Cursebreaker [Dreams - I ]

➸ n e w s i d e

Ayduin woke up in cold sweat. This has never happened before, never! He was wretched and utterly tormented. It felt like he was plunging into the unfathomable darkness. He looked around and allowed the familiar surroundings to fill him with some calm.

Unexpectedly he liked his room, he liked nothing else about the castle but his room was beautiful even from a cold hearted elf's point of view. The walls were of rusty brown shade with maroon curtains and carpet. There was a wooden table intricately crafted with a pair of wooden chairs.

Someone had been careful enough to dim the flames in lanterns in his room. Only the candle beside his bed was the major source of light. He tried to breathe deeply and steadily to get rid of the desolated feeling inside him.

What was he dreaming about? It was a nightmare but it was so different and unknown that he was sure it was not something concocted by his mind. There was a car, a human vehicle he had learnt about on his usual princely special classes and lot of blood. There were three dead bodies. But what caught his attention was the image of one female who was struggling in the upturned car... not to escape but to die.

He could not see her face, only the back of her dark haired head. But somehow he knew what she was feeling. She had a lot of injuries, she was in immense pain but she held on the hand of a boy in front of her. She was crying miserbly as the boy looked at her with dead, hollow eyes. She was the only survivor of this mishap and she didn't want to be one.

For the first time in his life, he felt a pull of heart string filled with deep sadness for her. As if he could relate how the survivors felt, the guilt, self-disgust. It was unusual to feel something for someone who was in a dream.

He shook his head and buried it between his knees. What was happening to him? First the voice, now the dream. Why did he sleep, it was always unpleasant for him but tonight was especially agonizing.

Was all this his imagination or was someone was actually going through this much pain?

He got up, put on his woollen long robe and decided to visit the hermit. Last time when they met, he gave him a way to contact him. The locket was still with him, hermit had said give it to someone oozing with the power of love. It was a silver bow and arrow.

He still had it on him since he found no one he could give it to and now it was also a way to call for only help it was possible for him now. Only the hermit will be the one who would not let out the secret of Prince's weakness and since he was the one who told him that he would be a cursed ruler and no one else knows about it, that means he could be trusted.

He had to admit he needed help.

*****

"So finally you called for me," Hermit said.

The Hermit was a middle aged man with messy long brown hair with silver streaks. He had deep, sparkling eyes colour of charcoal and a gentle smile. He was short for a man and little plump but everything about him was likeable. Even his aura was soothing. He carried a white wooden stick with him which matched his long white robe.

"Something is happening to me. I fear the waking potion is having some serious side effects." Ayduin stated reluctantly, the fact he was afraid and that he took waking potions.

Hermit came closer and observed him. Ayduin averted his gaze from his searching eyes and stood in attention slightly tensed at being scrutinised so closely. He was used to keeping people at a distance from him this type of closeness was making him uncomfortable.

And then the Hermit laughed, a tinkling, full of humour laugh.

"Is this a laughing matter or do you find something amusing about me?" Ayduin asked getting a little annoyed now.

"No, no. It's just than Prince there is nothing wrong with you. You are actually healing. I can't believe it's working but it actually is." He said too elated about something Ayduin couldn't understand.

"I am not understanding you here Sir. What is it that you try to say?" He asked agitatedly.

"You can hear her, can't you?" Hermit almost whispering the question.

Ayduin jerked his gaze in Hermit's direction. The words left him shell shocked.

He thought for a moment before answering.

"I don't know what you are talking about." The words he said sounded rehearsed and lame.

"What did you talk about? Does she know you exist yet or does she think of you as a dream?" He asked hopping around with his wooden stick excited now.

He knows, somehow the Hermit knew the voices in his head. Her voice in his head.

"My sanity remains then?" He asked the most important question he had in mind.

But Hermit was lost in his own thoughts.

"I have to visit her to see if she has same effects," Hermit mumbled.

This got Ayduin's attention. The dark headed girl in his dream, the one whose pain he felt was real?

"She is real?" He asked the question out loud.

"I have to go. I have to make sure it is working both ways. But before I go, Prince, I request you, talk to her." He said not answering anything clearly.

"Why? Why should I do that? And why does she talk in my head?" Ayduin yelled now since he was not getting any desired answer.

"I'll be gone now, you decide what you want," Hermit said like he already knew what the Prince would do.

Ayduin sighed when he noticed that Hermit was gone, vanished right in front of him.

As he walked back to his room he noticed the light of morning filling up the sky. He looked at the sky and waited for someone to speak up to him.

"Who are you?" He asked the air in front of him.

But the silence answered him, both in reality and in his mind.

Now it was up to him to decide what he wanted. Does he want to hear her voice again?

No, he doesn't want someone talking in his head.

But she was in pain and he felt that pain. Should he help?

Why should he, he was not the type...he is not the type to help someone in pain. He had his own demons to worry about.

"Urghhhh!" He yelled out, frustrated by all the tumbling emotions.

It should have been a clear no. Then why? Why was we debating on this? Hermit clearly said it was his choice.

So it was decided, he will not talk to her. Once he will be quite she will herself fade away. And by what she said it was clear she wasn't even sure that he was real.

He had always remained aloof, hidden from prying eyes and he not going to change that even for an intriguing voice in his head.

***

Share any thoughts? Since I am wary of the beginning.

Good news: Next chapter will be up tomorrow :D