A Most Dangerous Weapon

Chapter 1: A Few Good Men

I bolt upright in panic, eyes wide as I scan my surroundings. I'm in my room at the palace. Arlo is lying back on the lounge chair near the balcony. He grunts as he lets his eyes flutter open to glance my way.

"This is becoming a habit of yours." He grumbles.

This new nightmare started after Prince Decimus' murder. I've come to realize that once the meaning or events of the previous nightmare have been concluded, a new nightmare takes its place. It seems I'm not allowed to have a peaceful night sleep.

"It was different this time..."

My heart was pounding more than usual, and my mind was racing as I tried to wrap my head around this new development.

Arlo gets up from his comfortable position to join me on the bed, grabbing a wash cloth before thumping down on the mattress. He hands it to me so I can wipe the sweat from my face and neck as he situates himself against the headboard.

"What changed? Did your father finally show up?"

With Arrian gone, I needed someone to talk to about these things. I decided to confide in Arlo since he tended to give me decent advice in the past. I told him all about my previous nightmares and how they compared to my reality, so now he's become somewhat invested in helping me decipher this new dream.

"No... he's surprisingly staying out of this one."

"For now."

"Trust me, it's a good thing."

"Alright, so what happened?"

"Someone else was there."

"In the empty?"

I shake my head from side to side. "On the battlefield."

"Who was it?"

I try to focus my mind on the figure, but his face is completely blurry.

"It's strange, but I can't seem to remember. I definitely recognized him in the dream... but now he's just a hazy figure."

"What else do you remember about him?"

"He was holding the Romallian crown... and we spoke about revenge."

Arlo rolled his eyes. "So it was Maximus."

I shrug. "I guess that's the obvious answer... we were about to fight."

"This dream is sounding more and more like the end."

"Of what?"

"The war." He states matter-of-factly. "Or at least how you expect it to end."

"Perhaps..."

The door to my bed chamber swings open and hits the wall with a thud. Kilgorian stomps in and slams the door shut behind him. He's obviously trying to make as much noise as possible to wake us up.

"We get it, kid! You're here too." Arlo murmurs.

Kilgorian frowns. "If you're awake anyways, what's the point in me standing outside the door?"

I interject before a real argument breaks out. "Take a seat."

Kilgorian was slightly less comfortable in my presence in comparison to Arlo, so he takes a seat on the vacated lounge chair. He had only been in my service for the last three days, devoting himself to my safety after Decimus' demise. Unfortunately he still hates me for marrying the love of his life, but he's professional enough to do the job he committed himself to. It's hard for me to not trust a guy like that.

I pulled my knees up to rest my chin in the crook between, wrapping my arms protectively around my bundled legs. Despite the warm weather, I was constantly getting the shivers.