Chapter 3 Nightmares

(Amu's pov)

After my parents left the room, Ikuto told me the rest of our history. He also told me that he was my betrothed. He explained that for the next few months to years, I would have nightmares. He said it was a side effect of my vampire blood waking up. As the rest of the day went on, I understood why Ikuto had come to live with us in the castle and was grateful he was here.

After dinner, I started to go get ready for bed with my handmaidens and they noticed I had the gem on my chest.

"Amu-sama?" Ran asked me while pointing to the gem. "What is this? It's a beautiful blue."

"It was a present from my best friend" I told her. "Apparently, when you reach a certain age you get a gem."

"Okay" Miki said, "Well, let's take that off so we can get ready for bed okay?" she asked trying to pull on the edges.

"Um, I'm sorry Miki, you can't take it off. It's meant to stay on forever" I explained as I winced in pain. Then I quickly helped her put my shirt on. "I do have a request though" I said looking at Ran, Miki, and Suu.

"As my friend and your princess, please do not discuss this present with anyone. No other servants, my parents, anyone, please and I ask that you not question as to why." I asked them

"Sure, Amu-sama" they all agreed, and I gave them all a hug and then they finished helping me.

It was around 2 am that night when I woke up screaming from a nightmare.

(Ikuto's pov)

"IKUTO!" I heard Amu scream. "HELP ME! They are dying! Heal them! Please! They're all black. Please help me! No no no no nooooooo!" then I heard her start crying while screaming.

I saw her parents run to the room and I stood in the doorway of her room. "Amu!" her mom said but she wouldn't calm down. "No, I'll hurt you, don't touch me, I'll kill you" she said as she pushed away from her mom and dad refusing to touch them and screamed for me again. "Ikuto, please help me!"

I walked into her room and towards her bed and her parents saw me, they were scared and upset that she wouldn't let them help or even touch her. "Apparently, she wants you and she thinks she will kill us" I heard her mom say sadly as she backed away from Amu's bed. "If you can, would you please try to calm her down?"

"Help her please" her father said as he watched his daughter shaking and crying but unable to help her himself.

"Amu, it's me" I said quietly. "It's Ikuto. Stop crying. They're safe. You're safe, no one is hurt" I said calmly.

Amu jumped out from under covers and jumped at me, "They were dead, Ikuto. They were dead. I got cut and it touched them" she cried. "I killed them, my blood did it, I'm a monster to them" she cried into my chest. As she was crying my gem was glowing because she was so close to me. "Look Amu" I said softly so only she could hear me; my shirt opened a little and my gem was showing, "Our gems are glowing" I said to distract her from her nightmare. She hugged me with her face right next to the pink gem.

"I promise you're safe. No one died and you are aren't bleeding. You are not a monster Amu." I said a little louder so her parents could hear.

She stopped crying and stared at my chest, "It's pretty Ikuto" she said smiling. "I'm sorry for waking everyone up" she said as her cries softened. "Thank you Ikuto."

"You're okay, Amu" I told her while rubbing her back. "Just try to go back to sleep" I told her as I hugged her.

"Ikuto?" I heard her mom say. "What happened, you seem to know what she was talking about. Why did she want you?"

"Well, I don't really want to get into it all, but I think she dreamt you, her father and her friends were dying. She blamed herself for it" I explained to her. "It was just a nightmare."

The Queen said "okay, do you know why? Why would she only want you?"

"She's going back to sleep but, well, we have a small problem" I told them and ignoring her last questions, I showed them that Amu was holding tightly to my night shirt and wouldn't let go.

"I'll allow you to sleep next to her Ikuto" her mom said. "Maybe she will be able to remember why she thought we were dead and why it was her fault in the morning."

"Come on Tsumugu" she said to the King dragging him out of the room. "Ikuto will make sure she is okay"

"But she's my baby and he's a boy!" he said as he was pulled out of the room.

I smiled as I laid down on the bed next to Amu. "It's okay Amu" I whispered to her. "I'll protect you and I'll stay here until your nightmares turn into dreams again" then I kissed her forehead and fell asleep.

In the morning, I woke up with Amu still holding onto my shirt. I looked at her smiled. "Amu?" I said quietly into her ear.

"Wake up Amu, Ran, Miki and Suu will be here soon to help you get dressed" I said a little louder.

"No, I want to stay asleep, Ikuto" she told me. "Last night, I killed everyone. I dreamt I had an injury and my blood was spraying everywhere. I tried to tell them to leave me alone, but they wouldn't let you near me. I started screaming at them to let you through" she said with tears in her eyes.

"Then my blood sprayed on my family and I watched them die in front of me. You were finally able to get through and then I felt you hug me" she continued. "After you hugged me and I was able to go back to sleep, I saw more dreams that were just as scary. Do you want to hear them?" she asked me.

"Of course, I do" so we stayed laying down talking about her dreams. I knew that later on; I would have to tell her of mine. They were very similar. The part that actually scared me was when she mentioned the king with red eyes.

Around 30 minutes or so, her handmaidens came in and was shocked to see me sitting next to her on her bed. I gave her a hug, jumped off the bed and walked out her door telling her I'd see at breakfast.

After breakfast I told the king and queen that I wanted to send a letter to my parents. I wanted to see them and asked if they could visit.

"Sure, Ikuto-kun. I don't see a problem with it" Queen Midori said. "When you are done writing it, we will send a messenger out to your kingdom to deliver it. Did she remember her nightmare?" she asked me.

"Not enough to make sense, with your permission, would it be okay if we added a bed in her room just in case she has the dream again?" I asked. "I would like to calm her down before it like it did last night."

"I guess that would be okay" Midori said with a sad smile. "I just wish she would have let us help her. Don't get us wrong Ikuto-kun, I am glad you were able to calm her down, but we are her parents and we felt helpless when she would not let us touch her but she jumped at you. Please take care of our baby girl Ikuto-kun."

"I promise I will until the day I die" I said as I bowed out of the room to write my letter.

I went to my room to write a letter to my parents.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I wanted to let you know that Amu has fully awakened. She is only 7 years old physically, but I helped her mature mentally. She is at the same age level as me. I am happy because for so long I knew I loved her, but it felt like I was babysitting my future wife. I know most 11-year-old boys don't talk like this, but we don't have to go over why I am this way. Thank you for allowing me to stay here as long as you have. Her gem has been placed on her and she can walk around as though there is no problems. Her parents still don't know what happened to her. I don't plan on telling them unless you think we should.

I was wondering if we shouldn't at least try explain it to them so that they can warn others not to touch her if she starts bleeding. I know that her parents will still love her regardless of her being a vampire or human. Her little sister Ami does not show any signs of being one of us. I believe she will remain human. I believe the same of her brother Sora. It is unbelievable that Ami and Sora are 3 already.

Amu's nightmares started last night, and I helped her through that as well. My concern was when she started telling me about the red-eyed king I started dreaming about when I was 5. I think that it may be a prophecy of some sort. We saw almost the same dream. I think hers started before mine because she was able to tell me details of the king's face. Please come for a visit. I would appreciate your advice on what we should or shouldn't inform King Tsumugu and Queen Midori.

I will await your advice as to how we should approach the coming storm and how much we are to tell everyone.

Your son,

Ikuto

Author's notes:

Sora means sky

Ami means friend