She was feeling restless, and she didn't even know the reason for it. Thinking about the journal, her eyes got droopy, and unknowingly, she fell asleep. When she opened her eyes, she found herself somewhere else. It was a military camp Lyra was sure of it but it looked so different. As she walked some more, she saw camps everywhere. Some people were cooking, and smoke was rising from it. When she walked a bit farther, Lyra saw people tending to wounded soldiers. Yes, soldiers she knew that much because their attire looked like something from the mediaeval era. Lyra was confused. Am I dreaming? she thought, when she heard two people arguing about something.
"Hey, watch out!" Lyra jumped at the voice and looked back, but it seemed the person was talking to someone else. Lyra was confused. Can't they see me? I'm standing right in front of them. She was distracted again by the voices, so she took some steps to see their faces, but when she looked, she got the biggest shock of her life. She came face-to-face with herself no, not really face-to-face because the other girl couldn't see her. She was busy shouting at the man. His back was to Lyra, but from the back, he looked like a Viking soldier.
"You are telling me to trust you, Rowan? You want me to betray my father for you?" the girl said through clenched teeth. Oh, so the man's name is Rowan, but his back was still to Lyra, so she couldn't judge what his expressions might be. Then she heard his gruff yet alluring voice. How can a gruff voice be alluring? That was a mystery to Lyra.
"Yes, I want that from you. I don't want you to betray your father; I just want you to trust me. Is this so hard for you?" His voice softened to a gentle cooing at the end.
"I am leaving," the girl said, seething with anger. But the man held her hand and spun her around, pulling her completely into his arms.
"No, you are not. They don't know you're the enemy's daughter, Lyra. When they do, they're going to come after you…"
Lyra was stunned for a moment. What the hell? Not only does this girl look like me, her name is also Lyra! Then she saw the man lift the girl in a bridal style, despite her protests, and still, Lyra couldn't see the man's face. She was about to follow them when she heard her name being called.
"Lyra, Lyra, wake up, honey. It's morning." She slowly opened her eyes. Sophia was looking at her, as if waiting for her to wake up, her expression unreadable.
"What happened, Mum? Why did you wake me up?" Lyra yawned and fell back onto the bed as if she were going to sleep again.
"Uh-uh, young lady, you are not going to sleep again. It's hard for you to even come here, and now you want to waste the day sleeping? It's already 10 in the morning." Sophia pulled the comforter off her.
Lyra woke up dejectedly. "Alright, I'll get up." She got up, feeling downcast, and entered the washroom. Sophia's expression changed, and with a panicked look, she left Lyra's room.
Olivia and Wren were drinking tea in the garden when they saw Sophia's panicked expression.
"What is it, Sophie?" It was Wren who asked.
"It has started, Oli. I heard the name Rowan from her mouth. She'll remember her past in no time." Sophia's voice cracked at the end.
"Nothing of that sort will happen this time. We're here with her, and we'll help her."
"Hello, what's going on?" They all heard Lyra's voice. She was coming from her room toward the garden.
"Um, nothing. We were just waiting for you. Come have breakfast with us."
"Of course, I was going to," Lyra said, sitting with the three ladies. She sensed something was off but chose not to comment on it, and soon Olivia started talking about something else, and they forgot about their mood.
*******************
He was standing at his post, doing patrol, but his heart was beating fast because he sensed something he had been waiting for.
"Rowan, hey man, what are you doing here? I think your duty time was over two hours ago."
Rowan composed himself and looked seriously at his teammate. "Yeah, I was just here to clear my mind," he replied seriously. "I'll be going," and he started walking without looking at his teammate. His eyes now held a serious look.
"I have to find you. Wherever you are, I'll find you, my love," he said to no one in particular.
It was midnight, and Rowan was lying in his bed. His room was dark, with no hint of light, just like his life. He didn't want to sleep because that agonizing scene would haunt his dreams again and again. He was a born warrior, never one to back down from challenges, and yet he had mistaken his life as a challenge and lost her.
Sometimes, he wished he could go back and change things. If he were given the chance, would he still make the same mistake? But deep down, he knew it was impossible. He could look for her again, but without alerting her. How would I even find her? That was his final thought before his eyes closed and he drifted into a dreamland where he could meet her again.
************
"Your Highness, I know this is hard for you to believe, but Lyra is not the daughter of the chief. Can you let her go?"
"And who are you again?"
"I am Wren, Lyra's nanny. I have been with her since her birth in order to protect her."
Rowan cut her off, picking up her sentence in the middle. "In order to protect her, you lied to the chief? Do you think I'm interested in your games? Lyra is nothing but a pawn to me, so you—"
Before he could complete his sentence, he heard a whimper and turned back, only to see the shattered expression of the woman they were talking about.
"Rowan," she said in a broken voice.
With this, Rowan woke up. His heart was beating fast, his expression holding anguish, and his hand was outstretched, as if trying to hold someone but that someone had slipped through his fingers. His eyes stung slightly as he remembered his own words.
"How will I ever forgive myself? I hope this time I'm able to change things," he murmured as he lay down dejectedly once again.