I woke up and lurched out of bed. I ended up on the cold floor, panting as I tried to steady my heartbeat that seemed to be stuck in my throat. My hair stuck to my sweaty cheeks. I could almost still feel it. A ghost of the pain that I felt so vividly in my dream was already quickly fading. I let out a shaky breath. It was like I was there, right beside her. Burning as she did. I couldn't even handle it in my dream, how did she do it in real life. Of course I know how. She screamed. And then she died.
I push my damp hair back, absentmindedly tying it up with the hair tie that never left my wrist. With my thoughts still on my dream, I stand up and leave my room. My feet carried me down the dark hallway, all of the lights had gone out by now. Pushing open the door that my feet brought me to, I stepped into the black room.
"Abe?" Quiet breathing followed my whisper. My bare feet making soft smacking noises on the slightly uneven wooden flooring. "Abe?" I repeat again. A small groan following. I could hear the covers shuffling as he stirred from his sleep.
"Hm? Aliceisthatyou?" His words slurred together from sleep.
"Yeah it's me. Sorry, I just... I just had a nightmare. Sorry I shouldn't have woke you. I'll go back to bed now."
"No, stay,"He said, the sleep slowly leaving his voice. I heard the covers shift again and then the floor creak. A warm hand grasped blindly on my shoulder. Finding me he slid his hand down until he found my hand. He grasped it tightly, intertwining his fingers between mine. Suddenly my heart wasn't beating as hard anymore. A warm emotion spread in my chest, I couldn't identify it though. He pulled me toward the bed. He pressed lightly on the lower of my back, insisting that I get in first. I didn't complain, now that I was calm, sleep was calling to me. I crawled under the blankets and moved aside to give him room. The bed sank as he laid down. I shimmy as far over to the other side as possible, it's his bed and I don't want to disturb his sleep anymore than I already have. Rain was quietly hitting the window outside. I think we were both listening to it. The patter mixed with slow breathing created a calm and sleepy environment. I lay there, eyes straining to see in the dark, for what seemed like minutes. I could feel his heat beside me and wanted nothing more than to curl up next to him. But I'm pretty sure he was asleep, he hadn't moved or said anything for a while now.
But my own eyes refused to close. There was still a chance that I would close my eyes and find myself surrounded by flames again. I let out a tired sigh. It seemed to echo in the quiet room, louder than I thought. I winced, straining my eyes in his direction to see if I had woke him up again. The bed shook as he shifted. His arm reached out, crossing my torso and pulling me closer to him so my side gently touched his chest.
"Can you not sleep?" He mumbled tiredly.
"No, I'm scared I'll have the same dream," I said quietly. He pulled me a little closer so I was pressed against him. His warmth was gentle and comforting unlike the painful heat of the fire in my dream.
"If you have the nightmare again, wake me, I will help you," he whispered.
A flashback came of our wedding when he had promised to help me. I whispered back,"And I will trust you." I turned on my side, nestling into his chest comfortably, his arms wrapped comfortably around me. I closed my eyes happily knowing he was right beside me.
I woke up feeling like my lungs were being seared, my skin burning. The dream happened again. Although they start differently, it always seems to end in the same way;burning. I gasped as I opened my eyes. It was still dark, Abe's arms still wrapped around me. My gasping startled him awake, he jumped, his side spazzing as he too gasped.
"What! What is it!" He lurched into a sitting position, it was just light enough now to make out his outline.
"Sorry, sorry. I just had a nightmare, it's fine."
He sat there a minute his face wresting in his hand, his hair flat on one side and ruffled on the other. He watched the wall with a glazed expression before sighing and rolling out of bed. I recognized this look. That was usually my actions every morning, five days a week, ten months a year. The I don't want to get out of bed but I need to expression. Honestly the best part of coming to this time, was that I no longer had to worry about that.
"Well come on," he said tiredly, leaning on the frame of the doorway.
"What? Where are we going?"
"For a walk."
He lead me out to the dark gardens of the estate. It was still drizzling slightly but it felt good on my hot skin. There was no moon or stars to provide any light tonight, but the dawn was nearing the horizon as the sky was lighter in the east(or at least I'm assuming its east.) I stood there, just outside the doorway, enjoying the water hitting my face, dampening my hair, and my feet on the cold wet stone steps. Abe didn't stop to enjoy it though. He tiredly grabbed my hand, pulling me out along the gravel road. The stones pushed into my bare feet, making me wince. Abraham after about three steps dramatically hopped away into the grass.
"Ow! Bloody horrible idea!" He exclaimed, all tiredness drained from his voice.
I limped over to him where he stood in the grass, "Oh come on big baby, it's just some stones not hot coals.Where were we going to go anyway?"
He laughed, "Oh we are still going there. We will just be walking on the lawn instead."
He lead me to the little pond where I had first told him where(and when) I was from. It was quite clean for a pond. It must be maintained by the gardener because it is near the estate. God forbid we have a dirty pond near our estate! But it did make for a beautiful spot, flower bushes were planted around the far edges, the little light rippling on the water. Abe didn't stop at the shore of the pond but began to wade in.
"What are you doing?" I asked as he began to pull of his shirt, throwing it on the shore.
"Going swimming and you are too," he laughed.
I looked at the murky water fearfully, I mean I like swimming but growing up in a city, I trust cleaned and maintained pools,"Aren't there... like leeches in there."
"So?" He had begun gliding out on his side.
"They're bloodsuckers!"
"So are mosquitos, do you run from them?" He laughed.
"If they're in a swarm, hell ya I do!"
"Well they do not swarm. So time to come in now."
I looked at the murky water again stepping just close enough to put my toes in. They sunk in the mud. "It's really muddy. I'll get stuck in the bottom."
"That is why you swim." He splashed some water at me, wetting only the edge of my nightgown.
"But-"
"What does the future not have water or something?" He dipped his head in, wetting all of his hair.
"We have water! Just when we swim we usually go to pools if you live in a city."
"Which is...?"
"Its like..." I struggled to find the wording for someone who had never seen one,"A deep square pit usually indoors that is filled with water that everyone goes to to swim. It's always clean because they treat it with chemicals, and is made of tiles so there's no mud."
"Sounds like the furthest thing from nature."
"Oh it is!" I step a bit further into the pond, hiking up my dress as I went,"But I like it better!"
"It sounds like a bath house. My brother was telling me about them when he was in Rome. He is a traveler and a great shame to Lord and Lady Warlest" After they had kicked him out and disowned him, he refuses to call them mother and father. "I suppose he is their favourite son now, though. All the better in my mind. Will you swim with me now?" I had waded up to my waist and was staring at the water, trying to decide whether or not to go in. "If it the dress that is the problem, you could remove it. I would not object."
I looked up at his face, a cheeky smile on it, "You are being very forward Abe."
"I decided as that you are my wife, it would be appropriate."
"Just because I am technically your wife doesn't mean you can do what you want, Abe."
Abe spread his hands in an apologetic way, "Fine, I understand your reasons for going slowly."
I smiled at him cheekily, moving into the water so it was past my shoulders. The water chilled and numbed my body, the nightgown billowing in the waters currents. I reached down and began to pull it off, trying to look graceful. It probably didn't come off that way though. "I never said I wasn't going to do it."
His face lit up like a fricken Christmas tree as he swam closer. He pulled me into a deep kiss, his face and lips wet with water. My heart(or maybe my stomach) flip flopped as we kissed.
***
A moving light appeared in the darkness, moving quickly along the road. Abe and I watched it as we sat naked in the mud in the shallow water. The air was quite cold and we didn't really want to get into the cold air, and put on sopping clothes. So instead we sat in the mud on the bottom of the pond with up to our necks in pond water. It wasn't extremely comfortable, but I didn't mind. I mean who would care after that? We leaned into each other as we watched the nearing carriage.
"Do you believe they will see us?" Abe asked.
"Nah, not as long as they just go past anyway." But lo and behold they couldn't just go straight. They slowed down, the carriage driver directing them toward the estate.
"Quick, toward the other side!" Abe loud whispered. We both pushed off, splashing through the water to the more shaded side of the pond. But our splashing wasn't quiet. In fact if we stood still the carriage probably wouldn't have seen. But as it approached, it slowed to the side of the pond. The man who was driving took off a hanging lantern holding it out to see.
"Who's there?" He called into the darkness.
"Shhh!" I whispered a little too loudly, trying to tell Abe not to respond.
"I 'eard yer tha' time!" The man shouted, "Come ou' or I'll be forced ter get the 'Emertons!"
"No please do not!" Abe called out, as he swam forward. "I am Abraham Warlest, husband of Lady Al-er Elizabeth Hemerton."
The man scanned the area, finding the clothes near the shore, his face broke into a mischievous grin, "Oh I see. Well yer and the missus have a good time then." He chuckled and snapped the reins, making the horses trot forward. I could hear a man begin to roar from laughter inside of the carriage. I don't think we're expecting guests...
Before the carriage had left the side of the road I called, "Wait who is your passenger?"
A jolly looking bearded man(not santa) stuck his head out of the carriage window, tears in his eyes from laughter, "Bertram Logger, my lady. The historian you wrote for."
The heat of my cheeks would be enough to evaporate the pond water, but I didn't see. I just sunk past my head in water. Well that was an interesting way to meet someone.