➹₊•°༉彡˚✧
AWOKEN THEE, BEYOND REALITY. A state you shall be in as you open your eyes, to glance at the surroundings that lives to be in motion. Leaves rustled freely, water crashed in tranquility. The sun blared right from above, the clouds moved as the atmosphere led. But the most vigorous sight would be the blaze of the flames that alit in a lantern.
Everything was so true to earth, operational, alive. They had danced like the movement of a graceful swan, sang with the tune of a freeing lullaby, and acted as if they were veraciously authentic. Yet they weren't. And the boy knew this to his heart, for he had already experienced it ever since he was a child. He knew that he was in a dream.
Walking around, he marvelled at such lively scenery, never even getting over it despite having being here a bunch of times. His hair was dark in colour, a bit below his shoulders if lengthened. The eyes that was a sweet chocolate, voice a deep melody. In all his times here, he had just been able to go through the same things over again in this landscape.
It would all start with him going around to admire the whole place, next would be the flames sizing up in its burst. He just watched while all of these happened, keenly observing to see if something would be different this time. A few seconds later, he stood from his seated position on the ground, interest flowing freely around him. Not due to the glowing fire but due to the fact that he had just finished the counting. The time which he had numbered the seconds of the coming scene.
Supposedly, it was to be there in a matter of seconds yet it wasn't. So in his excitement, he leapt to rush forwards to the sounds of rustles from afar. Because his wish had finally come true, something did change this time around.
In his abrupt decision however, he failed to see the hue of the flames change in colour. It had went from the initial burning inferno of red that would remind one of the roses of the field then it sparked into a brilliant royal blue akin to one's of a peculiar celestial star.
The boy ran through the trees, past down the curb then suddenly halted in his steps as he saw what he was looking for. At a distance moved a fox, such grace in every step. It just stalked around the small clearing, later sitting down with its eyes staring right at the male. His eyes widened at its actions, shocked with how it knew he was there. Quickly regaining his composure, he walked forwards, gentleness in his steps.
Once very near, he crouched down to sit in front of it, just waiting patiently for what it would do. The boy stared at its pale yellow eyes, letting out a gasp as it flooded blue when it blinked. This wasn't part of what would usually happen, it just consisted of his finger getting nudged slightly before waking up.
“Why am I here, my friend?” A Mediterranean accent was thick in his words, his hands going to caress the head of the fox.
It intently sniffed a spot by his knuckles, specifically by one of his fingers. He frowned cluelessly, still unable to know what it really meant. Nevertheless, he brought the small creature in a loose hug.
Ever since he was little, the fox was already his own acquaintance. It was there in all of his vivid dreams, sometimes even right in the real life. In his mind, he thought it was merely a hallucination, due to it being very transparent. But it really did exist in small moments whenever he was about to make a major mistake. Albeit not knowing that, he always seen it as his guide. Something that led him to the right way, straying him from any harm of having to do nefarious things.
Suddenly, after minutes of just basking in the comfort of the creature. It unexpectedly backed away from him in a lurch, situating just a foot away.
“Is something wrong?” He asked worriedly, eyebrows drawn together. His mouth then gaped slightly as it ignited in flames, blazing in the hue of a dazzling blue.
After it settled down, the fox now stood up. The boy watched its now faint transparency, a form being flowed in the wind as it looked like a fog.
“Danger alurks.” It informed with a clear voice, him jumping in full surprise. Femininity was evident when it spoke, a vanilla tone lacing it entirely.
“Y–you can speak!” He exclaimed. But then his lips curved into a frown when it processed her words. “What is it that you mean?”
It rose from its seat, nearing his still confused figure. “You must wake up now, time shan't be risked.”
“Why am I in danger?” Words had trailed off, suddenly overwhelmed at the idea of the creature being able to talk. “I have so much questions to ask.”
The fox merely blinked at him, the scenery around them slowly washing away. It nudged his hands, a sharp look on her eye saying he shouldn't question it. When he felt something near his real body, he sputtered out a statement to at least satisfy his curiosity. “I don't even know your name yet.”
Something along a smirk curved at the corner of its mouth. “Soon, you shall.”
Just like that, the boy woke up with a gasp, feeling a hand covering his mouth. But when he saw the familiar face of a man, he relaxed slightly, thinking they were just going to have another session of his education. He tapped away the man's hands, wanting to slumber once again in hopes of continuing his dream. “Five more minutes.”
“You will not be watching the stars tonight, my prince,” His words were filled with alarm, urgency in his tone. “Come, we must hurry.”
That statement struck a memory in his head, recalling the words of the fox saying he was in danger. He stood from his laid position, trailing after his acquaintance.
“Professor, what's going on?” The prince distressed.
“Your aunt has given birth,” They stopped in front of a large wardrobe, hearts beating rapidly. “To a son.”
Caspian's eyes widened in realization, not noticing the professor already going inside. He was snapped in his reverie when the man silently exclaimed, “Come!”
Before he stepped into the hiding spot, he rushed quickly to his bedside, not wanting to ever leave an item behind. Once it was in his hand, he immediately leapt inside the wardrobe. Then closed it, opening it slightly ajar to peek at the coming scene.
The door spat out an array of soldiers, all armed with crossbows in hand. Its point was focused solely on the canopy bed of the prince. Caspian held a ring delicately slung on a string of a necklace, tightly grasping it like it was so precious to him.
On a small counting, the general of the people suddenly signalled to go, prompting all of them to shoot their arrows. It destroyed the curtains of the bed, them widening their eyes as they saw no person in there.
From there on, the hiders ran from a hidden passage. They both arrived at the armoury room, grabbing objects of the necessary.
“I had a dream, professor.” Caspian informed once he strapped on a chestplate.
“Save it for later.” The bearded man snatched up a cape, attaching it to the back of the prince. He wanted to listen to what the boy had to say but there was little to no time.
“N–No, it's urgent. It was different this time.” Moving away from the room, they rushed quietly through the hallways, staying hidden from plain sight.
Once they successfully reached the stables without getting noticed, they instantly went to one horse in particular. “I'm sure it's just another one of those where the fox will be late—”
“Professor, it spoke,” This seemed to have grabbed all the attention of Cornelius, urging the boy to explain further. “She told me to wake up because there was an approaching danger.”
“S–She?”
“Yes, it was female. I even asked for her name yet she only vaguely told me I'll know soon.” A spark of memories lit up in the mind of the old man, his hand involuntarily reaching behind his beard to touch his pendant.
Now mounted on his horse, they travelled to an opening of the place. The professor looked up at the boy, his eyes flickering to a ring on the boy's hand. “You must make for the woods.”
“The woods?” Caspian got confused, still in a daze of his recent mind travels.
“They won't follow you there,” Cornelius then reached into his satchel, picking up an object covered by a white cloth. “It has taken me many years to find this. Do not use it expect at your greatest need.”
“Will I ever see you again?” He pocketed the item, hands still gripped tightly on his comfort accessory.
“I dearly hope so, my prince. There is so much more I'm meant to tell you,” The man looked almost longingly at the boy, a parental aura surrounding him. “Everything you know is about to change.”
At a certain distance, a voice yelled out an order to close the drawbridge. It alerted the two males, the older man hurrying the younger one to go on.
Before the boy could ride off with his horse, he patted the hand of the boy. “Wear the ring,” With that, Caspian lurched ahead, not getting to question the suggestion. “Now go!”
Cornelius eyes followed the leaving figure of his student, hands going back to hold his necklace nervously. “Please guide him well, Your Majesty.”
In the hands of the boy was a ring attached to a rope of a necklace. For years of his generation, it has been passed around as an heirloom. But no one in the family ever had the power to even wear it, for it would adjust in size whenever they attempted to fit it. Hence they had just placed it on a metal rope to pass it as a necklace. Yet as the doctor heard of the boy having dreams of a fox, his heart leapt in his chest as hope filled his system.
Because finally, someone had the dignitary of having to utilize it. He knew the boy was a special case, that he always had it in him to have a chance with the accessory due to the lady's familiar personally visiting him in an augmented reality. And up until this day, Doctor Cornelius finally confirmed, that Prince Caspian was a boy of honour that made him worthy of wearing the Amity Ring.
By now, the boy had reached beyond the gates. He had passed the guards who attempted to stop him, crossing the bridge with much haste. He momentarily halted however when fireworks lit up the sky by the castle. A loud announcement of a son being born echoed in the vicinity, the boy's fear finally coming true.
Caspian immediately continued rushing forward when a herd of soldiers came out from the gates. He passed the bridge, over the large open field until he finally reached the entrance of the woods.
Then he reached a mountain side, riding along with the whispers of the wind. The night was young, the moon's gaze witnessing the whole situation. Until the boy reached a lake, he passed through it despite the uneasiness of trudging in water. On and on, he speeded away to the depths of the forest, looking as if it was a place to be feeling safe.
His hands then raised slightly, still gripped on the reins of his mount. He swiftly took out the ring off its shackles from the necklace, doing his very best in not falling while attempting to wear it.
When he successfully did it, a huge feeling of security flooded into his system. It flowed freely around him like it was a shield of some sort, blanketing his body with the most comforting feeling he's ever experienced.
But because of his short distraction, he failed to see beforehand a large branch covering his way. It caused him to fall off his ride with a yelp, his foot getting pulled by the saddle of the horse. He groaned in pain, taking him a few seconds to escape until he managed to pull his foot off in getting dragged.
Silence ensued as he laid on the ground, catching his breath to even it out. Two of his items were thrown a few feet away from him, enough to let him reach them if needed. When he finally sat up, a creaking sound echoed by the tree, making his eyes widen in alarm.
“He's seen us.” One of the dwarves growled, looking right at the shocked boy. The light–haired one unsheathed his blade, swiftly going on to finish his task. But before he could even get near, a blinding light flashed from the hands of the boy. They blinked rapidly as it slowly diminished.
Both Narnians gasped audibly as they saw the reason of the magical phenomenon. A fox now hovered just above the ground like a mist of smoke, blue kindling flames burning around its body. It stood protectively right in front of the boy yet its posture remained relaxed. The dwarves eyes travelled to the glowing blue ring on the finger of the boy, not believing how he was wearing it.
Realization then clicked in the mind of Caspian, now understanding the message of his dreams. All along, the fox has been nudging his ring finger, like it was signalling him to wear the strongest reminder he had left of his father.
He watched as the Narnian's gaze flickered to the horn by the side, minds now getting disturbed of how one has these two ancient items. Neighing then took all of their attention, warning them of the approaching danger. The two creatures shared a look, nodding at each other in silent understanding. “Take care of him.”
He rushed off to hold the soldiers in place, biding time for the remaining two. The dark–haired dwarf made a move to get close to the boy but it caused alarm to fill Caspian's system. So he reached across his position to get the now uncovered horn, raising it to his mouth until he blew the call of the myths. “No!”
With that action came the move of the dwarf, the creature did the only thing he could think of to stop the sounds. He smacked the head of the boy with the bottom of his weapon, triumphant in halting the noise. But just like that, the fox's body slowly dissipated into the air, flowing upwards where the sound was headed towards. After then, as darkness filled the prince's mind that made him unconscious, a girl from another world had lurched abruptly with a loud gasp.