Chapter 15: Dreams and Nightmares

"I suppose you stopped having nightmares years ago," Re sighed, pulling his shirt off and putting it aside. Kieme shook her head and began to unwrap the bandaging from his chest.

"I’ve just gotten used to them," she replied, rolling the bandage up around her hand. "I haven’t woken up screaming in a long time, but the nightmares are probably worse than they were…then. They’ve had more things to feed on, I suppose. I can take it when I’m awake, but in my dreams…"

"It comes back to haunt you," finished Re, wincing as she began a healing spell on his wounded chest. It wasn’t exactly painful, but it was a very uncomfortable feeling.

"You’re doing well. When we get to Thaliron, you’ll be as good as new. And if the weather stays like it is now, we’ll be there in two days." The weather had been turning more crisp as the days went by, but fortunately it hadn’t rained much or snowed at all.

"Two days," Re repeated. "It’s kind of funny that we picked this inn to stay at, isn’t it?"

"I’m not sure funny is the word," Kieme replied dryly.

"Even before the rebellion, you still had nightmares," Re noted. "I was so scared when you started screaming—I thought the place was on fire, or something—"

"Or, even worse, that my grandpa had found us." They laughed together at the memory. "Back then, it would have been tragic…it all seems so trivial, now. But I miss those days…life was so easy."

"Are you done?" asked Re, and Kieme nodded. Re pulled his shirt back on. "I think I’m going to visit my parents. You could come along." Kieme coughed.

"I’d rather lay low, thanks. I don’t think I want to deal with it if someone recognized me here…"

Re shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said with a shrug. "See ya later."

*

"Look, if you’re not going to buy the book, put it back on the shelf," a gruff voice intoned over Amercy’s shoulder. "Nothing personal, but if everybody read the books without paying, I wouldn’t be able to make a living, all right?"

Amercy turned around to face the largest woman he’d ever seen. She wasn’t fat, but very tall, very muscular, and very menacing. Amercy felt his hands beginning to shake. He closed the book and held it out to her. "I’m s-sorry, ma’am," he stuttered.

The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Stop harassing the poor kid," a familiar voice called out. "He happens to be a friend of mine."

"I don’t believe it," the woman gasped. Amercy turned around to see Re standing in the doorway of the bookshop and breathed a sigh of relief. Re wouldn’t let this scary lady hurt him.

"Hey, I was passing through, thought I’d stop by," Re said with a shrug. "How’s it going, Mom?"

Amercy looked between the two in awe. Was this woman really Re’s mother? He’d never mentioned that this was his hometown…

The woman embraced Re and mother and son looked each other over. It had been years since they’d last seen each other, but their parting had been on good terms and they had corresponded over the intervening time. Amercy fidgeted. He missed Lida and Sarhe—his family, still working for his old master…he had abandoned them. Would they ever forgive him for it?

"And who might this lad with excellent taste in reading material be?" wondered Re’s mother. She winked at him, and Amercy decided that he didn’t like being winked at, even if she meant well.

"Amercy Chellirane," Re said. "Amercy, this is my mother, Jolien Sakarta."

"Pleased to meet you." Amercy was not surprised that she had a vigorous handshake.

"Pleased to meet you too, ma’am," the purple-haired "lad" replied, swallowing a lump of anxiety as best he could.

"Have you heard anything of Kieme?" wondered Jolien Sakarta.

"She’s actually with us as well, though she’s hiding out back at the inn, I’m afraid," Re explained.

"That’s a shame. Kieme Naraleyn’s practically been elevated to a legend around here—she’d be quite the celebrity."

"Yeah, that’s what she was afraid of." Re grinned, and his mother laughed.

"You’re right, fame was never what Kieme wanted…" Jolien Sakarta drifted off, as if Re knew what it was Kieme did want.

Amercy tried to smile, but he couldn’t keep his hands from shaking. Re’s mother seemed like such a nice person, and there was nothing to be afraid of, but he was always so nervous around people...what was he supposed to say? He knew she was just trying to be friendly, but she was still...imposing...

Jolien brushed Amercy’s hair off his forehead and gazed down at him. "I don’t believe it," she breathed. "Quite some company you’re keeping, Re. First the legendary Naraleyn, and now a Tresuan?" Her look was a bit skeptical, but her eyes were still twinkling at him. Was this what mothers were like?

"Amercy’s been through a lot," Re said. "But fate brought him to us, and he’s our friend, now."

It felt so good to be called friend, Amercy realized. Even Lida and Sarhe, his only family, had never really called him their friend…

"Well, then, come on in, and introduce your new friend to your father. He’s too busy checking out our new equipment…thinks he can make a perfect copy of a text with a machine and a bit of magic…"

Amercy found himself smiling. Re had parents, he had a real family… he was jealous, but he was also happy to be included in the visit. Even though he didn’t have anything to add to the conversation, he was content to stand there and listen. If only his own parents hadn’t been killed, they might have meetings like this…he didn’t miss them, one can’t miss something one hasn’t known, but he did feel left out of having a family. The woman had noticed he was Tresuan, but she wasn’t afraid of him—it really didn’t matter! Perhaps even one with the mark on his forehead could live a normal life, after all.

*

Kreis returned from his shopping trip in a rather sullen mood. He’d had another fight with Triana…she’d been so happy with him for the flower necklace just a few days ago, but now she couldn’t stand him. He had forgotten to tell her where he was going, and she was worried sick about him, alone in a strange town where anything could happen. So of course she had to come looking for him. Kreis didn’t understand her…she knew fully well that he was capable of taking care of himself. When he told her this, though, she became even angrier because he wasn’t appreciating her concerns, didn’t care about the time she had spent searching for him…and when he finally apologized (halfheartedly, he had to admit), Triana stopped speaking to him altogether. Yeah, he probably didn’t need to have gotten so upset about it, but Triana was being awfully…what was the word? Possessive? They had never been a real "item," why did she want to start acting like it now?

Kreis didn’t understand at all. Weren’t they supposed to be worrying about other things?

"I don’t understand, either," Kaelor told him in the dream world. "Men, women…not even myself. Even when I watch people’s dreams, their minds, looking through their eyes. I suppose I’ll learn to understand, someday."

"So what should I do?" wondered Kreis, asking his "older brother" for advice. He didn’t know whether it was real or not…but it was just a dream, after all, so it wasn’t a good place to quibble about matters of reality.

"You’re not the only one who has problems with growing up," Kaelor replied. "I wish…I could have that sort of problem…" He drifted off wistfully. Though his mind and spirit had matured, his body would be that of a five-year-old for as long as he was trapped in the dreamspace.

"Yeah, well, most people my age aren’t on a mission to the Queen of Shadows on orders from the Abbess---high priestess, really, far as I know—of the Crane."

"No…they fight in armies, or make their livings, or get married and start families. No matter what, it’s difficult. Seems to be normal, according to what I’ve seen."

Kreis sighed. "Doesn’t make it any easier, though."

"No one said that it did."

Kreis leaned his head down between his knees. He sat on one of the steps of the strange building that housed what Kaelor called the Well. "Do you want to see her dreams?" wondered Kaelor, his voice almost devious. "Triana’s dreams, her dreams that show the true future? Our mother is training her, you see."

"No thanks," Kreis replied uncomfortably.

"They're very interesting, are you sure?" Kreis turned away, and Kaelor shrugged. "I keep looking for myself. For how I'm going to get out of this place and back into reality. But she doesn't dream about me. No one does except you and Kieme."

"I almost never remember my dreams," Kreis sighed.

"It's not a big deal. Most of yours aren't very interesting. Oh, occasionally you get the bizarre one, once in a while a nasty nightmare, but nothing out of the ordinary, as far as dreams go. Kieme, on the other hand...you wouldn't believe some of her nightmares. I help her out when I can, but her dreams frighten me." He shuddered. "Even knowing nothing can hurt me. Even knowing it's just a dream."

"So you look in on everyone's dreams?"

Kaelor nodded. "It's simple. I can teach you how to do it, if you'd like."

Kreis shook his head. "I don't want to poke around in other people's minds. I'm not sure I even like the idea of you looking into my dreams..."

"If I didn't, how would I get to know my little brother?" Kaelor replied, the words sounding odd when the little brother appeared about more than ten years older. "It's not like I read your thoughts. If I didn't look at dreams, I wouldn't know anything about the world outside...only what mother tells me."

"Mother...your mother and mine," Kreis echoed. "So why hasn't she come here? Why haven't I met her as well?"

"She's afraid," Kaelor replied simply. "Hello, Kieme."

A figure was taking shape in the middle of the room. The blur was in white and red, her hair and her skin and nightdress. The blur stepped towards Kaelor.

"Kaelor...I can't take it..." she was saying. Her voice was as blurred as her image, and it hurt Kreis's eyes. Kaelor reached out to touch her hand, and her borders cleared. There was no doubt that it was Kieme, and she was crying.