The Burning Desire Within

CHAPTER 3: An Offer

I jumped from my sleep the next morning, I had the nightmare again. I panted as my wings fluttered. I looked out the window at the sun which was just rising. I hope that whomever is coming can really help. Mid-afteroon was when our guest arrived. When we opened our doorway, instead of a stranger like we had expected, it was Lady Arena and Prince Bracen. When they walked in Bracen immediately made eye contact with me and started to observe me. For someone being so quiet he sure is invasive.

"Lady Arena? I thought you were sending someone?" mother asked.

"Well I decided to come and do it myself, this could be a serious matter so I thought I should be the one to observe it," she said. She then looked at me. "Where is your room?" With no response I started walking towards my room as they followed. When we reached it and entered, a peculiar expressed washed over her face. "Well I don't sense anything, perhaps it's a dream demon in your subconscious."

She took the tips of her fingers and placed them on my forehead. Her fingers started to glow platinum and soon I felt gone for an instant. I felt her, it was almost like she was searching my mind, but I knew that wasn't the case. When she took her fingers away I was taken out of the temporary trance she put me in.

"After tonight, I want you to come to me tomorrow to tell me if you've had the dream again and then we'll go from there," she said and then turned to leave. Bracen waited a moment analyzing me before he followed after his mother. After that I then went to my cloud and did what I normally did.

The next morning, I woke up to the sun, feeling relaxed and well rested. Then I realized I've never felt this way, at least in a long time. For the first time--as long as I can remember--I didn't have the nightmare, I heard my mom walk in, "Silver honey, are you ok?" she asked in a wary voice.

"I'm...ecstatic..." I was trying to find the words to explain. "Mother, it didn't happen, I didn't have the dream, we must tell Lady Arena!" I hopped up from my bed and opened my armoire. I put on my quarter sleeve, white form fitting dress that stopped at the middle of my thighs.

After I prepared myself, my mother and I went straight to Scripton to see Lady Arena and inform her of the good news. We had some trouble with the Cryms, the angels guarding the doors. They were dressed in heavy gray armor, and annoyance and suspicion filled their crystal green eyes. They wouldn't listen to reason until Bracen came to the rescue.

"They are here for a good reason, why aren't you letting them through?" he said as he walked up from behind the Cryms.

"Well sir...it sounded odd," one guard said.

"Did it sound threatening in any way?"

"No sir," the other replied.

"Then you're not doing your job, you should at least notify us. Come please," Bracen stretched his hand towards me to take hold of it. When I took his strong, soft hand, I noticed how massive it was compared to mine. He kept hold of my hand, leading my mother and I down the hall. "My apologies about the Cryms, sometimes they don't know what they're doing and don't think," Bracen said. "Is there good news?" he finished.

"Yes there is, I don't know how I can thank your mother!" I told him.

"She'll be glad she was able to help you."

When we reached a door, he opened the door and said, "Ladies first," and gestured for us to continue walking and let go of my hand. "Mother," Bracen called. Lady Arena turned and a peculiar expression crossed her face.

"Silver, you're here with good news I hope? I'd hate to send you into exile knowing my son has taken an interest in you," she said and looked at Bracen. I looked at him, he had his arms crossed across his chest with a straight, emotionless, and plain look on his face. He then looked at me with that expression, like he was studying me, like before.

"Yes, I wanted to inform you that last night I did not have that horrible nightmare that has haunted me for centuries, and I wanted to thank you," I said after I turned my attention back to Lady Arena and curtsied. I noticed a sleek smile as smooth as silk spread across her face.

"I'm glad to hear that, seems it was only a dream demon," she said.

"Thank you very much Lady Arena, I don't know how to thank you for ending my daughter's turmoil," mother said.

"Don't worry Belna, I'm just happy I could help and that it's solved. Bracen stop staring at the girl, she's not an experiment or a quest on one of your adventures," Arena said. Without saying a word or changing the expression on his face, he reverted his eyes to the ground but couldn't help to take one last glance in my direction.

"Well we shall take our leave Lady Arena, thank you again," mother said and we then left the room to leave the palace. When we were outside I lifted in the air to go in a different direction. "Silver don't stay on that cloud too long."

"Alright," I said and continued in the air towards my cloud. I was there for a couple hours, doing what I normally did until I was interrupted because I heard a voice.

"So this is where you disappear to," I could tell it was Bracen. I turned to see him standing on another cloud.

"This is where I find peace."

He was quiet for a moment then said, "I think my mother was wrong..."

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"May I sit down?" I nodded and he glided over to sit next to me.

"I don't think it had anything to do with a dream demon, I feel it was or is something else. I think it's something deeper than the subconscious, even if you didn't have the dream last night, I feel it'll only be subdued for a certain amount of time. There is no record in angel history of an angel having your color, even in the forbidden history books. I don't mean to treat you as an experiment if it comes off that way, yes I am very adventurous, an explorer if you will, and I do see this as an adventure, but more so as to learn something new," he explained.

I didn't say anything, I didn't know what to say, all that I could think of was the possibility of my nightmare returning, which terrified me.

"Silver, may I kiss you?" he asked breaking the silence.

"I beg your pardon?" I asked confused.

"No, no, not in a romantic sense. Let me explain, I have this ability because of my mother, to feel things others can't, to sense other worldly things that no one can tell or see by touching them. When I touched your hand I sensed something different, something I've never sensed in other angles, and I was wondering if a different, sort of deeper touch, could make it easier to feel. So now that I've explained, is it alright?" he asked. I thought for a moment.

"I suppose," I said still unsure about my answer. Without hesitation he leaned in and softly pressed his lips to mine for a three second kiss, then pulled away. Even if he did it for information and nothing romantic, I still felt something, I've never been kissed, I've never known what's it's like to be kissed in that sense.

"It was a little stronger, but it still wasn't clear, either way I want to help you."

"No disrespect Prince Bracen, but it just seems like I'm another research detail to add to your collection," I told him.

"Call me Bracen please and no it's not that really, yes I am curious, but I do wish to help you Silver," he said and it went silent for a moment. "I will see you some other time, I must return to the palace, until next time," he said and glided off.

How did this happen, I couldn't believe it, how did I come to this? From being shunned by the community and then all of a sudden being accepted and tied in with the prince? Who, if anyone, should be the one disrespecting and treating me horribly. Zale and Ariena would have a hard time believing it just as much as I am. Then again maybe I shouldn't tell them, they would automatically turn it to something negative. They'd think Bracen was doing it for his own benefit, even if that was true at least maybe I could learn more about myself in the process.

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