A medical staff tapped her shoulder. "Are you alright, Ma'am?"
"Hey, you will address me properly as my lady." Dazifae sternly responds.
"I am sorry I was just concerned that you are grunting in your sleep. In our culture, we are obligated to wake up that person. You might be having a nightmare. But it could be a prophetic dream though. Regardless, I'm just playing it safe."
"What? I understand nightmares but prophetic dreams? "
"It is some sort of premonition mostly filled with symbolism." The medical staff informs.
"Oh." Dazifae was suddenly curious. She trusts the staff and shares her dream.
"I was in a hallway when the alarm sounded and the room was filled with smoke. Before succumbing to asphyxiation, I woke up."
"It seems to be a prophetic one. Based on your story, I think it's telling you to be more cautious." The staff answers.
"Oh" Dazifae felt scared. She jolted up from her chair. Just after standing, a fragment from the ceiling fell on the empty chair. The medical staff and Dazifae looked at the fragment. It was a piece of cement. Then, they look upwards before facing each other.
Meanwhile, Kyron is in Nybos replenishing his supplies. Before returning to Fliska, he decides to take a pit stop at Balyn, the lone moon of Nybos. He visits his exiled relatives in the said fortress. Since his father's death, he exiled his half-sisters there in a fortress closely watched by his men. They were not allowed to leave the fortress without Kyron's permission.
Kyron was paranoid that his enemies may use them against him or perhaps they were plotting to kill him. Aside from this, it was discovered during her temple training that she had some special gifts. Thus, Kyron keeps her locked up fearing these gifts but also using them to his advantage.
The eldest sister, Princess Kaledina, could sometimes see the future. When Nybos is visible within the dark skies of Balyn, she goes into a trance and sees the future.
Kyron greets his half-sister and brings her a gift, the hajana drink which allows the princess to be in touch with her supernatural talents. Kaledina hates the gift for seeing the future comes with a great price. She suffers great ailments as her body gives out due to the surge of energy, she has to endure for Kyron threatens to kill their siblings if she refuses to cooperate.
After drinking from the chalice with the hajana drink. She loses consciousness. Not long after, her body glows. Her eyes glare with light as well as her mouth and hands while she chants her foretelling.
Kaledina tells a tale of a princess in a deep sleep. She is receiving healing but is fading away so quickly. However, there is every bit of hope that she shall rise again and if so, she will be a match for Kyron.
The Nybian princess also speaks of many victories and conquests that shall be achieved by Kyron and his men as the princess continues to sleep. Her fate will be determined soon enough. Kaledina stops as her body starts shivering. Kyron is displeased with the incomplete information he got. He soon orders his men to attend to the princess.
Unknown to all of them, Princess Najena, has sneaked out of her chambers and saw the trance that the eldest sister had to face. Years ago, she saw her sister and their cousin Dorrelia reach a certain age and took the hajana drink. Only those gifted shall ever see the future after taking the said fluid. Dorrelia became ill for days but Kaledina went into a deep trance and though she too became ill, she recovered soon enough.
Since then, Kaledina is often summoned by shamans and priestesses to some rituals. When they were exiled, she was summoned before Kyron and everyone else knows she was to foretell the future as the ruler demands.
Najena had always been curious about what happens during the trance for someday, she too might undergo the same rituals. She sees that healers were on standby and rushed to the eldest princess after the foretelling is done. Her body was succumbing to the pains caused by the trance but the eldest princess chooses to stay alive for her siblings.
Najena fears her sister may not survive and without Kaledina, Kyron may put an end to all of them. She knows that Kyron keeps them alive because of Kaledina's gifts. Without her, she and her other sister including their ailing mother were of little use to Kyron. She has mixed feelings about whether she wants to possess the same gifts. She does not want to be pained after the trance and yet she feels for her sister. She wanted to ease the burn of their eldest by sharing in her gifts.
Kyron leaves the room and the rest of the subjects follow. The healers bring the body of Kaledina away to receive better treatments. The princess scans the room and comes to the table where the chalice was left. There was still enough hajana to sip and send someone gifted into the foretelling trance. Out of sheer curiosity, she takes the chalice to take a closer look at the liquid that changes the lives of the gifted.
Upon holding the said chalice, it almost slips from her hands and she spills the drink. When a few drops touch her lips, she nearly faints and sees a whole new world ahead of her. Her haziness disappears and a guard sees her tampering with the chalice. The attendant saw her too in a state of trance.
The incident was of course reported to Kyron and the princess was punished by being flogged. As the punishment was carried out, surprisingly, she could not feel a thing. She slowly familiarized herself with it for it shall be nothing compared to what is to come.
Back in Elzilaura's room, Zyric sat beside the princess' bed. "I don't know if you can hear me but I am begging you to please come back. Fliska needs you." He touches her hand softly and then looks back at the sleeping princess. "I need you."He places his head on the bedside and eventually falls asleep.
In the middle of the night, he felt soft hands caressing the exposed side of his face. He opened his eyes and saw Elzilaura had moved to her side. She saw her eyes were open and she was smiling. He asked if she was awake and she softly responded. Zyric then rose and told her he'll call a physician or any medical attendant. She held on to his hand and told him not to go. She begs him to stay with her.
He goes back to her side and she moves closer to him as well. When he was nearer, he touched her face and cupped them with both his hands. He draws her closer to him until his lips touched hers. Zyric found his hands one on her neck and the other on her head. Slowly, his hands moved down and clasped her shoulders.
Soon, Zyric woke up and found Elzilaura still lying down unconscious. It was all a dream. He then scans the room and sees both Kanunia and Dazifae watching him. Kanunia was trying to hide her smile but Dazifae's look seemed a little bit annoyed.
"Good morning there, Prince of Craiine. It seems you had a good night's rest." Kanunia teases and everyone else laughs. It was awkward being seen at the edge of the bed like some lover watching over his ladylove.
Pretty soon, Alednos came in, and when he saw the former general awake. "It's good to see you are awake." He handed over a food tray to Zyric. "Here you go, the breakfast is good today."
Before he could take a bite, Elzilaura's hand began to move. He tapped Alednos and pointed at Elzilaura's moving hand. They both stare at the hand until Kanunia approaches them. "What are you both staring at?" They point to Elzilaura's hand. Not for long, the princess opens her eyes and awakens at long last.
All of them were so excited. In his excitement, Alednos took back the food plate he gave Zyric which made Elzilaura smile a bit. Dazifae called for a doctor who examined the princess. He says that she will be alright now though she will still be kept under observation. She also still needs rest until she is truly fully recovered.
Elzilaura told them she had a dream. She was in her earthly classroom and the teacher looked like Queen Azestina, her mother. The teacher gave a quiz and to her surprise, the test paper is written in an unknown alphabet. She complains saying she doesn't understand.
The teacher encourages her to try harder. Elzilaura says she doesn't know what to do but the teacher tells her to try and she will know what to do. She meditates for a while until intense glowing light coming from the crystal cross pendant engulfs everything.
The scene changes and she sees earth completely devastated. It looks as if she made an effort to use the crystal cross and the effect was destruction on planet earth. She then sees a shuttle in the distance. It seems to prepare for launch. She runs towards it waving her hands to catch their attention and bring her aboard.
Suddenly, someone from behind stops her. He advises her not to board the shuttle because if she does, she will never get to her rightful place. She asks the stranger for directions.
He tells her to find a road that leads to the sunrise and then disappears. She looked for it only to find hundreds of desolate roads. She noticed she had a glowing pendant with her. She lifts it until one road illuminated and stood out from the rest. She followed it and the sunrise came. The sun's brightness shined so brightly that all of a sudden, she found herself in the hospital room.
Kanunia was supposed to make a comment but a food plate was sent in. All of them watched as the princess finished the plate within a matter of seconds. Everyone was surprised but Dazifae claims that perhaps it is normal since she slept for so many days now and the princess has not eaten for quite a long time. Her stomach and bowels must have missed being filled with food.
After eating, Elzilaura was advised to continue to rest. Alednos and Zyric inform their allies of the princess' situation using communicators while Dazifae had a word with the doctor once again.
Kanunia shares with Elzilaura what happened since she was last conscious. She also narrates her encounter with Bonico. After learning of what happened, Elzilaura says she can't explain it but she knows.
Kanunia was surprised but deems it possible because of her revelations back when Elzilaura was still unconscious.
The door opened and Zyric came in followed by Alednos.
"Forgive the intrusion ladies but I must inform you that we have discussions with our allies. They are offering an escort for our departure from Agcar but I declined it for it will attract more attention from our enemies."
"Fair enough." Kanunia replied. "What do you propose we do next commander?"
"We leave as soon as Elzilaura gets discharged by the attending physician."
"I can go check on the nurses and for ask info." Alednos offers his service. But before he could leave, Dazifae enters the room.
"I just got word from the Nurses' Station. The Medical Director and the attending physician cleared Elzilaura for discharge. We can leave tomorrow morning." Dazifae reports joyfully.
"I am glad things are turning out well," Elzilaura replies. "I hope our streak of luck will continue." Everyone agrees.
Alednos then notices his communicator beeping. He opens it and sees the Duke of Inva at the other end." Greetings Lord Ovded! Our princess is awake and here she is." He hands the communicator to Elzilaura.
"Your highness, I am elated that you are well." The Duke of Inva says.
"I am flattered my Lord Duke but as you can see, I am yet to be discharged from the hospital tomorrow." The princess responds
"Nevertheless, you have regained consciousness. It won't be long now before you are on your way to fulfilling your destiny and we, your loyal subjects, will be here in support of your cause."
"Thank you, my Lord Duke. I must also apologize for not heeding your words. I was careless in harnessing the energy of the crystal cross. I should have been more careful."
"It's alright. We do what we must your highness and you did what you thought would be best for us all. For now, do take your rest and we will keep in touch. We will continue tomorrow discussing the plans. Good night, your highness."
"And to you, my gracious Duke of Inva." She ends her conversation with a sweet smile.
Soon, the people in the room chose to leave and go about their way except for Zyric who offered to stay behind and watch over her. The jealous Dazifae wanted to stay behind as well but Kanunia distracts her and start a conversation about gossip. Alednos followed them as well.
As they were left alone, Zyric checked to make sure. "So far, are you alright?"
"Yes, I am fine." She assures him. "I feel sleepy though." The commander of Fliskan forces tucks her under the bed cover. "Is that good."
?Very comfy. Thanks Zee." She smiled at him. "I had a dream. " She then yawned. "Last night, someone gave me the sweetest kiss..." Before she could finish her narrative, she suddenly dozed off.
Zyric thought to himself. I had the same dream or was it just a dream?