I returned the kiss. He ran his hand through my hair, his movement igniting warmth in me that increased as he travelled down my neck. My fingers tingled, my heart pounded and I no longer knew where my hands were and where he was. I didn't even care when I felt the back of the chair against my back or that we accidentally knocked over the vase of flowers on the little glass table. Even Nicolas, the oh-so-perfect prince of Little England, didn't care. "Please don't stop.", I whispered out of breath. I admit I had imagined more romantic places to make out with a real prince, but I needed it now. Suddenly a shrill sound broke through our game: "Your Majesty." We stopped immediately and looked down at the floor, caught. I adjusted my sleeves and pulled my hair over my shoulder. Nicola's hairstyle was out of shape, a single strand hanging in his face. Madame Orangerinne looked at our faces, stunned. Uncomfortable silence. She cleared her throat: "I see you are well, Miss Woodstock." She narrowed her eyes. It was clear that Madame was not amused either. My gaze rested on Nicolas. He ran his hand over his face and seemed to be thinking: "Madame, I would very much like you to forget everything you have seen." She stared past the prince, her gaze blank: "Yes, of course. I was just checking up on you, but I don't think I'm needed here anymore." One last look at me and Nicolas, then she curtsied and drew the curtain behind her. Her footsteps faded into the void. Nicolas took a seat on the hospital bed and sucked in a sharp breath of air. With this, the fire between us was extinguished. At some point, he said he was sorry that he had attacked me and that it wouldn't happen again. It was like a slap in the face. I felt remorse and pain. In response, I rose and stood close to him. I took his hand: "I don't regret it." I lifted his chin and looked deep into his eyes. They glittered and reflected uncertainty. I'm sure he wondered if I would take it back. Everything that had built up between us was falling apart like an unstable house of cards. I clutched my head and squinted my eyes. I wanted to go to my bed, I needed sleep. Nicolas suggested accompanying me to my room, I wished to go alone, but he persisted.
We walked side by side in silence. Martin followed us at a distance, enough to have private conversations. I had my arms folded behind my back. Nicolas made hints that he wanted to take my hand, but I didn't want to. A lot had happened in the last few hours. I needed to sort out my thoughts. We came into my hallway, soon I would be in my room. I touched the handle of the door and cast my gaze back at the prince. We were silent. Nicolas smiled slightly: "Good night Belle." He gave me a light kiss on the cheek and waited until I had closed my door. I slammed it shut harder than I thought and winced. Exhausted, I made my way to my room. I was glad that there were no maids here asking me what had happened. They all had to be at the feast. I sat down and bent down to my strappy shoes. The click of the snaps reassured me. I slipped out like them and flipped the blanket aside so I could crawl underneath. I took off the chain and lay down on the bedside table. I looked at it, all at once sadness came over me and I grabbed it and held it in my hand. Today I didn't want to be alone. After a few minutes, I fell asleep.
I was surrounded by clouds of mist, the ground was dry and single stones sticking out. I was wearing jeans and a normal jumper. I walked forward knowing that I could fall at any time or that an attacker was waiting for me. I knew before I realised that someone was following me. I panicked adrenaline pumping through my body. I walked faster and faster, jumping over a tree trunk, dodging stones. The fog lifted. I kept running and realised I was on the edge of a cliff, the sea roaring and the waves slapping against the sharp edges. I rowed my arms and tried to keep my balance, I succeeded by a hair's breadth and fell back. Parts of the cliff slid into the water and sank into the depths of the sea. I bit back the throbbing pain. A black shadow appeared before my eyes and threw me against a rock. I bounced and breathed erratically, everything burning inside me, for a second my ears rushed and my vision blurred before my eyes. I propped myself up with difficulty and grabbed the back of my head, it was wet, I was bleeding. Great, a laceration. My hand was shaking, I tried to steady it with my other hand. "You're not getting away from me that easily", the shadow shouted. I was hit in the face. Protectively, I held my arms in front of me and cushioned every blow and blow. I stepped back and got more and more opportunities to defend myself. We were in a duel. It was a game of power, of life and death. I was getting better at dodging. I hadn't noticed that we were approaching the edge of the abyss. Lumps were crumbling into the water, it was an ugly grey. The black figure grabbed my throat and squeezed it shut. I struggled for breath and pressed against it. "You have to die.", he screamed. I closed my eyes because I was panicking, panicking for my life. I kicked him hard in the stomach area. He tensed up. Distracted by this, I managed to free myself and picked up a stone from the ground. "A stone?", he laughed, "don't you have anything better to offer, darling?" I gritted my teeth and narrowed my eyes. "Should I?", I replied coldly. I held the stone in the air, I would be ready at any moment. He laughed: "Come on, hit me." He surrounded me and we wandered back and forth. I couldn't do it, I wasn't a killer. I dropped my gun. He laughed again: "I always knew you were a coward, you're nothing." I countered: "I am not!" He grinned wickedly: "So what are you then, if not a coward?" I whispered that I didn't know. The shadow came rushing towards me. I gathered all my courage and ran towards him. He staggered backwards. With the last of my strength, I pushed the figure down the cliff. He fell and hit the ground, there was a dull sound. I didn't dare look at first. I bent down, it was all black. Instead of the sea, there was a meadow and on it lay a body. Motionless and with its eyes open, its skin lazed. The corpse was roasted in a bed of flowers, all bathed in red. The blood mixed with the flowers and glistened in the sun. Now I recognised the figure, it was Leopold. I moved away from the depths and let myself fall backwards. The ground was dusty, I pulled my legs towards me and rested my chin on my knees. I stared into the void, then I was startled from my dream.