The Birth of Freedom

Blood Never Lies

"I am free!" I cried out as I stood my ground. Destiny could go fuck itself. 

"Kill the girl, and become the warrior you were born to be." My Grandfather ordered , undeterred by my outburst as he drew a wicked looking blade from seemingly nowhere and held the knife out for me to take. A chilling determination spread across his youthful face and fear once again raced through my veins like ice as I recognised that look. A look I had seen many times as a child during his endless training sessions, a look that was often followed by pain.

"Help me" the child whimpered as she once again held her hand out to me and a sickening feeling hit my stomach as I realised that she was the girl my Grandfather wanted me to kill. Gritting my teeth together, I stood in front of the shaking child and stared at my Grandfather in disgust. He had been many things, but I did not take him for a child killer, it shows that we never really know the people that are closest to us. To think I loved him despite everything that he did to Rian and me, that I sought to make him proud.

All I had wanted was his love.

"I will not kill a child, and I won't let you harm her" I swore as I shielded the young girl behind me from his twisted gaze. Lunging forward, my Grandfather grasped my arm and yanked me forward but instead of attacking me like I thought he would, my Grandfather pulled me into his chest and brought his free hand up to stroke the back of my head, little broken sobs escaping his chest as his tears dropped down onto my face.

"I wasn't talking about her," he whispered mournfully in my ear as he slammed the blade deep into my chest and blood gurgled up my throat.

**********

A shaking sensation ripped me into consciousness as I lashed out, my fist connecting with a warm but solid surface and opening my eyes in shock, I wildly scanned the dimly lit room, my body alert and ready for a fight.

"Aurora wake up!" Levi grunted in pain as he grasped my arms and pinned them on either side of my head, and I immediately went limp as my breath came out in rough pants. A large red mark was quickly darkening on his chest and regret washed over me as I realised it was by my hand. 

What's wrong with me?

Sensing that I was once again in control of myself, Levi released my hands and sat back on his knees as I pushed myself up to sit while my body did its best to fight off the shivers my cooling sweat had helped to create.

It was just a dream.

"I'm sorry" I apologised as I ran my hand through my sweat-soaked hair and heaving a deep sigh, I met Levi's bleak face as he eyed me uncertainly.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyebrows drawn together in concern.

"Yeah, just another nightmare" I smiled reassuringly as I reached forward to take his hand in mine and drop a kiss on his rough knuckles. Pulling back, a fat drop of blood splashed down on to the back of his pale hand, and I baulked internally at the vivid red liquid.

What is happening to me?

"Your nose is bleeding," Levi stated as his whole body tensed at the sight of my blood.

"I will get off your sheets," I said hastily as I jumped out of his bed, afraid to set off the clean freak dwelling inside him. Jumping to his feet too, Levi rounded on me and grasped my shoulders with his large hands, drawing my attention to the forming bruises at the tops of my arms.

When had those happened?

"Fuck the sheets, what is going on?" Levi demanded, his usual cold eyes full of worry. "You were calling out my name, and your body was on fire before you started thrashing around like a dying fish so don't tell me this was just some nightmare because I sure as hell know that wasn't normal, even for night terrors."