Honesty Falls

1siX

He wasn't happy with her.

And not only because he didn't want her in his business.

He was really upset with her because Henry, the ass, made a comment about Vallen doing a good job babysitting her.

She took that as an insult on her behalf and gave Henry a donkey tail and ears. When Vallen jerked away from her, she narrowed her eyes at Henry and gave him fleas.

And she didn't take them away until Alison called and told her to, or she was giving her a week's worth of chores.

She didn't mind chores like most teenagers did, but usually chores with Alison meant watching her fly around doing everything, then Nevaeha sitting for long hours while Alison painted her.

She'd rather do just about anything else.

Vallen was angry with her.

Pissed that she was strong enough that he couldn't block her from communicating with him right now. Pissed that his plan had been to ignore her, and he'd failed.

She was still connected enough with him to know that more than anything, he was upset because everyone assumed they were a couple now.

His mood bothered her long after he managed to finally block her out.

She had a bad feeling and went to search for her crow, but he was nowhere to be found.

She was worried about him, so maybe that's why it happened. He was already on her mind, so when she fell asleep, she found him in his dreams.

A young him.

She wouldn't have found him at all if she hadn't tripped over something and fallen to her knees. She'd tripped over bars built into the ground. It was dark, but she could make out at least six more sets of bars and two wider sets.

Before she could wonder where she was and why she was here, a cloud uncovered the moon and her eyes met hazel ones with green flecks and a ring around the orbs that seemed to glow. "Vallen?"

The hole wasn't very deep, so the child had to sit hunched. He was thin. Too thin and so cold that he shivered uncontrollably.

She tried to say a spell that would free him from his prison, but her magic didn't work in dreams. And since this wasn't her dream, she couldn't take them somewhere else.

"Vallen, you're not a little boy anymore. If you want to take us away from here, you can. Just think of somewhere else you would rather be."

Next, she was standing beside a river. Rushing water that blocked out all other sounds. She took a step back, so she didn't fall in it, then she looked around.

She'd guess it was the same night. Same general area. She looked around for Vallen and could just make out his silhouette in the dark. He stood on a hill overlooking the river. Facing away from her.

Calling for her shoes wouldn't help, so she didn't even bother, but a jacket and shoes would come in handy right now.

She might be home in bed, but dreams felt real enough and here it was colder. The land stark. Harsh. Barren.

This is how he remembered his home.

At the top of the hill, she stood next to him and looked down on the village like he was doing. Village was a good way to describe it.