Chapter Twelve: A Thousand Dreams

"Mom? Where are you?" I called, looking around one of the forest clearings. The fire had been put out and a damp line of water led off into the trees. My limbs started to move before I looked back and saw Raine.

The brown and white paint looked at me before nickering. She looked around for the other horses before she came over to me, nudging my shoulder lightly.

"We should try finding them, shouldn't we?" I asked before a ringing started to go off in my head. I quietly groaned, grabbing at the side of my head.

I opened my eyes, my arms over my head as I was laying on my bed. A breath expelled itself from my chest as I looked outside. It was barely past midnight, the moon not even up past the trees... I sighed before laying back down, pulling the blanket over myself.

My head rolled towards the wall as I closed my eyes, trying to go back to sleep.

"Alaina~" A voice said in a sing song tone, my eyes still closed. I groaned softly, pulling myself up before I started to look around.

The trees were green, budding coming up from most of the branches. I looked around, seeing no one around. Except the river. A giggle rippled through the trees, not showing a source, almost like it came from everywhere around me. I frowned as I slowly started to walk towards the river. The sides were plateaued above the riverbank. My feet stopped as I recognized it.

The giggled came again from the trees. I bit my lip, turning around to see if anyone was there.

"Hello?" My voice echoed as I looked between the trees.

"Alaina!" A voice laughed, the giggle starting to get louder from my west side. I yelped, feeling as if someone squeezed my arm.

"Hey!" I shouted, looking around for anyone or anything, "Who's there!?"

The voice laughed again as my body moved backward. My breathing got heavy as I looked towards the trees, still seeing no one.

"Run!" The voice screeched, the leaves shaking at the volume.

I cried out, stepping back as I covered my ears. I felt nothing underneath my heel as my other foot lifted.

I gasped, my head snapping back as I saw the river underneath me. I tried to bring myself forward to not fall off. The ground started to crumble as I shifted, the dirt racing down to the water underneath.

A scream erupted from my throat as I tumbled down the bank, my body landing next to the river. My hair started to get pushed by the current as I glanced upward.

"You should have run, silly Alaina!" The voice laughed as a figure started to walk towards the bank. A red powder, just like the girl's back in Meteli, started to shift the sand underneath me.

I yelped as my body was dragged into the water, a feeling almost like hands dragging me down under by my hair.

I gasped, shouting as I flew upwards, my arm reaching out as the water dissipated from my eyes. I couldn't see around me aside from whatever light came through the door cracks. I bit my lip, realizing I was still in bed. I slumped back down, wiping the sweat from my face as I caught my breath. I looked over to the window, seeing the moon was just starting to go back down in the west.

My heart was beating too hard to sleep. I grabbed my clothes and got dressed, grabbed my bag, and opened the door to go downstairs. It was between shifts so I wouldn't be bothering any of the guards. Probably.

I pulled my hair to the side as I hugged the jacket closer. My mouth opened to yawn as I started down the stairs. I heard some movement as I reached the bottom. I tilted my head, looking out and around the guard station.

The lanterns were mostly lit, most on the lowest level of light. The dishes were all cleaned up and coffee was sitting in a pot. I yawned again, quietly walking over to one of the tables and setting my bag down.

"Alaina?" A soft voice said, my back straightening up in surprise. My head turned to the voice, hoping I wasn't hearing things again.

I wasn't.

Garroth was standing next to the door, him holding his sword to his side.

"Oh... s-sorry, I didn't see you there..." I said, instantly picking up my bag.

"It's...okay?" He said as he slid the sword back into the sheath. He looked at me again before he walked over.

"What are you doing up? It's not even five right now." He asked, standing a few feet behind me. My back was turned to him as I tried to get everything back inside my bag.

I was fumbling with the bag, unable to get it to shut right. My hand suddenly slipped, the bag falling and everything tumbling out onto the table.

My face turned pink as I stood there. I gave up for a moment, not wanting to try to get it back in.

"I just couldn't sleep," I tried to brush his statement off, "Why are you awake?"

"I'm normally awake around now... I usually go and check on the guards at the gate to make sure they're okay. Normally they want to get something to help them stay up so I bring out the coffee they usually make when they come back." He motioned to the kitchen.

I looked up at him, "You don't sleep a lot...?" I asked, looking at his face.

He smiled lightly, "I sleep between check times. That's why I'm not in my armor right now." He said.

"But your swor-"

"I still carry it with me when I leave, Alaina," He chuckled, "I just wrap the strap around instead of having it hooked to a waistband."

I stopped before shrugging, "You aren't wrong... that was a stupid question."

He chuckled again as he pulled out a seat, gesturing to me. I looked at him before sitting down, him pushing the chair in before he pulled out the chair next to me.

"Not really stupid, it's a pre-five-in-the-morning confusion," He said. I giggled softly before looking at the things from my bag.

"Do you want to go back to bed?" I asked, gently reaching for the pendant and bracelet.

He shrugged, looking at me before he responded, "I'm not exactly tired. The coffee smell wakes me up for the day." He chuckled, "The caffeine radiating from it is enough to keep me awake. And I walk around throughout the day so I don't snooze."

I smiled lightly, looking back up at him. "That's kind of weird."

"Resourceful. Though, weird is a more accurate word for it," He smiled before looking back at the table, "What are you doing with those?" He asked.

I looked back at my hands, holding onto the bracelet and necklace with both hands. I shrugged softly before looking at him, setting the two things down in front of me.

"They're just... something I can't figure out like the journal... This is obviously something with my family because of the name. I saw it when I found the signatures at the beginning of the journals. The pendant... is still kind of hard to think of..."

"What do you remember of it?" Garroth asked, him looking at me softly. "If anything, I could try to fill blanks?"

I bit my lip. I wasn't sure if I was ready to listen. I could remember tidbits and I remembered him giving it to me in the dreamscape reality thing.

But I wanted to be sure of it...

"Can... we do that?" I asked, looking down. My heart skipped a beat as I looked away, pulling my hands away from the things.

He looked at me before gently touching my arm, "Are...you ready to talk about it?" He asked, "If you aren't it can always wait until later."

I looked back at him, my skin tingling under the feeling. "I-" I bit my lip, looking away again, "I'm scared to."

"Why?" He asked, "Do... I scare you?"

"No! Not really...." I said, looking back up at him, holding my hands up as I said so. "It's... It's just... what if my memories don't match up with yours?" I bit my lip again, "It was four years ago... would you remember it anyway?"

He seemed a little confused before he chuckled. He gently reached and grabbed the pendant. "How could I forget about the last festival I saw you at?" He asked before my face relaxed, "And everyone remembers things differently. We both see it from different perspectives too. But we can piece together everyone else's memories and match them up with our own."

I gently smiled, "Makes sense..." I said softly before going back to the first thing, "What festival was that?"

He nodded softly before he looked back at me, "It was the Fall Festival that's held every Autumnal Equinox. It's mainly a gate for farmers to sell the rest of their surplus and merchants to make way for any late year preparations." He said as he looked at the pendant.

"My mother and I met up with a merchant to get this. I wanted to get you something since you were leaving O'Khasis for a year or so." He said.

He continued to talk about it before looking back at me. My face had relaxed as I leaned on the table, looking at him with my full attention. I felt comfortable, listening to words of places that started to feel familiar.

Garroth smiled at me, "It was fun playing in the forests just outside of the gates. The dark oaks were so big that I could sneak up on you. We were playing before the fireworks display-"

"Wait, w-wasn't that with the tree?" I asked, my back straightening up.

Garroth rose his brows with a smile, "Y-Yes! Exactly." He said, "I'm kind of surprised you remember that-"

A small smile started to come up on my face as I looked at the pendant, "That's when you gave me this. And it's the one place I keep seeing whenever I have like a good dream thing." I said before shifting in my seat. I pulled my legs up and faced him, smiling, "You fumbled with the necklace cause it got lost in your pocket."

He started to smile more, looking at me, "And you made fun of me because a. it's jewelry and b. I bought you jewelry."

I snorted, covering my mouth, "I never wore anything like that before." I said, "It was different!"

Garroth chuckled, him looking at me before his face softened.

"Have you worn it since I met you last week?"

I stopped, looking at him before looking down. My hands pulled into my lap as I looked at the necklace, "Um... not really... you called me a thief... I didn't want that to make anything worse when you were in the cell..."

Garroth looked at me before he bit his lip, "I shouldn't have said that... my apologies." I glanced up at him before looking away. I sighed softly, looking at the necklace again.

"It is really pretty," I softly said, "I'm just a little scared to wear it... I don't want to ruin it." I looked up at him as he nodded softly.

"I don't think wearing it will ruin it as much as clothes wear over time." He said, gently touching the necklace hand. He gently smiled as he squeezed my hand. "It's okay to wear it, that's what it was made for."

I giggled, looking down at the necklace again before I pulled it up. I unclipped the back of it, pulling it over my head and trying to connect it. My fingers fumbled together as I tried getting it to clip, unable to see it underneath my chin. I frowned, trying to pull my head back to watch and do it.

Garroth must have been amused as he watched me for a few minutes before chirping in, "Would... you want some help?"

"Pfft." I rolled my eyes, "I got this."

He rose a brow as he smiled, crossing his arms over his chest, "If you say so," he said, him looking back at the door as I finally got it clipped. I pulled the pendant side forward, the gold and light blue hued pendant falling against my shirt.

"See? Ha." I smirked, crossing my arms, looking up at him. "So?"

Garroth looked back at me, a small smile coming from the corner of his lips. He quietly cleared his throat, "It looks good on you."

I giggled, watching him look away. I didn't really know why.

"Why do you look so nervous?"

He looked back at me before he looked at the journal.

"W-Well, remember the tree? When we just watched the fireworks?" He asked.

I paused, thinking for a moment. I nodded, gently smiling at them. "Yeah. The really big fireworks that kept going after sunset?"

He nodded with a smile, "Yes, those fireworks."

I nodded again, agreeing with him, "What about that?"

Garroth thought for a moment, him looking at the table before up at me. "Well... it was just one of the best nights I can remember. Other than when you were leaving, that's the memory I think of the most: Just talking as we watched the fireworks, alone in a secret hideaway, and I couldn't do anything but just wish it wouldn't stop. Ever."

I softly tilted my head, slowly nodding at first, "Why not?"

"W-Well, because." He said, "I was about to lose my best friend to moving away and that was the last festival we could run around without any care and the last big event before seeing you leave at the gate..."

I felt like there was more, but he was avoiding telling me. I softly nodded, leaning my head against the table.

"But hey. You found me now, right?" I tried to bring the conversation to a positive note as I yawned.

"What else?" I asked, "What else did we do?"

He chuckled, "A lot of things. One of the other things I loved were jumping off the pier right before dusk. The water was warm enough that it didn't freeze you as soon as you hit it. You always wanted to go horse riding, play hide and seek around the square, but honestly it was just whatever we could do in the space that we were open to."

I giggled softly, nodding as he continued to talk about the different things we did. He would chuckle at some mentions, him explaining them to me. I would laugh at them, each just silly things that we both would do and the things we did to mess with each other.

Garroth leaned next to me, "Want to know the best thing that we used to do?" He asked, a little mischievous smirk on his lips.

I looked at him with a giggle, my head moving up at I answered back, "Sure?"

He smiled, pulling his head right next to my ear.

"Remember this?" My skin shivered before he blew a raspberry on my ear, I sputtering as I pulled away, wiping at my ear.

"Ew!" I giggled, looking at him, "That's so gross."

He quietly laughed, him lightly wiping his mouth. "How do you think I felt every time you did it too?" He smiled.

I rolled my eyes, smiling as I moved closer to him, the chair legs squeaking underneath me.

"Hush." I said, leaning my head on the table again.

He smiled as I yawned, my eyes starting to droop before I instantly opened them up again.

"Are you tired?" He asked, "We still have a few hours before morning..."

I instantly shook my head, "N-No... I don't want to..."

He rose a brow as I looked away, my eyes trying to find something to awake focus on.

"What's wrong?" Garroth asked.

"Nothing...?"

"What is it?" He asked again, starting to smile.

"It is nothing." I said again.

I could feel his smirk come back, "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing is, I'm completely empty up here." I said, my eyes closing for a moment before opening again.

"What was it? A nightmare?" He asked as his chair creaked at his body shift.

I bit my lip, not moving my head and not looking at him.

"So, I guess nightmare since you aren't arguing..." He said with a slight concern starting to form in his voice.

"That's a horrible argument..." I muttered as I felt a hand gently touch my arm.

"It's true though, isn't it?" His voice dropped as he leaned his head on the table beside me, "what happened? I want to help but I can't read your mind..."

I huffed quietly, shaking my head.

"Alaina...?" He asked, his hand gently moving across my arm in a rub.

I weakly pulled my head to look at him, giving up on hiding how I felt. My face contorted as I closed my eyes for a moment.

"What's wrong, Alaina...?" He asked again as I opened my eyes. His eyes locked with mine for a moment, the blue in his eyes were dark against the low lighting.

I bit my lip before I looked away. "I can't get the river out of my head. It felt like something was pulling me back into it. The girl from the attack in Meteli..."

Garroth gently nodded, him listening as I explained the rest of what had happened- the voice saying my name and laughing, the hands dragging me down, and the pain that kept waking me up earlier that night.

"Those all sound really scary..." He said softly, "Are you afraid of them?"

I bit my lip, "K-Kinda... the girl and the river are the most. I can't move when I think about the river..." I shook my head, tears starting to well up in my eyes, "It's stupid that I can't do anything when I hear things..."

Garroth shook his head, "It isn't stupid though... you went through... a lot of trauma, to be blunt. And it's hard going through it alone and it's something that you shouldn't have to do alone. I wish there were some way I could help."

I softly shrugged, looking back away from him. "It's okay... not much you can do." I yawned again, frowning as I pulled my head up.

He looked at me before looking around. "Would you want to sit down somewhere a little more comfortable than a wooden chair?"

My head turned to him before my brow raised, "But I don't want to sle-"

"If you don't start to face your nightmares and fears... they'll run you and run your days the most..." Garroth said as he stood up, gently extending a hand, "you're smart and strong... don't let your past try to run how you feel... It'll run you into the ground if you deprive yourself from sleep over it."

I frowned lightly, leaning my head down on the table. "I don't want to be alone... They'll come back if I'm alone... that's why I like having the dreamscapes... even if it's just me talking to myself I still feel like someone else is there..."

He lightly pursed his lips, looking to the side in thought. He bit his lip before looking back at me, "I... could stay with you? If anything, just a nap so you aren't too tired through the day?" He suggested.

"A nap?" I asked, "How long."

"Maybe an hour? Or until seven when everyone starts to wake up to switch shifts." He said, looking up to think again.

I bit my lip before grabbing his hand. He looked back down, a little surprised before looking at me.

"Will I have the nightmares...?" I asked.

"With me there?" He asked with a slight tip of the head.

"Yes..."

He gently smiled before pulling me up carefully, looking down at me, "I'll try to keep them away."

I looked up at him, not entirely convinced. He smiled lightly before he added, "I wouldn't be a guard if I didn't protect the people I care for... or at least a decent guard."

My hand gently tightened around his before scooting a little closer to him, yawning. "Okay, Mr. I'm-a-guard and I protect," I giggled. "one chance."

He chuckled lightly as we walked a few feet from the table, sitting on the couch by a window. "One chance?" He repeated as he sat down, letting me sit however I wanted to.

I didn't think of what I was doing. His voice sounded close to how vision Garroth sounded. I sat right next to him and yawned, pulling my head under his arm before he wrapped his arm around my side.

"Just one..." I quietly repeated before yawning again.

"Then I won't let you down..." Garroth said softly, rubbing my arm comfortingly.

My eyes stayed open for a little bit, the two of us just sitting there looking out into the dim room. His head shifted before a soft whistle started to come out. I looked up and smiled lightly as my head went back down, closing my eyes.

He continued to whistle, the soft tune from an old lullaby. His head leaned against mine as I started to drift off. My body shifted, leaning more into his as he also shifted. My head straightened out a little, the crick that started to form faded away.

I could feel his chest moving as he breathed, the light vibration in his throat from whistling felt safer, and a smile started to form on my lips. I shifted again, moving further into his side. It felt like if I did, he actually would keep the terrors away. My hair lightly moved as his fingers gently brushed against my back.

"get some sleep, Alaina..."