A silky white dress surrounded her. In the midst of her confusion, Mira heard an earth-shattering boom in the distance.

“Not again.”

Her feet sloshed against thick, black water as she ran to the distant bubbling light. This time she could save him. She would if she were only fast enough. Ash snowed from above as she ran to the collapsing village. She pushed through the glowing embers on her bare feet and tried to summon a weapon to her hand. Nothing came to it.

Mira grunted in frustration and pushed herself forward. Flames and smoke blurred her vision as she went deeper into the heat. Screams echoed in her mind as she frantically searched for him. She ran through collapsing shacks towards the well. A young man with dark hair sat motionless against it. His hands gripped the sword in his chest.

“Pallik!” Mira slid to his side and grabbed the sword’s hilt, “Stay with me, please.”

She ripped the chainmail and tunic off to look at his wound. The decomposing hole oozed a yellow puss and she groaned furiously.

“No!” She yelled.

Mira reached to move his black hair from his face. The once lively blue eyes were glazed over. His mouth twitched upwards in a malevolent smile as he turned to her.

“You did this, Mira,” Bugs crawled from his lips as he spoke, “This is all your fault.”

“Pallik –” Her eyes watered, “Pallik, please.”

“My death,” His jaw twitched unnaturally, “Everyone’s death. One day, even Tella’s. All your fault.”

“Please,” She whimpered and grabbed his face in her hands, “I didn’t do this. I would give anything to stop it.”

As her fingers brushed his hair, bandages wrapped around him. He screamed and gagged as his mouth was covered. She clawed to get them away from him and only ripped at his lifeless skin. His hands dug into her arms and cut her as she tried to free him.

“You did this, Mira,” His voice echoed as his eyes were covered, “This is all your fault.”

“No… no!” She shot to her feet.

Her footsteps rippled the murkiness beneath her as she ran from him. The rattles of death and screams of those burning echoed into the void as Mira ran between the collapsing shacks of houses. It didn’t matter, though. She always ended up at the well in the middle of the village. The young man still leaned heavily against the side of the crumbling walls with his hand around the hilt of a rusted sword that impaled his chest.

“Even now you try to abandon me instead of facing your problems.”

Mira froze. She didn’t fight as he sloshed towards her. She didn’t fight as he blamed her for his death. She accepted her fate as the bandages that floated in the air between them wrapped around her own limbs. Mira lowered her head and sobbed as Pallik’s bandages lit aflame. As he burned away, she felt the tar covered cloth tighten around her.

Footsteps rushed towards her as a voice broke through the flames roaring around her.

“Mira!” The man looked around frantically, “Where are you?”

“Jonen?” She lifted her head.

The man followed her voice and saw her. He struggled to detangle her from the bandages that devoured her like a snake. As he pulled her away, she fought against him.

“No. I deserve this!” She reached towards Pallik, “Let it take me instead.”

Her fists slammed against him, but he refused to stop.

“Mira, it’s not real!” He yanked her away.

As the last bandage holding her hostage snapped, the entire scene disappeared. She blinked and they were laying in a grassy plain. Jonen lifted her head up to look at him. His sapphire eyes scanned her nervously for any sign of pain.

“It was a bad dream. You’re okay,” He whispered, “You’re okay, Mira.”

Both Mira and Jonen were soaked in the dark, murky water. Her drenched hair dripped onto him as she looked down. He sat up and pulled her into his lap. Her body shook as she tried to adjust to her surroundings.

“It’s my fault,” Mira whimpered and put her head against his chest, “It’s all my fault.”

“You need to calm down. Concentrate on me, okay?” He rested his head on top of hers, “Breathe with me.”

He wrapped his arms around her to encapsulate her in his warmth. He started a deep breath for her to follow. They took slow, even breaths as she shuddered against him. Mira listened to his heartbeat. The rhythmic thump soothed her. He ran one hand through her auburn curls to scratch her scalp and the other rubbed her back lightly. She took deep breaths that eventually turned into small sobs.

“Breathe with me,” The deep baritone of his voice soothed her further.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

She closed her eyes and inhaled. The odd plain had a pleasant floral and woodsy scent –his scent. As the horror of her dreams faded and her nerves calmed, her muscle relaxed.

“Better?” He whispered.

She nodded once. Jonen kissed the top of her head.

“Can we stay here a moment longer?” She mumbled into his chest, “It’s so nice.”

“Of course,” He chuckled and ran a hand through his golden locks, “Maybe one day we can actually come here together. It would be lovely, huh?”

Mira nodded and leaned into the hand that scratched her scalp. Once she felt completely calm again, she looked up at him. He smiled gently. Her eyes widened before she knocked him to the ground and sat on top of him. The whiplash of her movements surprised him.

“Are you safe?!” Her eyes darted over him.

Her hands frantically patted against him in various places. The more she physically examined him, the more flustered he became. He grabbed her hands as his face turned pink.

“I’m fine!” He laughed nervously, “Promise.”

Mira moved from on top of him at his gently nudges. As he sat up, he patted the grass between his legs. She leaned against him, and he wrapped his arms around her once again. She yawned and relaxed against him.

“I like your warmth,” She murmured, “It is weird that you are not around now.”

“I miss you too,” He chuckled.

Jonen took his time to pamper her. He knew she wouldn’t talk if he didn’t, and he didn’t know what to talk about besides what he saw. He wanted her to relax after seeing her so terrified. As her eyes began to droop again, Jonen broached the subject.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

A gentle breeze brought the smell of a campfire to them. He moved a stray strand of hair behind his ear and rested his head against hers.

“Are you sure?”

“I do not want to talk about it.”

“Look me in the eyes and tell me that, then,” His tone dared her.

Mira turned to look at him. This knight with his slightly pointed ears, tussled blonde hair, and deep blue eyes comforted her. The concern in his eyes broke her resolve and she placed her head against his chest with a trembling lip. She did not understand how he had this affect on her. Much like Tella, she wanted him to only see the best of her.

“I cannot talk about it,” She shook her head, “Just know it’s all my fault.”

Jonen put his head on top of hers, “What happened? Is everyone okay?”

“It’s my fault,” Her fingernails dug into his arms as she tried not to cry, “It’s all my fault.”

“Mira!” A voice echoed through her mind, “Mira, wake up!”

She lifted her head to look at him. His eyes watered as hers did. He smiled softly to her as she looked at him quizzically. He placed his fingers between hers to pull them from his shirt.

“Why are you crying?” She furrowed her brow.

“If you’re crying, then I think something bad truly happened,” Jonen brushed the tears from her cheek, “Especially if it was what I saw when I found you.”

“Mira!” A young voice shrieked.

“Someone’s trying to wake you up,” Jonen nudged her tenderly, “Come see me soon, okay?”

“What do you—”

Jonen quickly pressed his lips to hers with a sly smile. She blinked as he brushed a strand of her curls behind her ear.

“Until I see you again, Mira.”

She was too stunned to respond before she heard the next shout.

“Mira! Wake up!” Tella’s voice grew stronger and more frantic with each shout.

She gasped as she was ripped from the dream. She shot up and looked around their dark bedroom. As she scanned for threats, Tella pulled at the hem of her nightshirt until she felt exposed skin. The girl’s soothing spell was the only light as it washed over Mira to calm her racing heart.

“Are you okay?” Mira fell back to the bed and grabbed her hands, “Are you hurt?”

“You started screaming again then got really quiet,” Tella placed a hand against her forehead, “I thought you might be sick when you didn’t wake up.”

“I didn’t mean to worry you, my friend,” She snapped towards the lantern on her nightstand.

The small flicker of light showed how distressed she really was. The wetness on Tella’s face pulled at Mira’s guilty heart. She sit back up and wrap her arms around the girl. It comforted her just moments ago in her dream, so she imagined it would comfort her too. It seemed to work as Tella collapsed into sobs in her arms. After a few moments, she seemed to regain her composure.

“I was worried I lost you too,” The young girl sniffled, “I’m sorry I woke you up. I got scared.”

“You can always wake me up. I will never mind,” She squeezed her gently, “Do you want to get up and walk around?”

“Can we go look at the stars?”

Mira nodded, “Do you want to go sit on the roof with me?”

Tella nodded. Mira stood and pulled her pants on underneath her nightgown. She pushed the trapdoor open quietly and held a hand to help the girl move through Nara’s room. The bronze elf snored heavily in her awkward sleeping position. Tella giggled as they made their way to the door. They held hands as they walked through the temple. Only a few night owls puttered about finishing the previous day’s work as Mira led her outside.

“You’re going to be cold with only your nightgown,” She pulled a thick knitted shawl from a hook near the front entrance, “Let me tie this around you.”

Mira knelt in front of the girl and tied the ends in a small bow. Tella patted the green colors and smiled.

“This is pretty,” She yawned, “Can I keep it?”

“We don’t know whose it is, Tella. I cannot give it to you,” She shook her head, “Come, let’s get on the roof.”

Mira turned and let the girl climb onto her back. Tella wrapped her arms around her shoulders before she hastily walked from the entrance to the back gardens. She paused to let the girl pluck a flower from the gardens before she scaled the trellis. As her hands found holes in the bricks that made the temple walls, she careful adjusted her weight to make sure they didn’t fall.

“You’re so strong,” Tella murmured.

Mira chuckled and grabbed onto the tiled roof. As she hoisted them upwards, she noticed a few broken piece. She climbed the pitched roof and lowered Tella as they reached the summit. Mira leaned against the large brick chimney and Tella laid in her lap. She moved the shawl to be a blanket over them. They looked to the sky littered with bright stars. Astral dust speckled the distant galaxies in green and blues.

Tella pointed out different constellations she learned that week.

“They call that one Serpentine,” She yawned, “Because of a lady and a snake. I don’t remember the story completely, but I know she was cursed to be part snake.”

“Should you take better notes?” Mira brushed the girl’s hair with her fingers, “I can get you something to do that if you need.”

“It was for the bigger kids,” She shook her head, “You can ask Gimma. I just like learning.”

“As do I,” She smiled, “Have you been listening to Healer Gimma?”

“Yes. She says I’m learning really fast. I’m almost able to heal bones,” She grinned sleepily, “Is it okay if I fall asleep?”

“Of course. I woke you after all. Sleep peacefully, dear Tella.”

She dozed off a few breaths later and left Mira alone in her thoughts. She recounted her nightmare and wondered how Jonen got into her dreams. He had been in many of them as a calming force to soothe her. Anytime he saw her, he would hold her until she could breathe again.

“How is that possible?” She whispered aloud.

When Encante didn’t answer her question, she assumed it was only her mind trying to ease her. How else would he be there?