24 Dream Or Vision

This feels all too real.

However, I am non-existent, but instead, I can see from the perspective of my mother. She was as young as me; she roamed the Kingsto woods freely in an elegant purple long dress that exposes her back. On her head is a flower crown of assorted flowers that she must have picked from the garden.

My mother had a bright dazzling smile on her face; she enjoys the morning breeze that kisses her tinted cheeks as she runs through the forest. The birds sing their hearts out. The trees sway slightly, responding to her enjoyment. The scene was serene, filled with energy and gaiety.

But, in the corner of a dimmed area, a figure hiding behind deep green bushes near a large oak tree with scattered branches reaches the ground. Mother halts, distracted with a group of bunnies hopping around in circles, unaware of whoever is lurking and spying just a few meters away from her.

I try to voice out and reach to her, "Mother, look behind you!" but she doesn't hear my constant cries nor feel my touch. I am nothing but a mere spectator of this scenario.

The bushes move as the figure disappears, and this finally alarms my mother. Her face drops when the group of bunnies hops away from the area; sensing danger, she reaches her hand for them, but they disappear.

Eyes blazing with suspicion, she turns around in a swift movement; the slit on her dress reveals her leg where a weapon is strapped tightly. She pulls out a knife that is shaped like a pointy arrow with swirly patterns on its blade.

Gripping on the knife near her chest, her eyes glow, and with it, the necklace appears on her neck. With a swipe of her hand, the bushes where the figure was once hiding was blown away by a strong wind that my mother controlled.

Revealing the threat, my mother gasps in surprise. I try to fathom what the creature or person looks like, but my vision is blurry. Whatever is happening is preventing me from discovering who this is.

"What are you doing here?" my heart jumps, hearing my mother's voice for the first time in so long. This feels all too vivid, "what if someone sees or saw you- how did you get past the knights?"

"I am a man of many talents, and- I came because I missed you, Rosetta."

Who's this man. His voice is angelic in a rising storm, calm but dangerous. Affection and passion evident in his voice, that towards my mother. Who is this man? Could he be...

My mother moves nearer to the man holding her hand up, probably touching his face. My vision only becoming more indistinct, which frustrates me. I need to see this man; he could be my father!

"I missed you-" I'm drifting. Drifting away from this scene but I fight back to stay, but to no avail, everything is turning dark. The sight of my mother is getting far from my grasp, "...ann- always and you know that."

"Wait, don't leave, please!" I shout with all my might. Mother was leaving again; I don't care about the man. But I don't want my mom to disappear, "don't-"

Still, it's too late. My eyelids painfully split open, awaken by the continuous felt nudging on my arm. I stare at the familiar tall white ceiling waiting for my sight to clear from the fuzziness.

Either a dream or a vision, I could still grasp the details. I'm afraid I might forget it any second now, so I'm drilling it deep in my mind. That may be some useful piece of information, and if it is a vision, I am a closer step to knowing my mother's backstory.

I know that I'll have to go back to that lady, Frida. And maybe enlighten her memory with what I have just seen. She knows much more about my mother than anyone here.

Which reminds me, how did I get back to the castle?

"What if she gets amnesia?"

"That's highly unlikely-"

"But she got hit on the head pretty hard," I recognize that voice. It's the voice of a bothersome knight, he disappeared during the festival, and I ended up getting attacked together with Frida.

"Didn't Blossom tell you not to let your eyes off of her for even just a second?"

"It was a distraction; they distracted me so that they could go to her. I didn't see it coming," Rhys argues in exasperation, making me groan from the noise they are making.

"You should have been more vigilant!"

"Kobolds, I'll rip them to pieces if I encounter any more of them."

Carefully, I push myself to sit up despite my throbbing head. The covers tucked underneath my chin falls, and I look up to see those who were speaking so loudly.

Three pairs of eyes snap towards me, shushing their conversation, and they rush to my bed—familiar faces of Rhys, Ena, and Faye. My heart warms seeing their worried faces, especially Faye, who has a mixture of worry and disappointment in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask them, my voice weak and dry, "could someone please pass me some water?"

Ena pours and hands me a glass of water, and I thank her. We haven't officially met, and I thought she was unapproachable, but her gestures seem genuine, and up close, she has a kind yet outgoing aura.

I thank her with a smile; she gives back an even kinder smile. In one gulp, I drink the water to get rid of the dryness in my throat. I may have been out for a day or so.

But what bothers me is that the three of them remain silent until I finish my water. They stare at me wide-eyed like they don't believe what they are seeing.

So I decided to break this uncomfortable silence. If anyone is more confused, that would be me, "What? Surprised that I woke up?" I try to ease the tension with a small laugh, but they held a serious face.

Faye takes my hand; she looks troubled like she hasn't slept for days. What could have happened while I was asleep? Was there another castle siege while I was out cold? Which reminds me, someone is missing.

Blossom is missing. It's not like I'm putting myself as her top priority, but I expected her to be the first one I see when I wake up.

"Rose Ann," Faye speaks, and I'm suddenly thrown to a quick flashback when I was with Frida.

"That elf made me lose my memory- you can't trust her or anyone in the castle!"

I gasp so suddenly, pulling my hand away, shocking the three of them. Blossom and Faye were my mother's closest companions when she was here; they couldn't be terrible people. Frida must have mistaken.

"Rose Ann, are you okay?" Faye asks again; my heart is breaking hearing her worried tone

"Yeah, I'm- my head is aching. How long was I out for?"

Someone on the other side of my bed gulps too loudly, and I turn to Rhys lifting a brow, "Rose, you've been unconscious for almost a week now."

A week?!