TYRION

Chapter 11

Oh, who dares awaken the calming storm?

It had been a long night of profound connection between Tyrion and Isolde. The recent activity they engaged in had forged an intimate bond between them, making them feel like a match made in heaven. Tyrion gently caressed her wave of blonde curls as he watched her slip into the dreamland. Her sleeping frame had been a sight he had been ogling since she drifted into unconsciousness; she was incredibly beautiful. The soft, yellow-fainted light from the lantern highlighted her facial features in the darkness, radiating a faint glow on half of their naked body peeking out of the blanket.

Tyrion found himself lowering to plant a long affectionate kiss on her forehead. At that moment, he wasn't sure what was more important—staying to protect the land, now entrusted not only with the safety of the people but also with someone who mattered to him as much as his own life, or leaving to confront the issue head-on. He would do anything to keep this woman, whom he loved so deeply safe, and the realization terrified him. Reflecting on their actions, it dawned on him that he had taken away her virginity. He would have hesitated, but she was eager, desiring it almost as much as he did, if not more.

His thoughts revisited the moment he felt a peculiar surge of energy coursing through him when he was inside her. It was brief, but he acknowledged it, and he sensed that she felt it too, judging by the muffled scream that differed from the soft moans of pleasure. It was evident that the short scream wasn't solely from pleasure but something beyond, akin to his own experience. Their connection was so intense that he was certain he hadn't missed any of her reactions. Was it a strange energy passing through them, or perhaps a collision of their energies? Choosing not to dwell on it, he pushed aside worries. He hoped Alan would eventually emerge to explain, but he was prepared to dismiss him if the explanation held any negativity toward his recent actions. His left hand traced the chain and lock tattoo on Isolde's wrist, symbols that had once sparked his curiosity before.

Not long after these overwhelming thoughts, he too, slipped into the dreamland, his naked body enveloping Isolde's own protectively.

***

Lady Aurora jerked up from the bed, startled by a bad dream that left her sensing a bad omen. Her breath hitched against her chest in suspicion.
"Isolde" she muttered under her breath. Shortly after her unsettling dream, noises echoed from outside, evolving into screams that hinted at violence.
She swiftly put on her clothes and hurried out, encountering a bothered  Selena on her way at the passage.
"Where is Isolde?" She asked.
She said she was going to see Aaron at the Palace, that's what she told me."
"You silly! You should have followed her" her voice almost seized due to the intensity of her worry.
"Seems like we have something more to worry about" Selena said in fear, alluding to the sudden outbreak of fire outside, accompanied by roars.

***

The bed shook, painful gasps filled the air in the room, and the lantern blared. Tyrion opened his eyes; it was almost daybreak, but the rain hadn't stopped falling. What had woken him up wasn't the rain; his eyes darted to his side to find a writhing, sweaty Isolde, seemingly in pain and unaware of her surroundings.
"Isolde" Tyrion called out in fear as he surveyed the distressing scene before him. He gathered her up in his hands, shaking her violently as her gasps intensified. Unable to comprehend what was happening to her and uncertain about what to do next, he jolted from the bed to be at her side, lifting her head again.

"Isolde, look at me, what's happening to you?" His expression shifted to one of overwhelming concern. She wasn't improving; it felt akin to watching someone being possessed. He rushed to the wooden counter, grabbing a jug of water and pouring it on her face without thinking twice, hoping that would do something, but it did nothing to alleviate the tense situation.
Her fingers gripped Tyrion's shoulders, as if attempting to aid her situation, but it only resulted in digging into his skin until a trickle of blood emerged. Under normal circumstances, he would have felt pain, but in this surreal moment, he could barely feel anything.

He shook her again, but nothing changed; her blue retinas were already sinking into her eyes, provoking a new wave of fear in Tyrion. Slowly, her grip loosened and fell from his skin, and she became unconscious.
"No, no, no, no, come back to me. Isolde!!!" He screamed.
Without wasting time, he dressed her and lifted her onto his shoulder, heading towards his horse outside. Placing her on the horse before mounting it as well, he urged, "Stay with me, Isolde." Options had eluded him, and the only idea he could fall back on now was taking her home. Maybe it's something that had happened to her before, and there is a remedy for her at home. He urged the horse harder, trying to increase its speed. The horse neighed as it ran faster, its hooves tapping rhythmically in the rain-filled air.

He needed Alan now, but he wasn't coming; what the hell was happening? He wished he was dreaming. The horse suddenly made sounds and halted. What?
Tyrion beat it, but it resisted moving for a few minutes before it continued. Suddenly, a series of arrows flung through the air. He expertly dodged them by skillfully pulling out his swords, making them miss their mark and cutting some into two in the process. What was happening? Tyrion thought.
Another arrow flew from the bush and landed right on his arm. He winced in pain and fell from the horse while still tightly gripping an unconscious Isolde.