The Yggdrasil Compass

Hallucinations?

Exhaustion caught up to her by morning breakfast. She glanced around at her happy family. Tiny little Elizabeth played with the food on her plate, squishing it in her hands. The twins, Aidan and Adeline, were goofing off as usual. Aidan stole food from Adeline's plate. Their mother attempted some sort of discipline which never really worked because they all knew her threats were hollow. Alistair and his wife, Brianna, had made an appearance in honor of the twin's upcoming birthday. The only sibling who was missing was her oldest sister, Rowan, who was sent off to marry some archduke in a castle soon to be destroyed.

Giselle's eyebrows squeezed together as she stared at the empty chair, behavior not missed by her mother.

"Do you miss your sister?" asked Genevieve.

Giselle didn't respond.

Aidan punched her in the arm shaking her from her silence. She glared at him and he tilted his head in their mother's direction indicating her interest.

"Yes, mother?" She sounded so innocent.

"I asked if you missed your sister."

"Not really." Her gaze fixated on the empty chair once more. "Maybe a little."

"Are you feeling well? You seem out of sorts this morning?"

She almost didn't notice. "What? No, I'm well. Just a bit tired. I had a strange dream."

"What kind of dream?"

Giselle thought back. It all seemed so real. "I don't recall," she lied. "I was being chased by something."

"Were you afraid?"

She hesitated. "Yes."

Her mother smiled. "Something big must be on its way."

Giselle's father pounded the table. "Nonsense." He focused all his attention on Giselle. "If you are developing some other power...."

"Aeson, really," Genevieve interrupted. "She has a gift. There is a possibility, as she grows older, that her gift could grow and change into something else."

Giselle could hear him growl softly and chanced a look into his eyes. To her surprise, it was her he was focused on and not her mother.

"Nothing bad is coming," he said sternly. "Nothing will happen to you. I will always keep you safe."

He seemed genuine in the sentiment, but she still didn't trust that look in his eyes. He loved her, yes, but her gift filled him with fear. She didn't even need to touch him to know that much.

"Yes, father." She lowered her head again twisting her fingers.

~~~~

There was a slight ringing in her ears followed by pain in her head and she collapsed for a moment. Everything was bright in colors of purple, pink, and blue. Once the pain had died down and the colors cleared, she opened her eyes to see that her environment had changed. She was lying on a bed made of straw in a small cage that seemed to be sitting on top of a large table next to a lit fireplace. She walked to the bars and looked out. There was a large window at the back of the room that let in the light of the full moon. Water dripped from the ceiling into a small pool in the corner.

The floor vibrated with the footsteps of one of her captors.

"She's awake." A large eye peeked in at her and tapped on the top of the cage. "She's sort of small. Are you sure she's the one?"

"Of course I'm sure," called a female voice from across the room. "She already has it on her."

"How does she already have it if we didn't give it to her?"