In the Eyes of the Queen [ Labyrinth ] ✔

Chapter Five

I wake to Toby jumping onto by bed and feel a tug on my hand that lets me know Freddy is awake and wants up on the bed, too. Grateful that the memory of my dreams disappeared with the rude awakening, I grasp Freddy's hands and pull her up. Opening my eyes to the bright sunlight streaming through the doorway, I see my brother and sister wrestling beside me.

I smile at them and feel the warmth from the depth of my heart. They pause to look at me a moment before flinging themselves onto me simultaneously.

"Happy birthday, Sarah!" Toby shouts a little too loudly in my ear.

My birthday is not until Monday—we are just celebrating today, Saturday—but that is not important. "Thank you, Sir Tobias," I tease, referring to him as Sir Didymus does, "or is it 'prince' today?"

Toby giggles and I smile for a moment. The acknowledgment of my in-between existence is bringing back the memories of my dreams, however, and the smile quickly leaves my face.

Freddy has slid from the bed and exited the room, presumably to coax my stepmother into making breakfast, but Toby remains, and he notices the change in my demeanor.

"Sarah?" he inquires in the lilting accent of a child.

I shake my head, trying to rid it of the images.

"It's nothing, precious thing," I say absently. "I just remembered a dream."

"Dream? But you look—sad."

I look down at him. "Sad" is so simple an expression that I almost laugh.

"Aren't dreams good?"

"Not all dreams."

"So—nightmares, then?"

"No!" I am surprised at the fervent tone of my own voice. "No." I correct myself by saying it softer this time. "They are not nightmares, but nor are they all-good dreams. Sometimes they are the kind of dreams that are happy to the sleeping mind but sad or even," disturbing, "scary to the waking mind."

Toby looks at me uncomprehendingly. He cannot understand. I try to think of something that is good at first and scary later, but only scenarios of the reverse circumstances occur to me.

I have a sudden thought. "Remember when your time in the Castle was just a memory? And you had not told me about it yet, and you had not met my friends, or had the goblins visit?"

Toby nods, so I continue. "You remembered that time fondly; it was like a good dream."

His eyes slowly widen with dawning realization. I pause perhaps a moment too long, fascinated by the intelligence of children, especially Toby who seems to have a greater understanding in some areas that others his age.

"When you first met my friends, and later the goblins, it was scary, right? Even though you thought it was a good dream, later when you experienced it again, it was scary to meet them, and then when you got used to it, you were sad that you could not go back with them."

"Yes," Toby admitted quietly.

"Well, that is how some of my dreams are. They feel good when I am dreaming, but... sad when I think of them when I am awake."

It was a rather simplified explanation, but Toby sought to understand and so I gave him what I could.

"But, Sarah?"

"Yes, Toby?" I look at him as I slip from the covers.

He is silent for a moment, as I rummage for clothes. I look over at him after triumphantly finding something to wear. He appears to have had a brilliant idea. His face is lit up in excitement and he bounces a little in his sitting position on my bed.