In Dreams: Red

Don't Know Why

Not only will they be here by nightfall, but our nearest allies never received our plea for help. I feel the panic building and turn my gaze to my father, and can feel the mixture of fear and nervous energy tumble in my stomach. My father pulls me into a quick one-armed hug, and then releases me almost immediately.

“Go, make your preparations. There is much to be done. Tell your mother..” He swallows. “If you see her, tell her I'll meet with her as soon as I can.” The expression of emotion from him is so very foreign to me, that I don't entirely know what to make of it, but it sends a tremor of fear through me and makes my stomach do a somersault. Again that feeling that something is just not right assaults me. My father looks over my face, as if memorizing or searching for something. In a panic, I realize he's looking at me like he'll never see me again. He pushes me gently towards the opening, spinning me around as he does so. My feet carry me a few steps away and I get caught in the mad whirlwind of activity before I can turn back to search for my father among the crowd. I had never even said goodbye! Desperately, I search for his face, only to finally catch a glimpse of him turning from me, a tear running into his beard from the corner of his eye. I struggle against the crowd, but too late, my father has already been swallowed by the bustle of activity. I cannot find my heart, I'm certain it has been stolen. Something terribly wrong is happening. I keep being jostled back and forth, but can't seem to make myself move. My mind feels frozen and I can't decide what to do.

“Kennice. KENNICE.” Reginald grips my arms and shouts over the noise, dragging me out of the center of the furor. “I've just come from your father, he says we have mere hours to prepare! I've sent messengers to gather the others in the tunnels as we discussed earlier.” His voice gets softer. “I've advised them to say goodbye to their loved ones. My Lady Kennice, I think you should do the same.” But I can't! Doesn't he know that I can't? There will be a scene with my mother, and.. But father had asked me to tell her goodbye for him.

“Lady Kennice, are you alright?” Reginald asks me. The wild look I am feeling must be making its way to my face.

“Yes, I'm sorry, a bit overwhelmed.” I calm my expression and concentrate on Reggie. “Okay, I will meet with my mother and then join you and the others in the tunnels. Now go, we must hurry!” And suddenly all the panic and fear and confusion were to good use. Fueled by those around me, I allow the emotions to speed my body into a race towards my mother, but my feet somehow lead me back to the stable, where the prisoner is sitting uneasily against a wall. He rises at the sound of my running footsteps, and I nearly run into him, panting.

“I...” I slow my breathing until I can speak normally again as he looks at me in alarm. He reaches for me as if to try to protect me from some danger he cannot see. The guards race in behind me and I wave them off. “I'm sorry.” I turn. “I'm not sure why I came here.” I mutter.

“Wait, my Lady.” He lunges and the chains rattle, creaking as he reaches the end of them as if they might break. “What has happened? I smell fear on you... Have you been harmed?” A growl escapes him at the end of the statement and I hear him inhaling as if he's trying to find proof of an injury. I face him again, slowly and shake my head.

“No, I'm fine.” I take a deep breath. “I'm not hurt.”

“Physically.” The prisoner growls, rattling his chains again. I can see his muscles straining even as the metal digs into his skin, irritating the already damaged flesh. “I can smell your distress. What happened?” I'm wasting valuable time but I slide down the wall, and the prisoner slowly follows me into a crouch.

“Why do you care?” I ask him abruptly. “We've done nothing but imprison you, basically torture you, threaten you with death, and yet, here you are asking me to ease my burden.” The prisoner blinks, as if he doesn't entirely understand it himself, but a growl builds up out of his chest.

“I have to.. protect..” He shakes his head as if the answer is as confusing to him as it is to me.

“What, me? Are you sure about that? You've heard about me, right?” I try to keep the condescension from my voice. Men and their ridiculous ideas about helpless women. The prisoner snarls, yanking at his bonds so hard that one nearly pops free of the ground. He bares his teeth at me.

“They've told me things.” He snarls. “But I have not seen them. I have only seen the softness the world has not yet destroyed.” My head jerks back like I'd been slapped, and a snarl of my own races forth. In a second I'm in front of him, silver blade to his throat. If he swallows, he'll be nicked by it.

“I admit you caught me at a bad time, discovering that someone like you exists, the death of Silas, an ambush and an invasion all at once. I won't deny giving in to my emotional side and mourning for a while. But never doubt my skills. You live yet because I will it.” I hiss. His hands gently wrap around my wrist and tug the blade away from his throat. I stare in shock as I let him do it.

“I don't doubt you, Lady. I simply meant that I want to protect that softer side you don't show everyone else.” He murmurs. He's looking down into my eyes, his face mere inches from mine. His eyes flash from a dark brown to a yellow, and within them I see a deep possessiveness, a protectiveness that promises something more. I gasp and stumble backwards, nearly dropping the knife.

“Who are you, really? You never gave me a name.” I stammer. He frowns and breaks eye contact.

“Does it matter? After all, I'm just a prisoner that you've tortured and threatened with death.” He mimics my earlier question. I grit my teeth.

“Fine then. The army arrives within hours, I must prepare.” I stalk from the stables to the prisoner's shouted protests behind me.