Dreams Invaded
POV: Alexandra
The last thing I remembered was succumbing to the drug that the doctor had put in Sylphia’s blood. I was standing in a black room and the sound of a waterfall peacefully flowing along in the background. It reminded me of my grandfather’s little garden back in Everly. He had a pond and a small trickling waterfall. It was so very peaceful so I decided to sit down and enjoy the nostalgia that it brought to me. I would go out to the pond and help him feed the fish when I was just a small little girl. I would help him plant calla lilies around his garden in the spring. Just then the scent of jasmine after the rain had drifted into this black room that I was in. I closed my eyes and inhaled the floral scent and enjoyed how it made me think of the one person who I could always talk to when things were tough for me. I didn’t wonder why I was thinking about Darren Batiste at this very moment. He was always a calming force in stressful situations for me. This was a very stressful thing to go through and it was only natural that I thought of him in my unconscious state. Though, a thought occurred to me and I furrowed my brow at it. The question on my mind was why he didn’t visit with me when he likely knew I was injured.
Just then a yellow glow lit up the room and Nystasia appeared. I looked up at her startled, “Nystasia?” She smiled down at me gently and held her hand out, “Come, we don’t have much time and there is much to show you.” Without hesitation, I took her hand. She was surprisingly acting far more mature than she normally would. Usually, she was giggling and bubbly, right now she was acting more like Sylphia. Perhaps this was my manifested version of the sisters in my dreams. I held up her hand and grabbed at something and as she had just unraveled my dream fell away in a pile of golden yarn next to her. It was amazing to watch and I smiled at her, “You are a depth of hidden talent, my friend.” She nodded, then pointed to a door, “We need to step through there.” She stepped forward and pulled on the hand that was still being held by her. I obliged and stepped forward through the door. Sunlight hit my face and I pulled my free hand up to shield my eyes. I looked up and we were standing outside of the Vellum version of Blackwood manor. I looked at her, “Why are we here?” She pulled her finger to her lips, “Shhh, look.”
She pointed at the front door and a young man with light brown hair and honey eyes emerged from the house. He was holding the hand of two small children, both were boys. One boy had prim slicked-back black hair and honey-colored eyes like the young man. The other boy had greenish hair that was spiked and he had grey eyes. A black-haired woman with deep blue eyes emerged holding the hand of a little girl with light blue hair and pink eyes. Another woman emerged from the woods, a redhead with blue eyes who was holding the hands of another girl’s hand. She looked just like the woman so I assumed that was her daughter. The adults all smiled at each other while the black-haired boy and the red-haired girl blushed at each other. The red-haired woman held out her hand to the man, “Thank you for inviting Vanessa and me to your picnic, Darren.” I looked to Nystasia, “What kind of dream is this?” She smiled at me, “I’ve brought you to a memory. Did you know you have a strong psychic connection to your grandfather?” I widened my eyes, “I didn’t know. So you pulled a memory from him because of this connection?” She stared on at the small children and nodded, “Yes.” I followed her gaze to the young girl with light blue hair who was staring at us. She narrowed her eyes at the child, “She shouldn’t be able to see us. We are merely visitors to a memory. Do you know who she is?” I looked at the child a little closer, “It looks like a young Whisperia.” Nystasia nodded, “Whisperia Batiste?” I shook my head, “No, Whisperia le Fey.” She whispered her name a few times and then turned to me, “We are here to see your grandfather’s relationship with his son and adopted children. As you know Darren Batiste, in his younger years, had a soft spot in his heart for those who were displaced. Reggie, Vanessa, and the two other children were all loved equally.”
Looking at the way he interacted with all of the children, I could see that he loved them all. They all were crawling all over him while my grandmother and Evelyn Tannen conversed. I never got to meet my grandmother as she died giving birth to a second child that she had been pregnant with. Unfortunately, my grandfather would lose both his wife and second child. She gave birth to a baby girl whom they were going to name Alexandra. In this memory, it appeared that my grandmother was pregnant with their second child. Nystasia sighed, “They had a happy life together, these three adults. Tragedy struck on this night and I think you know what happened to your grandmother and aunt.” Dark clouds gathered overhead and the attendees at the picnic ran into the manor as the rain started to come down. Nystasia started to run, “Come on, we should go inside too.” We stepped through the door but we didn’t find the family inside the foyer. Everyone was dressed up in funeral attire which was way different than the black that humans wear. It was formal attire similar to the uniforms we wore at the assembly but a little more flowing and less stuffy. A young girl tugged on my sleeve and I looked down at her, it was Whisperia. I asked, “Yes?” She stared up at me, “What are you doing here? You aren’t born yet.” Nystasia peered around me, “I am fae. Do you know what that is?” She nodded, “Yes, from Seely. Are you Dream Weaving?” She nodded, “Yes.” She looked up at me, “Is this because of father?” Nystasia nodded and Whisperia looked down at her feet, “We’re mourning my mother and sister today. They died last night.” I patted the small girl’s head, “I know it is sad, Whisperia, but things do get better. I understand you like nature.” The girl looked back up at me, “Yes but please don’t tell me about my future. It will mess with things badly.” Nystasia nodded, “She’s right, this child can also Dream Weave so she is aware of what is going on here. I’m fascinated by you Whisperia. We will need to speak later.” She nodded and walked off, “I will see you both later then.”
Nystasia turned, “I didn’t mean to bring us here, which means that Whisperia wanted you to see this. I am not sure why.” She opened the door and we strode through, this time we were in the King’s office in the castle. My grandfather was sitting with a blonde man with green eyes. I presumed the man was King Thierry, who was holding onto some papers. He placed the documents on his desk, “This proposal looks good to me Darren. I believe it really is time we open society to those who are attracted to the same sex. I imagine, though, that there will be resistance.” My grandfather nodded, “It will see some resistance but with this new generation coming of age now, those children will usher in a new era of acceptance. That is what Vellum should be about anyhow.” Just then a blonde boy burst through the door and another boy chased in after him, “Blake! I told you father is in with His Grace!” Nystasia’s face lit up, “Oh my goodness! It’s young Blakey and young Lucy! They are too cute.” I looked over at her confused, “Blakey and Lucy?” She nodded, “They hate when I call them that but I love them like my own little brothers so I gave them nicknames. Isn’t that cute?” Seeing the brothers brought Nystasia back to her usual self but just as soon as I thought she would continue to be herself, she cleared her throat, “Right, so Darren helped King Thierry usher in a new era of acceptance in Vellum with the Non-discrimination Initiative. Darren’s own little brother was killed because he was attracted to someone of the same sex. He vowed that one day he would get to see where a person could truly be themselves. Your realm isn’t quite there yet but you will with Lucy’s determination and a very able Queen by his side.” She winked at me and smiled.
She turned to the office door, “I have two more places to take you but very little time to finish. The doctor is just about done with your surgery and you’ll be woken up from your slumber for another test by Theodore Befent.” She opened the door and beckoned me through. I stepped through and was in a room that was extravagantly decorated with forest green marble and gold. My grandfather was kneeling in front of the throne where a beautiful woman with brown hair sat. She flicked her finger, “You may rise, Darren Batiste. I have summoned you here today to thank you for brokering peace with our two realms. Your diligence, persistence, and diplomacy has ushered in a new friendship between Seely and Vellum. Please send my thanks to your King for sending you. As a gift, I would like to offer two wards to serve your House.” She flicked her fingers and two young children stepped forward but they were shrouded in fabric. This caused my grandfather’s brow to furrow and he bowed, “It’s not that I’m not grateful for your gift, Your Majesty, but it isn’t customary to gift sentient beings to each other in Vellum.” Nystasia winced, “I remember this day.” She pointed at a child dancing around near the Queen’s throne and another child grabbed her and whisper to her. That other child was, no doubt, Sylphia. The Queen nodded at him, “These are orphan children. I will send the girl to the King’s court and the boy will be sent to my army. Seely has no use for orphans other than hard servitude. You strike me as a man who would do anything to save children.” Even though the Queen sounded cold about the treatment of the children, she was trying to save them by offering up the children as a gift. My grandfather sighed, “What happened to their parents?” She waved her hand, “The father was a wizard from Vellum who was caught in Seely and executed. The mother is still alive but imprisoned.” He nodded, “Then, can I request you release her to me?” The Queen cocked her eyebrow, “What use do you have with her?” He looked over at the children, “They need their mother. I will take them to live peacefully in Vellum.” She shook her head, “I had conditions for these children. You must send the girl away to Mesha. You can do whatever you like with the boy.” He asked, “Why Mesha?” The Queen laughed, “She will thrive there under the Duke’s tutelage…just not the current one. On her twentieth birthday, you must bring her back to me…well your son Reggie must.” He nodded, “If I send the girl to Mesha, would you release her mother to me?” The Queen smiled and nodded, “Your kindness knows no limits, Darren. You shall be granted the woman.” I understood then that the girl was likely Panshad but who was the boy and what happened to him? I would have to ask my grandfather later. Nystasia spoke as the scene turned black, “Darren brought peace to two realms and once again took in two children who were not his own. He sent young Panshad to Mesha to grow her craft.” I looked at Nystasia, “What happened to the boy?” She winked, “You’ll find out later.” Her face turned sad, “Now…are you ready for what’s next?”
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