“Don’t worry, that’s how. It’s nit your fault.” Celeste assures, giving his hand a squeeze before letting go. She crouched, picking up her notebook and the pen she had dropped as well, her hair falling back into her face. “I’m fine. I’m alive, aren’t I? The pain always passes.”
Soren shrugged. "Well, yes, but…alive isnt the same as living." He said, dropping his hands to his side after a moment. He shook his head slightly, and sat back down. "But really. If there's anything I can do to make up for all your help, just let me know and I will see that it is done."
“I told you. The best you can do is not worry.” Alive is the best I’ve got some days. Celeste straightened, shooting him a slightly weary smile as she tucked her things away. “Really, your Majesty.” She looked to the door, her face showing for just a moment a glimpse into the shadows she carried around, and then it was gone. “I should leave you two, stop imposing. I get the feeling I’m being looked for anyway. Witchtuition.”
"You aren't imposing, but if you want to leave, you can. I'm not going to stop you." Soren replied, twisting the signet ring on his finger.
Mikhail nodded in agreement. "Thank you for the cookies." He said again.
“Of course. I’ll have more by tonight, likely.” Celeste said, shooting a smile at each of them. Baking away her stress and fears was a habit, after all. And if she was right and Lin was looking for her…she’d be doing quite a bit of that. She lifted her hand in a wave, her other hand on the door as she pulled it open, before slipping out into the hall.
Soren sighed softly, and turned to Mikhail. "How are you feeling?"
"Like shit." Came Mikhail's reply. "And it isnt your fault. Just…have more concern for your own safety nexxt time, okay?"
Celeste’s steps were practically silent as she made her way down the hall, without much of a destination in mind except for ‘find Lin’. Or maybe it was avoid Lin. The King wasn’t very enjoyable as far as company went. Mean and vile might be better suited. The voice in the back of her head whispered. And the voice was kind of right.
Soren and Mikhail continued talking and teasing each other, both relieved that the other wasn't badly hurt. Mikhail because Soren was his best friend and king, Soren because Mikhail was his best friend and one of the few he could totally and completely trust, without reservation.
((Skip And say Celeste found him and they chatted, have something else happen, or keep going like this?))
(I don't have a preference, it's up to you)
((Aaaaa I cant decide on anything. Drama’s always fun? Ideas??))
(lol same. Uhm…if you're willing to do a slightly larger skip of about four or five days, we could skip to the Dragon Festival? Otherwise idk)
((Oohh, that could be fun. I DO have an idea for somewhere in the middle of that real quick. Fun stuffs. Nightmares, actually.))
(okay, let's do that, then!)
((Aight! Gimme a sec to type it out!))
(ok!)
Celeste had fallen asleep. She knew that.
So then why did the Dream Realm have to make everything so realistic? Why did it have to feel like she actually was back in her father's stronghold, sitting silently at a dinner table with the knowledge that he was about to blow again, and there was nothing she could do to defend herself from it? She always shielded her mother the best she could, too, especially with recent revelations-
"Silence!" It already was silent. It always was, but even breathing too loud was enough to set her father off. The Nightmare lived up to his name with his family, as well.
The dream skipped ahead then, as though the inbetween was boring filler. And now there was screaming, though Celeste couldn't tell if it was her mother's or her own. Both. Probably both. Screaming that reached the Waking Realm as well, something she couldn't have stopped if she'd tried. She never could. Couldn't stop anything at all, as evidenced by her mother's broken and bloodied body on the ground in front of her, not quite dead but not even alive, hanging on by a few thin breaths, her father towering over the form and wiping blood from his face with all the causality of a man wiping ale from his upper lip. And then he kept going.
Soren was awoken by a scream, and he sat up groggily, fumbling. Close. It's very close. He thought sleepily. "Celeste!" He realized, tumbling out of bed and yanking open the door to the hallway. The door between their rooms would be locked, he knew. The guards were already heading to her door.
"Your majesty, you have to stay out here, in case there's danger." Said one gruffly.
Soren rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Okay…" He said, yawning. It felt like sandbags were weighing his eyes down.
The first guard managed to wrench the door open, shearing the lock. "Clear." He said, after looking in the room, then closing the door again. "Just a nightmare."
"Someone get her maid." Soren instructed. "Sue Montathy. I'll go in and try and wake her up." He went inside, closing the door softly. "Celeste?" He called quietly.
Celeste was curled up tightly on the bed, sobs and whimpered pleas intermingling with the panicked shouts. Pluto, who had been attempting to nudge her awake, looked up to Soren, his eyes almost pleading as he whined.
Her fault. It was her fault her mother was dead. That's what he kept saying, that's what kept repeating in her head. All your fault. This is all your fault, and you should have died instead. He was on the other side of the room now, sipping calmly from a glass as she pulled herself to her mother's now life-less body, ignoring the blood best she could as she cried. "No no no no I'm sorry I'm so so sorry-" She continued to mutter the apologies both in the dream and outside of it, clutching at her mother.
"Quite the mess here." Her father said, watching her without any emotion other than contempt. "It will be cleaned by morning." Not a question, an order. And what followed next was what she considered her own breaking point. "Maybe if she had listened just a bit better, if you had as well, she would still be alive."
Soren crossed the room carefully, and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. "Celeste?" He bit his lip. She looked and sounded so absolutely miserable. So…"Celeste, you need to wake up. It's just a dream." He said, hesitant to shake her or do more than squeeze her shoulder gently. He glanced at Pluto, then back down at Celeste. He hoped someone was getting Sue.
(Holy shit I'm 'bout to cry here. Applauds that's some A+ storytelling you've got there)
((Aajhgdghjs thamk?? I was worried it wasn't capturing the scene I have in my mind right bcs I'm tired but I'm glad it hits right!))
Soren's touch manged to half pull her from the nightmare, even as her mother's death replayed over and over. It often did that, before moving on to the moment she snapped. "She's gone, and it's all my fault." Celeste sobbed, curling up tighter but not knocking Soren's hand away. Pluto moved, nudging Soren urgently and letting out a sort of whine/bark.
Repeat, repeat, Snap. Something inside her snapped so suddenly she was sure it was audible, but her father didn't hear it. His eyes were closed lazily as he sighed, the firepoker he'd used on her mother still laying next to her. He didn't think to worry about leaving it there. He was secure in his belief that Celeste was too scared to ever raise a hand against him.
Not this time. It happened so fast, or at least, it felt like it did. She could only remember any of it in these dreams, as her brain tended to block it out most of the time. But the next thing she knew, it was her, standing over her dying father, now covered in blood just like him. Both of them wearing a mix of Celeste's mother's blood, and her father's. Red. So red. His eyes were wide as he looked up at her, gasping for air that wasn't reaching him. The firepoker felt heavy in her hands, slick with so much blood that she thought she might drop it. Maybe she should. But maybe he would get up. "Enjoy your last breaths, Nightmare." The venom was palpable in her voice, but so was the trembling of her words, still riding the adrenaline and fear. Fear. She was so scared, but part of her, a guilty part, was relieved. She was free, and so was her mother.
Celeste woke fully with a gasp, her eyes shooting open and filled with the same fear they had been that night as she sat up, before crumbling and burying her face in her hands, still apologizing.
(dude you're welcome! I wish I could capture emotions and stuff like that?? spill thy secrets lol)
Soren hesitantly rubbed her back, sitting down on the edge of the bed. The young king was in his pajamas; a loose pair of pants (or trousers if you aren't American), and a t shirt. He wore no crown, and his black hair, with it's strange white streaks, fell into his forehead. "Celeste, I…" He wasn't sure what to say. "It's going to be alright." He said slowly. It almost sounded like a question, though, as he wasn't sure what to say. "I mean, er…" He hesitated. "Maybe it isn't-I'm sorry. I'm…not great a comforting people. I'll just shut up now." He went quiet, rubbing her back gently.
((You just gotta. Feel. I put myself in the same mindset, or try. That, and ignore all the 'show don't tell' bullshit. Mention the feelings, AND show. A L L. That's honestly the best way I can describe it))
She was shaking, maybe due to her sobbing, or maybe due to the memories. Either way, she was shaking, violently. After a minute or so, she shifted, burying her face in Soren's shoulder without much thought, desperately searching for something to ground herself enough to think, or maybe stop thinking. Either one would work, which was why she was clinging to Soren like her life depended on it. In the morning, she'd be mortified, but right now all Celeste needed was to hold onto something real and there.
(mmmmm that makes sense. Thanks!)
Soren jumped slightly, then shifted to keep rubbing her back, biting his lower lip. He had no idea what to say. Or even if he should say anything? He didn't know. So he stayed quiet, rubbing her back. He yawned softly. The meds were supposed to make him sleep for hours straight, but her screams had awoken him. He would probably be a zombie tomorrow, because the meds cycle had been interrupted.
"I'm-hic-sorry. For waking you-hic-up." Celeste finally managed to squeeze out, once she had quieted the sobs. Now, her tears were silent, and slowing their flooding. She couldn't keep herself from hiccuping though, the price of barely managing to breath while crying. At least she was managing a more coherent apology though, even if she shouldn't have been apologizing.
He shook his head. "It's alright. You have nothing to apologize for." He replied softly. "I understand. Sort of." He kept rubbing her back gently, quiet. Poor girl…was this about her father? His father hadn't been great, but Soren knew that his father had been better than hers, by far, just based on what he had heard about him. He hadn't been able to break the alliance, though. There were too many other things on his plate.
"You should-hic- be as-hic-sleep right now. Not-hic-letting me ruin your shirt." She mumbled, holding on just a bit tighter at his words. She felt horrible about him being there, but she also hadn't been this close to anyone in a comforting setting pretty much ever. "We would still-hic-be there. If he hadn't-"
Soren shrugged. "I'm a king. I have a million other shirts." He replied. "Who's we?" He asked, then bit his lip again. "Er… sorry. You don't have to answer that." He said quickly, looking down at her, still rubbing her back.
"My-my mother and I." Celeste said, taking a moment to sniffle slightly. She was mostly out of tears now, but Soren's assurances that he had other shirts were appreciated. They eased the embarrassment a bit. "We'd still-hic-be there. In that place."
"Oh. I'm sorry, Celeste. About… your father." He said softly, still rubbing her back gently. "And everything." He sighed softly, glancing up as someone opened the door.
"Sire, the maid could not be found. One of the others said she had gone home to take care of her sick mother, and would be back in the morning." Said a guard softly.
Soren nodded. "Alright." The guard closed the door, and Soren looked down at Celeste.