Chapter Seventeen: Trouble Sleeping

 Sauvageon and Katherine continued their lengthy conversation through dinner. Vincent sat back and listened. Katherine held her own. She was highly educated, with most of her knowledge coming well after college. She was well-read and could debate with Sauvageon on a variety of subjects. She had no fear of him, and Sauvageon seemed to like that she was not timid around him. To her, he was simply a grandfatherly man. By the time the evening ended, he was chuckling in delight at her wit and bid everyone a good night at about ten o'clock in the evening. Vincent escorted Sauvageon to the East Tower. They strolled down the East gallery and Vincent opened the door and handed Sauvageon the key. "Dominus Vanderau will be here in the next day or so," Vincent said. "Do you think by then you will have an idea of Katherine's abilities?"

 "I am already sensing great potential," Sauvageon said. "I left the orb with her to work with. Once she can control that, I will begin to press her will. If she can withstand that, she will be ready."

 Vincent bowed slightly toward Sauvageon, "She has been through a great ordeal, mind you do not overstress her."

 Sauvageon paused before entering his room and looked at Vincent. "You are bonded?"

 "I am," Vincent replied. "Rest well, Sauvageon. I will see you in the morning."

 "Good night, Vincent."

 Sauvageon closed the door and slid the inside bolt in place. Vincent turned on his heel and headed to his room. Mrs. Tremeur was correct. The man was dangerous and Vanderau had called upon, 'the beast of Germany' as he was known, to hone Katherine's potential to a fine edge. It was necessary to protect her.

 Katherine had showered and dressed for bed, but she was not tired enough to fall asleep. If only she had Sophia's magical tea. She tried to make herself fall asleep by counting backward from one thousand, but that did not work. She tried counting the folds of the material above her tester bed, but she simply could not force sleep! She propped up on the pillows and tried imagining herself on a beach with the sunlight creeping slowly up from her toes to her head. 

 Her phone buzzed on the bedside table. Katherine frowned and picked up her phone from the charging mat. She assumed it was Vincent, but as she thumbed open the text app she saw it was a text message from Vanderau. How had he known?

"Are you having trouble sleeping?"

"Yes! I'm still on Georgia time, I guess."

"Care to talk about your day?"

 She looked at the phone in surprise. He wanted to speak to her! This strange connection with this man she had never met except in her dreams - disturbed her! She had to admit, she was curious, and although she was extremely suspicious of the abilities she was exhibiting she was also anxious to learn more. That, and she wanted to hear his warm soothing voice again! She texted back, "Yes, Thank you."

 Her phone began to ring and the name, Nicklaus came up as the caller. She let it ring twice before she answered. "Hello?"

 "Hello, Katherine." His voice was warm and gentle when he spoke to her. She had heard the hard edge when he spoke to the others during the conference call, now it was soft and almost seductive in her ear. It was accented in the same way Vincent's was, as though he had been educated in Europe and spent time in England. It was deep and had a resonance that Katherine felt somewhere in the core of her chest. She closed her eyes in appreciation. "Tell me," He asked, "How did it go with Sauvageon? He can be somewhat of a martinet at times."

 She grinned and opened her eyes. "Oh no, we talked for hours!" Katherine said, "About everything!"

 "Sauvageon is an interesting man," Vanderau said. "He had an interesting career even before he served as gladio."

 "He told me a little of his past," Katherine replied. "I received the orb to practice with, and I am trying to maintain the mists for as long as I can." 

 "You have already pulled your energies into the orb?" Vanderau asked. His voice was tinged with surprise. "Pierre must be beside himself to have found a pupil with such promise."

 "It wasn't easy," Katherine replied. "I was rewarded with a massive headache for all my show-out performance!"

 "It will come with practice," Vanderau told her. "You cannot expect to learn everything on your first day."

 "No," Katherine replied, then laughed lightly. "The one who is a martinet is Phillipe!"

 Vanderau chuckled and it made ice spill down her spine. "Your music teacher?"

 "Don't laugh!" she scolded then cringed, she had forgotten whom she was talking to. He had felt so familiar, and she had overstepped. "I apologize, I forgot myself!"

 There was a brief silence then he sighed lightly. "Never apologize, Katherine. Think of me as your friend. I hope we shall be close friends. Regardless of who becomes the gladio."

 "All right, thank you!"

 "So why is Phillipe so hard?" he asked her.

 "I haven't felt so inadequate since high school! Music theory is tough!" Katherine declared then laughed lightly when she heard his delighted laughter again. She sobered, "I made the orb Sauvageon gave me mist over with sparkles like an opal – it was just like the dreams I've had."

 Vanderau wondered if he should broach the recording Vincent had sent him. He decided to wait and see if she brought up the subject. When she did not, he told her more about the orb. "The orb serves as a conduit to channel your energy," he said. "It will help you focus your powers, if you master the orb the way I believe Pierre will instruct, it will be especially helpful for when it comes time to be tested."

 "That scares me a little," Katherine admitted. "I'm still having a hard time with it and what I'm told are my innate abilities. I never knew they existed."

 "But haven't you always had a strong intuition?" he asked her. "Even though you were told it was your overactive imagination."

 "Yes," Katherine whispered as she heard in her mind, Taylor berating her. He would mock her for having gut feelings about things and people.

 "He was wrong, mon coeur!" Vanderau said the sharp edge in his voice snapped her out of the depressing reverie. He 'felt' her sadness and anger, and he knew who had hurt her! He hated the man!

 Katherine blinked in surprise! He had 'heard' her thoughts! Maybe he had 'felt' her emotions? Sauvageon had told her about these empathic connections she was forging between Vanderau and Vincent. "Yes, Dominus!" She responded. Her heart began to hammer as if he had given her a hard shoulder shake. "How is it that all this is happening?"

 Vanderau was not sure how to answer her question. "I know it must be overwhelming but know this: you are where you need to be, Katherine. Take your time, let Sauvageon guide you through it." He told her. His voice had returned to the velvety soft tone as before. "What is planned for tomorrow?"

 "I believe I have my first riding lesson tomorrow with Etienne," Katherine said with excitement. "I'm looking forward to that."

 "Good, I want you to enjoy yourself, Katherine," Vanderau said. "The training will be taxing, so you need diversion and activities to help you destress."

 "Vincent says that you will be here in a few days," Katherine said, then winced. She sounded like an excited teenager. She also wondered whether he was as sexy looking as his voice! Katherine cringed as she realized he might have 'heard' her thoughts. She needed to put a lid on her thoughts!

 Vanderau did indeed 'hear' her and chuckled softly, "In fact, I will be there sometime tomorrow afternoon. Etienne is moving Gregor up to the main pasture."

 She scolded herself silently. "Gregor! I saw him," Katherine breathed. "He is a magnificent animal!"

 "I have high hopes for Gregor," Vanderau replied. "Did you meet the Sun King as well?"

 "I did," Katherine replied. "He was a perfect gentleman."

 Vanderau laughed happily then sobered. "I think you should try to get some sleep now, Katherine."

 "I suppose so," she answered she was reluctant to let him go, but if they were forging a deeper connection, he probably could sense her response to his voice and his kindness in trying to make her feel at ease. "Thank you, Dominus."

 "My pleasure," he returned. "Good night, mon coeur."

 "Good night," Katherine said and pressed the end button on the phone. She stared at it in her hand. He had called her mon coeur several times. She opened the search app on her phone and typed in the search bar: "What does mon coeur mean in English?" and pressed 'GO' It came back with, "Mon coeur" means "my heart" it is used as an endearment.

She put the phone back on the charging pad and plopped back on her pillows to stare up at the folds of material overhead. The phone buzzed. Another text! She picked up the phone and looked at it. Then ran her finger over the screen to open the text message.

"Do not ever hesitate to call if you need to talk - day or night."

 "I will, thank you again, for tonight." She texted back.

 "You are welcome, mon coeur."

 Katherine shook her head in dismay. It was as if he was inside her head! Just like Sauvageon – could it be possible? She waited to hear the text chime to sound, but it did not, and she finally closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

THE DREAM

 She was flying! The landscape she viewed from her position high overhead was rolling hills and a patchwork of golden wheat, dark rows of newly turned earth, and flocks of sheep and milk cows grazing in stone-fenced fields. Then she spotted construction! She flew over it and saw the beginnings of a round tiled floor. Men were raking and leveling the hard-packed earth, and another group of masonry men were beginning the foundation of a round building – the Oculus!

 She continued circling the area and spotted other men moving wagons of earth away from the other side of the Oculus floor. There was more underground! She could not see what was beneath the floor of the Oculus, but as she passed the workers looked up at her and were cheering and waving. She was pleased. Then a shadow crossed overhead, and she felt her heart pound and her body flush with desire! How wonderful she felt and how pleased her mate was! Where was he? Yes, he was close – very close! How he made her desire to be with him! She was with him and as she explored his body, his hands ran over her skin and his lips teased all her hidden places only he knew.

 Many miles away, Nicklaus Vanderau was experiencing a similar dream! He opened his eyes and sat up in bed. He had made her happy! He grinned and then recalled the substance of the dream they had shared! She wanted him – she desired him! They had come together in their shared dream in a most sexually satisfying way. Now, it was he who was having difficulty falling asleep! He laid back in his bed and chuckled softly to himself.