Ivory opened her eyes.
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She was back at the château, its familiar daunting walls seemed to pulsate and close. The hair behind her neck and on her arms stood, sensing danger as fear pricked her skin. She sat up on her bed, wide eyes alert as she focused on her bedroom door, knowing that it'd fly open at any time now.
But nothing came.
Minutes passed by, she was sure, the figure of her mother failing to appear. Ivory thought that that was more unnerving. It was what she was used to — Gizelle yelling out belittling words in German as she walked through the door, roaring like the unkind lion she was.
Instead, Ivory heard screams. The voice a familiar one. It was her brother.
"Ian?" her voice was barely above a whisper, quiet and unsure. As she heard a louder scream, she immediately ran out of bed.
"Ian!"
She ran and ran through the seemingly endless hallway, his voice bouncing off the walls around her. Where is he? She checked every room she passed, finding it empty every time. She kept on calling out for him, but all he responded with was his agonized screams.
Finally, she stopped in front of a door, the muffled screams of her brother loud from within. Her hand reached out for the icy doorknob, twisting it open and peeking inside. The sight made her drop to her knees.
There stood the vile wizard of whom was her uncle, Gellert Grindelwald, a red streak leaving his wand which was pointed to the curled-up body of her brother. The torturing spell left his lips so effortlessly, one she was too familiar with. But now, instead of her receiving it, it was her brother.
"Stop! No!" she cried out and ran towards Adrian, but as she attempted to do so, she hit an invisible barrier, a thud echoing in the room, mixing with his growing wails. Her breath caught in her throat.
No, this can't be happening.
Ivory's hands pushed against the barrier, tears blurring her vision. No no this can't be happening.
"Crucio!" Another red streak hit her brother, his cries only seeming to grow louder.
No. No, please.
"Stop it! Please, stop hurting him!" she sobbed, fingers clawing against the invisible wall dividing them. "I'll do anything! Hurt me instead! Please, just stop hurting him."
Her pleas seemed to get through to the wizard, mismatched-coloured eyes falling onto her figure. Gellert finally averted his wand from Adrien's withered figure, the other end landing towards her instead.
"No dear Ivory, not you," he spoke, his voice dark and domineering over the whole room. "What use will you be to me if you're dead?" His sinister laugh bounced on the hollow walls, sending chills down her spine. "No, you're far too valuable, girl. Your brother on the other hand, well, he's useless to me."
Silver and black eyes turned to Adrien's figure, a frightening grin on his lips as he raised his wand once again. But before Ivory could realize what he was doing, a green jet of light left Gellert's wand and onto his brother.
"No!" she screamed, sitting up on her bed, her heart thundering against her chest.
Heavy breaths left her, wide eyes glancing around the room as she slowly realized that she just had a nightmare. How ironic, a mare having a nightmare. Sighing, she closed her eyes, bringing her legs up to her chest as she buried her face in her hands.
It was a scenario that flashed in her head whenever she thought of Grindelwald. A fear she never thought she'd have. Her brother, her protector and saviour, being tortured like that. She shook her head, trying to forget about the additional nightmare-like scenarios that threatened to rise. Tears started to prick her eyes, threatening to form and well.
Ivory was just about to cry, but the turning of her door stole her attention. It opened, and in peeks Tom's head, a slight concern in his expression.
"Ivory?" his smooth and sonorous voice almost melted all her worry away in an instant.
"Tom," she breathed out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, relief washing over her, "Sorry, did I wake you?"
He entered her room, his steps quiet and careful, beautiful deep blue eyes never leaving her. "No, I wasn't sleeping." He manages to give her a small comforting smile. "Are you alright? What happened?"
The mattress dipped from his weight as he sat beside her.
"I'm fine," she answered, gazing down, her eyes immediately drawn to his hands. "Just a bad dream, that's all."
A moment passed before he spoke again, "Do you get those often?" he asked, his voice strangely soft, unguarded.
"Mm," Ivory nodded, looking back up, amber gold clashing with sapphire blues. "Almost every time I sleep."
"But you usually don't sleep, right?"
"No. Maybe I'm not supposed to. I guess that's why I get nightmares."
A chuckle went past his lips, and he looked away, seemingly contemplating something before looking back at her. "I..." his mouth hung open as if he was about to say more. "I... guess I should go back to bed."
She blinked, he stood up.
"You... um, alright." Ivory felt somewhat disappointed for the second time that night. She watched as he turned towards the door, his figure slowly walking away from her.
"Tom, wait." She stopped him before he could disappear behind the door, her hands unconsciously clasping her sheets in anticipation.
He looked back, his eyes alert, expectant. "Yes?"
It suddenly felt like her throat was dry, her heart beating against her ribcage, wanting to escape. Why was she nervous? She was only going to ask.
"Will you stay? Here? Just for tonight."
Relief washed over him, his shoulders relaxing, nodding automatically.
"I'll stay."
Ivory's lips stretched into a small smile as she moved to give him space, their gaze never leaving each other. Tom slipped under the sheets, and he lay there beside her. His scent immediately invaded her senses, and she sighed comfortably, a calmness washing over her. He was warm, just the thing she needed, like a safety blanket.
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With his presence, the nightmare she had slowly slipped out of her mind.
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