Emerald Dreams (The Dream Traveler Series)

by Nicole Knight

  When I saw her pull up, I climbed into the front seat without a word. She gave me one look and touched my forehead.

  “Are you sick, you look sick?” Her face was wrinkled with worry.

  Yeah, I’m sick, sick of this place. It wouldn’t hurt to lead her to believe I actually was. Maybe I could get a day off of school tomorrow; that would be nice.

  “I think I’m coming down with something, I don’t feel so great,” I said.

  I felt bad lying. Then again I really wasn’t feeling great, I just wasn’t sick.

  “Okay, let’s go home and get you some soup and medicine.”

  She put the car in drive and drove us home.

  “Okay.”

  I laid my head against the window and closed my eyes.

  The back of my eyelids were a movie screen showing me falling over and over. It showed me the faces of all those kids laughing at me. I didn’t want to watch this.

  It was like watching a train wreck. You don’t want to watch, but you can’t look away. I physically couldn’t look away from my closed eyes.

  I felt the car turn off. I unbuckled myself and grabbed my bag. I dragged it inside behind me.

  I committed myself to being sick, now I had to act like it.

  I sat down at the table while Mom started making me some soup. I looked around; Grandma was nowhere to be found.

  If I want to ask the question that’s been on my mind since I woke up, I should probably ask now.

  “Hey Mom?”

  “Yes?”

  “Can you tell me more about Victoria? I didn’t want to ask Grandma because I don’t want to make her sad,” I said.

  Truthfully I didn’t have the guts to be anything but nice to my grandmother. Seeing her sad was not a pretty sight to see. Something had been eating me away since I had learned about Victoria, but Grandma is more important.

  My gut was telling me to take in all I could. I’d never shown any interest into my older ancestors before. The only ones I cared about were my Mother and Grandmother. Maybe it was about time I started looking into our history.

  My gut instinct is never wrong, so I had asked, despite my mind telling me that it is none of my business.

  “Good idea,” she said and smiled at me.

  “Well, I’ll tell you what she told me years ago. Victoria was a very beautiful woman. Her family had social standing in the community and a little money. Her Father arranged for her to marry your great grandfather. His family had even more social standing and wealth. Your Great Grandmother ran the Daughters of the American Revolution chapter here in town. She was a respectable woman.”

  Mom turned on the sink to add water to what would be the broth of the soup. I waited patiently for her to continue the story.

  “Shortly after Victoria had your grandmother she started telling her husband about strange dreams she was having. This continued for months, they all revolved around this made up world. She thought she was really going to this place in her sleep."

  Mom cleared her throat and continued.

  "One day her husband had enough, he took her to the doctor. He thought that Victoria was having hallucinations and wanted her to be checked into a mental institution in Pennsylvania. She begged her husband not to send her, so he didn’t.”

  The house phone sent a loud ringing through the house. Mom checked the caller ID and then ignored it. When there was silence, she continued.

  “Shortly after the doctor’s visit, her husband began to realize she was no longer sleeping in bed with him. She would be sleeping in the barn with an animal in her arms. This happened for another month or so every night before he finally got fed up. He no longer cared about what the others might think. He made arrangements for Victoria to go to Pennsylvania the following week. Two days later he found Victoria’s necklace on her side of the bed. She was nowhere to be found on the property. No one knows what happened to her, but ten years after her disappearance they presumed her dead.”

  “Wow Mom, that’s crazy, poor Victoria,” I said.

  “Yeah, I’ve always felt sorrier for your Grandmother than anything. She always wondered if she would go crazy. She already grew up without her mother. Later in her life she began to wonder if Victoria’s craziness was something she would inherit.”

  “What do you think happened to her?” I asked.

  The meaning behind the question would hopefully be caught.

  Do you think something unspeakable happened to her? Did she leave on her own will?

  “I believe she left of her own will. She knew that she was going to be sent away. Who would want to be sent away from their family; sent away from their husband and their little girl? I think she ran away with the intentions to come back, but never did. I don’t know if she started a new life elsewhere or if she had a tragic ending. I don’t know.”

  The soup was almost done and Mom reached up in the cabinet to grab a bowl. She took a few steps and grabbed some cold medicine from another cabinet. She handed me the bottle along with a bowl full of hot chicken noodle soup.

  Yum.

  I took the nasty medicine and chased it down with a spoonful of soup. It felt warm in my stomach. I enjoyed that feeling.

  It reminded me of the one time when I was ten and got into Grandma’s liquor cabinet. I took a swig of whiskey. My stomach felt warm for over an hour. It was a comforting feeling, it tasted horrible though. It was worse when I threw it up hours later.

  Mom was mad at Grandma for leaving the cabinet unlocked. Grandma was mad at me for wasting her whiskey.

  I ate the rest of my soup in silence. When I was finished, Mom collected the bowl and I headed up to my room.

  I quietly worked on my homework at my desk. When that was done, I moved to my bed and finished my sketch of Axel.

  It was remarkably close to what he looks like. I just couldn’t shade his eyes right to reflect those gold specks.

  When I was too frustrated to finish shading Axel’s eyes I got ready for bed. This time I slept in pajama pants and a long t-shirt. If I did accidently go to Morthsoul tonight, I didn’t want to be dressed in a light weight night gown.

  It sounded like we would be making a long journey. I also put some slippers on my feet. Who knew if I’d need shoes or not?

  I sounded crazy.

  Did crazy skip generations? Do I have what Victoria had? Look at me, I’m dressing so that I’ll be comfortable for the made up world in my head. I totally understand how Victoria felt.

  I brushed my hair and my teeth.

  If I was going to see Axel again, I wanted to look okay. The thought of seeing him in my dreams got me excited. If I somehow was able to get back to the same dream land, I hoped I’d be able to find him easily.

  I am so in over my head in the crazy pool.

  I crawled into bed and pulled out my amulet from under the t-shirt. It was back to its emerald green. However, in the center it looked like there was a little swirl of pink.

  Why did the color keep changing?

  I laid my head down and closed my eyes. It was only seven, but I was ready to see Axel again.

  Chapter Six

  Axel

  I woke up and looked at the girl beside me. It looked like she was still asleep. She didn’t have any annoying habits in her sleep, like some of the other knights in my common house did.

  She didn’t snore; she didn’t kick or talk in her sleep. She didn’t get up at an ungodly hour.

  I placed my hand on her arm and gave a little shake. It was time for her to wake up and get a move on. I waited a moment before shaking her again. She still didn’t move, so I tried to get in her face.

  Nothing worked. She was still breathing, but it was the only indicator she was still alive.

  I opened her eyelids. Her eyes still looked normal. They looked like the eyes of someone in a deep sleep.

  What would I do if she were dead?

  There was nothing I can do right now except wait for her to wake up. I laid back down on my side and silently
watched her sleep.

  Despite her attitude yesterday, she looked like a sleeping angel. I needed to start treating her better. If she really was the goddess reincarnated as the prophecy says, I need to show her some form of kindness.

  The prophecy predicts the three reincarnations of the goddess. Queen Victoria was the first. The second and third reincarnations have yet to come to us. Her mercy is sought by everyone who still believes in her.

  I still believe.

  I sat and waited for this mystery girl to wake up.

  ◆◆◆

  Violet

  I woke up lying on the ground. I was freezing through my clothes. I was still wearing the t-shirt and pajama pants I wore to bed.

  I tugged on the covers a little more. I felt uncomfortable. I felt someone shift next to me, and I felt my blankets move a little. I turned around and found Axel lying next to me, he was watching me.

  “Finally, you are awake.”

  “I didn’t sleep. I went back to my real world. I went to go to bed, and I ended up here.”

  “You were asleep here,” he insisted.

  “It doesn’t feel like it,” I said defensively.

  “We won’t get very far if you aren’t well-rested. Go back to sleep,” he said. I couldn't get a read on his tone, it was flat.

  “If I do that, I think I will just go back to my world.”

  “Interesting," he said.

  "Well then, the sooner we get to Wisdom, the sooner we will know what is wrong with you.”

  “Why is it that something has to be wrong with me?” I took offense.

  “I’m just pondering. Would you like to hold on to that blanket? You look like you are cold,” he suggested.

  I was surprised.

  Axel showed me some shred of kindness.

  He was observant too. I could feel my body shivering.

  “That would be nice, thank you,” I said in an effort to make peace.

  “No need to thank me,” he said with a small smile.

  He packed up the few items he had lying around us. He helped me stand up and then took the blanket from me.

  I thought he was going to let me hold onto it?

  He draped it over my shoulder and wrapped it around my upper body. It was snug but still gave my arms maneuverability.

  He looked up to the sky and then pointed a direction.

  “We need to head that way,” he declared.

  I let him take the lead.

  There was silence for what felt like an hour as we walked.

  I am prone to exaggeration, so it was probably only a few minutes.

  “I want to apologize. It’s not something I do often, so excuse me if it sounds a little rougher than most. I have been a little rude to you. If you are really from another place as you claim, being accompanied by a man who mistreats you might be making it a little rough for you. Therefore, my lady, I am sorry.”

  I let my mouth hang open for a few seconds. Then I remembered to close it.

  “I accept your apology,” I replied.

  “Thank you.”

  It was quiet for another few minutes before Axel broke the silence again.

  “So Lady Violet, tell me more of the place you think you come from?” he asked.

  “I live with my mom and my grandmother. I go to a school that I hate, and I’m starting to think this place is much better than my world,” I answered honestly.

  Maybe that last part was a little too much too soon?

  “In your land, women are educated?” he asked, obviously shocked.

  “Yes, in my school, I am the smartest student,” I told him proudly.

  “I could tell when I first met you that you aren’t like most women. That doesn’t surprise me now,” he said.

  I don’t know what to think about his admission.

  “Why do you think you like this place better? This world has many problems and dangers; you just haven’t seen any yet,” he told me.

  “Back at my school, I’m not very well-liked. I go to a school where people have a lot of money, and my family doesn’t have much. Because of that, I am not respected, and I’m picked on a lot,” I answered again truthfully.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, do you have a courter back home?”

  He covered his face slightly by turning it to the side. Before he could hide it there, I thought I caught him blushing.

  Was he embarrassed to ask me that? Why?

  “A courter?” I asked, playing coy.

  “Yes, you know, a man who wants you to be his companion?” he further explained.

  “Oh, a boyfriend! No, I don’t, I’ve never had one,” I let slip.

  Crap! Why did I just share that? Damnit! This is one of those moments that calls for a face-palm.

  “That is hard to believe,” was all he said.

  What is he was implying?

  “Why would you say that?” I asked.

  “You look similar to the first reincarnation of our goddess. She was a beautiful woman,” he said.

  Did he just indirectly call me beautiful? Yup, those were butterflies in my stomach right now. They were trying to break free.

  I decided to steer this conversation away from me before he figures out how ordinary and lame I am.

  Around my neck, my necklace felt a little warm. I pulled it out, and it was swirling pink; the necklace changing colors is beginning to freak me out. I don’t know why it was doing that.

  My mind made up another world in my head, so why should a stone that changes colors bother me?

  “So what is life like here? Tell me about you,” I asked him.

  “Well, I am twenty; I work for the King’s army. Every male has to work for him for two years from eighteen to twenty. I’ve been with him longer than that because of unfortunate circumstances," he paused, before continuing.

  "The only family I have left is my mother and my sister, whom I haven’t seen in years. I plan to go back to them once my service to the King is done, if it ever ends.”

  “I wish I had a sister,” I said, not knowing what else to say.

  “You don’t have a brother or a sister?” he asked.

  “Nope, there is just me,” I answered softly.

  “I cannot imagine not having my sister, is it lonely?” he asked.

  He is really upfront, isn’t he?

  “Yes, yes it is,” I told him.

  He put a hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. I think he was trying to be comforting, but it hurt a little.

  We kept walking for a while. I had fallen behind him and hadn’t really realized it. I bumped into him and he turned around.

  “We are about to enter a big stretch of land, I have heard reports that recently a dragon has been hanging around, keep your eyes trained on the sky. If he comes, we need to run,” he told me.

  A dragon? Oh great! How can we get away from one of those? Running be damned.

  He began walking again, and I followed him.

  “Be alert,” he told me.

  I looked around while we continued walking. I took in the environment around me.

  We were heading towards that big looking forest I wanted to stay away from. Of course. There was a smaller looking wooded area to our right. The creek flowed on our left. Occasionally a fish on the surface would reflect rainbow lights back at us.

  It wasn’t very long before I heard a wooshing sound. My hair whipped around my head and face as a strong wind assaulted me.

  I looked up; I saw two giant feet and a massive pair of wings. It was trying to land directly on top of us, and it was descending fast.

  I felt a force knock me over. Axel was lying on top of me, his hand was under my head. He protected my head from the fall.

  Who thought to do that?

  He was looking at me. We were both breathing heavily. He had literally knocked the wind out of me; I was desperately trying to get it back.

  I looked over. There were giant feet where I had been standing a moment ago. I looked back at Axel. “
Thank you,” was all I could say before Axel quickly took back his hand and pushed himself off of me.

  With one hand, he pulled out his sword. The other hand stretched out to help pull me up. When I was on my own two feet, he pointed towards a thin line of trees.

  “Hide in there and be silent. Do not move. They rely mostly on their sight. Hold still, and it might not see you,” he said.

  He didn’t need to tell me twice, I took off toward the tree line.

  I was now glad I did wear my slippers. It helped protect the bottom of my feet while I ran over sticks and rocks. I cowered behind a big tree and watched what going on with Axel and the dragon.

  The dragon was huge. It was at least twice the size of my Grandma’s Victorian house; it very well could be bigger. Axel had to tilt his head way up to see the head of the creature.

  The dragon was red with deep patches of purple and burgundy. It was so dark it almost looked black. Its tail had a massive spike on the end, and there were two horns on the top of its head. Its hands had claws that looked deadly. I saw so many weapons this dragon had to take out Axel, and all he had was his sword.

  This would not be an even match. This thing will kill him.

  The dragon was so giant I was having a hard time comprehending how it gets airborne. It has some large wings to help, but the idea still boggled me.

  Just as the dragon let out a breath of fire, Axel moved. If I had blinked, I would have missed it.

  He ran between the dragon’s legs and launched himself up the dragon’s tail. It started swinging its tail, and Axel was hanging on for dear life. When it raised its tail high in the air, Axel launched himself off the tail and landed on the dragon’s back, right between its wings. The tail slammed against the ground. If he hadn’t let go when he did, he would have been smashed flat as a pancake.

  My heart was pumping so hard while I watched the struggle. I was lost in the middle of this strange place with a stranger. I didn’t want to care what happened to him, but I had no one else to rely on. So with every movement the dragon made, I found myself cringing, expecting the worst.

  What was he going to do now?