The Dream Keeper's Dragon

2.1. You Are Dying

 Aurelie's eyes shot open a number of times. The first time was in the field. Blurred faces floated above her in a circle, their voices so loud that she could barely make out a word. Her dress was damp on one side, and her skin stung in the center of the wetness. Each shift cut into her stomach and stole away her already weakened breath.

The last time she came to, Aurelie was blind. The air smelled like burnt grass and strangely enough charred meat. It was only when her mind had cleared that she realized that it was her own breath that warmed her lips and felt a light weight on her cheeks. She lifted her arm and threw the material off her face. Aurelie attempted to think of their names and faces but came up with nothing.

She lay over a pool of blood. A drop plopped down. The sound echoed around her as if she had been in a giant empty room. Her eyes wandered over her surroundings, circling the ground. On the one side of the field, green grass grew undisturbed, and on the other, it was charred and covered with brown patches of dried blood.

Aurelie pulled herself up by her arms. "Urg," she growled as the movement roused stabbing pain in her stomach. A tear forced its way out and ran down her cheek. She lay back down with ease, grunting through clenched teeth.

The grass rustled to the left of her. A shadow of a man stuck out from behind a thick tree. He was wearing a dress of sorts and had long, thin, white hair that reached his waist. His shape seemed awfully familiar, so much so that she was sure he was one of those scoundrels who had left her behind.

But who? Who was he?

"Aurelie," voice sounded through the woods. Leaves rustled and wings flapped at the sound. The voice did not fit the figure from behind the tree. In fact, it did not even come from his direction. Her eyes grew heavy and dry. But the voice created an ache in her chest—a longing. She struggled against the pull of sleep. Yawning, she looked toward the shadow once more. It was gone. Aurelie closed her eyes for a second and when she opened them again she stood on a beach.

The castle was covered in an unimaginably large, white cloth. Little blocks of light-colored the cloth yellow in places. The tulips, in the vast fields, sagged their heads and the sky was a deep, dark gray of a coming storm. The Realm appeared to be mourning.

"You should take better care of my grounds," Aurelie told the Keeper, surprising herself at how quickly she recognized the Keeper once she saw the Dream Realm's castle.

"Aurelie," the voice sounded around her again, more desperate this time. The familiarity was astounding. She knew that she's heard it before, but not where or to whom it belonged. Her mind was as cloudy as the angry sky above her. Yet, her hands weakened at how panicked he sounded and her heart ached. "Please, wake up," he pleaded.

"Do you hear that?" she turned to the Keeper.

"Hear what?"

Aurelie narrowed her eyes for a second and then shook her head. "Never mind."

Aurelie replayed the sound of the voice in her mind, trying to remember who it belonged to. Not knowing was getting on her nerves. It was like trying to remember a word and having it stuck on the tip of your tongue, fading into your mind for a split second and out before you could catch it. She focused harder, feeling the back of her head heat up again. The name came with an ache in her heart, that she knew. She cared for this person and he for her. Perhaps it was more than caring. Perhaps she loved him. Kirin! The recollection of him came with hot tears. But why was she dying and why wasn't he with her? Had he been one of the people that left her behind. She couldn't believe that. Something must have happened. Why couldn't she remember?

"Aurelie." The Keeper placed a hand on her shoulder and stroked with his thumb. "Do you know where you are?" he shouted.

Aurelie covered her ears. "Don't shout," she told him and pressed her index finger to her lips. There were questions she needed answered. Trouble was they left her mind as soon as they entered.