Thrust Upon A Dream (Chapter One)

The enormous dark eagle screeched as it swooped down from the air, just barely skimming my skin before returning back into the sky. I sprinted as fast as I could through the open field, dodging quick attacks from blood red cobras and mrok soldiers. The nobbers were beginning to huddle together, anxiously waiting for the safety dome to drop. A couple of them turned and beckoned towards me, reaching out their dirty hands to help me join their safety group.

As I was running, a cobra managed to take a bite in my right ankle, deep enough to send a painful shock and paralyze my entire leg. I was so close to the huddle, so I took out her knife, sliced the snake in half and rolled over to the group just in time for the sheer safety dome to drop over them.

The woman slowly helped me stand as I put most of my weight on my uninjured leg and her shoulder. I hesitantly put weight on my right leg but as soon as it touched the ground a searing pain surged through my spine making me cry out in agony.

Before I had any time to think about what I could do to treat it, I heard two young voices shout, “CORA!! CORA HELP!!!”

I spun around and saw Castor and Sylvia, my eight-year-old twin brother and sister desperately crying for safety. The war was intensifying, and the eagles were circling in the sky. I frantically began pushing on the dome, feeling every inch for a possible opening to let them in with me.

“There’s nothing you can do for them!” Someone behind me shouted.

I kept pawing at the solid wall, and then looked back at my sister and brothers’ tear stained faces. I couldn’t do anything to help them.

They were going to die.

“Castor…Sylvia…everything’s going to be okay, alright?” I tried to keep a steady voice and hide my fear. The eagles were circling closer and quicker now. We only had moments before the twins were gone.

“Cora….” Sylvia pressed her small hand on the dome, slowly realizing her fate.

I placed my hand in front of hers, and Castor followed suit, “Be strong. I love you.”

Castor began to open his mouth, but a large crack followed by a blinding white light and a deafening boom before he had a chance to say anything. Clouds of smoke began to engulf the outside of the safety dome, and their hands fell down limp from the wall.

They were dead.

I slowly stood up, fists clenched. I didn’t realize I was biting my bottom lip so hard until bright red blood began dripping down my chin. The nobber woman in front of me grabbed my shoulders in comfort, but then clenched tighter.

“Cora, time to wake up.”

I looked at her, puzzled, “What are you talking about?”

“Ancora, wake up!!!”

She began to shake my torso as the entire field began to fade away. My eyes blinked several times, and then I realized I was actually lying in my bed, sheets up to my chin with my Aunt Magaera staring over me.

I hesitantly sat up, disoriented from the intense dream. As I stretched and scratched my face, I noticed drool dripping down my chin.

Aunt Magaera walked over to the bedside table and poured water into a glass and handed it to me, “You were screaming in your sleep again.”

I sighed, “It’s that dream. That’s the third time I’ve had it in the past few days.”

“You really should stop eating the pork right before bed, I told you I don’t trust the chef’s meat selection,” she motioned for my maidservant to bring over my gown for the day.

I stretched, stood up and started walking over to my dressing area. As I held out my arms for my maidservant to start dressing me, I turned to my Aunt, “Do you think people can see the future?”

She paused, stood very still for a moment, and then relaxed and looked at me, “Now, what would make you ask such a ridiculous question?”

I shrugged and helped move my long hair out of the way for my corset, “Oh I don’t know, just curious. I’ve only had a few repetitive dreams before…but this one seems so different and vivid.”

Aunt Megaera put her arm on my shoulder, “My dear, I wouldn’t worry too much about that. It’s such a terrible dream, how could you even think about something like that actually happening? There has been peace in this kingdom since your father bravely fought for his people.”

I sucked in my waist and nodded slowly. I didn’t have much breath to respond while my stomach was being pulled and shrunk into a tiny waistline, making me cough from the lack of breathing room. Once the corset was finally tied and finished, I lifted my arms above my head so my dark purple silk gown with gold around the neckline could be pulled over and fall gracefully onto my body. I looked in the mirror and brushed my unruly brown curls into softer waves, still slightly haunted by the dream.

“Will my mother be joining us for breakfast this morning?”

“I don’t think so, she’s still feeling too weak to leave her bed.” Aunt Megaera took hold of my hands and smiled, “You look beautiful. It’s time to stop dwelling about the impossible, and focus on today!”

I half-smiled and looked back in the mirror. Today was one of my first days of counsel training. This means I was lucky enough to sit with a group of old, grumpy men and listen to them squabble over politics for half the day. This was just one of the many exciting perks of being next in line for the throne.

As I walked out my room and down the stone staircase to the dining hall, I decided that later that day I would sneak away for a little while and take a trip into the forest. I knew someone there who could give me answers to my “ridiculous” questions.