Chapter Fourteen - Dreaming
The enemy had broken through the wall. The battle raged as brave knights, sworn to protect the kingdom, fiercely took arms against the marauding invaders. Gina’s father, who was the King, was nowhere to be found. The smoke from all the fires that had been lit had reached Gina’s room high in the castle. They were coming for her. If they found her, they would take her as a prisoner and publicly execute her, along with any of the other members of the royal family they happened to capture alive.
Gina knew of a secret passage in the walls. It was to be used in case of a dire emergency and her current circumstances qualified. The problem was that once she got into the passageway, which broke off here and there and presented choices to be made at which way to go, she didn’t possess the knowledge to make an informed decision.
Compounding that was that she didn’t have much time to decide. She finally came to a stop, paralyzed with indecision.
“This way mistress” a voice called. Gina ran toward the voice. It belonged to a peasant girl. Gina had never seen her before and from Gina’s perspective she hadn’t really noticed the peasants that served her. The fact is she never paid close enough attention to them to be able to tell them apart. She didn’t hesitate to follow. As mentioned before, she didn’t have much time to think, and she couldn’t just stay where she was.
Gina was sure that she had this dream before. It took her a few minutes, but she finally remembered. The peasant girl was taking her to the wizard and the wizard was going to banish her. As she was following the peasant girl, she had to think about what she was going to do. She had the power to stop what was happening to her. She just had to figure out how to do it.
Gina had safely escaped the Kingdom and was on a path toward the sea. The peasant girl had not let go of her hand. She was taking her somewhere specific. Gina let go of the girl’s hand.
“You are not safe yet, mistress” The peasant girl warned, “we still have to keep moving”. The peasant girl grabbed Gina’s hand and dragged her along the path. They go to the edge of a large cliff. The jagged rocks below betrayed a fateful end to anyone who jumped or was pushed off. The peasant girl found another secret passageway. One cleverly concealed in the rocks and they both entered. After going for what seemed like forever, Gina found herself in a cavern. The man with the cloak was there. The young man who was restrained was also there.
“I have brought her as you requested.” The peasant girl announced.
“You have done well, are you prepared to meet your fate.” The wizard asked. Gina just watched this exchange. She thought of the young man both free and healed. In a moment the young man leaped toward the Wizard. He had a sword in his hand.
Before he could deliver a blow to the wizard, a knight came out of the shadows to oppose him. He was also carrying a sword. The two men locked swords and a battle ensued. Gina recognized the knight as one of the Kings. Why would one of the King’s loyal knights protect this traitor? Gina had to do something to help her champion. She thought the King’s knight’s armor to disappear. When she did that, it disappeared but as soon as it disappeared, it reappeared again.
“You're getting better.” The wizard announced, “But you still don’t get it. You are not the one in control here. I am”
“I’m not afraid of you.” Gina proclaimed.
“You should be afraid of yourself.” The wizard corrected. “You are the one who is causing all these people to suffer.”
“I’m not the traitor.” Gina screamed.
Gina had a thought, and the Wizard was the one who was now restrained. The Wizard had a thought of his own and the young man no longer had a sword. The knight who he was engaged in battle with stopped his attack once he saw that the young man was no longer holding a weapon.
Carla was watching the entire scenario play out and clearly did not want to be there, but she wasn’t sure what she should do. Gina thought up another bow and arrow but this time for the young man who was now without a sword. The young man pulled back the bow and let an arrow fly toward the wizard. The knight easily deflected the arrow, and it bounced harmlessly off one of the cave walls. The Wizard released himself from his restraint.
The young man was back in his own restraint. Gina was back in her restraint. Her attempts at change had failed. Gina wasn’t ready to give up just yet. She thought her way out of her own restraints. She had a small dagger in her hand. She rushed toward the Wizard in a desperate attempt to cause him some kind of wound. She was grabbed from behind.
It was the peasant girl. Gina swung her hand around as the peasant girl let her go and jumped back to avoid getting cut. She wasn’t fast enough, and the girl got a nasty cut on the palm of her hand. Gina woke up. She saw Carla and immediately recognized her as the peasant girl in her dream.
“What did you do that for?” Gina protested, “I almost beat him this time.”
“No, you didn’t.” Carla announced solemnly. Gina recoiled in horror as she saw the blood dripping down the palm of Carla’s hand.