Birthright (Forgotten Daughter part 2)

Realm of Dreams

Aliana let the tall grass brush the palms of her hands as she walked wistfully through the vast fields towards the palace in the distance.

Sweet nostalgic aromas drifting across the plains. A soft breeze tossed the stray hairs that had slipped free of her thick braid.

She closed her eyes and basked in the calming sensations. She hadn't felt a peace like this since... ever. She felt a single tear roll down her cheek.

When she opened her eyes, she was surrounded by impossible, amazing images. A young boy rode a dragon across the electric blue sky. A mother embraced a child who had died too young. A little girl was being doted on by a group of fairies. She giggled and twirled as the glittering creatures swarmed her.

A bubbly laugh burst from Aliana as she watched the scenes play out before her. She saw the greatest dreams and wishes of all humanity play out before her. And it was beautiful. She walked through the field of dreamers, taking in the whimsical wonder of each scene. She was smiling so much her face hurt. She hadn't felt like this since she was a child.

But, all too soon, she reached the edge of the field. A river rushed past, cutting her off from the palace. She glanced up River then down. No bridge. She would have to swim it.

The water was ice as she eased into the river. The weird part was it didn't feel like she was getting wet, it was just cold. It wasn't long before she was up to her knees in the chill water. With the cold, a haze rushed through her mind, making it hard to think.

Her teeth chattered as she continued deeper into the river. Goosebumps erupted across her skin. She was up to her waist within moments, the current pulling at her. She struggled against the rushing waters.

The haze thickened in her mind until all she could think about was getting through the river and out of the cold.

She locked her eyes on the far shore. She labored forward, fighting to gain every inch. Her strength was quickly draining. Her legs ached and her lungs heaved from the exertion.

The current jerked at her feet, making them slip on the muddy river bed. She lost her footing and her head plunged down into the water.

The cold cut her to the bone and a fog flooded her mind. Kicking and floundering, she broke through the surface and pushed forward.

Coughing and spluttering, she finally crawled onto the other shore. She wasn't really wet, but her hair was loose and hanging around her face. The fog lingered in her mind.

Pushing herself to her feet, she marveled at her surroundings. A massive glittering palace rested atop a short hill before her. It had bright walls and towering spires. Balconies protruded from the shining walls. To her right was a grand, intricately-carved, ivory gateway. Swirling kaleidoscope colors stood in place of doors. On the left, was a gate of horns. It looked far more intimidating than its ivory counterpart. Solid darkness stood as a guard where the doors should have been. The grass was bright rainbow colors and the palace shimmered with a colorful sheen.

She turned and looked back on the sprawling prairie behind her across the river. Is that where she'd come from? Things were really fuzzy. What was she doing here? Where was here?

"You made it." She whirled to find a tall man with immaculate red hair and dark eyes staring down at her. His gaze wasn't exactly kind, more hard and cold. He smiled, but it was forced. "Unfortunately, I didn't have time to build a bridge. Monitoring the dreams of the world, does keep one busy."

Aliana gripped the knife that was sheathed to her thigh. "Who are you?"

He chuckled, his deep smooth voice sounding almost familiar. "Where are my manners?" He dipped a slight bow. "Morpheus, Lord of Dreams, at your service."

"Where am I?" She asked.

He sighed. "I was afraid this would happen. My father always was a bit paranoid." He examined the river distastefully. "I tried to tell him this was overkill."

"A river?" She raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Not just any river." He explained. "The River of Forgetfulness."

"Wait." She held out her hands to interrupt him. "You mean..." she tried frantically to remember where she'd come from, who her family was, what her name was. She came up blank. She started hyperventilating, her heart pounding in her ears. A haze had settled in her mind and she couldn't break through it. There was nothing. Tears welled in her eyes, but she held them back. She met Morpheus' stern gaze. "Who am I?"

He sighed. "You are a half-blood - the daughter of a mortal and a god. You came her for answers."

"What kind of answers?" She asked.

He crossed his arms and stared off into the distance. "The world is in danger. The Titan Lord, Kronos, is rising. Olympus is in an uproar. We all must chose a side. A war is coming."

She bit her bottom lip. "What side was I on?"

"That is yet to be determined." He strode to the edge of the river. "While your actions certainly implied your standing, you never officially claimed one side or the other."

"And what side are you on?" She crossed her arms, more to hug herself than show any defiance. This whole thing was scary.

He waved his hand dismissively. "I should not let my opinions sway your decision." He turned to face her. "But... I suppose it couldn't hurt." There was a strange sort of glee in his eyes, as if he'd been waiting for this moment. "There is little doubt that the gods will fall. They are outmatched. Why support the losing side?" He circled her like a tiger stalking its prey. "If you align yourself with Lord Kronos, not only will you gain power beyond anything you could imagine, but you will secure your future. To defy him is to invite death. All you must do is pledge your loyalty him." He stooped to be on eye level with her. "What do you say?"

His words danced through Aliana's hazy mind repeating over and over. She wanted to say 'yes.' She wanted the power and security, but something inside warned her against it. She opened her mouth to speak, but she was surprised by what came out. "I don't give out loyalty to just anyone. It has to be earned. It may be foolish, but I won't pledge anything to someone I don't know."

A/N
I told you this one would be longer. 😁
I actually made this whole plan with Morpheus before I knew that he actually chose Kronos' side in the books. Lucky me. A lot of things in this story have just worked out so well. It's kind of scary.
Anyway, quick book update. I've finished Battle if the Labyrinth and should be getting book 5 today so... 😆😆
Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
-Cheshire