I didn't know how long we had been walking. We never stopped. Even Maybel didn't complain. The trees grew thinner and farther apart, and the path became smoother. The evening wind tickled my nose. The smell of the goats and cows lingered around along the remains of their last meals. I made the group check the map every few minutes just in case we were heading in the wrong direction. The night went on forever.
We didn't talk either, except for the occasional and hasty comments like, "This way," or "Watch your feet." A deep part of me knew that we were all at a loss. Leiz was gone. He had sacrificed himself to distract the nuns away from us. We had to assume he was dead. There was no turning back.
It wasn't until our flashlights ran out that we decided to sleep. I sat down. Leaning against the tree trunk, I ached for a nap. I let dreams take over my exhausted mind.
I woke up with Maybel staring down at me. Worry filled her eyes. Alvinne paced around with her hands at her hips. I lifted my hands, trying to rub my eyes, I found them trembling uncontrollably, damp with sweat.
"Are you okay? How are you feeling?" Rushing to my side, Alvinne touched my forehead, feeling the temperature.
I shook her away. "What happened?"
"You screamed, then woke us up." She replied.
"And began to murmur really random things." Maybel added.
I scrunched my eyebrows, and balled my fist. "I… I had a dream."
"What about?" Maybel questioned.
"I don't know. But I feel like I knew the place, maybe even the people, from before."
"Are you going to tell us what you saw already?" Alvinne tossed her hands in the air.
I wanted to pull everything up and replay it for them, but my mind only recalled foggy images. The dining hall, the funeral, the figures shouting at each other, the curled up body on the floor. The necklace.
I shuddered. The air suddenly seemed frigid, and my lips formed a thin line.
"Well?" Alvinne raised her left eyebrow, eyeing me.
I sighed and figured I'd just tell them what I could remember. "It started in a dining hall. A group of really wealthy people, maybe even the Royal Family, were sitting at a long table, when the necklace was presented. Everyone gasped at the sight of it. You could even feel the radiating power of that gem without even touching it. It was so powerful that…"
"Wait! Is it the necklace in the book? The one you said you've seen in the dreams?" Alvinne interrupted.
I paused at her interference, and nodded. "Maybe. It did look the same."
Alvinne waved her hands, gesturing for me to continue.
"The necklace was especially shown to a young couple. I think the woman might be a princess or something. As for the man, he didn't look as rich as the rest of the people. There were holes in his shoes. It ended with the man reaching forward to touch the necklace. Then, two people started talking."
"Did you see what they looked like?" Alvinne asked.
"No. I could only see from the shadows it was a man and a woman."
"What were they talking about?" Alvinne appeared to be enjoying this Q&A session, while I was not. My eyes drooped. My attention kept fading in and out. It annoyed me that I couldn't figure out who the people in my dreams were, and why the necklace kept on appearing.
"Just let me say it, will you?" I snapped.
She stopped talking and glared at me.
I took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to distinguish the confusion that boiled inside me. "I couldn't really figure out what they were talking about, since they were practically whispering, but I caught words like activating necklace, ruling, and something else. Then, the dream changed places to a funeral parlor."
"Someone's dead?" Maybel whispered.
"I think it was the king and queen's private funeral. It was very lavish and there was a crown on one of the coffins. Only a small number of people were there. I can't remember clearly, but they were saying something about the king and queen being murdered."
"Murdered? How?" Maybel hugged her legs closer to her chest.
I shrugged. "It was just a dream. Don't take it so seriously."
"No. Look Samael, I don't think these are just dreams. Maybe you're remembering your past. Or maybe you can see the future!" Alvinne commented.
Maybel jumped up from where she was sitting. "Are you saying he is a royal?"
Alvinne pulled her back down, and put a finger to her lips. "Shhhhhhh. Princess, do you need a maid to remind you that we are still trying to escape?"
"Actually, I was trying to talk to you," I said to them. "But, you two are too busy trying to manage what comes out of my mouth."
They stood in front of me, hands crossed in front of them, red-faced.
"Okay, we're quiet," Alvinne said. "Can you please keep talking?"
I looked up and saw the sun peeking out behind the clouds. The distant sound of bells ringing reminded me of the journey ahead of us. "We should go now. I will tell you about it on the way there."
Picking my backpack up from the floor, I reached inside for an apple and swung the bag over my shoulders. The others followed my lead. Without further hesitation, we were back on the path to Urbo de Renaskiĝo.
After a few minutes into our journey, Alvinne asked, "Did you see what the city looks like?"
"What city?" I stared at her like she was talking in another dialect.
She rolled her eyes. "The one in your dream, of course."
I looked up at the sky, trying to recall all the buildings and bridges. "Oh, that. There is a wall surrounding the city, and the only entrance into that place is a giant gate which is guarded with two soldiers. Actually, no. You could also enter the city from the lake surrounding the castle. Inside the city wall were little houses and architecture like temples and theaters. The palace stood in the middle of it."
"Is the palace big?" Maybel asked.
I nodded. "Yes, really big. The palace is at the top of the hill, looking down at the city. It has a giant bridge connecting the valley and the hilltop together, looming over the lake. Waterfalls rolled down from the side of the castle and behind it was the most magnificent garden I have ever seen."
The twists and turns of the road kept interrupting us. Finally, I gave up even trying to finish telling them about the castle. It took us another few hours until we reached a fork. Scrutinizing the map, I saw no path like the ones we were considering going down at that moment.
"What do we do now?" Maybel asked.
I looked at the two pathways in front of us. One was made out of cobblestone, and gleamed under the sunlight. The other was muddy and looked like a hiking trail. Pausing, I found myself unable to decide which path to take. Just as I was about to go on the hiking trail, Alvinne grabbed my wrist.
"That way." She pointed at the concrete pathway.
I froze in my position. "Uh, why should we go that way? Please don't tell me because you just feel like it."
Alvinne did her signature eye-roll. "No, stupid. Look!"
I turned my attention to where she was pointing and gasped.
"The city! That's the one in my dream!" My mouth hung open so big I could swallow a whole watermelon. The shape of the palace, the curve of the bridge, the color of the lake sparkling under the sunlight, they were exactly the same!
"The city in your dream is Urbo de Renaskiĝo?" Maybel was jumping up and down, excitement filled her face.
As we hurried along the cobblestone route, Alvinne laughed sarcastically, and whispered into my ears. "Congrats. It's your dream come true."