Jeanne rested her head against the tree, embracing the atmosphere of the surrounding forest. The wind softly weaving in and out from around the ancient trees. Birds singing and chirping to each other within the cover of lush green canopy of leaves. The fluttering of a butterfly’s wings touched her ears as she opened her eyes slowly. The small insect landed on her raised knee and she smile as she watched it move around.

“You stay there, and I’ll charge rent,” she said blithely.

As the butterfly lifted itself off her leg and moved away as she heard someone call out. “Jeanne!” It was a young woman, a couple years older, wearing a long woolen skirt with an apron on top. “Come on, father wants us to help with the cows,” the young woman told her.

“I’ll be there later Sabine,” Jeanne said, nestling herself more comfortably.

“Jeanne, seriously!”

“Will you stop being such a spoiled sport?” Jeanne snapped before murmuring to herself. “Wouldn’t know fun if it slapped you in the face.”

She waited for a response, planning her next retort when after a long pause, she opened her eyes. “Sabine,” she said confused.

Jeanne sat up, seeing her sister missing. “Sabine?”

Rising to her feet she noticed the leaves had changed from green to reds, goldens and autumnal colors. A cold wind blew through the trees and sent of icy shiver up her spine. “Sabine!”

Running her fingers through her hair, she began breathing heavy. “Sabine!” she screamed, her voice echoing in the forest.

She caught the faint cries of a woman in the distant. Not Sabine, someone older. Oh gods!, she thought, Mother!

She raced through the forest as fast as she could. Breathing quickly as with each stride, tears flying off her face and desperately pleading to the gods for this to be a cruel fantasy. Moving towards the end of the forest she charged in, hearing a horrified shriek as she was bathed in pure white light.

***

Jeanne awoke with a cold sweat covering her skin. Sitting up immediately and breathing in short, rapid breaths as she looked around at the room. The light of the moon gave the room a soft glow. She found herself in a bed, in the middle of a large bedchamber. Hearing soft tapping of a rain hitting the wood and window from the outside. As her breathing slowed down, her partner, Leonidas, stirred from his slumber and sitting up next to her. “Everything all right?” he asked in a groggy voice.

Jeanne nodded, her hand on her forehead and her lips quivering. “Just a bad dream. A really bad dream.”

Leonidas wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She rested her head on his shoulder, clasping her hand over his. He kissed her head. “You want me to brew up some tea?”

She nodded again, faster this time. “Please.”

He gave her a quick embrace before rising from their bed and after throwing a thick robe made his made downstairs. She pulled her knees close and began trembling as she wept silently. Grabbing a pillow, she pressed it against her face and let loose a painful scream. She tossed it back and felt herself begin to feel calm.

She went over to the wardrobe, grabbing her robe and joined Leonidas in the kitchen of his home. The fire mow roaring, a kettle resting an iron frame and a small amount of steam flowing out of its spout. She sat near the fire, feeling the flames touch her legs and feet. Holding her hands out, she cold began leaving her fingers and she ran her right hand over her neck.

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Leonidas took the kettle and poured the water into two cups, handing one to Jeanne.

“Thank you,” she said, blowing on the surface before taking a sip.

“You’ve been having that dream a lot lately,” he said, holding his cup in between his hands.

“This happens when it gets close to the anniversary of …,” she paused, taking a deep breath to steady her thoughts. “… when I lost her.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Leonidas asked her.

She shook her head. “I don’t even know what I can do about it.” Her hands shuffled the cup as she looked down at her tea. “It’s been over ten years when … you know it still feels as fresh as the day it happened.”

“The pain?”

She slowly looked back up at him. “And the anger.”

Leonidas said nothing, keeping his eyes on hers.

“I know we joke about it, you and me, as well as the others, but there was a time where I was … not the best person to be around. I’d snap at anything I thought was an insult. Hell it wasn’t a normal day if I wasn’t in a fisticuff in some manner.”

“Did you and Kel ever cross swords?”

“A lot,” she replied. “There were a few who thought we hated each other. And at first I thought he did.”

“What happened?”

“I’ve never asked him, but I think he quickly picked up there was something and just let me get it out.”

“Was that why you began to study magic?”

“What do you mean?” Jeanne asked, taking another sip of her tea.

“You know, casting spells requires concentration and emotional control.”

“It does?”

“Yeah. Did … did no one tell you that?”

“Concentration yes, but no one mentioned emotional control.”

“That raises more questions than answers, but that’s another matter entirely.”

Jeanne chuckled. “To be honest, it might’ve been good that I did tie my magic with my emotions. It gave me a way to focus that part of me in a manner where I wasn’t pushing everyone I knew away.”

“Hmm,” Leonidas hummed.

“What?”

“Just reminded me of someone I knew back in the Outlands.”

Jeanne leaned forward lifting her eyebrows slowly.

Leonidas smiled letting a chuckle. “Not her.”

Jeanne smiled, taking another sip of her tea. “It’s can be hard to not think of her on some days.”

“I get that,” Leonidas replied. “Even when you lose someone under natural circumstances it can be hard to adjust to the new normal.”

“And I think it took me a long time to start adjusting into it in a healthy manner,” Jeanne said, looking around at the rafters above them before turning her gaze back to Leonidas.

“Well, a lot of people tend to spend their entire lives avoiding it altogether. So, it says that you’re taking those steps.”

Jeanne leaned next to Leonidas, resting her head on his shoulder. “Thanks, Doc. This is really helping.”

“Feeling better?”

Jeanne nodded.

“You want to head back to bed, or do you want to stay here for a while.”

Jeanne closed her eyes, snuggling closer to Leonidas. “I’d like to stay here a bit longer. Listen to the fire for a little while.”

Leonidas held her close, resting his head on hers. “Just remember I charge by the minute.”

“You would say that,” she said relaxed, feeling the heat of the fire soothe her spirit.