Chương 14: Peeping Princess

Sarah Dreadnaught's Point of View. / Chatter. Chatter. / How long have I been like this? Stuck in this black void. Floating, looking at this moonless sky? Occasionally I hear My Parents' and Siblings' voices. They're weeping mostly, but I'm far too weak to speak to them. Only strong enough to contemplate my situation. How did I go wrong? Am I asleep? Am I Dead? Could someone hear me if I were to scream? Time continues to go by. My Siblings say goodbye time after time. I stop hearing them after a while.

But My Parents' weeping voices continue to stay. I think back on all the Spear training and Magic practice I've had. Wish I knew a Spell or a thrust to get me out of here, but no luck for that. / Chatter! Chatter! / Eventually, the weeping stops, I hear energy in their voices for the first time in a long time. That's good, I Love My Family I don't want them to be sad. They continue to visit, eventually I hear more voices and footsteps. They crowd around me. I sense a new presence? Its one I've never felt before.

It's warm and so comfortable. Power... Warm... I feel something powerful, the presence is changing from it... That warmth is getting more comfortable for me. Like I want it to stay by me forever. / CRACK! / A crack appears in the moonless sky. / Crack! crack! Crack! / The crack forms even more tiny cracks and... I can see it, it's opening something in the sky! / SPLIT! / The crack grew from the others and it Split the sky in twain! The darkness from the moonless sky gives way to something...

Something I thought I'd never see again! It's light! It's a White Light. A hand forms out of the Light, it arrives in front of me. It shifts into the shape of a man. He's a little shorter than me, his rounder face Tells me he's younger too. Not by much, he'd be my Junior if we were at the Academy. His hand waits for mine, I can tell. So with all the strength I can muster, I take it. GRIP! The light grows stronger, it envelops me. It's too strong... Close! TIGHT! I close my eyes to stop going blind.

But at the same time... It's so comfortable to feel. / Woosh! /" Hm?" Open! I open my eyes after something felt different. My body feels strong again! For the first time in what feels like years! I look around me. It's a white hallway? There's doors all the way up and down the hallway. Without many other options, I decide to go into the door on my right. / Click! / The scenery is different than the hallway. It's daytime... Guessing from the sun's position in the sky, it's the afternoon. I'm in a home of some kind?

/ Thump. / I hear noise in the room down the hall, where the sun's light is basking the room in its glow, I walk towards it... I'm curious... As I get closer, I feel warmth in my chest. Just like before, from the Light in the shape of a person. After so much nothing, I can't help but want to feel it more... When all I could do was weep at my situation, can anyone really blame me for wanting more of that feeling? With that on my mind, I approach the room, the warmth grows, this pleases me deeply.

I see a woman, a little older than me. She had black hair, her skin was cream colored. She's playing with a little boy. / FWIIISSSSHHHHH! / Pain!" Erk..." Whistling starts to assault my ears. The woman hears it as well, she gets up and turns towards me, we see each other... No... She doesn't see me, she walks right through me? How? What is going on? / step. step. step. / Despite my questions, the woman leaves. She enters a room down the hall... the whistling abates until it disappears.

I feel lonely for a brief moment and then I feel happy again? What is going on? I looked away from the hallway and back into the room... I turned and was stunned. The little boy is staring at me. Not like the woman, he actaully can see me?" Hi I'm John! What's your name? Want to play with me?"

"!" The boy introduces himself to me as he holds a toy outward, gesturing me to take it. He smiles at me too... He has black hair and blue eyes, his cheeks are so round, so perfect for pinching. He can't be older than 4 or 5 years old... / Step. Step. Step. / WARM! He walks towards me with that innocent smile and I can feel the warmth intensify in my chest. I suppose I can keep him company? Why not, if I continue to feel this warmth? I sit down where the woman was.

John introduced himself to me, it's only right that I introduce myself to John. Decorum demands it.

"Hello, my name is Sarah, John. It's nice to meet you." I sit and play with him, my chest feels so full of that warmth. We chat about the toys. That one is a solider, that one is the bad guy. It's simple. The kind of simple that a child builds incredible stories in their mind with. Playing with this boy, I feel so fulfilled from it... So warm..." Big Sis Sarah, what are you doing in my house though?" He asked me that with the innocence of a child.

Looking at those light-blue eyes, I found myself answering without a 2nd thought." I... Just ended up here I suppose?" Worry. I explained it. And a feeling of concern enters my chest... what is this Spell that's been cast on me? Give me back that warmth! In an attempt to ease the feeling, I change the topic. I need to get my mind off of the worry... Anything... Something we can talk about... Oh! Of course!" Who was that woman just now?" I asked it as it came to my mind, hoping to shift my focus to John's answer."

that's my Mommy! She's really pretty! Her and daddy always play with me!" Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings. WARMTH! He answers and the feeling of warmth returns and intensifies. With the information I have, I decide to ask a question to John." John when you talk about your mommy and daddy, do you remember how much you love them as you speak?" John nodded his head to my question as he excitedly answered me." Yeah! Mommy and Daddy are the best!

I love them so much!" WARMTH! The feeling intensifies. That solves the mystery for me... I'm somehow tied to this boy John and his emotions. / Step! Step! Step! / And just like that, the mother returns from the kitchen with snacks for John and a steaming hot tea cup for herself. BURST! WARMTH! Again the warmth explodes, what a nice feeling. John looks at his mother and tries to introduce me, but the house we're in along with him and his mother melt away.

All that was left was me, in what looked like the aftermath of a candle left to burn. I blinked and I arrived back in the hallway. I was confused, but my curiosity was still there... This time I go to the door on my left. / Click! / It's nighttime... There's a full moon out. Empty... Pain... What is this hole in my chest that I'm feeling? No.. Pat... Pat... My chest is still there. I can feel that I'm fine with my hands... It feels like my heart's been ripped out though.

Like there's a empty hole where I should feel that warmth...

"!" What is happening to John!? I follow the feeling in my chest and I arrive at a grizzly scene... 3 bodies thrown across a stone road. 2 strange looking carriages, one flipped over with the front looking like it smashed into a stone wall. There's blood coming out the front of it. The other carriage still on its wheels, looking as damaged as the other, only a smaller hole with less blood. I think the worst for a second, but no... John isn't in that carriage. It must be the one that's flipped. / Pain!

/ The feeling intensifies. It's hard to breath with this pain, this hollowness. I make my way there... I find John. He's just staring at the bloody hole ahead of him as he's laying on the ceiling of the carriage that's been flipped over. I call to him.

"John! John! can you hear me!" He turns his head to me.

"Sarah?" He remembers me somehow. That's good... pain... warm... The feeling lessens ever so lightly. Ah some warmth returned to me. So, I have this effect on him? That's good... I help him out of the carriage quickly. This is no place for a child.

"John, what happened?"" We were driving... And we stopped at a red light. Daddy turned to talk to me and then Mommy screamed. Then... Then..." PAIN! EMPTY! GRIP!" ERK!" The feeling is even worse than a few moments ago. I grab my chest to try and feel something besides the pain... His face, he's in so much pain right now! I don't need the connection to understand it! I can't... No! I won't let this child feel this way! Not for a moment longer!" It's my fault!

If Daddy didn't turn to speak to me, he would've seen the other car coming!" PAIN! NO! I was too late! Tears start to flow from his cheeks as he starts to shout at me... The pain is too severe for me to answer him. I remember the smile I just saw not a minute ago! This isn't right! I won't allow it to end like this! I grab him by the shoulders as I bear the pain as best as I can. GRIP!" John! It is not your fault! You said it yourself! You were stopped at the red light!

The other driver crashed into you and your parents! He's the criminal not you! It will never be BECAUSE OF YOU!" HUG! Warm... After finishing what I had to say, I hugged him as hard as I could. The warmth returns incrementally, but that hollowness is still there. But the warmth feels so good I don't want to move away from him. And I won't because I know he needs this... Needs me... I hear sirens... The Police are approaching the scene and I see it all melt away... Wait... How did I know what that sound was?

Why did I know that it was the Police or an Ambulance? Do I know what John knows? That has to be the answer...

"!" As that realization hit me, I realized that I'm back in the hallway... I'm starting to get it. This must be where his memories are held. Maybe I have to view a certain amount before I can leave? / Click! / I open a door on my right side. It's a new house. Warm. empty... There's warmth in my chest but that hollowness remains. / Sniff. Sniff. / I smell food cooking. The feeling in my chest and the smell of the food guide me to the kitchen. There's John. He's noticeably older now. Maybe 12 years old now?

A scene from the wreckage crosses my mind he holds his head in his hands and continues to tell himself to calm down. Anxious. Sadness. I feel it... This is what he's feeling... As I realize that, John slumps into a sitting position next to the cabinet that's behind him. Empty! The hollowness overtakes the warmth... I can't allow that. I worked hard for that warmth! I won't let him lose it. It's mine! / Step. Click! /"!" I take my first step to go and hug him, but the sound of a door opening interrupts me.

A girl his age with blonde hair and green eyes enters the kitchen and runs to him." John what's wrong!?" She spoke with concern you could almost taste coming from her tone of voice. John looked up at her... And I feel it... empty... Wrap..." Laura? oh, welcome home." My chest feels it, the hollowness is covered, but it's an act. It's waiting to come out, gushing forth like before. I should go and help before it's too late. The girl won't be able to see me anyways. Like with his mother. warm... annoyed!

Before I can move, she hugs him. There's some warmth, but I felt annoyance also. But it's not from John, it's from me. Warm! Annoyed! And it grows as I feel the warmth start to overtake the hollowness." You don't have to hide it. We're all here for you. Mom, Dad and me. Stupid John. I'm not just going to let you suffer. We're Friends aren't we?"" Y... Yes... We... We are." Warm... Lighten... ANNOYED! He hugs her back, he feels warmth from it, it helps to lighten what he's feeling...

But the irritation inside me that I'm feeling grows even stronger. Annoyed! Annoyed! Annoyed! and it grows again and again as the warmth completely swallows the dark emotions he was feeling back to its hole." That pest!" I muttered an insult under my breath. I pretend to keep calm, but I know that little girl is in MY place. Warm... Anger! Irritation! Behind John's warmth, I feel my own emotions start to bubble to the surface. Ugly emotions that are at odds with John's warmth. They converse amongst themselves...

Whispering in each other's ears... Something about the girl's mother getting him a "High school entrance exam book." His warmth grew stronger at the mention of it...

"That's mine" I mutter under my breath unable to stop the emotions rising from within me as she keeps her grip on him. The girl leaves after promising to study with him later. I won't leave empty handed, girl! It's time to make my move now. She's gone... He's returned to cooking. I sneak behind him... It's simple work with my training. I bring my lips to his left ear. She whispered in his right, I won't have him think of her with me... I whisper in the most seductive voice I can." We meet again, John."" Woah!"

I startle him. I back up so he can turn around and see me. So the sight of me makes him forget that bug..." SARAH!? How did you get here?" I smile with as soft an expression as I can at his reaction. Even though he was shocked, I found his reaction quite cute for some reason... And from that, I can't help but to open my arms wide. Hiding my possessiveness through focusing on the warmth, I can't help but demand something from him. Something that should've been mine from the start." First hug me!

I won't answer until you do." I spoke with a resoluteness I didn't know that I had... Shy... Embarrassed... Ah! Agitation and embarrassment. That's what he's feeling right now from me! Oh? But he likes it! My eyes, lips and breasts in particular. I must thank Mother when I see her again for giving me her genes. Despite how he feels though, John is worried about the wrong thing." No, we shouldn't. Veronica and Dan are going to be home soon and Laura is upstairs. So we can't. I mean, how did you get here?" Damn!

He's logical. But thankfully, this is a dream and I can take advantage of that." If you don't hug me, then I'll just have to stay here until they come home. And then we can all have a very fun conversation. fufufu." I try to copy My Mother when she teases Father. Weaken.. And its working! His will is breaking! He's going to agree! Should I push a littler harder?" Okay, okay, you win." Hug! Warmth! He embraces me. Yes, I was correct... This is my place! This warmth in my chest now isn't just from John. it's from me.

After hugging him for a in no way sufficient amount of time. We pull apart, my chest feels an unwillingness to be apart from me. Oh, My love, you're making it hard for me.

"!"

"That's it... I grasp his face in my hands and stare into his now dark-blue eyes and smile. Yes... I have fallen in Love with you John. And I am going to have you in my arms for the rest of time. But this is all his memories. Which means I can use this time for " Research", can't I? While we hug, the scene melts like the others, feeling him leave my arms is heartache inducing, even if I know it's only for the moment...

"?" And I'm back in the hallway again." Fufufu..." With a smile on my face that I couldn't possibly show anyone as I am a Princess, I look for a door while a laugh escapes my mouth. After calming down for a minute and enjoying these new emotions that I've never felt before, I remember what this hallway is. before it was just mindless curiosity for the sake of it... Aiming for an escape from boredom. An escape from this situation I was in... But now... It's not curiosity that I'm feeling.

It's the need for Information Gathering! I have a goal now. It's a just cause of course... How couldn't it be? All's fair in Love in War, isn't it? With that on my mind, I open a door on my right side and walk through with a smile unbefitting of a Princess.