Chapter 32 - Flashes of terror

In a dark and stormy night was the sound of roaring thunder that couldn't drown the screams of people. The heavy down pour couldn't wash away the blood from the bodies that lay scattered across the muddy ground. The rain couldn't put out the flames that engulfed the houses.

People screamed and ran for their lives in terror. They bumped into Emelinia as they frantically ran past her. In the midst of the stampede, she saw a little child go into a house that had a dragon perched on it. Emelinia forced her way out of the crowd and ran after the child.

She fearfully approached the house with her eyes fixed on the green dragon. It looked even more terrifying up close with its spiky wings spread wide. The dragon threw its head back and breathed fire. Emelinia took the opportunity to get into the house undetected.

The house was dark but Emelinia could see the broken furniture. She whimpered when she stepped on broken glass. Emelinia was baffled to see her bare and bloody foot because she was more than sure that she had shoes on.

Emelinia pulled the glass off her foot and limped deep into the house. She could hear the child crying and she followed the sound. The cries led her to a bedroom. Emelinia screamed sharply at a headless body of a woman on the floor. The child was crying hysterically beside the body. His hands were covered in blood.

Emelinia bent down to pick him up but to her horror, she picked up half of the child from the waist up. The remaining part of the body dropped to the ground and blood splashed on her feet. Some of it sprinkled on her dress. The boy's head made a cracking three sixty degree turn and when it faced Emelinia again, it vomited blood on her face. It poured as though someone threw a bucket of blood on her face.

Emelinia screamed and dropped the child. She wiped blood off her face looked up only to see a dark figure in the shadows with a sword.

Emelinia ran out of the room and made her way to the door. When she opened it she saw the same dragon that was on the roof staring at her face to face.

Its red beaming eyes and steaming breath terrified her. Emelinia turned around and found the dark shadowy figure looking at her. It stepped into the light of the flash lightening and she was astonished to see who it was. His eyes were just as cold and murderous like the last time she saw him.

He raised his sword to strike her and he hit her hand. Emelinia felt her hand fall off and she screamed. She turned to run back outside but she met the dragon again and this time it blew fire at her.

At that point Emelinia woke up screaming and immediately woke up Naian. He sleepily turned on the lamp he kept by his bedside and he rubbed his eyes. His dizzy eyes saw Emelinia violently shaking and shivering. She held onto her hand gasping for air.

I really hoped that the play was going to keep her from having anymore nightmares. Naian internally lamented.

He got up from his side of the bed and walked to Emelinia's. She was still shaking in fear when he got there. Naian put his hand on hers and she looked at him with so much terror in her eyes.

"It's okay, it was only a bad dream." Naian said to her. "Here have this water." He gave her a glass of water and she took it. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked her but she was silent.

Naian waited for her to say something but when he saw that she wasn't going to, he stood up to leave when she held his hand back. Naian turned to look at her and he saw tears in her eyes. Without another word, Naian sat beside Emelinia once more.

"I don't understand why I keep having the same dream." She whispered.

"What is the dream about?" Naian asked her but Emelinia was quiet again. "Emelinia I'm I not your life partner?" He asked her and she slowly nodded her head. "Please tell me what your nightmare is about. You never know, perhaps talking about it could relieve you."

Silence followed as Naian observed Emelinia's mannerisms. Even though her shoulders were stiff, he could tell that she had calmed down. She was however, still deep in thought. Naian was able to tell because she was still holding his hand. It was like she didn't even know that she was.

"It all starts with a village under attack by dragons that are been led by the military." Emelinia's soft voice broke the silence. "The people are mercilessly killed and devoured by the dragons."

Good, she is opening up. Naian relaxed his shoulders.

"This time I saw my father attack me with his sword." Emelinia let go of Naian and held her hand tight. "I tried to escape from him but a dragon breathed fire on me and I felt the fire burning me." Emelinia began to shiver again.

Naian was delighted that Emelinia opened up and told her about her nightmare. He, however, couldn't understand why Emelinia would have such a terrible dream. There had been no incidences of the military burning villages or dragons feeding on people. He was intrigued to know that her father is in the army but was their relationship so bad that he would have Emelinia dreaming of him attacking her?

"It was all just a bad dream. The army would never do that. Their job is to protect us and ensure that there is law and order. I don't know what I can say about your father but as long as I am with you, I won't let anything happen to you." He softly said to her.

"Do you really mean that?" Emelinia asked him with misty eyes.

"I told you that I will fulfill all my duties to you as your husband. Do you doubt my word?" He asked Emelinia and she slowly shook her head sideways.

Naian got back into the covers. "Try to get some rest now." he said.

Emelinia faced the other way and hugged herself. She didn't move an inch when Naian covered her. She was, however, caught by surprise when she felt his strong arm around her small waist. The feeling of his chest on her back made her blush. Emelinia feared that she would feel stiffness around his crouch so she closed her eyes and stayed still.

The sound of Naian snoring softly as usual eased her tension. The more she listened to him sleep, the more she started to relax. To her surprise, she felt so at peace and safe in Naian's arms. Before she knew it, she was sleeping again.

****

In the quiet morning of Perivion, Sharaina sat outside on a bench sunbathing. Naraygeous and Zentz joined her outside and they talked about what happened the previous day. Those who couldn't pass the exercise were sent home and told to return after six months. Others fell into hibernation and they were immediately suspended indefinitely.

Lalina was complaining loudly as she cleaned her dormitory. She felt so disgusted for doing manual labor like a 'common servant' as she termed it. Every dirty squeeze of the mop made her feel like she was going to vomit. She especially loathed the fact that the brown water was getting on her perfect peach manicure.

Lalina got up to stretch her back when got a glimpse of Sharaina happily chatting with Naraygeous and Zentz. A dark scowl appeared on her face and she stormed outside with the broom and wet mop.

Sharaina, Naraygeous and Zentz were startled to see a mop and broom thrown at them. Naraygeous and Zentz wiped the water that the mop splashed on them. They looked up and saw Lalina glaring at Sharaina who was calm despite her actions.

"Lalina, what is all this?" Zentz asked her.

"Shut up four eyes. I am not here for you. I am here for her." She pointed at Sharaina. "It is your fault that I have been subjected to all this humiliation. You will have to do my punishment." She hatefully said.

Sharaina cracked up laughing. "Can you believe this crazy chick?" She asked Naraygeous and Zentz while pointing at Lalina with her thumb. Sharaina motioned her head up. "What will you do if I don't?" she asked her.

"I'm warning you Sharaina. You do not want to mess with me." Lalina threatened.

"Honey, I have seen a lot of things scarier than you so please get over yourself." Sharaina rolled her eyes.

"Do you know who I am?" Lalina raised her voice and everyone watched them now.

Some students began to gather around them while others chose to peep at them through their windows. Nothing interesting was happening that morning so when they heard Lalina yell at Sharaina; they all got excited to see a cat fight. They all murmured at how furious Lalina was and how suspiciously calm Sharaina was.

Sharaina stood up. "We all know who you are. You haven't given us the chance to be ignorant about it. Everyday since we got here you have spoken about your father who is not only a vice commander but Queen Lavila's younger brother. That makes you King Raglan's niece, isn't that so?"

"Sharaina!" Lalina lifted her finger but Sharaina held her hand up.

"I'm not yet done talking." Sharaina boldly told her.

She turned to the crowd that had circled around them with a smirk on her face.

"Now that everyone is here, let me tell you a little about myself." Sharaina said with her hand on her chest and looked Lavila in the eye. "I am a daughter of a humble man who is a carpenter so I don't know about this high and mighty attitude that you are showcasing here. I was raised to be humble and show respect to others."

Lalina scoffed. "What are you trying to say bitch?"

Sharaina took a step closer. "I am saying that you are a spoiled brat. You are also a bully but I must warn you I am not the type who gets bullied. I am the type who beats up bullies. Don't think that I am weak just because I was quiet yesterday when you uttered that bullshit against me. I only kept quiet in order to avoid upsetting Captain Shrave otherwise I really wanted to knock you the fuck out."

"This is how you middle class people act. You always resort to violence when things don't go your way...fucking savages." Lalina spat.

"At least we know how to respect ourselves in public sweetheart." Sharaina picked up the broom and mop and shoved them to Lalina's chest. "This is where your pride has taken you." Sharaina smiled and walked away.

Naraygeous got up and stretched himself with a loud yawn. "Okay everyone the show is over. Go back to your respective dorms." He said with a smile and everyone dispersed leaving irked Lalina all by herself.

Yolin was observing everything alone in a corner and she was impressed with how Sharaina handled everything. She turned away and went back inside the dorm where she found Sharaina laughing with Naraygeous and Zentz. She was puzzled that they weren't laughing or talking about what had happened. It was as though it never happened.

Yolin realized that despite being the youngest there, Sharaina wasn't a push over. She also observed that she controlled her temper well. If it was her and Lalina threw a wet mop at her, she would have knocked her out and got suspended proudly. She also thought back to how rudely Lalina spoke to Sharaina at the training field and Sharaina ignored her. Yolin just couldn't understand how she was able to hold back her anger.

"Do you need something Yolin?" Sharaina asked her when she caught Yolin staring.

"Not really. I am just wondering how you are able to keep calm." Yolin said to Sharaina. "I have known Lalina for years because her mother is close friends with to mine. I beat her up a couple times in the past so she doesn't provoke me anymore. I am surprised with how you controlled your temper."

Sharaina chuckled. "It comes with practice." She said to Yolin.

"You know what Sharaina? You're pretty cool for a kid." Yolin said.

"Ah thanks." Sharaina answered with a chuckle.

Yolin climbed up to her bed and opened a book to read. Sharaina sat on Zentz bed and Naraygeous sat on hers. Naraygeous looked up to Yolin's bed as if to check if she was listening and he asked;

"Tomorrow is the festival of King Raglan's birthday. I hear that the gates will be opened. How will you two be celebrating this year's festival?"

Zentz shrugged his shoulders. "I am not quite sure yet." He said. "What about you Sharaina?" He asked her.

Sharaina felt low. The on going conversation not only reminded her of her departure from home but also the fact that it was her birthday. Every year, for as long as she remembered, her family celebrated her birthday before joining the kingdom in celebrating King Raglan's birthday.

A flashback of her family singing to her while she sat on the table with her cake and presents made her mood drop. The realization that she wasn't going to celebrate her birthday or be with her family during the biggest festival of the year saddened her.

She looked at the happy faces on Naraygeous and Zentz with envy in her heart. She found their carefree attitudes baffling. Like her, they had to leave their families but they seemed unaffected. Sharaina dropped her gaze as she decided not to tell them that it was her birthday.

What difference will it make? She thought.

"Sharaina, Zentz asked you how you will be celebrating the festival tomorrow." Naraygeous cut her thoughts.

"I don't know. I'll go and see Light and maybe he will have an idea." She said with her eyes still looking out in space.

Naraygeous narrowed his eyes at Sharaina. "Who is Light?" he asked.

"Oh, ah, he is my boyfriend." Sharaina casually answered.

"Your what?!" Naraygeous exclaimed. "Sharaina how could you have a boyfriend? And here I thought I was going to try my luck on you." Naraygeous said with fake dramatic whines.

Sharaina chuckled. "Are you serious?"

"Who is this guy?" he asked Sharaina.

"I don't think you would know him. He is a gamarax manipulator. He so happens to be in the other campus." Sharaina answered.

Naraygeous folded his arms. "What does he have that I don't have?" he asked her again.

"My heart." Sharaina smirked at Naraygeous and he stood up.

"You know what? I want to meet this kid." he jealously said. "What a sneaky bastard."

"He isn't a kid. As a matter of fact he is your age mate. He may be older than you by months though, if I am not mistaken." Sharaina laughed.

"Okay I still want to meet him though. I want to see what is so special about him." Naraygeous laughed. He suddenly pointed at Yolin and she was puzzled. "What about you Yolin?"

Yolin closed her book and looked back at Naraygeous with so much confusion in her eyes. She wasn't listening to anything the three were talking about. Yolin also didn't expect any of them to engage her in the

their conversation so she had deliberately tuned them out.

"What?" She asked Naraygeous.

"I asked Sharaina how she would spend her day during the festival and she told me that she will be going to see her sneaky bastard of a boyfriend." Naraygeous said.

"Hey!" Sharaina complained.

"Oh be quiet. He is a sneaky bastard!" Naraygeous yelled back at her. "Will you be going to see your boyfriend too?" He asked Yolin.

"I don't have a boyfriend. I am engaged." Yolin answered lazily. "I'm not allowed to see him before our wedding so I will be spending the festival with Lalina and her stupid friends."

Naraygeous sighed. "It's like all the babes are taken in this dormitory. As soon as those gates open, I will be out of here. I can't be around girls who will give me the 'I have a boyfriend shit'." He said and Zentz and Sharaina laughed.

****

Naian watched Janala put her finishing touches on the desk she had made. When she was finally done, she gestured for Naian to go and inspect it. Naian grinned and went to the desk. He sat on the desk and it did not creak with his weight. He nodded his head in satisfaction and gently rubbed on it. He was pleased that it was smooth.

"I must say that I am impressed Janala." Naian said to her and she smiled.

"I told you that I am experienced in this field. So I'm I hired?" Janala asked, hopefully.

"Yes you are. Hold on while I get your contract." Naian said to her and he walked away.

Naian went to the counter and searched for Janala's contract. He found Sharumez reading the newspaper. Naian was astonished at the front page news. Sharumez noticed this and he handed Naian the paper. Naian's eyes ran through the paper in shock. Janala came behind him and she covered her mouth in shock.

"So King Raglan finally caught Queen Lavila? I never thought I would see this day." Janala voiced out her thoughts.

"You knew that she was adulterous?" Naian asked her, baffled.

"Yes I knew that. She used to sleep with one of my cousins and one day he disappeared. We don't know where he is even today." Janala answered.

"It is a shame." Sharumez said. "Poor King Raglan. He must be devastated. Nothing is more humiliating and devastating to a man than an adulterous wife."