A Single Dream is More Powerful Than a Thousand Realities

Reprieve

Lyla knew she was dreaming. She knew it. But, for the moment the fear she felt was so palpable she couldn't breathe.
Wherever she looked, she was surrounded by white. Crisp, clean, bitterly cold white. In the distance she could just make out small shapes slowly advancing dark and light shadows with black eyes.
And then the howling reached her ears and she shuddered. She had to get away.
She tried to run, but her feet wouldn't move.
And the shadows were getting ever closer, their growls filling her ears.
Wolves.
'You're a fool' a sinister voice hissed in her ear as she stumbled backwards falling to her rear, a strangled cry caught in her lips, 'I told you that you'd fail.'
One of the wolves, a giant, white monstrous beast, prowled around her, sniffing and growling, preparing to pounce.
She let out a shriek as the creature launched itself into the air towards her.
But then it shifted and was no longer a wolf.
Instead, Azog was on top of her, spitting in her face, suffocating her.
She couldn't breathe.
She couldn't breathe!
His laughter filled her ears as he spewed insults at her
'Worthless Halfling.'
She struggled, twisting her body, trying to get away. But the giant orc had her pinned. She couldn't move.
She was trapped.She closed her eyes, afraid to see the distorted face of the pale orc above her.
She was dying.
'Stay away from my daughter!'
Lyla's eyes shot open. How in this great earth...
Mother?
Azog's weight disappeared, his face melted into a blur of colors. She could breathe again.
And suddenly Lyla was back home, sitting near her little fire, wrapped in her old tattered blanket as she rested her head in her mother's lap.The tears fell freely and she felt so content, so at peace. How did she...?
'Do not cry my little flower.' Belladonna murmured running her hair through Lyla's thick blonde curls.
'How did you? Where's Azog-'
Belladonna placed two fingers to her daughters lips, as her deep chestnut curls bounced lightly. 'Don't you worry about him dear. I'll not let him touch you, my brave little flower.'
And the tears returned as she hugged her mother close, the soft murmurs of comfort reverberating in her ears as thin fingers twisted in her hair. Oh how she wanted this to be real, even for a moment. To be back in her mother's arms, to feel her warm embrace...
'Hush don't you cry. I'm here my sweet darling. It's alright. You'll be alright I'm here. I'm always here...'

******
Lyla rubbed her eyes groggily, smearing the remnants of her tears from her face as she shifted her legs to a more comfortable position and blinked back to wakefulness.
She hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep, though she was grateful for the small mercy.

Her mother's voice was still ringing in her ears and she could almost feel the soft warm caress of her mother's fingers running through her dirty, matted curls. It had been quite some time since Lyla had dreamt of her mother like that. It brought her a sense of comfort to remember a happier time.

But the feeling didn't last too long.

Soft laughter filtered into her little hiding spot and Lyla's mind shot to high alert, waking her up fully and nearly causing her to bash her head on the shelf above her in surprise.

Out of reflex, her muscles tensed and she sat a little straighter, evening out her breathing, her ears straining to tune into the conversation above her.

A few elves were in the pantry, their light laughter echoing louder. This was the first time she'd heard anything other than a disappointed comment or a soft whisper escape one of these creatures!

"I've never seen him so flustered," one of the elves whispered lowly. Lyla hazarded a peek around the edge of the barrel and noted that there were only two elves standing in front of the shelf she was currently hiding beneath.

They were FAR too close to her hiding spot for comfort, even with her invisibility. She scuttled backwards and tucked her legs to her chest again, wrapping her shaking arms around herself. She fancied that if she made herself small enough, she'd feel more comfort.