Dream of Xanthos

Isabelle sat straight up in bed with a harsh gasp, breathing heavily as she grasped the sheets in her small hands. She looked around and realized she was in bed. She began to get up in a panic. Throwing on her robe and thrusting her toes into her slippers she ran into the hall.

The wooden doors, ancient and majestic loomed before her as she reached the end of the hall. Her small footsteps echoed against the cold stone. She stopped before the wooden archway and slowed her breathing.

She knocked on the door.

A shuffling sound came from the other side followed by a groan of impatience. She looked down at her slippered feet as she listened in the silence waiting for a response. With a start the door flung open and a pair of sleepy and intolerant eyes glared at her from the darkness beyond.

The figure assessed her small size and than impatiently spat, "What is it, child!"

Isabelle bit her tiny pink lower lip as she dug at the ground with her foot, feeling like a bug might if it had been caught in the light where it shouldn't be. She gathered her courage though, and met her elder's gaze. Blue eyes met violet and the look of annoyance on the woman's face dissipated as she saw the urgent worry in the child's eyes.

Isabelle spoke meekly,"I had a nightmare, Miss Olivia. It was about Junice.She's dead."

The woman's jaw dropped, and her knees buckled, but she managed to support herself with the door. She closed her eyes lost in shock for a moment as she gathered her composure, a tear escaping the corner of her eye as she shut them so tightly it hurt. She inhaled deeply than opened her intense violet eyes, resting her gaze upon the child called Isabelle. She moved her mouth to speak, than rethought her question. "When did you have this nightmare, and how do you know Sister junice is not in her room asleep?" The woman asked.

Isabelle gave her a knowing look, but answered anyways."I saw her death in my dream. The moment she was dead, I felt it. You know when my nightmares come, that they are right, Miss Olivia. Just like when I knew Eric was hurt. I found him. I felt his pain in my dream and knew just where he was. That can't be a...what's that word...Coindence?" She looked puzzled as she looked at the door, trying to figure out if that was right; resting her hand on her hip and tilting her head.

"Coincidence, Isabelle, coincidence…I fear you are right, child. We must check her room at once," Said Olivia.

The violet eyes suddenly appeared worn as she turned, opening the door completely, motioning for Isabelle to follow. Olivia walked to her dresser. She removed a thin hooded white dress robe and put it on, then quickly laced on her shoes. Isabelle watched with a quiet curiosity, eerily unmoved for a child who had just propheted death.

Olivia rose after dressing, brushing loose strands of hair off of her face. She took off out of the doorway at a brisk pace. Isabelle practically ran to try and keep up with her; golden curls bouncing as she followed.

Olivia's violet eyes filled with fear as she rocketed down the halls. Worried thoughts of Sister Junice ran through her head. She cursed Junice for making them worry, trying to convince herself that when they arrived to her rooms she would be fast asleep in bed. Whole and alive. Her fingers clenched, the skin becoming white around her knuckles as she walked faster; her eyes upon the door to Junices’ bedchamber.

She stopped before the mauve door resting her hand on the delicately engraved silver handle. She took a deep breath and motioned for Isabelle to stay back. Her fingers slowly turned the handle and she creaked the door open cautiously, fearing what she would find within.

She collapsed to her knees. She felt as if she had been hit in the gut by a heavy weight. The bed was empty.

Olivia cried and cried. For ten minutes she sobbed like a baby. Her chest hurt. Her ears rang. All she wanted to do was burst into a thousand pieces. Nothing mattered anymore, no one mattered. She would never eat again. All she wanted to do was sink into the floor and become nothing. Isabelle stood behind her silently and listened to her painful cries as the woman sobbed; nails raking against the wooden floor. She wanted to comfort her but thought it was best to stay back until she was finished.

About fifteen minutes went by. Olivia's cries finally stopped. She laid upon the floor, tears leaking from her eyes like a faucet. Her breathing steadied as she stared at the leg of Junice's writing desk feeling numb. She glanced around and noticed a vial of ink on the desk. Concern motivated curiosity, and she rose to inspect the desk.

There was a leather pouch on the desk, an ink vial, a feather pen, a sharpening stone, and some other random belongings one would commonly find in a woman's room. She picked up the pouch and looked inside.

There was a note.

Her breathing stopped and her eyes threatened to start leaking full blast again as her lip trembled. She held back the surge of emotion and opened the sealed parchment.

'Dear Olivia,'

Her emotions caught in her throat again and she let out a sob as she read it.

'Dear Olivia,

I am writing this to tell you that I am going after him.I cannot Idly sit here and wait. I am ready.

He doesn't deserve to live another moment.I have grown tremendously in power and know I can take him.I must avenge our people. He MUST pay!

This may be the last word you ever hear from me.I hope this is not the case.

Know that I will fight with every last ounce of being I possess.He will die for what he has done to our people.

I love you, and if I do not make it home...Please, care for Isabelle.I know that she is strange to you and the other children make fun of her,But, she is special, and I believe with the right training,She will become even more powerful than all of us.Guide her as your own,As I would.

I will be at peace once I have felt his death with my blade.He must be stopped.

All my love,Junice.'

Olivia licked her lips, tasting salty tears upon them. The realization that she would never see Junice again setting in.She sat down in the small wooden desk chair and thought. Her hand rested upon the desk as she held the note, rereading it.

Isabelle came up behind her and rested a hand on her shoulder."What does it say, Miss Olivia?" Isabelle asked quietly.

Her long lashed tear rimmed violet eyes rose to meet Isabelle’s china-doll like blue eyes.

Knowing and sadness in them, Isabelle saw her nightmare come true.

"It says your mother is dead." Olivia said evenly.

Olivia grabbed Isabelle and hugged her tight. Isabelle's eyes began to water, but she had already seen the death and it was less of a shock to her.She was used to death in her dreams. She felt it all the time. She would never again see her mother.

Her heart dropped and she stood silently in Olivia's embrace, sadness gripping her heart; numbed by unimaginable terrors experienced for one so young.A tear escaped the corner of one of her glossy blue eyes.