Welcome

As I pushed my food around on my plate, my appetite nowhere to be found, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over me like a heavy cloak. Despite the delicious spread laid out before me, I had no desire to eat, my stomach still queasy from the soup earlier.

The queen's observant gaze didn't escape me, and I offered her a faint smile in response to her concern. "You must be tired," she remarked gently, her voice filled with empathy. "Why don't you go take a rest?"

Lost in my own thoughts, it took me a moment to hear her words. "Hmm?" , my mind still elsewhere. "Oh, rest, sure," I replied, forcing a smile to reassure her. "Don't worry, I'll take a rest soon."

But as I uttered those words, a wave of exhaustion washed over me, the weight of recent events finally catching up to me. Perhaps a little rest was exactly what I needed to clear my mind and find some semblance of peace amidst the chaos of my life. With a nod to the queen, I excused myself from the table, eager to retreat to the solitude of my room and find solace in the embrace of sleep.

Alone in my room, the emptiness of the bed enveloped me like a suffocating embrace. The sheets lay cold and untouched, a stark reminder of the absence of warmth and companionship. There was no one to warm my side, no one to wrap their arms around me in the darkness of the night.

As I lay there, lost in the caverns of my own mind, thoughts of Dante flooded my consciousness like a relentless tide. I couldn't help but wonder what he was doing at that very moment, if he too felt the ache of our separation gnawing at his heart. Did he miss me as much as I missed him, yearning for the comfort of my presence by his side?

But despite the longing and the uncertainty, there surfaced d a deeper, more perplexing emotion: love. Despite everything he had put me through, despite the pain and the heartache, I couldn't deny the love that still liveed within me. It was a love that defied reason, a love that refused to be extinguished by the horrors and troubles of our marriage.

And yet, alongside the love, there simmered a simmering undercurrent of resentment and anger. How could I still feel this way, I questioned myself, when he had caused me so much pain? How could I continue to harbor such intense emotions for a man who had hurt me so deeply?

But try as I might to suppress it, the love remained, stubborn and unyielding. And in that moment of vulnerability, as I lay alone in the silence of my room, I couldn't help but wonder: was it possible to hate someone and love them at the same time? Or was I simply a fool for holding onto a love that could never be?

After wrestling with my thoughts and tossing and turning in bed for what felt like hours, exhaustion finally began to overtake me. With each toss and turn, my mind slowly began to quiet, and the weight of my eyelids grew heavier. Eventually, despite the feeling of vulnerability swirling within me, sleep began to claim me, pulling me into its embrace as I drifted off into a restless slumber.

I foundd myself running through a vast field of vibrant purple flowers, their petals brushing against my skin as I move. Laughter fills the air as I glance over my shoulder and see Dante chasing after me, a playful grin on his face. We run hand in hand, weaving through the sea of flowers, our carefree joy infectious as we blow dandelions into the wind.

Suddenly, Dante catches up to me and pulls me into a tight embrace, his arms enveloping me in warmth and security. We stand there, our eyes locked in a silent exchange of love and understanding. Just as I lean in to kiss him, a chill runs down my spine as I notice something weird.

The once vibrant field of flowers had turned dark and withered, the petals shriveled and blackened. Dark clouds loom ominously overhead, casting a shadow over the landscape. Confusion grips me as I look around, searching for answers.

Before I can make sense of the surreal scene, Antonia emerges from the darkness, her presence sending a shiver down my spine. Fear grips me as she approaches, her eyes filled with malice and contempt.

Suddenly, I find myself standing at the edge of a steep cliff, the ground crumbling beneath my feet. Antonia's voice cuts through the air like a knife as she utters chilling words, "It's high time you meet your child."

With a jolt, I wake up from the nightmare, my heart pounding in my chest as sweat beads on my forehead. The remnants of the dream linger in my mind, haunting me with its eerie imagery and foreboding message.