Their Queen

19-Nightmares on loop

Resolve hit me and I decided that I needed to wait for him. He was really rational and maybe there was this reason he approached a girl out of nowhere and decided to be Mr Sociable all of a sudden.

I nodded, "Are you okay?" I asked, looking up at him. "You look tense about something." 

He smiled automatically in response, a pained smile. "Yeah a bit, The Verdict's coming up soon and my father decided on one of the final determining tasks."

They had explained it to me earlier, even though they were heirs, there was no automatic passing on of power. They needed to gain approval of the board and the school was there for that purpose, to mold them into leaders. You'd think that these guys were just privileged but it was more than that.

"What is it?" 

" I can't explain it quickly, it's quite a long story. Why don't you come over for dinner tomorrow and I can explain it then," Darius leaned his forehead against, nudging his nose against mine.

It was our way of communicating with each other, our intimacy.

Which he better not start doing with someone else.

"But you're not interested in Katherine, are you?" I nervously spoke, my voice reflecting my worries. " I mean she's really pretty and you'd look great together."

He laughed musically, "It's not like that, how could I be interested in someone else when I have you? Trust me, there's no one else for me."

I sagged in relief, my muscles loosening. Thank god. 

"Alright, I'll wait for you." I answered.

"Once this is over, it will all be okay." He verified, his voice with a hard flint to it. I wrapped my hands around his neck around his neck as reassurance and he in turn, hugged me back. His strong arms wrapped like vines around my waist. His steady heart beating.

It would all be okay.

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DARIUS' POV

He was working late, his study filled with paper, his wall filled with clues and markings. He certainly felt like Sherlock Holmes, trying to piece together the missing  pieces.

Who knew business was such dirty politics. 

People would know no limits, people who would prey on weakness to gain favor.

He knew from personal experience.

He couldn't have any weakness so history wouldn't repeat himself, he wouldn't trust so blindly like his father.

He thought of his strength at that time, someone  he thought he would never meet. A bright light, and he was lucky to have her from beginning.

He would clean up the skeletons just so he would be able to protect her.

He smiled at the thought of her comforting him, how adorable she was. 

"Darius, it's late, you should try get some sleep." Alaric had walked in, adorned in his nightwear. Raphael followed suit with a cup in hand.

"It's that herbal tonic that I ordered, it should help with the insomnia." Raphael passed it over to Darius.

"You know that nothing works," Darius muttered as Raphael made his way over.

"Stop trying to make excuses ,just think of it as medicine." He passed it over. 

"Have you got anywhere?" Alaric asked, flicking the post it note stuck on the memo board. 

"Somewhere not too close," Darius answered, his hands rubbed his face. He was so exhausted, mentally and physically. 

"Right, it's alright. You know where to come if you need anything," Alaric said, leaning himself on the desk to face him.

"Yes, I know, thanks. But I need to find out for myself, to get some peace." Darius answered, sitting up, taking a sip of the disgusting brew.

"Where did you find this?" He asked, scoffing slightly at the bitterness. It was nasty. You would assume it would be nice because of the floral smell.

"Some street vendor," Raphael answered absentmindedly, causing Darius to choke on the sip he took.

Raphael laughed immediately, "I'm joking, relax. That doctor from the East sent it over."

"If I had the energy, I would kill you." 

"You got it for me?" Darius asked, touched.

"Of course man." Raphael grinned. 

He was lucky to have them.

"Yes of course, you idiocrasy is a symptom, along with your insomnia being cured perhaps you could also not be an idiot too, so win win," Alaric retorted blandly, his voice all matter of fact.

Raphael snickered, while Darius gave a quick glare.

Any other situation he would given him a punch straight to the gut.

"If only Juliette could sleep here?" He sighed, blissfully thinking of her in her cutesie pyjamas, wrapped around her. Her intoxicating scent so comforting and her softness lulling him to serenity.

The two other boys had similar thoughts and it was amusing for if an outsider looked upon them, the seemingly cold boys softened when thinking of her.

So precious. 

"That would be nice, waking up to Juliette would be great," Raphael asserted and Darius sighed.

"I'm going to tell her everything tomorrow," the boys looked at him with approval. "I want to tell her,  I don't want to hide anything from her."

It was nice the idea of relying on someone, telling them your thoughts and feelings. There was something about Juliette where you wanted to bare your soul. Tell her everything.

"That would be good, it will all be over soon" Raphael said, breaking out of this daydream.

A reassuring hand was placed on top of his shoulder and Raphael patted his hair which Darius was quick to swat away.

--

There were nights Darius fell asleep only after being awake for longer than he could recall. It was the kind of sleep deprivation that is painful. He'd sleep for not very long and then awake as if he was breathing for the first time, as if his body was deprived of oxygen.

Darius picked up the transformer, mimicking a wooshing sound with his lips. His stomach rumbled and he then swaddled over to find his mummy.

"Mummy, where are you?" He called out, perhaps they were playing a game of hide and seek but Mummy was really good at hiding.

"Found you,mummy. I'm hungry," He moaned as he crawled up onto the bed where his mum lay, asleep.

Her face furrowed in what he didn't then recognise as pain. "Mummy, are you sleeping?" He stroked his palm on her cold face. "Peak-a-boo, mummy wake up. "

Why wouldn't she wake up? 

"Mummy," he called out again, why wouldn't she wake up? 

She wasn't a deep sleeper and she would always wake up in a second, enveloping him in snuggles.

Why wouldn't she wake up?

A nightmare that repeated itself on loop.

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