: Would Rather Have Nightmares

Kayda layed silently on the floor. Her thoughts were a tumbling mess as she tried to figure out what had just happened.

Irritated, she went up to scratch her head but paused when her hand reached her hair.

It was light. The edges were well trimmed and it was now just above her shoulders, brushing lightly against her neck.

Her thoughts started to reminisce on how Dimitri had handled her. He barely touched her unless needed. He kept his distance.

There wasn't a time, once in her current life, when someone had shown her even the slightest respect for her wishes.

The thought made her curl up into a ball on the cold floor. The bed was to soft and unfamiliar that it made her anxious when she layed in it.

Everything was so unfamiliar. Clothes that didn't scratch at her skin. A clean body that wasn't rough to the touch with dirt and muck. And a room.

The people were strange too. They didn't belittle her or point out her flaws. They didn't treat her like some savage beast they picked up off the side of the streets. If anything, it was almost uncomfortable to be treated this way.

How was she supposed to react? When would they turn on her? How long could she take advantage of this?...

What could she believe?

These thoughts drove her mad. But her body couldn't keep up with her mind so in a fit of exhaustion, her mind slowly succumbed to slumber. Her figure tightly wrapped in a ball on the carpet in the room. And she was completely content with that.

But she didn't know the pain that awaited her with that content.

A light breeze caressed her face.

Her face held up high as her eyes closed to bathe in the sun's warmth.

Lightly, her fingers wove through the air, blades of grass and soft petals kissed her fingertips sending small sparks of sensations through her arms.

With the rise of her chest, the familiar scents of grass and the sun filled her lungs, waking her mind to her surroundings as she felt the dirt beneath her toes.

The lull of wind instilled a tranquility inside her, letting her feel the shiver in the air before the sound of wings entered the range of her hearing.

"Kayda!"

Opening her eyes, Kayda's sight fell upon an endless meadow of tall grass and a blooming range of flowers that reached all the way up to her neck.

Turning around, she was able to see a small figure with wings sailing behind him before he landed at the edge of the meadow.

"Kayda! Get over her!"

The figure's familiar small frame made Kayda beam, picking up her feet to race through the grass and make her way to the small figure.

And when she finally got close, she leapt into the air and landed in his arms, making her joyously giggle.

"Big brother!"

She grinned up at him, showing her cutest smile as to hopefully distract her older brothers rage from her running off on her own again.

"Nu uh. I'm not falling for that! I'm five years older than you, so don't think I'll fall for any of your tricks."

Hearing his harsh words, Kayda's cute little smile turned into a pout as she puffed her already chubby cheeks.

Cryn narrowed his eyes at his little six year old sister. Raising a hand, he flicked her forehead, making her shout out woefully as she held her forehead.

Seeing this, all Cryn could do was sigh at the dramatic display his sister had decided to put on for him.

"I didn't even flick you that hard. Now get up off the ground! We need to hurry back before mother and father's guards come looking for you."

Kayda just looked up at her big brother with big tear filled eyes that screamed the injustice she felt at being wrongfully 'flicked' on the forehead.

"Tsk."

Bending down, her brother placed a light kiss on her forehead. She felt a slight chill enter her bloodstream that soothed her entire body.

"That better?"

With a raised eyebrow he looked at her.

She produced a big smile at getting what she wanted.

"Yup!"

Seeing her so proud at achieving her objective, Cryn decided to no longer bother about it and quickly scooped her into his arms.

"We really should hurry Kayda, you don't want mother and father to find your hiding place, do you?"

Kayda violently shook her head.

This place was Cryn and her secret place that only they knew about. If her parents figured out where this place was, then they would be able to find them whenever they sneaked out.

"Good. Then let's hurry."

Spreading out his black wings, they beat down upon the air and pushed them off the ground.

Kayda excitedly looked down. She wanted to spread her own wings and fly one day but her wings hadn't fully grown yet. She still had to wait another three years before she could be as cool as her older brother.

While she was dizzily staring at the fading ground, her brother's brows scrunched up.

His expression showing an emotion not fitting of an eleven year old.

"Kayda. I need to tell you something."

Kayda broke her gaze from the ground and looked up at her brother. Question marks in her eyes silently asking why he had to distract her from her sight seeing.

"Kayda. Promise me something."

His gaze was serious and hard. Making Kayda give a gulp before she slowly nodded.

"If something happens to me or our parents in the future, don't come back. You have to stay away from the kingdom at all costs."

Quizzically, Kayda stared at him.

"But nothing will happen to you or mommy and daddy. Daddy is the strongest dragon of them all. And mommy is a queen. No one does something to you. And if anyone dares bully you, you tell me and we'll be them up together."

As if thinking her words weren't enough, she said a bit more.

"And that's a promise!"

Her words were simple and innocent, making Cryn sigh as he gave a wry smile.

"Right. Nothing will happen to us. Because we have each other."

Kayda grinned and nodded. "Yup!"

Cryn chuckled as he looked up.

"Kayda, Do you want to glide a bit?"

Kayda's eyes sparked at his words as her whole face lit up into a rosy and excited glow.

"Yes! Yes please!"

She was so excited that Cryn could not help but smile.

"Ok. Here we go."

Shifting his hands under her armpits, he turned her around and slowly held her below him. Her entire body dangling in the air.

Slowly, she unfolded her silver wings. Their luster gave off an array of colors that seemed to dance under the sunlight.

With the wind breathing in her face and the breezing making her wings come to life, she could swear she was flying.

Slowly, a tear trickled down her cheek. She didn't open her eyes. Because she knew, she knew that when she opened her eyes that it would all be gone.

But she couldn't close her eyes to the world forever.

Opening her eyes, her gaze fixed off into the distance. Her eyes held a deep grievance she will never be able to avenge.

She felt hollow. Her back was empty and her soul was tired.

She would rather have nightmares.

Because dreams like these only reminded her of what she had lost forever.