Mirage - Shall We Date Wizardess Heart' Fic

Chapter 44: When you make a choice, you also choose consequences

Every night it was the same. Whenever she would fall asleep, the memory from that day would haunt her. Mainely, she would found herself in a cold, dark, hollow place, surrounded only by shadows and white noise, and getting worse as the days went on. Nonetheless, it would always end the same: with Aurora waking up screaming, startling her roommate so badly that she jolted awake.

~ Aurora, calm down! It's okay, it's okay-- shh... it was just a nightmare ~

The nightmare would wash over her like cruel shattering waves, more vivid and realistic than ever before. A sickening rustling would come from all directions as tendrils of dark energy shot forward from behind the trees. With a growl of hunger, it would lunge at her, claws slashing down at her, engulfing her limb by limb while it enjoyed her screams and horrified eyes. The darkness eventually would take her. With each nightmare row, those slick tendrils would grovel closer to her, than further away and then closer again; they would move in unnatural ways. She would try and run away only to find herself violently girdled up by one ankle and dragged back across the grass. On awakening, despite the nightmare ending, a ghastly feeling of being watched by invisible eyes prolonged the uneasy feeling. It would always leave her in tears, even her breaths trembled. Seeing her in that state every night was heartbreaking, and that deeply saddened her roommate. She didn't know what else she could do for her friend, for hours she would work to console her but she wouldn't stop.

~ I'm right here, sweetie... you're safe now ~

That particular night was the hardest night for Aurora, she was so scared she that couldn't fall back to sleep; Louise smoothed her hair and held her until the morning, rocking her back-and-forth as if she was a little infant in need of his mother comfort. She had cried all night long, so in the morning, she was so fast asleep due to tiredness.

A soft knock came at their door and Louise heard Liz's voice on the other side. The door opened and she stepped into the room, followed by Amelia.

"We heard the screams again. How is she?" Liz asked genuinely concerned.

Louise looked down at the girl resting on her lap, "She was finally able to close her eyes."

"That's good to hear." Amelia smiled.

"It's our day off. Let her be, she can sleep in." Liz said and then rode ahead.

Louise nodded, overwhelmed with relief."Thank the First King for that. It took me a while getting her back to sleep."

"Did you sleep at all?" Amelia frowned, concerned.

"I slept until the screams woke me up again. Then, I napped a little." Louise replied in a tight voice.

"You need to sleep as well, please take care of yourself." She begged her friend.

"Don't worry, I will," Louise said and smiled back at her.

"She seems peaceful." Liz made an observation."You do work miracles."

Aurora took a long, shaky breath and stirred in Louise's embrace, "Comfort does that to you." She brushed her long brown hair from her face and caressed her cheek in an effort to calm her once more."She only sleeps on my lap, nowadays. It's the only way she can have a good night's sleep. If she has one good night's sleep, that's too much. But, at least, she's sleeping."