I awoke the sound of music. It was light out and there were people gathered around the area that I'd seen the old man. It reminded me of one of the stories my father had told me when I was young, about the Indians. How they'd dance and there would be the chief that would always sit and watch among the others. It was an interesting sight. I loved things that reminded me of my father.
"Raina!" Beth said coming up to me. She was trailing amongst a line of people. They were all dancing to the music and clapping her hands to the beat.
"What…" but just as I said that hands pulled me into the group and I found myself within the group. I stumbled along with them hardly even knowing what I was doing. And then I noticed who was behind me.
"Hello Raina," a voice whispered in my ear. It was Gabriel. He wrapped his hands around my waste and I froze and was about to push away, but then I noticed that's what everyone else was doing as well.
I sighed knowing that I couldn't back out now. "I don't want to dance," I said, urging my body out of the row of people, but he held tight to my waist.
"I think you can settle for a little dancing tonight," he smirked.
"No," said stubbornly. "I'll stomp on your foot."
"You know," he responded cheerfully, "just because you can't understand them, doesn't mean they can't understand you," he gestured to the person in front of me.
I blushed and looked around me. They were all looking at me. Could they really understand me? I could see them whispering again.
"Three days, they're saying," he whispered to me. "Three days until the old queen can be visited."
My eyes widened but I couldn't turn to look at him, we just continued in the row of people, acting just like everyone else.
"What? You didn't think that you'd see her did you?" he asked.
I knew I couldn't say no. After all….I didn't. I'm not so sure she was even real so how could I?
Laughter erupted from Beth two people ahead of me. I glanced over at her. She was having a lot of fun I could tell. It was the first time I'd seen her calm down a bit from being so high up. I think the dancing sure helped a lot. Beth loved dancing.
I turned my attention back to his question. "I don't know. I don't even know if I want to see her," I replied truthfully. My voice was filled with regret almost, like I should want to see her but I'm not so sure. Like I should miss her and be wanting a happy reunion, though I didn't even remember her. I didn't even remember her at all.
"Well she'll be happy to see you," he replied reassuringly.
I smiled at this. I wasn't so sure that she'd be happy to see me. Surprised maybe. Maybe it would bring back memories she'd wish to forgotten. What if she thinks I'm a ghost? What if she thinks that she's lost forever in one of her own dreams?
We followed the group in silence. Then, after it all cooled down, we went and sat around on the sides, some hot tea brought to us from the woman. She still had her child with her. This time she was in her arms. I smiled in thanks and they turned away. They had both been staring and I wasn't sure at what.
"These people. They are much more insightful than others," Gabriel mentioned as they turned away.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well, for instance what we just experienced there. Do you ever notice that these people all stare and you Raina?"
"I thought they did that to all newcomers," I lied.
"Well, they don't. They'll do it to you and, I'm sure when Cal arrives, they'll do it to him as well."
"What do they see?" I asked curiously. "What do they want to know?"
"They can sense power in you Raina. They're curious but they're not stupid. They don't know what kind of potential you have or what it can resort to. They're afraid."
"Afraid?" I scoffed. What could they be afraid about? Of course, I was terrified myself. But afraid of me?
"You have the potential to create something so incredible Raina. Do you know why you were created? Why your parents bore you and Cal? You are to come back and rule, even stronger than they ruled before. You're the one to fix their mistakes."
"I don't even know how to do that," I responded.
"You also have the potential for other things Raina. Horrid, wretched destruction and it has nothing to do with demoliting anything, just filling minds with cruel intentions, pouring in thoughts of fear, causing death of the soul."
I cringed. "What about Cal?" I asked.
"That's the thing," he admitted. "We're not sure which one you are yet. A keeper of dreams or nightmares." He said this simply, like it wasn't anything to worry about. Like I couldn't stop it. Like it was just….me.
'Cal,' a chill crawled up my spine. 'Do you have dreams or nightmares?'
I was watching the fire, waiting for his reply. Gabriel smiled and got up. "I'll let you think," he said and went off to tend to other things. I just waited for Cal's response. With my dismay, however, it never came.