But the dream ends, and I wake up in bed. The ceiling was dark, save for the beam of moonlight from the window.
*haah* *haah* *haah*
Such a simple dream, but it was so intense. I felt drenched in my own sweat. And it was so much, that the bedding was soaked!
I stood up from the bed and onto the floor. All of that dream was inside of me, and I didn't know of it?
You are simply remembering. Do not refrain.
Then, why remember this now!? What are you withholding from me?
You have returned from Dusk. And you are here with the Dawn.
And that doesn't make any sense! Even this voice, now in my head, doesn't make any sense! Who are you? What are you!?
I will reveal myself to you, in time. For now, dry yourself-you'll catch a cold.
Dry with what, exactly?
*BANG* *BANG*
Light from the door. A slot on the bottom of the door opened, and a tray of food was push in. There was also a change of clothes.
*growl*
I had skipped lunch in that nightmare of a dream. This was welcomed. But not after changing my clothes.
…
Hoshidan dinner.
Colorful and inviting.
Yet it was simple.
A mound of cooked rice, a helping of raw fish, and a salad of equally strange orient-I could've sworn that there was a fruit in there. Most of the food I was given could be grabbed with one hand, though I wasn't used to the idea of not having utensils, especially for that salad.
Maybe for your safety.
No matter. I still ate well, but my mind was still on that dream. The words of Kaze had a semblance of truth-I was clearly taken to Nohr at a tender age; the woman-figure and the man-figure throughout all of that had to have been a mother and father. But why blur the faces of everyone in that dream?
bite*
"Ah!"
I bit my fingers. There was no food left. It was all filling, but not enough to feel dull. And then I realized the plate that they gave me to serve all the food on-it was a broad leaf.
Impressive. They even had the idea of a clean disposal.
It is impressive. I then took the leaf and crumpled it.
crumple* *crumple* *crumple* *crumple*
The leaf suddenly turned into a strange dust, and the stickiness on my hands from handling the food was no longer there.
Sanitary, too. Very impressive.
It is.
It would be a while before the sheets were dry enough to sleep in. The light of the moon shone through the window above. I could take the time to find out how long it takes for the sun to rise, but what else is there to do?
Would you like another dream?
Another nightmare?
No. Rest a bit. Close your eyes.
…
This place was familiar. I was back in the Northern Fortress, in the throne room.
"PRINCE! XANDER!"
Prince Xander was there with his back towards me. He stopped, turned-
*BIFF*
Ooh, I remember this one-right in the face! That's one hit. Punch him again! Two! Three! Four!
He tries to retaliate with a punch, but I distance myself before he can.
"A disgraceful hit! A cheap shot!"
Goad him. "If that's the kind of thing that you deal with everyday back at Windmire, then why should it be different here?"
His stern demeanor loosened. I guess I was right.
"Poor Prince Xander, needing a break from that life of warring between the many wives of Father, all for the sake of a 'bloodline'. He, who is weary of the world, looking for an escape. You think I have it easy here, being ostracized by Father!? You at least have a means to meeting him-I'm stuck with his hot-headed advisor, and the only comfort I get is from the inmate that you slander! I revere him as more of a father, than whatever 'father of mine' that you're boasting about!"
"How dare you slander your own blood!"
"How will I know if I am of his blood, if only his children, his advisors, and whoever isn't him visits me? Let him come here, then, if he is truly my father!"
"Damn you!" *shing*
Xander draws his sword, the Siegfried. Both hands handling the blade, he charges.
*swish* *swish* *swish* *swish*
Dodge well. Move well.
A mantra from Captain-Sergeant at the time-when fighting at a disadvantage.
*swish* *swish* *swish* *swish*
With a sword, Xander could keep me at a distance but I could still move backwards and sideways. I mustn't let myself get cornered, though.
*swish* *swish* *swish* *swish*
This throne room-
*swish* *swish*
-though spacious, had furniture.
*CHUNK*
His sword was stuck-now! Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Shove him back! Get him away from his sword!
*WHUMP*
He was stunned from all of that and he let go of his sword-attack him even more! Seven. Eight. Nine! Ten!
"AUGH!"
He was down! Keep attacking! Thirteen! Fourteen! Fifteen! Sixteen! Seventeen!
Way to go me. Xander was down on the ground. I was satisfied. I stopped. Let that be the number that evens the amount of times that he beat me, and then one more to odd up the score.
I stood up and left him there. He would be fine, but I should get one of the maids-
*zing*
*ZOOM*
Dodge-!
*BOOM*
He recovered with sword in hand, but something was up with that sword of his.
*ZOOM*
Dodge again!
BOOM*
*ZOOM* *BOOM*
*ZOOM* *BOOM*
*ZOOM* *BOOM*
*ZOOM* *BOOM*
Rays of darkness were being casted from his sword! The magic was destroying the throne room! I went to the side and pulled a sword from a suit of armor.
*ZOOM* *BOOM*
Just made it out of the blast. Sword in hand.
ZOOM* *BOOM*
Keep him in that full armor. Keep him in that full armor.
Dodge well. Move well. Look well.
The third part of that mantra. How could've I forgotten about it?
ZOOM* *BOOM*
The rays were easy to dodge, since it took time for him to use them, but I noticed that every time he used that attack, it would knock him back slightly.
*ZOOM*
There was an opening! Rush in! Dodge!
*BOOM*
Another attack! Connect!
*ZOOM* *CLANG* *BOOM*
That dark ray was shot up into the ceiling of the throne room!
*BANG* "What's going in here!?"
The doors to the throne room. We weren't the only ones in the throne room now.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
"Big Sister! Big Brother! Please stop fighting! Someone stop them!"
*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
Those jet-black rays stopped, and now it was time to bang steel and show what I was truly made of!
*CLANG* *CLANG*
A bit too early on that endeavor. Xander's attacks carried force. He was counting on his strength to off balance me.
*CLANG* *CLANG*
It was working! He was forcing me on the defensive!
*CLANG* *CLANG* *SHATTER*
"Augh!"
Off balance. I was left with a "dagger".
*heartbeat* *heartbeat*
Something was welling up from inside me.
Xander raised his blade, prepare to strike me down.
*heartbeat* *heartbeat*
My entire body felt like it was burning, but it was ready to receive-
*slash* *snap*
Something…oh no…
I looked at Xander as he completed his attack. His whole face went pale; his pupils shrank.
*clatter*
He dropped his sword and ran.
There was a maid. "Get the Mender! Now!"
…
It was a clean cut through Elise's healing stave…and Elise.
The mender and his attendees arrived to stabilize Elise. She will survive, but will be taken to the hospital wing of this castle.
This throne room…I don't even know what or how I'm going to even explain this to Iago or Gunter. Then, Iago's title at the Iron Half Face wasn't just a title, and Gunter was Captain.
As soon as Elise was being tended to, I ran out to find Xander. He couldn't have gone too far, though I did give up after looking all around the training ground for him-only one location that I knew he would always be, even forced me to be there when he had the chance.
Defeated, I walked back to my bedroom, only to find that the door was opened.
creak*
My room…as I left it, save for the second door in my room that goes up the topmost part of the castle.
And there he was. He was silent, as he looked up at the moon. This place was also the best area to view the stars, but that would be the next season.
"I had a feeling I would find you here."
As if-he probably had a chance to see me looking for him from here. He didn't react to my words.
"Elise is being tended to. She'll be fine."
He sighed deeply and buried his face in his hands.
"I want to be clear about something, Prince Xander. I am here in the Northern Fortress for a reason. A reason only Father can comprehend, and maybe you can after striking you back the amount of times that you've struck me, and then some more. I may not know King Garon, my father, directly, but I speak on behalf of everyone here, and everyone here is still of Nohrian origin, regardless of history. I hope you can at least understand that." I sighed deeply. "Now that I know that you're here, you can stay here as long as you like. I have to check on Elise."
I could've said much more that time, but I just left it at that.
"Princess Weiss."
I stopped and looked back. Huh. First time he's called me by my title.
"You were right. You were right about everything that you said in that throne room."
I knew it, but I kept my face.
Xander stood up and faced me. His eyes were red, but he had managed to gain his composure. "It's true. It's all true. I actually wanted a break from all that in-fighting that goes on in Windmire. I honestly thought that this place that you call home was an escape from all the high-talk. And you of all people, were not the company that I was expecting."
"I'll…take that as a compliment."
Xander kept his stern demeanor, but it was less weighty. "Will you forgive me, for everything that I've done to this place?"
I smiled. "Come on. We both need to apologize to Elise."
Xander nodded, and followed me.
*BANG* *BANG*
Huh. That's new.
*BANG* *BANG*
Oh, that's right, I'm dream-
*BANG* *BANG*