The Young Gladiatrix

Nightmares

The fire had since turned to nothing but a few burning embers, a faint trail of smoke leaving the fireplace. The warmth of the room slowly fading and making way for coldness once more. Ash and Decimus had remained where they had fallen asleep. Curled up together before the fireplace. With Ash curled up beside him, Decimus had eventually fallen asleep shortly after Ash had done so herself. With her by his side, he knew she was safe. It comforted his anxious mind. As they slept, the atmostphere of the arena had calmed once more. The guards stood lazily at their posts, some dozing. Some complaining about the coldness, whilst others scolded them for being so loud even as their voices remained nothing but murmurs. The lack of sleep making them irritable.

It was the early hours when Ash became irritable herself. Her eyes shut tightly as she tossed and turned against Decimus' chest. In her mind, a nightmare caused an uproar with her imagination. Memories repeating themselves. Situations forming and causing more upset. It was all going on in her imagination, but felt very real. As tears pricked her eyes, she took a sharp breath, jolting her body and causing Decimus to wake. Panicked at the sudden movement of Ash, then looking down to see the tears, he gently tried nudging her awake. With no success. He didn't want to hurt her, but the distress she was in was concerning, and upsetting. Once more, he tried to nudge her awake. This time, she woke. Whimpering as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I thought he'd killed you" Hearing those words, Decimus pulled her to his chest. Just so she could feel him breathing, and feel his heartbeat. "I'm still here" he whispered softly, just holding her close. He rubbed her back gently, just waiting to feel her calming. "You had a nightmare, didn't you?" he murmured to her, not forcing her to look at him. "Tremalthios... He killed you..." murmured Ash, still a little teary eyed as she spoke. Not lifting her head from Decimus' chest. "He tried to kill me. You stopped him... B-but he killed you instead. Then came after me" she cried again. All of what had happened in her mind was quite likely if they didn't tread carefully around the elder.
"Remember what I said. He won't get the chance to get near you" murmured Decimus softly, tightening his arms around Ash now. Just to show her that he'd protect her for as long as he could. He would do all he could to protect her in the real world. Inside her mind, he could do nothing. But in physical presence, he could, and would do everything in his power to ensure she was safe.

Nightmares were unsual things. The imagination ran wild and created horrific images, incidents, sounds and smells. It all happened within the mind where one couldn't be saved. And it was terrifying. The imagination caused so much distress and fear. And with the addition of a very real threat being involved, it became scarier. It took Ash a while to relax and calm down. Remaining in the arms of Decimus, she refused to go back to sleep. Fearing the nightmare would return, and she would once more witness the imaginary death of the one she loved.
Decimus remained awake with her, just tracing circles on her back lightly. And speaking to her softly. Just whispering sweet nothings to her.

"Love sought is good, but given unsought better" - Twelfth Night, Act III, Scene X - Shakespeare

[Author's Note: You ever had one of those nightmares that feels real? They're terrifying to say the least]