Elysa tossed and turned, eventually bolting up in bed, sweat beading on her brow. Erick was up seconds after that, soothing her with calming words, asking her if she was alright, because she hadn't had nightmares in years now. Elysa took several deep breaths.

It had been… him. It had been Sorrow's father. His blue eyes, dark and angry. Elysa slowly pulled out of Erick's embrace, telling him that she was getting a drink. Erick nodded, his warm grey eyes filled with concern.

Elysa made her way through the halls, only thinking of Him. And for some reason, she ended up outside of Sorrow's hall, as she would when Sorrow was little, when she would try to approach the small girl. Elysa shook her head, remembering that Sorrow was no longer that little girl, that she was a grown woman who probably enjoyed her privacy. And Elysa could go to Yvette's room, the hyperactive girl the deepest sleeper in all the nine realms.

Sorrow was living at home again, though her father did not approve of it. Elysa found her daughter a mystery more than anything. She was quiet, sometimes open, but most of the time a closed book. Her blue, blue eyes were filled with experience and age… and she was only twenty-five. Elysa sighed, leaning against the wall, memories of every cutting thing she had ever done to Sorrow flitted into her mind. Sharply rejecting the little five year old, who was holding out a bundle of flowers picked from some meadow. Crawling into Elysa's bed and weeping, clutching her leg as Elysa yelled at her to leave.

Elysa's thoughts were interrupted as she heard the faintest cry coming from Sorrow's room. Moved by concern and curiosity, Elysa knocked quietly a few times before opening the door and slipping in. She walked through the parlor and into the bedchambers.

The figure on the bed twisted and turned violently, tears running down her face, her body tense, her hands clutching the sheets so hard her knuckles were white.

What could cause such a violent dream?

Elysa rushed forward, shaking Sorrow's shoulder and calling her name. Sorrow's blue eyes opened in a snap, focusing on Elysa immediately. Sorrow scooted a little ways away, her body quivering. She wrapped her arms around her knees, her hair falling into her face. It was silent for a long moment, Elysa watching Sorrow in concern, Sorrow calming her thundering heart, spinning head.

"What do you need, mother?" Sorrow asked quietly.

Elysa took a moment to answer, getting over the shock of Sorrow's completely normal voice. "Are you well?"

Sorrow still didn't look at Elysa, but Elysa could see the tears falling onto her hands. "Just a dream… it was just… a dream." Sorrow whispered.

Elysa placed a hand on Sorrow's shoulder. She was always surprised by the amount of muscle on her bony shoulder. "Would you like to tell me?"

Sorrow shook her head vigorously. "Some things I have seen and experienced, they should not be put into the minds of others."

Elysa's heart skipped a beat. "Some things should, Sorrow. Sometimes, you cannot hold everything to yourself. Your mind suffers from such things."

Sorrow finally looked up at Elysa. Her eyes were bloodshot, her deep blue eyes glinting in the dark. Pain. Horror. Sadness. Sorrow sighed, running a hand through her messy brown hair. She met Elysa's eyes after a moment of smoothing away wrinkles in her night gown. "Alright."

Elysa sat in a more comfortable position on the bed, readying her mind for what she was to hear, though she should have readied her heart more than anything. Sorrow rubbed her temple, her tongue refusing to say the words just yet. "I'm sorry." Sorrow whispered, standing up and walking out into the parlor. Elysa followed shortly after and saw Sorrow sipping at a glass of water. She sat down next to the girl… the woman.

Sorrow didn't look at Elysa this time. She had lit a candle, which now burned dimly on the short table, and she stared at the dancing flame. The memories stirred from within her, the images of blood and fists filling her mind. The cold water trickled down her hot throat, making it easier to speak. She took a deep breath. "It was years ago. I was… I had just been a slave for a few years at this point. I had been sold at least twice, hadn't yet got my first true whipping." Sorrow focused on breathing, her heart fluttering at the thought of letting her thoughts spill.

"It was winter time. I had finally been sold to the palace, where I started getting good at what I did. I would go from guest room to guest room, trying to get as many rooms done as possible." Her hands were shaking. "I saw many things that went on… heard many tales and rumors. Encountered many types of people. Most of the time they would ignore me, knowing that I was just a slave who wouldn't say a word. And I never did."

"This one particular winter evening, it was snowing so hard, the soldiers that were meant to be shipped out were stayed and given guest rooms. I was cleaning one room, when a soldier burst in, fully drunk, carrying something over his shoulder…" Sorrow choked on her words, clutching her arms to her chest, trying desperately to contain the waver in her voice as tears streamed down her face. "It was a little girl, six years old, perhaps. She was crying and squirming and begging. The soldier stumbled right past me, barely even noticing me."

"Two more of his friends came in and they shut the door. They brought drink and food, getting drunk by the minute. They set the girl in the midst of them and commanded her to dance. She did, but she was so scared she could barely keep herself from tripping. I had to keep cleaning or I would have been noticed." Sorrow took breath after breath, tears pouring down her face. She leaned her head back against the chair's back, closing her eyes. "They started throwing things at her, a mug hitting her square in the forehead, so hard she fell down and couldn't get back up."

"They got mad at her for this, the man who had carried her in went down upon her, shaking her and hitting her. This is where I saw my first cutting. They pulled out a sword, held her down, and slowly cut open her arms. They poured salt over the wounds as she screamed, her terrified little face broken and bruised. And then, with blood all over their hands, they left her on the floor. She dragged herself to the door, and that's when I slinked away to help her. I tried to save her, but she d-died in my a-arms. I… I still… I see blood… on my hands… and I… I didn't… save her…."

Sorrow felt a sob roll through her chest. She cupped a hand over her mouth, the gory images playing through her mind. Her eyes were shut so tightly it was giving her a headache.

Elysa went pale, her body locked in place. She slowly forced her mouth to work. "Did that ever happen to you?"

Sorrow had calmed down. She opened her miserable eyes, looking at Elysa.

Elysa fought the urge to look at Sorrow's arms, though they were covered. Elysa felt her heart pounding hard as Sorrow rolled up her sleeves