To Dream
Jheam groggily blinked up at the dark ceiling, rolling over as he tossed off the heavy blanket. It was quiet � he paused, fingering the cloth of the quilt and then glancing around him. He was in a stone walled room, the fireplace held only a few smoldering coals, but the room glowed with dawn�s transparent light. Biting his lip with uncertainty as he remembered where he was, he settled back down, wrapping the still-warm blankets around him.
The floor he slept on had an icy draft, resulting from the weather outside which had reached just a little short of a blizzard. The small house was somewhat sheltered by the trees around it, but the cold seemed to seep right through the stone. Shivering, Jheam sat for a few minutes before prodding the fire with a stick to bring it back to life.
By the time he had gotten it to a proper blaze, a man�s heavy footsteps sounded from the stairs in the next room and then Veirn appeared in the doorway. He already had on many layers of clothes, and added to his dark shaggy hair and beard, he looked something like a wild-man. His hazel eyes were kind though, and he nodded silently to Jheam before taking his cloak from the front door and stamping his feet into his boots. He got up every morning at dawn to do the chores in the barn and surrounding woodlands.
Jheam hunkered back down amid his pallet, his eyes turning to rest on Rydan, who laid on the couch just a few steps away. He found he couldn�t stare at him very long before he had to look away in fear. He didn�t understand what was scared him, maybe it was the state of Rydan�s face, or maybe it was because Rydan has always been the strong one, and he laid there now, his life left in the hands of a girl no older than him.
Rydan�s eyes were a swollen mass of purple and yellow, streaked with little blood-black scratches. The other side held the big scratches, some nearly four inches long, and they were an angry red against the dark of his blackened eyes. His nose was mercifully unbroken, but his cheeks and lips were scratched and puffy as well.
Jheam glanced at him again before looking away. He was glad that Rydan was covered nearly head to foot in thick quilts and blankets. He had helped Reilyne change the bandages wrapping Rydan once, and he didn�t care ever to repeat the procedure. He wasn�t sure why she left Rydan on his back to sleep � his back was one big bloody mess, some of the stripes going all the way to his knees and others licking the back of his head and arms. Then there were bruises dotting his fair skin, turning it more purple and black than normal colors.
He stole another look as Rydan shifted, muttering in his sleep. Reilyne had said it was good he was moving and speaking and he couldn�t deny Reilyne seemed to know what she was doing. She had doctored Rydan tirelessly, always there when he gasped out or to hold him down when he had a spasm, and wipe his face when he cried.
Startled at the light that had crossed the room while he had watched Rydan; he stood up, wrapping one of the quilts around him to keep warm. He was wearing old clothes of Veirn, but they were by far too large and Reilyne was trying to tailor something for him to wear.
Glancing up as Reilyne came into the room, her dark hair partly pulled away from her face. She smiled and he couldn�t help but smile back. Her moods were contagious, whether they were sad or happy.
�Good morning, you�re up early,� She commented, bending to check to see how Rydan was doing.
Jheam shrugged behind her. He couldn�t help getting up early, after six years of dawn service at the Monreit�s, it was habit now.
�Are you hungry?� She said, turning back around to face him.
He grinned crookedly, rubbing one of his eyes. �Of course, what�s for breakfast?� He followed her to the kitchen, dropping his blanket on a stool to start up their cooking fire so she could make them both breakfast. He had never had food as good as he had here. Even though he had to watch how much he ate because of the blizzard, it was still more than usual.
She rummaged around in the numerous cabinets and shelves, finally pulling out what she had been looking for and began to cut up whatever it was.
The kitchen was soon filled with the aroma of honeyed tea and toasted bread. They ate silently, and Reilyne filled a mug with the tea to take in the other room when she was finished.
�You think he�ll drink it?� Jheam asked curiously, perching on the edge of the chair to watch. For the past days, Rydan has unconsciously refused any nourishment.
�I�ve got to try, if he doesn�t have something, I�m afraid he�ll just waste into nothing. His fever hasn�t gotten any better,� she explained, brushing the golden hair away from his face tenderly. She carefully placed a hand under his head, and tipped the mug to his lips, but he didn�t respond other than to part his cracked lips slightly.
Reilyne hearted with a faint smile and gingerly poured some of the liquid into his mouth. Her smile widened when he swallowed it and then disappeared all together as his face grew tense, his forehead creasing with emotion. He tossed his head sideways, a hoarse cry leaving his throat.
She started, some of the tea sloshed over the edge onto Reilyne�s hand. �Jheam,� Reilyne called him, shoving the mug into his hands before drying her own off on her dress. Her face was tense with the short burst of pain the hot tea had caused, but all her concentration was on Rydan who was now trying to push her hands away, his voice getting more comprehensible as he tried to speak.
Suddenly, Rydan nearly shouted, his eyes blinking open and then screwing shut again. �Nothing! I didn�t do it!� His legs twitched in his dream and he tried to jerk away from Reilyne again. She held easily against his frail attempts, her face worried.
�I didn�t kill her!� Rydan shouted out again, before suddenly going still, his chest rattling with his breath.
Reilyne gently touched his face after he had calmed, her finger tracing the path of a tear that had slid down his bruised cheeks. �Jheam?� She said, turning to him with a troubled look on her face. �Did he ever kill someone?� She asked him, her blue eyes apprehensive and worried.
Jheam glanced at the blanket-strewn floor and shrugged. �I dunno�we never talked about, before.� He met her eyes for a minute before looking back to Rydan, his features completely alien to comprehend.
And Rydan continued to dream�
He rode upon a great horse in a vividly green meadow. Trees skirted it, though past them, it was hard to tell � the landscape seemed to fade into mist. Standing to one side was a tall, broad man. He had simple features, and was proud of the boy on the horse � me � Rydan thought within his dream. He�s so proud of me, he�s about to burst. Rydan swelled with pride, his small fists clenching the reins and turned the horse at an angle.
�That�s the way m�boy!� the man cried, watching his son. His hazel eyes didn�t miss a thing Rydan did. �Look at him, Ihleni! I told you he would be fine!� The man laughed, full of joy, and let a broad smile stretch across his features.
The lady at the far end of the meadow came into view now. She wore a blue silk dress and had the most beautiful face in all the lands. Her hair was like an angel�s and her eyes bluer than Midsummer�s sky. She smiled, though Rydan could feel her fear from across the meadow. �Be careful dear, the horse is stronger than you.� She called to him.
Rydan laughed, tossing his blonde head and turned the magnificent horse in another circle. �Look Mama, he�s gentle as a pony! He won�t hurt-� Suddenly he stopped, his tugs on the reins fruitless. The horse snorted, bowing his head and jerking it forward. �Mama!� The boy cried, his smile turning to fear.
�Rydan!� The lady cried, rising to her feet and running across the meadow. She seemed slowed somehow though, and as she reached halfway across, the horse reared and Rydan had a senseless moment of flight. He hit something hard, and tumbled to the ground.
A face appeared above him after minutes of black, a pale face. �Mama?� He whispered, tasting blood in his mouth. His head throbbed painfully as he looked up at the beautiful lady, and then he shrank back in horror. Behind her stood Kyrr, his icy eyes staring into Rydan�s.
The beautiful lady didn�t seem to notice the man behind her, and Rydan didn�t tell her. Consequently, he completely forgot about the man, and he smiled at the lady.
Her blonde hair brushed the side of his face as it fell from behind her ear, and she reached out a soft hand to touch his face gently.
�Are you okay?� She asked, concerned.
�I�m fine, Mama,� he tried to tell her, but for some reason he couldn�t speak. He felt something warm dripping down his cheek, and he gripped her wrist, pulling her hand away. Looking upon it, he saw it drenched with blood.
Horrified, he looked to her face, only to see blood lightly tricking from her smiling lips, and the point of a dagger sticking through her chest. She became concerned, and reached out for him again, but he gasped, trying to say something � anything, his throat seemed raw and wouldn�t work - he pushed her away, wiping his hand down the side of his face to rid it of the crimson stain, but it continued to drip.
A soft laughter issued from behind her, and he turned his eyes to see the magnificent stallion there, snorting. He heard the voice within his head, though he knew it came from the stallion, �Rydan, what have you done?�
�Nothing! I didn�t do it!� He finally found his voice and shouted. Turning, he ran, tripping over the man�s fallen form and then stumbling on. �I didn�t kill her!� He shouted at the horse�s pursuing form, as he tried fruitlessly to outrun it.
He dashed into the woods edging the meadow, suddenly he was facing another meadow, and a large calloused hand gripped his small one.
He looked up at the man�s hazel eyes, and then at the reins gripped in the man�s other hand. �Are you ready to learn to ride son?� The man asked.
Rydan eagerly responded with childish tones and they entered the meadow. The man swung onto the great stallion and pulled Rydan up in front of him. He rode for hours, teaching the small boy to pull at the reins, and guide the horse until he was sure his son could manage it alone.
�Are you ready to ride son?� The man slipped down from behind him, and Rydan saw the lady settled beneath a tree across the meadow. She raised a hand to wave, smiling nervously and Rydan saw the blood trickle from her fingertips. It stained her sky blue dress crimson.
�No! Wait! Don�t leave me! Don�t leave!� He shouted to the man, holding out a hand toward him.
The man just chuckled. �You�ll be fine.�
�No!� Rydan cried, but the horse had already turned, and was carrying Rydan across the meadow to its will. The horse snorted, bowing his head and jerking it forward. �Mama!� The boy cried, his face turning to fear.
�Rydan!� The lady cried, rising to her feet and running across the meadow. She seemed slowed somehow though, and as she reached halfway across, the horse reared and Rydan had a senseless moment of flight. He hit something hard, and tumbled to the ground.
A face appeared above him after minutes of black, a pale face. �Mama?� He whispered, tasting blood in his mouth. His head throbbed painfully as he looked up at the beautiful lady, and then he shrank back in horror. Behind her stood Kyrr, his icy eyes staring into Rydan�s.
The beautiful lady didn�t seem to notice the man behind her, and Rydan didn�t tell her. Consequently, he completely forgot about the man, and he smiled at the lady.
Her blonde hair brushed the side of his face as it fell from behind her ear, and she reached out a soft hand to touch the side of his face gently.
�Are you okay?� She asked, concerned.
�I�m fine, Mama,� he tried to tell her, but for some reason he couldn�t speak. He felt something dripping down his cheek, and he gripped her wrist, pulling her hand away. Looking upon it, he saw it drenched with blood. Suddenly, the wrist was jerked out of his grasp, and something held his fist shut, a hand was around his holding him down, he jerked violently, trying to pull away-
Copyright:
LaurenBlewett