-"
"Purple."
"Purple-haired girl. Just hurry up!"
"Fine!" The fairies flew over the fast-asleep Feizhi. "Jennifer" muttered a long string of strange words over the sleeper, then whispered to her companion, "We're done here. Let's go back to that Sanctum place. Remember the pass phrase: Bologna is not a cheese."
"Bah…who's keeping who safe around here?"
Am I dreaming?
Feizhi looked around. She was, from what she saw, in a large, opulent bedroom. Though the drapes over the many windows were closed, it was clear that it was night. A lonely candle burned on a nightstand, revealing in its light the large bed and the many paintings on the walls. It was obvious to anyone that this was the bedroom of someone very important, perhaps a lord or a very rich person. As she stood admiring the intricate carvings in the wood of the bed's frame, she noticed that someone was in the bed. No, not one person. Two.
I've got to get out of here! Feizhi looked frantically for an exit. The door was locked, and the windows didn't open. Then, she heard the whispers.
"I really enjoy your company!" a girl whispered.
"Me too. Promise me, promise that you'll come often from Ailerf to stay with me!" was the male's reply.
"I promise! Oh, I love you!"
"And, the elements willing, we will marry and rule Sianer together!"
"But…my brother…"
Feizhi nearly screamed. She was stuck in a room with two lovers in the bed! Shaken, she continued trying to find a way out: scrutinizing the floor for a secret switch, pushing the windows in an attempt to knock out the glass… anything. But then another realization came over her. She was making quite a bit of noise… but the whispers continued as if nothing had happened. To test her discovery, she screamed.
No response.
They're awake and talking to each other, yet they can't hear me screaming? Hmm…
She waved her hands in front of the lovers' eyes.
No response.
They can't see me, either? What am I, invisible or something?
She thought for a moment, then grinned evilly. She sat on the edge of the bed, then slowly slid her hand under the blanket. She found the boy's leg, and moved her hand up the muscular thigh. Finding her target, she suddenly grabbed hold and twisted.
No response.
Feizhi gaped. Isn't that, like, a man's most sensitive part? She squeezed harder, then pulled and twisted as hard as she could manage. She had no intention of castrating the stranger, but…he felt no pain! Finally giving up, she sat in a nearby chair and resigned herself to listening to the conversation.
"You're so reckless, my dear prince. You should fall back once in a while…"
"The people don't want a coward to take the throne when Father dies, you know!"
"There's a difference between bravery and stupidity."
"Oh, come on-"
"I don't want you killed! I want to marry you! Please, promise me you'll be careful out there."
Wow. So I nearly castrated the crown prince of Mysteryland in his own bedroom. Right in front of his lover. And still they keep going as if nothing had happened. Wait a minute… why would they lock a prince in his own bedroom? Is this even his bedroom?
"You're so nice when you're alone. You know that?"
"Am I any less nice when I'm not?"
"Well, I can't lie to you, can I?"
"Tell the truth now…"
"You always act like you're some tough guy. Especially around my brother."
"I do not."
"Oh, please. Your sister's next door; we'll ask whether you're lying or not."
"I advise you, don't disturb her when she's sleeping. She's a real bear."
"Aw, she's not like that. She's just like you!"
Why am I even here? Is this a dream? Let's see… Feizhi pinched herself. Didn't hurt. Must be a dream. But of all the things I could dream of…my head has to choose to put me in the bedroom of a prince while he's having intimate conversation with a…blue-haired young lady. Hey, wasn't this that girl I saw with Isaac? She had blue hair, too… What if…no! No, it can't be! Does this mean –
She looked at the hair of the prince. Blue hair, as well? Only his is a little bit lighter…a sky blue. I've never seen the like before. I could swear, Isaac has gold-coloured hair! Who is this supposed to be?
As she sat pondering, there came a knock on the door.
"My lord!" someone called. "The Ailerfin escort has come to take the princess home!"
The prince sat up, mumbling, "They did say they come at dawn…who'd know they'd be so punctual? Oh well…come back soon, okay?"
"For sure, my love." She sighed. "I'd best get dressed. Wouldn't want to keep Dad waiting."
That quick? Feizhi looked at the windows. The sun was just peeping over the horizon. Did this mean her dream was over?
Ugh...I had cousins over. Sorry it took so long. It's crappy, I know, but since it's you who decides what you want to read...don't hold it against me. I'm too tired...YAWN.